I've definitely got one this time and wish I didn't bother

[Gaz]

Just picked up a Project Debut 2 with a red Ortofon cartridge
Tried it out with a pretty mint copy of Fleetwood Mac Rumours and have to say I'm quite spectacularly unimpressed, crackly, tinny and generally sounds crap compared to CDs, in fact everything I remember from my last experience 20+ years ago
Sorry but I'm not sold on vinyl

[struth]

maybe needs setting up better. TT's are very susceptible to minute mis settings... also what is the phono stage?

[Gaz]

maybe needs setting up better. TT's are very susceptible to minute mis settings... also what is the phono stage?

Amp has a built in phonostage that is switchable between MM and MC

[Macca]

Just picked up a Project Debut 2 with a red Ortofon cartridge
Tried it out with a pretty mint copy of Fleetwood Mac Rumours and have to say I'm quite spectacularly unimpressed, crackly, tinny and generally sounds crap compared to CDs, in fact everything I remember from my last experience 20+ years ago
Sorry but I'm not sold on vinyl

You need a better deck, better phono stage, better cartridge and a record cleaning machine. Not necessarily in that order. If your digital set up is properly sorted and your system is properly sorted to get the best out of digital, then getting vinyl up to the same standard is going to be expensive. There's no way round it. I backed out after spending about £1500 and still not getting it quite there. And only £200 of that went on the actual turntable.

[struth]

not sure the stage on the pioneer will be particularly good, although i could be wrong. That said, it should be good enough with what you have to make music if deck is set up optimally ... The person you bought it from may not have had it set up right or it may have changed in transit. Certain that a better phono plugged into a line level input will improve things, once the set up is right.
Vinyl can be rewarding, but it does need more input from user than cd

[Markiii]

Digital is generally easier and cheaper to get an "acceptable" sound

for me vinyl is more satisfying when you get it right. No getting away from it will cost you more money and patience to getting it there though

[Mike Reed]

Casting nasturtiums on the amp's ph/stage, the deck or even the cart. may be justified, but the first place I'd look is the arm/cart. set-up and alignment. Rumours (and other Fleetwood Mac albums) tends to be a smidgen on the bright side, depending on pressing, but you should definitely not get a thinner sound than CD. Check it out with a protractor.

[Macca]

Technics SL1200 bought used with a better arm fitted and an Achromat - about £700 assuming you don't go mad with the arm - a Rega RB300 works.
Quality phono stage - something like or on a par with the AQVox http://www.soundstage.com/vinyl/vinyl200606.htm - about a grand.
Cartridge of your choice - needs to be decent so budget at least £500 or ideally twice that
Moth record cleaning machine £450

So just shy of three grand to get something that will give the glory of vinyl without the drawbacks being too obvious. I'd say that's the cheapest it can be done if you really want serious vinyl replay.

[hifi_dave]

I'm with Martin on this. That Project isn't a great ambassador for vinyl playback and the inbuilt phono stage might not be great. The 2M cartridges are IMO thin and bright but you should have far better results with it than you have.

Make sure the cartridge is set up properly and that you are tracking at the maximum recommended for the 2M.

You can get very enjoyable sounds with a Rega Planar-1 and no setting up issues.

[JohnG]

The debate goes on and on.
Favor Vinyl or Favor CD, is a very individual choice.
If I were to encourage somebody on a HiFi Journey today, I would certainly point them to a Charity Shop, to purchase a large initial music collection, for a very affordable outlay, have a haggle as well I do .
There are numerous options on CDP's to the point CDP Rolling is cheaper than Tube Rolling, but that would not be a recommendation to a newbie.
Having said all that, I am in favor of Vinyl, I don't know why that is so.
I did all the Vinyl/CDP shoot outs one could endure in the 90's. Vinyl always got my vote.
Lets do a little bit of time travel, back to the era of the Vinyl vs CD.
Man walks into reputable HiFi Store, Man has a pre-arranged appointment to duel two different sources in a spirit of educational experience to be gained.
Man has a leaning to Vinyl, as he has grown up with this medium.
Man is looking at a Mitchell Gyrodek or Orbe, Pink Triangle, plus all the aggressive product placements from Linn, depending on which store is being visited.
Man is drooling with a desire to bring such a device home.
For what ever reasons, this whole experience and time period has stayed with me, the design, the engineering the pride of ownership. The inquisitive nature to look into how to extract the best from such a source.
I have proved to myself recently and had the same opinion expressed by a few experienced listeners. that for a outlay off less than a value of a mid range MC Cartridge, a CDP and DAC, can go Toe to Toe, with my expensive vinyl set up.
When I look at a CDP and DAC on the rack, and I look at a TT, Tonearm, Cartridge, Phonostage on the Rack.
The satisfaction of all the hard work that went into creating the TT Source and the excitement of continued learning on how to take the TT source to another level is very consuming.
As for the CD, a more recent escapade of mine, it is more a case of when will I be able to get down the Charity Shop again to get a few bargains, but I do not intend, that this statement should give a impression it is not enjoyed, as it is very much.