Rega Planar 3 vs Technics SL-1500C

Discussion in 'Audio Hardware' started by Pretty.Odd., Dec 4, 2019.

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  1. Graham 12" Remix

    Graham 12" Remix Graham Sylvian, Graham Gedge or Graham from Felt

    Yes.

    And an RP3.

    What would you like to know?
     
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  2. Classicrock

    Classicrock Senior Member

    Location:
    South West, UK.
    Sounds like a Brummy knobhead :) (Brummy = person from Birmingham UK). Said he left it on the floor for two weeks without testing.
     
  3. McLover

    McLover Senior Member

    For that much money, I could have had a pair of Technics SP-10 Mk II turntables. With Audio-Technica ATP 12" transcription tonearms and Audio-Technica ProBases. Which will outperform any Rega ever made, then or now, or into the foreseeable future. Service, install the cartridges of your dreams, and no upgrades necessary.
     
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  4. Crazyhorse11

    Crazyhorse11 Hoser

    Location:
    Edmonton, AB
    It was likely my whiskey fingers typing last night but was supposed to say 'Rega Planar 3'....ooops. Regardless, love my Rega.
     
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  5. McLover

    McLover Senior Member

    Understand. A Planar 3 is reasonable to do that level of upgrade to. I did this to a Planar 2, I was gifted.
     
  6. popol_vuh

    popol_vuh Guest

    Exactly. A disturbing lack of sound comparisons in these threads. People just recommend what they have, not having listened to both options inquired about in familiar systems. It's meaningless to ask questions like the OP's in this forum. In a 6 page topic, you're lucky if you get one meaningful answer. You know, the one where the person has actual sound experience with both products inquired about.
     
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  7. trd

    trd Forum Resident

    Location:
    Berkeley
    I find these threads Rega/Technics most useful for finding new additions for my Ignore List
     
  8. Randoms

    Randoms Aerie Faerie Nonsense

    Location:
    UK
    The Rega Naiad didn't impress you then?

    The Rega Naiad Turntable – a product unlike any other

    Personally I've not heard it.
     
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  9. popol_vuh

    popol_vuh Guest

    Thanks for the link.

    *waiting for the Technics brigade to come and proudly pronounce "it's a lightweight rubberband table. A Technics SL1200 mkII outperforms it."
     
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  10. Randoms

    Randoms Aerie Faerie Nonsense

    Location:
    UK
    I haven't been able to use a turntable at home for the last 15 years, but still have friends who do, many still own Regas, some Technics. Obviously the last year as been difficult, but I've listened whenever I can.

    The only turntables I've owned are a couple of Regas and a few Linn LP12s and was a Rega and Linn dealer (amongst others) back in the eighties and nineties. Back then Rega were one of the most exclusive accounts to have and people enjoyed the sound, simplicity and looks. On several Saturdays I could fit cartridges to ten Planar 2/3s.

    Why I have respect for Rega is in all that time the failures were as follows.

    One blown resistor. The shop carried some spares, "just in case", I fitted if free of charge.

    One shattered RB300 arm! Goodness knows how, but the owner had totally broken the bearing housing. Rega repaired this free of charge. I refitted it and a cartridge free of charge. One delighted customer told friends and work colleagues what an amazing company Rega were and also recommended the shop and me. Win / win.

    I broke a cartridge tag on a RB300 (a customer had already bent it). Rega delivered a bag of 50 tags at the shop the next day, FOC. Excellent service and the turntable was installed on time.

    Another customer had broken 3 tags! Fortunately I still had 49 spares so replaced these free of charge.

    One customer decided to clean the bearing housing and lost the ball bearing... Again, this was replaced FOC.

    In 15 years they were the only problems I encountered (not bad for a lightweight rubber band turntable!) which in itself is impressive, but how Rega supported it's dealers, which enabled the dealer to keep their customer's happy, was superb. Rega did not need to basically rebuild a new arm for that customer broke, but certainly in that instance they chose to.

    Despite one of the dealers I worked at being a Technics dealer, they didn't stock the turntables, but over the years I probably took in 8-10 Technics SL-1200 Mk** as part-exchanges. I listened to every turntable I took in and could have bought any of these for a good price. Even 30 years ago a couple of these had obviously seen heavy (ab)use and the arm and sound was not what it should be.

    I honestly hope people are not buying any Technics SL-1200 Mk 2 (or any turntable) expecting audio Nirvana without either listening / inspection, or a full refund if not as described. Despite being an extremely robust and reliable design, heavy handed use will still damage them. In the last 30 years more still could have been abused: damage tends not to improve with age!

    Even though I don't use a turntable (without two cats and my beautiful Autistic son, I would and still have my records), I try to listen whenever I can, so have heard the Technics SL-1200GR (good) and Technics SL-1200G (very good!!), both eighties spec and current (except the new and much improved EBLT belts), Planar 3 and Planar 6 amongst others.

    Like other manufacturers (Linn, Michell etc.) both Technics and Rega are simply making far better turntables than thirty years ago. Rega have massively improved their range in the last few years, some as recently as last year and obviously only in the last few weeks with the EBLT. Just as it would be totally wrong for me to judge Technics from what I heard 30 years ago, it is equally wrong for people to judge Rega on models as recent seven years ago, and in the case of the Planar 1 and Planar 2, two years ago, because their opinions, occasionally bordering on offensive to Rega owners, trolling and outdated are simply irrelevant.

    A few friends still run Rega Planar 3s bought in the mid-eighties and apart from drive belts, a couple bought new Rega mats and cartridges / styli, not one has upgraded, or altered the turntable and felt the need to run multiple cartridges.

    One friend after using the same Rega Planar 3 for over 30 years bought himself the latest Planar 6, with Neo, which is adjusted to run at 33.33rpm on a good quality strobe disc and battery operated LED strobe. Obviously ones that are derived from the mains and light bulbs are not 100% accurate... After he wore out the original cartridge, it was replaced by the excellent Audio Technica VM95ML. I say it is excellent having heard it in a Rega Planar 3, Planar, Technics SL-1200GR and G, my friend's LP12 Ittok and having installed one in my brother's Linn Axis / Linn Akito, which I both sold him and installed back in 1993.

    The owner of the Rega Planar 6 / AT VM95ML has a friend who owned a Technics SL-1200 Mk 2, who motivated by his friend's upgrade, himself upgraded to a SL-1200GR. After trying an Ortofon Red, Blue, Bronze and Black, different headshells and mats, he also bought an Audio Technica VM95ML! On many occasions they have listened to and yes, enjoyed each other's turntables, both declaring they would be happy with the other.

    Throughout the Rega Planar 6 has remained absolutely stock.

    Long story short, after taking their turntables to each other's house, the Technics SL-1200GR owner has upgraded and it certainly is, to the excellent SL-1200G.

    The Rega Planar 6 owner is about to do a massive upgrade, bypassing the £15 advanced EBLT and extravagantly going straight to the £25 Rega | Reference EBLT Drive Belt Accessory The new belts have a 50% longer life expectancy.

    The Roy Gandy pdf download, available from the above link is well worth a read for anyone who either has an interest, or even a cynical attitude towards "rubber band" turntables. It doesn't matter if the turntable is rim driven, belt drive, or direct drive any unwanted vibration into the platter and the purity of supply to the motor is critical so not to lose, blur what we are trying to extract from the grooves. Both Rega and Technics do this very well and importantly continue to get better at it.

    As i've said on other threads there are Rega owners who would probably really enjoy the latest Technics turntables and there are Technics owners who would enjoy the latest Rega models. All Rega turntables had a free upgrade in the last month with the standard fit of the new EBLT belts. I don't want to pick out the Technics / Direct Drive fanboys as most people are defensive of what they spent their money on, but until they hear what Rega are producing now, the grand statements wouldn't exactly stand up in a court of law. Conversely, people who have only bought belt drive turntables, really should listen to the latest Technics models.

    Happy listening however you prefer to rotate your records and to those who are satisfied with a fixed headshell with one cartridge and those who like to play with different headshells and cartridges.

    To anyone undecided, the only opinion that is important is your own!
     
  11. McLover

    McLover Senior Member

    And the Rega Army are as bad if not worse, by the way. And fail to often admit the shortcomings in their low-middle of the line offerings stock. I own both makes. I like my very upgraded Rega Planar 2, and my Technics SL-1500 (but use the latter many hundreds of times more, due to better isolation from footfalls and the fact that I play as many or more 45 RPM discs as I do LP discs). I can objectively post about what Rega does best, and what Technics does best. As I am a long term owner of both.
     
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  12. McLover

    McLover Senior Member

    A note: A turntable should have no sound of it's own. It should not add or subtract anything to the sound quality of the records being played on it. And should serve the tonearm or tonearms installed on it. Likewise the tonearm or tonearms should ideally be there to serve the cartridge or cartridges installed on them.

    All the above are a system. Said system should work together well. My motto is, music first. The tools used (the music system) are there in the service of the music. And should be reliable and serve your needs for many years. Your tools should be good quality at minimum, the best you can afford for your budget.

    Nobody here is knocking what Rega does well. I like my Rega Planar 2 (and did so well enough to upgrade it beyond sanity). I happen to also think Rega makes the best tonearm available for the price point (it's a major bargain for the level of precision you get). Rega CD players are superb, and the Rega amplifier and phono stages, are excellent.
     
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  13. Randoms

    Randoms Aerie Faerie Nonsense

    Location:
    UK
    Absolutely! Unfortunately that perfect turntable / power supply / arm / cartridge has not been designed, built, or sold yet at any price, yet alone affordable.

    There is simply more information on a record than any turntable has close to retrieving yet.
     
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  14. Pretty.Odd.

    Pretty.Odd. Guess I'm Dumb Thread Starter

    Location:
    Montclair, NJ
    I do. I sold my Rega P3 for one and never looked back. It was a great decision. That person just clearly doesn't know how to click a button. You have to use a little force when pressing it, but when you do it works every single time.
     
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  15. Dr. J.

    Dr. J. Music is in my soul

    Location:
    Memphis, TN
    I am in the same camp as you, owning both a Technics SL-1200mk5 w/KAB fluid damper /Isonoe feet and Rega Planer 3 w/ Tangospinner. I like both tables but the Technics gets way more play in my house. I liked it better even in its stock form compared to the upgraded Rega. When I bought the Rega, I was intrigued with the idea of the upgrade path since I didn't have the coin at the time to get the P6. But now in hindsight, I am kind of outraged that I have to spend $400 to get it to play at the correct speed. So for three years now, every time I have the funds, I put the Neo PS in my cart but end up buying $400 in records instead, many of which are audiophile 45rpm jazz titles. The Rega just sits there as I spin them effortlessly on the Technics.
     
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  16. Randoms

    Randoms Aerie Faerie Nonsense

    Location:
    UK
    Regardless of what equipment people buy, happy owners who play more music is surely what is important.
     
  17. Pretty.Odd.

    Pretty.Odd. Guess I'm Dumb Thread Starter

    Location:
    Montclair, NJ
    Agreed! I've been playing more records than ever since buying the Technics.
     
  18. Randoms

    Randoms Aerie Faerie Nonsense

    Location:
    UK
    I'm not sure it's supposed to be a competition as to which manufacturer has the most arrogant fanboys, but last night certainly on this thread my missus gave the Technics supporters a clear lead!

    In the UK obviously Rega pricing is more advantageous, the Planar 6 significantly under cutting the Technics SL-1200GR.

    From what i've seen in the UK, most Rega owners keep their turntables stock, and many use the Rega wall bracket.

    Obviously the Rega Planar 2 had significant upgrades in recent years, particularly with the 24v motor, the improvement to the arm bias last year and the belt last month. With the introduction of the 24v motor and new mounting arrangement, fitted as standard to the Planar 1 since last year, most of the complaints against Rega were eliminated, the new belts take this a large step forward.

    Of course I don't expect owners of direct drive turntables to suddenly ditch them, but they may be shocked at how much stock Regas have improved in recent years, likewise Rega owners who haven’t heard a Technics newer than a SL-1200 Mk** should be impressed. As someone who despite owning and selling Regas a generation ago, can honestly say that because of the excellence of the Technics SL-1200G, they needed to.

    Most Rega owners only noticed the previous slightly fast running of Regas by measurement, not by listening, even when being compared to a turntable set at precisely 33.33 rpm!!

    Sincerely, happy listening.
     
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  19. SirAngus

    SirAngus Forum Resident

    Location:
    Virginia
    Of course no equipment listed! Credibility in question.
     
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  20. McLover

    McLover Senior Member

    Which is what happened when I bought my first Technics, then a SL-D2. I've own
    As have I. And I began myself with an SL-D2 (owned three of them over the years), an SL-D1, a SL-Q2, the SL-1600, the SL-1200 Mk II, the SP-25, and currently the SL-1500 I now use daily. I previously mainly used Duals and the Garrard SL-95b.
     
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  21. Randoms

    Randoms Aerie Faerie Nonsense

    Location:
    UK
    Why not try one of the new drive belts? If that doesn't give you the speed, sell the Rega and put it towards more records, or towards your next replacement cartridge? Maybe you need two turntables.

    There is another reason I like turntable power supplies such as the Neo. Apart from being able to adjust the speed to exactly 33.33 rpm, and having 34 / 45 at the touch of a button, there is the improvement in sound quality. A friend owned the model (RP6?) with TT PSU and simply replacing this with the Neo gave a more than worthwhile improvement for minimal cost as the TT PSU was in demand for Planar 3 owners.

    For whatever reason (maybe UK pricing advantage), people seem to part exchange a Rega planar 3 and go for the Planar 6 which brings multiple upgraded components and Neo as standard, rather than (often) spending a lot to upgrade the Planar 3.
     
  22. popol_vuh

    popol_vuh Guest

    One for the Technics guys:

     
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  23. Turntable Fan

    Turntable Fan Forum Resident

    One for the Technics guys:

    The Technics 1210 GR and the Ortofon Black costs over 2.000 Euro and a Rega Planar 6 with the same PU saves you a lot of money. Apples and oranges.
     
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  24. Pretty.Odd.

    Pretty.Odd. Guess I'm Dumb Thread Starter

    Location:
    Montclair, NJ
    Pros and cons to both and this video weighs them very well. For me, the pros of the Technics outweigh the cons, but everyone is different!
     
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  25. popol_vuh

    popol_vuh Guest

    Yep, that's completely cool. But stuff like this is just interesting to see in context of ridiculous claims like "SL1200 beats not only P6, but P8" and the fact that on this forum you don't even need to open threads like "which TT do you recommend?". May I point to the fact that this in the video is completely stock P2 (even the ****ty counterweight on this iteration of RB250 hasn't been replaced).

    Just today I was watching the other YT video from a member of vinyl community and the guy was partly talking about ridiculous prices of completely mediocre vintage tables today. This is part of this whole cul-de-sac we've entered when mantras like "vintage tables beat any mid-priced modern table" became religiously spread and more widely accepted. Yes, these tables are great starting tables (stuff like better DD Pioneers, Denons, entry Technics etc.), but we shouldn't make them into something they're not because then we start spreading ignorance. That's why there's only one thing that should be said to people: compare the tables you're interested in sonically. Have some experience with them. Try to borrow some vintage DD tables and have a home demo of some nice modern entry level TTs and see what sound better. Don't believe what some guy on the forum says. If we had more of that, we'd have less ridiculous claims on forums.
     
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