Has Christmas come early?

CJSF

New member
May 25, 2011
251
1
0
Visit site
Moving fast! . . . been dilly dallying around for months deciding which way go on the hifi front, then in a matter of days, we have made the decisions, parted with the 'hard earned' . . . and sitting back, waiting for the kit to arrive. Take a breather, get the CDs and stuff from the loft, decide which shelves and where to stack them . . . All very well, but we discovered something like 100 LPs from my previous audiophile collection, this moved my mind into TT mode, maybe after Christmas, I have enough in my life to cope with for now. From a budget 20 year old amp and computer CD drive, to entry level valve amp and Rega Apollo CD player in less than a week is one thing. But to be in a position of 'first refusal'; P5 Rega TT in cherry, ex dem., on offer for very close to the price of a new RP3? Has Christmas come early . . . ? The way I read it . . . the P5 is a bit special? . . . views please. Which then moves me on to the music room layout, small at 12ft sq, its a study/office as well, but after lots of mental handstands I have been able to get everything in, but, thats a big BUT again, I need an 8m speaker cable run. Currently using Linn K20 at 4m, happy with the sound, any views on how it might perform at 8m or any suggestions on a better alternative? that I dont need a mortgage to buy . . . 'dont like bright edgy sound'. CJSF
 

CnoEvil

New member
Aug 21, 2009
556
13
0
Visit site
The Linn K20 is good "no nonsense" cable.....just like their Linn Black i/c. With regard to an 8m length, I agree with Alears.
 

CJSF

New member
May 25, 2011
251
1
0
Visit site
Thanks for the replies people, K20 it is then. I remember when I decided on the K20 back in the 80's, there were some horrendously priced cables Vandanhul comes to mind, was not impressed, especially at the prices . . . The problems with cable, you cant try it on your system, if its not right tough, I know they make big profits on cable . . . !

. . . No view on the P5 Rega TT then? . . . is it a good'un? . . . dont need to wast my money if the RP3 is as good? reading Regas web site, its seems the P5 is the next step up, but I know there is a new P5 on the way next year, hence the offer of the current dem model. Ho-hum, one could keep chasing ones tail . . . ? Then here is the cartridge, highly subjective subject . . .

CJSF
 

CnoEvil

New member
Aug 21, 2009
556
13
0
Visit site
My TT info is over 20 years out of date, so I will leave it to others to advise...back then it was the Planar 2 or 3, and the progression was obvious. :?
 

CJSF

New member
May 25, 2011
251
1
0
Visit site
Lost Angeles said:
Does your new amp have a phono in? if not you will need a phono stage. This may influence your spending plans.

Yes 'LA', I have ordered the Croft Integrated with a MM valve controlled phono input.

CJSF
 

CJSF

New member
May 25, 2011
251
1
0
Visit site
CnoEvil said:
My TT info is over 20 years out of date, so I will leave it to others to advise...back then it was the Planar 2 or 3, and the progression was obvious. :?

Unfortunately 'CnoEvil', my TT experience is back 20 years as well, in those days it was a Rock turntable, with trough, Excalibur tone arm and my own modified Ortofon cartridge, wonderful sound . . . memorise . . . that cartridge was the heart of my system, attention to detail, its where 'Sound Quality' started . . . IMHO

What am I letting myself in for, going back to vinyl?

CJSF
 

DIB

Well-known member
May 21, 2009
166
36
18,620
Visit site
CJSF said:
Lost Angeles said:
Does your new amp have a phono in? if not you will need a phono stage. This may influence your spending plans.

Yes 'LA', I have ordered the Croft Integrated with a MM valve controlled phono input.

CJSF

I believe the phono stage on the Croft int amp is top quality.

Last year I had a loan of a Croft phono amp for a few weeks and it was exceptional, but at £500 was just too much at the time. By phono amp standards it was large too, the same size as their pre/power amps. Very minimalist but sounded lovely.

.
 

CJSF

New member
May 25, 2011
251
1
0
Visit site
Lost Angeles said:
You know you want the P5 and if you buy the P3 you will always wonder about the P5. :roll:

OK . . . to the point or what . . . !!!!

. . . email going off now, "P5 sold to the man with the Croft, what cartridge do we put in it Dave, when can I pick it up"?

Had an email this afternoon, my amp is almost ready for dispatch (they build them by hand, to order) . . . I'm going to be busy over the next week, as my music room is small and has to double as office/study as well. Its a bit of cut and shunt to get everything in, with the hifi taking pride of place of course . . . :cheers:

:dance: CJSF
 

CJSF

New member
May 25, 2011
251
1
0
Visit site
Alears said:
P5 getting on a bit now but still a force to be reckoned with. Not sure how it compares to the new RP3.

How much are you going to set aside for MM cartridge?

I think the P5 will still top the RP3 . . . better tone arm. The price I am paying is just a few pounds more than a new RP3, the P3 has only had one dem done on it, so its as new.

OK, how much for a MM cartridge . . . ? . . . what ever it costs, with in reason. I've looked at the Rega Exact, not sure I like the review comments, seems to me, it tends towards bright/clinical??? I dont like, never have liked bright, 'axe splitting the head in two' type sound. I'm a valve man . . . I used to run an Ortofon P2 (I think it was designated P2?) SME fitting, beetle body . . . moving coil, through the EAR step up transformer. What a combination . . . after I striped the basic cartridge from its SME body. Needed a bit more work to make it fit the Excalibur arm on my Rock turntable, forming a magnesium spacer was fun, with nothing but a drill and file!!!

The final result was pure magic, warm, but not so much . . . lets say inviting . . . a sound stage and information retrieval to die for and base line that had everyone 'jaw dropping' . . . considering my standard set up was a pair of 35a's on Foundation Designer Stands.

So, reasonably, I'm looking up to the Goldring 1042, like the sound of the reviews and comments I can glean off the net, but do I need to go that high? I really would like some input from any one with mm experience.

CJSF
 

TRENDING THREADS

Latest posts