Question Rega Planar 3 with Ortofon Quintet Blue

Richard T 1

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Nov 14, 2020
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Newbie here.
I have recently purchased a Planar 3 with Elys 2 cartridge but plan swapping it for an Ortofon Quintet Blue. Do you think that would be a good upgrade please?
My phono amp is a Graham Slee Reflex Era Gold X
Thanks
Richard
 
Newbie here.
I have recently purchased a Planar 3 with Elys 2 cartridge but plan swapping it for an Ortofon Quintet Blue. Do you think that would be a good upgrade please?
My phono amp is a Graham Slee Reflex Era Gold X
Thanks
Richard
Simple answer is no, don't buy one.
I say this for two reasons.
The phono preamp you have is for moving magnet cartridges and the Quintet is a moving coil.
For this budget you don't want a moving coil because you cannot replace the stylus like you can with a moving magnet
.....oh, and three, there are better moving magnets available for your money.....
......and four, you would need to insert spacers to lift your tonearm to enable you to fit this cartridge properly
Hope this helps.
 

Richard T 1

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Nov 14, 2020
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Simple answer is no, don't buy one.
I say this for two reasons.
The phono preamp you have is for moving magnet cartridges and the Quintet is a moving coil.
For this budget you don't want a moving coil because you cannot replace the stylus like you can with a moving magnet
.....oh, and three, there are better moving magnets available for your money.....
......and four, you would need to insert spacers to lift your tonearm to enable you to fit this cartridge properly
Hope this helps.
 
Thanks but the Graham Slee is moving coil and on my previous TT I had an Ortofon Rondo Red MC fitted. I have acoustic signature Rega spacers to fit.
I think you'll find it's not.... it will cope with high output moving coil, i.e. anything producing somewhere near a moving magnet output, but nothing else....
By high output I mean 1.5mV or more as MM output is normally 3-6mV
The Blue only outputs only 0.5mV which is the same as the Rondo Red so you have not been getting their full potential with that Graham Slee, unless of course, you actually have a Graham Slee Gold Reflex C, what exactly does it say on the front of yours?
Not sure which amplifier you had this connected to but I'll bet you had to crank the volume up a bit.
If you really want to run that cartridge to its full potential I would suggest you look at changing your phono preamp.
 
Thanks but the Graham Slee is moving coil and on my previous TT I had an Ortofon Rondo Red MC fitted. I have acoustic signature Rega spacers to fit.
So, to rephrase the question I think you’re saying:-
1. I have a MC step up device
2. I’ve previously enjoyed an Ortofon Rondo Red
3. I’m thinking of a Quintet Blue for my Rega
4. Is this the best way to spend c. £350 on a cartridge, or what else should I consider?

If you’re wedded to the idea of another MC, the Hana EL is well reviewed. I’ve not heard one.
 
Last edited:
So, to rephrase the question I think you’re saying:-
1. I have a MC step up device
2. I’ve previously enjoyed an Ortofon Rondo Red
3. I’m thinking of a Quintet Blue for my Rega
4. Is this the best way to spend c. £350 on a cartridge, or what else should I consider?
Except he hasn't got an MC step up device, it's a MM / High Output MC step up device....otherwise yes I think that's what he is asking so the answer to question 4 would be no.
 
So, to rephrase the question I think you’re saying:-
1. I have a MC step up device
2. I’ve previously enjoyed an Ortofon Rondo Red
3. I’m thinking of a Quintet Blue for my Rega
4. Is this the best way to spend c. £350 on a cartridge, or what else should I consider?

If you’re wedded to the idea of another MC, the Hana EL is well reviewed. I’ve not heard one.
If anything he's going to need the EH as this outputs 2mV
 
However, back to the question.
Is it an upgrade over the Elys2? answer has to be yes.
Is it a good upgrade? answer has to be no, in my opinion, as a cheap MC cartridge is economically non-viable as you cannot replace the stylus if its broken, you have to buy a complete new cartridge.
High output cartridges are even worse as they are MC's pretending to be MM's and, also in my opinion, you get better sonic qualities from a similarly priced MM cartridge up until around the £500 mark.
 

Richard T 1

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I think you'll find it's not.... it will cope with high output moving coil, i.e. anything producing somewhere near a moving magnet output, but nothing else....
By high output I mean 1.5mV or more as MM output is normally 3-6mV
The Blue only outputs only 0.5mV which is the same as the Rondo Red so you have not been getting their full potential with that Graham Slee, unless of course, you actually have a Graham Slee Gold Reflex C, what exactly does it say on the front of yours?
Not sure which amplifier you had this connected to but I'll bet you had to crank the volume up a bit.
If you really want to run that cartridge to its full potential I would suggest you look at changing your phono preamp.
 

Richard T 1

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Thanks very much for your advice. I am not that technically minded as you may have guessed! The photo you posted above is what it says on the front of mine and yes I did have to crank the volume up. I will connect my TT tomorrow with the Elys 2 cartridge already fitted. Thanks everyone else too for you your contributions. Interesting stuff.
 
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Thanks very much for your advice. I am not that technically minded as you may have guessed! The photo you posted above is what it says on the front of mine and yes I did have to crank the volume up. I will connect my TT tomorrow with the Elys 2 cartridge already fitted. Thanks everyone else too for you your contributions. Interesting stuff.
Remember to turn the volume down when you connect the Elys2..... :)
Enjoy!
Should you wish to upgrade the Elys to a better Moving Magnet cartridge let us know. (there have been some good ones mentioned in this thread already)
 

al

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Sep 18, 2014
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Newbie here.
I have recently purchased a Planar 3 with Elys 2 cartridge but plan swapping it for an Ortofon Quintet Blue. Do you think that would be a good upgrade please?
My phono amp is a Graham Slee Reflex Era Gold X
Thanks
Richard
Just read this. AS luck would have it about a week ago I got the Quintet Blue for my Rega RP3 (Due to my wife deciding my turntable needed dusting and bending the stylus on the Elys 2). I decided to go with a MC as I've always wanted to try one. Sounds great, big improvement on the Elys 2. The phono stage is through a Limetree.
 
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Gray

Well-known member
Just read this. AS luck would have it about a week ago I got the Quintet Blue for my Rega RP3 (Due to my wife deciding my turntable needed dusting and bending the stylus on the Elys 2). I decided to go with a MC as I've always wanted to try one. Sounds great, big improvement on the Elys 2. The phono stage is through a Limetree.
The next dusting session could be a killer 🤦‍♂️
 

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