Willie, sorry meant to say "platter" not sub-platter. Mind is mush!
The new Rega Planar 3
Rega has just launched the Planar 3 2016... only two components remain from the previous RP3. The high-gloss finish looks cool... black and white only. http://goo.gl/6JdX2Q
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Willie, I tried the Groovetracer Acrylic sub-platter. I'm looking to buy a nice used RP6, in black, right now, as I like the Rega designs so much. I think that the logic that the Rega turntables are a skeleton with no body could be extended to the basic Porsche 911 as well. Just because something can be made better, in some persons subjective opinion, does not detract from the excellence of the starting point. |
Mountainsong, these links detail all of my mods http://image99.net/blog/files/04fdba8476cfd21bdd7a5fdf38c8cdf5-28.html http://image99.net/blog/files/23c020f75290d3392577113371f4dc94-38.html My most recent upgrade was to a Soundsmith modified Denon DL 103 - superb!!! Especially with the addition of the brass plate There are many different companies like Michel and Groovetracer and those identified in the link, so do your homework and scour Audiogon for the experience of others. At $200 you got a bargain. I started 30 years ago with a Planar 2 - cost $225 new The sky is the limit 😃 |
CZ, like everything else these days, it’s a starting base with some very nicely engineered aftermarket ad-on’s that improves upon an already impressive performance. The ad-on’s allow you to install progressive upgrades over time as budgets allow. Pretty much a standard for this hobby. If you have the budget and the knowledge, you can simply purchase a better TT, but if you are just getting into hi-fi, it can be a great way to learn about the many nuances of analogue. What you can end up with is a very capable TT Nice to know the first TT you buy can evolve as you do 😊 |
I have a RP6. Made several mods using Groovetracer. Dropped counterweight and subplatter. Subplatter made an immediate and amazing difference. Hugely improved bass and general musicality. If the subplatter on the Planar 3 is still some type of plastic, I would get the Groovetracer mod as soon as possible. |
Viridian, agreed on the metal subplatter, I found the Isokinetik ISOSub GT 2 S sub platter to be a very good investment. BTW - The actual brand of acrylic platter that worked for me was the SRM/TECH Acrylic Platter This is one of the 1" or thicker varieties available - with a thick rubber anti-vibration band around the outer edge. When I was looking for a platter I came across several that were either 10mm or 12mm thick. Looked just like the glass platter Since I considered the mass of the glass platter to be crucial to performance, I believed that replacing the glass platter with an acrylic version of the same thickness would offer no benefit since it would be lighter. Which type of platter did you try? |
Sounds like a great rig you have going there and the motor kit and belt made a big difference IMHO. You might want to consider an arm spacer to get it to the right height. But other than that..........enjoy spinning some great recordings! You did well. And as Williewonka suggests above you may really like the aftermarket platter, metal sub-platter and Michell Technoweight. |
It’s funny how as enthusiasts, we often respectfully disagree. Having used both the acrylic and glass platters on a P25 I would much rather have the glass. Leading edges are more defined, or to put it another way, harder. It is a matter of preference. I have not tried the POM platters though. I never had any luck with the stock Denon 103 and 103R in the Rega arm, finding them rather washed out dynamically. Zu uses the Rega arm as a design center for their modified Denons and adds quite a bit of mass to improve SQ. My preference is a very heavy arm for the 103. On the cheap, an Audio Technica ATP12t, with a bit more money maybe a Fidelity Research or Thomas Schick. |
The good - there are a whole host of third party upgrade options you can install yourself to get much better perfomance. The bad - the glass platter should have been ditched years ago and replaced with an acrylic platter. Rega - two changes that should be made 1. Install an acrylic platter 2. Install a Michel Technoweight These two changes alone elevates the performance to much higher levels of fidelity The Denon DL 103 moving coil is an excellent match to the arm and better than ost Rega offerings The Soundsmith version of the 103 is perhaps the best bang for the buck, offering superb performance. Regards |