Cartridge for Rega Planar 3

though almost impossible to get a good cartridge for under 200 do stay away from grado in the rega they hum in some tables and the rega being one of them a good cheap cartridge and very much under-rated is a denon dl 160 for around 180.00 or a dl-110 I believe are still being made

This may sound wacky but someone I know has a Audio Technica 120e (which can be gotten for $54 online thru garage-a-records) with his Rega3 and it sounds phenomenal. Most Audio Technica's cartridges sound awful on the rega but this one works well. He's also got his table on a target wall shelf which I'm sure plays a big role in the sound. Goldring Eroica (high output version) I remember sounding good on the rega but it might be more than $300, anyway it's around $300. Sumiko pearl (around $100) is supposed to be a good match but haven't personally heard the combo.

I had a planar 3 in England and used a Rega super bias cartridge (one of their cheaper ones). It was not a rocking cartridge (like some Audio Technicas I heard) but it had a subtlety and finess that I really liked. Perhaps the super bias would not be up to the standards of your system but Rega make more expensive (and presumably better sounding) cartridges, so if you're looking for detail and subtlety that may be your thing. Boy I miss my turntable.

Jules,have you ever heard a Grado "hum" on a Rega table?
I have.I own a Rega P-25 w/RB-600 arm and a Grado Platinum 4.6mv This "hum" so freely reported exhists of nothing more than a low level "hum" when the arm is raised.I have never heard any "hum'during music or even between tracks.The Grado "hum" is not an issue at all.
I highly recommend a Grado with a Rega table and one of their arms.I have found the Grado "woodies" V.T.A. to be right on mounted as is.I tried spacers but found the best V.T.A. to be mount and play.