A rookie with 10K, seeking advise


I'm new to the HiFi world. I listen to a lot of female vocal and classical music. I like both digital and vinyl. I am using a pair of Wharfedale Linton heritage and PS Audio Stellar Strata. 

I know this is too broad a question, but with 10K budget, where can I wisely spend my money? I don't mind tubes and I don't mind used either.

Any advise is greatly appreciated!

llid2

Showing 1 response by clearthinker

@llid2     Assuming your hi-fi isn't creating unacceptable noise (it shouldn't be), noise comes off the electricity supply, your house wiring and other electric stuff in the house and, for low output MC carts from radio intererence.  The amount and quaiity of noise is very variable between locations.

Don't imagine you've got excessive noise if you can't hear it.  Switch on your amps and turn the volume up slowly.  There will be some noise and it will increase in loudness as you turn it up.  But many of us find we can turn it up all the way and we don't find anything unacceptable or over loud even at that volume level.

For the rest, first put your hi-fi on dedicated line(s) taken directly off the incoming supply.  Then improve your house earth (ground) post.  Try listening again.  If you still have excessive noise, buy an active power conditioner.  Power cords are passive and will have nothing like the same effect on cleaning things up.

For $10k systems, don't spend much on power cords, active components must be improved first.

I concur that buying two front ends at this level is costly in sound quality.  Choosing between analogue and digital at this stage will leave a lot more to spend on speakers and amps.