RecruitingGuy

Thanks for the feedback everyone!

@allenh - you're the first I've connected with that has this phono stage.  What has been your experience with it as far as its sound profile?  For a guy that predominantly listens to rock and roll, is there something that I should be doing cartridge-wise to get the best sound for that genre of music (apart from what you've already suggested, that is?)

Looking for advice for the fine folks of the forum.

I am looking to upgrade the Sumiko Pearl on my Pro-Ject Carbon turntable.  It's always been fine for me, but that's probably because I've never really compared it to anything else.

My office vinyl listening setup is fairly modest.  As follows:
- Musical Fidelity V90-LPS Phono Stage (MM/MC)
- Musical Fidelity V90-HPA Headphone Amp / DAC
- Micca PB42x Powered Bookshelf Speakers
- Philips Fidelio X2/27 Open-Ear headphones

Predominantly, I listen to rock music (60's thru 2018) with some jazz, hip hop, techno, acoustic, classical, etc mixed in.  Rock well over half the time though.  

With that particular turntable and other items in the setup, I'm curious what people might suggest for a cartridge upgrade.  I've seen a few usual suspects continue to pop up specific to listening to rock music (Ortofon Blue / Bronze, Denon DL-110 among others) but wondering if there's a cartridge that can take advantage of that modest-budget setup above the best (keeping in mind that the budget for the catridge itself would probably also need to stay modest... ideally $400 or under would be the sweet spot so that probably rules out a few suggestions).

Thanks!

Wanted to rekindle this thread as I'm in the market for some Pixies as well.  I don't know if I'm a huge enough fan to drop $30 a pop on the Mofi's.  Could anyone else weigh in on the SQ of Wave of Mutilation?  Is it mastered well / sound great / etc?

http://www.discogs.com/Pixies-Best-Of-Pixies-Wave-Of-Mutilation/release/2650664

Very nice!!  I pretty much have finished off my budget setup.  Moving into the new office this weekend, so I need to pick up my turntable (sitting at Needle Doctor 5 minutes down the road) and we're good to go.

Here's the setup:

Pro-Ject 1 Xpression III Classic (slightly used from the Needle Doctor) - $350

Bellari VP130 pre-amp / headphone amp with upgraded power / tube - $220 (eBay)

Micca PB42x powered speakers - $100

So at $670, I was able to pull off the exact feat I set out to do, a capable small office setup for under $700!!  

(and then I went ahead and bought a Pro-Ject speed box for $130 anyway.  And speaker wire / cables put me over $800.  Still, I really like what I ended up putting together)

Now I want to get a value DAC and RCA switch (so I don't need to futz with cables).  But that's for another thread....

Oh yeah!  I have that discount too for filling out their survey the other day.  Didn't think of that.  So that's $15 an album.  Not shabby.

Oooh - I like discounts.  If I could get it down to $40 I'm pulling the trigger.

Oh the three albums here are Ramones s/t, Clash s/t, and Sex Pistols "Never Mind the Bollocks..."

The offer on POPMarket looks good but it also looks like you can piece together the same deal on Amazon for close to the same price, so it's not like you HAVE to jump in on it (not to mention POPMarket takes like 3-4 weeks to ship).

Pretty good offer at POPMarket today it appears:
https://www.popmarket.com/popmarket/details/72474048?feature_id=72471918

Iconic albums all, for $50 total.  Wondering if anyone has these reissue pressings and how they sound?  Thoughts about grabbing these, or trying to track down 70's pressings instead?  

Ha.  OK.  
I'm new to the whole turntable thing and there's enough information and mis-information out there to make you change your mind 20 times in the span of 20 minutes.  Some people say any RCA will do, others say you need to spend over $1000 on cables alone to experience any kind of quality.

I'll do some experimenting I guess!

I mean, I've got probably a dozen RCA cables around the house. And at least one Monster Component Video cable set. I know I CAN use any of them, but do I want to? Or do I have to be worried about this low capacitance business?

Well obviously that's what I figured (and I have no shortage of RCA cables laying around) but the whole "low capacitance" thing is something I never really gave much thought to.  And that was a suggestion that was thrown out there with a couple of people saying it was a good idea.

I'll be receiving my new turntable and preamp here in the next couple of weeks.  Have been doing some research on interconnects and in a few places I've read you can actually get away with using component video cables (of which I believe I have a few of laying around) for the turntable-to-preamp connection due to their low capacitance?  

Is this a true statement?  Seems a little fishy to me, but I'd certainly prefer to use something I already own vs buying new if I don't have to.

I should ding you for copyright infringement on the tread title.  But $150K is a lot funnier than $700.  

I guess the simpler question would be: which option would provide the best SQ through headphones?

Bellari VP130

Schiit Asgard + phono stage

Schiit Magni + phono stage

built-in headphone amp of Marantz pm5004

built-in headphone amp of Cambridge Audio Azur 351a + phono stage

I threw the last option in as I then wouldn't need to get a separate DAC + switch down the road.

Ok, so... picked up the TT today.  The fine folks at Needle Doctor sold me a floor model Pro-Ject 1Xpression III for $350.  Not bad!!  So my $700 goal might actually still happen - or come close.

Now I just need to decide on "the other stuff."  A reminder - this is for a small office, and I'll be listening to headphones more than anything else.  Tardcore had suggested looking at Schiit headphone amps, and I like what I see.  Also, eventually, I think I'll pick up a DAC so I can listen to music from my MacBook.

So - three options, please help me decide what makes the most sense (or what you'd do):

1) Phono Stage (Schiit Mani or other suggestions?) +
Schiit Magni Uber (or Asgard, there's a used one on my local Craigslist - is the Asgard a much wiser choice for a guy with ATH-m40X's?) +
Powered speakers (the ones I'm leaning towards, for budgetary reasons, are the new Micca powered speakers which are getting great reviews)
$380

2) Bellari VP130 +
Powered Speakers (I see the downfall to this setup as being tougher to integrate a DAC in at some point - true or no?)
$375

3) Integrated Amp with Phono Stage (examples: Marantz PM5004 or NAD 3120, among others)
Passive speakers (Andrew Jones Pioneers are what I'd probably get)

$380 if I got a refurbed Marantz 

Thanks again for all of your help guys!!  Really appreciate it!

Cool, thanks.

Found the Marantz on a "B-Stock" special at Music Direct.  I assume B-Stock=refurbished?  So at $299, it's the same price as the Azur 351a. 
http://www.musicdirect.com/p-278937-marantz-pm5004-integrated-amp-b-stock.aspx

Still go with the Azur?

Thanks for the advice guys!  For the record, I have the ATH-M40x headphones - they serve me very well for now.  Not sure if that factors into what I would want to get, or not?

What about a combination like this - which is substantially less than those above:
Rolls VP 29 pre-amp (plug headphones directly into it): $50  PLUS
SMSL SA-60 TPA3116 amp: $80 - amazon.com

That's only $130 total, which is attractive, but would the Azur 351a just blow that combo away, basically?

Again, thanks for all of the advice!

Because Grado is all I know (I'm currently running a Technics BD-27 (late 80's/early 90's model) with a Grado Black cartridge (and, due to a neighbor kid, a Grado Blue stylus replacement) - what is the biggest difference between Grado and Ortofon?  From some of what I've read, some people call Grado "warm" and "dull" while others complain about Ortofon being "too bright?"  

My Grado seems to sound fine - but of course it's not the greatest TT setup, so assuming the Orbit is a dramatically nicer TT, I would assume it would sound much better there.

Again, thanks for helping a newbie out.

Amazon has the Yellow version of the Carbon for $350.  http://www.amazon.com/Pro-Ject-Debut-Carbon-Yellow-Turntable/dp/B0080EKG6Q

The yellow version is a little loud, but I think it's actually kind of cool.  

I'd like to pull the trigger soon on a turntable (particularly if I go with the U-Turn since there's a 7-week wait).  Any final advice between these two:

Pro-ject Carbon ($350-$400) vs U-Turn Orbit Plus (upgraded with Grado Blue, Acrylic platter, and cue) for $399?

Awesome, thanks for the tip. So a Carbon DC would be a much better choice than the Orbit with acrylic platter and Grado Blue?

Not finding that deal unfortunately.  I see the Carbon DC for $450....

Since we're comparing the Pro-Ject Debut and U-Turn....

If I were to upgrade the U-Turn with a Grado Blue cart and acrylic platter, it's roughly the same price as the Debut Carbon (with the Ortofon Red).  $40 less, I guess.  I would lean towards the Debut Carbon at that point, but is the acrylic platter a really nice thing to have? 

That's really helpful guys, thanks!  Sounds like for my needs a new Pro-Ject or U-Turn Plus might be a better option.

Thanks again for the suggestions.

Ok another dumb question, Would a Technics SL-1200MK2 for around $300 (assuming it's in good shape of course) be a better bet than the tables suggested above?