Sondek ..... but do I need Amp and Speaker upgrade?

[admin_exported]

Having bought a Duel / NAD 3020e / Mission 70's budget combo years ago I have dreamt of upgrading to a quality front end and am on the brink of investing in a 2nd hand Sondek. Is it a waste, without replacing the old NAD and Missions and what would be the ideal upgrades?? .... 2nd hand or new considered!

 

[Anonymous]

I suggest you upgrade the speakers - try Wharfedale 9.1s. But apart from that, it is always the source which takes priority!

 

[gregory]

hello and good luck with your purchase, i have an lp12 after tinkering with many other decks, a roksan xerses and a gyro se plus many budget decks, rega 2 and 3 dual 505/1 sansui 222 mk 5 and various others but none of them is a patch on the lp12. it has it's critics in as much as it's not easily servicable and it need's a solid platform to site it on but once set up right it sings like no other. just a bit of advice to help you along, depending on where you purchase it from try and collect it yourself, don't get it posted. if it has a linn arm i.e ittok akito or basik check the bearings by balancing the arm to zero and just nudge it towards the centre spindle, there should be no play and float smoothly over without any friction. if it comes with a cartridge good if not trust me on this and one buy an at95e it works a treat with a linn, in fact i would advise anyone who is thinking of buying a new cartridge to invest in this little beauty, it's that good.i have just upgraded to an ortofon 2m blue and i must say it's great, more detail than the at95e deeper bass and less surface noise and it's yet to break in but the at gives it a close run much more so than the grado black i used before. a service every 3 or 4 years from a good linn dealer for about £150.00 which should include a new belt and bearing oil and it will last for years. as for upgrading dont, just listen to the music then upgrade the amp in a year or so, i loved my 3020 and still hanker after one and the little missions will still go along after an amp upgrade. good luck, gregory.

 

[fatboyslimfast]

[quote user="Hughes123"]I suggest you upgrade the speakers - try Wharfedale 9.1s. But apart from that, it is always the source which takes priority![/quote]

Tell you what, I just demo'd my Model 70 Mk II's against most thing up to £300 (including 686s, iQ3s, BR2s), and it took the MA RS1s at £349 to better them (I eventually went for the RS6s).

I would seriously suggest a decent demo of speakers before buying new ones, as I think you'll be surprised at how good (in budget terms) the Model 70s actually are...

 

[John Duncan]

Hm. I know I'm the naysayer round here, but I would definitely advocate a new amp and speakers - those you mention won't let you hear a fraction of what the Sondek can do.........

 

[gregory]

yes they will.

 

[Anonymous]

[quote user="gregory"]yes they will.[/quote]

Too a very large extent, I'll second that.

 

[JoelSim]

The LP12 will just get better and better, the better the surrounding kit is. If I were in your shoes I seriously be considering an amp and speakers for at least £1k each...at the very least.

 

[gregory]

joelsim, i dont disagree with your statement, far from it. but the beauty of the linn is that it will not disgrace partnering equipment. in fact it will show just how good existing equipment can be. i feel to many of us put to much emphasis on all kit as oppsosed to one piece at a time. by going the one piece route, i believe we all have a better chance of reaching our goal of attaining the sound were after and not spending unnecessary money where sometimes it's not needed. i always go by this rule of thumb. source, amp, speakers. seems to work for me but i'm a vinyl man so i know that with cd this can work *** about face, but generally this route works most of the time. all the best, gregory.

 

[Anton90125]

[quote user="gregory"] i loved my 3020 and still hanker after one and the little missions[/quote]

Do you mean the 700 or the 770 missions ?

I have a very old Sondek with stax arm and a Decca gold cartridge. I haven't used it quite a while (need to get an external phono stage). My lasting memory of the Sondek is a deep beautiful natural soundstage. The Decca is a little light in bass but has a very good attack.

 

[John Duncan]

(he's behind you)

Provided the 3020 hasn't degraded (which is a very big ask), then it might be a reasonable stop gap. The Missions, however, are fundamentally a mechanical device and will be tired and flat, and will be bested by even a modest 200 quid pair of stand mounts.

 

[Anton90125]

[quote user="JohnDuncan"](he's behind you)

Provided the 3020 hasn't degraded (which is a very big ask), then it might be a reasonable stop gap. The Missions, however, are fundamentally a mechanical device and will be tired and flat, and will be bested by even a modest 200 quid pair of stand mounts.[/quote]

I know of at least 2 pairs of mission 770 and a number Kef 104ab speakers which will bury any £200 speaker with absolutely no sweat!

 

[John Duncan]

Ah, but do you know any Mission 70s which would do so (a rather different animal, and the one he mentioned)?

Edit - here's a pair - I don't think they were Mission's 'reference statement', were they?

 

[Anton90125]

If we are talking 70's then you are probably correct. Just me jumping the gun.

 

[John Duncan]

Oh I've no doubt that they were both good, but I have found that both amplifiers and speakers have a shelf life (which can't be predicted, but 20 years ought to cover it), and can be spectacularly poor as a result. My 1988 Arcam Alpha is horrible.