Rega RB250, how good or bad are they?

[Floyddroid]

A lot of conflicting views about these tonearms. Love to now your views. I have a 250 on my 1210 loaded with a 2M blue and it doesn't sound half bad. I am thinking of putting my Quintet Black i it.:scratch:

[walpurgis]

The RB250 and RB300 are OK on the right turntable, I've had a few.

I had one on a Techie and found it awkward though, the armlifter sits too low for my liking with that TT due to the relatively shallow platter.

[hifi_dave]

Rega arms are great value, sound excellent and are reliable. What'snot to like ? Recommended and used by numerous turntable manufacturers.

[struth]

I have one on my srm and it is very good. Improve the end stub with a sorbothane filled one for instance and a damp the weight and it is an easy and big improvement. A full rewire will be the biggest improvement, but even out of the box they are good/ better than the rb300. imo

[The Barbarian]

Would'nt be seen dead with one

:)

[Mr Kipling]

What'snot?

[The Barbarian]

:lol: Dont get me going..

[Floyddroid]

Come on Barb, lets have it. Until Islamic state take over we still have the right to free speech.
:lol: Dont get me going..

[Mr Kipling]

I don't quite understand why they get such a hammering at times. The original price for an RB300 was £88 if I remember rightly. For that sort of money and the engineering involved, what do you want? Not too sure what they go for now.

[Gordon Steadman]

I don't quite understand why they get such a hammering at times. The original price for an RB300 was £88 if I remember rightly. For that sort of money and the engineering involved, what do you want? Not too sure what they go for now.


Absolutely. Its like anything, people have their favourites and some people like a different sound to others. For the money I reckon they were great value. I've had the RB300 and now use the RB250 with Origin Live mods. It sounds fine. I reckon the arm on my old Dual 1019 is just as good though now I've listened a bit although I haven't compared them on the same deck.

[Mr Kipling]

What'snot?

Maybe better known as "Bogies" or "Dingle Hoppers".

[struth]

I don't quite understand why they get such a hammering at times. The original price for an RB300 was £88 if I remember rightly. For that sort of money and the engineering involved, what do you want? Not too sure what they go for now.

The first Rega turntables built during the 70's carried a Rega designed Japanese built 'S' shaped tonearm called the R200. By 1983 the time had come for Rega to design and build its own tonearm and so the world famous RB300 (Rega Britain) was born. The high pressure die-cast silicon alloy tube alone took two years to develop alongside the UK's largest die-cast company. The work and our casting subsequently won us an "international casting award" from America for what is still considered today to be a technically impossible casting. See if you can find one the same! Since its conception we have sold over 400,000 of the now legendary RB300 derived tonearm. The rb303 is currently £350 which is great value for a new arm.

[prestonchipfryer]

Flimsy cartridge connectors and the whole wirinbg loom cold be a loot beter.

[Gordon Steadman]

Flimsy cartridge connectors and the whole wirinbg loom cold be a loot beter.

The OL mods took care of that - for a wee sum of extra money of course:eyebrows:

[walpurgis]

I tried to get on with the Rega arms and there's nothing wrong with them. But each time I went back to using my Mission 774, I breathed a sigh of relief, it was just so much better.

[dantheman91]

Works for me :)

[mimoser]

An RB250 with 5-pin connector came with my TT2. As the bearing was knackered I had it serviced and rewired. The glued-in plastic stub was removed.
What I changed and what it did:
- steel stub, tungsten weight: cleared up sound, lighter, so moves backward, might get tricky with heavy carts (higher effective mass?)
- Espressimo Heavyweight: more crisp bass, better definition, heavier, so moves forward (lower effective mass?)
- Mitchell VTA riser and finger nut: simple convenience

I had an RB251 with similar ingredients on an LP12 for an A-B comparison, so changes did not have to be remembered, but could be heard.
Rega original wiring is not half as bad as its said to be …

I kept the RB250 as it came with a Heybrook sticker which fits the TT2, but could have also kept the RB251.
A new 251 or similar with preloved steel stub and dropped counterweight should cost around GBP 200,– which ain’t a lot. If you don’t like what it does, you might lose GBP 50,– when selling.
hth
Michael

[Oldpinkman]

I tried to get on with the Rega arms and there's nothing wrong with them. But each time I went back to using my Mission 774, I breathed a sigh of relief, it was just so much better.

The 774 is several classes above the 250 and that has nothing to do with wiring. The 250 was decent enough value for money, but definitely an "entry level" arm. It's not hard to do much better (at a price)

[dowser]

I ran a rewired, re-end stubbed & bearing fiddled 250 on my LP12 successfully for a number of years - great arm. Only changed when I finally tracked down a 774, which (as above) is in a different class altogether

[awkwardbydesign]

The RB250 and RB300 are OK on the right turntable, I've had a few.

I had one on a Techie and found it awkward though, the armlifter sits too low for my liking with that TT due to the relatively shallow platter.

Depends on the TT and cartridge, I guess. I tried one (RB250?) on a Gyrodeck with an ATOC9 and it was horrid. The 774 worked, though.

[Mr Kipling]

Depends on the TT and cartridge, I guess. I tried one (RB250?) on a Gyrodeck with an ATOC9 and it was horrid. The 774 worked, though.

Just horrid? Or an Absolute Shower, too?

[awkwardbydesign]

Just horrid? Or an Absolute Shower, too?

Grey and dull.

[struth]

Do a few mods to the 250 and it is a very good arm...everything is price dependant but for maybe the price of a standard 3009 , if you already have a 250 you can get AO to put it up there.

[Gordon Steadman]

Grey and dull.

We are back to personal preferences again. I have a Dutch friend who thinks my Quad 57s are dull and boring. When I listen to his system, I find it sharp and unnatural, in fact, quite painful in the upper frequencies. He calls it exciting and live. Not like my live it ain't.

We've had the same discussion about pre-amps. Until you hear something, you don't know if it is good for you.

[Beobloke]

For what it's worth, I'd say that the standard RB250 is good, but the standard RB300 is better. They both image well and have great bass but my ears also agree that they can tend towards being a bit grey and lifeless across the midband. The RB300 is better in this respect, and everything gets better still as you go up the Rega range - the RB1000 is a lovely thing.

[freefallrob]

For what it's worth, I'd say that the standard RB250 is good, but the standard RB300 is better. They both image well and have great bass but my ears also agree that they can tend towards being a bit grey and lifeless across the midband. The RB300 is better in this respect, and everything gets better still as you go up the Rega range - the RB1000 is a lovely thing.

Spot on Adam, this is my experience also.

The 3 point mounted versions sound different, perhaps more relaxed, and the latter arm tubes seem less resonant too....

[Pete The Cat]

I think "for the money" is the real point here. Second hand what's not to like ? Currently running an Origin Live RB250 with XTM counterweight on my family room deck and it gives me as much pleasure as my main rig.

Pete

[337alant]

The Audiomods RB 250 I considerably better though I have owned the RB250, RB300 and OL1 and after building the Audiomods arm I realised what people meant when they say the original arm sounds tonally grey.
Rega P3 sold soon after but the OL1 sounds good on a Techy 1210

Alan