What next?

So

I have a Xerxes/Artemiz/DV20XL/ (Soon to be replaced) on a Stands Unique wall shelf and Mana Soundframe Dino Dino+ Lavardin IS ref and some Audes speakers.

I use standard mains cables but have a seperate spur for the hifi, tonearm cable is standard and I use an OK Clearaudio IC between Dino and Amp. Speaker cables are Furukawa PCOCC jobbies that are/could be/look/sound?? very good (Probably).

I love it but I have some hifi money to play with so what next, anything worth exploring etc. I am not planning any major component changes...

Anyone had a road to damascus experience with something for a few hundred quid? That might be a laugh to try or do people feel that the best improvements are from component changes like a new cartridge for instance?

In short a few hundred quid on trying cables, mains blah blah blah or 600 quid on a Music maker Cart or something???


Was going to try something squishy, coneish, etc under my speakers for example, waste of time or a worthwhile thing to do?

 

jools,
a few options here...
1) throw darts randomly at the russ andrews catalogue. - there is a 90 day trial period so you'll be safe with most things, uinless you custom order cable lengths etc.

2) do the same with the audiophile candy catalogue.

3) give the omiga man a call.

4) splatter gun amazon and buy lots of new music.

5) spend it on beer and hookers.

cheers


julian

 

Personally I'd go for a new cartridge - £600 can buy you an absolute corker these days if you look around. Don't Lyra do one at this price, or how about the 17D2 Karat?....which has a midrange to die for! And I'm sure if you look in the right places you may be able to pick up something even better.

 

Thanks for the veiws guys. I am very interested in the whole, better components or better set up question.

What do people think? To refine my point lets say with a £600 budget and my Mid Fi system am I better off with accessories to maximise what I have or a new part like a cartridge?

 

I'm in favour of both, good cables etc can be very beneficial but I think you can make a bigger 'jump' for £600 by investing in a new cart. No disrespect to the 20XL (I'm a big Dynavector fan), but it can be improved upon and in terms of this particular component, a good cartridge can provide improvements not to be had elsewhere, since we're talking about extracting as much info from your LP grooves as possible. An alternative would be to try a mains filter perhaps, but you have a spur already, so the benefit may not be all that cost effective.

Just as food for thought, one of the most profound improvements I've ever heard has been placing granite under all my gear (speakers, monoblocks which sit on the floor, and under my rack). The drop in noise floor was incredible, and this is possibly the most cost effective thing I've ever done. All the 20mm deep slabs cost me about £25 each, whilst the 30mm deep biggun under my rack was a little more at £65, but I've managed to do both my hifi and A/V set-up for around £250 all-in (that's eight pieces). You can get it this cheap from wholesalers/fireplace manufacturers and the like. However, the prices do reflect that I've only had one surface (the top) polished - each extra side costs £10, and that would quickly mount up and provide no difference to their sonic benefits.

 

Hi,

You are the same person whose Mana soundframe I tried to buy, aren't you? Remember what happened to the sound when you took it out from under your TT?

Extrapolate...

Get a proper Mana Soundshelf, and if funds permit, a Mana rack for your amplifier/CDP, etc.

You know it makes sense.

 

I have toyed with the idea however I have Asthetic, ahem, considerations to contend with.

Do you believe a mana shelf is a bigger upgrade than a better cartridge?

 

£600 would get you a very good cartridge (my Rohmann was £500 from Germany, I upgraded from a 20X-L and it was a very significant upgrade). I'm using my Rohmann with a Dino and it sounds fab.

Having said that, since you obviously already have some Mana and presumably know what the effect is, I wouldn't discount that option if you've heard it and like what it does. I have no view either way, as I have no experience with it.

If it was me, I wouldn't spend any of it on cables...

-- Ian

 

Come off it! Black goes with everything.

Yes I do actually. Much bigger.

 

Well short of silly cash you can't really get much better, thought i do recall you were considering selling the speakers?

The obvious choices are the cartridge or phonostage: how about a delphini s/h if you can find one. Or maybe a valve one

 

Joolsburger,

I'd spend the money on getting the RKR certified Mem CU and running separate 10mm spurs out of it, as many spurs as you have bits of kit. Stick each spur into one end of a junction box and hard wire the equipment mains lead into the other end. This will give astonishing results relative to a single spur with lots of plugs and sockets.

Alex

 

Did have some thoughts about speakers but I have now set them up properly and they sound very good indeed, so I'm happy with them. I just toyed with the idea of Harbeths for a while (Still am, on and off, if truth be told!).
It's basically the best use of 600 quid i'm thinking of so a new cart, maybe a mana shelf and another soundframe or something else.. I think my fundemental query is about better ( depending on your definition of better!!) set up in terms of cables a rack or whatever or a component change. The idea of Rohmann, Dv 17, Lyra or a Music Maker appeals but I do find it hard to believe that all the cable, mains and support arguements are as irrelevant as I have always thought and that I might get more from what I have....Then I can get a cartridge...

The love of Hifi is an evil affliction.

 

Alex, don't be daft, just look what happened to the last person who suggested that.

 

I suppose I would get a decent wall shelf for the TT next.
If you dont mind drilling the wall, which has always put me off.


Your system looks quite sensible and decent to me. If youre happy, enjoy it and buy some more vinyl

 

A Mana shelf is probably not a goer besides the Stands Unique one I have seems a decent bit of kit, certainly better than my old target shelf.

More records are the way forward I've decided spending money for the sake of it seems a bit dim.

Although I may buy a new rack just for the look of it.

 

I have heard Stands Unique - ah - stands but not the shelf. About as good/indifferent as Naim's Fraim, and a lot cheaper.

No contest with Mana though.

Still, it's your call.

 

James, what did happen to the last person who suggested that? I missed it.

 

He came to a very sticky end. Stickier than Sticky the stick insect.

 

I'm sure that his RKR-inspired mains improvements and his "sticky end" are unrelated...

 

Hondootedly. Pleasing, though. Karma in action.