A Rega Planar 3 question

[timson1]

Hi Guy,
Very new to this site. I have rediscoverd my vinyl and loving the sound! I am using a pair of Paradigm floor speakers which I have just purchased. I am also using my old Hitachi HT50s. I know I need a better turntable so have managed to get hold of a Rega Planar 3 in mint condition with the older R200 arm. My question is, should I purchase a Michell REGA RB250 TONEARM with RB300 BASE, seen on Ebay. Sounds like this would be a great improvment. Will it fit my Planar 3 without modification? Also looking at a new cartridge, possibly a Ortofon 2m blue. Would that be a good move. Sorry if these are dumb questions but just getting into it.

[zharca]

The mounting distance for the two arms is the same, but the hole for the RB200 is a couple of mm larger.

The 2m cartridges are a very good match but you will need to raise the arm by2-3mm using a spacer to get it set up properly and this means that there will be very little of the base thread showing underneath the turntable to fix the arm down with.

You can solve both of the problems with one of these:
http://www.musicdirect.com/p-7448-rega- ... d-nut.aspx

which will take up the slack in the hole and also screw on properly.

If the turntable came with an RB200 then it's 30 years old and, unless you know it's been recently serviced, it's worth changing the drive belt and cleaning and lubricating the bearing.

[Alec124c41]

I suggest that a metal sub-platter will improve the stability of the speed enormously.

Cheers,
Alec

[timson1]

Thanks for your time in answering questions. The turntable turned up today. Sound is not good, one channel is very low but that maybe due to an old cheep cartridge. the big problem is the motor. Seemed to work ok for the first 10 min , now it turns very sloooowly! the small wheel that the belt goes over can move around if pushed with finger. is that correct or should it be rigid?

[brassnwood]

Hi timson1,
The Motor pulley should be fixed rigid on the Motor shaft! if it will come right off then clean the motor spindle & 'stick' the pulley back on with some super glue.
Also as Zharca said ...[unless you know it's been recently serviced, it's worth changing the drive belt and cleaning and lubricating the bearing.]
Then play it for a while & get used to the sound after setting up the cartridge correctly using this Forum's Tools to help
It might be worth checking to see if the Cartridge is just dirty, before binning it
& finally, DON'T bin the R200 - it is a very musical Arm if set up properly & even modded like most people mod there 250's /300's
Enjoy the sound
GC

[timson1]

Thanks for info CG.

the shaft and pully is rigid on the motor. it's the motor that moves around. I have taken it off to clean and its attached to a metel strip by a rubber belt/band. the metel strip is then attached to the underside of the deck by 2 screws.
The cartridge is ADC VLM III.

[Alec124c41]

A couple of drops of light machine oil in the bearings of the motor will help.
Also, lift out the sub-platter, clean out the old oil, and put in about 10 drops of fresh oil, about #20 or #30. The platter should spin freely with a push (no belt), and for a while.

Cheers,
Alec

[timson1]

I have loaded up my Planar 3 with my new SAE LT a few days ago and it sounded great until the wires on my tone arm decided to break!
I was looking at getting a new arm anyway so I was wondering if the best option would be the MICHELL - REGA RB250 SPECIAL TONEARM selling on Ebay for $449. Is this the best option and more importantly will it fit straight in or will I need a shim or washer for the height or size of the hole. Mine is an old Planar 3 with an R200 arm.

[timson1]

Hope someone can give me some advise on this, dont what to make a major purchase mistake

[JaS]

The arm will drop straight into the hole but as mentioned previously the R200 hole is slightly bigger so care needs to be taken centring the arm in the hole. The exact location is only important if using the Rega protractor or an arc protractor; if using a two point type the mounting distance is less important. As for the use of shims for height, this depends on the cartridge. I've never used an SAE so I couldn't say if it needs shims or not, but if the version you are thinking of buying comes with the VTA base then this will give vertical adjustment anyway.

Regards,
JaS

[Jim Leach]

I personally like the idea of replacing the old arm with the newer one and including the Michell VTA adjuster and finger nut. It (as mentioned above) takes up the extra space in the mounting hole nicely and gives you that VTA adjustment, which is nice (but not critical of course- shims work fine).

Sell the original arm to offset the cost of the new one... It will sell...

[timson1]

Have just received my new Rega Michell RB250 special tone arm with VTA adjuster. The major issue is that the base of the arm is maybe just long enough to allow me to screw the large finger nut onto it from underneath. There may not be enough threads to attach it, but there is not enough to use the VTA adjuster base. Can anyone help. I expect I can use it without the VTA adjuster, but that would be a shame.

[brassnwood]

Hi Timson,
Are you using one of these? http://www.analogueseduction.net/produc ... m_Nut_rsan

The thread of these sleeved nut goes up inside the plinth a little way which should cure your problem
Cheers,
GC

[timson1]

Thanks for the reply CG, Good idea, I can use the old one off my R200 arm.

I wonder if there is any difference between the height of the RB250 special arm with the VTA adjuster and an RB250 without. I ask because the VTA adjuster raises the arm by 1.75mm which maybe too much for my cartridge