I need your help. I have an ARC Ref 3, ARC 110, Vandersteen 5As, but no turntable.

"roberjerman1,274 posts09-03-2018 8:10am.

... In fact the phono cartridge will have a bigger effect on SQ than any phono stage.

... Only a snob would desire an expensive phono stage!

... Don’t you be so foolish to waste thousands on a phono stage!"

Everyone is entitled to their opinion. Just don’t get them confused with facts.

Fsonicsmith very helpful so thanks for your time I will likely go with your suggestions but for tone arm and cartridge Thanks to all for your valuable insights Greatly appreciated JMW

Jaym759, you're more than welcome. The Jelco arms look dated but they outperform anything in their price range. It boils down to bearing quality, tolerance, construction and ease of adjusting VTA, SRA, VTF, azimuth, and zenith. Don't get me wrong, with a simple cartridge, getting VTA such that the arm tube is parallel with the record surface is going to take care of SRA. Which is why I would recommend you start out with a Denon D103R. For $450 you will get a great starter cartridge with a conical stylus which means great sound without a lot of fuss. Calling it a "starter" cartridge is unfair-it's an amazing cartridge period. Sure it is nothing to look at (true of every piecer of gear I've recommended and true of your VS110 (such a great amp though!) but trust me, once someone sits down and listens to music, no one is looking at their cartridge. So yeah, something like a Lyra Delos or Ortofon A95 is a beauty to look at but you can't see it from your listening chair, they must be set up perfectly due to their stylus shape, and one stray swipe of a finger and you're out $5K! 

I like (and own) the Parasound JC3+. It won’t add or subtract anything. No a super high end name but there’s a lot to the unit. 

A D103R?  Really?  Why not a REAL cartridge like an AT OC9/II?  The 103r can't compete at around the same price.  D103 was only EVER an OK cartridge in the 70s.  That's the 1970s.  It's now a cult cart of sub-mediocre performance.  Only after major overhauls by Soundsmith does the cart start to work up to it's original price point.