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Rega rp8 help required


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Hi team, Happy Sunday.

 

Well i have dipped my toe into the world of vinyl.

I am rapt to be getting a Rega rp8 with exact cartride this week,(i know this is an older model but they had a great special on) after some persuading the better half has given me the green light.

I though getting the ok would be the hard bit. now i have a reasonable HT understanding but when it comes to TT i know nothing.

Sigh... they say there is no such thing as a dumb question well i think i have a few. Im almost embarrassed to ask but here goes...

What do i plug the rp8 into. I thought i could plug it into my preamp but from what i have read i need a phono preamp???

My system consists of Parasound a21 amp

Parasound JC 2 BP preamp

Marantz 7011 receiver, now i noticed this has a phono out but would it work and the rp8 justice?

 

Feeling a little overwhelmed, i use my oppo 205 for cd playback through my parasound pre but it seems i may need something else to run the rp8.

From doing my own research i may need something like an rega aria phono and if so what would i connect that to in my setup?

 

Any advise would be greatly appreciated,

 

Thanks Tom

 

 

 

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Doesn’t look like the jc2 has a phono preamp. With the quality of kit you have I wouldn’t bother using the phono in the MArantz as it will only be adequate.

Take a look at Graham Slee products on Whyndham Audio page, Keith has a loaner programme and is more than happy to let you try things out, even if you don’t buy. Once you try a GSP there won’t be any ‘not buying’ as I’ve just found out. 

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Hi Tom,

The Rega Aria is absolute overkill for the Exact Cartridge..

Most expensive phono stages are all about MC carts (the Exact is an MM).

 

The Rega FONO MM would be great for now... however,  if later on you changed to an MC cartridge you would then need to get a different phono pre.

 

The Fono MM will sound much  better than what is in the Marantz.

 

Enjoy ?

Edited by Douglas HiFi
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Maybe even consider budgeting for an upgrade over the Exact cart at the same time? As opposed to trying to buy at the level of the Exact.. 

 

In my own limited experience, can recommend the Denon DL301 mk2 MC cart. Pair that with a Graham Slee type phono and you’ll be golden :) 

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Hi Tom

 

Yes you just need one extra box of your choice to plug the rca leads into from the Rega and then the same into one of your inputs available on the preamp. You can use a lot of options , sna has a lot of phono stages for sale in the classifieds. Work out a budget and test in store or try any of the options above, its a simple mistake - some pre amps come with phono stages built in for mc and mm carts and others don't. Particularly models made 5 years or so ago when vinyl was all but dead part from us brave souls who kept the faith.

 

you have good gear, use the marantz short term to listen to your vinyl and then save up or buy a new phono stage and then really hear your system shine.

 

good luck mate

 

PS Also buy a phono stage that can do moving coil and moving magnet as the first upgrade you may make is to jump to moving coil and you want to ensure your phono stage handles its.

 

yes the mm cart you have is good but can be improved upon like everything else in time.

 

 

Edited by Eagleeyes
typos
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Gee thanks guys.

just came back from a bike ride with the kids and I’m feeling a little better about my self after reading all the above.

Plenty of food for thought, do I stick with the marantz short term and save a few more dollars. Do I get the Rega fono mm or do I try to future proof my self and go up the line.

btw thanks for pointing out that my cartridge is MM and the the more expensive ones are MC. Happy to be correct but from all reports the exact is good bang for tour buck and I should be happy with it.

as they say knowledge is power and I feel like I am more enchanted that I was just a few hours ago, thanks guys.

 

Keep your thought coming

Tommy

 

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Don’t assume that all MC’s are expensive and all MM’s are cheaper, although generally true it’s not always the case. I’m using a rather expensive MM cartridge that punches way above a lot of equally priced MC’s. It’s really all about what you like. Not all carts and not all phono pre amps are equal. It’s hard to try out carts before you buy but easier to sample phono preamps at home. 

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4 hours ago, gat474 said:

Don’t assume that all MC’s are expensive and all MM’s are cheaper, although generally true it’s not always the case. I’m using a rather expensive MM cartridge that punches way above a lot of equally priced MC’s. It’s really all about what you like. Not all carts and not all phono pre amps are equal. It’s hard to try out carts before you buy but easier to sample phono preamps at home. 

I second that. I have sold my RP8 and Aria last year, the Aria is a good MC phono but there are lot better MM phono's for less money. I have sold all my MC's and now use a very good MM which I would hold its own against most MC's. Infact my Stanton 881s out performs all the $2000+ MC's I've had.When you hear a cartridge that has 35dB of separation and 0dB channel balance this is clearly audible.

 

In the past MC's had better profile diamonds which made them more detailed. These days line contact stylus are available for even modest MM's, AT95ML comes to mind. Ones I have heard/owned Technics EPC100, Stanton 881s/ Pickering XSV3000 are exceptional cartridges, Technics EPC205 is very good and the Audio Technica AT95HE was also a very competent performer especially for the price, I preferred the AT95HE to the Apheta 2 on the RP8.

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Thanks again for the feedback.

I have had a few messages re my exact cartridge, this has not been purchased yet, do I get a better cartridge now before I get the exact fitted this week?

Sumiko has been mentioned to me, do I have to spend a lot more to upgrade the exact, anyone who has had an similar table I would love to hear what stood out for you?

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5 hours ago, tomE said:

Thanks again for the feedback.

I have had a few messages re my exact cartridge, this has not been purchased yet, do I get a better cartridge now before I get the exact fitted this week?

Sumiko has been mentioned to me, do I have to spend a lot more to upgrade the exact, anyone who has had an similar table I would love to hear what stood out for you?

If I were you I would not buy a Rega cartridge. My RP8 sounded better with an AT95HE than the $2500 Apheta 2.  I think an AT95ML would be a better choice than a Rega cartridge. I have had 2 Rega cartridges the original Apheta that came with the RP8 fell apart after less than 20hrs, the bottom cover of the cartridge came away, so I upgraded to the Apheta 2 and sold it with 8hrs on it.

 

The AT540ML has had great reviews and I have been seriously considering buying one to try it out. I have a Technics EPC205 with a Jico SAS which is the same diamond as the ML and it is eerily quiet, almost NO clicks and pops.

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  • 2 weeks later...

I'd be looking at the Rega Ania mc cart to match, it'll mount perfectly and work nicely on the RP8, I think it's even offered as a factory fit option.

 

For phono stage, a little while back I saw a Melos on here for bugger all. (Under $1k from memory) which you won't buy better than, I'm pretty sure they're an LCR design and sound phenomenal. I'd have snapped it up, except I don't have any money, and my pre already has a stage that's pretty good. 

 

Alternatively if you can find an Ortofon Jubilee, I've seen plenty of the top end Rega decks matched with this, and everyone seems to love the combo. I'll have one for sale once I get it rebuilt properly, but that won't be for a while I don't think.

 

Sumiko make nice cartridges, I assume you're looking at something like the blue point special.. Just be aware most of these getting around are HOMC, which puts around 2.5v smack between the 1mv of MC and 4mv of MM, so you want more gain than one and less gain than the other. I'd be chasing something like 50db gain to run it properly. I had a phono stage running 55db with mine, but it was touch too much. 

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