Briz Vegas Posted January 9, 2014 Share Posted January 9, 2014 (edited) Due to the popularity of the first thread on Rega turntables "we" had to create another. RULES - Show us what ya got and a little blurb about the set up, phono cart etc. - Rega only - No haters, go on get outa here. I choose to start the thread.........here. My P5 with Ortofon Bronze and TTpsu on a flimsy table, as I read somewhere that it's a decent isolation solution. Currently a bedroom system while I'm doing some work in the spare room. This is my second system and it gets a decent amount of use as I explore vinyl. It speaks to me through my "old" B&W 705s and the amp is a humble NAD 713 receiver circa 1996 ish. It's good fun to listen to and it's by far the best these 705s have ever sounded. I never liked them much with digital sources. Edited January 9, 2014 by Briz Vegas 4 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
cheekyboy Posted January 9, 2014 Share Posted January 9, 2014 (edited) I've had a couple of Rega decks over the years. A P25 which I still get to see occasionally and an early model Rega Planar 3 and both decks, especially the P25 were exceptionally good turntables. The Planar 3 was absolutely stock and I believe had no right sounding as good as it did and with the P25, I replaced the glass platter with an acrylic one and I also replaced the plastic sub platter with one of Smillie's beautifully engineered sub platters, otherwise it was stock with an RB600 arm. I'll see if I can find a pic or two put up as well. Cheers, Keith Edited January 9, 2014 by cheekyboy 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
4heckssake Posted January 9, 2014 Share Posted January 9, 2014 Geez, I missed the first thread altogether but anyways I used to listen to Cheekyboy's Planar 3 when he was living in Adelaide and it left me with a need to go out and buy a couple of them myself. one is standard planar 3, the other is a P3 with the groovevtracer sub platter upgrade. both real nice and dependable decks. one is spinning right now! should be working but obviously I'm not ;-) 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
blackangus Posted January 9, 2014 Share Posted January 9, 2014 (edited) I've owned acouple of Rega decks, the first being a planar two I picked up hideously cheaply, in need of a cartridge and feet (which I had) and a platter I purchased from djb for beer money (I'm not saying that's what he spent it on, but I no doubt would have had I not needed the platter).It was great and cheap and offered quite a contrast to my sprung turntables (Thorens and acoustic research)Curiosity got the better of me and I had the arm re wired, added machined sub platter, achromat and at 440mla and it was even better. Ultimately I tired of some of the speed stability issues evident on slower works. I looked into the 24v motor and external psu, but when a p3 24 with all the good gear became available I jumped on that, selling the planar two sans sub platter, achromat and with a 2m blueNow my Rega runs a 2m black through an ifi iphono which I've been very happy with. Currently using the blue little belter after trying the stock black and upgraded white belts Edited January 9, 2014 by blackangus 3 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Grumpy Posted January 9, 2014 Share Posted January 9, 2014 Geez, I missed the first thread altogether but anyways I used to listen to Cheekyboy's Planar 3 when he was living in Adelaide and it left me with a need to go out and buy a couple of them myself. one is standard planar 3, the other is a P3 with the groovevtracer sub platter upgrade. both real nice and dependable decks. one is spinning right now! should be working but obviously I'm not ;-) I too first heard the joys of the Rega at cheekyboys Adelaide 'pad' and it really was an amazing sound in that system. I SO wanted a P3 also after hearing cheekys, but the funds weren't there at the time . Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ophool Posted January 9, 2014 Share Posted January 9, 2014 Just for a quick refresh of the beginnings of my Rega adventures I dug up this old thread from 7 years ago when there was no turntable sub-forum and little discussion of turntables here. Since then that P2 has been modded within an inch of its life In its current guise it has an SRM tech bearing damper ring, SRM tech Rega Silent Base, Groovetracer Reference sub-platter and bearings, Groovetracer acrylic platter, 24v motor and TTPSU, Michael Lim double 33rpm pulley, pair of Rega white belts, 5mm Achromat and Bruil pattern weight. The last mod being to fit an Audiocraft AC300C unipivot arm to allow cartridge changes as I now regularly use a Mono cartridge as well. This deck has seen me progress to better speakers, better phono stages (Now GSP Revelation/Exp), better amp (custom 2A3), better cables (I/C & speaker) and better cartridges, DL-103, DL-301 II (now rebuilt with ruby cantilever by Soundsmith) and further. It has provided countless hours of musical pleasure and a great learning experience of turntables and their setup and tweaking and helped me to develop my own method of record cleaning to provide the best possible reduction in extraneous distractions. A brief aside to a comment in the earlier thread regarding surface/vinyl noise, it has seemed to me that as the overall performance of the replay system improves, particularly I think, WRT coherence of phase response through the whole chain, that the noise becomes spatially distinct from the performance and as easily ignored as people coughing, rustling paper or shuffling their feet at a live performance. I have now, only the last few days, retired it. The decision to do so was made with much trepidation as to whether its considerably more expensive replacement would in fact provide a significant audible improvement or prove a costly mistake. Fortunately for me or perhaps in part due to care and investigation prior to purchase, its replacement has already demonstrated ample evidence of its breeding and qualifications. That I should be that uncertain of the outcome should give some indication of my respect for the Rega as I had developed it over the years. Perhaps in a day or so I may have opportunity for a photoshoot of the lovely one (P2). 3 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
betty boop Posted January 9, 2014 Share Posted January 9, 2014 ah yes rega... mine is my much loved P9, running an ortofon jubilee, and thorens cork/natural rubber split mat prior to that I had the p25 which ran ortofon mc10 superme on for many years before trying the jubilee as shown in the shot of my table below, 10 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Darth Posted January 9, 2014 Share Posted January 9, 2014 My first turntable and cartridge. Love the looks, simplicity and sound of my RP3 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bebop Posted January 9, 2014 Share Posted January 9, 2014 A listen to the Coldplay Parachutes album on a Rega P2 one lazy Sunday was what started me onto this hobby (i.e. what is this black disc and why does it sound so good?).What started as a stock P3-24/RB301/ElysII with TT-PSU evolved into what I have now. Groovetracer Reference subplatter and Delrin Platter Michael Lim dual pulley with white belts SRM Tech Rega Silent Base Audiomods Classic tonearm (Cardas copper wire) Benz Micro ACE S (Medium output) RSA Nighthawk phono preamp 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Keith Anderson Posted January 9, 2014 Share Posted January 9, 2014 Would love to hear your TT one day bebop, I've been thinking about the audiomods arm for a while, And al that P9 is sweet looking 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bebop Posted January 9, 2014 Share Posted January 9, 2014 Sure thing. Once the house renovation is done (what have I gotten myself into with this renovation ) I would love to hear some others opinions, i.e. do these "upgrades" really make any difference . The tonearm does make a subtle but definite improvement to carts. Gives a bit more definition. However, to me, carts and phono make a bigger impact in sound differences. Al's P9 is very nice indeed. A classic. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
illusion Posted January 9, 2014 Share Posted January 9, 2014 (edited) Here's my contribution to the Rega appreciation fest. As per pictures: 1. Custom made DigitalDeckCover 2. SRM/Tech Silent Base - Rega 3. GROOVETRACER® SUBPLATTER with Rega white belt 4. Michell Engineering Rega Turntable Record Clamp 5. Ortofon 2M Blue MM Cartridge 6. Funk Firm Achroplat II Supported by Rega TT- PSU / Lehmann Audio Black Cube SE / TTW Audio Periphery Record Clamp TTAlloy / QED Performance Audio 1 RCA Cable. Edited January 9, 2014 by illusion 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
cafe67 Posted January 9, 2014 Share Posted January 9, 2014 Lol t Lets try that again (in best daffy duck voice) I even took some new photies for the occassion But i really like Al's P9 , im not sure the rp8 or maybe even rp10 look as good? 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Peter_F Posted January 9, 2014 Share Posted January 9, 2014 I found some pics of my Rega P3 which I owned for 25 years from new with Linn Basik+ tonearm and Ortofon Rhondo Blue cart. 4 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Y B Posted January 9, 2014 Share Posted January 9, 2014 Not a P9, proud owner just the same Started with P3-24 (Ophool generously helped with the set up), then the whole mods including GT Ref subplatter, Michael Lim double pulley with double white belts, SRM Tech Silence Base, counterweight, acrylic platter etc... even a RB700 arm! Sutherland Ph3D Battery Powered Phono and VPI Soundsmith Zephyr Moving Iron Cart. I enjoyed the mod journey tremendously and had a wonderful time. I couldn't afford a P9 and RP8 arrived at the perfect time. Paired with Apheta/Shelter 7000, Moon 310LP and just added a Lightspeed attenuator which added more than a few notches of refinement. Still powered by the cheap but wonderful Audio Space KT88 tube amp... And honestly, right now I don't feel like I need to change the amp at all. I can't believe the system sounds so good and it plays SOOOO LOUD! Sorry... I never said I am an audiophile... I am loving this hobby at the moment, maybe just spending a bit too much time in this than I should... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
betty boop Posted January 9, 2014 Share Posted January 9, 2014 cafe and yb the new gloss black RP6 and RP8 sure look sexy I must say ps yb its an interesting counterweight you run on the rp8 too, might have to post some more pics and explanation about that one Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Keith Anderson Posted January 9, 2014 Share Posted January 9, 2014 Look like a groovetracer counter, could be wrong though 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
cheekyboy Posted January 9, 2014 Share Posted January 9, 2014 Look like a groovetracer counter, could be wrong though I think you're right, Keith, it looks like Smillie's underslung counterweight. Cheers, Keith Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
alistairm Posted January 10, 2014 Share Posted January 10, 2014 A Rega was my first serious turntable. Hard to beat the simplicity of setup, the pleasing aesthetics, the upgrade path and the bang for buck. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
betty boop Posted January 10, 2014 Share Posted January 10, 2014 rega owners will appreciate this one, visit to rega research... http://www.theabsolutesound.com/articles/meet-your-maker-hi-fi-visits-rega-research/ page 10 has a few picks of the sexy new cost no object rega naid... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
evil c Posted January 10, 2014 Share Posted January 10, 2014 When I got back into hi-fi around 10 years ago (kids sapped my dedication) I bought a stock Rega Planar 3. I spent many enjoyable (1000's) of hours tweaking it with mods & isolation methods and the journey was invaluable in expanding my musical appreciation coupled with high quality reproduction at an affordable price. This is the good part about Rega's - you can spend around $400 - 500 and leave it at that with still a good rig or update and spend along the way - all the time reaping the improved sonic benefits for your money! 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ophool Posted January 10, 2014 Share Posted January 10, 2014 Al, I must say I think your P9 looks lovely, if I only wanted to use one cartridge I might well have picked up the P9 on here not long ago. YB your RP8 looks the business, still love your sideboard. I have often thought that the GT counterweight having its weights either side should enhance bass response by increasing the lateral inertia slightly and helping the stylus to move only the cantilever rather than the whole arm. Using a Tecnoarm for most of my time with my Rega, I never had opportunity to test this theory (the Moerch DP-8 uses a similar principle and I read at one time of a DIY mod for the RB250 involving adding lateral weights on the bearing axis to similar effect). 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
betty boop Posted January 10, 2014 Share Posted January 10, 2014 yeah I like it about the rega's that they dont cost the earth, good honest engineering, built to last. something can just buy and enjoy for decades....or add relatively affordable mods...the tables seem to hold their value well too, so can also just as easily sell up and move up the rega tree noticed in this article "meet your maker" visit to rega, which might interest http://www.theabsolutesound.com/articles/meet-your-maker-hi-fi-visits-rega-research/ the rather sexy and yet minimalist rega naid. yep cost no object flag waver for them am sure but a good test bed for some cutting edge stuff and gives a hint of rega tech to come I'm guessing. sure there'll be some trickle down, if there hasnt been already in the rp8 and 10 with their skeletal designs. good that while they have made good tables in the past and continue to do so, also not the kind of company to just sit still 3 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
evil c Posted January 10, 2014 Share Posted January 10, 2014 yeah I like it about the rega's that they dont cost the earth, good honest engineering, built to last. something can just buy and enjoy for decades....or add relatively affordable mods...the tables seem to hold their value well too, so can also just as easily sell up and move up the rega tree noticed in this article "meet your maker" visit to rega, which might interest http://www.theabsolutesound.com/articles/meet-your-maker-hi-fi-visits-rega-research/ the rather sexy and yet minimalist rega naid. yep cost no object flag waver for them am sure but a good test bed for some cutting edge stuff and gives a hint of rega tech to come I'm guessing. sure there'll be some trickle down, if there hasnt been already in the rp8 and 10 with their skeletal designs. good that while they have made good tables in the past and continue to do so, also not the kind of company to just sit still Good point - al, another advantage to Rega's is their ease in re-selling at little loss (until you go the heavily modified route! ) Great looking rig that - kinda naked! 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
illusion Posted January 10, 2014 Share Posted January 10, 2014 Excellent rigs all around, this kinda validates some of my insanity. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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