New cartridge for Rega RP3

Ivek

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Jul 24, 2014
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Hi.

I have a Rega RP3 with Elys 2 cart. It is time to buy a new cart and I am limited do 250 £. I could buy Audio Technica VM 740 ML, Clearaudio Concept V2, Goldring G 1022 and Rega Exact. My rest of the system consists of Rega Elex-R and Dynaudio DM 3/7.

I have been extremly happy with Audio Technica AT 95 in the past. Therefore is Audio Technica VM 740 ML also on my list, but I haven't seen rewievs (opinions).

What do You think about Audio technica? Or should I buy Rega Exact? With Exact I have no additional costs, since it could be mounted at dealer without shims. What mentioned cart would You suggest?

Thanks.
 
I will begin by saying I've heard none of the cartridges you list, and I doubt anyone here will have heard them all. However, let us look at each:-

1. The Rega is any an easy choice, as you say. Might your Rega dealer offer a trade in on your current one as that might sweeten the deal?

2. The Goldring is related to the 1006 that I own, but haven't heard for several years. It is nicely balanced, and you could upgrade further with a stylus change. The top model recently had a belated rave review in WHF.

3. The AT is too new to have reviews it seems. I've always admired AT products and am sure it would prove very good. It seems to cost c £300.

4. The Clearaudio might suit but I'd personally see it better suited to their own table.

I'd be angling for an audition to the Exact in comparison to mine - you could take the whole deck to your dealer if necessary - and free fitting should be included. Other than that, I've a hunch the AT will be more open, maybe brighter, and the Goldring a shade smoother and richer.

For a bargain punt, the Denon DL110 is a fine product, with a taste of MC sound for under £200, and not needing a MC step up.
 
nopiano said:
I will begin by saying I've heard none of the cartridges you list, and I doubt anyone here will have heard them all. However, let us look at each:-

1. The Rega is any an easy choice, as you say. Might your Rega dealer offer a trade in on your current one as that might sweeten the deal?

2. The Goldring is related to the 1006 that I own, but haven't heard for several years. It is nicely balanced, and you could upgrade further with a stylus change. The top model recently had a belated rave review in WHF.

3. The AT is too new to have reviews it seems. I've always admired AT products and am sure it would prove very good. It seems to cost c £300.

4. The Clearaudio might suit but I'd personally see it better suited to their own table.

I'd be angling for an audition to the Exact in comparison to mine - you could take the whole deck to your dealer if necessary - and free fitting should be included. Other than that, I've a hunch the AT will be more open, maybe brighter, and the Goldring a shade smoother and richer.

For a bargain punt, the Denon DL110 is a fine product, with a taste of MC sound for under £200, and not needing a MC step up.

Pretty much my thoughts exactly. Not heard the new AT but I have heard the older versions and us an A T mc cartridge myself. Can recommend highly although the Goldring is well known 'old-stager' and you're going to have to spend a lot more to beat it. It is however more laid-back but a very good tracker.
 

GeoffreyW

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I can recommend my Nagaoka MP110, as you'll see from my sig. I've had it for a couple of years, and been very happy. I fid it detailed, quite revealing, accurate, not to emphasises bass, not strident at higher frequencies, no bias to sibilance, and good for classical, rock, jazz, acoustic, in fact most genres. There's quite a few other RP3/MP110 users out there, and if you can push the budget, go for the MP200.

YMMV.
 
GeoffreyW said:
I can recommend my Nagaoka MP110, as you'll see from my sig. I've had it for a couple of years, and been very happy. I fid it detailed, quite revealing, accurate, not to emphasises bass, not strident at higher frequencies, no bias to sibilance, and good for classical, rock, jazz, acoustic, in fact most genres. There's quite a few other RP3/MP110 users out there, and if you can push the budget, go for the MP200.

YMMV.

At £349 he's going to have to push his budget an aweful long way :)

Notwithstanding it is a very good cartridge but is it still a good value for money buy? With those price hikes seen some time ago I would now question that it is.
 

chris_bates1974

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Not sure of the arm on the RP3 is the same as on my Planar3, and of the same dimensions, but if it is and you go down the Ortofon route in the 2M series (the 2M Bronze being a little above budget, Blue a little beneath), you'll need spacers to lift it.
 
chris_bates1974 said:
Not sure of the arm on the RP3 is the same as on my Planar3, and of the same dimensions, but if it is and you go down the Ortofon route in the 2M series (the 2M Bronze being a little above budget, Blue a little beneath), you'll need spacers to lift it.

It isn't but same principle, OP hasn't mentioned Ortofon and nor has anyone else, it is indeed a possibility but would need spacers and, at the OPs budget point these are maybe not as good as some already mentioned.
 
Thats understood chris-bates1974. Everything helps. It was daytona that mentioned them in his list of alternatives but it's my opinion that ,in the OPs budget, I wouldn't be considering Ortofons because of their quality at this level and the required changes to VTA on a Rega arm.
 

GeoffreyW

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At £349 he's going to have to push his budget an aweful long way :)

Notwithstanding it is a very good cartridge but is it still a good value for money buy? With those price hikes seen some time ago I would now question that it is.

[/quote]

Quite right, Al, it is going to be a stetch, and the MP110 shuold be good enough for quite a while, but I just thought that it helps to have a target, to apply the "buy the best you can" principle. But I most certainly wouldn't want to push anyone too much beyond their comfort zone.
 
GeoffreyW said:
At £349 he's going to have to push his budget an aweful long way :)

Notwithstanding it is a very good cartridge but is it still a good value for money buy? With those price hikes seen some time ago I would now question that it is.

Quite right, Al, it is going to be a stetch, and the MP110 shuold be good enough for quite a while, but I just thought that it helps to have a target, to apply the "buy the best you can" principle. But I most certainly wouldn't want to push anyone too much beyond their comfort zone.

[/quote]

The current resurgence in vinyl sales appears to have given these manufacturers all the reasons they need to increase prices. To my mind they should be cheaper as they are obviously selling more, but I never was a good economist... :)
 

Ivek

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Jul 24, 2014
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Thank You very much for advices.

Fortunately my acquaintance is going to sell me Rega Exact cart for half of the price. :)

I can't wait to put it on.

 

Ivek

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Jul 24, 2014
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This is a late answer because of I did not mount the Rega Exact cartridge due to unexpected circumstances.
Although I liked the Rega Elys 2 because of it is musical, I always noticed the undefined midrange spectrum. Furthermore, I was bothered by the IGD I heard on some records. It seems to me that this cartridge is sensitive to the low sound quality of vinyl records. So, I wanted to replace the cartridge. A few weeks ago a friend persuaded me to replace Rega Elys 2 cartridge with the 20 years old Ortofon OM 10. I was skeptical about that cartridge because it sounded bad on my old turntable. Contrary to my expectations, I was surprised to hear an improvement over Elys 2. Now is soundstage wider, more precise with better separation of instruments. Midrange has better clarity, more details and sweeter top end. Everything sounds better and clearer. And vinyl records have no IGD nor sibilance and even low quality records sound better. I also have discovered that it sounds better without the spacer, than with it.
 

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