2. analog
  3. 167408-9347

Help buying first analog rig - Clearaudio Concept or Rega P6

I am in the process of purchasing my first major analog rig since I was teen back in the 80's. My system has been digital. I had a period of about 8 years where I did not do much with audio as we were moving and building a new home. Shortly after our home was built, but before the basement was finished and the alarm was installed, we had a break in. Among the many things other things taken, they took a box of my CD's, basically all my SACD's. So when I the basement was finished and got setup again it prompted me to get into streaming. I have a dedicated listening room which is pretty big 16 x 25 and 9' ceiling on a concrete slab (i know that helps with turntables) with laminate flooring and area rug. My System is pretty straight forward digital.
-Innuos Zen mkIII to stream and play my ripped CD's along with other hi-rez digital I have purchased and some DSD's
-Chord Qutest fed with a Shunyata Alpha USB from the Zen
-PrimaLuna EVO 400 integrated
-Sonus Faber Sonetto VIII 
-Purist Audio Venustas Luminist Speaker and RCA  cables, Shunyata Venom NR V10 power cables

The only small stack of vinyl I own is what I had as a teen, 80's rock which I may listen to occasionally, but I plan on buying new vinyl. I listen to a lot of Jazz - Coltrane, Davis, etc, a lot of modern bluegrass mostly female vocal like Sarah Jarosz, Sierra Hull, Alison Krauss.
The 2 tables that I seem to have gravitated towards are:
-Rega P6 with Hana EL 
-Clearaudio Concept wood with the black satisfy arm and either their Concept MC or Maestro V2 cartridge.

I know the Concept does not come with a dust cover, no big deal for me, I can always add one down the road.

Phono pre
-Sutherland KC Vibe
-MS Phenomena 2+

My budget was originally 3000 for the table/cart and pre, but I really like the concept wood ascetically, it would fit nicely in my rustic/industrial decor which has a lot of wood. I know its not about ascetics, but I am just not crazy about the look of Rega, but it does get great reviews. My rack is butcher block and iron pipe, so the table would sit on the top shelf next tot he PrimaLuna. I am the kind of person that does not mind tinkering and I understand the inconvenience of records vs digital, but I am looking for the natural, openness and beauty that vinyl brings to the system. What am I missing?
128x128jmphotography
williewonka
3,064 posts
 
Personally, I would go for  Musichall 9.1 or 11.1 - whichever suits your budget.

Both of these turntables seem to have a great feature list

The 9.1
MUSIC HALL MMF9.3 TURNTABLE – Vinyl Sound
  • music hall’s unique triple plinth construction
  • one-piece full carbon fiber tonearm
  • fully adjustable VTA, azimuth, and dampened arm lift mechanism
  • counterweight’s center of gravity is level with the stylus tip, is decoupled from the arm, and acts as a resonance damper
  • completely isolated/decoupled DC motor with 33 1⁄3 and 45 rpm speed controls located in the front left corner of the turntable, thus canceling any potential vibration from the motor/belt to the cartridge
  • motor sits on its own resonance damping puck
  • optional Goldring Eroica LX low-output moving-coil cartridge with Gyger II line contact stylus ($795 value)
  • the cartridge supplied is properly aligned and mounted
  • inverted ceramic main bearing for super quiet, fluid operation
  • non resonant, 1” thick acrylic platter
  • soft felt platter mat
  • high quality gold RCA connectors and detachable phono cable
  • adjustable tip toe feet with anti scratch cups
  • low noise fully manual belt drive design
  • built-in round spirit level for proper leveling
  • dust cover and 45 rpm adaptor included
  • excellent instruction manual and easy assembly
The 11.1
MUSIC HALL MMF11.3 TURNTABLE – Vinyl Sound
  • music hall’s unique quadruple-plinth design with improved TPE vibration isolation
  • new freestanding and completely isolated motor assembly
  • dual motor and flywheel assembly is located on the center left side of the turntable eliminating all motor and belt vibration from the cartridge
  • one-piece 9cc Evolution carbon fiber tonearm
  • tonearm uses hardened Swiss ABEC 7 ball races in inverted bearing
  • tonearm is internally wired with flexible wire drawn from high purity copper with only two contact points from cartridge to output connectors
  • counterweight’s center of gravity is level with the stylus tip is decoupled from the arm and acts as a resonance damper
  • fully adjustable VTA, azimuth, and dampened arm lift
  • exclusive microprocessor electronic speed control with dual motor single flywheel drive system
  • 33 1/3 and 45 rpm speed change at the touch of a button
  • adjustable magnetic-levitation feet
  • inverted ceramic main bearing for ultra-quiet operation
  • 7.4 lbs. (3.35 kg) acrylic platter
  • detachable phono cable
  • high quality gold-plated RCA connectors
  • display-style large removable acrylic dust cover
  • packed securely in a substantial wood box
  • excellent instruction manual and easy assembly
Good luck - Steve
.
mijostyn's avatar
mijostyn
8,160 posts
 
Good point Chakster. In that light the Audio Technica VM760SLC and the Goldring 1042 are the best current cartridges I have heard with removable styli. On the other hand Soundsmith is local and charges very low prices for stylus replacement. There are reasonable arguments as to why these cartridges may perform better but in reality the AT and Goldring cartridges are going to sound just as good if not better in some minds. 
gakerty's avatar
gakerty
175 posts
 
I'd go with the Concept for sole reason the VTA is adjustable, whereas shims are required on the Rega for VTA.  There's more flexibility with different cartridges that way.  The Concept was my first "good" table and it served me well.  Had a Concept MC, Lyra Delos and Benz Wood on it and all matched and performed well.
millercarbon's avatar
millercarbon
12,531 posts
 
VTA is a plus. You do not want shims. That one's a deal breaker. You like the Concept looks. This matters. Together with VTA makes the Concept an easy call.
jbuhl's avatar
jbuhl
884 posts
 
I gots the P6 and I really like it. only knocks are you can't use your own phono cables.   And the way the dust cover operates.  If you don't lift it all the way up ....it's a guillotine.

Everything else is +
More to discover