The first turntable I owned was a debut 3 with a ortofon 2m red. It served me well and I caught the analog bug from it. I also have the acrylic platter and speedbox for it. It does sound quite good for the money you pay. I would recommend it for anyone's first table. Once you have one, beware the long road ahead. It is only the beginning of many upgrades and endless possibilites.
How Low Can You Go? Pro-Ject's $299 Essential Turntable
Pro-Ject's $299 Essential costs 25% less than the recently reviewed Carbon. So what don't you get for your minus $100?
A great deal actually, beginning with the Ortofon 2M Red. The Essential comes with a pre-installed Ortofon OMB 3E, which I could not find sold as a separate product. The least expensive Ortofon in the line that I could find was the $59 OM 5E. So the 3E obviously sells for less. Nonetheless it has an output of 4mV, a relatively high compliance (20µm/mN) and an elliptical stylus. Recommended tracking force is 1.75 grams
The Carbon's metal platter gives way to one of MDF weighing in at 1 3/4 pounds. Yes an MDF platter, and a thin particle board plinth said to be "resonance optimized," supported by three rubber feet, with drive via a supple, white silicon O-ring that fits around the platter periphery and over the two step pulley atop the AC synchronous inboard motor.
The arm is Pro-Ject's 8.6 Unipivot featuring an aluminum tube and a hardened steel bearing with restricted play in the azimuth angle. The dropped counterweight lowers the center of gravity and adds stability. Azimuth is adjustable via a small allen screw atop the bearing housing that when loosened allows you to easily rotate the arm tube, but curiously, the instruction manual, like that of the Carbon, neglects to mention the azimuth adjustability feature.
Unlike the Carbon's arm, the Essential's does not feature an integral tracking force gauge, but Pro-Ject supplies a reasonably accurate plastic one. Anti-skating is of the thread/weight variety.
Significantly at this price point, the platter rides on a chrome plated stainless steel axle sitting on a polished steel bearing within a bronze sleeve. While it's of small diameter, such construction is unusual at this price point.
The 'table comes complete with a dustcover, hard-wired RCA cables, "Wall-wart" type outboard power supply and a felt platter mat. Even the felt mat is a thinner edition than the Carbon's.
Overall build quality is very good considering the price and the packaging is up to Pro-Ject's current high standards. Look, you can't expect miracles for $299 but compared to the plastic dreck out there, not to mention the shlock "nostalgia" turntables from Crosley, this one is a serious turntable, that if used correctly will safely play your precious LPs until you can afford something else.
So, how did it sound? Quieter than expected, with better speed stability than expected as well. The biggest loser was the bottom end. It was (also as expected) soft and lacking in punch and especially physical definition. Dynamics were, well weak and overall detail was lacking.
The sound was generally pleasant, though, with the only annoying quality being a bit of midband "bump" that added a slightly hazy quality to the proceedings.
Here's the thing: Pro-Ject was obviously trying to give folks a serious, well-made turntable for as little as possible and in that they have succeeded. However, the Carbon for $100 more is way better than $100 better. Listening to the Carbon without being able to see it, you'd never know it was a $399 turntable. But listening to the Essential without seeing it, you'd know it was inexpensive (not "cheap").
Look $100 is $100 and for many that's a considerable amount of money. Certainly it's enough to buy a few of the very decent budget prices phono preamps like ones from NAD and Audio Technica so I don't mean to be dismissive, but unless you are really strapped for cash and are really in need of a vinyl fix and you don't have a turntable, I really suggest saving and waiting until you can afford The Carbon.
The Carbon is not just somewhat better sounding, it's muchbetter sounding and I bet with the addition of the Pro-Ject Speed Box speed controller and the additional cost acrylic platter, it can compete with far more expensive turntables.
That said, the Essential makes for a great starter turntable for the kids. The tonearm will take good care of the records you hope they'll be spinning throughout their lives as you have done throughout yours.
As with the Carbon, Pro-Ject offers an additional cost USB version with built-in phono preamplifier.
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COMMENTS
What a coincidence!
Submitted by deckeda on Thu, 2012-08-30 18:58
... as a few of us were just recently armchair-quarterbacking what "$300" would buy today over at the mothership.
http://www.stereophile.com/content/u-turn-audio’s-150-orbit-turntable
To that I'll add some enthusiasts without a ton of cash today populate places like audiokarma.org that tend to fixate on vintage (defined here as affordable-yet-hopefully-quality) gear. That's not the purview of journalism that can't predict (nor recommend, more to the point) the used market with any reliability. I get that. And yet, there it is.
So in real life, LOTS of people are really tempted with things like the Audio Technica AT-LP120 at less than $300 (with AT cart, natch) for its price, availability and (sometimes) 3-speeds, if not direct-driveness. Even if it's largely plastic. Some have reported reliable use for years, others have noted speed problems (with direct drive?? Oh, what sad irony ...)
All of which is to say, when you're dipping this low today, whether it be the new Pro-Ject Essential, the as-yet *cough* vaporware *cough* U-Turn Orbit or that 30+ -yr old Dual or Japanese "DJ" turntable or whatever other delectable thing craigslist dredges up, things get veeeery interesting in the best ways that hifi is fun. Or that should be.
Is an MDF platter a bad thing?
Submitted by 370lbgorilla on Fri, 2012-08-31 15:04
Hey Mikey.
I own the Pro-Ject RPM 1.3 with 2M Red. I've really been enjoying it as is, but also planning my next upgrade for it. There is the Speed Box II, a move up to the 2M Blue, new phono cable, or maybe a better phono stage then either my TC-750 or the stage in my Sony STR-GX10ES that will be arriving in about a week.
But now I'm wondering about the MDF platter on the 1.3. It is around 3.5 lbs I believe, but if it being made of MDF is a weak link in this vinyl chain then perhaps I should be giving a platter upgrade greater consideration.
What is your advice on this upgrade compared to the others listed above (and others you might know of), and do you know of a good place to buy an after-market platter for the 1.3 here in Canada, or at least North America?
Thanks,
Glen
100 bucks
Submitted by indieguy on Sat, 2012-09-01 10:12
I went through a similar Pro-ject comparison exercise years ago just as the original Debut was starting to get popular and I was just getting into vinyl. Back then, the next level up in the Pro-ject line was the Xpression with the carbon fiber tone arm, acrylic platter, rca jacks instead of hard-wired cables, etc. But I think it was close to double the price. I was skeptical. Until heard it compared to the Debut. Then it became a no-brainer. That said, had it existed, I probably would have gone for the Debut Carbon and gotten a better phono stage than what I did with the Xpression. That's the rub when you're starting out: where do those extra dollars go? But I agree with Mikey 100% on this one. If you can swing the carbon, it's totally worth it. And then get the speed box. Another upgrade I was very skeptical about. When that came in the mail, I had the return slip and packing ready to go. I ended up keeping it until I sold my entire Pro-ject rig. Maybe I'm crazy, but I remember that being the best upgrade for that table. That's what so great about entry-level stuff. A couple hundred bucks will actually buy you a massive improvement. I miss that.
What if...
Submitted by BadEditPro on Tue, 2014-03-18 11:07
I'm wondering if this turntable could be sonically improved if one would install an Ortofon 2M Red in place of the OM3E, seeing as how one, namely me, has a 2M Red on hand already. What are your thoughts? Worth the effort or should one simply get a Carbon and be done with it?
Thanks.
Worth the Effort?
Submitted by Michael Fremer on Wed, 2014-03-19 08:39
Not much effort to try. I would.
what is what
Submitted by avanti1960 on Sat, 2014-07-05 17:58
when you read comments in the review such as "lacks dynamics" it isn't clear whether the fault lies with the turntable of cartridge.
reviews would be of more value if somehow sonic distinctions can be attributed to (specifically) either the table or the cartridge.
Turntable or Cartridge?
Submitted by Michael Fremer on Wed, 2014-07-09 10:09
I should have been more specific. I've heard the 2M Red on other 'tables and clearly the 'table is limiting the 2M Red's dynamic capabilities---
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