2. analog
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OK, I made the leap...

Now that the kid is grown and gone (boo, hoo) I’ve decided it is time to get back into analog. I’ve been into this sport since; hum, ah, 1967, how ever long that is. I’ve had 500-600 albums, (I’m not going to count), that have been in storage since 1989. I know that year since that was the year my ex and I split the sheets and I managed to escape with the vinyl.
Anyway, I went to a used stereo store in Seattle today and purchased a used (old) turntable and a cheap phono pre, and I am like a kid in a candy store. I literally had not even looked at the albums since they were packed and stored years ago, in spite of moving several times. Holy crap, I’ve got a lot of good music. In spite of all the smoke and booze, I really did take good care of these albums. Yahoo. While I’m having a blast listening to my old stuff, it does not sound as good as my digital setup. There just seems to be no bottom end, and kind of a harsh top end. Sounds like an old receiver with tone controls that someone had turned the bass all the way down, and the treble all the way up.
Now for my question; how much do I have to spend on a table/arm/cart/phono pre setup to at least match what hear with my CD player? I do now, especially after listening to, and looking at what I’ve got, want to get back into vinyl, but not just as just a novelty. From what I’ve read here and other places, I should be able to have this sound as good or better that CD’s. All reasonable help/suggestions will be appreciated.
My system is as follows: (I can’t seem to make the virtual system thing work today)
Speakers: Osborn, Grand Monument Reference
Amp: Redgum RGH900
Pre amp: Consonance Reference 1.1
CD player: Sim Audio Moon Eclipse
Table: Sansui SA 4050C
Phono pre: God knows what it is.
Cables: Analysis plus, Harmonic Tech. Some other things I can’t remember.
bnc
esoxhntr
196 posts
 
Well, you have a pretty decent CDP, so you are probably looking at about $2000 - $2500 to get past your Eclipse. Your best bet to keep things in the "real" price range would be to base the whole setup around a Rega RB250 or RB300 arm, relatively inexpensive but VERY effective.

Match it with either a Project or Rega turntable, and an inexpensive Denon, Dynavector, or Ortofon cartridge and you're most of the way there.

You can get an NAD phono stage for about $100, and they are reasonably good, especially for the dough, but you will want to consider something a little more advanced later on.

You might also want to consider a VPI Scout, since it comes with an arm. Solid little table with a great rep, and readily available new or used.

VERY IMPORTANT!!! Check the analog archives here - this subject has been touched on a number of times, and there are probably threads listing the best buys in all four categories: turnable, arm, cartridge, phono stage.
rushton's avatar
rushton
2,445 posts
 
Bnc, I'm not going to low ball you on a recommendation. If you're serious about getting into analog at better sound quality than your Moon Eclipse, you probably ought to plan on a budget of $2500-3500, and it goes up from there.

Here's one option, you'll probably get lots of others, some at lower overall price points:

...VPI Scout Turntable with JMV 9 tonearm $1600 retail (I wouldn't hesitate to purchase this on the used market at under $1100. Also, this table can be upgraded at any later time to the Scoutmaster.) (The VPI Scoutmaster is even better, but at $2400.)

...Cartridge possibilities that work well with the VPI tonearm: Sumiko Blackbird ($750) or Dynavector DV-20Xcartridge ($525) or Grado Sonata ($500)

...Phono stage at low cost. There are several threads here you can review about inexpensively priced phono stages. More expensive phono stages will sound better, but any of the following would get you started and you could consider upgrading later on for significant improvement in sound:
Grado PH-1 ($500) or Lehmann Black Cube ($460) or Creek Audio OBH-15 ($400). All of these have switchable gain settings for MC or MM cartridges.

As with anything else audio, each of the phono stages and each of the cartridges will have it's own sonic strengths, weaknesses and character. So do the turntables/tonearms.

Buying a used VPI Scout turntable or phono stage will save you 40-50% off retail. With the VPI, buying used is a pretty safe bet, there's not much that can go wrong with them.

Good luck on your journey!
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a_e_watkins
106 posts
 
Hello Bnc

First off, congratulations!!! Your move will evenutally bring you much happiness. There a lot of good turntables out there, which would answer you quest and bring you much joy, I recently purchased a new VPI 'Scout' table w/arm and I have been very happy with the results. The cartridge used would really be up to your own preferences, there are many Grados, Dynavectors, ClearAudios etc. for consideration.

Regardless, of what you purcase however, to really bring out the life and dimimish the noise factor, you should really pick-up a disk-cleaning machine. I have a VPI 16.5 and I'll tell you they really are worth the money. They (any brand) will lessen the surface noise and bring you a more dynamic sound with less background noise than you have previously experienced.

So any good turntable and arm coupled with a disk-cleaning machine will bring you hours of enjoyment with your old records.

Good luck and good listening.

Regards,

AEW
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