Cartridge for Pro-Ject Debut II

[slinger]

That's quite the journey, considering you started out looking for an inexpensive "workhorse" cart for an old deck Fret.

[CycleCoach]

The vinyl bug has bitten - I seem to have contracted an incurable audioholic's virus.

[karatestu]

The vinyl bug has bitten - I seem to have contracted an incurable audioholic's virus.

There's no hope for you now

[Fretless]

Try writing 'vinyl' backwards -

you end up with something that looks suspiciously like 'lyme'.

I rest my case.

Nurse! Quick! My pills!

[CycleCoach]

"... and what has happened to the humble Pro-Ject Debut?" I hear you cry. "Has it been condemned to the great attic in the sky, full of forgotten and discarded audio apparatus?".

No, it hasn't (sighs of online relief) - it has been quietly sitting and waiting for a cartridge. After months of travel, postal vagaries and the infinite bungling of Brexit-regulated customs there has arrived a neat little Goldring Elan, provided by the immense kindness of HFS-stalwart 'The Marlin' (he of the many jokes & funnies).



The Goldring Elan is a budget workhorse, designed to operate under almost any circumstances and looked to be a good match for this TT. Fitting was a tricky process as the unit is quite small and extremely light; so light that I was unable to set the tracking weight at first as the counterweight couldn't go any further up the arm. Then I remembered the Debut's removable finger-lift, added that and the extra grams of mass were just enough to give me useable tracking force.

Soundwise the Debut / Elan combo is FUN! Bouncy, punchy with surprisingly sharp detail and imaging. Bass isn't too deep but comes across as well-defined and foot-tappingly hefty. Putting an old favourite on, 'Angel Station' from Manfred Mann's Earth Band, I was transported back in time as the LP sounded exactly as I remembered it from my teenage years. Brilliant!



A photo for the archives of the Logic and Debut together. Excuse the messy cardboard under the Pro-Ject - temporary fix to level it out for a listen. Putting the DM101 back into the system did reveal what the Debut lacks - but it has acquitted itself well with the Elan cartridge and will serve nicely as a backup TT for the foreseeable future.

Thanks again to The Marlin.

Next stop - Grado Signature MCZ. Stay tuned.

[slinger]

Just for fun I have joined a Facebook group dedicated to ProJect turntables.

Put up a photo of my Debut 2 as an introduction - only to be told that it isn't a Debut at all but the sonically superior ProJect 1.2 model - which apparently closely rivals the performance of the Rega P2.

Can't complain about that!



Tweak in progress - more later ....

[antonio66]

Tweaked the Project deck a bit:



Apparently the successor to the 1.2 model is the X1 which has a vinyl platter. So I have implemented the spare, acrylic W-mat that I got for the Logic TT.

Then Arnold at Sowell in Gorinchem (we go way back - he sold me the deck 20 years ago) advised me that too much mass wasn't good for this turntable and recommended a clamp rather than a record weight.



A search on Amazon quickly threw up a cheap n' cheerful LP clamp from Dynavox and I was ready to go again.

There is an absolutely tangible improvement in SQ from this setup now: less surface noise, more solidity, better-defined bass. What you could describe as a thoroughly satisfying budget-audiophile rig.

Currently playing that battered copy of 'Wish You Were Here' again and it is sounding just great!

[antonio66]

My 'second system' with the Project TT is starting to live again, after a period of unuse, and I am in the process of rebuilding it.

The Kenwood KA4010 amp is a fine-sounding powerhouse but the (30+ year-old) selector switch is a pain, constantly distorting one or both channels. And I have an NVA pre/power combo that can be used - if only I had a phono stage ....











Looking around the Net, a certain device is constantly praised as the cheapest, best-sounding phono-stage for under €100: the ART DJPre II.



It was a toss-up on Amazon between this and the Pro-Ject Phono Box MM. The ART has variable gain, a low-cut filter and adjustable capacitance.
Word on the web is that it is a great starter device.

So that is ordered as well and my plan is to rejig this system next weekend (other commitments allowing).

To be continued ...

[Firebug1]

I had that Art pre in use some years ago and can confirm that it is good phono stage. Power led is very bright, thought.

[Fretless]

Thanks for that Firebug.

It is the 'fun' side of the HiFi Hobby - trying to get the best out of budget components. Rather than being dissatisfied with overpriced esoteric gear.