Anyone can tell me the cartridge shown here?

Looks like a Linn Basic MM, a low end Audio Technica. At the very least you should probably replace the stylus (which can be done apparently with an AT stylus, but it might be a bit tricky). Better yet, just order a new AT 120E which is a much better cartridge for $59 from garage-a-records.

As Hdm said...a Linn Basik which is a rebranded Audio-Technica AT93. That was a "cheap and cheerful" standard cartridge on many stack systems from Sanyo, Fisher and the like in the 1980s. Of course, Linn's fluffery in marketing it, made it sound like True High End, which it is most definitely not.

It's easy to upgrade with the stylus of the Audio-Technica AT95E, which at least has a mention in Stereophile's Recommended Components. The old Linn stylus pulls off and the AT95E stylus slides on.

It's an inexpensive audio-technica MM, which should work very well with a rega arm and your creek amp. I used to use an AT-95E on my planar 3 then upgraded to a Linn K9 (rebadged AT) which I ended up using a with At-95E replacement stylii when Linn discontinued the stylii for the the K9. Now I use a Goldring 1042, which works exceptionally well (but is very overpriced in the US).

If you're looking for a better cartridge I still have the K9 with a couple of spare unused AT-95E stylii that should probably go to a new home.

The planar 2 is a good deck, but very sensitive to being absolutely level, and having enough oil in the bearing. Being slightly off level, or having low oil makes the sound much less refined so be sure to check the oil when you receive the deck.

Here's a thread on oiling the bearing

http://forum.audiogon.com/cgi-bin/fr.pl?eanlg&1126629134&read&keyw&zzrega+oil

Guys, thanks so much for the knowledge and the tips. Pardon, again my ignorance, but is the stylus the "needle" or the "cartridge"?

Gp49, you mention that the stylus "pulls off and the new one slides on". How does that work? Is it changing the whole cartridge or only the needle? How can I do it?

Thanks, again.

Also (one more question)

What happens if I put a MC in my Creek? (I assume that the phono at my Creek only takes MM) What happens when you put a MC cartridge through a MM phono?

Again, thanks...

Josep

When you put a MC into a MM phono eq. preamp circuitry, if the MC is low output you will have to turn the volume of the preamp WAAAY up loud to hear it, and it still won't be very loud... if it's a High Output MC cart, it may even work... experiment with loading (resistance and capacitance) if the Creek has options for that...
If you win the auction for the table, if it were up to me I'd ditch that cheapo cart. and take the table to a Rega dealer and put a Rega Cart. on it.

Stylus = the part of the cartridge that actually rides inside the record groove

Needle = used in sewing/tailoring to draw thread through fabric

Good advice from Xiekitchen about having a dealer help you set up the table, arm and cartridge. Someone with more knowledge and experience could save you alot of grief. Many of us learn to do it ourselves, but not on our very first rig.

Guys,

Thanks so much! These are helpful.

I think I will try Hdm's first suggestion. A new AT120E doesn't seem very expensive. Do you think that Gdp's comment regarding the AT95E can be applicable to the 120? Can I actually pull the old Linn stylus off and slide the new 120 on? Would I still need a dealer to do that?

Thanks, again, for your advice.

Josep

Josep: While the AT95E stylus will fit the Basik body, it is not an "exact" fit (you can do a websearch to verify this). As such, considering the expense involved for the AT 120E which is a superior cartridge to both the Basik and a brand new AT95, buying an AT95 replacement stylus for $25 or $30 for the Basik does not, in my opinion, make much sense. I would doubt very much that the 120 Stylus would fit the Basik body. Buy the 120E, and, as Doug Deacon says above, have somebody who knows what they are doing install it, or, alternatively, as xiekitchen says, go with a Rega cartridge, and once again, have a professional install it properly.

Which one is better the At120E or the Grado Blue? Is there a big difference with the Grado Gold? or the Rega Elys?