Thoughts on a Rega Vs a Gyro SE?

[MVV]

Funny you say that, as I was just about a little journey in my mind, what if you went through the hassle of arranging a shootout of both those not exactly cheap decks with identical carts & all.
And you'd discover you cannot make out a difference...would you be disappointed ?
More a philosophical question regarding the true motivations behind such search.
Possibly in the end it comes down to the question which kind of style you'd rather like to live with
than big sq differences.
Then saw your post, suggesting excactly that...nice..

In reality if I'm being honest with myself I usually go into a dem having already decided which item I will prefer the sound of and then seek to prove it to myself.
I'd add the Technics 1200 G to your shoot out and wouldn't be surprised if that ended up being a bit different and perhaps a little bit better.
It would have to be blind because of your point about style (and paradigm); they couldn't be more different from that perspective.

 

[Mr Pig]

I had over 20 years of fun with my LP 12 ending with Circus Ekos/Arkiv and Lingo 2 but in the end I needed the neutrality because I felt the LP 12 worked brilliantly with some types of music and not so well with others.

Interestingly, that is pretty much entirely due to the arm and cartridge used. I would say that with my Ittok, twenty percent of records sounded great, twenty ok and the rest ranged from not so great to totally unplayable. Swap the Ittok for a Rega arm, problem solved.

It's a very important consideration. I want to be able to play whatever music I like, I don't want a record player that only lets me play records that it approves of.

 

[Timcat]

I'd add the Technics 1200 G to your shoot out and wouldn't be surprised if that ended up being a bit different and perhaps a little bit better.
It would have to be blind because of your point about style (and paradigm); they couldn't be more different from that perspective.

I have a 1200G and a P10. I like both but they don't sound the same. The Technics is a recent acquisition so I don't think I have the optimum set up with it yet.

 

[MVV]

I have a 1200G and a P10. I like both but they don't sound the same. The Technics is a recent acquisition so I don't think I have the optimum set up with it yet.

I’d be very interested to hear what you think when it’s sorted. Do you use the same cartridge on both?

 

[tpetsch]

Writing as an ex-LP12 owner and current P10 owner, I would agree with this wholeheartedly. It is precisely because the P10 is more capable of extracting an accurate facsimile of the original recording, whilst adding little of its own colouration, that it seems to connect me more closely with the music. I do understand why some like the old LP12 coloured sound (I have read Mr Pig's Linn build posts and it seems that his LP12 is similar to this older Linn type), but accurate it ain't. It doesn't mean that one can't own and enjoy an LP12, of course one can, but to suggest that Rega are going in the wrong direction, when they are actually engineering innovative TTs that reproduce music accurately, is simply wrong.

On the subject of Linn dealers that also sell Rega, well, I bought my P10 from such a dealer who privately admitted that the P10 was most likely a musically more accurate deck than any LP12, with the possible exception of one so heavily modified (at great expense) that it really was no longer an LP12.

Brings back memories:
Older LP12's such as the LP12 "Klimax of the day" consisting of original real Rosewood plinth -not Rosenut-, black bearing -non-Cirkus-, Ekos, Troika and Lingo was something special back in the day as I personally recall and had much pleasure listening to for many years.

 

[Timcat]

I’d be very interested to hear what you think when it’s sorted. Do you use the same cartridge on both?

.

I use an Apheta 3 in the Rega. In the Technics, I have tried a Kiseki Blue NS, an AT Art 9 and an AT 540ML The Kiseki is a poor match, a bit dead with one note bass. The Art 9 is better, but it sounds a bit thin and flat and does not image well. The cheapest cart of the lot, the 540ML sounds best, it gives a well balanced sound, solid image and great boogie factor. With the P10 acoustic instruments sound as if they really are in the room with you, you are in the front row. With the Technics and 540, you hear less detail, you are towards the back of the audience but that can be very pleasant and relaxing. i intend to try a heavier head shell and one of the additional counter weights with the ART 9, as this cart is less compliant that the 540ML and might work better with the effective mass of the arm being higher.

I have not tried the Apheta 3 in the Technics yet, but the Art 9 performs far better in the P10 than it does in the Technics. The Kiseki isn't great in the Rega but, to be fair, I didn't like it in my old LP12 - I think that I simply don't like this cart!