Guidance about cartridges for Rega RP3

[Chris-_007]

Fergie,

You could by a AT95E for around £30 to get started whilst your researching a cart that you'd like to stick with long term.

I ran one on my RP3 for a while and it is bloody good value for mone,y and would possibly give some more expensive carts a run for their money.

[supertramp]

Avoid the Linn K9 (or was it the K5?). Grey, grey cartridge with nothing, and I repeat, nothing to make anyone want to play vinyl!

[amazement]

I have used rega's with the goldring favourite and rega own carts, I much prefer rega's own cart's besides being designed to match their decks and arms and you don't need to worry about VTA and I like the three point fixing on the elys and above.Good value too and a fixed stylus as per a MC cart.

[Fergie]

I have used rega's with the goldring favourite and rega own carts, I much prefer rega's own cart's besides being designed to match their decks and arms and you don't need to worry about VTA and I like the three point fixing on the elys and above.Good value too and a fixed stylus as per a MC cart.

I would rather avoid a cartridge with a fixed stylus 'cos if an accident happens with the stylus it can be quite a bit cheaper to replace. Thanks for your other suggestion.

[macvisual]

Fergie,

Did you get my pm?

[Tel]

Thanks for all the various recommendations and suggestions - it's given me food for further thought as to what may be the best way to go. Initially I don't want to have to spend more money to buy a phono stage for a MC cartridge and would rather leave that as an upgrade option, as and when possible.

Many thanks.

Fergie

Fergie, I don't know much about the Linn Exotik but if yours has the MM/MC optional phono stage then you will be fine and certainly won't need to buy an external phonostage.

I would also recommend the Goldring 1042

[Phillybuster]

The Goldring 2500 matches Rega arms well, as does the DL110 and any number of Grados. There's also the AT95E at around the 20€ mark from william thakker.

You can get a new Rega P2-24 for £299 from Moorgate Acoustics on ebay or from their shop. Discontinued, so prices have dropped.

[Howlindawg]

My favorite cart on the P3 was the Goldring 2500.
I prefered it to the GR-1042 and Dynavector DV10x5.

On a P3-24 with the outboard PSU it's a rig you could easily live with for a relatively modest investment.

[Jimmy Moff]

I have a P3 (2000 version) with Goldring 1012 and am very satisfied with it. I previously used a Rega Super Elys. I much prefer the Goldring.

There's little to go wrong with Rega TTs and as has been mentioned earlier, there are loads available on the 2nd hand market.

Jim

[chris metcalfe]

Dynavector DV10x5 woerks brilliantly on my P3-24. However at the Bristol show yesterday I heard two RP3s, including one with Elys which sounded superb !

[Fergie]

Tel, many thanks for your comments and recommendation. My Exotik doesn't have the optional phono stage and I use an external one. Your comment made me think and I checked and found out that my phono stage has the option to switch between MM and MC. Dohhhhhh........

[vacdac]

Hi Fergie,

It may also be worth adding the Audio Technica AT F3 mk.iii to the list, I can attest that it works well on a Planar 3, I set one up for my mate Jen on hers , it replaced a Sumiko Blue point Special evo. & she loves it to bits (runs it through my old project tubebox S.E.) & much prefers it to the Sumiko. It responds well to close & careful set up & on the P3 v.t.a is v. close to being right,maybe slightly tail down, with the felt platter mat on & no spacers, whereas the Sumiko was considerably taller & required the mat removing to even get close to correct v.t.a.

I also have one myself & currently on my technoarm/Gyro & really like it , esp. considering its price. whilst its bettered usefully by the oc9, between it & the rondo red its much closer & on balance I prefer the F3. I also have Goldring 1022gx/1042 as yardsticks having owned both, & both these were easily bettered by the F3 in my own system.

Re. my preference of it over the rondo red, the red is perhaps more correct sounding,the f3 more exciting & has more detail/immediacy/presence. I guess it may depend too on how able your phono stage is to exploit this cart (matching well etc.) & other speaker/system matching issues. For example if your system is a little ragged in the upper registers or the treble a little too "zingy" already then this cart may not suit. However I can definitely report that this cart definitely responds more than some to a little careful v.t.a. "tweakery" it definitely seems to prefer slightly "negative"(tail down) & in fact last time I set it up I tried it tail up & it sounded really horrible & obviously wrong , being rather searing & offensive.

I bought three last year (2 for my mate) for £160 ea. from Ian Harrison & currently they are £ 175/£190 from hi-fi shops, but likely still cheaper from I.H. Considering the replacement styli costs for the Goldring carts I believe the F3 to be v.g.f.m..

B.R.

vacdac (Chris).

[Hi Five]

I recommend you push the boat out and get a really nice MM. You won't regret it in the long run.

I have a Goldring 2500 on my P3 24. Its sounds really sweet.

[Fergie]

After all the wide variety of the different recommendations here and delving into google for reviews of what would get me going for a start I have ordered a Audio Technica AT 440 MLa which is highly regarded. Let's see how I get on once it is up and running. I can always change if it doesn't come up to expectations. Thank you all for your kind input.

Cheers

Fergie

[Fergie]

Well I finally have the cartridge set up and playing and I am a happy bunny. It is really revealing a lot of previously unheard details in the music, sounds great with different kinds of music and the soundstage is marvellous in width and depth. I think it must be one of my best hifi buys!

[freefallrob]

The Goldring 1012GX is very good in the Rega arm, we'll be running one at the Scalford show this Sunday.

EDIT : just read the last post, 440's are nice too