Setting up a sl-1200mk2..whats next

[Bombora]

I found a used 1200mk2 on ebay in mint condition for a great price. It's being shipped, so if all goes well, it will arrive in the great condition that the seller has told me its in. I've bought a Denon DL-110 to go with it also. I'm using this currently with my Stanton,http://www.amazon.com/ART-II-Preamplifier-Outputs-Switchable/dp/B000AJR482/ref=sr_1_5?ie=UTF8&qid=1336553426&sr=8-5. It gives me a decent sound with my regular jbl computer speakers. However, I'd like to upgrade this as well. First i think I'm going to go with the amp. Should I go with an integrated amp? I rather have just 1 amp to take care of it. For now I'm looking at $400-$500. Or any combo that would work and get me to that point. Last will be the speakers as I'm not sure what I really want yet. Any suggestions or advice welcome.

[cafe latte]

Great choice on the technics, but the next thing you need to buy is speakers..Speakers work well with matched amps so find the speakers you like and find the best amp to make those speakers work properly, not the other way round.
We can advise but what is your budget?
Regards
CL

[Bombora]

Got ya! Same price range, my space is pretty small so don't need something big. Something a long the lines of this would work perfect. http://www.needledoctor.com/Mordaunt-Sh ... gory=15302
Something smaller that would give me pretty good sound.

[russtafarian]

I have to agree, the SL1200 is a great place to start for a music rig. At your budget you should consider powered speakers. The Equator Audio (http://www.equatoraudio.com) D5 ($300 pr.) or Q8 ($1000 pr.) offer a stunning level of performance for the money. Built as studio monitors, they will play louder and cleaner than any other equivalently priced amp/speaker combination. More importantly, they are voiced to be phase coherent and tonally neutral. Phase coherent speakers are a vital ingredient to unlocking the magical qualities of vinyl playback. Plug your preamp into the speakers and you're good to go. Even if you upgrade to a bigger hi-fi rig in the future, good powered speakers will always find a home next to your computer or in a secondary system.

Russ

[Bombora]

Russ,
That is my basic setup now, only its pure crap! Those D5's are very nice, so I can run those off my preamp that I have from my 1st post and still get a pretty decent sound? For some reason I didn't even think upgrading to better powered speakers. I often switch between my computer (which needs a DAC, but thats another story) and my turntable. I got my current setup going for around $300 which got me into vinyl, so this is my first big upgrade.

In simple terms will this http://www.amazon.com/ART-II-Preamplifier-Outputs-Switchable/dp/B000AJR482/ref=sr_1_5?ie=UTF8&qid=1336553426&sr=8-5 be able to run the D5's decently until I get a better preamp, and would a better pre-amp really even make that much of a difference with those monitors?

[russtafarian]

Yup, since your phono preamp has a volume control the combo should work just fine. Getting into entry level stereo components and speakers won't take you any further than adding the powered D5's to what you have. An upgraded power supply will bring a nice performance boost to your phone preamp.

Until you're ready to spend thousands on a nice audio rig, and you have a big room to put it in, you're good!

Russ

[Bombora]

Thanks for all the info.