Upgrade

[JoelSim]

It's my birthday soon and I'm tempted to ask for something from the other half.

See my kit in my sig, what would you do? I don't intend on spending much so the options would seem to be:

1) New mains cables to replace the Merlin Tarantula and Russ Andrews Powercord on my amps

2) Mains block that I can plug my 2 Tacimas into

3) New speaker cable to replace the average 6mm copper I have going to my ProAcs - bear in mind I need 24m of the stuff and 16 terminations so this isn't going to be cheap

4) New amps ie Arcam A32/P35 or similar, but again I will have a job with the missus on this one

5) Other suggestions?

Or finally

6) Sell the disappointing ProJect Debut and buy a new TT 

Ideally I'd be looking to spend up to £300, probably only half of which I can declare... I could sell the ProJect, the Graham Slee Gram Amp.

 

 

[matengawhat]

1. buy a pair of these http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/GOLDENJACKS-LINE-I-P-ATTENUATORS-for-optimal-CD-sound_W0QQitemZ300306172678QQcmdZViewItemQQptZUK_AudioTVElectronics_HomeAudioHiFi_CDPlayerSeparates?hash=item300306172678&_trksid=p3286.c0.m14&_trkparms=72%3A1683%7C66%3A2%7C65%3A12%7C39%3A1%7C240%3A1318

2. pay for an electrician to run you a socket direct from your fuse box for just your stereo (going to have this done next once decided on where i'm putting my system as just bought the new rack from just racks as seen in the news section for my av kit and thinking of buying an identical one for me stereo as long as i like it when it turns up)

 

[JoelSim]

matengawhat:1. buy a pair of these http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/GOLDENJACKS-LINE-I-P-ATTENUATORS-for-optimal-CD-sound_W0QQitemZ300306172678QQcmdZViewItemQQptZUK_AudioTVElectronics_HomeAudioHiFi_CDPlayerSeparates?hash=item300306172678&_trksid=p3286.c0.m14&_trkparms=72%3A1683%7C66%3A2%7C65%3A12%7C39%3A1%7C240%3A13182. pay for an electrician to run you a socket direct from your fuse box for just your stereo (going to have this done next once decided on where i'm putting my system as just bought the new rack from just racks as seen in the news section for my av kit and thinking of buying an identical one for me stereo as long as i like it when it turns up)

Alas, we want to move in the not-too-distant future so I'm loathe to buy something I can't take with me. Otherwise I would get a separate spur installed.

ÿ

 

[matengawhat]

well based on that forget the speaker cables as when you move your kitchen maybe closer

i was quoted £120 quid for the spur which in comparison to some of your thoughts is pretty cheap really even if you don't take it with you but guess depends on whether you rent or not and how long your planning on staying

 

[JoelSim]

Correct. I will definitely be doing exactly that once I'm settled for the medium term

ÿ

 

[Gerrardasnails]

JoelSim:
It's my birthday soon and I'm tempted to ask for something from the other half.

See my kit in my sig, what would you do? I don't intend on spending much so the options would seem to be:

1) New mains cables to replace the Merlin Tarantula and Russ Andrews Powercord on my amps

2) Mains block that I can plug my 2 Tacimas into

3) New speaker cable to replace the average 6mm copper I have going to my ProAcs - bear in mind I need 24m of the stuff and 16 terminations so this isn't going to be cheap

4) New amps ie Arcam A32/P35 or similar, but again I will have a job with the missus on this one

5) Other suggestions?

Or finally

6) Sell the disappointing ProJect Debut and buy a new TTÿ

Ideally I'd be looking to spend up to £300, probably only half of which I can declare... I could sell the ProJect, the Graham Slee Gram Amp.

ÿ

DacMagic for your laptop!!!

 

[Anonymous]

Sell the turntable and phono preamp, then head off for a nice weekend in Paris.

 

[JoelSim]

Gerrardasnails:JoelSim:

It's my birthday soon and I'm tempted to ask for something from the other half.

See my kit in my sig, what would you do? I don't intend on spending much so the options would seem to be:

1) New mains cables to replace the Merlin Tarantula and Russ Andrews Powercord on my amps

2) Mains block that I can plug my 2 Tacimas into

3) New speaker cable to replace the average 6mm copper I have going to my ProAcs - bear in mind I need 24m of the stuff and 16 terminations so this isn't going to be cheap

4) New amps ie Arcam A32/P35 or similar, but again I will have a job with the missus on this one

5) Other suggestions?

Or finally

6) Sell the disappointing ProJect Debut and buy a new TT

Ideally I'd be looking to spend up to £300, probably only half of which I can declare... I could sell the ProJect, the Graham Slee Gram Amp.

DacMagic for your laptop!!!

That would be a real waste of money

 

[John Duncan]

JoelSim:Gerrardasnails:DacMagic for your laptop!!!

That would be a real waste of money

How d'you know?

 

[matthewpiano]

I don't think you'll get a worthwhile enough upgrade on the Debut III for that sort of money. With the quality of the rest of your system, I think you really need a Rega P3-24. You really can't beat it without spending a lot more money but, as the Debut really is a very capable budget spinner, I think you'd need a decent audition of the Rega to make sure its not just vinyl you don't get on with.

 

[chebby]

Rega Planar 2. (A new one, no faffing around on ebay)

£244

Leaves enough change from £300 to almost pay for an Ortofon 2M Red

And get one of Rega's coloured felt mats (thicker than the standard P2 mat) to jazz it up a bit.

 

[Anonymous]

Mod your existing TT. Get a Funk Achromat, a good record clamp and an RS Acoustics plinth. There isn't that much of a dramatic difference between good turntables once properly set up and isolated. You could get a cartridge upgrade as well.

 

[chebby]

Or get some equipment support to replace the 'bespoke' one that has you 'locked' into Arcam of a specific depth forever more.

Or a Beresford TC-7520 DAC. If you don't want to plug your laptop into it then you can connect your CD player and DVD player (via digital optical and coax) to use purely as a high quality headphone amp for both. (Leave the units connected as you already have them now for normal replay through speakers.)

As a side bonus you can use the USB occasionally - into your laptop - for BBC iPlayer or internet radio.

 

[crusaderlord]

I always follow your upgrades with interest.

I too recently could not resist delving into the vinyl arena again with a Rega Planar 2 off ebay (£90). It did a superb job for its value but i have to say that after an initial new toy excitment period i found i went back to CD's and enjoyed their performance more.

In the end the quality level of my CD player was too high and the crackles etc of vinyl was too much to ignore and i decided i am better investing in the main set up than spending more on TT, cartridges and vinyl. Now there is nothing wrong with vinyl at all and i have kept the Rega and the vinyl i bought but for me it isnt something that i will invest further in.

So this doesnt really answer your question other than make you think carefully whether the TT is really something you wish to invest in long term or not v your other sources.

My other favourite source item at the moment is the I-Touch docked via the Arcam R-dock to the A32 and i wirelessly stream Radio Paradise and BBC I-Player. It sounds much much better than i expected.

Not sure if this is of any interest but its my birthday soon too and i may go for some Clearer Audio mains cables .

 

[JoelSim]

JohnDuncan:JoelSim:Gerrardasnails:DacMagic for your laptop!!!

That would be a real waste of money

How d'you know?

Because I can't be bothered with all the hassle of ripping music etc. I'd rather stick pins in my eyes

 

[JoelSim]

chebby:

Rega Planar 2. (A new one, no faffing around on ebay)

£244

Leaves enough change from £300 to almost pay for an Ortofon 2M Red

And get one of Rega's coloured felt mats (thicker than the standard P2 mat) to jazz it up a bit.

I've lost the urge on the TT I'm afraid. I want to stick with CDs as I think the TT will just be good money thrown away. I don't have enough vinyl to justify spending any more on it

 

[JoelSim]

chebby:

Or get some equipment support to replace the 'bespoke' one that has you 'locked' into Arcam of a specific depth forever more.

Or a Beresford TC-7520 DAC. If you don't want to plug your laptop into it then you can connect your CD player and DVD player (via digital optical and coax) to use purely as a high quality headphone amp for both. (Leave the units connected as you already have them now for normal replay through speakers.)

As a side bonus you can use the USB occasionally - into your laptop - for BBC iPlayer or internet radio.

I will probably replace the equipment support at some point, when I've moved house and know how it will fit into the decor

 

[John Duncan]

JoelSim:JohnDuncan:JoelSim:Gerrardasnails:DacMagic for your laptop!!!

That would be a real waste of money

How d'you know?

I'd rather stick pins in my eyes

How d'you know?

 

[JoelSim]

JohnDuncan:JoelSim:JohnDuncan:JoelSim:Gerrardasnails:DacMagic for your laptop!!!

That would be a real waste of money

How d'you know?

I'd rather stick pins in my eyes How d'you know?

So I could do a proper blind listening test

 

[Anonymous]

JoelSim:5) Other suggestions?

Sell the missus and buy what you like...........

 

[JoelSim]

Graham_Thomas:JoelSim:5) Other suggestions?Sell the missus and buy what you like...........

I don't think I'd get much for her

ÿ

 

[Anonymous]

Funny that because that was exactly what she said about you! (Joel, this is a joke!!!!)

 

[JoelSim]

AKL:Funny that because that was exactly what she said about you!ÿ (Joel, this is a joke!!!!)

I suspect she'd willingly get rid of me for free

ÿ

 

[Anonymous]

Yeah, sounds like she and my wife has had a "chat" about their men folk! Nice new pic by the way!