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Linn Basik LVX vs. Rega RB 303

Hi, Folks,
I have a very old Linn Basik LVX on my SOTA Sapphire. When I say "very old," I mean that I bought it used from the dealer back in 1986! :-)
I was having hum/buzz issues on my analogue side, and finally isolated it down to the turntable. It turned out to be a shorted tonearm ground wire along with some mechanical elements of the arm that needed tightening. All this was done by Mike at Austin Stereo, a great, local repair shop.
Now the hum is gone and the arm is sounding fine but the whole exercise has me wondering whether I might want to upgrade the old arm. My budget is modest so the Rega RB 303 at $600 sounds about right. By the way, my cart is an Ortofon 2M Blue.
Would this be a worthwhile (i.e., discernible) step up?
Thanks for your opinions!
rebbi
lowrider57's avatar
lowrider57
5,417 posts
 
I would say to upgrade the tonearm (the wiring, bushings and bearings are old) and the Rega RB 303 is a considerable upgrade. The Rega is a longer tonearm, also a higher mass, so you would need to consult with your dealer on whether or not your table needs to be modified; by that I mean some cutting might be needed to accommodate mounting the Rega.

I have a Linn from 1988 and looked at the Rega 303, but it would not be a simple installation on my TT.
rebbi OP
1,326 posts
 
Lowrider,
Thanks for the feedback. The SOTA folks make mounting arm boards precut for a variety of brands. I haven't yet checked but I have to believe that Rega is one of them.
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