£1000 to spend on turntable.

[Al ears]

An excellent choice then. You can always upgrade that cartridge at a later date.

My current slab came with a 2M Silver. I gave it about a month or so but still found it very bright, a bit too bright for my liking.I opted for a 2M Black which suits my ears and taste in music a lot better.Kills the pocket though, even at the price I bought it for !

Should have gone for a Nag MP300 or 500 instead *biggrin* My 2M Black is currently relegated to a drawer gathering dust! Nags rule *dance4*

I'm warming to them, I fitted an MP-110 to an old RPM5.2 for a customer last week and was pleasently surprised for the price vs sound.

Couldn't be beaten in my view, however the recent large price hike has rather offset their position as 'top dog for the money' and I now tend to suggest the Audio Technicas as an alternative.

 

[nopiano]

It may seem implausible, but the recent test of the Classic in HFN was supplied with a cork mat by Henley. They said it improved the sound. The cost is modest, and the dealer should be able to order, or even include if you ask nicely!

 

[Divman]

Yeah I am looking at a different mat for it as the felt one looks a bit rubbish, and if the sound can be improved then I would go for another one.

I would love the 2m black cart on it to be honest but cant afford the cost just yet..... Unless someone has a second hand one sitting in a draw gathering dust they would like to sell to me?? Hope this has not broken house rules asking this? If so, sorry!

 

[Chris Munden]

I think you have made a good choice of turntable, I can't advise on cartridges as some members have far more knowledge than I do, so heed the advice. As for platter mats the Origin Live mat is an excellent mat and gets good reviews and its not a silly price

My very old Rega Planar 3 with RB300 arm might be on its way to make room for an newer turntable, I'm reluctant to spend any more money on it, one reason being motor rumble heard at high volumes, however I fancy a change from Rega, as nice as they are, but would stll prefer a home grown deck, currently I'm looking at the Analogueworks turntables, simple, beautifully engineered and the motor is isolated from the Birch ply plinth plinth. They come without an arm but the latest Rega RB202 is available and with VTA adjustment, but I might consider an Origin Live arm. I would have suggested you look at the Analogue Works decks but too late, youv'e made a good choice.

Pete

 

[plastic penguin]

Apologies to the OP for slightly diverting the thread. However, I don't think my ramblings is worth starting up a dedicated thread on the Pro-ject Classic turntable.

It looks and feels stonking for the money. Think Garrard SP25 MK IV or V. Think Thorens and Linn or Sonedek... it really is a throwback to the 70s and early 80s. Even the dust cover has a a nice shape at the front, unlike my Xpression which is flat and square.

Have to confess I didn't have time for a dem but certainly on looks and feel, it pretty much hits the mark. The standard cart on the version I saw is Ortofon BLACK. Whether that's good or bad, I've no idea but the SSAV salesperson said they'd fit a different cart FOC if I'm serious about the TT. (And purchased the cart).

However, I can't move unless I sell the Electrocompaniet CDP. That's not going too well. Only one question, but...

Certainly it ticks practically all my vinyl boxes, apart from the SQ.

Impressed, though, by first impressions.

(Can I just add they had a Naim set-up powering PMC Twenty 21 speakers. Not impressed at all. The speakers sounded scarily boxy. I know it was in the showroom but I was deffo underwhelmed by the 21s).

 

[avole]

Definitely the Rega. Pro-ject are good, but they have had problems with motor noise owing to the motor suspension.

As you say, have had. Which equates to "don't currently suffer from".

I see you post this same reply on a fairly regular basis. Do you work for Rega ?

;-) ;-)

I do? Thanks for letting me know

I didn't think Pro-ject had solved the problem, but I haven't been following the issue recently.

 

[Freddy58]

I know it was in the showroom but I was deffo underwhelmed by the 21s

You and I both.

 

[Divman]

I thought it was the 2m black on there as it looks black and like the black cart. Unfortunately it comes with the silver but still sounds open and full of expression.

Wanted the black on there but it is a lot of money. The silver is about £170 and the black is closer to £500!

The stylus fits to any of the 2m bodies, but as the bronze and black is different and improved from the silver (also red and blue), you would only be getting about 70% of the SQ of a real black.

Reading up, the black and bronze are interchangable due to the bodies and closer sound wise, then the red, silver and blue align more with eachother.

Hope this helps. I've done a lot of reading about it recently, but I have come on here to gain way more knowledge from people etc.

 

[hybridauth_Facebook_100004211376004]

Hay PP.it's a shame about the 21's as they really are very good speakers...it's just they need time to convince and they sound pretty lame in free space but once they're sat with a wall behind them they really do become a different speaker altogether and they definitely aren't for a larger room.I can see why they aren't the speaker for many people but for me in a upper flat and don't need to crank the volume too much they are perfect.

 

[plastic penguin]

Hay PP.it's a shame about the 21's as they really are very good speakers...it's just they need time to convince and they sound pretty lame in free space but once they're sat with a wall behind them they really do become a different speaker altogether and they definitely aren't for a larger room.I can see why they aren't the speaker for many people but for me in a upper flat and don't need to crank the volume too much they are perfect.

The 21s were by the back wall on stands, so I don't know whether it was the amplification or if they were run in (assuming that is a real thing), but I didn't expect the bass to be cardboardy sounding.

By contrast, when I heard the MA GX100s - in the same shop and position - a couple of years ago they sounded truer and more solid.

 

[hybridauth_Facebook_100004211376004]

mmmm.strange....anyways I love mine.lol.

 

[Deleted member 108165]

I would love the 2m black cart on it to be honest but cant afford the cost just yet..... Unless someone has a second hand one sitting in a draw gathering dust they would like to sell to me?? Hope this has not broken house rules asking this? If so, sorry!

Selling ain't allowed on here but I would part with it *smile*. Hell, if you lived close I'd even come and set it up for you...

To the wise sages on here how could Divman and I exchange email addresses without breaking forum rules?

 

[Deleted member 108165]

I thought it was the 2m black on there as it looks black and like the black cart. Unfortunately it comes with the silver but still sounds open and full of expression.

Wanted the black on there but it is a lot of money. The silver is about £170 and the black is closer to £500!

The stylus fits to any of the 2m bodies, but as the bronze and black is different and improved from the silver (also red and blue), you would only be getting about 70% of the SQ of a real black.

Reading up, the black and bronze are interchangable due to the bodies and closer sound wise, then the red, silver and blue align more with eachother.

Hope this helps. I've done a lot of reading about it recently, but I have come on here to gain way more knowledge from people etc.

I went thorugh the entire range: Red, Blue, Bronze and Black. Personally for me the Bronze was the sweetspot in the 2M range........ until I heard what Nagaoka's could do *dance4*.

 

[Al ears]

I would love the 2m black cart on it to be honest but cant afford the cost just yet..... Unless someone has a second hand one sitting in a draw gathering dust they would like to sell to me?? Hope this has not broken house rules asking this? If so, sorry!

Selling ain't allowed on here but I would part with it *smile*. Hell, if you lived close I'd even come and set it up for you...

To the wise sages on here how could Divman and I exchange email addresses without breaking forum rules?

You can simply post a thread for attention of the moderators and they will email you each to confirm you want to do this. I did this recently with davedotco and nopiano.

You could just post a request here in this thread and they should pick up on it.

 

[Divman]

To the mods..... Is it possible to link DougK and myself please so that we can mail eachother?

Don't think I broke any rules but if so, then sorry.

Phil

 

[plastic penguin]

To the mods..... Is it possible to link DougK and myself please so that we can mail eachother?

Don't think I broke any rules but if so, then sorry.

Phil

It's best to contact them direct.

 

[Al ears]

To the mods..... Is it possible to link DougK and myself please so that we can mail eachother?

Don't think I broke any rules but if so, then sorry.

Phil

It's best to contact them direct.

Good advice PP, never tried that way...

 

[Deleted member 108165]

Thanks PP and Al. Divman I've emailed the link in PP's post to request email address sharing. Hopefully both our approaches will work and we can have a chat about possibilities *smile*

 

[plastic penguin]

Thanks PP and Al. Divman I've emailed the link in PP's post to request email address sharing. Hopefully both our approaches will work and we can have a chat about possibilities *smile*

If you get no joy, Doug, try emailing John Duncan direct. His address is at the bottom of his signature (see 'About the site')

 

[Deleted member 108165]

Cheers again PP *good*, much appreciated sir. I'll give it a couple of days and if no joy then I'll try the John Duncan route.

 

[Deleted member 108165]

Phil (Divman) when are you next going to login to the forum, (day and time)? I've had a brainwave as to how we can share email addresses securely and quickly.

Just to add that there's no pressure here as I intend to give you my impressions of the Black warts and all and then let you make your decision.

 

[Divman]

Hi DougK,

Probably this evening about 8pm as should be home from work then.

I've talked to people and they say the 2m bronze cart is smoother and more relaxed, but the black focusses more on getting every last bit of detail from the record in a more clean / forward way.

Looking forward to hearing from you and to get your impressions on the carts you have had and if there are any better ones around.

 

[Deleted member 108165]

OK, Phil, I'll login at the same time *smile*

During my short re-intro to the black stuff, about 3 years ago, I've only used two cart manufacturers: Ortofon and Nagaoka, (both moving magnet as I have no desire yet to move into moving coil territory). Ortofon, mainly because my first tt was a Pro-ject DC and was bundled with a 2M Red so I just explored the Orto carts. Same was true with the Pioneer tt, couldn't get the Nag cart to fit correctly on the Pioneer so just stayed with Orto's. It was only when I purchased the Marantz tt that this opened up other possibilities and a chance to play with both Nag and Orto, and I found the Nag carts to be more to my liking.

As for better carts and bang for ya buck then there are many wise men on here who can offer far more insight than I ever could, (it was this forum that introduced me to Nagaoka), and I'm sure that they will kindly chip-in with some excellent recommendations. If it wasn't such a pain to mount a new cart on a tonearm then I wouldn't mind exploring some AT or Shure carts, this is where I miss the practicality of the Pioneer tt - removeable headshell *good*

Anyways, see you about 8pm this evening.

 

[Deleted member 108165]

Deleted