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How will you split $3000 between phono and cart ?

A jittery situation:
I am looking to buy a phonostage cartridge combination. Budget is $3k for both. I can buy preowned phonostage but cartridge has to be new. TT is a Nouvelle Platine Verdier and tonearm is SME 3012 S2.

Now, I can either go ahead and buy a very good phonostage and a entry-mid level MC cartridge or I buy a very good cartridge and a decent entry-mid level phono. I have listed the possible options:

Option 1:
Choose any of these phonostages:
1. Naim Superline - $2300
2. ZYX Artisan - $2000 (used)
3. 47 labs phonocube - $2500 (used)

Choose any of these cartridges:
1. Ortofon Rondo Red
2. Ortofon 2M Black
3. ZYX R50 Bloom
4. Sumiko Blue point Evo III

Option 2:
Choose any of these phonostages:
1. Lehmann Audio Black Cube SE ($1100)
2. Trigon Advance ($1300)
3. Ray Samuels Nighthawk ($1000)
4. PS Audio GCPH ($1200)

Choose any of these cartridges:
1. ZYX R100 Yatra
2. Ortofon Cadenza Red
3. 47 Labs McBee

You may suggest a combination that is not in this list. I would be happy to research it further. The situation is I have to compromise somewhere, but where ? My TT experience is very limited so is my exposure to analog gears so please help with your experience and suggest what would you pick if you were me.
pani
uru975
684 posts
 
There is a Conrad-Johnson Motif 7 that is a solid state preamp with phono for both MC and MM. You should check it out in the archives. It is listed for $1,100.00 or make offer. My son has one of the Motif's, forget which, a two box system, that has a very good sound if a bit to forward for my tastes. I prefer a sitting in the 6th to 10 row center aisle, others want a more forward presentation. Given that I am familiar with the Ortofon Kontropunts A, B, and C, they also have a bit of a laid back not in your face presentation and should be within your budget. Hope that helps, I am not familiar with enough of your selections to give a valid opinion on them, hence my suggestions.
swampwalker's avatar
swampwalker
5,132 posts
 
In general I would say get a better phono stage and I think you know I think v highly of the ZYX Artisan. Photon46 maks a very good point about the cart being a wear item and so will be replaced in the normal course of events anyways. One other thought about the cart is that you do not want to get too far ahead of the tonearm quality-wise since the arm and cart form a mechanical system that converts the physical groove modulations into voltage modulations. The two parts of that system has to be compatible for it to function properly. I am not familiar w that arm so I can't comment on the cart.
elizabeth
6,726 posts
 
$700 to $1,000 new cartridge.
$2,000 to $2,300 Used phono box.
Whichever ones float your boat.
inna
5,245 posts
 
You didn't list the rest of your equipment and music and sound preferences.
I guess, you don't want tube phono stage.
ts0711
91 posts
 
$300 for a Denon 103r, and the remainder on a Parasound JC3 phono pre... That's the way I would go.
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