Beautiful air around instruments with excellent imaging

Rega needs an informative web site

One thing I everyone can agree on is, that the Rega Planet is a unique CD player. With 92 reviews posted here there is no denying its popularity, and the star ratings seem to indicate a large group of satisfied owners.

57 = *****
16 = ****
9 = ***
6 = **
4 = *

I'm going to add confirmation that break-in is a first priority, which has been mentioned many times before. My Planet started to get satisfying after about 110 hours of burning it in. The next step is to find the correct AC plug polarity, also mentioned here by others. This is easy, one way it sounds smooth and cohesive, the other way it is shrill and incoherent. The decision is yours.

90% of my music is on vinyl and prior to getting the Planet I hated CD's. I'm using it with a Rega Mira integrated amp and Meadowlark Kestral speakers. The combination is excellent, and it's available for around $700. I haven't heard a better sounding CD player for less than $1900 and I highly recommend the Planet.

Similar Products Used:

This is my only CD player

I've owned the Rega Planet for over 1-1/2 years now and can say that even tho most of it's competitors have closed the gap, this little hummer can play a tune like few others.It still gets a bit congested on busy orchestral crescendos, and a smidge soft on the leading edge of tranient attacks but I still haven't heard a deck as involving at anywhere near the price point and is better in this regard than many highly regarded super decks.Inner detail and dynamics continue to amaze. Vocal inflections, mesmerising.Excellent pace ,rhythmic drive and coherence. I still love it.I'd give it 4-1/2 stars if there were such a rating.

Soundstage and laid back smooth sound

exposed moving mechanical parts

Well, I finally made the move to a better player after I decided I didn't like the forward sound of my Onkyo. I played it right out of the box to test it and then tried it after a few days of repeat... It makes a difference. The sound becomes more laid back and full. My Onkyo sounds shrill and artificial in comparison. I guess that's where the extra $400 went, eh? I love the look and I constantly get curious questions about it. Built like a friggin' tank, my only complaint is the magnetic piece on top of the door. I think it will get dusty and dirty and make life difficult. I'd try to hide any moving parts, but that's just me. Overall, I'm happy with the purchase. I bought it because of the reviews here and I really didn't audition anything else in the price range ($640 for mine). A very fine product, especially if you have a "bright" setup like mine.
System:
Lexicon DC-1 THX/DTS/AC-3
Rega Planet CD
Snell E.5 Towers
Velodyne F-1800RII
Carver A-500x
Monster interconnects
NAD C440 Tuner

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Not really similar: Onkyo DX-C340 6 disc changer

Well built,excellent imaging and soundstaging,laid-back sound

Needs more detail

The Rega Planet deserves all the praise that has been recieved.When considering its relatively low price, the Rega's build and sound quality is a marvel of price ratios and manufacturing acumen.This player easily beat the Rotel971 and Cambridge Audio's cd6,SE4.I think the Planet is most refined player in its price range.It makes great laid back music.If you don't want to spend a lot of money,then by all means audition the Rega Planet.I think the Planet represents a viable and enjoyable upgrade for any music lover(esrecially jazz)who wants something better but doesn't want to spend a lot to have it.Sonically,there are several competing players that will give it a run for its money.

Similar Products Used:

Rotel 971,Cambridge Audio6,SE4.

Although this CD player doesn't look fashionable, it is very reliable and sounds great. I know that a lot of CD players having a stud look are out there. However, this CD player is second to none at the price range of under $1000. Enthusiastic two thumbs up!

Very smooth sound, details are great with the right system; mechanics of the unit are simple yet reliable. Looks good.

None in my system

This is a smooth player that provides detail without being harsh or sibilant and provides good bass extension. For the money, it is a great player and as good, if not better, than some of the more expensive units on the market. It does sound better with break-in and better with good interconnects(not the ones provided by Rega). If your system is "dark", then you may need to look elsewhere.

Associated equipment:

Plinius 8150
Hales Revelation 3 speakers
Qnect 2 interconnects
Tributary speaker cable

Similar Products Used:

Demoed Rotel 951 and 971, demoed Denon top of the line(don't remember model number but MSRP is
$1,000), Marantz OSE 6000, Rega Jupiter demo.

Musicality, Analog Sound for Analog Recordings

none

Well I am ashamed to admit that my B System which includes the Planet, Creek OBH-12, Hafler 9000 Series Amp and B&W Matrix 805s (Kimber Silver Streak and 4TC connections) has made me stop listening to my much more expensive A system which is Krell based. Until some digital miracle eliminates the edge off my "favorites" and instead leaves me searching for high quality current issues, I am left to an absolute love of the musical, analog like and superb sound of my B system. If you have a room full of standard CDs with artists from the 60s and 70s you must give the Planet a listen. Magic for the money. By the way the Creek seems very compatible.

Similar Products Used:

Krell 300cd, Arcam, Linn

So, you think that the Planet is laid back, huh? Connect it to a Naim Nait, get the salt and pepper out, and prepare to eat your hat. This combo has more bounce than Tigger. Not subtle admittedly, but bloody exciting! Five stars for system synergy.

durable, simple

too many functions only available with remote

I have had my rega planet for over 2 years now and am still enjoying it as much as the first day i brought it home. After reading through the majority of the reviews submitted here i can agree that the transport may be noisy in some models; inspection of mine does show that it is probably the flimsiest part of a solid unit.
However, more importantly perhaps is the feedback concerning the necessity of having the "planet" connected to the "right" components.
Yes, we all think, hear and interpret differently, and there is no "perfect system", but i do believe that there is a critical requirement that maximizes the planets performance.....tube amplifiers / pre-amps. While in the shop i ran the planet through a number of variations..some Nakamichi solid state amps, Rotel, etc..I used to have a Carver M-100 and C-2 combo so i knew how i sortof wanted it to sound. However in the interim before purchasing any CD player i converted to tube based amplification...namely an Audio Research LS25 Mk2 and VT100 combo. Once the rega was hooked up to these babies the sky was the limit; it amazed me with its depth, clarity and reproduction of recordings i had thought were pressed or mastered poorly.
My speakers have remained the same throughout - a pair of Infinity Composition Preludes.
Yes, admittedly the sound is "laid back", but being a vynil junkie thats fine by me...i am not interested in tinny, digitally crisp sound, its not a sound that interests me in the least. If it did, i would go out and buy some mass-merchandized cheap POS that would pretty much do the trick.
Others tell me if the Rega Planet sounds so good hooked up to the Audio Research equipment, imagine how good something better would sound.I dont think that the logic can be extended to that conclusion....I believe that the "planet" when hooked up to the right gear (and what that is i dont know) it is as good if not better than other players 4 -5 times the price. Maybe a more expensive player will compensate better if not hooked up to the "ideal" components,again, i dont know. What i do know is this; when the Rega Planet is properly mated with whatever seems to bring outs its best....then its the best. period.

- top loading mechanism
- cold looking (I know it's very subjective)

- long burn in period
- not equipped with latest technology

Although there are many new products in the market, I purchased the rega planet two months ago because of its musical personality.
It is a very rich and grainless cd player in its price range. Warmer than my DVD player that straining out sound from a 24/96 DAC.
$550 for a brand new planet, I have nothing to say, five stars!

Rega Planet
Rega Brio
Mission 772
Audioquest Topaz interconnection
Audioquest Speaker cable

New inforamtion, rega has released the millenium version of planet and jupiter, check the following site if interested:

http://www.sigsound.com/potm.htm

Happy listening.

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low end sony,
certain DVD players, equipped with a 24/96 DAC