Rega Planar 3 - Top 5 Upgrades

Hands down our best selling turntable under £1000 is the legendary Rega Planar 3. Here are some simple/affordable upgrades that can further improve the sound quality of the turntable. We have shortlisted below our favourite upgrades that definitely are all well worth checking out:

1 – Cartridge Upgrade (from £105)

Most Planar 3 turntables we have supplied are factory fitted as standard with the excellent value Rega Elys 2 MM cartridge. If you are are looking to replace like for like, Rega do offer a superb service where they will totally rebuild your cartridge, in-fact all that is reused is the cartridge body/shell, everything else inside is brand new. We offer this rebuild service from £105. Note a brand new Elys 2 cartridge is £175. If you are keen to improve the overall sound further then upgrading to a Rega Exact MM is very popular at only £295. We love the overall sonic upgrade of the Exact vs Elys 2, if you can budget for this it is really well worth it.

If you are keen to look at another option we highly recommend the superb Hana EH £419 which is a high-output moving coil cartridge. This will work beautifully into a MM phono input. This provides Moving Coil signature characteristics producing more detail with a refined smoother sound presentation. All Hana cartridges are a great match for Rega turntables.

2 – Rega Fono MM MK5 Phono Stage £220

Dependent on which Hi-Fi amplifier you are using with your Rega Planar 3, if you are using either older design or a generic Japanese amplifier then switching to a Rega Fono pre-amp £220 could be an absolute game changer for you. Using an external Rega phono stage between your turntable and amplifier could be the best upgrade you can make. If your amplifier already has a good phono input e.g. Rega IO/Brio then you can focus on other upgrades for your PL3. Why not make contact to discuss best option for you?

3 – Rega Neo MK2 Advanced Power Supply £260

Rega supply as standard a PS2 power supply but upgrading to a Neo MK2 -TT PSU £260 is one of the best upgrades you can make for the PL3. The Neo is supplied as standard with both the PL6 & PL8. There is a common misconception that all the Neo does is offer electronic speed change between 33/45rpm. This could not be further from the truth…. it uses the very same digital signal processor found in the Planar 10 (PSU). The DSP generator will divide the accurate signal from the crystal to the exact frequency required to turn the platter at the selected speed whilst producing a near perfect sinusoidal waveform to drive the 24v motor. Fine speed adjustment is made via the rear panel using the supplied custom Neo trim tool. The Neo MK2 will be a welcome addition to any compatible Rega turntable by reducing motor noise, improving speed stability and rotational speed accuracy. If you would like to arrange a (no obligation) home trial, please contact the showroom.

4 – Chord Shawline DC Cable For Neo PSU (from £310)

Recently launched, this cable would replace the standard cable Rega includes with the Neo. This cable connects between the rear of the Planar 3 and back to the Neo TT PSU. I was completely floored when I heard this upgrade and even more so with the Epic DC cable (a better match for between a Planar 6 and the Neo). A Shawline DC 1.5m 4pin/4pin cable is £310 and Epic DC 1.5m is £620. If you would like to hear the difference a Chord Shawline DC cable makes with your PL3/PL6 turntable + Neo, please contact us to arrange a home trial. We are certain you will be super impressed!

5 – Collaro Record Mat £99

Earlier this year we were appointed as an official Collaro dealer, their cloth record mat has been generating quite a buzz in the industry. In fact this is the only aftermarket record mat Rega actually recommends. So much so they will be using/suppling a specially commissioned Collaro White Cloth Mat with the soon to be launched Rega Naia turntable at £12,500 (late Sept/earlyOct TBC). We hold in stock at our Preston showroom the Collaro Precision Cloth Mat at £99. Again, if you wish to experiment with your own turntable at home, we can offer this no obligation service. Check out magazine reviews HERE.

In summary, if you would like to discuss which might be the best upgrade option for your turntable/system or even considering a wholesale turntable upgrade to either Planar 6 or 8, we recommend you contact us to discuss further.

Btw – if you have already made any of these 5 upgrades to your Planar 3 turntable, why not share your own valuable feedback in the comments section below?