Over the Easter weekend I looked through the boxes of 200-300 LPs stored in the loft and I’d forgotten what gems lay hidden away - and after browsing on Discogs, some quite valuable it seems. They were stored in sealed plastic tubs, north facing (no extremes of temperature) and wrapped up in their Discwasher VRP inner sleeves and polyethylene outer sleeves. Luckily, all appear to still be in A1 condition.
I have REALLY enjoyed looking through these old albums, especially savouring the outer and inner sleeves. So much so that I’m now seriously considering adding a turntable to my UnitiQute 2 (or CB Nait2). Folly perhaps in the current download and streaming era, but the nostalgia fest of pawing through these old spinners has caught my imagination.
As I’ve been out of the vinyl scene for nigh on twenty years (gulp) I could do with a little guidance please. Will more than likely be buying used, so dealer demonstrations not really viable unless I find an ex-demo deck that fits. Q’s that spring to mind…
Turntable: Initially thinking of either a vintage Rega Planar 3 (I have 'form' with this old timer) to get things going and to see If I still enjoy the old snap crackle and pop? Or perhaps a second hand higher end Rega P6 or P8, or even a basic Cymbiosis built LP12 (then upgrade in time). Newer brand alternatives could be Avid, Project etc. Recommendations?
Phono stage & Cartridge: Perhaps a versatile switchable Moving Magnet & Moving Coil unit? Or a dedicated MM or MC stage? Pros & cons of contemporary MM vs MC? Has the performance gulf narrowed between the two?
Vinyl: If I do plunge, how good are new 180g vinyl pressings? I remember the early 90's vinyl quality seemed to be shockingly bad with noisy warped pressings commonplace - very frustrating.
Alternatively, cash in the vinyl and put the proceeds towards a new HDX2 - tempting! Sacrilege perhaps (burn the witch!) but that’s also an alternative to the nostalgia vinyl trip?
Lots of questions I know, but thoughts and experience welcome from anyone else who has jumped back down the rabbit hole after a vinyl hiatus?
Posted on: 16 July 2018 by Yetizone
I now have a Rega RP6 / RB303 / Ortofon 2M Black / Rega Fono MM playing into my Unitiqute 2. Sounding pretty good, but not earth shakingly look good, which is a slight disappointment in some ways, although its very early days and the deck is still in the process of being set up properly.
Nait 2 connection issue - I’m having to leave my the Nait out of the equation for the minute, as the Rega RCA phono plugs do not push far in enough into the Nait2 phono sockets to make a connection, feeling very loose. Even when unscrewing the RCA barrels, the plugs still do not push home, the connection breaks in and out of music / harsh static, so I’m slightly concerned about amp / speaker damage.
Any ideas as to the best course of action to allow my Nait to join the turntable party? RCA adaptors of some sort? I’m handy with a soldering iron if I need new connectors, but ideally would rather leave the stock Rega plugs intact.
Any help very welcome on the Nait2 / RP6 issue!
Posted on: 16 July 2018 by Richard Dane
Those locking Rega RCA plugs are nice but yes, I can see how they might not fit recessed RCA phono sockets such as those on the NAIT and NAIT2. I would get the armlead re-terminated with more suitable RCA plugs such as the Neutrik Profi (IIRC these were used by Rega at some point - check they will fit though), Switchcraft or Deltron ones. Keep the original plugs in case you need to have them put back on.
Of course, if you were to use a low output MC then you could use a set of Ortofon T5/Sony T10 transformers into the NAIT's RCA phono sockets, which would allow you to neatly sidestep the issue...
Posted on: 16 July 2018 by Yetizone
Thanks Richard - very helpful.
Ah, that’s interesting. I never knew there was such a thing as a step up transformer for adapting MC cartridges to a Nait2 MM phono stage? That does open up possibilities a bit. But how far up the MC cart ladder to climb with an RP6 I wonder - a Rega Ania perhaps?
The fact that the RP6 direct wired phono leads cannot easily be changed is rather frustrating, but assuming its designed to keep as pure a signal path a possible. Is this the same scenario with the high end RP8 / RP10?
EDIT: Re RP8 and RP10: Incidentally, I contacted quite a few dealers when searching for a secondhand deck and it was surprising how many RP8 & 10 ex demo models were available. I did wonder if replacement models are imminent?
Posted on: 16 July 2018 by Richard Dane
The arm lead on the RB808 and the RB2000 is fixed, and I assume they all use the same locking RCA phono plugs.
The Ortofon T5/Sony T10s were often used back in the day to adapt an MC cart to the MM phono stage on the NAIT or NAIT2. Naim also had the Linnk, which was an active MC step-up that they made for a well known Scottish hifi maker.
I have a pair of T5s in their box somewhere, but I've never tried them on any of my NAITs, so couldn't really say how good they are compared to a dedicated MC stage. But it just occurred to me that it would allow your phono plugs to fit...
Posted on: 16 July 2018 by Yetizone
Ah, the same fixed leads as per the RB303 on my RP6 then.
Lots to ponder on here, so will take my time on this and have a think. I really did wonder if the idea of a MC cartridge would be overkill on the RP6, but this new idea has got me wondering about the befits of a MC over the fitted MM Ortofon 2M Black?
Never heard of the Naim Linnk - will do a little research.
