Upgrade from DV 17D3, looking for recommendations!


I recently purchased a VPI classic and moved my 17d3 onto it. Pushing through a Luxman SUT, Fosgate Signature Phono, and 12w Luxman SQ-N10 wi DH Labs Air Matrix and Revelation ICs gives me an almost ideal sound. I get immense detail without being bright or fatiguing. The mids are as real as can be, and I don’t get the midbass scoop that many systems hit. I just want a little more on the bottom end. It's not that it's not there... The bass is super tight, and it's pleasant to make out the qualities in it. I just want more presence from it. Maybe I might be pushing too low an output through a high efficiency system?

People in other threads have mentioned the XX-2, the Delos, and some options from Benz. Is the XX-2 really colder than the 17d3? Is the Delos bright as well?

Not limiting to the cartridges listed, what would get me closest to what I am looking for?

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Hi Raul, thank you for the suggestion on the subs, but I'm really not a fan of them. I used to have them in the past quite a bit, but honestly I've never liked the crossover between those and any towers I've ever owned them with. I am not a bass-heavy enthusiast and do believe I can get the sound I want without a sub. With the configuration I have, I know I am running a little on the bright side, and a few modifications will get it to where I want it to be.
analogluvr & tablejockey, thanks to you both for the suggestions! I'll definitely look into the ART 9 and ART 7. I haven't heard about those, and given the specs of the 9, it looks like it'll fit really nicely with the VPI and gain that I have with the SUT and foz stage. The ART 7 looks like it might be too low of an output (.12mV) as my SUT only gets me to 61dB of gain.

tablejockey - is this the thread you were referring to?

https://forum.audiogon.com/discussions/pani-new-art-9-up-and-running

theifoflight-The thread strays here and there, but useful info. There are a few mentioning the DV17

I have been using the 9 for 1.5 years and no desire to go beyond. As mentioned in the thread, it's playing on some SERIOUS tables way beyond my VPI Classic.
Easy to setup, maybe finicky dialing the last bit of being sibilant, or shrill.
Load @100 and you're  good to go. The Foz puts the 9 in its best light.

"I am not a bass-heavy enthusiast and do believe I can get the sound I want without a sub."
Only SERIOUS, top flight and BIG setup @ shows seem convincing IMO. A sub setup can get at/near those levels. If I had a choice, 2+.

My floorstanders spec is 30hz. Even if I can't actually hear below this, the REL pressurizes the room. Without it-sound is  good, but everything "shrinks" 
Drums/bass just lose their impact. 
In the end it's subjective, and your ears.

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tablejockey and analogluvr - after reading all of those threads, I was fully convinced that the cart is a worthy investment and a step in the right direction, so I did some research last night on the best places to buy and pulled the plug. Thank you for pointing me towards it!

Regarding the sub situation, the truth is I live in an apartment in queens, and have people living below me. My living room is really only 13x18. I need to be able to hear as much of the bass that I want and not necessarily have the room shaking.

Also, I've heard what my system can do with floorstanders and no subs, and is able to get to the frequencies that I want, but the synergy wasn't the same. The Tektons are nice and able to get to 30Hz, but the bass is very tight. Prior to them, I was using Wharfedale diamonds which (housing only 6.5" woofers)  gave more than the bass response I wanted.

I'm also open to any other suggestions anyone wants to give, but for now I'm excited that I'll have an ART 9 coming my way!