Rega Planar 3 or Technics 1200

[psychadelicf]

Hi everyone. This is only my second post so bear with me if I don't get everything right. I have a huge dilemma on my hands!

Presently, I have a Rega Planar 3 TT with a Mayware Formula IV tonearm and a Nagaoka MP-11 cart. I bought this 6 months ago for a reasonable price. The turntable works fine and I enjoy it. The only problem is that this tonearm seems so fragile.

A couple of days ago, one of my customers (I'm a barber) told me he wanted to get rid of his TT because his daughter had bought him one of those TT's to transfer his vinyl to MP3. He told me it was a Technics but didn't know the model. Low and behold... a 1200! Ia sked him how much. He said $50. WOW! It had an Acutex LMP or LPM cart on it. How could I say no. The TT is MINT! A little dirty and the pop up light is out but i can fix that. Now I need to get rid of one TT. Which one should I keep? The Rega is wonderful in its simplicity but I miss the 1200's durability. I know it's an age old question but if anybody can help I would really appreciate it.

Thanks
Sal

 

[the_nines]

Keep the 1200.

$50 ?!?!?!

It's a "no-brainer".:thmbsp:

 

[darth]

Nice find. The 1200 is a keeper for sure.

 

[Zodia]

Keep both...I would.

John

 

[Bob_in_OKC]

I don't mean any offense by this, but it seems strange to ask an open forum this question. It seems like Planar 3 (or P3 or P3-24) vs. SL-1200 keeps being raised as a question over and over in slightly different ways.

Actually, you should be telling us. You're the one with both to compare. These are two radically different turntables. You're the one who knows what you value in a turntable. If these were mine, maybe I'd keep both or maybe I'd sell one. If I did sell one, it would most likely be the Technics. But I can't figure out a way to form an opinion on what you should do. It makes more sense for you to tell us than to ask.

 

[thedelihaus]

Why not both? They both have their strong points and not so strong points.

And if indeed you only can keep one, I know what I'd personally choose for my own set of reasons and needs, but only you can tell which you like best for you.

I'd be uneasy picking out which turntable is best for you as I would be picking out what you were going to have for dinner and whom should you marry.


Congrats on the ownership of a pretty unique arm (Mayware) and the good fortune of picking up a Technics SL1200MK2 for $50!


Let's hope you can keep both tables.

 

[Balifly]

Just be careful of the Acutex cartridge.

May it be an Acutex cartridge that still have replacement stylus available.

 

[secretguy]

Believe me...if you don't want the rega, I'll take it!

 

[JohnVF]

Actually, you should be telling us. You're the one with both to compare. These are two radically different turntables.

That was about what I was going to write. Why ask us when you have both their to compare? They're both nice turntables but they're going to be different and the only way to make the right call is to be the person with your ears...and that's you. There's nothing wrong going either way but they're different enough that you could just keep both and put different carts on each to have some variety in your vinyl life.

 

[MWalt]

I would hold on to them both. You only dropped a 50 spot on it, so why not. Then, do what the others suggested and perform a shootout comparison over time, and if you still feel the need to get rid of one then you'll have your answer.

 

[Geoff777]

Horses for courses!
Rega is sonically better, if it's purely for listening to musc it's the Rega
However
If you want to transfer music to CD yourself (via a CD recorder deck) or
if you need the quick start up etc etc the Technics is robust and reliable.
TBH the Technics doesn't sound at all bad
If it were me - I suspect I would clean up and sell the Technics for as much as I could
and use the money towards a better arm for the Rega
Obvious choice being the RB300 or the RB250
Keep whichever cart sound better to you - try them both.

 

[thedelihaus]

...If it were me - I suspect I would clean up and sell the Technics for as much as I could
and use the money towards a better arm for the Rega
Obvious choice being the RB300 or the RB250
....

Or you could sell the Rega and upgrade the Technics with the aftermarket goodies, which include a modified bearing, power supply unit, or perhaps a tonearm swap.

 

[MWalt]

Or you could sell the Rega and upgrade the Technics with the aftermarket goodies, which include a modified bearing, power supply unit, or perhaps a tonearm swap.

I saw that one coming

 

[majick47]

After rereading what the original OP had to say my interpertation of his question is which TT is the most durable/simple, in this regard I'd favor the 1200. Also depending on which model Acutex cartridge that's installed on the 1200 he bought a lot of turntable/cartridge for $50.

 

[vidguy]

SL-1200 all the way.

That REGA is a toy, flimsy, the sub-platter is a manufacturing joke, I've yet to see one that remotely keeps the tight tolerances found on a Technics. The only good thing about it is the arm.

A rubber band, wrapped around a plastic wheel, riding on a ball bearing, and they call THAT "Audiophile"...

(Flame me all you want, but I've owned & played with 3 Regas, the most expensive being a P5) As far as I'm concerned they're overpriced, and under perform.

The P5 was actually pretty good, but when you factored in the cost, not worth it IMHO.

I took the RB250 off of my Planar 2, put it on my SL1200, and couldn't be happier.

 

[thedelihaus]

I'm not going to say either is junk, but in my opinion the value of the Technics is in the plinth/motor and the value of the Rega is in the arm- whether the Mayware Formula IV tonearm the OP has, or the RB-250/300 and up.

That's not to say the stock Technics arm is bad- it isn't. It just needs, in my opinion, a bit of help with mods to overcome a few minor issues. Still, I think the Rega arm, besides the lower spec bearings, is overall a better design.

And not saying the Rega Planar 3 plinth/platter/bearing is bad- it's not, but the Technics is built extremely well, and is of a construction level of higher quality.

To call either table "poor" would be unfair- there are plenty of tables that either of these would shame.

 

[Geoff777]

I am happy to be corrected - it is possible my experience is very out of date - so sorry..
All the RP3's I have heard have managed to extract a lot of good musical information from the groove.
I haven't directly compared one with an SL1200.

I used a direct drive Denon for many years and loved it - but when I got my belt driven
Gyrodec I understood why sometimes Belt drive is able to sound better than Direct.
It is on that basis I am commenting.
However - I do acknowledge that the Technics is really sturdy and well made and no doubt
capable of very good sound too.
So I am very probably wrong and sorry for that.

 

[thedelihaus]

...So I am very probably wrong and sorry for that.

Nothing wrong with an opinion, especially if it's valid.:thmbsp:

I prefer, and my allegiance is with the Technics- I run an SP25 with EPA 100 and 250 arms (as well as a few other arms), but understand that it's not everyone's cup of tea.

Roy Gandy has done all of us a favor in record playback with an affordable and quality tonearm capable of great sound without leaving folk with an empty wallet. He's designed a table to work well with that arm, and a P3 with the optional PSU is a very able machine.


I also dig the OP's non-Rega, uncommon tonearm- a good performer in it's own right.

 

[thelandlord]

I own a Rega with an RB300, I used to sell the 1200s as a retailer... and they're two entirely different tools designed for two entirely different jobs.

The Rega is by far the better turntable sonically if it's set up right with an arm and cartridge that suit it... the arm and cartridge on that one are a strange combination - no doubt somebody had their reasons at the time... although theoretically the better turntable it's more fragile and setting it up with a better arm will be quite a trial if it's unfamiliar ground.

The 1200 isn't really a hifi turntable (let the flames commence ) and it was never seriously marketed as one, at least in Europe.
It's a DJ turntable designed for people whose hearing is already damaged, and who are likely to be operating it while 'chemically enhanced' - hence it's tendency towards a 'tizz-boom' sound if you let it and being built like a brick outhouse so it doesn't break when you fall over on it.
However, it's beautifully engineered, and because of that it can sound very decent partnered with a good cartridge - DJs argue over the relative merits of Stanton or Ortofon cartridges and they both have their place in the world because they're so different - just like us.

If you like a good meaty 'club' sound, see if you can hear a Stanton on the 1200.

If you like the heavier build of the 1200 but need a little more finesse then there are a whole range of Ortofon cartridges made especially to fit directly onto the arm without a headshell - bonus, no alignment to worry about.

What the dealers don't publicise very much is that although the most commonly-seen Ortofon Concorde cartridges are specifically designed for DJ use - they can tolerate back-cueing - if you're willing to forego that ability to back-cue several of the Ortofon hifi styli will fit the same body and give you much improved fidelity.
A good dealer will cheerfully show you the difference and it's a radical one... that 'disco' deck is a lot better than most people would give it credit for.

 

[MWalt]

(Laughing) Oh, buddy you're gonna get it after that one.

As our cousins from across the pond say, "let's get on with it"!