Deciding Variables with Teres

I can help you with some of this. First, the 245 is an excellent table. I have a 245 myself, and while there are improvements to be had with the lead-loaded platter of the 255, or even the wood/lead platter of the 265, the 245 is very good sounding. According to Chris at Teres, the lead loaded platter does not make as much difference as the lead loaded hardwood base. It is more of a refinement. You can easily upgrade platters at any time, and Chris has a platter upgrade program which allows your acrylic platter to be lead loaded at about half the cost of a new platter. If you are on a budget, I would recommend getting what you can afford, and using the upgrade path as money permits.

You can switch your RB300 right over onto the Teres. If you want to do this, you can order the Teres 245 with the armboard pre-drilled for a Rega tonearm. I would recommend that you get a VTA adjusting collar from OL or Expressimo at that point, and install it with the tonearm. This will require that you open up the pre-drilled hole by about 1/16" using sandpaper or a half round file. I did it to my armboard in about 5 minutes time. This will allow for accurate VTA adjustment, and is really important for getting the best sound. If you order a OL or Expressimo RB250, then order the VTA collar with it. The OL Silver comes complete with the VTA collar. These tonearms will do well on the 245 and are very wide-ranging in what cartridges they will accept. As far as unipivot tonearms go, they will make a difference, but I think it is a step down. Especially in the lower price ranges. If you decide to get a different tonearm in the future, you can get a new armboard from Teres with the correct hole pre-drilled in it.

As far as set-up goes, you will need an alignment protractor from www.turntablebasics.com and a Shure stylus force scale from the same place. The setting of the stylus force as done by your dealer was a very strange thing to do, and I see no benefit in it. Just set it the way it is supposed to be done.

Thanks for the advise, it is much appreciated.

Any experience with the relative sound of the three Rega based arms mentioned. I have read pros and cons on each. Some have complained that the Expressimo is a bit bright compared to the OL. I have also read from some that the mods on the OL arms can be a bit thrown together and not properly finished. If I can get The Expressimo for $480 and sell the Rega for $350, it seems like a no brainer if it sounds at all better. Still, I do not like overly bright sound (my electronics are by VAC -- Standard Pre and PA 100/100 amp.) The OL1 is about a $100 more, the Silver another $200, I think. Chris seems to think that the tonearm does not make that much difference compared to the table, but I have found that even the smallest things can turn the corner from good to great or annoying to astounding -- things like tubes, bases, etc. Unfortunately, in most cases, these are those that cannot be auditioned easily.

The OL modded arms that come modded from the OL factory should be well fitted and finished. Sometimes local dealers or end users do the mods, and this may be less ideal. Sometimes not. It could be a case-by-case basis. I do prefer the OL mod over the Expressimo, due to the connecting differences in the end-stub, but it is not a big difference. Either one of them will sound better than the standard Rega arm.
The brightness thing is kind of personal choice, and some may think that it is perfect, when others think it is bright. This can be helped to some degree by proper VTA adjustment, to dial it in to your preference.
I think the Silver is a very good arm, and is noticeably better than any of the modded Rega arms, but is about $800. I would agree with Chris that you should spend the bulk of the money on the table, and not get a lower level table in order to spend more on the tonearm. The table will make more of a difference than the arm, but the arm is also important. I think that a modded Rega arm, either OL or Expressimo, would be enough to satisfy most people, especially if it is on a very good table, and well set up. Yes, you can get better arms, but when we are talking about a certain budget, you have to make some decisions. I don't think that you will have to worry about an overly bright sound with that combination. IMHO.

Twl, just a note, I know the theory
VINYL BASED SYSTEM SPLIT
Turntable / arm / cartridge = 50% of budget
Phono stage = 8% of budget
Amplifier = 21% of budget
Loudspeakers = 21% of budget

BREAKDOWN OF FRONT END PERFORMANCE
To break things down further, use the following in terms of contribution to a front end performance - Please note that the price of a component does not does not necessarily mean that it will deliver more performance for the money than something else and the percentages indicated below are based on the average performance contribution to the system - not the price of the item.

Turntable = 47%
Tonearm = 33%
Cartridge = 11%
Phono stage = 9%

As you know when you apply your Hi FI mod to the OL Silver arm it does make a significant difference, so skimping on the arm will make a noticeable differentiation.
Like Sommera says "I have found that even the smallest things can turn the corner from good to great or annoying to astounding"This is so true.

I know I am making this post a little late to help Sommera
and I agree with your advice to Sommera completely, but the Idea that, "Chris seems to think that the tonearm does not make that much difference compared to the table"
This advice seems to me, to be misleading.

When you get done auditioning the OL arm we will better understand the significance I believe,and just how good the Hi Fi mod is. Question is how much differance does the Hi Fi mod make realitive to the turntable it is used on? This Question too should come to light when you get a chance to compare Turntables.