Having spoken to a number of retailers and had no reponse to an email addressed to Goldring themselves it seems that the GR 2 is currently unavailable due to manufacturing difficulties.

Hi David. If you like we can try contacting Goldring to see the situation on the GR2? It was definitely available a few months back...

No problem there I just want to establish reality regarding this matter before moving to the project xpression or rega P3

David

I'm trying to choose between the Goldring GR2 and the Rega P3.
The Rega R3 seems the perfect choice...
My local dealer agreed to demo an R3 but on visiting the dealer the 2 week old R3 had failed. My confidence was shattered......!
So now I'm considering the Goldring GR2 a bargain at only £215 from Stoneaudio.co.uk.
However there seem to be availability issues. Could the 2 problems be related since they both come out of the same factory?
Perhaps Rega offering a selection of funky colours (a good MARKETING decision) is a bad engineering decision.

I just want to know which turntable is acoustically superior?
Also whats the BEST cartridge for the Rega 3?

I now have My Gr2 in White and an v happy with it is the same tema arm but has an NDF platter in lieu of the P3s glass platter (mdf platter is less suscepitable rumble but may be subject to warping over time. the supplied goldring cartridge is superb and is a snip at the price. The rega you have to choose your own cartridge. I would suggest moving coil as that is easier to set up. Rega's own cartridge is ok I demoed this when i was choosing. All in all I don't think there is much difference in the sound but there is in price circa £100 when including a cartridh=ge for the rega.