Planar 8 Turntable by Rega

Rega decided early on that instead of an evolution of the previous RP8, the new Planar 8 was to be developed and engineered to encapsulate the essence of ‘Naiad’ at an affordable price. The aim was to deliver a level of performance far beyond what has been achieved before at this price point. The Planar 8 ships with the new NEO MK2 power supply.

Engineering masterclass

Every aspect of the Planar 8 is engineered to extract as much detail from the vinyl as possible. The most advanced materials and engineering solutions are built around a supremely lightweight plinth to ensure the greatest level of performance. The Planar 8 is supplied with the new RB880 tonearm and Neo PSU which offer electronic speed change, advanced anti-vibration control, and user-adjustable electronic fine speed adjustment to ensure total accuracy and control over the motor. 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.

Key Features

• RB880 precision tonearm
• Ania, Ania Pro, Apheta 3 factory fitted (optional)
• Super flywheel effect triple-layer glass platter
• Double brace technology
• Tancast 8 foam core plinth
• Custom-matched Neo PSU
• Advanced EBLT drive belt
• Lifetime warranty against manufacture defects

Product Details

Ultra Lightweight Plinth

The Planar 8 is the second Rega turntable constructed using Rega’s latest 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 8 skeletal plinth 30% lighter than the original RP8 while offering increased rigidity over the previous model.

Double Brace Technology

A super lightweight plinth combined with a phenolic resin double 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. Using 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.

RB880 Tonearm

For the new RB880, we have introduced an improved vertical bearing assembly constructed using an aluminum and stainless-steel, low-mass assembly with vastly improved stability and rigidity. This tonearm uses an advanced preloaded zero tolerance bearing assembly adjusted to less than 1000th of a mm, which gives friction-free movement and zero levels of unwanted play. This subtle but effective new structure is only visible via small windows at the rear of the new bias housing assembly.

A thinner stainless steel balance weight is used, allowing greater adjustability and compatibility. Finally, the RB880 is terminated with a re-designed, low-capacitance phono cable terminated with high-quality, locking phono plugs to ensure the best possible connection.

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 which produce ‘perfectly round’ and ‘dimensionally accurate’ belts, critical for perfect speed stability.

Hub Bearing Assembly

The Planar 8 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 which is cleverly mounted within the chassis. This new mounting is designed to eradicate unwanted potential energy being transferred or stored in the plinth.

Super Flywheel Effect Triple Layer Glass Platter

The Planar 8 uses a three-piece laminated glass platter which is the result of collaboration with a British glass engineering company. This brand-new platter is constructed from two different high-quality Pilkington glasses.

As a general rule, the only part of a turntable that requires extra mass is the turntable platter in order to achieve constant rotational speed. However, a heavier platter creates more problems for the main bearing design so again an ideal compromise creates the best solution. Practically this means keeping as much of the mass to the outside rim of the glass platter to create more flywheel effect but keeping the inside of the platter as light as possible without sacrificing stiffness.

24 V Low Noise Motor Assembly

The Planar 8 uses Rega’s latest generation, 24 V, synchronous, low-vibration motor technology. 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 unique mounting method removes all stress on the motor body. The reduced vibration and more rigid mounting deliver superior drive from the new EBLT drive belts. Each motor is hand-tuned to match its own custom Neo power supply before fitting to the turntable to optimize the anti-vibration circuit.

Neo PSU

The Rega Neo PSU offers a smooth power supply, an advanced anti-vibration circuit, and fine electronic speed adjustment. It uses the RP10 DSP (digital signal processing) generator built upon a high-stability crystal.

The DSP generator will divide the accurate signal from the crystal to the exact frequency required to turn the platter at the selected speed. The DSP generator will also produce a near-perfect sinusoidal waveform to drive the motor. This, along with an efficient drive amplifier, generates a 24 V, AC balanced signal of less than 0.15% distortion, which is entirely unaffected by any changes in the mains/line voltage and conditions. This then drives the turntable’s anti-vibration circuit, which is situated beneath the turntable.

What HiFi
We’ve long felt every step up the Rega turntable ladder brings with it worthwhile sonic gains but they’ve tended to be incremental. But the performance gap between the Award-winning Planar 6 and this new Planar 8 is huge.

In being so ambitious with this record player’s engineering, Rega has pushed the boundaries of performance at this level and has given premium rivals positioned above it plenty to worry about. Highly recommended.

https://www.whathifi.com/reviews/rega-planar-8apheta-2

Hi-Fi Choice
Rega’s Planar 8 really advances the idea of what constitutes state-of-the art vinyl playback at this price. It has the remarkable ability to thrill and entertain and is an exceptionally well thought-out design that really delivers.

https://jaguaraudio.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/04/p8-john-min.pdf

The-ear.net
https://www.the-ear.net/review-hardware/rega-planar-8-turntable-and-arm

• Selectable Speed: 33 1/3 rpm, 45 rpm
• Planar 8 Turntable Dimensions (with dustcover fitted): (W x H x D) 420 x 125 x 315 mm
• Neo PSU Dimensions: (W x H x D) 180 x 50 x 155 mm
• Turntable Weight: 4.2 kg
• Neo PSU Weight: 0.6 kg

Planar 8 User Manual

Note: Jaguar is an authorized dealer for all Rega products.

Note: Rega tonearms do not have a height adjustment. If you plan to use a non-Rega cartridge, contact us to discuss whether your turntable should include spacers to raise the arm.