Rewire a Rega arm . . . ?

Did some RB300s many moons ago - ****ing fiddly job, fell to me as I was new.

Some hear the difference, some don't. You'll not be able to compare which makes it harder.

 . . . Mmm

CJ don't you ever sit back and just say "You know what, I am happy with this"

I think Hazel should be knighted.

Yes I do mate, but in this case, its a mission created by the Sumiko . . . once achived then I sit back, by the way Hazel is keen, she loves her music.  I dont think I can realisticaly go any further than the arm replacement/rewire???  The next step 'up' would be quite majour and costly.  I also have the type of brain that constantly looks for the next step in what ever I do.  Its taken me two years to get to this point, so I supose in two years time I might be getting itchy feet . . . ?

I want to get more new vinyl, and at anything from £20 to *%**!!! a go   My finances will only stretch so far.  The Benz Wood has just been sold on fleBay, enough to finance the arm if I go that rout but thats it, no more money for serious hifi kit for a long time????

It would be nice if someone could point me in the direction of some sort of pictuer 'A to B' type wireing diagram for the Rega arm, I'm a real numpty with electrics.

CJSF

Hi cjsf - I did it!  and even involved Mrs C as a second pair of hands for the soldering.

I went for a silver all-in-one job from Incognito 

http://www.analogueseduction.net/category-599/incognito-tonearm-pure-sil...

The immediate benefit for me was that because it is grounded via the phono amp by a separate wire (rather than through one of the audio channels) it got rid of a ground hum in one speaker.

I've got a RB301 arm on my Inspired Rega, by the way.

It is a bit of a fiddly business, but happy to have a chat about it if you need any of my one-time experience.

Thanks DC, Imight need you help?

CJSF

OK I have come across a good description and basic diagram from Origin Live.

So, looking at this Origin-live earth the arm at the hedshell bung and run this wire to the pre amp . . . OK, I have an idea, I have some super thin (less than 1mm) screened cable.  If I used the outer screen as an earth on all four cables . . . One, would it work OK. Two, is it necessary to use all four screens or even could it even be an advantage?

There are other problems but these are phisical that I have no problem in over coming, my main issue, will that wiring interpritation work?

CJSF

 . . . So no one has any advise on earthing a tone arm . . .

CJSF

Yip. Register to the vinylengine. You will be in your element over there  . Some seriously clever geekeroonies on the engine. Tons of tone arm threads, you just need to do a search CJ. Lecky stuff aint my game mate, tis all a bit wire/fuse/blow. More that a fair few clever chaps over on the Wam anaw. Better still, leave it to peeps who do this for a living. 

Yes I know Floyd, I do leave it to those that know, but I like to know myself . . . especialy now one is retired.  The Audiomods arm is simpler than most Rega definatives as it can be removed from its yoke with out usetting the bearings, makes wiring simple.  Waiting on Domonic for a quote . . . then see where we go?

 . . . I'll admit to just being a fiddler, I enjoy it, although one does get very frustrated on occasions  

Listening to some great music at the moment with the revitalised Sumiko.  Just heard Kiri Te Kanawa sing, 'E stano-ah, fors' e lui' from La Traviata . . . a revelation of the music and the system . . . :clap:  Looking forward to side two tomight, 8 tracks, of which 7 are in English.

CJSF

VinylEngine +1

When I was last using a turntable, it was an invaluable resource. (Not just technically but lots of fascinating history too.)

Yep, Vinyl Engine are well into meaningfull Rega upgrading, in fact they seem to be running along similar lines of thinking to yours truly.  With the Audio Mods Classic tone arm, very much under the spot light at present, this along with the 'Micheal Linn' sub platter, plus an acrilic platter, some say a PSU, some say not worth it.

However the concensus of opinion is the Rega P5 modified as above is a giant killer, falls down on the last few point for infomation retreval against the big boys, but on musicality, it well ahead, they say???  Its interesting that no one in the US has thought much about a total plinth change . . . I'm not convinced myself, the issues of 'over damping' comes in to my mind every time I think about it, slate plinths and all that???  Even 'Mr Slate', Doninic at Northwest Audio is not sure?

All the above info, but not been able to find out much on arm wiring???  Keep digging.

CJSF

   CJ ,

   If a change of plinth were considered how much of the original turntable would be left ? It sounds to me as if you could build a completely new turntable with all the bits and pieces you are changing . What would you do with the old plinth ? Or are you after two turntables so that you can compare them side by side ?

  Nick

Amazing, I put a spacific post in the Rega part of the Vinylengine forum, 37 hits and not a single reply . . . they dont seem to go much on arm wiring either???

CJSF

Important !!. This is not a dig at Rega so calm down fellas and read on,lol.

I love this giant killer garbage. A modified this a modified that @ 1000 quid total outlay (for instance) will live with, or be better than, a 6k table or whathave you. Have these fellas actually heard a 6K/8K/10K 'Big Boy' arm/table/cart set up next to their modded giant killer set up ,for a side by side comparison I wonder ?. 

Just a thought.