I second others comments about upgrading the turntable before going to a cartridge that is vastly more expensive than the table. More is fine. Three or four times more is overdoing things.
Also its unnecessary to spend what you're talking about on a phono stage. The Herron VTPH2A is close enough to state of the art a lot of us owners feel we are done. We might upgrade everything else, but not the phono stage. Pretty remarkable for around $3k.
Another one coincidentally for about the same $3k is a Swarm or DBA type subwoofer system. The one sub you tried failed because it was one sub. Four puts you in a whole new realm of immersive, articulate, extended, and seamlessly integrated bass.
Of all the things you can do this is the one that if you do it you will be saying over and over again wish I'd done this sooner. If only I'd known I'd have done this long ago. Never knew what I was missing, wow. Etc.
Together you would still be under what you're talking for just that one cartridge. Bet you my next paycheck you would prefer what you have with the Herron and Swarm to spending 8 large on that cart.
Also its unnecessary to spend what you're talking about on a phono stage. The Herron VTPH2A is close enough to state of the art a lot of us owners feel we are done. We might upgrade everything else, but not the phono stage. Pretty remarkable for around $3k.
Another one coincidentally for about the same $3k is a Swarm or DBA type subwoofer system. The one sub you tried failed because it was one sub. Four puts you in a whole new realm of immersive, articulate, extended, and seamlessly integrated bass.
Of all the things you can do this is the one that if you do it you will be saying over and over again wish I'd done this sooner. If only I'd known I'd have done this long ago. Never knew what I was missing, wow. Etc.
Together you would still be under what you're talking for just that one cartridge. Bet you my next paycheck you would prefer what you have with the Herron and Swarm to spending 8 large on that cart.