Project Carbon Debut Tone Arm Issue.

This is take two. Apparently there is a concern about the other thread's title. No big deal. Please help if you have thoughts and are familiar with this turntable.

This is frustrating. I have a Project Carbon Debut that was giving me trouble with motor noise. A few weeks ago, I finally got clued about removing the there-for-shipping motor hold-down screws and grommets and let the motor stay positioned by the rectangular band around it. This solution has been posted on these forums and on other sites and seems to be a common and recommended fix. Finally, no more motor noise and all is good! Listening has been a pleasure again these last few weeks until...

But then today, I went to put on a record. I turned on the motor, picked up the tone arm by the finger grip on the head shell and could feel a definite rapid vibration running through the arm. I set the needle back on the rest, turned on the motor, started all over again. Same vibration. Darn! What the heck?

Later started the TT up and no vibration. And then yet again after leaving it off for an hour or so, started it up and felt it vibrating again but not as strongly. Intermittent problems are the worst!

Any ideas as to what this can be, and can be done about it? Can a vibration transfer into the stylus and cause damage to LPs. Help!

Thanks in advance.

 

Perhaps investigate adding some oil to the motor spindle. As maintenance to my VPI Classic - I clean and lube the platter bearing (Philwood lube) - and add a couple of drops of oil to the motor spindle.

Motor maintenance on Debut Carbon DC- Vinyl Engine

 

Also perhaps check the belt too. Remove platter/belt - start motor - any vibration?

I think a full cleaning, lube and perhaps belt might help. Though my VPI belt is from 2009 - and I've never changed it - but who knows.

 

I will do that, thank you!

 

Sounds as though something is causing the motor to enter into a harmonic resonance. Could be an external force or could be from the modification. It’s my understanding that only the earlier Pro-Ject Debuts shipped with the transit lock screws, not the Carbon or Carbon DC models. If the owner’s manual doesn’t mention any removal of transit screws, you might have removed screws that were there for proper, albeit not ideal, operation. My experience with the Debut Carbon was that any sensible modification could not completely mitigate the motor hum.

 

I picked up a cheap stethoscope to listen to various parts of the table and couldn’t believe how noisy these motors are, I’ve completely decoupled the motor from the table and I still get a tiny bit of noise thru the plinth although it’s far better with the work I’ve done.

 

Might be time to go with that Technics SL 1500C I've had my eye on.

 

At this point go all in and get an SL-1200GR.

jeff

 

That's an excellent idea. I am absolutely pleased with my 1500C.

 

I used to own the non-DC Debut Carbon that had the same humming motor noise whenever I played my records so I did remove the screws and rubber grommets that held down the motor and replaced the o-ring. That definitely fixed it and I don't have the tonearm vibration issue so it sounds like the motor is hitting and vibrating the entire plinth.

At the end, I replaced my Pro-Ject turntable with a higher-end JVC direct-drive turntable and IMO, the differences are very striking. If you're planning to buy the Technics SL-1500C, I'd go for it.

 

Well you are using a very cheap cartridge on a very average turntable. If you want to upgrade and get a $1000 to $1500 turntable, get at least $500 cartridge.

You obviously messed up something with the removing the screws operation. I would put it back the way it was since it sounds like whatever you did made it worse.

 

I agree that a quality cartridge is a key element of enjoyable phono playback. However! Audio Technica VM95 series carts offer advanced stylus profiles for far less than $500 ($200-) and are killer cartridges. I've had excellent listening with the VM95ML and the VM95SH on my 1500C. If OP does get a 1500C, budgeting for a better cart than the included 2M Red would be very wise.

 

Thanks but no, it's outside my budget and I'm not budging on my budget!

 

Good to know, thanks!

 

I would if I could. But that is the question- can that be done for a total cost of $1500 or less, for everything (tax, shipping, everything)? $1500 is my absolute max.

I have to live within my budget. There's just no getting around that. I live fairly comfortably for someone in my less-than-average income bracket (and that is not a complaint, just reality) and knowing and staying within my limits is exactly why. $1500. Not a cent more.

 

SL1500c - $1200
ATVM95ML - $170
free shipping from Crutchfield and many others
$1370 total

 

If budget is a concern, I'd suggest the 1200 MK7 over the 1500C.

Unless you are going to use the included 2m Red cart (which sucks IMHO) or the built in phono preamp on the 1500 (has high capacitance, not suitable for AT or some other brands of MM carts), there is no reason to buy the 1500, unless you really need the auto lift feature or a dust cover with hinges (MK7 has a set-on style dust cover). Note that auto lift can also be added separately with a Q-UP or similar device.

Now, the MK7 doesn't come with a rubber mat, which I do recommend, but you can buy that separately from a Panasonic parts dealer for $30 or so.

As far as where to buy, both Crutchfield and Sweetwater are good to deal with, have good customer service and generous return policies.

 

That little LED light alone steers me away from the MK7 plus I don't really want to mess with a slider (pitch control?)
I thought the 1500 would be fine. I'm currently using an Ortofon red and fine with that. But I didn't know the 1500 has a built in pre-amp which would not allow me to plug straight into the phono plug on my Marantz PM 5005.
Ayyyyee! I think I'm back to no solution that works for what I want.

 

I have the project debut carbon and have tried everything under the sun to get rid of motor noise I've never been happy.

I feel your pain

 

The 1500 does allow bypassing of the internal preamp for use with an external one.

I too would choose the MK7 despite preferring the looks of the 1500C. The Red is simply not a good cartridge and with the money you’d save you could get one of the new Sumikos, a Nagaoka or the 2M Blue. The pitch fader on the MK7 can be locked out of the circuit with the “reset” button, so you never have to fiddle with it if you don’t want to.

 

Helom is correct. The preamp on the 1500C is completely bypassable. There is a switch on the back to choose phono or line out. I run my 1500C into a Graham Slee preamp and it's lovely.

 

The pitch slider has a "lock" button. Once that is engaged, it doesn't matter what you do with the slider, the pitch doesn't change.

The cueing light is actually useful, but you can simply keep it retracted if you don't want to use it.

When you hear better cartridges you'll quickly realize how much the 2M Red sucks. I had a friend that had a TT with one. He heard my rig with various other cartridges and realized the 2M Red was not all that. Many people also change out the 2M Red after getting it...I wonder why?

RE: the phono preamp in the 1500C, it can indeed be bypassed. There are actually two sets of RCA jacks in the back.



Buy whichever model you want...

 

There's an easy solution, though you're not going to like it.

Sell it or toss it in the trash. I'm not kidding.

 

If nothing else, I would really miss the strobe platter on the Mk7. It's a security blanket the 1500c doesn't have. The pop up stylus light is actually pretty useful if you like to manually select different tracks on the LP. Also, the Mk7 has a better arm height/vta adjustment than the 1500c.

 

I have the same turntable and I don't hear anything. Ignorance is bliss!