Rega Nd9 Moving Magnet Cartridge

Rega Nd9 Moving Magnet Cartridge with Boron Cantilever

The Nd9 cartridge draws on decades of expertise in cartridge engineering and cantilever design to deliver the highest-performing moving magnet cartridge Rega have ever produced. The design team has introduced a Boron rod cantilever with a Fine Line stylus profile based on the reference Aphelion 2 moving-coil cartridge for use in the Nd9. The Boron cantilever offers exceptional stiffness and low mass, enabling ultra-fast response and outstanding playback accuracy. The Nd9 is also available as a factory-fitted option on the Planar 8 turntable (coming soon).

Each Nd9 is meticulously hand-made by Rega’s highly skilled technicians. The Nd9 uses their most advanced “fine line” nude diamond profile, bonded to a Boron rod cantilever for maximum musical detail retrieval. This profile has an exceptionally small radii Monocrystalline manmade diamond with the minor radius being just 3µm (microns) as viewed from the top and 30µm in the vertical when viewed from the front. This profile allows immediate adjustment to very small changes in the vinyl due to the small contact area of the diamond which results in exceptional levels of detail being retrieved. The design uses brand new generator geometry with perfect symmetry to achieve highly accurate channel balance.

The Nd9 also has an optimised pole gap for superior linearity and cross talk characteristics, this provides a far wider soundstage than the previous models. This new cartridge is created with miniaturised parallel coils which are wound in house utilising 38-micron wire with just 1275 turns. This produces a low inductance, low impedance generator giving vastly improved high frequency response. In keeping with Rega’s commitment to sustainability, the Nd range is supplied in 100% recyclable packaging.

Nd Magnet Technology

Often used in Moving Coil designs (including Rega’s own) the Nd range is the first moving magnets to utilise a Neodymium (Nd) N55 magnet. This is the world’s most powerful commercially available magnet and is a crucial component that makes this unique design possible by delivering extra power than standard bar magnet designs.               

Boron Cantilever and Stylus Profile

The Nd9 boron cantilever is fitted with a precision perfect fine line nude diamond stylus. This combination provides the ultimate in tracking accuracy and extracts greater levels of detail from the vinyl surface. The challenge Rega faced with the Nd9 was connecting the Nd magnet to a solid Boron rod. This was achieved by working with a famous watch maker to manufacture an ultra-fine connecting tube with different diameters at each end. Boron is exceptionally light which allows for faster reaction to the changes in record surface and is highly rigid for its mass. A more rigid cantilever bends less so it transmits motion more accurately with less distortion.

Factory Fitted Options

The Nd9 cartridge will be offered as a factory fitted option on the multi award winning Planar 8 turntable. Designed specifically with this turntable in mind, the Nd9 promises to extract the very best from your vinyl collection. The factory fitted package is offered at a discounted rate compared to when purchased separately.

Glass Filled PPS Body

The complete assembly is housed in Rega’s zero tolerance injection moulded glass filled polyphenylene sulphide (PPS) body which is a lightweight and highly rigid material. A low mass body reduces stress on the tonearm bearings and aids free movement which is critical in accurate vinyl replay. This new body design was inspired by Rega’s hugely successful MC range.

Nd9 Replacement Stylus

The unique pivot pad design of Rega cartridges improves performance by eliminating the mechanical joint between the stylus housing and the main body. This vastly improves tracking ability and stability of the stylus. It also means that the stylus in the Nd9 is not user replaceable which means you need to return your whole cartridge to Audio Trends and purchase a brand new Rega Nd9 Cartridge at a reduced ‘stylus replacement’ price. If you don’t live near us you are welcome to post us your cartridge and we will send the replacement Nd9 cartridge anywhere in Australia freight free.

Rega Nd9: the Accidental Vinyl Playing Masterpiece - The Ear Review

Reviewer Opinion: “This makes the Nd9’s slightly accidental arrival into the world, if anything, more joyous. It is a product that is so fundamentally right, you would assume it was a clean sheet of paper design rather than a talented adaptation of existing hardware; the cartridge equivalent of the Bear Grylls ‘improvise, adapt, overcome’ adage. It adds a formidable new option to a range already bristling with talent and I suspect Rega is going to do rather well with it.”

Second Opinion: “The Nd9 sounds best when you are not really paying attention, then it manages to draw you in and illuminate the fabulous things that the band is doing. I found this with artists as diverse as Nils Frahm, Keith Jarrett and Captain Beefheart. I had never noticed how good the latter’s Circumstances is before, the crunked up blues mayhem gained a degree of cohesion under the Nd9’s auspices that made it that much more entertaining.”

Why Choose The Rega Nd9

The Rega Nd9 is one of those cartridges that quietly reminds you why vinyl is so addictive, blending serious engineering with an effortlessly musical feel. Drawing on decades of Rega know-how, it pairs a boron rod cantilever with a finely honed nude “fine line” diamond stylus - tech borrowed from their far pricier moving-coil designs - to deliver speed, clarity and a wonderfully open soundstage. On the technical side, the use of a neodymium N55 magnet, ultra-low inductance coils and beautifully symmetrical generator geometry gives the Nd9 impressive channel balance and high-frequency finesse, while the lightweight, rigid PPS body keeps everything tracking smoothly. In practice, all that clever design melts away and you’re left with music that feels alive, detailed and engaging without ever sounding forced - one of those cartridges that sounds great when you’re listening closely, and even better when you’re not trying at all.