Hi dmac67,
Please take a look at my system and read the description to be assured of the quality of the following advice. https://systems.audiogon.com/systems/8367 Starting with a Technics table way below your Pro-Ject we have gained experience to where we were able to build the Miller Carbon Turntable- and then continue to tweak ever more performance from it. Same as great performance was tweaked out of the earlier tables.
If you are looking for improved detail then long before spending $400 on a new cartridge try fo.Q tape for 1/10 as much. https://systems.audiogon.com/systems/8367 This amazing tape has piezoelectric properties that dissipate vibrational energy as heat. In other words high tech damping, removing micro vibrations you never even knew were there. If you stop and think about it, there’s two ways to improve detail. Detail is essentially dynamics so one way is to improve dynamics. But another is to remove micro vibrational noise that obscures detail. This is what happens with fo.Q.
The improvement is not subtle. One little piece 1/4" x 1" on my arm base was easy to hear. There’s about a hundred times that on the 2 sheets. Its beautiful tape too, very high quality, with the best adhesive ever it sticks easily and well yet is removable without any residue.
In order to preserve the attractive factory look mine is one strip on the under side of the arm tube, with smaller pieces hidden under and around the base and counterweight area. Also around the outside edge of the record clamp, and on the platter around the spindle area. So the record is effectively clamped between this vibration damping tape. You could probably put quite a bit under your platter, or on the plinth (top or bottom, or both) or under the footers- or all of these and more. It would be easy to do more on my table and more is on order but a lot went to replace the speaker driver gaskets and with strips on the basket, the frame that holds the driver and magnet together. Huge improvement. Tremendous value for the money.
Another choice also a lot more value than the cartridge is Synergistic Research PHT. https://highend-electronics.com/products/synergistic-research-pht-phono-transducer?_pos=246&_sid... The two are very similar in that they open up and expand the sound stage in depth, width, and focus, with improved dynamics and tremendous improvement in clarity. Green Dream is a bit more liquid, Black Widow a bit more neutral, and they work great together. Look close at my pics, there’s a BW and GD on the Koetsu and another GD on the arm.
Also Synergisitic ECT. While these are sold as "electronic" circuit transducers notice two on the arm and one on the turntable motor. Very similar imaging, liquidity and detail improvements to PHT.
Please read the recent system comment from one who came and heard and knows. Its easy to look at this system and say well of course look at those speakers/amp/whatever. Wrong. Take away the tweaks and its just another stereo. Its the details that make the system. You just have to be willing to get off the component upgrade merry-go-round and try to know.
The beauty of this approach, in addition to the fact it gets you more for the money right now, these are all things that last forever and can be used again and again as your system changes over time. Compared to a cartridge that inevitably depreciates to zero.
Choose wisely and happy listening.
Please take a look at my system and read the description to be assured of the quality of the following advice. https://systems.audiogon.com/systems/8367 Starting with a Technics table way below your Pro-Ject we have gained experience to where we were able to build the Miller Carbon Turntable- and then continue to tweak ever more performance from it. Same as great performance was tweaked out of the earlier tables.
If you are looking for improved detail then long before spending $400 on a new cartridge try fo.Q tape for 1/10 as much. https://systems.audiogon.com/systems/8367 This amazing tape has piezoelectric properties that dissipate vibrational energy as heat. In other words high tech damping, removing micro vibrations you never even knew were there. If you stop and think about it, there’s two ways to improve detail. Detail is essentially dynamics so one way is to improve dynamics. But another is to remove micro vibrational noise that obscures detail. This is what happens with fo.Q.
The improvement is not subtle. One little piece 1/4" x 1" on my arm base was easy to hear. There’s about a hundred times that on the 2 sheets. Its beautiful tape too, very high quality, with the best adhesive ever it sticks easily and well yet is removable without any residue.
In order to preserve the attractive factory look mine is one strip on the under side of the arm tube, with smaller pieces hidden under and around the base and counterweight area. Also around the outside edge of the record clamp, and on the platter around the spindle area. So the record is effectively clamped between this vibration damping tape. You could probably put quite a bit under your platter, or on the plinth (top or bottom, or both) or under the footers- or all of these and more. It would be easy to do more on my table and more is on order but a lot went to replace the speaker driver gaskets and with strips on the basket, the frame that holds the driver and magnet together. Huge improvement. Tremendous value for the money.
Another choice also a lot more value than the cartridge is Synergistic Research PHT. https://highend-electronics.com/products/synergistic-research-pht-phono-transducer?_pos=246&_sid... The two are very similar in that they open up and expand the sound stage in depth, width, and focus, with improved dynamics and tremendous improvement in clarity. Green Dream is a bit more liquid, Black Widow a bit more neutral, and they work great together. Look close at my pics, there’s a BW and GD on the Koetsu and another GD on the arm.
Also Synergisitic ECT. While these are sold as "electronic" circuit transducers notice two on the arm and one on the turntable motor. Very similar imaging, liquidity and detail improvements to PHT.
Please read the recent system comment from one who came and heard and knows. Its easy to look at this system and say well of course look at those speakers/amp/whatever. Wrong. Take away the tweaks and its just another stereo. Its the details that make the system. You just have to be willing to get off the component upgrade merry-go-round and try to know.
The beauty of this approach, in addition to the fact it gets you more for the money right now, these are all things that last forever and can be used again and again as your system changes over time. Compared to a cartridge that inevitably depreciates to zero.
Choose wisely and happy listening.