Turntable dilemma.

Cat, good as both those decks are for the money (the Rega RP3 is probably the budget deck), when fronted by such a revealing system I reckon you may well be disappointed, their weaknesses and failings brought into sharp relief.  So, if it were me, I would be saving up for a better deck/arm/cartridge more in keeping with fronting such a system. Sorry.

Cat - what Richard says.  Is vinyl to be your main source ?  If just for occasional use then either deck would be fine but as a primary/regular use you really need a Rega P8

Regards,

Lindsay

Im just going to be contentious and say a base model Rega makes really interesting, tuneful music. Better than a projekt of equivalent cost. 

I could quite happily live with the basic no-frills rega. 

My primary source is digital, dac v1 from my nas and cdx2/xps. I did have a linn sondek and tag ppa20 phono stage, sold them last year. I just need a turntable to listen to my vinyl collection without breaking the bank.

I had a Rega 3 from 1980 until 2000 and did everything you could do to elevate its performance.  It is fun to do what you can because the incremental improvement is perceptible at almost every turn.   The Rega is well designed, smartly built, clever in many ways in its use of materials and economical solutions.   But the best thing you can say about the Rega is that it can be set up and shipped UPS and played upon receipt.    You can buy a new cartridge, ship the turntable to the dealer and the dealer can optimize the cartridge and return the unit to you all within a week!   The Rega is convenient and useful in today's world where dealers are fewer and further between, but eventually you run into a wall.  If you are happy there, great, but you will probably see the Rega as the bottleneck in your system before long.   Starting where you are, you will see that bottleneck sooner than you think.    I got out of the Rega when I was ready to move beyond the captive phono stage of Mark Levinson Model 28 into a tubed Joule-Electra and an AHT Non-Signature phono stage.

The real question is how much of a commitment to vinyl and the vinyl eco system do you want to make?

With multiple phono stages, preamps, and power supplies, Naim makes available a wonderful phono support system, and you may need a turntable that can keep pace with the upgrade path which the Naim system holds in store for you.   You may not.    Either way, the Rega 3 will be fun for a while and easy to sell when you are ready. 

Rega just announced the new Planar 3 to replace the RP3.  Looks like a nice improvement, except when bundled with the Elys 2 cartridge (which, to my ears, sounded a bit strained in treble). If you go this direction, remember that your cartridge choices must be very similar in size to Rega's, as the Planar 3's arm does not have easy VTA adjustment.

I think Rega plans to replace other models later this year, but we'll have to see.

ATB.

Hook

jon honeyball posted:

Im just going to be contentious and say a base model Rega makes really interesting, tuneful music. Better than a projekt of equivalent cost. 

I could quite happily live with the basic no-frills rega. 

Nothing contentious about that Jon - in my experience absolutely true.

Lindsay

New project classic looks interesting for reasonble priced deck with cool looks, ı think it Will be in stores in a few weeks time.

Thanks for all the advice, much appreciated.

As mentioned previously the Raga 3 will take you someway along getting enjoyment from your LPs... but with you setup if you want to get the bether sound then I  think you will need to move up the range.. either to  Raga P8 or consider other decks (either new or used) like a Gyrodec or Linn LP12... the advantage of these two decks is that it's possible to improve performance in stages... better arm, better power supply, better sub chassis, etc...

I my case I started with a used LP12 (actually to upgrades fronm a Linn Axis which blew it's power supply), and over time I have about upgraded every part of the deck save the plynth and lid...

There are of course other very good decks out there... as always try to take the opportunity to listen to the deck to satisfy yourself that you are getting the improvements you are looking for..

On reflection if Cat put a Rega P3 on his system with a good cartridge and phono stage it would be an interesting comparison with his CDX2.  I doubt the Rega would be so far off the pace. 

Might be with considering buying used, but better standard.

i bought a turntable a few years ago for low level use, and was thinking of the rp3, but ended up buying an old classic, a manticore mantra turntable. 

The new Planar 3 is leaps and bounds ahead of all the 3s that went before it. It's a real improvement over the RP3 for a modest increase in cost. It's so good we had to compare it to the 6 in the shop. The 6 is still better, but the 3 is very beguiling. This was using the Cyrus Signature (cracking phono stage, particularly with the PSX-R) into 282/hi cap/250 and big Shahinian Hawks on the end. The 3 had the Elys2 fitted.

I agree with others that you should be higher up the scale, particularly if you have a lot of vinyl, but I guess that if it's only your 2nd source then a simple fit'n'forget deck like the 3 is the way to go. We enjoyed the whole day listening to the 3 in the patently mullet system above.

Regards,
Frank.

Well it's all rega....but I do own a project 2xperience with a at 33ptg2.and for the money it's a great deck,wouldn't say no to either.but at this price point I'd say the cartridge is as equally if not more so important than whichever deck you go for.

As Frank says the RP6 is still a better option than the new Plannar 3. If funds allow go for it. I use an RP6 for exactly the same use as yourself. Occasional listening. Primary source remains NDX/XPSDR. No the the RP6 is not in the same league but more than an acceptable alternative, it's quite fun for the odd vinyl night.

I've found the RP6's potential limited by the Exact. If you can set up a cart yourself then there are plenty of more dynamic options to explore, many for less money than the Exact. The RP6 is also sensitive to shelving to get its best tonal presentation top to bottom. Optimal shelving needs not be expensive, but may require some experimentation. If you don't enjoy the DIY process, find an objective dealer willing to work with you and the RP6 ought to be worthy of your system, especially with vinyl as a secondary format.

Agree with Strat - with such a system RP8 is a minimum. I had an RP6 with my 282 / SC / 250 - it was good, but....  The system can handle much more an reward with a beautiful music.

So RP8or RP10  with Apheta II and a good phono-stage.... possibly Rega Aria to match the turntable.

Skinnypuppy71 posted:

Well it's all rega....but I do own a project 2xperience with a at 33ptg2.and for the money it's a great deck,wouldn't say no to either.but at this price point I'd say the cartridge is as equally if not more so important than whichever deck you go for.

+1, the project 2Xperience is an exceptional turntable for the money, rega P3 excellent also, you need to home dem and go with your ears and as has been said go for the best cartridge you can afford..