Evaluating turntables using headphone?

[jbohlscheid]

I am in a higher end audio desert and I'm looking to upgrade my turntable. Given the wide variety of turntables, cartridges, amps and speaker systems, it is difficult to focus on the turntable and cartridge individually and together. I was thinking that a very good headphone and phono preamp might be the best way to level the playing field to eliminate the speakers and amp. As well as using the same recordings. I travel a bit and this gives me the opportunity to visit different shops to evaluate systems. I'm interested in the Planar 3, MMF 5.3, etc level of turntable and Ortofon Blue range of cartridges. I listen to a very wide range of music.
System: Rotel 1572 integrated amp, Marantz ND 8006 network CD deck, Paradigm Monitor 7.2 speakers, Panamax MR5100, 2 Polk audio PSW 110s, PL 518 turntable with Audio Technica AT120E cartridge.

 

[vinylkid58]

I was thinking that a very good headphone and phono preamp might be the best way to level the playing field to eliminate the speakers and amp.

I agree. Taking the speakers and the room out of the equation would make evaluation way easier.

jeff

 

[olddude55]

I probably do 95% of my music listening on headphones. Prefer them to speakers.
So of course, any evaluating I do is done with headphones also.