advertisement


Rega P8 - what cartridges have you tried and liked?

S

spatiallyqualified

Member
Hi All,

New member here. I have frequented other forums, but this one seems...a bit more sane than some of the others at present.

Anyway, I have a p8 that I quite like, running into a Manley Chinook phono preamp. I have been pretty impressed with the Apheta 3 that came with the P8 package, but, I do like to try new things. I do turntable setup for folks with expensive decks, and so have heard a lot of nice cartridges beyond my budget, which would be $2k US max.

Its likely about time to replace my Apheta and I have been looking closely at Dynavector 20x2 or XX2, or the Sumiko Songbird/Starling. I would love to hear about what cartridges members here have tried on their P8 along with their impressions.
 
Mine's an RP8, but I'm using a Benz Micro Ace SL, which seems to work well. It took two spacers.
 
I am also curious...Had a Ania on a P6 and didn’t love it as much as an exact. I’ve heard many members here enjoy the P8 with an exact but also wondering what benefits if any might be gleaned from non rega cartridges like the Hana SL/ML, Dynavector 20xl etc. Also curious about VTA and shim height with those cartridges
 
spatiallyqualified said:
Hi All,

New member here. I have frequented other forums, but this one seems...a bit more sane than some of the others at present.

Anyway, I have a p8 that I quite like, running into a Manley Chinook phono preamp. I have been pretty impressed with the Apheta 3 that came with the P8 package, but, I do like to try new things. I do turntable setup for folks with expensive decks, and so have heard a lot of nice cartridges beyond my budget, which would be $2k US max.

Its likely about time to replace my Apheta and I have been looking closely at Dynavector 20x2 or XX2, or the Sumiko Songbird/Starling. I would love to hear about what cartridges members here have tried on their P8 along with their impressions.
Click to expand...
What about the Apheta3 would you like to improve? Given that it was made to work exceptionally well with your table, it may be hard to better this combo.
 
DimitryZ said:
What about the Apheta3 would you like to improve? Given that it was made to work exceptionally well with your table, it may be hard to better this combo.
Click to expand...

you may well be right! It’s not necessarily a situation where I’m seeking an improvement, but perhaps interested in a different flavor. I can’t fault the Apheta 3, I do enjoy it immensely.

I have listened to a friends EMT JSD 6 a lot (I do all his setup) and it might be my favorite cart out there - full of energy, the music seems to jump out of the system. That cart unfortunately is out of my budget!

Same thing with idler drive turntables, I know at some point when I have the means I will try one of those too.

I may have the opportunity soon to mount a Koetsu Rosewood Platinum on my P8 to try. On paper it may not be the best match, but it should be a lot of fun.
 
spatiallyqualified said:
you may well be right! It’s not necessarily a situation where I’m seeking an improvement, but perhaps interested in a different flavor. I can’t fault the Apheta 3, I do enjoy it immensely.

I have listened to a friends EMT JSD 6 a lot (I do all his setup) and it might be my favorite cart out there - full of energy, the music seems to jump out of the system. That cart unfortunately is out of my budget!

Same thing with idler drive turntables, I know at some point when I have the means I will try one of those too.

I may have the opportunity soon to mount a Koetsu Rosewood Platinum on my P8 to try. On paper it may not be the best match, but it should be a lot of fun.
Click to expand...

Agree 100% with your assessment of the EMT JSD 6. Have been using one on my WT GTA for several years, and am eyeing their latest as an eventual replacement.

https://www.analogplanet.com/content/emt-debuts-new-novel-moving-coil-cartridge-line
 
spatiallyqualified said:
you may well be right! It’s not necessarily a situation where I’m seeking an improvement, but perhaps interested in a different flavor. I can’t fault the Apheta 3, I do enjoy it immensely.

I have listened to a friends EMT JSD 6 a lot (I do all his setup) and it might be my favorite cart out there - full of energy, the music seems to jump out of the system. That cart unfortunately is out of my budget!

Same thing with idler drive turntables, I know at some point when I have the means I will try one of those too.

I may have the opportunity soon to mount a Koetsu Rosewood Platinum on my P8 to try. On paper it may not be the best match, but it should be a lot of fun.
Click to expand...
If I may endeavor advice for your excellent setup, I would recommend a mat other than the standard Rega felt. And, of course this is controversial, like the recent recommendation by the main Japanese Culinary Institute to raise the steaming temperature of abolone by 5C. Big, big deal.

I favor a composite approach, with the thin Funk Achromat on the platter, topped by Extremephono Speedmat. You may or may not choose to add a single spacer to the arm, as the stack is just over 3mm (3.3mm - just measured with digital calipers)..
 
DimitryZ said:
If I may endeavor advice for your excellent setup, I would recommend a mat other than the standard Rega felt. And, of course this is controversial, like the recent recommendation by the main Japanese Culinary Institute to raise the steaming temperature of abolone by 5C. Big, big deal.

I favor a composite approach, with the thin Funk Achromat on the platter, topped by Extremephono Speedmat. You may or may not choose to add a single spacer to the arm, as the stack is just over 3mm (3.3mm - just measured with digital calipers)..
Click to expand...

I have tried the Teac Washi paper mat with mixed results. I'll have to look more into the achromat.
 
I am running a P10 with a Gold Note Donatello Red (high output MC). It came with the TT which I have bought s/h. I have never heard an Apheta or any other cartridge on the P10, so I don't have any authority to compare. All I know is that I am spinning records and records and records...

https://www.goldnote.it/cartridges/donatello/
 
Conster said:
Did you require spacers with the Hana ML? If so what height 2mm?
Click to expand...

I installed a 2mm spacer when I fitted the Dynavector and have left it in place for the Hana.

If VTA is critical to you also note I am running a Les Davis 33 1/3 mat which is slightly thinner than the standard Rega felt mat.
 
Interested to get your feedback on the Les Davis mat. I have cut to size spacers from some of Les's pads and inserted them between the Apheta 3 & headshell and done the same to the 3 screws in the tonearm base to equalise everything. I originally had the Apheta2 and the 3 is definitely more enjoyable. My old 2 is going over the water to Peter at Soundsmiths when funds allow.
 
I've tried lots of different cartridges on my Rega RP8 and then P8 (and P10 while I had it) - Hana SL, Benz Glider and L0.4, Dynavector XX2, 20X2L, and even XV-1S, Ortofon Cadenzas Bronze and Black, Nagaoka MP300 and MP500, and probably a few others. The only one I haven't liked was the Apheta 2. The P8 is a great turntable and has the rare quality of being able to bring out the best in most cartridges. (I have had much more expensive turntables which can make even great cartridges sound dull.)

If I had to narrow down the choice for the P8 I think I would either go for the Benz Glider or the Ortofon Cadenza Bronze - both of which I still own - and both great cartridges which work very well on the Rega.

yespsb said:
Interested to get your feedback on the Les Davis mat.
Click to expand...

I tried a Les Davis mat on the Rega (along with many others) but still prefer the stock mat. The only other mat which is IMO competitive with the stock mat is the Collaro mat, which does sound very good.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.


advertisement


Back
Top