I've been through a *lot* of gear in my learning process of the last four years. This system is excellent for acoustic jazz - my mainstay - but very, very good for rock too. And classical.
What I've learned about turntables: Less than other components. I haven't owned a ton of them. I did learn that I prefer the solidity of non-suspended designs. After reading so much about how good restored, vintage idler-wheel tables sound, and realizing their purported strengths lined up with my musical priorities, I took the plunge. My DIY project soon became a total cop-out buy buying a "turnkey" OMA (Oswald's Mill Audio)-restored Lenco 75, with PTP, in their slate plinth, but I could not be happier.
What I've learned about digital: I first learned that I like the sound of NOS DACs. Then I learned that the Audio Note philosophy of NOS coupled with NO filters, transformers for I/V, and valve output with transformer-coupling, produces a digital much better and must closer to analog (YES, analog IS the reference!) than I thought possible for anywhere, anywhere near the asking price. (IOW, dCS and EMM might be better, but maybe not, and at 5-20x the price.)
What I've learned about amps: I like DHSETs! Single-ended amps sound better to me than push-pull, at least in my experience, direct-heated triodes sound the best, and the 45 is about the king of them all. 2A3 is very close... but for me the rest are a ways behind. Unless you spend a great deal of money anyway. (I.E., I believe that 211s can be great - but that's a $20K amp done right.)
What I've learned about speakers: that's the toughest one. I've had & heard so many. After being into low-mid efficiency boxes like most, I got my first taste of hi-eff with single-driver horns. Some of them - like the Lamhorn and the Beauhorn, both of which I owned, are amazing. However, on some material at least, the frequency response anomalies that all wideband drivers possess do rear their heads. After trying the AN/Es, I knew I preferred them. They are perhaps slightly less transparent and slightly less dynamic but what they bring outweighs those weaknesses IMO.
I also have a pair of Tonian Labs TL-D1s - simply an amazing speaker.
Sorry for the delay - if there is a way to get agon to notify you of updates to a thread you're on I have not found it.
Well, my system is actually going major changes right now. :) I do still have the DAC and have found it not terribly sensitive to tubes - I think I like Tung Sol 5687s the best, tho.
The rack was built by a friend here on agon (who has no wish to build commercially). I love it! Its cost was very reasonable, it does its job, and it looks great.
Better TT isolation would be beneficial - I am going to try another 2" maple platform with sorbothane discs between it and the rack, with the TT (now a humble Scout) on top of that.
It is a very well-balanced system, I will say that. And VERY listenable. Not the LAST word in detail, yet there is quite a lot of information. It does rock with a pounding bass line as well as acoustic jazz (my mainstay). I guess I'm describing the AN house sound.
I've only heard the AN TTs at shows, and am sure they are good too, but, yes, this idler does have me sold.
Yeah, the L75 came from OMA whole! Fully restored, with the PTP. I was gonna do it all myself, at first - then looked at what they offer and the cost. The plinth ain't cheap, but certainly the table itself is a very good deal (at $450, I think).
I am using Mac Sound Pipes now for speaker cable. I do not believe in expensive cables (I've had A23 and a couple others).
FYI, I now also have a First Watt F3 and it's an amazing amp with the AN/Es.
