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What do you think is the weakest link in my sound system?

B

beastmittens

New Member
Technics SL-D3 turntable
Shure M97XE cartridge w/ Vivid line stylus from LP Gear
Onkyo TX-8211 stereo receiver
Boston Acoustics A-120 speakers

What do you guys think is the weakest link in my sound system?
 
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The Onk. I'm a fan of Boston's and they can sound very nice. A better amp with a nicer phono stage would be a BIG step up.

Don't know what your budget might be. But I'd be looking for a nice British Integrated like a Rega Brio-R or Sonnetter or Naim or Heed etc...

- Woody
 
I am looking at the U-Turn Pluto phono preamp ($89). Do you think this would be an improvement over the Onkyo's built-in phono stage?
 
Definitely not the speakers. I'm a huge Boston Acoustics fan myself.

Personally, I'd probably be looking at upgrading the receiver first. A nicer receiver or integrated amplifier can really bring out the best in the Bostons. Separates are an option too if you're willing to spend more. I'd put the money into upgrading the receiver and thus bypass buying a separate phono preamp. The difference would be much greater.

There's plenty of room for improvement in regards to phono cartridges as well, so that would be the second place I would turn for upgrades personally.
 
Nightwisher said:
Definitely not the speakers. I'm a huge Boston Acoustics fan myself.

Personally, I'd probably be looking at upgrading the receiver first. A nicer receiver or integrated amplifier can really bring out the best in the Bostons. Separates are an option too if you're willing to spend more. I'd put the money into upgrading the receiver and thus bypass buying a separate phono preamp. The difference would be much greater.

There's plenty of room for improvement in regards to phono cartridges as well, so that would be the second place I would turn for upgrades personally.
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Do you have any suggestions on a good affordable receiver? Is it possible to get a good receiver for $100 or less? My budget is limited unfortunately.
 
I'm getting quite a bit of annoying static/white noise when the volume knob hits around 10-11 o'clock and it gets worse from there. Really wanna get rid of this!
 
beastmittens said:
I'm getting quite a bit of annoying static/white noise when the volume knob hits around 10-11 o'clock and it gets worse from there. Really wanna get rid of this!
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I am not certain of any amps that would serve you better than you current Onkyo receiver at that price point, however for the static and white noise I would try to remove the knob and insure there is no dust build up around the connecting points.
If that does not work you could always try the Yamaha RS-202 I have heard good things about it, but I have no personal experience.
 
Those Bostons are close to 30 years old, presumably with some serious hours on them. Have you considered replacing the crossover capacitors? If not, you may be pleasantly surprised, for very modest cost. If you can do the soldering yourself, it will be even cheaper, thus leaving plenty of budget to upgrade something else.
 
So I now believe that the annoying static/white noise is not coming from the Onkyo receiver but from either the turntable or the records themselves. I tried turning up the volume without the turntable playing and there was very little noise as I increased the volume. The noise gets loud when the needle hits the groove. It's mainly noticeable in quieter parts of a song or in between songs. Do you think it could just be the records? Thoughts?
 
beastmittens said:
Do you have any suggestions on a good affordable receiver? Is it possible to get a good receiver for $100 or less? My budget is limited unfortunately.
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Under $100, there are plenty of options if you go used. I wouldn't go new for that budget, because it would be a mostly lateral (sideways) move. You'll have to do a search to see exactly what's available, but it's very doable. I got my Nakamichi RE-2 for $57 and my Kenwood KR-5030 for $85 on EBay (and that's shipped). Granted, that was over a year ago, but deals like that can be had.

Here's a Nakamichi RE-3, for example. It has 37 watts/channel which would most likely be enough unless you really crank it (it's not 75 watts/ch as the description says).

Here's a better Nakamichi SR-3a with 45 watts/channel from the coveted Stasis series.

I have a Pioneer SX-303r that has a claimed 100 watts/channel that I would recommend if you want more wattage. There are some on EBay for less than $100.

A weird-looking but surprisingly nice-sounding receiver I also recommend is an Aiwa AV-X200. Mine really sounds great on my Boston Acoustics VR-20s. That or the AV-X120 would be a good option.

Those are just 4 examples based on what I have experience with that I know can be had in that budget. Personally, I love my Nakamichi equipment so that's my primary recommendation based on my tastes and those are what I would consider high end (on the lower affordable end of high end, but they get you that nice high end sound). Also, I've paired my RE-2, Stasis series PA-5, and the Aiwa with Boston Acoustics so I know components from those series pair up really well (to my ears anyway). Haven't connected the SX-303r to any Bostons yet, but it's still a nice-sounding receiver on the speakers I have used with it.

I would recommend doing a search for "vintage receivers" and "vintage integrated amplifiers" on EBay for a start and see what else is out there and report back with anything that looks good to you. The nicer models of 90's surround receivers, such as from Yamaha and Pioneer (and others), tend to make good stereo receivers as well for under $100.
 
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Weakest link? Your wallet ... <G>

I'd stick with what you got until you can afford better. A hundred dollar receiver would be a bit of a crapshoot. A bit of TLC can help a lot.

As far as the static and noise, invest in a can of DeOxit cleaner and give all the controls and connectors a good going over. That can make a BIG difference in sound quality.
 
Seems like a balanced system. Maybe spend a few dollars to make sure everything is working per spec?
 
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