Should I keep the Turntable or sell it?

There are many theories to turntable design, but they have to be implemented correctly for good results.  Many people view Rega as dinky 'tables, but they are lightweight and stripped-down, like a Formula 1 Race car.  And their performance sounds that way - fast and dynamic with good timing - which appeals to many.  A lot of the higher mass turntables are more like a Mercedes-Benz, which is a different kind of excellence than a race car.  If you find that you like the virtues of a Rega 'table, it is hard to find those virtues in a comparably-priced high-mass 'table.  The Acoustic Signature WOW series of 'tables come to mind, however.

Rega do make high-end products, but they have a certain mindset that gets a little extreme with what they will and won't compromise on their pricier 'tables.  I think some things, like a felt mat, do not belong on a high-end product.  But there are many aftermarket mats that are not overly costly.  Because Rega 'tables are modular and among the best-selling (with a large fan base), there are many aftermarket modifications that allow one to start with an entry-level Rega and improve the performance considerably.  This adds cost over time, and you can more than double the cost of a Planar 3, but some people enjoy the tweaking and incremental upgrades.

The RB300 series of arms have been one of the best-selling high-end audio products of all time.  Especially during the lull in vinyl sales when it did not make sense for boutique manufacturers to invest in creating their own tonearm offerings, many turntables resorted to using a Rega arm, or offering it as an option.  

The Ortofon 2M series will work fine with a Rega if you use tonearm spacers.  They are a popular replacement for the Rega cartridges.  In my experience, they are more detailed and refined than the Rega MMs, but not as dynamic.

You will know what you like when you hear it, whether it's a Rega or a Technics, or something else.  It's like Mercedes, BMW, and Audi - they are not the same, and if you have the chance to test-drive comparable cars from all three manufacturers, you will find that one just speaks to you in a way the others don't.

Cartridges mate with tonearms, not with turntables.  You can use any cartridge you like with any turntable, so long as the tonearm is a good match to the cartridge.  And the matching only starts with determining the resonant frequency.  Beyond that, there is a certain black art to a synergistic matching of tonearm and cartridge. A lot of trial and error.  But you'll only preceive "error" if and when you have implemented a few different tonearms with the same cartridge.  You don't have to go that far to enjoy analog, but it's a fun journey if you do.

I thought that the turn table can be found only in Smithsonian Museum.  

This site really cracks me up!  Sometimes I read it just to laugh at the nasty comments people make to each other.  Hilarious.  We should rename it to AngryMob instead of AudioGon.

@lewm  

Cartridges mate with tonearms, not with turntables.

yeah, I don't think anyone is debating that fact, but turntables under $2K come with a choice of cart, not a choice of tonearm. Also, everyone knows you can tinker, tune, and toy with a turntable as much as you like, but your options while purchasing a sub- $2K are limited to what the manufacturer/dealer has packaged up and is selling as product. To keep with the car analogy, I can certainly buy an Audi and mod the hell out of it with turbochargers, ECU, and performance exhaust. Or I can just buy an BMW M3 that was built specifically for a certain look, feel, and function that the engineers have been working on for decades and have packaged up for me to drive and experience. They are experts in that "black art" and I trust they know what they are doing. The cost of both cars is somewhat irrelevant in this analogy, assuming they are both within reason. The point I am making is that at the $1500 price point, I have a number of options to choose from that initially come as a package, specifically "tuned" to sound the way the engineers intended. When I have the budget and time to explore more of the black arts, I might start mixing and matching.

My questions related to cartridge/table are more akin to asking if a twin turbo engine(faster engine) in an Audi A5S provides a better driving experience than a single turbo engine in a BMW 540i(more refined car). This is basically the question when comparing a Marantz TT-15S1 with Virtuoso cartridge to a Clearaudio Concept or even the Rega P6 with Exact. I was lucky enough this last weekend to listen to both the Clearaudio and the Marantz side by side, and the Marantz with the $950 cart stole the show.

They had a Rega P6 with Ania MC cart, but I thought that wouldn't be a fair comparison to the others AND it was listed at $2200 and out of my budget. I didn't listen to the P6, but I was able to hear the P3 with Elys cart, and it was 3rd on the list. Again, my hypothesis is that buying a package with an upgraded cart will provide a better listening experience than a better table with average cart. At least, that is what my ears told me this weekend.

And if you are wondering, I drive an Alfa Romeo Guilia. It outperforms all of the competition. :)