I would bring the turntable to the dealer I bought it from and try to get it sorted out.
Unexpected issues with Rega planar TT, a respectful manufacturer product?
About a year ago I bough a Rega planar 2 turntable. I do not play much LPs, I bought it just for a few LPs I have. It should have around 20 hours of burn-in now. It turned out that a more than $600 unit has a 1-dollar phono cable incorporated into it (which, by some reason is called a "premium" one). In fact, I did not see an RCA cable that bad even with cheap equipment. Well, not really nice but this was not yet fatal. A few weeks ago, my attempt to use the TT has failed. One of the channels did not work, and after a few tests it was clear that it is TT, one of the RCA terminals. There was no force made on it or something similar.
Surprisingly, i did not find a technical support option on the Rega web page, they merely send you to their dealers. I have contacted the local Rega dealer and the answer was that they can check replace the cable at a some cost (whereas supposedly, it has a "life-time warranty" and it is a practically new unit). My question was, if they have some instructions to replace their "premium" built-in RCA cable, that I could follow for the replacement. Since then, there was no answer. I also contacted the US/International Rega dealer with whom I bough the TT, still no answer.
In addition, the TT has another problem, just from the beginning. Normally, when it is powered on, the plate moves to the opposite direction. After several (identical) attempts (on/off), it may finally choose the right direction. This is of course quite bothering but i did not try to clarify this issue before since i do not use the TT often.
Normally I try to avoid complains but i think that this case is "quite special".
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Honestly, I think the best solution is to chop off both RCA plugs and get someone get someone who can solder to attach 2 new ones. Less hassle and problem solved at low expense. Synchronous motors are prone to the problem you describe. Usually they rotate in opposite direction momentarily, then correct and spin in the right direction. If your platter continues to spin in the wrong direction the unit is faulty and should be returned for repair. Do so asap while it is still under warranty. A motor swap should fix the problem. Hope this helps. |
Wait…do the RCAs have any damage? Is the damage visible? Make sure you checked and confirmed that all the leads are all tightly connected to the cartridge. That’ll do it if one of them came off, you would lose a channel. |
@niodari I have(or had) a Rega Planar II - I purchased way back in 1981, when I had very little knowledge about turntables. Over the years I discovered the many poor design choices about that particular Rega
Rega has the largest after market parts supply business of any turntable
The only good things to come out of my Rega Purchase
So I guess I should thank Rega ? - OK
Todays marketplace has many significantly better tables than a Rega and yet people still believe the nonsense they publish and buy their products. If you are looking for a turntable
Back when I bought my Rega in 1981,
And if you still opt for a Rega - enjoy your purchase 👍🤔 Regards - Steve
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Thanks for your post! I did not think that this model was so old and so many improvements could have been made by an end user. You did an impressive job! Perhaps, Rega will say you thank you someday, and you may thank the God that He gave you the opportunity to learn, but not Rega for their poor job. I would not trust an audio company that does not give technical support, and put that cheap cables, parts inside their products. I bought this model because I liked the design and was not looking for something really good. But I did not expect that it can be so poorly made and with no technical support. What is then their "life-time" warranty? I am not really interested in improving this TT, i would be happy if it were just doing its job. The RCA terminal has no visual damage. While powered on, i tried to move it but there was no sonic response in the speaker (there is barely noticeable constant noise in the channel). So now i am in doubt now if it is really the cable or something less easily detectable inside the box. The leads to the cartridge look fine.
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I doubt it’s the cable. Did you actually physically check leads on cartridge or just visually inspected it? I had this happen to me with P2. Make sure the leads are on tightly. Take a tweezer or thin needle nose pliers and check every one of the 4 leads on the cartridge. What cartridge is it? |
I still think it’s cartridge related. Second guess would be a bad tonearm wire. One other check you can do is try to flip the channels by swapping leads and connecting the cartridge left ch to right and right ch to left. See what happens. If the problem moves to another channel, you most likely have a failed cartridge. If you have another cartridge you can try it would help. |
@niodari - WRT your original question
Depending on the arm, this can be tricky because the point where the cable is joined to the tonearm wire is inside the arm assembly - so oyu have to remove that plastic portion inside the brass threaded portion of the arm. Are you certain the problem is one of the RCA plugs?
To be 100% sure - I would use a multi meter to test for continuity (i.e. Zero resistance) between those little tabs that clip onto the cartridge and the RCA plugs on the other end of the cable
Here is a video of a Rega arm assembly. It is too fast to watch, so in your youtube settings (bottom right of youtube window) set the playback speed to 1/4 or something more useful. The section of interest to you is about 85% of the way through the video where the guy attaches the cable to the arm Good luck - Steve |
@niodari - connect as follows as follows https://manuals.denon.com/DP400/ALL/EN/OBAOSYdjavzsse.php Scroll down for connection image GREEN = Right channel ground (-ve) BLUE = left channel ground (-ve) RED = right channel signal (+ve) WHITE = Left channel Signal (+ve) Regards - Steve |
Thanks Steve! I swapped the channels on the cartridge and the signal now comes from the other channel (the earlier silent one). So the problem cannot be the cartridge. I understand that it can again be in RCA terminal or one of the two cartridge leads of the right channel, or somewhere inside the box. The second option is very unlikely because all four wires look fine. I may try to change the RCA terminal but then I guess it may lose the warranty if it exists at all. I didn't check the video yet. |
Guys, i should be missing something. The signal may be coming out of a single channel/wire. If I swap the channels the signal from the working channel will move to the other channel, while the other channel will remain silent. So if, after swapping the wires/channels on the cartridge the problem moves to the other channel, then the cartridge is potentially able to reproduce both channels, so the problem should be in the silent wire. In what precisely am I wrong? By the way, the problematic right channel is not completely silent. A barely auditionable signal accompanied with some noise is coming out from that channel. Thanks again guys for your posts. Nodari |
@niodari - OK - this is an example of how I understood your post... First case represents the cartridge connected correctly
But swapping the wires on ONLY the cartridge
Is that what you are experiencing?
Regards - Steve |
This was a very good suggestion, thanks!
Thanks for this note that made me check my logic. Yes, since I didn't change the channels in the phono input and both channels sounded in the two opposite settings, the wires of both channels should be fine (the same right channel that did not sound, it worked when the signal came out from the cartridge to that channel, and this happened because the channels were swapped on the cartridge - the left channel signal now went through the wires of the right channel). Perhaps, since likely it is the cartridge, it is not the worst outcome. But how the cartridge got broken after just 20-30 hours of use? I have to look for a new cartridge, would you have any suggestions for P2?
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@niodari - Since you are not really "into vinyl", I would probably recommend the entry level Rega Carbon cartridge (I’m assuming you need a Moving Magnet cartridge ?) for the following reasons
https://www.trutone.ca/products/view/rega-carbon-turntable-cartridge There are many other options, but the process gets more complex and more expensive Just a thought - if the Rega Carbon IS the cartridge you currently have...
Hope that helps Regards - Steve
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Thanks Steve again. Each time i play an LP i realize that this is the sound. But i do not have many well-recorded LPs and i think there are less well-recorded LPs than CDs. A few well-recorded LPs sound better for me than the corresponding CDs, but most of the music i like are better recorded on CDs (jazz, classic and even many rock albums). And it is a bit too much care one should take for LPs also changing sides every 20 minutes and hearing noise caused by LP scratches etc. The dealer from which I bough the TT has replied. I asked him if the cartridge can be replaced. I will also try to move the stylus. The $95 cartridge on the page looks like one I have.
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@niodari - WRT analogue vs. Digital - I cannot disagree with the points you raise. Personally - I listen to digital, but more for background music e.g. when friends are over But if I want to "escape" and be bathed in sumptuous reality of a live performance, or get nostalgic about times gone by I turn to vinyl. + a glass of wine or Single Malt 😎 Most of my vinyl is quite old, but I do have some new artists that I consider worthy of the investment e.g. Ed Sheeran and Jason Moraz Sam Smith, Lorde, Black Eyed Peas... that have produced exceptionally well engineered albums that have been very well pressed. I have also invested in some very fine quality orchestral vinyl albums that simply transport me into the concert hall for the entire album But one of the surprises for me was the exceptional engineering quality.of some of my older albums.
The other thing about vinyl - it lets you explore music that is not offered in digital format - like the 1959 pressing I have featuring "Trad Jazz" artist Chris Barber - which is a throwback to my childhood years because he was a favorite of my brother. I also have some great music stores in the area selling "previously enjoyed" vinyl, so the exploring can also be quite a lot of fun and very rewarding When it come to vinyl, I like the fact that I have to get up to change sides - it "encourages" me to listen more intently to the entire side. Some of the newer vinyl albums I mentioned, I also have in Digital format and on my system - they both sound exceptional, too the point where it is difficult to tell them apart. But I do tend to gravitate to the vinyl version in those moments I want to immerse myself in the music Even though I have had a turntable since 1981 - I switched to Digital for many years, but then I decided to dust of the turntable and in that process, I found a whole new listening pleasure. That's my journey 👴 Apologies for the long post - Steve
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Hi guys! The problem with my turntable is settled. @audphile1 your suggestion that it's cartridge was important. The first time I discovered the problem was with my new SET tube integrated amplifier. First I thought it's the amplifier. When I understood that it was the turntable, my first thought was that it it's the RCA cable because the way how it looks. I did not think then about the cartridge. @williewonka, your note that by removing and reinserting the cartridge something can be changed, pushed me to try this. I watched the video (thanks again), these operations turn out to be not difficult. I removed the stylus and it was not difficult to see that among the two ends of the styles which connect the the stylus with the wires, the one corresponding to the right channel was not in the right position - it was bent further to one of the extremal positions. I just bent it to the middle position symmetrically to the end of the left channel. That "simple", which unlikely would have been possible without your help Before that, just yesterday I ordered AT3600L cartridge after watching the video that compares it with the original Rega carbon cartridge, which costs about three times more and unlikely is better (thanks @knock1 ). The delivery takes at least one month but there is no urgency any more! |
According to my understanding, Rega just cloned the Audio Technica cartridge and is selling them three times more expensive with an attractive carbon name. The particular Rega carbon cartridge i have is close to defective, although I was able to correct the position of the right end of the needle, this was at the cost of disbalancing the position of the needle itself towards the platter, it is not now strictly horizontal (i was afraid to force it too mach not to break it). Goldring can be a better cartridge but I am not sure if there will be a tangible difference for most of my LP s which recording quality is not very good (there are a few really well recorded LP s from more than handed LP s i have currently; even jazz sounds better on CD s in my system - i did a careful comparison of a few of them, just recent comparison i did on the modern jazz quarter blues on Bach). For me, in digital, DAC/CD player is important but more definitive is the recording quality itself. You spend thousands of dollars on a better DAC/transport and you get less improvement than between two well and not so well recorded CD s. I guess something similar happens with TT cartridges. |
@audphile1 , Time has passed since the last communication. Just a small question. You sad that you replaced the original carbon cartridge on Rega 2 with Goldring E3. I got some new LPs and thought that it may make sense to try a better cartridge. Are these two 100% compatible, i.e., is some adaptation required to replace one by the other? |
@drbond , no i didn't. The cartridge in fact was defective, the stylus was not in the symmetric position which was the main issue. The stylus could not been dirty or something since I used it too little. I think that it's better to avoid any cleaners whenever this is possible. Do you use it? |
No, I don’t use the Onzow stylus cleaner because I used it on my Rega MC cartridge regularly, and the left channel broke on that cartridge, with only 100 hours on it. I wasn’t sure if it was a manufacturer defect or as a consequence of using the stylus cleaner. I’m beginning to think that it was just a defective Rega MC cartridge, and had nothing to do with the cleaner. |
In Spring of 2021 I bought a P3 with Ania MC cart. #1 The tonearm leads were the cheapest, most fragile ones I've ever encountered; and I've owned 8 tables over the last 50 years. #2 The closer the tonearm was to the spindle, the louder the hum; reversed the wall-wart by 180 degrees, that helped but the hum was still present. #3 The Ania sounded exactly as what it is; a bonded elliptical on an aluminum cantilever. Absolutely no match for my AT33PTG/II, which, BTW, is cheaper. #4 Sold it all after 35 hours play and learned my $500 lesson.
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