Your preferred Rega turntable
- Thread starter gerlando
- Start date
Craig B
Re:trophile
Somewhat OT, however, I find this side of Rega history very interesting. Somewhere in the physical archives here there is a Canadian hi-fi mag with a Rega distributor ad depicting such a wood trimmed Planar 3 plinth. I've often wondered how many of these were produced, as I've never encountered another mention of them.Beautiful. Funny that they brought back the alloy subplatter years later for the higher end models.
My 3 has a similar plinth that I believe was an Antipodean special. Its wooden trim is a little lighter in colour and flush with the black. I think it's white tawa. Visually, it's a close match to my A60.
It took me years to find one to replace the satin black plinth. I was lucky mine had a Grace arm originally with the correct arm hole position as some were sold with Linn LVV arms (like the sample below). I swapped over the RB300 and second generation motor, and recently installed the latest subplatter. It sounds fabulous.
That Basik LV-V reminds me of when, back in the early 80s, I went round to a fellow's place to have a look at a Planar 2 that he had advertised in the Pennysaver. To my dismay, it had been fitted with an LV-V into the same hole as for the original R200 (Linn pivot to spindle distance is 11mm less than for Lustre, Rega, or Grace G-707). His claim was that the Linn/Rega dealer had offered the choice of the Linn, or a G-707, as 'upgrade', with the Basik being the cheaper option. Sure enough, swinging the tonearm in over the spindle revealed that the overhang was just under a cm too short. I can just about imagine the distortion plot! Regardless, there sure were a lot of Planar 2 and 3 over here with G-707 on after Linn released the Ittok. I wonder what became of all the displaced R200.
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Darren L
Egalitarian
Voted for the Planar 3/ P3 /P3-24/ RP3 as I think it's worthy of the 'giant killer' budget record player it was known as since its introduction and probably was an awful lot of people's introduction to a good record player.
The earlier Planar models with the real wood trim are really lovely and a good sounding TT.
I'm sure the more expensive models are all excellent though I've only heard the older version of the top model with the white ceramic platter shortly after it was introduced.
The earlier Planar models with the real wood trim are really lovely and a good sounding TT.
I'm sure the more expensive models are all excellent though I've only heard the older version of the top model with the white ceramic platter shortly after it was introduced.
Ptah
pfm Member
I don't like the look of it.
Would it? If you've never heard it, how can you possibly know?
It's all very personal isn't it but for me, one Rega turntable stands out as being their defining product. The late eighties Planar3/RB300. To me this represents not just a classic Rega product but one of the best products ever made. It is close to perfection.
It is elegant and stylish despite being stripped of all cosmetic frills. Unlike some of the preceding and later decks, there is no wood trim and in fact, apart from the Rega badge, there is not a single part of the deck which does not perform a function. If not abused, they last seemingly indefinitely with no significant weaknesses in the design or construction.
But the game changer was the birth of the RB300 tonearm. With the benefit of hindsight few would argue the new cast Rega tonearms are not the most important tonearms ever made, and they started here. A product so advanced it has yet to be copied but which was designed and sold at as low a price as was possible. The result was a sleek, simple and utterly reliable turntable which was attainable for most people and delivered genuine Hi-Fi sound as good as many turntables costing much more.
I'm not saying that earlier Regas were not good but they were not significantly different from a few other decks available at the time. The RB300 changed that. It was the Planar3/RB300 which cemented Regas place in audio history and provided the foundation for every other Rega turntable since. It's the daddy.
Tim Jones
pfm Member
I don't want to seem rude, but what on earth is the point of this poll? "Favourite" according to what criteria?
I've owned an early 80s Planar 3 (with a R200), four 90s Planar 3s (two black, two green), a P25, a P9 for a decade, and currently a P6. They're all very good decks for their price points.
I've owned an early 80s Planar 3 (with a R200), four 90s Planar 3s (two black, two green), a P25, a P9 for a decade, and currently a P6. They're all very good decks for their price points.
Hazelberry
sister
You see them here in NZ from time to time, and I've seen mention and a picture of one in Australia. Do you remember what arm it had?
Oh dear! Indeed, I had to be sure of what geometry I was buying. The giveaway was the small hole where the Grace's armrest had been. What I wasn't sure of was whether the RB300 would fit the mounting hole. I was prepared to ream the hole if needed but it turned out there was a little room to spare.
The G-707 is a good low mass arm and the R200 has respect. A Planar saddled with a dirty old LVV - well, I suppose it did make the deck more affordable, if difficult to upgrade the arm. I can't be sure if I've seen a Rega with an R200 here.
Hazelberry
sister
A Rega 3 of any era is remarkable value. Around 1990 the price of a new Planar 3/RB300 was $1000 here, translating to just over $1800 now. The latest Planar 3 is priced at around $1500, crappy exchange rate and all.
What upgrades did you make? From the picture can I guess alloy subplatter, different platter, different arm wiring?
I'd have an orange Rega any day! A pity the current 3 only comes in black, white, or red.P3-24, especially the better version with the coloured plinths and TT-PSU. I would have preferred green, but I got a good deal on this one. I added some sensible upgrades!
What upgrades did you make? From the picture can I guess alloy subplatter, different platter, different arm wiring?
Ptah
pfm Member
Agreed about Naiad, but the RB300 came out (solo and on Planar 3s) in 1983. I know cos I bought one!
misterc6
Wasted and wounded, it ain’t what the moon did
Mostly correct. I no longer have it so, from memory:
Alloy sub-platter
Acrylic platter
Red silicon belt
I've long favoured the RB2xx arms over the RB3xx ones so I had J7 at Audio Origami supply a new RB251 (I think) with upgraded internal and external wiring. I replaced the stock counter-weight with a heavier Rega tungsten one.
linnfomaniac83
I bet you can’t wheelie a unicycle!
My BSR auto changer was suspended... I wouldn’t take it over a Rega!
Luca
pfm Member
The Planar 3 was my first good turntable when I was teen. I love its minimal design. It remembers me the minimalist style of Mies Van Der Rohe and his aphorism: "less is more". But we audiophiles always crave for something better. So I traded in my Rega for a Linn Sondek LP12. The latter sounds better but I regret for the missing of a so fascinating player in my listening room.