Musicality, smoothness, analog sound, price

Plastic front, bass tightness, details

After searching for 3 months I decided to buy this player. It simply has no competition in its price bracket. It has a very analog type sound, allowing you to listen for hours without digital fatigue. At first it seems to be completely lacking in detail if you do comparisons with other brands such as Linn or even cheaper Japanese models. After a short listen you realise that the details are there, just not overemphasized. The Linn Genki has loads of detail but also has an unnatural high frequency presence, too airy. (reminded me of the 15khz sound emitted from older tv's) Go to a live jazz or classical performance and you won't hear this same noise. The Planet was similar in sound to the Arcam CD92 at considerably less cost. The Naim and Sim are beautiful, with the detail of the Linn and the smoothness of the Rega, but the cost?!?!?! Yikes.
The top loading mechanism works well and the remote is well thought out (reminds me of a good VCR remote).
The plastic used on the front panels is a little perplexing. It somewhat cheapens an otherwise great CD player. I'd happily have paid $50 extra for an alloy faceplate.
I have heard that adding a Harmonic Technologies Pro-AC11 power chord can open up the details and bass tightness tremendously. At $200 it will be my next upgrade.
If you like music, listen to the Planet.
If you are very analytical, shop around.

My system:
CD: Rega Planet 2000
Preamp: Linar 2 (From the guy who created Sim Audio)
Speakers: Paradigm Active 40 v.2 (better than you'd think)
Tuner: Yamaha TX 900
Power conditioning: Adcom Ace-515

Similar Products Used:

Naim CD5, Linn Genki, Arcam CD92, Sim Moon Eclipse,

Very musical,good pace and rythmic,nice but not powerful bass.Rare and unique design-red display instead of the usual yellowish or greenish LED and top-loading.

None so far,although most people complain about the flimsy cover which rotates in the middle.

Bought 1 month at S'pore$1400.Agree with other reviewers about quality of sound.
System - Rega Mira 2000 Int. Amp.
Rega Planet 2000 CDP
Rega Radio 2000 Tuner
Rogers Studio 3 speakers/Atacama stand
REL Strata III subwoofer
HT Truthlink/VDH D102 MkIII HB Interconnect
Rega FSC22 speaker cable
HT ProAC11/Kimber 8TC DIY power cord
Good with jazz,vocals and most instrumentation.If you love music and wanna sop being called 'hi-fi buff', go REGA.My review base on the whole Rega system which I find that besides the Planet 2000,overall I'm happy with the sound.It has the boogie factor,rythmic,good pace without being bright,involving and most important,musical.
I don't sit down in the middle of the set-up and start staring and concentrating too much on the electronics anymore.Normally I'll let the music on and can afford to move around the house,doing other things but still enjoy the music.
So,if you are a detail freak,big bass favourite,looking for a more professional-look type of electronics which will only
frickle you about the terms soundstaging,imaging,3D and all that nuts,forget about Planet 2000 cos once you listen o it you'll forget about the terms above.
Next step I'm going to change my speakers to Vandersteen 1C because I've auditioned it using the same all Rega system from the shop I bought.The result....AWESOME and no turning back.

Cheers!

Similar Products Used:

Marantz CD72 MKII,Harman Kardon HD-7600,Sony X-7ESD

Very musical and involving. Not too bright or "digital" sounding, while still sounding very detailed

Build quality--the unit just seems less substantial than some, including the original Planet

I spent two years (on and off) looking for the ideal cd player--meaning one that I both loved and could afford. I listened to countless cd players, and had almost settled on getting an NAD player as a compromise.

However, as usual, persistance paid off. I decided that before I settled I had to hear the Planet 2000. I had of course auditioned the original Planet, and while I liked the more analog sound, I felt that you had to sacrifice too much detail and high end distinctiveness to achieve that feel.

The Planet 2000 corrects most of the flaws I found in the original Planet. It retains the original Planet's analog musicality, without seeming to sacrifice detail or depth. I fell in love with the Planet almost immediately, and have luxuriated in its beatiful music ever since. It does especially well on Jazz.

Highly recommended!

Components:

Carver 705TX Amp
Rotel 965AX Pre/Pro
NHT 1.5 speakers, AC-1
Rega Planet 2000

Similar Products Used:

Denon, Rotel 975, Rotel 990, NAD

price, musicality

uhh . . . .

i was the owner of an original planet was was VERY surprised at the improvements that were made by the newer model. for those that are aware of the sound of the original, imagine it with similar soundstage and depth, but with better timing and pace. the planet 2000 is sonically similar, but has highs that aren't quite as rolled off as the planet, and it has a tighter bottom end. all in all, if the original was overly neutral, this one is taking a step closer, developing more of a distinct sound. i've noticed more detail in my cd's, but without any compromise to the sound quality or 'mechanical' sound to the music (which i found to be a problem with some cd players that were overly detailed) the only problem i've had at all, and this is very minor, is that wen i listen to cd's on my system, it seems to sometimes have a slightly lispy sound on the 's' sound that the vocalist makes, like he was too close to the mic. i've no such problem on my vinyl recordings this, as i said, is very small and is only sometimes noticeable, and never bothersome. another obvious plus to the planet is its (relatively) inexspensive price. for the dollar, you'll be hard pressed to find one on par with it, much less one that outperforms it. how ANYONE could give it a value rating under 5 is beyond me. but, all comparisons aside, the reason that the planet 2000 excels is its uncanny ability to reproduce music above all else. it is a truly musical player, and isn't that what really matters?

my system consists of:
rega planet 2000 cd
rega p3 2000 w/ dynavector 10x4 mkII
rega cursa 2000
2 rega maia 2000's
rega jura 2000 bi-amped
rega vulcan sub

Similar Products Used:

original planet, linn cd plyr, jolida cd, other misc

Musical and harmonious presentation

Plays stored cd immediately when unit is powered up

This is the first review of this source component in our all-new stereo system. We are very excited with the daily improvements in sound expecially compared to the old system. The old system was 25 year-old Technics receiver and Advent Loudspeakers - driven by $150 Sony carousel CD player.

With 60 hours of playing time behind us, we are hearing a detailed, slightly warm and very dynamic presentation. We are surprised with the high frequency extension; we had expected somewhat less treble resolution and clarity. Our listening room (14' x 22' x 8')is fairly live (hardwood floors) with few wall coverings. We largely listen to 70s - 90s R&R, Pop and light Jazz (Pat Methany, Rick Braun, Hubert Laws). We're hearing nuances that we never heard before on every cd.

The red LED display is unreadable from 10' or more away. The remote is powerful and works from anywhere in the room. We've used the repeat and shuffle functions durings burn-in each day. Just today we experienced an enormous growth in the bass production from the system - which we like. Since all components are new (~ 1 month or less), we're not sure which unit changed. We'll post the next review under the QUAD 99 preamp after a few more months of listening.

Associated Equipment:
QUAD 99 preamp
McCormack DNA-125 pwr amp
JMLab Electra 915.1 speakers
Audioquest interconnects
Alpha-Core Goertz MI2 speaker cable

Similar Products Used:

Arcam Alpha 7, Rotel 971

musical, top load

lightweight plastic construction

I just bought my first SACD player which is the Sony SCD-333ES and I still prefer the cheaper Rega Planet more analog and musical sound. But of course the Sony SACD is better but I got a lot more regular CD's than SACD like everybody else.

Similar Products Used:

Sony SCD 333ES

Rhythm, musicality, dynamics. Bass is punchy and taught. Smoothness without an overly lush character. New Solar remote is well-designed.

Build-quality. Lacks the fine detail and resolution of other "musical" cd players.

After owning the Rotel rcd-971 and hearing other players in its price range, I've concluded that the Planet 2000 offers a sound that's distinct in its musicality. While players like those from Rotel, Arcam or Adcom may offer decent resolution and an acceptible soundstage, they lack the three-dimensional, natural "palpability" and musical instincts of high-end players. Where the Planet succeeds is in its ability to capture the essence of music -- dynamics, timbre, rhythm and body.

Compared to the Planet, the Rotel 971 is more analytical, sterile, flat and uninvolving, without the drive and lively-but-firm rhythmic accuracy of the Rega. With the Planet in my sysytem, the music regained its sense of life and energy; vocals became more breathy, the bass more lively and taught and the imaging more defined and with greater separation and air. Although the Rega is certainly not cold, it is not what I would describe as warm, either. There is a certain body to the sound, but yet there is not the lushness and, in my opinion, unnatural coloration of tube output players such as those from BAT, Cary and Metronome. Like my Plinius amp, the Planet embodies the musical (specifically, rhythmic) qualities of tubes, yet does so with the precision and drive of solid state.

Despite this, the Planet's ultimate drawback is its failure to replicate the resolution of more expensive players. Musically, the Planet's character is very similar to that of the Naim CD5 and CDX, which, like Naim's entire line, are distinct in their rhythm and liveliness. Yet the Naim -- and other higher-end gear like Accuphase -- have these musical instincts without a loss of sheer detail. The Planet suffers in this respect. Ultimately, however, the detail I might find in a Arcam or Rotel player is far less important than the considerable musical strengths of the Planet. After all, it's music, not sound, we're searching for.

Compared to the competition, I feel that the new Planet a strong contender for best-in-class. It is not necessarily the measurable strengths of the Planet that contribute most to its sound. Other players, particularly the CAL CL-15, offer a more neutral, precise and unanalytical sound -- a more consistently high performer. Yet it is the unmeasurable qualities of the Planet, in its ability to reproduce the life, body and energy of music, that I think distinguish it from other players. Paired with the right equipment, it can envigorate your system. Highly recommended -- 5 stars for the sound quality at the price-point, 4 stars regardless of price.

Asssociated equipment:
B&W 805s
Plinius 8100 integrated amp
Rega Planet 2000
Analysis Plus Oval 9 (shot-gunned)
Kimber Hero interconnect

Similar Products Used:

CAL CL-15, Rotel rcd-971 and -991, Audio Refinement; Naim CD5, Metronome, Cary, BAT (on the higher end).

Smooth, rich, analog sound.

Construction. Too much plastic. Does not feel all that solid.

When I first auditioned this player I was amazed at how much different it sounded from the other players I had listened too. It was warm where the other players seemed bright and overly detailed. They all sounded digital. This is OK of you like that sort of thing but I have always perfered the virtues of vinyl. Over the years I have come to amass a large CD collection and found myself in the position of needing to replace my old and very modified Magnavox.

Enter the Rega Planet 2000. As soon as heard this unit I knew it be occupying a spot on the top shelf in my system. It was warm, detailed, and very musical. It came as close to analog as any player I have ever heard. The bass response was great and the timing of the unit is on the laid-back side. Exactly what I wanted.

Some may say that other players are more detailed and accurate and they may be right. The Arcam I listened to was like this. It was surgically percise and overly bright. It sounded very digital. Give me a player that conveys musical emotion in a manner in which I can listen to for hours. Give me the Rega.

Lets the musical message through without breaking your pocket.

Masks fine detail thus not able to recreate air and an expansive sound stage like top players do.

Please note that I do not own this remarkable product. I am posting this for a specific tweek I learned of that I thought made a difference. I auditioned it at many different locations . It has a sweet quick sound as an integrated player and a great price/performance ratio. I thought it better in timing than the previous Planet. I wanted it so much to win the contest with the players auditioned. I even considered it as a transport only and coupled it to an Audio Research DAC. It took a cable 75% of the price of the planet to start hearing the Audio Research resolving power but somehow it still could not draw me emotionally into the musical happenings as some did. It had a short decay of notes that came through like a 'shortness of breath' on some music. It also had a lightness in the mid bass that just misses the punch in some music.

Here is the REASON IAM POSTING THIS. At one of the fine stores I auditioned this unit the nice fellow pulled the power cord and added a ground lifter and re-plugged it BUT REVERSING the polarity i.e. turned the plug 180 degrees before he re-inserted it into the power bar. Guess what - A much fuller sound with the 'shortness of breath' observed before cured to a large extent. Female voice articulation was greatly enhanced. The improvement is enormous. I cannot analyze what is going on but I would guess it has to do with some magnetic field interactions inside the unit.

If you try this please note that this is not the way the manufacturer intended for you to use the unit - plus you have lost the grounding pin. You should consult with REGA if this is a dangerous tweak or not. Please also note that I was using a highly resolving DAC. But the store assured me that the improvement had been noticed with the unit's own internal DAC.

A great unit that unfortunately came a bit short in intensity as a transport. The great TEAC VRDS having a distinct edge in many departments (except in high frequency neutrality) but costing 30% more even as a demo unit. Remarkable.

If you do not have highly resolving gear or do not care for the last 'bit of emotional digit' or are budget limited or just plain reasonable then - go for it - and check out the tweek above.

Auditioned with:

REGA integrated system/TOTEM speakers
Conrad Johnson amps/Audio Research/TOTEM /XLO digital cable

Similar Products Used:

Revox B126, Audio Research DAC5, TEAC VRDS 10SE, NAIM CDX, Audiomeca Mephisto, Meridian 506

Sound, Design

Not much - remote control costs extra (in UK anyway)

I'm very impressed with this player, mainly because it sounds wonderful. (With a MF XA2 amp and B&W 601 S2 speakers). It's certainly the most 'vinyl-like' of the players I listened to, and is easy to listen to for long periods of time. Some reviews criticise it for being too laid back, but I find it very involving and exciting when required, with great, solid bass and lots of detail. I listen to a range of music including acoustic folk, rock, and dance.

In comparison the Marantz certainly sounded brighter, but I felt it was too metallic and clinical compared to the Rega. The Roksan was pretty good, but became rather wearing after a while - it's a very upfront player. I'm definitely happy with my choice and I've been rediscovering my old CDs, which has to be a good thing. My advice would be to audition this player carefully with some others, as it does seem to have a different sound from most modern CD players, which may not be to everyone's taste, but certainly is to mine. Top loading design is fantastic too!

Similar Products Used:

Marantz 6000 KI, Roksan Kandy