What to upgrade first for better sound quality?


What is going to give me the most improvement in sound quality. I am an analog guy only. Current equipment is a MAC MA6600, VPI Prime w/ortofon 2m Black MM cartridge and revel f-30 speakers. While I have been on the fence with adding a separate phono stage as mine only has a MM one I wonder if I am better off upgrading speakers, cartridge and/or phono pre. Thanks for your opinions.
rkbcpa55

Showing 1 response by elunkenheimer

Did a little web surfing, but do you have a $6000 Mac MA6600 with a $3800 VPI Prime table all driven by a $700 Ortofon cartridge? Ivor Teifenbrun taught us all decades ago that the balance of system investment must lean towards the front end, the best possible table/arm/cartridge/phono pre-preamp, and then diminish investment (if necessary) downstream. I would recommend two things right away, invest in a serious phono cartridge worthy of what's downstream and then add the amazing Herbies Audio Lab turntable mat for $80. The Herbies mat on my Basis/Graham/BenzMicro/EAR $15000 front-end stunned me.