Hi all I am looking to add a turntable to the following setup...AUDIOAB 8000a amp,CA 640v2 cdp,MA BR5 spkrs. I have a budget of £250 but could probably go up to £350 at a push, any of your thoughts or suggestions welcome. Also what benefit(if any) would a turntable give me in comparison to the sound from the CDP?
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Do you stream hi-res music or download hi-res tracks? We want your opinions!
Which turntable??????????
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Having just re-entered the hi-fi arena, I have recently re-purchased a Rega Planar 2 (first one was stolen 20 years ago), and I haven't listened to a cd since nor watched TV since! This turntable is fitted with the excellent RB250 arm, which if moded is apparently better than the RB300 although I haven't had the opportunity to ever listen to a moded arm or a Planar 3 together. For your money you can easily afford a Rega Planar 3 (£120 second hand). The advantage is that you can always use the RB250/RB300 arm and another turntable (e.g. Michell Mycro/Systemdek 2x2) should you wish to upgrade in the future. In the meantime you have a lot of change to spend on vinyl. Another advantage is that Rega is still very much alive and supporting their equipment with motor upgrades etc.
Thanks for the input i shall do a bit of research into the rega's. Don't really want to go 2nd hand to be honest, any idea how much the planar 3 is new?
Hey Bluedream,
I'm in a similar situation, looking for a Turntable.
The New Rega P3 24 is priced £349 with standard cartridge, or £500 with highly rated (not heard it myself) Elys 2 Blue.
One I have heard (in your price range) which was quite nice aesthetically and audially is the Pro-ject Xpression III with 2M Red Cartridge.
Even though the comparison was only a Pro-ject Debut III.
I'm leaning toward this in the interim with a view to picking up a 2nd hand refurbished Linn LP12 for ~ £750 eventually.
I think with the specialist decks Linn, Xerxes & to some extent Rega's, as long as you have a Specialist who can bring them back to their best, you can't go far wrong. These turntables seem to be very well looked after by their previous owners.
Will be keeping an eye on your thread.
Good Luck,
I'm in a similar situation, looking for a Turntable.
The New Rega P3 24 is priced £349 with standard cartridge, or £500 with highly rated (not heard it myself) Elys 2 Blue.
One I have heard (in your price range) which was quite nice aesthetically and audially is the Pro-ject Xpression III with 2M Red Cartridge.
Even though the comparison was only a Pro-ject Debut III.
I'm leaning toward this in the interim with a view to picking up a 2nd hand refurbished Linn LP12 for ~ £750 eventually.
I think with the specialist decks Linn, Xerxes & to some extent Rega's, as long as you have a Specialist who can bring them back to their best, you can't go far wrong. These turntables seem to be very well looked after by their previous owners.
Will be keeping an eye on your thread.
Good Luck,
If you have the money my Goldmund reference 11 is one of the best in the world but not cheap at around £125,000.
Hi ssvirk
Thanks, just had a look at the PROJECT XPRESSION III(£324 at superfi) and your right it is very pleasing to the eye,one question though i see it has a 'hinged dust cover' i was under the impression that this isn't great for sound quality?? Any truth in this? Can the cover be removed whilst playing?
Thanks, just had a look at the PROJECT XPRESSION III(£324 at superfi) and your right it is very pleasing to the eye,one question though i see it has a 'hinged dust cover' i was under the impression that this isn't great for sound quality?? Any truth in this? Can the cover be removed whilst playing?
Cheers crocguy sounds like a bargain, just got to convince the other half that selling the house and moving into rented accomodation is the way to go...................................
Hey,
Yes I heard about the loss is sound quality when a hinged lid is used, particularly with lid closed.
Considering the legendary Linn Sondek LP12 has a hinged lid too, not sure if it can be that much of a difference.
I'd say remove the lid when playing records, but be careful where you put your drinks.
Didn't really think about it at the time but don't remember the lid during my demo for the Xpression III - most are easily removable - aren't they ??
Yes I heard about the loss is sound quality when a hinged lid is used, particularly with lid closed.
Considering the legendary Linn Sondek LP12 has a hinged lid too, not sure if it can be that much of a difference.
I'd say remove the lid when playing records, but be careful where you put your drinks.
Didn't really think about it at the time but don't remember the lid during my demo for the Xpression III - most are easily removable - aren't they ??
hi all
i have the expression III and the lid is very easy to remove/re-install. Simply lifts off with minimal pressure and to put back on you just align the two holes in the lid with the retaining bolts on the deck. 5 seconds max each time. Best Hifi purchase i have made in years- will have you enjoying the music again, not just analysing it.
john
i have the expression III and the lid is very easy to remove/re-install. Simply lifts off with minimal pressure and to put back on you just align the two holes in the lid with the retaining bolts on the deck. 5 seconds max each time. Best Hifi purchase i have made in years- will have you enjoying the music again, not just analysing it.
john
Hi Johnnyboy,
Do you have it with the 2M red Cartridge?
Where did you buy it from and for how much?
The cheapest I found it online is at Cool Gates for £289 incl. FREE Delivery
http://www.coolgales.com/store/cart.php?target=product&product_id=492&category_id=4
Do you have it with the 2M red Cartridge?
Where did you buy it from and for how much?
The cheapest I found it online is at Cool Gates for £289 incl. FREE Delivery
http://www.coolgales.com/store/cart.php?target=product&product_id=492&category_id=4
hi ssvirk
yes it is the current 2M setup. got it at sevenoks bristol for 300 for turntable, 60 for phonobox II and chord crimson interconnect thrown in for nowt (about £35 i think). 289 looks like a good price- i heard that project prices are going up in april. I have enjoyed it immensly thus far and have not played a single CD since buying it.
works very well with the cyrus 6/ monitor audio RS1- fast, room-filling sound that is neutral. Set-up was fairly straight forward too.
the only added extra is the budget for mint 180g vinyl...
all the best, john
yes it is the current 2M setup. got it at sevenoks bristol for 300 for turntable, 60 for phonobox II and chord crimson interconnect thrown in for nowt (about £35 i think). 289 looks like a good price- i heard that project prices are going up in april. I have enjoyed it immensly thus far and have not played a single CD since buying it.
works very well with the cyrus 6/ monitor audio RS1- fast, room-filling sound that is neutral. Set-up was fairly straight forward too.
the only added extra is the budget for mint 180g vinyl...
all the best, john
just read your post. rega r2 with an ortofon 2m red or better still a 2m blue. both should come in within your budget.
Hate to side with the German's on this (not really, I love their cars too). Go with the xpression III, with the 2m red. I did the ol' sneaky *** home audition and bought a music hall 5.1, xpression III, and a p2 (all from different retailers!) and played dare to compare at home.
(I felt a little guilty, but there isn't a hifi dealer in all of canada that carries all three brands so I felt pretty much forced to such extremes.)
Long story short, Charles Mingus, Eric Clapton, David Gilmour, Leslie Feist and Elgar all seemed to concur with my young ears about the pro-ject.
(I felt a little guilty, but there isn't a hifi dealer in all of canada that carries all three brands so I felt pretty much forced to such extremes.)
Long story short, Charles Mingus, Eric Clapton, David Gilmour, Leslie Feist and Elgar all seemed to concur with my young ears about the pro-ject.
Hey Raypalmer,
Did you mean Xpression or Xperience, I'm a liitle confused looking at your signature.
Did you mean Xpression or Xperience, I'm a liitle confused looking at your signature.
btw ssvirk
i can't seem to type the symbol that's needed to add breaks in your text, (it doesn't appear, it just adds a break)
but it's the lesser than symbol, then b, then r, then the greater than symbol. hooray!
i can't seem to type the symbol that's needed to add breaks in your text, (it doesn't appear, it just adds a break)
but it's the lesser than symbol, then b, then r, then the greater than symbol. hooray!
Thanks Ray,
BINGO ! - It worked?
Do you know what the update path is like on the Xpression & how sensitive is the string weight jobby?
REGA or XPRESSION or REGA or XPRESSION
New Line Heaven
BINGO ! - It worked?
Do you know what the update path is like on the Xpression & how sensitive is the string weight jobby?
REGA or XPRESSION or REGA or XPRESSION
New Line Heaven
Ohhh lord. I couldn't tell you anything more than a cursory google could about update path. What I do know about the anti-skating weight is that it's got three little notches, and I find it functions best in the second notch🙂
Hope that wasn't too technical for you!!
I will say this. In my apartment. Under my particular test conditions. (Beware the wrath of the Rega Research fans) I found the P2:
1. Noticeably more sensitive to environmental vibrations. (I tried tripoding it on three brass cones, didn't have any effect.)
2. When I ran the calibration LP (there's a long bit that has no sound, so you can turn the volume way up *risky* and listen for motor noise.) a little bit of... I don't know what it was, it may have been the needle. But it was a faint something in the distance.
Disclaimer: I was thumping a phonebook on the carpet, switching the tele on and off, running the microwave, etc. in my search for sensitivity. The microwave really pissed off the rega.
Hope that wasn't too technical for you!!
I will say this. In my apartment. Under my particular test conditions. (Beware the wrath of the Rega Research fans) I found the P2:
1. Noticeably more sensitive to environmental vibrations. (I tried tripoding it on three brass cones, didn't have any effect.)
2. When I ran the calibration LP (there's a long bit that has no sound, so you can turn the volume way up *risky* and listen for motor noise.) a little bit of... I don't know what it was, it may have been the needle. But it was a faint something in the distance.
Disclaimer: I was thumping a phonebook on the carpet, switching the tele on and off, running the microwave, etc. in my search for sensitivity. The microwave really pissed off the rega.
Hey ssvirk,
Is the Marantz 6002 duo really as good as everyone says? I just harped about how you can't find them in North America for love of money, do you think I should have just bought them sight unseen from the uk instead of my CA gear??
Is the Marantz 6002 duo really as good as everyone says? I just harped about how you can't find them in North America for love of money, do you think I should have just bought them sight unseen from the uk instead of my CA gear??
Hey Ray,
I wouldn't say buy them blind no matter how good everyone says they are, simply because everybodies musical preference is subjective - there you go the typical Audiophile answer - but very true.
I listened to the Rotel RA-04 & Marantz PM6002 with Pro-ject Xpression with 2M Red, before buying my 6002s.
I was pleasantly surprised because every man & his dog was barking on about how well the RA-04 performs with B&W's cuz they're from the same distributor blah blah blah.
For me the Marantz won hands down, because it was a lot brighter sounding, which I prefer & a good phono stage too.
I think the equivalent CA is the Azur 640A, which falls short in reviews, but I haven't heard it.
Did you listen to you CA gear before buying it?
Sorry to answer your question after all that: Yes I think they are as good as everybody says if not better.......after hearing them.
I wouldn't say buy them blind no matter how good everyone says they are, simply because everybodies musical preference is subjective - there you go the typical Audiophile answer - but very true.
I listened to the Rotel RA-04 & Marantz PM6002 with Pro-ject Xpression with 2M Red, before buying my 6002s.
I was pleasantly surprised because every man & his dog was barking on about how well the RA-04 performs with B&W's cuz they're from the same distributor blah blah blah.
For me the Marantz won hands down, because it was a lot brighter sounding, which I prefer & a good phono stage too.
I think the equivalent CA is the Azur 640A, which falls short in reviews, but I haven't heard it.
Did you listen to you CA gear before buying it?
Sorry to answer your question after all that: Yes I think they are as good as everybody says if not better.......after hearing them.
I was pleased to find that Cambridge has a fairly good dealer network in Canada, bless them. I listened to the 340, 540, and 640 through my trusty mission 731's. As well as the rotel, which is a bit dear in this country. Gave NAD a shake, the usual entry level gear. In the end I couldn't hear enough of a difference between the 340, 540 and 640 to justify the extra coin, plus I've always found 40 watts to be the magic spot.
I do wish I'd had the money for the 640c cd deck, but I honestly don't listen to enough cd's to justify that.
I do wish I'd had the money for the 640c cd deck, but I honestly don't listen to enough cd's to justify that.
So the general consensus is that i won't go far wrong with the Project Expression III with my budget,thanks to all who replied by the way and to ssvirk for the link to coolgales as that price is cheaper than anywhere else i could find.
While looking on the coolgales website i saw this the Clearaudio Emotion Red
http://www.coolgales.com/store/cart.php?target=product&product_id=489&category_id=5
And have fallen for it in a big way so looks like i may blow my budget big time,does anyone know of anywhere i may be able to audition one of these as i won't be shelling out that much money on looks alone!!!
I live in the cambridge area by the way.
While looking on the coolgales website i saw this the Clearaudio Emotion Red
http://www.coolgales.com/store/cart.php?target=product&product_id=489&category_id=5
And have fallen for it in a big way so looks like i may blow my budget big time,does anyone know of anywhere i may be able to audition one of these as i won't be shelling out that much money on looks alone!!!
I live in the cambridge area by the way.
Hi,
Feel I need to slip in a disclaimer as I haven't used Clear Gales so cannot vouch for the service quality.
Can anybody else? Price the best I've found tho.
The ClearAudio is a pretty thing isn't it, I'd have to research it further and listen before taking the plunge at that price.
On a side note, is the Rega P3 24 really that bad ?
Reading negative reviews from people online regarding quality & repairs needed.
With the added extra on the new version especially upgrade path it must be a consideration
i.e External TT-PSU capabilty, update on the timeless RB300 arm to RB301. Use of same motor as P5 & P9
And available in a range of colours too.
Any views??
Feel I need to slip in a disclaimer as I haven't used Clear Gales so cannot vouch for the service quality.
Can anybody else? Price the best I've found tho.
The ClearAudio is a pretty thing isn't it, I'd have to research it further and listen before taking the plunge at that price.
On a side note, is the Rega P3 24 really that bad ?
Reading negative reviews from people online regarding quality & repairs needed.
With the added extra on the new version especially upgrade path it must be a consideration
i.e External TT-PSU capabilty, update on the timeless RB300 arm to RB301. Use of same motor as P5 & P9
And available in a range of colours too.
Any views??
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