What turntable to match my system

davidrspencer01

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Current setup....Cambridge audio 640a amp, 640c cd, ATC SCM7 speakers, Yaqin ms23b phono stage and an ancient jvc fl45 turntable.

Hi, I know this is massively subjective but I'd like to replace the ancient turntable I have with a more modern one but I'm not sure what make to go for to match my system nor a reasonable price to pay. I know you get what you pay for up to a point but would a 200/300 pound project or rega turntable do it and give me the quality I want or is it more likely that I need to spend about 500?
 
davidrspencer01 said:
Current setup....Cambridge audio 640a amp, 640c cd, ATC SCM7 speakers, Yaqin ms23b phono stage and an ancient jvc fl45 turntable.

Hi, I know this is massively subjective but I'd like to replace the ancient turntable I have with a more modern one but I'm not sure what make to go for to match my system nor a reasonable price to pay. I know you get what you pay for up to a point but would a 200/300 pound project or rega turntable do it and give me the quality I want or is it more likely that I need to spend about 500?

Either would integrate well with your system. The problem is more the nature of the cartridge. Cheap turntables have cheap cartridges, spending more on the turntable becomes irrelevant if it is still fitted with a cheap cartridge. My advice would be to buy a cheap turntable without a cartridge fitted then spend a hundred or more on a decent cartridge.
 
You are planning on keeping the turntable for a long time, spend as much as you can afford.

Id be on the lookout for rega rp3's as the new model p3 has been released, so you may get a good deal on one right now. It is also possible to upgrade the rp3 should you wish.
 

Daz B

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You can't go wrong with a Rega and like Bigfish 786 said Rega have released the new P3 model which could mean a reduction on the RP3.
I currently own a Rega P1 and are still really enjoying it.
 
bigfish786 said:
You are planning on keeping the turntable for a long time, spend as much as you can afford.

Id be on the lookout for rega rp3's as the new model p3 has been released, so you may get a good deal on one right now. It is also possible to upgrade the rp3 should you wish.

The RP3 is a good suggestion when it comes down in price, which it hasn't yet. You still need about £475 and that is without a cartridge.

Until it falls dramatically you are better off with a cheaper deck leaving more money to spend on a decent cartridge if you want something below £500.
 
bigfish786 said:
Every now and then, Rega release a load of slight cosmetic seconds of the Rp3, which drops the price to around £370. It's definitely worth seeking out, or waiting for.

I'd agree if you can find one at that price then spend the remainder from approximately £500 on a decent cartridge.
 

GeoffreyW

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If you like to fiddle with things, start with a Rega Planar 3/R300, with a Nagaoka MP110 cartridge. You can upgrade the sub-platter, motor, and arm, as funds allow, but which will all give noticeable improvements. But if possible, go for the recent RP3, available s/h for reasonable money, with the same cartridge, which will sound great from the start.

Otherwise, a new RP1 with the MP110 should also please. The Nag. MP110 has a warm but detailed sound, with reasonable bass. Good luck.
 
GeoffreyW said:
If you like to fiddle with things, start with a Rega Planar 3/R300, with a Nagaoka MP110 cartridge. You can upgrade the sub-platter, motor, and arm, as funds allow, but which will all give noticeable improvements. But if possible, go for the recent RP3, available s/h for reasonable money, with the same cartridge, which will sound great from the start.

Otherwise, a new RP1 with the MP110 should also please. The Nag. MP110 has a warm but detailed sound, with reasonable bass. Good luck.

Thanks Geoffrey, a good suggestion especially that cartridge. Best thing you can do is to avoid the 'entry level' cartridges that normally get shoved on these turntables these days to enable them to be sold as a package.
 

davidrspencer01

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Thanks for all your replies: I will certainly look into the various Rega/Project combinations especially with respect to the cartridge and then assess my budget. Is it the received wisdom that Rega/Project are the best out there in this price bracket? I just wondered what had happened to some of the "usual suspects" like Denon, Sony, TEAC etc in terms of turntables versus budget? Is it the case that Rega/Project represent better quality and value for money in this price range?
 

BigH

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Al ears said:
GeoffreyW said:
If you like to fiddle with things, start with a Rega Planar 3/R300, with a Nagaoka MP110 cartridge. You can upgrade the sub-platter, motor, and arm, as funds allow, but which will all give noticeable improvements. But if possible, go for the recent RP3, available s/h for reasonable money, with the same cartridge, which will sound great from the start.

Otherwise, a new RP1 with the MP110 should also please. The Nag. MP110 has a warm but detailed sound, with reasonable bass. Good luck.

Thanks Geoffrey, a good suggestion especially that cartridge. Best thing you can do is to avoid the 'entry level' cartridges that normally get shoved on these turntables these days to enable them to be sold as a package.

Are you saying the Ortofon 2m red is no good?

Can you suggest some other cartridges to consider.
 
BigH said:
Al ears said:
GeoffreyW said:
If you like to fiddle with things, start with a Rega Planar 3/R300, with a Nagaoka MP110 cartridge. You can upgrade the sub-platter, motor, and arm, as funds allow, but which will all give noticeable improvements. But if possible, go for the recent RP3, available s/h for reasonable money, with the same cartridge, which will sound great from the start.

Otherwise, a new RP1 with the MP110 should also please. The Nag. MP110 has a warm but detailed sound, with reasonable bass. Good luck.

Thanks Geoffrey, a good suggestion especially that cartridge. Best thing you can do is to avoid the 'entry level' cartridges that normally get shoved on these turntables these days to enable them to be sold as a package.

Are you saying the Ortofon 2m red is no good?

Can you suggest some other cartridges to consider.

Without putting it too bluntly the entry level cartridges from any manufacturer are usually pretty dire, and yes, the 2M Red is an entry level cartridge. Some may find it acceptable especially if it comes ready fitted to their entry level turntable but, until you have heard something different, you will be none the wiser.

The 2M Red does a job I agree but others do it better.

If you look at my other posts on this matter you will see I have suggested other, and which I consider better choices, on numerous occasions.

Please understand though this was after years of trying cartridges of all types but ultimately using my ears.
 
davidrspencer01 said:
Thanks for all your replies: I will certainly look into the various Rega/Project combinations especially with respect to the cartridge and then assess my budget. Is it the received wisdom that Rega/Project are the best out there in this price bracket? I just wondered what had happened to some of the "usual suspects" like Denon, Sony, TEAC etc in terms of turntables versus budget? Is it the case that Rega/Project represent better quality and value for money in this price range?

Yes. The others that you mention no longer actually make their own turntables. They are usually clones produced by some factory in China. However some like Marantz actually use turntables produced by more competent European manufacturers i.e. ClearAudio. These, however, are not exactly entry level.

Firms like Project build theirs from the ground up and these, along with Rega, cannot be bettered for the money.
 

BigH

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Al ears said:
BigH said:
Al ears said:
GeoffreyW said:
If you like to fiddle with things, start with a Rega Planar 3/R300, with a Nagaoka MP110 cartridge. You can upgrade the sub-platter, motor, and arm, as funds allow, but which will all give noticeable improvements. But if possible, go for the recent RP3, available s/h for reasonable money, with the same cartridge, which will sound great from the start.

Otherwise, a new RP1 with the MP110 should also please. The Nag. MP110 has a warm but detailed sound, with reasonable bass. Good luck.

Thanks Geoffrey, a good suggestion especially that cartridge. Best thing you can do is to avoid the 'entry level' cartridges that normally get shoved on these turntables these days to enable them to be sold as a package.

Are you saying the Ortofon 2m red is no good?

Can you suggest some other cartridges to consider.

Without putting it too bluntly the entry level cartridges from any manufacturer are usually pretty dire, and yes, the 2M Red is an entry level cartridge. Some may find it acceptable especially if it comes ready fitted to their entry level turntable but, until you have heard something different, you will be none the wiser.

The 2M Red does a job I agree but others do it better.

If you look at my other posts on this matter you will see I have suggested other, and which I consider better choices, on numerous occasions.

Please understand though this was after years of trying cartridges of all types but ultimately using my ears.

Fair enough but new comers will not have seen all those older posts. The Nagaoka MP-110 is also an entry level cartridge at around £60? I think cartridges are a matter of taste, some may like a laidback sound such as Grado or others will want more detail such as Ortofon . Think WHF need to do some more testing of cartridges there's hardly anything on this site.
 
BigH said:
Al ears said:
BigH said:
Al ears said:
GeoffreyW said:
If you like to fiddle with things, start with a Rega Planar 3/R300, with a Nagaoka MP110 cartridge. You can upgrade the sub-platter, motor, and arm, as funds allow, but which will all give noticeable improvements. But if possible, go for the recent RP3, available s/h for reasonable money, with the same cartridge, which will sound great from the start.

Otherwise, a new RP1 with the MP110 should also please. The Nag. MP110 has a warm but detailed sound, with reasonable bass. Good luck.

Thanks Geoffrey, a good suggestion especially that cartridge. Best thing you can do is to avoid the 'entry level' cartridges that normally get shoved on these turntables these days to enable them to be sold as a package.

Are you saying the Ortofon 2m red is no good?

Can you suggest some other cartridges to consider.

Without putting it too bluntly the entry level cartridges from any manufacturer are usually pretty dire, and yes, the 2M Red is an entry level cartridge. Some may find it acceptable especially if it comes ready fitted to their entry level turntable but, until you have heard something different, you will be none the wiser.

The 2M Red does a job I agree but others do it better.

If you look at my other posts on this matter you will see I have suggested other, and which I consider better choices, on numerous occasions.

Please understand though this was after years of trying cartridges of all types but ultimately using my ears.

Fair enough but new comers will not have seen all those older posts. The Nagaoka MP-110 is also an entry level cartridge at around £60? I think cartridges are a matter of taste, some may like a laidback sound such as Grado or others will want more detail such as Ortofon . Think WHF need to do some more testing of cartridges there's hardly anything on this site.

You are quite correct. This is not the forum (WHFSAV) to be on if you want serious cartridge reviews. The 110 is indeed entry level but it will still better most other manufacturers equivalents. I did try to stress sound is very much an individual taste, so to speak, and always urge auditioning where possible. Cartridges are one of those items that are extremely difficult to audition, which is where experience comes into play.

Which is, hopefully, why such questions are asked on this forum.
 

Daz B

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To the OP if you want information regarding specific turntables or cartridges you could try forums such as Vinyl Engine or Audiokarma.
 

GeoffreyW

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Re the Nagaoka MP110, I'm just speaking from experience, as it's what I have in my system, and have no experience of the Ortofon cartridges, only the Dynavector 10x4, many years old, which the MP110 replaced.

As has been often said, it's a very subjective hobby, and depends on how you like your music to sound, as to which cartridges you compare.

But at the moment, I think that Rega and Pro-ject are the best budget TTs. As has been said earlier, if you can afford it, then the RP3/RP303 set-up will take some beating, and will last you for many years before the need to upgrade takes over. One of the downsides of fixed-head arms is that it's not easy to swap cartridges, for comparison, but they're a very friendly lot here, and you may find someone prepared to let you listen to their set-up? Hopefully you've many years ahead of you, so don't rush things, but DO buy the very best you can afford, even if it means being patient.
 

NMANo1

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Hi David, you are right to say it's subjective.

I happily ran an original Rega Planar 3 ( which comes with the award winning RB300 arm ) for nearly 5 years with an assortment of £40-£130 moving magnet cartridges & an ever increasing sound quality & then stored it away for nearly 18 years. Loved it !

Last month I set it up again, just to see how it would sound now through my vastly improved system & fitted it with a £380 Goldring Eroica moving coil cartridge. Plugged it in ( 18 yrs ! ) & away it went & instantly sounded really good. A few hours later, once warmed up it sounded even better !........18 years ! Played it for a couple of weeks till I missed the Linn's improvements. Still keeping it....Love it !

I was curious to see how it sounded in comparison to my current £3500 LP12 vinyl set up. Given the different design models ( Linn - suspended, Rega - solid plinth ), power supply's & the difference in price range & I was surprised how good it sounded. Excellent levels of bass & a wide soundstage. Excellent with vocals. IMHO you would have to spend a fair bit of money to get a decent SQ improvement over the Rega.

Unbelievably good deck for the money, stylish, timeless aesthetics, excellent engineering/ design, reliability & comes with an arm that was also used on a lot of far more expensive turntables & held its own.

A secondhand mint condition deck could be picked up for £130, spend £80-£120 on a decent cartridge & considering your last deck/how you think vinyl sounds I think it would blow you away. The decks are upgradable if you wanted to go there in the future or save up your pennies & buy new but for my tastes I would go Rega over Project.

At this price range I think it is either or. They're both good.

Good luck & have fun deciding.
 

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