advertisement


Cartridge Query.

Mullardman

Moderately extreme...
Brother has decided to resurrect a system which has been unused for about 10 years.

Rotel amp, Rega Planar 2.

Also tuner and CD working fine.

Rega though is playing up and by phone I've gathered this.

He's tried the Rega (Bias Cart) via phono input on amp. One channel is only producng about 1/2 the output of the other.
Swapping leads at phono input end reverses problem, pointing to arm/cart issue.

Running cart with one channel connected sounds fine via one speaker. swapping to other channel also sounds fine. Apparently either channel of cart will work individually into either chanell of amp phono input. But, connect both channels and one has much reduced output.

It's got me beat except to say most likely an internal cartridge issue. Any ideas?
 
Has he moved BOTH pairs of clips from right to left and vice versa ? If it's a cart fault - the problem will flip channels -that then leaves out everything except the cart. Have your bro check that he does have the clips connected to the right n proper output pins on the cart first.Are they reasonably tight ?
 
Just replace the cart. If it's old it's probably knackered and the Bias isn't particularly special anyway.

Carts can do funny things so, from what you describe, I suspect the cart is wonky. It could be the arm wiring but it doesn't sound like it. Typically, that either works or it don't.
 
He says he's done all checks and decided its the cartridge. He's ordered a Bias 2. Rather fortuitously the Bias 2 is red which will suit as my sister in Law has also requested a new mat... a red one... she likes red. She's also gone from being one of those "Speakers must be heard but not seen" types to now wanting a pair of floorstanders around the £4-500 mark. They must match the flooring...
I was never a great fan of Rega sprs back in the days of the ELAs etc.. esp in combination with Rega electronics. I always found them a bit bouncy and too focussed on leading edges.
Bro also prefers a sound which is rich rather than lean. Any recommendations will be considered. Richer Sounds have a few options which look promising.

Bro doesnt seem to have a cartridge protractor, but if I recall on a Rega player with a Rega arm, the Bias is there or thereabouts if the front of the cart is flush with the front of the headshell . Any views?
 
Any recommendations will be considered.

I'm sure there are lots of good options but a while back I heard a pair of Fyne speakers. I've since heard another pair. The ones I heard were over your budget but I was so impressed with them that if I were looking for speakers I'm be investigating any Fyne speakers in my price range.

Rega carts have a third bolt hole at the front of the cartridge. Put the bolt through the hole on the front of the headshell and you're cart's aligned. Could not be simpler!
 
If it's square in the arm, ie screws halfway down the slots both sides, it will be close enough for a country job. You can check it with a protractor next time you're over, or he can print the one on VE or similar.
 


advertisement


Back
Top