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cartridge for rega planar 3 - 800 range

i want to upgrade from a grado gold. any advise on the right cart for my rega planar 3/2000? i am using an audiosonics ba150 tube amp, melos tube pre/phono, kef series 105.2 spkrs, grado rs1 headphones, chang lightspeed power conditioner. i have had people tell me a better cart won't improvesound much. i do not know what to think. am considering a grado reference master. many thanks.
jiminiss0232
jfrech's avatar
jfrech
1,816 posts
 
The Grado Ref master is good. I have a Lyra Lydian b for my planar 25. I love it. Depends on the music you listen to and your system. The Lyra is 950 new. If you systems is a little rich or dark, you might really go for the Lyra.
tom_nice
387 posts
 
Did a hum, when the arm was nearing the center of the LP, bother you with the Grado Gold? Grado cartridges have this well known incompatibility with Rega turntables, for some reason. I've had it myself, and wouldn't get ANY Grado for a Rega 3, though it's just a small hum, not a roar.
jiminiss0232 OP
3 posts
 
tom, the only hum in my system is audible with the tt off. it can be heard when NO source is playing if i turn up the volume past 2:00 on my melos preamp. it may be very mildly present before the stylus makes contact with vinyl, but is not there in the silences while music is playing; or between cuts for that matter. thanks for any and all info/opinions, etc. jim
david99
1,467 posts
 
The Grado hum again! I have always had a Grado on my P-25.Yes, a hum is heard when the arm is RAISED above the LP.I have never heard a hum during music or even between tracks.This hum "problem" is a non issue IMO.If a hum when you raise the arm at the end of a LP bothers some Grado offers a lower output P.U.that rids the hum issue.The reason for the hum is the moving iron design Grado uses and under center mounted motor tables is where the problem originates from.So in theory, any center motor mounted table will have a hum with a Grado.Still,The Grado's are great P.U.'s for the RB tonearms usually seen on the Regas.Wh

en M.Fremer reviewed the P-25 with a Grado Reference he loved the combo and never mentioned a hum.Another issue with Rega arms is lack of VTA without a mod.or spacers under the arms.Fremer commented the Rega-Grado combo.sounded great with no VTA adjustment.The VTA was just a tad negative.I had tried 1 spacer,then 2 and ended up with no spacer and just a bit negative VTA which provided the smoothest sound with the best bass.Seems the "woody" Grado's are indeed a great match for the Regas.
drrasta
224 posts
 
Ditto on the Benz Glider.
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