Rega RP3 or Pro-ject Expression III?

To be honest with you, I think this table sounds just "right" out of the box. No after market sub-platter/acrylic platter should be necessary. On the other hand, the TT-PSU, an isolation sandbox, and a better cartridge will really bring this table to a whole new level. Michael Fremer installed a Lyra Helikon SL in this table/PSU combo with great results (Stereophile, December 2011). This speaks volume about its capabilities. HiFi Choice winner 2011 (won over the Pro-ject Xperience 2 Pack and the SRM Tech Athena, both costing much more than the RP3), What Hi Fi 5 stars and top choice $1,500.00 and under . Rave reviews by Jeff Dorgay, Giovanni Militano, Wayne Garcia, Michael Fremer, and Jim Clements all over the analog world.

I have owned many great tables from Linn, Pro-ject, Nottingham Analogue, VPI, Sota, Funk Firm, etc. I'm frankly astonished at how good this new Planar 3 is. Clearly the arm refinements and the double brace tech have had a dramatic effect. Gandy has always believed that heavy turntables, although somewhat resistant to the onset of vibration, will always vibrate and when they do they tend to store energy in their mass as opposed to dissipating the energy. Rega tables will vibrate as well, but for a shorter duration and with less amplitude. This philosophy makes total sense to me.Now the plinth is lighter than ever and stiffer between the spindle and the tonearm. Light but extremely rigid thus avoiding resonance. It's so good that all you have to do is partner this TT with the right equipment, sit back, relax, and enjoy!

Why the Delos?
Analog is all about the last 10%. The Delos will bring improved tracking, improved dynamic range and linearity, better timbre differentiation between various instruments, greater range of tones from individual instruments that reflect more accurately what each performer is doing. In other words, with a cartridge like the Delos you will be able to hear how revealing and dynamic this table can sound.

Limitations? Sure, it's not perfect and a Townshend Audio Rock 7 will prove that in a heat beat. That said, find me a better table/arm/PSU combo for $1,290.00..........hard to beat (again, to my ears).

I would suggest a head-to-head comparison between the RP3/TT-PSU and the RP6 before you decide on the RP6. I couldn't hear the difference between the two. Just a thought.

Thanks Kiko65.

The current issue of the Hi-Fi Critic contains a comparison review of
the RP3 and RP6, notes significant differences, and concludes that the
RP6 represents an even greater value than the RP3. Unfortunately, the
comparison was with the bundled cartridges (Elys on the RP3, Exact on
the RP6), so we don't know how much of the different the cartridge
variable accounted for.

@kiko, do you use the factory mat and footers? I read two separate posts that the RP3 improved with an acrylic platter and more rigid isolation feet.

I use stock, out of the box RP3 with no type of modification what so ever. After 20 years of trial and error, I've learned to put the money where it matters the most. Just be careful how you spend your money, trust your ears, and keep in mind that it is in the cartridge where it all begins. You just need a TT that can dissipate as much resonance as possible. Less external vibration equals better music reproduction. Music retrieval is proportionate to the quality of the cartridge.

I did read the current issue of the Hi-Fi critic, great review overall. My job is not to convince you otherwise nor to take any credits away from the RP6. It is indeed a TT that I would own in a heart beat. I have not auditioned a Clearaudio Concept but I owned a Champion Level I. As good as the Champion was, I would go with an RP6 without hesitation. Another huge factor, the Elys and Exact are worlds apart. Would you rather own a DV 10x5 or a DV 20x2? You will definitely retrieve more information with the Exact cartridge, no doubt about it.

Here are my two cents; same plinth, same arm, same sub-platter, same motor, same double brace technology, slightly different glass platter that weights almost the same, different feet that may or may not make a difference depending on your isolation platform, both with TT-PSU sound very, very similar........ to my ears. Just saying that perhaps saving $200.00 and spending this money on a better cartridge may be worth trying.