Rega Planar 1 vs. Rega Planar 2: What's The Difference

Rega Planar 1 Or Rega Planar 2, We Help You Decide...

*Updated for February 2024

Rega's Planar turntables have long been a gateway into the world of vinyl, offering timeless design, award-winning performance and British hi-fi heritage, all at an accessible price point. However, if you’re curious about the differences between the Rega Planar 1 and the Rega Planar 2, we’ve got you covered.

Boasting a rich history, the Rega Planar name has been around for over 40 years. But back in 2016, Rega overhauled and rebranded their RP1 and RP2 turntable models with new components and the acclaimed name to mark a new era for the brand's iconic range. Enter the Planar 1 and Planar 2.

Since then, both turntables have gone on to win multiple awards and become staples within the hi-fi industry. Don’t let their similar appearance fool you though. Beyond their sleek, near-identical exteriors, these award-winning turntables harbour some distinct differences that set them apart, and we’ve covered them all below.

Are you a fan of Rega? Check out our Factory Tour and Q&A with Roy Gandy video on YouTube!

Rega Planar 1 vs Rega Planar 2: The differences At A Glance

Rega Planar 1

RRP: £299 (See Latest Pricing)

Along with its updated Matt finish, the Rega Planar 1 is all about ease of use. Its lightweight design and pre-configured settings will have you spinning records in minutes.

While this makes it perfect for beginners, the lightweight plinth and platter might sacrifice some sound dampening compared to its more expensive sibling, the Planar 2. The fitted RB110 tonearm, while impressive, also lacks the same rigidity as its bigger brother. Sound-wise, expect a lively, energetic character, but be prepared for slightly less detail and refinement.

Rega Planar 2

RRP: £499 (See Latest Pricing)

While boasting a gloss finish, the Rega Planar 2 takes things up a notch with a heavier plinth and glass platter, aiming for increased stability and reduced vibrations. This translates to a smoother sound with even less unwanted resonance.

The RB220 tonearm offers more rigidity, enabling extra detail and nuance to be unlocked from your records. While setup requires a bit more effort and a larger initial investment, the payoff could be a richer, more balanced listening experience overall.

Plinth

The plinth is the main platform on which all the high-quality components of these turntables are built. Rega plinths are designed to be lightweight but highly rigid. This design helps prevent unwanted resonance from being transferred from the motor or other sources of vibration, which can affect the music and be heard through your loudspeakers.

The Rega Planar 1’s plinth is constructed from a composite material and covered with a matt finish thermoset laminate. Whereas the Planar 2 is built around an MDF core covered with a stunning, highly rigid, high-gloss acrylic laminate.

The Planar 1 is available in three finishes: matt black, matt white or walnut, while the Planar 2 is available in three high gloss finishes: black, white or red and a walnut finish too. The newly improved feet on the base of the plinth help keep vibration transfer to a minimum too.

Both models also come supplied with a clear GPPS dust cover as standard too.

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Platter

The platter is the circular disc your vinyl is placed on. Its design is crucial for maintaining a consistent speed and good musical reproduction.

The platter needs to weigh enough to deliver a constant rotational speed but must not be so heavy that it will put the drive motor under unnecessary strain or potentially stretch the drive belt when it starts.

The Planar 1 uses a phenolic resin platter with increased mass placed on the outside edge to naturally increase the flywheel effect of the platter. While the Planar 2 uses an extremely high-quality 10mm float glass platter instead.

Regarding functionality, they both perform well with the Planar 2 edging performance and style. Both come with a felt mat that lies on top of the platter to maximise grip, and they both act as the ideal interface for transferring the rotational speed from the platter into the vinyl without introducing any unnecessary stress.

Motor

Both the Planar 1 and Planar 2 are fitted with a custom-made 24V low-noise motor and control board. This motor keeps the platter speed consistent and drives a custom CNC-machined aluminium drive pulley. This assembly reduces unwanted vibration travelling through the plinth and ensures optimum performance.

ToneArm

The tonearm is a very important component of the turntable.

It needs to be a stable platform while allowing free bearing movement to allow the stylus to track the record groove accurately. Rega tonearms are precision instruments hand-built to the tightest tolerances.

The RB110 (Planar 1) uses a single-piece aluminium tube with a rigidly mounted headshell and benefits from being a fully plug-and-play design. The RB220 uses Rega’s famous custom-cast aluminium tonearm tube.

The RB220 (Planar 2) is adjustable and allows the use of a wide range of cartridges while remaining very easy to set up. Both tonearms are fitted with Rega’s own ultra-low friction polymer bearings.

Cartridge

The cartridge is where the magic happens. Attached to the end of the tonearm, it acts as the brain of the turntable and converts the contact with the turntable into sound waves. The phono cartridge on both turntables features the highly reputable Rega Carbon moving magnet cartridge.

Speed Change

It is possible to change the speed between 33 1/3 and 45 RPM. However, this is a manual process that involves simply lifting the platter and shifting the drive belt between the two available speeds.

PRe-Amp

With both of these turntables, a pre-amp is necessary for the signal to be converted from phono (the turntable’s signal) to digital (your speaker's signal).

Unlike the Rega Planar 1 Plus, the Rega Planar 1 and Planar 2 don’t come with a pre-amp built-in, so unless you are using an amplifier with a phono input, a pre-amp will be required to sit between the turntable and the speaker(s) or amplifier.

How This Works With Sonos & More

If you're a vinyl enthusiast looking to integrate the warm sound of your records into your Sonos ecosystem, look no further than our selection of Rega turntable and speaker bundles. These packages take the guesswork out of setting up, offering everything you need for seamless Sonos connectivity and more.

We offer a range of Sonos-ready turntable packages with either of these Rega models, a Behringer pre-amp and all of the cables required to connect to a Sonos Port, Five, Amp or other amplifier/receiver. As well as turntable bundles with the Sonos Era 100 and Sonos Era 300.

Alternatively, we do offer other award-winning preamplifiers like the Rega Fono MM MK5 or you could consider the Rega Planar 1 Plus which has a good preamp built in.

Essentially, whether you’re connecting to Sonos, other speakers, or simply want to enjoy standalone use, there are options for everybody across various price points and audiophile preferences.

Read: How to Turn Your Old Hifi Into a Wireless Music Streamer

Watch: Rega System One: The Ultimate Beginner HiFi System

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Verdict

Both the Rega Planar 1 and Planar 2 are extremely user-friendly, even if you’re a complete novice in the world of vinyl.

With the Planar 1, you can simply slide on the counterweight, remove the stylus guard, plug in the power supply, and you are ready to play. Whereas, the Planar 2 requires a little more tonearm setup but remains extremely simple and can also be ready to play in under one minute.

Perhaps the most notable differences between the Planar 1 and Planar 2 are the tonearm and platter, which result in a more dynamic, expressive, and authentic vinyl experience with a slightly larger soundstage.

The Planar 1 shines for vinyl newcomers seeking a fuss-free introduction to the world of analogue audio. Its punchy sound and easy setup will definitely charm casual listeners. However, audiophiles yearning for greater detail and adjustability might find the Planar 2's refined approach more rewarding.

Ultimately, the "best" choice depends on your budget, listening preferences, and upgrade potential. But as a general rule of thumb, if your turntable is going to be more of a focal point in your home and you want it to scream elegance a little louder, the Planar 2 will be the model for you.

If you’re a newbie to the world of vinyl, the Planar 1 is a simple but award-winning turntable with exceptional reviews and versatility, making it the perfect option for those just starting out.

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ABOUT SMART HOME SOUNDS

Smart Home Sounds is a UK Sonos specialist dedicated to filling homes with the joy of music, one room at a time!

We provide expert advice on the full Sonos range, from the voice controlled Sonos Era 100 to a Sonos wireless home cinema system with Arc, Sub (Gen 3) & 2 Era 300's all with free next day delivery and a 6 year extended warranty

We hope you find this helpful, but of course, we realise that purchasing a new Hi-Fi system is a big decision, so we are more than happy to assist with any queries you may have.

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