Hello everyone

I'm buying new truntable , budget is 500 EUR and i have 3 on my shorlist:

Rega P3 (RB 300 tonearm) 440 Eur

http://www.rega.co.uk/product_images/p3%20green%20web.jpg

Pro-ject RPM 5 (project 9c tonearm) 430 EUR

http://www.son-video.com/Rayons/Hifi/PlatineTD/ProJect/RPM5_L.jpg

Clearaudio Emotion (Satisfy tonearm) 625 EUR

http://www.avguide.ch/bilder/testbericht/400_clearaudio_emotion.jpg

Clearaudio is a little of the budget but I would pay a little more if it would be better then Project or Rega ???

Cartridge must be MC low output, around 200 EUr, I heard great things about Ortofon MC 10 Super...

The rest of the system is Naim Nac 72 + Nap 140 and Shahinian Arcs.

If someone has heard this turntables I would be thankful for any info...and also about cartridges.

regards,Igor

Haven't heard any of them but on looks alone the Project wins!

I think I'd choose the Rega, although I must confess I've never heard the Clearaudio & Pro-ject.
Still, the RB300 arm is a great arm and Rega & Naim is a match made in heaven.
(also Rega TT's seem more 'build to last' to me, than Pro-ject's)

regards,
Alco :)

The Clearaudio is extremely sensitive to what it stands on. If you don't have a wallmount for it, forget it! The rega also offers much better performace on a wallmount, but will run quite fine on anything you put it on.

Can't comment on the Project, never seriously heard one. I don't like the weight&string thing on the arm. Maybe it's a good solution, but I simply don't like it.

Tobi.

What about the funk?

Pro-jects offer a huge amount of TT for the money, but like a certain other Czech product they still seem to suffer from brand snobbery.
That weight and string thing is used by some of the best TT manufacturers in the business.You'll get serious engineering for your money, a Carbon Fibre arm, excellent bearings and motors, I bought a per-spective preferring it to a Roksan Radius and a Clearaudio, and I'd do it again, it's stood up to all sorts of upgrades and sounds wonderful. Poor build quality don't know what you're talking about. Mine is as solid as any other deck in it's price point. I'm betting if Pro-ject was branded Sumiko like it is in the states, it would get a whole load more respect

lordsummit:
Who said anything about "poor build quality"????

I just don't like the string thing. That's all.

Tobi.

Not you someone else:)
(also Rega TT's seem more 'build to last' to me, than Pro-ject's)

I've had both and I know which is best built. Mind you I also own a Skoda:D

Not you someone else:)


I've had both and I know which is best built. Mind you I also own a Skoda:D

I'll declare any interest up front here. We sell the Pro-Ject and the Clearaudio and I also have a shelf full of Regas in one state of disrepair or another, so have a reasonably intimate knowledge of all three. So you can either take this as "well he would say that wouldn't he, he sells them" or "he's seen all of these decks up close and personal so he knows what he's saying". I try and avoid commenting on stuff we sell generally, but on this one can't help but pipe up.

On the Clearaudio - some people love it some hate it. Its the least "vinyl" sounding of these decks put it that way. Sterile and CD like ... or neutral and accurate ... take yer pick. Superb finish on these. Its in the category above the two others though. To be fair you should be looking at a P5 or an Xperience for a comparison. Its a very pretty deck - especially the blue one.

The best thing about the Rega is the arm in my view. The P3s are built to last certainly, but only really in the sense that they are such simple devices there is nothing much to go wrong with them, unless mistreated. In terms of build quality - as in the quality of finish and general robustness, the Pro-Jects, even the budget Debut, are streets ahead of the Rega IMO. The RPM5 is easily competitive in sonic terms as well (though possibly not quite such fun). The RPM5 really deserves a better cartridge though - its a very good arm. The Rega (arm aside) is a crude device next to that particular Pro-Ject.

At the end of the day I don't think IgyK would be disappointed with any of these tbh. Unless you are of the slightly paranoid frame of mind that's always wondering if the deck you didn't buy was better (its a common paranoia in this hobby I know :) ).

PS. re reading that I'm maybe being a bit harsh on the Rega - its a very good deck for the money - I just wouldn't say it was better built than a Pro-Ject, for the simple reason that it just isn't.

The best thing about the Rega is the arm in my view.
The P3s are built to last certainly, but only really in the sense that they are such simple devices there is nothing much to go wrong with them
And that's just what I meant. :)

just help narrow it down a bit: all turntables that come with record clamps should be avoided.

vuk.

Hello everyone, thank you fro the replys.
I guees I would have to choose between Rega and Project, cartridge would probably be Ortofon MC 10 Super.
Yesterday I've read a review about RPM 5 in new Hi-fi Choice and they said it is one of the best in that price range. Of course I can't rely on the magazine but still. I there someone using Project with Naim gear? I'm wondering if there is the same synergy as with Naim and Rega.

Vuk why should I avoide turntables with recoed clamps, I've read that this actually improves the sound ?

not sure where you are-but how about this:-
http://pinkfishmedia.net/forum/showthread.php?t=20007&highlight=rega+P25

Hello everyone, thank you fro the replys.
I guees I would have to choose between Rega and Project, cartridge would probably be Ortofon MC 10 Super.

Yesterday I've read a review about RPM 5 in new Hi-fi Choice and they said it is one of the best in that price range. Of course I can't rely on the magazine but still.

You may have some trouble on the MC10 Super front ... its discontinued. Ortofon are I understand shortly bringing out a new range of budget low output MCs.

Thinking about it, HiFi Choice can't be far wrong for saying its one of the best in the price range. Consider all the decks around £400 including arm and cartridge. We have the RPM5, the Rega P3 and .... that's pretty much it. One needn't be a golden eared journo to work out that unless its a stinker (which it definitely isn't) it has to be one of the best in the price range, simply by default :) and so must the P3 :rolleyes: (I know, that doesn't help)

Uncle Ant,

Did you used to sell Rega's ?
I notice from your website you don't anymore.

I am deciding between the Rega P3 24 & Pro-ject Xpression III.
I have heard the Xpression albeit after hearing a Debut and the difference was considerable.
Planning on hearing a basic P3 24 with standard cartridge (bias?)

The upgrade path on the Rega looks promising : elys 2 & TT-PSU.
How does the Xpression compare.

I like the look of the RPM5.2 but am not sure of not having a lid.

With a £350 budget what do you think is the best way forward for now and the future?
Look forward to you replies.

Regards,

Sesame

Maybe there are even better second-hand options. I noticed a Rega 25 on ebay

http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&rd=1&item=250226369711&ssPageName=STRK:MEWA:IT&ih=015

I changed from a Rega 3 to a P25 and thought the improvements worthwhile, you may be able to buy this one for same price as a new P3. Though they look well made I have never listened to a Project, I have noticed they don't seem to hold their value as well as Regas so you may be able to buy a second hand Project at a bargain price.

Not sure if it helps but I had a 6 hour session yesterday doing a direct comparison between a Rega P7 + RB700 and a Clearaudio Performance + Satisfy Carbon - same cart (Denon DL-103r) same phono stage, same amp and speakers. These decks are a bit further up the range, but they are in the same families so to speak.

Much to my surprise, I preferred the Clearaudio by a huge margin.... I really wanted to prefer the Rega as its so compact and dinky and I'm not sold on the perspex/acrylic/metal looks of the clearaudio. But the Clearaudio played all kinds of music even handedly, while the rega couldn't cope with anything with dense textures and weight.

The Rega was good on small scale music, very sweet... but anything bigger or heavy it just turned into total mush, a homogenized blob of thick sound that was very disappointing. While the Clearuadio was unfazed by anything. I suppose the downside was its slightly dry presentation but the music was comprehensible, while the same track on the Rega was just a mess.

The dealership I worked for at the end was slowly self destructing and one of the casualties was Rega (much to my sorrow).

We needn't have worried, as Pro-ject stepped in (at P2 and 3 level) with no difficulties at all, despite this brand being available elsewhere in the town...

Both of these brands are good and it depends as much on the availability of a good local dealer as anything. The Rega arms are legendary and can be tweaked to advantage though.

As others have said the P2 and P3 arms are great. The rest is pretty basic and on one I had the platter wasn't even straight. So much for build quality.

I wouldn't give you Eu400 for a Rega 3. Get a decent SH deck, go from there.

just help narrow it down a bit: all turntables that come with record clamps should be avoided.

vuk.

:rolleyes: bollox!

and why is that then?

the best regarded t/t's have clamps or stabilisers.

Its cool the colour Green P3 looks