turntable weak link?

What cartridge do you have and what don't you like about your turtable now? Absolutely nothing wrong with your equipment in an absolute sense and no problem supporting a more expensive turntable. Big question is why change? You have a nice system. Maybe a better cartridge is all you need. Since you talk in dollars I'm guessing you're in the U.S. or Canada. Lots of choices for cartridges and turntables but need to know a bit more about what your thinking is now.

Cheers

I agree with Clay. It's important to know the cart and for that matter the phono stage to give a constructive response. Presumably you've got the internal MM board on your 32.5? Maybe a cart upgrade and possibly an external phono stage before dropping $5K on a TT. You might be sated with both a new cart and external phono stage for $1.5K on your existing P5.

Thank you for the responses,  

I have the exact cartridge, and an upgraded MM phono card in the 32.5.  With regard to my reason to change,  I guess I just feel like the dynamics on the P5 are slightly  lacking but overall pretty good.  I am wanting more refinement with the vinyl as its my main listening choice when i sit down to listen.  I have thought about the TT upgrade route.  Power supply, tone arm rewire, Grovetracer platter and even considered the rega aria.  The cost of upgrading the P5 to that level I could get into a something in a much higher  price range However if you think a improved cartridge could get me happy i would be thrilled to keep the spendatures  down.  Like I said being new to audio I admittedly am ignorant so your advice will be heeded and greatly appreciated.

Classic system, would have been used with an LP12 back in the day. I would try and have a listen to a cared for used Sondek in your system myself.

Stu

Maybe await the forthcoming Planar 6 with Ania MC cartridge rather than putting money after suspicious third party, so called "upgrades"

 This cartridge might perform more refinement ?

As far as rumour's it will be launched this summer, nothing on website as of yet.

Your phono cards are the weak link ,imo.  Drop in the Aria and a decent IC to your 32.5 and you may be surprised...

ATB,

Mark

Thank you for all the advice.

Maty,

I wouldn't invest in improving your current TT although a better cartridge with phono stage would help.  But your amps deserve a higher end source - start saving for a Rega RP8.

Sorry!!!!!

Regards,

Lindsay

Groove tracer makes really good products, reportedly. I don't think that they are suspicious at all. 

That being said Linn and Rega are the classic pairings with Naim Gear. If I were you I'd check out a new "better" Rega or a used Linn. Something like a RP8. 

Used LP12s may be plentiful in the U.K., but In the US I believe they are few and far between  

varyat posted:

Your phono cards are the weak link ,imo.  Drop in the Aria and a decent IC to your 32.5 and you may be surprised...

ATB,

Mark

Besides the Rega Aria, which is a really good phono stage, I would suggest that adding a really good power cord for the Aria will make a huge difference. I have an Rega RP10 + Rega Aphelion MC cartridge, and when I added a Isotek Optimum power cord the improvement was immense for the bass frequencies and the detail in instruments was very smooth sounding with no brightness in the piano. The Rega Couple 2 interconnect is the same cable they use on most of their TTs. I tried Chord ICs in the range £400-800 which were not a scratch on the Couple, which retails at £120.

The Aria supports MC and MM, but the biggest part of the cost is for the MC. If you intend to go to low output (0.5mV) MC in the future it provides a good upgrade path. It gives the option on the MC for capacitance matching and gain adjustment.

Keep the Aria well away (2-3 feet) from everything.

Phil

I just added a Rega reference power cord to the Aria and it made a difference along the lines you describe Phil.

I'm also planning to trial a DIN to RCA Chord Chorus reference interconnect to potentially replace the Couple 2 I have between my N272 and the Aria and will be interested to see what, if anything, that does.

Your comment about keeping the Aria 2-3 feet away from everything is interesting. Why so?

Regards

David

S3, I tried the Chord Chorus, Anthem and Signature Tuned Aray. None of them were as good on my system as the Couple 2. I thought those ICs lost the musicality. There may be a better IC, but the price is not yet justified.

The power cord, placement of the Aria and everything down to the order they plugged in my bank of wall sockets made all the difference. If you look on my profile activity you will see the details.

My dealer is trying to borrow the Rega Reference power cord. I'd like to try it.

Regarding positioning, Rega advise this. It's not as simple as avoiding hum (with a MC particularly). In the wrong position the sound is muffled. Even above the 282 Preamp was not good. It's worth experimenting because it only costs time to begin with.

Phil

Ok Phil. Thanks. My Aria sits on the bottom shelf  of my hifi racks rack next to the Unitiserve. It has the XPS2 and 250DR on levels between it and the N272 so couldn't be further away from the preamp unless I move it off the rack completely which seems like an odd scenario. Might try it to see though as you say!

S3, I have brain and brawn racks (HiFi Racks Limited Akorner Reference). The system is in the corner so I have a stool behind with the Aria sitting on it.

I would definitely experiment. The cable lengths don't give much freedom. Phil