Rega RP1

[wee tee cee]

Bought my self a Rega RP1 yesterday afternoon...and a couple of records to play on it because I dont own any.

Its Regas entry level record player fitted with a rega carbon cartridge. Its dead easy to set up-literally plug and play. Just a case of removing all the packaging and plugging it into the mains. Add the tonearm weight by screwing it fully on and connecting to the MM sockets on the amp.

To say Im surprised at what it sounds like is an understatement. Ive been all digital for 30 years and had often thought about getting some vinyl but always resisted.

Im glad I succumbed...having heard some really good vinyl set ups I knew it can be a fantastic medium but the cost was always a big factor I just couldnt justify.

At £230 the Rega is pretty reasonable.

I listened to it last night and this morning on both cans and speakers IMHO it gives genuine taste of what makes vinyl so attractive to music lovers. To my ears it sounds very organic with a very natural tone. Soundstage is spot on with lots of nice layering of instruments and voices. Sax rasp and piano tones are lovely.

Its just great sounding music-very unfatiguing and soothing.

Really glad I did it....anybody thinking about giving it a go-go on, treat yourself!!!

[walpurgis]

I did the same. Went out and bought a decent turntable and was delighted with the results.............around 1970 :D.

[Simon_LDT]

Yep, and it's why I've got a TT and CD player in my set-up, for the best of both worlds. There are some records that are just special and no digital version can come close, yet some records can be worse than digital (for various reasons). I like having the option to buy either CD and/or Vinyl.

[brian2957]

Nice one mate , glad you're liking it :)

[wee tee cee]

Thanks Brian...it even in the same league as Garys or Grants that Ive heard but its more than adequate as a start point.

I blame Topsy....when we went down to collect the 57s he played some Tracy Chapman on his vinyl rig-best sounding system I have ever heard. Louise asked me to buy the album yesterday but it seems to be out of print.

The RP1 is true to Regas moto-"music first".

How you fixed next weekend?

[brian2957]

Dunno mate could be a goer . Flying back home tomorrow. I'll give you a bell then .

[cjm123]

Hi,

I have had a number of reasonable to good decks over the years but have returned to an RP1 because IMHO it gives a big slice of what vinyl sound is about for a very small wedge of readies :) and with vinyl's imperfections I reckon it is a very good cost/performance solution.

It also has an excellent RB101 arm which can take much better cartridges than the stock Rega Carbon although I remain a massive fan of the Carbon for the price. I have just put a Denon DL-110 on mine and it works great providing a bigger deeper soundstage and much better resolution and HF detail.

Some people say the RP1 is not speed stable but the Paul Miller HiFi News test reports show it to be within 0.01% WRMS of the more expensive RP3 and I doubt anyone can hear that small a difference.

Anyway glad you are enjoying your RP1, I think they are a steal. Oh BTW save for the cartridge which can be improved upon I have tried a number of aftermarket tweaks and TBH I prefer the sound of the stock RP1 deck.

Chris

[Gazjam]

Nice one Tony, dead chuffed its doing the business for you.

Plug n play is a good way to describe the Rega decks, had a Planar 2 back in the day and you just plonked it down and it made music.
Can be a lot of faffing about with vinyl, but not with the Regas and they sound great.

You know Discogs?
https://www.discogs.com

Like Ebay but just for music.
Bought most of my vinyl from here, great place to get the LPs you want.
Tracey Chapman for example....:)
https://www.discogs.com/sell/list?currency=GBP&master_id=105802&ev=mb&format=Vinyl

[wee tee cee]

Thanks Gary...the Vinyl at HMV/Fopp is a bit salty price wise but I now have a perverted wish to just buy my favourite John Martyn albums and a few select others and just leave vinyl as a special immersive wee treat for myself on cans or the main rig.

All new...if they get worn/ scratched its by me-if that remotely makes sense!!

[struth]

Think I played more when I had less, if that makes sense; and enjoyed it more

[Gazjam]

Thanks Gary...the Vinyl at HMV/Fopp is a bit salty price wise but I now have a perverted wish to just buy my favourite John Martyn albums and a few select others and just leave vinyl as a special immersive wee treat for myself on cans or the main rig.

All new...if they get worn/ scratched its by me-if that remotely makes sense!!

Aye...makes sense.
Have a think about 2nd hand stuff though especially records in "Near Mint" condition?
I'm a fussy bugger but I've been happy picking up most of my vinyl from Discogs (Near mint only).
Once its been through the record cleaning machine 99% of them are like new.
Got to know trustworthy sellers too which is a good thing.

When you have a few in your collection Tony, feel free to bring em over whenever I'm having a shindig at mine and we can give 'em a shampoo n shave.
Even new vinyl sounds better after wet cleaning! :mental:

Look forward to hearing the system at the weekend, not heard the 57's or the Claymore before, all change at Tony Towers!

[brian2957]

I'll be at yours around 10 on Saturday morning mate if that's convenient :)

[Gazjam]

Sure thing mate.