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I have an opportunity to purchase either a Rega RB300 that I've been trying out or a Sumiko Premier FT-3. I tend to prefer heavier cartridges with stiffer suspensions such as the Denon DL-103R, Shure SC35C, Pickering V15, etc. Apparently these are both medium mass arms, so there's not issue there. I prefer a very dark, smooth, mellow, and warm sound. Which one of the two arms would take me more in that direction? Have you compared or can you compare the Rega and the Sumiko FT-3 and describe how they might sound vs one another? Thank you for your comments!
Follow Ups:
depends on too many factors.
But the Sumiko is a better arm. the Sumiko is basically a Jelco arm.
dee
;-D
True terror is to wake up one morning and discover that your high school class is running the country.
quote by Kurt Vonnegut
The Rega is a competent arm, but the Jelco is better by design. This won't necessarily be the case on every turntable however.
Which table(s) will possibly sound better with the markedly inferior Rega arm?
A Rega Table?
I have used the Jelco equivalents on quite a few tables (Lenco, TD-124 etc) and found it to be better than the Rega in each case - on a Rega table, the difference was pretty much a draw but the Rega looked better on its own namesake table - A P5 in my case.
Can you please try to be more specific? Saying that something is "better" could mean anything. Thanks
I found, for my cartridges (Denon DL103r, Dynavector Karat 17D3), that the Jelco was easier to set up and had more authority, when needed, and more depth and delicacy, when needed. The ability to damp it was also more convenient in taming some of the HiFi news resonance issues I encountered.
It seems to me that the Rega arms do what they do well, but the only success I had was on the P5 for the RB700 Arm - that was a nice combination but was more like a system of matched components. The Jelco just seems to be able to adapt to different tables and different needs more effectively. If I was able to stay with a particular setup and solution the mega combination would be fine, but I tend to change components and the Jelco makes this so much easier, especially with the removable headship.
So it is better :-) (In my opinion of course)
The $300 Jelco SA-370H that I bought had a reservoir for oil fluid damping of tonearm motion. It also had a standard bayonet mount detachable headshell, which is very convenient for switching cartridges. You can have multiple cartridges already mounted in their own headshells so they are perfectly aligned. All you need to do is reset tracking force when switching cartridges.
I've never owned a Rega tonearm, but there is a design flaw in the spring-applied tracking force system. At least I believe it is a flaw. The spring applies upward torque to the tonearm when set to zero. You balance the tonearm and adjust the spring dial for the correct tracking force by releasing some of the spring tension. It was made this way with the notion that it would reduce effective mass by placing the counterweight closer to the pivot. In theory this is correct. However, the amount of reduction in effective mass is miniscule and the tonearm becomes considerably unbalanced as a result.
The best method of spring applied tracking force is when the arm is balanced and the spring is used to apply tracking force so the arm remains dynamically balanced like virtually all other tonearms that use a spring to apply tracking force. Anyway, because of this erroneous tracking force system, many Rega owners set the spring dial to maximum, which eliminates any force from the spring, so they can set tracking force using the counterweight only. They claim the Rega tonearm performs better that way.
Therefore, if you decide to buy a Rega tonearm, I would recommend buying an AudioMods Rega tonearm. If you read about all the modifications in the link below, you'll gain a better understanding of other things that AudioMods improves on the Rega.
Good luck,
John Elison
> > Anyway, because of this erroneous tracking force system, many Rega owners set the spring dial to maximum, which eliminates any force from the spring, so they can set tracking force using the counterweight only. They claim the Rega tonearm performs better that way. < <
Not certain who you think "they" are? From my experience, the reason audiophiles tried that method above was based on something completely different:
The real flaw in the RB design (and perhaps other spring/dynamically balanced designs) ... and the MAIN reason audiophiles began setting the spring to max, was an attempt to try "defeat" the springs inherited resonance, which smears the sound considerably.
In vain tho; not only is "defeat" impossible via the dial, this setup further compounds the arms most negative sonic characteristic(*)!
With > 2 decade worth of experience modding an RB300, including it's eventual spring removal, I can honestly (by virtue of experience not hearsay) recommend others to use it as ORIGINALLY designed; it sounds best that way, despite any so-called "erroneous" claim.
(The only way to "defeat" the spring's inherited resonance at any setting; is to remove it (or by some damping method)!)
I demo'd the Audiomod arms not long ago (will need a second arm soon). Impressive design, unfortunately not so much sonically. Could've been my expectations, perhaps the system or setup was compromised; that said, I'd still entertain a weekend home demo.
Still have much respect for Rega's. As for Jelco, never been a huge fan. However; recently heard what TTWeights did with a modded 750 w/Ort Cadenza Black. That was impressive.
(*)with dial set to max: less spring tension = lowered freq + a much longer duration: the energy (from cartridge into the arm) would EXCITE the spring, further smearing the sound ...
In an effort to defeat the spring, I have anti-skate set to zero and the tracking force dial set to zero, using only the counterweight to set tracking force. Am I better off cranking the dial to max (3 grams, I think?) and then using the counterweight?
> > In an effort to defeat the spring, I have anti-skate set to zero and the tracking force dial set to zero, using only the counterweight to set tracking force. Am I better off cranking the dial to max (3 grams, I think?) and then using the counterweight? < <
Again, not only is the spring not defeatable, it's resonant signature becomes more prominent under lesser tension, hence use the arm as designed; it sounds best that way.
I used to use a FT-3, but I also had Sumiko Analog Survival Kit wrap on the arm (increasing the mass). The arm was quite good like that. I used an AT OC9ml with very good results.
There's a remote chance that someone will disagree with me, but I think the best use for a Rega arm is.... Hmmmph, can't think of any good use.
For roughtly the same price as a Rega, one can get the very much superior Jelco SA-750D. That arm works great with moving coil carts and has features of real tonearms.
i have the 370H and Pt9 jelcos...never had a rega. the jelcos are great buys...my OC9 mII is on my 370 and love it...
I installed a Jelco SA-370H on a Kenwood KD-500 turntable for my son-in-law and it looks and sounds great. I've never owned a Rega tonearm, but I would definitely buy another Jelco if I needed a high-quality inexpensive tonearm.
very nice excellent arm. long enough for easy mc set up and just enough weight. i would like to get the heavy weight from a 730D arm. my 440mla sound very good also though its getting long in the tooth...
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