Well done Randy. Didn't know much about Project tables so this was a nice learning experience. I have quite a few albums I purchased in England during the mid 80's. All are perfectly preserved and never played. This table could be the end of their virginity. It gets cold up here in Canada so I have always kept these records right beside the fireplace but not actually in the fire. Glad to see you are continuing with the promoting of all-things-Sith. I tried to order these gorgeous cable wranglers but the Sith-A-Zon warehouse in Brazil has been flooded by a local river basin so delivery is expected in 3-4 years and as a bonus will include free flood insurance from Zippidy-Do-Da underwriters. Have you seen the Sith grill cloth selection? It's cheese cloth so it has multiple uses and is washable, not to mention available in multiple shades of chartreuse.
I have a lifelong love with listening to music. I grew up with a record player. When I was 5 years old, I received a Smurfs record player for Christmas. My first record was Saturday Night Fever, and when I was 7 or 8 years old My favorite artist was Eddie Rabbit. I listened to albums and tapes, and for my 15th birthday, I received my first CD player, a single-load JVC. I still have that CD player today. I still remember the first time I heard a CD played through that player. It was perfection! No more pops, cracks, warped and scratched records, and no more skipping. No more tapes eaten by the tape deck. It still took several more years before I finally had a CD player in my car. Until then, I had to copy my CDs to cassettes if I wanted to hear them in the car. I will still revisit the old records and cassettes from time to time for nostalgia, but my mainstay will always be the CD. Not even the mp3 movement swayed me from my true love.
I had the Pro-Ject Debut III, years ago, with the acrylic platter upgrade, and 2MBlue. Great for the money. Via a couple of Vintage tts, I'm now back to Pro-Ject. An RPM 3 carbon, acrylic platter, and 2MBronze, with a Pro-Ject Tubebox S 2. A killer combo, and maybe my last tt...
Great review! Finally an opinion from a trustworthy person speaking about different sound characteristics from a different deck with the same cartridge. I was originally going to go with a Fluance RT85, learn more and had my eyes on Pro-Ject and ended up going with a MoFi studiodeck plus since I’m in it for the long-haul. Enjoying it very much with no regrets.
Great review! I purchased one of these about a year ago. My wife bought me a ortofon red for Christmas. Nice boost in quality and definition, external amp is next!
The platter reminds me of the glass plate in my microwave but I don't suggest using the microwave platter it makes the music to warm. This looks like a much better option and something to check out.
Many years ago, i always bought Thorens Turntables because of their simplicity and build quality. They usually came with no tonearm, so you had to buy one yourself. This was part of the enjoyment of the hobby. One of the best arms at the time was the JH Unipivot tonearm made in Australia. It could be used with very high compliance cartridges tracking at 0.5 grams. Fast forward to 2000 and i decided to buy a new table. Thorens had become very expensive so i was introduced to Pro-Ject turntables. My first Pro-ject table was the 6.1 It had a metal platter with a glass mat and a felt mat. It was on a good suspension sub-chassis and came with its own arm. After a few years i felt that the system was not performing as it should so in 2010 i purchased the Pro-Ject 6 PersPex magnetic suspension turntable. I replaced the arm with a Hadcock GH242 Unipivot tonearm. The difference was amazing.
Yay! More vinyl/turntable content! I know many people who love their Pro-ject tables. If I get into the next price point ($1k-$1500) of tables I am going to take a long hard look at Pro-ject tables. Great review, Randy!
Thanks Randy I really enjoyed this review. I have been wanting a new turntable and didn't know anything about ProJect and this puts them right on the radar. Have to rattle the change can for a little more money.
Welcome to Pro-Ject land Randy. I have z Debut Carbon w/USB and an Evo. Or to on Blue on the USB and Or to on 78(rpm) on the Evo. I love these tables. PJ supports upgrade parts and I've completely up graded the USB..motor, power supply, acrylic table at about $100 a pop over time. The difference is amazing. I also run a Tube Box. Enjoy my friend
Enjoyed this. I have seen a few negative comments concerning Pro-Ject tables on some of the popular forums, but I have a Debut Carbon EVO that sounds fabulous (it came with a Sumiko cartridge) so all happy here. A cool thing with the EVO is that they have upgrades available if you want to push the envelope (aluminum subplatter, acrylic platter, etc.). In my case, I have glass shelves in my audio cabinet, so my turntables sound better to my ears with a very cheap upgrade: a sheet of cork under the turntable between the feet and the glass shelf. The weight of the turntable will hold it in place. and it actually looks cool. I got the cork board at CVS / four 12" x 12" sheets. Of course, if Sith Audio finds out, they will have to repackage for Big $$$.
Great intro to pro ject. Just got a U turn with an orto blue. Man it sounds awesome. I shocks me how great these new turntables sound. I still think i d pick cartridge over table. Switching the belt for 45s is so easy. I thought i would an issue but its really easy an unfussy. Nice that all pro ject stuff made in house.
Tonearms with a removable headshell are more fun. All things being equal, one with a fixed headshell will sound a "bit" better. Each record has its own frequency response and having a bunch of phono cartridges mounted in extra headshells lets you switch back and forth between cartridges in about a minute. With a removable headshell arm, you can nearly negate the fact by tightening the collar really tight. I sometimes used a V shaped nutcracker to grip the collar tighter. I think this is the most fun way to go. Some people say cds are more than sufficient for sound quality. If you ever heard a CD played on something really good, that statement is hard to argue with. The better CD players are not embarrassed by vinyl at a certain quality level (especially most pressings), and price point. That price point (over $1,000) is not one that most people are willing to go to. But a lot of these people are willing to go $40 to $80 on a piece of vinyl and its soon adds up to the kind of money where they could have bought a really major great CD player, and would have only needed $2 to $4 apiece to buy used cds. Most of which play perfect, unlike used vinyl. Cds played on seriously good playback equipment, do not sound harsh or artificial/unnatural or lack spatiality or warmth. Vinyl is not going to be getting cheaper. I saw one guy setting up with boxes of vinyl records, all priced at least $20 per album, including what are considered common titles. It looks like he could hardly wait to get all his boxes set up on the table. When SACD was announced, where the sampling rate per second went from 44k to a million K, it excited a lot of people. Great expectations. When all that huge increase in sampling rate only amounted to a moderate improvement in sound quality, many people were disappointed. But the limited audible difference was because ordinary redbook cds were already really good. When they invented the compact disc they experiment with sampling rates and determined that 44 thousand frames per second (so to speak) was enough. Using a movie projector and film as an analogy. With the visual, they don't need many frames per second for the motion to seem continual and without any signs of choppiness. Audio, they discovered takes a lot more for great quality playback, and cds are capable of great quality, and their more consistent pressing quality and the prospect of buying used cds that will likely play perfect is no small thing. Best is to have both formats, vinyl and cds.
I got back into vinyl a few months ago and I have to say this turntable hit the top of my list time and again. But I'm too lazy for these non-autos and sometimes I fall asleep listening to music... So I first ended up with a Technics SL-D4 off Craigslist and now I'm also using a Dual 1219 that I just had refurbished. Loving it all. And thank you for your videos and all the effort that goes into editing these. I also purchased some JBL A130s thanks to you today. Going to pair those with my Dual and a HK amp
Great vid! I own this model in walnut and I’m very satisfied with how good it sounds and I enjoy operating it apart from one thing: the MDF plinth is very light and the non adjustable feet are super flimsy. Every time I operate the turntable it skids around on the surface. For the 500€ (with shipping) that I paid, I was expecting better build quality, even for entry level gear. I have not tried the integrated phono stage. I only got the Phono SB version because the base T1 has captive interconnects, which is also a dumb cost saving measure. Sounds very good to me and I don’t need any upgrade in that department. Material build quality is disappointing.
I own the same in white, so it looks exactly the same. Agree with everything you have said. I will changing over the feet soon with mine. The best thing I’ve done is remove the Ortofon 5e cart with a Nagaoka MP110. It has made a HUGE difference in sound. A lot more smoother, not so midrange harshness sounding
Projects Tube Box DS2 phono pre amp is very very good. Personally I am more of a vintage direct drive turntable fan but can see the appeal of this turntable. Especially with the 45/33 switch. I have thousands of 45s. 😀
The turntable in several ways, matters to the quality of the sound. The plinth and its feet and suspension, the motor and it's setup, the platter and the main bearing, the tonearm - all of these have a job to do that involves important aspects that affect the sound.
Big fan of my Pro-Ject. Ended up with a The Classic SB (basically the classic evo minus the metal subplatter) for a song, only about $100 more than the Debut Carbon (guy was selling all his vinyl gear). The 2 piece dampened plinth really helps mitigate vibration/skipping issues some others have mentioned in their own experience with the T1. Might be worth looking into a dampened base to put the T1 on in an effort to reduce those issues without having to step too high up their offerings.
Thanks. Just caught an rt82 on sale, but pro-ject will be my next drop. I love that they’re a European company making stuff in Europe. The fluance will go to the brat when he’s old enough to enjoy it, and I’ll have my pro-ject then. Meantime, here’s yer upthumb.
Comparing different tables with same cart is definitely the way to go in my opinion. I compared my Pro-Ject RPM-1 Carbon to a much more expensive Rega P3, using the Ortofon Blue. I could not hear any real discernable difference between the two. Except for the fact that I could swear I heard some speed variance on the Rega. So I'm quite impressed with Pro-Ject, and the RPM series are pretty cool looking too. And of course, gotta have the Sith Audio Cable Security System to keep all your cables clean and tidy. Lol. Thanks for the videos!
Project is so underrated... I think they are one of the best tables on the market. I have a fluance 85 w/2m blue cartridge and my dad just bought a Debut Carbon w/Sumiko cartridge... so my next player will be a Project. 💯
Those small "feet" on the front of the dustcover are great. Not only does it help reduce vibration but also reduce wear on the plinth of the turntable. Technics has always done the same with their dustcovers.
I’ve had my White Phono T1 SB now for about 6 months.. While some parts are very good for the $$ you can see where they have saved costs. Mine is connected to my AMC XIA30 as the phono preamp, onto a NAD T 358 v3i AV receiver. The best change other than not using the built in preamp Was changing out the Ortofon OM5e cart to a Nagaoka MP110 cart. The sound difference is night & day. The 5e in comparison sounded harsh in the midrange. While the MP110 is a whole lot smoother overall.
Great review. I did own the Pro-ject Beatles edition Essential 3 with an Otofon om 10e cartridge, sold it for the Fluance Rt 85 with the om blue .The Fluance is much better at reducing low level noise than the Pro-Ject was . I think the higher end cartridge and the heavier pilth is much better for the price of $499 The Beatles tt looked great though .
Was about to comment this. The cartridge you have in the tone arm is by far the most important component on a tuentable in terms of sound reproduction. The Phono SB comes stock with a Ortofon OM5E, which isn't terrible, but compared to the 2m blue it doesn't stand up.
Glass platter is way cool. Elegant design overall with a great substrate for a platter. Besides, if you break it, you could borrow the platter from your microwave
Hi Randy, the latest pro-ject primary E now have om5, and retails about £199 which I think it’s a great cartridge on this deck, the earlier ones only had a om cartridge and the the stylus can be changed. Regards mark
I think a protuberance for your plinth is important. Maybe Sith Audio should make a variety of audiophile protuberances is various sizes. I know I wish my non-audiophile protuberance was larger.
A long time ago, when people bought a $200 or $350 Dual turntable they were spending way more than what this costs. I realize there are other distractions today from Nintendo to Netflix but if you want to get into vinyl, make at least a basic investment like this. This Pro-Ject is not expensive for 2022, LPs are. I may be wrong about LPs but it seems like they are. Back when I sold the OM5 in the late '80s/early '90s the $50 OM5e (yes, it's an old cart) was a good basic cart for the CS505. You can upgrade it with the OM10's stylus and probably the OM20's stylus. I do not know if the guts of the OM30 or OM40 carts would be compatible such that their styluses could be used on the lowly OM5 body. But that's the magic of frankensteining with moving magnet cartridges: a lot of times you can. These OM models are great low mass trackers and always sounded fine. When Dual slimmed down their tonearms with the ULM models of the early '80s these sorts of Ortofons were literally part of the design. The one that came with my 506 tracked incredibly well. Had to pay $20 extra to buy a head shell adapter that would permit usage of a standard 1/2" mount cart later. Signet ... oh Signet where for art thou? I can see why they're still around even as the "colored" Ortofons basically replaced them.
I got my first TT early last year. Went with the Pro-Ject Debut Carbon Evo. From all of the reviews at the time, it was the best value under 500. I could really only compare online. Seems even the local dealers don't stock enough to compare between different models of brands. The Evo comes with an entry level Sumiko cart that ranks somewhere between the Ortofon Red and the Blue. I think I might upgrade to the acrylic platter at some point, but the one it comes with is nice. Kept comparing between this and the Fluance and the U-Turn models, and really liked the U-Turn custom pretty much fully loaded. Ship times were all over the place at the time, and they were several months out, so I went with the Evo. Pretty happy with it. I don't feel like I'm missing anything, but I should upgrade the phono preamp, since I'm using the phono input on my Denon 3600(used as a preamp). Also looking at the Parasound NewClassic 200 Pre for it's higher quality phono preamp, theater bypass , plus it adds a nice DAC. How much do you think is there to gain over the built in preamp in the Denon?
Comparing turntables: Are the pickups mounted EXACTLY right on all turntables? And: Are all cartridges really the same? Maybe you should test them all on each turntable? Comparing turntables are like comparing women. Some you like some you don't, but if you make a few adjustments.... maybe you likem!
I have a Pro-ject x1 and i think it's the last turntable I bought.. would highly recommend it.. but i have heard also the lower end series and they all did sound good! So probably you just can't go wrong with any Pro-Ject turntable 😎
What's up Randy the turntable experts say that the Two things have the most Influence on a Turntable besides the motor are the Arm and the Cartridge everything else is to promote Sound Isolation.
Great vid Randy. Unfortunately I had to return my SB last year. The bias is apparently pre-set at the factory and mine was waaaayyy off. To the point where I was getting inner groove distortion. Probably just unlucky with my mine I guess.
I've been eyeing these 3 brands. Kind of came to the conclusion that project probably had the best fit and finish plus their stylings appeal to me more. The cartridge and platter made me lean towards fluance or u turn though. Knowing that the table itself sounds better I'll likely pull the trigger on the carbon evo.
I'm looking at buying my first real TT and do like the look of this. This may be a daft question but does this not having any anti-skate pose any problems? I see it on other TTs of similar price. Other one on my list is the Fluance RT82 but I do really like the look on this.
Great review as usual Randy. I have a question in the same vein you discussed but not this exact setup. I got an Emotiva PT1 for X-mas, trying decide if I should use the phono in on that or my Schitt magni into the “aux” port. Being an Emotiva “expert” I thought you may have a thought on how good the internal phono amp is on the PT1. I’ve tried it both ways and can’t really tell the difference. Stick with simple? Keep the Schiit pre for later? Whadya think? Thanks
I have a lot of 45rpm 12” records from Mofi and Analog Productions so I made sure to get a turntable that had a speed switch when I last upgraded. I’m not a fan of having to move the belt all the time. A lot of expensive turntables require you move the belt. That’s pretty surprising too me.
Amazing channel Randy! I got the Sonys SSCS5 and Aiyima A07 because of your videos, and couldn’t be happier. Now I’m starting in vinyl and buying my first turntable, and thought the ATLP60X would a perfect start, but i’m reading everywhere that it’s not very good…. Would you say i can tell the difference for sure that the Fluance RT82 sounds way better even with the equipment i have? Thanks!
It's interesting to hear your opinions on what makes the majority of differences concerning sound on turntables. Have you ever tried comparing turntables using headphones for monitoring or have you just used speakers? This is an interesting idea in my theory that most of the benefit of what a turntable base provides comes from outside factors like speaker vibration rather than from the functioning of the turntable itself. I should try testing this myself, but I'm gonna have to start investing in more turntables for that to happen. Maybe this turntable or that fluance you reviewed a while back could make good comparisons to mine. Either way, good reviews as always man, I appreciate the variety in products you review.
Could it be Barry White? I wonder how it compares to the Rega P1 or the Audio Technica 120XUSB? I ask as I am looking for a decent starter type deck that I can put a dedicated mono cartridge on to play my old 60’s mono records that I have started to collect. One of my friends has a 1960’s based radio show and I help him sourcing some of his music and I do a weekly Tony’s teaser quiz for the show. He downloads a lot of the content as well as using CD’s as the station has an official broadcast licence but likes to have the original actual vinyl records especially for the sleeve notes.
Is it ok, if sound is lower with AUX cable, connected to the portable speaker? I use the pre-installed phono from Pro-ject and checked on 3 vinyl records. If no, how to increase the sound?
Hey cheapaudioman! Enjoying your videos - can't wait to get my hands on some Sith Audio products soon. Wondering if you've ever considered reviewing the AT3600L cartridge? It's cheap as chips and I'd like to hear your thoughts
From my experience, the sound quality will generally follow - Turntable - Arm - Cartridge, in importance. A good table with a meh arm and meh cartridge will sound better than a meh table with a good arm and good cartridge. ProJect make their own gear and make it well. A Rega P1 may sound better than this overall, but will be more expensive in the US. Good to see the vinyl getting some Randy love.
Need someone’s advice, will the JBL A130 speakers work with the Cambridge AXA35? For some reason only 1 speaker will work in the setup? Appreciate anyone’s advice…
Wow, Pro-Ject are being MEAN with their cartridge, especially in light of the Fluance RT83, that's exactly the same price on Amazon UK, but is supplied with an Ortofon 2m Red! Then again, the RT83 doesn't have a built-in phono preamp, so I guess it's swings and roundabouts, eh?
Funny fact - this turntable is very similar to the Crosley C6 - the Bluetooth version can be had for around $100.00 with a bit of googling. I got the Crosley C6 BT version for $89.00 on eBay recently and it’s amazing for the price - I just ignore the Bluetooth function. I’m pretty sure Pro-Ject makes the C6 for Crosley- they definitely make the Crosley C10.
Differences are - AT 3600l cartridge (conical and inexpensive but still sounds great), an insanely heavy steel platter instead of glass, and not quite as fancy dust cover hinges, but they are still way better than the hinges on my u-turn.
The T1 was the first TT I bought when I wanted to upgrade to a fancy TT. It was anything but. Granted it’s not super expensive but still. It weighs like a few pounds and it’s skips so much unless nobody moves by it. Also the cart is blah. Ended up going with the Fluance RT85. What a difference.
My patience would run out and I'd Pro-Ject that turntable into a wall. Thankfully I have streaming to save me from my temper. Great video for anyone who wants to get into record players. I'm just not one of them.
I know I'll get hate from this, I'm 48 and grew up in the 80s,. We kinda left LPs and Cassettes behind because CDs are much better .. just don't get the nostalgia with Vinyl.
Ihave the debut 3 aluminum tonearm om5e cart it plays fine and upgraded platter which was metal to acrylic ,and on those zip ties 17 . a piece you got to be an IDIOT to buy one you will spend less and get 100 to 200 per bag math is not hard same item I have seen these zip ties in hardware store some in different colors i have seen yellow ,black and blue if I remember correctly thats all I will say JRo
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Well done Randy. Didn't know much about Project tables so this was a nice
learning experience. I have quite a few albums I purchased in England during
the mid 80's. All are perfectly preserved and never played. This table could be
the end of their virginity. It gets cold up here in Canada so I have always kept
these records right beside the fireplace but not actually in the fire.
Glad to see you are continuing with the promoting of all-things-Sith. I tried to order
these gorgeous cable wranglers but the Sith-A-Zon warehouse in Brazil has been
flooded by a local river basin so delivery is expected in 3-4 years and as a bonus
will include free flood insurance from Zippidy-Do-Da underwriters. Have you seen
the Sith grill cloth selection? It's cheese cloth so it has multiple uses and is washable,
not to mention available in multiple shades of chartreuse.
I have a lifelong love with listening to music. I grew up with a record player. When I was 5 years old, I received a Smurfs record player for Christmas. My first record was Saturday Night Fever, and when I was 7 or 8 years old My favorite artist was Eddie Rabbit. I listened to albums and tapes, and for my 15th birthday, I received my first CD player, a single-load JVC. I still have that CD player today. I still remember the first time I heard a CD played through that player. It was perfection! No more pops, cracks, warped and scratched records, and no more skipping. No more tapes eaten by the tape deck. It still took several more years before I finally had a CD player in my car. Until then, I had to copy my CDs to cassettes if I wanted to hear them in the car. I will still revisit the old records and cassettes from time to time for nostalgia, but my mainstay will always be the CD. Not even the mp3 movement swayed me from my true love.
Own one. Run mine with pro-ject tube phono preamp, Cambridge AXA35 and Warfedaales Dimond 12.2. Very satisfied.
And thank you for this review.
Really happy that you have re-established your relationship with such a prestigious brand as Sith Audio.
Same! It's so nice to get more insight into what they're up to!
Agreed
I had the Pro-Ject Debut III, years ago, with the acrylic platter upgrade, and 2MBlue. Great for the money. Via a couple of Vintage tts, I'm now back to Pro-Ject. An RPM 3 carbon, acrylic platter, and 2MBronze, with a Pro-Ject Tubebox S 2. A killer combo, and maybe my last tt...
Great review! Finally an opinion from a trustworthy person speaking about different sound characteristics from a different deck with the same cartridge. I was originally going to go with a Fluance RT85, learn more and had my eyes on Pro-Ject and ended up going with a MoFi studiodeck plus since I’m in it for the long-haul. Enjoying it very much with no regrets.
Great review! I purchased one of these about a year ago. My wife bought me a ortofon red for Christmas. Nice boost in quality and definition, external amp is next!
The platter reminds me of the glass plate in my microwave but I don't suggest using the microwave platter it makes the music to warm. This looks like a much better option and something to check out.
What you do is put the carousel from the fridge on top of it to balance it out. Then put a flat clock face over that to improve rhythm and pace.
Many years ago, i always bought Thorens Turntables because of their simplicity and build quality. They usually came with no tonearm, so you had to buy one yourself. This was part of the enjoyment of the hobby. One of the best arms at the time was the JH Unipivot tonearm made in Australia. It could be used with very high compliance cartridges tracking at 0.5 grams. Fast forward to 2000 and i decided to buy a new table. Thorens had become very expensive so i was introduced to Pro-Ject turntables. My first Pro-ject table was the 6.1 It had a metal platter with a glass mat and a felt mat. It was on a good suspension sub-chassis and came with its own arm. After a few years i felt that the system was not performing as it should so in 2010 i purchased the Pro-Ject 6 PersPex magnetic suspension turntable. I replaced the arm with a Hadcock GH242 Unipivot tonearm. The difference was amazing.
Yay! More vinyl/turntable content! I know many people who love their Pro-ject tables. If I get into the next price point ($1k-$1500) of tables I am going to take a long hard look at Pro-ject tables. Great review, Randy!
Thanks Randy I really enjoyed this review. I have been wanting a new turntable and didn't know anything about ProJect and this puts them right on the radar. Have to rattle the change can for a little more money.
Wife just got me one of these for my first turntable for x-mas! Love it so far
Welcome to Pro-Ject land Randy. I have z Debut Carbon w/USB and an Evo. Or to on Blue on the USB and Or to on 78(rpm) on the Evo. I love these tables. PJ supports upgrade parts and I've completely up graded the USB..motor, power supply, acrylic table at about $100 a pop over time. The difference is amazing. I also run a Tube Box. Enjoy my friend
Enjoyed this. I have seen a few negative comments concerning Pro-Ject tables on some of the popular forums, but I have a Debut Carbon EVO that sounds fabulous (it came with a Sumiko cartridge) so all happy here. A cool thing with the EVO is that they have upgrades available if you want to push the envelope (aluminum subplatter, acrylic platter, etc.). In my case, I have glass shelves in my audio cabinet, so my turntables sound better to my ears with a very cheap upgrade: a sheet of cork under the turntable between the feet and the glass shelf. The weight of the turntable will hold it in place. and it actually looks cool. I got the cork board at CVS / four 12" x 12" sheets. Of course, if Sith Audio finds out, they will have to repackage for Big $$$.
Great intro to pro ject. Just got a U turn with an orto blue. Man it sounds awesome. I shocks me how great these new turntables sound. I still think i d pick cartridge over table. Switching the belt for 45s is so easy. I thought i would an issue but its really easy an unfussy. Nice that all pro ject stuff made in house.
Tonearms with a removable headshell are more fun. All things being equal, one with a fixed headshell will sound a "bit" better. Each record has its own frequency response and having a bunch of phono cartridges mounted in extra headshells lets you switch back and forth between cartridges in about a minute. With a removable headshell arm, you can nearly negate the fact by tightening the collar really tight. I sometimes used a V shaped nutcracker to grip the collar tighter. I think this is the most fun way to go. Some people say cds are more than sufficient for sound quality. If you ever heard a CD played on something really good, that statement is hard to argue with. The better CD players are not embarrassed by vinyl at a certain quality level (especially most pressings), and price point. That price point (over $1,000) is not one that most people are willing to go to. But a lot of these people are willing to go $40 to $80 on a piece of vinyl and its soon adds up to the kind of money where they could have bought a really major great CD player, and would have only needed $2 to $4 apiece to buy used cds. Most of which play perfect, unlike used vinyl. Cds played on seriously good playback equipment, do not sound harsh or artificial/unnatural or lack spatiality or warmth. Vinyl is not going to be getting cheaper. I saw one guy setting up with boxes of vinyl records, all priced at least $20 per album, including what are considered common titles. It looks like he could hardly wait to get all his boxes set up on the table.
When SACD was announced, where the sampling rate per second went from 44k to a million K, it excited a lot of people. Great expectations. When all that huge increase in sampling rate only amounted to a moderate improvement in sound quality, many people were disappointed. But the limited audible difference was because ordinary redbook cds were already really good. When they invented the compact disc they experiment with sampling rates and determined that 44 thousand frames per second (so to speak) was enough. Using a movie projector and film as an analogy. With the visual, they don't need many frames per second for the motion to seem continual and without any signs of choppiness. Audio, they discovered takes a lot more for great quality playback, and cds are capable of great quality, and their more consistent pressing quality and the prospect of buying used cds that will likely play perfect is no small thing. Best is to have both formats, vinyl and cds.
I got back into vinyl a few months ago and I have to say this turntable hit the top of my list time and again. But I'm too lazy for these non-autos and sometimes I fall asleep listening to music... So I first ended up with a Technics SL-D4 off Craigslist and now I'm also using a Dual 1219 that I just had refurbished. Loving it all. And thank you for your videos and all the effort that goes into editing these. I also purchased some JBL A130s thanks to you today. Going to pair those with my Dual and a HK amp
I was thinking of buying this exact turn table thanks for the review. Can’t wait for my audiophile cable securing devices to arrive😮
Great vid! I own this model in walnut and I’m very satisfied with how good it sounds and I enjoy operating it apart from one thing: the MDF plinth is very light and the non adjustable feet are super flimsy. Every time I operate the turntable it skids around on the surface. For the 500€ (with shipping) that I paid, I was expecting better build quality, even for entry level gear.
I have not tried the integrated phono stage. I only got the Phono SB version because the base T1 has captive interconnects, which is also a dumb cost saving measure.
Sounds very good to me and I don’t need any upgrade in that department. Material build quality is disappointing.
I own the same in white, so it looks exactly the same. Agree with everything you have said. I will changing over the feet soon with mine.
The best thing I’ve done is remove the Ortofon 5e cart with a Nagaoka MP110. It has made a HUGE difference in sound.
A lot more smoother, not so midrange harshness sounding
I really look forward to your videos. Entertaining and informative. Happy I found your channel last year.
It’s like a bonus for me when I actually have a cup of coffee and click your videos. It just doesn’t happen enough lol
Projects Tube Box DS2 phono pre amp is very very good. Personally I am more of a vintage direct drive turntable fan but can see the appeal of this turntable. Especially with the 45/33 switch. I have thousands of 45s. 😀
The turntable in several ways, matters to the quality of the sound. The plinth and its feet and suspension, the motor and it's setup, the platter and the main bearing, the tonearm - all of these have a job to do that involves important aspects that affect the sound.
Nah
Big fan of my Pro-Ject. Ended up with a The Classic SB (basically the classic evo minus the metal subplatter) for a song, only about $100 more than the Debut Carbon (guy was selling all his vinyl gear). The 2 piece dampened plinth really helps mitigate vibration/skipping issues some others have mentioned in their own experience with the T1. Might be worth looking into a dampened base to put the T1 on in an effort to reduce those issues without having to step too high up their offerings.
Thanks. Just caught an rt82 on sale, but pro-ject will be my next drop. I love that they’re a European company making stuff in Europe.
The fluance will go to the brat when he’s old enough to enjoy it, and I’ll have my pro-ject then. Meantime, here’s yer upthumb.
Comparing different tables with same cart is definitely the way to go in my opinion. I compared my Pro-Ject RPM-1 Carbon to a much more expensive Rega P3, using the Ortofon Blue. I could not hear any real discernable difference between the two. Except for the fact that I could swear I heard some speed variance on the Rega. So I'm quite impressed with Pro-Ject, and the RPM series are pretty cool looking too. And of course, gotta have the Sith Audio Cable Security System to keep all your cables clean and tidy. Lol. Thanks for the videos!
I have Pro Ject vertical "table", it's the good sound. I liked his construction and desighn - gloss black it's amazing!
I would like to see you review the Pro-Ject tube box S2 phono preamp. I hope they can send you this one as well.
Project is so underrated... I think they are one of the best tables on the market. I have a fluance 85 w/2m blue cartridge and my dad just bought a Debut Carbon w/Sumiko cartridge... so my next player will be a Project. 💯
Pro-Ject is a great match for your channel. Hope they send you more stuff.
Those small "feet" on the front of the dustcover are great. Not only does it help reduce vibration but also reduce wear on the plinth of the turntable. Technics has always done the same with their dustcovers.
I’ve had my White Phono T1 SB now for about 6 months.. While some parts are very good for the $$ you can see where they have saved costs.
Mine is connected to my AMC XIA30 as the phono preamp, onto a NAD T 358 v3i AV receiver. The best change other than not using the built in preamp
Was changing out the Ortofon OM5e cart to a Nagaoka MP110 cart. The sound difference is night & day. The 5e in comparison sounded harsh in the midrange.
While the MP110 is a whole lot smoother overall.
Great review. I did own the Pro-ject Beatles edition Essential 3 with an Otofon om 10e cartridge, sold it for the Fluance Rt 85 with the om blue .The Fluance is much better at reducing low level noise than the Pro-Ject was . I think the higher end cartridge and the heavier pilth is much better for the price of $499 The Beatles tt looked great though .
Was about to comment this. The cartridge you have in the tone arm is by far the most important component on a tuentable in terms of sound reproduction. The Phono SB comes stock with a Ortofon OM5E, which isn't terrible, but compared to the 2m blue it doesn't stand up.
Colncidently, my Pro-Ject T1 was delivered today from the fine folks at Crutchfield and it is everything Randy claims it to be. Order yours now!
Glass platter is way cool. Elegant design overall with a great substrate for a platter. Besides, if you break it, you could borrow the platter from your microwave
Lol! Thinking glass for mass is bs. Just use more of the lower density material.
Hi Randy, the latest pro-ject primary E now have om5, and retails about £199 which I think it’s a great cartridge on this deck, the earlier ones only had a om cartridge and the the stylus can be changed. Regards mark
I think a protuberance for your plinth is important. Maybe Sith Audio should make a variety of audiophile protuberances is various sizes. I know I wish my non-audiophile protuberance was larger.
Hear hear CAM! The cartridge tells the story. And, btw, during your intro you went full pee wee Herman when you said “It’s a turntable”!
A long time ago, when people bought a $200 or $350 Dual turntable they were spending way more than what this costs. I realize there are other distractions today from Nintendo to Netflix but if you want to get into vinyl, make at least a basic investment like this. This Pro-Ject is not expensive for 2022, LPs are. I may be wrong about LPs but it seems like they are.
Back when I sold the OM5 in the late '80s/early '90s the $50 OM5e (yes, it's an old cart) was a good basic cart for the CS505. You can upgrade it with the OM10's stylus and probably the OM20's stylus. I do not know if the guts of the OM30 or OM40 carts would be compatible such that their styluses could be used on the lowly OM5 body. But that's the magic of frankensteining with moving magnet cartridges: a lot of times you can.
These OM models are great low mass trackers and always sounded fine. When Dual slimmed down their tonearms with the ULM models of the early '80s these sorts of Ortofons were literally part of the design. The one that came with my 506 tracked incredibly well. Had to pay $20 extra to buy a head shell adapter that would permit usage of a standard 1/2" mount cart later. Signet ... oh Signet where for art thou? I can see why they're still around even as the "colored" Ortofons basically replaced them.
Randy, I wonder how this turntable would work with your Emotiva PT-1 pre-amp, your XPA-2 amp and your pick of speakers.
I got my first TT early last year. Went with the Pro-Ject Debut Carbon Evo. From all of the reviews at the time, it was the best value under 500. I could really only compare online. Seems even the local dealers don't stock enough to compare between different models of brands. The Evo comes with an entry level Sumiko cart that ranks somewhere between the Ortofon Red and the Blue. I think I might upgrade to the acrylic platter at some point, but the one it comes with is nice. Kept comparing between this and the Fluance and the U-Turn models, and really liked the U-Turn custom pretty much fully loaded. Ship times were all over the place at the time, and they were several months out, so I went with the Evo. Pretty happy with it. I don't feel like I'm missing anything, but I should upgrade the phono preamp, since I'm using the phono input on my Denon 3600(used as a preamp). Also looking at the Parasound NewClassic 200 Pre for it's higher quality phono preamp, theater bypass , plus it adds a nice DAC. How much do you think is there to gain over the built in preamp in the Denon?
Comparing turntables: Are the pickups mounted EXACTLY right on all turntables? And: Are all cartridges really the same? Maybe you should test them all on each turntable? Comparing turntables are like comparing women. Some you like some you don't, but if you make a few adjustments.... maybe you likem!
I have a Pro-ject x1 and i think it's the last turntable I bought.. would highly recommend it.. but i have heard also the lower end series and they all did sound good! So probably you just can't go wrong with any Pro-Ject turntable 😎
I have the T1 Houseplant special edition. Sounds beautiful!
Own the basic version....love this turntable.
You can still find OM 10, 20, 30, and 40 styluses…I upgraded my U-Turn from an OM 5E to an OM 20 for not much money (under $200?).
What's up Randy the turntable experts say that the Two things have the most Influence on a Turntable besides the motor are the Arm and the Cartridge everything else is to promote Sound Isolation.
Great vid Randy. Unfortunately I had to return my SB last year. The bias is apparently pre-set at the factory and mine was waaaayyy off. To the point where I was getting inner groove distortion. Probably just unlucky with my mine I guess.
I've been eyeing these 3 brands. Kind of came to the conclusion that project probably had the best fit and finish plus their stylings appeal to me more. The cartridge and platter made me lean towards fluance or u turn though. Knowing that the table itself sounds better I'll likely pull the trigger on the carbon evo.
The green 'cable securing devices' sound best 😂
I'm looking at buying my first real TT and do like the look of this. This may be a daft question but does this not having any anti-skate pose any problems? I see it on other TTs of similar price. Other one on my list is the Fluance RT82 but I do really like the look on this.
You are so right about reviews of turntables by so called reviewers where they are using different carts, burns my ass
Great review as usual Randy. I have a question in the same vein you discussed but not this exact setup. I got an Emotiva PT1 for X-mas, trying decide if I should use the phono in on that or my Schitt magni into the “aux” port. Being an Emotiva “expert” I thought you may have a thought on how good the internal phono amp is on the PT1. I’ve tried it both ways and can’t really tell the difference. Stick with simple? Keep the Schiit pre for later? Whadya think? Thanks
Great review; as usual I completely agree with your logic, as well as your assessment of the 2M Red. Any Technics turntables in the pipeline?
I have handful of LPs at 45 RPM, helped me choose a Pro-Ject table. No removable head shell is unfortunate though.
I have a lot of 45rpm 12” records from Mofi and Analog Productions so I made sure to get a turntable that had a speed switch when I last upgraded. I’m not a fan of having to move the belt all the time. A lot of expensive turntables require you move the belt. That’s pretty surprising too me.
Amazing channel Randy! I got the Sonys SSCS5 and Aiyima A07 because of your videos, and couldn’t be happier. Now I’m starting in vinyl and buying my first turntable, and thought the ATLP60X would a perfect start, but i’m reading everywhere that it’s not very good…. Would you say i can tell the difference for sure that the Fluance RT82 sounds way better even with the equipment i have? Thanks!
It's interesting to hear your opinions on what makes the majority of differences concerning sound on turntables. Have you ever tried comparing turntables using headphones for monitoring or have you just used speakers? This is an interesting idea in my theory that most of the benefit of what a turntable base provides comes from outside factors like speaker vibration rather than from the functioning of the turntable itself. I should try testing this myself, but I'm gonna have to start investing in more turntables for that to happen. Maybe this turntable or that fluance you reviewed a while back could make good comparisons to mine. Either way, good reviews as always man, I appreciate the variety in products you review.
Turn Tables turn me round 🤪 and makes life musical 🎼 🎶
Dead or Alive!
Great review .
All the best.. Regrds Antony..
Not many listen to 45 rpm. Try the 45 rpm version of Dire Straits Brothers in arms. That might change your mind.
Could it be Barry White? I wonder how it compares to the Rega P1 or the Audio Technica 120XUSB?
I ask as I am looking for a decent starter type deck that I can put a dedicated mono cartridge on to play my old 60’s mono records that I have started to collect. One of my friends has a 1960’s based radio show and I help him sourcing some of his music and I do a weekly Tony’s teaser quiz for the show. He downloads a lot of the content as well as using CD’s as the station has an official broadcast licence but likes to have the original actual vinyl records especially for the sleeve notes.
My vintage Sansui FR-D3 also has 2 little rubber protuberances on the edges of the dustcover ;-)
Streaming is for the wimp go PHYSICAL with VINYL AND CD
Would be interested to have a comparison review with the Kef R3 compared with Klipsch RP600m etc. more budget speakers.?
Hey Randy, I noticed that when you zip the Sith Audio cable securing system it sounds just like Roctopuss.
Is it ok, if sound is lower with AUX cable, connected to the portable speaker? I use the pre-installed phono from Pro-ject and checked on 3 vinyl records.
If no, how to increase the sound?
I know it's off subject, but any chance of a review on the Wharfdale Denton 85th Anniversary?
Have you checked out the Project carbon EVO? It’s not much more expensive and comes with a Sumiko Rainier cartridge
'Fingerprint black.' 'Dust highlighter black.' 'Fingrprint magnet black.'
Hey cheapaudioman! Enjoying your videos - can't wait to get my hands on some Sith Audio products soon. Wondering if you've ever considered reviewing the AT3600L cartridge? It's cheap as chips and I'd like to hear your thoughts
I will check it out. I just got in the ortofon blue.
@@cheapaudioman look forward to watching the video. Great job on your channel, I'm really digging your style
Randy, this one or the Fluance RT85 with the ifi zen phono preamp?
Would love to see a review on the debut carbon
Vs Fluance RT85???
I've got one of those glass platters..in my microwave oven! 😁
Hi
Can the cartridge be upgraded to orthofon red
Nice jutting protrusions on that one!
The vertical turntable is cool and very different,don’t know how it sounds
Would have thought the Sith Audio cable ties would have been bondage related lol
From my experience, the sound quality will generally follow - Turntable - Arm - Cartridge, in importance. A good table with a meh arm and meh cartridge will sound better than a meh table with a good arm and good cartridge. ProJect make their own gear and make it well. A Rega P1 may sound better than this overall, but will be more expensive in the US. Good to see the vinyl getting some Randy love.
Need someone’s advice, will the JBL A130 speakers work with the Cambridge AXA35? For some reason only 1 speaker will work in the setup? Appreciate anyone’s advice…
I had no idea you weren’t supposed to run a turntable with no dust cover. Who knew? So, can anyone tell me why you shouldn’t?
Try the Debut Pro!
Wow, Pro-Ject are being MEAN with their cartridge, especially in light of the Fluance RT83, that's exactly the same price on Amazon UK, but is supplied with an Ortofon 2m Red! Then again, the RT83 doesn't have a built-in phono preamp, so I guess it's swings and roundabouts, eh?
Funny fact - this turntable is very similar to the Crosley C6 - the Bluetooth version can be had for around $100.00 with a bit of googling. I got the Crosley C6 BT version for $89.00 on eBay recently and it’s amazing for the price - I just ignore the Bluetooth function. I’m pretty sure Pro-Ject makes the C6 for Crosley- they definitely make the Crosley C10.
Differences are - AT 3600l cartridge (conical and inexpensive but still sounds great), an insanely heavy steel platter instead of glass, and not quite as fancy dust cover hinges, but they are still way better than the hinges on my u-turn.
Pro-Ject is made in Europe, Crosley is made in China. So, no, Crosley is probably a Pro-Ject rip off.
Pro-Ject tables are great - except for the short tonearm. Way too much tracking error for my taste.
The T1 was the first TT I bought when I wanted to upgrade to a fancy TT. It was anything but. Granted it’s not super expensive but still. It weighs like a few pounds and it’s skips so much unless nobody moves by it. Also the cart is blah.
Ended up going with the Fluance RT85. What a difference.
Looks very similar to my Crosley C6…. Different cartridge, of course…
The project debut pro is awesome but close to $1000
My patience would run out and I'd Pro-Ject that turntable into a wall. Thankfully I have streaming to save me from my temper. Great video for anyone who wants to get into record players. I'm just not one of them.
I like the uncluttered simplicity of the design. Quality gear is never cheap.
"What's $50 between friends?" LOL!!
One can order a FWB for this money ;-P
I agree that anyone getting into vinyl should start with something just like this, upgrading because one went too cheap to start is a real drag.
What they don't have red cable management? Sith Audio that is very disappointing! LOL
I know I'll get hate from this, I'm 48 and grew up in the 80s,. We kinda left LPs and Cassettes behind because CDs are much better .. just don't get the nostalgia with Vinyl.
Cool
Sure is easier on the eyes than the RT's...
Wax poetic…nah…I prefer to Wax Ecstatic with Sponge!
Ihave the debut 3 aluminum tonearm om5e cart it plays fine and upgraded platter which was metal to acrylic ,and on those zip ties 17 . a piece you got to be an IDIOT to buy one you will spend less and get 100 to 200 per bag math is not hard same item I have seen these zip ties in hardware store some in different colors i have seen yellow ,black and blue if I remember correctly thats all I will say JRo
Pro-Ject is overpriced for what you get, poor Wow & Flutter, basic design and you don’t even get rubber bumper’s on the dust cover.