Rega RP10 Turntable

Images shown with optional Apheta phono cartridge.

"Up There with the Best I've Reviewed" - Michael Fremer, Stereophile

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Offering the Highest Level of Performance from a Rega Turntable

With the much anticipated RP10, Rega's advances its design philosophy further than ever before with sophisticated components built around its radical new plinth design. Featuring the brand new RB2000 tonearm, a ceramic flywheel-effect platter, and the custom RP10 power supply, the RP10 offers the highest level of performance from a Rega turntable to date.

"No doubt about it - the RP10 is Rega Research's best turntable to date," notes Michael Fremer, Stereophile magazine, February 2018. "More than that, in every way it's up there with the best I've reviewed."

"Put the RP10 in the biggest rigs and you won't lack for detail retrieval, bottom-end extension and control, dead-'black' backgrounds, impressive dynamics, image stability, and transparency. Spending a lot more can get you more quality of sound - but if you're not careful, it might get you a great deal less," concludes Michael Fremer.

Highly Evolved Power Supply

Housed in Rega's custom design case is a brand new, advanced anti-vibration and speed control circuit dedicated to running the 24v low noise motor. The speed and control of the motor is achieved by using a new DSP (digital signal processing) generator built upon a high-stability crystal. The device will divide the accurate square wave from the crystal to the exact frequency required to turn the platter at the selected speed. The DSP core will also generate a near perfect sinusoidal waveform to power the motor. Factory-set vibration and speed adjustments are then made to the power supply to tune the motor for optimal performance.

Feature-Packed RB2000 Tonearm

The included RB2000 tonearm is packed with new features pushing the boundaries of tonearm design. As with all Rega tonearms, each one is meticulously hand built by a team of highly skilled technicians. The RB2000 uses improved bearings, and each one is hand selected to be a perfect fit with the paired spindle matching both the inside and outside diameters. This is a Rega-developed method of increasing the amount of detail retrieved from the record surface, designed specifically to maximize the performance of the tonearm and cartridge.

The entire tonearm structure is designed to have the minimum of mechanical joints while using the stiffest materials in all critical areas. The tolerance of the RB2000 tonearm is so tight that no adhesive is used at any point throughout the construction. A brand new low mass, precision engineered, vertical bearing assembly further enhances the performance.

The RB2000 uses the latest award-winning Rega arm tube, which has been completely redesigned to redistribute mass and further reduce stresses and resonances. This advanced tube increases the stiffness and rigidity of the overall assembly while reducing stress on the bearings even further. Each arm tube is meticulously hand polished, keeping mass to an absolute minimum.

Magnesium and Phenolic Dual Bracing

A super lightweight plinth combines with a double brace mounted specifically where the increased rigidity is required, between the tonearm mounting and the main hub bearing. This forms a structurally sound 'stressed beam' assembly, preventing energy absorption and unwanted resonances.

The RP10 takes double brace technology to the next level. Not content with an unprecedented stiffness-to-mass ratio, Rega has obsessively reduced any resonant properties by using two different materials for the new stressed beam. The top layer is magnesium and the bottom layer is phenolic. These are two of the lightest and stiffest materials available.

Different materials have different natural resonances. Incorporating two different materials into the brace structure lowers their ability to pick up unwanted airborne vibrations. They decrease the natural frequency of each other by 'self damping.'

Super Flywheel-Effect Ceramic Platter

The RP10 uses a custom ceramic flywheel-effect platter. It is produced from ceramic oxide powder which is compressed, fired, and diamond-cut to ensure perfect accuracy and flatness across the surface. The new platter features a modified construction over the previous P9 version with improved coupling to the sub platter.

24-Volt Low-Noise Motor

The motor is a high specification, 24V twin phase synchronous unit. It is controlled by Rega's unique and innovative RP10-PSU power supply. The motor drives the CNC machined pulley, sub platter and hub-bearing assembly via the twin belt drive. Each motor is individually hand tuned to its own custom power supply in the factory to minimize vibration, motor noise and ensure optimum performance.

Skeletal Plinth Design with Polyolefin Foam Core

Rega continually researches methods of producing light but stiff and rigid plinths. The technology is simple. Unwanted noise at microscopic levels is developed by the turntable motor and main bearing. The plinth can also pick up airborne vibration from the music. From its beginnings in the 1970s, Rega pioneered the use of a stressed skin structure for the plinth. This uses two layers of phenolic resin with a lightweight particle board or fiber board sandwiched between the skins. This technique has been used in many applications where stiff, light structures are needed, such as with an aircraft wing or a Formula 1 chassis.

The current increase in interest in turntables has allowed Rega to research and develop higher technology structures for the customer who is happy pay a little more for higher sound quality. The RP10 utilizes a unique new stressed skin structure produced from thin phenolic skins sandwiching a featherweight nitrogen expanded, closed cell, polyolefin foam core. This material has been developed exclusively for Rega over a three-year period.

As a result of the ongoing research, the RP10 plinth is seven times lighter than the weight of the original Planar 3 plinth. Rega has added even more stiffness in the crucial area between the arm and the main bearing.

Decoupled Outer Frame and Dust Cover

A common problem for many skeletal design turntables is the inability to incorporate an effective dust cover into the design. Rega has constructed an outer frame that minimizes contact between the inner and outer plinth. The only points of contact are three location devices on the feet, which centralize the inner and outer plinths perfectly. This makes set-up extremely easy and allows the use of a dust cover.

The RP10 can be used without its outer frame, if so desired.

• New RB2000 tonearm
• Custom ceramic flywheel-effect platter
• Low-noise, high specification, 24V twin-phase synchronous motor
• New, advanced anti-vibration and speed control circuit
• RP10-PSU power supply
• Skeletal plinth design with polyolefin foam core
• New super lightweight plinth with magnesium and phenolic dual bracing
• Decoupled outer frame and dust cover

Apheta Moving Coil Cartridge

• Tracking pressure: 1.75 g
• Input load impedance: 100 Ohms
• Output impedance: 15 Ohms
• Output voltage: 500 uV

Best High-End Record Players 2020: Ultimate Premium Turntables - What Hi-Fi?

"Rega has picked up plenty of awards for its more modest offerings, but the Planar 10/Apheta 3 combination sets sky-high standards for the money and serves up plenty of insight and detail."

"The company's mainstream range-topper, the Planar 10 is well-made and visually striking. You could buy the Planar 10 without a cartridge but Rega’s Apheta 3 makes the ideal partner."

"There's plenty of elegant engineering to admire, including a single piece machined aluminium sub-platter with hardened tool steel spindle running inside a custom brass housing. As for the belt, Rega spent three years developing the material used."

"When it comes to sound, there is transparency, resolution and dynamic expression in spades. It's a natural and measured performance that is mature and authoritative, with plenty of weight to bass frequencies."

"All in all, this high-end record player is as good as it gets for the money. And if you like that it resembles a work of art, this is the deck for you."

- Tom Bailey, What Hi-Fi?, June 23, 2020

2019 Editors' Choice Award – The Absolute Sound

"...the RP10, outfitted with a ‘skeletal’ plinth, new motor, ceramic platter, Rega’s best tonearm yet, and a new power supply is quite the statement from this venerable British firm. The sound has a great sense of detail and dynamics and the usual audiophile check list. But most importantly, it’s fluid, articulate, cohesive, and exceptionally immediate a communicative with its musical delivery."

- The Absolute Sound, March 2019

"No doubt about it - the RP10 is Rega Research's best turntable to date. More than that, in every way it's up there with the best I've reviewed."

"Put the RP10 in the biggest rigs and you won't lack for detail retrieval, bottom-end extension and control, dead-'black' backgrounds, impressive dynamics, image stability, and transparency. Spending a lot more can get you more quality of sound - but if you're not careful, it might get you a great deal less."

- Michael Fremer, Stereophile magazine, February 2018