Pro-Ject: Acryl-It Platter Upgrade

This platter eliminated the need for a mat, and nearly killed off all of my static issues. I live in a very dry area, with lots of static. After making this upgrade, my static issues were nearly eliminated. I do still use my static gun if it’s been a while since I last used my turntable. Otherwise, the constant shocks are no more. The one drawback, I had to have a spacer installed on my Pro-ject Debut Carbon (EVO) since this platter is a little taller than the factory platter. Brought it to a dealer and it took them an hour to install the spacer for $25.

I've been using an acrylic slipmat, and to my ears it made a slight improvement to the sound, tightening the overall instrument presentation and separation. This acrylic platter does the same, with greater impact. Eliminating the resonance that is inevitable with a metal platter, even when damped, is worth the price of admission. Its anti-static nature is also a major feature. Aesthetically, it looks great. I love the transparent sheen on its own, and the way it picks up the color of the vinyl is great!

I installed this platter upgrade on a Debut Carbon EVO. I won't comment on how a change in the platter could possibly change the sound because I think much of those types of comments are just hyperbole, but it most certainly fixed my static issues. One thing I noticed is that there is much less friction between the vinyl and the platter since you're not supposed to use a mat with this upgrade. So, if you use something to clean your record, like the Big Fudge or Discwasher, while the turntable is moving you may find that the vinyl will slip. This didn't happen when I used the felt mat on the steel platter. It makes this horrible scratching sound, but doesn't appear to damage the vinyl. I think a weight might help.

B-e-a-utiful acrylic platter for the Project Debut Carbon Evo. Acrylic is supposed to be similar in composition to vinyl and it's a sonically inert material, which allegedly helps with damping vibrations to the record. Also, it's supposed to be less static prone than metal. Now, I'm not entirely convinced of the audio quality improvements of an acrylic platter but it sure does look nice on the turntable. Please note that this acrylic platter is 2mm taller than the stock steel one, which means you need to raise the tonearm by a similar amount to offset the taller platter. This is what's called the vertical tracking angle (VTA). Project makes a product called VTA-It which does just that, but it's $25. You can find an equivalent product for cheaper and you don't have to worry about compatibility since it's literally just a shim. Also, the acrylic platter is lighter than the stock steel one, which means it has less rotational inertia, or less flywheel effect. In theory, a platter with more rotational inertia is better because the flywheel effect minimizes deviations in rotation speed. Therefore, I recommend also replacing the stock plastic subpatter with the aluminum version that Project sells, which is much heavier and thus restores the rotational inertia of the stock platter. Yes, I know. It's expensive for what it is, but anyone who's been in the hobby of hi-fi knows that it's not a cheap hobby. It honestly won't make a noticeable difference in sound quality, but I don't mind it because audio quality is so subjective and we enthusiasts like to say and feel good about our purchases. If you have the financial means to acquire the acrylic platter, VTA shim, and aluminum subplatter, please try to do so after you're satisfied with everything else in your sound system, i.e. upgrade your speakers first.

Overpriced piece of plastic? Pretty much.Do I regret it? Not at all.The difference in sound is very subtle, and I do plan to make an A/B video soon which I hope to link to this review which will put the stock platter/felt mat against the Acryl-It Platter.The real differences, in my experience, tend to occur in the tightness of bass and mid tones. That range feels like it's coming from a much more solid footing rather than bouncing off some loose carpeted flooring. If you've been in a band and played on stage and did the soundcheck with a good sound engineer in a big open hall..then perhaps the soundcheck sounded loose and hollow in a run through but the sound guy went, "don't worry, it'll sound better when the place is full," then you get on stage hours later when the house is packed and the kickdrum is felt through your whole body and soul with each hit and it's powerful...then you fall on the ground and cry because it sounds so nice through the monitors...and the stage shakes when the drummer starts pounding 4 on the floor... it's sort of like that...but wayyyy more subtle. Wayyyy more subtle. (I'm just trying to make myself feel better about spending this much money on a piece of plastic.)Ummm, but I wired together some LED lights and lit it up from the bottom, so that's cool too, I guess.