Rega Apheta MC Cartridge

Densen http://www.densen.dk/

 

Haven't heard it. A new phono preamp to check out!!

 

Densen gear is pretty nifty. One of those European brands that never really got noticed in the US and should have, like Sugden.

 

interesting....

(using the one word posts to get the count up!)

 

Any update on if anyone else is using the cart and what they think of it?

 

A thumbs-down, and a thumbs-up -

http://www.audioasylum.com/cgi/m.pl?forum=vinyl&n=698604&highlight=apheta&r=&session=

http://forums.naim-audio.com/eve/forums/a/tpc/f/48019385/m/7342976407

Hukk

 

I've been keeping an eye (or an hear) on the Apheta since I got myself a Rega P9... the idea of a full Rega analog setup seduces me.

I've heard the Apheta a couple of weeks ago, and again today. On both occasions the TT was a Well Tempered machine.

The first time I listened it was going through a Clearaudio phono pre-amplifier, and it sounded extremely detailed, and with great musical flow, but I heard a high frequency "pinch", a little harshness that I didn't really like as it caused a little hear stress.

The second time, today, there was a Rega Ios phono pre-amp in the shop, playing the Well Tempered / Apheta combination. And the difference was quite impressive, as it retained most of the good things I've heard before, but the harshness was GONE, and it also sounded more full bodied with more weight to the mid band and bass. Really great sound!

I'm considering the Apheta/Ios combination for my P9, but of course it's not a cheap option... at this price there are many options.

 

The key is the loading with that cartridge.... That's why it does well with the IOS. It goes down low enough. 25-50 ohms is where you want to be or you will get that "pinch".

 

This is one old thread, in any event I had thought that Stereophile review tanked this cart. Good to hear it's better than what was originally written about it.

 

They tanked it because they loaded it wrong. It does sound terrible loaded at 1000 ohms.

 

Wonder why they didn't go low?
I looked at the Rega site only briefly, I didn't notice if they had specified load.

 

Because Art Dudley's EAR phono stage only had 1000 ohm loading. He mentioned it in the review. I'm pretty sure the inst. manual for the Apheta says 50-75 ohms. Again, I like it even better at about 25-30. But 1000 is dreadful.

 

So..... I have the chance to get one at a decent price....but not sure if it will be too bright with my phono stage (Moon 310LP)....

...from the Moon's manual...

There are five (5) different settings available for setting the resistive load; 10Ω, 100Ω, 470Ω, 1kΩ and 47kΩ

So it looks like 100 is the only possible option. Too high??

 

You might even like 10 ohms... By all means try it.

 

Done. Ordered. Now we wait.

 

Let us know what you think.... Happy listening.

 

So................I installed my new Apheta cartridge that came last Thursday, and found that I was only getting sound out of one channel (Left).

I performed the following troubleshooting:

1. Switched L/R RCA's at back of phono stage...> resulted in sound coming from other channel, but not the other side.

2. Played another source through same amp..> resulted in sound from both channels

3. Swapped out phono stages....> resulted again in sound from only one channel.

4. Used multimeter to check continuity of red and white leads from headshell/tonearm to respective RCA ends of turntable....resulted in complete circuits for both cables. (Also checked solder joint at RCA terminus.)

5. Switched L/R connectors from tonearm to back of cartridge...> resulted in sound from opposite channel, but not the other one.

6. Keeping all other conditions the same, I then switched back to my old cartridge.... > resulted in sound coming from both channels.

SO, after my troubleshooting I have come to the tentative conclusion that perhaps there is a fault/defect in the new cartridge. :thumbsdn:

I have just sent it back, and expect to get a refund. Sux.

Now I have to go back to my crappy Exact. (not that crappy, I was just pumped to get supposedly such a great cartridge, only to be shot down in finding that it didn't work.)

 

Why not exchange it rather than getting a refund????

 

If that's an option. I think it was a "clearance" item. I got it for a really good price, so was probably something they had in stock they wanted to get rid of.

I'm undecided at the moment.

 

If it was new and was defective, it shouldn't matter if it "clearance" priced, and the manufacturer should repair or replace it per the manufacturer's warranty.

 

Any updates here? Who else has the Apheta cart? With the Aria pre amp???

 

Weren't you heavily into NAD equipments before?

 

I still have some...

 

Rega makes excellent gears, designed and made in the UK. I enjoy my Rega Planet 2000 CDP. Do you still have your made in the UK NAD 208 THX? IIRC, you were trying to get that repaired a few years ago.

I stopped buying NAD's gears a few years ago ...

 

Anyone else have the Apheta?