Just a question about how a cartridge exchange/upgrade scheme works with Rega cartridges, for someone who is looking to trade in an older (purple body) Elys and upgrade to a new Exact. Does anyone know if/what the trade in value is of the older Elys if moving up to an Exact? I have done a quick internet search and mostly only see reference to a like for like exchange scheme.
Rega cartridge exchange/upgrade
- Thread starter starbuck
- Start date
linnfomaniac83
I bet you can’t wheelie a unicycle!
What Rega do is basically take in your worn cartridge and send you another rebuilt one, your old one is then rebuilt for the next customer. I wouldn’t hold your breath for an original Elys though, it was replaced by the Elys 2 some years ago now.
They’ve never offered a cartridge trade up scheme as far as I’m aware.
If they trade in your old Elys against a rebuild Elys 2, you might be able to trade the new one against an Exact, but you won’t make a huge saving, since you’ll have to pay the rebuild cost (£83 iirc), and a brand new retail Elys 2 is only £125.
If your purple Elys is still in good working order, you might be able to sell it privately for, let’s say £30-£40, and that’s what I’d do.
Finally, I think there are some new Rega products about to launch imminently so I’d just hold fire a bit, if one of those is a new Exact, that would definitely be worth a look... and just one more thing, Rega’s rebuild costs on a higher model cartridge (Exact upwards) are exceptionally good, and unlike the majority of rebuilds, what you get back is exactly to the spec and quality of a brand new one, so they are a sound investment.
They’ve never offered a cartridge trade up scheme as far as I’m aware.
If they trade in your old Elys against a rebuild Elys 2, you might be able to trade the new one against an Exact, but you won’t make a huge saving, since you’ll have to pay the rebuild cost (£83 iirc), and a brand new retail Elys 2 is only £125.
If your purple Elys is still in good working order, you might be able to sell it privately for, let’s say £30-£40, and that’s what I’d do.
Finally, I think there are some new Rega products about to launch imminently so I’d just hold fire a bit, if one of those is a new Exact, that would definitely be worth a look... and just one more thing, Rega’s rebuild costs on a higher model cartridge (Exact upwards) are exceptionally good, and unlike the majority of rebuilds, what you get back is exactly to the spec and quality of a brand new one, so they are a sound investment.
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gerlando
Prog Rocker
No trade up scheme provided.
This told me a Rega dealer.
Anyway, if I were you, I would forget Rega cartridges, Audio Technica VM540ML, Ortofon 2M Blue/Bronze, Goldring 1000 series, Nagaoka MP150/200 (MM); Denon DL-110, Hana EH, Dynavector 10x5 (HOMC) are all much better, the MM ones having a replaceable stylus as well.
This told me a Rega dealer.
Anyway, if I were you, I would forget Rega cartridges, Audio Technica VM540ML, Ortofon 2M Blue/Bronze, Goldring 1000 series, Nagaoka MP150/200 (MM); Denon DL-110, Hana EH, Dynavector 10x5 (HOMC) are all much better, the MM ones having a replaceable stylus as well.
gerlando
Prog Rocker
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I've tried a lot of carts on Rega turntables and arms and I always end up favouring Audio Technica ones. They seem to compliment each other really well.
Of course it's not a law. Different tastes and system etc but AT is a good place to start.
linnfomaniac83
I bet you can’t wheelie a unicycle!
Not a terrible idea, I’ve no idea what a used purple Elys is worth but I have seen them on eBay with people bidding around the £40 mark, but there’s no guarantee it’d go for that and by the time you’ve taken out listing and PayPal fees, and countered in the hassle of posting it, it’s probably more hassle than it’s worth.
cjyosemite
pfm Member
I upgraded from an Elys 2 to an Exact last year & am very pleased with the difference. I gave the Elys 2 to my neighbours son as a spare.
gerlando
Prog Rocker
The Exact is the only Rega cartridge which is very good.
Nothing to say about the sound, but I had three of them in the past and two were defective (unbalanced channel), so I think their quality control is a bit poor.
linnfomaniac83
I bet you can’t wheelie a unicycle!
I think you were just very unlucky there (but also lucky to have Rega back up service). Rega MC cartridges are well worth a look at, they’re where things start to get interesting for me. I’ve limited experience with the Exact but I have had an original (purple) Elys, a Bias 2 and two Elys 2s, to be fair to those cartridges, it’s hard to pin down anything they do wrong, I’ve experienced no harshness or sibilants that can plague other budget cartridges but they do sound a tad too “safe” to me. Their MC cartridges are rather more open, extended and dynamic... the caveat, you need a decent MC stage to do them justice.