2. analog
  3. 188429-179433

Upgrade My Turntable - How Much Do I Need to Spend?

I have recently fallen in love with listening to vinyl on my turntable.  In recent years, I have spent most of my listening time with digital music stored on my server (flac files recorded from CD's), but recently I discovered the beauty of placing an album on the turntable and listening to the entire album.  It's been a wonderful find for me.

My 2-channel room features:

  • McIntosh C260 Tube Preamp
  • McIntosh MC452 Solid State Amp
  • Martin Logan Montis speakers
  • Various upgraded cables and wires
  • Acoustically treated listening room
  • Pro-Ject Debut Carbon DC turntable
  • Ortofon Blue Cartridge

My question is:  how big of a step up do I need to make with my turntable to take full advantage of the other components in my system?  I do not intend to do further upgrades with my speakers or amp system, but I would like to step up my game from the introductory level turntable that I bought years ago.  

I've been doing lots of reading and studying, but I would love to hear advice from some of the analog experts on this forum.  (Please don't flame my current system - there are reasons I love my McIntosh and those components are not going anywhere!)  Should I make a move to a $4000 turntable?  Or????  I would love to find a lightly used Rega RP10, and call my search over - but what do others think?

One thing that I believe I value is a simple setup.  I have read horror stories about how much time and frustration can go into getting a turntable setup and then constantly having to tinker for optimal performance.  I don't see myself enjoying that part of the process.

Thanks!

hikerneil

Showing 1 response by whart

whart's avatar
whart
2,972 posts
 

I've been playing in this sandbox since the early '70s. I bought an SP-10 new back in 1973. After restoration (by the late Bill Thalmann, RIP), it runs in my vintage system, replinthed with a Kuzma 9 " arm.

I have a bigger system that started in 2006 with a Kuzma Reference and Triplanar. I eventually upgraded to the XL ( a beoytch to isolate given its weight) and Airline. 

To me, the answer to the question involves the whole analog front end- turntable, arm, phono stage, cartridge, isolation (where necessary). You don't need to do multiple arms, though that gives you more flexibility, for mono, for low compliance cartridges, etc. 

I understand budgets but don't advocate brands. There are some good tables out there- I'd buy one that enables a separately purchasable arm. I can mess with the tube rectifier in the power supply to my phono stage and change the overall voicing of the system. 

So how to pick what's right for you?

Auditioning in dealerships is limited. Home trial is best, but not likely given cartridge damage. 

I've had several good tables over the years- all of it makes a difference. Vinyl is my main and largely definitive source. It takes work to get there. Part of it may depend on geographic location in terms of what is available to you. 

More to discover