Last summer I added a new Rega P10 to my collection. When I ordered it, I also ordered shims ( the easy to slide in ones). After a few hours of playing music through it with the accompanying Apheta cartridge, I swapped in my Transfiguration Proteus D cartridge and was very surprised that I did not need to adjust the VTA. At $9.5K, the Proteus cost more than the Rega table itself but the RB1000 tonearm matches up very well. I swap this back and forth with my much upgraded newer Linn LP12. I tend to lean more towards the Linn but mainly out of convenience with how the turntables turn on and off. When flipping an LP, the Linn can be stopped via a switch on top of the table and not touch the power supply. The Rega has the on/off switch on the power supply only, which I keep behind a cabinet door. One plus for the Rega is that it is not sensitive to footfalls like a Linn and such are. I have a steel shelf mounted to the wall for that purpose.
Rega p10 vs SME 12A
The Rega P10 appears in the audiophile mags as "as good as it gets" for the money. The price has gone up to $6,350. I am also looking at the SME 12A, but for six grand more.
If I am steered to the Rega, would I be better off skipping the $4650 Aphelion? Is that cart so well suited to that machine that I couldn't do better for the money?
Thanks