The multi-award-winning Planar 1 features a fresh new look!
Every small detail of the Planar 1 has been carefully designed to enhance performance. It uses a custom 24V, low-noise motor to reduce vibrations, combined with the handmade RB110 tonearm with unique low-friction bearings designed by Rega.
The state-of-the-art EBLT belt offers greater accuracy and improved speed performance.
Handmade RB110 Tonearm
The new RB110 tonearm is built with Rega's newly designed, ultra-low friction bearings. Additionally, it includes automatic bias adjustment, eliminating the need for manual adjustment, making the Planar 1 turntable the most "plug & play" turntable Rega has ever made.
Finally, the ergonomically designed headshell offers improved usability and appearance.
Modern 24V Motor
The first entry-level turntable from Rega that uses a modern 24 V AC motor with a new motor board and aluminum pulley, offering low noise and better speed stability.
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Companies have now realized that they can exploit young people who have no contact with quality sound and sell us rubbish.
Regarding this specific product, since I was unfamiliar with it and kept it for a year, I have the following to say:
The sound quality is decent but does not match a turntable of double the value, provided a very good external phono stage is used. It can be further improved with a better cartridge. However, there are several negatives that one should know before purchasing. The motor makes noise when it's quiet (at least mine does), the lid attachment is ridiculous and dangerous, it only has 3 non-adjustable feet, and the platter is made of cheap plastic with very poor finishing. The black color is adhesive tape... Additionally, the lid has a small gap, resulting in dust getting inside.
It's also worth mentioning that it does not have anti-skating adjustment, which makes upgrading the cartridge difficult.
Another major flaw is the built-in audio cable. If you have good interconnect cables, using them is impossible.
Something else that no review mentions is the inner-groove distortion of the cheap cartridge. At the edges of the record, the tracking of the cartridge is simply unacceptable, and there is significant distortion in the high frequencies.
Finally, after a year of use, the lever that lowers the needle started to loosen.
In general, the only positive thing about this turntable is the sound quality, even with the cheap cartridge it comes with. The build quality is poor, so it's better to invest more in the Planar 2. Instead, I would recommend a used turntable made in Japan from the 70s and 80s, or if you want a new one, the Technics SL 1500c
What a beautiful machine! At this price (~390€), I don't think there is anything more worthy. Very well-made with attention to detail, thanks to REGA. Perhaps the platter could be heavier and made of denser material. However, this is not a deterrent factor for purchasing it. In terms of sound quality performance, it always depends on the related equipment one has. I play it with a JVC 200W that has a phono input, connected to Focal Aria 906 speakers. I rarely play at excessive volume, but within the dB range that pleases me, the sound is full and with very satisfying detail. In short, the turntable impresses the amateur and surprises the professional. Buy it. It performs well.
I have had this particular turntable for almost 2 years, I was lucky because I found it on sale for 320 euros. It is suitable for both young and old and it has nothing to envy from more expensive turntables. It is the best turntable available, with a simple design, an excellent tonearm that provides grounding, a good cartridge, and it is MADE IN ENGLAND! Most importantly, it is upgradeable, one can gradually change components and even turn it into a 3.
In short, it is an excellent value for money turntable that I would buy again and again. In my opinion, avoid the new turntables that have USB, phono, etc. because you will lose in sound quality.
My first turntable!!! I bought it 2 days ago and I haven't stopped playing it. The build quality is excellent for this price range (made in England). The sound is warm and full. The bass is strong and deep, the highs sound very clear, and the soundstage is amazing. When I first played it, there was a very soft sound coming from the turntable motor, but after a few hours of operation, that sound disappeared. Ideally, I would like the RCA cable to be replaceable and for there to be a start/stop button. I think it's the best choice for this price range, with sound quality being the main criterion, and I believe anyone who chooses it as their first turntable will be fully satisfied.
UPDATE: After about a month of almost daily use, I have something to say...
This turntable is awesome!!! Don't think too much about it... it has started to sound even better (the stylus settles after about 50 hours of play) and produces sound far beyond my expectations before purchasing it. There's no chance that if you're a "newbie" in the world of Hi-Fi and looking for your first turntable, you'll be disappointed with buying a Rega Planar 1. So far, I have tried it with rock, hard rock, prog rock, hip hop, and classical vinyls, and I have it connected to a Cambridge Audio C100 preamp, a Cambridge Audio A100 amplifier, and a pair of Mission 753 speakers. There is also the possibility of upgrading to specific cartridges like the AT-VM95E or Nagaoka MP-110 with a little research on Google and YouTube. The first one doesn't require any mod to the anti-skating system, while the second one requires a mod to the turntable's anti-skating system. Although I am very satisfied with the sound produced by the turntable, when it's time to change the stylus, I will try to install an AT-VM95E cartridge (it seems quite easy from the tutorial I found on Google, and it will definitely be a worthwhile upgrade to the sound produced by the turntable)... I will update the review again when I successfully make the upgrade.
I have had it for about a month and I am satisfied. It requires a lot of attention when it comes to placement in relation to the preamp and amplifier. It produces a barely noticeable but quite annoying noise when you pay attention to it. I think the lack of separate grounding is to blame (supposedly grounded through the audio cable). However, it does not bother during playback, only when there is no disc playing. Also, from what I read, this is a common problem in this budget range.
I bought it in the summer of '17 after reading various tests, it exceeded my expectations and all the tests I had read. It is perfectly ergonomic, very beautiful, it is ready to play and does not need adjustments, and because I have heard many turntables, I believe it plays better than turntables from other brands that cost 1,000 euros.