Kit is sounding great, next upgrade?

hiacedrifter

Newbie
Wammer
Sep 26, 2017
233
134
63
Worthing
HiFi Trade?
  1. No
I've now got my vintage kit sounding really sweet. So what's next to experiment with?
Currently running

SONY PS X600 Ortofon 2m Blue
Pioneer 9500ii Amp
Celestion Ditton 33's
Using about £50 worth of interconnects and some speaker cable I bought of a fellow Wammer could be QED / Linn but nothing esoteric.

Where do I go now? Got to keep on moving and experimenting
Don't we???

Spend about £60 on a couple of mains cables for your sony & pioneer. Seriously. Once I started improving my mains I never turned back.
 

Jules_S

Wammer Plus
Wammer Plus
Jun 7, 2019
3,383
1
4,507
183
HiFi Trade?
  1. No
If your current system is sounding great, leave it alone. If you fancy trying something different, start a second system to play around with. If you come across something that feels like a genuine game-changer you can swap it into your main system, but you won't ruin what you have in the meantime.

Or just play more music, go on holiday, treat your other half (assuming you have one) to something nice, redecorate, go to more gigs, etc.

A balanced and enjoyable system is not something to be taken for granted! Enjoy it while you have it, my friend
 

JohnyT

Newbie
Wammer
Aug 14, 2022
99
125
48
42
Broadwey
HiFi Trade?
  1. No
What would you recommend? I have a SONY XL88 vintage MC which came with the TT, but needs a new cantilever, do you reckon it's worth having it fixed?
If you can go over to MC then maybe try a Denon 103. Also highly regarded and have been around forever so will fit the vintage aspect.
If sticking with MM then the AT carts others have mentioned might be worthwhile. I've always been a fan of Nagaoka which are more like a moving Iron. My 2nd cartridge was the MP-200 which was a significant upgrade over the 2M Blue. I later went for the MP-500 and now running a Sumiko Starling. I recently bought another MP-500 for a 2nd setup that doesn't have a MC input.
 
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vinyl4ever

Mr
Wammer Plus
Mar 29, 2020
1,057
1
584
183
59
Doncaster
primevehiclelogistics.com
AKA
Stewart
HiFi Trade?
  1. No
If your current system is sounding great, leave it alone. If you fancy trying something different, start a second system to play around with. If you come across something that feels like a genuine game-changer you can swap it into your main system, but you won't ruin what you have in the meantime.

Or just play more music, go on holiday, treat your other half (assuming you have one) to something nice, redecorate, go to more gigs, etc.

A balanced and enjoyable system is not something to be taken for granted! Enjoy it while you have it, my friend
I'm on holiday next week, I'm in the process of fitting a new kitchen having removed 2 walls and a fireplace, built an extension 28m² and laid a new floor throughout!!
I should buy new music ( mainly vinyl) I get CDs from charity shops. But I will treat the other half to something nice 👍👍
 
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Idlewithnodrive

You should hear our version of Louie Louie
Wammer Plus
May 7, 2018
7,310
12,608
183
Virtually, everywhere
AKA
Mike
HiFi Trade?
  1. No
If you can go over to MC then maybe try a Denon 103. Also highly regarded and have been around forever so will fit the vintage aspect.
If sticking with MM then the AT carts others have mentioned might be worthwhile. I've always been a fan of Nagaoka which are more like a moving Iron. My 2nd cartridge was the MP-200 which was a significant upgrade over the 2M Blue. I later went for the MP-500 and now running a Sumiko Starling. I recently bought another MP-500 for a 2nd setup that doesn't have a MC input.
Similar here. My second MM cart is a Nag MP-200. I wouldn't, however, go within a light year of a DL-103 😀
 

andreweast

Wammer
Wammer
Sep 17, 2009
1,954
138
108
London (SE)
HiFi Trade?
  1. No
A record cleaning machine. And seek out first pressings of favourite LPs. Then Japanese pressings and audiophile reissues of the same LPs. That will give you enough ground for indecision and tortuous comparisons; no need to buy more hi-fi.
 
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uzzy

Grumpy Old Git
Wammer
Apr 16, 2006
8,563
4,632
158
NN38TA Northampton
AKA
David
HiFi Trade?
  1. No
The art of the game is pleasing your ears. Are you ears happy or have you identified real shortcomings (you want more bass? The top end is not smooth? Want more dynamics?)

If you have not identified shortcomings then leave it alone.

My method is, unless I actually hear something better, that when I get home and put my system on and am disappointed, I leave well alone.

Hif is a tool to help you enjoy your music to the fullest - if you are totally enjoying what you have then just save your pennies and buy more music
 

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