Rega’s Planar 3 50th Anniversary Edition Turntable Celebrates Iconic Deck
Rega’s iconic turntables have been in production for 50 years and can be included in any credible list of high quality audio components that have changed the industry. Rega has also sold hundreds of thousands of tonearms over the last 5 decades; audiophiles have purchased OEM versions of their tonearms from a number of brands including Michell, Origin Live, Moth Audio, and Goldring.
On another planet
Rega was one of the last British high-end audio brands to introduce the CD player in the late 1990s; The Rega Planet was a radical departure from almost everything else on the market, and its quirky clamping system made me a fan.
The Planet CD player captivated many listeners with its warmer tonal balance, which was clearly very different from that offered by its competitors; Naim, Lynn, Arkam and Cyrus Audio. The CD player pays homage to the original Rega player, which will be celebrated in 2023 with the release of the limited edition Planar 3 50th Anniversary deck.
Rega Research Ltd was founded in 1973 in Essex, England by Roy Gandy, a mechanical engineer, and Tony Relf, a chemical engineer. They started a company manufacturing Hi-Fi equipment, including turntables, amplifiers and speakers. The first Rega turntable was the Planet, introduced in 1973.
The Planet was a budget turntable that retailed for £39.95 and was designed as an affordable alternative to expensive turntables of the day. It also used a tonearm designed by Rega which was manufactured by Acos in Japan.
In 1977, Rega introduced the Planar 2 and Planar 3 turntables, which evolved from the Planet turntable. The Planar 3 was designed to be a more advanced version of the Planar 2 with better build quality and performance.
The Planar 3 had a glass disc, a quiet motor and a new tonearm. The new Rega-Acos R200 tonearm was a radical departure from the standard tonearms of the day. It was a lightweight design that used a single-pivot bearing, allowing more precise tracking of the record’s groove. The Planar 3 was an instant success and quickly established a reputation for superior sound quality and value for money.
Over the years, Rega has continued to refine and improve the Planar 3 turntable. In 1983 they introduced the RB300 arm which was a significant improvement over the original arm. The RB300 used a stiffer tube and a more advanced bearing system to improve tracking accuracy and reduce distortion.
In 1991, Rega introduced the P3 turntable which was an updated version of the Planar 3 with a new motor, platter and tonearm. In 2000, Rega introduced the P3-24 with a new 24 volt motor and a new plinth design.
In 2016, Rega introduced a new version of the Planar 3 with a new RB330 tonearm, new plinth design, and improved motor control circuitry.
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Rega pioneered lightweight rigid skirting boards. Their innovative use of a lightweight hard particle core with a very rigid phenolic resin shell was the basis for the high levels of performance achieved by the iconic original Planar line.
Today, the Rega Planar 3 ($1,125 at Turntablelab.com) is still considered one of the best players on the market and continues to win awards for performance and value for money. Rega has remained true to its original philosophy of producing high quality, affordable hi-fi equipment, and the Planar 3 is a testament to that philosophy.
Planar 3 50 years
Available in the hugely popular new walnut effect finish, the 50th Anniversary Planar 3 comes with a manually tuned Neo PSU MK2 power supply and a factory-installed Rega Exact moving magnet cartridge.
The drive system uses a master drive belt and a custom CNC machined aluminum drive pulley to ensure the best performance and accuracy.
The Anniversary Edition is complemented by an aluminum lid plinth badge and a smoked dust cover to complete the Anniversary Edition.
Key Features
- Walnut effect plinth with individual aluminum nameplate
- RB330 Precision tonearm
- Factory installed precision MM cartridge
- Neo player PSU MK2 included
- 24V motor with low noise and vibration levels, manually tuned to a special Neo PSU Mk2 power supply.
- Double fixation technology
- Polished float glass dish 12 mm Opti-white
- CNC machined Planar 6 drive pulley for use with Neo power pack.
- Supplied with smoked dust cover as standard.
- EBLT drive belt included as standard
- The Anniversary Special Edition can only be purchased in 2023.
This edition will only be available until the end of 2023 and can be ordered through Rega’s global dealer network.
