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Time to upgrade my turntable?

I'm thinking about getting a new turntable to replace my 4 year old Pro-ject Debut Carbon with an acrylic platter and 2M Blue cartridge (with about 600 hours on it). My budget right now is about $1000 but would consider spending a bit more for right turntable. Currently my system consists of a Sansui B-2101 2 amp (200 wpc) powering ADS L1290 speakers (the speakers will be upgraded shortly to ADS L1590's when I find and replace a couple drivers). I am using a Yamaha DSP A1 as the preamp (I like the DSP sound fields that imitate jazz clubs and concert halls). I do have the matching Sansui C-2101 preamp but it is not currently in line.  I also use a DBX 3BX DS impact restorer and expander/compressor. 

I listen to classical music and jazz.

What would you suggest? I might prefer to stay within the Pro-ject line as I could reuse the acrylic platter (if one is not provided with the recommended turntable). Perhaps the debut pro or X1?
cspiegs

Showing 2 responses by inscrutable

inscrutable
313 posts
 
Re stylus life …
Most of the research I have done … and of course some you take with a salt lick … std elliptical usually go north of 1000 hours (but less than 2000, some a lot less) IF you keep the stylus and records clean. Ortofon themselves say fine at 1000 and distortion by 2000. If you look at a number of users especially those that have examined with a microscope, I see a range of 1000-1500.
Conicals won’t last as long … hyper elliptical, line contact, Shibata will last longer.
Thats what my research has yielded, take FWIW.
inscrutable
313 posts
 
And my $0.02 …
I do think your system is pretty well-balanced, which is a 2-edged sword … makes it hard to get a big improvement for $1000. Others have said this. I don’t THINK your stylus is worn and needs replacement, but then I don’t know how/if you clean your stylus and records. Best to examine it. If truly warn, then yes you can get a decent margin of improvement with a new stylus … believe blue is the end of the line with that body and need a whole cartridge to get to bronze or black, so that also opens up other possibilities.
I would suggest you consider SoundSmith Carmen … it is really good, at your $1000 budget, AND they will retip for only 20% ($200) so you can double it’s life.

If stylus is good, I would save up more for next component, and I think preamp or phono preamp would be next. (Or by that time, it may be replacing your entire table, but I do think otherwise you have other weak link(s), and wholesale table/arm/cart will put you in the $3k range unless going used.

Again, FWIW and YMMV
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