Rega Planar 3

There will be some reading this for whom the Rega Planar 3 was the first ‘proper’ turntable they owned. Launched in 1978, it hit the sweet spot between high-end decks and budget ones perfectly.

Indeed it was so successful that there was once a waiting list to buy one. The formula remains much the same, although the deck is way better in terms of design.

Although basically an inexpensive, minimalist vinyl spinner with no independently sprung sub-chassis or other such fanciful features, it combines a suite of clever touches to deliver a sound that’s beyond most people’s idea of an affordable turntable. Its belt-drive system has been improved incrementally over the years to deliver surprisingly low wow and flutter. An aluminium motor pulley helps with this, as opposed to the plastic one that the company used to employ. A new 24V motor is also fitted, with the option of a Neo II external power supply, for further improvements to speed stability.