decision support for a true balanced turntable

[Hinti]

Hello folks
I may steer my decision a little depending on your opinions.
First: Sorry about my English, I'm an Austrian and my language is normal Germany (google translator is helping).

Okay, I will buy a turntable. The important thing is an true balanced output. XLR. My budget is not high, so so I'm flirting a little with the 2 following turntables.
Also important: Magnetic Coil pickup, to get the best potential of the XLR wire.

1. TEAC TN 5BB (delivered with a MM pickup, so I would also by a Audio-Technica AT-OC9XML
   • https://teac.jp/int/product/tn-5bb/top
   • https://www.audio-technica.com/en-gb/at-oc9xml
2. or: Pro-Ject X2 B (delievered with an MC pickup: Ortofon Quintet Red)
   • https://www.project-audio.com/de/produkt/x2-b
   • https://www.ortofon.com/mc-quintet-red-p-546-n-1579

Both are in my budget. (limit)
- The better pickup is I think the Audio-Technica AT-OC9XML, from within my first choice.

Are there any concerns from one or the other, or bad experiences with one of the manufacturers/products mentioned?
best regards, Hinti.

 

[daytona600]

review in german Fully balanced Project Turntable / Phono system from austria
Teac is chinese landfill
Project & Ortofon made in the EU ,
Pro-Ject X2 B - Fidelity Magazine (fidelity-magazine.com)
Pro-Ject X2 B & Phono Box S3 B | EISA – Expert Imaging and Sound Association

 

[Hinti]

Yes that's a good argument. Made in EU also as some positiv reviews. Thanks for your comment

 

[nopiano]

Living in Austria makes choosing a Pro-ject an easy decision. As it happens, I think the fact that it is balanced isn’t the most important aspect, but it may be nice to have.

 

[Al ears]

Why do you need true balanced output?
Do you have an amplifier that can take advantage of it?
If you don't you are going to have to buy a balanced phono preamp as well.
Project make one for use with their turntable, it is unclear as to whether Teac have similar....
However the cartridge that Project offer isnt that good, if you can buy one without a cartridge fitted it would be best.

 

[Hinti]

Why do you need true balanced output?

Hi Al ears. yes I have two mono block amplifiers just with XLR inputs. So I already need an phone pre-amplifier with XLR in and out. In both cases (turntable) - I have to pass a XLR preamp first. I didn't mention that because that decision was actually made (there is no competition on the same level I think). It is that one from Pro-Ject:

• https://www.project-audio.com/de/produkt/phono-box-ds3-b/

You may be wondering why I'm considering buying a Teac when I anyway choose a Pro-Ject preamp...
The preamp doesn't care where the MC signal comes from. For me is the way from the pickup through the XLR cable to the preamp relevant. If the Teac might be the better technic, then it should be like this.

But meanwhile I (and you?) think the Pro-Ject is really the better decision for me. I mean, a reason for the Teac only was, not just because of the XLR, but also the cheaper MM pickup, because it would be easy to buy at the same time a better MC pickup too (see first post).

Now I think I'll take the more reliable technology, Pro-Ject, which comes with an MC pickup, and I can upgrade it later if necessary.

 

[nopiano]

Good decision. If you can get a deal from the outset to have the Quintet Bronze rather than the Red, then I recommended you jump at it. I heard the differences at an Ortofon roadshow a few years ago, and the Red series is a bit thicker and duller sounding, with a more basic stylus profile.

 

[Al ears]

Agree with @nopiano.
Just be aware that, with the cartridge being MC you cannot simply replace the stylus when the time comes you will have to replace the whole cartridge.

 

[Al ears]

Hi Al ears. yes I have two mono block amplifiers just with XLR inputs. So I already need an phone pre-amplifier with XLR in and out. In both cases (turntable) - I have to pass a XLR preamp first. I didn't mention that because that decision was actually made (there is no competition on the same level I think). It is that one from Pro-Ject:

• https://www.project-audio.com/de/produkt/phono-box-ds3-b/

You may be wondering why I'm considering buying a Teac when I anyway choose a Pro-Ject preamp...
The preamp doesn't care where the MC signal comes from. For me is the way from the pickup through the XLR cable to the preamp relevant. If the Teac might be the better technic, then it should be like this.

But meanwhile I (and you?) think the Pro-Ject is really the better decision for me. I mean, a reason for the Teac only was, not just because of the XLR, but also the cheaper MM pickup, because it would be easy to buy at the same time a better MC pickup too (see first post).

Now I think I'll take the more reliable technology, Pro-Ject, which comes with an MC pickup, and I can upgrade it later if necessary.

You are correct that as well as the phono preamp you will need a stereo preamplifier to connect those monoblock amplifiers to, assuming they are power amplifiers, and this will require XLR inputs.
So unless you go true balanced throughout the whole system there is little benefit.