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Rega RP10/Aphelion or P10/Apheta3

Would you buy Rega RP10/Aphelion or P10/Apheta3

  • Total voters
    37
Luceo non uro

Luceo non uro

pfm Member
Looking for some advice from anyone who's heard both - hopefully there's someone out there!

I'm planning to upgrade my TT next month and had convinced myself to skip my original plan of buying the P8/Apheta 3 package and going for the P10/Apheta 3 to avoid any future upgrade temptations.

I've now got the option of buying an older RP10 with the Aphelion (1) cartridge, for pretty much the some price as the newer model with the lesser cart (but still better than my current P3/Ania). What would you do?!

My assumption will be that the Aphelion will elevate the older package to being better - it should, as that was a very expensive cart. But perhaps the newer turntable will close that gap up a bit, as it's supposed to be quite the jump from the RP model. Also wondering if the Apheta 3 would be more forgiving with not-so-great vinyl - more than half my collection is battered 80s-90s fare.

Sadly it won't be possible to demo against each other. I've never heard the RP10, but I have heard the newer P10 against the P8. Both phenomenal tables - the 8 probably the better value given the cost difference, but the 10 a further improvement in sound if you don't mind the premium.
 
Personally, I would try to not be wooed by the more expensive cart on the slightly lesser deck, try to think of cartridges as expendable items, albeit over a period, whereas a deck of this quality is a longer term buy, so get the best.
I have never heard a P8/RP10/P10, let alone had the chance to compare them, but as far as I understand it, the RP10 is comparable to a P8, and the P10 is obviously a step above. I was very pleased with the large improvement in going to a P6 recently from my old Planar 3. @Mr Pig might have a good view on this.
 
A slightly different take. Ask yourself what type of person you are. Someone who is always seeking better?

The fact that you want to move up from the P3 suggests that you get upgraditis ...many of us are the same on here !

If you had the RP10, would you look at the P10 reviews in a year's time, and think ... "if only" ...
At least going for the P10 now, you know that you are at the top of the tree for that manufacturer.
 
Yes, I think I can safely say I fall into that category - dismissed buying the P6 when I bought the P3 as it was out of budget, but spent twice as much on P3 add-ons and tweaks over the next four years! Fun though...

And I set out with the intention of definitely buying the P8 this time, and have now decided that I'll always wonder 'what if...!' with the P10.

This has been helpful - hifi therapy!
 
trick cyclist said:
Personally, I would try to not be wooed by the more expensive cart on the slightly lesser deck, try to think of cartridges as expendable items...
Click to expand...

This.

A used cart has limited value and will posses even that value for only a short time. I'd go for the better deck.

Everything I've heard suggests the RP10 and P8 are broadly equivalent, one is better in some ways, the other in others. The P8 was out when I bought a used RP10 but I wanted the full dust cover. That was the only reason I when for that option.

Reviews and opinions on the P10 are thin on the ground. The P8 has been out for longer and is pretty universally liked but I don't know that I'd be confident about a P10 right now unless I could try it at home.

Very high resolution carts tend not to be kind to poor vinyl.
 
I would never buy a TT without a lid. Plenty of options out there, could always try an LP12 or Well Tempered?
 
That was a consideration that sent me to explore the RP10 option - I have a curious cat who likes to explore! But I believe there's also a Project cover that works well with the P8 and P10, and costs £90.
 
I have a P10 and apheta3 running through an aura phono stage, its a wonderful set up and i would think you will be very happy with it.
The apheta3 is a nice cartridge and shares the same cut on stylus i believe, i cant say how the apheta3 compares to the aphelion, but the aphelion2, it brings a bit more, but at the expense of sounding worse on bad recording, dont know if the aphelion is the same, but i wouldn't have thought the apheta3 is to far away from the original aphelion for sound.
As for RP10 v P10, the P10 is better on all fronts, apart from lid maybe, that's if you keep the RP10 frame, but you can easily get a full cover for the P10 if you wish, but as an owner, i dont find the standard lid a problem.
 
I recently acquired a new Planar 10 with the Alpheta 3 cartridge.
I'm very very happy with it.
The OE cover is fine but I'll probably get the Pro-Ject one which fits it perfectly and is available for £70.
 
Luceo non uro said:
That was a consideration that sent me to explore the RP10 option - I have a curious cat who likes to explore!
Click to expand...

That would put me right off a skeletal turntable. Although I wouldn't have a cat in the first place ;0)

The kind of dust cover Rega are now supplying on the P8/10 have been around for years and it is not going to stop the arm and deck getting coated in crud. Also ain't going to offer much protection from a roaming cat. A full, drop-over cover would be much better but I wouldn't want one of those either. Too much risk and hassle lifting it on and off. It's a personal thing but I like having a traditional turntable lid.
 
As a former RP10/alpheta 2 owner, I can certainly confirm that the RP10 is very nice indeed. Add an aphelion (which I have not heard) and I would expect it to be even better.

However, if I were the o.p. I would certainly be leaning towards the P10. Rega say it’s an improvement on the RP10 and I would not doubt their word.
 
Fremer thought the new Planar10 blew the doors off anything else he'd heard from Rega previously. Like him or not, he's always sincere if he goes positive on a line that he normally is critical of, you can be sure it's a significant upgrade.

He also felt the original apheta was bad (I have to say I wasn't a fan of it, personally) but that the subsequent revisions are much better, and he was very positive about the aphelion.
 
This is a tough one. We have cats, too - see avatar - so a lid is necessary at Joe Towers. The wee beasts are not actually that curious about spinning records, but their hair is certainly attracted to it.

The P10 is very tempting, but given the foregoing an RP10 with a nice Dynavector cartridge would be my choice. Hell, you could put a DRT XV-1S on there for roughly the same cost as the Aphelion.
 
I said in your previous thread to go with the P8, it may be all the deck you ever need.
If you must spend more then go with the newer P10.
 
I can understand Luceo’s dilemma. There is a lack of straight A-B comparison on the forums where he has asked the question including this one and in the reviews. It makes it difficult to know how much difference there is between the turntables and turntables/arms given that the cartridges will be a replaceable consumable over the years. Lockdown doesn’t help to get hands on experience of it.
 
There is also a question of balance within the system, if the rest of your gear is only able to realise the fidelity level of a P8, anything better is not going to have its potential realised, unless of course partnering gear is up for the chop.
A base P10 with no cart has an rrp of £3600, whereas a P8 is £1700. That two grand difference would enable a decent upgrade in say the speakers, which could take a system to the next level.
 
Paul L said:
There is a lack of straight A-B comparison on the forums where he has asked the question including this one and in the reviews. It makes it difficult to know how much difference there is between the turntables...
Click to expand...

Yes, but dealer dems are far from perfect. Strange room, usually a strange system and multiple other variables.

I've heard the P10 once, in a dealers last year. It sounded absolutely dreadful! So bad I couldn't believe the dealer thought it was ok to let someone hear it like that. Thankfully, I've heard enough bad dealer dems to know not to blame the kit but what if I was actually looking to buy the P10 based on that dem?

It's hard to make the right call on hi-fi purchases however you do it. That's why I virtually always buy used now so I can sell on again if it doesn't suit. Cartridges, well it's hard to buy those used and a hate buying them!
 
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