Using a Rega Carbon cartridge...

[DSJR]

I don't know how many of you are aware, but there's a whole and now lengthy thread about "us" on the HiFi Subjectivist forum! I mention this because the motivation for my enthusing about this low cost and very low profit product which is available all over the UK has been called into question, together with the question as to whether I actually PAID for the thing! The accusation has been made that HiFi dave has wound me up and set me off on the shilling road again - and all for a £25 product that most of you chaps would ignore anyway! I've barely mentioned the RP8, a FAR more interesting product from Rega

I'm getting sick of these people jibing from the sidelines to their little audience. I HAVE bought this item, although why I should have to justify this I really don't know. The profit margin is so low it's not as if Dave can do me a demon deal in any case.

Criticism like this has spoiled some good natured banter and experiences for me at any rate, hence the almost toal absense of the threads once posted when Alex and I visited Dave and as well as having a great banter and lunch, we were able to hear stuff that we'd never get the chance to hear otherwise. My skin ain't thick enough for this - apologies folks

[Marco]

Dave,

What Richard Dunce and his half-dozen resident halfwits write on his toytown 'forum' is of no consequence to anyone important. They're 'no marks': losers. Rise above it, mate, and ignore it - as I do now. You'll find it most cathartic

Marco.

[Audioman]

I had an AT95e after a Goldring G1042, it's was better!

Well something was wrong then. Used an AT95 as a stop gap on a Linn Axis many years ago. Upgraded to G1042 and difference was night and day for the better !!! Maybe the later 95E is a big iimprovement or 1042 production has got worse?

Paul.

[hifi_dave]

Dave,

Out of sight, out of mind.

If you stop reading it, the membership will be halved..

[RichB]

I don't know how many of you are aware, but there's a whole and now lengthy thread about "us" on the HiFi Subjectivist forum! I mention this because the motivation for my enthusing about this low cost and very low profit product which is available all over the UK has been called into question, together with the question as to whether I actually PAID for the thing! The accusation has been made that HiFi dave has wound me up and set me off on the shilling road again - and all for a £25 product that most of you chaps would ignore anyway! I've barely mentioned the RP8, a FAR more interesting product from Rega

I'm getting sick of these people jibing from the sidelines to their little audience. I HAVE bought this item, although why I should have to justify this I really don't know. The profit margin is so low it's not as if Dave can do me a demon deal in any case.

Criticism like this has spoiled some good natured banter and experiences for me at any rate, hence the almost toal absense of the threads once posted when Alex and I visited Dave and as well as having a great banter and lunch, we were able to hear stuff that we'd never get the chance to hear otherwise. My skin ain't thick enough for this - apologies folks

Dave, based on my experience of Rega gear so far I've no reason to believe that this cartridge is anything less than the fantastic value you suggest. For someone who doesn't do vinyl as a main source but likes decent quality playback then this cart and budget is well up my street. Thanks for giving us your perspective, certainly worth the dosh to see for myself.

[Tim]

I wouldn't sweat it too much Dave and as David says, don't read it if you think it may be upsetting. I must admit I pop over and read 'the' thread as I find it hilarious and a ripping good yarn

[synsei]

Dave, I wear my 'ban' from HiFi Subjectivist with pride. I have a brother-in-law who loves the sound of his own voice and he is a complete tit, just like Dunne. The only reason Dunne hasn't banned you is because he enjoys winding you up. Don't give him the satisfaction mate he's a bully, and like all bullies he uses his bombastic nature to hide his own shortcomings and fails miserably. The great thing about being banned is that I can't read anything that pissant writes anymore...

As La Rochefoucauld observed, "humility is the worst form of conceit ~ Ernst Stavro Blofeld

[Macca]

ICriticism like this has spoiled some good natured banter and experiences for me at any rate, hence the almost toal absense of the threads once posted when Alex and I visited Dave and as well as having a great banter and lunch, we were able to hear stuff that we'd never get the chance to hear otherwise. My skin ain't thick enough for this - apologies folks

Don't pay it any heed Dave, it is total bollocks. Post whatever you want, when he sees he is having no effect whatsoever he'll get bored and pack it in. If it were me I would re-double my efforts - but then I am the sort of person who when he sees a 'No Smoking' sign immediately lights one up

[Rich On TC1]

All the talk on this section regarding exalted and expensive cartridges has got me going

For some decades now, the humble yet capable AT95E has been the low cost cartridge of choice for many impoverished vinyl lovers. Not too expensive and made immortal by Linn adopting the conical version (AT93?) as the mk2 Linn Basik, the AT95E elliptical version has a safe-as-houses quality to the sound. Recent currency revaluations have seen this model (and most pickups from the far east) rising in value and the AT95E is now retaiuled at well over thirty quid and no longer pocket money.

So, what else is there as a starter cartridge? The Ortofon OM 3 and OM5e promise much, but tend in these versions to sound rather crude and rough in the treble, magnifying surface noise and the basic rawness of the low cost decks they're often fitted to by manufacturers on an OEM basis. Rega obviously felt this way, and may have been stung by Ortofon's all but relentless price increases in recent years - all my opinion, but I think it has to be said!

Instead, Rega looked to AT for a solution. The AT91 and the related OEM AT3600 have been around for years, ignored by "us/me" because of the AT95E model. I've heard a few possibly tired AT3600's and found them dull and a bit thick toned, but the Rega version certainly doesn't seem to do this IMO. I'm told the Rega version of this model has been tweaked a little, but cannot confirm this.



Examination under a microscope shows the stylus seems to be a typical conical shank mounted diamond chip, this shank mounted in the carbon/plastic? cantilever. Polish seems good and the diamond is a lot less coal like than some 1970's models I remember. Compliance is fairly low on my sample and behaves impeccably in my medium mass Dual tonearm with little microphony (the Dual arm is a bit "lively" in the upper mid with some pickups).

So, how does it sound? Well, tracking at 2 grammes, it comprehensively trounced my Ortofon M20FL Super in the bass and lower mid, the former being clearer and the latter substantially clearer, reverb and spatial clues being reproduced with ease in comparison. The upper mid and treble is gentle, but certainly not lacking and tracking of sibilants is clean as long as bias is set correctly - rather higher than I'd normally dial in for conical tips, on my sample at any rate. End of side seems good too, which is great for such a tip IMO. What comes across is the fact that this cartridge seems to cover it's tracks so well. Of course it's not as etched or detailed as better cartridges, but neither is it sharp but limp-wristed or bassy-n-dull with it. The firm, ballsy and musical quality reminds me of a good G800, but without comparing the two just yet, I'd say the treble of the Carbon is superior and less splattery than the G800, which can sound a little crude at times when the tracking going gets tough I think.

So, for £25 or so, I reckon this cartridge is great value and better for "us" than the beefy Stanton 500V3 or dearer OM Pro and its DJ siblings. Maybe the AT91 is the same, but I'm glad Rega have brought this design back into enthusiast consciousness. I'd like others to hear it at some point, putting it into half decent tonearms and seeing if my good vibes towards it are justified. I certainly think that it should be great used with vintage integrated turntables since it's so stable and I hope others are pleasantly surprised by it as I am. I was going to shove it in my Garrard 60mk2 but I'm so pleased with it I'm going to keep it in the Dual 701 for a bit longer

Hi david,

Thankyou for your excellent review of the Rega Carbon.
For £25 i just had to buy one as a cheap backup to my Denon DL-103 cartridge,that i use on my Technics 1210Mk2.
Iam going to fit it to a jelco 750D.Should be a bit of fun going through my croft micro 25pre,and series 7 power,and at £25 can anyone really complain?

[DSJR]

That's the point, I don't think anyone can complain as long as the thing tracks ok and doesn't carve trenches in your precious vinyl. Like the Mini-T, I think it's something many vinyl lovers could keep in their backup drawer if nothing else, and conical tip aside, it may well surprise a few


I also bought one of Amptastic's 1m interconnects a short while ago. Around £20 to AOS'ers and fitted with two ferrites, which is what got me interested. Oh and by the way, hifi dave doesn't sell it!!!! Want me to post a few comments in another thread?