Help with this RB300

Before you think about taking the old arm off, you need to be sure you can mount the new one. I don't know the Kenwood you have--I went to see your system pics but the top deck design is not clear.

Basically, arms have different mounting systems, as you know. The size and position of the hole in which the arm is mounted is critical. If your turntable deck has a removable section reserved for the arm, you're in luck. You can take the piece off and redrill it, or replace it with a new one if the old one can't be reworked.

How does the Kenwood's arm mount to the top deck of the turntable? Is there a separate arm board or is it all one piece?

The RB300 is supplied with a mounting template and instructions (although Rega says these are for the dealer). Did you get them with yours?

May I second Musicdoc's advice? Get help in person if you possibly can.

I could scan and send you the instructions from my Rega, but you can get them online at http://www.vinylengine.com/manuals_rega.shtml
I think it would be a waste of time scanning and sending you the template, since a scan would almost certainly be inaccurate. As for the instructions, if this is new to you, you will find them pretty sparse, since they are written for experienced dealers.

If you want to size things up right now, the Rega mounting hole is 23 mm diameter. Spindle to pivot centre is exactly 222 mm. You will need 250 mm clearance from the arm hole centre to the inside of the turntable cover. The arm requires a minimum clearance of 70 mm from the top of the record to the bottom of the arm assembly.

My instructions don't mention the height of a Rega spacer. If your TT is about the height of a Rega Planar 3 or a Linn Sondek, you may not need spacers.

Best of luck!

Applause is a store in Toronto. The owner's name is Rob Doughty. He's one of audio's super guys, he deals Rega and he'd probably ship to you and perhaps advise you. There's a Web site which I don't have time to look up, I have to go to work :o( . There are probably a few great Rega dealers in Ohio too but I don't know who they are :o((

You'll find some info about height at that link to the Vinyl Engine. Good luck, and let us know how things go if you get the chance.

Congratulations, Lousyreeds1 ! Your arm replacement seems to have worked out very well.

When you use the template, remember that although you will be using the cartridge sides as reference points, in fact it is the stylus cantilever you are aligning. If all 3 are parallel, that's perfect, but in practice they are not, sometimes.

There's no reason not to go with ordinary stainless washers. The fewer the better, so if you can get different washers of different thicknesses, that may come in handy.