Project X1 or other?

acgingersnaps

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Hello! Opinions please.
Any opinions on this? Probably coming into a bit of spare cash tomorrow and, having upgraded my amp and speakers, it's the turntable's turn.
The reviews I've found seem to have a suspicious amount of fluff in them, so I'd rather go on first hand experience.
Questions are, would the X1 be a noticeable upgrade on my 5 yr old debut carbon (nagaoka mp110 cartridge)? Secondly, the other obvious options are the planar 3 and Technics 1500c. Should I be leaning to one of them instead and have I missed anything else in the same bracket/budget area. Not keen on 2nd hand and would like something that keeps me happy for the foreseeable.
 
Serious review tested for a few months
Those speed measurements are impressive better than a Rega P8 and almost as good as my SME10 with its new power supply
 
If you haven't already bought and given the rest of your system I think I'd spend my money on a better (much) cartridge for your Carbon. Or a Planar 3 with no cartridge and a better one :)
 
Keep an eye on this?

 
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If you haven't already bought and given the rest of your system I think I'd spend my money on a better (much) cartridge for your Carbon. Or a Planar 3 with no cartridge and a better one :)
What's your thought process here?
 
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My thought process is based on modding an OLD Pioneer as my first tt this time round and just changed it for an older Planar 2 to mod. The Rega isn’t done yet but the Pioneer responded well to chassis damping but really sang with a good cart, eventually an AT VM530EN. The Rega came with its original AT110 E and despite the previous owner having just had the arm rewired and ‘serviced’ it sounded awful. Full, muddy and confused. Put the VM530EN on and setup correctly and now it sounds really good. More to do but mainly cosmetics.
If it were my money it’d be a Planar3 with no cart and the same cart or the Shiabata version. Not you can upgrade the EN to the Shiabata or SL later with a stylus change. Also on Rega rather than Project there are a LOT of mods you can do later if you fancy a change without a whole new tt.
 
My thought process is based on modding an OLD Pioneer as my first tt this time round and just changed it for an older Planar 2 to mod. The Rega isn’t done yet but the Pioneer responded well to chassis damping but really sang with a good cart, eventually an AT VM530EN. The Rega came with its original AT110 E and despite the previous owner having just had the arm rewired and ‘serviced’ it sounded awful. Full, muddy and confused. Put the VM530EN on and setup correctly and now it sounds really good. More to do but mainly cosmetics.
If it were my money it’d be a Planar3 with no cart and the same cart or the Shiabata version. Not you can upgrade the EN to the Shiabata or SL later with a stylus change. Also on Rega rather than Project there are a LOT of mods you can do later if you fancy a change without a whole new tt.
Thanks. As you can see, I'm not averse to a cartridge change and had considered the cartridgeless Planar 3. However, i was put off by some stuff that I've read while researching. Apparently the Rega has a lower than usual tonearm, so 3rd party carts are tricky. Is this issue overblown?
 
Very much so. Yes it theoretically is but it’s very easily dealt with by

a) raising arm if needed by installing very cheap spacers
b) a thinner mat
c) ignoring it

I went for C and the reverse of B as mine ended up too low as I threw away the horrible felt mat that sucks detail.
 
Very much so. Yes it theoretically is but it’s very easily dealt with by

a) raising arm if needed by installing very cheap spacers
b) a thinner mat
c) ignoring it

I went for C and the reverse of B as mine ended up too low as I threw away the horrible felt mat that sucks detail.
This is interesting. As you can see, I like Rega, and the Planar 3, with exact cart, was my initial first thought. It's probably a shoot out between that and the X1 now. I think it's going to come down to whether or not i'm prepared to pay a bunch more for a speed button!
 
I tried both Turntables earlier this year, recently, went with the Rega planar 3, love it. Nuff said....
 
Will see if i can have listen to both in the shop. The Rega does seem to get a lot of love...
 
@acgingersnaps where did you end up on this journey if you don't mind me asking? I am in the same situation. I have a debut carbon with 2m bronze. I love the sound but I am getting the old upgrade itch. I'd be curious to know which you went for and if you noticed a vast improvement?
 
@acgingersnaps where did you end up on this journey if you don't mind me asking? I am in the same situation. I have a debut carbon with 2m bronze. I love the sound but I am getting the old upgrade itch. I'd be curious to know which you went for and if you noticed a vast improvement?
Hi. I went with the X1 in the end. The debit had served me well, so a bit of brand loyalty I suppose. Difficult to compare because i never did a debut carbon/X1 side by side test. It's just an altogether more adult (for want of a better word) turntable.

The plinth is much bigger and better isolated, the speed control works a treat and the tone arm is a much more serious affair. Adjustable in any way you'd need to, which was handy when I swapped the cart out. Wasn't a fan of the Pick-it that it came with and now have a Goldring 2200 attached.
As an aesthetic point, I love the acrylic platter. Looks great with coloured vinyl and no mat.

Can't see the need, cart aside, to ever upgrade from here. Delighted with it. That said, you have a very well regarded Cart, and I wouldn't expect night and day differences between your current table and any that you got. The Bronze is doing a lot of the leg work sound wise.

I'd still say, buy with confidence though. As I said, I'm impressed enough that I think I'm done upgrading that particular bit of kit.
 
Hi. I went with the X1 in the end. The debit had served me well, so a bit of brand loyalty I suppose. Difficult to compare because i never did a debut carbon/X1 side by side test. It's just an altogether more adult (for want of a better word) turntable.

The plinth is much bigger and better isolated, the speed control works a treat and the tone arm is a much more serious affair. Adjustable in any way you'd need to, which was handy when I swapped the cart out. Wasn't a fan of the Pick-it that it came with and now have a Goldring 2200 attached.
As an aesthetic point, I love the acrylic platter. Looks great with coloured vinyl and no mat.

Can't see the need, cart aside, to ever upgrade from here. Delighted with it. That said, you have a very well regarded Cart, and I wouldn't expect night and day differences between your current table and any that you got. The Bronze is doing a lot of the leg work sound wise.

I'd still say, buy with confidence though. As I said, I'm impressed enough that I think I'm done upgrading that particular bit of kit.

That is a really good summary thank you.

It wasn't going to take much doing but I think you have convinced me 🤣😂

Yeah I have the acrylic platter on mine too and it does look very nice. I know exactly what you mean about the X1 looking more grown up. It looks a lot beefier and more sturdy. It has never happened but I always worry the base of the carbon debut will move when I open the lid.

I remember you saying you were getting the gold ring on a different post I created a while ago. How have you found it to be in comparison to previous stylus?
 
Oh and did you have to make any adjustments to the VTA or was it good to go?
 
@acgingersnaps - Did you ever get chance to hear the RP3 as a comparison?
Didn't get a chance, but I'm sure it would have been tight. I get the impression that I would have been very happy with either.
 
How have you found it to be in comparison to previous stylus?
Really good. Balanced and sounds like "vinyl", if you see what I mean. I find the Ortofon 2M range a bit analytical, but haven't gone as high as the Bronze. Would happily recommend it. That said, my next will be the AT VM540ML, just to try it and then I might go MC!

Oh and did you have to make any adjustments to the VTA or was it good to go?
No height adjustment. The Goldring 2xxx series are the same height as the 2m and a similar weight. I did have to adjust the level though. Couldn't have done that with the Debut.
 
Really good. Balanced and sounds like "vinyl", if you see what I mean. I find the Ortofon 2M range a bit analytical, but haven't gone as high as the Bronze. Would happily recommend it. That said, my next will be the AT VM540ML, just to try it and then I might go MC!


No height adjustment. The Goldring 2xxx series are the same height as the 2m and a similar weight. I did have to adjust the level though. Couldn't have done that with the Debut.
Yeah I have to admit. I found that with the 2m blue. The bronze is completely different. It takes a bit of wearing in but honestly it is a fantastic sounding stylus. It has a warmth to it but also very detailed in the highs. I'd be interested in hearing how the AT compares once you get round to changing over. Cheers again for the info 👍
 
@acgingersnaps where did you end up on this journey if you don't mind me asking? I am in the same situation. I have a debut carbon with 2m bronze. I love the sound but I am getting the old upgrade itch. I'd be curious to know which you went for and if you noticed a vast improvement?
You decided what you're doing yet?
 
You decided what you're doing yet?
Haha. I have. After bouncing between the rega p3 and project X1 about 100 times I ended up getting a seriously good deal on the X2.

It arrived last week but I have only managed to get time to change the cart and realign VTA etc today. Absolutely blown away by it tbf. I wasn't really expecting a difference in sound if I am honest but I think the carbon debut must have been limiting the capability of the 2m Bronze. Everything has tightened up in lower end and seems to have better extension too. It's humongous mind 😂. Thanks again for the recommendation, was deffo a good one.
 

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