So I am going to be coming into some money pretty Soon and I will be looking at upgrading my turntable set up. Please bear in mind that I don't consider myself and audiophile, but just want to get better sound out of all the vinyl I have invested in. Right now I am strictly amateur... Technics SL-DD33 with AT 85 EP cart/stylus Schiit Mani Fiio E10K Olympus 2 DAC/Headphone amp. Grado SR-60 The sound is tremendously lacking to which I mainly owe to the entry level P-mount table, the other components are decent enough quality but I still would consider upgrades, especially to the headphone amp. The main function for the Fiio is to power the headphones via USB from the MBP, but it serves both functions. I am heavily interested in the Technics sl1500C (upgrade the cart to the 2M Blue) or the sl100C which of course is not available yet stateside but I can still get it shipped if I can find a good deal. I am willing to go up to about 2 k here all told, I was wondering if in the meantime I should look into upgrading the headphone amp or should I start with the table and go from there? Let me also add that this will be strictly for headphone listening. Thanks, Craig
You'll be besieged with Technics recommendations but in your position I would go for a Rega Planar3 with Elys cartridge pre-mounted, $1395 at Fine Stores Everywhere. Here's a review written by die-hard Brit Homers Home review so grain of salt but it's a very good combo,. The Elys 2 is well reviewed everywhere. I'm not sure I could find my headphones so can't help you there but I wonder if Keith Darlington couldn't stick a resistor or two and and a 1/4" port in one of his gadgets for the remaining $700. Wouldn't hurt to ask.
Almost all my listening for fun is vinyl, but I have never really enjoyed vinyl through headphones. Through speakers - now that’s another story, and improvements pay huge dividends. But I am not sure even the best vinyl players will really be all that much better than what you have, through phones. Just my speaker-centric opinion. Those new Technics decks are pretty cool, it would be fun to have one just to look at and touch.
Just emailed Keith and Darlington Labs is indeed working on a headphone amp. ETA unavailable... OP, upgrade your phono stage to one of the above said Darlington Labs and go from there; that's one thing you won't have to think about later.
I'm not a listener to vinyl through headphones, so will concentrate on the source components. An old Hi-Fi wisdom is to optimise the source signal, so a turntable/cartridge upgrade may be the place to start. I think that a move to the Technics SL1500C with 2M Blue is a good plan. I recently acquired a new Thorens TD-403 with the 2M Blue as the stock cartridge and am impressed with its very solid sound - so that is an alternative I would recommend. The Rega Planar 3, mentioned above, has a good reputation and is a viable option if you like minimalist turntables. However, note that the stock Elys 2 cartridge has a non-replaceable stylus, so you will have to replace the entire cartridge when the stylus wears out, which will be a pain, particularly on a turntable with fixed headshell. Settle on a turntable and cartridge before upgrading the phono pre-amp, as you need to choose one that electrically matches your chosen cartridge, particularly with regard to load capacitance. In fact, I would leave the phono pre-amp for a while. If you want to appreciate the difference that each component change makes, upgrade only one component at a time.
Absolutely. In fact since Im edging toward the sl1500c and it has the phono already installed Ill see how it matches with the rest of the set up before I make the move to a new stage. Next move may well be a different amp as the set up I have is mainly for digital listening.
I assume you use headphones and do not own a power amp or speakers per your info profile. You are looking at a lot of money for speakers, new TT, cartridge and amplifier.
Maybe I am missing something, but is your plan to stick with the Grado? They are fun headphones, but they are $80 entry level Grado and don’t even need an amp at all. No change to your table, cartridge, or headphone amp will change your sound much compared to a headphone upgrade. I would spend 100% of my funds on a headphones before doing anything else.
1st off, how many LP's have you got, if under 200 then don't go down the T/T road. Now-a-days HD streaming is up to the standard you will get out of a $20,000 T/T rig. If you still really want to go for LP's the a Technics 1200 mk7 with a Hana EL or HL is a good start on the bottom run of true audiphile LP listening. If you are able to do DIY the get a Lenco 75 or better 78 & join Lenco Heaven. With modding it will get you even higher up the ladder. ARTHUR SALVATORE - from the Reference Components wrote he considers the fully modded Lenco to be the best sound T/T in the world. Cheers
They aren't fashionable but they are a heck of a bargain: the Fluance RT-85 with an Ortofon 2M Blue. Good sound; ridiculous bargain.
