New TT or upgrade cartridge/platter on Project DC

Thank you MillerCarbon, that is a lot of good information to think about. Right now i’m my MA5200, I do not have a separate phone stage.

What mc notes is correct; I would add that you want to consider how much tinkering you like/want to do. If you enjoy optimizing mechanical systems, you will be well-rewarded with a more advanced table. That comes at a cost though, so you want to consider what kind of a budget you’re comfortable with.

Your MA5200 has a very solid MM phono section, so you can take advantage of a higher performance cartridge easily. That might also be a good way to get your feet wet with essential mechanical skills you’ll need to learn no matter which course you choose. Start with downloading a protractor and double-checking the alignment on your cartridge. That’s free and correct alignment is the most important part of getting the most out of your vinyl rig.

Second, verify the VTF. I don’t know if Debut ships with a scale, but if you don’t have one you’ll need to get one at some point anyway. They can be found at minimal cost for simple balance types. Just make sure you repeat the measurement several times to make sure you’ve got it right. The 2M Red supplied with your table has a specification of 1.8 grams. Note that you’ll want to recheck alignment and adjust if necessary because a change in VTF can cause a change in geometry too.

For the simplest and least costly upgrade, you should invest in a decent cleaning and anti-static accessory set. There are a lot of choices there, and searching the forums here will yield a lot of information. At a minimum, an anti-static carbon LP brush and a stylus brush are needed. I’d strongly recommend a wet cleaner to go along with that like the LAST offering or similar, but you have to decide what’s right for you.

Next, you could retrofit a 2M Blue stylus into your 2M Red body for an immediate improvement. That "should" preserve the geometry, but again use the protractor to verify that. You could upgrade the platter if you wish, but I’d suggest a disk clamp instead. That more tightly couples the vinyl to the platter to reduce resonances, tends to reduce the effect of warps and helps eliminate slippage. If you really want to try a new cartridge, the 2M Bronze could be worth the investment, but that’s between you and your wallet.

Beyond that, you’d be best served by moving to a more advanced table. The reality of the Debut is that it is an entry-level table and upgrading it yields comparatively modest results. Basically, a $500 rig can consume $1000 of tweaks and still be lacking. A $1500 table with $500 in tweaks can deliver years of satisfaction. In my case, I’m still using a SOTA Sapphire I purchased in 1984 for $900. That story was posted here years ago and is one of many similar tales.

Vinyl is the best part of the audio hobby IMO, and I heartily welcome you aboard. Remember always it is a hobby: Don’t obsess and don’t stress! Just enjoy.

Keep us posted on your progress and happy listening!

Its true, a turntable rewards tweaks like you can't believe. Your Project table is plenty good enough for you to know you love vinyl. Which is really something considering its a very entry level table. Getting more involved with setup and adjustments like effischer suggested will pay big dividends now and even bigger ones later on when you do buy your next table because you will know so much more what matters from actual experience.  

The truth is what you already have is more than good enough so that all your most cost-effective upgrades right now will be tweaks, accessories, and adjustments. I'm not just talking about the turntable either by the way. I mean all of what you have. But that is only considering sound quality and sound quality alone. Because a lot of the most effective improvements are invisible. But how things look matters too, and more to some than others. So really it turns out that as important as it is to know the components its equally important to know yourself. 

Hi I have project debut and upgraded the platter to acrylic and the cart to blue Orto. Small improvement with platter, big improvement with the cart. Also using the Mc MA5200. But I would have to say that it is only a matter of time before the disease flares and I upgrade the tt. Probably to something in the 3-4K range, used.  Just doing the research and looking around for the right piece. So it has been a worthwhile investment for a couple of years but since life is short I would recommend going as big as you can as early as you can. Enjoy!

@aasteven111  - I have a similar TT to you. Mine is the Pro-Ject Debut Carbon Esprit SB. It is based on the same TT as yours, has the same arm and cartridge. Only difference is mine came from the factory with the acrylic platter and it has a speedbox electronic speed control.

I enjoyed it for a while then did a couple of upgrades. I replaced the Red Stylus with the Blue Stylus and I upgraded the phono cable to an Audio Sensibility Impact SE. Those two upgrades did make a pretty significant improvement to the SQ. I also did a complete alignment/setup to insure the setup was optimal.

Although I enjoy my table very much (and every day!) I don't think I would invest any money into a Debut if I were looking for improvements. The platter, stylus and phono cable would cost you another $400+. I think I would sell the Debut for whatever is the going rate and look at investing the (up to) $1500 into a higher end TT.

My TT is a good sounding table, very musical and enjoyable, but a bit noisy. I was considering the upgrade to an Ortofon 2M Bronze, but I think I'll do that upgrade on a different table. One that has the ability to pull out more performance from the complete setup.