Rega has introduced the new ND9 MM cartridge, which immediately takes its place as the flagship model of the ND series.
The new Rega ND9 MM cartridge is anything but cheap, which makes its target audience clear: the serious vinyl enthusiast with a solid high-end turntable. Mounting a cartridge like this on a mediocre deck would be pointless — and frankly a waste of money. But if you do own such a high-end turntable, the price suddenly looks very reasonable. According to the manufacturer, the ND9 was designed to raise the bar of the ND line once again. Beneath the (very small) hood you’ll find Rega’s in-house neodymium magnet system and a boron cantilever — features usually reserved for even more expensive cartridges.
Watchmaker-level precision
One of the most challenging parts of the manufacturing process, Rega says, was attaching the magnet to the boron rod. That problem was eventually solved with the help of a specialised watchmaker, who created an extremely precise dual-diameter coupling tube. The cantilever is fitted with a nude fine line diamond stylus, designed to deliver a more accurate transfer of the information extracted from the groove.
Turntable available with factory-mounted ND9
If the ND9 interests you but your current turntable isn’t quite in the same league, you could upgrade everything in one go by purchasing the Rega Planar 8. This turntable is now available from the factory with the ND9 pre-installed.
The ND9 cartridge carries a price tag of £695, while the Planar 8 including the ND9 costs £2554. For true vinyl devotees (let’s call them that), this is certainly achievable — even without being a multimillionaire — and it lifts the hobby to yet another level.