Agree that Direct drive is not noisy In fact the real differences I can hear are vanishingly small between very high end TT's and normal people TTs are the isolation from the enviroment. That means a higher mass dampening plinth and solid support and the cartridge choice. The very extended, detailed highly amplified low out put Moving Coil cartridge sound is not snake oil. It does require a very silent background or noise floor all along the chain. The phono stage, the possible step up transformer and preamp output must be good or else you will hear ever mote of dust. I can tell you it's much easier to get the better MMF-5s more massive platter plinth and it comes all set up with a reasonable but only OK Goldring moving magnet cartridge. Avoid the Bellari I have heard it is plagued by hum issues. A tube phono stage means really silent tubes, most tubes are somewhat noisy with the MM you may not hear it. It is safer to pick a simple SS stage. YMMV. I own an MMF-5 and a VPI and some others tHe only MC I have is on the VPI I have spent a fortune buying good tubes for the phono gain. I might recommend a good vintage table direct drive and all or a more recent Denon DD with the DL 103. BTW Vincent is actually OEM Sheng YA it's not German.
Project Debut III vs. Music Hall MMF 5?
Hello All,
I am setting up my first turntable. I’m looking to spend $600 - $1,200 all told between a turntable, phono preamp, cartridge, etc. preamp (My receiver, a NAD 720 bee, does not have a phono preamp).
I am considering the “Project Debut III” ($299) with the “Tube Box SE” ($549) or “Tube Box II” ($349) this was the set-up recommended to me by what seems like an excellent hi-fi shop in Boston with a very knowledgeable staff. However, the Project Debut III was the only table they had in my price range.
A friend of mine has the Music Hall MMF 7, which sounds amazing to me but is out of my price range. I was told that Music Hall and Project are made by the same people or in the same factory, or something like that, so I’m wondering if the Music Hall tables are basically the same family of turntable as the Project but a step up in quality. I would be happy to pay a little more for a table like the music hall mmf 5 ($629) over the Project, but have not had the chance to listen to listen and compare tables.
So, will the extra $300+ for the MMF 5 mean much better sound than the Project Debut III)? If so, I am happy to pay it. If I go with the Project, does it make sense to spend more on a phono pre-amp (the Tube Box SE or Tube Box II) than the actual turntable?
Since purchasing a semi decent sound system a few months ago I can’t stop listening to my collection of recordings. What a difference! I had no idea. I’m looking forward to starting in on the vinyl. Thanks for your advice.
-Bruno
I am setting up my first turntable. I’m looking to spend $600 - $1,200 all told between a turntable, phono preamp, cartridge, etc. preamp (My receiver, a NAD 720 bee, does not have a phono preamp).
I am considering the “Project Debut III” ($299) with the “Tube Box SE” ($549) or “Tube Box II” ($349) this was the set-up recommended to me by what seems like an excellent hi-fi shop in Boston with a very knowledgeable staff. However, the Project Debut III was the only table they had in my price range.
A friend of mine has the Music Hall MMF 7, which sounds amazing to me but is out of my price range. I was told that Music Hall and Project are made by the same people or in the same factory, or something like that, so I’m wondering if the Music Hall tables are basically the same family of turntable as the Project but a step up in quality. I would be happy to pay a little more for a table like the music hall mmf 5 ($629) over the Project, but have not had the chance to listen to listen and compare tables.
So, will the extra $300+ for the MMF 5 mean much better sound than the Project Debut III)? If so, I am happy to pay it. If I go with the Project, does it make sense to spend more on a phono pre-amp (the Tube Box SE or Tube Box II) than the actual turntable?
Since purchasing a semi decent sound system a few months ago I can’t stop listening to my collection of recordings. What a difference! I had no idea. I’m looking forward to starting in on the vinyl. Thanks for your advice.
-Bruno