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Rega P3 / Music Hall MMF 5 or 7 Turntable decision

I finally built a decent digital system that I have coveted for about the last ten years. After reading forums here and elsewhere on the Internet, I would like to get an analog front end. I do not currently have a large number of records (less that 30) and would like to keep my budget around $1000.00. I already have a phono preamp.

I have been leaning towards the Music Hall MMF 5 or 7. I am really tempted to buy the MMF 7. I love the new design!! I have also considered the Rega P3 or P2. For the Rega, I would like the newest model with the new design.

I am very green when it comes to analog and would love to get insights from those of you that have thoughts about the Rega P3 compared to the Music Hall MMF 7 or 5. I would also like to find out if I am overlooking any options. Is the MMF 5 comparable to the Rega P3 or is the MMF 7 a better comparison with the P3? I will most likely buy new since I am not finding a high number of these items here or at the other normal places on the Internet.

I have researched here and elsewhere extensively on Music Hall, Rega, Basis and others and could not find any detailed comparisons related to these brands. I also checked Audioasylum and Audioreview among others. I am looking for information like feature relevant to good sound, quality of design, sound quality and long term use potential. I really want to hear from people that have experiences with multiple brands or have done research on multiple brands.

Just as background, I know the background related to the Regas being durable and about their long history and strong reputation. I know that the Rega tonearms are very well respected. I also know that the Music Hall are made in the same plant as the Project turntables and the build quality might be suspect and that the Project tonearms are not as well respected as the Rega arms.

I listen to mostly jazz(Bill Evans, Jane Monheit, Dave Douglas, Charlie Mingus, Stan Getz, Nina Simone, Dianne Reeves, Groover Washington, Yellowjackets, Miles Davis, John Scofield, Dave Brubeck, Ella Fitgerald, Dexter Gordan, Gil Evans, Kenny Barron, Don Byron, Eric Dolphy, Jim Hll, Michael Brecker, Keith Jarrett and Betty Carter). I do not know if this helps, but this is what my current system looks like:

Rega RCD 971 CD Player
Bel Canto 1.1 DAC
Rotel RQ-970BX Phone Preamp
Adcom GFP 750 Preamplifier
Odyssey Audio Stratos Monoblocks
Magnepan 1.6 Q.Rs
Acoustic Zen Satori speaker cables bi-wired
Acoustic Zen Matrix interconnects DAC to preamp
Acoustic Zen Matrix interconnects preamp to amps
Acoustic Zen MC2 Digital cable CD Player to DAC
Harmonic Technology Pro AC 11 Power cords for Monoblocks, preamp and DAC
resh2001
upstateaudio's avatar
upstateaudio
249 posts
 
I would definitely go with the P3-2000 Rega. I am an old analog fan, I've had a component system since the 70's and own ~600 lps. I just replaced my old Rotel RB900 (Rega Planar 2 clone) with a P3 with a OL250 arm. The sound is truly better for the price. If you buy it from Brooklyn Audio, the better tonearm will be within your budget( I am in no way affiliated with them.)

BTW, I listen primarily to jazz, including many of the artists that you have listed.

Have fun and good luck.
vtvu
97 posts
 
I have had my share of TT, in order of chronology, Sota Sapphire, Systemdek IIX, Thorens 160, Rega P3, Thorens 320MkII, Michell Gyrodec SE (Origin Live-modded RB250 arm),and now just got the MMF-7. Clearly among them the Michell tops the list but let me tell you, the MMF-7 gives it a run for the money. Considering it is less than half the cost of an equivalent Gyro without the cartridge, plus it has a very respectable MC cartridge to boot (Goldring Eroica LX), I gave the nod to the MMF-7 for value. For a budget TT, it is my choice. My setup, for reference, includes: Merlin VSM-M, Transcendent Sound OTL, Jeff Rowland Coherence One MkII, Musical Fidelity E624 CD as transport going into an ART DI/O and the MMF-7.
Good luck in your hunt.
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hammy
176 posts
 
The rega and MMF7 are excellent choices. DON'T Get that Direct drive Technics unless you want to DJ. It's built like, and sounds like, a tank
jimbo3
304 posts
 
Maybe I'm missing something- Psychoanimal feels that the RB-300 is overrated and "glass & particle board" tables don't do anything for him, yet his "runner up" choice is the RB-300 and a belt-drive, non-resonant table/platter design which is a very close cousin to non-resonant "glass & particle board" designs and completely unrelated to the direct drive, ringing alloy-plattered, highly resonant-chassised Technics. Additionally, in previous posts he has stated that he has no use for belt-drives and needs "electric brakes", but his dream table is belt-drive VPI which doesn't offer brakes as an option. Can anyone explain this seemingly divergent logic?

On the other hand, Psychoanimal does bring up a table worth looking at in the Sota Comet. It's about the same price as Rega and MMF7, and has the RB-300 arm. Anybody have any experience with it? The subject of your cartridge selection hasn't come up yet, but don't skimp on it- a good cartridge makes all the difference on a good table.
psychicanimal
1,738 posts
 
If you take the rubber mat out of the 1200, replace it with a felt one and install a DJ cartridge w/short canitlever and tracking at five grams, it will sound like a tank. If you do the modifications that's a different story...

This is a quote from Extremephono:

"Personally, the RB arms are over-hyped, cheap no doubt, but it has no VTA which limits ability to work with various cartridges (after market Rega VTA kits are available but why bother ?)."

Does Rega publish bearing specifications for their tonearms?
Technics does. Pretty good, by the way...and you get simple, easy to use VTA adjustment.

One of my trusted salesmen sells Music Hall and VPI. He told me the 7 is not worth the money when one can get a VPI Jr. Much better TT. He still agrees that for under $1000 I made the right choice. So does Bill Parish of GTT Audio and ALL my other trusted salepeople. They know my listening room is for musical, video and other types of enjoyment and relaxation, not a Voodoo Lounge.
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