Upgrading my audio setup

Hi,

My current audio setup is pretty basic and budget, as follows:

Rega P1 turntable with OMB 10 cartridge
Rotel RA-820AX stereo intergrated amplifier
Yamaha BD-S1067 which acts as both SACD and Blu-Ray player (and can play most everything else aswell)
Superlux HD 668B headphones

I've owned pretty much all of this for the last three to four years now and I'm in a position where I can spend some money to upgrade. My question is, what part of that setup would be the first thing to upgrade where I would get a noticeable difference in sound, and how much would I be needing to spend to make that decent upgrade/difference? As a note, I don't have thousands to spend, it would be more in the hundreds that I can afford. Eg. I was looking at picking up a set of Grado SR80i headphones (or maybe one or two models up from the SR80i's), as I listen exlusively through headphones at the moment (speakers aren't practical right now).

I'm looking to start picking up some of the MFSL titles both on CD and vinyl so am wanting to maximize the quality of these when playing them back, along with the rest of my collection. So I'm just looking for some opinions and feedback. Let me know.

Thanks

 

The Rotel RA-820AX has a tape out loop. That makes it possible to add a dedicated headphone amp to the setup. Just connect the headphone amp to the tape out. So a dedicated headphone amp could be part of a possible upgrade.

I don't know what the headphone output is on the RA-820AX. A quick Google search indicated that the RA-820 used a resistor network off the speaker portion of the amp to drive the headphone jack. I'm not sure if the RA-820AX is the same (but likely is). Orthodynamic headphones tend to do very well when driven by a receiver that uses a resistor network. So possibly an ortho headphone? Like maybe a Mr. Speakers Mad Dog: http://mrspeakers.com/product/mad-dog-leather-alpha-pads-comfort-strap/

The Mad Dog is $300. If the headphone jack on the RA-820AX can drive them it might be an option. But possibly more than you planned to spend.

I'm a fan of ortho headphones. Orthos are a planar driver (flat driver) with magnets on both sides. They can have amazing detail retrieval. A lack of muddy sound. A super big step up from the Superlux which have a super muddy sound in the mids. A huge step up. Assuming that they would work adequately direct from the Rotel. And that part is a bit of an unknown.

I'd rather have the Mad Dog ortho than any Grado when using a receiver that drives the headphones using a resistor network. Grados don't really like that sort of headphone amp, but orthos do.

 

This might actually be a downgrade on some titles. Might be better served to research titles in particular before just dropping $$ on Mofi stuff. There are a number of titles they did where original CD or Vinyl just sounds better.

Also remastered CDs are not always the best option....see just about every Zeppelin CD remasters vs the Diament originals...it's really no contest.

A prime example of this is Sticky Fingers by the stones. The Mofi LP is sort of a waste as original US pressings are far superior. Improving your source material may yield the best results and also leave you some extra $$ to invest in the amp.

Something like the Schiit Valhalla from the tape outs as Ham Sandwich said would likely be a nice upgrade over the headphone amp on the Rotel. You would also be able to tube roll in the future to get even better sound with just a little $$. I have never heard one but they review well and Schiit makes fine products.

Down the road pick up a nicer phono stage and go directly into the Valhalla.....

 

If your a Yes fan. Pick up MFSL version of The Yes Album. Well worth the $$$

 

Loudspeakers?

 

OP says - I listen exlcusively through headphones at the moment (speakers aren't practical right now).

 

I read the Op's op hence the question mark.

 

Hi,

Thanks for the responses everyone.

Ham Sandwich and adamdube: I had never really considered looking more into buying a headphone amp tbh. I won't lie, I don't actually know all that much about the technical side of hi-fi's and that sort of thing, I just know the components that comprise a set-up and that's about it. When it comes to specific details and technical stuff it's all lost on me. So are each of the individual components in my current set-up all good quality equipment then, in terms of spending money in those areas wouldn't see considerable changes? I was expecting to have to upgrade main components to see improvements, eg. a better amplifier, a better turntable/cartridge, better headphones etc. Would adding the headphone amp and the headphones recommended above (MrSpeakers Mad Dog) see a big jump in audio quality?

Regarding the MFSL stuff, I don't intend to just be buying anything and everything, the titles I'll start off buying are the Bob Dylan and The Band releases. I'll always be looking for information on the best pressings/versions of albums so I wouldn't go just spending money on anything with that label. But I just want to maximize the sound quality from the titles I do end up buying.

Ntotrar: Yes, at the moment I'm just using headphones for my hi-fi listening, maybe at some point down the line I will consider buying a set of speakers.

Thanks again

 

Upgrading the headphones will give you the most gain in sound quality. The Mad Dog headphones are pretty neat. They're a modified Fostex T50RP. Mr. Speakers buys the T50RP, modifies it and sells it as the Mad Dog. The mods really improve the sound. And you end up with something really good (crazy good). The kind of really good where you'll be able to nit-pick mastering and recording details that would be oblivious with the Superlux.

The modified T50RP headphones are power hungry. They need power to sound good and power to be able to get loud enough. They won't do well connected directly to something like an iPhone. But an integrated receiver can power them. Which is why I suggested them. If you hadn't been using an integrated amp like that I would have suggested a different headphone.

The Rotel is doing what you need. It's got the phono input for the turntable, other inputs for CD and such. And with the tape out could allow for exploring headphone amps later. But you can save the headphone amp exploration for later. No need to do that now as long as the headphone jack on the Rotel is able to work well enough.

 

Better cartridge , ensure equipment is on a good sturdy rack especially the Turntable, then the headphones . I have been there . Good luck.

 

+1 on Schiit headphone amps. I have the Asgard 2, and it is truly excellent. I listened to quite a few headphone systems throughout last Sunday at the NY Audio Show, then came home to the Asgard 2 and vinyl, and actually thought it sounded the best of anything I had heard that day.

 

I'll probably pick up the headphones in the next week or two then look toward a headphone amp. Regarding the turntable itself, my current is a Rega P1 (I think mine predates them being called 'RP1', 'RP3' etc. Unless mine is a more budget version, I'm not sure. But I bought it at the beginning of 2010). It's basically still in stock configuration from out of the box, using the same cartridge etc. (an Ortofon OMB10 cart/stylus). The only thing I changed was an upgrade on the platter to a clear acrylic one and I no longer use a slipmat.

I was thinking of upgrading to a Technics, most likely the SL1210 MK2 and running an AT150MLX cartridge. Would this be worth the money or should I keep hold of the Rega and just upgrade the cartridge on that then spend the rest on the headphones/headphone amp? If so, what cart is recommended for the Rega P1/RP1 (Is mine actually the same turntable as the RP1? Not sure myself to be honest).

 

A bit of a bump on this, I'm now in a situation where I have a decent chunk of money to spend on some upgrades. I intend to buy the MrSpeakers Mad Dog headphones and a Schiit Asgard 2 headphone amp. But then I will have around £400-£500 to spend and I can either get a new amplifier or a new turntable/cartridge. What should I do with that money? And what recommendations for TT/amp?

 

Nice! The Asgard 2 is pretty awesome.

Perhaps an upgrade to the Ortofon 30 Stylus?
It's a fine line stylus. It will fit on the OMB cartridge, though generally intended for the Super OM cartridge body. I don't know how much of a difference there will be when using it on the OMB body.

Difficulty is that the Ortofon 30 stylus is out of production. So may be difficult to find.

Advantage is that it will fit on your existing setup. No need to change the tone arm height. Much easier than needing to install an entire new cartridge.

 

Great combo. I'll recommend it all day long. A new Technics will set you back though. At least $1000.

 

Ham, having Grado RS-1 and AKG 701 and a ton of other cans, you still got me curious with that Mad Dog and got me checking these out on the net - now there are Mad Dog and Mad Dog PRO cans available - could you help with information about the difference between these ?

 

The Mad Dog Pro adds a 3D printed baffle that the driver is mounted to. The 3D printed version will be stiffer and shaped better than the stock baffle.

The Mad Dog Pro also rewires the headphone to add a 4 pin cable connector to the left ear cup. The 4 pin wiring makes it possible to use a balanced cable if you have a balanced headphone amp. The cable connector on the left ear cup of a stock T50RP is just a mini TRS jack. And a poor quality one at that. It works well enough, but will sometimes have connection problems.

A modded T50RP is a pretty neat headphone. What I like is that it is able to resolve more detail in the midrange than a headphone like a HD600 or K701. For example listening to a solo violin you will hear more of the grittiness of the bow on the strings, more of the details of the fingers pressing on the strings and the bending of the strings. You just hear more of the expression and emotion that the violinist is putting into the playing. On that measure it betters my HD600.

 

Thanks. Do you have a PRO ?

 

Nope. I've got a T50RP that I modded myself. It works, but I'd consider the Mad Dog to be better quality.
I have heard the Alpha Dog and an older version of the Mad Dog. I haven't heard the Mad Dog Pro.

If I got a Mr. Speakers headphone for myself I'd go for the Mad Dog Pro or the Alpha Dog. A big selling point for me would be the ability to go balanced. I don't have a balanced headphone amp yet, but I will soon.