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Canetoad
05-11-2010, 16:22
I took a gamble and bought a 2nd hand Nagaoka MP-150 cartridge from ebay. It supposedly has only about 10 hours use on it.

I installed it this afternoon, replacing a Goldring 1012GX, and the sound has improved markedly. Bass is a lot tighter and treble is less splashy. Music also seems to have more impact with this cartridge. A greater dynamic range if you like. Soundstage is also bigger.

The treble is a little sharp but I'm hoping it will settle down with a few more hours of use. Overall I'm very pleased.

Can somebody take me through the correct setup for cartridge alignment? I think I did it correctly but wanted to be sure. What alignment would you suggest? Stevenson, Baerwald or standard Rega. TT is Rega Planar 3 with RB300 arm.

Currently I have set it using the Stevenson alignment.

DSJR
05-11-2010, 16:40
From memory, Rega use their null point at 60mm from spindle centre. The outer one isn't an issue with Planars, as Rega get the basic geometry right from the start. Remember, the arm-tube is slightly tapered, so should appear to the eye as if it's tail down at the back.

While the deck is in setup mode, get a suitable spanner and check the arm fixing nut for tightness. Don't go mad and break the arm-rest platform using it as a lever, but excessive looseness on this deck will destroy it sonically. Same goes for the main bearing nut.

If your Planar 3 is over fifteen years or so old, the mat may need freshening up by replacement. there are after-market platters out there which I have no experience of, but following Marco's pronouncements regarding acrylic platters/mats, one of these may be an idea to replace the glass one. A drop or three of EP80 gear oil in the bearing wouldn't hurt either and also the fixed-motor update is well worth while for pitch stability.

The MP150, being a modern update on a well liked ancestor, may well be a touch neutral in the treble, rather than soft and euphonic. I agree that the 1012GX can sound a tad edgy-messy-gritty in some systems, but only if the speakers are a bit spiteful as well does this become an issue.

Canetoad
05-11-2010, 16:52
Dave,

I have upgraded the motor to the new solid mount and replaced the subplatter with a Deepgroove version, which has sorted out LPs playing slightly fast. Glass platter has also been replaced with an acrylic version. I don't use a mat with this.

You may be right about the speakers. One of the mods suggested as an improvement is adding a 3dB l-pad to the tweeters, which is supposed to improve their sound. I haven't done this yet.

I appreciate the feedback.

DSJR
05-11-2010, 16:54
What are the speakers?

Finally, what's the Rega sitting on? I liked their wall shelf as this improved reproduction of bass notes :)

hifi_dave
05-11-2010, 16:56
As Dave says. Just save yourself some grief and use the Rega supplied protractor.

StanleyB
05-11-2010, 16:57
Glass platter has also been replaced with an acrylic version. I don't use a mat with this.
Try a mat to see if the treble tones down. I made a glass mat once, which brought out the treble far too much. I switched to a copper mat (Micro Seiki CU-180), which did the same thing. So now I use a rubber mat again.

Canetoad
05-11-2010, 17:19
Speakers are an Australian designed Jaycar JV60 I built back in '98. MTM design using Danish Vifa drivers. They're actually available again through Jaycar in Australia, although they have changed the dimensions of the cabinets and the drivers are newer models. The new version is taller and narrower.

Plans are to build new crossovers using Mundorf caps and air-core inductors and a combination of Kiwame and Mills resistors. I've also got a set of Morel silk dome tweeters to replace the metal dome Vifas. The designer suggested this mod to increase power handling and to give smoother treble.

It's the next job after getting used to the sound I'm now getting with the new cartridge.

I like their sound. They surprise me sometimes.

Reid Malenfant
05-11-2010, 17:28
Plans are to build new crossovers using Mundorf caps and air-core inductors and a combination of Kiwame and Mills resistors.

Make sure you use air cored inductors with the same resistance as the iron or ferrite cored inductor/s feeding the bass mid drivers ;) If they are different then the alignment of the bass/mids will be altered around the bass resonance frequency. Or to put it simply the driver/enclosure interaction at bass frequencies will change.

If the resistance is higher which is a serious possiblity going to air cored inductors you'll get a higher Q & boomy one note bass :rolleyes: It's got to be the same, the manufacturers took this into account when designing the things :eyebrows:

StanleyB
05-11-2010, 17:30
I like their sound. They surprise me sometimes.
If you do, think hard before you attempt to change it. Cross overs mods can come back to bite you. So keep the original x-overs undamaged in case you need to revert back to them.

Canetoad
05-11-2010, 17:47
I always planned to keep the original intact anyway and start from scratch. I will check the new inductors though just to be sure.