Direct Drive

They also have a different PSU for the P10. maybe because it has a different platter and beefier bearing.

@dover - there is no P9.

@goofyfoot - Rega owners get the tonearm as part of the turntable. Also, Live Origin seems to have very few dealers in the US, and I would want support in the installation and an assurance of compatibility if I were to get a table that doesn't come with an arm like a SOTA or JE Michell which I've heard good things about, which by the way, both of them offer Rega arms already installed on their tables.

Did you have the TT-PSU with the Rega P5? It was an option on that model (great one - I used to own, discontinued a while back) that should eliminate any speed variations that are noticeable to the human ear. The PSU is standard on the P6 on up I believe. 

They take care of any speed issues, and if you are really anal, they are now adjustable down to a miniscule level (I think .1%), if you want to do so using a strobe. My dealer said it is almost impossible to tell the difference of a minor adjustment and they come out of the box right on the money. Also, belts last an incredibly long time and now most come with 2 belts as part of the design to make them even more stable and long lasting.

I like Rega's simplicity, sound, value and incredible arms for the buck. Anybody else out there give a lifetime guarantee? I have a P8 and think that is the sweet spot for value in their line, and they're probably the only company with a range from the lowest price point to the highest. Naiad is $40K and supposedly unreal. 

Anybody have or heard one of them?

The only issue with Rega is you have to make sure to minimize vibrations, especially from a suspended floor. That's why they sell wall mounted shelves. I have a Townshend Seismic Platform that was a huge improvement (and I use a wall shelf for double vibration elimination).

If the TTPSU sounded the same with and without then it was probably spinning at the correct speed. If it broke (can't see how that could happen since it is a box with no moving parts, but maybe something internal failed?),Rega would replace it. You could even call their US location - they are very responsive- they pick up the phone!  

In any case, the market for Regas is strong for a reason. When I sold my P5, I got $300 for the PSU! I sold it separately since I had previously upgraded the arm and sold the table and PSU individually separately. Sorry you don't like them, maybe you didn't have it properly isolated.

@mahler123  - wow - what a bad experience. I don't blame you for bad mouthing Rega. I would too. Maybe it was a problem with the US distributor because now (for as long as I can remember) they warranty the products for life (except for accidental damage or normal wear and tear for things like the belt).

They did change the PSU, because the one I have is different than the one I had with the P5. They changed the wiring plugs so it doesn't dislodge as easily when you bump into it. Just like they beefed up the wiring from the table to the phono stage. They continually improve their products. The best thing about Rega is their arms - hard to beat them for more than twice the price, and since they are included with the tables, it makes them a bargain. But not if they don't treat you right.

I haven't heard many complaints about them (really any), and my dealer is VERY objective - kind of a turntable geek (builds and modifies them) and he likes them a lot - for over 30 years. 

I agree with @dover - when I had my P5, I first upgraded the arm from the RB700 to the one on the P8 - the RB880 (it wasn't available by itself, but my dealer took one off the new P8 for me and sold that table to someone else who wanted the new P8 - the P10 wasn't out yet, and he wanted the best Rega arm at that point, which was the RB1000). Since then, the P10 came out with the flagship arm (other than the cost no object Naiad), the RB3000 (not sure why they skipped the 2000-ask the Marketing guys). I was thinking of upgrading to that arm, but was told if my table was properly isolated, it wasn't worth the premium.

The arm upgrade from the RB700 to the RB880 was a shocking improvement. A while later, I decided to urge the table itself to the P8 (I try to not spend big bucks all at once) and to be honest, the improvement in the table was not nearly as much as the arm. Mainly it was better wiring and dust cover and sound to some degree. 

So yeah, the Rega arms are a great value (never had one below the RB700), but I know the early ones were legendary and IMHO anyone with a Rega table who upgrades to a non-Rega arm is nuts.

And yeah, I am sure SME and Graham arms and some high end Origin Lives are better, but at a much higher cost. 

I believe lighter cartridges are better for Rega tables.

I’ve used a van den Hul MC one Special with excellent results for about 10 years. Great stylus life and detailed dynamic SQ.

@goofyfoot - don't know anything about the 78 table. I think there are some tables out there that offer that speed, just like being able to switch to 45.

Yes, the RB3000 is almost double the price of the RB880 - that's why I was told to stick with the 880 if I had a well isolated application. Rega almost doubles the price with each upgrade in their arm line, not offering too many options (for turntables either). They believe in simplicity and continuous improvement and value.

Sorry @theophile - that's what happens here on the 'Gon. I have no problem with direct drive tables - I owned one for 20 years or so (it was fully automatic). Had a linear tracking arm as well. After it broke, I bought one the most basic manual tables out there (a Music Hall MMF 5 I think) and it blew the direct drive away on SQ. I would be belt tables are more reliable than direct drive in general, but it depends on the individual model. Also, I would bet all things being equal (which they practically never are) the direct drive mechanism is more expensive than belt's. 

I thought he (@mijostyn) said he liked Thorens’ 1600 BD over anything within twice it’s price.

@lewm - I thought that @mijostyn was a SOTA guy. I agree with you on wall shelves for tables - especially lightweight ones like Rega for guys like me with suspended wood floors. I have mine sitting on top of a Townshend platform that sits on the shelf for maximum isolation. As per Roy Gandy, a turntable is simply a vibration measuring machine.

I think the DD vs. Belt debate is moot though, like most other general ones (digital vs. vinyl, SS vs. tubes, open vs. closed baffle, planar vs. boxes, etc.) as it depends on the execution and implementation of the specific product.

@chaskelljr2001 - you match the phono stage to the cartridge - it has nothing to do with the turntable. I have the Sutherland Insight LPS and really like how quiet it is, and it's very straightforward design. Matches nicely with my van den Hul One Special. Plus Ron Sutherland is a great guy and will be glad to talk to anyone - he picks up his phone! It's a one man company with the manufacturer local to him so he can insure quality. He talked me through the install of the LPS, (which I got directly from him) in my Insight after I got a nice deal on a basic used one (under $1K). I couldn't believe the time he took with me for a $350 purchase.

@mijostyn  - I was surprised to hear you prefer the Thorens over the SOTA that you have gushed about in the past.

@mijostyn - gotcha. I thought the Sota was around $4K. Also thought you like Schroeder arms. You should be a turntable market analyst/consultant. BTW the record clamp/device I asked you about works nicely, really for thinner or warped records - the Hexmat Molecula. Really it is the only option for light. short spindle tables that strongly discourage putting any weight on the platter. Also, their record isolator (mat), the Hexmat Eclipse, also is an improvement over any other mat I have tried (felt, polymer-Herbie's, and rice paper). They are pricey items, and they make a less expensive isolator, the Yellow Bird, but compared to the price of a good TT, worth considering. I know you are the heavy platter, stick the record to the platter proponent, but I think the isolation of the record barely touching the platter (1 sq. mm surface area makes sense, and more importantly sounds nice.

@mijostyn - the energy dissipated by the vibration of a very low mass arm onto the stylus (like a Rega) is less than the vibrations coming up from the motor through a platter, no matter how heavy. It is 2 different philosophies.

I would be interested in measuring the actual vibrations at the record while it is spinning if possible, both with and without the stylus on the record, which takes into account the platter mat (or isolator in my case). Probably pretty hard to do, so the best you can do is listen and Rega's come out very highly regarded.

As an example to the light platter/plinth and minimum force/energy motor extreme , take a look at Rega's Naiad. That is what the P8 and P10m are based on. It is absolute minimalist. Expensive at about $40K, but that's the philosophy. Of course, it should be isolated on a wall shelf or a platform like a Townshend (or both). To me, it is the ultimate quiet table. Roy Gandy states correctly that a turntable is simply a vibration measuring machine and he strives to create the lowest internally generated noise possible.