What do you usually upgrade first - cartridge or phono stage ?


Let's assume already pretty high level of both.

Or you just upgrade both at the same time matching new phono to new cartridge ?

inna

Phono stage. As my systems got better over almost three decades I was shocked how every time I upgraded the  phono stage how much better the sound go... more so than other components. Not until I got to an Audio Research PH9 did the improvement gain slow. 

@inna I am blaming you and this thread for potentially expediting my phono stage upgrade. Lol

audphile1, you are right. Audiogon can be a disaster in this sense, I know it from the experience.

slaw, of course.

dwette, I see, serious upgrades.

Our cartridges are almost always better than we think and our phono stages are almost always worse than we think.

I upgraded my cartridge first and didn't realize how really good it was until I upgraded my phono stage.