Typical upgrade path from VPI?

It's not the arm or the table and shouldn't be the cartridge unless there is something amiss. In your previous thread I suggested trying another cartridge, even a cheap one, to see if you still experience the same problem. The arm, while not my favorite, is fine and works
quite well with expensive cartriges. I've owned the arm and heard it many times, in many systems, and never experienced what you are hearing. You may not care for VPI but that setup does not lack for mid-bass.

I'm not giving up on the VPI that quickly. It has truly opened my eyes to the amount of detail you can get with LPs. I'm still enjoying it, and I do love the fact that it can be upgraded, tweaked, etc.

Up until recently, I didn't have the confidence to consider changing the cartridge myself and my dealer talked me out of doing that in the short term (I'm auditioning speakers and the advice was to wait until that was sorted). However, when Harry from VPI mentioned that I really needed the 3g weight with my cartridge, it seemed like the right thing to do, although it necessitated re-setting up the TT. A good thing probably as it got me to take the do-it-myself plunge.

I now would like to try a different cartridge. I am still confused as to which one to get. In one of the other threads I asked but didn't get a response. I don't understand the dif between H and L or M models and there seemed to be some confusion over whether you can get the VPI-specific Dynavector separately (my dealer says it needs to come pre-installed on a tonearm).

So when searching today for cartridge suggestions I accidently dug up a few threads on how the VPI may not be right for classic rock, or anything less than perfect recordings, etc etc and it got me wondering what another TT choice would be - IF I decided to give up on the VPI. Again, I'm not there yet - I would be crazy to do so without swapping cartridges (in the very least).

Sorry if I'm frustrating anyone. The more I learn the more I realize how much there IS to learn about analog - and how little I know.

Madfloyd, just by a $50 cartridge and give it a try. If you're still hearing the same thing you will, at least, know your cartridge is OK. In more than 40 years I've never heard a set up that had good bass and no mid-bass. Your description confuses me. If your cartridge is OK then you simply don't like the VPI sound. I love it but we all here differently and like different presentations. Finally, what is the point of evaluating speakers if your source isn't performing to your satisfaction? How can you evaluate anything? Resist throwing money at a problem where you have not isolated the cause.

Many variables affect the sound. What about the phono preamp, have you tried different load settings?

What I might try if I were you is this...

Just get a $50 Audio-Technica cartridge and see if it sounds better. If it does, then there's something very wrong with your cartridge or MC phono stage.

There are just too many of us VPI owners who know that your problem isn't with the table itself. When I compare my table to CD, it outperforms in virtually every category.

Cheers.

Tom