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Going digital but need vinyl

norriemal

Hertz and Minds
Over the years the move to cd has left me uninvolved in the music and missing the days when I needed to sit and actively listen rather than just have the music as background to something else I was doing.

But a new Xonar soundcard and ripping my cds to FLAC for convenience has opened my ears to how things have moved on and I want my music back. Somehow my relaxed Albarry M408 monoblocs and KEF RDM2 speakers work with the digital side and all the involvement and pleasure is back.

So to my dilema... I have an Oracle Alexandria mk1 with the Prelude arm and a supex sd 900 super mkii which I am prepared to sacrifice in the pursuit of digital perfection. I also have 3 vintage direct drive turntables with a selection of cartridges and would like advice on which is the best combination to use as my vinyl source. Pioneer PL 510 is the best of the bunch but I know nothing of the arm and need advice on which of the following cartridges would be considered a good match. Shure V15 mk iii, Ortofon 510(replace with 520 stylus?) , Goldring 900, ortofon vms 5e (replace with 20e stylus?).

I also have a PS Audio PS IVa phono stage with HCPS power supply, Audiolab 8000c pre amp and a musical Fidelity X-Dac. All of which can go if anyone wants to make an offer.

All advice welcome.
 
Keep the Oracle and get the Supex re-tiped.
None of the other cartridges you mention are on the same page.
 
Keep the Oracle and get the Supex re-tiped.
None of the other cartridges you mention are on the same page.
Is the Supex re-tip viable, Robert? I use one on my Linn/Grace and although it's old now it still seems to sound fine, but it would be good to know if it can be successsfully re-tipped. Any experience anyone? (Apologies for going off topic, so why not try all of them. Have fun.)
 
I've looked into it and a good re tip for the Supex is about £350 from Expert Stylus but I'd rather put the money towards what I see as the future which is digital. I want to get back to listening to the music rather than wondering what I can do to improve the compromises that my system makes.

Something like the AVI adm9T which takes the digital signal and processes it in an optimised system makes so much sense to me. Meridian also make sense but cost is an issue and I am not keen on too much DSP.

A DAC still needs to be married up to an amp and speakers with all the mismatches and subjective qualities. I have been surprised by how much I like the sound coming out of my Xonar sound card. It is streets ahead of even sacd from my Musical Fidelity X-Dac and I want to know why.

On my original question on cart matching to unknown Pioneer arm I'll just get some extra headshells and play around and trust my ears. The wife will just have to miss my attentions for a while.
 


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