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What cartridge to use....Rega RB25 Structural Mod

I have a Rega RB250 with the JA Michell structural mod and Incognito rewire mounted on an Acoustic Signature Final Tool. I am currently using a Koetsu Red with very good results. I am looking for something better. Aren't we all?? As you may or may not know, the Michell mod allows use of just about any cartridge made. There are 2 different counterweights. One for cartridges with a weight of 3 to 6 grams and another for cartridges with weights from 6-13 grams. The RB250 has an effective mass of 11 grams. So, with this in mind, what do you think. I am trying to stay within the $1,000.00 range, new or used. I have some cartridges in mind. The Dynavector DRT XV-1, XX-1, XX-2, ZYX Fuji R100 FS, Benz Micro LO.4, Lyra Helikon and the Ortofon Jubilee are some of the choices thus far. I have not listened to any of the above cartridges. I am going on reviews from this site and some of the professional reviews I have read. Please let me know if you've had any experience with similar setups or if you have any recommendations/suggestions regarding other cartridges I haven't mentioned. Also, I need to purchase a cartridge alignment tool. Any suggestions on tools under $50.00 would be great!!

Thank You
Jeff
jfrizzell49

Showing 3 responses by twl

twl
3,251 posts
 
I'd recommend adding a "TWL mod" to your 250, at the expense of sounding like I'm beating my own drum.

Please check out the "Strange Tonearm Tweak" thread, here in the Analog forum.
Many have found this to be a very solid improvement, particularly with the lower compliance cartridges, such as your Koetsu. In fact, it would be perfect for matching your Koetsu to that arm.

Note that I no longer sell this mod, and it is easy to DIY for about a couple of dollars.

You can make it removable if you want(by using Blu-Tack as the adhesive), so you can do a "before and after" comparison, and remove it if you don't like it.

If you don't think it is a dramatic improvement, I would be quite surprised, as many others have called it "the best mod for the money, ever".
It wouldn't surprise me to find that it makes more improvement than all your previous mods.
It has found many happy users, all over the world, and on this site, and on AA.

Maybe when you start hearing more of what your Koetsu can do, you might not want to change it. And that could save you bags of money.
twl
3,251 posts
 
I really think that all this discussion about arms needs to be related to the cartridge/cartridges that are to be used with these arms.

Not every tonearm is correct for every cartridge.
To discuss arms without cartridges in mind is quite "out of context" in my opinion.

Regarding the cartridge originally mentioned in the thread topic, I wouln't recommend the use of something like a Koetsu, DL103R, or Shelter in most unipivot arms(although there are a few exceptions), especially any light weight unipivot arms.

All unipivot arms are pushed to their limits of stability with low compliance cartridges, and even the actions of the tonearm designers themselves, such as Graham, and Weisfield, and others, have incorporated "outriggers" or other types of stabilizers to help their unipivot arms deal with the lower compliance cartridges.

Matching is critical, and proper matching goes beyond simple mass/resonance calcs.
twl
3,251 posts
 
I seem to have become a bit sensitive to Pauly's condescending attitude towards the other members here, when clearly we are not the only ones with something to learn.

As such, I'll bow out of the conversation also, in deference to the "undisputed master" of tonearm design and cartridge matching.
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