Rega Planar 3 vs. Pro-Ject Debut Pro

[Hifiman]

I love the RP3. In fact, I have used one since the 1980s. In this head-to-head in WHF the reviewer mentions the steep price increase in the current model and I could scarcely believe it now costs £799 compared to £629 a year ago - a 28% increase.
I do worry when company boardrooms take a (presumably CEO led) groupthink decision that just seems to completely misread the mood of the time. I am sure there were many reasons discussed there as to why such large increases were justified and made good business sense, such as changing margins offsetting any reduced sales and/or trying to maintain margins in an era of inflation. Yet the price rise is so great that we now have a product review which, for the first time I can ever remember, has a competing product beating it on value for money at a time when VFM is at the forefront of everyone’s mind.
I do hope the impact of this price rise decision on RP3 sales, and on the company itself, is not as great as I fear.

 

[Al ears]

Unfortunately that sort of increase is common in hifi components these days and I feel sure there are many factors involved in making it so.
Of course pricing will vary depending on which cartridge you have fitted. It's £660 without one.
Pretty sure Rega will survive .......

 

[nopiano]

Yes, I understand that feeling. About five years ago I’d saved enough to change speakers for the first time in twenty years. I was aiming to spend c £3k. I loved ATC SCM40 which I thought were £3250. But the price increased to £3750 the month before! It seemed a lot at the time, but they were worth every penny. (They’re now £4200).

Then I take a look at PMC, my go to example of lining the owner’s pocket, whose prices have roughly doubled in a few years. It doesn’t seem so bad then!

Like Al, I think Rega are pretty shrewd and they’ve survived many a recession and boom, so in the long term it’s probably the right price. And their costs must have rocketed, to be fair.

(As an aside, WHF need to sort their price scraping tool that thinks a replacement Pro-ject platter at£115 is a complete turntable! )

 

[WayneKerr]

It's called inflation... welcome to 2022/23. Materials cost more as do energy bills and workforce salaries... the only issue is once this round of inflation ends I seriously doubt prices will ever reduce to pre-inflationary levels.

 

[Gray]

once this round of inflation ends I seriously doubt prices will ever reduce to pre-inflationary levels.

That's the one certainty in these uncertain times.

 

[daytona600]

Rega buy in All components Subject to external suppliers price rises unless you buy millions of units
Project make in house down to the last nut , screw & bolt only buy a cartridge from Ortofon
Project have vast scale which offers far lower production costs
Debut 2nd best selling TT in history 2million +

Rega will survive to a very small loyal Cult fan base
Project have a 60% global share on Turntables over $250
Options Like PRO S with Plug In Headshell

Pro-Ject Debut Pro vs Rega Planar 3: which mid-price turntable is better? | What Hi-Fi? (whathifi.com)

 

[matthewpianist]

I think price inflation, which is often out of sync with wage inflation, is one of many good reasons to find a system that fulfils your needs and stick with it. That's certainly my feeling after far too much box swapping. Hi-fi as an ongoing hobby is a rich man's game, and I'm not a rich man.

As for Rega vs. Project, based on experience of both, I don't think there's anything in it. Both make excellent turntables across a range of price points, though I have a personal preference for Ortofon carts over Rega's.

 

[Al ears]

I think price inflation, which is often out of sync with wage inflation, is one of many good reasons to find a system that fulfils your needs and stick with it. That's certainly my feeling after far too much box swapping. Hi-fi as an ongoing hobby is a rich man's game, and I'm not a rich man.

As for Rega vs. Project, based on experience of both, I don't think there's anything in it. Both make excellent turntables across a range of price points, though I have a personal preference for Ortofon carts over Rega's.

I think he was on about the rate of increase in price of the Rega compared to the Project so that that turntable then became a contender in best value for money. To my mind the Project was already there......
Rega decks are fine as long as you intend sticking with Rega cartridges etc but otherwise different manufacturers come to the fore in ways of flexibility and adaptability.
Not slagging Rega as had the original Planar 3 at one point, it just required bits from third parties to add the convenience of VTA adjustment etc.
Given the choice today, and their recent price increases, I wouldn't buy or recommend one.

 

[ThreeTuns]

My RP3 was £340 incl carriage back in 2004!!