Since Yggdrasil is one of the reference DACs, which turntable setup comfortably beats it assuming optimal operational conditions and the rest of the chain remains the same?
^ good post to refer to. TL;DR - cost of entry for a turntable setup (TT / cart / phono) that meets or exceeds a comparably priced DAC is about $2k on the lower end if you're lucky.
Yup $2k (whole package of TT / cart / phono) is where it starts. However, $1k can get you better mids and highs than a $1k DAC - just the bass will not be as good.
Just to keep prices earthly, best we stick to mids + treble like @purr1n said, and I'd say about $5K-10K. Every generation of DAC seems to push this price higher and higher too.
I read through the Vinyl rabbit hole thread and the "How much $ is required for a good turntable?" thread. It seems unlike digital components, which have a good calibration on the performance scale, there is a lack of a similar scale for TT+Phono+Cartridge. For e.g., on DAC side Yggdrasil, Wavelight, Wavedream and some other components are known to be good performers at respective price points
and how far or close they are to each other and how other DACs stack against them. There is also a section of NOS DACs. There is a lot of data and impressions on amps as well. But, i could not discern any pattern or TTs that are accepted by many here (maybe lack of data points).
For eg. if 5k$-10k$ can get you good TT+Phono+Cartridge (assuming there is a synergy to be had as well), the data seems to either lacking or a bit too spread out in between posts as to what few good references of 5k$-10$ TT systems are.
firstly it is much more important to know what you are doing than how much you are spending. if you don't know what you are doing, expect to spend a few thousand to learn. second, modern analog components have very poor value and mostly rely on distribution networks which implies markup, further diminishing value proposition.
so I must say the whole notion of spending X to get Y performance is not linear at all in the analog domain. the relationship can even become inverse. and you should get involved in it not for Y performance but from whatever satisfaction you may derive from playing or collecting records. if you get Y performance eventually, even better.
I think it was also mentioned before that the turntable route might only be worth it if you prefer older music (pre-1990s), before digital recording became the norm. Modern vinyl may sound extremely similar to the digital formats.
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