Low end TT vs. Hi end CD

You need to spend some $$$ on a decent TT setup. The problem with cheap tables (or not so good tables)is that using a better tonearm or cartridge will not necessarily give you better sound. They can expose your weaknesses in your current turntable much more than improve sound.

KF

An SL1200 can do a decent job, and actually is one of the better sounding direct drive tables. I think it might be close, if you had a cartridge like a Goldring 1042 and the Supratek phono stage.

I do agree with the above sentiments, however, that if you have a large amount of money sunk into your other equipment, the TT setup should be consistent with your other equipment.

Considering the fact that a really good turntable could totally obliterate the Wadia, why would you want to skimp in this area, when you have so much to gain there? Even a mid priced TT like a Nottingham or Michell will put you way ahead of the game. A Teres would have you dancing in the living room.

When you really find out what analog is capable of, you will wonder why you waited. Your ears will thank you profusely.

As Dennis and others of you know, I have had an SL-1200 as my only TT all of my adult life. It's not something I'm proud of or anything, it's just that nothing about its performance has prompted me to want to upgrade it as I have steadily done with the rest of my system. True, I haven't had another, presumably better TT in my system to compare it with before, but I have heard lousy TT's and know a little about what sounds decent, and with the few tweaks I've given it*, it still provides me with plenty of enjoyable music with no problems and great ease of use. So I can say with some authority that, compared to my Theta separates digital rig, the 1200 with a mid-priced medium output MC cart through a mid-priced phono stage can still provide sound that is superior in audiophile terms in many ways, and is almost always more enjoyable, than a digital set up that costs around twice as much. I don't know what Dennis will find, and I wouldn't discourage him from going beyond the 1200 if he feels like it, but I do tend to think it's possible for modestly priced analog too exceed some aspects of higher priced CD performance. Let me put it this way: I don't believe that the 1200 will in and of itself so compromise analog playback as to render the advantages of analog moot if the rest of chain is up to capturing and transmitting them. It certainly has some inherent limitations and flaws which I am aware of, but it just doesn't do anything that wrong.

*[For a list of the tweaks, click on my reviews and see my article on the KAB fluid damper.]

I don't have a lot of records... maybe 20. The majority of those are 12" dance records. I bought the Technics 1200 and the mixer so that I could learn how to mix, and because you can only find certain music on vinyl (how strange is that?)...

I never thought the TT could give me more than OK sound. I remember vinyl when I was very young, but I really grew up with CDs.

That's why I have a hi end CD rig, and hundreds of CDs.

I think over time, I may invest more money in a new TT, but I'm broke right now, and couldn't afford more than maybe a better cartridge.

But I'm very curious to discover more, and will start looking for vinyl. There is a great place right near my apartment called Second Story Books that has loads of used records CHEAP. I may find some stuff there I like...

I'll let you know how each added upgrade improves the sound. The Syrah should get here sometime late February (that would be over 5 months wait...).

The following is from origin lives website;
http://www.turntable-kits.com/upgrading_hi_fi_kits.htm

Assessing priorities to upgrade your system is not always easy and so we have tried to provide some guidance from the experience that we have acquired over the years. Much depends on your the level of performance you aspire to, coupled with your future plans (if any) and budget. For this reason the following guidelines are a matter of opinion and judgement.

If you are using a Vinyl front end then the accepted wisdom is to break down your budget approx as follows: Please note that if your system is CD based, then this breakdown is not valid as CD players do not vary in performance anything like as much as turntables.

VINYL BASED SYSTEM SPLIT
Turntable / arm / cartridge = 50% of budget
Phono stage = 8% of budget
Amplifier = 21% of budget
Loudspeakers = 21% of budget

CD BASED SYSTEM SPLIT
For example if you have a £200 GBP CD player you could easily apportion up to £1000 GBP on the amp and £1000 GBP on the speakers which is the complete reverse of the philosophy for Vinyl.

If you are planning to upgrade over a period of time then you will split the budget based on your final investment in the system - needless to say there are all sorts of exceptions to the above guidance.

BREAKDOWN OF FRONT END PERFORMANCE
To break things down further we would suggest the following in terms of contribution to a front end performance - Please note that the price of a component does not does not necessarily mean that it will deliver more performance for the money than something else and the percentages indicated below are based on the average performance contribution to the system - not the price of the item.

Turntable = 47%
Tonearm = 33%
Cartridge = 11%
Phono stage = 9%

Ivor Tiefenbrun, the guy who developed the Linn lp12 also says, the table itself is 50% of th equation.

So as you can see the turntable itself is very important. This info will help you understand what Twl,Lugnut and Tok2000 have been saying.

The reason a lot of audiophiles went to cd in the eighties was because they had dual's or some Japanese direct drive turntable, with most times a shure m95ed, these rigs were very noisy and full of distortion. Now compaired to a good cd player, the absence of noise, and a lowering of distortion, decided cd was better.

I to need to upgrade my playback system. I am analog only based in my listening room. Because of my budget I will soon purchase the Origin aurora turntable, with the silver arm, this is arrox.2K$

You could add the shelter 501 mc $800 (the same cartridge Twl uses) and never look back. If your budget allows you can get better preformance in the origin live lineup. I suggest you read the reports, checkout the web sites.
Have some fun investigating, and when you get your analog rig, you will then hear all the music you have been missing.
Roni