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Rega Planar 3 : Heavily upgraded yet produces a sound that I don't like

I have the Rega Planar 3 turntable for 30 years now. It had an original everything including a 100$ nottingham analogue cartridge/stylus.
Sound was not bad but pretty basic....
A few years ago I started upgrading it. I did all the upgrades together and the result is... not good. The sound is very accurate but it is too bright, there is almost no Bass and drums have no attack whatsoever.
I can't eliminate where the problem is because all upgrades are irreversible.
I know that the Ortofon Rondo Red has a very bright sound but still...

 

Here is a list of the upgrades :

1. ISOkinetik ISOvert Rega Tonearm VTA Adjustment Kit

https://www.analogueseduction.net/isokinetik-upgrades-and-parts/isokinetik-isovert-rega-tonearm-vta-adjustment-kit.html

 

2. Cardas Litz purple phono cable

 

3. ISOkinetik Tonearm Low CG weight

https://www.analogueseduction.net/isokinetik-upgrades-and-parts/isokinetik-isoweight.html

 

4. Ortofon Rondo Red Cartridge/stylus

 

5 Linn Linto phono pre amp (an old but outstanding piece which has a cult following).


6. I use Rega Elicit Apmplifer


triskadecaphobic
dougsat
374 posts
 
I am happy with the Elys II cartridge on my Planar 3.
I realize at $295 it might not be what you want to spend.
However I do think the Rega cartridges setup easily and are meant specifically for their TT so for me they just work. You’ll get various opinions for sure.

noromance's avatar
noromance
9,850 posts
 
Regarding VTA, mentioned above, here are 2 images:
Humor me and remove VTA shim and felt mat. 
ihcho's avatar
ihcho
612 posts
 
It may be worthwhile to identify the weakest link. With the weakest component intact, it does not matter how much you spend on elsewhere.

It could be the turntable itself.
Maybe the speaker or speaker cable.
Or the Rega amplifier or the interconnect.
I've been frustrated many times with similar reasons. Nothing can be more disappointing when you hear no improvement after spending $$$. However, it is a part of the business. Getting the right kind of combination and synergy among different components takes a lot of time, money, and efforts.
triskadecaphobic OP
81 posts
 
A quick update..
The local Rega dealer kindly agreed to lend a Rega phonostage next weekend to take home and replace my Linn Linto to help isolate the guilty component.
Assuming this doesn't help, the next step would be to try a new MC cartridge. 
Would a Rega Ania MC cartridge that costs more than 600 pounds be a golden ring in a pig's nose ?
Again, assuming it solves the problem, wouldn't it be more economical to just sell the TT and buy another one that fits my phonstage/system ?
mijostyn's avatar
mijostyn
8,570 posts
 
I was not aware the Rhondo Red was a moving coil cartridge. At this price point you are much better off with a Moving Magnet cartridge. As an example you find the Gyger S stylus, perhaps the quietest tracking stylus made in the $17,000 Clearaudio Goldfinger MC. You will find the exact same stylus in the $600 Goldring 1042 MM and a similar stylus in the Audio Technica VM760SLC for $600. 
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