My wallet says I shouldn't be, but I'm eyeing a used Rega Planar 3 turntable with a Rega Elys cartridge. Initial feelers say the turntable was bought new in 1998 (not the P3) and is in very fine condition & well cared for, cartridge mounted by the store tech at the time of purchase. I've made an offer....
...I've checked on the web and the little that I could dig up about the Elys cartridge seems to be general dissapointment from previous owners...and if not dissapointment...well, just a lack of excitement in the music for the price. Anybody have a take on the cartridge and what sound I could expect out of it? I'd have it hooked up to a cheaper mid 80s Yamaha integrated amp (A-700) speakers are...well...I haven't bought a pair yet. Currently using some Bose's which are a borrowed pair till I get my auditioning under full sail and choose a pair. Mostly I listen to rock, a smattering of jazz, and to a lesser extent classical. Oh, if the deal proceeds further, what do I check for to make certain the turntable is A OK? As always...thanks a bunch.
The "sound" of a system is the cumulative sound of each component within your room. The room has a larger effect on what you hear than any one component. Listen to the Rega set up for yourself and don't bother with anyone else's opinion of the cartidge. If it doesn't suit your tastes, cartridges are not forever. Obviously some people like the cartridge or else Rega couldn't continue to sell the model.
Read some of the threads on Rega tables for more information. Basically, a product as straight forward as the Rega designs will either work or not.
Sorry, not a fan. They're not bad I guess and their heart is in the right place, but they're just not very engaging for me and I find them quite noisy. That said, they're easy to setup on a Rega deck since they're the correct height for the arm and most have the 3-point mounting (not the Elys IIRC).
Very little to go wrong on a Planar 3. Make sure the arm's OK and that the cartridge hasn't been shot and you'll be OK.
Regards, Frank.
Rui
Unregistered guest
Posted on
Well, I have a Rega P3 that I don't play for ages. I intend to sart playing it again but the ortofon stylus is broken (please forgive me). Any idea about the best choice for a new one?. The amplifier is an old Audiolab 8000 A. Thanks