As for upgrading the phono stage, I can’t comment on that one.

Listening (without being influenced by ‘more expensive is better than less expensive’) is the only way to tell, what you should choose.

Question! Why aren’t you content with the Nano V2?

 

On the Transmitter you have two inputs (and the PL, which you probably won’t use) = optical and analog L/R, whereby the optical has priority.

Since there (probably) is no optical output on the Marantz, you already use the analog input of the Transmitter.

It that case, you will have to use some sort of splitter, which lets you manually select between the two devices.

However, you must know that the connected phono stage must have its own volume control.

 

In the end you might like the direct connection of a phono stage better.

Maybe not so much because of an ‘upgraded/highend’ phono stage, but because this way you would leave the circuit of the Marantz out of the way.

 

MM

Question: according to the SR6013 description on the Marantz web site, the AV amp has a phono input, any reason for not using it and take the phono stage out of the loop?

I got kinda spoiled this summer when in our DC home I installed a dedicated all analog, all Audionote, stereo specific system.

There is nothing wrong with the Nano, and maybe upgrading a bit to a Clearaudio Basic V2 and continuing to run it through the Marantz may suffice. 

I just have the sense that using the Marantz which is really a nice AVR is a bit of a compromise wanting to listen to vinyl.

Hence the thought of being able to switch between the Marantz for 5.1 home theater purposes and a yet to be bought high end phono pre-amp - once again considering Audio Note the M2 which is a tube amp with volume control.

What kind of splitter could you see working to achieve that?

I got kinda spoiled this summer when in our DC home I installed a dedicated all analog, all Audionote, stereo specific system.

There is nothing wrong with the Nano, and maybe upgrading a bit to a Clearaudio Basic V2 and continuing to run it through the Marantz may suffice. 

I just have the sense that using the Marantz which is really a nice AVR is a bit of a compromise wanting to listen to vinyl.

Hence the thought of being able to switch between the Marantz for 5.1 home theater purposes and a yet to be bought high end phono pre-amp - once again considering Audio Note the M2 which is a tube amp with volume control.

What kind of splitter could you see working to achieve that?

The phono stage on the Marantz is really not that great. It is perfectly "adequate" but really does not bring out the best. That is why i bought the NANO and it is already quite an improvement.

I have spent this year learning and re-connecting with vinyl.

It is a fantastic media, unfortunately it is also very demanding of the components, otherwise you just end up with mediocrity.

The Beolab 18's are really quite excellent, both in appearance and audio capability, and so are my TT, Arm and Cartridge. The "weakest link" so to speak is the amp/phono stage and that is what I am trying to improve upon.

There is nothing "wrong" with how it sounds now, but the system is clearly capable of better and that is what I am working on.

Tifoso48 wrote:

The phono stage on the Marantz is really not that great. It is perfectly "adequate" but really does not bring out the best. That is why i bought the NANO and it is already quite an improvement

Got you. I had also a good improvement moving to a tube pre-amp from an electronic one.

Are your Marantz pre-out currently connected to TR1 Powerlink ports?

Yes they are and the debate I am having with myself is:

upgrade phono stage and continue to go through AVR to Transmitter

or

buy a separate pre-amp with high quality phono and find a way of connecting it to T1 with some kind of switch which allows the alter between AVR or Phono Pre-amp.

That is what sounds best to me but I am not sure that kind of animal actually exists.

Tifoso48 wrote:

buy a separate pre-amp with high quality phono and find a way of connecting it to T1 with some kind of switch which allows the alter between AVR or Phono Pre-amp.

If you connect a volume controlled pre-amp to the TR1 Optical in or RCA in, it will work.

Caveats:

- Powerlink has the priority over the other inputs, so your Marantz must not send any signal when you listen through other ports.

Here is a link to a manual than can help a lot:

https://www.manualslib.com/manual/931303/Bang-And-Olufsen-Beolab-Transmitter-1.html

Since the stereo output (front, L/R) of the  Maranz (probably) is connected to the L/R analog input of the Teansmitter....and this is needed for a phono stage with volume control, it simply will be the wuestion of switching between these two sources with.....

.....simething like this: