Rega Planar 2 Vinyl Turntable Review

The Rega Planar 2 Vinyl Turntable is a manual belt-drive hi-fi deck for listeners who want a straightforward route into more serious vinyl replay. It sits above Rega’s simpler Planar 1 and is aimed at buyers who value a better tonearm, glass platter and upgrade potential over convenience features.

This is not a record player with Bluetooth, USB, automatic operation or a built-in phono stage. It suits someone building, or already owning, a separates system with an MM phono input or a separate phono pre-amplifier.

For clarity, this review refers to the current 2016-onwards Planar 2 family with the RB220 tonearm. Older Planar 2, P2 and RP2 models are different products and should not be assumed to share the same specification.

Rega keeps the Planar 2 visually clean and deliberately sparse. The current model uses a high-gloss acrylic laminated plinth or a walnut-effect laminate, with a supplied dust cover and a low-profile layout that avoids unnecessary switches or displays.

The 10 mm float glass platter is one of the most obvious upgrades over many basic turntables. It gives the deck a more substantial feel and forms part of Rega’s low-mass, rigid construction approach.

At the arm end, the Planar 2 uses the hand-assembled RB220 tonearm. Current examples include adjustable bias, which is useful if the cartridge is changed later, and the one-piece aluminium arm tube gives the deck a more serious platform than entry-level all-in-one players.

Practical construction is simple rather than luxurious. The 24 V motor, brass bearing housing and EBLT belt are all aimed at stable, quiet running, while the absence of built-in electronics keeps the deck focused on its basic mechanical job.

The most important feature is the RB220 tonearm. It makes the Planar 2 more than a starter deck and gives owners a sensible basis for cartridge upgrades, provided alignment and tracking force are set correctly.

As standard, the current Planar 2 is supplied with a factory-fitted Rega Carbon moving-magnet cartridge. Rega also offers a factory-fitted Nd3 moving-magnet option, so buyers should check the exact retailer listing rather than assuming every Planar 2 package is the same.

The deck plays 33⅓ and 45 rpm records, but speed selection is manual. To change speed, the glass platter is removed and the drive belt is moved between pulley steps, which is simple but less convenient than a button.

There is no built-in phono stage, Bluetooth or USB output. That keeps the Planar 2 purist and uncluttered, but it also means it must be partnered with the right amplifier input or an external MM phono stage.

Set-up is relatively approachable for a manual hi-fi turntable. The deck should be placed on a rigid, level surface, the transport card removed, the belt checked, and the glass platter and mat fitted before the arm is balanced.

With the supplied Carbon cartridge, Rega specifies a 2 g tracking force. The counterweight does not use a numbered tracking-force dial, so the manual method can be followed, but a stylus force gauge is a sensible addition for more precise set-up.

Daily use is simple once connected correctly. The main things to remember are that it needs an MM phono stage and that speed changes are made by moving the belt under the platter.

Day to day, the Planar 2 is best understood as a manual hi-fi component rather than a convenience record player. The user cues the tonearm, starts playback manually and returns the arm at the end of a side.

The 24 V low-noise motor, glass platter and EBLT belt are intended to support stable belt-drive operation. Rega’s design choices are consistent with a deck focused on pitch stability and low mechanical interference rather than feature count.

Connectivity is deliberately limited to phono-level output. Connected directly to a normal line input or many powered speakers, the signal will be too low and incorrectly equalised unless an MM phono stage is used.

The biggest operational compromise is speed changing. It is fine for listeners who mostly play LPs at 33⅓ rpm, but anyone regularly switching to 45 rpm singles may find the platter-off belt change tiresome.

Based on the supported design and published review consensus in the supplied evidence, the Planar 2 should be expected to favour timing, clarity and a more composed hi-fi presentation than convenience-led record players. Its stronger arm and glass platter give it a more credible foundation than many basic decks.

The standard Rega Carbon cartridge is useful because it is factory fitted and has a user-replaceable conical stylus. However, it is also the likely limiting factor in a revealing system, so the Planar 2 makes most sense when viewed as a platform that can grow with a better moving-magnet cartridge.

The Nd3 version is the more attractive route if the budget allows and the retailer package is clearly specified. It gives buyers a factory-fitted upgrade without the immediate need to remove and align a different cartridge themselves.

As with any turntable, the final result will depend heavily on support, cartridge condition, phono stage and amplifier matching. The Planar 2 provides the mechanical basis, but the system around it still matters.