Rega P3 Elys to Naim stage line N

Hello. To reuse my Rega P3 I need to put it next to me, so impossible to connect it to my Naim gear. My Stage line N has to be connected to my Cambridge audio A500 amplifier but I have no i-supply, no Flat Cap and my Hi Cap is impossible to disconnect. I read that Flat Cap would sound better than Hi Cap. So 2 questions: a) Independently, can I use the Hicap (or FlatCap) as a stand alone power supply (without any Naim preamplifier) for the stage line and then connect it via a Chord Din to Rca cable to my CA amplifier (which has no built in phono preamp).
b) does a Flat Cap in this case sound better than a Hi Cap ?
Further question:
c) What were the differences between a Flat Cap 2x and X2 ? Thanks

Thanks a lot.

Yes, you can use a Stageline as a stand-alone phono stage. You just need a dedicated power supply - either a Flatcap or HICAP would be fine here though the latter may well be overkill for a P3 and Elys. You then use a DIn4 - 2xRCA Phono to connect to a non-Naim pre-amp or Integrated amp.

The HICAP performs better than a Flatcap.

The original Flatcap had a single dual rail 24V supply. The Flatcap2 had two dual rail supplies, one of 24V and one of 22V (optimised for the CD5) and came in the 5 series casework. The Flatcap 2x saw some improvements and two 24V supplies.

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Have you considered getting a Rega Fono? Itā€™s a perfect match for the Elys and doesnā€™t need a separate power supply.

Hello.
I intented so many changes to my Rega P3 but as the pickup has connection problems, I want to put it on my office desk and analyze it. As I had too many surgeries, I do not carry ma Rotel RA-980 Bx with a good built in phono preamp, but use my Cambridge audio A500 amplifier installed yesterday (not too heavy). I used my Naim Stage line N for 2 records in the last 10 years because it sounded harsh connected to my Avantgarde Duo G1 (naim gear connected). So as I have no i-supply, and had the bad surprise yesterday that my 2 Napsc do not power my Stage line, I now may buy a i-supply from Netherlands for 100 eur, a Flatcap for 300 eur or a Hicap for 500 eur (ok itā€™s gone and the superline MC for 750 eur too, but I have an MM system and do not buy a superline for 750 eur and sell it for 1000 eur just to make money, but the price was so amazing, so Hicap for 500 eur has just gone)ā€¦and I really would like to experience the sound of a Flatcap and I do not see the sense in buying a i-supply for 100 eur, could apparently use a 24V printer supply, which of course I will not as too dangerous if connections interverted. Changing Rega or buying another turntable is for the future. I just would like to get my stage line fired on and listen to records, and if it makes more pleasure than using an i-supply, I would spend a little money on a separate power supply, but which one: i-supply, Flatcap or Hicap, thatā€™s the question.

The Hicap is the best. Butā€¦. a Stageline and Hicap is rather wasted on a P3/Elys. A Fono is half the price and a perfect match.

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Iā€™ve never felt the Stageline N and Elys matched that well - the result was a bit flat and dull to my ears. A Fono here may be the better better and a secondhand one should only cost around Ā£150.

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Hello.

Rega P3 combined with integrated amp Rotel RA-990 Bx did a great job, listened for years.
Now I remember that I have a ā€œlittle lighterā€ Rotel RC-990 Bx pre amp which I could connect to my Cambridge Audio integrated amplifier, which has no Main In, only a Pre Out, perhaps by connecting it to Aux/Phono, perhaps woth a try. For what turntables Stage line N is best suitable? What is a Fono ?, is that another Rega plugin? Thanks. Ps: I knew something was wrong with Rega Elys - Stage line N - Nac 282 A friend of vinyl (has 500 records) ran away and said WTF so harsh and dull without any bass it was terrible

This is the latest Mk 5 Fono MM. Ā£220.

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Letā€™s suppose I have changed the Rega plugin and it matches now with the Stage line. What are the biggest sound upgrades : 1. from i-supply to FlatCap or from FlatCap to Hi Cap? Thanks a lot.

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Letā€™s suppose I want to keep my Stage Line N and do not want to buy another phono preamp. What do I have to change on my Rega P3? Does any plugin from Rega fit or should I change to another turntable brand like Linn, Project, Thorens, Bergmann, VPI. Will a plugin and needle change be enough? Thanks a lot.

itā€™s a purple Elys from 2001, and played around 100 hours

I think you could change cartridge on your Rega, and buy one of the Naim power supplies being discussed.

Rega elys alternative - Ā£150-Ā£200?
Flatcap 2/2x/XS - Ā£160-Ā£1000 depending on 2nd hand to buying new preferences.

I suspect thatā€™s the reason for the Rega MM phono stage suggestions :slight_smile:

The lore on the Stageline N is that it suits some cartridges more than others. You would just need to swap the cartridge to one more suited, no TT change required.

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maybe ā€˜loreā€™ is a bit pejorative, there are specific electrical interface issues to consider and maybe help your cartridge selection. There are links in here probably findable via search - @nlot used to post a lot about it

Will try and find the links later

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The cartridge.

Try an Audio Technica AT-VM95E.

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I have taken a decision now:

  1. As I have the Stage line, I want to use it. So I will connect it to my Nac 282 and perhaps connect other loudspeakers than the high efficient Avantgarde Duo G1. If it does not sound good enough, I power the stage line directly from the Hicap instead of the Nac 282, 2nd step: I take the Hicap out of my main Naim system and find out how it sounds connected to my non Naim amplifiers. If that does not sound as good as on my Rotel amplifiers, I will know that the Elys is just not right for me.

Then Iā€™ll start to improve sound connected to my built in phono preamps of my Rotel integrated amplifier.
Perhaps a Rega Fono Mk3 or Mk5 is better.

For my Naim Stage line, as lots of people like it very much with Rega P3, itā€™s about changing the cartridge system to find one that fits.

  1. Rega P3 with Elys to Stage line to Nac 282 through different speakers
    2)Rega P3 with Elys to Stage line to Hicap to Cambridge audio or Rotel integrated amplifiers
  2. comparing sound improvement by trying a Rega Fono preamp
  3. changing cartridge to fit with Naim Stage line
  4. buying a FlatCap or a 2nd Hicap to keep my Stage Line

I do not want to sell my stage line before I found out that it does not suit me whatever cartridge I use.

Thanks

could get one for 49 eur, wow, my Elise was at least double price :slight_smile:

Hereā€™s the post I was trying to recall:

Great. So try it first.

Then take the dismissive smile off your face!

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thanks a lot but that is so technical, I have to admit I do not really see the point if changing the cartridge is such an easy solution, sorry, you may explain it a little furthermore, but could be Iā€™m too stupid for checking the sense :slight_smile:

No worries, I think listening to a few is likely just as good as researching to the nā€™th degree, just wanted to put the information out there for completeness :slight_smile:

I donā€™t fully understand it either, my current guess is that the Stageline N has a specific set of characteristics, suited to the ā€œbrighterā€ cartridges, maybe its response takes into account the issues in the post I linked, so a bright cartridge sounds normal, but a normal cartridge sounds dull. I donā€™t really know though. Regardless, plenty of folks rate the Stageline, including me, so a bit of searching for a well known good cartridge match will likely give you a decent enough result.

fwiw I effectively run a Goldring 1042, having run a 1012 in the past, both sound good through the Stageline.

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