Bram Verellen

Answers Bram signed

• I want to start with vinyl, around 800 euro. What do I actually need?
• What do I replace first: the cartridge, the phono stage or the turntable — and if the choice is between the cartridge and the phono stage, which one moves the sound more?
• I have a Planar 1. Upgrade to a Planar 3, or am I wasting money?
• Automatic or manual turntable — what is the difference and which do I choose?
• Rega, Pro-Ject or Technics — which turntable do I choose in my price range?
• My amplifier has no phono input. Do I need a turntable with a built-in phono stage?
• Is a turntable with Bluetooth worth it, or does it sound worse than with a cable?
• What is a good compact second turntable for the bedroom or the study?
• How do I level my turntable — do I put the spirit level on the platter or on the plinth, and how accurate does it really have to be?
• A turntable sat in the attic for twenty years. Can I just switch it on, or should I check something first?
• How long does a Rega Planar last, and what actually wears out on it?
• Which cartridge suits my Planar best?
• Can I mount any cartridge on any arm, including another brand?
• Do I need spacers when I fit a cartridge from another brand?
• How do I know whether my stylus is worn?
• Can I replace only the stylus, or must the whole cartridge go?
• My cartridge is damaged. Buy new, or is there an exchange programme?
• My amplifier has no phono input. What now?
• Is the built-in phono stage good enough, or should I buy a separate one?
• Can I connect my turntable to active speakers, a soundbar or Sonos?
• What does a phono stage actually do, and why does a record need one when a CD player doesn't?
• Does the phono stage plug into the phono input or into aux/line — and what happens if I get it wrong?
• Can I plug a CD player or streamer into the phono input?
• My cartridge is MC — will it work on a phono stage that only does MM, and can I damage anything by trying?
• Is my cheap phono stage the bottleneck in the system, and how much should it cost next to the turntable and cartridge?
• When does an expensive phono stage start to make sense — do you really hear the difference between 300 and 2,000 euro, or is that marketing?
• Fono Mini A2D, Fono MM, Fono MC, Aria or Aura — what does each step up actually buy?
• Can a cheap phono stage damage my records, my cartridge or my speakers, or does it only cost me sound quality?
• Standmounts on stands or floorstanders — do I lose bass if I take the small ones?
• How big may a speaker be for my room — is this too much for twenty square metres?
• Do I still need a subwoofer with these, or do they go low and tight enough on their own?
• Will I really hear the difference between the four thousand and the eight thousand euro pair in my own room?
• Is a hand-built speaker from a small maker worth the premium over mass production by a big brand?
• Can I put them close to the back wall, or do they really need half a metre of breathing space?
• Does the real wood veneer on a loudspeaker fade or crack after years in the sun, and how do I look after it without damaging it?
• How do I clean my stylus without damaging it?