Good choice of upgrades. I have compared the Grado phono stage favorably as well. I would go with the Sonata if you like the Grado warmth or a Clearaudio Aurum Beta S if you want more detail. Also, if you want to breathe serious life into your system and you don't mind it being ALOT more revealing you should try Mapleshade Clearview Excaliber Plus Interconnects and Double Helix speaker cables or for more refinement step up to their Mapleshade Insound Planar line.
Rega P25...upgrade or replace
I've owned this rig for a while now, having upgraded from the P3. While it sounds very nice, it lacks the refined sound and resolution of...say a well recorded HDCD disc on my CD player. Table is stock, used with a Grado Ref. Platinum 1.5mV and Grado PH-1 (tried a ARC phono stage that was lifeless). I'm considering a step up to the Sonata cartridge, and tweaking the table/arm with one or more of the following: machined sub-platter, new counterweight, Cardas re-wire of arm, acrylic platter, Boston Audio platter mat.
Plan "B" would be picking up a nice pre-owned VPI Scout/JMW 9 setup...not sure on cartridge, but most likely the Sonata.
Any suggestions/advice from some of the analog gurus here?
System: BAT VK-300x w/ tube front end, Cardas Golden Cross cabling, CAL CL-15 CDP w/ JPS Digital AC power cord & VansEvers digital power conditioner, Tyler Acoustics Linbrook floorstanding monitors wired w/ Cardas.
Plan "B" would be picking up a nice pre-owned VPI Scout/JMW 9 setup...not sure on cartridge, but most likely the Sonata.
Any suggestions/advice from some of the analog gurus here?
System: BAT VK-300x w/ tube front end, Cardas Golden Cross cabling, CAL CL-15 CDP w/ JPS Digital AC power cord & VansEvers digital power conditioner, Tyler Acoustics Linbrook floorstanding monitors wired w/ Cardas.