McIntosh MT5 vs Rega 8 or 10

For some unknown reason, McIntosh is taking extreme amounts of time regarding repairs, orders, etc...

As stated before, McIntosh tables are made by Clear Audio. Their turntables mainly appeal those who have McIntosh systems and want to keep the aesthetic. McIntosh makes an electronic sign that display's 'McIntosh' in green and an electronic clock that displays the time in green. Both are above a thousand dollars. And if people have the expendable cash flow to purchase McIntosh equipment for these aesthetic reasons, that's fine but if you're on a budget, I'd seriously consider something comparable to or even better than, for less money.

So then that leaves you with the Rega. I personally am not a fan of Rega's laminated foam core construction. I also had a friend that ordered the P3 and he kept getting a ground hum from the tonearm. He kept taking it back to the dealer until they exchanged the Rega for a Clear Audio. My thought is that you're not likely going to have a problem with the P8 or P10. If you do decide on the Rega, I'd consider installing an Origin Live tonearm in place of the Rega tonearm. I'm guessing that you could order the Rega table without a tonearm but I might be wrong about that.

@bwguy That’s the thing about Clear Audio, you can spend as much as you want. I will say that if you’re around the entry level, upgrading the tonearm is a good idea if it’s financially feasible. The table matters too but the primary issues concerning the table is consistent and precise speed and an isolated motor so that it won’t create vibrations. I’ve never heard of any of those issues concerning any Clear Audio table. It would help to have an external motor, which I attribute to why I only hear good things about VPI. Lastly, you won’t need a record mat with the Clear Audio.

Nice!