Turntables — Rega PLANAR 8

The Planar 8 is a Rega turntable with belt drive, made in the UK with an ultra-lightweight foam-core plinth and the RB880 tonearm. It draws directly on Rega's reference turntable, the Naiad, and was designed from scratch to bring the ideas of that model to a lower price, rather than as a step-by-step update of the previous RP8. Compared with the RP8, the outer frame has been removed to cut mass further.

Key specs that matter

Speeds are 33 and 45 rpm, with electronic speed change through the supplied Neo PSU, which also allows fine speed adjustment by the user. The platter is a three-piece laminate made from two different types of Pilkington glass, giving a high flywheel effect. Drive comes from a 24V synchronous low-noise motor. With the dustcover fitted the turntable measures 420 x 315 x 125mm and weighs 4.2kg.

Engineering and use context

Rega makes the skeletal plinth from Tancast 8, a polyurethane foam developed for aerospace use, sandwiched between two very thin, rigid layers of high-pressure laminate. It is 30% lighter than the RP8 plinth while being stiffer. Double Brace Technology adds a phenolic resin double brace linking the arm base to the main hub bearing, turning that section into a stressed-beam assembly that resists energy absorption and unwanted resonance. The motor is mounted from beneath, a method taken from the Naiad, which keeps stress off the motor body, and every motor is individually hand-tuned to match the Neo supply it ships with. The RB880 arm has an improved vertical bearing assembly in aluminium and stainless steel, preloaded and adjusted to less than 1/1000th of a millimetre for movement without play or friction. It is wired with a redesigned low-capacitance phono cable ending in locking phono plugs.

Pairing

Rega offers the Planar 8 as a package with its own Ania or Apheta 2 moving-coil cartridges fitted at the factory. The RB880 has a thinner stainless steel counterweight than before, which gives more adjustment range and allows a wider choice of cartridges for owners who prefer to fit their own. Either factory cartridge is a moving-coil type, so the amplifier or separate phono preamplifier must offer an MC input.

Alternatives

Higher in the range, Rega makes the Planar 10 turntable.