New Rega Planar 1 - keeps skipping backwards

They probably get slammed trying to fill overwhelming amounts of orders of new models. They export to some 40 countries (not to mention the strong UK market). They have in the neighborhood of 100 employees or less.
We should be greatful for having such dedicated and unique manufacturers in such a mediocre and planned obsolescence hi-fi world anymore.

 

Got the Nag MP-110 installed on the Planar 1 and all I can say is wow! It blows the Bias 2 out of the water. It has fantastic dynamic range, everything sounds fuller and punchier and for the icing on the cake, there is no more hum...

 

Several years ago when I first got the Nag I described it the same way - one guy posted how, he too, really loved the punch. When I first installed the Nag I looked over at my system and thought, "That's my system sounding like that?!" It got my attention immediately.

 

My friend had to send back is new p3 as well, same sort of issue.

 

Interesting.......
Can you find out what?

 

Problem was that cartridge kept sliding over the record, wouldn't track correct. He ended up getting a new one, and is very pleased with it. My old P1 and my friends RP1 also had issue with tracking out of the box, but that was the OM5 cartridge, that had too low stylus, so the cartridge touced the record. Not really Regas fault. In both cases we had new cartridges.

 

Well......there you go. Thanks for clarifying.
Good weekend to all.

 

i have both of the exact same issues with my brand new planar 1 - skipping while playing and arm jumping back when the arm is lowered. i have a 2m red w/ a 2mm spacer. i've increased the tracking force to about 2.05. still getting random skipping (jumps back and plays the same groove over and over.) just got the table on monday. any other ideas of what to try?

 

Hopefully you bought it a a brick and mortar store so you can take it back. The problem is the same I had with my first one...The auto biasing was defective.

 

the more vtf i give it, the later in the record the skipping occurs. ive gone to 2.2g. the recommended max is 2g. how much is too much?

 

This is mine when I had the issue:



I have since got a replacement and now have the Nag MP-110 on it.

 

This. Once I got my table adjusted level at exactly the line of the stylus makes across the record, and the anti-skate correctly set, my skipping problems went away. At first I was measuring from the plinth (not the same as the platter on some tables). I have a Rega arm on my Thorens, and the anti-skate adjustment is very far off. When you drop the needle on the record pay attention to see if the needle tracks in the middle of the cartridge or to one side or the other. If it's not resting in the middle of the cartridge, it's either not level, or the anti-skate is off, or both.

On my Rega arm I have found the sweet spot to be at .8g on the scale, even though the tracking force of the needle I'm using is 1.5. But if I set it to 1.5 on the arm anti-skate setting, it skips far too easily. But it still varies from record to record a bit.

 

I replaced my stylus and for about 30 hours it solved the problem. Then I started having skipping problems again. But I think it was from not being level at the point the needle hits the record and the anti-skate being set too high.

 

I triple checked that everything is level. And on the 2016 rega planars the anti skate is auto, you cant adjust it. I liked the idea of it being auto but now im not so sure.

 

Be sure whatever you are using to measure the VTF is correct. Try another method or scale. If the VTF isn't just way too light, then there is very likely some gunk stuck to the stylus. Maybe even both. If you play a used record and get something sticky on the stylus, it gets dust stuck to it and forms a really odd shape and increases the size of the "stylus" that the groove sees. I had that happen once or twice and I normally have very clean records and so use a dry brush method to clean my stylus. In those cases, I had to use some alcohol to dissolve the crud stuck to the stylus, which was invisible to the naked eye. Once it finally came off, the records would play fine again. Since these videos both involve aftermarket cartridges, it makes set-up a point of question also. If you are 100% positive that it is set-up correctly and that the stylus is intact and clean, then I'd take it in to your dealer to have checked. Did it do this with the original, factory installed cartridge? I assume not, or we'd see that video or hear of that complaint instead of the aftermarket cartridge. So we need to separate the three things that can cause this. In the order of easiest to address: Set-up, Cartridge, Turntable. If you have set-up ruled out, get help. If they rule that out, try another cartridge. The obvious choice would be the original if you still have that. If it behaves the same way with both cartridges when properly set-up, then the arm is either defective or damaged. You'll then need to get the table repaired or replaced. I've never seen one do this, and of course we sell quite a few of the entry level tables. It's hard to help from here, but try all of the points that I mentioned, as best you can.
-Bill

 

I hear it's very difficult to replace card on a Rega, one of the reasons I will not purchases one of these.

 

In my case...The video above with the At 120E/T cartridge, this was setup at a high end shop in Los Angeles. When I took it back, they determined the auto biasing was defective and gave me a replacement and then all was fine.

 

I hear it's very difficult to replace card on a Rega, one of the reasons I will not

That's why I'm not buying them, I need a upgrade but not headache.

 

This has nothing to do with a brand of table or arm. It is simply a trouble with dirt, cartridge, or damaged arm. It could be from any used record, any cartridge maker, or any turntable maker. To the best of my knowledge, the Rega tables / arms are the second easiest in the world to set-up. If you buy a Rega cart (and many come factory installed), that have their three point mounting system, you simply bolt it on and connect the wires. There are no set-up adjustments to mess with there. The easiest type of table / arm to install a cartridge on must be those designed specifically (and only) for P-Mount cartridges. You either remove a screw and push the cart into place or just push it into place if it didn't come with a set screw. You should be sure on these however that the stylus is aligned properly when the cart is installed as many of these cheaper arms were not designed to have optimal tracking geometry. And you really have but one choice (maybe two with regard to stylus profile) of cartridges for those P-Mount tables. All of the new ones are made by AT. Years ago, Shure offered some as did a couple of other makes but no longer. Sad but true. So having some adjustment allows for the use of other brands of cartridges, and all that is required for that is a standard 2 point mount headshell. Rega has this and so once the arm height is shimmed up 2mm, you can install a variety of other types of cartridges on them with no more set-up hassle than with any other brand. Installing the shims is easy and only needs to be done once.
-Bill

 

Bill, this might be easy for you and some in the know but not for others, I still have trouble installing crads and needles, making adjustments, I'm just not good at that.
All these high end Rega, Pro ject Orbits intimidate me. It reminds of when I was a kid and walked into a high end shop for the first time, very scary place and the sales people always looked down on me, I will never forget that. Now I can afford what I want but will not settle with those brands. I decided I'm buying a refurbished Technics 1200 or a Pioneer 1000.

 

So the cart was installed by the shop I bought it from as i didn't want the rega cart. i cleaned the red sylus a few times with an onzow. then i swapped out the brand new red for a brand new blue. my vtf gauge has been calibrated several times during this process to the 5g weight it came with. but even if my gauge is a few hundredths (or even tenths off) that means its still skipping a ton in the mid range of the recommended force. when i increase the vtf the skipping typically appears later in the record, however it still can happen anywhere. at this point im 99% sure its a faulty auto bias. even when i set the arm on the cue and drop it very, very slowly the arm moves toward the outside of the record. and the closer it is to the end of a record, the more it pushes out when lowered. the shop is having rega send me a new arm to install.

 

I am surprised that they would expect you to install a replacement arm. The place you bought it from should just give you a whole new unit. I am glad I purchased mine from a local shop that took care of these issues for me.

 

Well, they offered to replace the unit or the tonearm for me but shipping it back is such a pain. I was planning on buying local but, long story short, they made me an amazing offer. I saved over $100. And if they let me keep the 2m blue sylus its an even better deal. Its worth it to me to give the arm repalcement a shot. I like learning about that type of stuff.

 

interesting development...

the shop called rega/sound organization to get me the new arm. shop was told that the planar one/rb110 arm/auto bias is made specifically for rega carts. the shop was like "wtf are you talking about? we've swapped carts on several of these? when were you going to tell us this?" the response was basically that, in rega's eyes, third party carts are a crapshoot if they will work and rega wont offer support. they were also told this goes for the p2 as well. the shop owner was beside himself with rega and offered me a full refund.

now, this is straight up crazy. there is not a sniff of this anywhere online or in any literature. i really liked this table and probably cld have just gotten a new one like @mneveux and everything wld've been great but im cutting bait on this. a music hall mmf 2.3 is on its way.

 

Sorry to hear it did not work out for you. That is BS that Rega won't support it if it has a third party cartridge. I am glad the shop I bought mine from stood behind the sale and got me up and running.