Cartridge for Rega planar 2

Try a Goldring 1042. It is an MM cartridge and will be good with your phono preamp.

The belt replacement can be done by a child. About 30 seconds time.

As far as a "general tighening up", there's not much to tighten up on a Planar 2. Just don't make the arm nut too tight, because it will detract from the sound. Finger tight is best on the Rega arm nut that holds the arm on under the plinth.

Thanks Twl, but I guess I messed up my post, so not all of what I had to say appeared. I need to keep cartridge replacement cost in the $200 range. That rules out the Goldring that you recommended, and explains my interest in the Denon DL-160 and the Garrott P77 or maybe K2.

Oh -- the speakers are fast, not "fact":).

By the way, Twl, I've enjoyed reading your posts in the archives. What do you (or anyone else) think about high output MCs on my planar 2 with Nait3? I suspect that in my price range I may not be able to get much clear improvement over a Super Bias, but at least I can get an interestingly different and no less pleasing sound. Maybe MC would do that for me.

Rnm

I could recommend that you drop down to the lower Goldring models like the 1022 or 1012GX. They all use the same motor assembly, and the only difference are the styli. You could upgrade to the 1042 later, simply by replacing the stylus assembly, which is user replaceable. But the 1042 stylus is over $200.

I'm not sure if the gain in your Nait will handle the hi-output MC cartridge output levels. They are significantly lower than MM, and some preamps don't do well with them. Also, most of them are more than $200.

Overall, the best MM cartrides under $350 are the Goldrings, in my opinion. Even the lower models are quite good. Stay away from the under $100 cheapies. If you pick any one from the 1012GX to the 1042, you'll be doing fine.

I haven't tried the Garrott cartridges, so I can't say anything about them one way or the other. The Denon DL160 is a pretty good cartridge, but I prefer the Denon MC cartridges from that line.

I don't think you could go wrong with a Goldring on that rig, for the money you want to spend.