pbjabba Posted April 22, 2014 Share Posted April 22, 2014 Hey guys, I'm going to check out a secondhand Rega tomorrow and I was wondering if there was anything I should be on the look out for? I'm pretty much a complete noob when it comes to vinyl so any tips/questions I should ask the owner would be great Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Krispy Audio Posted April 22, 2014 Share Posted April 22, 2014 Most issues should be picked up by an audition, so definitely ask to see and hear it in action. I'd also ask how old, when the belt was last changed, and give it a good visual inspection to ensure it's been well cared for. Excessive dust around the intricate sections (e.g. tonearm near the mount) could mean premature wear. If you're buying it with a cartridge, check as best you can to ensure it's straight and not misaligned. Also have a listen to the deck without the rest of the system active, so you can hear for any bearing or other noises that don't sound right. 3 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
progladyte Posted April 22, 2014 Share Posted April 22, 2014 Most issues should be picked up by an audition, so definitely ask to see and hear it in action. I'd also ask how old, when the belt was last changed, and give it a good visual inspection to ensure it's been well cared for. Excessive dust around the intricate sections (e.g. tonearm near the mount) could mean premature wear. If you're buying it with a cartridge, check as best you can to ensure it's straight and not misaligned. Also have a listen to the deck without the rest of the system active, so you can hear for any bearing or other noises that don't sound right. This is great advice! Also be aware of current prices as you can often pick up a new Rega 1 for around $500. As you haven't mentioned which model you are auditioning it's hard to say what you should be expected to pay but Rega's have a tendency to hold their value pretty well as they are a highly regarded unit. Good luck with the audition and may you buy well if it floats your boat. Prog 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
pbjabba Posted April 22, 2014 Author Share Posted April 22, 2014 (edited) Thanks for the tips Krispy, they'll come in handy! Also have a listen to the deck without the rest of the system active, so you can hear for any bearing or other noises that don't sound right. ^ I hadn't even considered that, great tip! As you haven't mentioned which model you are auditioning it's hard to say what you should be expected to pay I'll be looking at a P3. According to the owner it's in pretty good nick, but I'll know more when I see it tomorrow. I think they usually go for around $400-500 on the classifieds here? Edited April 22, 2014 by pbjabba Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Telecine Posted April 22, 2014 Share Posted April 22, 2014 (edited) Check the tonearm bearings for any notches or excessive free-play. Take the belt off and spin the platter by hand. It should spin freely and run for more than a minute with a good spin. Check the motor pulley to ensure no wobbles and listen to the motor (ear against the plinth) to ensure that the motor is not noisy or vibrating. Make sure that the plinth isn't warped. Change speeds and play something at 45 RPM as well. Listen to it. Edited April 22, 2014 by Telecine Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Krispy Audio Posted April 23, 2014 Share Posted April 23, 2014 So how did you go!? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
pbjabba Posted April 24, 2014 Author Share Posted April 24, 2014 Well... I ended up buying it! It seems to be in pretty good condition. It could do with a wipe down though, you can probably see some fingermarks and dust on the plinth in the photo above. I'm not quite sure whats with the white line along the front edge in the photo. It doesn't look like that in real life, I guess it's just the light catching on it weirdly. Anyway, I didn't notice any issues in the inspection, like bearing/motor noise or the cart not being straight. It looks like it's been pretty well looked after. The seller was an audio enthusiast and had a lot of other gear and seemed like a guy who takes good care of his stuff. The owner had bought it secondhand about 18 months ago, I'm not sure about the history prior to that. During that time he had it checked out/balanced at a local hifi place and original belt was replaced with the white belt. It came with a RB300 tonearm and Elys cart, which I think are standard on P3's? I paid $425 for it. I think that's a pretty reasonable price going by prices in the classifieds and completed eBay listings. I'm pretty happy with the purchase so far. The only downside is that upgraditis is probably going to kick in for the rest of my system. I'm currently running the P3 through an old Onkyo AV receiver to some cheap Wharfedale bookshelfs. Definitely some room for improvement there I think. 3 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Telecine Posted April 24, 2014 Share Posted April 24, 2014 Well done. It looks like a great buy, enjoy. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
progladyte Posted April 24, 2014 Share Posted April 24, 2014 Nice T/T - Wish I had one! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
wolster Posted April 24, 2014 Share Posted April 24, 2014 A brilliant buy for the money. Now, lets consider an integrated amp with a good phono stage. Oops. I seem to be spending your money Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
elcamry Posted April 25, 2014 Share Posted April 25, 2014 You have now officially gone to the dark side and will forever upgrade. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Recommended Posts