Question Rega RB220 arm question

[Mark Dunlop]

Hi

I recently bought a Rega P2. I'm noticing that the arm tends to rise at a uniform speed, but when lowering the arm onto a record it tends to drop very slowly and not always at a consistent rate. It also pulls right (away from the record) quite noticeably. I spoke to the shop I bought it from who said the slow drop was nothing to worry about and the arm pulling was probably due to the bias. I thought the bias setting would still mean that the arm falls straight - it's only to counteract the inward pull, right? The bias is set as per the instructions for the supplied Carbon cartridge. In short, I think it looks dodgy - the arm should rise and fall at the same rate and shouldn't pull to the side. Has anyone got any experience of similar?
Thanks
m.d.

 

[Al ears]

Hi

I recently bought a Rega P2. I'm noticing that the arm tends to rise at a uniform speed, but when lowering the arm onto a record it tends to drop very slowly and not always at a consistent rate. It also pulls right (away from the record) quite noticeably. I spoke to the shop I bought it from who said the slow drop was nothing to worry about and the arm pulling was probably due to the bias. I thought the bias setting would still mean that the arm falls straight - it's only to counteract the inward pull, right? The bias is set as per the instructions for the supplied Carbon cartridge. In short, I think it looks dodgy - the arm should rise and fall at the same rate and shouldn't pull to the side. Has anyone got any experience of similar?
Thanks
m.d.

take it back and ask for a replacement would be my next step.
if the arm swings like that then it hasn't been set-up correctly or is damaged, and / or the tracking force is out also.
Get some cheap scales so you can accurately measure the tracking weight.

 

[nopiano]

Is it new, because I think they now call it Planar 2 once more? I’ve found Rega arms with adjustable bias/anti-skate to need only about a half the recommended force. Excessive antiskate will drag it back towards the start of the record.

It will lower quite slowly, as it’s hydraulic - well silicone oil I think. Presumably you’ve checked it is level?

 

[Al ears]

Is it new, because I think they now call it Planar 2 once more? I’ve found Rega arms with adjustable bias/anti-skate to need only about a half the recommended force. Excessive antiskate will drag it back towards the start of the record.

It will lower quite slowly, as it’s hydraulic - well silicone oil I think. Presumably you’ve checked it is level?

As @nopiano says you only need to dial in about half the recommended downforce figure. Try setting it to zero first and see what arm does.
The tonearm will fall slowly but should be at a constant rate.

 

[Mark Dunlop]

take it back and ask for a replacement would be my next step.
if the arm swings like that then it hasn't been set-up correctly or is damaged, and / or the tracking force is out also.
Get some cheap scales so you can accurately measure the tracking weight.

Thanks. I took the weight off and went back to square one - balanced and then added the 2g tracking force. Maybe I made a mess of doing it the first time, but it seems much better now. The arm isn't pulling sideways any more. Still seems a bit reluctant to drop, but I'll give it a chance to bed in. At least Rega offers a lifetime guarantee against manufacturing defects and I've already raised it with the shop.

 

[nopiano]

Thanks. I took the weight off and went back to square one - balanced and then added the 2g tracking force. Maybe I made a mess of doing it the first time, but it seems much better now. The arm isn't pulling sideways any more. Still seems a bit reluctant to drop, but I'll give it a chance to bed in. At least Rega offers a lifetime guarantee against manufacturing defects and I've already raised it with the shop.

I looked at the manual. It’s a bit confused between downforce and bias setting. I suggest trying 1 on the bias with 2g downforce.

https://www.rega.co.uk/download/D2002MAN-A00_5.pdf

 

[Al ears]

I looked at the manual. It’s a bit confused between downforce and bias setting. I suggest trying 1 on the bias with 2g downforce.

https://www.rega.co.uk/download/D2002MAN-A00_5.pdf

The rate of drop will depend on the viscosity of the fluid used, and hence room temperature.....
Assume deck is new?
Does cartridge track across an LP with no issues?

 

[Mark Dunlop]

The rate of drop will depend on the viscosity of the fluid used, and hence room temperature.....
Assume deck is new?
Does cartridge track across an LP with no issues?

Yeah, cartridge tracks no problem. In fairness, it did before when I may not have set the tracking force sufficiently high. It certainly does now that I seem to have done it right.

 

[Al ears]

Yeah, cartridge tracks no problem. In fairness, it did before when I may not have set the tracking force sufficiently high. It certainly does now that I seem to have done it right.

Great!