Buying a Project 2 - what else do I need?

[steerike]

Hi,

I'm looking to buy a Project 2 to make use of old vinyl and to start bying some new LP's. I have a rather old (mid 90's) Cambridge Audio amp. Do I need to buy anything else or will I be good to just hook them up and go? I've seen mention of pre-amps, cartridges and styluses but am a bit ignorant - thanks!

 

[Al ears]

Hi,

I'm looking to buy a Project 2 to make use of old vinyl and to start bying some new LP's. I have a rather old (mid 90's) Cambridge Audio amp. Do I need to buy anything else or will I be good to just hook them up and go? I've seen mention of pre-amps, cartridges and styluses but am a bit ignorant - thanks!

Welcome to the forum.

There isn't a Project 2, which turntable do you mean. Most come with cartridges fitted these days. I assume your amp has an inbuilt phono preamp (which model is it exactly?).

You will of course need some speakers.

 

[macdiddy]

the Project Debut II (2) as this was my first turntable (still have it in storage in another room), very basic but well contructed came with prefitted ortofon cartridge (not sure which one), the only problem was the tonearm, it was very thin and there was no easy way to change the complete cartridge for a different one/make.

eventually upgraded to the Debut III (3) which I still use, much better tonearm (carbon fibre) and easily able to change cartridges (which have to a 2M Red).

*music2*

ps. agree with you that he needs some speakers otherwise things will be very quiet.

 

[Al ears]

the Project Debut II (2) as this was my first turntable (still have it in storage in another room), very basic but well contructed came with prefitted ortofon cartridge (not sure which one), the only problem was the tonearm, it was very thin and there was no easy way to change the complete cartridge for a different one/make.

eventually upgraded to the Debut III (3) which I still use, much better tonearm (carbon fibre) and easily able to change cartridges (which have to a 2M Red).

*music2*

ps. agree with you that he needs some speakers otherwise things will be very quiet.

Sorry, cannot hear you.

 

[steerike]

Sorry for not being clearer - I meant this

My original amp is this

You may have (correctly) inferred that I am not a hi fi buff! I do appreciate decent sound (i think) but this little project is more about being able to listen to old LPs.

Can you recommend me some basic speakers for such a humble setup?

 

[Al ears]

Sorry for not being clearer - I meant this

My original amp is this

You may have (correctly) inferred that I am not a hi fi buff! I do appreciate decent sound (i think) but this little project is more about being able to listen to old LPs.

Can you recommend me some basic speakers for such a humble setup?

That amplifier came with an optional moving magnet phono preamp and if one isn't fitted you are going to have to buy a stand-alone one.

 

[steerike]

moving magnet phono preamp???? err ok, I will have a google

 

[spiny norman]

moving magnet phono preamp???? err ok, I will have a google

Turntables (or more precisely the cartridges actually used to convert the grooves in the record into an electrical signal via the stylus, magnets and coils of wire) produce a much weaker signal than, say, a CD player, so need a pre-amplifier stage to boost that signal to a level similar to that of CD players, etc., before the main amplifier circuitry can handle it.

This phono preamp also applies some signal equalisation to the signal, to undo the way the sound is modified before it's put on the records (in order to overcome the limitations of vinyl records). This is called RIAA equalisation, after the US record industry association which set the standard for this equalisation back in the mists of time.

The phono preamplifier can be built into the amplifier, can be a separate box you plug between record deck and amplifier, or in some cases (such as in Pro-ject's turntable models with 'Phono' in their name) built into the record deck itself.

 

[Al ears]

moving magnet phono preamp???? err ok, I will have a google

Have you had the amp from new? If so you should know big you bought the optional item when you got it. If you didn't then it is most likely it isn't building in so you will need the phono preamp to fit between the turntable and the line-in sockets on your amplifier.