Pro-Ject 1 Xpression help

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I have just brought an Project 1 Xpression home and am not sure everything is well.

My system is Quad 99 pre, Quad 99 power amp, Tannoy Berkerley Loudspeakers(15inch Dual Concentrics), Quad 99cdp and the Pro-Ject turntable which come ready 'loaded' with an Ortofon OMP 10.

My problem is that the sound is overly warm maybe even lush and bass heavy. There is next to no treble bite. I have tried lowering the bass right off and using the Quad 'tilt' to bring up the treble and it is almost there but not quite

I have checked all the cables and connection etc.

The cartridge is not the best I know but I am stumped. Any ideas very welcome:bawling: :( :boggled: :crying: :grumpy:
 
Hi, you could try adjust ing the VTA if it is possible to add some packing under the arm mounting.
Although the best starting point is with the cartridge mounting level with the record, raising the arm a little will brighten up the sound. As well as that, check all of the geometry carefully as it may not be correct. If you don't have the sttings. measure the exact distance from the point where the arm pivots to the turntable spindle centre and it can be worked out from that.

regards, jeff
 
JRKO,

Project Xpression:

Check Tone arm wires to cartridge...
White: Left channel positive L+
Red: Right Channel pos. R+
Green: Right channel return R-
Blue: Left channel return L-

And the
Is the VTA correct, the arm must be parallel to the vinyl when looking
from the right side and your eyesight level with the vinyl surface...

Is the azimut correct, the cartridge must be parallel to the vinyl when you look in front on the arm.... The needle must be vertical to the groove,
use a magnifying glass.

I have a Ortophon OMP 30 on my Thorens TD145 and it gives a great sound.
 
Thanks guys

The headshell looks to be slightly lower than the pivot end of the arm so I can adjust that.

I took the deck back to where I purchased it and the chap there had a fiddle with it and it sounded fine. I am just missing all the treble bite I know you can get with vinyl.
 
WWWHHHHHOOOOOOPPPPPPIIIIIIIEEEEEEEEEE!!!!!

:D :D :eek: :clown: :devilr: :xeye: ;) :cannotbe:

After carfully changing the azimuth(? I think thats what its called) I checked the phono stage.......

Because I buoght it second hand I did not receive the instruction manual and phoned Quad service dept. The chap there got the mm/mc switching the WRONG way round.

The display flicks between PH & PL and he gave me the wrong one as MM.

Now it sounds great!

A million thanks....now I'm off to play with my records!!!:hypno1: :hphones: :happy2: :usd: :yummy: :sing: :hug: :wave2: :D :D :D :)
 
Alain

The Xpression (now) sounds great!!!!

Highs.........listening to some classics..mmmmmm
Lows.........Played some '92 drum'n'bass (everything shakes!)
rhythm.......Louis Armstrong Chicago concert 1956 swingin'!!!

If vinyl is not your main source its great as it does not cost too much and will do your records justice.

If vinyl is a major source then its also great because the arm can take a cartridge that costs as much as the deck and then some. I think someone even put an expensive Kontrapukt or Benz on one!!!

As the plinth is pretty basic I was thinking of getting a stone mason to cut me an exact match or maybe getting a concrete slab and cutting one myself.

A better motor shouldn't be to difficult and getting a better bearing is not a problem as far as I can tell from other threads.

And then there is this site which is a real bonus www.diversevinyl.com 180gsm repressings and new release for good prices....:D
 
As the plinth is pretty basic I was thinking of getting a stone mason to cut me an exact match or maybe getting a concrete slab and cutting one myself

As you no doubt will find out yourself building a good sounding plinth is far from trivial. Stones generally sound impressive in a short listen but resonating and tiring in the long run. Yes, a good stone plinth is possible but not easy.
 
Maybe stone with damping compound layers?


Probably not my taste but others differ. Out of all turntables i've owned i least likes a Trio L07 which was built around an alu frame surrounded with very heavy (27kg) of stone composite. Lots of mass and damping - absolutely dead sound. At the moment i'm battling with a multi-layer baltic birch plinth and thinking that damping is just not my cup of tea.

BTW which is more important, heavy plinth or heavy platter?

Heavier platters have always sounded better to me. Only problem is that the bearing noise increases.
 
Just been pondering heavy platters and bearing noise.

Probably a stupid idea but what if...

How about a hollow platter flilled with a liquid? The liquid would make it heavy but once at speed the centrefugal(?) force would alleviate some of the weight as the liquid would be trying to escape sideways. As the liquid is now spread out it provides more weight at the rim of the platter and helps with stability. Most of the weight is still 'pressing' downwards (where else!!)

Have I just come up with the most difficult solution for a problem that did not exist or what!?!?!?!?!:D
 
So how do you modify a £200 deck with a carbon fibre arm?

Re-wire the arm in silver?
Make a new plinth? (first)
Get a new bearing? (second)
Make a new platter? (third)
AC motor?
Battery power?
£7500 cartridge?
All of the above?

What improvements work best?
Where to start?
 
What improvements work best?

Well, what I´ve done so far on my RPM 4 is 1. Put the TT on a sandbox with a marble plate on top (Okay, marble isn´t optimal, but hey, I´m quite new to this business), much better than on the amp.
2. Changed the rubber (?) feet for spikes.
3. Changed the motor for a DC one from Scheu.

´Spiking´ the TT was the smallest improvement, I would say the motor was the biggest, although it´s hard to decide.

I experimented with other platters, made one from a stack of LP´s. I didn´t go through all the trouble of glueing them together etc., but it was enough to make me wish for an acrylic platter..

Curious what difference another bearing would make..
 
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