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RE: Bellari VP129 Grado SR60e Combo Not Loud Enough

Posted by Mechnutt (A) on October 16, 2014 at 10:33:38

In Reply to: Bellari VP129 Grado SR60e Combo Not Loud Enough posted by Vinylized on October 14, 2014 at 11:28:36:

It sounds like you may need a new phono pre.

I just got back into vinyl and use a Vintage Thorens TD-145 TT with a Nagaoka MP-200 cartridge and a Bellari VP-129 that some one gave me. The stock EH tube is crap. I rolled in a 1950's Raytheon shiny black plate which sounds great. It is dynamic, full bodied and leans a bit on the warmer and dark side. Second place was an NOS Mullard long plate. It is warmer sounding and would be great for a brighter sounding system or music. I tried a few other NOS tubes and some newer tubes but nothing sounded as good as these 2. The only one that I did not get to try was the Sovtek LPS which people seem to like.

Incidentally, my TT came with an Ortofon 2M red which was very dynamic but too bright. It played very loud in my system The Nagaoka is much better with a fuller sound and it is much quieter with a blacker background and more detail. I paid $215 from Japan. It sells for $345 here in the U.S.. You may want to consider upgrading the cartridge. On a budget a Grado Prestige Silver or this LP gear Audio Technica AT-95-sa are excellent cartridges.

http://www.lpgear.com/product/LPGAT95SA.html

Here is a nice review on it as well as several others-

http://www.analogplanet.com/content/nine-cartridges-compared-reviewed-and-voting-results

You may also want to consider upgrading the opamps to some BB OPA627's. I am going to do it and see how far I can take the 129 until I buy a Jolida or Pro-Ject tube box DS

Edits: 10/16/14 10/16/14 10/16/14

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