Stephen Mejias

Hmm. Not to be a buzz-kill but for $59.00 it better be good, Considering there is about .50 worth of material involved...

Let me know what you think. I have eyed this myself.

Tolerances? You mean they finally made a belt that "fits"? xD Sounds like a scam to me.

Stephen:See if you hear an improvement. Ingnore the negativism. As you know, in this audio world, an improvement for that price is really a bargain. I had a P2 for a while and loved everything about it except the pitch stability. Do let us know how it goes.Tom

I tried this about a year ago, and it didn't do anything. Fortunately I was able to return it.

There's only one thing that pisses me off more than a company making too much profit and that's a company that doesn't make enough profit.Thankfully some audiophiles claim to know the correct amount to pay for any thing which magically equals exactly what they've paid. Clowns.

Gee GEORGE/DUP/Carl Engebretsen, for someone who owns speakers that retailed for $15,750/pair – $17,500/pair back in 2006, I’d think you more than most would understand the concept of discretionary spending on a hobby.

You'd be much better off with a GrooveTracer Reference subplatter upgrade. Seriously. About $250 but marked lowerng of the noise floor, less pitch inaccuracy, lesss wow, flutter, and a significant improvent overall. It would be money much better spent than on a $60 O-ring.

Because I don't spend $59 on a $3 part. When the $3 part does the exact function needed. The speakers do what is needed, and does it better than 99.999% of other products, that cost more. An educated "audiophile" is dangerous to companies that prey on ignorance. Same with the electronics that drives said speakers. And because of ME, someone else got the best deal yet a used set for only $10K!!! for said speakers, they replaced a set that was $40K list!! An educated audiophile spends smarter. He also replaced $6K+ amps with the bargain priced electronics I use, and highly recommended. When you buy correctly, you get more for less$. There is NO belt for a simple TT, that needs to be priced $59 Never. I deal with lab equipment that cost more than anyone's house,and they put parts in there that either cost the price of your house, or the price of a common paperclip, if it does the job correctly, and works as spec'd, that is the part to use. Paying too much, doesn't mean it works or sounds better.

That's very interesting math GEORGE/DUP/Carl Engebretsen - saving $56 allowed you to spend over $15k. Right. And to suggest you've made a meaningful comparison between your speakers and "99.999% of other products that cost more" is also flat out fabrication. Nonsense. Yet you complain about subjective reviews. Ha! But that's par for the course from you - all bluster, all bullshit, all the time.

Its less than a tank of gas and a good bottle of wine. I have to admit that I don't care what he paid. Great blog Steve...I think it is the best feature on the web site!

Mainly GEORGE/DUP/Carl Engebretsen because you are all the same person whether you like or not. You see, the Legacy speaker thing was bait and you bit. I was around on the forum when AlexO's friend Stu bought the Legacy speakers and AVA electronics on your recommendation. This is what’s known as a slam dunk. DUP.But you know what GEORGE/DUP/Carl Engebretsen? We’re on the same page as far as feeling good about recommending hi-fi products to people who enjoy them. Bravo! That’s what Stereophile does each month and that’s what Stephen does with his blog. If you were able to think past your own petty bitterness and self-centered bullshit, you’d see that as plainly as the nose on your face.

"...speakers that cost as much as a loaded Audi S4, which has a heck of a lot more precision electronics, and fit and finish than any speaker would do."You can buy a loaded used Audi A4 Quattro for the price of your speakers GEORGE/DUP/Carl Engebretsen. You can't see your nose because you cut it off to spite your face.

This belt makes perfect sense to me. It rotates the turntable, and small irregularities in the normal belt lead to pitch variability. A belt made to tighter tolerances would reduce that. Simple. And what is the market need for tight tolerance belts in this size? Damn small I would wager! So with less demand and less competition, the price goes up. I mean, how many uses are there for tight tolerance rubber belts?

Totally off topic -- but has anyone noticed how yummy the banana pudding and vanilla wafer style cover of the August issue is? Oh and kudos on mentioning Dr. Dog in an issue -- this can help me greatly to bring on board a lot of friends who already own their music. Maybe the Hipsters will bring back HiFi amongst the young.

@TreyIf the original belt's "small irregularities" cause the turntable to run so badly then the turntable's design comes into question also. They should just NOT make a product if it takes a $59 belt to solve the problem. There's plenty of good products out there so buy something else instead.@michaelavorgnaStop being a dick already and being paranoid about GEORGE

Thanks for pushing this point GEORGE/DUP/Carl Engebretsen. I hadn’t realized that the current price of your speakers is $17,250.50 and if you want the Rosewood option please add +$1,299.50. You know what else you can get for this kind of money? A used Audi S4.So in your words and in your mind – you’ve been fleeced.

DUP!

How the hell are you?

Didn't Stereophile ask you to stay off their lawn? Bad form to be kicked out of a party and refuse to leave.

On the other hand, this belt "upgrade" is kind of off-putting, speaking as a civilian audio consumer.

I wonder if Rega dealers demo tables with this belt or the crappy original belt?

Do they design their tables with the good belt, then down-grade their own product by selling the table with the crappy belt, or do they design with the crappy belt and celebrate that the upgrade improves what they originally engineered?

I would think that once they identified a better belt, it would become a standard part of any subsequent tables. Anybody know if new Regas come with the 'good belt' or the 'crappy belt?'

Then again, they may use the crappy belt to make their tables more affordable and offer the 'signature belt' for people who want to go the extra distance...like signature models of other gear.

And the saddest thing is that the crappy belt retail for €25 (about $30). Which I wouldn't call «inexpensive» by any standards.

I love my Rega, and I don't consider its stock belt to be crappy. I haven't had any problems with it. A Rega P3-24 in gloss white, with outboard power supply, red felt platter mat, and Elys cartridge has a retail price of a little over $1300. That's a significant investment. Spending an additional $60 a couple years down the road for a new belt, which promises to offer a significant increase in sound quality, seems to me like a fun, easy, and even smart way to enhance that investment. But, we'll see.

After hearing of this new belt "which promises to offer a significant increase in sound quality" I really can't help but wonder which belt they use for design.

You think they offer a 30 dollar add-on for new Rega tables with the ultra belt, or do you have to purchase the unit with a stock belt and then pay full price for the ultra?

Didn't this make you start wondering about their process, etc?

Would they want dealers demoing to customers with the stock belt or the ultra belt?

60 bucks is 'who cares' money, sure; but the implications of it are interesting.

If "$60 promises to offer a significant increase in sound quality" can you imagine what a $120 belt might do . . .

Leave it to Stephen to justify spending $59 on a belt because the horridly designed turntable cost $1300. Why does such a pricey turntable cost so much yet can't perform any better than a well built $100 one or in this case perform worse? How about building a turntable that works as planned from the beginning instead of gouging the public for even more money for a belt?

Trey is right. The price is what people are willing to pay for it. The cost of production is completely irrelevant. It might cost 10 cents, but its worth is determined by other factors: fit with an already-purchased product (cf. the whole Gilette argument - razor is free, but blades cost a fortune), the need to replace a part anyway (belts stretch and wear), and the pleasure of tinkering. Now, it might be fun to order a belt from MCM electronics and A/B the $60 belt to see the difference. But then what is the "price" to the average audio consumer of doing the research of sizing the belt, undertaking the risk of getting the size wrong, losing listening time to reorder the thing? If you are an invested tinkerer, it's worth it. If you make tons of money doing something else with your time, buy the part when your old belt wears out, IF that's what you fancy. It would be nice if products were priced with x% small profit over cost of production, but that isn't how things work. Paul

So Paul, money isn't important, Unless you're the manufacturer making all that profit.Another stupid opinion from the very wealthy no doubt. Hey Trey and Paul, I have these "magic, oh so good made by the hands of virgins, cables" I'll let you have for only $10,000. They cost me $2 but hey, if they perform then why moan about the price? Hahahaha. Morons.

Stephen, do let us know what effect changing the belt had. I am curious.

Dear fellow commenters, what a bunch of old ladies you are nattering away at each other! Let's all remember that the anonymity of the web is no excuse for being an ass.Stephen, I have an old Planar 3 I've been upgrading with used parts along the way (Groovetracer sub-platter and platter, Michell counterweight, Isotonik VTA adjuster) and have been eyeing that Rega white belt for a couple of years now.What have you heard from it so far if anything?Thanks for all you do.

@ TzedSays the anonymous Tzed as he berates us from behind his computer screen. Try taking your own advice "Mr. Holier than Thou" Why ask Stephen about a belt when obviously you are already willing to throw tons of money into your turntable anyways. Just go buy the white belt and find out for yourself lazy butt xD

I have to say that I can't understand why the belt isn't standard. Its cost of manufacture must be negligible. I'm really surprised at Rega. We audiophiles can be so stupid at times and I include myself in that satement.

I can't believe I actually got snookered into defending my opinion on a blog post, but here we go. How about we avoid all the toxic personal comments, you know, the kind you wouldn't dare say to someone in person? My comment was not a defense of the rich, nor do I have a lot of spare change myself. This is a blog about audio enthusiasm, not about parading moral/ intellectual superiority with the insight that there is a lot of snake oil in the audio market. We are all aware of that. If you want to make a case for how consumers might pressure companies to change their pricing schedules outside of market forces, i.e., not buying overpriced stuff, we are all ears. Calling people in the audio community morons on a blog will just give you a cheap thrill, nothing more. And I'm sorry if paying you any attention has helped you in this regard. Best,Paul.

Oh yea brother GEORGE/DUP/Carl Engebretsen, “Saved” in the best Televangelical sense. Following your advice will save us from the evils of a $59 part for an $895 turntable so that we can spend over $17,000 to buy the loudspeakers you own. And your justification for your purchase? You like the way they sound. You may want to take your own advice and consider installing a freight elevator in your home to help cart out all the hypocritical bullshit you shovel.

Don't know if Rega can justify that price considering they should get the belt right in the first place. What I do know is that if a turntable belt isn't machined to the highest tolerances the results can be nasty. I've replaced two belts supplied by VPI for my TT as the joins were so rough that a thump was generated through the cartridge once every revolution. Buyer beware!

I am currently building an all Rega system precisely because they make all their own products in-house, do not not outsource their manufacturing and support their local economy. Given that Roy Gandy is employing local people in his outfit, pays them a fair working wage, and seems to steer from outright absurdity of pricing, I'm a little amazed that there's a long thread breaking Rega's balls about an upgraded turntable belt for $59. Could they get points for including a dustcover with the turntable? Or for offering high quality arms at a discount with their turntables? If I like a product and feel well served by it, I don't feel stupid paying a bit more. I'm not just buying the basic material but am supporting the R and D and continued health of the organization and ensuring that they are still there to provide the products and service that I enjoy. If not, I shop elsewhere. I think a number of people factor in these intangibles and don't just live by bottom line judgments.

Excellent points Kevin and I agree completely. And I'd imagine that most people that try this new $59 belt will keep it if they prefer it and feel it's worth the expense or return it if they don't.

I'd like to agree with you GEORGE/DUP/Carl Engebretsen mainly because you are a complete waste of time but unfortunately I understand the meaning of words like "scam". And this isn't one. Overpriced? That's up to the person doing the buying.Tell you what DUP, go down to your local Walmart, take a survey and tell me how many people think your $17,500 speakers are overpriced. BTW - the Helix loudspeaker are $48,000 and a brand new Audi S4 starts at $45,900. A little warm for you to be pushing fleece don't you think?

@ Michaelavorgna.......yes it's a fucking SCAM dumb ass. God what a no brainer it is but NOOOOOOOO you have to keep mentioning GEORGE's speakers instead of the drive belt instead. Rega LOVES people like you, I bet they name their next $90 "Even Better Upgrade" belt after you.

...such vehemence of diction....

Our 13-year-old realized that name calling was childish and ineffective years ago. Must be very frustrating to have to reply on it as an adult.

He hates these cans. Stay away from the cans!!!http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vSkscytrvhk

Must be childish to keep harping on off subject material like the cost of someone's speakers too. Dumb ass xD

...get a direct drive Technics.This is the first comment that really makes sens. The 1210 is a proven design which is always pitch correct and comes with a dustcover.Don't dismiss real HiFi products for flimsy audiophile gear.

I purchased the upgraded belt. Of course my Rega Planar 2 is so tweaked I call it the FrankenRega. I have rewired the tonearm with the Incognito rewire. Also for the tonearm was the Michell Technoweight counter weight. I am using a ceramic bearing along with the DeepGroove subplatter supporting the Funk Firm Achroplat platter. I am also using a record weight. I also have various feet for the table.I did hear an improvement and felt it was worth the money. The precision of the belt contributed to a slight reduction of any remaining congestion to the music.Stephen I would enjoy reading about any other tweaks you try. The Michell Technoweight helps to reduce surface noise and improves tracking.