Pro-Ject Debut PRO
I enjoy few things more than setting up a turntable. Whether it’s for myself or for a friend—whether it’s a budget model with a layered MDF plinth and nonadjustable tonearm, or a megabuck, state-of-the-art behemoth—I relish the ritual.
Back in the day, I used to huff and puff, scream and shake, thanks to the heebie-jeebies I’d get when attempting to raise a turntable to ultimate performance. But with experience comes wisdom. My buddy and Sound & Vision contributor Michael Trei makes turntable setup look like child’s play. I’ve learned by watching Mike that, when a turntable setup tries your patience, the thing to do is keep calm and carry on.
Once you’ve dialed in all the setup parameters, including leveling, cartridge alignment, azimuth, tracking force, and VTA, you can savor the beauty of music. It’s that moment I crave. No matter a particular ’table’s position in the audiophile food chain, I always enjoy hearing what it can extract from my beloved vinyl grooves.
Every turntable, like every other audio component, imbues the music with its own personality. I delight in that second when the stylus is gently lowered to the record’s surface and it begins to give up its secrets. A turntable is a time machine that can bring endless years of enjoyment to you, your family, and your friends. Even your descendants.
Turntable as family heirloom? My Thorens TD 124 was originally the property of the aunt and uncle of Senior Contributing Editor Kalman Rubinson. Kal gave it to them as part of a dedicated mono system with an Eico integrated amp and single JBL speaker. They returned the turntable to him in 1995 and, not long after Art Dudley became ’s deputy editor in 2015, Kal gave it to him, knowing he would
