Slight Wow on old Rega Planar 3

[homespun]

Martin, This morning I had a demo at my local Audio shop of the Audio Technica AT-LP5 fitted with the Standard AT95X cartridge through a used ARCAM amp and Wharfdale book shelf speakers. I have to be honest, the sound was superb and I would say that my old Planar 3 was no better. Even motor and bearing noise was undetectable on the LP5 and wow didn't exist, but all 3 slightly evident on the old Rega even after my servicing and up grades. The shop owner said Rega are his best sellers but don't get all prejudiced about direct drive and far East production. Putting the arguments to one side its what my ears heard and I am extremely impressed. The shop said just fitting a better cartridge such as an Ortofon Blue would take the deck to a whole new level

[Macca]

Martin, This morning I had a demo at my local Audio shop of the Audio Technica AT-LP5 fitted with the Standard AT95X cartridge through a used ARCAM amp and Wharfdale book shelf speakers. I have to be honest, the sound was superb and I would say that my old Planar 3 was no better. Even motor and bearing noise was undetectable on the LP5 and wow didn't exist, but all 3 slightly evident on the old Rega even after my servicing and up grades. The shop owner said Rega are his best sellers but don't get all prejudiced about direct drive and far East production. Putting the arguments to one side its what my ears heard and I am extremely impressed. The shop said just fitting a better cartridge such as an Ortofon Blue would take the deck to a whole new level

Unless you require the USB connectivity I'd still recommend getting a used Technics SL1200 or 1210 over the brand new AT5. Or just stick with your Rega. You'll never get the absolute speed stability of a direct drive from a lightweight belt drive, but that aside it comes down to personal preference. I know people who would never swap their Rega for a Technics, and people who would never swap their Technics for a Rega.

[steve-z]

Hi, I just thought I'd offer my thoughts on this as I'm a current Rega user but have also recently owned an Audio Technica ATLP120 direct drive deck. Firstly I considered the stock ATs Sound Quality to be pretty average but can be tweaked easily, junk the DJ slipmat first and replace with something better, I tried cork, solid acrylic, in fact almost anything will sound better than the stock mat. A lot of people online decry the on board phono preamp, tbh it's pretty reasonable but you can bypass it and use a better stage which helps, I use a Schiit Mani which is excellent. One point, AT seem to think the correct speed for an LP is 33.3 RPM exactly and that's what the Quartz locked setting gives you not the correct 33.33, so 1% slow, checked this with an iPhone app. The AT95e is probably the bet £25 cartridge around but the deck is worth better, I tried AT120EB, Nagaoka MP110 and Denon DL110 all of which sounded very good, also set tracking force with an electronic gauge as the counterweight scale is miles out.
Good though it is it can't match my Rega Planar 3 (2016) for SQ, yes it's a lot more expensive but it shows, although I've upgraded the subplatter from the Delrin std one to a machined alloy one and replaced the mat with an Origin Live mat which sounds better and gets the arm closer to parallel to the record with the slightly tall than average Nagaoka MP110 I'm using currently. Btw the iPhone app shows my deck to rotate at 33.34 RPM much closer to ideal than the AT. Hope this is helpful.
Steve


Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk

[homespun]

Thanks Steve for all the info on your set up, if you read my initial post and subsequent posts I managed to remove almost all the wow on my old Planar 3 to almost undetectable. What I didn't mention was I adjusted the VTA of the arm to parallel when in playing position with the Ortofon Blue ( even though Roy Gandy said it didn't matter ). I made my own spacers out of wood. I also said that direct drive has always intrigued me having never owned one, now after hearing one at a friends and a demo recently, I was very impressed and thought just as good as my old P3. However, I'm not going to jump in head first till I have done more research and will take Macca's advice and check out a used AT 1200, early days as they say, There are some other models to look at like Onkyo and TEAC.

As for my Planar 3, over 40 years old now, I am reluctant to throw more money at it, but possibly look at a Rega Clone such as Edwards, just to add confusion to my quest.

[steve-z]

Thanks Steve for all the info on your set up, if you read my initial post and subsequent posts I managed to remove almost all the wow on my old Planar 3 to almost undetectable. What I didn't mention was I adjusted the VTA of the arm to parallel when in playing position with the Ortofon Blue ( even though Roy Gandy said it didn't matter ). I made my own spacers out of wood. I also said that direct drive has always intrigued me having never owned one, now after hearing one at a friends and a demo recently, I was very impressed and thought just as good as my old P3. However, I'm not going to jump in head first till I have done more research and will take Macca's advice and check out a used AT 1200, early days as they say, There are some other models to look at like Onkyo and TEAC.

As for my Planar 3, over 40 years old now, I am reluctant to throw more money at it, but possibly look at a Rega Clone such as Edwards, just to add confusion to my quest.

I think Roy Gandy may have had a rethink re arm height as Rega now market a gizmo which allows the arm height to be raised from 2-8mms on the new Rega arms with the 3 point fixing, I have one fitted to my P3 and use it on the lowest 2mm setting, that in conjunction with the thinner Origin Live mat gets the arm perfectly level with the relatively tall Nagaoka. Slight problem when using it is that you can't play records with the lid down as the lid touches the counterweight, likewise when on the armrest the securing clip needs to be used as again there is contact when the lid is lowered. Because the latest RB arm has a steel counterweight rather than tungsten it has to me made larger, I expect Rega naively think users will only use their cartridges


Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk

[walpurgis]

Slight problem when using it is that you can't play records with the lid down as the lid touches the counterweight, likewise when on the armrest the securing clip needs to be used as again there is contact when the lid is lowered. Because the latest RB arm has a steel counterweight rather than tungsten it has to me made larger, I expect Rega naively think users will only use their cartridges

That's ridiculous.

[Macca]

You should always take the lid off completely when playing a record though. Can't understand people who don't do that. It's like driving with the handbrake on.

[Stratmangler]

You should always take the lid off completely when playing a record though. Can't understand people who don't do that. It's like driving with the handbrake on.

I agree, but Roy Gandy doesn't

[hifi_dave]

Swings and roundabouts. The lid picks up vibrations when up and protects the arm and record from vibrations when down.

[Stratmangler]

Swings and roundabouts. The lid picks up vibrations when up and protects the arm and record from vibrations when down.

It also picks up vibrations when the lid is down.
Take it off and it doesn't do the negative things at all.
It does leave the turntable vulnerable when in use, so not such a great idea with young children and pets.