Hello everyone! Welcome to the June blog from Audio T Brighton.

This month, we'll be looking back at one of our recent in-store events, which was built around a simple principle: Good, Better, Best.

Working our way through a carefully chosen selection of turntables, cartridges, phono stages and accessories allowed us to explore where upgrades can make the biggest difference, and whether those differences always justify the additional investment.

Some interesting conclusions were reached during the day, and it was fascinating to hear the reactions of those attending as we worked through the various upgrade options. As is often the case, there was plenty of agreement on some changes and a little healthy debate on others.

With that in mind, we thought we'd share a few of the highlights for those considering upgrades of their own. And without further ado, let's get started.

D-Day for Potential Upgrades - (Saturday 6th June)

Turntable Sessions: Step up Your Sound!

Our handy in-store rega display played the perfect backdrop for the event

As you can see from the photo above, we have a bespoke Rega wall display, with up to four decks mounted on a dedicated Rega wall brackets for each deck. Given that one of the main points of discussion in this blog is to maximise sound quality and pleasure from vinyl record playback, using wall mounting is an excellent way of isolating the turntable from external vibrations, such as footfall or speaker rumblings.

As for the rest of the kit - The Rega Elicit Mk 5 amplifier, Neo PSUs, Fono MM, Fono MC and brand new AOS phono stage were placed on a Quadraspire rack. We opted for the Acoustic Energy AE1 40th Anniversary Edition speakers on SolidSteel stands for this occasion.

Meet the Audience

With permission, I took a picture of the motley crew (not the band!) and started from the beginning, discussing the basics of turntable set-up, stylus care and record maintenance.

One of the things I enjoy most about these events is that everyone arrives with different levels of experience. Some attendees have been enjoying records for decades, while others are only just beginning to explore what better vinyl replay can offer. It makes for some great discussions, and hearing different perspectives on the same piece of music is always fascinating.

Once everyone was settled in, we started our journey through the upgrade path.

Rega Planar 3 with Rega ND3 MM Cartridge

The audience was pleasantly surprised at how clearly the Rega Planar 3/ND3 portrayed the energy of Taxman by The Beatles. Details and dynamics were in abundance, but the word "crude" was mentioned. That perhaps sounds harsher than intended, because in isolation the combination is rather good. It was only when placed alongside the next upgrade that a clearer picture emerged of where improvements could be made. A rough diamond, so to speak!

Rega Planar 3 with Rega ND5 MM Cartridge

I spent some time explaining the differences between the Rega Planar 3/ND3 and Rega Planar 3/ND5. The ND3 cartridge has a bonded elliptical stylus, whereas the ND5 cartridge features a perfect nude diamond elliptical stylus profile.

We played Taxman by The Beatles once again, being careful not to put words into the mouths of our listeners. To the surprise of many, there was a clear preference for the Rega ND5. Listeners commented on greater detail and refinement through the treble, alongside bass that was both more tuneful and controlled.

Interestingly, exactly the same conclusions were reached during the afternoon session, with comments closely matching observations I've heard many times during demonstrations over the years.

Small things matter!

Rega Planar 6 with ND7 MM Cartridge

Things are a little different here, with three things changing at once: a Rega Planar 6, fitted with an ND7 cartridge and powered by Rega's Neo MKII power supply.

Listening to this deck produced noticeably more detail, a larger soundstage and greater control and punch in the bass. The audience commented that the deck and power supply were clearly playing their part, but still felt the ND7 cartridge brought additional finesse to the sound.

Overall, the feeling was one of pleasant surprise at just how good a moving magnet setup could sound.

Rega Planar 8 with Rega Ania Pro MC

So our penultimate turntable/cartridge combination was the Rega Planar 8 fitted with the Rega Ania Pro MC. In order to play records on this deck, we had to introduce either a Fono MC phono stage or the latest AOS moving coil phono stage to discover what the combination was really capable of.

I wrote about both the Rega AOS and AURA phono stages in last month's blog, so if you'd like to read more about them, you can do so here.

Of all the upgrades demonstrated during the day, this produced the most dramatic change in presentation. Interestingly, however, not everyone agreed that every aspect of the change was necessarily for the better.

Clarity, dynamics, detail and instrumental texture all stepped forward significantly, bringing performers much further into the room. The reactions around the room suggested that this particular upgrade had certainly captured people's attention.

Listening to the track Point and Kill from Little Simz's album Sometimes I Might Be Introvert really demonstrated what moving further up the ladder can achieve, with the leading edges of notes carrying greater impact and authority.

Interestingly, some listeners felt that the AOS was almost too revealing at times, preferring the slightly more rounded presentation of the Rega Fono MC in this particular system. This highlights an important point: system building isn't simply a case of buying the most expensive component available. From experience, we've personally found that the Apheta 3 MC cartridge is a more natural partner for a phono stage of the Rega AOS's calibre. It's also a good example of where speaking to an experienced dealer can prove invaluable, helping you navigate the upgrade path and avoid a few unnecessary bumps in the road.

Cleaning the Grit Off Your Records

One of our audience members brought along a first pressing of Pink Floyd's The Wall, which provided the perfect opportunity to look at another upgrade path available to vinyl enthusiasts: record cleaning.

The Degritter Mk 2 has been one of our most successful products in recent years. Whilst certainly not an inexpensive piece of equipment, the before-and-after demonstrations have created many converts, particularly amongst those with larger record collections.

Once again, it didn't disappoint. After listening to Comfortably Numb, the improvement was immediately obvious.

Cymbals shimmered with greater clarity, vocals sounded noticeably cleaner and more intelligible, and background noise was reduced dramatically. The result was a more relaxed and engaging listen, allowing the music itself to come through more clearly.

Interestingly, the audience reached a conclusion that perhaps none of them were expecting. Several felt that a Rega Planar 6/ND7 combined with a Degritter represented a more worthwhile upgrade than moving straight to a Rega Planar 8/Ania Pro.

It was certainly an interesting outcome, and one that neatly reinforces the "source first" philosophy that we continue to advocate.

Final Thoughts

Summing up our upgrade session, I hope it was as enjoyable for our audience as it was for me presenting it. There was plenty of post-session discussion about future upgrades, and everyone seemed to leave having learned something new.

Perhaps the most interesting aspect of the day was that some of the conclusions weren't necessarily what people expected. Whilst moving further up the turntable ladder undoubtedly brought improvements, the demonstrations also highlighted how much difference can be made by seemingly smaller changes, whether that's upgrading a cartridge, adding a better phono stage or simply ensuring your records are as clean as possible.

If there was one lesson to take away from the event, it's that there is no single "right" upgrade path. Every system, room, collection and listener is different. What represents the best value for one person may not be the best choice for another, which is why demonstrations remain such an important part of the buying process.

I hope you, the reader, have gleaned something useful from this account of the day as well.

Of course, these are simply our observations, and the only opinion that truly matters is your own. If you'd like to hear any of the products featured here for yourself, give us a call or drop us a message and we'll be happy to arrange a demonstration.

Thanks for reading.

Adey, Jake, Kevin and Paul - Audio T Brighton

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