1st Impressions of New Rega Planar 3

[Jason36]

Well I spent most of last night with my new toy, listening to my old vinyl.......and all I can say is wow.

Bearing in mind last turntable was a Bush MTT 1 played via a Yamah AV amp with a phono output......the Rega completely blows this out of the water.

After correcting the set-up on the Rega I have found that the sound is just amazing.......music sounds like music without the clinical sound that CD's provide, certainly at the lower end of the market. There's a warmth and depth of bass that the similar CD is unable to provide. Instruments sound like the instruments they are and are easily picked out and differentiated in musical pieces.

My LP collection is of varying ages and conditions, but the Planar 3 with the Elys2 Cartridge seems to take them all in its stride, even with the more often played LP's there is little crackle and pop and where there is it's only really audible between tracks.

Will the Marantz CD6003 (awaiting delivery from Superfi), which I paid the same amount of money for provide the same level of warmth and detail......I cant wait to find out

 

[northernsoul]

I find vocals and percussion on vinyl to sound better than CD

 

[Jason36]

Having taken some albums that I have on both Vinyl and CD and played them against each other......yes I would agree.

The viynl seems to provide a warmer, smoother sound to vocals especially female vocals which to my ears the viynl takes to another level completely. Compared to my current and must say fairly cheep CD player I find it a lot easier to differentiate between the different instruments being played and their is a definate solid base presence that seems to be lacking in CD's.

Having spent the last couple of days and evenings listening to the Rega Planar 3, I must say I am mightely impressed and wonder what improvement I would see from the Turntable with an amplifier in the £700.00 to £1,000 price range (which is an upgrade plan for later this year).

 

[Anonymous]

Jason36:

After correcting the set-up on the Rega

What did you correct? I am only asking because I also have a P3 with Elys2 cartridge and whilst the sound is OK I am sure it is not as good as it should be - whilst I would agree there is a more "natural" sound from vinyl my CD player currently blows it away for resolution, detail and a feeling of space around voices and instruments. I am sure the P3 is more of a match than it is proving at the moment and would be interested in your setting up. For example I found a Baerwald Arc Protactor on another site and have been toying with trying to set the Elys up to that which would mean moving away from the 3 point setup that it came with from the dealer - is this the sort of change you have tried?

Cheers

Penfold

 

[Jason36]

Penfold64:

Jason36:

After correcting the set-up on the Rega

What did you correct? I am only asking because I also have a P3 with Elys2 cartridge and whilst the sound is OK I am sure it is not as good as it should be - whilst I would agree there is a more "natural" sound from vinyl my CD player currently blows it away for resolution, detail and a feeling of space around voices and instruments. I am sure the P3 is more of a match than it is proving at the moment and would be interested in your setting up. For example I found a Baerwald Arc Protactor on another site and have been toying with trying to set the Elys up to that which would mean moving away from the 3 point setup that it came with from the dealer - is this the sort of change you have tried?

Cheers

Penfold

Sorry Penfold.....no major changes. Just a standard setup to ensure all the settings were correct for balance and tracking etc as I bought the TT second hand from a guy who was selling on behalf of a friend.