Rega Planar 3 Anniversary
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FedEx Freight Service Comparison
| Feature / Service | Scheduled Curbside Delivery | White Glove Delivery |
|---|---|---|
| Scheduled delivery appointment | ✔ | ✔ |
| Delivery location | Ground level only (garage, front door, loading dock) | Room of choice, any floor |
| Delivery team | 1 person | 2 people |
| Placement inside home/business | ✘ | ✔ |
| Upstairs / downstairs delivery | ✘ | ✔ |
| Unpacking | ✘ | ✔ (upon request) |
| Packaging removal | ✘ | ✔ (upon request) |
| Assembly / installation | ✘ | ✘ |
| Old item removal | ✘ | ✘ |
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If an item doesn't meet your expectations, you may return or exchange it in its original condition and packaging within 30 days for a full refund, minus shipping fees. Items shipped back in like new condition through standard shipping carriers will only incur a flat fee of $15 to return. If the items were initially shipped through free scheduled delivery via motor freight (commonly referred to as LTL), returning them will result in return shipping fees starting at $150. These items include but are not limited to, oversized items such as TVs, certain subwoofers, floorstanding speakers, furniture, and most items weighing over 75 pounds. Return fees will also apply for exchanges. We want to treat your system as if it is our own and want you to be completely satisfied with your purchase.
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Turntables With a Broken Stylus: All turntables ship out with the stylus intact. If you return a turntable or phono cartridge with a broken or missing stylus you will be subject to a return fee. Please be careful when setting up your turntable and contact us with any questions.
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It usually takes around 7-14 days for the refund to show up on the payment method you used. We do inspect all returns for damage and accuracy of the item inside the box before issuing a refund. Some items may be subject to shipping and restocking fees.
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Overview
Rega is celebrating their 50th Anniversary with a very special edition of the legendary Rega Planar 3. A turntable package was designed and developed to maximize the performance of this model. As part of the celebration, Rega has put this anniversary package together at an incredible price that won't be repeatable!
The High Notes
A Great Value Got Even Better
High Performance Speed Consistency
Rega’s Best Handmade MM Cartridge
Rega Planar 3 Turntable 50th Anniversary Edition Overview
Rega is celebrating their 50th anniversary with a special edition of the legendary Rega Planar 3 turntable.
Based on the Rega Planar 3, which is our best-selling turntable here at Audio Advice, this special edition truly outdoes itself. First, it just sounds fantastic for what it costs. Secondly, it is a beautiful and timeless design that looks great in any vinyl-based system. Lastly, it is built so durably that it will last for many decades. To be honest, we still see 40+ year-old Rega turntables come through our shop that just need a minor tuneup to keep them running for many more decades.
One reason Rega turntables last so long is the brand’s obsession with perfection. They care more about special materials, accuracy, and tolerances, than just about any manufacturer we know.
Since 1973, they have built everything in their Southend-on-Sea facility with a team that started with one man and is now well over 100 people. Sticking to their roots, Rega sources 85% of their raw materials from suppliers in the United Kingdom.
For their 50th anniversary, Rega wanted to take their legendary Planar 3 turntable and do everything they could to improve the performance. Usually, special edition models like this from other HiFi companies command a pretty big premium price for the enhanced performance and limited aspect.
However, Rega has taken a different approach and priced the Planar 3 50th Anniversary Edition at almost the same price as a standard Planar 3. To us, this makes it a no-brainer for anyone considering a Planar 3 and probably the best value turntable on the market right now.
But, don’t wait. These will only be available through the end of 2023.
What Do You Get in the Rega 50th Anniversary Planar 3 Turntable?
The Planar 3 50th anniversary turntable comes with Rega’s RB330 tonearm. The RB330 has some of the best bearings and tightest tolerances you will see for its price range and is made to perfectly match any of the Rega phono cartridges. Rega's best-moving magnet phono cartridge is called the Exact and is also included with the Planar 3 50th anniversary turntable.
Exact cartridges are handmade using a vital nude diamond stylus type which allows them to track extremely well and extract all of the subtle details in your vinyl. Each one is hand-tuned to get a perfect channel balance to a tolerance of ±0.1 mV.
One thing we love about all of the better Rega cartridges is their three-point mounting system. Most phono cartridges just have two points and you always wonder if you mounted the cartridge perfectly square even when using a gauge. Rega’s three-point system takes the guesswork out as it will be perfect every time.
If you have ever seen a Rega turntable, you probably know they are famous for their float glass platters. The first Rega turntables used these and they have been perfecting them for the past 50 years. The Planar 3 uses a 12 mm float glass opti-white polished platter. This has great rotational stability ensuring you get that wonderful Rega soundstage of great rhythm and pacing that has made them so popular.
Rega also developed what they call double brace technology for their higher-end turntables years ago. This system couples the motor bearing and tonearm mount with an aluminum brace. It is now in the standard Planar 3 model and is included with the Planar 3 50th anniversary turntable as well.
You’ll get the same features on both the traditional Planar 3 and its 50th anniversary counterpart turntable. While the Planar 3 with the Exact phono cartridge sells for $1595, the 50th anniversary edition turntable is only $100 more at $1695.
Rega Planar 3 50th Anniversary Edition Extras
Tuned Neo PSU MKII
Rega makes an external speed control module called the Neo. This was introduced with the Planar 6 and has since been improved to the Neo MKII. It comes in a beautiful case that matches other Rega electronics and provides you with the ease of switching from 33 to 45 with just a button push. The Neo uses technology as it powers the Rega motor to reduce vibrations and supplies a very consistent power to the motor to ensure you get great speed accuracy.
Most people hear a dramatic difference when they add a Neo to a Planar 3 or any of the other models compatible with it because it takes the sound people love about Regas and gives you more immediacy inside the music. The Neo MKII currently sells for $445 and it is included with the Planar 3 50th anniversary edition turntable.
CNC Machined Drive Pulley
turntable. This is the same pulley on the much more expensive Planar 6. While you cannot buy it separately, we guess this is about a $100 value. This gives the Planar 3 50th anniversary edition turntable even more speed accuracy for that Rega sound.
Reference EBLT Drive Belt
A few years ago, Rega set out to design a new type of turntable belt. Working with a team of chemists, Rega developed a new blend for the belt material that would offer far better performance. They had to design a very accurate custom cutting tool to produce these belts.
After they are cut out, each belt is cryogenically frozen and barrelled to remove any excess flash. They are aiming for as round a surface as possible, which can really improve speed accuracy, and stability. A great perk is this new material will last about 50% longer than their previous ones.
There are two versions, a Reference and Advanced model. The difference between the two is the Reference model has a unique curing process that makes it even more perfect than the Advanced model.
As you might guess, the standard Planar 3 includes the Advanced model, while the Planar 3 50th Anniversary model comes with the better Reference belt. If you had a Planar 3 and wanted to upgrade to a Reference belt, it would cost $75.
New Walnut Effect Finish
Finally, the Planar 3 comes fitted with their new walnut effect finish and a very cool 50th anniversary badge. We should point out the plinth of the Planar 3 50th is still made from Rega’s special sandwich technology using layers of MDF that are laminated with acrylic. The walnut look is simply a picture printed on the acrylic but it sure looks real. You’ll also get a smokey glass dust cover with the Planar 3 50th anniversary turntable that compliments the look of the walnut.
If you’ve been following along with your calculator you have probably figured out the Planar 3 50th Anniversary Edition has a little over $600 in upgrades, yet only costs $100 more than the standard Planar 3. That is pretty amazing.
How Does the Planar 3 50th Anniversary Turntable Sound?
We were fortunate to receive one of the very first Planar 3 50th Anniversary Editions in the United States and set it up for a listening session. Our first impression is that it is pretty close to the more expensive Planar 6 and an upgrade from the standard Planar 3. Everything felt more relaxed with an even better sense of timing to the music, making it sound more like we had a live band in the room.
If you think about it, all of these upgrades are designed to allow the platter to spin at an even truer speed, which always translates into that live music sound we know and love about Rega turntables.
Overall Recommendation
We hope you’ll want to snag this turntable that is destined to become a classic. We really have to hand it to Rega for deciding to make the 50th anniversary celebration a way for music lovers to get even better sound for almost the same price, rather than making the 50th Anniversary model above $2000. This is one heck of a great turntable and, if you decide to become a Rega owner with the Planar 3 50th Anniversary Edition, it will give you decades of musical enjoyment.
Also, please keep in mind Audio Advice has helped thousands of music lovers get the best performance from their Rega turntables. When you purchase from Audio Advice, you get all of our experience behind you to help with any questions you may have.
Details & Specs
Celebrating 50 Years of Rega Research Ltd.
From humble beginnings in 1973, making just a handful of turntables for friends, Rega has since grown into a multimillion-pound audio engineering company making world-class, award-winning hi-fi products that are supplied across the globe.
Since inception, their expertise in mechanical and electrical engineering was combined with three core values; to create products that perform beyond expectation, deliver unrivalled value for money, and offer lifelong reliability. These same values are upheld today and are key factors in Rega's continued growth and success.
Tonearm
The RB330 tonearm was designed using the latest 3D CAD and CAM technology and is the culmination of more than 35 years of tonearm design experience. Featuring a brand-new bearing housing, and their latest tonearm tube designed using intelligent redistribution of mass ensure 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.
Plinth
Walnut effect, laminated plinth. 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 Planar range.
Motor
24 V low noise low voltage precision motor and PCB assembly, fitted with a custom CNC machined aluminum pulley.
Central Bearing
Rega designed patented brass main hub central bearing, improved fit and construction reducing stress on the bearing itself.
Double Brace Technology
3 mm phenolic bottom brace and metalized skin phenolic top brace. The 50th anniversary Planar 3 uses a lightweight laminated plinth strengthened using our double brace system. Mounted specifically where the increased rigidity is required (between the tonearm mounting and the main hub bearing) this 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.
Neo MK2 PSU
The Neo MK2 PSU is an advanced turntable power supply providing user controllable fine speed adjustment, an advanced anti-vibration motor circuit and the convenience of electronic speed change. The Neo MK2 reduces motor noise, improves speed stability and rotational speed accuracy.
Key Features
- Walnut Effect plinth with custom aluminum badge
- RB330 Precision tonearm
- Exact MM cartridge factory fitted
- Neo turntable PSU MK2 included
- 24 V low noise, low vibration motor, hand tuned to the custom Neo PSU Mk2
- Double brace technology
- 12 mm float glass opti-white polished platter
- CNC machined Planar 6 drive pulley for use with the Neo PSU
- Supplied with a smoked dust cover as standard
- Reference EBLT drive belt fitted as standard
- Anniversary Special Edition only available to buy during 2023
- Lifetime warranty against manufacture defects
| Model | Planar 3 50th Anniversary Edition |
|---|---|
| Tonearm | Hand assembled RB330 precision tonearm |
| Motor | 24 V low noise motor |
| Platter | 12 mm glass polished edge |
| Connectivity | RCA - Phono |
| Power | Via Mini DIN from Neo PSU |
| Dimensions (lid closed) | 447 x 117 x 360 mm |
| Weight | 6.0Kg |
| Neo MK2 PSU | 24 V AC protected by resettable fuse |
| Power Consumption | 7.2 W |
| Voltage | 24 V AC |
| Wall Power Supply | Rega PS1 only |
| Speed Control Step Size | 0.01 RPM |
| Neo PSU Dimension | 180 x 150 x 50 mm |
