My First Turntable Setup

[Jezzasaurus]

Hi all,

I've been buying vinyl records incrementally over the past couple years and now have a collection of around 30 albums, now I'm about to take the plunge and buy my first turntable setup from scratch.

There aren't many specialist audio shops around me in Australia, so I will probably have to buy everything online sight unseen, which obviously isn't the best way to go about it, but I figure by reading as many reviews as possible on websites like this, there is assurance that it wouldn't be total rubbish.

My real fear is that the components I select might not be paired correctly / ideally, which is what I hope you might be able to help me with.

My budget is AU$1500 (approx. £835), which takes me around six months to save as a university student. Less is always better, but I'd prefer to get something high quality and value for money. Here is what I'm thinking at the moment at the best local prices I've found:

Pro-Ject Debut Carbon USB incl. Integrated Phono Pre-Amp AU$539 (approx. £300)

Cambridge Audio 351A Integrated Amplifier AU$545 (approx. £300)

Cambridge Audio S30 Bookshelf Speaker AU$399 (approx. £220)

Any suggestions or advice would be greatly appreciated!

With thanks,

Jeremy

 

[Al ears]

Hi,

Welcome to the forum.

If you don't mind I would make a few suggestion in place of your quoted system.

Unless you really need the inbuilt DAC facility in the 351A then this could be bettered, also as the 351A has no phono inputs you might be better off in the long run looking at either a Rotel RA-10 or Marantz PM6004.

This would increase your future upgrade potential be buying the Pro-ject Debut carbon without the integrated phono preamp.

On the speaker front, whilst the S30's were considered good, they have now been superceded. I would be looking at somethimg like the Q Acoustics 2020i. Just a thought.

 

[BIGBERNARDBRESSLAW]

I have the 2020is that Alears mentioned, and they are a great speaker.

They sound particularly good with electronic music, and my remastered Kraftwerk albums sound awesome through them.

I also like the Pro-ject turntables, and in my opinion, they beat the Regas at that price point, and only a lucky second hand buy would beat them.

Hope you enjoy your vinyl.

 

[Jezzasaurus]

Hello again,

Thanks for your advice. I have taken it all on board, but I decided not to splash the cash until after Christmas. Here is what I'm thinking at the moment:

Pro-Ject Debut Carbon Turnatable AU$430 (approx. £250)

Rotel RA-10 Integrates Amplifier incl. phono input AU$449 (approx. £262)

Q Acoustics 2020i Bookshelf Speakers AU$399 (approx. £233)

Although I could also get the predecessor Q Acoustics 2020 for AU$214 (approx. £125). Either way, this setup should end up being a lot cheaper!

Totals: AU$1278 / AU$1093

 

[Al ears]

Good choice. I would say the 2020i's are noticeably better than the original 2020 but choice is yours depending on your budget. Don't forget to factor in the price for interconnect and speaker stands if you do not already have them.

Enjoy when it arrives.

 

[Juzzie Wuzzie]

Slight post hijack - do contributors think that the inbuilt phono pre-amp in the Project Carbons is good / bad / indifferent? Reason I ask is that it seems an efficient way to do away with yet another box / power supply, if there is no material impact on quality.

 

[Al ears]

Slight post hijack - do contributors think that the inbuilt phono pre-amp in the Project Carbons is good / bad / indifferent? Reason I ask is that it seems an efficient way to do away with yet another box / power supply, if there is no material impact on quality.

You are not doing away with another box if you have an amp that has an inbuilt phono stage (quite a lot still do).

Also, from what I am led to believe, the quality of the Project inbuilt box is not brilliant, at the price it is not going to be anything but purely convenient.