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Cartridge for rega rb303

rhgbristol

rhgbristol

pfm Member
What cartridge can members here recommend for a rega rb303 arm.

It will be going on a Garrard 401, and I have the amp facility for moving coil or moving magnet.

Using the Linn philosophy of cartridge never costing more than arm, I guess limit cost would be £300 new tops?

I'm after a fast, lively and punchy sound.

What experiences can people here pass on regarding this arm?

Thanks
 
The linn philosophy doesn't apply to a Rega arm. However, that doesn't mean that great sound can't be had for less than £300.

I really like the ortofon 2M range, I have used the blue, bronze and black models in a Rega arm with excellent results.

The bronze is within budget and that is what I'd recommend.

WRT presentation, to my ears it sounds big, open, clean and detailed. They are pretty neutral, neither warm nor bright. Some people have described them as sounding digital like, I don't think so, you still get that vinyl sound.
 
ZYX R50 sounds great on a Rega arm, I had one on my RP6 with RB303
 
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The DL-103 won't work with the RB303 as the resonant freq would be 15.5hz.

I also read somewhere the DL-103 likes or works best with a unipivot arm.
 
I had a Denon 103 on an RB300 on an LP12 and it was great. It's my favourite budget cartridge.

The Denon 103R whilst meant to be the same but more refined I hated and found flat and boring.

If you have the budget then a DV 20XL2 would be my choice.
 
I'd also think about sending the arm to Johnnie 7 at Audio Origami for a Cardas rewire.
 
Having owned both the ZYX R50 and a DV 20xL2 I would say the ZYX beats the DV hands down and both are around the same price.

Another great budget cart is the Sumiko blue point no.2, I've had 2x of them and was very impressed.
 
thebiglebowski: Many japanese makers (like Denon and Audio Technica) state the dynamic compliance measured at 100Hz. What you need is the measurement at 10Hz - this can (as a rule of thumb) be approximated by multiplying the 100Hz figure by 1,5-2).

I have in the past used 103 variants (plain, R, SA) in Rega arms and the resonance frequency (according to Hi-Fi News test disc) is close to 10Hz.

http://www.vinylengine.com/cartridge_database_tools.php#ResonanceCalculator
 
Thank you for suggestions - keep them coming.

the Shure m97xe recommended by Misterc6, I already have in another turntable, and to my ears sounds quite good, albeit quite laid back, traditional Shure mm sound.

The dv 20 cartridge I had years back in an sme IV, and was mightily impressed, albeit at an impressively high cost!
 
As mentioned before, the Linn philosophy does not apply for any Rega arm.
So what you can fit into the Rega is not limited by value, just by if it matches well.

I think the RB 303 has a one-piece arm wire from cartridge plugs till down to the phono-pre RCA's, and the Rega wire is no more of a cheap kind as factory wires once used to be.

What's really important to do with new Rega's is to give the arm a dedicated earthing.
My mate's new 40th anniversary model RB303 from 2014 had no dedicated earthing in the arm and gave him a big hum prob.
In the rear section of the Rega, when you remove the couterwheight-holder and look into the arm from the back, you can see a tiny solder flag is provided.
So if you're handy with the solder iron, you can provide the arm with a dedicated earth point yourself easily.

Other than that, Rega has learned a bit and the one-piece inner wire of today (RB303) is not to compare with old RB250 wires, I would not expect too much in changing here.

+another vote for the ZYX, is a magic thing.
I have little doubt the RB 303 would handle a Yatra, a Fuji Silver and an Airy the same in a 401.
Will the Rega arm be installed in Rega 'geometry position' in the 401 or just popped in where the previous arm left ?
 
The rega arm will be fitted in its correct geometric position as the project will include works to the plinth.

I must admit I'm interested in people's views specifically involving Ortofon cartridges as this is an itch I'd like to scratch!
Also any comments on Goldring 1042 which I've rad good things about, albeit not specifically relating to the Rega RB303?
 
rhgbristol said:
The rega arm will be fitted in its correct geometric position as the project will include works to the plinth.

I must admit I'm interested in people's views specifically involving Ortofon cartridges as this is an itch I'd like to scratch!
Also any comments on Goldring 1042 which I've rad good things about, albeit not specifically relating to the Rega RB303?
Click to expand...

Correct position,,,great then, I'd expect it to become a really stunning deck in result :)

Rgdg Orthopfon I have no xp myself, so cannot comment, heard lots of good opinions on that, though.
The Rega arms, anyone the RB303 will be no exception there and the Goldring 1022 and especially Goldring 1042 were dream matches on Rega decks.

I heard my good friends Rega 3 with this arm/ cart combination when I was running a Zyx Yatra Silver on Ekos on my LP12 at that time, and while the Rega did not match the fine resolution of the Zyx for sure, it still was asking my big respect how great it sounded..how competent and how much resolution it delivered that every time I had the impression I was hearing MC, not an MM cart.

Maybe someone has XP with a direct comparison Rega G1042 to Ortofon, as I don't.
I will get a G1042 for my second deck when the Zyx has died.
The Adikt mm from Linn is said to be a G1022, and I consider the 1042 quite a bit better.
I think the lower range of MCs makes not much sense from a G1042, to really better it, it takes quite a bit more money and a decent MC.

One exception might be the Denon 301, it was said before it does not match the Rega arm due to resonance frequency, but the 1 time I heard it on a DPS it was mindblasting to me (by then), as an experience I won't forget.
Might be worth a listen, I saw Fox has the 301 in a Rega in his own built of rainbow machine pony deck & I have a suspicion his creation sounds (perhaps) better than most imagine.. :)
 
rhgbristol said:
The rega arm will be fitted in its correct geometric position as the project will include works to the plinth.

I must admit I'm interested in people's views specifically involving Ortofon cartridges as this is an itch I'd like to scratch!
Also any comments on Goldring 1042 which I've rad good things about, albeit not specifically relating to the Rega RB303?
Click to expand...

You see, that's what I hate about buying carts, demoing them is tricky.

I have tended towards orotofons based on past experience and I have yet to be dissapointed, I can confirm that the bronze works a treat in a Rega arm, it's a stunning cart. The black is better still and according to a recent post on here, retails at £280 in France VS £495 here. I paid £450 for mine and I love it. Mine is fitted to a modded RB250 on a Rega P5.
 
Back in the day I had a 401 in a marble plinth with a Goldring G1042 on an RB250; that was a very fine set-up. The 1042 was eventually ousted by a Shure V15VxMR which is without doubt the best MM I've ever heard. I've never done a direct comparison but the M97xE with Jico SAS stylus I mentioned before must come close to the V15VxMR and can probably be had for less than £250.
 
Returning to the Ortofon route, what are people's experiences of either the moving magnet 2M range or the newer moving coil Quintet range in an arm such as the Rb303?
 
A good stylus profile on a properly aligned cartridge on a well set up turntable will give every chance of tracking the inner grooves more accurately. The Rega Exact, Ortofon 2M Bronze, Audio Technical 440mla or AT150mlx all have micro line or fine line profiles and each provide a different presentation to suit the listener, they are all moving magnet cartridges.

A moving coil cartridge which in my experience tracks very well is a Denon Dl110.

Of the ones mentioned I have used the Exact and currently use a 110, again in my experience they both track superbly, equally as good but in different ways so I could happily use either. Also I have found that both do a good job at helping to reduce surface noise which is a big bonus as a lot of my records are used buys. I do have an Okki Nokki record cleaner and that has also been a huge benefit.
 
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