Carts option for Rega P5 + RB700 arm


hi guys,

I'm thinking of building a system base on a Rega P5 and RB700 arm. What carts under $500 can you recommend that works well with this combo ?

Thanks for the much help.
nolitan
I use a Dynavector DV20XH with my P7. Previously I used (and kept)an Exact cartridge with my P5.
Dear Nolitan: That analog rig you own ( ? ) is a very good entry level on the analog world.

I don't know which are your experiences or what you are looking for on the analog side but reading through your posts I can see that you own a very nice and high quality performance system that will do justice to the analog alternative against what you own on digital source.

If you already have that RB700 I think that you have to add the VTA option ( after market option. ) that is a must to have with the Rega tonearms instead to use those shims that IMHO can degrade the cartridge quality performance.

If the number there is your budget for a cartridge and other than the good alternatives that the people already posted I want to add the MM/MI alternative, here are two samples that could help to your analog sound reproduction satisfaction:

http://www.audiogon.com/cgi-bin/cls.pl?anlgcart&1254595193&/Empire-1000-Ze/X-Nos-Nib--spar

http://www.audiogon.com/cgi-bin/cls.pl?anlgcart&1253551030&/Sumiko-Andante-P-76-New-Phono-

of course that in the MM/MI alternative there are other very good cartridges but these ones are worth to try it.

Regards and enjoy the music,
Raul.
Rauliruegas, you said:

If you already have that RB700 I think that you have to add the VTA option ( after market option. ) that is a must to have with the Rega tonearms instead to use those shims that IMHO can degrade the cartridge quality performance.

Can you please explain why adding a shim at the tonearm base will "degrade" the cartridge performance.?
Dear Frank: My experiences are that the headshell/cartridge " connection " must be " intimate " and tight with nothing between each other.

Everytime I try something between cartridge/headshell sound changes and IMHO not for the better but this is only my personal experience where can/could be different from other people ones.

Anyway, that "after-market " VTA for the Rega arms is very usefull and convenient.

Regards and enjoy the music,
Raul.