Головки звукоснимателя — Rega ND 7

The Nd7 is the top model in Rega's Nd range of handmade moving-magnet cartridges, named after neodymium (Nd), the rare-earth element used in its magnet. Rega describes it as the result of more than ten years of development, and it is offered separately or factory-fitted on the Planar 6 and Planar 8 turntables, for which it was specifically designed. It is made by hand in the UK and supplied in fully recyclable packaging.

Key specs that matter

The Nd7 uses an N55 neodymium magnet, miniaturised parallel coils of 38-micron wire with 1,275 turns, an aluminium cantilever and a Fine Line nude diamond stylus with minimum radii of 3 microns horizontally and 30 microns vertically. Nominal output is 5 to 6mV and recommended tracking force is 1.75g. The body is glass-fibre-reinforced PPS, and the cartridge mounts with Rega's three-point fixing. Its window is yellow, identifying it within the Nd family, and Rega covers it with a lifetime warranty against manufacturing defects.

Engineering and use context

N55 neodymium is among the strongest commercially available magnet materials, so a small magnet can generate a strong field and a high output while keeping the moving parts light. The miniaturised parallel coils keep inductance low, which helps maintain high-frequency performance into standard MM phono inputs. Rega redesigned the generator for the Nd range with symmetrical geometry. The Fine Line profile is the same one Rega uses on its Apheta 3 and Aphelion 2 moving-coil cartridges - its narrow contact edge reaches further into the groove wall than an elliptical tip, improving tracking of fine modulations. The PPS body, inspired by Rega's moving-coil designs, is light and rigid, reducing the load on tonearm bearings. Rega's three-point fixing aligns the cartridge automatically on Rega arms, removing most of the alignment work that conventional mounting requires. The pivot pad design eliminates the mechanical joint between stylus housing and body found on typical replaceable-stylus cartridges, and when the stylus wears out, Rega rebuilds the cartridge with a new cantilever, stylus and pivot pad at a price comparable to a replacement stylus.

Pairing

The high output suits any standard moving-magnet phono stage, with no step-up transformer needed. Its tracking force matches Rega's RB330 and RB880 tonearms and most medium-mass arms. On Rega decks, three-point fixing makes installation straightforward.

Alternatives

Rega's own Nd5 uses the same N55 magnet and generator with an elliptical nude diamond stylus, at a lower price.