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Turntable advice / opinion on setup / sound.

Hello all you analog experts. I am seeking some advice, opinions and direction to try, based on my tastes and setup. 

I’m not loving my current TT sound but there are variables that could cause this. For reference, my favorite TT I ever owned was the ClearAudio Champion Level 2 (wish I never sold it) because it was warm and had a huge stage. 

  1. I listen to every style of music, smooth jazz to hard metal. 
  2. I have to turn the volume way up to get the get the level I like which at times has hiss and a tiny bit of hum. Compared to digital sources which have none of these issues. 
  3. I find this setup to lack huge stage and warmth. 

My current system is:

  1. Rega Planar 8 w/ Alpheta 2 MC cart.  
  2. Cambridge Audio -> Alva Duo Phono Pre amp
  3. Mark Levinson -> No 585 Amp. 
  4. Martin Logan 15a Renaissance -> 8FT apart/ 3ft off the front wall and 3 FT from each side wall. I sit 9FT away from the speakers.  

The turntables I am considering are:

1) Musical Fidelity -> M8XTT

What cart would you use?

2) Michell Audio -> Gyro SE Turntable

3) Clear Audio Champion Level 2

Thank you all in advance for any guidance and opinions you can offer. 

necrosuit
tablejockey
4,405 posts
 

 Music Fidelity M8XTT

What are you waiting for- it's right HERE:

Musical Fidelity M8xTT Turntable

I ordered 6 to give as gifts. 

For me, I went with the Esoteric Grandioso.

YOLO

 

elliottbnewcombjr
7,820 posts
 

Does YOLO mean something like Laugh out Loud?

 

Yes, music2audio.com is widely reported as a scam.

Multiple sources confirm serious red flags:

  • The site has been flagged as a scam since at least 2015, with reports on ScamWarners.com and Canuck Audio Mart. 

  • Its claimed Italian VAT number (01248150610) is invalid and the company is registered in Canada under privacy protection. 

  • The physical address in Milan, Italy, does not appear to exist when checked via Google Street View.

  • The domain is registered through a privacy service, masking the true owner, and the registrant is listed as a Canadian entity with no verifiable business presence.

  • Users have reported non-delivery of goods after payment, with no recourse for refunds.

  • The site has resurfaced under different names, such as sell-hifi.com, indicating a pattern of fraudulent activity. 

Avoid this site entirely. It is not a legitimate business and has a long history of defrauding customers. 

AI-generated answer. Please verify critical f

audphile1's avatar
audphile1
8,041 posts
 

@elliottbnewcombjr You Only Live Once

audphile1's avatar
audphile1
8,041 posts
 

In $1,000-$2,000 range….

I am using Whest Two.2 - neutral, transparent, very quiet, very dynamic. Excellent focus, precision and great soundstage. Should strike a really nice balance with the Martin Logans  

https://www.whestaudio.co.uk/products/whesttwo-2-ex-demo

McIntosh MP100 - around $2500 new now I think? Excellent phono stage, sweeter sounding than the Whest, slightly higher noise floor but difference is negligible especially with speakers like the ML you won’t notice the noise, they’re not super efficient. Get this if you want a less analytical and more textured sound  

Sutherland 20/20 Mk2 - somewhere between Whest and McIntosh noise and sonics wise - neutral but slightly more delicate than the Whest  

 

 

 

knock1
373 posts
 

"I’m not an expert, but perhaps a more powerful amp would be a better idea? Looks like your speakers are more happy with some 700 wpc amps, and your amp is around 250 wpc?"

One of the most inane advice that ever appeared on AG.

As most sugested, the phono stage is the bottleneck.

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