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Pro-Ject Xpression & Debut Modifictions....read

I've owned a new Pro-ject Xpression tuntable for about a year now and have to share some mods i've done to it..the sound i'm getting now is very similar to a friends VPI Aries table. These cheap new Pro-ject turntables can be hotrodded easily and cheaply to perform amazing. A photo would do this better justice but here it is:

Spend $60 and get a set of Mapleshade Records Heavyfeet footers (money back guarantee). REMOVE the stock rubber feet on your table and also the posts to hold the dust cover and be amazed at the clarity and bass. The feet and post add vibration & the brass footers take it away from the table leaving clean, clear music.

REMOVE the anti-skating weight & string and listen to music...if shocked then use a tweezers to gently unscrew the nub that the weight attaches to on the tonearm...then if shocked carefully unscrew the armboard mount screw and carefully remove the metal piece that supported the anti-skating weight...this may require needle nose pliers and patience...dont unscrwe that scrwe moer than 6 or 7 times.

Now, you think you've got something special but just hold on....spend another $60 (money back guarantee again) and buy the Marigo VTS Tonearm Damping Kit and follow the instructions. This really makes all the difference in the world EXCEPT its tough to hear the benefits until you've stripped your table of feet, posts and anti-skating...which all muddy sound tremendously. This Marigo tweak locks in 3-D sound, huge live bass and killer mids and highs...quite a shocker.

last, and this is the only permanent modification, is to have a qualified shop install Eichmann Bullet Plugs on the RCA's...and while that is going on have them carefully strip away the stock rubber cable insulation from the left and right RCA's (black & red) just up to the armboard or 2" before and immediately replace with a much thinner shrinkwrap (thick insulation smears the signal BIGTIME). Also, use WTB Silver Solder for the Eichmann's. At the same time use your other 2 Eichmann plugs and re-plug your ipod cable (use WTB solder again).

the total for this modification is about $220 and I have a new Grado Gold cartridge and my TT modded up this way sounds absolutely amazing given the $ i've spent.

the turntables we own are quite good, but they don't come that way in stock form unfortuneatly. As long as your tonearm is balanced the lack of anti-skating should not be an issue. If you do not want new RCA plugs, at least make certain the rca's and ground are always separated...never running parallel.

i'd like to hear other folks opinions.
mattcecil
vinylrowe
31 posts
 
Just when you think someone has finally developed a plug and play piece of kit and along comes Mattcecil to shake it up. Who says Rega owners have to have all the fun. I also own the Project 1 Expression and until now loved it for its elegant simplicity and reasonable performance. I can say without hesitation that it performs well beyond its 550 Canadian dollar price point. My big step to move performace up a notch was the addition of the Project Speed Box (the deluxe version). The deck is much improved with this upgraded speed / power supply attached. However it cost 150 MORE than the Expression. Hard to justify if budget is your main concern. However, it can be used with other turntables that have AC motors.

I will be tweaking mine over the next little while and your observations will come in handy. First up will be the antiskating
removal. Nothing like starting with the controversial stuff first.
On second thought better check VTF VTA and overhang.....
mattcecil OP
19 posts
 
Plug & play...is there such a thing?! VinylRowe thanks for your response. I totally forgot to say that I use the Speedbox, but just the regular $100 one, and that i think it is necessary. One weird little tweak to the Speedbox or any other tt speed controller is that there are nasty vibrations trapped inside speed controllers and if you release them into your rack your 'table will sound much more relaxed yet with bigger bass - I use an old 4 ounce brass weight from a brass weight set and put my speedbox ontop of it....Brass is the best for doing this but you can also use wood if need be. Stone, brick, and basically anything else but brass, iron or wood really degrade sound when trying to release internal vibrations from inside components...much more can be learned about this at www.mapleshaderecords.com The ideas to remove the feet and all ancillary screw-ons on the XPression came from that site, and i have no affiliation with them.

Also, recently ProJect introduced a new $100 Speedbox called the MKII...i'm gonna sell my Speedbox here soon to get the new improved version. My budget simply won't allow the SE Speedbox that VinylRowe has, but i'm sure its worth every penny especially once all the sound robbing accessories are removed from the table like the feet, dust cover posts and Anti-skating assembly. On that, if anyone can tell my why the anti-skating mech is needed on a well balanced tonearm please lemme know. So far i've spun over 50 records without it and have experienced no ill effects -and in fact enjoy my table much, much more. My guess is that any tonearm with the fishing line to lead weight setup can benefit by its removal....very odd no?
armstrod
613 posts
 
Mattcecil,

Where did you find the Marigo VTS Tonearm Damping Kit? I looked on their web site and didn't see it. They seem to get an awful lot of money, though, for what looks like little sorbothane dots with adhesive. Is there more to them than that?
dreadhead
353 posts
 
I own the Pro-ject 2.9 and was wondering if I should switch from the standard sandwich platter to the available glass platter with felt mat. Any sonic improvements. As far as the recommendations here, I think I'll start cautiously and do the feet first and see how it goes from there. Small steps.
mattcecil OP
19 posts
 
Unfortuneately, Marigo's site sais nothing about their tonearm specific kit...the dots are way difft than sorbathane dots though...hard and not soft. You can buy them with a a 30 day guarantee from www.musicdirect.com for $50 and check out audio asylum threads for user info. I'll swear by these things BUT i have no clue the sonic benefits unless you are removing your table's vibes with Mapleshade's brass feet. The VTS kit is 4 2mm dots, 3 3mm dots & 1 4mm dot. check out marigo's site for that info...intersting how you can use these on drivers...they definitely work.

As to Dreadhead, i'd bet a glass platter would be better than the stock, but i'm just guessing. My experience is that the thin felt mats are always the best..all others seem to improve one thing or another which means they are taking away in other areas. I hear acrylic is really the way to go. Anyone seen a replacement platter for the 5lb metal ringer on the XPression?

one thing i'd like to add that really perplexes me: Before i ever changed anything on my table you could audibly hear the music being played even when my amps volume was not engaged (but the stylus was engaged). i could stand 3-5 feet away in a quiet room and hear what tune was playing that is - and now i cannot. I swear i have to get within inches of the cartridge to hear anything and that even goes for albums recorded at high levels...even the cardas sweeper track isn't audible. This must have something to do with the fact that i'm taking the vibes and sending them into my rack. There really aren't anymore pops, ticks or crackle on any of my albums either...which is quite cool too. To say its CD clear would be a huge understatement which is great since i'm only using the Grado Gold cartridge...thinking about getting the $500 Dynavector DV-20XH. feel free to e-mail me for pictures of my setup.
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