Humble upgrade question

[MarkoSGD]

I want to upgrade. Why? I do not know I am not an audiophile but if I had to guess I would say my records could be more alive, instruments and bass could be more clear. It is kind a “meh”, no excitement sound. Let me tell you what I have:

LP120 turntable, where I removed the internal preamp. Rega A2D preamp mini. Nagaoka MP110 cartridge and Audioengine A5+. So the problem is I can upgrade speakers OR turntable/cartridge. I do not have crazy money, let's say 1100-1200 USD.

So I am looking at two things: rega turntable P3 with Nagaoka MP150 (used, as new) or to buy a set of speakers looking into JBL P308 MK2. Have no idea what to do and does it have any sense? Any advice appreciated.

 

[solderdude]

use EQ or replace speakers.

 

[Moonhead]

Rega is belt drive so I would take a direct drive LP120 any day, biggest upgrade could be some JBL og Kali monitors.

 

[JktHifi]

I can say that you should put the bigger budget on the loudspeaker. Ask the sales to come to your place and test any loudspeaker without changing your DAC/amp/source, even use the same existing cables.

 

[MaxwellsEq]

While the rega A2D mini is good value, you can do better. After a preamp failure, I used one of these for a while and it was ok, but my Cambridge Duo that I replaced it with is better. Many on here have been impressed with the ART devices.

But as others have said, for the money, you'll get more benefit with new speakers.

 

[MarkoSGD]

Speakers it is!

 

[Robert C]

You say the sound could be more clear, perhaps consider a line-contact (aka microline) stylus instead of the elliptical one you currently have. In my subjective experience, the thinner profile of the line contact stylus resulted in a cleaner sound from my records.

 

[amicusterrae]

There are so many variables with vinyl. Are you sure the cartridge is and arm are properly aligned and weighted? Is the ‘table speed accurate? Are the records clean? Even if yes to all of these, cartridges and records have a limited lifespan and wear out unfortunately.

 

[DVDdoug]

Speakers it is!

And, get rid of the turntable!

I grew-up in the vinyl days and the analog sources were the obvious weak-link, even before we had alternatives. Reel-to-reel tape was excellent (although not as good as digital) but music wasn't distributed on reel-to-reel (not the "good music" they were playing on the radio).

 

[DSJR]

In a vinyl based system, generally, the deck, arm and cartridge in that order followed by the phono stage still rule, as if you lose anything there, it doesn't matte rhow good the amp and speakers are, you'll never get it back!!! With 'digital' it's the other way round as cheap dacs now are sonically pretty much sonically perfect (famous last words, but I believe true nonetheless), but I've done too many vinyl based dems to ever be persuaded otherwise now!!!

Just 'cos the Rega is belt drive doesn't mean it's *automatically* inferior you know and the tonearm potential is very high indeed. Having said that, my lowest level Rega would be a '6' with neo supply and belt upgrade (the Neo makes the motor as quiet as it can be, the fancier belt aids wow and the Neo allows accurate fine-speed setting. Thing is, living in the UK as I do might make a little sense, but over the pond especially, Rega prices are silly-high and a Technics deck makes more sense than ever!!!!! I'm in dire need of trying an SL1500C or 100C to see even at this level if it's as good as I know it's ancestor SL1500 can be.

In the OP's case, maybe a speaker upgrade could work (a good used Fono stage or Mani 2 would also be better than a Fono Mini I think) but apart from genuine curiosity, I don't know the ultimate ability of the AT deck (I'm not a fan of Nagaoka's cheaper cartridges as they're rather pricy these days for what they offer in comparison with AT in my opinion). I rather like the AT VM95ML but the VM95SH may be more refined up top, such is the quality of current Shibata stylus profiles.

Whatever the OP does, it's going to involve a fair old spend! In the meantime, remove the lid when playing records (NEVER leave the lid up as it acts as a sound-board) and keep the deck on a light rigid shelf away from corners. My UK based sensibilities will no doubt be at odds with many US based people here and perices will be all over the shop, but good luck all the same...

 

[hex168]

Order: Speakers, add a digital source with EQ. Nothing terribly wrong with a turntable but digital will often sound better. Sometimes not, so the choice is good to have. Personally, I'm over messing with vinyl.

 

[MarkoSGD]

Ok so there have been some developments. The opportunity was like that, and I bought a pair of Adam Audio T7V. As any noob now, I am even more confused, and of course there is some frustration because by moving away from "home" speakers like Audioengine, I lost some convenience.

Problem one I realized my Rega Mini A2D has no volume control whatsoever, so I have to get up and change the volume on each speaker if I want it up and down haha. Well, that has to be solved somehow. I don't know, like another amp or what the hack?

Then, balanced, unbalanced... Now I have a cable that is RCA (white and red chinch, if that is the name) that basically splits and has two
XLR ends, and they go into the speakers. I have to keep the setting on them on 0db to get them be reasonably loud, kinda weird that is like 3/4 of the max. Maybe unbalanced old school cables are better?

Someone mentioned adding a digital solution to this system, what would that be, like a streamer of some?

I need to find some other source to try the speakers, I am getting paranoid that I did some kind of a sloppy job by removing amp in my turntable and that because of that I have weak output.

 

[JeremyFife]

One, cheap, option that gives you a solid base to build on: WiiM Mini streamer (90 USD) - that adds digital streaming to your life.
You can even route the turntable through it - it's not the best solution for that but it works and adds volume control (pretty basic).
Having a digital option to go along with your turntable gives you the best of music.
If you like that - a DAC with balanced output will work well with your speakers, again it's not expensive: SMSL C200 (200 USD) even includes headphone amp. There are other options too.

It's integrating your analogue source that gets tricky. A passive volume control - Behringer Studio M, with your new DAC and phono amp both plugged in - can do that and adds good volume control.

Don't lose the turntable, do add digital (easiest way to control your speakers too). Think about a new TT after you've got digital set up

Enjoy the music

 

[MarkoSGD]

Thank you! Yes probably at the end, Ill change the turntable for something I trust more. Definitely will be looking into adding digital because why not? Ill go check the things you recommended, thank you

 

[MarkoSGD]

What I am realizing: Every option with DAC means I will somehow make my signal from the turntable digital and then send it to speakers... I do not know what to think about it, really. That was not the goal. I want to have my analog system separately sending analog to speakers from the turntable, and then when I want to play a quick playlist from whatever AppleTV or phone do that digitally.

I am afraid it is going to end up either many devices or something crazy expensive. So phono input with preamp, digital input for a device like a streamer, rca output with input selector... that goes to speakers. What the hack do I need? Is this some version of old school stereo Preamp?

 

[JeremyFife]

What I am realizing: Every option with DAC means I will somehow make my signal from the turntable digital and then send it to speakers... I do not know what to think about it, really. That was not the goal. I want to have my analog system separately sending analog to speakers from the turntable, and then when I want to play a quick playlist from whatever AppleTV or phone do that digitally.

I am afraid it is going to end up either many devices or something crazy expensive. So phono input with preamp, digital input for a device like a streamer, rca output with input selector... that goes to speakers. What the hack do I need? Is this some version of old school stereo Preamp?

Yeah, that's the tricky part. That's why I suggested a passive volume control with two analogue inputs: DAC and TT can be connected and then both are connected to the speakers.
Passive pre-amps can do the same, but tend to be single-ended (not balanced like your speakers) - Schiit Sys is reviewed on this site.
Integrated amps often deal with this, but you only need the pre-amp section so it's a waste.
The RME-ADI Pro is a fantastic DAC with an analogue inputs (pushing 2k USD though).
There are probably good preamp alternatives that I don't know about...