RB300 or a Roksan Tabriz

[paudux]

I need to get rib of some gear and I wonder if anyone has an opinion on what I should keep. I want to get a decent moving coil cartridge but in order to do that I really need to sell my spare TT's, and one of my tonearms (my Wife can't see why I need more than one anyway).

I have a couple of tone arms (a RB300 and a Roksan Tabriz) and with my current cartridge (a Grado Gold) I can't really tell which is best (yes I realize personal preference comes into play), and which would be most suitable for a MC cartridge.

Unfortunately I really do have to sell some of my spare equipment to afford the new cartridge and a phono preamp (my next DIY project).

Any opinions from those with higher end cartridges would be greatly appreciated.

[AMV8]

Hi

If it were me I would sell the RB300. I think that a high quality cartridge would probably sound better in the Roksan arm.

My experience with the RB300 is that it is a good arm but the limitations begin to show when you use it with a very good deck and cartridge. This is of course just a generalisation and please take it as that. The matching of the arm to the deck and cartridge are very important but of course without more information I can not comment on these areas.

If you decide to keep the Rega arm you will find that you can improve it by modifications that are detailed on the internet. The easiest modification and probably the most important is not to use the spring loaded weight adjustment. Set the adjuster to 3gm from memory ( at this point the spring is in the neutral position ) and then adjust the playing weoght using the counterweight.

I hope this helps. Others may also have views.

Don

[paudux]

Thanks for your comments, I must admit I'm leaning the same way (but maybe I just like the easier VTA adjustment). I suppose there are no shortcuts and I'll just have to do some experimentation with swapping arm back and forth.

The deck will be a Mitchell Syncro, and after reading the large amount information in this forum I already set the tracking force using the weight and not the dial (yes set it to 3).

Cheers

[d to the g]

I think you should sell the roksan.







(to me for $20)

[massimo]

Sell the RB300 and try to get the "Zi" upgrade for your Tabriz. It's basically the Artemiz counterweight and a better cable (it used to be an Isoda HC05).
That counterweight makes a HUGE difference on bass response!

[makinson1]

You could keep the Rega, spend a jillion hours tweeking it, and end up with something like the Tabriz. I did it. It was fun in an obssesive compulsive masochistic kind of way.