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Should I keep the Turntable or sell it?

I’ve been back and forth on this decision for about a month, and the more I learn, the harder this decision gets.

Backstory: I won the brand new Cambridge Audio Alva TT turntable in an online contest in mid-May, and while it sounds great, I decided to list it for sale a couple weeks ago. I’ve always wanted to try out a Rega P6 or P3 with a really nice cart, because I feel like I’m not getting enough out of my Pro-Ject Debut Carbon. Prior to winning the Alva TT, I switched the Red Ortofon out for the Blue, and there was a great improvement in sound quality. But after comparing the Pro-Ject to the Alva TT and hearing what a $1700 turntable can sound like, I definitely am interested in exploring more high fidelity turntables. The issue is that I feel like I prefer the sound of tubes over solid state, and the Alva TT uses an integrated Alva Duo phono preamp for the RCA out, and their own DAC for the Bluetooth out if I want to go that route. I don’t have a ton of experience with tubes, and maybe it’s just the “cool factor” I actually like and I’m just having a placebo effect.

So I decided to list it for sale to try and get a Rega, because I heard so many great things about them. But over the last week or so, I’ve learned more about the Alva TT and how it uses Rega’s famous tonearm. I looked up the cart and it is listed at $500 separately, which is probably why it sounds better than the Pro-Ject w/ Ortofon Blue. I’ve also read on these boards about direct drive being better than belt, which the Alva has as well. It also has the added bonus of Bluetooth that go directly to my KEF LS50 Wireless, but I would most likely just use interconnects.

So I would love to get some advice from you all. I’ve gone back and forth about keeping the Alva or selling it, along with my Pro-Ject Debut Carbon, and buying/trading for something like a Rega P3 or P6. If you had my first world problem, what would you do?
bignamehere

Showing 4 responses by mulveling

mulveling's avatar
mulveling
1,774 posts
 
Your Cambridge looks nice enough that I wouldn't consider the move to a Rega. Move to something truly a level-up (plus a good standalone phono stage) once you're ready. The Technics 1200GR does look really nice. I also think the new SOTA Sapphire/Star (Jelco arm?) and various Clearaudio Concept/Performance models (with Satisfy arm or Tracer arm) are extremely strong offerings. 

And tube phono stages are awesome. Sometimes paired with a SUT as needed for MC cartridges. That's what I've run for the past several years. 
mulveling's avatar
mulveling
1,774 posts
 
SOTA has a long history, so you can often find great deals on used older models if you’re patient and willing to take on a bit of risk. I got started myself with a SOTA Star III sold locally on consignment - it was an AMAZING way to start. I think SOTA even sells refurbished units if you call them.

Between the Clearaudio-built Marantz and the Concept, I’d chose the Concept no question. It’s a proven winner (especially with a Satisfy arm upgrade instead of the magnetic bearing Concept arm) and it’s been built with Clearaudio’s more modern designs & tech. The Marantz was designed back in the days of their prior lineup, before the Concept and Innovation models.

As for the "most important part". That’s a tough one. I’d say once you have a reasonably good deck, the matching between cartridge and arm is most important. MC cartridges will tend to need heavier arms. Then phono stage, and its proper matching to your chosen arm, is also crucial. And depending on your room and table, you may need to spend some serious effort and/or money isolating the table. The SOTA models from the Sapphire on up take care of that for you (mostly) with the built-in suspensions. The Clearaudio models will not help you here - you’ll have to ensure they’re properly isolated.

I own both a SOTA and a Clearaudio. 
mulveling's avatar
mulveling
1,774 posts
 
Yeah, definitely what uberwaltz just said.

The leeway in my prior statement is in what constitutes a "reasonably good deck". I've heard the Concept (even with the cheap Concept MM), and I think that table just makes the cut. I'm not so sure about anything else in that price range bundled with an arm & cart as a package. I'm not so sure about the Marantz model - and if it were my money I'd definitely go with the Concept over it. Clearaudio (mostly) nailed it with their present lineup, which you can see given their popularity and longevity. 

I'd also be giving the new Technics decks a look, though I have no experience with them. I think they're pretty interesting. 

Cartridges are wear items, and they can be easily destroyed with a simple accident. I say go a bit further with the table/arm/phono before you experiment with more exotic cartridges. THEN the arm/cart quality & matching will absolutely be the most key determinant to your resultant sound quality, you may wish to explore MC cartridges, etc. 
mulveling's avatar
mulveling
1,774 posts
 
I wouldn’t bother with the Quintet Red - that’s simply too much money to spend on a bonded-tip stylus; you should be shooting for at least nude elliptical. My dealer has a base Classic and I haven’t been too impressed by its overall build quality, either. Any Clearaudio will be far beyond that.
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