Need Advice: Setting up a basic analog system

Do not even think of replacing that cartridge with an AT 95e or Shure M97!!!

Buy a replacement stylus for the AT31E from LP gear or another retailer and don't skimp on the phono preamp! Remember that the AT is a low output MC so you will need a phono stage with a MC input and appropriate gain (you can use the gain computer at kabusa.com).

That table/headshell/cartridge combo is worthy of a decent phono preamp. I'd think Cambridge 640P as a bare minimum but try to up the budget even from there a bit.

Hi, thanks for your inputs, I have some questions though:

1. Re the gain computer; I got a figure for the AT31E of 58db w a gain factor of 11220 @ 25hz. The 640P has gain @ 1khz spec of 39db/55db. How do you interpret this? Sorry I'm really new at this.

2. What other phono stage comparable to the 640P, price and performance wise?

3. When you said up the budget, is this for the phono stage or for my proposed setup?

Thanks again for your suggestions.

Yes, ideally you should have around 58 db of gain with that cartridge. Depending on the rest of your equipment that may or may not be a big deal. With a low output MC cartridge it is more critical to have enough gain without having too much than with higher output MM cartridges.

So I would probably try to find a phono stage with the 58 db of gain and a 100 ohm load setting (or adjustable load settings if at all possible). I used a DB Systems MC phono pre for a few years that can be purchased (and customized by David Hadaway at no extra charge) directly from DB Systems for about $200 with a Denon 103R and was very happy with it. Some of the Project phono stages with 60 db of gain on the MC input would probably work quite well also.

You'll probably get lots of suggestions if you posted over at the vinyl asylum at www.audioasylum.com.

You could also contact Kevin at KAB for some phono preamp suggestions. He is very knowledgeable on that table, and an excellent person to deal with.

I'm assuming your table and preamp were inherited from the same owner. The Levinson gear is not exactly chopped liver and anyone who put that headshell and cartridge on that table was very likely to have taken great care of it (just guessing there but I think it would be so) and you are not likely to hear what it is really capable of with a budget phono preamp.

You could send that table off to KAB for complete or specific mods in light of the fact that you have nothing into it and look at phono preamps in the $500-$1000 range and have a pretty impressive vinyl set up that might rival much more expensive combinations!

Thank you again for the info, much appreciated. Would you know the website of DB Systems, or contact info?

Available at KAB is the Music Hall PA 1.2 Phono Preamp with the specs that I need, any experience with this one?

As for the condition of the equiptment, not sure really what kind of use (or abuse) they sustained. What should I look out for? I know the TT works, not sure about the cartridge/stylus.