Inspire HiFi - Modified Rega TT's Quest model

[Lee Henley]

Morning all

Have been looking around at turntables and already started to buy vinyl before I have got myself one. Ive been looking at the Inspire HiFi Quest models which is a Rega P3 with a nice wooden surround and a few extras, does anyone on here have any experience of these turntables and better still does someone have one in the West Midlands where I could come and have a listen.

Im drawin to this model since it has a wooden finish and can be tailored to ones own specification, however if there are alternatives for me to consider then feel free to throw them in the mix in this sort of price range (£650)

Very best

Lee

[Tozen]

Hi Lee, if it is built on a Rega deck as the foundation that is what would inspire my confidence (sorry no pun intended). I think Inspire make good decks and I had the Eclipse SE for a while and it was nice. However, I increasingly grew to dislike the company image, the price cutting and the advertising hyperbole ("beats decks up to £trillion" etc). Having said that, Bob is a pleasure to deal with.

[Fiddlemaker]

I would far rather spend this sort of money on a secondhand "classic" turntable in good nick. With the Quest rega, you have a product that a) doesn't really address the key shortcomings of the original deck (plastic subplatter, dubious motor mounting in the original planar 3, low platter mass), b) will likely have poor resale appeal, and c) at least to me, looks a bit "wrong".
All IMHO, of course.

[Cable Monkey]

£650 on the second hand market will get much nicer stuff than a Rega clone, and will be easier to sell on afterwards if you need to.

[dudywoxer]

I would get a P3-24 ex dem, or a RP3 and a groovetracer or similar sub platter for £600 or less.

[Hi Five]

Yeah you could get a P3 24 with a Groovetracer reference sub platter and still have change from £600.

[Lee Henley]

I would get a P3-24 ex dem, or a RP3 and a groovetracer or similar sub platter for £600 or less.

Which is fine if you like the look of Rega TT's, to me they look awerful.

[bigdur]

Midland Audio X have a Pink Triangle with arm for £599.

[dudywoxer]

Which is fine if you like the look of Rega TT's, to me they look awerful.

not as ugly as mini big mac,

[amazement]

not as ugly as mini big mac,

In my opinion inspire missed a trick not offering a better subplatter.

[YNWAN]

Can you get a second-hand Rega P9 for the money you want to spend? If you can, I would recommend that, solves all the problems of the cheaper Rega decks and has a very nice wood plinth.

[dudywoxer]

you may find a original P9 (RB900) for £1k, the current P9 (RB1000) comes out nearer £1.5

[Lee Henley]

I will have a look at the Rega P9, Im also looking at an alternative one at the moment, its a ProJect deck, the one as in the link below but in Olive, any one heard one of these?

http://www.project-audio.com/main.ph...tables&lang=en

[PerFlemming]

The new RP3 will eat any Project for lunch

Later it will be upgradeable and I am exited how close it then will perform next to an old P9

[deggie]

lee , theres a linn axis , basic plus arm, ortophon cart, mint , hardly used, asking 300 notes, on pfm site
if you are new to vinyl , it may tie you over, vinyl is a love affair after all,

you may not be smitten.
regards deggie.

[Lee Henley]

After much deliberation and listening to various decks I have brought me a deck, a Technics SL 1210 MK II, should be here over the next few days, Ive also brought me a Cambridge Audio 640P phono stage.

I heard an SL 1210 MK II at Whittlebury Hall and thought it was a fine deck, all be it there were a few mods on it, however the presentation was very nice indeed and one i thought sounded right !

So up the loft I will be going and fetching down the old vinyl, kind wait to play my original plum zeppelin albums ................

Lee

[Barney]

Lee, clean them there vinyls

[Lee Henley]

Indeed I will, just hope they play ok as they aint seen the light of day for a few years, however I did fetch this one down the other day, hope its ok..