Time to upgrade my turntable?


I'm thinking about getting a new turntable to replace my 4 year old Pro-ject Debut Carbon with an acrylic platter and 2M Blue cartridge (with about 600 hours on it). My budget right now is about $1000 but would consider spending a bit more for right turntable. Currently my system consists of a Sansui B-2101 2 amp (200 wpc) powering ADS L1290 speakers (the speakers will be upgraded shortly to ADS L1590's when I find and replace a couple drivers). I am using a Yamaha DSP A1 as the preamp (I like the DSP sound fields that imitate jazz clubs and concert halls). I do have the matching Sansui C-2101 preamp but it is not currently in line.  I also use a DBX 3BX DS impact restorer and expander/compressor. 

I listen to classical music and jazz.

What would you suggest? I might prefer to stay within the Pro-ject line as I could reuse the acrylic platter (if one is not provided with the recommended turntable). Perhaps the debut pro or X1?
128x128cspiegs
Ok, I'm gonna go out on a limb here and recommend a tt system. Keep in mind these are similar components to what the OP has, only upgraded and better sounding. IMO. And all within his budget.

Turntable: Rega P2
Cartridge: Nagaoka MP-110
Phono preamp: Schiit Mani

I have heard all my recommendations, and also what the OP currently has. I know there can be many other worthwhile recommendations, but these are some I am familiar with.

Just my 2 cents worth, nothing more, nothing less.
Hope I can be of some help to the OP.


Re stylus life …
Most of the research I have done … and of course some you take with a salt lick … std elliptical usually go north of 1000 hours (but less than 2000, some a lot less) IF you keep the stylus and records clean. Ortofon themselves say fine at 1000 and distortion by 2000. If you look at a number of users especially those that have examined with a microscope, I see a range of 1000-1500.
Conicals won’t last as long … hyper elliptical, line contact, Shibata will last longer.
Thats what my research has yielded, take FWIW.
And my $0.02 …
I do think your system is pretty well-balanced, which is a 2-edged sword … makes it hard to get a big improvement for $1000. Others have said this. I don’t THINK your stylus is worn and needs replacement, but then I don’t know how/if you clean your stylus and records. Best to examine it. If truly warn, then yes you can get a decent margin of improvement with a new stylus … believe blue is the end of the line with that body and need a whole cartridge to get to bronze or black, so that also opens up other possibilities.
I would suggest you consider SoundSmith Carmen … it is really good, at your $1000 budget, AND they will retip for only 20% ($200) so you can double it’s life.

If stylus is good, I would save up more for next component, and I think preamp or phono preamp would be next. (Or by that time, it may be replacing your entire table, but I do think otherwise you have other weak link(s), and wholesale table/arm/cart will put you in the $3k range unless going used.

Again, FWIW and YMMV
Stylus life!
https://www.gcaudio.com/tips-tricks/how-long-will-my-stylus-last/

This "article" above is nonsense, because each stylus profile is different, we have Conical and F.Gyger and the life span difference between them is HUGE!

CHECK RELIABLE SOURCE


SoundSmith: "We believe that styli should be checked carefully by microscopic exam by someone who knows what to look for at 1000 hours, as that is the typical maximum life for a properly aligned stylus before record damage begins."


Apparently according to Jico (manufacturer of the highly regarded SAS stylus), the amount of playing time where a stylus will maintain its specified level of distortion at 15kHz is as follows:

  • Spherical / Conical - 150hrs
  • Elliptical - 250hrs
  • Shibata/Line contact - 400hrs
  • SAS/MicroRidge - 500hrs

"This is not to say that at 500 hrs a SAS stylus is "worn out" - but at that stage the wear has reached the point where distortion at 15kHz surpasses the level specified by Jico for a new stylus. (Which I believe is 3%).

Some manufacturers have traditionally defined a stylus as being "worn out" when it starts to damage the record... in these terms the figures provided by Jico can at least be doubled, and in some cases quadrupled.

In pure sonic terms on pristine vinyl a top notch elliptical can do as well as all but the very best Line Contact / Shibata styli, but will ultimately be surpassed by the better MicroLine styli.

However in terms of reduced wear on both stylus and records - the entry point is the Line contact / Shibata category.

In terms of playing back worn vinyl line contact stylus types also have an advantage in that they can contact "virgin" unworn vinyl.

Narrower side radius = improved tracking and reduced high frequency distortion."