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Upgrade Cart/Subplatter on Rega Planar 2 or Step up to Clearaudio Concept

Debating a turntable upgrade (currently Rega Planar 2 with Bias 2 Cart) and ROI of me either doing a subplatter upgrade (Groovetracer) and Cart Upgrade (Hana EL, SL or Dynavector 10 x5) vs. purchasing a Clearaudio Concept with Satisfy or Satisfy Carbon tone arm with either CA MC or Hana SL.

Is it worth $3000-$4000 investment and better for me to sell my Planar 2 or dump $750-$1500 into upgrades. Curious on opinions. Havent been able to demo tables side by side. Either way moving to MC I would have to get a separate MC phono stage. Currently use the built in phono stage on the MF M5si. 

Also open to suggestions as well as Phono Stage suggestions with either scenario. 

Current System:

Dyn X34

Musical Fidelity M5si

Rega Planar 2 with Bias 2 cart

Bluesound Node 2

uncrocco

Showing 2 responses by uncrocco

uncrocco OP
9 posts
 

Thanks for the feedback. Sounds like a large cartridge upgrade wouldn't neccesarely worth the investment. Wish I could hear differences but I guess in this hobby sometimes you have to take a leap. Do folks think on the CA Concept I should go with the wood? Is that worth the upgrade sound wise? What about Satisfy black vs Satisfy carbon. Also debating whether to take packaged CA Concept MC vs looking at Hana or others in the $750+ range on MC side. 

uncrocco OP
9 posts
 

Thanks all,


Seems like spending on new turntable is best value for sound. I was willing to go say a Hana cartridge (ive heard both EH and SL on a P3) but not sure investment on p2 of cartridge at that price point would be worth it if I could simply sell the p2 now for not much of a loss and go Clearaudio direction. 

If I go EL or SL also need to get a new phono preamp but I would need to do that going to a MC cart on the Clearaudio as well so that is a wash. So I guess what I ultimately need to figure out which is hard is going to Clearaudio table lets say Hana SL cartridge in which case im shelling out a net $2500 more for better table components, tone arm etc, am I gonna get that much better sound audibly than upgrading to a Hana EL or SL on my P2 maybe with a groove tracer subplatjer upgrade for net investment of $1000. I'd say after typing this is $1500 more investment worth it for me to go to Clearaudio. 

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