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Rega ND3

SKU: APA2024-01017
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  • 24
    Interest FreeInstalments
  • 2 years warranty
    2 Years Warranty
  • free shipping icon
    Free Shipping
  • 24
    Interest FreeInstalments
  • 2 years warranty
    2 Years Warranty
249 €
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Hand-built MM cartridge with an N55 neodymium magnet

The entry to the Nd series

The Nd3 is the first cartridge in Rega's new moving magnet (MM) range and succeeds the multi-award-winning Elys 2. It is a hand-built stereo cartridge, the result of around ten years of research and development, using powerful N55 neodymium magnets in a design Rega describes as ground-breaking for an MM cartridge. Every Nd3 is assembled by hand in England.

Factory option and upgrade

The Nd3 is available as a factory-fitted option on the Planar 2 and Planar 3 turntables, at a lower cost than buying it separately. It is also a meaningful upgrade for any Rega tonearm fitted with a Carbon or an older Elys. With an output of 5 to 6 mV it suits any MM phono stage, such as the Fono Mini A2D MK2 and Fono MM MK5 or the phono stages of the io and Elex amplifiers.

Rebuild scheme and warranty

Through Rega's rebuild scheme, a worn or damaged Nd3 can be returned to an authorised dealer to be rebuilt with a new cantilever, stylus and pivot pad at a reduced price. The cartridge is covered by Rega's Lifetime Limited Warranty against manufacturing defects, and its packaging is 100% recyclable.

Nd magnet technology

The series takes its name from the chemical symbol of neodymium, the material at the heart of every cartridge. According to Rega, the Nd3 is the first moving magnet cartridge to use an N55-grade neodymium magnet, the strongest commercially available and one usually found only in high-end moving coil cartridges costing considerably more.

More strength, less mass

Choosing N55 has practical consequences. A stronger magnet creates a more intense magnetic field, so it generates more signal for the same stylus movement. This allows Rega to use a smaller magnet and lighter moving parts without sacrificing output level, which reaches 5 to 6 mV. Lower moving mass means the stylus follows the rapid changes of the groove more faithfully, with cleaner transients and more detail across the whole frequency range, from the deepest bass notes to the airiest treble.

A new generator

The magnet is only part of the story. Around the magnet Rega designed an entirely new generator with miniaturised parallel coils. Each coil has 1275 turns of wire just 38 μm thick, resulting in low inductance and low resistance. This improves high-frequency response and linearity, while an optimised pole gap contributes to better channel balance and separation. The listener hears a wider, more detailed stereo soundstage, with stable placement of instruments and a convincing sense of the space in which the recording was made.

Rega ND3
Rega ND3

Stylus and cantilever

The stylus is the only point of contact between your system and the music cut into the record. Rega has given the Nd3 a stylus and cantilever combination that reads the groove accurately, revealing details that a simpler cartridge often lets slip away unnoticed.

Bonded elliptical stylus

The stylus profile makes a big difference. The Nd3 stylus has a precise elliptical profile, made from polycrystalline diamond bonded to a titanium shank. Compared with a conical stylus, the elliptical profile contacts the groove walls over a narrower area, so it can follow more faithfully the fine undulations that encode high frequencies. The result is greater resolution, lower distortion towards the inner grooves and cleaner treble without harshness, so cymbals, strings and voices all sound more natural and more realistic.

Aluminium cantilever

Just as important is the part that carries the stylus. The stylus is mounted on an aluminium cantilever, a material that combines low mass with good stiffness. The cantilever carries the movements of the stylus to the magnet without loss, while its low mass allows it to respond quickly to changes in the groove. With a recommended tracking force of 1.75 g and a 47 kΩ load, the Nd3 partners perfectly with Rega tonearms and any MM phono stage, delivering a sound with timing, body and naturalness that makes it easy to forget about the equipment and simply enjoy the music.

PPS body and 3-point mounting

A cartridge's performance does not depend on the generator and stylus alone. Its body and the way it is fixed to the tonearm directly affect how cleanly the signal reaches the phono stage, and Rega designed both with the same care it gave to the inside of the cartridge.

Glass-filled PPS body

The material was chosen with rigidity in mind. The body of the Nd3 is made from glass-filled PPS, an engineering polymer that is both light and rigid. Its rigidity limits unwanted resonances that could colour the sound, while a low weight of 6 g reduces stress on the tonearm bearings. A light yet stable body lets the tonearm move freely and guide the cartridge accurately across the whole surface of the record, from the lead-in groove all the way to the label.

Rega 3-point mounting

Mounting is just as important as the body itself. The Nd3 uses Rega's three-point mounting system, which forms a rigid connection between cartridge and tonearm. Vibrations generated by the stylus as it reads the groove are quickly and efficiently drained away through the arm, rather than returning to the cartridge and adding distortion. Three-point mounting also greatly simplifies installation, as the cartridge aligns correctly almost automatically on a Rega tonearm, with its distinctive red window standing out on the arm. It is a small detail that shows how closely cartridge and tonearm have been designed to work together.

Rega ND3
Specifications

Features

  • Hand-built stereo moving magnet (MM) cartridge
  • N55 neodymium magnet
  • Bonded elliptical stylus
  • Aluminium cantilever
  • Glass-filled PPS body
  • Rega 3-point mounting
  • Factory-fitted option on the Planar 2 and Planar 3
  • Rega rebuild scheme
  • 100% recyclable packaging
  • Lifetime Limited Warranty against manufacturing defects

Components & Internal Specifications

  • Stylus: bonded elliptical, polycrystalline diamond on a titanium shank
  • Cantilever: aluminium
  • Coils: miniaturised parallel coils, 1275 turns, 38 μm wire
  • Mounting: 3-point fixing
  • Window colour: red
  • Weight: 6 g

Performance Specifications

  • Nominal output voltage: 5 to 6 mV
  • Tracking force: 1.75 g
  • Input load: 47 kΩ
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