Equipment Recommendations - The Home For New System and Upgrade Advice

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DevonJD said:
My wife is having me look at new turntables after I told her the VMP discord people weren’t very nice when I said that my VMP sublime and strokes skipped. Currently have an audio technica lp3 w/atvm95e card on it.

She wants me to break the bank, I don’t want that. This is on sale, would this be better than I currently have? Pro-Ject: Debut III Phono SB Turntable - Walnut - PRE-ORDER

Or this one? Pro-Ject: Essential III Phono Turntable
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Pro-Jects aren't too shabby, though I think the Drop + Audio Technica Carbon VTA is also a really interesting option in that price range. It's a bummer you weren't looking last week, a lot of these tables were on sale.
 
kvetcha said:
Pro-Jects aren't too shabby, though I think the Drop + Audio Technica Carbon VTA is also a really interesting option in that price range. It's a bummer you weren't looking last week, a lot of these tables were on sale.
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I suppose my question would be how much of a step up from the LP3 is either?

VMP fanboys have always had a funny sideline in bashing people’s set ups to defend their pressings and GZ has led to problems with their pressings throughout the last 7 or 8 years.

Just throwing out ideas but if it’s genuinely an across the board good pressing may an upgrade of the stylus to a more advance profile like an ML be an idea rather than a sideways or slightly upward jump?

Edit: That drop AT does sound nice tbf. I’d still probably want to upgrade the stylus profile.
 
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Joe Mac said:
I suppose my question would be how much of a step up from the LP3 is either?

VMP fanboys have always had a funny sideline in bashing people’s set ups to defend their pressings and GZ has led to problems with their pressings throughout the last 7 or 8 years.

Just throwing out ideas but if it’s genuinely an across the board good pressing may an upgrade of the stylus to a more advance profile like an ML be an idea rather than a sideways or slightly upward jump?
Click to expand...

I don’t know much about the specs but I would think a $500 (on sale for $250), would be better than a $250 turntable. That’s just how my mind works though
 
Joe Mac said:
I suppose my question would be how much of a step up from the LP3 is either?

VMP fanboys have always had a funny sideline in bashing people’s set ups to defend their pressings and GZ has led to problems with their pressings throughout the last 7 or 8 years.

Just throwing out ideas but if it’s genuinely an across the board good pressing may an upgrade of the stylus to a more advance profile like an ML be an idea rather than a sideways or slightly upward jump?

Edit: That drop AT does sound nice tbf. I’d still probably want to upgrade the stylus profile.
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DevonJD said:
I don’t know much about the specs but I would think a $500 (on sale for $250), would be better than a $250 turntable. That’s just how my mind works though
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The Drop is a custom AT-LPW40WN with added VTA adjustment and an all-metal cue lever, so it’s a distinct upgrade from the LP3. Last week it was on sale for $299, which was a flat out steal.

The newer Pro-Jects address my biggest complaint about my old Debut Carbon - they have electronic speed changes so you no longer have to remove the plinth to adjust the belt. I don’t love the Ortofon OM series vs the AT95, though, and the Pro-Ject doesn’t have VTA adjustment.
 
kvetcha said:
The Drop is a custom AT-LPW40WN with added VTA adjustment and an all-metal cue lever, so it’s a distinct upgrade from the LP3. Last week it was on sale for $299, which was a flat out steal.

The newer Pro-Jects address my biggest complaint about my old Debut Carbon - they have electronic speed changes so you no longer have to remove the plinth to adjust the belt. I don’t love the Ortofon OM series vs the AT95, though, and the Pro-Ject doesn’t have VTA adjustment.
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The OM are roughly equivalent to the 2M in terms of tiers but supposedly the top two aren’t quite as analytical as the bronze and black because they don’t have as high an output. Also only one cartridge body for the whole range unlike the 2M.

5 and 10 red - not great
20 - blue - good
30 - bronze - better
40 black - very good

Yeah I did like that AT when I looked at it a bit more closely. The old project could also be got with speed controls, like mine, but they offered both options and I suppose loads of people just went for the cheaper one and ended up regretting it afterwards. I think the carbon evo would have been a no brainer upgrade but the older III I wouldn’t be so sure on.
 
DevonJD said:
My wife is having me look at new turntables after I told her the VMP discord people weren’t very nice when I said that my VMP sublime and strokes skipped. Currently have an audio technica lp3 w/atvm95e cart on it.

She wants me to break the bank, I don’t want that. This is on sale, would this be better than I currently have? Pro-Ject: Debut III Phono SB Turntable - Walnut - PRE-ORDER

Or this one? Pro-Ject: Essential III Phono Turntable
Click to expand...
Can I throw out another idea?

How are you cleaning your records? Dirty records can skip even on a $$$ setup.
 
DevonJD said:
Is the ortofon 2m blue better than the atvm95e?

This is a nice looking turntable but I’ve never heard of music hall. Music Hall: MMF 1.5.ttl Turntable - Turntable Lab Edition

Edit: the 2m is an upgrade option for that table
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Music Hall is made in the same factory as Pro-Ject, they are very similar.

I like the AT95 over the 2M. It’s got a similarly good but more affordable stylus upgrade path but the sound signature is not as divisive.
 
kvetcha said:
Music Hall is made in the same factory as Pro-Ject, they are very similar.

I like the AT95 over the 2M. It’s got a similarly good but more affordable stylus upgrade path but the sound signature is not as divisive.
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Yeah I think I’d back the blue over the 95e in a straight shoot out but when you consider how relatively affordable the micro line stylus is for the 95 it’s definitely the better value all over package.
 
DevonJD said:
Spin clean. And anti static brush once it’s on the table
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Personally, I don’t think that’s enough. It’s better than nothing, but there are better options.

If you’d like, you can mail me a few of your problem albums. I’ll clean them and return them to you on my dime. If they play cleanly, your turntable isn’t the issue.

Also, how are you measuring your tracking force? What force is set currently?
 
HiFi Guy said:
Personally, I don’t think that’s enough. It’s better than nothing, but there are better options.

If you’d like, you can mail me a few of your problem albums. I’ll clean them and return them to you on my dime. If they play cleanly, your turntable isn’t the issue.

Also, how are you measuring your tracking force? What force is set currently?
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Tracking force is set to 2 grams(I think?), as per what Audio technica says. There is a counter weight on the end of the tone arm
 
DevonJD said:
Tracking force is set to 2 grams(I think?), as per what Audio technica says. There is a counter weight on the end of the tone arm
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The measurements on the dials on those counterweights isn’t all that accurate. Not far enough out to do any damage, it’ll work fine, but not particularly accurate either. Something like this is a real no brainer for $12 to get an accurate set up.

Amazon product ASIN B08DLJ676B
 
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