Meet the Rega Planar 3 RS Edition
It can be argued that the most efficient way to improve the Rega Planar 3 turntable is not to add better power supplies or tonearms or Groovetracer aftermarket parts, but to sell it and buy a Planar 6.
After all, Rega products are such excellent and value-for-money examples of themselves, and the jumps through the range so well spaced, that even the Rega buying decision has the elegant simplicity this British brand's products are famous for.
First launched in 1977, the Planar 3 (for a while, P3) is the longest running model in Rega's line-up and has become hi-fi for "best first audiophile table". Quite simply, if your budget for a vinyl source is at the $1,000 to $1,500 mark, you can't go wrong with slapping a Planar 3 onto your cart.
So rather than mess with a great thing, every so often Rega introduces desirable 'different but not too different' editions of the Planar 3, such as the P3-24 or Planar 3 50th Anniversary, and now, the Planar 3 RS Edition.
The Rega Planar 3 RS Edition has a new aluminum skin and comes with the Neo PSU and Nd5 cartridge.
RS Stands for Rega Special
As soon as we heard RS stands for Rega Special, we asked Ari Margolis what other RS editions we can look forward to. Ari, who is the regional account manager at Rega's US distributor, The Sound Organisation, claimed this is likely to be a one-off, but we'll wear him down to make absolutely sure.
Ari loves the Planar 3 RS because, as he says, "Rega has made the most significant upgrades available at a price that makes it make sense."
Tuned PSU
First, the Neo Power Supply, normally a $445 a-la-carte add-on, is included in the RS package for, essentially, less than $200. "The Neo PSU improves speed stability, which is the single most important job a turntable has to do," says Ari. "Without speed stability, it matters not how good or expensive your cartridge, tonearm, or 'audiophile' vinyl pressing may be. A turntable that's not spinning at a consistent 33-1/3 or 45 RPM will make a Steinway grand sound like a honky-tonk that's seen better days."
Ari should know, he is a gifted pianist himself. (Though he suggests "hopeful", "out-of-practice", and "loud" as more appropriate qualifers.) He explains how the Neo cleans up the incoming AC power into a perfectly in-phase sine wave first, and that results in a cleaner DC current to the motor. "Cleaner power results in a quieter motor as vibrations are all but eliminated. It also allows you to make micro-adjustments as needed, and switch from 33 to 45 at the touch of a button without having to go under the hood and change the belt position."
Factory Fitted Cart
For maximum bundle value, the Planar 3 RS comes with a factory-fitted Nd5, which, according to Ari, "maintains the same crisp sonic signature of Nd3, with big yet articulate bass, sweet mids and highs, and a relaxed non-fatiguing presentation. But it delivers more detail, making it easier to hear deeper into the production of your records. It's all just laid out for you, making it effortless to parse out all the information in the mix and get that 'in the room' experience as opposed to a 'hi-fi' stereo approximation."
And Finally, the Skin
For a totally new Planar 3 look, the RS plinth is wrapped in a brushed aluminum high-pressure laminate skin. Says Ari, "Not only does it look badass, but it increases the rigidity of the plinth, which helps reject environmental vibrations."
If the Rega Planar 3 RS perfectly matches an audio system that you are content with, this can easily be your last turntable. But as always, if you're on a journey, then Ari would like to remind us that the next step up, the Planar 6/Nd5 turntable is just $445 more. "An improvement from feet to sub-platter, and platter to plinth, Planar 6 represents the biggest bang for buck in Rega's range," says Ari.