Rega’s iconic turntables have been in production for 50 years and would make any credible list of high-end audio components that have changed the industry. Rega has also sold hundreds of thousands of tonearms over the past 5 decades; audiophiles have purchased OEM versions of its tonearms from a number of brands including Michell, Origin Live, Moth Audio, and Goldring.
On Another Planet
Rega was one of the last British high-end audio brands to introduce a CD player in the late 1990s; the Rega Planet was a radical departure from almost everything else on the market and its quirky clamping system made a fan out of me.
The Planet CD player won over a lot of listeners with its warmer tonal balance that was decidedly very different sounding than what was being offered by its rivals; Naim, Linn, Arcam, and Cyrus Audio. The CD player was paying homage to Rega’s original turntable that is being honored in 2023 with the limited edition Planar 3 50th Anniversary deck.
Rega Research Ltd was founded in 1973 in Essex, England, by Roy Gandy, a mechanical engineer, and Tony Relph, a chemical engineer. They started the company to produce hi-fi equipment, including turntables, amplifiers, and speakers. The first Rega turntable was the Planet, which was introduced in 1973.
The Planet was a budget turntable that sold for £39.95 and was designed to be an affordable alternative to the expensive turntables of the time. It also used a Rega-designed tonearm that was manufactured by Acos in Japan.
In 1977, Rega introduced the Planar 2 and Planar 3 turntables, which were an evolution of the Planet turntable. The Planar 3 was designed to be a higher-end version of the Planar 2, with better build quality and performance.
The Planar 3 had a glass platter, a low-noise motor, and a new tonearm. The new Rega-Acos R200 tonearm was a radical departure from the standard tonearms of the time. It was a lightweight design that used a unipivot bearing, which allowed it to track the record groove more accurately. The Planar 3 was an instant success and quickly gained a reputation for its excellent sound quality and value for money.
Over the years, Rega has continued to refine and improve the Planar 3 turntable. In 1983, they introduced the RB300 tonearm, which was a significant upgrade over the original tonearm. The RB300 used a more rigid tube and a more advanced bearing system, which improved tracking accuracy and reduced distortion.
In 1991, Rega introduced the P3 turntable, which was an updated version of the Planar 3 with a new motor, platter, and tonearm. In 2000, Rega introduced the P3-24, which had a new 24-volt motor and a new plinth design.
In 2016, Rega introduced a new version of the Planar 3, which had a new RB330 tonearm, a new plinth design, and improved motor control circuitry.
Rega pioneered the use of lightweight rigid plinths. Their innovative 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.
Today, the Rega Planar 3 turntable ($1,125 at Turntablelab.com) is still regarded as one of the best turntables on the market, and it continues to win awards for its performance and value for money. Rega has remained true to its original philosophy of producing high-quality, affordable hi-fi equipment, and the Planar 3 turntable is a testament to that philosophy.
Planar 3 50th Anniversary
Available in the hugely popular new walnut effect finish, the 50th anniversary Planar 3 is supplied with a hand tuned Neo PSU MK2 and the handmade Rega Exact moving magnet cartridge factory fitted.
The drive system uses their reference drive belt and a custom CNC’d aluminium drive pulley to deliver the absolute best in performance and accuracy.
The Anniversary Edition is completed with an aluminium lid plinth badge and smoked dustcover to complete the Anniversary Edition.
Key Features
- Walnut Effect plinth with custom aluminium badge
- RB330 Precision tonearm
- Exact MM cartridge factory fitted
- Neo turntable PSU MK2 included
- 24 V low noise, low vibration motor, hand tuned to the custom Neo PSU Mk2.
- Double brace technology
- 12 mm float glass opti-white polished platter
- CNC machined Planar 6 drive pulley for use with the Neo PSU.
- Supplied with a smoked dust cover as standard.
- Reference EBLT drive belt fitted as standard
- Anniversary Special Edition only available to buy during 2023
Where to buy: $1,695 at Turntable Lab
Tip: This edition will only be available for the rest of 2023 and can be ordered through Rega’s global dealer network.
