2. analog
  3. 1064785054

Advice wanted on mid range setup

Hi,

Having heard an SME 30 setup blow away a DCS elgar digital at Sound by Singer last year, I am finally ready to get back into analog. (BTW, it was an all out assualt: All boulder electronics, into the JM labs grand utopia using a chesky reissue lp against the same recording on CD. It only took about 10 seconds to come to the conclusion, it was by no means a sublte difference)
My idea was to see if I could find software, stating this weekend. So far, after 2 days of hunting, I have about 70 lps. Cost: Zero.

People will just give this stuff away, amazing. So, I am humbly asking the advice of the analog denziens here for ideas on a rig that will be of matching performance to the rest of my system.

Currently, I have ARC electronics (LS16 MK2, VT100 MK3, CD), running through audioquest cabling (diamond X3 silver balanced interconnects, Caldera Biwire for the speakers) Speakers are Martin Logan Ascents and room treatment is by ASC

I Would like to spend an upper limit of $7,000, including phono stage (tubes, if possible), arm, TT, cartidge, and interconnects. I would be looking for used stuff here on Audiogon, with the possible exception of the cartridge. I have some reservations about buying a pre owned cartridge: is this a valid fear?

Thanks in advance for all you help.
rlips
marakanetz's avatar
marakanetz
5,473 posts
 
Jjmali,

I specifically want to add that in old vinyl time only the first ones sounded real good. Reissues very often was sounding terrible. I know some ways to distinguish either by serial numbers or by jackets but I realy collect only originals. Reissues on CDs sounded even more terrible. Hence, my point of view in that case is to have ONLY originals and my truth is that I realy enjoy holding in my hands a large original UK issue of "The wall" with booklet, inserts and posters no matter wether it's better or worse sounding than japanese mini-lp.:-) Do you know that Led Zeppelin II original sounds very close to MFSL issue

One more hint: singers who sing for microphone are easy to record...
jrd351
332 posts
 
my comment to the post was not meant to be a knock on analogue....i just know that when you add any front end to your system,(particularly one that is thousands of dollars),its a good idea to listen to it on a trial basis in your own system with a lot of your favorite music...
jjmali
108 posts
 
On a positive, we are all very passionate about our hobby.
rlips OP
105 posts
 
I want to thank all the posters who have given me constructive input here. As usual, it is of incalculable benifit to build on the body of knowledge, rather than plod along in isolation.

My stratagy, I think, will probably be to build from the cartridge (and the music collection) on up. I am fully aware that this is a SYSTEM, but one does need a starting point. The cartridge seems to dictate both the phono stage requirements as well as the arm requirements which in turn seem to hint at the type of TT to be used.

To those who seem to have a problem with the process that lead me to undertake this strange journey, I wish to point out that you miss the entire point of a forum like "Audiogon:" due to this community, I can buy and sell equipment with minimum financial penalty. That IS my in home trial!! Far more fair than "wasting a salesman's time with no intention of buying".

It is interesting to me that those who seem to find some fault with my desire to do this have 1) No sales feedback, 2) No systems posted, and 3) Have only recently joined our community.

That being said, I will now respectfully ignore those individuals who's posts I find not to be helpful.
jjmali
108 posts
 
Once again Rlips is making statements which are false:

"It is interesting to me that those who seem to find some fault with my desire to do this have 1) No sales feedback, 2) No systems posted, and 3) Have only recently joined our community."

My agon rating:
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His agon rating:
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If BS were music Rlips would be a brass band!
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