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Turntable advice - Planar 2 vs Planar 3

P

Piksky

pfm Member
I’m looking at purchasing my first proper turntable with a budget of up to £400. I’m looking at Rega mostly because I like the idea of a lifetime guarantee and I’ve read a few too many forum posts regarding project turntable issues to be comfortable. Also, the turntable novice in me would prefer the fully setup ready to play nature of the Rega arriving at my door - the talk of protractors frankly scares me.

I’m stuck between the Planar 2 and Planar 3. There are some b grade planar 2s available at just over £300, which suits me perfectly. But I’m aware there is no anti skate on them and they cannot be readily upgraded via the neo psu etc.

Thing is I’m wondering how much I’d ever need those features, and more importantly whether in its stock form I’d even tell the difference between the two?

There are also a few b grade planar 3s around too which are just over budget (and minus cartridge) at £450ish. Could I stretch to this? Possibly if absolutely worth it.

I have a really good digital front end and I know I’m not going to be able to get anywhere near as good in the analogue world with my budget. I also have a very small number of records: I don’t anticipate leaving digital anytime soon. All I’d like is for the turntable I get to not embarrass itself when playing one of my few treasured vinyls.

I’d love to visit my local dealer to try them both out but they don’t stock the b grades and I’m not about to use their facilities then purchase elsewhere: that’s just not fair!

Phono amp is a project phono box (1st generation), pre is Myryad MDP500 and power is Roksan Caspian mk1.

Any thoughts? What would you do? Second hand is fine too but would need a massive steer.
 
If you can stretch to it then go for the P3. There is clear air in-between it and the P2 plus should you wish to go down the up-grade route, including Neo PSU etc. you can.
When I bought my P3 a few years ago the dealer advised me to get the PSU and white-belt and stop there (of course I didn't with it ending up with a Tango Spinner sub-platter and Rega Ania - sounded bloody great but I've now got a P8 with Atheta which I think is probably going to be my 'forever' TT)).
 
Piksky said:
I’m looking at purchasing my first proper turntable with a budget of up to £400. I’m looking at Rega mostly because I like the idea of a lifetime guarantee and I’ve read a few too many forum posts regarding project turntable issues to be comfortable. Also, the turntable novice in me would prefer the fully setup ready to play nature of the Rega arriving at my door - the talk of protractors frankly scares me.

I’m stuck between the Planar 2 and Planar 3. There are some b grade planar 2s available at just over £300, which suits me perfectly. But I’m aware there is no anti skate on them and they cannot be readily upgraded via the neo psu etc.

Thing is I’m wondering how much I’d ever need those features, and more importantly whether in its stock form I’d even tell the difference between the two?

There are also a few b grade planar 3s around too which are just over budget (and minus cartridge) at £450ish. Could I stretch to this? Possibly if absolutely worth it.

I have a really good digital front end and I know I’m not going to be able to get anywhere near as good in the analogue world with my budget. I also have a very small number of records: I don’t anticipate leaving digital anytime soon. All I’d like is for the turntable I get to not embarrass itself when playing one of my few treasured vinyls.

I’d love to visit my local dealer to try them both out but they don’t stock the b grades and I’m not about to use their facilities then purchase elsewhere: that’s just not fair!

Phono amp is a project phono box (1st generation), pre is Myryad MDP500 and power is Roksan Caspian mk1.

Any thoughts? What would you do? Second hand is fine too but would need a massive steer.
Click to expand...
A graded Planar 3 is going to need a £100 (min) cartridge to do it justice, which brings you up to the cost of..
https://pinkfishmedia.net/forum/threads/rega-rp6-exact-in-red.261341/

If you can cope with red, I doubt you will find a better deal? Has TTPSU and Exact. Will mean you may not have to upgrade for a while (or even ever?). But I may be biased, as I have one (but in white).
 
I’d definitely stretch to the Planar 3 if possible, it’s quite a significant step up from the Planar 2… you don’t need to spend a fortune on a cartridge, a VM95e would be just fine.
 
If you're scared of protractors and set-up, my recommendation would be to get your Rega dealer to install it for you. Many will do this for a very reasonable cost and some of the nicer ones may even do it free! The Project phono box you have is a real bargain, too, btw.
 
pocketkitchen said:
The Project phono box you have is a real bargain, too, btw.
Click to expand...

Is it? I got it because it was cheap and I was just experimenting with my dads old 80s turntable, the result of which is this thread!

I was worried I’d need to get a better one to go with the better turntable. I take it I’m in the clear here then?
 
Jamie said:
A graded Planar 3 is going to need a £100 (min) cartridge to do it justice, which brings you up to the cost of..
https://pinkfishmedia.net/forum/threads/rega-rp6-exact-in-red.261341/

If you can cope with red, I doubt you will find a better deal? Has TTPSU and Exact. Will mean you may not have to upgrade for a while (or even ever?). But I may be biased, as I have one (but in white).
Click to expand...

This is a superb deal, however with my original budget of £400 being pushed uncomfortably to hit a graded 3 at £500 this is a step further in the wrong direction. Definitely one to think about though: thanks for the heads up
 
Your opening post perfectly describes a Planar 2 customer, i.e. limited budget, wants quality/longevity/warranty, not very many records, mostly into digital sources. Regardless, I wouldn't discount Planar 2 just because it doesn't support a TTPSU upgrade. The 24V motors already run much quieter than the old 110V model, and all but the hinges and lid have been revised over the past 5 or 6 years such that the current deck tops the pre-RP3 version P3/Planar 3 by a noticeable margin.

I don't know about these 'B' stock Planar 2 models, however, the current Planar 2 (or, more correctly, the current RB220 tonearm) has had the adjustable anti-skating bias restored. Not that the fixed magnet version is a bother with any cartridge that runs at circa 2g downforce (such as the AT-VM95E mentioned previously). The included Carbon cartridge does sound good enough to deserve to be worn down to a nubbin, only when the time does comes to replace, Planar 2/RB220 deserves a whole cartridge upgrade.

The bottom line is that these are superb decks for the money, even at full 'A' stock price.
 
Piksky said:
I have a really good digital front end and I know I’m not going to be able to get anywhere near as good in the analogue world with my budget. I also have a very small number of records: I don’t anticipate leaving digital anytime soon. All I’d like is for the turntable I get to not embarrass itself when playing one of my few treasured vinyls.
Click to expand...

A Planar 2 or 3 might just surprise you how good the analogue world is.
 
Piksky said:
Is it? I got it because it was cheap and I was just experimenting with my dads old 80s turntable, the result of which is this thread!

I was worried I’d need to get a better one to go with the better turntable. I take it I’m in the clear here then?
Click to expand...
I bought one a few years ago to use as a stop gap and was knocked out by it. Good and cheap doesn’t happen often. There’s better out there, sure but for sensible money, it’s brilliant.
 
Thanks all for the advice and insights: I have much to cogitate over the next couple of days…!

I really appreciate the help.
 
Piksky said:
Thanks all for the advice and insights: I have much to cogitate over the next couple of days…!

I really appreciate the help.
Click to expand...

The advice is always to spend more than your budget! There's not a great deal to choose between a 2 and a 3.
 
Jamie said:
https://pinkfishmedia.net/forum/threads/rega-rp6-exact-in-red.261341/
Click to expand...

I would go for this. A step up again, cartridge included, and if you at some point want to sell it on, someone else has already taken the 'new price' depreciation, so you'd probably 'lose' little to nothing. Makes most sense sound quality wise (not that I have one, I used to have a 3 and now an LP12..) and financially IMHO. A new Exact alone is half the asking price of turntable + cartridge

Make an offer is on the table...

Take a read here:

https://pinkfishmedia.net/forum/threads/rega-planar-3-or-rp6.205196/

https://pinkfishmedia.net/forum/threads/rega-planar-6-or-planar-3-both-with-exact-cartridge.208720/
 
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