Review: Rega Planar 8 turntable

 

I've owned a half-dozen turntables in my time.  Starting with an old Technics direct driver with a p-mount cartridge and working through two VPIs, a long running Dual CS5000, and two Thorens of varying vintages.  Except for some experimentation with the Denon DL-103R MC, it has mostly been MM cartridges of different expenses.  I thought, for example that the Thorens TD309 and Ortofon Bronze cartridge was very good - especially for the price - combination.

Well the past few months living with a new Rega RP8 and Ania Pro MC cartridge has been a real eye-opener.  Gone is the fuzziness and opaqueness of the MM sound, replaced by more detail and a bigger soundstage.  The experience has changed my mind about the moving magnet.  Though the Rega Ania Pro MC needs a step-up transformer  - in my case Cinemag 1254s - the speed and transparency has brought everything up to a much higher level of refinement.

Since there are already several reviews of the 'table I will keep it short.

The biggest surprise with the Rega combination is the bass and dynamics.  It was always my belief that a "real" turntable required a gagillion pound platter and base.  Instead the RP8 is decidedly unimpressive - at least visually - compared to something like a VPI Aries.  How did Rega do it?  I have no idea about the mechanical engineering behind this table, but, to my ears, is just works.  Perhaps it is the turntable acting as a whole system with a cartridge, arm, and everything else like the included speed controller working together.

Soundstaging, like on several original Dead Can Dance LPs, is superlative.  We are talking a rounded arc left-to-right that goes beyond the edges of the speaker, along with exceptional depth.  The coloration and clarity of something like Lonnie Liston Smith's Visions of a New World comes through much better than my now-departed Thorens TD309/Ortofon 2M Bronze.  This is also a big sound turntable with excellent resolution and separation of instruments; exceeding any front end I've ever had before.

Yes the Rega RP8 is much more expensive than my previous turntable but, at least in this case, the cost was worth the sonic upgrade.  Not only does my whole system sound that much better, but everything from the preamp to the amplifier and even the speakers sound way better than their price point. 

Very, very recommended.

System:

• Audio Research SP8
• modified Eico ST70 with 6AR6 tubes
• Cardas Neutral Reference interconnects
• KEF R500 speakers with Mogami stranded wiring
  
• Dual CS5000 turntable with an Ortofon OM20 cart, aftermarket Shibata Stylus

Short Review: Schiit Mani

With a new Thorens TD 309 turntable in the house, the Dual CS5000 still manages to live on to play less-than-mint records or non-audiophile recordings.  So it was goodbye Pioneer DVD player that I used for CD playback.  Since the Classe Five preamplifier only has one phono input. I needed a separate phono stage.  There are several budget options available but I zeroed in on the Schiit Mani.  US-made, handsome, the silly name, and designed by Mike Moffat.  What's not to love?

How does it stack up to the Classe?  Not bad at all.  The Mani is a little edgier, not as big and dynamic, and also lacking the inner detail.  But it certainly sounds better than I expected: fun even though it doesn't exactly have the smoothness of a good tube unit, or even a FET based preamplifier.  Oddly enough, the lack of detail works well with the Dual CS5000 turntable, removing some of the veil and analog playback artifact noise.  I'm reminded of a more "really nice CD Player or mid-priced DAC" sort of quality to the sound.

The longer you keep this unit on, the better it does sound.  Given the low power requirements, why not?  With the new KEF Q350 speakers, the Mani does sound way better than I expected at this price point.  Of course many will disregard anything using op-amps but my experience with the Audio Sector Phono Stage disabused me of that notion.  Recommended for budget systems.