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Rega Planar 1 Walnut Effect and Rega Planar 1 Plus Walnut Effect - New Design Variant

Those who decide to enter the world of record playback with the corresponding model from Rega Research Limited now have another design variant at their disposal. The Rega Planar 1 Walnut Effect or Rega Planar 1 Plus Walnut Effect, as the name suggests, is now also available in a walnut finish.

Story Highlights
  • From now on, the entry-level drive from Rega Research Limited is also available as Rega Planar 1 Walnut Effect or Rega Planar 1 Plus Walnut Effect.

The Rega Planar 1 marks Rega Research Limited’s entry into the record player sector. At an attractive price, the customer will find many features that have distinguished the solutions of the English specialist for years. The company even goes so far as to say that this is an entry-level solution in terms of price, but the sonic performance is said to be far above that. So this is a very interesting solution, which is now offered in a further design variant, namely with a walnut finish as Rega Planar 1 Walnut Effect and Rega Planar 1 Plus Walnut Effect.

Rega Planar 1 – The little brother of the Rega Planar 3

The English hi-fi manufacturer states that the Rega Planar 1 has received many features from its big brother, the Rega Planar 3, in the course of an update that was carried out last year. With this, they want to be able to keep the promise that we have already mentioned, namely that with the Rega Planar 1 you get a turntable of the entry level class, which, however, has a lot of the DNA that distinguishes the bigger brothers of the English company.

A classic turntable from Rega Research Limited

Of course, the Rega Planar 1 is presented in the same way as one has come to expect from Rega Research Limited for years. The turntable follows the principle of the lowest possible mass, which is achieved first and foremost by a comparatively simple construction. The turntable measures 448 x 365 x 115 mm and thus weighs exactly 5 kg.

It is based on an MDF board in which all components of the turntable are integrated, and where the coating is supposed to improve the stiffness even more.

The platter with 23 mm and a comparatively high flywheel mass rotates in a platter bearing made of brass with optimised fitting accuracy, and an EBLT drive belt is used. For the first time, Rega Research Limited used a 24 V synchronous motor for the Rega Planar 1, even in the entry-level range, with a newly developed motor control and an aluminium drive wheel. This is said to have further improved the smoothness and speed consistency.

The turntable is equipped with a Rega RB110 tonearm, which has the same precision bearing as the Rega RB330. This is a patented, backlash-free bearing with virtually no friction.

An adjustment of the anti-skating is not necessary here, so that the manufacturer speaks of a plug & play solution. A new, ergonomically shaped headshell is also used for improved handling.

The turntable rests on newly designed feet, which are intended to ensure an even more stable stand with minimal susceptibility to vibrations.

Pick-up already mounted ex works

The Rega Planar 1 is shipped from the factory with a pre-mounted cartridge system, so the user can get started straight out of the box. This is a Rega Carbon MM cartridge, so the drive can be used with a wide range of amplifier systems with integrated phono preamplifiers, and no additional investment is required.

Rega Planar 1 Plus – With integrated phono preamplifier

The Rega Planar 1 Plus also features a factory-integrated phono preamplifier, which is designed for MM cartridge systems, as befits its class.

Matt black, matt white and now also walnut

Until now, the Rega Planar 1 or Rega Planar 1 Plus has been available in two finishes, matt black and matt white. Now Rega Research Limited is offering a third version, with the choice of a wood finish, namely walnut. This new design version is called Rega Planar 1 Walnut Effect or Rega Planar 1 Plus Walnut Effect.

Prices and availability

The new Rega Planar 1 Walnut Effect has been available from specialist dealers since the end of September 2022, at a recommended retail price of € 449,-. In the meantime, the Rega Planar 1 Plus Walnut Effect has also followed with some delay, whereby a recommended retail price of € 549,- must be estimated for this drive. Part of the delivery is of course a matching dust cover.

Getting to the point

It is gratifying that Rega Research Limited now offers a version with a wood finish for its entry-level turntable, after all, such design variants are very popular among users. It should not be forgotten that with the Rega Planar 1, customers acquire a turntable that has all the features for which solutions from the English hi-fi manufacturer are valued. In addition to the new Rega Planar 1 Walnut Effect, the Rega Planar 1 Plus Walnut Effect is also available, i.e. the version that comes with an integrated phono preamplifier ex works.

PRODUCTREGA PLANAR 1 WALNUT EFFECT, REGA PLANAR 1 PLUS WALNUT EFFECT
PriceREGA Planar 1 Matt White € 399,-
REGA Planar 1 Matte Black € 399,-
REGA Planar 1 Walnut Effect € 449,-
Rega Planar 1 Plus Walnut Effect € 549,-
BrandREGA
ManufacturerRega Research Limited
Distribution AustriaAudiovertrieb by HZ Electronics
Distribution GermanyTAD-Audiovertrieb GmbH
More about this manufacturer at HIFI BLOG
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Michael Holzinger

Michael Holzinger, founder and editor-in-chief of HiFi BLOG and sempre-audio.at, has been working for years as a journalist in the fields of IT, photography, telecommunications and consumer electronics.

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