Any Owners of a Rega Planar 9/P9? (1 Viewer)

[Jeff D.]

Just wondering if anyone around here owns this table. If so - what are your thoughts? Likes/dislikes? What cartridge do you use/recommend? If you had the choice, would you take a Linn LP12 or the Rega?

Thanks in advance.

/Jeff

 

[Frank_S]

Jeff, I don't own a P9, I own the P3 which is 2 models down the Rega chain. I'm sure you would get more info on the P9 at www.audioasylum.com Click on the vinyl section and perform a search under P9. I did read recently that a newer improved P9 is going to be introduced so I'd look into that if you're considering the P9. The Linn is also heavily used by folks at the audioasylum forum. Good luck!
EDIT: Here is a better link Jeff, it features exactly your question.
http://www.audioasylum.com/audio/vin...ges/69549.html

 

[Jeff D.]

Frank;
Thank you for the link. It gave me some more things to ponder.
I have been reading Audio Asylum and I think I'm going cross-eyed!! I realize both tables are good and I don't think I'd go wrong either way. My concern right now lies with the Rega and the dreaded 'hum' issue. I've owned a Planar 3 before and this has been a problem. Unfortunately it is something that will drive me mental and I'd rather not invest in a P9 only to find it suffers the same fate.
Any other Rega owners, P2, P3 or P25 feel free to chime in.
/Jeff

 

[Frank_S]

Jeff, the only hum issue I've heard concernng Rega was with Grado cartridges installed on them. I would verify this if you're worried. My P3 is absolutely free from hum. A phono stage can cause hum as well. There are many things that can induce hum in a system but the Rega tables are'nt any more succeptable to inducing hum than other tables AFAIK.
The dealer I purchase my analog gear from carries both Rega and Linn. He would choose Rega over Linn anyday. Linn offer versatility in that they have an upgrade path so that you can start off at the lower level offering, but end up with their top of the line TT by the time you go through all their upgrades. The upgrades can be costly however, since many people don't install the parts and they also can be a pain in the ass to perform, as told by my dealer. He hates doing these upgrades so he charges a lot of $ to do them.
I'm not saying Linn TT don't sound good, that's personal preference, but don't write Rega off because of these hum issues. BTW, what is the rest of your system, do you own a phono stage, etc. Let me know, I'd like to hear.

 

[Jeff D.]

Frank;

Unfortunately the hum problems are not limited to just Grado cartridges (although they are the main offenders). If you do a search for 'rega hum' on Audio Asylum, you'll find people experiencing hum with a variety of cartridges including, ironically, the Rega carts. Now, there have been 'solutions' using Mu-Metal etc., but I have no concrete evidence as to their effectiveness.

The greatest concern is in fact the irregularity at which this problem crops up. There is no guarantee that any one cartridge will be hum free - some are and some aren't, even if they are the same thing! Heck, some people have even found Grados that don't produce any hum on Rega tables. Clearly there is a lot of interaction with all the parts in the system.

Unfortunately the hum is the only issue I have with Regas - but its a big one. I haven't the time to try and find a table that is hum free, and I know the hum will drive me mad. This leads me to the Linn.

The sad thing there is that Linn has pretty much killed their 'upgrade' path, leaving only the top of the line left. The LP12 is now only available with the Lingo power supply, though I do have a source with a few Valhalla's left. So, the Linn will definitely be a more expensive choice, as I'm pretty much stuck with buying the higher end versions.

The phono stage initially will be the NAD PP1, which I currently have as I used it with my last TT. It's a very nice stage, but of course something better will eventually be slotted in. My priority is getting the Linn (if that is what I decide), since it seems to be getting more expensive as time goes by, and less options available.

/Jeff