Thinking about getting into vinyl again...

great posts to all. I've been listening to a ton of tables lately. More than I should be, lol. I have found that most of the tables above 5 k (with arm and cart) are well worth it IF you can afford it. There are so many differences in the lower priced tables and I haven't loved all of them. My main dealer sells the Rega, VPI, Clearaudio and Basis. He was having me listen to the Rega 6, but then I noticed he had a Basis tucked away. I went with the Basis without hearing it. First product I've ever done that with, but I trust him and his analoge guy and he knows the rest of my system as I got it from him, lol. I'm so glad I made this purchase over the Rega 6.

I didn't like the 6 vs other tables I have heard it against, HOWEVER the other systems were much more money. I think the Rega was thin compared to the top of the line Linn, Basis, VPI, Well Tempered (finally heard one) and the German Ayre(DPS) with Ortofon arm and cart.

Turntables have so much that go into their sound and you really need a dealer you trust who has honestly heard different arm and cart set ups. The Rega arm is amazing as I've heard them all on different tables. For the price you really can't come close. I have found though that the TT and not the arm makes the biggest difference by far. It's not even close in that it drives everything. The better tables just sounded right and relaxed when you listen to them. Bottom line is that you can go anywhere with your vinyl and it will sound better than any digital. I finally heard top digital, including DSD done right and it sounds great. I'll gladly listen to it 80% of the time when I'm reading or on the computer, but when listening I relax more with vinyl.

The thing is that personally, I'm done with tweeking and rolling tubes etc... I'll put a Gingko Cloud under the TT as that thing is by far the best isolation device I've come across. Even tables that have their own special isolation sounded better overall with the Gingko vs those without. I"ve heard a ton of other higher cost platforms, but they changed the sound and didn't always make ti better. Some would tighten up everything, but they ruin the stage or the highs. Some would clean up the stage and ground it, but ruined the bass or sucked out the mids too much for me.

Bottom line is that you need to get what you like. The phono stage means just as much as does the wiring. Lot's of variables, but the basic table, cart, arm set up for 500 on a Gingko Cloud 10 has sounded better to my ear than all of the 20k digital set ups that dealers were demoing for me.

Now, here we go MI8764ag:

1. Plan to spend between $1,300.00 - $1,500.00

2. Test your A5 amp phono section to find out if it works. If not, you will have to either repair it or go with an external phono pre (which means more money you will need to spend).

3. Buy new! Today's technology is far superior plus re-sale value is better.

VPI Nomad ($995.00) - You will get a decent package that includes:
A built-in phono preamplifier, a built-in headphone amplifier, an Ortofon 2M Red moving-magnet cartridge, a new gimbaled-bearing tonearm. What's cool about this table is that the built-in phono pre is built to perfectly complement the Ortofon 2M Series. So if you want better performance, simply upgrade the stylus! Clever indeed. Plus, the built-in phono pre will help you save money in case your A5 phono section isn't working.

Rega RP40 ($1299.00) - IMHO a much better option for $300.00 more that includes:
The new and improved RB-303 tonearm, custom-cut glass platter, lightweight titanium plinth with double-brace technology. The RP40 also comes equipped with a set of custom-designed anti-vibration feet, a new belt, and a special-edition white Elys40 cartridge, carefully tested to the highest achievable specs to deliver improved stereo imaging, balance and detail.

The real deal here is the addition of the TT-PSU. This unit maximizes the efficiency of the anti-vibration circuit while still offering the convenience of electronic speed change. So you will enjoy a dead quiet 24V motor!

Now the VPI Traveler starts at $1,500.00 sans cart. With a 2M red, it will match the price of a Clearaudio Concept with Concept MM cart at $1,599.00. $300.00 more than the RP40 without the power supply unit.

Based on your demands, and I quote "Right or wrong, part of the reason I chose this is relative simplicity of setup and use. Although I'm open to messing with accessories and upgrades, I don't want to mess with spacers, complicated adjustments, changing arms, or hacking the table in any way", then you will be better off with the Nomad or the RP40.

Spin Clean Washer MKII, Audioquest Carbon Fiber Record Brush, and a Clearaudio Diamond Stylus Brush should take care of the cleaning process.

Buy a few good records and Voila!!!!!!

Dear Ctsooner,

Great post as well. Just a few comments:

The RP6 retails for $1,500.00 but its basically an RP3 with the TT-PSU included which, IMHO, is Rega's least attractive offer. Basically no significant sonic difference from the $200.00 least expensive Rega RP40. That said, at $1,300.00, it has no business sounding this good!

The Clearaudio Concept and the VPI Traveler may be included in this cateory but they are priced at least $200.00 more. Actually, I did a head to head comparison between the Clearaudio Concept (Concept MM cartridge) and the Marantz TT-15s1 (Virtuoso cartridge) and the Marantz, hands down, blew the Concept away. Similar engineering, much better cart.

Your Basis 1400S with a Rega arm goes for around $3,500.00 (add at least another $1,000.00 or so if you purchased it with the Vector tonearm) plus another $1,200.00 for the Glider S and now you're in the $4,700.00 - $5,700.00 range.

My point is that it will be unfair to compare the RP6 with Linn LP12, Basis 1400S, VPI Classic, WT Amadeus, etc. Now, the RP8 ($3,000.00) and/or the RP10 ($5,500.00) would be a fair comparison.

Rega TTs up to the RP6 are considered a great value albeit their limitations. This is why so many Rega owners love to tweak their TTs. Groovetracer's (to name just one company) reference sub-platter (zirconium ball/sapphire thrust plate), delrin platter, and counterweight are superior to Rega's entry level equals, but no longer necessary when you move up to the RP8/RP10 line.

One more comment, did you try the RP6 sitting on top of the Ginko platform? Because I agree with you %100 that all turntables need special attention to isolation, specially lightweight TTs like Rega!

That alone may have been the reason with the RP6 sounded thin to your ears. My heavily modified RP3 is sitting on top of a custom made, 50 pounds sand box, replaced the rubber feet with threaded/adjustable brass cone footers, and the level of resolution, dynamic impact, sense of focus, and overall musicality it produces is breathtaking!

As you can see, I'm a big fan of Rega turntables :-)
In the end, there is no right or wrong, just MUSIC BABY!

Happy listening!

If you have to add a custom-made 50 pound sand box to make a turntable sound good, then the turntable has significant shortcomings. We don't purchase a pair of speakers with cabinet resonance issues and the add our own lumber to quiet the cabinet. Why is this any different?

Rega "cheaps out" on the design and claims "low mass, hi rigidity is superior" .... then their customers are forced to implement their own high mass isolation techniques (at their own expense) to fill in the gap. All the while, those customers seem to be a happy as a lark.

Those Rega marketing guys have a pretty good thing going on for themselves! : )

Wow Abrew19!!!

Your ignorance baffles me. You are really missing the point here.

It is a fact that ANY turntable, no matter how light or heavy, would greatly benefit from some type of isolation devise.

The basic laws of physics tell us that the vibration's energy is never destroyed, it can only change form.

MANY products (like my $22.00 sandbox) create an effective environment of high absorption around the component to drain away the destructive mechanical energy and change it to benign thermal energy.

All vinyl lovers are acutely aware of the fact that (ideally) the unseen vibrations of that tiny diamond stylus should be the ONLY source of what is heard from the loudspeakers.

Even the airborne unseen vibrations produced by the loudspeakers can and do affect every component in a music system, the major effect being on the analog's turntable setup.

If you are not aware of the great importance you simply never came close to hearing how good your vinyl recordings could or can sound.

Hundreds of pages have been written and published regarding prevention of the problem with turntables.

Rega's philosophy is very simple, mass absorbs energy, loss energy equals loss music. Roy Gandy believes that his rigid plinth design prevents energy absorption and unwanted resonance, which will add unnatural distortions to the music.

Roy also believes that heavier mass can transfer more unwanted energy, such as motor or bearing noise, directly into the rotating record so he addresses the issue of mass absorption and unwanted energy transmission with his light plinth approach.

It's not perfect. There's no such thing. But each turntable designer tries hard to get closer to perfection taking into consideration a large number of conflicting engineering parameters.

To state that there is a problem with my set up because I NEED the 50 pounds sandbox to make it "sing" is simply absurd!