Where to start?

Let us know how you like it after it all breaks in and you have had plenty of time with it. Congrats on your resolution!

 

Thanks...will do.

 

Update: I have a Bellari VP 130 that I've been using that definitely helped with boosting the audio signal from the TT but I wasn't really happy with the overall sound. Tried a couple of different tubes but couldn't get exited about the sound of any of them. Detail was OK but everything sounded a bit flat/clinical/bright etc...Enter the Schiit Mani. The easiest way to explain this is the music went one dimension flat to three dimensional when I hooked it up. I suddenly started hearing what everyone said they heard with the Ortofon 2M Blue. Clarity increased, accuracy and placement of instruments was something I just didn't expect to hear from a preamp this inexpensive. The whole sound stage just changed more dramatically then anything else I've done. It even smoothed out the horn tweeters on my Klipsch RF3 II main speakers to something, for lack of a better discription, more "silky" sounding then the sometime screeching sound I was getting from some vinyl playback. There was also a boost in the bass and midrange which to my ears was a positive. I was hoping for an improvement but did not expect something so dramatic. I was also considering auditioning the Lounge LCR MKIII but now I'm not so sure I want to start down that rabbit hole just yet unless I can find an inexpensive way to do it. I will spend more time with this setup before making any other changes. YMMV but for me this is what I was hoping I could achieve without having to change all my equipment one at a time. I will point out that badly produced vinyl still sounds bad but the albums with good production are now a pleasure to listen to.

 

Why, here

of course!

 

Well I went down that rabbit hole. Purchased a Lounge Audio LCR MKIII off of Ebay at a reasonable price. Said it was barely used and it did look like new when it arrived. The easiest way to describe the sound is to say it mellowed everything out. Nothing sounds harsh or metallic through it. I think the highs are still clear as in stringed instruments like guitars, mandolins, fiddles or violins. On poorer recorded albums the vocals can sometimes start off a little muddy for lack of a better description but that can change from track to track so I don't thinks its the Lounge per se. Listening to all of my test albums/tracks I'd say overall everything just sounds more natural or accurate compared to the Mani, which I also like, but not as bright. Had I heard this first I think my reaction to it would have been similar to the Mani as to how big the improvement was over the Belari. Bass has a nice punch, mid-range is good and highs are smooth without sounding muffled. Sound stage is wide and detail between individual instruments can be picked out and doesn't sound mushed together. To put it in a nutshell I don't find it fatiguing to listen to and it's had a positive effect on all the vinyl I've played. Still auditioning it but I think it's a keeper. Going to hold off changing anything else for now and just enjoy playing my vinyl again.