Rega’s entry point, and genuinely plug and play — the arm arrives with bias pre-set and the cartridge already fitted at the factory. The Planar 1 is the deck the rest of the ladder is measured against, and its whole design argument is that a beginner should not have to become a turntable engineer first. Rega fits the Carbon moving magnet cartridge at the factory, the RB110 tonearm arrives with bias already set, and setup amounts to fitting the platter and sliding on the 111g balance weight. Rega reckons under thirty seconds. Underneath that simplicity is real engineering. The 23mm phenolic resin platter is deliberately high in mass to act as a flywheel for speed stability, it runs in a precision brass main bearing, and it is spun by a 24V low-noise synchronous motor through Rega’s EBLT Advanced belt. The hand-assembled RB110 arm uses Rega-designed ultra-low-friction bearings. Two things to be clear about before you buy. Changing between 33 and 45 means lifting the platter and moving the belt by hand — there is no electronic speed change here and no power supply upgrade path at this level. And tracking force on the RB110 is not user-adjustable: the 111g balance weight is a fixed plug-and-play item, and bias is automatic. That is the trade for the simplicity, and for most people buying their first proper deck it is the right trade. Features Rega Carbon moving magnet cartridge fitted at the factory Hand-assembled RB110 tonearm with Rega-designed ultra-low-friction bearings and pre-set bias 23mm high-mass phenolic resin platter for flywheel speed stability Precision brass main bearing 24V low-noise synchronous motor EBLT Advanced drive belt fitted as standard 111g plug-and-play balance weight — no tracking force to set Lifetime Limited Warranty; designed and assembled in the UK Specifications Type: Belt-drive turntable with tonearm and cartridge fitted Platter: 23mm high-mass phenolic resin Bearing: Precision brass main bearing, patent pending Motor: 24V low-noise synchronous AC, with aluminium pulley Speed Change: Manual. Remove the platter and move the drive belt between the 33-1/3 and 45 steps of the pulley. There is no electronic speed change and no Neo PSU upgrade path — the Planar 1 is not on Rega’s Neo compatibility list Power Supply: External wall supply Tonearm: Hand-assembled RB110 with Rega-designed ultra-low-friction bearings (patent pending) and integrated arm clip Bias: Automatic and pre-set. Rega’s manual states no setting is required Tracking Force: Not user-adjustable — the 111g balance weight is a fixed plug-and-play item Arm Height / VTA: Not adjustable. This is deliberate on Rega’s part rather than an omission, and the company states its reasoning plainly: it believes the integrity of the arm fixing to the arm board matters more than the questionable facility of arm height adjustment. Rega’s guidance is that the arm should sit reasonably parallel to the record surface or slightly lower at the mounting, and that its optional 2mm spacers are only needed if the rear of a cartridge fouls the record while playing Cartridge: Rega Carbon moving magnet, factory-fitted. Note Rega’s own wording is “fitted” rather than “aligned” Drive Belt: EBLT Advanced Dimensions: 447 x 117 x 360 mm (W x H x D), lid closed Weight: 4.2kg Finishes: Matt black, matt white, walnut effect Origin: Rega Research Ltd, Southend-on-Sea, Essex. Rega’s own wording is that every product is designed and assembled in the UK — assembled rather than wholly manufactured, which is the phrasing we use rather than claiming complete UK component sourcing Warranty: Lifetime Limited Warranty against confirmed manufacturing defects. It does not cover wear and tear or parts considered consumable, and unauthorised modification may invalidate it. Rega states cover is contingent on parts remaining available, is not transferable, and is valid only in the country of purchase Not Published: Wow and flutter; rumble; speed accuracy; the plinth core material, which Rega does not state anywhere — we are not going to call it MDF without a Rega source; platter diameter; power consumption; an itemised box contents list Note: Rega publishes no wow and flutter, rumble or speed accuracy figure for any turntable in the Planar range. We checked every product page and five downloadable Rega manuals — Rega’s manuals are setup guides rather than datasheets, and contain no measurement section at all. Any such number you see quoted against a Rega deck comes from a third-party magazine test, not from Rega
