SKZA
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Rega RP1 Issues
tekk
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don't know about the platter issue , you'd better aknowledge the seller ? As for the cartrige, same as for me  , and I had to reduce the tracking force to 1.70 g to solve it . It seems the cartridge is a good deal tall and the bottom of the arm sits back too low, have now ordered the performance package, the bias2 should solve the issue and balance the arm which isn't parallel to the record.

SKZA
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Thanks tekk, I appreciate the response. Once you get the performance package set up please let me know whether it solves your cartidge issue. I've considered that same solution myself so I'm glad someone else is going to try it out first. I'll try adjusting the counterweight as well and see if that helps. 

As for the platter, it turned out to be a subplatter defect that retailer took care of in a heartbeat. I have to give a big shoutout to Music Direct for hearing me out, contacting Rega's US supplier and having a new platter and subplatter sent directly to me all within a week. Best customer service experience I've had. 

tekk
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of course I will, hopefully the sooner. Please advice whether your arm runs parallel and the decrease in tracking force has solved the issue somehow.

Also, my platter wobbles a little but definitetely not the weird way some chaps have experienced and recorded on youtube.

Anyway the table plays great!

hcsunshine
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i also have the rp1 and the bottom of the ortofon om5e cartridge was hitting the records. you need to back off the counterbalance weight to about a millimeter from the stop. this should help. also my platter had quite a bit of wobble in it when i first started playing records, but is  now down to a hardly noticable level.

SKZA
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Thanks to some thoughtful Christmas gifters, I've just installed the RP1 Performance Package on my TT and finally taken the time to carefully set it up properly. I think the Stereophile review says the package is like flipping a "chunkify" switch, and I've absoltuely found that to be true. Unfortunately I'm listening to it through sub-par components (hope to rectify that soon), but I can still tell a huge difference. I won't bother making as ass of myself by trying to define what I'm hearing, but there's something there and it's good. 

In regards to the issue with the Ortofon OM5E dragging on the record, I had originally fixed that by adjusting the counterweight back, though I didn't have a stylus gauge to see exactly what the weight was. With the Bias 2, a platter mat and a new stylus gauge, I've got it set up right at 1.75g and I have no issues at all. 

I would without hesitation recommend the performance package to anyone with an RP1 and especially to those who are putting up with performance issues with the stock table. Great upgrade. 

davidflas
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I am so glad to find this thread! I too an new to vinyl and have had the "cartridge dragging on records" issue. I had planned on getting the performance package anyway, so this seals the deal. I'm glad that it was not something I did wrong.

Audiolad
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I had to rewire my tonearm because the clips broke and there wasn't enough wire left to add new clips. Even so, this is an amazing turntable, that will be with me for many years. The accuracy of the tonearm length and cartridge angle allows record play from beginning to end. Upgrading cartridges will automatically require you to buy a factory provided plate to raise the arm or in my case I used some high quality inert material washers that allows me to adjust the height by simply adding washers to the three screws for the tonearm to the plinth. The wiring should not have happened, and for most people they will require repair or a $220 complete cardas kit (new rca, cardas, and wiring through arm.

commsysman
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Audiolad wrote:

I had to rewire my tonearm because the clips broke and there wasn't enough wire left to add new clips. Even so, this is an amazing turntable, that will be with me for many years. The accuracy of the tonearm length and cartridge angle allows record play from beginning to end. Upgrading cartridges will automatically require you to buy a factory provided plate to raise the arm or in my case I used some high quality inert material washers that allows me to adjust the height by simply adding washers to the three screws for the tonearm to the plinth. The wiring should not have happened, and for most people they will require repair or a $220 complete cardas kit (new rca, cardas, and wiring through arm.

You should really start a new thread; not tack onto one that died four years ago.

Audiolad
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I didn't wish to buy a $200 cardas/wiring, so I bought the wiring/clips instead. The cardas is rubber so I drilled out the existing cable and added a new better quality RCA cable. After pulling the right and left cables through the rubber, I glued them tightly so they will never move. The RCA cable end is stripped to four wires. The RP1 is internally grounded, so you must run a wire from the blue lead to the ground connection (touches side of pipe). After soldering the red, green, blue, white tonearm wires I removed the arm and top pipe from the assembly and pushed the wire through the base and then down the tube to the cartridge end (make sure you leave lots of wire to put you clips on. Once the wiring is in place I reattached the tube to tonearm assembly. The cardas is reattached with a set screw, and now you must solder the clips on the length of wire you need at the cartridge end. They normally give you heat shrink tubing to cover the solder on the clip and the tubing is the four colors you need, so don't mix them up. Lastly I attach the wiring connectors to the cartridge and realign it with protractor given by Rega. This is the opportune time to change out the cartridge.

I was forced to do this because because two clips broke and the wire was two short to re-solder. If you have no skill in this area, then buy the complete cardas wiring and follow the last steps. However, you must remove the tube from the tonearm assembly to run the wire through. My results were good because I did it correctly, and the result was stronger wire and much better clips. The existing motor can be replace or you may wire the new 24Volt motor (both are available at Needle Doctor). The downside is the 24Volt motor uses a wall wart instead of a regular AC cable to the wall. The wall wart isn't very good, so you will probably need to buy a better one. The RP1 replacement motor is 1/3 the cost of the 24volt upgrade.

commsysman
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When you say that the plater wobbles, do you mean that there is a place where the platter moves up or down vertically?? Is it erratic, or onece every revolution in the same place.?

That sounds like the platter is somehow not properly seated onto the spindle/bearing assembly, or some sort of debris is in there below the platter, preventing full seating.

There is no way that the platter should wobble; this should never be the case.

commsysman
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When you say that the plater wobbles, do you mean that there is a place where the platter moves up or down vertically?? Is it erratic, or onece every revolution in the same place.?

That sounds like the platter is somehow not properly seated onto the spindle/bearing assembly, or some sort of debris is in there below the platter, preventing full seating.

There is no way that the platter should wobble; this should never be the case.

jj208t
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I was aware of the platter wobble issue so I bought the RP1 that was the dealer's demo as I felt that it would be about as perfect as one could get. In fact, my subplatter/platter was such a tight fit that when I ordered the GrooveTracer Reference subplatter, the plastic Rega platter would not fit. So I ordered the 12mm thick Rega glass platter. The correct thickness of a replacement platter for the P1, P2, RP1, Planar 1, and Planar 2 is 10mm not 12mm. I had to compensate for the 2mm difference but that is another story. I had heard about the Ortofon OEM being too tall in some cases. But, my RP1 left the dealer's with my Sumiko Pearl installed instead.

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