After two years of development, the long-awaited Planar 6 from Rega is heading to Australia.
Its predecessor, the Rega RP6, was a multi-award winner and hands-down the top selling turntable here at Living Sound in Brisbane since its release in 2012.
So with such a hard act to follow how does the Planar 6 stack up? Let's find out!
The Planar 6 is built around the huge success of the RP8 and RP10 turntables and the first Rega turntable to be constructed with an ultra lightweight Tancast 8 polyurethane foam core plinth (a material developed for the aerospace industry).
The Planar 6 uses a single piece, machined aluminum sub-platter, a new 24v motor hand tuned and matched to its own NEO power supply and custom drive pulley fitted with Rega's upgrade drive belt as standard.
The Neo PSU uses the RP10 DSP generator built upon a high stability crystal. The DSP generator produces a near perfect sinusoidal waveform to drive the motor. This, along with an efficient drive amplifier, generates a 24V AC balanced signal of less than 0.15% distortion, which is completely unaffected by any changes in the mains/line voltage and conditions.
Key Features:
NEO outboard power supply
Super lightweight foam core plinth
Plinth laminate: New Polaris HPL (high pressure laminate)
Available in one finish ‘Polaris Grey’ matt finish with high gloss black polymer edge trim
We're getting our Planar 6 stock in October so will post our own review then. For now, here's a sample of what overseas reviewers have had to say:
What HiFi Review, September 2017
"Rega aims high and scores with a wonderfully refined, articulate and precise turntable that’s lovely to listen to."
"It’s a frankly astonishing refined and mature sound."
"Not only has Rega moved performance upward to a large degree but they have done so with only a small commensurate increase in price...Add to that the awesome cartridge and phono-stage package pricing and this turntable is unbeatable."
Planar 6: RB330 with zero tolerance bearings, vertical bearing housing redesigned to increase strength, new bias housing, improved wiring
RP6: RB303 (anyone who has compared RP3 to Planar 3 will tell you the RB330 is a major step forward in the long-arc of Rega arms)
Plinth
Planar 6: Tancast 8 foam core with Polaris high-pressure laminate skin
RP6: MDF core with multi-layer acrylic paint
Planar 6: Single-piece machined aluminum hub with cold welded spindles; interlocking compression-free main bearing well
RP6: Phenolic hub w/ machined aluminum adapter; compression-fitted bearing well
Motor
Planar 6: Bespoke low-noise 24V twin-phase motor with custom spindle; white reference belt included
RP6: Generic 24V twin phase motor; black standard belt included
Motor Controller
Planar 6: Neo PSU with DSP-based sinewave generator and high precision crystal clock oscillator, based on RP10 PSU; user adjustable speed
RP6: TT-PSU with analogue-based clock; non-adjustable
Bracing
Planar 6: Thicker phenolic, aluminized top, interlocked with main bearing and tonearm mount for higher rigidity
RP6: Phenolic, aluminized top
Feet
Planar 6: Ultra-lightweight, high stiffness hollow cones made from Santoprene rubber, aluminum reinforcement trim rings
RP6: Heavy rubber and aluminum feet (better than the feet that proceeded, nowhere near as good at isolation as new style)
Planar 6 Price & Release Date
The Rega Planar 6 will be released in Australia in October 2017, with a recommended retail price of $1,999 without cartridge, $2,399 with the Exact cartridge or $2,999 with the new Ania MC cartridge (below).
Watch the video
More info
For more information about the Planar 6, call us on (07) 3552 7000 or visit our Brisbane showroom.
After two years of development, the long-awaited Planar 6 from Rega is heading to Australia.
Its predecessor, the Rega RP6, was a multi-award winner and hands-down the top selling turntable here at Living Sound in Brisbane since its release in 2012.
So with such a hard act to follow how does the Planar 6 stack up? Let's find out!
The Planar 6 is built around the huge success of the RP8 and RP10 turntables and the first Rega turntable to be constructed with an ultra lightweight Tancast 8 polyurethane foam core plinth (a material developed for the aerospace industry).
The Planar 6 uses a single piece, machined aluminum sub-platter, a new 24v motor hand tuned and matched to its own NEO power supply and custom drive pulley fitted with Rega's upgrade drive belt as standard.
The Neo PSU uses the RP10 DSP generator built upon a high stability crystal. The DSP generator produces a near perfect sinusoidal waveform to drive the motor. This, along with an efficient drive amplifier, generates a 24V AC balanced signal of less than 0.15% distortion, which is completely unaffected by any changes in the mains/line voltage and conditions.
