Its top-end models use the company’s well-known floating seismic isolation system, which hangs from a four-point sprung suspension. SOTA, which stands for State of the Art, has been building some of America’s finest turntables for well over 30 years. Couple this with terrific German build and finish, and the Concept is a hands-down bargain. And though the Concept’s performance may not equal that of the very finest out there, its combined strengths in resolution, dynamics, low-noise, and sheer musical engagement won’t leave you wanting. The sleek, belt-drive ’table and magnetic-bearing Concept ’arm, which the company calls “friction free,” sell for $1600 when bundled with the Concept MM cartridge, the pre-set-up package sells for a trim $2000. Note the large improvements in dynamic nuance and explosiveness, tonal and textural detail, size and depth of stage, and sheer musicality.Ĭlearaudio’s Concept turntable and cartridge offer a hugely rewarding analog experience at a very attractive price. Moreover, the Planar 6 comes standard with the TT PSU power supply, a must for top performance. The aluminum/rubber feet, too, are a step up from Rega’s standard rubber-cup-like units. The new subplatter adds an aluminum “top hub adaptor” with six-raised plateaus to ensure the flattest possible surface for LPs to rest on. An outer ring adds mass to the circumference, increasing the platter’s natural flywheel effect, thus improving speed stability, accuracy, and consistency. Replacing Rega’s traditional glass platter/felt mat is a two-piece, 16mm-thick flywheel/platter made of two joined pieces of float glass. Rega’s Planar 6 offers the same phenolic-resin “double brace” found in the Planar 3, the same RB303 ’arm, and a whole lot more. Things get better yet with the optional TT PSU power supply ($375). The result is deeper bass, lower noise, more dynamic pop, increased detail, and improved staging.
Thanks to a phenolic-resin skin and upgraded particulate core-material, the plinth is also lighter than its predecessor, while the new RB303 ’arm features a newly designed tube said to increase rigidity. With a phenolic-resin “double brace” creating a “stressed beam” between the main-bearing hub and tonearm mount, Rega’s Planar 3 is a significant step forward. You won’t get much frequency extension or wide dynamics here, but what you will get is the pace, musical interplay, and involvement that make analog special. The ’arm is the new RB101, which comes pre-mounted with a Carbon moving-magnet cartridge. Perhaps even more remarkably, Rega is able to achieve this while keeping all manufacturing in the UK! Building on success, the P1 uses the classic Rega motor, drive system, and main bearing, but instead of a glass platter this one is made of MDF. That doesn’t mean the Planar 1 performs at exactly the same level as the original Planar 2 or 3, but it does mean that Rega’s commitment to value remains paramount. It’s notable that Rega’s entry-level ’table today sells for roughly the same price it did some 20 years ago.
New DC model offers a higher-precision power supply.
It doesn’t excel in any one area but gets the basics so right that it’s hard to criticize what’s lacking-because, after all, that’s what good entry-level models should provide: a solid foundation for musical pleasure. Pre-mounted with Ortofon’s 2M Red moving-magnet cartridge, the Carbon offers all one expects from a modestly priced ’table.
The most significant upgrade to Pro-Ject’s latest Debut is found in the model’s name, which refers to the lighter, more rigid, single-piece 8.6″ carbon-fiber armtube that replaces the Debut III’s aluminum tube.