How is it possible for a cheap turntable to sound so good

[hixy]

I have recently bought a TT which in the end will have cost me nowt.The TT is a Rega planer 2.I swapped some speakers for a denon dl110 of Aural Flea (A very nice fella) and it sounds fantastic totally pisses all over my £900 sacd.I had the cartridge running through a CA 640p and i thought it sounds fantastic,untill i put it through the mc stage on my exposure 6 and that totally blew it away.Who needs modern hifi when old gear sounds this good

[The Strat]

Interesting Mick because on other threads the view has tended to be that you need to go high up the vinyl ladder to be able to compete with Digital. I've never thought that, rather as you've just found out that it will take a really good CDP to see off the budget Rega's.

Strat

[barnacle bill]

Some would say hixy it's down to system synergy but personally i think it's more luck than judgment. We (that may be try but..) all like to think that we done our homework and put together a great system but let's be honest here most of us read up about a proposed purchase then either bye it or try and demo, then and only then we have hit the jackpot. We then realise a while down the line what we should of matched our unit's differently because joe blogg's has found the perfect match by some fluke or divine inspiration. What i'm saying is sometime's thing's just happen, enjoy your system as is and sell the SACD..

[hixy]

Hello Bill definatley luck.I saw the TT locally and bid and won it.I have never heard a Rega before and to behonest i used to think how can a bit of mdf with a hole in for the motor be any good.How wrong was i

[Tel]

Congratulations.

I wish I had had the same experience, unfortunately I had to spend considerably more on my vinyl front end to exceed the performance from my CDP

[pmac]

Watch out! The digital police will be along in a minute to pronounce plague and death upon you. Have you measured it, no? I thought not

Sounds like a nice stroke of luck to me, enjoy

[dudywoxer]

someone else discovered the joys of a 110 through a mc stage that suits it. Gives a superb sound, and one that costs 3 or 4 times the price of a 110 to match or marginally better to my ears.

[speedysteve]

What is the arm on it? The early Planar's had the R200 which is an Acos arm - that is a good arm. The later ones RB250's and RB251's now. Not bad but not as good as the R200.
I experienced a similar thing with a Rega P3 with a OL modded RB250 arm then modded Technics SL1210 - found I just preferred the analogue sound to the digi sound I had at that time.

A few £k's later spent on TT, cart, arm, phonostage and a better dac / transport and things are still that way around tbh but the gap has closed somewhat.

Pmac: I think there are more than enough in analogue army to deal with the digital police

[pmac]

What is the arm on it? The early Planar's had the R200 which is an Acos arm - that is a good arm. The later ones RB250's and RB251's now. Not bad but not as good as the R200.
I experienced a similar thing with a Rega P3 with a OL modded RB250 arm then modded Technics SL1210 - found I just preferred the analogue sound to the digi sound I had at that time.

A few £k's later spent on TT, cart, arm, phonostage and a better dac / transport and things are still that way around tbh but the gap has closed somewhat.

Pmac: I think there are more than enough in analogue army to deal with the digital police

b,b,b,b,but they have measurement weapons

We, only have our ears

[googleborg]

i recently bought a project essential LE TT for £109 new, run though my amps phono stage, have been plopping records on it ever since and am very happy with the sound! I have no intention of spending more to 'compete with digital', a TT could never offer what digital does.

To me, when played at very high volume the TT seems somehow better, like my room isn't about to burst. Probably to do with it being technically inferior and not having all the frequencies digital does. Also the ever-so-slightly imperfect playback speed may actually make me like it more too, sorta catches my attention but not enough for it to become unpleasant sounding or 'noticable'.

I think this is why a 'cheap' TT can sound so good, because the things that differentiate vinyl from a digital front-end are all there in abundance.

[artsenna]

i tried the 110 with the phono stage of my sugden a21a and feel that the mm stage does not have enough gain. i have put back the supplied ortofon 510 and have not got to figuring out what phono stage to get. would be grateful if someone could help with recommendation of a good match. the 640p seem to come up a lot (for the budget) or any phono stage recommended with gain control

someone else discovered the joys of a 110 through a mc stage that suits it. Gives a superb sound, and one that costs 3 or 4 times the price of a 110 to match or marginally better to my ears.

[Tel]

a TT could never offer what digital does..

Correct! it can offer so much more than digital can.

[googleborg]

Correct! it can offer so much more than digital can.

i kneeeew someone would say that

[dicy]

I have to agree.

I have recently dusted down my v old Planar 2 and fitted a used DL110 for use in my second system.

Through my John Shearne/trichord Dino & Rega R1's the sound is nothing short of fucktacular

Musical, enjoyable and involving, i think i'm listening to it more than my main system at the mo.

[hifiwigwam]

Correct! it can offer so much more than digital can.

Indeed. Simple maths. Digital is the poor relation.

[supertramp]

Try an old Systemdek IIX - with vinyl platter - more refined and detailed than the Rega 2 I would say (I swapped my Rega 2 for a IIXe and it's lovely - even with an old Nagoak MP11 gold cartridge!

[dicy]

Try an old Systemdek IIX - with vinyl platter - more refined and detailed than the Rega 2 I would say (I swapped my Rega 2 for a IIXe and it's lovely - even with an old Nagoak MP11 gold cartridge!

(Unusually) Thats not the point on this occasion.

Just highlighting that you can achieve a wonderfully enjoyable sound in a system, where upgrading is not on the agenda.

[dudywoxer]

i tried the 110 with the phono stage of my sugden a21a and feel that the mm stage does not have enough gain. i have put back the supplied ortofon 510 and have not got to figuring out what phono stage to get. would be grateful if someone could help with recommendation of a good match. the 640p seem to come up a lot (for the budget) or any phono stage recommended with gain control

Have a look around for a s/hand Rega MC phono. The gain and loading are adjustable via dip swithches.

[freefallrob]

Great news, LP can be so enjoyable, even better when it's you find an excellent cost vs. performance point.

My turntable cost £225.00 all in (plus a fair bit of fettling!), and many where blown away with the sound at Scalford this year, much to my delight!

[johnnyesox]

Was listening to a Project T/T last night,that someone GAVE my mate for free! Think it was a very early Debut or something,anyroad it was needing a cartridge,so I took over a Rega Elys I had kickin' about,playing it through his Denon receiver [ancient] and MS speakers, gotta admit it was VERY listenable,some Ozrics and the last Shpongle sounded great....alright for nought!