To Nsgarch -thanks for the reply. You wrote: The cartridge is a hi-output, moving iron device hardly in the same league as your MF player, and God-knows what kind of ancient tonearm cable is coming out of your Thorens, which is no doubt badly in need of a new idler wheel to keep wow and flutter within bounds.
The tonearm has RCA outs of its own which are not part of the Thorens which is belt drive with a new belt. As you can see in my post my issue is mostly image and soudstage and less so the bass. The passive linestage is probably the reason on the bass issue. I have a VPI cleaner and about 800 records. I guess there is no majic pre for $2K and a cable upgrade from cart to pre that will make me happy. The wood body Grado is $800 retail but from a former MC rig I know thats where I want to be. I just couldn't find a pre with enough gain and output to support my passive linestage which is the best thing with my Trivista. Maybe I should try the Trivista phono pre.... anybody have one?
ET
The tonearm has RCA outs of its own which are not part of the Thorens which is belt drive with a new belt. As you can see in my post my issue is mostly image and soudstage and less so the bass. The passive linestage is probably the reason on the bass issue. I have a VPI cleaner and about 800 records. I guess there is no majic pre for $2K and a cable upgrade from cart to pre that will make me happy. The wood body Grado is $800 retail but from a former MC rig I know thats where I want to be. I just couldn't find a pre with enough gain and output to support my passive linestage which is the best thing with my Trivista. Maybe I should try the Trivista phono pre.... anybody have one?
ET