Note: while the system listed here was used for ultimate comparison between the new Planar 3 and old to eliminate that from the equation, the majority of review listening was done with the new Simaudio NEO ACE integrated and a pair of Rogers LS5/9 speakers to keep this a bit more “real world,” if you will. When I acquired the Bryston single channel amps and the NAD Masters series processor I had my audio dealer come out and setup the entire system. format, it’s a major time saver. It just sounds RIGHT!!! To the untrained eye, the older P3 doesn’t look all that much different, until you look closely and put the close up view of the Macro lens to bear. Value for money. Freeman makes it a point emphasizing that much of what they learned building the cost no object Naiad turntable filtered into the Planar 3. We defy you to find a better executed turntable at this price. At $700, this is a lot of performance. photographyreview.com The nut and washer of Rega’s past are now gone, claiming a much lower noise level and our listening confirms this. If you locate this anywhere, please contact [email protected] so we can take action immediately. In reading what others have written here, I wonder what your total setup is relative to complaints about the sound. Nice looking. Rega originals are the only belt to use - third party ones can put too much strain on the motor and and slow down the RPM. Designed for Planar 1, Planar 2, Planar 3 and Planar 6 and many older Rega models; Simple screw fit adaptors are available to fit the older, RP8 and RP10 turntables; Available in two colours: black and white; 1.2kg lighter and more rigid than the previous model IF you don't want to buy the upgrades but want better sound from the Rega, replace the motor shock mounts, as they've probably dried out too much over the years. Never fails in its performance. About twenty years ago, it was common for Rega tables to run ever so slightly fast and once a few reviewers got wind of this, it was like the Audi sudden acceleration effect that dogged the carmaker for years after (yet no one could successfully duplicate). I run: Hegel H300 integrated B&W PM1 monitors B&W PV1 sub macmini digital server Clearudio nano phono preamp LAT cables (ints and speaker) Cardas USB I have spent approximately $40,000 to end up with this $12000 system. Glad I still had my Systemdecl IIX, which I used for many years, buy that instead of this Rega, Systemdeck is way ahead of Rega and performs much better then it's price would indicate. Put the original next to this new one and most people would be hard pushed to find any differences beyond the smarter plinth and the updated tonearm. Better made than Project, but it is a bit expensive. It has flaws though , motor hum is present towards the centre of the platter , the original pick up wiring is not particularly good and I came up with my own mod to stop the dreadful mechanical motor lumping which came through the deck . Like many people I read the reports in the Hi Fi press about the Rega turntables during the mid nineties and was interested in upgrading fom an older turntable. Find a Dealer near you to experience Rega. Along with being a better motor this rigid mounting provides rock-steady power transmission to the platter. Those who bash this table may want to look elsewhere in their system for shortcomings. i have to say that im glad to own a rega planar 3 and i do recommend this make to a friend. Tried B&W 803S, B&W 805D, KEF's, Dynaudio (awful! The Rega Planar 3 uses a 12mm thick glass platter. None of it. It’s changed a lot. This is for the 2019 Planar 3. Starting as a Planar 3, then becoming a P3 and then an RP3, the Planar 3 designation returns. The turntable sounds sweet. Take a peek at our video clip to see just how easy this all is. This is insulting as it assumes you cannot discern where the sonic problems are occurring. It should have a pin pressure between 1.9 and 2 grams. The answer was 12kg of granite and isolation pods. The RB-330 tonearm will shine with the Rega Elys cartridge or consider stepping up to the Ortofon Bronze or Black for even more 3 dimensional sound from your records. Clever use of lightweight particulate core with a highly rigid phenolic resin skin became the foundations of the high level of performance achieved by the now iconic original Planar range. I bought best quality military grade coax cable, rewired the RB300 and extended the RCA leads so that I could isolate the turntable several meters away from my amp and speakers. And the detail and stereo image is much improved with an extended bass. (C) Copyright 1996-2018. Build quality is not on pair with the asked price. Should you order your Planar 3 with a Rega cartridge, setup will take all of five minutes. roadbikereview.com | On the advice of a friend who also owns the Rega Planar 3 (and feels the same way I do) I decided to buy the Motor Upgrade, the Limited Edition White Belt, and a new Rega platter mat (in basic black). carreview.com | To the untrained eye, the older P3 doesn’t look all that much different, until you look closely and put the close up view of the Macro lens to bear. I am now toying with the idea of the Clearaudio Concept because I am so wowed by the performance of the Nano (used). Job done. My Rega Planar 3 was one of the first ones sold in the USA. Made in U.K. If your Planar 3 is more than 5 years old and you're not happy with the sound, buy the upgraded motor upgrade, if possible buy the belt, replace the mat -- then sit back and enjoy one of the best sounding vinyl experiences you will ever have! This is a follow-up to a previous review in which I was critical of my Planar 3, which is one of the first made (in other words, my Rega is very old). On the rare occasion I play a 45 it is no real hassle to lift the platter and put the belt onto the larger pulley rung. The journey has become a destination. He tells me that they have been going “aggressively” back to Rega’s original values and that they have done something “quite special” with the new Planar 3. Rega states capacitance to 1000pF, impedance to 100 Ohm, and output voltage to 350μV. What’s new on the current Rega Planar 2 iteration includes a brand new RB220 tonearm, a new motor, and newly designed central bearings. The new Planar 3 takes this design philosophy to the next level. Now made out of a special, clear glass called “Optiwhite,” the 12mm platter is made to a tighter tolerance than past models. Verdict: Rega has done a remarkable job with the new Planar 3, by adding finesse to what was already the most engaging turntable at the price they have created a seemingly unbeatable package. It’s robust and well built, but still looks the business. Rega first put its Naiad research to practical use in the Planar 8, reviewed at Analog Planet. Further conversation with Freeman reveals exactly how much has changed. When I talk about the design of the Planar 3 I have to say that it looks classy. It also got rid of phase distortion and a lot of extra detail came through. Other Web Sites in the ConsumerReview Network: mtbr.com | Rega Planar 2 Review – Analog Plug and Play. My Planar 3 is equipped with an RB-600 tonearm and Denon DL103 Cartridge. There was no comparison to digital. I believe that the dealer service in optimizing the system especially the calibration of the Rega P3 has a significant role in how well this unit sounds despite the fact that I have changes all of the other pieces with the exception of the Rega. The new Planar 3 takes this design philosophy to the next level. The Planar 3 features a glass platter and probably the best inexpensive straight line tone arm in the industry - the RB-300 tone arm. During the 12-year history of TONEAudio, we’ve yet to have a Rega table measure anything but perfect speed and the Planar 3 you see here is no different. The next move was an Expressimo VTA adjuster from Elusive Disc, which with some experimenting helped balance the over-heavy bass. ), a third party pulley had been supplied with the deck. If you are not reading this content in your news aggregator, RSS reader, or direct, then the site you are looking at may be guilty of copyright infringement. Other LPs with nearly identical pressings reveal the same thing, regardless of which pressing is on which table – the new table is much more dynamic, with a lot more jump than the old. However I never heard any of the wow and flutter or interference/noise that others have complained about. The platter is the turning part of the turntable. This more robust, more stable platform makes fitting a better cartridge to the current Planar 3 a better value proposition. Planar 3 is the product of decades of research and turntable design and re-design. audioreview.com and the ConsumerReview Network are business units of Invenda Corporation. Rega polishes the edge cleaner, and now you can see all the way through to the center hole. The only thing I remember was that it provided a significantly more engaging experience than my Technics and I was pretty excited to finally be part of the club. A quick speed check on the older P3 reveals that it is right on spec for turntable speed, so the analog gods are clearly smiling on us this day. When you really listen to the Rega Planar 3, listen close. ), Bryston, W4S, Peachtree.It depends on chemistry I know. It sounded reserved and compressed at first. Comparing it to past platters, they all look green in comparison. If only one component in an otherwise excellent system sounds bad to you, then the problem is that one component, even if that component is the beloved Rega Planar 3. I later found out that not only had the motor pulley had not been correctly fitted (It needs a good hard push onto the motor spindle to spin at the correct RPM. This was risky venture, you would imagine, given the multi, multi award winning and five times What Hi-Fi Product of the Year RP3 is an icon of the modern vinyl revival. It is such a simple deck to use, just one button, on and off. Not bad at all. The Planar 3 is fairly unsubstantial in weight so it can suffer badly from vibration. cheers. Then there is an impeccable finish seen that has nicely set off by a metallic brace on the top. This is a solid turntable. The RSS feed provided is for personal, non-commercial use only. I purchased this piece of equipment without a cartridge so I don't know about the performance with the Elys cartridge. When you make something 6,000 miles away you can’t control them. The third version of Rega’s classics is intended for a new generation of vinyl lovers. Just about every part has been revisedto giv… yes there is a humm, after a good play, so i may be interested in in some, sound, (no pun intended) advice on practical reasonable solutions, especially on an econic level! Bowers & Wilkins 702 Signature Loudspeakers, Andover Audio Songbird Hi-Res Music Streamer – First Look, The LSA T-3 turntable from Underwood HiFi. Whether you’ve been a fan for years or this is your first go, this table defines elegant simplicity at an approachable price. It sounds great, better than my previous Project Carbon DC and better than my old Thorens TD160 MKII. Image Source. I'd always blamed the flutter-and-wow problem on motor torque but that's wrong -- it's the way the motor is mounted that affects flutter-and-wow. Stepping up to a Sumiko Blackbird 2 was exciting, showing just how much more music this new table is able to reveal. Wonderful! Back when the original Planar 3 roamed the Earth, most records were only 33 1/3 r.p.m., so removing the platter and moving the belt on the pulley manually wasn’t a big deal. Yet the end result is more consistent than ever before.”. It has performed flawlessly in every way. Disclaimer: If you purchase through links on our site, we may earn an affiliate commission. Not to mention how much easier playing those 45 r.p.m. My Pro-ject Debut Carbon Esprit DC with Denon DL-110 sounds better than the Planar 3/Elys 2 combination. In this Rega Planar 3 review, I’m going to help you determine if this turntable (which costs about $1,000, depending on where you purchase it) is worth your hard-earned money. REGA PLANAR 3 (WITH ELYS 2) Review. The motor upgrade mounts the motor rigidly. Now, with so many audiophile pressings being produced in the two disc, 45 r.p.m. Despite following the footsteps of its predecessors, the Rega Planar 3 stands out with an updated and enhanced design but still takes a few components from previous models. This is not a terribly tweekable table. this review is trailing the other reviews by years however in the event somebody researches the P3 and wants feedback from a dedicated audio listener with decent equipment and it is in plain speak (no offense to audiophiles who are better versed technically). Get more info on the Rega Planar 3 turntable. The jangly guitar at the beginning of “Leopard Skin Pill Box Hat” push further out from the imaginary line between the speakers, painting a broader, more three dimensional picture via the new Planar 3, with the older table sounding much more two dimensional as a result. This is a review of Rega’s excellent new Planar 2, like its sibling Planar 3 a leap forward in merit and quality from the box to the ear. First time and legacy Rega fans will be equally astonished at how much music this table reveals. well on the few chances i get to blast out all my old vinyl, i really love the sound i get from my p3, iv never altered or upgraded it since i bought it back in 96 , maybe i should, or may need to change cartridge one day, but to be honest i would,nt know where to start. It does not add any coloration and is extremely true to the music. 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