Get the Rega and put the Ortofon on it.
Help me decide between these two turntable/cartridge combinations
In about 6 weeks I plan to pull the trigger on a new turntable/cartridge combination. I have narrowed it down, and am torn between the following two:
· Rega Planar 8 with Apheta 2 Cartridge ($4295)
· EAT C-Sharp with Ortofon Quintet Black ($3,995)
These two turntable/cartridge combinations are at the very limit of what I can spend – in fact the Rega is really pushing the limit. I’m looking at these combinations because of the discount that comes from bundling these cartridges with the turntable – plus they come installed from the factory.
One of the requirements I have is that the turntable must have a low profile – the total height cannot exceed 5.3 inches. This rules out other models like ones from VPI, Pro-Ject, etc.
These two turntables take totally different approaches – with the Rega being very lightweight and rigid, vs. the EAT which weighs three times what the Rega weighs.
The equipment I would be using it with – a Parasound P6 preamp and A21 Power Amplifier, and B&W 702s2 speakers with DB4S Subwoofer. The listening area is a finished basement – wall-to-wall carpeted with padding underneath, on top of concrete, so a good strong foundation is in place.
I listen to about 50% classical, 25% Jazz/Blues and 25% classic rock. Most of my records are fairly high quality – MoFi Original Master Recordings, Deutsche Grammophon, etc.
I’ve searched through this forum – the Rega has received great comments (as well as great reviews from the magazines). Not as much on the EAT, although Absolute Sound was fairly positive. I found it interesting in this forum someone got the EAT and returned it due to mechanical noise/vibration (through the Audio). They replaced it with the Rega P8 which did not have this problem.
One possible concern – I sometimes play my records loud, and my speakers are only about 4-5 feet away from where the turntable is. I’m wondering which of these two might be better under these circumstances. It does not seem to be a problem with my current turntable – a 35 year old Bang and Olufsen 2404 turntable with MMC-2 cartridge.
Comments? Which one would you prefer and why, or would you recommend some other table/cartridge combination that is low profile and under $4,000?- ...
- 22 posts total
$4500 of table/cartridge is enough to get the idea of what the fuss is all about. Personallly, I would lean toward Rega, just because of past experience with one. Possibly, as close to plug and play there is? Don't mean a thing without a proper phono stage. I wish I could have phrased that like the Duke Ellington tune! https://video.search.yahoo.com/video/play;_ylt=Awr9Ik0BCtBdBDUAFTrBGOd_;_ylu=X3oDMTEyaHFuNjFnBGNvbG8 Don't cheap out on this critical piece. I eyeballed my setup. I don't have the luxury to NOT have the rack on either side not in the center, between the speakers. I do however see that with the speakers out 5 feet from the front wall, the left speaker is only about 4' from the table. No issues with ridiculous volume due to a kick ass R&R stamper being played. |
millercarbon - very thoughtful response. I find it interesting that your philosophy favors mass, yet you recommended the low mass Rega. However, your comments about MDF are well-taken. Also, your comments about separate turntable components are also well-taken, but given the discount you get by getting the package I thnk allows me to get better value for the money. Plus, I have to face it - My wife struggles to understand how anyone would possibly spend $4K on a turntable. I've gotten away with lots of expenditure on this system so far, so I don't think separate turntable components are in my future. mijostyn - I am puzzled by your comment. Do you think the Ortofon Quintet Black is that much better than the Apheta 2, which is nearly twice the price? Or do you dislike the Apheta 2 that much? Can you tell me your reasoning? Also, I would not get the package discount by putting the Ortofon - I would have to purchase it separately. tablejockey - Agree using the Phono stage in the P6 is not optimal - eventually I plan to get a separate phono stage, but can only afford to focus on one component at a time, and given my current turntable/cartridge is 35 years old, that is the current priority. |
FWIW, I don't have any experience with the tables/cartridges you mentioned but I do have a friend who switched from using the phono stage in his P6 to a schiit Mani with a Swagman linear power supply and the sound quality improved, especially the record noise, e.g., ticks, pops, etc. I think the total cost was around $300USD. By the way, I also still have and use my B&O 2404 table with the MMC-2 cartridge I bought new back in late eighties as my backup and I think it's still a great sounding piece. Its also very forgiving to the surrounding vibrations and that's something you'll need to take into account when moving to these other tables. |
Please allow me to add a third contender: Acoustic Solid. AS is a German manufacturer that makes much more interesting tables than the EAT/Pro-Ject and Rega you are looking to - imho. To your budget, the best fit is the Solid Metal 111. It weighs almost 4 times the Rega 8. Very solid indeed! I guess in the US the whole package with AS tonearm and cartridge you set you back around US$3500. In comparison to the Rega and EAT, it is much easier to upgrade the AS in the future - from deck to motor, not to forget the smart tonearm base system that allows a much easier change of tonearms and is not length restrictive afaik. I am not sure whether is possible to attach a second arm base in this particular model but you can ask the dealer. I´ve just googled and found a dealer in Canada. I don’t know if there is a US distributor. |
- 22 posts total