BenderOfStrings

OP, you're not going to gain any friends by responding to help in a hostile manner like you have here. In fact, you're the one who seems pompous. You're new. You don't know how things work best around here. Say "sorry, thanks" and move on. It's called being polite.

The fact that you're defending xxsilence perfectly proves my point with the overall attitude with this place.  OK, granted I COULD have said "sorry, thanks"  but by that same token, veterans of this place could be a little friendlier and more accomodating to newbies.   Since I've joined I have encountered one snot-nosed response after another, and all because I'm just trying to learn and get some questions asked.  Yes I could refer to the bloated thread for beginners but that is pie in the sky expectation if you think anybody wants to swim through that many pages to try and find the answer to one question.  

Anyway, it's not worth arguing over any longer.  Like I said,  it's obvious that I don't fit in here. I'll gladly find a different forum.

Condescending, sure. There's nothing arrogant or conceited about pointing out that you feel the need to create a new topic for every single question you have related to what amounts to your very first set up and could have 100% been localized to one topic that already exists (beginner's guide to hi-fi), or even just the first topic you created about picking a table.

No one forced you to click into the thread did they?  If it irritates you , why take the the time to click, read, and respond?   And yes it is arrogant to treat someone like you are.   Do you treat people like that when you're not protected by the anonymity of the internet?  If so I imagine your medical bills must be piling up.

Yeah, thanks for verifying my point. 

"conceited, arrogant, condescending."   No I understand the meaning perfectly and I absolutely used it properly when referring to your post.

I don't think you understand what pompous means, at all. 

Really?

Do you really need a new topic every time you have a new question to ask? Christ, just bump one of your other 30 with your question. 

Do you really have to be such a pompous ass about it?  Jesus, this place is unreal.  I feel like I've stumbled into some exclusive country club where I don't belong and no one is interested in helping a newbie out other than trying make them feel like shit.  Sorry I encroached upon and disturbed your little forum utopia here.  I'll gladly find another online community to "irritate."

No, it's a result of there being way less uniformity when it comes to voltage output of the parts in the analog chain. Cartridges vary greatly in terms of how much "volume" you get out of them, and different phono pre-amps use very different levels of gain, meaning that you can end up with a combination that is as loud as a digital source or another that is only half as loud.

Well i'm using an Ortofon Red 2M cartridge with a Cambridge 651p pre-amp.  Do those not pair up well with each other?

and it sounds really good. However one thing that kind of surprised me is that the audio doesn't...I dont' know... "project" as much as it does when I listen to a CD or a digital file on the same set up. Don't get me wrong, it sounds great.  I just noticed that I have to increase the volume more to get it on par with what I normally listen to CD's or digital files at lower volume levels.  Is this just a symptom of listening to music that has been mixed too loudly for so long and I just have to get used to it? 

Damn Mesi!  That room looks as sterile as a hospital OR!  I could perform surgery in that room LOL! 

Some of my personal favorites...

KISS Alive!

KISS Alive 2

Alice In Chains Live Uplugged

Queen: Live At The Rainbow '74

Cream Farwell Concert at Royal Albert Hall

Iron Maiden: Rock In Rio

Iron Maiden:  Live After Death

Foghat Live

Pink Floyd Pulse

Joe Bonamassa Live at The Royal Albert Hall

Cheap Trick: Live At Budokan

Rush - Exit Stage Left

Peter Frampton: Frampton Comes Alive

Iced Earth: Alive in Athens'

ACDC:  You Want Blood You Got It

Alice Cooper:  Brutally Live

Alice Cooper:  The Alice Cooper Show

Ozzy Osbourne:  Randy Rhoads Tribute

Ozzy Osbourne: Speak Of The Devil

If anyone is interested in a comparison I saw this a few days ago Reddit, the results were posted yesterday.

Thanks jdtg for posting.  I pretty much agreed with the majority of the voters.  I thought B sounded better.  While A had more clarity, B was less shrill and a overall a warmer, more pleasant listening experience IMO.   However I wish they had picked a better song to do the poll with, yeesh!  That suuuuuucked!

Ortofon 2M Blue is far superior to Red if you've yet to buy your cartridge.

Yes I've read that. though I haven't really understood why specifically.  The Debut Carbon comes with the Red and it is highly reviewed in it's own right.  I think I'll just sit with that one for a while and upgrade my speakers before I change the stylus.

As long as you grasp that you'll be fine

 

Do you use your receiver as an AV amp in that you use it with video and gaming devices as well as your turntable/CD player etc?

 

Either way the first thing I would change would be the front pair of speakers, those would be adequate as surround speakers but if you had some decent floor standers as your main speakers you shouldn't need the subwoofer for audio.

Thanks for the input.  I guess front speakers will be the next thing on my list to upgrade.  I've been very happy with my Polk Audio speakers, so I may look to what they have to offer.   Can you tell me some minimum specs or measurables to look for to ensure I'm getting decent quality? 

Also, what is your opinion on cables?  Do the high dollar cables really make a huge difference or should I not waste my money? 

Queen appreciation? I'm in. This album kicks ass.

Damn right it does. To me, this album to Queen is kind of what Alive! Is to KISS. This is the rawest, the hungriest, and heaviest I think I've ever heard Queen sound, just like Alive! captured KISS in much the same way.

Geez guys give me a break.  I'm new to the forum and to vinyl and I have no freaking clue what "PO" means.  I just got the album and thought I'd share with you that I think it's great and I recommend it.  

As far as I know, this album has never been available before so it's not a reissue.  I think it came out sometime back 2014.  Anyway, the albums awesome.  I highly recommend it.  That's all i was trying to say.

You still havent told us about the receiver or speakers

this thread is reading like someone who just bought a stereo magazine

http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B000FG9V1I?psc=1&redirect=true&ref_=oh_aui_detailpage_o07_s00

And here is my AV receiver

http://www.amazon.com/Sony-STRDH520-Receiver-Discontinued-Manufacturer/dp/B004NHCGJO/ref=sr_1_15?s=electronics&ie=UTF8&qid=1436992072&sr=1-15&keywords=sony+AV+receiver

I also have a subwoofer that came with the speakers but I can't find a link to it anywhere.

And before any of you start in, yes I'm well aware that it's not high end equipment and yes I realize that I'm not going to hear the full benefits of the turntable/preamp that I selected. But this is an expensive hobby and I have to start somewhere.

Absolutely LOVE this album!  I highly recommend it!   This is Queen captured live at perhaps their heaviest, bluesiest self.  It has quickly become my favorite Queen live album!   Freddie Mercury's vocals are fantastic as usual but Brian May is the real star of this album with his incredible guitar work.  Best album purchase I've made in a while!  

Ha!  I got an email from the website that I ordered my Cambridge 640p from and they said they no longer carried it so they're going to ship me a 651p at no extra charge! 

FYI,

I found a new Cambridge 640p pre-amp on Ebay for 180.00 so I bought it. Probably still more than I need but I thought that was a good price as I understand the only difference between this model and the 651p is the on/off switch which doesn't matter to me as I'll be plugging it into a power strip anyway. 

Thanks guys.  I decided to take your advice and not consider the Vincent.   I think what I want to do is buy a lesser expensive pre-amp now and eventually upgrade to a Hi Fi receiver with the phono amp built in.   Since the Schiit Mani isn't available right now,  what other alternatives are there for me that would make sense?  Something solid, I mean I don't want a piece of crap, but not cost a ton of money.   I was looking at U Turns new pre amp called the "Pluto."  I wonder how good that one is for 89.99.

As for the turntable, the Debut Carbon DC is what I wanted.  I like the look of it.  I like the specs.  Plus I looked at everything avaiable in my price range and based on all that I've read, including reviews, feedback, etc the Debut Carbon appears to simply be one of THE best entry level turntables on the market.  Will I be getting the absolute most out of it right now?  No but I really do feel that the turntable is the solid foundation to which all other audio components should extend from.   

Give us some details on your "Sony receiver" and your speakers.

For now it sounds like it makes no sense whatsoever to go big on the phono pre if you have speakers that are only 1/3 of the price of the preamp.

Edit: do you have these? http://www.amazon.com/Polk-Audio-TL-Satellite-Speaker/dp/B0043M665O

 

 

They're similar, though I cannot remember the exact model number.  I've had them for about 3 years or so and yes, it is going into an a AV receivever.

 

My thought process when I started this project was "get the best that I can, when I can."   While I may not be hearing all the benefits of having a higher end pre-amp now, this is a "journey" fo me.  I'm not buying this and then stopping.  I will eventually get better speakers and a dedicated audio receiver.  However for now I don't want to buy something lower end that I'll just end up having to sell later on or be stuck with because I upgraded.  And yes, there WILL be a threshold that I cannot cross because financially I won't be able to bare it.   However within reason, i want to eventually upgrade to a rather nice (if modest) home audio set up. 

 

So while we're on the subject, can someone recommend to me a good dedicated stereo receiver to go with the Vincent pre amp along with some good shelf speakers?  Thanks.

Project Debut Carbon w/Ortofon Red 2M > Vincent Pho-8 pre amp> Sony Receiver > Polk Audio speakers with subwoofer.  That's what my set up would look like.

I know these are considerably more expensive but what about the Vincent Pho-8 pre amps?   Would I honestly hear a big difference if I bought something like that compared to the Schiit Mani?

The idea of this seems completely superfluous.  I cannot come up with one single advantage this design would have over a traditional turntable other than the novelty "conversation piece" aspect of it.

Good point!   Debut Carbon it is! 

Any recommendations on a phono pre-amp?  Something in the 100.00 range?

I see.  Thanks for the input.  Basically I'm either getting a U Turn Orbit with the Grado Prestige Blue or I'm getting the Debut Carbon DC with the Ortofon Red.  That's why I was asking.  Based on what you're describing it sounds like the Grado Blue would be better suited for my listening taste. 

It's going into my Sony receiver which does not have a phono input  along with some passive Polk Audio satellite speakers so I'll need a pre amp.   I haven't decided on which one to get yet.  If I get an Orbit turntable, I'd like to get their Pluto pre amp to go with it, just for the sake of continuity but I haven't seen the first review on it yet.   If I get the Debut Carbon, I'm not sure what pre amp I'll get.  Maybe the Cambridge 651p or the Vincent Pho-8, which I realize are much more expensive pre amps but if they're that much better I wouldn't mind spending the extra coin.