REPRODUCED FROM HI-FICHOICE
Rega Planar 3 £880
Originalylaunched atatim ewhen UKshopperswere panic buying bread,the 3 has seen som e changes
There wilbe som e reading thisfor whom the Rega Planar3 was the first‘proper’turntable theyowned. Launched in 1978,ithitthe sweet spotbetween high-end decksand budget ones perfectly. Indeed it was so suc es fulthat there was once a waiting list to buy one. These days, the form ula rem ains m uch the sam e,although the deck itself is way beter in term s of design. Although basicalyan inexpensive, m inim alist vinyl spinner with no independently sprung sub-chas is or other such fancifulfeatures, it com binesa suite ofclevertouches to deliver a sound that’s beyond m ostpeople’sideaofanafordable turntable.Itsbelt-drive system has been im proved increm entaly over the yearsto deliversurprisinglylow wow and fluter. An alum inium m otor puley helps with this, as opposed to theplasticonethatthe
com pany used to em ploy.A new 24V m otoris also fited, with the option of a Neo I external power supply, for further improvements to speed stabilty. Regahasspecified itstapered aluminium RB330 tonearm, which is a direct descendent of the company’s clasic RB300 of 1983. It has a calibrated tracking weight display, which is prety ac urate,so there’s no need for fiddly stylus gauges. There’s a brace barthatruns between itand the centre of the deck to combat resonancesin whatisa prety light plinth. Seting up the Planar3 isstraightforward,not least because a Rega Exact moving-magnet cartridge com esfited and pre-aligned, complete with Rega’s
excelent three-point m ounting system. Stil, it’s not absolute-beginner teritory, as you do have to screw on the counterweight. Generaly the finish is excelent and this feels like a clas product,ratherthan a budgetone.Asever,thePlanar3 sounds best without its dust coverfited,perfectly levelon a lightshelforcofee table.
16 MUSICATHOME+
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