TT in the future

[blackraven]

I just got back from Albuquerque, NM and the friend that I was visiting gave me his Bellari VP129 phono preamp as he replaced it with the Rega Fono preamp. So I guess I will be buying a TT in the next few months. I have some research to do concerning the best tubes for it.

I had a great time in NM. We stayed up till 0500 every day and listened to music and drank Margarita's and shots of raspberry Moonshine. I think that I am done with alcohol for a few months!

[blackraven]

I have been doing some research on Budget TT's and Cartridges. I am leaning to the Pro-Ject Debut Carbon Black and an Ortofon Bronze Cartridge. The Cartridge may be a little too high end for this TT but I have read some very good reviews with this combo. I am also looking to buy a used TT like a MH MMF5, RP3 or something similar.

[Jack in Wilmington]

With the money I just got from selling my Anthem integrated, I'm thinking a new cartridge may be in my future. I may have to give Ortofon some thought. I was also looking at Bryston's new USB convertor, since my DAC only does 96/24. I have to decide if I'm going to be doing more vinyl or Hi Rez. listening.

[blackraven]

Jack, the reviews on the Ortofon Bronze are great and the price is right. I would really like to drop some coin on the Clear Audio Concept, Music Hall MMF 7se or a VPI along with a $1K catridge and $1K phono preamp but its not going to happen. I would rather upgrade my Maggies to the 1.7's of the 3.7i speakers. I would also like a high end DAC in the $3K range. Too much to buy and not enough money!

I have been doing a lot of reading on TT's, phono preamps and cartridges. Some people say to get a better TT and a lesser cart. and preamp. Others say to put more money into the cart. and preamp. I am leaning to the latter. Although the Bellari preamp leaves much to be desired, but with some tube rolling and a better wall wart the sound can be much improved. And I can't complain about a free phono preamp.

[Jack in Wilmington]

Jack, the reviews on the Ortofon Bronze are great and the price is right. I would really like to drop some coin on the Clear Audio Concept, Music Hall MMF 7se or a VPI along with a $1K catridge and $1K phono preamp but its not going to happen. I would rather upgrade my Maggies to the 1.7's of the 3.7i speakers. I would also like a high end DAC in the $3K range. Too much to buy and not enough money!















I have been doing a lot of reading on TT's, phono preamps and cartridges. Some people say to get a better TT and a lesser cart. and preamp. Others say to put more money into the cart. and preamp. I am leaning to the latter. Although the Bellari preamp leaves much to be desired, but with some tube rolling and a better wall wart the sound can be much improved. And I can't complain about a free phono preamp.

I've always been of the "better cart" philosophy. I feel a better cart can make an entry level table sound good, but a better table such as the Clearaudio won't sound good with an Ortofon Blue or other lower priced carts.

[JohnMichael]

Better table, good cart is what I would choose. A great cartridge in a compromised tonearm will not give you your money's worth. An arm that has lesser bearings and materials will have higher levels of friction and the cartridge will not perform as it should. I also think the table should have very low levels of mechanical noise.

I have improved my table by rewiring the arm and a lowered counterweight. The arm tracks better and the rewire made for a more open sound. My machined subplatter, ceramic bearing, top and bottom bracing has reduced mechanical noise. The 24V motor has also reduced vibrations and improved speed stability. After the motor install and the braces my budget AT F7 sounds great.

What a turntable would need before I would put an expensive cartridge in it would be a quality bearing and very stable platter. A tonearm that is adjustable for tracking angle and azimuth. Very low friction in the pivot bearings, low resonant arm tube and quality wiring. Of course some form of housing that would not feed any mechanical noise back to the record.

[Feanor]

Jack, the reviews on the Ortofon Bronze are great and the price is right. I would really like to drop some coin on the Clear Audio Concept, Music Hall MMF 7se or a VPI along with a $1K catridge and $1K phono preamp but its not going to happen. I would rather upgrade my Maggies to the 1.7's of the 3.7i speakers. I would also like a high end DAC in the $3K range. Too much to buy and not enough money!

I have been doing a lot of reading on TT's, phono preamps and cartridges. Some people say to get a better TT and a lesser cart. and preamp. Others say to put more money into the cart. and preamp. I am leaning to the latter. Although the Bellari preamp leaves much to be desired, but with some tube rolling and a better wall wart the sound can be much improved. And I can't complain about a free phono preamp.

Why are you interested in getting into vinyl? Is it because the music you like is on vinyl OR because you hope for better sound? Which ever the reason or combination, I don't see much point doing half-heartedly: this would be courting disappointment.

I'll admit that I ceased to care about vinyl in the mid-90's when virtually all music became available on CD. My taste ran (and runs) to classical music, and by then it was clear that most old and pretty much ALL new releases were on CD.

But back in the day, I believed, as I still do, in the "weakest link in the chain" philosophy. And that applied to the TT/tonearm/cartridge/phono preamp combination. My best phono setup comprised a Sonus Blue cartridge on a Grace 707 tonearm on a French-made ERA belt-drive TT, all ahead of an Apt Holman preamp -- not too bad a setup in the pre-megabuck epoch.

[blackraven]

Why are you interested in getting into vinyl? Is it because the music you like is on vinyl OR because you hope for better sound? Which ever the reason or combination, I don't see much point doing half-heartedly: this would be courting disappointment.

I'll admit that I ceased to care about vinyl in the mid-90's when virtually all music became available on CD. My taste ran (and runs) to classical music, and by then it was clear that most old and pretty much ALL new releases were on CD.

But back in the day, I believed, as I still do, in the "weakest link in the chain" philosophy. And that applied to the TT/tonearm/cartridge/phono preamp combination. My best phono setup comprised a Sonus Blue cartridge on a Grace 707 tonearm on a French-made ERA belt-drive TT, all ahead of an Apt Holman preamp -- not too bad a setup in the pre-megabuck epoch.

I got back into vinyl because a friend gave me his Bellari Phono preamp and I have vinyl from the 70's and 80's. My system is modest. I bought a refurbished 1970's Thoren's TD-145 TT for $240 (I built a new plinth for it out of Cocobolo wood and lined the inside with GTMAT, made a new bottom cover out of Baltic Birch and put sorbothane feet on it.) and a good sounding Nagaoka MP-200 cartridge that I bought straight from Japan and saved about $200 off the local price in doing so.

I am using a 1950's Raytheon 12AX7 tube that has the long shiny black plates with my Bellari which has transformed the sound of the Bellari. The total cost of my analog system was about $500.

I find that well recorded vinyl sounds better in many respects than digital. The sound is more natural. Even my audiophile buddies who have heard my vinyl commented on this and are thinking about getting TT's. One of the guys is in his early 30's and had never heard vinyl before said he gets it and understands why people love vinyl. Vinyl will never replace my digital, it just complements it.

[E-Stat]

I just got back from Albuquerque, NM and the friend that I was visiting gave me his Bellari VP129 phono preamp as he replaced it with the Rega Fono preamp. I have some research to do concerning the best tubes for it.

First of all, there's only one tube for two channels and it doesn't make tons of difference.

I owned one for a while. Not bad, but on the opaque side. I replaced the original tube with two other 12AX7s while experimenting. Four op amps do all the heavy lifting.

[hifitommy]

i bought the bellari BEFORE mikey reviewed it and came up with his answer before he did. not bad for the money but i would love to try a Schiit Mani with mc/mm capability, all ss for $160!

it has been well received in the press.

[Feanor]

i bought the bellari BEFORE mikey reviewed it and came up with his answer before he did. not bad for the money but i would love to try a Schiit Mani with mc/mm capability, all ss for $160!

it has been well received in the press.

I can't speak to the Mani but I've been well pleased with the other Schiit products i've owned, viz.

• Modi DAC (original)
• Bifrost DAC (original)
• Bifrost Uber upgrade
• Asgard 2 headphone amp
• Bifrost Multibit upgrade -- a truly outstanding product for the money; great esp. with 16/44 recordings
• Gungnir Multibit DAC

[hifitommy]

i have to say that not nearly as much money need be spent on a phono setup to sound better than the equivalent amount spent on a digital player. hre is the easy way in:

Akai BT-500 Turntable with Bluetooth

this can be used with you stereo or directly to the computer. the cart is an AT at95e, pretty good sounding for the bucks but a better one could be fitted if preferred.

once bitten by the bug and you hear more music from your LPs than CDs, you will then know when upgrades should be considered. incremental changes can effect more than incremental gains.

here is the very same table branded as TEAC for less money:

https://www.amazon.com/dp/B00P9WK1BW...KD3RZD09YG0AXF

i have the akai version that my daughter got me for easy computer transfer. pretty good value. so far, so good.

[Feanor]

i have to say that not nearly as much money need be spent on a phono setup to sound better than the equivalent amount spent on a digital player. hre is the easy way in:

Akai BT-500 Turntable with Bluetooth

this can be used with you stereo or directly to the computer. the cart is an AT at95e, pretty good sounding for the bucks but a better one could be fitted if preferred.

once bitten by the bug and you hear more music from your LPs than CDs, you will then know when upgrades should be considered. incremental changes can effect more than incremental gains.

here is the very same table branded as TEAC for less money:

https://www.amazon.com/dp/B00P9WK1BW...KD3RZD09YG0AXF

i have the akai version that my daughter got me for easy computer transfer. pretty good value. so far, so good.

HFT, I know you're a vinyl fan from 'way back. Thanks for these references, those are nice looking units and would seem easy to use.

I suspect I'd be no worse off using my old Technics SL-D2 and Denon DL-110 cartridge, (pictured below), but I would need a phono preamp, (since I sold the Cambridge pictured). If I were to get back into it, I'd likely get that Schiit Mani 2 you mentioned.

However I have a very small LP collection and I wouldn't expect to buy many new ones if only because I listen to classical and there isn't much classical being released on LP. Thus new investment of time & money in vinyl playback would offer limited payback for me. The days of cheap, good used classical LPs are gone forever; unfortunately I missed on on the trend of people dumping them for CDs.