A Rega tweak I hope to see!

[JohnMichael]

Since I have tweaked about every part of my Planar 2 I am thinking up a new tweak. I am intrigued by the brace Rega is using on their new tables. I could see one of the aftermarket manufactures such as Deepgroove or Groove Tracer making a brace that would work with the older tables using the center post mounting system.

Since the main bearing housing and the tonearm are easy to remove and reinstall the tweak would be easy for most anyone. Care in design would be important because the brace would need to be thin under the bearing housing. If it was too thick it would raise the bearing well which would raise the subplatter. If the subplatter is too high the belt may not align with both pulleys. Too high and the belt might not stay on the subplatter at 45 rpm.

While they are designing the brace they should try to engineer a slim mount with a helical screw for VTA adjustment. I am thinking of something similar to the focusing helicals of older mechanical lenses. The arm could screw into the inner ring and that inner ring could be raised or lowered using an outer ring.

Yes I am bored at work. Yes I know I need to spend some serious money on a turntable. Yes I have had great fun raising the performance of my table. Yes I will always keep the table. Yes I will try tweaks. Oh and soon I will be discovering the benefits of the Rega TT PSU.

[02audionoob]

Check out this guy's Rega upgrades:

hi-fi avenue: Michael Lim's upgrades for turntables

Enjoy life with LP's and Turntables: Double or dual metal pulley upgrade for Rega turntables

[JohnMichael]

Thanks for the links. The only thing I see that I have not done is the double belt. I would need to purchase the Rega TT PSU so I could use it and still play my 45 rpm 12 inch discs.

Metal subplatter, lowered counterweight, cones and rubber feet for isolation are already working for me.

[JohnMichael]

Michael Lim has created a dual brace system for Rega ttables. Yes my Rega will be braced soon. I am tweakishly excited.

[02audionoob]

I'm intrigued by this. I will be looking forward to reading about what you hear.

[JohnMichael]

Here are pictures of the brace. First the top brace and below the bottom brace.

[JohnMichael]

They were ordered today and I hope they arrive quickly. Oh hell I wish they could have been teleported. I hate to admit this but I am not sure if I am more excited about sound improvement or doing one more tweak.

[JohnMichael]

Michael Lim emailed me last night and the braces shipped yesterday. I have decided I will install the top brace first and then add the bottom brace. I want to hear the contribution of the top brace by itself and then the two together. I am going to take pictures. I also thought I would record 2 songs at three stages. First will be without a brace, next will be top brace only and the third will be both braces. I will be able to AB the differences without having to rely on sonic memory.

[JohnMichael]

I have been reading reviews on modern Rega tables and some of the improvements the bracing has brought to the party. Improved clarity and a larger soundstage is a benefit of the additional rigidity. Improving rigidity and maintaing low mass seems to be a winning combination.

I am now thinking I need Michael Lim's aluminum feet which hold the Rega feet. The aluminum should hold the bottom brace a little firmer. The Rega feet are turned upside down and inserted in the aluminum feet.

Yay more tweaks.

[dean_martin]

JM, you were right on top of the after-market brace for older Rega tables. I'll be following your progress.

[JohnMichael]

The braces are coming, the braces are coming. They left CA on 3/14 and I think they should be here any day. They made the trip from Malaysia and now they are on their way to me.

[JohnMichael]

The braces are installed. After a long day at work I cam home to find my package from Malaysia. An adult would have waited until they were rested and had a day off. I on the other hand walked my dog impatiently, arrived home, fed him and tore into the package. The anxiety over damaging something during a tweak is very tiring and I may have some adjusting to do but not until my day off on Monday.

I used my 45 rpm of Adagio d'Albinoni which as some of you know is simply bass and organ to make my recordings. the first recording of the work is of the ttable as it was. Next was with top and bottom braces and the third is when I tried the 2mm spacer I had used previously. I have not listened to the cd yet as the table is still spinning.

The first benefit I heard was the presentation of the instruments. The double-bass was much more focused and the pipes of the organ were many feet back and filled the back wall of my room. The organ sounded like the organ I grew up hearing at church. A true pipe organ and not a Wurlitzer. Now Cleo Laine and her Return to Carnegie Hall album is playing. Her voice is incredible as ever but now there is so much hall ambience in the recording.

Half blind, tired and hungry but I will write more and post the pictures I have taken.

[JohnMichael]

Here are some pictures of the Rega as the braces are installed.

[02audionoob]

The top brace looks nice. It gives the turntable a bit of extra visual interest.

[JohnMichael]

The top brace looks nice. It gives the turntable a bit of extra visual interest.

Thanks the top brace also comes in black. Of course when I tweak I like both sound improvement and the visual interest of the tweak. A little bling for the Rega

[JohnMichael]

The tweak was well worth the cost and effort. I have described the sound as silky and this is due I think to a reduction in mechanical noise. I have never heard a soundstage this large in my room. My standmounted speakers made it apparent that bass was better but to really hear the improvement I switched to the Monitor Audio RS 6's. After some more listening I will have more to write.

[JohnMichael]

After all the vinyl I have listened to I am impressed. The sound is more solid, focused with a wider and deeper soundstage. The sound is better defined and almost silky from the absence of excess vibrations.

One thing I realized is the sound of drums is more percussive. Any of the percussion instruments are rendered more faithfully and faster. The table has more jump factor. I would like to compare my table with a stock RP6.

Anyone who owns a stock Planar 2 or 3 these three tweaks are must haves:
1. The Rega 24V motor
2. Michael Lim top and bottom braces
3. Michell Technoweight or any lowered counterweight.

All my tweaks have improved performance with the exception of the Funk Firm Achroplat. The three listed above will make greater audible improvements in the Rega tables.

[JohnMichael]

As happy as I am with the top and bottom braces members on other sites have not had the same success. They are experiencing greater sibilance and a brighter sound. The members having trouble own the P5 tables. Another with similar complaint has an older Planar 2 with the wood surround. The age of that table makes me wonder about a worn bearing and the bearing noise is transmitted to the tonearm.

The braces have been a total upgrade with no complaints from me. Just wanted to share others' experiences with the brace. I should also say that they only tried the top brace.

[JohnMichael]

An update on my braced ttable, wow it sounds good. The best vinyl has sounded in my system. The new motor and all the tweaks have paid off.

[JohnMichael]

As many of you know and possibly do not care I am using a ceramic bearing. I think I might need more ceramics.

PEEK Ceramic bearing sleeve for Rega turntables ISOKINETIK