Here's the current lowdown on my vinyl playback system. I arrived at this relatively inexpensively, by doing a lot of research and then trying to find the components I wanted through online sales/auctions or dealer demos. Audiogon.com is a tremendous online resource for this type of thing. I've also purchased from The NeedleDoctor and on occasion MusicDirect. My current cables were made by The-Music-Cable.com.
I've had this same system for about 3 years now and am VERY pleased with everything. At this point, I'm not really jonesing to upgrade anything. However, the two areas I think will probably explore upgrading at some point in the future are the phono-preamp and the cables. In the case of the phono-pre I've been researching both the EAR 834P and the Musical Surroundings Nova Phonomena. As for the cables, I'm still very suspicious of the many claims that are made by certain manufacturers that sound a lot like justifications for the $5000 / meter pair of interconnect or speaker cables they charge. But if I had to suspend disbelief for a moment and could try them with the option to return them if I thought they were hogwash, I'd probably look at AudioQuest's Columbia or Colorado series.
Anyway, here's the rundown:
Sumiko Blackbird (Moving Coil)
For the money, it's hard to pick a better cartridge. You get a LOT for your money with the Blackbird. Sensitivity, dynamics, low-noise. It has a much higher output voltage than most MC's, so doesn't require any additional stepping up of the gain, which would usually mean shelling out some more dough for a more specialized phono-preamp.
My current preamp has a selectable gain setting for MC and MM (Moving Magnet), and while I guess the technically correct setting would be the MM based on the blackbird's output, after much listening I prefer the MC setting on my preamp. It seems to offer what I would describe as an increased urgency to the music. I purchased this new from The NeedleDoctor
Pro-Ject RM 9.1 Turntable
Wow. I really agonized over my choice of turntable. There are SO many out there and SO many good ones. Like a lot in this game, for most, some of it comes down to what you can afford to spend without feeling too sick to your stomach.
After much research I went with a Pro-Ject RM-6.1 SB that was a dealer demo. I had it for just over a year when it became damaged due to a faulty record mat (long story, I won't go into here). Anyway, while I was waiting for over 12 weeks for a replacement platter for the 6.1, I started getting antsy to listen to music again, and thought it might be time for an upgrade. I tried and tried to find a Pro-Ject RM10 used or demoed, but it seems that once someone has one they don't part with it. I did however find a dealer in Chicago with a dealer demo Project RM 9.1, a step down from the RM10, although VERY similar.
The price was right, and with the subsequent sale of my 6.1, it was a wash in terms of money. I have to say that it's been very difficult for me to ascertain the sonic advantages over the 6.1. Perhaps in part because I was never able to A / B test them side by side. Right after I got the 9.1 all setup, I started to stress out a bit because if there was a difference between the two it was subtle, and I guess I was expecting / hoping for some sort of religious, angels singing, sort of experience. It never got that, but I'm quite happy with my 9.1. So happy it's hard to imagine replacing it with the 10. To be honest, I was completely happy with the 6.1, and if it hadn't been for the record-mat incident, I'd still have it and be just as happy.
The 9.1 does look cooler, for what that's worth, and the motor is completely physically decoupled from the platter, which in theory should make it even quieter.
Pro-Ject Tube Box II Phono Preamp
When setting things up originally, I was still pretty new to the HiFi vinyl world and so was a little foggy in regard to phono-preamps. I went with the Pro-Ject Tube Box II based on three things:
It was made by the same company who made the turntable.
It was compatible with the cartridge I had picked.
It was inexpensive
It was all of the above and vacuum-tube based
It's actually turned out to be a pretty good little pre-amp. It's very flexible and sounds great. But I think in context of my complete signal path, it is probably the weakest link and therefore is probably the most likely candidate for an upgrade, should I choose to make a change in the future. However, having said that, I don't currently feel like I'm missing out on a whole bunch during my current listening experiences.
AudioMirror T-61 Preamp
For the pre-amp, like most of the things I acquired, I did a lot of reading and research. And as always, cost was a factor. Not necessarily the deciding factor, but my budget for these ridiculous things is not infinite. Over and again, I kept seeing people rave about AudioMirror's components, and especially this particular component. I've seen it referred to as the 'Giant Killer' many times. The consensus seems to be that at its price point, the AudioMirror T-61 either kicks ass or at least holds its own against many more exotic and expensive options. This sounded like something right up my alley.
I'm of the opinion that much of what is out there in HiFi world is priced not necessarily for what it offers, but for what it represents or how it's marketed. Don't get me wrong, price does make a difference. I think that within reason you do get what you pay for, and you should buy the very best that you can afford. But I feel after a certain price point, one enters into an area of rapidly diminishing returns. Is a $20,000 turntable really $17,000 better than a $3,000 turntable? Maybe, but I remain skeptical. It's very hard to imagine that there's actually $17,000 more listening enjoyment to be had for the price difference. And some of the specs that you see, if accurate, have to be looked at with a degree of pragmatism. I mean if a component can reproduce frequencies that only a bat or a dog can enjoy, who cares! I'm not a dog or a bat. So I'm forced to conclude that after a point, what we're really talking about is a form of financial masturbation. And there is no end to the number of manufacturers who want nothing more than to aid you in that endeavor.
AudioMirror doesn't seem to be one of them. This thing is awesome. Quiet, detailed, accurate, warm, and WONDERFUL. Hell, I plug my iPod into this and it makes that sound better! Not just a little bit better, but a TON better. It even has a remote control. My only complaint is that when you switch sources, it goes through a little 'routine' by which it automatically turns the volume knob all the way down, switches the source, and then brings the volume up to about one quarter. Since I normally only listen to my turntable with it, it's not that big of a deal. I guess the thought with this is to try to protect your system and your ears from and abrupt change in gain and or volume level. But where the rubber meets the road is SOUND, and this thing SOUNDS GOOD. Plus, I really think chicks dig the knobs moving by themselves!
QuickSilver 90 Tube Mono-block Amplifiers
These are what probably started this whole mess! I don't remember exactly when, but for as long as I can remember, the idea of vacuum-tube mono block amplifiers have always captured my imagination. I probably came across an article about old McIntosh amps or something in a magazine when I was a kid. Anyway, this idea lay dormant in my subconscious until about 3 or 4 years ago. I had been spending a lot of time working on tube guitar amps, even making a few of my own from scratch. A lot has happened in the electronics world since the advent of vacuum tubes, but you could argue that they pretty much got it right the first time around. Old vacuum tube amps remain highly prized items, and manufacturers are still producing new designs which continue to be popular. There's just something completely unique and tasty about the sound these things make that solid state doesn't seem to be able to reproduce.
Well, the light-bulb (so to speak) went on, and I realized that I just had to have some tube mono-blocks. There are many offerings and the sky is the limit in terms of budget. I found mine used on audiogon.com. QuickSilvers are made and continue to be made in the United States. It's a small company whose design philosophy seems to be that superior quality does not necessarily entail ridiculous expense. That's not to say their stuff is cheap, just that it's not priced beyond the ability of mere mortals to obtain it. In my case I got both of mine in outstanding condition and the original owner even threw in the custom made sandboxes he had gotten for them. Shipping was slightly gruesome as they weigh like 40 lbs a piece! But all in all it was a pretty good deal.
They sound awesome. Super detailed, plenty of power for my purposes, I've never had them much beyond '6' in my listening environment, as the volume starts to become painful. About once a month I check the bias with a little meter they come with. Each amp has a 1/4" jack you plug the meter into and the bias adjustment is made with a little screwdriver.
Martin-Logan Clarity Electrostatic Speakers
Here's the deal on these. I've always wanted some electrostatic speakers; because I thought idea behind them was so cool. The 'driver' is one big, electrically charge membrane, and is moved by the electric field surrounding the membrane. This type of speaker is known for its amazing ability to reproduce sound with almost granular detail and imaging. I originally set out to locate a pair of Magnapans, but was unable to find any locally. Speakers have always been something I insist on being able to try before I buy, so a local purchase was pretty important to me. As it turns out, I found these at a local HiFi store, one of the last in my area, and they were on closeout due to Martin Logan discontinuing them in favor of its newest product line. After auditioning them, in store, and some haggling, I purchased the floor models they had, and soon would no longer need. They worked out to be over 50% off of retail, with the understanding that I could return them should they not work out in my particular listening environment.
Well, they MORE than worked out. I have never, ever in my life heard a pair of speakers reproduce sound with such amazingly accurate detail, clarity, and directionality. It's very hard to put into words, but I'll try. One of the first things I noticed was the detail. Each and every sound is reproduced faithfully and seemingly given its own little piece of the sonic spectrum within which to exist. As the listener you can focus on ANY piece of the recording and hear it completely: The attack, the note itself, and its decay. And this is taking place with ALL the parts. Nothing is blurred. They are also highly directional. These are not speakers that you would want to get to rock a house party and fill a room with sound. They don't work that way. I have them setup so that there is about a 3 foot diameter circle sweet spot at the listening position. You want your ears to be in the center of that listening position. If you move too far out of that circle, you literally hear the stereo spectrum shift, and parts fall out of the listening stage. But if you are within the 'circle' you are presented with a completely 3-dimensional sound stage, where it is possible to close your eyes and easily make out where sounds are coming from. And not just stereo left to right, but also near and far. It's incredible!
When I first got these hooked up and started listening to them, I found myself having just a slight tinge of nausea. What I realized was that these speakers were hacking my senses a bit. For instance, with a vocal which is often panned center, my ears were very clearly telling me that the source of that vocal was coming at me from directly in front of my position. However, my eyes were telling me the location directly in front of my position was a wall, and not one of the two possible locations from which sound could be coming at me. It was just plain weird for about a week or two, until I got used to it. I've also noticed that the position of your ears in vertical space can also affect the perceived sound. If you lean over to pick something up in front of you, the high-end drops out of the picture. If you stand up, the low-end drops off substantially.
I've listened to a lot of music my whole life. And I've listened to a lot of music on a lot of different systems, some of them very good. But I've NEVER heard what it is that this system and these speakers are presenting to me. I've read about 3-dimensional sound in magazines and reviews, millions of times, but I've never truly heard what it is they were talking about, until now. Thankfully the joy of finally experiencing music like this, more than outweighs the depressing realization that I've been listening to absolute shit, for most of my life!
Well, I'm making up for lost time now!