Hi all
I am looking to upgrade (fix) my LP12 sometime later this year. Initially the deck (LP12/Ittok/K18/Lingo) will go to the dealer to see if the arm bearings are knackered or the deck is shagged in any other ways.
The K18 is about 10 years old and doesn't sound very good so I am looking to replace it. Assuming I have a 52 (or an 82 with an extra HiCap to power a Prefix), which option is recommended, bearing in mind that I want to spend $1k or less:
1) An expensive cartridge and 52/82 phono boards;
2) A cheaper cartridge and a Prefix.
Should I be looking for MC or MM?
The following cartridges have been recommended to me, presumably a Prefix would make them all sound better?
Ortofon MC25FL $295(0.5mV)
Audio-Technica AT-OC9 $200 (0.4mV)
Dynavector 10X4 $325 Hi-output MC (2mV)
Thanks
John
Posted on: 15 February 2002 by Paul Ranson
You need Ekos (or ARO....) before you upgrade your cartridge.
(Although in fact all the cartridges you mention are at K18 sort of price levels.)
If source first applies anywhere it applies to turntables. So arm before cartridge before electronics.
Paul
Posted on: 15 February 2002 by John
My 2 cents. I just installed a prefix and I would go with the prefix and cheaper cartridge. The internal boards SUCK! It's not thier sonic qualities but how they knocked down the performance of my 52. The prefix resolved a ground loop created with my CDS and P9. The only way I could make the internal boards work was by having my CDS plugged into a different socket and not plugged into my 52. I don't know if you will have the same problem with an LP12 but I would look into it.
Save up for a better cartridge latter.
John
Posted on: 15 February 2002 by Phil Barry
I think the Ittok is a great tonearm, and a bargain today. But it's amazing how much better the ARO is.
A Prefix/hicap costs about as much as an ARO especially if you trade the Ittok. I bet the ARO/any cart you've listed will sound way better than the Ittok/same cart/Prefix/Hicap.
Phil
Posted on: 15 February 2002 by David Dever
High-output MC carts don't need a Prefix; in this case, a Stageline would do the trick (less expensive than a Prefix).
Cheaper cartridges with decent stylus profiles are not a bad thing, though your mileage may vary depending on what's downstream (can your phono stage handle the speed, or does it turn into bright, timeless patter?)...
Dave Dever, NANA
Posted on: 15 February 2002 by John C
Dave, what exactly is the difference between the prefix and stageline? If high end MC carts prefer prefix (is that what you are saying?) what's the point of K,S etc stageline?
John
Posted on: 15 February 2002 by JohnS
Paul:
The K18 is old and knackered and needs replacing, this is a given, so not really an upgrade.
Phil:
The ARO is $2,350. If I don't have a 52, I'll have a spare HiCap, so its really just the cost of a Prefix ($800) + cartridge (mandatory) vs. cost of phono boards + cartridge.
Dave:
Can a Stageline be powered from a 52? This seems quite economical given that vinyl is my second source. Does this preclude getting a better cartridge in the future? If you have a Prefix, how does it work if you change cartridge types (requiring a change of S/K/E matching)?
Thanks all for your suggestions and information, keep it coming.
-John
Posted on: 15 February 2002 by David Dever
There are no "N"-type Prefix models for moving-magnet (or high-output MC) cartridges.
Yes, you can power a Stageline off a NAC 52 (or NAC 112 or NAIT 5).
As with the Prefix, the model is loading-specific (no removable boards = no corrodable pins), i.e., you'll need to exchange it if you change cartridge types.
Posted on: 17 February 2002 by mark dunsford
If the Ittok is of more recent vintage, keep it - some people prefer it over Ekos and Aro (I do).
See if you can buy a recon. Troika- if works very well in an Ittok. Maybe demo a Linto after...
