I have now had my orange (more tangerine) RP6 and Rega Elys2 for 5 days, having run the cartridge in over about 15-20 albums. I don't think that the the sound is going to change any further, so I thought a user's review was now in order. I would add this under a review section but What Hi-Fi have still not reviewed the RP6.
Firstly, the deck looks fabulous in it's bright gloss finish and the reflected light on clear lid makes the deck very alluring. Classy it most certainly is. Set up is a 5 minute job assuming you have a good TT support or table. Mine is a Quadraspire which is weighed down with pre and power amps plus a Rega Apollo CD player. I chose the silver TTPSU. The deck was all set up and tested by my local Brighton dealer (Audio-T) so it was literally plug in and play.
From the off the RP6 is in the driving seat when it comes to bass. I was not expecting bass of this depth and quality for my £800. I kept thinking that I must have turned the bass up on my Kolektor but no - virtually everything I play has great bass and the ability to deliver bass line clarity that I did not know was in the recording. The second thing that is apparent is the refinement of the very top end. Even with the mid-range Elys2 the subtely is often compelling. This extends to listening to those LPs that have always played "brightly" for want of a better word. Yet the detail still shines through, along with that lovely bass.
Another area where the deck sounds great is in the way it conveys subtely in instruments (and voice) changes - typical of this is how vibrato is conveyed so well. I have some older recordings (remastered) of Chet Baker playing trumpet (not singing thankfully) where his playing is conveyed at a different level to what I am used to hearing. Solo instruments benefit across the board from this. Add to this a convincing sound stage and some tracks sound so different that they might have been remixed. Very refreshing.
Such is the nature of the RP6 that I have been going through my record Album again, having only just played one of my test records - I just want to hear my album collection rather than playing well trodden standards that tell me how my deck compares to what I know. Well I played one of those albums just a minute ago and was blown away. Attack, scale, subtely and most of all musicality. Fab!
For me the most impressive thing is that the RP6 is playing so well with the Elys2. I suspect that all of the aforementioned facets of the deck would be magnified again with the Exact in place, or a decent MC cartridge.
So are there any negatives? The only one that I can think of, is the plastic centre pin on the platter, which protrudes up through the mat and platter from the plastic hub. If only it were aluminium? I am sure that Rega will resolve this on the RP8 when it arrives! Doh!
Well, I hope this min-review satiates What Hi Fi folks' need to read something on the deck. The RP6 is no Linn Sondek, but then just look at the price difference. It's a classy product that I am very happy with.