Pro-Ject turntable

[gregch]

Years ago, with the advent of digital music, I got rid of my old hifi. Soon after, I realised I wanted to keep my records - some of which aren't available in digital form, and have some way of listening to them (and digitising them to add to my iTunes library, as it was then).

Anyway, I settled on a Pro-Ject Debut USB Phono something and it's done the job well (despite my concerns about its slightly "home made" build quality).

Yesterday, it suddenly started making a horrible loud noise that sounds like maybe failed motor bearings - but basically could be any kind of serious vibration I guess. I've ordered a replacement for the rubber band that suspends the motor and looks to be perished but not convinced that's the solution. If the motor's failed, I don't know if it's worth fixing or how easy it is to replace the motor (motor itself seems to be about £70-£100).

Has anyone else experienced an issue with these pro-ject turntables?

[Don1]

No, sorry - mine has been faultless so far.

[gregch]

Don1 said:

No, sorry - mine has been faultless so far.

Glad to hear that; I know these are really popular so I guess they're generally good. I realised yesterday that mine is 20 years old now so I guess that might be a factor.

I tried replacing the motor suspension and took the motor out and fiddled with it, thought it was fixed but noise (and vibration) started up again once it warmed up (one side of an LP).

The question now is whether to buy a new motor for £70 and hope that's the only issue, or put that £70 towards something else. Any recommendations for reasonably priced turntables?

[croyde]

Just bought a ProJect E1 refurbed through a company on eBay for £150. Came in it's original box and was packaged up as if it was new.

Here it is married up to the Nad amp and AR speakers that I bought back in 1985

[gregch]

croyde said:

Just bought a ProJect E1 refurbed through a company on eBay for £150. Came in it's original box and was packaged up as if it was new.

Here it is married up to the Nad amp and AR speakers that I bought back in 1985

Nice! Quite like those NAD amps, too.

[croyde]

Cheers. Unfortunately the internal phono pre amp no longer works, but it is 41 years old

So an external pre amp is now being used.

I also stream Spotify through it via an old Chromecast sound dongle.

Tempted to dig out my 40 year old Sony multi CD player and connect that up too

[TwigtheWonderkid]

gregch said:

Anyway, I settled on a Pro-Ject Debut USB Phono something and it's done the job well (despite my concerns about its slightly "home made" build quality).

I have to admit that's what put me off buying a Pro-Ject, probably wrongly given how popular they are. But they just look and feel too flimsy. I went for an Audio Technica LP120, that weighs a tonne and looks and feels bombproof.

[Matt_N]

croyde said:

Just bought a ProJect E1 refurbed through a company on eBay for £150. Came in it's original box and was packaged up as if it was new.

Here it is married up to the Nad amp and AR speakers that I bought back in 1985

Do you have a link to the seller please?

I can only find ones well over £200.

[croyde]

I must have struck lucky. Just had a look on eBay and the cheapest refurb from Peter Tyson, who I bought from, is the E1 Bluetooth at £258.

They don't appear to have any more base E1s in stock anymore.

[Matt_N]

Cheers

[gregch]

Decided against replacing the motor on the Pro-Ject; apart from anything else, the correct motor turns out to be quite hard to find.

So, now the fun of looking for a new turntable may begin, it's confusing though and I'd welcome some recommendations.

Don't laugh, but so far I quite like the Sony PS-LX5BT. Sure, it's a bit plastic-y but seems pretty good for c. £300 - and it's automatic, which is rare as anything these days but I really like (reminds me of the 70s, in a good way). Is it utterly crap?
https://www.richersounds.com/sony-ps-lx5bt-black/



I also *really* like the look and sound of the Technics SL-40CBT (not automatic, but easy pushbutton speed change - and direct drive, which I like) but £650 is a bit more than I'd like to spend.
https://www.richersounds.com/technics-sl-40cbtb-bl...



I wasn't too sure about the Audio Technica ones I've seen, though people do seem to love them.

What else is out there I should be looking at?

Only dealbreakers are:
1) it must have an integrated phono stage ie line-level output, and
2) must have electronic speed change on the deck itself (no manually moving belts on pulleys)

Edited by gregch on Wednesday 7th October 14:45

[PM3]

https://www.sevenoakssoundandvision.co.uk/p-994342... to match the sony Price range

https://www.sevenoakssoundandvision.co.uk/p-994353... Bit more but not as much as the AT

I have used Sevenoaks both in person ( Guildford) and online for years . Good outfit. Of course, Richersounds are great too


( here is that Sony , cheaper ) https://www.sevenoakssoundandvision.co.uk/p-68598-...

Edited by PM3 on Thursday 8th October 13:17

[gregch]

PM3 said:

https://www.sevenoakssoundandvision.co.uk/p-994342... to match the sony Price range

https://www.sevenoakssoundandvision.co.uk/p-994353... Bit more but not as much as the AT

I have used Sevenoaks both in person ( Guildford) and online for years . Good outfit. Of course, Richersounds are great too


( here is that Sony , cheaper ) https://www.sevenoakssoundandvision.co.uk/p-68598-...

Edited by PM3 on Thursday 8th October 13:17

Thanks for these links, I really appreciate it. I guess the Pro-ject options do offer better sound quality etc, but I can't get past the whole manually pulling a rubber band off a little pulley to change the speed thing (thought I'd get used to it when I bought the Pro-ject debut, but 20 years later it still annoys me to an unreasonable extent). While it's not exactly a huge inconvenience, it just all seems a bit "home made".

I do have a concern about just how bad and plasticy the Sony might be. But thanks for the heads up on the price reduction at Sevenoaks. And indeed the pointer to Sevenoaks in general.

[croyde]

The Pro-ject E that I bought a few weeks ago has a button to change the speed, unlike my old one.

Problem is it's so light that operating the button pushes the whole unit

[gregch]

..and I've just looked properly at the links that PM3 posted and noticed that in fact they *do* now have electronic speed change.

Apologies folks for being an idiot (gets coat).

[PM3]

croyde said:

The Pro-ject E that I bought a few weeks ago has a button to change the speed, unlike my old one.

Problem is it's so light that operating the button pushes the whole unit

The Project debut Pro I bought has a small 3 way toggle on the top and no issue. 33-Stop-45 I could see how the ( slightly annoying ) side mount might do that.
I have a huge collection with lots of 45 12" too, so am swapping speed a lot. NO WAY I would be belt swapping !
Put an Ortofon 2M Blue on it and its a great setup at the price point.

[aspender]

I had a Pro-Ject Debut Carbon Evo and it stopped working after about a year or so, likely due to a failed motor. Whilst Sevenoaks who I purchased it from were willing to fix it, that would have involved me transporting it into Central London to one of their non-franchise shops, which was a faff. They didn't want me to get it couriered (even though I had the original packaging)

I looked at self-repair but again like the purchaser above, working out the exact motor (and finding one) was non-trivial. Then I'd still have the wonder about when it might go again.

So, in short I just bought a Rega Planar 6 and ND7 cartridge instead. Should have done that the first time.

[PM3]

Luck for the draw. I'm 4 years in and all fine . I use it a lot.
I have been looking at a proper upgrade once the new house is done...and the early months dust purged .