Trust your ears. I do.
After buying 2nd to the top line Conrad Johnson electronics and a Pass Labs phonostage, I thought I was good to go with my Rega RP6 with the Exact2 cartridge. Every time I put on an album (after cleaning it on my Clearaudio Smartmatrix Pro), I was really, really sad. Why? Because it sounded like crap, that's why. Compressed soundstage, lack of definition, and no finesse. No particular bass presence, either.
Before deciding to get out of vinyl, I ponied up for a Rega RP10 with the Apheta2 MC cartridge. Now? All I buy is vinyl.
I know the really high end guys poke fun at the Apheta's (both 1 and 2), but it sounds good to my ears. Fremer was right; classical sounds the best, but rock & roll is serviceable, and way, way better than on the RP6 with the MM cartridge.
My next stop is to try a Grado because I love the house sound of the headphones and had Grado cartridges growing up, or go with a Hana SL and see if i saves my RP6.
Happy listening.
After buying 2nd to the top line Conrad Johnson electronics and a Pass Labs phonostage, I thought I was good to go with my Rega RP6 with the Exact2 cartridge. Every time I put on an album (after cleaning it on my Clearaudio Smartmatrix Pro), I was really, really sad. Why? Because it sounded like crap, that's why. Compressed soundstage, lack of definition, and no finesse. No particular bass presence, either.
Before deciding to get out of vinyl, I ponied up for a Rega RP10 with the Apheta2 MC cartridge. Now? All I buy is vinyl.
I know the really high end guys poke fun at the Apheta's (both 1 and 2), but it sounds good to my ears. Fremer was right; classical sounds the best, but rock & roll is serviceable, and way, way better than on the RP6 with the MM cartridge.
My next stop is to try a Grado because I love the house sound of the headphones and had Grado cartridges growing up, or go with a Hana SL and see if i saves my RP6.
Happy listening.