cart replacement?

[skimminstones]

Having gotten back into vinyl again recently on my project debut 2 TT im thinking i should probably change the stylus or cartridge. It currently has the standard OMB 5E on there. Apparently i can just buy a replacement stylus and replace easy enough. So ive a few questions....

Is the OM 10 a good enough upgrade or is it worth the extra for a OM 20? Or should i not even bother and just replace with what i have already got?

Looking online it seems the replacement stylus are about the same money for a whole replacement cartridge so considering mine has never been changed in the 10 yrs or so ive had the TT would i benefit from replacing the cartridge as well as the stylus?

Also, if i wanted to change completely and add something like the 2M red would that be suitable for the Projects arm and would it be worth it?

[steveledzep]

2M Red or better (Blue ?) would work very well.

[struth]

Om 10/20 can be massively improved on for little money. . the ort red for instance is about 80 new and can be got for less second hand. Great cart for the money. tbh I'd use an AT95e b4 an ort 10 or 20. I have an ort 20 and it is nowt special ..... a bit more cash will buy a high output denon dl 110 mc which is the dogs doodahs for the money

[skimminstones]

i did wonder about the at95e and also the at100e but as this will be the first time ive ever replaced a cart/stylus i wasnt sure if their were any compatibility issues. If ive understood it correctly though do i just screw the new cart in, plug in the little connectors and adjust the tracking weight to the recommended force?

[struth]

You'll need a set up protractor to set overhang etc as well. these can vary in type, cost etc. They can also be downloaded and printed off. Heres a quick read on how its done and why.
http://www.gcaudio.com/resources/howtos/cartbasics.html

[skimminstones]

yea ive been reading on the vinylengine and downloaded a protractor. Im thinking ill go for the 2m red.

[DSJR]

Umm - Sorry to come in here, but the 2M Red is apparently OM10 standard and the 2M Blue is fussier than the OM20.

The Debut arm will happily work with an OM20 stylus (you'll need to adjust the playing weight to 1.5g or so, so a good balance will be necessary).

There is one thing that I should draw your attention to if I may please. I come from an era and was trained (brainwashed?) that the turntable is the most important thing. The reason I say this is because I worked on a cousin's Debut 2 a couple of years back and this model was hobbled by the motor noise coming through - a sort of series of 'whine' harmonics rather than a rumble. Pro-ject do a motor mount upgrade kit which I fitted along with a new belt and it helped a bit, but didn't fully cure the issue. I had a Herbies soft mat left over from a Techie project and gave this to my cousin, which helped even more.

So where are we here? I'd ALWAYS go for a 20 stylus over the 10 as it's so much smoother and 'better' to listen to for long periods. A 2M Red possibly won't be as good, although I haven't compared them directly. Get the motor mounting upgrade kit and, my recommendation 'cos it's not silly money, a Notts Analogue Spacemat, as it should calm the over-zealous Debut down a bit and maybe look out for a used Speed-Box if it can be used here.

Apologies if this contradicts other posts above, but my experiences with the Debut 2 were recent and heartfelt as I wanted the best sound for my cousin, who isn't a hifi person at all and just wanted to play and possibly digitise a substantial 1960's singles collection...

[skimminstones]

cheers for the input, however i have no noise coming from my project.

still deciding what to get really, the om 10 seems to be around the £40 mark, 2m red £80 and the om 20 £120. For the amount i actually use the TT im debating either spending 40 quid on the om10 and another 40 quid on a record cleaning machine or just go for the 2m red anyway and clean the records myself. They are all in pretty good condition anyway.

[DSJR]

The noise, if you have any, is through the speakers on quiet passages...

Like I said, the 2M Red is OM10/510 level, the 20 sort of equates to the 2M Blue, although it's nothing like as fussy as the Blue in my experience. Since you have a perfectly good OM body ready mounted and almost balanced (to 2g I think), the 20 stylus would be a no brainer for me. Sonic gains are far less surface noise, a clearer treble region in general and a far more musical and natural 'tonality' as a result - in my experience. We used to offer the 20 stylus to Dual 505 owners and this made a real upgrade for them - the stylus was a lot cheaper back then though.

What I can't remember is whether the OM body you have uses its ballast weight or not (a copper coloured shaped weight that fits in the top of the cartridge). If it doesn't, for lowest effective mass, then you're screwed as the tonearm counterweight won't be heavy enough as supplied. If your cartridge retains this weight, then you can go ahead with the 2M Red if this itch is still there :)

If you collect loads of used vinyl from various sources, then an RCM is mandatory I reckon, but if your vinyl was bought by yourself new and looked after, then it's not as necessary unless you really do intend to get serious with your vinyl system later on.

[struth]

cheers for the input, however i have no noise coming from my project.

still deciding what to get really, the om 10 seems to be around the £40 mark, 2m red £80 and the om 20 £120. For the amount i actually use the TT im debating either spending 40 quid on the om10 and another 40 quid on a record cleaning machine or just go for the 2m red anyway and clean the records myself. They are all in pretty good condition anyway.

think i have an om 20 if you want it.pm me and i will check where it is. i do a good deal