TT/PSU . . . shims . . . all fitted

CJSF

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Been a busy bunny today, built a flat pack for Hazel, brownie points! Then got on with the TT VTA shims, powesupply and a good few hours of listening. Set to with the shims first, interesting to look at the construction of the Rega in a little more detail, chip board plinth, simple self taper screws holding the arm in place, at least expected bolts holding the arm? Ah well, it certainly works and has proved its point over many years, so who am I to complain. Removing the arm was straight forward enough, but care needs to be used when re-tightening the screws, a bit heavy handed would strip them from the chipboard plinth? I installed 3mm worth of shims, after Chebby told me the difference between the Ortofon M2 and Regas own, was 3.5mm. Initial reaction was the top end on female voice had cleaned up, but had become a bit clinical, (but not glassy as I had reported in the very early days of the M2 Blue) . . . ? plus a general feeling of more control, but only a feeling, very subtle. Moved onto the retro fit P5 TT/PSU, standard fitting to the P7 and P9. First worry, destructions suggest 'getting the PSU as far away from the cartridge as the lead would allow', practical distance in my case 14", the connection lead must be 4-5ft long! Next problem, the din type plug into the back of the TT is a tight!!! fit, as I said, the construction is not heavy, careful persuasion eventually got it in, not with out a bit of ****!!! No hum pickup from the PSU, 14" is OK. Tidy up, look **** and span, switch on, first impression . . . solid, especially to the lower frequencies, and better image separation, subtle yes, but it was there, in fact the words 'subtle control' applies to the presentation as a whole. Little bits extra were heard as I tried track after track, I was also aware that the top end was loosing the earlier clinical edge, the cartridge was playing in to its new VTA???? All OK, but as I said, it was subtle, £150?? Give it time . . . a pile of LP's beside me, enjoying the music so far but I still had this £150?? thought. Final thought, velvet platter mat, 2mm, makes the extra VTA 5mm . . . ? Nothing for it, simply remove and be prepared to burn my brain with a glass top end! Wow . . . the subtleties, no longer subtle, extra inner detail was amazing, Jazz in the Pawnshop opens with a saxophone, the fingering could be heard, something I have never been aware of before, an ambiance was apparent, again not heard before, following the music was natural and easy, voices in the club were plain, unfortunately I dont speak Swedish . . . Back with the velvet platter mat, good but boring by comparison. During this time, now about 4hrs, the top end had really settled down. On with Miserere, the top 'C' in the first track usually holds on but only just, sailed through, I did not cringe, same with Contate Domino, there is a soprano in the choir that really goes for it!!! perfect, Finally, the walling female on 'dark-side', the M2 did not break a sweat. Begs the question in my mind, is the Rega compromised by its felt mat? it is in my humble opinion, holding back all the good points as indicated above until it was removed. From what I heard before the changes, the P5 is held back in its standard form as well, just my view, how it performs with a Rega cartridge I have no idea, maybe a better match? This is how the TT installation has ended up:
700TTPSUrwIMG_4698.jpg
. . . thumbs up . . . :dance: CJSF
 

CJSF

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altruistic.lemon said:
OK mate, I'll bite - you know you can't play CDs on a record player, don't you?

Got over 400 of the things . . . they had to go somewhere . . . thanks for pointing it out . . . thought the hole in the middle was a bit big :dance:

CJS
 

CJSF

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Distinct lack of interest in vinyl??????????

Not even any comments on the Regas sound being held back by its 'felt mat'?

. . . or is it, no one can be bothered to read the 'block of text' that the site turned my post into!

CJSF
 

chebby

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CJSF said:
Distinct lack of interest in vinyl??????????

I don't think so. Vinyl/turntable threads are quite popular here and the format itself is enjoying yet another year of increased popularity and record sales...

http://www.whathifi.com/news/vinyl-sales-up-40-in-2011

There is also that ongoing 1700 post thread about what people are listening to on vinyl that you judged "too modern" yesterday.

1700 posts is a lot of interest.

CJSF said:
Not even any comments on the Regas sound being held back by its 'felt mat'?

There is an entire cottage-industry devoted to after-market turntable mats to replace those provided as standard by manufacturers.

Rega is no exception and there are lots of companies making acrylic mats and replacement acrylic platters for their turntables.

Rega products (especially the Planar 3/P3) has provided work for hundreds of companies in the last 35 years who rewire and modify arms and make counterweight replacements and platter/sub-platter replacements and alternative plinths and feet and 'shims' and so on... etc.

Despite all this, none of these 'tweak' companies have ever made an overall turntable/arm/cartridge package as successful as the stock Rega Planar. Even in the midst of the current economic climate - and decades after the LP was pronounced dead - Rega are selling 1500 turntables a month.

They have supplied the same wool felt mat since 1974 so I doubt it has really "held back" their turntables. I have owned four Rega turntables since 1983 and only ever took the mat off occasionally to shake it in case of dust.

CJSF said:
. . . or is it, no one can be bothered to read the 'block of text' that the site turned my post into!

It doesn't make it easy.
 

Jason36

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Hi CJSF,

First of all I would like to say how I have enjoyed reading your posts over the last few weeks or so, especially with regards to your turntable experiments and trying to get the best sound you can from your new REGA.

Being a Rega owner myself, albeit a lowly Planar 3 :O (fitted with a Goldring 1042 cartridge and the Michell Technoweight, the later of which definately tightened up the Bass), I have never thought about removing the felt mat to see how this improved the sound or not, as the case may be (definately a trial for tonight).

I have however considered replacing the stock plastic sub platter and glass platter for "Groovertracer" replacements (The sub platter is machined aluminium with a sapphire thrust plate and rotates on a zirconia bearing, rather than the stock steel one. The Platter is 26mm thick Acrylic and does away with the felt mat).....I have heard good reports on both of these and are supposed to make a substantial difference.

It looks like you have a nice set-up there though mate and you are slowly getting to "The Sound and Detail" you remember from your earlier listening days. Enjoying the music is what this Hi Fi lark is all about and it certainly sounds like you are doing exactly that.

Just as an aside, and certainly not that important, but it might be worthwhile posting your turntable related threads into the Turntable section of the HiFi forum....personally I dont mind where you put them, but there are a few more dedicated Turntable HiFi ers on there :) :)

Happy Listening :cheers:
 

CJSF

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chebby said:
CJSF said:
Distinct lack of interest in vinyl??????????

I don't think so. Vinyl/turntable threads are quite popular here and the format itself is enjoying yet another year of increased popularity and record sales...

http://www.whathifi.com/news/vinyl-sales-up-40-in-2011

There is also that ongoing 1700 post thread about what people are listening to on vinyl that you judged "too modern" yesterday.

1700 posts is a lot of interest.

CJSF said:
Not even any comments on the Regas sound being held back by its 'felt mat'?

There is an entire cottage-industry devoted to after-market turntable mats to replace those provided as standard by manufacturers.

Rega is no exception and there are lots of companies making acrylic mats and replacement acrylic platters for their turntables.

Rega products (especially the Planar 3/P3) has provided work for hundreds of companies in the last 35 years who rewire and modify arms and make counterweight replacements and platter/sub-platter replacements and alternative plinths and feet and 'shims' and so on... etc.

Despite all this, none of these 'tweak' companies have ever made an overall turntable/arm/cartridge package as successful as the stock Rega Planar. Even in the midst of the current economic climate - and decades after the LP was pronounced dead - Rega are selling 1500 turntables a month.

They have supplied the same wool felt mat since 1974 so I doubt it has really "held back" their turntables. I have owned four Rega turntables since 1983 and only ever took the mat off occasionally to shake it in case of dust.

CJSF said:
. . . or is it, no one can be bothered to read the 'block of text' that the site turned my post into!

It doesn't make it easy.

Well Chebby, looked at your link for 'vinyl sales' apart from Kate Bush, I dont recognise any of the names . . . therefor its modern? I'll have to have nose on Spotify, see whats what? I still cant track down where these new vinyl pressing are available . . . certainly not obvious, although I'm not much good at web surfing, I fall over things, rather than find them.

Cottage industry . . . no point in reinventing the wheel, or, in this case, a 'P3' . . . ? but new trims, fancy wheel nuts, low profiles . . . Sceptic that I am, are the cottage industry offerings better or a sideways move, generally costing an arm and a leg . . . nothing changes. I bought a set of shims, supposed to be laser cut, "best on the market", they said. I could have cut them with bread knife and made a neater job, and berried edges, spent an hour tidying them up!

'Block text', had it happened a few times, seen comments in the past from other who have had the same problem, a bit of instability with in the site software???

CJSF
 

CJSF

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Jason36 said:
Hi CJSF,

First of all I would like to say how I have enjoyed reading your posts over the last few weeks or so, especially with regards to your turntable experiments and trying to get the best sound you can from your new REGA.

Being a Rega owner myself, albeit a lowly Planar 3 :O (fitted with a Goldring 1042 cartridge and the Michell Technoweight, the later of which definately tightened up the Bass), I have never thought about removing the felt mat to see how this improved the sound or not, as the case may be (definately a trial for tonight).

I have however considered replacing the stock plastic sub platter and glass platter for "Groovertracer" replacements (The sub platter is machined aluminium with a sapphire thrust plate and rotates on a zirconia bearing, rather than the stock steel one. The Platter is 26mm thick Acrylic and does away with the felt mat).....I have heard good reports on both of these and are supposed to make a substantial difference.

It looks like you have a nice set-up there though mate and you are slowly getting to "The Sound and Detail" you remember from your earlier listening days. Enjoying the music is what this Hi Fi lark is all about and it certainly sounds like you are doing exactly that.

Just as an aside, and certainly not that important, but it might be worthwhile posting your turntable related threads into the Turntable section of the HiFi forum....personally I dont mind where you put them, but there are a few more dedicated Turntable HiFi ers on there :) :)

Happy Listening :cheers:

Hi Jason . . . pleased you enjoy my wafflings . . . waffling is all it is, lots of thoughts and sometimes the results of the actions from said thoughts. Not Mr perfect, never was, never will be, but Mr waffle I certainly am:D

I have looked at the Acrylic option and the sub platter . . . a bit pricey!!! If I went that way, 'heavy platter', I would go to a laminated glass sub platter, 11.5" in diameter with a large 6.25" hole in the center to clear the motor pulley, superglue the sub 'laminated glass' platter carefully to the main platter, or, maybe glue a membrane between the two, breaking up standing waves with the two laminations? My minds off again, I cant stop!

One is not convinced about the plastic sub platter needing replacing, the plastic is a dead material, the bearing will be fairly well polished? I have read the blurb on the replacement, on one of the sites, it was fairly vague in its claims??? But for the price, I can see the benefits of the Acrylic option, save a lot of messing about :?

Final point, Turntable section on the HiFi forum, I presume you mean here? I could not find it . . . muppet that I am???

Looking forward to an hour or two this evening . . .

CJSF
 

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