After much deliberation I am planning on purchasing a Rega P3. I will have some windfall funds in a couple of months so the purchase is still down the line time-wise. My question is this, do you, the collective of AK, have any recommendations re: a cart for the P3? The top end of the budget is $500ish. I am not interested in the Rega carts. At the moment things are narrowed down to the front runners, a Nagaoka MP-200 and a Hana EL. Also in consideration but second tier are the Denon DL-103 (or 103R) and the Ortofon MCX20. That's where the short list is currently. I have never had a MC cart before. My pre-amp is a Schiit Skoll. Are there carts that work better with the P3 than others? Are there carts that you would recommend and why? Thanks in advance!
Phono cart for P3?
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mrwood200
Well-Known Member
All quality cartridges! that should offer different sonic profiles!
Let's take the 103s off the list. I like them, have them both, but not good fit for rega arm.
Of the remaining carts, I like the X20 the best.
note: may need spacer for VTA; may be tight fit with dustcover (I ran a Planar 3 w/spacer; had to take cover off to play for clearance, would have done it anyway for sound)
You may want to consider a cartridge with an advanced profile - $350 for VM745x, plus money left over for vevor. If we can get larger budget, maybe $650 for AT-OC9XML.
Many will scoff, but the Rega Carbon, while an overpriced AT, is a nice cart and you may get the package of the two discounted...
Thanks for the info on the 103. I am trying to take what will work with the tonearm into consideration. The 745xML is on the list for another TT I have. As for the X20 I keep reading good things about that family of carts and I am already well disposed towards Ortofon. But it is at the top of the budget range.
In the past I have tried to take the MP-200 off the list but for some reason it keeps getting back on it. It sorta lives in my brain rent free these days. And I don't really know why. But the totality of the reviews I've read and the responses from people on forums, like yourself, that have real life long term use of the Nag, seem so overwhelmingly positive that I can't ignore it.
Valid question, thanks! It's a bunch of Schiit. Kara pre-amp, Lokius EQ (seldom used), Skoll phono pre, Vidar 2 amp. KEF LS50 Metas, SVS 3000 Micro sub. I am quite happy with this system. Current TT is a Pioneer PL-520 running a Shure Me75ED with with an upgraded stylus, N75HE, purchased from LP Gear. (I have another system that I want to shift this TT to.) I am confident that this system will deal well with the upgrade.
Another vote for the MC X20. I have the X30, and the X10. The X10 is the best entry level LOMC available, in my opinion. But, I'm a fan of nude mounted styli, and the X20 would be more than satisfactory, as the new motor system is awesome! I don't know if you would have to raise the Rega tonearm for proper VTA, but, if necessary, I think it would be worth it.
Have fun choosing, and be sure to keep us updated!
Have fun choosing, and be sure to keep us updated!
I am with you on the nude mounted styli bit. That is why the X20 is on the list rather than the X10. Everybody that has one of the X series seems to wax lyrical about how good they are and I am already kindly disposed towards Ortofon. I figure it'll be at least 2 months before I can make my purchase so I'm allowing for a lot of head scratching and serious contemplating between now and then. I appreciate the info and opinion! Thanks!
I'd want to consider whether it's worth paying the US premium on a Rega. From what I see, it's about $300 above the UK price (turntable + ND3), and it seems to be mainly the US where these extra costs are added. If you're months away from buying the Rega, money is clearly an issue, so the price difference (28% higher than the British price) certainly isn't insignificant.
As you're also, to an extent, thinking from cartridges back to the turntable, I think there are better ways than Rega to spend the money (or blow out the budget) but that's a whole other subject, and I prefer what vintage offers anyway.
As you're also, to an extent, thinking from cartridges back to the turntable, I think there are better ways than Rega to spend the money (or blow out the budget) but that's a whole other subject, and I prefer what vintage offers anyway.
Thanks for the input! Yes, Rega prices here in the states are higher and have been for years. It is not an insignificant difference. Actually money is not an issue on this. I am a couple of months away from purchase because of expected windfall money. An estate has to be probated and this will be a splurge for me. There is a budget number because it is good to have parameters. I do understand the vintage thing and did consider that angle. My current daily driver TT is almost 50 years old and it has a 40 year old cart on it (Pioneer PL-520, Shure Me75ED.)
mrwood200
Well-Known Member
You are going to buy a rega & want some cartridge recommendations w/i your budget? No problem here! Let's get a cartridge!
Unfortunately, I think this is a valid point.
Regas are not a USA value purchase. And I don't think the P3 is that good. Good arm, but the package is not that good.
It will probably run fast, and you would probably benefit from speed controller. I would buy something else. If no used/vintage, then maybe sl100c.
(All that said, I have ran a Planar 3 for over 30 years. Only belts & oil. Currently my #1 TT with sl1200 on workbench.....)
If you have 2x tables, you may want to set them up to complement/contrast.
Assuming the Skoll/Rega is your #1 setup, I would look for a MC cartridge. X20 fine choice.
For TT #2, the 745X is probably a better cartridge than the Nagaokas, but I like a potential X20/MP pairing vs X20/745X.
(This thread may benefit from some input from Schitt/Skoll/Technics/cartridge fan @krautmaster ...)
IMO, pretty much any cart you choose is better than a Rega made one (the Exact 2 carts that came with my P3's were horrendous). I use an AT-VM540ML in a RigB (rigid aluminum body) on my RB330 arm. I'm also currently using a Schiit Stjarna tube phono preamp with it instead of the Skoll. The Skoll is now in my bedroom system with my vintage Marantz 6200 with an Ortofon Concorde Music Bronze cart- this combo of Skoll and Concorde is the best SQ I've ever gotten from the old 6200.
I had excellent sound with an AT OC9xML moving coil cartridge and the Skoll set at 60db/200 ohms until I broke the brittle boron cantilever off.
I had excellent sound with an AT OC9xML moving coil cartridge and the Skoll set at 60db/200 ohms until I broke the brittle boron cantilever off.
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I agree. And normally that would carry much more weight for me. But in this instance it does not.
Yes, complement/contrast actually is part of my thought process re: all this. I do know what my preferences are but I also know that I enjoy things that give me a different presentation. And I am seriously beginning to side with the MC route. It may be time for me to dip my toe in that water. Thanks for giving me pause for thought!
@krautmaster Rega phono carts are not being considered. Too bad about the cantiliever!
I think fast running applies to my generation of the P3 (from 25 years ago), but didn't they deal with that recently? Now there's also the P3-RS option, which bundles the Rega external PSU/speed controller, saving some money over buying it separately. I'm not that taken with this solution though, as the P3 can eventually end up as a bit of a patchwork of Rega and 3rd party upgrades, some to improve the sound, some to add functionality that, in line with Rega's "omission of unnecessary gimmicks" philosophy, was absent in the stock turntable. That's part of what got me to move over to direct drive: you get all the functions you need, and things that make the user experience more convenient, in one go. I also prefer a more solid build. A lot more solid. And four feet!
