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 ?

inna02-02-2026 3:25am

ghdprentice Details Discussions Posts This discussion Message User 9,496 posts 02-02-2026 at 05:40pm Copy Comment URL Report Comment Edit Delete 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.
audphile1 Details Discussions Posts This discussion Message User 8,069 posts 02-02-2026 at 06:10pm Copy Comment URL Report Comment Edit Delete @inna I am blaming you and this thread for potentially expediting my phono stage upgrade. Lol
inna OP Details Discussions Posts This discussion Message User 8,240 posts 02-02-2026 at 06:17pm Copy Comment URL Report Comment Edit Delete 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.
inna OP Details Discussions Posts This discussion Message User 8,240 posts 02-02-2026 at 07:52pm Copy Comment URL Report Comment Edit Delete Our cartridges are almost always better than we think and our phono stages are almost always worse than we think.
cdhumiston Details Discussions Posts This discussion Message User 46 posts 02-03-2026 at 04:00am Copy Comment URL Report Comment Edit Delete I upgraded my cartridge first and didn't realize how really good it was until I upgraded my phono stage.