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Help: New Rega P3 & Grado Platinum; No highs


This is my first table and it seems terribly simple
to set up but alas, I am defeated. The sound coming
out of this combo is muted, dull, and with no high
frequencies. Switch to my CD and things seem
right again.

What I did:

I aligned the Cart with the cardboard alignment gadget
I set the bias and tracking weight to 0
I balanced the arm to just above the LP using the weight
I set the tracking weight to 1.5
I set the bias to 1.5

Result: dull, lifeless, mushy sound with no highs.

I increased the tracking weight and bias to experiment
but it didn't help. After two 3 hours I decided the right
thing to do was to search for a rope and hang myself but
I couldn't find one so I had a shot of tequila and went to
bed instead.

I also notice that the tone arm lifter level doesn't rise
high enough to push the arm up so I have to slowly
drop the arm on an lp. This seems like it *could*
easily bend the cantilever so I would like to know how
to fix this as well.

I'm in Seattle so if there are any local analogue experts
reading this, I'd love to chat on the phone.

Thanks
Tom
eastside_guy

Showing 1 response by tacs

tacs
220 posts
 
Yes, the Classe must be set to mm operation via internal jumpers. Dull sound results from gain mismatch using mc setting with an mm cartridge.
For a brief time I had almost the exact same setup as you do, and it sounded absolutely marvelous.
Grado and Rega actually do synergistically work, I do not know the basis for Marakanetz' observation here. The only problem with the setup is some hum from the high output cartridge when the cart. moves closer to the motor on the P3 (as it gets closer to the center) - unless you have the low gain version of the Grado, in which case my first point is nullified.
VTA adjustment is not necessary, the Grado's height actually gives the arm a nice slightly tilted back orientation that gives good sound.
Break in as also a factor but check the phono gain first!
All the best
Tom
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