How to Change or Remove a Rega Tonearm

As rightly pointed out in the comments below, make sure you are holding the tonearm if unscrewing on its side! Video tutorial on how to change, replace or remove a Rega Tonearm for upgrade or repair. We'll show you a few nifty tricks to prevent damage, and also discuss the different Rega tonearm mounts. General advice for all planar turntables and all tonearms, including RB110, RB200, RB220, RB250, RB330, RB880, and RB3000.

[@Dave_____]

Thanks for making this video David. Though I did get a grin or two out of some of the troll's comments ... they did not really add anything for the people trying to learn how to mount and setup one of the Origin Live arms. Please continue this video series. The following complaints (and suggestions) is a bit long. Thanks for reading the rest. Edit: Cleaned up some typos. Website: I really appreciate Mark's engineering ability and his approach to designing and making tone arms and turntables. What he learned in ship building and resonance control has transferred well to his audio projects. I like his approach so much, I have purchased both an Origin Live turntable and tone arm and upgraded the arm with another Origin Live arm. That said, Mark's marketing ability and product presentation is IMHO a bit lacking. The website, while pretty good now, has always been a bit lacking. Especially with photos of previous versions of tables and arms on the pages mixed with the latest versions. A prime example this is the Sovereign page, at the very top, the picture is of Mk III (or MkII table) or at the least one with a several version old platter. Another example is the newest Sovereign table plater upgrade, there is not a clear explanation of the older platers and how the newest platers differ (especially with clear pictures). Mark has mentioned in the past that professional level photos are expensive. My IMHO one should "skimp" on the professional photographer and lean towards the most up to date photos being on the web page, even if they are done by internal employees. Hire a kid learning web site design in college (or the UK equivalent) and have him or her help. They get experience and you get an up to date website. Arm Manuals: Same issues really, a lot of information on previous versions of arms mixed in with bit of information on newer arms along with directions of several arms in the same manual. Wading through all of the information can be confusing. It might be sufficient for a dealer that sets up these arms over and over again, but for a one off customer that wants to learn how set up his own arm and table and fiddle with it for the best sound and not to damage anything, it is sorely lacking. One example is the manual sent with my Enterprise arm. In it is all of the warnings (with pictures) to remove the shipping bolts (transit bolts) before mounting the arm (as well as direct specific instructions to retain these bolts and washers and to be sure to re-install them when shipping the arm) ... and then the arm I received (the newest Enterprise arm) not having these bolts at all and having some sort of hardboard installed with rubber band holding it in place to aid in transportation ... no mention of this in the manual ... or how to remove it or re-install it for shipping.) Though these videos can be time consuming to make and can bring out the trolls from under their damp cold stone bridges, I think they can be invaluable (a picture is worth a 1000 words) in helping to clarify the details in your various arm and table setups and manuals. I think you should have a video of each of your arms and tables and update them for each new version of table and arm as they come out. As well as any new table upgrades. A video on the newest features and how they differ from the previous version would be nice as well. I would be willing to skimp on presentation and lean towards clear information (watch some of Dave Jone's electronic repair videos or product reviews on his eeVBlog KZbin channel ... not the best professional video presentation, but great detail that is easy to learn from and understand the featured product or repair). I would have two cameras set up, one for wide shots and one for close up detail of the arm and table set up. The arm videos should start with an unboxing. Show each and every part that comes in the box and how the arm comes out of the box (I had a few shipments from you missing parts, but it was difficult to figure out from the manual exactly which parts should be included with the particular arm I received). Then show how the arm is to be unpacked and disassembled in preparation for mounting on the table. Mount the arm and then show all of the adjustments being made (which this video is a good start). Finally show removing the arm and packing it back up and getting it ready to ship to the next owner or back to Origin Live for an upgrade. Do the same for each table as well. All of these challenges are more than worth it in the end as the price vs. performance of Origin Live products IMHO far exceed other analog sound equipment, though it would be nice to not have to deal with them. Thanks, Dave

[@OriginLiveInfo]

Hi Dave, thank you so much for this considered feedback, and you are spot on with all of it tbh! It is something I have been working on for a number of years, and as you rightly point out, certain pages, especially on the TT's from Resolution up, are lacking. I am working on it, but unfortunately, it can be difficult to get time away from production to work on the site. Arm Manuals is another point where I completely agree with you. It might surprise you to know that we've been sitting on some nearly completed updated versions of these manuals for quite a while, but it is just finding the time to get them fully proofed before printing. I am trying to up the standard of marketing and presentation, and I am considering taking on an apprentice to get through more of it! This video was a bit of a test to see how I could film more. Unboxing and setup videos are the next things I'd like to film. Having personally edited through the manuals and tried to find better ways to illustrate them, I can understand that it's much easier to have a video that talks you through each step and if anything, reassures the viewer how simple most of the setup really is! Thank you for this comment, it has been really encouraging, and look out for some setup videos in the new year! All the best, David

[@huckabees3141]

What size spanner is required for undoing the tonearm nut on the bottom?

[@chriswills9437]

Immediate referral to the Engelbert Humperdinck fan club.

[@StukaUK]

In the time that Kenny Everett in his mime costume took to do this video the Sun finished its 10 billion year life and the solar system froze to death. I particularly enjoyed watching the cartridge being fitted and VTA measured, or rather imagining how it looks if there wasn’t a whole human blocking the view.

[@OriginLiveInfo]

Then I must be in hell 🥵 Please grant me penance. The first video I've made for the channel, and I'm aware of its errors. I intend to do another explaining set-up in a bit more detail. I'm hoping to make it a nice long one to extend into deep time and reach the end of the universe.

[@jerryjerry3904]

@@OriginLiveInfo Script the next one (yiu've surely already made it). Having suggested that, I think you presented well.

[@cobar5342]

Thank you for a very good video... and humour, but if I were going to use an Origin Live arm, I would buy a much better turntable!

[@agx502]

I guess this must be the boss's son 🤓

[@OriginLiveInfo]

Damn straight Sir!

[@laurensmith485]

Naturally, Rega arms don't offer any form of VTA adjustment as standard; and only when the physical height of the cartridge becomes a problem (I.E the rear of the cartridge body comes into contact with the record surface) should any VTA adjustment be necessary.

[@OriginLiveInfo]

Lauren, thanks for your comment. We're not one of those companies that will claim that a hundredth of a degree of misaligned VTA makes a difference. But we do believe that a few degrees can make a difference to the sound and can cause the stylus to wear unevenly, and in turn, your records. A really off-kilter VTA also has the potential to exercise added downforce on the cartridge and stylus. The cartridge cantilever should be set within optimum parameters set by the manufacturer, which is usually the cartridge body in parallel with the record. Therefore the arm tube of the tonearm should also be parallel with the record surface (Although some cartridge manufacturers will suggest their own VTA angles for tonearms). The fine-tuning of your cartridge should also be done by ear, and if you have no settings available to change, you have no option to do this. Cartridges come in all shapes, sizes and heights. If you can't change the VTA to accommodate for a different height, you can't ensure optimum tracking, and as you say, if you can't change the VTA and the rear of your new cartridge starts hitting the record, you're in big trouble!

[@jerryjerry3904]

@@OriginLiveInfo And that's where aftermarket or even Rega's own tonearm base shims come in handy. It can be done effectively and attractively, but it's not particularly convenient.

[@KevinKelly-wg4bu]

I'd be removing the dust cover before doing anything else!

[@OriginLiveInfo]

If you are taking care to keep the cables gripped removing the dust cover isn;t hugely important, and actually helps to balance the table. What is super important is to remove the glass platter 😬

[@donk1822]

Do yourselves a favour if you do this. Sit the turntable on its front face, not the end. Far more stable, and if the arm were to come loose, according to Sod's law, it would dangle harmlessly rather than career across the deck.

[@OriginLiveInfo]

Hi @Donk Excellent point! Another method would be simply holding the arm base on the other side while using the spanner with the TT on its side. The Rega Planar 3 I was taking apart was a little older and luckily the arm stuck in place. I will try to get a photo card in to incorporate this!

[@jimsregaturntableshifijukebox]

Yip, very easy to do. 👍 Jim 🏴󠁧󠁢󠁳󠁣󠁴󠁿🙂

[@jerryjerry3904]

Smart to remove the platter, but one shouldn't forget the spindle oil that will run out when the table is turned on its side or turned over completely.

[@OriginLiveInfo]

Actually with the pressure of the suspended bearing you shouldn't really get any leakage. That's on our own turntables anyway where there is more give in the bearing house. On this Rega P3 and all Rega bearings there isn't much space between the spindle and bearing house and they use a very thick oil. That's probably why it stops spinning within 10 seconds.