Rega Planar 3 Turntable with Elys 2 Cartridge

[WineOfTheVeins]

Definitely wait a few months at least before you think about upgrading the RP3 or the cartridge.

If you buy a Subplatter for an RP6 you can then add the platter for an RP6 as well. There are some differences in the plinth (the large black base) between an RP3 and and RP6 but the major difference is in the platter itself (heavier, thicker).

Other worthwhile upgrades are an adjustable VTA base for the tonearm. Only required if you switch cartridges, but won't harm anything if you do that first before you replace the REGA cartridge.

A tonearm rewire could follow the cartridge replacement, and possibly could wait until your phono preamp is improved (not sure what you are using there). It's a bit tricky for a DIY job but with careful instructions can be done by anyone handy. You will need soldering skills to attach the cartridge clips to the tonearm wire and depending on how you proceed from there, to a connector at the tonearm base or a cable replacement.

Regardless, in order to fully evaluate any "improvement", you should spend a few months listening after each, and only do one at a time.

Changes to a turntable setup are more obvious than changes to a digital playback chain, and aside from cartridge swaps, mechanical differences are subtle in the grand scheme of things. You will hear a greater difference by changing speakers, for example.

Many people with good ears are quite happy with the stock REGA setup for many years, so don't be under the impression that changes are "needed"; be sure the rest of your system is sorted out as well. A $100 here or there can result in much greater differences depending on where it's spent. Furthermore turntables at this price range are the result of many hours of prototyping and work as a coherent "whole". There are various parts that are not "perfect" but they work together so that one minor failing here is offset by another design choice "there".

I've made some mods to my REGA P3 so obviously I can't say that I don't advocate changes, but it can be a slippery slope where that cohesive whole of the stock 'table is upset by an inappropriate "upgrade". This more than anything is why I suggest listening for a while to get to know the sound character before and between tweaks.

Good advice. Thank you.

 

[3db]

Although you will be hard pressed to hear a reviewer say it out loud, but a similarly priced REGA is superior to any Pro-Ject or one of the Japanese belt drives. For proof just check out what those same reviewers actually buy for their own systems when they are aware of the market offerings, the performance of each, and get Industry Accommodation pricing no matter what they choose.

Do you evidence behind the claim that reviewers prefer Rega over ProJect and who they are writing for?
Rega didnt even make the list;
https://www.devotedtovinyl.com/whats-the-best-audiophile-turntable-under-500/


https://www.whathifi.com/pro-ject/primary/review
https://www.techradar.com/reviews/pro-ject-debut-carbon

He paid $US 455 for this 'table. Show me your $455 equivalent from Pro-Ject. Don't forget to include a MM cartridge.

Lets compare MSRP and not deals.

Those "ludicrous pro British announcers of formula 1 (sic)" are the Sky Sports broadcast team. I remember a time when they were the Pro-German broadcast team in the Schumacher era, and the Pro-French broadcast team when Alain Prost won, or pro-Spain when Ferdinand Alonso won in F1. Funny how that works.
.

Even during the Shumacher Dynasty, the broadcast team was as pro British as they are now so it IS funny how that works. However, Louis Hamilton's lead is temporary as Ferrarri now has the best car this year and Vettel will most likely win it this year.

 

[slipperybidness]

Granted that I've never heard or put hands on a Rega, but to me either Rega or ProJect looked about the same for a similar price point.

 

[davidscott]

I never heard a Project but my modified used Planar 3 is the best table I have ever owned. The other tables I've owned were a Thorens 280 a Dual 505 and some model of a direct drive Technics back in the 70s. Still not a whole lot of audible difference especially with different carts but the Rega sounds really good even with an entry level cart. I did have a Shure V15 type 3 on the Technics and a Dynavector DX3 on the Thorens so I have owned some pretty good carts. Anyway just my experience.
Dave

 

[Johnny2Bad]

Do you evidence behind the claim that reviewers prefer Rega over ProJect and who they are writing for?
Rega didnt even make the list;
https://www.devotedtovinyl.com/whats-the-best-audiophile-turntable-under-500/


https://www.whathifi.com/pro-ject/primary/review
https://www.techradar.com/reviews/pro-ject-debut-carbon





Lets compare MSRP and not deals.





Even during the Shumacher Dynasty, the broadcast team was as pro British as they are now so it IS funny how that works. However, Louis Hamilton's lead is temporary as Ferrarri now has the best car this year and Vettel will most likely win it this year.

My reference to reviewers was based on what they list in their "associated components" lists, which in reference to turntables generally refers to something they own, not on loan.

Certainly, if this were a post where the OP was buying new, MSRP comparisons would be appropriate. But it isn't, therefore comparisons about "deals" is completely appropriate. Maybe create another thread, if you want. For the record, the Pro-Ject tables that use the 9cc tonearm (discontinued) are excellent, in my opinion. As it is now, the least expensive standalone tonearm from Pro-Ject is the 10cc @ $US 855, vs a REGA 303 @ $US 595. At the Pro-Ject's price, you could compare to an Origin Live Silver ($US 800) or my preference, something from Audiomods UK*. Of course the best value in tonearms is to buy it complete with a turntable.

If I were shopping for a new 'table and looking at what is available at around $1000-ish, I'd probably save a bit more and look at something from Clearaudio or the Oracle Origine, both in the $2000-ish range. I owned a Marantz TT15 (made by Clearaudio) and very much liked it, and with an included cartridge the Clearaudo / Marantz are excellent values.

Well, they are a British broadcaster. Not sure I would expect otherwise, and certainly as a non-American I easily can see similar bias when it's a US feed in sport (for example when SPEED channel did the commentary over the BT Sport video feed, before ESPN took over the F1 rights). It doesn't bother me, I can see it for what it is.

I hope you are right about Vettel, but F1 usually comes down to the wire, if not the last race then the last two or three (at least for Drivers' Championships) and racing at this level is unpredictable ... a DNF can kill a driver's chances and it may not have anything do to with his driving. Personally I like the individual races themselves more than I care about Drivers' Championships. I would like to see Ferrari earn the Constructors' trophy, which can be the result of one driver but usually needs help from both team drivers. At least we can agree on something, 3db.

* Series 5 with Cardas DIN @ UKP 645; $US 835 @ 1SE2018 exchange rate

http://www.audiomods.co.uk/

 

[Johnny2Bad]

That's what I'm going to do. Thanks. I will try these methods to see where it leaves me. I know these don't have grounds, and it seems to be a Rega thing.

There is no "hard and fast" rule regarding Turntable grounds. It is essentially system-dependent.

Essentially you should try the various possible configurations and see which offers the lowest noise. Sometimes not connecting the ground wire is best, for example, and if you use an outboard Phono Preamp, then there are two grounds to experiment with (connect TT to pre-preamp, connect pre-preamp to preamp/receiver/integrated, both, just one, or neither). If you change cartridges, the ground scheme may also benefit from a change.

Sometimes connecting the ground to one of the phono input RCAs (you kind of jam a bare wire, after removing the spade lug, into the RCA male / female connection at the preamp / receiver / amp) works best. It's easy to test, though, by just touching the ground to the outside of the RCA to see if that's worthwhile. Do so in such a way that the ground isn't touching your fingers as your body affects signals due to "body capacitance".

 

[WineOfTheVeins]

I appreciate all the help with this table everyone. I realized, after about 12 hours of play, I am in love with the warm, full sound of vinyl.

So;

-Sold my RP3 for a profit ($150). How can I complain? I figured I'd put it out there to see what I could get for it. Loved the sound, it was a great table. When it sold for asking price, I couldn't refuse, especially having this one in the back of my mind I've been eyeing up for a week.

-Picked this up for $850 under retail. 2 months old, box, receipt etc.

No urge nor need to upgrade. I plan on keeping this table for a good 5-10 years. I am perfectly happy sitting pretty at a Planar 6. My vinyl enthusiast buddy who came and helped me inspect the RP3 even said "If you end up selling this, it's a good thing. It means you like vinyl and want to step up the ladder."

Had I went the 'upgrade the RP3 route'
$550 Neo PSU
$699 Exact Cartridge
$799 RB330 Tonearm
$75 White drive belt upgrade
Invaluable - New plinth, bracing system, platter, bearings, and aluminum sub-platter.

Then of course resale; a P6 will sell better than a heavily modded RP3. I am pretty happy with my decision. I am not going to lie, I was on the fence about it for a good 4 days after contacting the seller.

 

[Mikado463]

Excellent, now sit back, relax and enjoy the music !!

 

[Johnny2Bad]

RE: Had I went the 'upgrade the RP3 route'

There is no way those upgrades are necessary. PS regulation is useful ... I built my own for my P3 for about $150.00. Replacing the tonearm is unnecessary, and the RB330 is not the one to buy at $800 in any case. As for the drive belt ... that is robbery. Don't get sucked in by phono-snobbery.

As for flipping the RP3 after seeking out advice on it, no comment. Enjoy your RP6.

 

[3db]

I appreciate all the help with this table everyone. I realized, after about 12 hours of play, I am in love with the warm, full sound of vinyl.

So;

-Sold my RP3 for a profit ($150). How can I complain? I figured I'd put it out there to see what I could get for it. Loved the sound, it was a great table. When it sold for asking price, I couldn't refuse, especially having this one in the back of my mind I've been eyeing up for a week.

-Picked this up for $850 under retail. 2 months old, box, receipt etc.

No urge nor need to upgrade. I plan on keeping this table for a good 5-10 years. I am perfectly happy sitting pretty at a Planar 6. My vinyl enthusiast buddy who came and helped me inspect the RP3 even said "If you end up selling this, it's a good thing. It means you like vinyl and want to step up the ladder."

Had I went the 'upgrade the RP3 route'
$550 Neo PSU
$699 Exact Cartridge
$799 RB330 Tonearm
$75 White drive belt upgrade
Invaluable - New plinth, bracing system, platter, bearings, and aluminum sub-platter.

Then of course resale; a P6 will sell better than a heavily modded RP3. I am pretty happy with my decision. I am not going to lie, I was on the fence about it for a good 4 days after contacting the seller.

Congrats!! Vinyl is fun and I like how it engages the listener

 

[WineOfTheVeins]

Congrats!! Vinyl is fun and I like how it engages the listener

Thank you! It should be here Friday!!
I find with LPs, I want to put one record on after the next. Feet are stompin' body is groovin', it's more addictive. After a decent listening session with my CDs, I am kind of exhausted. Doing side by sides, there's no doubt vinyl sounds different than CD, and for the better IMHO.

 

[WineOfTheVeins]

RE: Had I went the 'upgrade the RP3 route'

There is no way those upgrades are necessary. PS regulation is useful ... I built my own for my P3 for about $150.00. Replacing the tonearm is unnecessary, and the RB330 is not the one to buy at $800 in any case. As for the drive belt ... that is robbery. Don't get sucked in by phono-snobbery.

As for flipping the RP3 after seeking out advice on it, no comment. Enjoy your RP6.

The tonearm isn't necessary, but the other upgrades would be. I thought the same thing about the belt, but you read reviews on it, and the non-believers like myself say great things.

There's nothing wrong with that. It was my first table, I enjoyed it. I knew I could squeeze more out of the format, so in curiosity I put it up for sale. Sold within a week. I'm sure you wouldn't refuse a profit for demo'ing a TT. & thanks, I will. When it comes.

 

[davidscott]

I have a 1990s Planar 3 with the 24 motor upgrade. New regular belt and new Carbon Cart sounds pretty good with my used vinyl. If anything I might spring for a Deepgroove sub platter upgrade but I'm pretty happy with the sound right now. I also have an LP gear AT elliptical stylus upgrade for the Carbon but haven't even tried it yet.
Dave

 

[Johnny2Bad]

The tonearm isn't necessary, but the other upgrades would be. I thought the same thing about the belt, but you read reviews on it, and the non-believers like myself say great things.

There's nothing wrong with that. It was my first table, I enjoyed it. I knew I could squeeze more out of the format, so in curiosity I put it up for sale. Sold within a week. I'm sure you wouldn't refuse a profit for demo'ing a TT. & thanks, I will. When it comes.

I am not referring to any qualities a new belt might or might not offer. The REGA uses standard o-rings as it's belt material. This is a deliberate choice of Roy Grundy when he designed the original 1970's model turntables, and it has remained to this day, and the reason is because you can order standard manufactured o-rings at low cost.

I know what o-rings cost. I know the exact length of the REGA o-rings, who manufactures them, whom to order them from. I know the cost of every imaginable material used to make o-rings by alternatives to REGAs stock units. I even know how to adjust the length based on the modulus of elasticicy of the alternate materials to the Buna-N belts that ship with the OEM units. All I'm saying is $75 is outrageous, period.

I don't buy things I don't want to own, and I can't remember the last time I sold something audio from my personal collection (and this from someone who was not only employed in the industry selling audio, but owned an audio reselling store with two locations, so it's not because I don't know how). But that isn't the point. I have no problem with you selling your gear, buying your gear, or gluing macaroni on it and spray painting it gold, for that matter. It's yours, do what you want.

But you used something other people own ... their experience and sincere advice. They could offer it, or not, as they saw fit. The unwritten rule is don't ask people to provide sincere advice, and then essentially ignore it, if you want people to offer you advice in the future. That goes for your friends and family as much as on the internet, and online it's just basic forum etiquette, like not posting the same post in two different parts of the same forum, or not typing in all caps.

I'm glad you're happy with your turntable. I hope you get good advice in the future, because good advice is worth more than money (it will save you $thousands, of course, but it will also lead to a happier life, which is more important). Maybe it could have saved about $60 of a $75 o-ring purchase, for example.

Just trying to give you some life advice, not TT advice. I wouldn't have even brought this up if you hadn't replied, I had hoped my brief comment would have prompted you to think a bit, to wonder why anyone would be less than happy to read your post.

Yes, you can make money by using people. A lot of people do it, if you decide to go through life that way you will have plenty of others who agree it's a solid life plan. But they are also people you can't trust. What do you want people to think of you?

 

[WineOfTheVeins]

I am not referring to any qualities a new belt might or might not offer. The REGA uses standard o-rings as it's belt material. This is a deliberate choice of Roy Grundy when he designed the original 1970's model turntables, and it has remained to this day, and the reason is because you can order standard manufactured o-rings at low cost.

I know what o-rings cost. I know the exact length of the REGA o-rings, who manufactures them, whom to order them from. I know the cost of every imaginable material used to make o-rings by alternatives to REGAs stock units. I even know how to adjust the length based on the modulus of elasticicy of the alternate materials to the Buna-N belts that ship with the OEM units. All I'm saying is $75 is outrageous, period.

I don't buy things I don't want to own, and I can't remember the last time I sold something audio from my personal collection (and this from someone who was not only employed in the industry selling audio, but owned an audio reselling store with two locations, so it's not because I don't know how). But that isn't the point. I have no problem with you selling your gear, buying your gear, or gluing macaroni on it and spray painting it gold, for that matter. It's yours, do what you want.

But you used something other people own ... their experience and sincere advice. They could offer it, or not, as they saw fit. The unwritten rule is don't ask people to provide sincere advice, and then essentially ignore it, if you want people to offer you advice in the future. That goes for your friends and family as much as on the internet, and online it's just basic forum etiquette, like not posting the same post in two different parts of the same forum, or not typing in all caps.

I'm glad you're happy with your turntable. I hope you get good advice in the future, because good advice is worth more than money (it will save you $thousands, of course, but it will also lead to a happier life, which is more important). Maybe it could have saved about $60 of a $75 o-ring purchase, for example.

Just trying to give you some life advice, not TT advice. I wouldn't have even brought this up if you hadn't replied, I had hoped my brief comment would have prompted you to think a bit, to wonder why anyone would be less than happy to read your post.

Yes, you can make money by using people. A lot of people do it, if you decide to go through life that way you will have plenty of others who agree it's a solid life plan. But they are also people you can't trust. What do you want people to think of you?

-I know it's an o-ring, and they're cheap, but that's what Rega charges, and the reviews people say; it's worth the upgrade. It's the music industry, poop's marked up. My friend's VPI table came with a belt that makes this belt look cheap. It's still a big o-ring, it's the first thing I mentioned when I saw his table actually.
-I didn't use anyone. I had no intention of selling the RP3 when I bought it. I didn't buy it to flip. I've never done such a thing in my life. I heard Rega was a good brand from my friend and wanted other opinions. I don't recall ignoring anyone's advice. The consensus was, it was a good table and worth the money, so I bought it. I asked advice on a TT since I was green, I appreciated all the advice here, hence the boatloads of THANK YOU's and Likes I gave out. I liked the sound of vinyl on my setup, so I wanted to move up the ladder. I didn't know I'd like vinyl so much; I figured I'd have a few LP's on a shelf as a secondary medium for music from my CDs, but I quickly realized I'd rather have more LPs on said shelf than CDs. No need to get on my case about it.
-Thanks for your input, take care.

 

[Johnny2Bad]

Not sure where you found the REGA white belt for $75, list price is $59 and all the usual turntable-focused websites sell it for that amount (Needle Doctor, Turntable Lab, etc) as well as the everyday retailers who are REGA dealers. There should be one in your nearest city, so there is no need to pay a shipping cost from an online vendor if you don't want to.

But with regard to the cost vs the materials, note that REGA sells their Buna-N belt for $39. Purchased from a quality o-ring manufacture, (ie one who can manufacture seamless belts in a wide range of dimensions, not assemble one from a continuous o-ring glued with cyanoacrylic glue, which is a common method of o-ring construction used as a gasket) you could get ten belts for that price.

The REGA upgrade "white" belt is manufactured from polychloroprene. in a seamless process. Reviews do seem positive, but when it comes to value, note that some reviewers start talking about "viewing the upgrade from a sonic perspective" rather than from the cost of the materials for your $59, and justifying the cost based on comparisons with other, more expensive upgrades.

That language often accompanies audio "tweaks" that sell for inflated prices. I'm not one to paint everything as "overpriced" but it's also true that value never equals price; it may be higher or lower but won't be the same, so it's a mistake to look at products (not just audio) in that light.

It's not necessarily suggestive that the product isn't worthwhile (I haven't heard a 'table so modified, and I only comment on products I have listened to myself),but it is suggestive that the asking price can't be supported by manufacturing and marketing costs alone. Also note that the dealer cost for accessories is lower (ie the markup is higher % wise) for anything you can display on a pegboard or a bin in the store, and another indicator is if it's displayed near the 'till / POS terminal, than for major components.

" ... -I didn't use anyone. ..."

Let's see. You started a post about a subject you knew little about, and people responded with advice and information. You used that advice and information to turn a profit. Hey, it's the Internet, things happen. But maybe you're in a bit of denial there. Anyway, that's the last I will say about it. Enjoy your new turntable.

EDIT: I forgot you were in Canada. It may well sell for $C 75.

 

[sterling shoote]

I had a Rega P6 on my short list; but, I purchased the Technics SL-1210GR instead. I really like the elegance of the P6 and it appears it is a good value; yet, I wanted, most of all, cartridge mounting ease to accomodate interchange of a collection of cartridges I have on hand. Thus, since the Rega does not have a removable headshell or VTA adjustment feature, as does the Technics, the Technics was more persuasive. At any rate, if you can settle on one cart, I think the Rega is it for the money. Now, no matter what turntable, I can't say that LP's are goin to sound

better than CD's; but, I can say the involvement required to pursue LP listening pleasure is more entertaining for me than the non-existent exercise needed to enjoy CD's.

 

[highfigh]

No, an s-shaped tonearm does not require the use of a protractor for proper alignment, just set stylus distance from headshell tail to turntable manufactures recommendation, for example on Technics SL-1200's that would be 52mm, and then turn cartridge body to be parallel to headshell axis. That's it, no need for a protractor, unless you want to explore an alternative alignment scheme. And, I know all about Rega carts having a third hole, that's why I distinguished them from other carts in regard to mounting on a Rega tonearm. Finally, "environmental corrosion", give me a break, in practical use that's baloney. Get a reality check. You seem to want to discount facts; and, fact is, your statement "then you shouldn't be using a manual turntable" shows your contempt on this matter. The one piece arm does not work at all well for anyone wishing to use more than one cartridge for a multitude of reasons. Break a lead wire and you will understand.

There are two points where a stylus is properly aligned with the groove- once near the outer edge and once near the lead out- the rest of the time, it's misaligned by some amount. Linear tracking turntables are misaligned even more of the time, but it's a matter of "By how much?".

WRT 'environmental corrosion', it's true- many turntables and headshells will stop making good contact if they're exposed to air and contaminants for a long enough time, including mine. I didn't use my turntable for over ten years and when I started again, it didn't always produce sound from one channel and when it did, the level was lower than the other. In the '70s and '80s, we used a good old pencil eraser when the tonearm used a bayonnet-style headshell mount. For the one-piece arm without a removable headshell, I guess it would still be possible to have this problem, but I haven't owned one, so I don't know.

Variety is great, but many people have a budget to stick to and some have a cartridge they prefer over the others they own, which is where I am- I like the sound of mine so much I don't even think about whether I want to change it to the other that's already mounted and that one sounds great, too. I don't think I would want to have to mount a cartridge on the end of the tonearm without being able to remove it.

 

[sterling shoote]

There are two points where a stylus is properly aligned with the groove- once near the outer edge and once near the lead out- the rest of the time, it's misaligned by some amount. Linear tracking turntables are misaligned even more of the time, but it's a matter of "By how much?".

WRT 'environmental corrosion', it's true- many turntables and headshells will stop making good contact if they're exposed to air and contaminants for a long enough time, including mine. I didn't use my turntable for over ten years and when I started again, it didn't always produce sound from one channel and when it did, the level was lower than the other. In the '70s and '80s, we used a good old pencil eraser when the tonearm used a bayonnet-style headshell mount. For the one-piece arm without a removable headshell, I guess it would still be possible to have this problem, but I haven't owned one, so I don't know.

Variety is great, but many people have a budget to stick to and some have a cartridge they prefer over the others they own, which is where I am- I like the sound of mine so much I don't even think about whether I want to change it to the other that's already mounted and that one sounds great, too. I don't think I would want to have to mount a cartridge on the end of the tonearm without being able to remove it.

Nice points, but one confuses me, "I don't think I would want to have to mount a cartridge on the end of the tonearm without being able to remove it". Of course you must mount a cart to the Rega's non-removable tonearm pipe since it does not have a detachable headshell. If you do indeed have one cart which satisfies then I suppose not having a detachable headshell is no big deal, unless in the process of removing or installing a cart you break a lead wire connection clip, which might require tonearm disassembly to repair. Also, while the protractor can assure two null points for some sort of scheme to minimize tracking error, the s-shaped tonearm's geometry permits the cartridge to be aligned to the turntable manufacturers alignment scheme to realize such scheme's tracking error specification just by setting the stylus distance to headshell tail as specified by turntable manufacturer and then adjusting cart to be parallel to axis of headshell. This is the process I followed for both my Sony PS-4750, as well as my Technics SL-1210GR. All carts I have used so far on each turntable have had no tracking issues such as inner groove distortion because the alignment scheme is somewhat like the Stevenson pattern which directs error to outer groove to reduce inner groove distortion.

 

[WineOfTheVeins]

" ... -I didn't use anyone. ..."

Let's see. You started a post about a subject you knew little about, and people responded with advice and information. You used that advice and information to turn a profit. Hey, it's the Internet, things happen. But maybe you're in a bit of denial there. Anyway, that's the last I will say about it. Enjoy your new turntable.

Maybe you didn't read my reply so I will post it again. I am enjoying my table, maybe more so if you weren't all over my nuts about this.

"I had no intention of selling the RP3 when I bought it. I didn't buy it to flip. I've never done such a thing in my life. I heard Rega was a good brand from my friend and wanted other opinions. I don't recall ignoring anyone's advice. The consensus was, it was a good table and worth the money, so I bought it. I asked advice on a TT since I was green, I appreciated all the advice here, hence the boatloads of THANK YOU's and Likes I gave out. I liked the sound of vinyl on my setup, so I wanted to move up the ladder. I didn't know I'd like vinyl so much; I figured I'd have a few LP's on a shelf as a secondary medium for music from my CDs, but I quickly realized I'd rather have more LPs on said shelf than CDs. No need to get on my case about it. "