Finally starting a new system after retiring my Mission Cyrus 2 + KEF C in service for 15 years.
Looking for something different, and something which will bring me closer to the music. I like all kind of music, now having a lot fun starting my collection of jazz, classic and 80's LP's.
HDD CD Recorder / Music Server -- record CD or other analog sources into harddisk (up to 400G) and playback as a digital source via coxial output. Good price/performance. http://www.yamaha.co.jp/product/av/prd/hifi/cdr-hd1500/
A revised 2007 version of the DP-1300 direct-drive turntable. Available only in Japan. http://denon.jp/products2/dp1300mk2.html
Denon DL-103SA
2007 Limited Edition of the classic 103 cartridge, with 6N copper wires and glass fiber composite housing. Comes in a beautiful walnut wood case. http://denon.jp/company/release/dl103sa.html
Shindo Monbrison
Pre-amp which comes with a switchab le MC/MM phono stage. http://www.shindo-laboratory.co.jp/English/Monbrison.html
Scaled down version of the Tanny classic dual-concentric speaker (10") http://www.tannoy-speakers.com/s.php?product=133&title=Turnberry+SE&s=27 http://www.teac.co.jp/av/import/tannoy/prestige06/turnb_se.html
LP grooves contain microscopically small bumps and ridges that are read by a shard of diamond the size of the head of a pin. "Would isolating the turntable from the floor materially affect the sound quality?" You're kidding, right? Order a Lack end table from Ikea. It's $20. Put the table on it. See what happens. Right now, you might as well put the turntable right on top of your speakers.
The Denon you have looks like it is basically a US-spec DP-500M with a different base. It's a decent turntable. Any variant of the DL-103 is good.
So, the question is what kind of sound you want and how much you want to spend. In the $1000 and below category, I'm not sure you'll find anything across-the-board better than the Denon...only different.
What's your budget? And what specifically do you not like about the Denon aside from not being "close enough to the music"?
Because real transparency in LP playback is going to cost you and also be more complex to dial-in and use than the Denon.
