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Equal $$ for Phono OR Streaming?

Consider the following situation. A friend who's watched me put together my system has decided to follow suit. He's inherited some very good speakers and amplification (no DAC) from a relative and has about wants to finish out the main elements of the system with the best possible source. He has about $4-6k to spend and wishes to spend it on either a phono stage/TT combo OR a DAC/streamer combo. (For content, he is willing to spend either on vinyl or streaming services to fulfill whichever path he chooses above.)

Focusing simply on the potential for sonic quality (rather than, say, the variety of music one can stream), where do you think his money would best be spent and why? Could he reach the same outcomes after spending on a TT, cartridge, phono stage, record cleaner, isolation table and all the other accoutrements necessary for a good phono set up as he could if he bought a good DAC, streamer, etc.?

If your tastes weigh so heavily toward analog or digital that you can simply decide this without considering the details of the comparison, please try to set those aside and answer based on what he might be able to get for $4-6k.

128x128hilde45
djones51
4,947 posts
 
He could have both. Get a digital front end and run it through a vinyl effects plugin when he's feeling nostalgic. 
lalitk's avatar
lalitk
5,052 posts
 
“I hate digital and use only when there is no other way.”

@inna

I respect your choice but don’t you think ‘hate’ is a strong word or did you just get carried away? 
hilde45's avatar
hilde45 OP
4,773 posts
 
Right, I heard him make that comment about the superiority (to him) of analog, and I know there are people on both sides of this question.

To avoid the which is better debate, I am trying to delimit it to his price range for the central gear. As I said, he's open to buying records, the rituals, etc. He wants to know what core gear is capable of within the $4-6k limits.
dekay's avatar
dekay
5,346 posts
 
If you got the amp model right it already contains a MM phono section (is it any good?).

He could easily do both with a budget of $4-$6K if streaming is not high ticket for decent/good quality (know ZIP about streaming).

My vintage TT/arm isn't crap and cost around $200/used 20 years ago (might sell for 5+ times that now).

Gobs of new/highly reviewed TT's available (Technics, Rega et cetera) well within the stated budget.

Hopefully he will not require an "isolation table" for the deck, LOL.

Streaming could be used for convenience and for finding new hard copy source material (AKA music).

DeKay
millercarbon's avatar
millercarbon
12,531 posts
 
To avoid the which is better debate, I am trying to delimit it to his price range for the central gear. As I said, he's open to buying records, the rituals, etc. He wants to know what core gear is capable of within the $4-6k limits.


Well then give him the info: Decware ZP3, Benz Glider (medium output), any $3k turntable. Any. Grand total under $6k. Done.
The guy has a pretty nice amp and speakers. If he gets digital he will think it sounds pretty good. With Decware and Glider he will think why did I wait so long this is incredible where can I find more records???!

That’s what it is capable of. $6k worth of analog like is a game changer. Oh, and one other thing you might want to mention to your friend. Five years from now, when he gets the urge to upgrade, depending on what analog gear he got it will be worth about what he paid for it. But if he buys digital, sorry, does not matter what he bought, darn near worthless at that point.

A sad reality we all know, but he more than likely does not. Every five or ten years digital becomes worthless, probably because that is how long it takes people to get over the cognitive dissonance of having spent six large on crap. Hold onto a turntable long enough, darn thing may actually go up. Some people hate to even acknowledge this, but it is true. You want to be a real friend, you will warn him off crap and into quality.

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