Brilliant thank you for that. I have looked at new evo apart from cartridge, sub platter,plinth and switch it's the same as classic. I will go for a second hand classic then get a new metal sub platter at some point and an MC cart plus it will look good with rest of my hifi. Thank you

Looking at the spec for both of them the EVO has quite a few improvements over the earlier Classic, which if you read a few more reliable reviews result in better control and soundstage.

Looking at the difference in price, about £300, if I was buying new I would personally opt for the EVO. Pro-Ject generally make good TT's and I think if they say they have improved it and it is reported as better then it is worth that bit extra. 

That sounds like a good deal.
Spend some of the spare £££ on a nice MC cartridge and I should think that would more than make up the difference from the Evo.

Well that really depends on what you are looking for, reviews can be misleading but in this case it is clear that Pro-Ject realised and tried to address some of the failings with the Classic to what extent is difficult to know without a side to side blind test. But is seems from the review that both are smooth sounding TT's but at the expense of detail and bass control.

In the same market price is the CLEARAUDIO CONCEPT which is highly recommended, I suspect new or secondhand it will outperform the project, but to might not meet your aesthetic requirement.

I would definitely tray and audition whatever you go for, if you can.

What Hi-Fi on the Classic "Verdict - In reality, there’s no such thing as a hi-fi component without compromise – some simply force the listener into fewer than others. It's which, and how many, of those compromises you are willing to make.

For many, the modest shortcoming in terms of detail and out-and-out precision will mean extremely little once set against The Classic’s gloriously full and warm sound."

www.whathifi.com/pro-ject/classic/review


Hi-Fi News Verdict -
"Pro-Ject's new Classic Evo does what it says on the tin. It isn't a forensic retriever of detail, nor is it an ultra-grippy, taut and tight renderer of bass. Instead, it's aimed at mainstream buyers wanting something that sounds smooth, spacious and enjoyable – and in this it clearly succeeds. Factor in the fine build quality, ease of set-up and excellent bundled cartridge option, and it's an impressive package."

www.hifinews.com/content/pro-ject-classic-evo-turntable-page-2

I tend to agree Jerry, but at this level the TT can make quite a bit of difference to the end result. It seems that the Classic or Evo have a particular trait that may be difficult to overcome even with a higher spec cartridge, but you won't know until you try it out. 

On a personal note, I used to have a Pro-Ject Xperience 2 which was very good, with an Ortofon Rondo Blue MC cart, but a different approach to TT design and much more modern, very good value for money even with a lesser cartridge they sound good. 

I notice the Leak amp just has MM input so you'll need a good SUT or headamp.

In terms of carts I tried various MM and MC's before settling on the AT PTG33/II which was so good I never felt the need to upgrade. Worth putting on your shortlist.

Agreed, the 10x5 is a cracker, only negative is price has gone up quite a bit.

There's a few exceptions - my Fidelity SUT was only around 200 quid and a fabulous performer.

On the cartridge front, another option as others have said is a good MM going into your Leak.

I purchased a Goldring 2500 MI(moving iron) earlier this year, a slightly different design with a MM output level. I opted for it as it had very good reviews, a bit of a leap of faith. The reason for the purchase was to save on use of my 2 quite expensive MC's a Benz Micro LP-S and Michell Cusis (Benz Micro Wood S in another body).

What surprised me was just how good the Goldring 2500 is, you can pick one up for about £450-480 which is a sixth the cost of my LP-S. In comparison the Goldring may have very slightly less detail, and I mean VERY, it is a great sounding cartridge, no harshness, solid bass, and very good soundstage, so very good value for money. 

Another option for a similar price would be an Ortofon 2M Black MM, lots of people swear by them, a very detailed presentation so could be a good match with the Classic turntable, as a company Pro-Ject tend to favour Ortofon. If you do go for this then set up of it is critical, the vertical tracking angle(VTA) must be just right. Several people on other forums swear by them but always point that if you get the rear of the arm slightly to high with an Ortofon 2m then it will sound edgy. 

Hope this is helpful.