Glass platter on Planar 1 ?
- Thread starter Olsen
- Start date
linnfomaniac83
I bet you can’t wheelie a unicycle!
This... I think a 10mm platter will be fine with no adjustment, a 12mm platter might call for a VTA shim.
linnfomaniac83
I bet you can’t wheelie a unicycle!
There wasn’t an “old” planar 1, there was the 2 and 3. Both used the same bearing/sub platter and motor and lid but the planar 2 had a thinner plinth, 10mm platter and the RB250 arm whilst the planar 3 had a thicker plinth, 12mm platter and the RB300 arm.
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SteveG
pfm Member
I've got an old Planar 2 (or at least the Moth badged version of it) coming as I needed a home for an RB250 I have spare - and I'm thinking that's going to become an upgrade project for me. The RB250 already has counterweight upgrades and I'm thinking about trying a glass (or acrylic) platter on it as well.
ok I wasnt sure when I said "1" but is a long time ago since I had the "3"
I picked up a £50 P2 early 2000’s setup last year from local house clearance auction. I ditched the MDF platter for 12mm planar 3 glass one, and added a brand new lid, white belt, rb300 tungsten counterweight and rega vta spacer. With the Grado cart it came with it really sang. I was questioning why I have an LP12/ekos/kore/lingo.
well I kept my Rega Planar 3 for a time after I got my Roksan Xerxes with the same RB00 arm and the sound difference was night and day - The Rega sound was much smaller in scale and felt sat on compared to the Xerxes. So some thing must be wrong with your LP12 setup?
SteveG
pfm Member
The Moth/P2 that I've got coming is going to inherit some bits from my TD160 while I decide what to do with that now the motor has died (I'm toying with a DC motor upgrade from Origin Live) as well as to scratch an itch with various upgrade options. Initially it'll be living in the same system as my LP12 so it'll be interested to see how it compares. I've toyed with upgrading my LP12 but it's a very old and very original one (serial number 1108 which I think makes it 1973) so I'm not that keen to change it. I've recently replaced a multi-box Naim amp set-up with an integrated so have rack space for a 2nd turntable in that system.
Craig B
Re:trophile
Perhaps your Rega was lacking a Lack?
I will dig out the glass platter from loft
I sort of hope its a 10mm - I'd rather not want to involve VTA shims
Someone mentioned another conical stylus replacement, would this better Carbon performance (allready conical)? or should I look for an elliptical solution or just wait for next level (Planar 2) before anything elliptical
Have you tried the Carbon with elliptical stylus in compare to the VM range ?
I have no intention of removing the Carbon from Planar 1
Only replace stylus eventually
Have read good things about VM range and might try these on a higher level TT
Craig B
Re:trophile
If you are referring to the LPGear 'Carbon Elliptical upgrade for Rega Carbon stylus', aka 'Carbon Fidelity CFN3600LE stylus', at $29.98 then I wouldn't bother; reason being that this too uses the lossy plastic cantilever with massive shank on the end. Specifically, the bonded tip isn't directly attached to the plastic cantilever, rather it is fit into a larger shank which is then inserted into the hollow end of the plastic rod, which is why effective tip mass has never been quoted for any of these models.
And before you ask, no I haven't heard 'carbon fidelity', however, I do have direct experience of A-Ts carbon black loaded plastic cantilevered MM OEMs going back to their inception in the late 1970s via AT3400 (the most sold OEM cartridge of all time). Since then there has been an easy way to clearly hear the sins of omission and commission* perpetrated by the so called 'carbon' cantilever; simply replace the stylus with an ATN93, this having the same 0.7mil bonded conical tip but with a proper aluminium pipe cantilever. The equivalent with (current) AT91 and AT3600L (and OEMs of the latter) is to fit an ATN91R replacement stylus for £19; this having the same 0.6mil conical as AT91/AT3600L but with the aluminium cantilever. Or, as hifi-dog suggested above, replace the Carbon altogether with the aforementioned AT-VM95E at £44., even the conical AT-VM95C would be an improvement at £29. Either one of the these present an easy upgrade path via posher nude tips which can transcend your ownership of the Planar 1, or simply take the P1 to the practical limits of cartridge suitability.
P.S. Neither of the two A-T conical options, or the standard elliptical, will require a tonearm spacer, regardless which of the two glass platters yours is. I won't go into details, other than to say that all Rega tonearms are the same height, as are the standard drive hubs. IOWs if 95E is good on 3 (which it is), it certainly won't be too arse low on 1 or 2 with 3 glass, IYSWIM.
Beware the shank wielding polymer armature (Oy vey, what was the Mohel thinking!?):
* Acts of commission having to do with gross overshoot due to a wobbly cantilever combined with excessive tip mass, all the more so as the plastic rod becomes more flexi after prolonged stress.
And before you ask, no I haven't heard 'carbon fidelity', however, I do have direct experience of A-Ts carbon black loaded plastic cantilevered MM OEMs going back to their inception in the late 1970s via AT3400 (the most sold OEM cartridge of all time). Since then there has been an easy way to clearly hear the sins of omission and commission* perpetrated by the so called 'carbon' cantilever; simply replace the stylus with an ATN93, this having the same 0.7mil bonded conical tip but with a proper aluminium pipe cantilever. The equivalent with (current) AT91 and AT3600L (and OEMs of the latter) is to fit an ATN91R replacement stylus for £19; this having the same 0.6mil conical as AT91/AT3600L but with the aluminium cantilever. Or, as hifi-dog suggested above, replace the Carbon altogether with the aforementioned AT-VM95E at £44., even the conical AT-VM95C would be an improvement at £29. Either one of the these present an easy upgrade path via posher nude tips which can transcend your ownership of the Planar 1, or simply take the P1 to the practical limits of cartridge suitability.
P.S. Neither of the two A-T conical options, or the standard elliptical, will require a tonearm spacer, regardless which of the two glass platters yours is. I won't go into details, other than to say that all Rega tonearms are the same height, as are the standard drive hubs. IOWs if 95E is good on 3 (which it is), it certainly won't be too arse low on 1 or 2 with 3 glass, IYSWIM.
Beware the shank wielding polymer armature (Oy vey, what was the Mohel thinking!?):
* Acts of commission having to do with gross overshoot due to a wobbly cantilever combined with excessive tip mass, all the more so as the plastic rod becomes more flexi after prolonged stress.