[Pibborando]

Basing your decision on the deck and tonearm quality only (as I will be purchasing a new cart for whichever TT I go with), which one of these three would you pick? This will be my first turntable and I'm sure all of them can sound great, but I'd like some opinions.

The Planar 2 I'm looking at is a slightly older model, with glass platter. It has the RB250 arm. The Pro-ject and Music Hall arms look exactly the same and I'm guessing are bested by the Rega's. How would the glass platter compare with the P-j and MH's alloy ones?

As far as looks go, they all share a similar design and all look good but I'd put the Rega in front of the Music Hall because of the glass and the Pro-ject in front of the Rega because it comes in a nice selection of colors (I like white!).

Any help here would be appreciated and suggestions for other TTs that can be found (used) for under $400 are welcome. Thanks.

 

[juniperlater]

The RB-250 is a great arm, but Rega doesn't play nice with Grado carts. Being a Grado fanboy, I can't recommend the Rega. I have a Pro-Ject Xpression III and it is quite adequate. I auditioned the Debut III and thought it was also quite nice.

 

[Pibborando]

Being a vinyl noob and not knowing much at all about carts, are Grados widely preferred at their price points or is it just personal taste?

There's a Planar 3 available for a little over $400 now. Seems like I shouldn't pass it up...

 

[juniperlater]

Personal taste.

 

[Pibborando]

Quote:

Originally Posted by juniperlater /img/forum/go_quote.gif Personal taste.

May I ask what your taste is and what you like about Grado carts? Thanks.

 

[juniperlater]

Quote:

Originally Posted by Pibborando /img/forum/go_quote.gif May I ask what your taste is and what you like about Grado carts? Thanks.

Sure.

Grado has a balance of warmth and clarity that I have not found elsewhere. A lot of other cartridges are too bright or too cold or too muddy or whatever else. There is a good balance in a Grado cartridge. THEN you can talk prices and their prices area amazing for the quality of craftsmanship and material - I am talking about the wood bodies here.

I hope that is helpful.

There are a lot of good brands out there for cartridges, but I, personally, do not want a Moving Coil and I don't like Ortofon - I used an OM20 for a number of years. I also don't like audiotechnica. I do like the vintage Shure V15s.

I think you would not have too hard of a time finding a good cartridge for the Rega. You just need to make sure that it matches the Rega's VTA - you can't (easily) adjust the VTA on a Rega (it requires shims). $400 for a P3 is pretty good. I had a p2. It was a nice, simple table.

 

[memepool]

Quote:

Originally Posted by Pibborando /img/forum/go_quote.gif Being a vinyl noob and not knowing much at all about carts, are Grados widely preferred at their price points or is it just personal taste?.

I think people here are very interested in them because they like Grado headphones perhaps, but they don't really differ all that much from Stanton or Pickering. All have a sumptuous classic '70s American warm analogue sound.

They can be a bit finickity about some decks because the body isn't as magnetically shielded as most other modern carts. This is particularly true of British budget decks like the Regas which have unshielded AC motors and slightly idiosyncratic ideads about grounding tonearms.

A Stanton 681EEE will give you the same kind of sound on a P3 and is just as keenly priced in the States compared to the better Grados I think.

As far as glass platters are concerned, these offer a good deal more mass than a lightweight metal one and are less apt to suffer from ringing resonances, + points on a pretty lightweight budget deck.

 

[juniperlater]

Quote:

Originally Posted by memepool /img/forum/go_quote.gif I think people here are very interested in them because they like Grado headphones perhaps, but they don't really differ all that much from Stanton or Pickering. All have a sumptuous classic '70s American warm analogue sound.

I came at it the other way around actually. I had the Grado cart and then the headphones, but I agree that most people go the other way.

 

[Pibborando]

Anyone have experience with the OLD Planar 2, the one with a wood encased plinth, curved tonearm and separate headshell? There's one on ebay that's ending soon and I was wondering how it compares with the newer models, assuming it's in good condition. It comes with a EMPIRE 2000 E/ II cart and a "Tri Pad" mat.

 

[juniperlater]

Awful arm. Just dreadful.

 

[juniperlater]

FYI - the arm is an Acos Lustre.

 

[Pibborando]

Quote:

Originally Posted by juniperlater /img/forum/go_quote.gif Awful arm. Just dreadful.

Aw damn. That's a bummer.

e: Can it be replaced easily?

 

[juniperlater]

Quote:

Originally Posted by Pibborando /img/forum/go_quote.gif Aw damn. That's a bummer.

Yeah, I had the same thing happen to me. I got a "great deal" on a planar II and it had the Lustre arm. Very disappointing.

 

[Pibborando]

Quote:

Originally Posted by juniperlater /img/forum/go_quote.gif Yeah, I had the same thing happen to me. I got a "great deal" on a planar II and it had the Lustre arm. Very disappointing.

Is it really THAT bad? From looking around online it seems the R200 was a well regarded arm until the RB300 came out. Haven't read anyone else calling it downright awful. Of course sounds like you've had personal experience with it, so I'm obliged to take heed.

 

[juniperlater]

It was pretty bad. It was very bright and surface noise was another issue. I put on a Jelco arm and it was a lot better... quite nice actually. I would definitely not buy it for the table/arm combo. Plan on buying a RB-250 or other arm.