Turntable Upgrade Advice

xsmi
xsmi Posts: 1,786
edited March 2020 in Electronics
Hi guys, trying to decide which way to go. Right now I have a Debut Carbon from about 4yrs ago. I'm very happy with it's performance. It's bone stock, so, I've been thinking about adding the Acrylic's-it platter, and speed box S. That upgrade will be just under $400. OR, I could do the Debut Esprit with built in speed box, and acrylic for $500 through Music Direct. I could also, trade my current table in to them to offset some of the cost of the new table. I have also been looking at the Fluance RT85, which is also around that $500 price range. Or, maybe another table all together staying less than $1000. This all started because I have to take the platter off of my Debut to change the speed. Any suggestions?
2-channelBelles 22A Pre, Emotiva XPA-2 Gen 2, Marantz SA8005, Pro-Ject RPM-10 Turntable, Pro-Ject Phono Box DS3B, Polk Audio Legend L800's, AudioQuest Cable throughout.

Comments

  • chumlie
    chumlie Posts: 8,658
    I bought a Fluance RT85. Hard to top for the money IMO, Really enjoy it.
  • jdjohn
    jdjohn Posts: 2,987
    Are you set on buying brand-new? If not, what city do you live near, so we can check local Craigslist?
    "This may not matter to you, but it does to me for various reasons, many of them illogical or irrational, but the vinyl hobby is not really logical or rational..." - member on Vinyl Engine
    "Sometimes I do what I want to do. The rest of the time, I do what I have to." - Cicero, in Gladiator
    Regarding collectibles: "It's not who gets it. It's who gets stuck with it." - Jimmy Fallon
  • xsmi
    xsmi Posts: 1,786
    Thanks Chumlie. @jdjohn, Toledo, OH.
    2-channelBelles 22A Pre, Emotiva XPA-2 Gen 2, Marantz SA8005, Pro-Ject RPM-10 Turntable, Pro-Ject Phono Box DS3B, Polk Audio Legend L800's, AudioQuest Cable throughout.
  • jdjohn
    jdjohn Posts: 2,987
    edited March 2020
    Had to expand the search up into Michigan to find some good candidates.

    This Yamaha YP-D8 looks good: https://annarbor.craigslist.org/ele/d/chelsea-yamaha-yp-d8-turntable/7089928235.html

    Here's a Technics SL-1200 MkII: https://detroit.craigslist.org/okl/ele/d/taylor-technics-sl1200-mkii/7087977130.html Would want to make sure it wasn't abused for DJ use.

    Kenwood KP-990: https://detroit.craigslist.org/okl/ele/d/west-bloomfield-kenwood-kp-990-turtable/7079187357.html

    There are also interesting options from Luxman and Michell.

    On Facebook Marketplace, found this Denon DP-59L: https://www.facebook.com/marketplace/item/501753960486839/
    "This may not matter to you, but it does to me for various reasons, many of them illogical or irrational, but the vinyl hobby is not really logical or rational..." - member on Vinyl Engine
    "Sometimes I do what I want to do. The rest of the time, I do what I have to." - Cicero, in Gladiator
    Regarding collectibles: "It's not who gets it. It's who gets stuck with it." - Jimmy Fallon
  • pitdogg2
    pitdogg2 Posts: 24,477
    Boy if I was in the market this one sure looks nice...


    This Yamaha YP-D8 looks good: https://annarbor.craigslist.org/ele/d/chelsea-yamaha-yp-d8-turntable/7089928235.html
  • displayname
    displayname Posts: 1,126
    If I was going for new under $1k I'd likely look at the Pioneer PLX 1000. Under that I'd go for the RT85. I've never been a fan of the debut line due to the length of the arm. Yes, they go a little exotic with the carbon on the arm, but high end materials won't overcome the deficiencies of an arm under 9" in my opinion.
    Analog: MoFi MasterTracker > MoFi UltraDeck > Sutherland 20/20
    Digital: Cambridge CXC / Streaming > Cambridge CXN v2
    MastersounD Dueventi > Rosso Fiorentino Certaldo or Arcam rHead > Hifiman HE4XX
    Discogs
  • xsmi
    xsmi Posts: 1,786
    I'm not much into DD TT. But the Denon, really does intrigue me. I'm going to look so more at the used market and see what I can find. Thanks guys.
    2-channelBelles 22A Pre, Emotiva XPA-2 Gen 2, Marantz SA8005, Pro-Ject RPM-10 Turntable, Pro-Ject Phono Box DS3B, Polk Audio Legend L800's, AudioQuest Cable throughout.
  • mhardy6647
    mhardy6647 Posts: 32,926
    edited March 2020
    Direct drive tts are/can be just fine.
    I was a Euro-style tt snob for a long, long time (decades) -- I got over it.
    Denon has made some fine, fine tts over the years.

    There are certainly some Euro-style tts I'd still love to have, but I can't afford 'em (i.e., cannot justify their purchase).

    35993349896_36ea634cf3_b.jpgDSC_8876 (4) by Mark Hardy, on Flickr
  • dromunds
    dromunds Posts: 9,969
    Big fan of DD especially Denons
  • xsmi
    xsmi Posts: 1,786
    This one is drool worthy.
    tratliff wrote: »
    If you like Denons check this one out that I picked up a few months back. I have not spent lots of time with it. As my VPI is difficult to not fire up. But the more time I spend with the Denon and cart the better it gets. It’s a nice setup. I picked it up with all accessories including the original box, alignment tool and even the tag that hung on the headshell. It’s in awesome shape.

    My goal was to add a DD to the system.

    yrwy5dxizq72.jpeg

    2-channelBelles 22A Pre, Emotiva XPA-2 Gen 2, Marantz SA8005, Pro-Ject RPM-10 Turntable, Pro-Ject Phono Box DS3B, Polk Audio Legend L800's, AudioQuest Cable throughout.
  • Upstatemax
    Upstatemax Posts: 2,623
    I also have the Debut Carbon, it’s a great table for the money.

    I’ve added the acrylic platter and I’ve been using a record weight. Very happy with both of those additions. With the platter, better focus and lower noise floor, also helped a lot with a static issue I had. The record weight tightened up many albums, if you have a really warped album it’s not going to help. I ended up getting a great price on one made by “Turntable Labs”.

    The speed box is next on my list of changes. Like you, I don’t want to remove the platter to change the speed.
  • Milito
    Milito Posts: 1,907
    Also have a Fluance RT85, very happy with it. Picture of it when I first got it checking it out to make sure there were no issues.

    l288amjnh278.jpg
    Yamaha RX-A2070, Musical Fidelity M6si integrated amp, Benchmark Dac1, Bluesound NODE 2i, Audiolab 6000CDT CD Transport, Parasound Zphono USB Phono Preamp, Fluance RT85, Ortofon 2M Bronze, Polk L600's, L400, L900's, RC80i's, SVS 3000 Micro, Audioquest Interconnects and Digital Cables, Nordost Silver Shadow Digital Cable, Cullen Gold and Crossover Series Power Cables, Douglas Connection Alpha 12AWG OCC Speaker Cables, Douglas Connection Alpha Analog Interconnect Cables, Douglas Connection Alpha 11 OCC Custom Power Cable, Signal Power Cable, Furman PL-8C 15 Power Conditioner, Sony 65" 900F, Sony UBP-X700, Fios, Apple TV 4K, Audioquest Chocolate HDMI Cables.
  • soundfreak1
    soundfreak1 Posts: 3,374
    A lot of nice TT listed here but I'd deside on cartridge first. Than get a TT that will support the cart best. The cart determines sound quality more than TT. TT will support cart not the other way around.
    Main Rig:
    Krell KAV 250a biamped to mid/highs
    Parasound HCA1500A biamped to lows
    Nakamichi EC100 Active xover
    MIT exp 1 ic's
    Perreaux SA33 class A preamp
    AQ kingcobra ic's
    OPPO 83 CDP
    Lehmann audio black cube SE phono pre, Audioquest phono wire (ITA1/1)
    Denon DP-1200 TT. AToc9ML MC cart.
    Monster HTS 3600 power conditioner
    ADS L1590/2 Biamped
    MIT exps2 speaker cable
  • xsmi
    xsmi Posts: 1,786
    This will be shipping out to me tomorrow. It's not quite what I thought it was, but it will do for a while. I think eventually, I HAVE to have a VPI Scout. When I think of turntables, that's, what I see. But at $3-5K, that's a couple of years out.

    a1xjighyvj9c.jpeg
    2-channelBelles 22A Pre, Emotiva XPA-2 Gen 2, Marantz SA8005, Pro-Ject RPM-10 Turntable, Pro-Ject Phono Box DS3B, Polk Audio Legend L800's, AudioQuest Cable throughout.
  • xsmi
    xsmi Posts: 1,786
    Oops. Prime.
    2-channelBelles 22A Pre, Emotiva XPA-2 Gen 2, Marantz SA8005, Pro-Ject RPM-10 Turntable, Pro-Ject Phono Box DS3B, Polk Audio Legend L800's, AudioQuest Cable throughout.