Hi,
I will be splitting my time 50:50 overseas for work over the next 2 years. I have a company-provided flat and have brought what is now my second system from the UK with me, to which I want to add a turntable.
The system is currently a 1990s budget system (Cambridge Audio A1 amp, CD5 and T500 tuner with Jamo E660 floorstanders). The room is large with solid wooden floors and minimal soft furnishings, yet the Jamo speakers really work a treat with their separate bass port and SQ is surprisingly good (confirmed by a friend of mine who is a big Musical Fidelity fan) given the limitations of the equipment.
I guess the immediate conclusion would be to buy a budget phono amp (no phono input on my amp) and a budget TT as the amp limitations would make it worthless to spend more. However, I think I will be upgrading all components over the next 6 months so would like to buy a TT/Phono Amp that can handle the upgrades I'll make in the near future. My upgrade amp will either be a valve model (been looking at reviews of the Icon Audio Stereo 60) or one of the more musical solid state makes (MF, Sonneteer, Astin Trew) so I want to buy a TT/Phono Amp that will sit comfortably at that level.
Everybody seems to swear by the quality of the Rega TTs. I've seen them on display and they just seem a bit light and fragile for my ham-fisted lack of finesse (I use a Sansui SR 838 in my main system which is bullet-proof). I read a review a couple of months back (I think in HiFI News) of the Pro-Ject Xtension 9 which interests me and I'm also intrigued by the Linn LP12 Basik, Funk Firm Little Super Deck, Michell, Nottingham and others. I am looking for a traditional analogue sound rather than something which is too analytical.
Regarding cartridge/ Phono Amp, I am totally lost. I've looked at Icon Audio amps and Graham Slee amps on line. I'd imagine I'll start with an MM cartridge but I'd like the flexibility of changing to MC down the road. Also, the day I buy the TT I'll treat myself to the much raved about Beatles Mono collection and I may well buy other 50s/60s mono recordings although most will be stereo. So ideally I'd like a warm sounding amp that can handle both MM/MC and offers a Stereo/Mono switch.
Any ideas? Thanks
I will be splitting my time 50:50 overseas for work over the next 2 years. I have a company-provided flat and have brought what is now my second system from the UK with me, to which I want to add a turntable.
The system is currently a 1990s budget system (Cambridge Audio A1 amp, CD5 and T500 tuner with Jamo E660 floorstanders). The room is large with solid wooden floors and minimal soft furnishings, yet the Jamo speakers really work a treat with their separate bass port and SQ is surprisingly good (confirmed by a friend of mine who is a big Musical Fidelity fan) given the limitations of the equipment.
I guess the immediate conclusion would be to buy a budget phono amp (no phono input on my amp) and a budget TT as the amp limitations would make it worthless to spend more. However, I think I will be upgrading all components over the next 6 months so would like to buy a TT/Phono Amp that can handle the upgrades I'll make in the near future. My upgrade amp will either be a valve model (been looking at reviews of the Icon Audio Stereo 60) or one of the more musical solid state makes (MF, Sonneteer, Astin Trew) so I want to buy a TT/Phono Amp that will sit comfortably at that level.
Everybody seems to swear by the quality of the Rega TTs. I've seen them on display and they just seem a bit light and fragile for my ham-fisted lack of finesse (I use a Sansui SR 838 in my main system which is bullet-proof). I read a review a couple of months back (I think in HiFI News) of the Pro-Ject Xtension 9 which interests me and I'm also intrigued by the Linn LP12 Basik, Funk Firm Little Super Deck, Michell, Nottingham and others. I am looking for a traditional analogue sound rather than something which is too analytical.
Regarding cartridge/ Phono Amp, I am totally lost. I've looked at Icon Audio amps and Graham Slee amps on line. I'd imagine I'll start with an MM cartridge but I'd like the flexibility of changing to MC down the road. Also, the day I buy the TT I'll treat myself to the much raved about Beatles Mono collection and I may well buy other 50s/60s mono recordings although most will be stereo. So ideally I'd like a warm sounding amp that can handle both MM/MC and offers a Stereo/Mono switch.
Any ideas? Thanks