Where to start?

Greetings GSP Forum!

I just signed up today and would appreciate some advice ... there is a LOT of information on the forum, it's quite a challenge to know where to start 

My current system is a Roksan Radius 5.2 with the Nima arm and a Goldring 2200 MM cartridge / Roksan Kandy K2 integrated amp / Dynaudio X12 speakers on Partington Dreadnought stands.

My musical tastes are very wide ranging; from classic rock to folk to some world music and classical (and when my wife is out some jazz! Ja*z is the only four letter word which offends her).

First would something like the Gram Amp 2 SE give a big leap in quality over the built in phono stage on the Kandy K2 or do I need to set my sights higher?

Secondly (apologies if this is a silly question) if I get one of Graham's phono stages to test, do I still plug it in to the phono input on my Roksan amp OR into one of the spare line inputs?

Any feedback will be very greatly received.

To try one of these phono stages in your system as you suggested and ICL1P did. Please pm me if you would like a home loan. It will connect into one of the spare line inputs.

I like the name you chose and I am resisting the urge to spew Holmesian, specifically Moriarty references.

 

Jon

 

Welcome ProfM!

IMO your kit, and the Goldring cart. especially would benefit from the extra resolution and depth the Reflex gives you, but having said that the 2SE is great phono stage and a step up from the inbuilt one in your amp.

Your best bet is to borrow the kit and see what you think. There's nothing like an extended home demo to get to know how something fits in your system . . .

I think you may get as many different cartridge recommendations as replies!

Here's my tuppence-worth: I'd stick with MM and get a good one, rather than a modest MC. I've only ever used MM and high-output MCs, but have heard plenty of MCs on other folks' rigs. Done well, MC can have a treble sparkle and detail, "air" if you like, that MM can struggle to match. But a good MM can give more modest MCs a real run for their money.

Have a look at Graham's thoughts here if you haven't already done so. 

I would be tempted to get the best MM you can afford and live with that for a while. If the MC bug bites, get Graham's Elevator step-up box to bring the MC output up to levels needed to use your MM phono amp. The multi-box approach means each is optimised for its task, and you don't have to get a new MC phono amp - that could never take MM if you wanted to move back.

As far as particular MM carts go, I'm going to hold off recommending many. But I have used a Goldring G1042 and Ortofon OM40 to good effect. My current favourite though is a p-mount NOS Pickering TL4S.

I also use a high-output Ortofon X1-MC, but this is only a stepping stone to true MC-dom, though sounds lovely on Baroque stuff.