Rega Stylus

Try the Rega Website.

Read - and learn

It's a MM if the stylus can be removed and replaced.

Ian's suggestion is a good one before fiddling with a new stylus.

ATB,

Mark

Thanks.

varyat's right and wrong.

Until the Apheta was introduced a couple of years ago, all Rega cartridges have been MM. That's where varyat is right.

However, no Rega cartridge has a removable stylus except for the Rega Carbon which was introduced just 2 years ago and is made for them by Audio Technica. All 'real' Rega cartridges are made in house at Southend-on-Sea and have a captive stylus assembly.

What does this mean? You can't buy a Rega stylus (except for the Carbon) but you CAN buy an exchange cartridge, which is probably what you're talking about. That replacement at £75 would be a Bias2 I think. No idea what you're talking about with the £25 unit.

Of course I am assuming you have a Rega cartridge - your Planar 3 could have been fitted with something else.

Regards,
Frank.
All opinions are my own and do not reflect the opinion of any organisations I work for, except where this is stated explicitly.

I don't know of any MC cartridges with a removable/replaceable stylus.

Perhaps the OP is using the word "stylus" when he actually means "cartridge"?

The OP's post makes little or no sense.

What is the real question - and why is it being asked..?

@staffy - Can you explain..?

I fell at the first fence with the approximately eight year old Rega Planar 3.

C.

His 8 years may be an underestimate and the Rega Cartridge referred to might then be the R-100.

On the basis of age - probably a good idea to replace the whole thing.

On the basis of reported use - why replace the stylus. Unless it is damaged.

However, "Perhaps the OP is using the word 'stylus' when he actually means 'cartridge'?" seems quite likely as Amazon have 'Carbons' for £26.

And the Rega R100 Cartridge had a replaceable Stylus I think....? IIFC, the R100 was not an In House design - that came later.

Perhaps the OP doesn't mean 'Rega Planar 3'.....? Or would 18 years old work better.....?

Will the OP will in the blanks for us....? We are trying here....

Folks, you are all right, and I am wrong.  My Rega Planar 3 is not 8 but 18 years old.  Not being a techy or AV type to a large degree  I confused the issue.

Techy enough to realise that Naim Audio, Arcam, Rega and Linn are probably the best affordable means of music reproduction in the world.

Yes its the entire cartridge that I meant and I now know were I can get one.  Initially I looked at Amazon hence the cheap £25 copy, which would probably make my music sound like a marble in a tin can.

Due to family deaths, unemployment, house moving and a few other kicks my  gear ended up in storage.  However I am now back on my feet and my Rega Planar 3 is sitting on top of my Naim Audio CD5 player, Integrated amp, flatcap power supply and Rega Ela speakers.

After 18 years I think I need a new cartridge.

Thanks again for your advice.

If you do have a Rega R100 cartridge then it may well be worth keeping if you can get hold of a decent replacement stylus.  The R100 was a Supex design that is still held in high regard.

Linn Metak:

Apparently, Audio Technica ( then supplier to Linn's MM cartridges ) made a batch for the samples for Linn but Linn did not pass Linn's approval and so went onto make proper MC cartridges instead. ( Troika/Karma )

I assumed that the Metak was probably AT30E/31E variant with a replaceable MC stylus. ( '81-'86 )

staffy, IME matching cartridge phono stage and speaker's tweeter together is a great idea for happy vinyl playback. So if you are able to tell us which phono stage and speakers you have, maybe help will come....

And also which tired old, shagged out cartridge do you have at the moment?

Cheers, Chris

Thanks for the correction Kuma. So now we know of one...

Pioneer did one too, called the PC-3MC.

And don't forget the Satin M-117 series.

The AT30 and 31 were actually pretty good cartridges.  I think the 30 used to come in a package with the AT630 step-up transformer.  I still have my AT30E on the extra headshell I used to use with the PSX-800.  The turntable is long gone though and possibly the step-up tx as well but the cart stayed with me...