Any Changes to the Analog Front-End Being Contemplated?

Any Changes to the Analog Front-End Being Contemplated?

  • None, have reached analog nirvana!

    Votes: 11 14.5%
  • Turntable

    Votes: 28 36.8%
  • Cartridge

    Votes: 30 39.5%
  • Arm

    Votes: 22 28.9%
  • Phono cable

    Votes: 10 13.2%
  • Phono section

    Votes: 22 28.9%
  • New base/stand

    Votes: 8 10.5%
  • Speed control

    Votes: 5 6.6%
  • Platter, clamp, motor, plinth, etc.

    Votes: 10 13.2%
  • Set-up Tools

    Votes: 5 6.6%

  • Total voters
    76

MylesBAstor

Well-Known Member
Apr 20, 2010
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Ok guys and gals. What is everyone planning on as the next upgrade to their analog rig?
 

vinylphilemag

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Apr 30, 2010
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Ok guys and gals. What is everyone planning on as the next upgrade to their analog rig?

Great question, Myles! My highest priority is to replace my aging Lyra Parnassus. Depending on how much cash I can muster, I'm considering the Lyra Titan i or the AIr Tight PC-1 Supreme (I'll not be trading in my Parnassus because I'd like the option to upgrade it to an Olympos at some stage). Following that would be a worthy phono stage. The phono stage in my ARC SP-9 Mk 2 is surprisingly good, but I feel a dedicated phono stage is a mjst for a vinyl junkie like me. I'm eyeing up the ARC PH-7 or the Reference Phono 2.

My Forsell TT is also starting to show its age, but a suitable upgrade is quite a ways off for the time being...
 

MylesBAstor

Well-Known Member
Apr 20, 2010
11,236
81
1,725
New York City
Great question, Myles! My highest priority is to replace my aging Lyra Parnassus. Depending on how much cash I can muster, I'm considering the Lyra Titan i or the AIr Tight PC-1 Supreme (I'll not be trading in my Parnassus because I'd like the option to upgrade it to an Olympos at some stage). Following that would be a worthy phono stage. The phono stage in my ARC SP-9 Mk 2 is surprisingly good, but I feel a dedicated phono stage is a mjst for a vinyl junkie like me. I'm eyeing up the ARC PH-7 or the Reference Phono 2.

My Forsell TT is also starting to show its age, but a suitable upgrade is quite a ways off for the time being...

Yes, as good as the Parnassus was, it's been superceded. The biggest thing is in the area of dynamics.

If I was shopping in the area you're talking about, I'd give a listen to the ZYX Omega, Ortofon, Dynavector 1-T or 1-S, Clearaudio DaVinci--and maybe wait and see what J. Carr has to offer this summer as a replacement for the Titan.
 

MylesBAstor

Well-Known Member
Apr 20, 2010
11,236
81
1,725
New York City
I need to change everything. My old SOTA / Premier / Grado combination has served well for quite some time but I'm not going to do any more tweaks.

Well you don't lack for choices any more. And as you said, your present rig doesn't owe you anything. Maybe updating the SOTA and a new arm and cartridge? Or you looking for something new?
 

Jay_S

WBF Founding Member
Apr 20, 2010
309
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16
San Francisco - East Bay
Yes, choices are surprisingly abundant. Who would have predicted that a few years ago? I've researched the SOTA upgrade path but also have my eye on the VPI Classic, Aries III, and Super Scoutmaster. As for cartridges, I want a change from Grados. My preamps are ARC SP-9 / Bugle Boys and Anthem PRE-1. I need to research input sensitivity but it appears that they will both handle medium output moving coils.
 

vinylphilemag

WBF Founding Member
Apr 30, 2010
810
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www.vinylphilemag.com
If I was shopping in the area you're talking about, I'd give a listen to the ZYX Omega, Ortofon, Dynavector 1-T or 1-S, Clearaudio DaVinci--and maybe wait and see what J. Carr has to offer this summer as a replacement for the Titan.

Yes, a replacement for the Titan i (presumably using the new geometry from the Helikon (is that the right one? I forget now; the most recent Lyra cartridge is the one I'm trying to recall)) would also be a good idea (and the others you mention. "Fortunately", cash isn't exactly burning a hole in my wallet right now, so I'm not looking for an immediate solution.
 

vinylphilemag

WBF Founding Member
Apr 30, 2010
810
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Kelowna, BC
www.vinylphilemag.com
My preamps are ARC SP-9 / Bugle Boys and Anthem PRE-1. I need to research input sensitivity but it appears that they will both handle medium output moving coils.

My ARC SP-9 Mk 2 has just about enough gain for my rather low output Parnausses, which is rated at 0.3 mV. So a medium output MC should be OK.
 

rblnr

Member Sponsor & WBF Founding Member
May 3, 2010
2,151
291
1,170
NYC/NJ
Looking for a phono preamp to replace my Dynavector P-75. Using a Dyna XX2mkII on a Hanss T-20 table w/an Audiomods Rega arm. Any recs for things new or used under 2K would be greatly appreciated -- am new to phono preamps so haven't heard much of whats out there. Did here a Sutherland Hubble in my system brieflly and thought it was great, but more than I want to spend at the moment.
 

Mike Lavigne

Member Sponsor & WBF Founding Member
Apr 25, 2010
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3 years ago i started down a path of adding 2 additional tt's to my system in addition to my Rockport. in addition to the 2 tt's i wanted 4 arms; 1 for a Mono cartridge, 2 for LOMC's, and one with a changable headshell to play with low cost MM's and MI's. i'm almost there with changes.

--will trade my Dobbins Technics SP-10 Mk3 for Steve Dobbin's new tt, 'The Beat'. it will have 2 Reed arms. i should have that mid-june or 'so'.

--have ordered a Talea uni-pivot arm from Joel Durrand and should have it by mid-June. this will go on my Dobbins-Garrard 301.

--i'm in the process of selecting an additional 'vintage' arm with a removable headshell which will also go on the Garrard. that will happen 'soon'.

hopefully by the end of June all these things will have happened and i'll be able to enjoy 5 arms and three tt's as i had imagined i could.

--one other change i recently made was the addition of the Audio Systeme Disk Vinyl Record Cleaner system. i also acquired 2500+ Lps recently. instead of posting over the last month or so i've been cleaning and listening to new (old) music. it's been great fun.
 

Mike Lavigne

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Apr 25, 2010
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Mike

there are just no flies on you. Simply amazing.

How do you decide which one you want to listen to

while cleaning almost 400 Lps over the last 6 weeks and then listening to them it's clear that some Lps are best with the most revealing possible tt and cartridge, the Rockport. these would be the very best Classical Lps and any really great recording.

others Lps might be best enjoyed with a little added bass bump and rounding (more forgiving and less revealing); the Garrard might make these best.

others are more visceral and the added explosiveness of 'the Beat' tt can take things to a higher point.

then there are the Mono's.

and finally; how might this Lp sound with an inexpensive cartridge in a mature high resolution system? and are those older Moving Magnet and Moving Iron cartridges really that good? i am curious about all the hubbub on these older cartridges and want to enjoy them.

the above is just my perspective on how things might go; ask me in a month or two how it is actually working.
 

mep

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Apr 20, 2010
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MikeL-Speaking of turntables and LPs, I bought the same recording of Tommy that you talked about on another thread. You mentioned that in the Overature, there was a cannon shot of bass that you had never heard before. Can you pinpoint where in the recording that takes place? While this version of Tommy has the best bass of any version I have ever heard (and there are lots of places where you pant legs will be flapping), I have yet to hear what you described. I assume you are talking about Cut 1 on side 1. I am very glad I bought this copy by the way.

Mark
 

Mike Lavigne

Member Sponsor & WBF Founding Member
Apr 25, 2010
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MikeL-Speaking of turntables and LPs, I bought the same recording of Tommy that you talked about on another thread. You mentioned that in the Overature, there was a cannon shot of bass that you had never heard before. Can you pinpoint where in the recording that takes place? While this version of Tommy has the best bass of any version I have ever heard (and there are lots of places where you pant legs will be flapping), I have yet to hear what you described. I assume you are talking about Cut 1 on side 1. I am very glad I bought this copy by the way.

Mark

Mark,

actually...the 'Underture' (you said Overture) is what i menetioned.:D

i'm glad you are enjoying the Simply Vinyl pressing of 'Tommy', it is wonderful. my comments about that 'special' bass note that sounded like a 'cannon shot' was in reference to playing it on Steve Dobbins new 'The Beat' tt with Reed arm and A90 cartridge. the moment startled both Steve and I and we both went nuts. it was somewhere around the first third of the cut. i relate it to a cannon shot more because in terms of an image there was like a 'circle' of energy and a sense of explosiveness that trancended a recording. it was spooky.

i've played that cut on that pressing on the Rockport 5 times at least and on the Dobbins Garrard 301 and the Dobbins Technics SP-10 Mk3 and while the cut sounded great i never have heard it like on 'The Beat'.

that specific tt was a pre-production one and Steve took it with him. i did order one for myself but it's still a month or so away. i'll try to find the spot on my Rockport but likely it will have to wait until i get my own 'The Beat'.
 

mep

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Apr 20, 2010
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Thanks Mike. I was wondering if I had it backwards. I will listen to the Underture tonight and see what's up on my rig. No matter what, it's a damn good pressing. I do find it interesting that you don't hear it the with the same impact on the Rockport. I guess I don't have much of a chance of capturing it with my rig, but I will give it a shot.

Mark
 

mep

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Apr 20, 2010
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Well, I listened to the Underture twice last night and damned if I heard anything extraordinary in the bass department. The cut sounds great all around, plenty of weight on the drums, bass is deep, the highs are really sweet with all of the tambourine work-just no explosions that rocked my world.

Mark
 

Johnny Vinyl

Member Sponsor & WBF Founding Member
May 16, 2010
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Hi guys!

I'm new around these parts (just joined this a.m.) and I think you have a great little forum going here. Love the content so far and the various areas of interest. I also love the site colours, very classy, but now back on topic.

I'd love to get a Pro-ject Speedbox SE II this year for my Nottingham Analogue Horizon SE. Was going to get it next month, but the Taxman wants me darned money, so it's on hold for now. I had also planned on upgrading my current phonostage, which is a rather entry-level device, but has served me well.

John
 
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