Replacement platter thickness

Discussion in 'Audio Hardware' started by confusedcitizen, Jun 30, 2020.

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  1. confusedcitizen

    confusedcitizen Active Member Thread Starter

    Location:
    England
    I’ve got a replacement acrylic platter that’s thinner than my original Stock platter on my Rega planar 1 so now the tonearm isn’t level. It’s maybe 4mm lower.

    Should I get a thicker platter or does this not matter?

    thanks
     
  2. BrilliantBob

    BrilliantBob Select, process, CTRL+c, CTRL+z, ALT+v

    Location:
    Romania
    The replacement changed the VTA. If you like more highs and less bass, doesn't matter. If you can set the VTA, lower the tonearm base. Or put whatever additional mat on the platter to compensate.
     
    Last edited: Jun 30, 2020
    PhxJohn likes this.
  3. VinylSoul

    VinylSoul Forum Resident

    Location:
    Lake Erie
    Load four LPs on the spindle and as you listen to one put it beneath the other three problem solved! Next Question?
     
  4. confusedcitizen

    confusedcitizen Active Member Thread Starter

    Location:
    England
    Ok, I can’t set the VTA. So having it how it is won’t damage the needle or record by having it lower?
     
  5. Gibsonian

    Gibsonian Forum Resident

    Location:
    Iowa, USA
    Will wear differently, but not a big deal. The bigger deal is how it sounds. 4 mm is typically audible. So do you like it better or worse? You should check your VTF now as well if you haven't.

    I would look at a thicker mat if it were me if the sound has gone for the worse, and if unsure a thicker mat will let you decide.
     
  6. PhxJohn

    PhxJohn Forum Resident

    Location:
    Phoenix, AZ
    I would get the correct 10mm thick Rega glass platter. The 1's and 2's use the 10mm thick glass. The 3's use the 12mm thick.
     
    Dennis Metz likes this.
  7. confusedcitizen

    confusedcitizen Active Member Thread Starter

    Location:
    England
    That’s the thing. The planar 1 supposedly uses 10mm thick platter but mines 13mm?!

    I found this out after I ordered a 10mm acrylic one and having it sit significantly lower.

    I’ve ordered a 12mm acrylic one now and will try that. Failing that I’ll just forget it.
     
    PhxJohn likes this.
  8. vinylontubes

    vinylontubes Forum Resident

    Location:
    Katy, TX
    You could add spacers between the cartridge and the headshell. That's a thing.
     
  9. Dennis Metz

    Dennis Metz Born In A Motor City south of Detroit

    Location:
    Fonthill, Ontario
    I think he has the opposite problem
     
    PhxJohn likes this.
  10. Dennis Metz

    Dennis Metz Born In A Motor City south of Detroit

    Location:
    Fonthill, Ontario
  11. confusedcitizen

    confusedcitizen Active Member Thread Starter

    Location:
    England
  12. PhxJohn

    PhxJohn Forum Resident

    Location:
    Phoenix, AZ
     
  13. PhxJohn

    PhxJohn Forum Resident

    Location:
    Phoenix, AZ
    That is strange. Can you post the link for the 10mm that you bought ? I went through something similar but opposite. I got the 12mm thick for my RP1 as there were no 10mm thick at the time. Rega had no spare 10mm thick as they were using them exclusively for the upcoming(back then) P2. I have an Ortofon Quintet Blue. With the extra 2mm from the platter and the height of the Quintet, I had to use the tallest(8mm) posts on the Rega VTA adjuster. And before someone posts 'You put a Quintet on a RP1 ????' let me state that the stock tonearm got swapped out for the MUCH better RB202.
     
  14. confusedcitizen

    confusedcitizen Active Member Thread Starter

    Location:
    England
    I know it’s bizarre, I’ve measured my stock platter a bunch of times and it’s definitely not 10mm!

    Here’s the one I bought which definitely IS 10mm and lower sitting than my stock platter. SRM TECH 10mm ACRYLIC PLATTER FOR REGA TURNTABLES - Inc. Platter Damping Ring !! 620944825769 | eBay


    I’ve ordered this one now to see if it’s any better
    Edwards Audio 12mm Acrylic Platter - Rega Upgrade | eBay

    I just don’t understand why Rega would say it’s 10mm when it’s clearly not?!
     
    PhxJohn likes this.
  15. PhxJohn

    PhxJohn Forum Resident

    Location:
    Phoenix, AZ
    The glass Rega platters for 1's and 2's are 10mm and 12mm thick respectively. They are flat. The stock plastic platter on the 1's have/had raised semi rings underneath so that when it sits on the subplatter it is the correct height. The plastic platter itself is only a few mm thick. I will now look at the links.

    Edit- The platters in the links look fine. Are you using the stock subplatter ? The 10 and 12mm thick replacements platters should be fine. You cannot measure the side of the stock plastic platter as part of any calculation. As I mentioned the plastic platter has rings on the underside so that it is the correct height when placed on the stock subplatter. The 10mm thick platter is the correct thickness for your P1. Are you going by your measurements which I would not advise as the replacement platters are flat and the stock platter is not. The 'thickness' of the stock platter would have to be measured from the bottom of one section of the ring that is on the bottom of the stock platter to the top of the platter. Not easy to do. With the replacement 10mm thick platter, the tonearm should be parallel to the record if using a 14mm tall cartridge. With the 12mm thick replacement platter, the cartridge end of the tonearm should be higher than parallel.
     
    Last edited: Jun 30, 2020
  16. PhxJohn

    PhxJohn Forum Resident

    Location:
    Phoenix, AZ

    The stock platter is 10mm from the bottom on the ring on the underside of the platter to the top surface of the platter. The reason that the 1's and 2's with a 10mm thick platter and the 3's with the 12mm platter can use the same tonearm height is because the platter bearing on the 1's and 2's is mounted 2mm higher in the plinth.
     
  17. Big Blue

    Big Blue Forum Resident

    Location:
    Wisconsin
    Spacers on headshell and thicker mat/platter achieve the same thing... :confused:
     
    John Buchanan likes this.
  18. confusedcitizen

    confusedcitizen Active Member Thread Starter

    Location:
    England
    thanks for all the feedback. Your wealth of knowledge is much appreciated! measured from the base of the plinth to top of stock platter is 2.7cm (3cm with felt mat)

    from base of plinth to top of 10mm acrylic platter is 2.5cm

    (have tried attaching photos from iPhone but hasn’t worked)
     
    Last edited: Jun 30, 2020
    PhxJohn likes this.
  19. PhxJohn

    PhxJohn Forum Resident

    Location:
    Phoenix, AZ
    You got it !!!! Sounds like you can use either the 10mm or 12mm thick. I used the 12mm as I already bought it. Frank of Groovetracer told me to keep the 12mm for the extra weight. (Glass is heavy. It was delivered in summer in Phoenix. It took over an hour for it to cool off). Unless you are going to use a tall cartridge, you don't give up much VTA elbow room with the 12mm thick. How much does the acrylic platter weigh ? The 12mm glass is over 5 pounds. I will delete my last post.
     
  20. PhxJohn

    PhxJohn Forum Resident

    Location:
    Phoenix, AZ
    The confusion is due to the fact that the replacement platters are flat. The same thickness throughout. The stock P1 platter is for lack of better words 'hollowed out'. The sidewall thickness of the stock platter gives the appearance of a thicker platter. The stock platter is so thin that there is a raised 3 section ring on the underside which sits on the subplatter. In the end, what matters is the height of the platter surface in relation to the plinth since the tonearm is mounted to the same plinth.
     
  21. confusedcitizen

    confusedcitizen Active Member Thread Starter

    Location:
    England
    Well i've tried using the 10mm acrylic and its no comparison to the stock platter which is way punchier with better bass. The acrylic sounds high and tinny

    The 12mm is in the post and should be here tomorrow so i'll do another comparison then and let you know! about the weight too..

    Im getting the MP110 Nagaoka soon too so will have lots of fun and games trying to calibrate that with my P1.
    The only upgrades im doing are ones i can carry with me to my next system eventually.
     
    PhxJohn likes this.
  22. confusedcitizen

    confusedcitizen Active Member Thread Starter

    Location:
    England
    Right! and like i said its not the same when measured from the plinth. Tell me how to post the photos and you'll see for yourself
     
    PhxJohn likes this.
  23. PhxJohn

    PhxJohn Forum Resident

    Location:
    Phoenix, AZ
    Personally, I would go with the 10mm Rega glass platter. It is heavy. My Rega is not bass shy. But weigh your acrylic too. Acrylic platters were popular as OEM stock equipment for a few years. Now you mostly see them as aftermarket. With the 10mm thick platter, you will not need VTA spacers with the Nagaoka MP110.
    Because I gained 2mm in height with the 12mm glass platter and had a very tall Ortofon Quintet Blue mounted, I had to get the Rega RP10 mat which is only about 1mm thick.
     
  24. PhxJohn

    PhxJohn Forum Resident

    Location:
    Phoenix, AZ
    It is very close though. Did you measure your 10mm thick replacement platter to see if it is really 10mm thick ?
     
  25. confusedcitizen

    confusedcitizen Active Member Thread Starter

    Location:
    England
    yes it is exactly 10mm

    I measured the p1 platter from the centre hole which came to 13mm
     
    PhxJohn likes this.
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