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 the Rega team of designers headed up by Roy Gandy two years to develop the all-new 'Planar 3' following the biggest re-design of the iconic 'Three' model ever seen.
The Rega 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.
New features of the Planar Three
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, 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.Three plinth finishes are available: gloss black, white red and new oak.
Double braces
Improved thicker 3mm phenolic bottom brace and new metalized 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 Neo PSU for electronic speed change and improved advanced anti-vibration circuit (sold separately).
Motor cover tray
With integrated cooling.
DB Technology (Double Brace Technology)
"Mass absorbs energy; lost energy equals lost music!"
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), which forms a structurally sound "stressed beam" assembly. 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 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.
Technical Specifications
Tonearm
Hand-assembled precision RB330 tonearm
Cartridge Options (price varies)
ND3 Moving Magnet Cartridge
ND5 Moving Magnet Cartridge
Motor
24 V low-noise motor
Platter
12 mm glass polished edge
Connectivity
RCA / Phono
Finishes
Gloss Black
Gloss White
Oak
Dimensions (lid closed) (W x H x D)
447 x 117 x 360 mm
Weight
6.0 kg
*This information has been obtained from Manufacturers website. We advise that Features, Specifications & Price are subject change without notice.
E&OE