Roy Gandy and the design/engineering teams at Rega UK are at it again with the reported March 2016 launch of the newly redesigned, and legendary Planar 3 turntable.
The Planar series are what put Rega on the map in the ’70s with their legendary, affordable, punchy, dynamic sound, and lasting build quality. The entry-level quality of turntables at Rega is something (in my opinion) that has come under fire in recent years from a large number of first-time buyers as the company pumped a ridiculous amount of RP1 ‘tables out to meet an exploding demand for budget turntables with the global vinyl resurgence. I would still recommend an older Planar ‘table over a new RP1 to anyone getting into vinyl, but this new Planar 3 looks the business and seems to be back on track for build quality. Suggested pricing I’ve seen online puts it around $900 USD with the Bias 2 cartridge, which makes it very competitively priced indeed.
–Rafe Arnott
From Rega’s website:
Replacing the multi award winning and five times What Hi-Fi? Product of the Year (RP3) was never going to be an easy task. It took our team of designers headed up by Rega’s Roy Gandy, two years to develop the all new ‘Planar 3’ following the biggest re-design of the iconic ‘three’ model ever seen.
Our team have worked tirelessly to improve every aspect of this turntable offering improved ergonomics, usability and first and foremost, sonic performance.The new ‘Planar 3’ is truly a new turntable for 2016 carrying over just two components from the previous model.
RB330 tonearm – Designed using the latest 3D CAD & CAM technology, the new RB330 is the culmination of more than 35 years of tonearm design experience. Featuring a brand new bearing housing, and our latest tonearm tube designed using intelligent redistribution of mass ensure this arm will exhibit fewer points of possible resonance. Extreme stability with almost friction free movement from the new high precision bearing assemblies guarantees to gather more information from your vinyl than ever before.
- Featuring a new bias assembly, re-designed stiffer vertical bearing housing, integrated
arm clip and an improved spring housing with easier to read numbers.- Rega made, new low capacitance phono cable with Neutrik plugs,
- Improved lower friction, precision horizontal and vertical bearings
- New design 100g mild steel balance weight.
Plinth – High gloss acrylic, laminated plinth, stiffer and vastly improved appearance, ergonomically positioned power switch.Two plinth finishes at launch: gloss black & gloss white
Double braces – Improved thicker 3mm phenolic bottom brace and new metalised skin phenolic top brace.
Bearing housing – Re-designed brass main hub central bearing, improved fit and construction reducing stress on the bearing itself.
Sub platter – Re-designed sub platter, improved accuracy and improved stiffness.
Platter – New float glass ‘Optiwhite’ polished rim 12mm – Improved accuracy in manufacture and stunning looks.
Re-designed foot – New improved foot to increase stability and reduce vibration transfer.
24V motor – Improved new motor control PCB with integration for the addition of TT-PSU for electronic speed change and improved advanced anti-vibration circuit (sold separately).
Motor cover tray with integrated cooling.
Wow, that puppy is a Gandy dandy! Looks like a “take-no-prisoners” deal for less than a grand, ready to play including cartridge.
And she’s a looker too!
Congrats to Rega.