Rega Planar 8 announced!

Hehe, yea, everybody is copying Rega now. Not quite as stylish, though

Is that cover actually from VPI, or aftermarket? I remember when Thorens got back in the turntable game about 10 years ago, they had that laminated plinth table with the heavy steel plate in the middle, along with a nice motor controller and modified Rega tonearm with VTA. Pretty nice table, but they decided to save a bit on the cover too ...

 

Touche. You got me. But, the VPI is not weightless. And a cat can get in there ! LOL.

 

Is anybody from the forum going to attend one of these launch events in Brighton or Manchester ? Planar 8 launch events at Audio T - Brighton & Manchester

 

For a kidney, I'd probably wait for the P10. I'd say a P8 is worth a finger or two, though!

 

Any report from the launching event ?

 

*flamesuit on*

I just don't like how 'skeletal turntables' look.

*heads for cover*
.

 

That’s why there are so many design styles. You don’t have to line these.

 

Reviews starting to pop-up, looks promising:

Rega Planar 8 | The Ear

 

Thanks. Geez, that's a nice looking table. Very mid-century mod--minimalist and organic. Now I have to hide my wallet.

 

Very nice review

 

Great review. Thank you for posting. Rega TT's just keep getting better.

 

Well I'm sold. When it comes time to upgrade I'll be choosing between the RP8 and Technics 1200G.

 

Great review!

 

2 completely different approaches, one of the lightest decks versus one of the heaviest.

 

Yes a big visual difference too. Techics are too industrial DJ like for my personal taste. Yes I am shallow and care about the design... Love how that P8 looks. Of course it's all so personal.

 

The design of the 1200 is iconic--it was the industry standard for deejays worldwide. I was a deejay in college so I have an attachment to the design and still have my two 1200 Mk2 tables from those days--one of which I use in my home office for headphone listening. That said, I put a Rega in my living room and it's where the P8 would go if I decide to upgrade. And the early review, with the best pictures of the table I've seen yet, sure is tempting me to audition one when they hit my local dealer.

 

I’m in the same boat. I didn’t care for the Technics in 1975 when I bought my first table and nothing has changed.

 

I care about aesthetics as well, and it took me a long time to come around to the looks of the Technics. However, seeing it in person at Axpona helped change my mind. It really is a beautiful machine.

In all honesty, I think the P8 is ugly. But what I like about both these very different decks is that it's clear a lot of thought and expert engineering went into their respective designs. With all due respect to their fans, I'll never own a VPI deck, as I just don't have any faith in the "throw everything at the wall and see what sticks" design approach. Neither Rega nor Technics seem so haphazard in their engineering.

 

I had a Technics for awhile in the Eighties when my Phillips table went down.Found myself rarely playing records for some reason til I got my Linn in 1989.

 

I think the P8 looks more attractive in the photos with a record on the table.
Why do you say VPI is haphazard in their engineering?

 

I think the Prime is a good table (and the Classic series before it), but the ever-changing roster of models above and below it turns me off. When they released the Traveler (I think) a few years ago, it had a lot of problems that had to be addressed and the early adopters paid the price in faulty tables and arms. I appreciate that they tried to compete at the entry-level, but think it sucks that they used customers as beta testers.

 

It's very true, but it's good to audition both if you don't already have strong opinions on a design philosophy. I demoed the P6, 1200GR and UltraDeck when I was buying, and I'm glad I did.

 

New review here : REGA Planar 8 Review: Mass effect | 7Review

Hopefully someone from the forum will popup with their own impression soon.

 

These arrive in stores in the US in December

 

Of note in the review: the Planar 8 quite literally makes its presence felt. If this turntable doesn’t put to bed the notion that great analogue bass is tied to mass, I’m not sure what will.