Question Rega Planar 3 - Upgrade or Replace

[idh420]

Hi, I currently own a late 1970's Rega Planar 3 with the original "S" shaped arm and an AT540ML cartridge (plus Q Accoustics 3050i and Audiolab 6000A) and have a dliemma as to whether I should upgrade the motor and arm or replace it with a new(er) model. I have been offered a Linn Basik Plus arm which I'm told will fit my turntable but is it worth doing this or am I better off buying a new turntable - I have a potential budget of £500 plus whatever my existing turntable is worth ? Thanks in advance for any advice.

 

[matthewpianist]

Are you enjoying the music? What shortcomings of your system are currently impacting this?

 

[Rui]

Hi, I currently own a late 1970's Rega Planar 3 with the original "S" shaped arm and an AT540ML cartridge (plus Q Accoustics 3050i and Audiolab 6000A) and have a dliemma as to whether I should upgrade the motor and arm or replace it with a new(er) model. I have been offered a Linn Basik Plus arm which I'm told will fit my turntable but is it worth doing this or am I better off buying a new turntable - I have a potential budget of £500 plus whatever my existing turntable is worth ? Thanks in advance for any advice.

if it works maybe a unique situation in the world so keep it and upgrade it

 

[Cricketbat70]

Hi, I currently own a late 1970's Rega Planar 3 with the original "S" shaped arm and an AT540ML cartridge (plus Q Accoustics 3050i and Audiolab 6000A) and have a dliemma as to whether I should upgrade the motor and arm or replace it with a new(er) model. I have been offered a Linn Basik Plus arm which I'm told will fit my turntable but is it worth doing this or am I better off buying a new turntable - I have a potential budget of £500 plus whatever my existing turntable is worth ? Thanks in advance for any advice.

I have the sane era Rega Planer 3 with the S shaped tone arm. A few weeks ago the cartridge fell apart. The cartridge was an original goldring from the same era. It should be noted that I was given the rega in none working order and had it sat on a shelf at work for years as I also have a Dual CS 505. I finally had the rega repaired a couple of years ago. Now I need a new cartridge or the Dual repairing. I like the suspended chassis of the Dual, it plays better with my bouncy floors. Although I am planning to bolt a nice sturdy shelf to the wall rather than using my cheap alphason rack.
To cut a long story short I'd say stick with your rega unless you really can pinpoint something lacking with it.

 

[Paul AJ]

Hi, I currently own a late 1970's Rega Planar 3 with the original "S" shaped arm and an AT540ML cartridge (plus Q Accoustics 3050i and Audiolab 6000A) and have a dliemma as to whether I should upgrade the motor and arm or replace it with a new(er) model. I have been offered a Linn Basik Plus arm which I'm told will fit my turntable but is it worth doing this or am I better off buying a new turntable - I have a potential budget of £500 plus whatever my existing turntable is worth ? Thanks in advance for any advice.

I've never had a Rega Planer 3 but what I know about them is very good & as long as it's working ok I would say just get it serviced because with what you have to buy these days to compare with the Rega Planer 3 is very expensive.

 

[daytona600]

Trade your P3 for a ( New) P3/P6
Nothing really changes in decades with Regas. They slightly tinker with them and give them a New model number
or Try a new design like Technics S1500CS or Project Debut Reference 10

 

[matthewpianist]

Nothing really changes in decades with Regas. They slightly tinker with them and give them a New model number

I had a RP3/TT-PSU back in 2012, and moved it on in 2018. I bought my current model P3/Neo-PSU Mk2 last year. I would be perfectly happy with my RP3 still if I had kept it.

 

[RoA]

FWIW, I previously had a (late) P3 to which I made a few changes, none which made a substantial difference if I remember correctly (Alu sub platter, Rega advanced EBLT drive belt, Michell counter weight). It's a good turntable but I would not put too much money in to it, especially if it is an older version. The weakest part has always been the board on which everything sits. The best bits are the arms and external PSU's.

I of course can't recall how exactly it sounded but I prefer my current Technics deck from an operational point. It also gives me more 'wow' moments than I can remember from my time with the Rega.

 

[nopiano]

and have a dliemma as to whether I should upgrade the motor and arm or replace it with a new(er) model

It makes no sense to ‘upgrade’ what you have. The old Acos s-shaped arm is decent, but the antiskate tends to fail in advancing years. A few experts can fix it if nostalgia rules. A Linn Basik arm is no upgrade, it was Linn’s attempt to copy the Acos!

For £500 a new model is much more sensible, though the latest Planar 3 is a bit more now. So, either one a year or two old, or a new Planar 2 would be good.

Alternatives by Pro-ject are worth a look too.

Rega Planar 2/Nd3 review

Hugely capable, authoritative and engaging sound with classy design

www.whathifi.com

 

[Integralista]

Hi, I currently own a late 1970's Rega Planar 3 with the original "S" shaped arm and an AT540ML cartridge (plus Q Accoustics 3050i and Audiolab 6000A) and have a dliemma as to whether I should upgrade the motor and arm or replace it with a new(er) model. I have been offered a Linn Basik Plus arm which I'm told will fit my turntable but is it worth doing this or am I better off buying a new turntable - I have a potential budget of £500 plus whatever my existing turntable is worth ? Thanks in advance for any advice.

Hi, I use Rega turntables for some 26-27 years and have tried also other Projects, Dual, Thorens and similar TTs. Even old Planar 2 or 3 with S shape tonarm is sounding very good, if it is in good order. Mainly platter bearing have to be cleaned and oiled, precise check and setup of arm is also helpful. If you do not hear noise, just when started rotating the platter, caused mainly by motor wear than no real need to replace the motor. I replaced my motor in Planar 25 using the 24 V set from Rega and included Power supply Neo PSU MK1. Later, I rewired tonarm (just tonarm), but nothing more. I can recommend you first to try some other cartridge, some Rega ND3 new one or bit used Rega Exact and try proper external phono like Rega MM, do not have to be the last version. Those two things will elevate sound from your TT a lot. Amp Audiolab 6000A is very good (except phono inside), same for speakers Q Acoustics 3050i. It is a nice balanced system. I will avoid selling your Planar and just buying "Project". Project TT has for example different tone and sound balance. Also Project decks differ more in sound when going from low model to top models. Rega is more consistent here. Also valid in amps department.
And if you have truly old Planar 3 with wooden frame around chassis, it is more and more collector´s item. Like my Planar 25 or Planar 9 with wood frame (real one)🙂. BR.

 

[Integralista]

I have the sane era Rega Planer 3 with the S shaped tone arm. A few weeks ago the cartridge fell apart. The cartridge was an original goldring from the same era. It should be noted that I was given the rega in none working order and had it sat on a shelf at work for years as I also have a Dual CS 505. I finally had the rega repaired a couple of years ago. Now I need a new cartridge or the Dual repairing. I like the suspended chassis of the Dual, it plays better with my bouncy floors. Although I am planning to bolt a nice sturdy shelf to the wall rather than using my cheap alphason rack.
To cut a long story short I'd say stick with your rega unless you really can pinpoint something lacking with it.

Hi, many years ago, some 20 I think, friends came with some "advanced" Dual to give it a try against my Planar 25. They were thinking, that this older german machine with precise damping etc is a clear winner. What a surprise for them, compare with this "primitive" Rega. Rega was sounding in different department than Dual. One of them ended with Rega Planar 2 (still better than Dual), second firend was using this Dual for some time. Sorry model I do not remember. But Dual was a looker, yes it was.

 

[matthewpianist]

Amp Audiolab 6000A is very good (except phono inside)...

I respectfully disagree. The phono stage in the Audiolab is excellent, and you'd have to go some way on an external stage to beat it. It's certainly not something I'm going to bother doing. I also own a Mission 778X amp, and I think it has the same phono stage.

 

[Integralista]

I respectfully disagree. The phono stage in the Audiolab is excellent, and you'd have to go some way on an external stage to beat it. It's certainly not something I'm going to bother doing. I also own a Mission 778X amp, and I think it has the same phono stage.

Hi this is not the problem. Problem is matching with turntable like Planar 2 or 3 here mentioned. Such TT truly deserve cartridge min Rega ND3 or ND5 or even ND7 for new Planar 3. And than they need proper phono stage. Try some Rega integrated. Even older Rega Mira has better phono than what is in Audiolab or Arcam even today. This is big advantage of Rega integrated. Phono in my Rega Brio mk6 is just a little worse than Rega phono MM mk3, I tried at home. Rega Aria on the other hand is clearly better in MM. I still use Aria mk3. Audiolab, same Arcam is more focused on digital not on analogue. This is not bad. They are just different. Rega is weak in Dac department in their amps. And I miss some proper normal CD player from them. Since Apolo and Saturn are gone. Selling my old Jupiter 2000 CD was one of my bigest misstakes.

 

[matthewpianist]

Hi this is not the problem. Problem is matching with turntable like Planar 2 or 3 here mentioned. Such TT truly deserve cartridge min Rega ND3 or ND5 or even ND7 for new Planar 3. And than they need proper phono stage. Try some Rega integrated. Even older Rega Mira has better phono than what is in Audiolab or Arcam even today. This is big advantage of Rega integrated. Phono in my Rega Brio mk6 is just a little worse than Rega phono MM mk3, I tried at home. Rega Aria on the other hand is clearly better in MM. I still use Aria mk3. Audiolab, same Arcam is more focused on digital not on analogue. This is not bad. They are just different. Rega is weak in Dac department in their amps. And I miss some proper normal CD player from them. Since Apolo and Saturn are gone. Selling my old Jupiter 2000 CD was one of my bigest misstakes.

Previous amps have included Brio-R, Elex-R and IO. Quite happy with the Audiolab, which is a stronger all-rounder than any of them.
I don't like Rega cartridges, which I think are nothing special, or any which don't have a replaceable stylus.