Rega Planar 1 Plus Turntable. Matt Black Finish with Rega Carbon Cartridge and built in Phono Stage/Phono Pre-Amp. 2021 Version.

Product Information

This Debut Pro turntable is terrific at digging deep into the production and revealing layers of instrumental textures that most at this level ignore. It sounds incredibly precise and crisp. Its presentation is a little on the lean side, but the upside of such a balance is agility.It produces a stable and controlled sound too, one that retains its composure even when the music becomes dense and demanding. Stereo imaging and a spacious soundstage prove admirable and we are impressed with the sonic authority on offer. The brass was rather harsh in tone too. The muted trumpets, especially during crescendos, were thin, raspy and aggressive while the cymbals had a static infected quality.

For Rega this is a non profit initiative designed to use parts and save them from being disposed off. The What Hi-Fi?team has more than 100 years of collective experience in reviewing, testing and writing about consumer electronics – and that includes plenty of record players. We have state-of-the-art testing facilities in London, Reading and Bath, where our team of expert reviewers do all our in-house testing. This gives us complete control over the testing process, ensuring consistency across all products.We always ensure we spend plenty of time with each turntable, setting them up correctly, trying them with different partnering electronics, in different positions and playing various records and music genres.

Plinth

Audio-Technica’s original AT-LP5turntable was a winner. Launched in 2016, its combination of solid engineering, useful features and fine sound was enough to make it one of our go-to recommendations for anyone wanting a sensibly priced, fuss-free record player with the added bonus of a USB output. Taken as a whole? From the Plus, as I say above, the song sounded like the record label had added a touch of compression to the recording. The reason for these negatives? Again, easy. Point the finger directly at the built-in phono amplifier. Frankly, the much cheaper Rega RP1/Cambridge combination left the Plus in its sonic wake. Other green Grade components will be used as and when available such as platters and tonearms with cosmetic faults. Similarly, make sure you read up on the sonic characteristics of all your components – even five-star products benefit from the right partnering.

And to be clear, you’ll enjoy it. The Planar 1 Plus is slightly different in configuration to other Rega turntables but its DNA is pure Rega and it shows the moment that it gets to grips with any time signature. The truly awesome Heaven/Hell by Chvrches - seemingly written for a film montage to mind blowing to exist yet - lets the Planar 1 Plus show why, even at this relatively sane level, there’s a certain something to vinyl replay that gets to you. You can listen to the same album on Tidal via the Star’s own (formidable) internal decoding and it is brilliant but there’s a vibrancy and rhythmic energy to the Rega that gets under the skin after a while. It’s not better in any technical sense but it’s utterly compelling on an emotional level. The built-in phono stage is a lifesaver for both analogue newcomers and those strapped for space as it reduces the need for extra components. Moreover, the Planar 1 Plus achieves a balance between enticing the vinyl-curious and satisfying the audiophiles. While some may prefer the Planar 1/Fono set-up’s brawny sound, we find the sprightly nature of the Planar 1 Plus more fun to listen to. The biggest visual change though is the platter. Instead of the distinctive (and very pretty) glass platter in use on the Planar 2 and upward, the Planar 1 and Plus use one made of phenolic resin. One aspect that is retained from the rest of the Planar range is the manner by which the belt acts on the platter. Instead of looping around the outer edge of the main plater, it does instead act on a sub platter under the main one. This has some positive implications for setup as we shall cover. The source of your hi-fi system, be it a streamer, CD player or record player is a crucial component; as the saying goes, 'rubbish in, rubbish out'.

Conclusion

So it’s no surprise to find that Audio-Technica hasn’t changed its winning formula for this new LP5x model. Why would it? We have a selection of Planar 1 and Planar 1 Plus plinths that are marked, scratched or obsolete (gloss P1 and P1 Plus for example). The USB ripping feature remains, so you can digitise your vinyl collection is CD quality WAV files up to 16-bit/44.1kHz and 48kHz. If you're after a well-executed design that's well-built, easy to set up and sounds great for the money, the AT-LP5x is worthy of a spot on your shortlist.

The Planar 1 Plus comes with a 24v, low-noise, synchronous motor that reduces vibration, minimizing potential noise interference with the stylus’s critical task—reading the record groove accurately. The synchronous motor, with its low noise and vibration, plays a key role in enhancing the turntable's sound quality. Its combination of high torque and low vibration maintains speed consistency, ensuring that your records sound as good as they possibly can. We have a selection of marked or scratched P2 and P3 high gloss acrylic plinths that will also be built as Planar 1. (We will fit the appropriate brass bearing at no extra cost for those using P3 plinths). Rega asked themselves, how do we make the most successful turntable we have ever made sound better, be even easier to use and be more accessible to a wider audience? The answer was simple; Rega engineers added a custom designed, high quality, moving magnet phono stage based around the multi-award winning What Hi-Fi? 5 Star Fono Mini.Once you have chosen, it's also crucial you set up your turntable correctly. While some record players are relatively "plug and play", many require a little more time and effort to hear at their best. Want to know more? Read our complete guide to choosing the right turntable. How we test record players Mixing convenience with quality is something that we’ve seen across many categories. It’s hard but not impossible and items as diverse as LG’s WebOS to ATC’s formidable HTS speakers are fine examples of equipment that is easy to live with but makes no significant demands of their owner. The Rega Planar 1 Plus has to be added to this happy group of products. Put simply, setting up a record player does not get more straightforward or hassle free than this. Everything that Rega knows about the business of straightforward vinyl replay is in this turntable. The Rega Planar 1 Plus is a belt driven unsuspended turntable. Given this is what Rega is known for, this should not be terribly surprising. The design itself - as the name suggests - is also closely related to the Planar 1 which has been on the market for a little while and represents the entry point to Rega turntable ownership. As such, this is standard design practise from the company and closely related to an existing model. Why then, are we devoting a review to it? Actually, the cymbals offered a perfect metaphor for the Plus’ problem so they deserve further exploration. While concentrating, you could hear supreme quality from the cymbals. The cymbals sounded sublime. Large, expansive, dynamically stretched and reaching upwards, forever upwards. You could really hear the larger nature of these big pieces of metal. The sheer scaling detail from the Rega was stupendous. The problem was the blanket of noise that covered all of this beauty, it turned the cymbals into something foreign. ‘Pretend cymbals’, if you will. And this is the thing with the Plus, you could hear the quality behind the noise. The noise was like a fence, you wanted to peer over the top of it to get to the great sound quality behind. You could hear the Planar 1 trying, even at this point, to be the best. And it was actually heartbreaking. Speaking as a dedicated audiophile, it was actually upsetting to hear what Rega has done to this beautiful turntable. In an era where digital formats seem to rule the music world, Rega stands firm in its commitment to keeping the vinyl legacy alive with its excellent lineup of turntables. The Rega Planar 1 Plus is a sterling example of this dedication. Marrying simplicity with innovation, the Planar 1 Plus Turntable delivers pure, captivating sound straight from your beloved vinyl records. Let's dive deep into its features and benefits. A Turntable for Every Music Enthusiast: Rega Planar 1 Plus