Best way to warm up the sound


I have a MF 5.1 turntable and the 2.2 phono stage , also from MF with the stock Ortofon cartridge. I would like to warm up the sound and don't know what would be the best way to proceed .
My dealer has suggested replacing the cartridge with a Grado unit .
I have not been able to find much on phono stages and would prefer a tubed unit .
I am new to turntable mods and don't know how much change can be done with these methods . I am familiar with tube rolling in my amp and know how much change is possible there . I have an integrated amp and it does not have the ability to use a separate pre amp .
So , should I change the cartridge , possibly to a Grado ?
Or should I look for a tubed phono stage ?

Thank You
saki70

Showing 9 responses by saki70

To answer your questions...

I am getting a very neutral and clear sound , a really nice change from the digital world of CD's . But I would like a warmer sound something like an EL-34 tube sound .

I am using a Primaluna Prologue II integrated amp which I have rolled the input tubes and changed out the KT-88's in favor of EL-34's for a warmer overall flavor .

If anyone is familiar with my Granite 657 CDP , this is the degree of warmth , from the tube side , that I am seeking .

Thanks for the submissions , please keep them coming .
Ok , let me try to get this right .
It is a MMF5.1 turntable by Music Hall Audio . The phono stage is also by Music Hall and the correct model # is pa1.2 .
I have played >80 complete albums , some with multiple records .
The manufacturer told me that the cartridge was made by Ortofon . He did not elude to what particular model .
Here are links to the manufacturers web site for these products .

http://www.musichallaudio.com/detail.php?p=4
http://www.musichallaudio.com/detail.php?p=62

Thank you
The cable from the TT to the phono stage is @ 46 inches long . It came from Music Hall .
I could easily go with a 12-14 inch cable for my present setup . The cables from the Phono stage to the integrated amp are copper by Tributaries .
The cartridge says Magic-3 in blue letters on the top and Ortofon on the front in black letters .
The CDP sounds as sweet as ever so I don't see a problem with the speaker or amp set up .
I have an email on the way to Music Hall concerning the load capacitance issue for the Ortofon cartridge .
This is the second reference concerning the transducers offering the biggest change ! hmmm .
Almarg ;
Does the Pro-Ject Tube box DS do the same thing as the DPB-6 ? How about the Jolida JD9 referenced above by Heyraz ?

Thank you
A follow up .
I installed the new 1.5 ft. LC-1 Blue Jeans cable , cold right out of the box .
A very noticeable change !. The tone is richer and warmer with a darker background and an increase in detail . This is as compared to the stock 46 in. cable that came with the turntable and phono stage . It did improve a bit more after about an hour of play . I am not sure how much of this change is due to the cord length and how much is due to the quality of the cord itself . Never the less , I am happy with the change . Thank you Almarg .
This cord has provided about 20% - 25% of the improvement that I am seeking and is taking me in the right direction .

Any suggestions on what to do next ? TT mat , cartridge , phono stage etc.

Thank you .
No , I don't have the ability to do that . I hope that , being brand new , it would be good .
I have ordered a mat from Herbies per a suggestion above . I'll see what that does too .

Happy Tunes
update:
I tried the Herbies Way Excellent II Mat - it does provide an improvement over the thin felt stock mat. There appears to be a bit more clarity and it seems to hit harder but no added warmth . Not nearly as much of an improvement as the above mentioned cable . But I'll keep it .

Thank you to everyone for your thoughts and suggestions . I have learned a bit and improved the sound a bit !