choosing new cartridge for upgraded tonearm

[planet10]

Originally posted by sreten
planar 3... Ariston RD11S

I've owned both and must say i'd rather have a P3. And there are some reversible mods -- telfon bearing nut, corian & MDF platter -- that do make an improvement.

dave

[sreten]

Originally posted by planet10


I've owned both and must say i'd rather have a P3.
And there are some reversible mods -- telfon bearing
nut, corian & MDF platter -- that do make an improvement.

dave

Pfffff.... is all I can say. The RD11 is stock form is not great but with a
new (low mass) subchassis and tweaking it should eat a P3 for breakfast.

Like my mildly modded SystemDek IIX does.

sreten.

[carlosfm]

1 - Buy a new Shure V15, if you have the money for it, and forget cartridges for many years.

2 - Sreten, believe it or not, there are many people with not finely tuned VTA on Rega arms/TTs.
Adjusting VTA with spacers in anecdotical, but the only way to do it.
Where's the precision here?
Origin Live has a variable VTA mod for the Regas.

3 - No Ariston, buy a used Technics SP10 and put your Rega arm on it.

[sreten]

Originally posted by carlosfm
1 - Buy a new Shure V15, if you have the money for it, and forget cartridges for many years.

A good option if you like MM's.
Arguably the V15 is overpriced compared to
the 1042, 540 or even the AT440ML, it is IMO.

Originally posted by carlosfm
2 - Sreten, believe it or not, there are many people with not finely tuned VTA on Rega arms/TTs.
Adjusting VTA with spacers in anecdotical, but the only way to do it.
Where's the precision here?
Origin Live has a variable VTA mod for the Regas.
[/B]

Setting the Rega VTA is part of correctly installing a
Rega arm - though I agree for many P2's and P3's
its never done - though it is near enough with
most cartridges.

There is no real precision - you just get the cartridge
parallel to the record, I used a felt layer between
platter and subplatter to get mine right.

Originally posted by carlosfm
3 - No Ariston, buy a used Technics SP10 and put your Rega arm on it.

Well I don't know what you've got against the Ariston at its ~ price.

If your a massive DD fan the SP10 is a good choice but costs a lot more.

sreten.

[marjan]

Sreten, let me ask you, did you had a chance to hear a modded version of small regas 250,300? I`m considering incognito or origin live modd for some time but not shure it`s worth the cost? What`s your personal opinion? My set up is Kuzma Stabi II, Rega RB 300, and Ortofon MC15/II

thanks

[sreten]

I use an MC15II/ RB250 in a tuned and mildly modded Systemdek IIX.

As a DIY person I'd consider rewiring the arm end to end if I
ever did it, and of course it would cost next to nothing to do.

And as far as I understand the counterweight assembly
of the RB300 is much less compromised than the RB250,
(so its spring adjustment gets bashed instead).

What is obvious to me is the cost/performance ratio of the standard
Rega arms unquestionably far exceeds any modded versions of the arms.

Counterweight mods etc I can't comment on as IMO this
also depends on the turntable its mounted on and method
of mounting, drilling and tapping a hole in the RB300
counterweight for a grub screw can't be that difficult
if you want to try a clamped counterweight.

Also my personal opinion is that the MC15 II is a fine match
for the standard Rega in terms of cost versus performance,
I'd be looking at the aluminium bodied MC25FL if I was
trying to extract the ultimate performance from the arm.

sreten.

[fantasia]

Well, i agree with a lot that has been said and then i dont as well
contary ah!!

You can send lot of cash and get diminishing returns!!! thats why we tweak and DIY!!!

But the rega Plinth is very simple just a sheet of MDF!!! and it works well ,but i suspect that the plinth is the limiting factor!!
So, keeping the old one and building a new one, ie like some of the suggestions, that have been posted is a cheap way to go.

I agree, with was it streten, the REGA arm because of its ridgidity
will make a low priced MM sound good. What you could do is go over to EBAY and keep an eye out for Good quality moving magnets they are often cheap, often sold used or without stylii

I curently run a Humble excel sound es-70 cartridge, cost nothing
but they made one body and a higher up model just has better stylus so now i have an ES-70x4 with a shibata for about $30 australian sounds very nice. I have heard expensive cartridges,
that sound ordinary!!! look out for used Audio Technicas, Shures,
Empires, Stantons, Pickerings ,Grados a good place to check out what has a line contact stylii is Canadian ASTATIC(they have a website)

Do, this and build a massive Plinth like MDF and Lead and it wont cost much andgive you a lot of listening pleasure then you can take your time with, a much better turntable!!!

Good Luck

[eriep]

since we're (at least in passing) talking about the Ariston RD11s,
any ideas byond the basic tweaking? I've owned mine since new ('84 or so) and presently have a Signet TK50 arm on it. (can't remember the cartridge but will look at it when I get home)?


erie

[pinkmouse]

Thread split for Ariston upgrade is now here.

Thanks.