Rega Planar 3 Upgrade(?) path

[J!m]

SO, my "main" 'table is a Rega Planar 3 from the 80's I guess (I got it pre-abused), but it had the RB250 arm. Not as old as my father-in-law's version with the "S" arm.

Upgrades I have done include using my personal "Snake Oil" lubricant- good stuff and cheap; Michell counter weight; my "type-2" replacement belt and a proper alignment (don't use the Rega alignment!).

Near-future upgrades include a lovely (striated) Ebony veneer plywood plinth from some former Soviet country (the ones on eBay) and finally installing the Michell VTA nut/Finger nut combo I've had for at least ten years. (I never installed it because it requires boring out the plinth a bit and I never got around to that. I plan to bore this replacement plinth and install it finally). I will also be going to a synthetic bearing ball I am playing around with. (similar properties to Teflon, but much harder, to carry the weight of the sub, and regular platter.)

I know the ceramic/carbide bearings are popular, but roll one on a piece of plate glass and tell me what you hear. Now roll a plastic bearing on the same sheet of glass... Less noise? No chit. Now smother it in oil and there is ZERO bearing noise. Ever. (and if you run it dry it will still be silent). I think the technical term is: "Bangin' yo". Operators are standing by...

So that gets us to today, although I do not yet have the plinth in hand yet.

The subplatter is a big letdown on the Rega variants, below the P6, where they finally start giving out a precision metal subplatter. So, even THEY know it's an improvement, but they have to meet a price point of course. A P6 subplatter on a P(<6) gets you a P6. Same arm and everything else.

I started looking into the top two options: Groovetracer, who I think were the first, and TangoSpinner, who also have a long track record now. I found one other supplier in the UK but I'm excluding them because I am in New England, not Old England.

Price shopping indicates the TangoSpinner is a much more affordable option. Observe:

Astor Subplatter (BOTL with butyl o-rings for isolation- easily changed by me)
Aluminum double pulley (they have brass as well, but, why?)
Delrin/Aluminum platter (I like the looks of this a lot, and the added periphery weight should help with WOW)
Adjustable feet (with silicone tips) Just a good idea really. Plastic inner and aluminum outer to help decouple a bit.

Total: $419.96 (plus shipping); could be as high as $515 with shipping (but I doubt it will be that high. That is the individual part shipping costs added up)

Compared to Groovetracer:

Reference Subplatter (Because every other option is "special order")
Delrin Platter (no aluminum periphery weight)

And nothing else I might be interested in... Pretty limited selection actually.

Total $625 (plus shipping) Maybe $725?

Based on what you get, the choice is obvious, and I would end up with a completely new table. And it would look cool (most important, obviously) with shiny parts on that sexy plinth.

I want to hear from those who are already drinking the Rega Upgrade Coolaid and get your thoughts. Would the Groovetracer be worth double the money for a subplatter? (I kinda doubt it, but I'm willing to listen)

(I'll probably cut-n-paste and post over at Vinyl Engine as well)

 

[8991XJ]

And it would look cool (most important, obviously) with shiny parts on that sexy plinth.

Delrin/Aluminum platter (I like the looks of this a lot, and the added periphery weight should help with WOW)

You gotta have help with WOW to go with that cool look of shiny parts on a sexy plinth.

Would the Groovetracer be worth double the money for a subplatter? (I kinda doubt it, but I'm willing to listen)

Ideally, that is what you would want to do before placing the order but that isn't something that is an option. Hopefully the upgrades provide a much improved vinyl experience.

What makes a Delrin platter a counterfeit? Groovetracer warns about this. Apparently to extract an extra c-note from the buyer. Is the delrin platter a groovetracer proprietary product and all others are knockoffs of their design? Maybe some other companies have come up with their own platter designs.

 

[J!m]

With the platter, I suspect they are reverse-engineered and coming out of China (or the original Chinese maker is selling them out the back door).

I realized the owner of Tangospinner is a member at Vinyl Engine, so I (shamelessely) asked if I could get a discount. He has done this in the past around the holidays for members there, so I figured it couldn't hurt to ask.

Either way, based on the massive price gap, I'll be going Tangospinner. I certainly have not heard anything negative about either company, so I think it boils down to economics. At the end of the day, it's just a Rega.


Stolen from Tangospinners website: shows the Delrin/Aluminum platter and their adjustable feet...

 

[J!m]

I wanted to add that I will chuck up the subplatter in the Hardinge and check OD and face runout/perpendicularity (to 0.0001" resolution) and post results. If they are like me, they would chuck on the shaft and do all the final machining that way, to hold those tolerances to the capability of the machine itself...

 

[Gepetto]

With the platter, I suspect they are reverse-engineered and coming out of China (or the original Chinese maker is selling them out the back door).

I realized the owner of Tangospinner is a member at Vinyl Engine, so I (shamelessely) asked if I could get a discount. He has done this in the past around the holidays for members there, so I figured it couldn't hurt to ask.

Either way, based on the massive price gap, I'll be going Tangospinner. I certainly have not heard anything negative about either company, so I think it boils down to economics. At the end of the day, it's just a Rega.

View attachment 59755
Stolen from Tangospinners website: shows the Delrin/Aluminum platter and their adjustable feet...

For those prices, they should be making these in a NON-CHINA location.

 

[krellmk]

This the reason my rega become a fixture never like the stupid belt that support the motor

 

[J!m]

What in the world...

What arm is that?

 

[krellmk]

The arm name is Profile got from some guy he told me it got them fancy expensive wire ..i got to admit that i had like it over the rega arm

 

[krellmk]

Never was that popular

 

[krellmk]

Since i got out i might as well clean it up and hook it up to the Mac C22

 

[J!m]

Over the old Rega "S" arm, or the RB300 (straight) arm?

I've never seen one before (that I recall, anyway) Looks like Linn type font maybe? Were they an independent company?

 

[krellmk]

Both arm... i think the company was from the UK.. not sure it was kinna cheap back then

 

[krellmk]

Here is the straight arm

 

[J!m]

That's cool.

A lot of companies reworking the RB- arms, as they seem to be the "hot ticket" below, say, an SME or something more esoteric.

 

[laatsch55]

Damn, you have all kinds of goodies..

 

[J!m]

That looks just like my arm did before I swapped the counter weight stub and weight.

Going with an underslung weight is a cheap and easy mod for the arm, and the engineering is sound- trying to get the center of mass of the counterweight in line with the stylus. Also avoiding the "reflective" surface on the stub, in direct line with the arm.

 

[Gepetto]

Here is the straight arm

Box o' arms

 

[mr_rye89]

Buy a Rek O Kut or Empire platter/bearing and stack three rega plinths together. Add washing machine motor and v belt for maximum PRaT….

I’d do the upgraded platter/sub platter if it were mine. The plinth you described sounds like a good idea too.

 

[J!m]

I wouldn’t mind a beastly Empire but I’m not a fan of the Rek-o-cut. Looks too “Soviet Cold War” for my taste.

I think the new plinth is macasar ebony- almost zebra wood look but a bit less contrast between light and dark. Think Brazilian rosewood without the red hues.

I was actually back and forth between Indian rosewood and the ebony, and the ebony was slightly less and has more visual interest.

With some sliver bling bits and an original smoked dust cover, I think it’ll be classy looking.

 

[Gepetto]

I wouldn’t mind a beastly Empire but I’m not a fan of the Rek-o-cut. Looks too “Soviet Cold War” for my taste.

I think the new plinth is macasar ebony- almost zebra wood look but a bit less contrast between light and dark. Think Brazilian rosewood without the red hues.

I was actually back and forth between Indian rosewood and the ebony, and the ebony was slightly less and has more visual interest.

With some sliver bling bits and an original smoked dust cover, I think it’ll be classy looking.

That is the appeal of the Rek O Kut. The Empire is a toy by comparison and also mighty pricey these days