Rega PL10 Turntable - Black - Apheta 3 Cartridge

Editor's Choice Award - Hi-fi Choice Magazine

Editor's Choice Award - the-ear.net

"A Masterpiece and Any Owner Will Feel Proud to Have One"

For its new Planar 10 turntable, Rega turned to its most advanced materials and engineering solutions built around a supremely lightweight plinth to ensure the greatest level of performance.

Like its sibling the Planar 8, the Planar 10 was inspired by the ultimate Rega turntable, the Naiad. Rega decided early on that instead of being an evolution of the previous RP10, the new Planar 10 should be developed and engineered to encapsulate the essence of the Naiad at a more affordable price.

The Planar 10 narrows the gap between itself and the Naiad by using more exotic materials, carefully selected to reduce mass and improve rigidity throughout the design. New innovations in hub bearing, sub platter, motor, and drive belt design have led to even greater accuracy in turntable speed, which directly improve sound performance.

The Planar 10 features Rega's new RB3000 tonearm fitted with an improved, low mass, precision bias housing. Rega pioneered a completely new low mass, central hub bearing assembly with improved mechanical integrity. For the first time on a Rega production turntable, a ceramic top brace delivers ultimate rigidity and accuracy while creating the perfect platform between tonearm and central bearing. Finally, this entirely new player is controlled by the company's most advanced electronic power supply housed in a brand-new, full metal custom case designed to match the latest range of Rega electronics.

"A Bona Fide Ultra-Fi Bargain"

"The Planar 10 is a masterpiece and any owner will feel proud to have one of the company's finest achievements," raves Hi-fi Choice, which honored it with an Editor's Choice Award and a Five Star review. "It manages to deliver a performance that is outstanding even at the relatively lofty price point, and it does so while retaining the same joy and charm the company holds dear."

"I have not yet been able to stop playing old favourites on the P10 and don't expect the urge to subside any time soon," reports Jason Kennedy, the-ear.net. "There is a better turntable and arm combination out there it's called the Rega Naiad, but last time I looked it cost £25,000 and was in very short supply. There may be others of course but certainly not at anywhere the asking price here, the Planar 10 is a bona fide ultra-fi bargain."

Ultra-lightweight Plinth

The Planar 10 is the third Rega turntable constructed using Rega's latest technology, the ultra-lightweight Tancast 8 polyurethane foam core (a material developed for the aerospace industry). This material is sandwiched between two layers of HPL (high pressure laminate). HPL is exceptionally thin and extremely rigid. This new construction makes the new Planar 10 skeletal plinth 30% lighter than the original RP10, while offering increased rigidity over the previous model.

Double Brace Technology

As Rega puts it, "Mass absorbs energy; lost energy equals lost music." A super lightweight plinth combined with a ceramic top brace and phenolic resin bottom brace mounted specifically where the increased rigidity is required (between the tonearm mounting and the main hub bearing) forms a structurally sound, stressed beam, assembly. This rigid plinth design prevents energy absorption and unwanted resonances 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 tonearm and cartridge must to be able to read accurately, directly from the platter. This unique Rega double brace solution enables this. The use of braces instead of the complete skin allows increased thickness in these key areas, while providing further weight reduction to the plinth which directly addresses the issue of mass absorption and unwanted energy transmission.

RB3000 Tonearm

Rega is renowned for the quality of its tonearm bearing assemblies - in particular for the accurate manufacturing of its bearing housing and bearing spindles. Technical characteristics such as 'roundness' and 'parallel-ity' are critical. Over the past three years, Rega has found a new manufacturing process which improves on all these characteristics resulting in a micron perfect bearing fit. The RB3000 is the first Rega arm to benefit from these improvements.

The entire tonearm structure is designed to have the minimum of mechanical joints while using the stiffest materials in all critical areas. The tolerance of the RB3000 tonearm is so tight that no adhesive is used at any point throughout the construction. Rega's latest low mass, precision engineered, vertical bearing assembly has been manufactured to further complement the inherent design philosophy of the Planar 10 turntable.

The RB3000 tonearm uses Rega's advanced, preloaded zero tolerance bearing assembly adjusted to less than 1000th of a mm. This gives friction free movement and zero levels of unwanted play. Simply put, friction free bearings with no play enable ridges in the record groove of less than a micron to be read.

The RB3000 also uses Rega's latest award-winning, aluminum arm tube, which was redesigned to redistribute mass and further reduce stresses and resonances. Also, each arm tube is meticulously hand polished, keeping mass to an absolute minimum. This advanced design tube increases the stiffness and rigidity of the overall assembly while reducing stress on the bearings even further.

Hub Bearing Assembly

The Planar 10 demonstrates attention to detail and modern CNC engineering advances. This allows new compromises, bringing Rega's main bearing design closer than ever to the unachievable ideal. The Planar 10 uses a new low mass central bearing assembly. A single piece machined aluminum sub-platter and hardened tool steel spindle run inside a custom brass housing designed with improved mechanical integrity. The complete assembly is cleverly mounted within the chassis to eradicate unwanted potential energy being transferred or stored in the plinth.

Custom Ceramic Platter

The P10 uses a custom ceramic, flywheel effect platter which contributes to the speed stability. The platter is produced from ceramic oxide powder, which is compressed, fired and diamond cut to ensure perfect accuracy and flatness across the surface. The latest platter features a modified construction with improved coupling to the sub platter.

24-Volt Low Noise Motor Assembly

The Planar 10 uses Rega's latest generation, 24-volt synchronous, low vibration motor technology. It is uniquely mounted using the highest level of coupling while retaining higher vibration isolation than any previous model. This new motor mounting technique (mounted from the bottom) has been taken directly from the ultimate Rega turntable, the Naiad. This mounting method removes all stress from the motor body whilst holding the drive pulley perfectly still. This enables better speed stability and accuracy from the turntable.

The reduced vibration and more rigid mounting deliver superior drive from the new EBLT drive belts. Also, each motor is hand tuned to match its own custom matched PL10 PSU power supply before fitting to the turntable in order to optimize the anti-vibration circuit.

EBLT Drive Belts

For three years, Rega has been researching and developing with chemists the use of a bespoke new rubber compound for drive belts. Using a specialized curing system, the new drive belt offers superior consistency of modulus (a constant representing the degree to which a substance has a particular property, especially elasticity). These new belts are manufactured on Rega-designed state-of-the-art, super-accurate tools (inspired by working with the manufacturer of high-tech Formula 1 engine parts) to produce 'perfectly round' and 'dimensionally accurate' belts, critical for perfect speed stability.

PL10 PSU Custom Matched Advanced Power Supply

The PL10 PSU offers the ultimate in motor control stability, convenient electronic speed change, advanced anti-vibration control, and user adjustable electronic fine speed adjustment to ensure total accuracy and control over the life of the motor. Housed in Rega's latest custom designed case, the PL10 PSU is dedicated to running Rega's 24-volt low noise motor as quietly and as accurately as possible.

The speed and control of the motor is achieved by using a new DSP (Digital Signal Processing) generator built upon a high stability crystal. This device will divide the accurate square wave from the crystal to the exact frequency required to turn the platter at the selected speed. The DSP core will also generate a near perfect sinusoidal waveform to power the motor. Factory set vibration removal and fine speed adjustments are then made to the power supply to tune each motor for optimal performance.

Dust Cover Included

The outer frame of the previous model has now been removed and a new stylish, removable, single piece dustcover has been introduced further reducing the overall mass of the turntable.

Optional Apheta 3 MC Cartridge or Aphelion MC Cartridge

The Planar 10 can be ordered with Rega's new Apheta 3 MC cartridge as a factory fitted option. This new cartridge was developed alongside the Planar 10 and is using our most advanced "Fine Line" diamond profile. As the recommended match for the Planar 10 turntable. Or you may also order the Planar 10 with the Aphelion MC Cartridge.

Either cartridge with your Planar 10 sets new accuracy standards in retrieving information from the record groove, making this a truly state of the art player.

Product Features

Ultra-lightweight Plinth
Double Brace Technology
New low mass central bearing assembly
RB3000 Tonearm
Ceramic flywheel-effect platter
24v Low noise motor assembly
EBLT Drive Belts
PL10 PSU custom matched advanced power supply
Dust Cover
Optional Rega Apheta 3 MC Phono Cartridge
Optional Rega Aphelion Phono Cartridge

Product Specs

Turntable dimensions (with dust cover): 16.5" wide, 12.4" deep, 4.9" high
P1 PSU dimensions: 8.6" wide, 12.6" deep, 3.1" high
Turntable weight: 1.3 lbs.
P1 PSU weight: 6.6 lbs.

Product Manual

Rega Planar 10 User Manual

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"...this turntable set new standards for me for its exceptionally low noise floor and, as a result, the quietness of its musical presentation. The music just emerged from a pitch-black background, fully defined spatially within a deep, wide, and tall soundstage, allowing me to hear into the music and focus on all sorts of lovely details and niceties."

"In case you haven’t figured it out by now, I love this turntable. It’s a snap to set up and is so well made that it should provide reliable performance for decades. With its use of cutting-edge materials, straightforward design principles, and unrelenting focus on minimizing the impact of vibration to extract maximal information out of record grooves, the Rega Planar 1 is easily one of the best turntables I have ever heard, regardless of price. Combined with the Apheta 3 moving-coil cartridge, the Planar 1 extracts incredible amounts of detail, while also providing spacious, stable, and well-defined imaging. Frequency response is extended with exceptional tonal neutrality. The presentation is characterized by lifelike low-end power, and overall definition, speed, transparency, and articulation. The bottom line? Yes, you can spend more money on a turntable, but, honestly, I can’t think of why you’d need to. I can’t imagine having a more satisfying and engaging experience than the one that the Planar 1 offers from LPs. It’s an outstandingly well-thought-out, well-engineered, and well-made product, and will last a lifetime making beautiful music. What more could one ask for? Unequivocally, my highest possible recommendation."

- Stephen Scharf, The Absolute Sound, July 19, 221

"For any serious, vinyl oriented audiophile searching for the kind of performance usually found at the BMW i8 level, but at an i3 price (approximately $5,495 without cartridge and $6,695 supplied with Rega’s Alpheta 3 MC cart), the P1 offers more than just great value. For a lot of folks, this might be as good as it gets."

- Dave McNair, Part-Time Audiophile, March 22, 22

"Rather than indelibly stamping themselves on the music they play, Rega turntables have always been commendably smooth and self-effacing. The new Planar 1 carries on with this tradition but takes it to another level. The result is a superb sounding vinyl spinner, but one that doesn’t fit the traditional mould of cosy, warm sounding record players that some analogue addicts covet so much. Whether you enjoy this is solely down to you then, a matter of taste. For me, I think it isn’t for turntables to have character, that’s for their owners – so I love it."

- David Price, StereoNET Australia, November 22, 219

222, 223 Recommended Components - Stereophile

"Rega's new P1 is by far the company's most sophisticated, refined, quiet, and subtle-sounding turntable yet. It combines the immediacy, grip, and rhythm'n'pacing excitement Regas have always produced, with the subtlety and delicacy typically found on far more costly analog front ends. The same is true of the Apheta 3 cartridge. If there's a better $6695 plug'n'play turntable out there—or, for that matter, a better or at least competitive one for $1,—I don't know what it is. I may try a few other more costly cartridges on the P1 before sending it back, but that's a different review."

- Michael Fremer, Stereophile, February 18, 22

Editor's Choice Award – Hi-fi Choice Magazine

"It manages to deliver a performance that is outstanding eve at the relatively lofty price point, and it does so while retaining the same joy and charm the company holds dear. The Planar 1 is a masterpiece and any owner will feel proud to have one of the company's finest achievements."

- Hi-fi Choice Magazine, December 219

Editor's Choice Award – the-ear.net

"I have not yet been able to stop playing old favourites on the P1 and don’t expect the urge to subside any time soon, this is a truly exceptional turntable with the ability to open up any recording and show you exactly what was going on at the time and place it was made. There is a better turntable and arm combination out there it’s called the Rega Naiad, but last time I looked it cost £25, and was in very short supply. There may be others of course but certainly not at anywhere the asking price here, the Planar 1 is a bona fide ultra-fi bargain."

- Jason Kennedy, the-ear.net, September 25, 219

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