Cartridge or cable upgrade

Been there, done that many times. In all possible analog combinations I've tried over the past 20 years, a better cart/ phono pre/IC improved the reproduction of the music more so than a better TT with cart/phono pre/IC of lesser quality.

Which one you think will be able to retrieve more information and reproduce better sound quality?

5.1 SE/Pearwood Celebration II/AQ Jaguar/Pro-ject Phono Box RS

10.1/BP/Anti Cables/LSA Statement Integrated MM Phono Pre

I'll take the first combination in a heart beat. My personal opinion, just that.

Kiko65,

"In all possible analog combinations I've tried over the past 20 years, a better cart/ phono pre/IC improved the reproduction of the music more so than a better TT with cart/phono pre/IC of lesser quality."

What were your findings in comparing high and low output carts?

A good SUT may cost more than your turntable. I would get a MM or HOMC cartridge for now.

http://www.bobsdevices.com

Not sure where you want to go with your last question Zd542. This thread has nothing to do with MC vs MM carts. My two cents, I lived very happily with a DV10x5 for a few years. However, the Virtuoso Wood was a revelation to my ears. Lyra Delos is now my reference cart.

Back to Simao's thread and the question remains:

Should I upgrade the cable or the cart first?

My answer still remains the same - a better MM cart like the Virtuoso Wood will bring new life to his system. More so than a better cable.

Respectfully disagree. I don't think that, given the architecture of the existing system, a Dynavector 10X5, or even a 20XL, will be a subjectively large improvment. The turntable is the limiting factor here and is sonically unbalanced with the rest of the system.

Additionally, the improvements from a new turntable are sonically very different than the improvments from a cartridge upgrade, both in terms of quality and of degree.

IMHO, save your money for the inevitable turntable upgrade in the future. Another reason for this is that the cartridge should be matched to the tonearm. And if you do end up upgrading the table, the cartridge that you select now may not be optimally matched to the new arm. Turntable first, cartridge second, cables third.

As always, YMMV.