turntable dilemma

I've got a Technics SL-BD22. Bought 1990, I think, used very little then boxed and put away. I took it back out and have been using it with the phono stage on a Pioneer A400 with results which have surprised me - rhymically strong and toe tapping delivery, yet quite sophisticated too with classical music. So, I decided I wanted more of this and looked for an upgrade.

Enter the Project RMP4 with a brand new AT95e. I have this on loan to try at home. Before getting it on home loan, I tried it in the shop with some very good accompanying kit and it didn't shine. Not just that, but the sound was stifled, shut in, poor bass and treble. Vocals sort of ok, but the rest all muddled. The sound was so clearly wrong that the assistant kindly started to swap things in and out to identify the problem. Yet no change. He even, popped in another equivalently priced turntable and still the sound was compromised. It was this that lead me to think that the RPM4 might not be the cause of the problem, but something about the rest of the setup. So, I thought I'd try the Project t/t at home and see if any difference.

I hooked it up, read instructions carefully - though never quite understood the anti-skating bit - and put it on to play. Result again just uninvolving. Poor attack, not dynamic nor transparent. Again shut in sound.

To remind myself of the Technics sound, I put it back into the system and once again, Annie Lennox came alive. The technics delivered music, the Project just wouldn't.

So, I'm completely mystified. At the hifi shop, something odd was happening which I can't explain, but I'd hoped the Project would light up at home, given its reputation as being a very good turntable at its price point. The guy in the shop knew of a customer who very happily used this turntable to front a good system based around an AVI lab series amp.

I'd love to get to the bottom of this as there is no way the Project can be performing as it should. Am I missing something on setup? As I said, I've followed the instructions pretty carefully, but this is all pretty new to me. The technics seems to require very little tweaking at all yet so clearly outperforms the RPM4 at the moment - and I'm guessing it shouldn't.

Any ideas?

 

What cartridges are on these decks?

 

If it sounded so crap in the shop why did you bother taking it home?

 

cartridge on RPM4 AT95e
cartridge on Technics: Technics P24

and as I said the reason I took it home to try:

 

Give uncle ants a pm .......

Did you say what the rest of your gear was ?

 

Project RPM4

Zanash, just sent a pm to uncle ants. Thanks for the suggestion.

rest of gear being used:

Pioneer A400 (using its phono stage)
Monitor Audio R852MD speakers
TNT FFRC speaker cables
some sonic link control i/cs - I forget the exact name

As I said, it works well with the Technics turntable, so even the phono stage of the Pioneer does a fair job.

Chris

 

I don't know your Technics but I'm not surprised that you find it 'competes'. Compare an old Pioneer PL12D to a new entry level Project. There really is no comparison. The Project is embarrassingly plastic and you can pick up the Pioneer for under 30 notes.

 

AT95E

Unbolt it, walk to the bin, drop it in.

Fit a Denon DL110 at £70........Ah....that's better