underachieving Sumiko Oyster cartridge, which most people will replace.  The What Hi-Fi review is of the European version with the Ortofon 2M Red which is a far better cartridge. So expect to spend $100-$200 more to get the sound that table is capable of.

The Marantz PM8004 is a nice unit that can be found in the US for under $800. If you can get that price it might be worth it but there are better values than the PM8004 at the $1,000 list price. Cambridge Audio and Music Hall make good integrated amps as well. The new Cambridge Audio 650A for $500 and a Cambridge Audio 640P phonostage for $180 would be a great combo.

Monitor Audio RX6s are very nice having a distinguished lineage.

Marantz PM8004 $816 shipped to my location: http://www.garrett-smarthome.com/proddetail.php?prod=PM8004

The Music Hall A35.2 does not have a phono stage, The Cambridge Audio 650A and 640P combo would likely do as well. Check Audio Advisor. http://www.audioadvisor.com/prodinfo.asp?number=CA650A http://www.audioadvisor.com/prodinfo.asp?number=CA640P

Here is an outstanding review of the Monitor Audio RX6's predecessor: http://www.stereophile.com/floorloudspeakers/306monitor/ Robert Reina said, "There's nothing much more I can say—the flawless and exceptional Silver RS6 gave me more listening pleasure than any other loudspeaker I have reviewed for Stereophile. In my more than 20 years of reviewing, I have not reviewed an audio component that produced greater sound quality per dollar than Monitor Audio's Silver RS6." $1000/pair is a very good price.

Your selections thus far are very competent.

the emotiva upa 1's. you could even get the emotiva usp 1 preamp too. all for under $1200 delivered. comes with a five year warranty. this will get you the best bang for the buck. www.emotiva.com

Internet direct provides the additional advantage of in home audition and purchase price refund after 30-60 days.

My system:

13.3" MacBook Air, 4GB RAM, 256GB SSD, iTunes/BitPerfect
MacBook Air SuperDrive
Western Digital My Book Essential 2TB USB HD
Schiit Bifrost USB DAC
Emotiva USP-1, ERC-1 and two UPA-1s
Pro-Ject Xpression III and AT440MLa
AKAI AT-2600 and Harman Kardon TD4400
Magnepan MMG Magnestands
Rythmik Audio F12

The Emotiva setup (USP-1 and two UPA-1s) hcsunshine suggested would be all you would need to accommodate your turntable and drive your loudspeakers in just about any room. I have the Emotiva ERC-1 CD player, Emotiva USP-1 preamp, and two Emotiva UPA-1 monoblock power amplifiers and they are very good performers. 

http://www.tonepublications.com/review/the-emotiva-usp-1-preamplifier-and-upa-1-amplifiers/ http://www.hometheaterhifi.com/preamplifiers/689-emotiva-usp-1-stereo-preamplifier.html

I would go to the Vinyl Engine forum http://www.vinylengine.com/turntable_forum/index.php and ask about what cartridges within your budget will work well with your turntable. Very knowledgable folks there and all the info you need to set up your new cartridge. Beyond a good cartridge, the only upgrade I can think of for that turntable would be a Pro-Ject Speed Box.

Emotiva X-Series RCA or Blue Jeans Cable LC-1 cables are more than adequate.

Do you need a DAC? If you have digital sources, then yes, you may need one. What other sources besides the turntable will you be using?

but if you are using digital music from a computer or iPod a separate DAC may be necessary to preserve good sound quality. The real key is at what resolution will your digital sources provide.  The streaming from Spotify is likely to be relatively low resolution. If you use a computer or an iPod those music files should be in a lossless format in at least CD-quality resolution of 16bits/1,411.2kbs/44.1kHz. For sources that varied you have a lot of research ahead of you to be making the right choices. Good Luck!

http://www.musicdirect.com/c-506-vinyl.aspx

http://www.elusivedisc.com/

http://www.soundstagedirect.com/?gclid=CJjSx9z2-q0CFcPAKgodCE_vMg

http://www.electricfetus.com/Home

http://www.madcitymusic.net/

http://www.revival-records.com/

Your iTunes collection (mP3) is likely to be disappointing on a highly resolving system like you are proposing. Start collecting lossless music files now. If you continue to look at the Emotiva stuff the ERC-2 CD player is a good one.  You might want to consider an Oppo BDP-93 if you will have SACD and DVD-A titles. The Speedbox is described here: http://www.positive-feedback.com/Issue31/speedbox.htm 7" and 12" records will play without a hitch as long as the speed is correct.

than the XPA-2 and have been said to be more refined while the XPA-2 is more dynamic. I personally don't think there is too much difference between them and got the UPA-1s because they are easier to handle. Both are fine, pick your choice or choose your pick. The HT bypass on the USP-1 provides a mechanism to use one's main speakers in a two channel set up for music and still use an HT receiver/processor and other speakers for movies. Unless you have a system which uses all differential balanced connections or have very long runs, XLR cables are probably not necessary. Good quality, well shielded and flexible RCA connectors are fine.

Good Luck and ask away. Hopefully you can get to where you want to be.

as a power amp and might have to use it alone until you get the UPA-1s. There might be an inelegant way to do it, but with two volume controls you would have to be careful how they were used in tandem to not damage anything.

I am not quite sure where the budget is for the amplifiers, but I very much doubt if the Emotiva amplifiers sound as good as some others for the same money. They are not too bad, but I think there are some that do sound better.

The Musical Fidelity M3i for $1500 is much much better for sure, and I also think you could get better sound with a Cambridge Audio 840A or 650A, which are in the $500 to $1000 range.

commsysman wrote:

...but I very much doubt if the Emotiva amplifiers sound as good as some others for the same money. They are not too bad, but I think there are some that do sound better. The Musical Fidelity M3i for $1500 is much much better for sure, and I also think you could get better sound with a Cambridge Audio 840A or 650A, which are in the $500 to $1000 range.

Is this from someone who has heard anything Emotiva? I've heard the wonderous Musical Fidelity M3i and it was nice but certainly not anything more than a marginal improvement over an Emotiva USP-1 and the UPA-1s ($1,150) and comparitively underpowered. Cambridge Audio (I've heard the 740A) is also nothing special compared to Emotiva. The OP can listen to Emotiva and decide based on their impressions, not those of someone who possibly has never heard the stuff. If they can listen to the Music Fidelity and Cambridge Audio pieces and they like them, more power to them. But they should not discount Emotiva out of hand because someone who is enthralled with their equipment pushes what they use. I'd say Emotiva amplifiers sound as good as some others that cost more money. I'd like to know which units you have listened to which cost the same as Emotiva equipment you have listened to sound better?

the cambridge audio 650a has a little brightness to it's high end. there is nothing on the other hand wrong with the emotiva sound. i can testify to this because i'm running 2 upa 1's through some speakers that reveal everything of what's in front of them. i even like emo sound better than nad, cause thats what i moved up from. and for the money nothing could touch emo for like 3 times the cost . www.emotiva.com

After I decided that I didn't like my NAD C356, I tried Emotiva amps/preamp: borrowed them from someone I know. Didn't like them all that much either; a little better than that NAD though (my old C325 sounds better than the C356...go figure).

Love the Musical Fidelity M3i. It sounds a lot better to me; makes the music much nicer. It puts out over 100 watts to 4 ohms, which is more than I need for my PSB Image T6 speakers. If you consider that underpowered, you must have some very low-sensitivity speakers.

An Austrailian hi-fi magazine did some really extensive tests on it, which I looked up. You can find it online.

That must be post #100 by you recommending Emotiva. Are you on their sales staff officially, or just a volunteer?

commsysman wrote:

That must be post #100 by you recommending Emotiva. Are you on their sales staff officially, or just a volunteer?

I have had various pieces of audio equipment for 40 years. In all that time I can't remember anything which provides the sound quality of Emotiva at its economic value. I now own an Emotiva CD player, preamp and amplifiers. I wouldn't own their DAC, home theater preprocessor, speakers or subwoofers. While I recommend Emotiva, I believe in every instance it is a recommendation to try it and discover for oneself if it satisifies. They're only out the return shipping if it doesn't. Most people can't even find a place to audition Musical Fidelity or Cambridge Audio. Hopefully they can audition a variety of pieces within their budget. I'm perfectly comfortable if the result is the selection of something other than Emotiva that provides satisifaction. But you gotta listen to be able to make that choice in an informed manner. Notice I didn't mention Emotiva in this thread until someone else did, and actually suggested Cambridge Audio as an option.

If your remarks were directed at hcsunshine and not me I apologize.

For a magazine that isn't devoted to particularly lengthy reviews of products, but rather devoted to reviewing a large quantity of products, I almost always find myself in agreement with them on the items I have listened to.

If you're flying blind into this storm, I think picking items you can afford in their 5 star ratings wouldn't be a bad way to go. Read the reviews of course, but they often  have systems designed around the products they review that are complimentary and compatible.

What-Hi-Fi is a fun magazine and cuts to the chase in a hurry. I put more stock in their opinion on gear than I do a lot of contributors at some other magazines.

with only attaching the counterweight and setting the weight and assembling and adjusting the antiskate. Pretty straight forward. The cartridge is already adjusted properly. If something were way off you would hear the problems create

not be a problem. I don't necessarily think Emotiva is the way for you to go, but is one of many options you should consider. If you get a chance you should listen to Cambridge Audio and Marantz stereo integrated amps. You would need a phono stage for the Cambridge Audio stuff. One advantage of Emotiva stuff is you can audition it at home and return it if you don't want it and you are only out the return shipping. I believe it would be difficult to find products that sound as good as Emotiva for the price, unless you wanted to try used equipment. But then you cannot easily audition used stuff. I would not try using your current receiver in conjunction with the USP-1. Just use the receiver until you have completed the preamp/power amp combo. To try to run them both will not likely offer a sound quality improvement and it is possible to damage one or both units. I think that while you may have to wait as you assemble your gear, you will be satisified in the long run by putting together the best of entry level system for your purposes. Good Luck!

I concur about the Emotiva. I have turntable to USP-1 to XPA-2, instead of the two UPA-1s suggested. I am very happy with the sound from these components. On either end I have vintage: Dual 1019 at the source and PSB Stratus Gold i on the output.