Choosing Between Rega RP3 , RP40 and RP6

[Krorghar]

Greetings

I got a friend (another) who is considering to get a TT between RP3 with Elys 2 (600€), RP40 with his Stock Elys40 capsule (900€) and RP6 with Exact (1200€) in every case He will get a Rega MM phono Stage (225€). He would love to know If the price increases of each models are in consonance with the supposed quality increase. In other words, is the improved quality of each model, worth the price?

What model should you guys advice to get?

 

[Frank Harvey]

There are pretty big differences between the RP3 and RP6, and it's definitely worth the extra. Tell him to get the best one he can.

 

[Hi-FiOutlaw]

I've been a former owner of a RP3 for 1 1/2 year and have upgraded 2 month ago to a RP6.

The big loop is the TTPSU and I think the RP40 already have, so i don't know if the gap between the RP40 and RP6 will be worth it... Maybe the plater and sub plater will justify the difference...

 

[Freddy58]

There are pretty big differences between the RP3 and RP6, and it's definitely worth the extra. Tell him to get the best one he can.

Hiya Dave. Could you please expand on this? At some stage, I will be looking to upgrade from my old Planar 3.

 

[bebelacus]

Hi. I can tell my own experience. I am totally new to vinyl and below are just my opinions and impressions.
I was planning to get a TT. Never owned one before and my only experience was with my father's direct drive Grundig as a kid.
I initially thought going entry level: Pro-ject Debut Carbon, Rega RP1 or one of the Audio Technica USB ones. Tried them, liked the Project. After a few months i tried the RP3 whick i liked more and thought giving a try to similar priced gear from Project and listened a RPM5.1
I went home planning to make a decision over the next 2 months. I went to buy the RP3 and when i arrived at the shop i asked the dealer to demo the RP6 and Clearaudio Concept. At that moment i knew that if i would buy the RP3 I wont be happy so i stretched the budget and got the RP6 in green with Exact2 cartridge.
I liked it more than the Concept. To my ears, better sound, more spacious, dynamic, better bass. Concept sound was a bit more fun i would say but somehow restrained. Both tried with their stock cartridges, through a Micromega mygroove phono and Spendor A5 speakers. I ended up buying the Micromega MyGroove phono. It sounded better than a Rega phono and a Furutech. The match is really nice and sweet sounding to me. A few pros for Rega: dust cover and that power supply. The dealer added a few accessories for free plus a discount. I got a Clearaudio stylus brush, a Clearaudio carbon dust brush for vinyl and a Nagaoka RC-401record clamp. I tried the record clamp but couldnt notice a difference. I would also like to ask you if a clamp is to be avoided on a Rega RP6.
Final price for all above: 1090 £. I paid in Euro but made the conversion in pounds at that day rate of exchange so you can have an idea.

 

[bebelacus]

Next stop was to a record shop. Got Belafonte at Carnevie Hall, The Wall, some Pink Martini, Melody Gardot, Nirvana Unplugged, Leonard Cohen and a few more. Small collection but it will grow up in time.
I arrived home and it sounds even better than in the shop. And i didnt bother isolating or checking the leveling on my desk. It is also very close to the speakers. I am planning to position it properly but it is another project, changing the furniture in the living room, hanging the TT on the wall, on a dedicated support.
Ah...it looks beautiful too. It is the first piece of hifi equipment that my wife really likes. She even likes to tell our friends about the beautiful TT "we" have. Moreover she said the music really sounds sweeter on the vinyl than on the cd.
Ok, that is my story for now in case someone wants a new TT and want give RP6 a try. I also recommend trying the Micromega phono. Very good.

 

[Hi-FiOutlaw]

Hi. I can tell my own experience. I am totally new to vinyl and below are just my opinions and impressions. I was planning to get a TT. Never owned one before and my only experience was with my father's direct drive Grundig as a kid. I initially thought going entry level: Pro-ject Debut Carbon, Rega RP1 or one of the Audio Technica USB ones. Tried them, liked the Project. After a few months i tried the RP3 whick i liked more and thought giving a try to similar priced gear from Project and listened a RPM5.1 I went home planning to make a decision over the next 2 months. I went to buy the RP3 and when i arrived at the shop i asked the dealer to demo the RP6 and Clearaudio Concept. At that moment i knew that if i would buy the RP3 I wont be happy so i stretched the budget and got the RP6 in green with Exact2 cartridge. I liked it more than the Concept. To my ears, better sound, more spacious, dynamic, better bass. Concept sound was a bit more fun i would say but somehow restrained. Both tried with their stock cartridges, through a Micromega mygroove phono and Spendor A5 speakers. I ended up buying the Micromega MyGroove phono. It sounded better than a Rega phono and a Furutech. The match is really nice and sweet sounding to me. A few pros for Rega: dust cover and that power supply. The dealer added a few accessories for free plus a discount. I got a Clearaudio stylus brush, a Clearaudio carbon dust brush for vinyl and a Nagaoka RC-401record clamp. I tried the record clamp but couldnt notice a difference. I would also like to ask you if a clamp is to be avoided on a Rega RP6. Final price for all above: 1090 £. I paid in Euro but made the conversion in pounds at that day rate of exchange so you can have an idea.

This is from Roy Gandy it self:

"People can be puzzled by the idea of the record merely resting on a felt mat, because so many manufacturers advocate clamping it to the platter. Could Gandy explain?

"It's, quite simply, surface area. If you have a weight of a kilogram and you want to glue it onto the ceiling, and the weight is 10cm long and a square centimeter in section, if you put glue on that square centimeter and stick it on the ceiling, however strong the glue is, it's likely to fall off after a period of time. If you make the area 10 square centimeters, the glue itself has to take only 1?10 of the load. You are spreading the stress over 10 times the area. With a turntable, the stress on a rotating record—and stress also relates to vibrational input—is spread over the whole area of the 12"-diameter LP. In that context, the mat, contacting it at many, many different points, is very stiff."

full interview here http://www.stereophile.com/content/roy-gandy-40-years-reganomics

 

[Krorghar]

Than ks for all the comments guys

My friend is still deciding. Our dealer told us that Rega is going to have some nice offers for the RP6 on september, any clue about that?

 

[bebelacus]

Thanks. I stopped using the clamp. Anyway, in my system i couldn't notice any difference whatsoever. But i am so happy with the rp6. I feel it is the most significant part in my system now and it is also the part of my system that i enjoyed the most.
As for the difference in sound, if budget allows, my advice is going for the RP6. I am not a hifi expert, i dont even understand terms like azimuth, vta but i can hear the sound. I did not even bother setting it up. I asked the dealer to do it for me. After setup they packed it in such way to be safe and i took it into my car's trunk, driving 250 km back home. It may sound like blasphemy but it did well and it is now sounding great in my living. Now i think about the future: when is the time to change cartridge? How do i change the cartridge? Shall i go for a moving coil? etc., etc.

 

[stevebrock]

I have owned both the RP3 & RP6 !

I also owned the RP1 and the upgrade from the RP1 to the RP3 was a massive step up IMO, better bass, better imaging etc etc.

The RP6 was not such a bigger step up - don't get me wrong its a better deck than the RP3 but not by a massive amount.

Personally go for the RP6 but dont get the Exact, better carts out there from Nagaoka & Goldring for the same money.

Also the RP6 plinth is a lot nicer than RP3 plinth.

 

[Krorghar]

Will tell my friend all your advices, many thanks.

As for me I got the RP10/apheta. If everything goes as planned , this wednesday it should be here *drinks*

 

[Hi-FiOutlaw]

Will tell my friend all your advices, many thanks.

As for me I got the RP10/apheta. If everything goes as planned , this wednesday it should be here *drinks*

Wow, RP10*man_in_love* now thats a GREAT TT, i've a session of two hours in my Rega Dealer with a Dynavector DYNA XX2 and was great!

In my opinion the RP6 is a very balanced TT and i'm with Steve here, you can get better carts else where, my Rega dealer don't use them. I always had Golring carts and with great results.

You know that pics are mandatory of that RP10, I think it's the first one in the forum...*wink*

 

[Hi-FiOutlaw]

Double

 

[stevebrock]

i too have heard an RP10/Apheta and yes sounds very very good - but not sure I would pay £3k on it!

 

[Frank Harvey]

You know that pics are mandatory of that RP10, I think it's the first one in the forum...*wink*

I don't believe it is...

 

[Frank Harvey]

There are pretty big differences between the RP3 and RP6[/b], and it's definitely worth the extra. Tell him to get the best one he can.

Hiya Dave. Could you please expand on this? At some stage, I will be looking to upgrade from my old Planar 3.

I just mean that there are very clear differences to be heard between the Rega decks. From a 1 to a 3, a 3 to a 6, and a 6 to an 8, the differences are pretty big, and have been justifiable for the majority who have heard these differences. I haven't had enough time with an RP10 myself yet to comment on the difference from an 8 to a 10.

As surprisingly good as the old Planar 3 still is, you should find the RP3 to be quite a step up in quality (maybe even the 1, in some respects).

 

[Hi-FiOutlaw]

You know that pics are mandatory of that RP10, I think it's the first one in the forum...*wink*

I don't believe it is...

Ok! Sorry, as I have never read that someone got one...*wink*

 

[Krorghar]

Of course guys, you will get lot of pics of the RP10, least I can do after so much help. RP10 TT is a overkill for sure, very expensive, but sometimes you need to give yourself, some pleasures in this (presumably) short life *ok* , so after some months of saving i went crazy and ordered one.

His beautifull RB2000 Alluminium, hand made and polished Tonearm hooked me. I have read that the making time of one of these beauties is the same than dozens of RB303s (RP3 tonearm). If you want check this unpacking video from youtube:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FQPfGvsWENQ *good*

BTW David you got one? If that's the case, what do you think about it? Are you happy with the purchase?

 

[Freddy58]

There are pretty big differences between the RP3 and RP6, and it's definitely worth the extra. Tell him to get the best one he can.

Hiya Dave. Could you please expand on this? At some stage, I will be looking to upgrade from my old Planar 3.

I just mean that there are very clear differences to be heard between the Rega decks. From a 1 to a 3, a 3 to a 6, and a 6 to an 8, the differences are pretty big, and have been justifiable for the majority who have heard these differences. I haven't had enough time with an RP10 myself yet to comment on the difference from an 8 to a 10.

As surprisingly good as the old Planar 3 still is, you should find the RP3 to be quite a step up in quality (maybe even the 1, in some respects).

Thanks for that Dave. The upgrade I have in mind is to the 6.

I was considering a Pro-Ject, but got a bit put off when I saw one in the flesh on saturday. I didn't think the build quality was great. Just my opinion of course, and it was one of the cheaper ones (Debut Carbon?). Of course, I realise that they may well sound great, but still.