Currently have, Technics 1210gr (with audio technica vm95ml), Rega elicit-r and Tannoy xt8fs with Van damme black interconnects and hifi 6mm cable.

Questions are, would I be better off upgrading cartridge? Or upgrading phono stage to either reflex m or possibly accession m? 

Not sure how these would compare to built in phono stage!! Hope someone could shed some light. Thanks Chris 

I would be inclined to upgrade the phono stage first. The AT VM95ML is the subject of another thread here, worth a read.  https://www.hifisystemcomponents.com/forum/audio-technica-at-vm95ml-cartridge_topic4686.html#59103 - https://www.hifisystemcomponents.com/forum/audio-technica-at-vm95ml-cartridge_topic4686.html#59103

I would think that the Reflex would be quite an ear opener, but if you foresee upgrading your cartridge in the future then have a listen to the Accession.

Now the really good bit, if you haven't already discovered it, there is a loan scheme for members. You can borrow almost any of Grahams products to listen to in the comfort of your own home.

https://www.hifisystemcomponents.com/forum/uk-loan-programme_topic1211.html - https://www.hifisystemcomponents.com/forum/uk-loan-programme_topic1211.html

Happy Listening

Ian

I'm interested in trying out the Accession for home demo, who do I need to get in contact with? Cheers Chris 

You need to contact Jon aka Fatmangolf. If you look on the 2nd link I posted it will take you to the UK loan scheme thread. Find a post by Fatmangolf and click on the arrow to the right of his name, that will open a drop down menu, click on send PM and let Jon know what you want.

Ian

Hi Chris

You need to contact Jon (Fatmangolf) for UK loans.

The loan program is a great way to see and hear how the gear works in your system in your home environment.

The only cost is shipping to and from you.

Drop a PM in Jon's direction and he'll happily oblige.

Edit: I see Ian got in there first :)

I never got to demo the Accession M but if it is in your budget then you may want to go that route, or try to borrow both from the loan program and decide what you like more.

I'm pretty new to all this, obviously been listening to music for years, but when you get a good system can't help but think what sounds better!! 

I'm pretty happy with the Technics 1210 gr. Gonna have to demo the Accession I think!! 

The amp I use is fairly irrelevant I think as there is a no-built in phono stage on it. It's affordable 45wpc integrated amp that originally retailed for less than $500 USD. I have been through several phono stages and without getting into them all here I'll just say the GS Reflex M is by far the best one I've owned. 

RE: how much you would have to spend to do better than the ATVM95ML, I can't say because it depends what you mean by "better". Better in what aspect? Tracking? Stereo separation? Not be flip here but it might help to clarify. The problem with categorizing cartridges by price is that it fails to take into account different pricing structures due to differences in economies of scale between companies. Not only that but supplier costs as these cartridge companies often have different suppliers for diamond styli within the brand not to mention across brands. Then you have import taxes and such that often result in very different prices on cartridges made in two different countries. If you want to compare apples to apples with cartridges they need to have the same type of generator system and same type of stylus. 

One thing I have learned is that more money on the cartridge side does not necessarily mean better performance in all aspects. For me tracking has always been #1, with stereo separation #2 and other factors a distant third. I don't buy cartridges for "tone". I've heard cartridges that cost $1,000 USD or more that tracked worse than cartridges costing $200-$250 USD. Likewise I've heard cartridges that cost thousands of dollars that sounded amazing but they are so far out of my budget that they aren't worth thinking about for me personally.

The other thing is that people sharing anecdotal experiences online may have very different ideas about how a particular cartridge tracks, particularly at the inner grooves, which is where a lot of cartridges fall apart IME. This is not only due to differences in gear (tonearms, speakers, etc) but also the records we play and how well we focus on flaws while listening. Not all records are challenging to track - many are quite tame. 

Unfortunately I am cursed with an extreme sensitivity to IGD so there are a lot of cartridges which are acceptable for other people that are completely out for me. 

If you have a 1200GR you have a pretty flexible platform for many different cartridges. The arm tube is fairly light and you can use headshells of different weights to help deal with compliance differences among different carts. You could also install a KAB silicone damping system which some folks find beneficial with certain cartridges. 

I think there is no harm in comparing both the Accession and Reflex M models if each of them are in your budget. The Accession was a stretch for me, but if it was in my budget, I may well have auditioned and bought one. When there is more bandwith in my budget I may give it a try, but I only got my Reflex M this year so I'm not in a rush to upgrade just yet. My next step when the budget allows will be to upgrade the power supply on the Reflex M to the PSU 1. For now I am using the wall-wart type power supply. 

Welcome! I’m new here as well. It’s a friendly community.