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Not easy to find deals like that Lapsan. Used OL-1 usually goes for that by itself.Hey Buck, you might want to consider one of these. Mounting distance is identical to the Rega.http://cgi.ebay.com/Jelco-SA-370H-Tonearm-Ichikawa-turntable-tone-arm-/120716703101?pt=LH_DefaultDomain_0&hash=item1c1b46b57dYou'd have to terminate the wires yourself, or have somebody do it. It looks like a lot of arm for the money. Are s type arms good arms, I was under the impression that the s ad j arms were not as good. They have another similar arm tht is straight.neo
Buck,The S and J arms usually have more mass but are not necessarily considered inferior to straight arms. Some people think they are superior due to the offset of the cart being in line with the part of the arm tube immediately behind the headshell. Back in the day the Fidelity Research FR64s was thought of by many as the best arm you could possible get. Some still think it is. It is a very heavy S arm with removable headshell and is best suited for low compliance MCs. The main advantage of straight arms is lower mass and possibly increased rigidity and vibration dissipation. If a straight arm has a removable headshell or an interchangeable arm wand, much of that advantage is lost. There are examples of all type arms that are very well thought of, so I wouldn't necessarily let that aspect be a deciding factor. The type of cart you're thinking of using should be considered here. Low mass is an advantage with higher compliance carts (MM/MI) if the arm is well designed/constructed. Low mass is a disadvantage if used with lower compliance MCs. The straight Jelco arm is a 250ST. It is the straight version of the 250S. They are the least expensive Jelcos w/o the damping feature of the 750 or the NOS 370 I linked to. They are also a little shorter and have a shorter mounting distance. The 370 happens to have identical mounting distance to the Rega arms. It also looks like the mounting hole size is the same, but I had trouble making out the measurement on the spec sheet. It looked like 18 which would fit right in at 18mm.The mass of a Rega 250 or 300 is probably more suited to a med or higher compliance cart. They are in the 11 to 13g range. I say probably, because the damping feature allows med cu carts to be used successfully with these Jelcos. On the other hand these Rega arms are truly budget beginner arms and lack features necessary for really high performance. Besides having no provision for height adjustment, the wiring, counterweight, arm stub (in back, holds counterweight) are upgraded to get better performance. The companies that modify these arms like Origin Live or Michell, also improve the bearings. IMO the Jelco 370 is a much better arm than a RB300. The only reason I can think of to stick with the arm the table was designed with, is if you want to keep it like original vintage. With a Rega you'd have to get some kind of VTA adjuster to make it viable. You can NOT properly set up a cart w/o arm height adjustment. Shims, spacers and different thickness mats don't offer the flexibility necessary. If you want to use MCs like a Benz for example, it's no contest IMO. If on the other hand you like upgrading, getting a VTA adjuster, replacing the wiring etc, then maybe you'd have fun with the Rega. These Rega arms are entry level arms that are designed for a price point. Many people spend around $1K upgrading before they finally dump them. Some people stick with them once they have it set-up acceptably. I think these people just want to play a record once in a while, and aren't really into it. neo
Ever thought of making your own arm from a kit? Here's a Rega based arm that walks all over the competition, and for less money!http://www.audiomods.co.uk/armkits.html
As another owner of the Audiomods arm, I can testify this thing is one of the most amazing high value audio bargains in the world. It is a hand made labor of love made that so eclipses the stock arm it is hard to believe that it is related to it. ( I have a stock RB300 so I do have a meaningful comparative experience.) The only part of the stock Rega arm that's used is the arm tube. I would liken the transformation of performance potential to what happens when a Toyota Camry engine is utilized in the Lotus Evora.
What does it cost to make, how simple is it to assemble and what does a ready made version usually sell for?
I also have to give a thumbs up on the Audiomods Rega. I have used the Rega 250, and while not bad the Audiomods is in another league. I have an AQ PT-9 that I also use and it is an excellent arm. It is similar to the Jelco 750 in some ways. The Audiomods arm is still a better sounding arm to me. I think I would try and find a used Rega 250, mount an Ortofon Red on it and wait untill I could upgrade the Rega. You can't go wrong buying the Jelco. It is better than the stock Rega, but the Rega can be taken father in the long run. One of the guys in our group Joe_K ( GAS Circle ) has done one from a kit and said it was fairly straight forward. I am quite sure there is enough help in this forum to get you through the job.Sturgus
With $500 to spend on arm and cartridge - assuming you're keen on staying on budget - a Rega arm and a Grado Green1 thru Gold1 (whatever fits your budget) with a NOS Grado nude shibata on a Rock is simply heaven sent....and well within your price range.
