Brian_S Posted June 27, 2020 Share Posted June 27, 2020 Hi all. Hoping some of you gurus may want to weigh in with some advice / direction please; I have an RP6 with Exact cart, upgraded with Groovetracer sub platter and Little Belter blue belt. I love it - rhythmic, engaging, detailed - so much so that my LP12 has been relegated to the soon to be sold shelf in my storeroom (controversial, I agree). So, now considering upgrade paths for the RP6 I'm considering one / some of the the following; Groovetracer Delrin plater (approx $700), RB 330 tonearm (also approx $700), NEO PSU $449 Fono MC preamp $449 Ania MC Cart $999 Alternatively, I could sell my existing RP6 for (say) $1000 and pick up a new P6 TT w no cart (that already includes the NEO + RB330) for 2K, or with a new exact fitted $2399. or with the Ania MC for $2799. So basically I could have a new P6 for a cost delta of a grand. I have my own ideas on what would give the best improvements / cost but would really appreciate recommendations from you all on what path would provide the greatest sonic benefits. FYI - the RP6 plays directly through my Plinus 9200 in-built phono stage. Thanks in advance. Cheers, Brian Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dwbasement Posted June 27, 2020 Share Posted June 27, 2020 (edited) Instead of spending money on the upgrade, sell it and get a RP8 or RP10, and upgrade the cart. I have been there done that, IMO upgrading those platter, counter weight...etc are not worth the money than getting the higher model, When you get the 8, 9 or 10, there is no need to play with those upgrades, find a nice cart and phono stage is all you need. Edited June 27, 2020 by dwbasement 3 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
awayward Posted June 27, 2020 Share Posted June 27, 2020 I would give up on upgrading your RP6. I had a RP6 with a Groovetracer sub platter, with a Apheta 2 cart, bought a P9 and fitted the same Apheta cart, this combo blew the RP6 away. I’ve since upgraded the cart which has taken it to another level. I think that a tt can get to a stage of upgrading where it is better to go to a better tt, and go from there, you will get better performance. 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
buddyev Posted June 27, 2020 Share Posted June 27, 2020 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
wen Posted June 27, 2020 Share Posted June 27, 2020 beat me to it buddyev, the P9 would put him miles in front 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
buddyev Posted June 27, 2020 Share Posted June 27, 2020 I think that going from 6 to 6 is a sideways move and certainly not bang for buck. The P9 on the other hand is a leap into the big time for not a lot more money. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Telecine Posted June 27, 2020 Share Posted June 27, 2020 (edited) Given your preferences, I would consider buying an RP8 if I were you and selling off both of your decks. I think that you will find that if you have purchased the Groovetracer RP6 sub-platter that you cannot fit the Delrin platter. The Delrin platter is a significant upgrade in my opinion. I have three Regas with Groovetracer reference sub-platters and Delrin platters and an acrylic platter too. A tonearm upgrade is a significant improvement too but you would want to consider an RB-700, RB-808, RB-900 or RB-1000 etc to achieve a significant step up in performance over the RB-303 on your deck. The alternative would be an Audiomods arm. Have a listen to an RP9 or RP10 to see if you like the sound with the ceramic platter. One of these might be in scope if you sell off the other decks. Get a decent cart and phono stage. Edited June 27, 2020 by Telecine Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Eagleeyes Posted June 27, 2020 Share Posted June 27, 2020 51 minutes ago, buddyev said: I think that going from 6 to 6 is a sideways move and certainly not bang for buck. The P9 on the other hand is a leap into the big time for not a lot more money. I can tell you all first hand having owned multiple lp12's- many other decks, vis, transrotors - older style direct drive technics and denons and a Rega rp6, 2x rp 10's and 2 rp9s , the (my current rp9 )with the rb 1000 arm and the matching brand new reconditioned ortofon jubillee cart will beat anything upto 10k or even more in price, its a magic deck and Arm nd the cart was an anniversary piece od cartridge qmagnificentance never replicated by Ortofon. its taking me 5 times the price to beat the combination. it took me over 12 months to find another rp9 and longer to find the cart, the combo is special and I guarantee you will not be disappointed. I am selling out of a very one off opportunity to move up to a deck I never thought o could justify or own. If you don't buy my rp9 and jubilee try to listen o one and judge for yourself. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
betty boop Posted June 27, 2020 Share Posted June 27, 2020 Yep sell the deck, skip upgrades and just Head up the rega ladder and suitable carts ..... fantastic decks ... 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Telecine Posted June 27, 2020 Share Posted June 27, 2020 This P9 is local to you and you can audition it: Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Brian_S Posted June 29, 2020 Author Share Posted June 29, 2020 Thanks all. Apologies for the delay in responding to your feedback - all much appreciated. Confirmed my own thoughts - more of a sideways move albeit with some sonic advantages, but likely money not that wisely spent. Frankly, and to agree with Telecine above, a decent standalone phono stage (and cart) would make more sense, even before upgrading to entirely new table. Thanks for the links to the P9 decks also - that would tick all boxes as would a new P8, but can't bring myself to justify that expenditure without first incorporating a new phono pre-amp to get the most out of it. Would likely find this would also reveal more of my RP6's qualities in the meantime. In fact, it would also draw the most out of my LP12 (running a Krystal cart on Ittok arm) that might even have me reassessing which unit to sell...... So, for the time being I'll run with the current set up, and investigate phono stage contenders (and convincing the misses that it is essential expenditure.......) Cheers all. 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rhythm Willie Posted June 29, 2020 Share Posted June 29, 2020 My son recently purchased a P6 with a Soundsmith Carmen 11 cartridge that sounds great, the biggest "upgrade" suggested by Vaf who sell a lot of Regas was a cork/rubber mat to replace then felt one, makes a lot of difference. We had a good listen to a P8 and P10 before deciding on the P6/Soundsmith combo. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
betty boop Posted June 29, 2020 Share Posted June 29, 2020 definitely he corke runner blue horizon mat, been using it on my rega p9 for years and prior rega before that. same thickness as the felt so down even need to adjust vta or anything. just take felt off put the cork rubber on https://www.decibelhifi.com.au/blue-horizon-promat-turntable-platter-mat Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rhythm Willie Posted June 30, 2020 Share Posted June 30, 2020 Definately the way to go on a Rega, tried it on my EAT table, but because the platter is just so much heavier than a Rega and also has vinyl slab damping bonded to the platter it made no difference. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Brian_S Posted July 5, 2020 Author Share Posted July 5, 2020 Thanks guys. Funnily enough I found a blue horizon mat amongst my stash of hi-fi paraphernalia that I bought some years ago for use with a Marantz TT-15S. For whatever reason it just did not work well with that 'table at all, hence its relegation to the storage room way back then. But, per your suggestions I've been using it on the RP6 for the past few days in lieu of the OEM felt mat. There are definite sonic advantages, although at first listen I thought there was less air and space around instruments, and drums and cymbals in particular seemed to lose a title life. However after a few listens and over various albums and genres, (and mat switching), that "air" was probably actually more of an anomaly - an artefact imposed by the felt mat (IMHO). With the blue horizon combo, there was a definite tightening of bass instruments, whilst at the same time providing more definition to higher frequencies - cymbals and hi-hats sound especially crisp, with a more realistic shimmer. Voices and mid range frequencies appear more pronounced (but not artificially so), and everything just works in a really holistic way. Case in point was the seminal first B52s album that is surprisingly well recorded and produced, and this just rocked and twanged and grooved like I had not heard before. And The Modern Lovers first album had such a live, raw feel to it that I really do believe that Pablo Picasso was indeed never called an arsehole (not in New York.....) Basically, and avoiding and further "hi-fi speak", I've been simply digging vinyl over the last few days on the RP6 in a way that I have not been doing for quite some time. Such a simple upgrade. So, thank you. Will therefore be leaving the setup as is for the time being, but seriously looking at moving to the P8 sometime in the next few months. Hope to audition soon......... Cheers, Brian 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Grant Slack Posted July 8, 2020 Share Posted July 8, 2020 (edited) Hi Brian, good luck with your quest. Putting aside subjective reports (because they will always vary, often to extremes, and in the end, there is no reason that your experience will be the same as any of them, and that's the only one that counts in your case), I just thought I would mention that the P9 is a 1995 turntable. One for the classic collectors, IMHO. Even though I am not an expert on the old girl, I would guess that Rega's 2020 P6 advances on it in a number of ways. Taking into account your happiness with your setup, and your stated budget, your notion of proceeding along the line of development of your current, satisfying, deck makes a lot of sense to me. Whether that be changes to the deck (e.g. a P6) or arm or cartridge, is the big question. I don't think the P6 option is a sideways step, at all. Almost every technology has been completely changed, not just updated or upgraded. Comparison here. The P6 has several technologies from the P10 and P8. Speaking of which, if you buy a P6, Rega have, since 1 Feb 2020, been fitting it with the P10's advanced belt. This belt is not white, so check that out if you are buying and paying full price. cheers Grant Edited July 8, 2020 by Grant Slack 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Brian_S Posted July 8, 2020 Author Share Posted July 8, 2020 Thanks Grant. That link to the RP6 / P6 comparison was quite enlightening, but would have been even better if they had also included a listening comparison....! As I was saying in my original post, it becomes debatable whether to speed dollars on component upgrades to my RP6, or just sell it and wear the almost equivalent cost delta on a new P6. From what you are saying, and from the information on the soundorg comparison, it would make more sense to jump straight to the much improved P6 rather than throwing money at component upgrades (tonearm, PSU, platter etc). I may still take this P6 route, but the appeal of the P8 for a little more financial outlay and almost certain sonic superiority is very tempting. However the additional consideration when taking this path (to make it most effective) is the added cost of an MC phono stage and MC cart. What I intend to do is audition the P6 and P8 side by side with minimal change in variables and assess the best sonic / value upgrade. I’m at a point in my life where I would like to jump off the perpetual upgrade path and settle on my forever components (hey, don’t laugh...). Already have my speakers and digital front end sorted , so the analogue challenge awaits. ..... Cheers, Brian 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Brian_S Posted July 8, 2020 Author Share Posted July 8, 2020 Should also add, whilst my LP12 is a great machine with a legacy that many manufacturers can only dream of, I do believe that turntable technology (especially the selection and use of new age materials) has improved so much over the past few years that even rather modest offerings from rivals come close to, if not surpassing the sonic abilities of these older turntables. Hence my preference for my RP6. I could bring my Linn up to today’s class leading standards but at a literal cost of many thousand of dollars........ Very difficult to justify. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Telecine Posted July 8, 2020 Share Posted July 8, 2020 (edited) 10 hours ago, Brian_S said: Should also add, whilst my LP12 is a great machine with a legacy that many manufacturers can only dream of, I do believe that turntable technology (especially the selection and use of new age materials) has improved so much over the past few years that even rather modest offerings from rivals come close to, if not surpassing the sonic abilities of these older turntables. Hence my preference for my RP6. I could bring my Linn up to today’s class leading standards but at a literal cost of many thousand of dollars........ Very difficult to justify. Not sure what spec your LP12 is but I see that you say that it has an Ittok arm and a Krystal cart. LP12 upgrades are relatively expensive compared to anything Rega. That said, a properly set up LP12 ought to be a very good performer. If you haven't done so already, you should consider having the LP12 serviced by someone with experience in setting them up. Personally, I am not greatly convinced that new age materials make a significant difference to the performance of Rega tables. The Rega philosophy is to build light and stiff platforms. Using lighter materials in the plinth has required adding braces to maintain the stiffness. The things that make a significant difference to the Rega decks are: 1. The quality of the sub-platter and bearing 2. The weight of the platter and in particular how much peripheral weighting exists 3. The quality of the tonearm, in particular the bearings 4. The quality of the power supply and the method of mounting the motor These aspects are better addressed and improved in the higher end models but also by aftermarket options. The glass and ceramic platters provide an cost-effective and innovative option but require damping with a felt or cork/rubber mat. That issue is addressed by Delrin or Acrylic aftermarket platters. Edited July 8, 2020 by Telecine 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
betty boop Posted July 8, 2020 Share Posted July 8, 2020 11 hours ago, Brian_S said: What I intend to do is audition the P6 and P8 side by side with minimal change in variables and assess the best sonic / value upgrade. I’m at a point in my life where I would like to jump off the perpetual upgrade path and settle on my forever components (hey, don’t laugh...). Already have my speakers and digital front end sorted , so the analogue challenge awaits. ..... Cheers, Brian personally id be including p9 in the mix there. id go for p9 over p8 any day....also if a p7 ever came up id grab that over a p6 as well not sure why p7 never gets a mention they were lovely decks and come up very affordably...nothing much can go wrong with decks so unless been visibly abused i would have no qualms buying 2nd hand...can be huge bargains 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Cardiiiii Posted July 9, 2020 Share Posted July 9, 2020 6 hours ago, betty boop said: personally id be including p9 in the mix there. id go for p9 over p8 any day....also if a p7 ever came up id grab that over a p6 as well not sure why p7 never gets a mention they were lovely decks and come up very affordably...nothing much can go wrong with decks so unless been visibly abused i would have no qualms buying 2nd hand...can be huge bargains Wasn't the P9 released a good while back? Given the R8 came out only a couple of years ago I'd imagine it's as good or better than the P9? Please correct me if I'm wrong! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
betty boop Posted July 9, 2020 Share Posted July 9, 2020 13 minutes ago, Cardiiiii said: Wasn't the P9 released a good while back? Given the R8 came out only a couple of years ago I'd imagine it's as good or better than the P9? Please correct me if I'm wrong! Does the p8 get the ceramic platter of the p9 the motor control the sub platter or arm ??? No it doesn’t what will find is you need to step upto p10 to get that sort of thing. Like always in rega you go up the tree for better fruit as @Telecine very well outlined ... just because a p8 has a foam plinth doesn’t mean it’s suddenly better than everything else as it still needs a stiffening brace. Things like platters sub platters, motor. Control carts wiring etc all still matter today I’d take a p9 over an 8 any day. I’d even wonder about a p7 with its beaut arm ceramic platter sub platter etc. re p10 p9 I bet 10 is better but I myself prefer the classic rega looks 3 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Cardiiiii Posted July 9, 2020 Share Posted July 9, 2020 13 minutes ago, betty boop said: Does the p8 get the ceramic platter of the p9 the motor control the sub platter or arm ??? No it doesn’t what will find is you need to step upto p10 to get that sort of thing. Like always in rega you go up the tree for better fruit as @Telecine very well outlined ... just because a p8 has a foam plinth doesn’t mean it’s suddenly better than everything else as it still needs a stiffening brace. Things like platters sub platters, motor. Control carts wiring etc all still matter today I’d take a p9 over an 8 any day. I’d even wonder about a p7 with its beaut arm ceramic platter sub platter etc. re p10 p9 I bet 10 is better but I myself prefer the classic rega looks Thanks for clarifying that! I do prefer the wooden plinth look myself. The P9 in Melbourne seems like it's still available. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
betty boop Posted July 9, 2020 Share Posted July 9, 2020 10 minutes ago, Cardiiiii said: Thanks for clarifying that! I do prefer the wooden plinth look myself. The P9 in Melbourne seems like it's still available. If there’s one in melb still .. two words ... GRAB IT Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Grant Slack Posted July 9, 2020 Share Posted July 9, 2020 (edited) 35 minutes ago, Cardiiiii said: Wasn't the P9 released a good while back? See this post. (Hint: a quarter century ago.) Good for classic collectors. Edited July 9, 2020 by Grant Slack 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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