Suggestions for ~$15k “low key” table/arm/cartridge

[taww]

The time has come for my first analog rig since using my father’s some 30+ years ago. By “low key” I don’t mean “set it and forget it,” because, well, I’m an audiophile after all… but this will be a secondary source for enjoyment, mostly of my father’s original LPs, as opposed to primary one for critical listening. Rest of system is Gryphon, Mola Mola, Furutech and Audiovector. I plan to use the phono module on the Mola Mola Makua, just to take that out of the equation. Few parameters:

1. It must be relatively trim and not weird-looking for WAF reasons. A classic wood plinth design is preferable.
2. It’ll be on either an HRS platform or a heavy suspended wood shelf, so lack of suspension not a concern.
3. I’m ok with tweaking it a bit, but would prefer something as un-fiddly as possible.
4. Tonal balance preferred a tick on the warmer side, but given the decent clarity of my system, it can’t be mushy.
5. It needs to track less-than-perfect vinyl well, given the varying condition of my father’s collection.

As a naive starting point, I was thinking Feickert Woodpecker, a decent arm that mates well (Stogi S or Schick?), Hana Umami Red.

While it doesn’t satisfy condition #1, Stabi S + Stogi S could also work - I think I could get away with the minimalist look.

Feel free to take it from here and tell me how much better I can do with XYZ combo.

 

[Sablon Audio]

@taww , is the inbuilt phono stage good enough to support a $15k ensemble? That was my concern for the (incoming) Riviera MM card and I avoided splurging unnecessarily by buying the new SL-1300G with a view to possibly upgrading arm and cartridge later.

 

[DasguteOhr]

Clearaudio perfomanc dc.. or acoustic solid wood mpx referrence. I like he simple design, not a lot of frills. Acoustic solid wood have interchangeable tonearm bases.


P.S
colors are selectable
Or a restored micro seiki vintage look

 

[taww]

@taww , is the inbuilt phono stage good enough to support a $15k ensemble? That was my concern for the (incoming) Riviera MM card and I avoided splurging unnecessarily by buying the new SL-1300G with a view to possibly upgrading arm and cartridge later.

I hope it is? It’s the same as the Lupe stand alone phono stage, which has good initial reviews. I was originally going to get a separate phono in the $5k range, but comments on the Makua were very consistent that it would be comparable to a stand alone phono in that price range.

 

[taww]

@DasguteOhr Clearaudio was the very first line I looked at - form factor and ease of setup seem ideal. But i saw a pattern from comments online that as you get upwards of the $10k price point they didn’t distinguish themselves and there were better sounding tables for the money… I get the impression they are a bit sterile sounding compared to the likes of Kuzma or Feickert? If that is just the snobbery of some analog elitists that would be great because Clearaudio has tons of options and I really like the packaging.

 

[daytona600]

Pro-Ject classic & signature , EAT Forte

 

[DasguteOhr]

@DasguteOhr Clearaudio was the very first line I looked at - form factor and ease of setup seem ideal. But i saw a pattern from comments online that as you get upwards of the $10k price point they didn’t distinguish themselves and there were better sounding tables for the money… I get the impression they are a bit sterile sounding compared to the likes of Kuzma or Feickert? If that is just the snobbery of some analog elitists that would be great because Clearaudio has tons of options and I really like the packaging.

The sterile sound is based on old stuff from Clearaudio, e.g. Accurate Cartridge or the first tonearms, and is persistent on the internet. They now have a completely different sound, e.g. Davinci Cartridge, and a product quality that other companies dream of producing at this level. What always makes me happy is that even people on average incomes can get high quality without having to pay €20,000. The only thing that helps is to listen and judge for yourself.

P.S
If you are ever in Germany, go to Erlangen, Southern Germany and look at the production. Definitely worth a trip.

 

[taww]

FYI I decided to go with a Kuzma package as my starting point - Stabi S, Stogi Ref 313 VTA, CAR-20. Already ordered some second-hand vinyl and about to pull the trigger on an Acoustic Sounds order. Excited to dive into analog! I've also started woodworking, so rack/plinth experiments are also on the horizon.

 

[taww]

Update: got the Kuzma rig set up, so far so good! I obviously don’t have a point of comparison but sounds really excellent - my wife (a musician) was shocked how much more lively and tangible old LPs feel than their digital counterparts. Even with a beat-up monaural LP of Heifetz playing Sibelius violin concerto, she said “it’s like I can hear his fingers moving now…”

The only drawback is I’m unable to use DSP to correct my speaker setup (I use Roon parametric EQ based roughly on REW measurements), so the tonal balance is not as full/accurate. Will need to put some more effort into that via other means.

 

[Tangram]

Congratulations! That’s a great combo. Hard to go wrong with Kuzma.

 

[Bonesy Jonesy]

Update: got the Kuzma rig set up, so far so good! I obviously don’t have a point of comparison but sounds really excellent - my wife (a musician) was shocked how much more lively and tangible old LPs feel than their digital counterparts. Even with a beat-up monaural LP of Heifetz playing Sibelius violin concerto, she said “it’s like I can hear his fingers moving now…”

The only drawback is I’m unable to use DSP to correct my speaker setup (I use Roon parametric EQ based roughly on REW measurements), so the tonal balance is not as full/accurate. Will need to put some more effort into that via other means.

View attachment 144679

A great choice and a giant killer amongst much more expensive turntables.
Suggest you invest in a decent isolation platform to get the best out of the Kuzma Stabi S set-up !

 

[kswanson27]

Update: got the Kuzma rig set up, so far so good! I obviously don’t have a point of comparison but sounds really excellent - my wife (a musician) was shocked how much more lively and tangible old LPs feel than their digital counterparts. Even with a beat-up monaural LP of Heifetz playing Sibelius violin concerto, she said “it’s like I can hear his fingers moving now…”

The only drawback is I’m unable to use DSP to correct my speaker setup (I use Roon parametric EQ based roughly on REW measurements), so the tonal balance is not as full/accurate. Will need to put some more effort into that via other means.

View attachment 144679

You might consider an Anthem STR preamp for room correction. It's ARC is easy to use and seems very good. You can also bypass it's phono stage and use your own phono amp into the analog inputs.

 

[taww]

A great choice and a giant killer amongst much more expensive turntables.
Suggest you invest in a decent isolation platform to get the best out of the Kuzma Stabi S set-up !

Thanks! Yes, was originally going to get an HRS platform but on the recommendation of the distributor will likely order the Kuzma Platis. That said, I've been pleasantly surprised that I haven't had any footfall issues at all even with my very temporary setup (1.5" walnut slab sitting on a crappy Pangea rack with delrin cones, though I at least have Herbies isolators for the rack). It helps that my source rack is in a different room from the speakers, and though it's a suspended wood floor, the rack is positioned over old growth joists set in a very heavy masonry wall.

 

[taww]

You might consider an Anthem STR preamp for room correction. It's ARC is easy to use and seems very good. You can also bypass it's phono stage and use your own phono amp into the analog inputs.

Hm, wouldn’t that sort of mess with the analog purity of the setup though? Also no offense to Anthem but it seems like it would become a weak link in the current chain (Mola Mola + Gryphon).

 

[kswanson27]

Hm, wouldn’t that sort of mess with the analog purity of the setup though? Also no offense to Anthem but it seems like it would become a weak link in the current chain (Mola Mola + Gryphon).

It would be the weak link but if you are thinking DSP for room correction then I would give it a try.