Well you have what $1000 tt $700 cart box $300...2000 .Which is pretty dam good set up.Go with a MC cart.if you want a different sound .Try a different brand of cart.But.if you go by what you heard about spending division you have done it....
Honest question about cartridge vs. turntable performance.
I’ve been a vinyl lover for a few years now and I have an ortofon black cartridge setup with an mmf 5.1 turntable with acrylic platter and speed controller. My question to all the vinyl audiophiles out there is this. How much difference does a turntable really make compared to the cartridge? Will I hear a significant difference if I upgraded my turntable and kept the same cartridge? Isn’t the cartridge 90%+ of the sound from a vinyl setup? Thank you guys in advance for an honest discussion on this topic.
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+1 chaksterThe most important is cartridge + tonearm combination. IMO The second most important is Phono preamp |
I'd rather spend 80% on the turntable and 20% on the cartridge, than flipping those numbers around, but they both matter. The 5.1 is a decent turntable, but you'll get more out of your cartridge if you invest in a better platform. On the other hand, if you buy an expensive cartridge and put it on that table, you'll never experience what the cartridge is capable of. |
IMO you have to divide operational criteria into two categories one for things that are absolutely necessary for proper performance and the second is for sound preference. #1, speed stability, vibration control, and motor insulation/location (so it doesn't induce hum from the cartridge - not absolutely critical but it can certainly limit your cartridge selection. Get the best TT you can afford. A good one should last a lifetime with minimal fuss. Tone arm selection is equally important and cartridge matching even more so but easier to obtain. #2, Cartridge selection, phono preamp selection, phono cable selection all affect mostly the sound. BUT their set up is critical so keep your system as simple as possible. One thing that, for me anyway, is critical, is the incorporation of capacitance selection in the pre-amp otherwise you have effectively limited cartridge selection to MM types. So I agree with big_greg. To keep the cost moderate, and selection simple, I would start out with a high quality integrated TT/Arm in the first place where experts have already taken care of the matching issues, and focus on the cartridge/preamp, cables etc, which are easily changed as your tastes change over the years. FWIW setting up a good vinyl system ain't rocket science but it ain't a walk in the park either. Do a LOT of research first. |
- 127 posts total