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Is the Merill "Gem Dandy" turntable far superior in sound than the Project RPM-3 TT??

I am thinking of selling my Thorens TD 145 which was upgraded, but has overstayed its welcome on my audio rack. Therefore,   I have initially looked at the Project RPM-3 turntable which has been improved and is also packaged with a Sumiko Blue Point 2 moving coil. The official retail is $ 999.00 on Audio Adviser and the Needle Doctor


However, I read a recent review in Stereophile about  George Merrill's "Gem Dandy" turntable which retails for $1695 with A Jelco SA-750 (9 inch tonearm), or $1495 with the Jelco SA-250 ( 9 inch  tonearm)  Both  DON'T COME WITH A CARTRIDGE.  I have seen a few already on sale used on Audiogon.

Would like some feedback from any member about either the Project table cited above or the two Merrill tables with different tonearms.   Will either of the Merrill tables be far superior to the Project in sound quality?? And is it worth the extra money, plus a quality cartridge would have to be added.with the Merrill's TT. which ups the bottom line in price 

Thank you

    

sunnyjim
sunnyjim OP
927 posts
 

To bpoletti.  I owned  a Rega P3-24 TT issued in 2008. It came with Elys cartridge which was trashed during a transit to Hawaii I happened to put a few hours on that spike, and was quite impressed with the sound. However, after the stylus collapsed, I bought a Dynavector 10X5 MC which is far superior in performance.   I never felt or discerned any colorations in the overall sound that you mentioned with either cartridge and, I listen to variety of music.

The Merrill Gem Dandy despite good reviews is overpriced, and may not sound any better than Project RPM-3  or, new Rega Planar P3, or the Music Hall Accura table. Yes, Merrill has been making tables for decades, but so has a lot of other engineers like Rega's Roy Gandy.

The review on the Project table in HI-FI News in 2015.(?) was very strong, noting its good  build and sound quality. At the time, it was pre-packed with an Ortofon 2M Blue which is OK. ( I used one with the Rega P3-24 ) It is now prepacked with a Sumiko BP-2, though Sumiko would have served their buyers better, if pre-packed with a Sumiko Blue Point Special Evo III which is supposedly an excellent MC 

I may have to buy the Rega Planar P3 so as to acquire thet Evo III installed The early reviews have been good/.  However, vendors like  The Needle Doctor and Elusive Disc are not running any summer fire sales, and allow just a 10% discount, and buyer also pays shipping. Both  carry Rega and Project tables.   

To Boofer, Thanks for the tip about the fishline anti-skating on the Project 2BXpression TT. I never used one of those devices that was either reliable or accurate.

bpoletti
1,555 posts
 
To each their own.  Like I said, some people like the colorations of the Rega.
johnnyb53
3,510 posts
 
Thread title:
Is the Merrill "Gem Dandy" turntable far superior in sound than the Project RPM-3 TT??

Given that the Merrill is only $500 more than the Pro-Ject, it only needs to be incrementally better, not "far superior."

If it were $2500 vs. $1000, it should be immediately noticeably better, but still not "far superior."

To make an illustration from (the "golden age" of stereo, the Technics SL1200 DD ’table was $350 in 1975. The Hitachi P-38 was $250. Adjusted for inflation the Technics would be $1556 and the Hitachi would be $1112 today. That’s roughly the same price difference adjusted for inflation. The Hitachi had an MDF plinth finished in rosewood-grain vinyl. The Technics had the aluminum/synthetic constrained layer construction and more sophisticated controls. It was better built and probably held up better, but to my ears didn’t really sound better. IME good imaging and soundstage came easily to the Hitachi while it's proved elusive with the Technics. Anyway, a $100 increase in 1975 is equivalent to a $500 increase in 2016, and while we expected some sort of "improvement" for that $100, nobody expected "far superior" for $100 in 1975.

The GEM Dandy may be worth the difference just for the fluid-damped Jelco arm. And while I like the Pro-Ject Carbon line, I really get some use out of interchangeable headshells, esp. when I want to spin some mono records with a mono cartridge.

samurai2
2 posts
 
I have numerous tables (custom Garrard 301, 401, Rega RP3 and RP6; Luxman PD-444 and 555; VPI TNT and Scout; Analog Seduction; Scheu; Technics SP-10 MkIII to name a few) all were used with a variety of tonearms (SME, Schroeder, Wheaton, FR, Stax) and cartridges too many to mention.  I now own a Merrill Gem Dandy Poly table with the Jelco 750 10" arm and a Hana low out put MC cartridge.....  I can confidently say that the Merrill is one EXCEPTIONAL table that performs way beyond its price tag of $2000.  Don't be fooled by the price tag....this table is one awesome sounding tt, with or without the price as a consideration....
gregkohanmim
153 posts
 
I realize that this is a ancient thread, but since Samurai bumped it I just want to share:

NEVER buy a pro-ject table packaged with a Sumiko Blue Point 2 - You're paying a large premium for what is essentially one the crappiest cartridges for the money that I've ever heard (been there/ done that).

Just sayin'

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