My new Rega arm (and other upgrade tales)

oscroft

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Well, not really new, I'm just catching up with the 1980s, but please humour an old man...

I've had a Rega Planar 3 since 1979, and after giving it a service (replace failed capacitor, new drive and motor support belts, bearing relube, new feet) it's running great. It had the old R200 s-shaped arm, which Rega replaced with the RB300 in the early 80s, and for years I've wondered if it's really any better - I've always been sceptical about constant tweaking and refinement of arms.

With that in mind, and thinking it would be handy to have some spares stashed away for the future, I bought a spare parts Planar 3 on eBay. It's newer than mine, and came with an RB300 arm. I think the arm is a fairly early one, as it has the original tungsten counterweight.

Yesterday I transplanted the arm, though I need a shim as the stylus clearance is tiny and the VTA looks a bit off. I have that ordered, but it's good enough to play as it is for now. I transfered my original cartridge, an Ortofon Super OM 10, to the new arm. (There was a Goldring Elan on the new RB300 which I gave a run on the old R200, and it seems fine but doesn't grab me.)

And, I'm staggered by the difference I'm hearing. It's hard to describe (you know the way it is), but there's a new level of detail and clarity. I can hear individual notes more individually, with a very noticeable increase in separation between instruments. As one example, listening to some harp music, I can hear the individual strings and the resonance of the soundbox more distinctly.

I hoped there'd be an improvement, but I really wasn't expecting it to be so big. Anyway, I just needed to tell someone how happy (and surprised) I am with the improvement :D
 
Excellent result. I'm pleased for you.
Some years ago, I purchased an assortment of Linn Axis parts, with the intention of completing it with a Linn Akito tonearm. That didn't happen, not least because of the high prices these command, used. So, after researching reasonably priced alternatives, I eventually bought a new 9" Jelco, with which I have been pleased. It works exceptionally well with the Axis. So it is that I can understand how pleased you are with your replacement arm.
 
I found an improvement with change from RB101 to RB300, which was surpsiing to me given how superficially similar they look (unlike your R200 which is very obviously different). I would describe it as a noticeable but minor improvement. But even so a nice suprise.

(I found a cartridge upgrade to be more noticeable when I changed from AT95e to Goldring 1042)

Congrats on finding a better sound.
 
Looks very interesting, thanks.

Update: I only gave that a quick read earlier, but having read it more carefully I'm intrigued by the following...

"The Achromat is made of thick vinyl, on the grounds that the best interface between record and platter is the same material as the record."

I have to say that sounds a bit like audio homeopathy to me. Why is the best interface between record and platter the same material as the record? Why isn't it the same material as the platter? And if it is, why not just put the record on the bare platter?
 
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Looks very interesting, thanks.

Update: I only gave that a quick read earlier, but having read it more carefully I'm intrigued by the following...

"The Achromat is made of thick vinyl, on the grounds that the best interface between record and platter is the same material as the record."

I have to say that sounds a bit like audio homeopathy to me. Why is the best interface between record and platter the same material as the record? Why isn't it the same material as the platter? And if it is, why not just put the record on the bare platter?
I don't know if what the Achromat is made of has ever been divulged. I have one and it's certainly not made from vinyl. Rather, it's a very light inflexible device and it does what is claimed.
 
Just a minor update...

I installed the shim I needed to lift the arm and get the VTA right, and then took some care to set up the cartridge properly - I only had it set approximately while I was waiting for the shim.

Reading what people have said about the RB300, I decided to dial out the tracking force spring and just use the counterweight. So I set the force to max (just over 3 grams) then used a stylus force gauge to position the weight.

It was definitely worth the effort, and it's squeezed a bit more out of the setup. It's not a major improvement, just a little bit more detail and refinement.

Anyway, this is all just to say how important I think it is to make the effort to get your arm and cartridge set up properly - it really does make a difference.
 
There are available, variable height VTA's for the Rega. Once fitted, that's it. 😊
 
Almost every other tonearm made for decades has VTA adjustment fitted as standard
 
Looks very interesting, thanks.

Update: I only gave that a quick read earlier, but having read it more carefully I'm intrigued by the following...

"The Achromat is made of thick vinyl, on the grounds that the best interface between record and platter is the same material as the record."

I have to say that sounds a bit like audio homeopathy to me. Why is the best interface between record and platter the same material as the record? Why isn't it the same material as the platter? And if it is, why not just put the record on the bare Achromat.
QUOTE.
Got an Achromat and it does make a good support for LPs. The centre of it is recessed, allowing the business area of the record to sit firmly on the mat. Other mats I've tried have a uniform thickness. Allowing the record to flex, when it's being played.
 
Well, obviously, I couldn't stop fiddling...

I still had a little bit of speed instability, so I decided to swap motors, seeing as the one on the donor deck is a few years younger than my old one. Interestingly, the little PCB is different - it's a design with two capacitors where the old one has a single cap and a resistor. So I swapped the whole thing over, motor and PCB. The speed stability is improved now, though other than that there wasn't really any further difference to the sound.

The donor deck is fully stripped now, and I have a bag of Rega spares stashed away for any future needs. Looking at the bare plinth, I wondered if it might do the job of an isolation platform. So I now have my Rega, with its own new set of feet, standing on a second Rega plinth which still has good feet.

I was doubtful whether it would make any difference, but it has - and it's a really noticeable difference. There's deeper and tighter bass, more clarity of detail, improved separation between instruments and between notes, and better sound stage definition. I have a handful of LPs I've been playing all week, and they really do sound significantly better today.

I haven't done a blind test, because there's nobody here daft enough to waste their time helping me, and it would be hard to avoid seeing which is which anyway. But if I take the second plinth out again, it all just goes noticeably flatter.

I think the conclusion is that some sort of isolation platform really can make a significant difference.

Anyway, while the tweaking urge is upon me and I've got a little bit of spare cash, I've ordered some Rega upgrade stuff from SRM/TECH, and I'll report on how that goes in due course.
 
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Isolation platforms do make a difference. The fun/problem with them is trying out different types/materials. If an idea creeps into your thoughts, you just have to try it.
 
Isolation platforms do make a difference. The fun/problem with them is trying out different types/materials. If an idea creeps into your thoughts, you just have to try it.
Thought I'd continue on this thread on the SRM/TECH theme, as my question is probably more relevant here...
I have several bits I purchased from them, and they do what is claimed of them.
That's good to know, thanks. Have you tried the Rega sub-platter damping kit? It's not included in the Ultimate Rega Enhancement Kit, and I'm wondering if maybe it's something useful to try later.
 
I haven't tried the Rega sub-platter damping kit as I don't have a Rega. But I have applied the same material from SRM, to the underside of my platter of an AnalogueWorks TT2. They sell both plain and self-adhesive versions of an LP sized damping material. I have also applied the little, circular dampers to the top of a Linn Axis sub-platter and it worked wonders.
I have always wondered why Linn are so proud of their TT platters ringing as they do, when damping the platter improves the sound no end. Linn dealers did- don't know if they still do it, demonstrate the platter ringing, as if it were beneficial.
 
I haven't tried the Rega sub-platter damping kit as I don't have a Rega. But I have applied the same material from SRM, to the underside of my platter of an AnalogueWorks TT2. They sell both plain and self-adhesive versions of an LP sized damping material. I have also applied the little, circular dampers to the top of a Linn Axis sub-platter and it worked wonders.
I have always wondered why Linn are so proud of their TT platters ringing as they do, when damping the platter improves the sound no end. Linn dealers did- don't know if they still do it, demonstrate the platter ringing, as if it were beneficial.
Interesting that you've found the damping material works, thanks. It's got to be worth risking £15 to try.

And yes, I'd forgotten about the old Linn platter ringing thing - it was bizarre. Around the same time, Rega were promoting their glass platters as more resistant to ringing (still some ringing, of course, but different). I'm really looking forward to finding out what difference the SRM acrylic platter makes.
 
Putting it simply and truthfully, I have not had an SRM product that didn't do as was claimed. The Linn inner platter damper worked incredibly well, as do their platter dampers that fit around the circumference of the platter. They just work.
 
Please report your findings on the acrylic platter. I will be most interested to hear how it performs. I have an acrylic mat, and that makes a difference.
 
Please report your findings on the acrylic platter. I will be most interested to hear how it performs. I have an acrylic mat, and that makes a difference.
I will do, definitely. I was tempted to go for an acrylic mat to see how that works, but I know that if I liked it I'd want the full platter - and that complete kit looks like a good deal.
 
Please report your findings on the acrylic platter. I will be most interested to hear how it performs. I have an acrylic mat, and that makes a difference.

I have a SRM acrylic mat on rega glass platter.
Also interested to see how your acrylic platter goes (almost went for one myself, seeing as my Azure is mostly SRM acrylic anyway! :) )
 
(New platter not here yet, so no news there)

But bad news - my speed wobble is back :thumbsdow So swapping out the motor hasn't cured it. It's nothing like the problem I had earlier with a failed capacitor, but it's clearly noticeable.

The only thing I can think of now is the bearing, and that could explain why it's intermittent. It is 40 years old, after all. There's a new bearing (and some new oil) with the upgrade kit, so that will be the first thing I try.

I also decided to check the speed, so I got that RPM iPhone app. It reckons it's way out, at 34.5 rpm. I can't see the bearing causing that - I'd expect a bad bearing to slow it down, not speed it up. I might swap back to the original motor and check the speed with that. I'm also wondering if it might be worth doing the 24v motor upgrade, but that would have to wait for a future month.

Anyway, new upgrade kit first when it arrives, and I'll take it from there.
 
The upgrade kit hasn't arrived yet, but I've made a modification that I've been wanting to do for years. See if you can see what it is in the photo (And no, I don't mean I've removed the bearing - well, I have, but that's not it - more on that later)...

D20_009_001a.jpg
 
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The upgrade kit hasn't arrived yet, but I've made a modification that I've been wanting to do for years. See if you can see what it is in the photo (And no, I don't mean I've removed the bearing - well, I have, but that's not it - more on that later)...

Ummm, motor case looks old, tonearm wire looks stock... new feet?
Oooo, no , I know, You got that striped blanket you always wanted?
 
Ummm, motor case looks old, tonearm wire looks stock... new feet?
Oooo, no , I know, You got that striped blanket you always wanted?
Yay, you spotted my blanket!

I've always hated Regas only having three feet, with the slightest bit of accidental pressure at a rear corner tipping the thing over. It's only taken me 40 years to do something about it.
 

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