Rega RP8 vs Clearaudio Concept

Been running turntables since 1973. Started modifying around 1990. Built my own 15 years ago. Yeah sure I have suggestions.

With turntables there's two main schools of thought. Both work to the same goals but one verges more to tuning or tailoring vibration, the other to outright elimination. The eliminators can never eliminate everything so wind up having to do some tailoring. The tuners absolutely have to eliminate but try and do it with as little mass and as much stiffness as possible. The eliminators tend to a fuller more fully developed sound, the tuners trend faster, more incisive. Something I learned from Michael Fremer more than 20 years ago that has been borne out many times in my own hands-on experience. You can after a while just look at a table....

Which is why I wasn't surprised to read in Michael Fremer's review of the RP8, " somewhat harmonically (forgive me) skeletal." It helps also to know your reviewers. Mikey likes fast lean and detailed. I think he loves the RP8. If you like the current super-detailed sound trend you may love it too. Not me. Rega has a really good rep, a lot of which goes back when in the face of CD they decided to take a risk on machining for a really good tone arm. The result was the RB300, an arm that all by itself established Rega in the Analog Hall of Fame.

Its probably a really good table. Especially if you prefer fast and light over full and rich. Maybe not so much if you like a deep, wide, solid sound stage. https://www.trustedreviews.com/reviews/rega-rp8 "Not the most immersive sound stage." Ouch. Pass!

The Clearaudio to me just looks like a more well-rounded table, and I mean both appearance and sonically. Which is why I wasn't surprised at all to read the AbsoluteSound review. You probably know the one https://www.theabsolutesound.com/articles/clearaudio-concept-black-turntable-with-satisfy-tonearm/?p...

Then you have things like the Rega felt mat vs the cleaner ClearAudio platter. The Rega's George Jetson look vs the timeless Concept design. German engineering vs genuine British crapsmanship. (And I say that being the proud and very pleased owner of an Origin Live Conqueror. With its superb sonics, visible engineering flaws, and cold solder joint. British crapsmanship is sadly not just a witty phrase.)

When I talked to MF more than 20 years ago it was because turntables were scarce and there were none around to audition. Today there's way more turntables yet somehow when it comes to finding one to audition they are still just as scarce. Which is a shame. Hope this helps.

Wow, 
Thanks so much millercarbon. I agree, it’s a shame that there are not to many ways to audition all the great tables that are out there. VPI, Clearaudio are up there on my list. Considered Rega, Project but after reading countless reviews my brain got scrambled.
I believe you have a great point when you bring up the manufacturer’s country of origin. Germans might just have this technology down. I read a review of another great table from Clearaudio https://www.whathifi.com/clearaudio/emotion-se/review
but may suffer from your point about eliminators. Like all the new designs but will most likely go with a traditional looking table after all. Great Info millercarbon. Really appreciate it.

If you can stretch your budget, the P8 with Apheta cart,not the discontinued RP8, looks like the Rega to get.

By all accounts, worth the extra dough and a "you're done" table. Put that with 
future best phonostage you can afford.

You're out of audio purgatory, and listening to records.

So now I'm looking at a VPI Scoutmaster vs the Clearaudio Concept. Hoping I can resolve this in my own mind. Way too many good choices. My problem is I have some older lps, definitely been trying to clean them but don't want to subject a $500+ needle to them, but also starting to repurchase some amazing half speed remasters and 180gms. Ahh Waht to do! Maybe I need 2 tables ;-)

If you choose VPI, this is the one to get:
https://www.upscaleaudio.com/products/vpi-super-prime-scout

If it's within your budget, better value.
Whatever you  choose, ensure you're  getting the most out of the table/cart by using the best phono amp you can afford.

After a long hiatus, I had a Rega, went the VPI route and haven't looked back.

Tablejockey, Scoutmaster has the acrylic platter, any thoughts on that and other comparisons to the prime scout? Appreciate your thoughts. Scoutmaster I’m looking at is approximately $2000. New table might be a better choice

I don't know about getting platter specific. Either way, VPI is a solid option. I would be more concerned with the complete package:table/cart/phonostage.

A Rega will be  more plug and play. VPI can be no fuss-after a little attention to setup. If you don't mind used, there is always something interesting in the listings.

You may find something nicer than a new $2k retail unit.

To use any of the above turntables you need a very solid stand preferably with a granite top on a concrete floor. If you have a standard wooden floor you will have to get a wall shelf or you will be bouncing tonearms all over the place. The Rega and Clearaudio have pretty much the same performance. The cartridge is going to determine the sound to a much greater degree. Get a SOTA Jewell and you will be able to set an A bomb off in front of it and nothing will happen even on a wood floor with a crappy shelf. www.sotaturntables.com  The only other turntables that compare with the SOTA are SME and Basis both considerably more jing. A turntable must be quiet, accurate and isolated. These are the only three turntables that meet that requirement under all conditions. Also with the SOTA you get to pick your tonearm, one to match the cartridge you like. Put an SME 4 on there with a Lyra Delos and you will be in heaven. All the crap about how a turntable sounds is BS. A proper turntable should not sound at all. As for Michael Fremer, he likes whatever the most expensive item is as long as he gets a deal on it. God bless him.  He certainly has the largest record collection I know of. By the way the Syrinx PU 3 was the original SAT tonearm. If you can find one used in good shape it is an amazing arm.


 

Thanks everyone so I have a unique setup with my audio rack on a brick fireplace hearth so vibrations don't seem to be an issue. I was hoping to keep it around 2k. tablejockey mentioned phonostage and presently I just have a MusicHall PA1.2 Probably will need to upgrade that too. I liked the fact that the VPI was a USA product, seems built like a tank although I've never heard one reviews are stellar. Saw a Scoutmaster (now sold) so I lost that one. There is a Scout2 for about that price. Anyone know about that table? I will look at the Sota probably can't afford the SME. Thanks for all the help!!

I listened to one of these in my system.
https://www.mofielectronics.com/ultradeck-turntable

IMO,  very competitive table/cart setup at your budget(assuming discount from MSRP)

A no fuss setup out of the box. Worthy of a future cart upgrade,f you decide to move up. 

The threads and  reviews are positive as well.

No experience with the Rega.  I had the Concept and really liked the looks and sound of the table, but I have bouncy floors and it is probably the worst table I've owned as far as being sensitive to footfalls, so it had to go.  It sounds like you can put it on something solid, so you should be fine.  I have heard the Ultradeck and I really liked it.  The rest of the components were all different from how I heard to Concept, so I can't say which is "better", but I personally would lean towards the Ultradeck.

Big_greg you really need to try an SME, SOTA or Basis table. You will be able to jump up and down in front of them and absolutely nothing will happen. Suspended (isolated) table will always outperform unsuspended 
Tables unless the unsuspended table weights a ton like the big Kuzma and it is on a well isolated stand. This is extremely true if you use sub woofers. Subs that go cleanly down to 18 Hz will start driving most light fixed tables nuts at only 85 db. Just a month ago I set up a Planar 6 with an Ortofon 2M Black and on granite it let go at 30Hz  just under 90db. That was with a tonearm/cartridge resonance at 10Hz. So the feed back was purely coming from the plinth and platter vibrating together at 30 Hz
Now it would be very unlikely that someone buying that table would have a system capable of that kind of output at 30 Hz and in this person's system on a rather plain stand the table performed absolutely beautifully. His system is in his basement media room on a concrete floor. The Ortofon 2M Black is a very impressive MM cartridge. This is the first time I have been able to play with one. Tracks like a bandit. Very smooth easy sound. Now other than setting the tonearm./cartridge resonance to high there is nothing you can do to make a SOTA, SME or Basis feed back.
Right now I would give my eye teeth for an SME 30/12 with a Kuzma 4 pt 14. The ultimate Koestu battleship. Dream on.

I'll keep that in mind if I decide I need to do jumping jacks while listening to vinyl.  I think I'm good for now.  I have a couple of fairly well damped tables both on Symposium bases.  I can walk around the room without them skipping and they do pretty well with the bass frequencies, especially considering they are not ideally placed (in between the speakers) due to space limitations.  There's always something better, but I need to stand pat for a while.

So the Ultradeck looks like a great value and seems like it would be a even match to my Krell Digital Vanguard and Vandersteen 2ces. Wonder if the Music Hall PA1.2 is an acceptable phono stage? Any suggestions would be helpful.
Thanks again everyone!