New setup..... advice sought! Thanks

[eddie_fox]

Hi all,

Thanks for your help in my first thread. I just need a bit more advice, so...

I have kind of decided on my potential setup and have sourced some of the main components. I am still in Uk and will start ordering them all soon and will set it up once I am back in my hometown Bangalore, in a couple of months. But for the minute this is how my setup will look:

TT: 1.Used Technics 1210 MK2 (sourced in UK, price including shipping - 350GBP / 40,000 INR)
2. As a second TT, I may carry back an used REGA P3 (I am getting one from a buyer near where I am for 80GBP/8000INR... so thought I may as well)
AMP: Marantz PM 6004 (used market - GBP150/14,000INR)
SPEAKERS: Tannoy Mercury V4 speakers (Indian buyer at 30,000INR/330GBP, can't order them or ship them from UK due to the size and cost)
RECORDS: Have begun collecting and am trying to ship some cheap job lots from UK, let me see..

Please don't scorn on this setup as I am a bit of a dud in audio engineering. I am sure there can be better setups, but these fall right in my budget and needs. I am however open to any modifications as I have not ordered any yet.

Can you please tell me what you think of this setup bearing in mind this is a startup and can you please advice on the following:

1. Other (better/more powerful) phono stage integrated amps instead of the Marantz (same price range)
2. Suggestions of good quality but budget cables and interconnects
3. Cartridge choices for the TTs (think the technics comes with a Ortofon cartridge)

ANy other tips would be appreciated.

Thanks,
N

 

[Record Player]

Hey Eddie - That is indeed a very nice setup and I must say me thinks you dont need any immediate upgrades.

Good Quality Cables - Once you are in Bangalore I suggest you contact Mr. Murthy on commercial street to custom make your cables. Mr. Murthy is high on recommendation here. Not very expensive as well. I personally have acquired a few high quality interconnects from Mr. Murthy and they are excellent.

Cartridge Options - Which Ortifin Cartridge is this? For the 1210 I suggest the M97xe or the M44-7 based on your listening and collection of records.

Cheers,

RP

 

[jls001]

1. Other (better/more powerful) phono stage integrated amps instead of the Marantz (same price range)
2. Suggestions of good quality but budget cables and interconnects
3. Cartridge choices for the TTs (think the technics comes with a Ortofon cartridge)

Interconnects: Mogami Neglex 2534 based audio interconnects are supposed to be really good. Something like this (you will need a pair) but with RCA connectors may be what you need.

Speaker cable: again Mogami is supposed to be real good. Read up on Mogami W3082. Do consider terminating them with your choice of (gold-plated) spades or bananas. Despite what many people may tell you about the goodness of using speaker wires bare, do remember that they rust when exposed. Gold plating is widely used to avoid this problem.

Cartridge: I have only one recommendation for you since you have made up your mind about the 1210 - Denon DL 103. You will need a phono stage that supports MC, though. So your choice of the Marantz integrated will not work here. In fact, why not think in terms of a decent outboard phono stage that can handle both MC and MM cartridges with appropriate adjustability for both types? A Donon DL 103 should elevate the overall performance by quite a bit.

But if this option is not viable, here's a way out - go for a high quality, high output MC cartridge which can be plugged directly into the PM6004's phono input. I am thinking in terms of Dynavector 10x2H or 20x2H. They are not cheap, but in my limited experience a better cartridge is one component which will give you the greatest upward sonic gains.

 

[eddie_fox]

Interconnects:

But if this option is not viable, here's a way out - go for a high quality, high output MC cartridge which can be plugged directly into the PM6004's phono input. I am thinking in terms of Dynavector 10x2H or 20x2H. They are not cheap, but in my limited experience a better cartridge is one component which will give you the greatest upward sonic gains.

But I understand that the Marantz doesn't support MC cartridge, am I mistaken?

 

[jls001]

But I understand that the Marantz doesn't support MC cartridge, am I mistaken?

High output MC cartridges are designed to be used directly with MM phono preamplifiers. So you can use it with the PM6004.

 

[peace_sells]

But I understand that the Marantz doesn't support MC cartridge, am I mistaken?

What he meant was : if you get hold of a high output (greater than 1 mV) MC cart, then you can feed it to a MM phono input. However they won't perform as well as the usual MC carts i think. You'd be better off guying a high end MM cart instead. I was reading a thread about this :
High output MC Cartridges vs Low output--any difference in sound? | Steve Hoffman Music Forums