Sorry for the late reply bt. Yes, the Ortofon is a better cartridge. It has a better stylus, it tracks better and although I really have nothing to back this up I feel it is made better. Ortofon has way more experience building cartridges than Rega. Although I give Rega kudos for unique suspension geometry I do not think it represents an improvement. It might even be to the contrary. Their marketing is also a bit odd since they use the same damping material other cartridges use just in a different position relative to the coil. Look at a blow up of the very end of the cantilevers. The Rega stylus (very tall by the way which is bad) is mounted the old fashioned way through a hole in the crimped end of the cantilever which is more than likely aluminum ( I can't find that spec anywhere) The Ortofon In the modern low mass way is glued directly to the end of a sapphire cantilever second only to boron a diamond in stiffness. This results in a lower tip mass which is critical for tracking. The Ortofon is listed a 80 um. Only one cartridge in their line up does better, the Windfeld Ti @ 90 um. The Rega spec again is not published. Go with the Pro's and get the Ortofon. If you have to spend more money get the Cadenza Blue but I would make the jump to the Cadenza Black. You also Have the Lyra Delos, another excellent cartridge for the money.
Now as far as MDF is concerned it is without question the best value in an extremely well damped material. It is possible to make extraordinary things with the stuff. It gets a bad rap because it is so common and low tech but when used correctly it is hard to beat within a mile of the price.
Is it indicative of an inferior product? Not at all. I made a plinth for a friend of 4 " thick MDF veneered in Cocobolo for a Thoren's TD 124 II and I do not think you could make a more handsome, functional plinth (with hinged dust cover). It is stiff, massive and extremely well damped. I made him a matching cocobolo tonearm board for his SME. The table was rebuilt and the chassis was powder coated gloss black so the whole thing looks killer.
Now as far as MDF is concerned it is without question the best value in an extremely well damped material. It is possible to make extraordinary things with the stuff. It gets a bad rap because it is so common and low tech but when used correctly it is hard to beat within a mile of the price.
Is it indicative of an inferior product? Not at all. I made a plinth for a friend of 4 " thick MDF veneered in Cocobolo for a Thoren's TD 124 II and I do not think you could make a more handsome, functional plinth (with hinged dust cover). It is stiff, massive and extremely well damped. I made him a matching cocobolo tonearm board for his SME. The table was rebuilt and the chassis was powder coated gloss black so the whole thing looks killer.