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Next Upgrade - DAC or Preamp? What’s the science say?

My eyes are bleeding… Thank you for the info. It’ll take me a while to chew through this.
Different test records can give slightly different results over several kHz I believe. Also, a response line on a graph *in this instance,* doesn't always give an indication as to perceived sonics.

Subjectively based stuff follows, so ignore if you like! I have a now old AT 120E (orange stylus) - now VM530 which, when tested, had a 6dB peak at 10 - 11khz or so, which is quite severe. Comments were made that the bass seemed 'detached' but I recall the tonearm used was a 'solid massy' type so maybe not suitable. My experience with this pickup is that in a lower mass arm, the 'bass issue' goes away and the hf peak is actually a sweet-toned gentle 'sparkle' which is never intrusive and in fact, it'll be a huge help (as always) when I play my (annual) Handel Messiah box set from 1966 (Colin Davis on Philips, thankfully on Youtube too) that I inherited from my father.

On the other hand, a Goldring 1042 along with its siblings and immediate ancestors, has a smaller peak at 10k with gentle roll-off with minimal capacitance loading, or a death dive over 11khz if loaded much over 200pF total (proper test and text in the HiFi Choice cartridge books on worldradiohistory UK mags site). This peak is heard as a razor-sharp 'sting' if the system doesn't like it. Maybe the diamond profile doesn' thelp here, but the humble 1006 model is similar.

The 2M Blue is regarded as a bit 'fussy.' My ancestrally related 520mk2 is lively and a bit 'coarse' I find, but it's still entertaining to listen to. The 2M Bronze 'sounded' great to me, and not in the slightest 'smothered' in tone. My own ancestral Super OM30 is also fine, if maybe not as 'dramatic' in tone (all with similar internals I *think*), but it suits me right now and is less 'over sweet' as my beloved classic ADCs of old.

Sorry if the above makes eyes bleed even more, I'm trying to help - really I am :D


P.S. The hierarchy ideals regarding turntable and siting first, then tonearm, then pickup, then phono stage, still matter a good bit, but the cheap decks around now (in the UK, Rega, AT and Project) under £500 can 'sound' really good with a VM95E or OM5e pickup, the lines I used to abide by, now slightly blurred when good stylus upgrades are available.

Digits is digits these days and suitable boxes can usefully be chosen by facilities and price, I feel.
 
My eyes are bleeding… Thank you for the info. It’ll take me a while to chew through this.
I know!! It does cut through the 'more expensive is better ' thinking though.
I think it mostly beat me into submission, and acceptance that my Ortofon OM20 is good enough :)
 
The puffin (predecessor) has been reviewed here. I'd expect the waxwing to be better. At least it has double the sample rate, so the 20kHz band limit on Riia shouldn't exist any more.
That's correct. I have remeasured the equalizations:

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