2. analog
  3. 1373314708

Best way to warm up the sound

I have a MF 5.1 turntable and the 2.2 phono stage , also from MF with the stock Ortofon cartridge. I would like to warm up the sound and don't know what would be the best way to proceed .
My dealer has suggested replacing the cartridge with a Grado unit .
I have not been able to find much on phono stages and would prefer a tubed unit .
I am new to turntable mods and don't know how much change can be done with these methods . I am familiar with tube rolling in my amp and know how much change is possible there . I have an integrated amp and it does not have the ability to use a separate pre amp .
So , should I change the cartridge , possibly to a Grado ?
Or should I look for a tubed phono stage ?

Thank You
saki70
mosin
410 posts
 
Vintage tube equipment will do the trick. Some of the modern stuff will, but a lot of it isn't quite as warm as the older pieces. Vintage is priced all over the place, depending on your budget.

Be sure it is already checked out and in top condition by someone who KNOWS what he is doing BEFORE you spend your money.
goheelz's avatar
goheelz
297 posts
 
Easier to give advice if you list the components in your current system ...
david12
1,454 posts
 
I would have thought the cartridge would be the clearest and perhaps, cheapest way to change the sound. I don't want to generalise as I have'nt had many, but I find Ortofon on the brighter side of neutral, excepting the SPU range. So another range like Grado or even the cheaper Koetsu's, may be the way to go.
saki70 OP
907 posts
 
To answer your questions...

I am getting a very neutral and clear sound , a really nice change from the digital world of CD's . But I would like a warmer sound something like an EL-34 tube sound .

I am using a Primaluna Prologue II integrated amp which I have rolled the input tubes and changed out the KT-88's in favor of EL-34's for a warmer overall flavor .

If anyone is familiar with my Granite 657 CDP , this is the degree of warmth , from the tube side , that I am seeking .

Thanks for the submissions , please keep them coming .
zd542
5,339 posts
 
Something's not right here. I don't doubt what you are saying at all, but before you go out and buy more gear, I can't help but to think you may have a setup issue, or something similar. The first thing I have to ask is how much time do you have on your cart.? A new phono cart is like no other piece of gear when it comes to break in. They sound defective when they are new. For the first 20-30 hours, you can usually hear a change from record to record. I would say to put at least 100 hrs on it before you actually judge it.

After that, look at all of your setup details and make sure everything is within the specs for the gear you have.

If your phono preamp allows for different settings, you may want to try some of them and see if that helps.

If you have a way to check how fast your TT is spinning, you definitely want to check that. It could be running a little fast.
More to discover