Weakest link...

[Olivesaxer]

Hello everyone,

Wanted to get some advice. I am not specifically looking for solutions since my ears and my wallet will ultimately make that decision for me...

But I wanted to figure out what the next best step should be for my current set up:

Grado Black - Stanton headshell - Technics 1200 (with stabilizer feet and cork mat) - Vincent PHO701 w/psvane tube - Pioneer SX1250 - Little Dot MKIII w/aprex tubes - HD650

So the question is, bang-for-buck, where will I hear the most impact when switching out gear? My gut is telling me either the receiver or the turntable are my next targets, but I thought I would reach out to a group of folks way smarter than I am for the assist.

Thanks in advance...

 

[ProtegeManiac]

Grado Black - Stanton headshell - Technics 1200 (with stabilizer feet and cork mat) - Vincent PHO701 w/psvane tube - Pioneer SX1250 - Little Dot MKIII w/aprex tubes - HD650

So the question is, bang-for-buck, where will I hear the most impact when switching out gear? My gut is telling me either the receiver or the turntable are my next targets, but I thought I would reach out to a group of folks way smarter than I am for the assist.

Are you driving any speakers with the receiver? If not just remove it and maybe upgrade the headphone amp, but think about whether you'd upgrade headphones first. You can try a Darkvoice DV336se or WooAudio WA3 for the HD650 but if you want to try lower impedance planars with lower sensitivity in the future, you'll need a solid state, hybrid, or a good transformer-coupled amplifier since OTL amps produce the least amount of power at low impedance.

If you're driving speakers, depending on what speakers those are it might be better to upgrade the speakers. That Pioneer receiver isn't bad unless you really want to try a more modern amp with even less noise+distortion, or ridiculously low noise and distortion even with less power like a Pass Labs First Watt (you'll need a passive preamp to work with it that has a second pair of output for the headphone amp; it's passive so as long as your phono pre outputs around 2v just set it to max volume for the headphone amp).

 

[Olivesaxer]

Yes - I am driving some Monitor Audio MA5s.

 

[ProtegeManiac]

Yes - I am driving some Monitor Audio MA5s.

What exactly do you find lacking out of the speaker and headphone outputs from that system? This can help figure out what you'd need to upgrade, or if you even need to.

 

[Olivesaxer]

I think the point is - I am not looking for anything per say. I am simply attempting to identify the weakest piece of gear in my set up in order to identify the next replacement opportunity. Once identified, I will go through the steps necessary to research-buy-test-return-repeat until that piece of gear is to my liking... and then I will identify the next piece ripe for replacement.

 

[ProtegeManiac]

I think the point is - I am not looking for anything per say. I am simply attempting to identify the weakest piece of gear in my set up in order to identify the next replacement opportunity. Once identified, I will go through the steps necessary to research-buy-test-return-repeat until that piece of gear is to my liking... and then I will identify the next piece ripe for replacement.

My point about the possibility about not needing an upgrade though is that at some point you really should just sit back and listen rather than get distracted about what could be lacking in the system.

This is not like some career related or competition kind of pursuit where resting on laurels means you die, figuratively or not. The main point is to enjoy it. If your enjoyment is getting sidetracked not by some technical weakness you can identify and can't live with but the lingering idea that there has to be something that needs replacement (despite everything working normally too), then you're not enjoying your system, and for no good reason. Just sit back and enjoy it.

 

[Monsterzero]

That receiver is no joke,but if you want to get rid of it let me know we might be able to work something out.

IMHO I'd look into getting a better HP amp for the HD650s.Not that theres anything wrong with the Little Dot,but to my eyes it is the weakest link.