First time buyer advice

On my 30-year-old belt drive Gyrodec there's zero detectable bearing play (and, yes, I do know what to look for) plus it spins at 33.33X and 45.0X consistently.

 

Yeah, I find even talking about bearing play on semi-decent TTs ridiculous. There really shouldn't be none whatsoever....I include all the entry level Pro-Jects and Regas in this statement. To me this implication also sounds like part of a rudiculous bias and propaganda that's a running theme here. I feel sorry for any newbies looking for TT hardware info primarily on this forum.

 

OP being in the UK I would say getting Rega for a new TT is a fine choice in that price bracket. Will probably wouch for better/easier customer service to purchase a domestic brand. Only worry is the missus preference for a wooden look... Maybe take the black Rega to an auto shop to get it dressed in faux wood patterned vinyl ;-)

 

"Hi, I have a few albums I'd like to play now and then and am willing to spend around $500 for something that would sound halfway decent and fun . Not a mechanical person, so I'd like to stick to new."

1- Don't bother. It isn't worth the trouble. Stick to digital.
2- "Acceptable" begins at around $2K.
3- Rega sucks.
4- Pro-Ject sucks.
5- Any 70s DD model will kill anything under $1000. You're an idiot for even thinking otherwise.
6- Are your pressings even worth playing?
7- New vinyl is terrible.
8- Your system is not worthy of playing music..
9- This hobby isn't about fun, darn it!

 

Sounds about right

 

To the OP, and for what it's worth - I would keep your amp and speakers (you can always upgrade later if you wish). Buy a P2 and a Fono mini rather than the more expensive Fono (the cart on the P2 doesn't justify the additional expenditure). Also, buy a significantly cheaper interconnect than the Couple... The Couple is good (I use one) but, honestly, you won't hear any difference in your setup between that and something well made but costing no more than £20.

Save some money, enjoy what you have... Buy more records!

 

Quick update. We’ve just been to local dealer, explained our scenario, equipment and plans. Having listened to the P2 and P3 we’ve decided to buy P3 right now along with a cheap, £60, phono stage. This means we can connect right away to AV equipment in the lounge and start listening to our vinyl. We are in the process of decorating the room that the turntable will live in permanently. Once done, we will move the TT in there and purchase an amp, possibly Rega Brio, and speakers.

 

The Brio is a nice amp - you won’t be disappointed, but think about using a dealer who supports part-ex. That might give you enough to step up towards the Elex-R, which is a really nice amp for the price. Similarly don’t rule out eBay. They’ve been a couple of really good deals on Rega amps recently.

And congrats on the P3 - I know it will give you many years of listening pleasure.

 

Get rid of the felt mat, it's a dust magnet.
Happy listening!

 

P3 is a great choice, a really healthy and flexible base. I'm glad you both went for it because it is a significant step up from P2. Really good tonearm and a great dexk altogether that'll enable you to truly see what vinyl is about, learn and grow with it. Cheers.

 

Curious what Cartridge based on your collection?

 

Out of curiosity, what did you hear in the audition that caused you to make the jump from 2 to 3?

And, oh yeah, congrats!

 

It was the Rega Elys 2 cartridge.

 

Madness - It Must Be Love
Fleetwood Mac - The Chain

 

Apologies for novice question….
1. doesn’t it protect the vinyl a bit by providing a soft cushion
2. doesn’t it provide sonic benefits
3. will adjustment to tone arm be required if not using

 

Congratulations, I very much doubt that you will regret your purchase of the P3. I had an earlier edition (Planar 3?) for 210 years and it never missed a beat!

1. Yes.
2. Yes.
3. Yes and other is no vertical adjustment on your deck.
I would strongly suggest speaking to your dealer before making such a step but for now just enjoy your music.

 

1. Rega's tables aren't meant to be used without mats. He meant that you should use some other type of mat. I don't necessarily agree. I've had Rega P3-24 for a few years and I've never had problems with dust on my felt mat. Later on I've bought Herbie's Way excellent II mat, but I don't find it necessary by any means. I wouldn't worry about mats at all for now.

2. Yeah, Rega tables are designed with using mats in mind.

3. If you weren't to use any mat, then adjustment to tonearm height would be needed. Moreover - you'd have problem with Rega's carts which are not very tall and you can't really make the tonearm lower (only higher). But this is not an issue, since you shouldn't use Rega's platter without mat.


Also - when guys asked you what you've heard that made you go for P3 instead of P2 - they probably meant if you could describe sonic differences between what you've heard.

 

10 years, NOT 210 years! Doh!

 

That is the key for most beginners

 

Lol, okay, I see.....
So my wife said she couldn’t hear any difference between the two TT’s at all. For me, there was only a slight difference but it was hard to know for sure due to my inexperience with this format and there was too much of a delay between switching from one TT to the other. I guess, based on that, we could have purchased any TT within reason as long as way both liked how it sounded.

The reason we still opted for the P3 are numerous. From my point of view, and possibly stupidly in other people's point of view (certainly my wife's) I prefer the look of the P3 over the P1/2 due to glass platter and the metal brace. Then there are all the other positive reasons given within this thread for choosing the P3 of other models.

The problem we had is that neither of us have a point of reference like we would if we'd been listening to records for the last few years. I’m sure then that we would take our favourite record to the shop to listen to and would have heard the differences between our existing TT and a new one. It will be interesting when I start looking into an amp and speakers after having had the P3 for a while. If, at that point, I can't hear a difference between my P3, amp and speakers and a dedicated amp and speakers then I can save a bit of money!!

 

Dealer has said that although needle, etc. will be installed I will have to complete some set up at home. He's going to run through this with me in store. I guess it's 'balancing' the tone arm and ensuring the TT is level??

 

Congratulations. With planning to get the Brio in the future the P3 is a great choice.

Enjoy your system!

 

Not to go too far off topic, but I always had a question about what the OP is planning. When playing a turntable through a surround receiver (or processor) isn’t the signal fed into the DAC? How does that affect the sound of the turntable and cart? At that point aren’t you just listening to the DAC?

 

Hi Benny, I did address the plans, both short and long term, in my first post (I think). In a nutshell, the plan is to have the TT in a room that is currently in the process of being repurposed and redecorated. So for the time being the TT will be in the lounge hooked up to the existing surround sound system. The downsides of this were confirmed by other members quite early in the thread and it was explained to me that a good phono stage and interconnects would be wasted by putting it through the existing amp and speakers. This is the reason I'm buying a very cheap phono stage now and, once the TT is moved into it's permanent room, the amplifier and speakers will be purchased. The dealership will take back the phono stage and the amplifier will have one built in... is my understanding. Looks like it will be a Rega Brio but no idea which speakers.

 

Congratulations on making a choice. It sounds sensible to go for the cheaper phono pre-amp. Did you ask the dealer about an alternative cartridge to save you the hassle of replacing the entire Elys 2 cartridge every time the stylus wears out?