New Rega RP3 turntable... coming-

Check out the attached link. Anyone know anything else about this table?

http://www.whathifi.com/news/rega-announces-rp3-replacement-for-award-winning-turntable

http://blog.audiot.co.uk/journal/2011/7/1/rega-launches-new-turntable-the-rega-rp3.html

 

Have heard rumblings for some time now, glad to see this is finally a reality!

I know who Im calling on Tues....

 

Nice looking TT, enjoy.

 

Quote from the What Hi-Fi? article:

"Having more years on the clock than we'd care to remember, a replacement for the P3-24 has been a long time coming."

The P3-24 isn't that old. The original P3 was around a long time.

 

So I'm assuming the P3-24 will be going on sale? If so, they would be a great bargain .

 

Or some dealers will offer discounts with trade in of the P3-24.

 

Hey, they should be open on Monday over there!

 

It's on Rega's website now. The manual makes mention of a 18mm platter and subplatter 'upgrade'..

jc

 

If in fact Rega included a subplatter upgrade, this will be a heck of a table with the improved arm and plinth.

 

I certainly hope that there will be more colors available, since every P3-24 I've sold in the past two years has been a glossy color variant.

 

Just because they say the arm is improved does not mean it is. Mentioned on a thread elsewhere is a perceived drop in manufacturing quality compared to manufacturers previous offerings. Rega has been mostly steady, especially on their amps, but I have to say the P324 felt like a drop in quality on the arm and plinth.

 

Lighter in weight does not mean lower in sound quality. It could or could not mean a less robust build. I think the old Planar tables were heavier/sturdier but they don't sound as transparent and dynamic as the newer models.
-Bill

 

I am curious to hear if the table is a marked improvement over the P3-24. I was hoping to do the groovetracer upgrades in the fall but I might want to wait on this. Who am I kidding - I want a P9 anyway LOL! Guess I'll keep hoarding those pennies!

 

That's what I was thinking.

On Rega's website it looks like the RP3 will only be replacing the P3-24 for now though and not the high gloss P3-24's, which I think look nicer than the colours the RP3 will come in.

Regardless of whether it functions well, I think the "double brace technology" also makes the 'table look less attractive as well.

 

I use a Technics SL1200 for my turntable now, but other than that I use Rega gear, my favorite product by them is probably the Jupiter 2000 cdp. I don't know I just got a feeling of chintziness with some of their recent offerings. The planar 3 used to come with a Tungsten weight, now you only get it on the higher models. The base of the RB301 is plastic. The Transport drive on the apollo and saturn is a cdrom drive. Their Elicit amplifier cost a lot but I really like the sound, design and build of it.

 

In their defense, these changes were due to the economics of the time and did not actually lower quality. For instance, the tungsten weight is still available, it was just substituted on the P3 to keep the table at its price point due to inflation. Rega has no control over inflation and the only alternative rather than reducing cost of goods is to increase the selling price. They didn't want to raise the price. now, it does not make the quality any lower as the counterweight is a separate item from the arm, so it is easy to replace should you want a tungsten weight. They also offer a heavier weight which is available as an option to balance out heavier cartridges.

The other example in the CD drive mechanism was to switch to a mechanism that was in good supply. They used to use Sony mechanisms and there are only so many of those left and they would have been retained as service items. Going forward, you need a reliable supply of parts for new units, so they went with a Sanyo unit instead. So it wasn't to "cheapen" product rather it was just a necessary move to keep new product flowing. I am not sure what the original application of the drive was but it delivers data to the DAC, so again no harm done and it remains serviceable. You will see a lot of makers going with quite a few different transport mechanisms soon if you have not already as the whole idea of an optical drive, especially for Redbook CD, is fading as a strong product sector and the major makers (Sony for one) are not likely to continue to provide them. The Elicit isn't a cheaper product as you note by any definition. That price was a result of inflation and increased parts and labor. Nothing stays the same.
-Bill

 

A sanyo CD rom drive is an awfully cheap part to use in a 2600 dollar cdp. But that was my own impression as an owner. I have also been told (by my dealer) dealer cost on Rega is higher than other competing Brands, dont know how true that is. Somebody's making money somewhere. I remember reading something like "unprecedented growth" on their site. So I suppose they are doing better than some of the other specialty manufacturers.

 

OK. I prefer to use the term "inexpensive" here. It's an optical drive. These days, they are all pretty inexpensive unless you add lots of custom metal parts that don't increase performance in an effort to raise its appeal and certainly its cost. I challenge you to find a CD player that doesn't use a DAC chip. These too are inexpensive parts. As are resistors. Show me a CD player without resistors. It's a silly argument IMO. The cost is in the R&D and the low volume production and sales of high end equipment. I think Rega probably does pretty well for themselves by keeping their product range as narrow as they can and limiting their production expenses. They manage to produce good quality pieces for reasonable prices. It's not an easy thing to do and I doubt that Bill Gates has to worry about Roy Gandy being in his tax bracket anytime soon. Certainly I will not be.
-Bill

 

Just read the instructions and the TTPSU will remain compatible...hooray!

 

What will be the price of the new RP3, which I find quite attractive BTW.

 

Yes we know the actual parts in electronics are mostly nothing expensive. I was just conveying my impression as an owner of the players and turntables. I've owned every TT they made except for the original Planar 3 and the P9 and every cd player except for the ultra pricey new one. I am not a dealer just someone who has bought and used a lot of Rega gear. The Jupiters Sony transport with magnetic clamping system is mechanically more robust and operates more reliably for me than the Saturn CD-ROM transport did. I felt the build quality and aesthetics of the P324 was a step down from the P3 2000. It's only my impression as an owner/user. Notwithstanding that I still really like most of their stuff and enjoy it everyday.

 

I don't like the looks of the brace.

 

It appears the glass platters edge is a greenish color instead of black. I think it looks nice and modern.

 

RP3 on the way.... Can't wait.

 

Besides the obvious question of how the RP3 compares sonically to a stock and PSU powered P3-24 (as well as a P5), my other questions would be: Is the sub platter upgraded, and does the RB-303 have a plastic or metal base?