Five Stars – What Hi-fi? Magazine
"Look No Further Than This"
Replacing the multi award winning and five-time What Hi-Fi? magazine Product of the Year turntable (RP3) was never going to be an easy task. It took a team of designers headed up by Rega's Roy Gandy two years to develop the all-new Planar 3. The result is the biggest redesign of the iconic 'three' model ever seen.
Rega's team has worked tirelessly to improve every aspect of this turntable. The Planar 3 offers improved ergonomics and ease-of-use. First and foremost, however, is an upgrade in sonic performance. The Planar 3 is truly a new turntable for 2016, carrying over few components from the previous model while retaining the high quality, value-for-money, and spirit of excellence that made the previous model a consistent Product of the Year.
"Clarity, Precision, and Insight"
"Want the best value turntable on the market? This is it," raves the March 23, 2016 issue of What Hi-fi? magazine, which awards the Planar 3 its top rating of Five Stars. "We think this new version is the best RP3 yet, adding extra servings of clarity, precision and insight to an already musical sound."
"Percussion sounds crisp, vocals are clear and realistic, and there’s plenty of tight bass. Simon Osborne-Walker, TrustedReviews.com, May 4, 2016. "If you’re looking for a record player for less than £1,000, you need look no further than this."
Breakthrough RB330 Tonearm
Designed using the latest 3D CAD & CAM technology, the new RB330 is the culmination of more than 35 years of Rega tonearm design experience. A brand new bearing housing joins forces with Rega's latest tonearm tube, which was designed using intelligent redistribution of mass, ensuring that this arm will exhibit fewer points of possible resonance. Extreme stability with almost friction-free movement from the new high precision bearing assemblies will gather more information from your vinyl than ever before.
Features aplenty include a new bias assembly, a redesigned stiffer vertical bearing housing, an integrated arm clip, and an improved spring housing with easier to read numbers. The arm also boasts a new Rega-made low capacitance phono cable with Neutrik plugs, improved lower friction precision horizontal and vertical bearings, and a newly designed 100g (3.5 oz.) milled steel balance weight.
Double Brace-Technology Plinth
Rega has pioneered the use of lightweight rigid plinths. Clever 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.
The new Planar 3 takes this design philosophy to the next level. A lightweight acrylic laminated plinth strengthened using a new improved double brace system mounted specifically where the increased rigidity is required (between the tonearm mounting and the main hub bearing), forming a structurally sound "stressed beam" assembly. The double braced design has an improved thicker 3mm phenolic bottom brace and new metalized skin phenolic top brace. This rigid plinth design prevents energy absorption and unwanted resonance, which will add unnatural distortions to the music.
Equally, heavier mass can transfer more unwanted energy, such as motor or bearing noise directly into the rotating record. The strategic use of braces instead of the complete skin allows double thickness phenolic resin in these key areas while providing further weight reduction to the plinth which directly addresses the issue of mass absorption and unwanted energy transmission.
More Performance-Enhancing Features
Beginning with a brand new platter, the Planar 3 includes even more performance-enhancing features. A new float glass ‘Optiwhite’ 12mm-thick platter with polished provides improved accuracy along with stunning looks.
A new bearing housing uses a redesigned brass main hub central bearing, improved fit and construction reducing stress on the bearing itself. The redesigned sub platter offers improved accuracy and improved stiffness. Redesigned feet increase stability and reduce vibration transfer.
An improved new 24-volt motor control PCB offers integration with the addition of and optional TT-PSU for electronic speed change and improved advanced anti-vibration circuit (sold separately).
Rega Elys2 Phono Cartridge
You'll think you've landed in the fields of Elysium when you add the heavenly sound quality of the Rega Elys 2 MM phono cartridge to your Rega RP3. The Elys 2 uses an elliptical diamond stylus. High-specification parallel wound coils contribute to the superior sound quality. The mount relies on Rega's three-point system.
