turntable advice

Amckenzie38

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hi guys,

I currently have a project debut iii and was wondering what the best option is to do from here. I currently have an arcade alpha 8 amp and power amp and my speakers are my dads old epos m22s floor standers.

I was wondering if I should upgrade my turntable or my amplifier first. If it was my turntable what's my best option under 500£, I don't mind buying second hand. Ive recently been looking at regal planar 2 or maybe a project debut carbon evo. Whats the best for long term upgradability and are there any other turntables worth looking at?
 
You could get a used Technics SL1500C for £500 ish and that IMO would be £500 very well spent.
 
Not sure if still relevant, I had a Project Debut III and when the arm lift stopped working, I bought a Rega P3, I know this is above £500, but musically was a big upgrade in sound. The P3 has many upgrade options and the shop I bought it in said its the best TT when comparing sound for money.
 
I think you have to ask yourself why you want to upgrade first of all. What is it about the sound or experience that you want to tackle. Think about what you are hearing.

typically I’d say in any setup upgrade speakers first. they will be key to the character of you system, then you can tackle amp and sources.

if you’ve already done this and decided turntable is the weak spot, well I’d consider carefully the budget here since you need to factor in a decent cartridge/stylus. at budget of £500 would you therefore really get a significantly better turntable?

there are certainly things you can do to improve the debut iii itself also. I have been using one for many years and am still quite happy with it, but I’ve probably spent more in upgrades than the TT originally cost me. This may sound daft because the total likely would have got me a better turntable, but it’s been easier to manage the outlay a little at a time.I perhaps do want to tackle my turntable as next/final upgrade, but will wait until I can make a much more significant step up, maybe a project x8 or something in that bracket.

Considering upgrade to the debut, if you are still running the stock cart I’d suggest you definitely tackle that and that does not necessarily need to be an expensive purchase to get a big improvement. I have a denon dL-110 cart which I love, but I bought it at a time they were not so expensive, and it did mean I had to replace the platter to an acrylic one. I am sure a quick search here will reveal many cart suggestions.

The other things I’ve upgraded…., replaced with s/e motor kit to reduce hum and for more speed stability, added aluminium sub platter, sorbothane isolation feet under the stock ones, and a project speed box s2 introduced.

you kind of wonder if I might get into the realms of the laws of diminishing returns, but I feel like each thing I have done has in and of itself been worthwhile.

my more recent upgrade (a considerable one), the amp, sorted out another weak point in the process that being my phono preamp, which previously was a CA 540p. Actually when I started down the upgrade path the first thing I did was to put in the 540p which I got second hand for maybe 40 quid or something, because I had a really nasty thing from maplin prior to that!

so I guess what I am saying, unless the TT is completely knakcered maybe at least get a new cart and breathe a little more life into the debut iii…. if you’d “go with Betty but still be thinking of Wilma” (red dwarf quote) then perhaps the small incremental steps in upgrades won’t satisfy 🙂
 
Sorry I realise that is a really terriblely long read and don’t blame you if you skip by to the shorter responses :laugh:
 
Before looking at the TT, which by all accounts was good quality price, I'd check the power you are able to deliver to those speakers, which the constructor recommends 50W to 300W. This points to really needing 100W to drive those things imo They are 6Ohm and 87dB sensibility at a guess at those low frequencies they need some ompf to get going.
I'd look at the amp 1st and perhaps a new stylus for your TT.
 
Sorry I realise that is a really terriblely long read and don’t blame you if you skip by to the shorter responses :laugh:
Lot of good sense there, and I definitely agree with the incremental turntable improvement approach (and I agree with Cat over the Betty/Wilma thing too ;))
 

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