New Analog system. where to start?

FINALLY!!!! Psychic, you've finally expressed yourself in a mostly positive, thoughtful manner in your post to Seantaylor above. An insightful, informative post on your opinion/experience. Thank you!

I am glad that you found something that suits your criteria/taste/experience/budget, although you surely must realize that others' criteria/taste/experience/budget are most likely different than yours which results in their making different choices. What's right for you may not be right for everyone else (especially on this forum) and visa-versa.

With a very much minority opinion, you are going to have to continue to do a better job of answering questions, educating, explaining, staying on-topic and generally make it less difficult to understand what you are saying if you want people to hear and understand you. Your points are not being made or even heard when you constantly trash threads with mostly embarrassingly un-objective opinions, erroneous facts and way-out kooky stuff.

Regards
Jim

Gumby- I have had a couple of Audible Illusions M3A pre-amps (an early version made in 95 w/standard phono section and a '99 w/"Gold" board) and neither had the tubes soldered in. Maybe some of the older M3's (not "A" versions) or the older L1's had soldered tubes- I don't know about those.

Anyway, the "gold" phono section is a substantial improvement over the standard phono section, but is only for low-output cartridges while the standard phono section handles cartridges w/ outputs >.9 mV. Both type phono sections are tubed.

The great thing about either is that you get a world class pre-amp along with a great (gold) phono section or very good (standard) phono section. And it is equally at home with most SS or tube amps. Excellent value.

Regards
Jim

Ohlala- His post was mostly positive, he refered to how he found his set-up to sound to him and he didn't make any un-informed comment about another turntable or person. This is a first.

Do I agree with what he said? No. But I obviously listen differently than he does. The table he has does have a very minor following and it's not unreasonably retailed at $400. If it works for some, bully for them.

Has his credibility stood up? With the exception of his last post, no. But he seemed to have started to turn a page with the last post with and I didn't want to discourage that. At least he wasn't implying that people who don't agree with everything he says are stupid & racist and that everything other than what he has is junk.

Yes, he has severly damaged his credibility and his crusade over the past year but, with the last post, has begun to make his opinions known in a way that might at least gain him a small measure of respect regardless of whether anyone agrees with him.

Regards
Jim

Hey Jimbo: Sonce I am unwilling to do "research...." WHat is the rest of your system?
I am interested in what you run down the line from those little dual-mono pre's.
Also, what about your deck for vinyl? (Your favorite one anyway.)
TWL, a A-gon member is trying out a homebuilt table that I am eager to hear results from.
The SOTA got pulled from its perch and was found to be touching the bottom plate. The belt is totally toast, and the vac-platter-clamp-thingy is a bit "gummy" or........is it "pokey" hehehe......................
I intend to play later in the year when the boats are not calling. Speaking of boats, I think I will go out and play with that boat right now and listen to some MP3's on my houseboat through my state of the art Klipsch KG2's and rockin, awesome, beyond question, radio shack 17 WPC CD player powering them. Ahh, such lucid highs and soundstage.
As long as you are the kind of guy who likes pillows in front of your tweeters...these should sound great to you.
For me, the sound of passing open piped big-blocks makes it all come together.
I wonder if they make tweaks for boat ex. pipes to improve bass?
Or maybe a Tice alternator stabilizer for better control in mid-bass?
I am thinking of raising the whole thing off the water a bit with sorbethane discs, to see if that will give me better results. :>) The water calls :>)