dangorange Posted July 23, 2014 Share Posted July 23, 2014 So I thought I'm in a unique enough situation to warrant a new topic. I recently sold a bunch of gear, mostly pro audio(I do film scoring) and I have some funds available to throw towards my home audio side of things. I've always been an avid player of vinyl records, grew up during a time when that's just what you bought, or a cassette! All I play on the home system is vinyl and I'm focusing on potentially improving that experience. Currently this is my set up & situation/environment. I have a pro ject debut iii my wife bought me, around 7 years ago, no real issues with it, it's completely stock. Amp is a Marantz 2275, had it forever, reminds me of the amp I would sit in front of as a kid in the late 70s early 80s. Then, I happened to be gifted years ago a pair of proac response 3.5's which are massive, sound amazing, & were very expensive 15 years ago or more when these were made. Basically this is my deal, I have up to $4k to spend on whatever I want. I'd like to keep it to around 2k since I have other non home audio things I like to buy, microphones etc. The thing is, I really have no issue with my current set up, and furthermore, it's not in an ideal listening environment. I mean, everything sounds great, but we just have one crowed room that my 4 year old daughter has taken over, so speaker placement, sound treatments, etc, ain't gonna happen or change. I throw a record on, go in the other room to cook, listening environment is all over the place. So what I'm wondering is, will I really feel a difference if I were to say upgrade to a Rega rp6 and a nice cart or similar. Or should I ditch the Marantz and get a dedicated amp/pre. Or maybe keep status quo and just buy records and maybe even a record cleaner. Ugh sorry, I really hope this isn't a nuisance thread as much as maybe some suggestions we don't normally throw out there. Also, I kind of don't want to upgrade my current TT, so comments directed at just upgrading the cartridge, I'm definitely interested in hearing anything. My thoughts initially are to get a new turntable, but my listening environment is definitely handicapped. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dangorange Posted July 23, 2014 Author Share Posted July 23, 2014 Sorry for some odd sentences, can't seem to edit, blame it on beer Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JacobMckinley Posted July 23, 2014 Share Posted July 23, 2014 Man, Honestly.... I am liking the sound of your setup! I would say that unless you plan on your listening situation changing in the next little bit, just keep the components you have and maybe just upgrade the cartridge on your turntable. I would recommend one of the mid level ortofon's (Maybe the 2m red)it would be awesome to be able to spend the leftover 1700 after a cartridge on LP's and perhaps a VPI cleaner. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
allenh Posted July 23, 2014 Share Posted July 23, 2014 Pretty much as above You like the sound and there is nothing wrong with any of it so treat yourself to a vacuum record washing machine and blow the rest on vinyl. If you want to you could spend some of it on a decent cartridge, maybe an MC one but then you'd need a new phono stage as well unless you went for one of the high output ones. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dangorange Posted July 23, 2014 Author Share Posted July 23, 2014 Hey thanks, this is the kind of advice I was hoping for! I totally agree with both of these responses. What actually brought on my dilemma is whether I should upgrade my TT's cartridge or just make a leap for a new one, upgrade the source so to speak. I almost bought a 2m red but then got caught up on a couple of things. One was an article I read about not recommending upgrading the stock cartridge on the debut iii, something about it being optimized for the stock tonearm, and a thread here that never resolved about whether you need a larger counter weight if you put a 2M red on. Part of me thinks I should just buy the new Debut carbon which comes with a 2M red and sell my old one. Seems like I'd only be spending an extra $100 or so to upgrade the cart and a newer slightly better TT once it's all said and done. Definitely looking into the record cleaners too, something like that could be very cool to have. I missed out on a VPI 16.5 that went for cheap on the 'bay not long ago, kicking myself for not jumping on it. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
trott3r Posted July 23, 2014 Share Posted July 23, 2014 Afraid i am going to disagree the debut is an entry level turntable so i would go for a mid range table like the rp6 pr rp9 to get a good sound from your vinyl. My entry level dual 505 mk4 had a rather flat or sat on sound and i really enjoyed the upgrade to my project perspective. Certainly the cleaner is a good idea though since it preserves your vinyl for use in the future. I have a spinclean and a knosti antistat manual cleaners. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dangorange Posted July 23, 2014 Author Share Posted July 23, 2014 Good to see another opinion from a different perspective, also in regards to a record cleaner, I'm leaning toward a just the manual spin clean as I don't have a massive collection of records and that money probably would go best to a turntable upgrade. I'll keep weighing the options and maybe even go for a listen at my local shop to A/B some stuff. I'd be curious how different some different set ups sound. I'm going to figure that my speakers are definitely helping the fact I feel my set up sounds excellent(to my ears at least) I used to have a pair of Dynaco A25's and they were great too. But once I was gifted the ProAc's it jumped up a big notch in quality. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kannibal Posted July 23, 2014 Share Posted July 23, 2014 It doesn't sound like you really have dedicated listening sessions for your music. Because of that I would be more inclined to recommend some small upgrades to your existing turntable as opposed to a major table upgrade. You won't get the most out of a turntable upgrade from the other room or while engaged with something else. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
trott3r Posted July 23, 2014 Share Posted July 23, 2014 It doesn't sound like you really have dedicated listening sessions for your music. Because of that I would be more inclined to recommend some small upgrades to your existing turntable as opposed to a major table upgrade. You won't get the most out of a turntable upgrade from the other room or while engaged with something else. Yes i agree to enjoy music at its best you need to sit down and have no distractions. Otherwise there is not a great deal of point spending decent money on separates. Martin Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dangorange Posted July 23, 2014 Author Share Posted July 23, 2014 Do you think I would notice a step up in quality if I were to put a 2M RED on? I can get one at my local shop for around $100, maybe I'll try and see. I'm still trying to sort out the whole counter weight issue(whether I would need a different one for the RED) but I'm sure that's easily solved. FWIW, I do make an effort to sit down directly in front of my set up now and then, especially when I put on a special record I want to take in. It's just not something I get to do everyday. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
allenh Posted July 23, 2014 Share Posted July 23, 2014 What cart is fitted to your turntable now? is there a better stylus in the range you could fit as a cheap upgrade. The 2M red can easily be upgraded in this way as can most MM carts so I'm assuming it's an Ortofon from a different range in your turntable now. The point about the Debut being entry level is very valid but also the point about spending a fortune on something that is effectively background so you need to work out what you really want from it Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dangorange Posted July 23, 2014 Author Share Posted July 23, 2014 What cart is fitted to your turntable now? is there a better stylus in the range you could fit as a cheap upgrade. The 2M red can easily be upgraded in this way as can most MM carts so I'm assuming it's an Ortofon from a different range in your turntable now. The point about the Debut being entry level is very valid but also the point about spending a fortune on something that is effectively background so you need to work out what you really want from it Yes, it came stock with the Ortofon 5e, I've never changed it. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
swemoll Posted July 23, 2014 Share Posted July 23, 2014 Yes, it came stock with the Ortofon 5e, I've never changed it. Upgrade that...immediately. You'll love the difference. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JacobMckinley Posted July 23, 2014 Share Posted July 23, 2014 What i wouldn't give to have 2k to spend on record related stuff right now. Maybe i'll go clean out the garage and see if i have anything worth selling. I'm just not sure the Mono Beatles box set coming out is worth getting divorced. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dangorange Posted July 23, 2014 Author Share Posted July 23, 2014 What i wouldn't give to have 2k to spend on record related stuff right now. Maybe i'll go clean out the garage and see if i have anything worth selling. I'm just not sure the Mono Beatles box set coming out is worth getting divorced. Ha yeah, honestly you should go do that. Part of how I raised the cash was going around and finding bits and pieces that I just wasn't using and selling. Built up my paypal balance that way. Otherwise, with a daughter in preschool, I'd never be able to spend a cent on my interests! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dangorange Posted July 24, 2014 Author Share Posted July 24, 2014 Well I went into my local audio store, it's a pretty high end place to pick up a 2M Red. Of course while I was being written up and chatting about my set up and everything else I've mentioned here, he went into full salesman mode. Not in a bad way, but left me with stuff to think about, and no 2M Red either! His angle was(aside from trying to make a bigger sale) that I should upgrade my turntable. My speakers are the strongest link and my Marantz, according to him, has an exceptional pre amp in it, considering it's an all in one kind of amp/receiver. So all that said, upgrading from my debut iii to something like a Rega P3 or even the P6(that was my suggestion) would be a significant jump up, which I don't disagree with. I mean, this sort of just goes full circle to my original question and doesn't resolve much. I decided to wait on the cartridge and give it a little more thought. A new TT would be pretty cool. Ugh, this is a can of worms I should never of opened. Knowing me I'll end up buying some vintage Linn craziness or the like instead. At least this is a fun journey, I've been on worse. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JacobMckinley Posted July 24, 2014 Share Posted July 24, 2014 Well I went into my local audio store, it's a pretty high end place to pick up a 2M Red. Of course while I was being written up and chatting about my set up and everything else I've mentioned here, he went into full salesman mode. Not in a bad way, but left me with stuff to think about, and no 2M Red either! His angle was(aside from trying to make a bigger sale) that I should upgrade my turntable. My speakers are the strongest link and my Marantz, according to him, has an exceptional pre amp in it, considering it's an all in one kind of amp/receiver. So all that said, upgrading from my debut iii to something like a Rega P3 or even the P6(that was my suggestion) would be a significant jump up, which I don't disagree with. I mean, this sort of just goes full circle to my original question and doesn't resolve much. I decided to wait on the cartridge and give it a little more thought. A new TT would be pretty cool. Ugh, this is a can of worms I should never of opened. Knowing me I'll end up buying some vintage Linn craziness or the like instead. At least this is a fun journey, I've been on worse. I know the feeling all too well. It sounds to me like you would very much like a new turntable at this point. I personally own a Rega P7, i don't know a ton about the RP6 but i can tell you my P7 is one of the best turntables i have ever owned. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
allenh Posted July 24, 2014 Share Posted July 24, 2014 If you are really sold on going to look at a turntable upgrade then look at the Funk Firm little super deck. The guys that designed and build it are the ones behind Pink Triangle from way back, it's a superb thing and to my ears beats anything Rega has to offer or anyone else for that matter quite a way above it's price. There will be no need for any upgrades as it is spot on out of the box. In the days when the UK produced pretty much all the high end turntables worth talking about the Pinks were not as well liked by the hifi press here because they wouldn't pay them enough money to get favourable articles as say Linn or Roksan etc. But having tried all the big name British decks you are supposed to try and quite a few obscure ones you are supposed to be amazed by the only ones I have consistently kept over the years are the Pink Triangles, I currently have four and would never sell any of them. Even now their second hand price is below that of decks that just don't sound anywhere near as good. It all goes to show that nice man was right, don't believe the hype. I know the Funk is available in the US as another VC'er bought one and loves it, not sure what the price is over there but I'm assuming it's comparable to a mid level Rega. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
_stretts Posted July 24, 2014 Share Posted July 24, 2014 There is a guy selling an RP3 in another thread here...jusayin...with upgrades as well.... swemoll and dangorange 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
swemoll Posted July 24, 2014 Share Posted July 24, 2014 There is a guy selling an RP3 in another thread here...jusayin...with upgrades as well.... Hi! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tooclosetosee Posted July 24, 2014 Share Posted July 24, 2014 Something that I am pretty stoked about with having a busy schedule, small kids, and a big house is a sonos system. That way we can listen to music seamlessly throughout the house while cooking, playing (hide and go seek mainly), and relaxing by/in the pool. Your current system is pretty nice, and the sonos sound quality would be lacking in audio regards (sonos sounds really nice for what it is). However, it makes up for it with versatility. It is pretty easy to connect your hifi set up to it with a sonos connect. http://www.amazon.com/SONOS-Wireless-Streaming-Receiver-Component/dp/B001CROHX6 And then start placing the speakers around the house. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dangorange Posted July 24, 2014 Author Share Posted July 24, 2014 That sonos is pretty interesting. Our house is fairly small, but open pretty open on the first floor, where most of the music would get played. This might be great for getting it out to our back yard, that's one thing I miss. We entertain a lot, and when it's nice out, we hang out in the yard. Even with the windows open, and playing music pretty loud, you can't hear it that well. Would be great to play records and hear it outside. I'll look into this. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dangorange Posted July 24, 2014 Author Share Posted July 24, 2014 If you are really sold on going to look at a turntable upgrade then look at the Funk Firm little super deck. The guys that designed and build it are the ones behind Pink Triangle from way back, it's a superb thing and to my ears beats anything Rega has to offer or anyone else for that matter quite a way above it's price. There will be no need for any upgrades as it is spot on out of the box. In the days when the UK produced pretty much all the high end turntables worth talking about the Pinks were not as well liked by the hifi press here because they wouldn't pay them enough money to get favourable articles as say Linn or Roksan etc. But having tried all the big name British decks you are supposed to try and quite a few obscure ones you are supposed to be amazed by the only ones I have consistently kept over the years are the Pink Triangles, I currently have four and would never sell any of them. Even now their second hand price is below that of decks that just don't sound anywhere near as good. It all goes to show that nice man was right, don't believe the hype. I know the Funk is available in the US as another VC'er bought one and loves it, not sure what the price is over there but I'm assuming it's comparable to a mid level Rega. I really like the look of this! Although, it seems to be around $2500 without a cartridge, bit too spendy for me I think. It does give me pause... Feel like I should keep researching what interesting tables are out there, never seen nor heard of this one before! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dangorange Posted July 24, 2014 Author Share Posted July 24, 2014 btw, just wanted to thank everyone so far with all of your thoughtful responses, giving me a lot of things to think about, in a good way. One thing I enjoy when dealing with this kind of decision, I learn a lot in the process! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
arem Posted July 24, 2014 Share Posted July 24, 2014 If you have 2K to spend anyway, why not start with the 2M Red since that's not going to put significant dent in your budget? It will be a definite improvement on your current cart and that might be enough to keep you satisfied with your turntable, and then you can buy a nice cleaner and a stack of records to enjoy. Even if it doesn't satisfy your upgrade-itis, it will sound nice on whatever you upgrade to, or you can sell it without taking a big hit. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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