Phono preamp upgrade from Simaudio moon 310LP

I like my simaudio moon 310LP, question: is it worth it to add the 320sp companion (new, $1,400) or should I upgrade to another phono stage? I have a tube SET amp and Klipsch Belle speakers, and Denon DP62 lp TT, with Denon 103r cart. Thanks for any help!

 

I used to have a 310LP. I could never get rid of the hum no matter what I tried. I have used 3 different phono stages since then and all were totally quiet. Ended up selling it. A friend had a 110LP and had the same problem. He sold it and ended up buying a Moon 390 preamp. On the phono input it has the same hum. Don't know what it is with Simaudio but they seem incapable of making a quiet phono stage.

 

My 310lp doesn’t hum, so I’d say they’re capable. Phono grounding issues seem much more system dependent than other areas.

The 320 is I think hard to come by since the 310 Neo was released. Anyway, many people think highly of the Manley Chinook tube stage as an alternative to the Moon.

JohnK

 

Mine is dead quiet

 

I once had a 110LP and auditioned a 310LP for a couple weeks. They were both quiet as a church mouse.

 

Mine is dead silent too. My friends is as well and his system is much more resolving than mine. I’m not able to comment on the power supply as I’ve not tried it. I seem to recall hearing that the Neo has a bigger supply built in but have never confirmed that.
I have considered upgrading mine in the past but 1) don’t have a clue what I’d want and 2) believe that I’d probably get better value with a better cartridge.
Let us know what you do! Good luck!

 

Spend your money on a better cartridge first. I've played around with a stock DL-103R, and while I think it's a great cartridge, my old AT33PTG sounds better.

jeff

 

I can gree with this. The 310LP alone forms the basis of support for a great cartridge, iff the tonearm is up to handling it. For example – from what I remember of the 310LP – I'll bet a Dynavector XX2 Mk II could be a great match. That's not such a big stretch from getting a 320S, IIRC.

 

If he likes the sound of the 103R (many ppl do), he could look into the Zu Audio upgrades of same.

A Zu-modified 103/103R is one great-sounding cart.
.

 

I second the suggestion of changing the cart. While the Denon 103R is a very musical sounding cart, it's not the most detailed. I recently got a Hana SL and absolutely love it. I think if you like the sound of the 103R, you will like the SL, it's warm and full sounding like the 103R but digs deep into the groove and is very detailed. My previous cart was an AT33 PTGii which was also very good but the SL is warmer and has better synergy in my system.

 

My 310lp is dead quiet! I often have to check which input is selected because it's so quiet.

 

ok, I found the 320s, will receive it Thursday and will report back!

 

the 103R has plenty of detail, but it is improved with cantilever/stylus and body mods, bringing the cost up fairly much, but still worth it (IMO). It's also not a match for every arm.

 

Hum is almost always a system issue, not generated by any one component by itself. You just need to get things set up properly (as several have here).

http://www.hagtech.com/pdf/eliminatingnoise.pdf

 

I haven't heard a modded 103R so I can't comment on its SQ. Having said that, I'm pretty sure you're right as it already sounds great unmodded. Here in the Philippines, the 103R has a cult following and a lot of audiophiles use it for daily listening, their more exotic carts are brought out for special occasions or when they fancy it. Based on what I've heard though, the Hana SL has better detail retrieval compared to the stock 103r.

 

yeah it is one of the good thigns about the 103R, it's not insanely expensive, even with mods. cartridges are if not disposable, ultimately need to be repaired in normal course of use due to wear. And super easy to break by accident. So spending $ thousands on them seems to me to be a bit risky...

 

I own the ancestor of all those phono preamps, the LP5.3. Still quiet after 12 years! Other than having to go into the unit to manipulate the DIP switches, ( I don't do this frequently as I do not change carts frequently) it along with the I5 I bought a year before are the stalwarts of my system. Never a problem with them.

 

So what happened? Looks like you're selling your 310 LP?

 

I had two, sold one, love the 320s!

 

My 610p is silent. Never a hum.

 

I have a new Moon 110 v2 phono preamp. It hums away, mid-level volume on up. Sounds like a guitar amp on standby. Contacted Moon, they didn't seem all that interested. The audio shop told me to convert any three-prongs to two-, but there were none. Getting ready to return it.

 

I have the predecessor LP 5,3, 12 years old at this point. Dead quiet to this day.

 

Likely a grounding issue.

 

How can I tell? Nothing else in the setup produces the hum. It comes from the SW. Sounds like 60 hz. If I remove the Moon and go straight to phono in on the avr, no hum.