Upgrade from clearaudio maestro mm to $2-3k mc cart?

@williewonka 

Thanks for the extra info. I don’t have an arsenal of carts that I’ll be swapping in and out so I don’t think needing to take the cover off to adjust the settings would prevent me from pulling the trigger on one. Sounds like maybe a bit of a hassle getting it dialed in the first time but then like you said, “set it and forget it.”

@tablejockey 

Thanks for sharing, I’ll take a look at the Trumpet. I couldn’t tell from your post if you have the Trumpet or if the recommendation was based on reviews. If you have it, how does it compare to the other phono stages you mentioned earlier? I know my tube box ds2 is on the upper end of entry level but at $900 it seems hard to believe that the $1200 Trumpet would be a massive sonic improvement. I’ll still look into it though!

duerte30-

Dropped the Hagerman in for the price comparizon to the used Fosgate, which I'm still using. 

Didn't realize the Project increased in cost over the years. Wouldn't know how the 2 compare. You may be right it's not being a justified expense. There may be a thread on hat particular move?

I was very much considering that Moon 310 and also the Southerland Little Loco.
(That later one is only able to do LOMC.)

So some of this becomes a bit of a double whammy as you cannot uprgrade the phonostage and then the cart (e.g. Lil Loco).

@tablejockey 
They do have a less expensive (or maybe more inexpensive?) tube hybrid phono at around $500 so maybe that’s the one you’re remembering? I’m not sure how long the tube box ds2 has been around. As for finding a thread on it, I’ve seen plenty of threads about people upgrading to the ds2 but not much about upgrading from the ds2. I’ll keep looking. 

@holmz 

I see what you mean. On one hand I could save up longer for a super upgrade of phono stage and cart but on the other hand I really enjoy getting to know each component as it enters the system and I’m not able to do that if I change two things at once. I have some thinking to do but I’m not in a rush. Did you end up going with the Lil Loco?

I see what you mean. On one hand I could save up longer for a super upgrade of phono stage and cart but on the other hand I really enjoy getting to know each component as it enters the system and I’m not able to do that if I change two things at once. I have some thinking to do but I’m not in a rush. Did you end up going with the Lil Loco?

@durte30

As mentioned I was taken by the Moon/Sim and the Sutherland Loco and lil Loco.
But a Nagra VPS appeared and the “down sizing” and “sleekness of look” sort of won out…

Basically the Haus-Boss never liked the mix of Audio Research and other mix-n-match components… so a simpler and coherent look was easier than a debate on audio function versus decorative Feng Shui.

Hence I just buckled, and went all Feng Shui. But it does sound pretty good so far.
I doubt I will upgrade the phono stage without going through a reincarnation.😎

The iFi also looks like a good option in the lower $ range…
But in the 2-3k$ range it was Moon/lil-loco for me.

Going Feng Shui was more $, and it was used.