Turntable Question

acgingersnaps

Prominent Member
Joined
Oct 26, 2018
Messages
3,012
Reaction score
2,693
Points
954
Location
UK
Question for the hi(fi)ve mind.
Currently running a Project Debut Carbon, with a 2M Blue attached. Sounds good enough.
However, just upgraded to a Rega amp, so my last unupgraded bit of kit is the turntable. Question is, will a Planar 3 be significant upgrade or just a sideways move/small bump up?

Thanks

J
 
I went from a Project Debut S/E3 fitted with a 2m blue to a Rega RP3 (moving the cart over).
I found the move to be more of a sideways move/small bump up TBH.
 
Interesting. You'd think from the reviews that it would be quite a jump. I wonder if a rega cart would make a difference. I'd probably want to go the whole rega hog.
 
The exact seems to be the one. From the reviews i've read anyway.
 
One of the AT VM95 cartridges (ML or SH) would be a great match. As would the Nagaoka MP-110 (150 is even better).

Edit: If you dabble in the whacky world of Facebook, there's an excellent Rega Turntables group, where you can get loads of excellent advice.
 
For what it's worth I'd put money into a new cartridge. I seem to remember your turntable is pretty well regarded and I bet even £200 on a cartridge will be very noticeable. I'm no expert on individual carts but I put an Audio Technica VM530EN on my Pioneer and it's great. I'd guess a 540 might be a smidge better.
 
For what it's worth I'd put money into a new cartridge. I seem to remember your turntable is pretty well regarded and I bet even £200 on a cartridge will be very noticeable

The new price of the 2M Blue is £180 so a bit of a sideways step that one. It has a nude elliptical stylus and is highly regarded.

I did find it very detailed but a little CD like (cool sounding). I replaced mine with a Nagaoka MP-110 (bonded stylus) which was warmer but a tiny bit less detailed. I then swapped the stylus for a MP200 (boron cantilever, nude stylus) and that gave me the best of both words.
 
Go from the Blue to the bronze or save and wait until you can make a worthwhile upgrade. Making small upgrades just means you are always looking to upgrade, just my opinion.
 
Good input. Thanks people. Yes, might wait until i can do a cartridgeless P3 and then have a good long think about what to put on it. The choice/variety is ridiculous.
 
Project open book & any cartridge will fit
Rega closed book & only rega cartridge will fit
Edwards TT5/TT6 made in the uk with carbon fibre unipivot arm & well woth a look

.
edspieler-57434.jpg

.
eler-57437.jpg
 
Compatibility with Rega brand TT:
REGA brand cartridges’ height from stylus tip to the top cartridge mounting surface is lower than Standard.
Therefore you would need spacers to ensure the correct set-up of the Ortofon cartridge.
Adjusting the height of your Rega tonearm is easy with Acoustic Signature's Spacer Set. It allows you to adjust the height from 0.5 mm to 3.5 mm in precise steps of 0.5 mm - without removing the tone arm. Simply loosen the screws, insert the AS-spacer, then lock the screws back down, and you're tonearm is ready to play. or fit Headshell spacers or shims between cartridge & headshell
3.2 - 4 mm spacers should be enough for 2M cartridge.
2 - 3 mm spacers should be enough for Quintet cartridge.
14mm depth Rega ( 1% of the market )
18mm depth ortofon , nagoaka , sumiko , denon , audio techinca & grado ( 99% of the market )
Rega arms have fixed VTA & Azimuth ( 1%)
all other arms have variable VTA & Azimuth ( 99%)

2.3. Azimuth, vertical alignment

Azimuth adjustment or vertical alignment of the cartridge is very important for optimal channel separation.

The checking is easily done by lowering the cartridge onto a thin mirror placed on the record surface and examining whether the reflection lines up square with the cartridge, when viewed from the front. During this test tonearm must still be parallel to the record surface. If not obtainable because of mirror thickness, remove record and work directly on the mat. If alignment is still incorrect and not adjustable because of fixed headshell, the only solution is to resort to packing on one side of the head-shell.

2.4. Tonearm level, Vertical Tracking Angle (VTA)

Cartridges are constructed so that cantilever angle corresponds to the 20 deg. record cutting angle, when the cartridge is loaded with recommended tracking force and the cartridge base is parallel with the tonearm and this again is parallel to the record surface.

2wire Rega turntable earth no ground wire (1%)
3wire - all record players have 2wire + earth (99%)
 
I would suggest the Rega P3 with Elys2 is an excellent package at its price point. Positioned well, used through a decent amp, speakers and phono stage, it’s a great turntable.

The only way to know if it’s an improvement over your Project, which I would suggest it could well be, is to get a home demo and try out on your own speakers and amp.

Good luck.
 
Go from the Blue to the bronze or save and wait until you can make a worthwhile upgrade. Making small upgrades just means you are always looking to upgrade, just my opinion.
Like the look of the bronze, but is my table going to do it justice. I mean the cartridge and table cost the same amount!
 
Might be overkill but you can always take the Bronze with you when you eventually buy a new TT. If you have an urge to spend money and upgrade something I’d say try a new cartridge and save for a significant upgrade on the TT.
I went from the blue to the bronze and don’t regret the decision. Sounded fuller with more detail and smoother than the blue. I still think the blue is a great cartridge though. You might also want to consider the Goldring 1042, never heard it but a lot of people consider it a great MM cart.
 
The upgrade's definitely on the way. Originally it was a silver that came with the TT. I replaced the stylus with a 2M blue when it started to degrade. Took the time to reallign (i also have an electronic scale) and yet i've never been 100% with the sound.
 
What don’t you like about the sound. Maybe Ortofon isn’t to your liking. The Nags might be worth considering. It’s difficult to audition a cartridge though, doesn’t help that there are so many variations on the market.
 
Well, when i first got the TT, with a marantz mcr, a basic CA phono stage and QA2020i, it sounded better than my digital sources. I'd like something that has an equivalent quality to my current digital sources, but with a more natural sound. Otherwise i'd just use the digital sources.
 
On my Planar 3 I swapped out the Elys 2 for a AT VM540ML. Definitely an upgrade, providing a more balanced, detailed sound (not clinical) and no need to adjust the VTA.

Saying that though you need to be a dab hand at installing because it's a bugger to get right (it uses two screws as opposed to the Elys' 3). Great once done though 👍🏼
 
Last edited by a moderator:
Well, when i first got the TT, with a marantz mcr, a basic CA phono stage and QA2020i, it sounded better than my digital sources. I'd like something that has an equivalent quality to my current digital sources, but with a more natural sound. Otherwise i'd just use the digital sources.
You have made some great upgrades it’s your speakers and amp, maybe sit tight and enjoy the music for a bit whilst saving for a TT upgrade, that way when you buy it you could get the dealer to fit your cartridge if choice.
 
You have made some great upgrades it’s your speakers and amp, maybe sit tight and enjoy the music for a bit whilst saving for a TT upgrade, that way when you buy it you could get the dealer to fit your cartridge if choice.
Good advice. When upgrading more than one piece of kit there's always a temptation to want to upgrade everything, to align it all to a similar class. Better to get to know your kit as it stands for a few months at least to understand whether it's even really needed. However I concur with others here in that the most you need to do to you TT is perhaps upgrade the cart, once the current one begins to wear out of course!
 
Sounds sensible. Current amp and speaker set up sound wonderful to me and diminishing returns mean that they're it for me for a long time. Will have a think about cartridges. Need something balanced, and non-digital sounding. I have Qobuz for that (not a criticism).
 

The latest video from AVForums

Is 4K Blu-ray Worth It?
Subscribe to our YouTube channel
Back
Top Bottom