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How important is precise VTA adjustment?

I am at the stage where I am about to make the plunge into the Vinyl arena. I have a opportunity to purchase a Michell TT with a package deal on the Stock Rega 300 tonearm.

My findings indicate that Rega makes the VTA adjustment process a nightmare. You actually have to remove the arm from the armboard and insert washers to change the VTA.

To me this sounds like a rather inaccurate way to make adjustments on such a high precision product like a tonearm.

Furthermore, I am not really sure that it's necessary to have this adjustment in the first place. I am no turntable expert and was wondering if a VTA adjustment in the hands of someone like me who is inexperienced with tweaking would only cause problems.

Does anyone know what adustments do come with the Rega arms and what adjustments are important to have?

Also if anyone could recommend a MC cartridge that works well with this arm I would appreciate it.

Thanks
tazuser
albertporter's avatar
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albertporter
4,949 posts
 
Much of what you say is true. The washers certainly are an inaccurate way to adjust VTA.

VTA is more or less critical, depending on the quality of the cartridge and your associated equipment ( how much it lets you hear the change ).

If you had a tone arm that was easy to calibrate and repeat the VTA settings, such as with a Graham or a Tri Planer, you would find the perfect setting with just a little patience and listening.

Correct ( or incorrect ) VTA can make almost as much difference in performance, as the jump from mid to high end cartridge would provide. The tonearm too high in the rear causes the bass to suffer and collapses the soundstage. Too low in the rear and the timber is muddied and heavily modulated passages are mis-tracked, distorted, or both. My hope is to help you understand what VTA does, although the Rega is not an ideal candidate for experimenting, unless you are a seasoned turntable guy.

As for cartridge, I will leave the ultimate answer to someone who had made the comparison with the Rega arm. As a guess, I would choose the Benz Glider or similar medium output designed moving coil cartridge.
bob55's avatar
bob55
14 posts
 
Michell makes a VTA adjustment base for Rega tonearms that I use with my GyroDec and OL250 arm that makes it easy to adjust VTA. I have found that on the GyroDec it results in much better sound to only finger tighten the tonearm hold-down nut.
bob55's avatar
bob55
14 posts
 
I should add that the Michell VTA Adjuster raises the tonearm 1.75 mm from standard. You may have to shorten the arm board standoffs or you could order shorter ones from Michell.
sdcampbell
2,136 posts
 
As already noted, there are two (maybe three) VTA devices that are available for the Rega RB300 and RB600 tonearms. I have seen them mentioned by VPI, Rega (Lauerman Audio Imports, in Knoxville, TN), Express Machining, and also the AudioAdvisor. The easiest place to start is AudioAdvisor
www.audioadvisor.com).

The RB900 arm, however, has a solid, 3-point base mount that is secured to the arm board, and the only way to adjust VTA is by inserting washers between the tonearm base and the armboard. If you are not the RB900 arm, however, this is not an issue.
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