You Must Get The White Belts!

[dtainer]

I got the white belt, if there is a difference, it is as close to no difference as can be from my 1-year-old Needle Doctor Rega replacement belt.

I bought mine from the Analogue Seduction ebay link, like Frank and xyyy--it arrived very fast. Like Frank and Safe1, it was more of an off white, although if it is true that the rubber is not "processed", then I wouldn't expect a pure white or any uniformity of "color/non-color".

I'm still listening right now, going through Elvis Costello (Imperial Bedroom), CSO/Solti (1812 Overture), Gregory Isaacs (Night Nurse), John Coltrane (My Favorite Things) and Moody Blues (Days of Future Passed). It is certainly no worse than my old belt. I might be suggesting things to myself that perhaps the bass is ever so minimally slightly more defined and lower, but since changing belts doesn't really make for easy A/Bing, it's merely ear memory at this point. Also, there is definitely less wavering in "Tuesday Afternoon's" violins, though I wouldn't put money on whether this is a definite effect.

I will point this out, though: I have an aluminum subplatter on my Planar 3. That, by far, made the biggest difference of any change that I have ever made to my turntable--anybody could have heard it. I have a Super Elys 2 that replaced a 15-year old Adcom Moving Coil--anybody could have heard that difference. I have a Musical Fidelity V-LPS with upgraded power supply which replaced a Bellari Rolls VP129--that made a significant difference that can be heard on most LPs.

White belt, at least on my setup, is no different than a standard replacement belt. Perhaps on the original subplatter it does make a difference. I'll be keeping it on and am otherwise satisfied with it--just it is certainly not a game-changer...

[safe1]

Of all the modifications/upgrades i did to my Rega P3 just only
2 did near or completely no improvement:

-Removal of the Tracking Force adjuster spring (which i ALWAYS regret).
-White belt. (well i don't regret this since i just put a new belt on my deck)


Especially about the "white belt":

First day i put it on on my Rega SEEMED to produce a more "lively" sound
out of my Rega, but it was hardly noticeable and i'm also (for the first time in my audiophile life) afraid that i was "pushed" from the reviews to "hear" a difference, while it was not actually there.

Having it for more than a month, and swaping it regularly with my old belt (just for test) i hardly hear any difference.

Don't expect anything "magical" from it. Take it simply as buying a new belt because your old one is worn out.

[rolleye]

I bought one of these 'off-white' belts recently and have to say it wasn't exactly night and day stuff..... compared to a new 'standard' belt there was very little if anything in it.

I'm using an aluminium sub-platter, a phosphour bronze ball in the bearing and an acrylic platter but haven't tried the ??better belt on a standard sub-platter, maybe that would sound different?

[Gothmeister]

Amazing. We've gone from everyone saying what an enormous difference this belt makes to most new posters saying there's no difference!

[xyyyy]

White belt, at least on my setup, is no different than a standard replacement belt. Perhaps on the original subplatter it does make a difference. I'll be keeping it on and am otherwise satisfied with it--just it is certainly not a game-changer...

The Rega white belt a game changer? Certainly not. However, I believe there is a small, incremental improvement from the Rega original. For me, I needed a new belt, as mine was over 5 years old. The on-line price I paid for the white belt, from Analogue Seduction (authorized Rega dealer) out of the UK, was just over $30 U.S. dollars. This was really a no brainer for me.

If one is looking for a game changer, look for a different cartridge or turn table or even a new girl friend. However, this is a Rega product that offers value as do the other items they manufacture.

[Gothmeister]

I think that about sums it up!

[HBA]

The audio is an amazing thing..for me the difference using the white belt was like night and day...and I am comparing them with new black belts. I do not know if its due to the P9 mechanism ( which uses two belts )..I am very happy with the upgrade ( I bought my ones in the Analogue Seductions website and I noticed that in fact they are not "totally" white )

[dcginc]

Love my white belt!

http://www.vinylengine.com/phpBB2/viewtopic.php?t=24400

[Spinnr]

I may be able to throw some white light on the subject of belts.

I am not an expert tech like many revered posters before me, but I do listen to those who are, here and elsewhere.

One other expert I admire is Sam Tellig from Stereophile. By 1985, he had owned his Planar 3 for three years. So he knew it, and its sound, very well. His quote is at the end of this humble non-segregated post.

Some background for those very use to looking at their Regas, and not seeing. A Rega does not have its belt on the circumference of the platter. It has its belt on the small sub platter, and acts on its four inch velocity, so any variations in speed by variations in the diameter inaccuracies of the belt are multiplied in the velocity of the outer tracks of a record on the platter. The best situation would perhaps be a belt of any colour and manufacture quality acting on a platter of five times the diameter of an lp. This would smooth out the flucuations. But be impractical except for the most determined philes amongst us.

Sam's quote from the August 1985 issue of Stereophile, volume 8, No5.

'The Rega is prone to pitch instability. The motor, isolated from the plinth by rubber, can apparently oscillate ever so slightly, causing variations in the belt distance from motor to pulley. I could hear the unsteadiness every so often, particularly with woodwinds. It wasn't the fault of the records—I was able to switch immediately to another turntable for comparisons. I might be able to forgive this in a $300 turntable, but for $450? (With the dollar heading south vs the pound, the Rega may cost $500 by the time you read this.)'

May the robust debate here continue.

Vinyl forvever.

[Spinnr]

As an appendum, I should also quote our own Werner, and his research on the noise of a motor being heard at the stylus. In my view ground breaking stuff because he measured it, recorded it, and presents it at the link below.

He is probably too humble to point this out himself. Although any fellow GyroDec owner (or in his case two) is way beyond humble.

http://www.tnt-audio.com/sorgenti/analogue_bites_e.html

A good read.

Vinyl forever.

[El Matarife]

..I am very happy with the upgrade ( I bought my ones in the Analogue Seductions website and I noticed that in fact they are not "totally" white )

The first batch of white belt were truly white. But sources suggest that Rega only made 500. They came in packages with backing cards that had italic text, stating that they were a 'limited edition'.

The 'white' belts being shipped now are a slightly newer design. They are also (presumably) being manuafctured in greater quantities, explaining the price drop to ~£20. They are greyer in colour.

Some vendors are saying these 2nd gen belts have better performance than the first 'whiter' batch.

[HBA]

..I am very happy with the upgrade ( I bought my ones in the Analogue Seductions website and I noticed that in fact they are not "totally" white )

The first batch of white belt were truly white. But sources suggest that Rega only made 500. They came in packages with backing cards that had italic text, stating that they were a 'limited edition'.

The 'white' belts being shipped now are a slightly newer design. They are also (presumably) being manuafctured in greater quantities, explaining the price drop to ~£20. They are greyer in colour.

Some vendors are saying these 2nd gen belts have better performance than the first 'whiter' batch.

Good explanation..thank you...

[pulsetsar]

After reading this thread I decided to check this out for myself. I replaced the stock belt on my P1 with this new white belt upgrade. The Rega packaging literature on the product states that users will notice an immediate improvement. My first impression of the product after installation wasn't astounding, but I did immediately notice an overall improvement. I then let it break in for about 12 hours of continuous running and listened again. This upgrade has definitely changed the sound of my table for the better overall. Specific areas of improvement include:

-Pitch stability: Piano finally sounds acceptable on vinyl for me. From the tighter and more audible hammer strikes to sweet sounding transients on those extended notes, the difference is clear and better.

-Great bass extension while tightening it up at the same time. It's amazing how much of the music improves as a result of this one benefit, from drums to male vocals.

-More detail in the mids/treble as well.

-A deeper soundstage. What I mean is not that it was far away, but that some instruments / voices were positioned in a 3D space that had increased depth, with some moving closer to the listening position and others moving further away.

-Less surface noise.

There may be other differences that I've not yet picked up on, but this is what I've noticed over the last 3 days of using the white belt. I have no idea if what I've heard described above is typical, expected, or fits with known materials science theories discussed in some of the more technical posts in this thread. All I know is that I'm not returning it.

[rocky500]

I just put a Rega white belt on my Planar 3.
Now when I first start it up, the pulley on the motor moves considerably more and knocks on the side of the plinth a couple of times then goes back to the center. (Slightly forward but in the middle)
Not quite where it was before with the old belt.
Also it seems to hit its normal speed in a second. I'm sure the old belt the record seem to take a good 5 seconds to come up to speed.
Also turning it off, it used to rotate almost 3 total revolutions before stopping.
Now it is 1 and 3/4 until the record stops.
To me this seems to be the belt might be smaller in diameter.
Could it be a little smaller and thus gives better traction?

Also now I can use a old discwasher big felt record cleaner brush while the record is spinning.
Before it would stop the record, so I would have to manually help by spinning the record with my finger.

Previous belt is a brand new Isokinetik Rega fit belt. (Brought 2)
I could hear wavering notes in some instruments like it was not running at a consistent speed. Fixed with the white belt.
Already have a aluminum sub-platter/ruby bearing upgrade supposedly machined to be an exact circle.