Rega Planar 8 vs Planar 10 Turntable Comparison

Read the Rega Planar 8 vs Planar 10 Turntable Comparison: audioadvice.io/39ukKcl | Chat with us online: www.audioadvice.com | Call for sales and support: 888.899.8776
At Audio Advice, we are huge fans of Rega turntables. They have great sound, are easy to set up, and are made so well they run for decades. The last couple of years have been very busy for Rega as they have completed updated every model in their line up. The RP1, RP2, RP3, RP6, and RP8 all were updated to Planar models. The final model to upgrade was the RP10. We had one of the very first ones in the country at our 2019 Music Matters event and loved the way it sounded. It is truly a technological marvel!
We have done a comparison of the new Planar 6 to the new Planar 8 and felt it would be fun to compare and contrast the Planar 8 to the new Planar 10. They do share some similar technology, but there are also some big reasons to jump up to the Planar 10. Make no mistake, the Planar 8 is one amazing turntable. When we heard it for the first time, we were blown away. The same thing happened when we heard the new Planar 10 but even more so!
In this video, we go over all of the different components and help you understand how they might impact the sound in your system. As always, when we compare turntables, we start from the bottom up.
At Audio Advice, we love bringing home technology to life and we have been doing so for over 40 years. We were named Best Specialty A/V Retailer in the United States by TWICE Magazine and have won the Bravo award from Metro magazine for “Best Place to Buy a Home Media System” each year since its creation.
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[@everythingquads]

I'm involved with manufacturing parts for these products. We are an aerospace accredited company, and the attention to detail and tolerances far outweigh what is required for aircraft components. When you purchase a Rega turntable, you are getting years of research and development, and the heart and sole of those involved in the manufacturing. Only perfection is accepted.

[@zenguitar65]

I think you meant heart and "soul".

[@felixfranzen7578]

"Only perfection is accepted." - But not when it comes to wow and flutter and any other significant specs as Regas refuses to publish them. There's a video somewhere here on YT which shows that the tolerances for wow and flutter for the P10/RP10/Planar 10 is something like 0.1% and 0.2-0.3% for the P6 and below. Basically any turntable made after 1959 in a first world country beats that. Cheap direct drives from the early 80's can easily do 0.03% w&f. Rega makes nice products. Their turntables looks really good and are a pleasure to use. I used to own a P5 which had a fantastic tonearm (the RB700 I believe) and sounded quite good (the bundled Rega Exact cartridge had a lort of IGD though). But perfection? No, that's not what Rega does. They thrive on nice design combined with (the rather weird) British hifi nationalism plus a fair share of boomer misconceptions about how audio works (no, you can't hear differences between different speaker cables and certainly not between different digital cables). If you want perfection (which does not exist in analog audio) buy a used/vintage Japanese direct drive from Technics, Sony, JVC, Denon or perhaps a new Technics direct drive (which are overpriced today unfortuneatly). You won't get perfection or anything close to it from a company like Rega (and certainly not from the hucksters at Linn or Naim). The low tech products from European "boutique makers" just can't compete when it comes to engineering talent, resourcers, know how or (actual and measureable) sound quality.

[@jc51373]

@@felixfranzen7578 Let me guess you own a Technics, Sony, JVC, or Denon

[@512bb]

@@felixfranzen7578 Wow, such definitive statements, based on what??? I happen to own the legendary SP10 Mk 3, although cool it isn't my Kronos.

[@gganaway]

Great video, lots of great detail... thank you! I've been using and loving the Rega P9 since 2005, but am considering upgrading the P10.

[@AudioAdvice]

You won't be disappointed. The P10 is a special table. We would be happy to help you upgrade to the P10 when you are ready. You can reach out to us at 888-997-3760 and speak to one of our experts.

[@francespariz3741]

Great comparison! These are both amazing turntables.

[@hi-fihaven2257]

Man those are great looking turntables! Always enjoy your videos.

[@AudioAdvice]

Thank you!

[@jamesclough2638]

I bought a P3 from you and I love it.

[@ChatGPT1111]

Now you’re nothing to them until you upgrade to the P8 or P10. Congratulations.

[@zukispur5493]

My Garrard 401 does it for me. Proper turner

[@AudioAdvice]

Nice! Thanks for watching Ian.

[@James-hb6ee]

Very helpful video. Copper or silver wiring in the tonearm wiring and tonearm cable?

[@rlwings]

They always leave out some of the most relevant specs, lol.

[@Josal]

great review and comparison. It does help me in choosing either one. Thanks

[@AudioAdvice]

Josal, we are glad it helps. If you need any additional questions answered don't hesitate to reach out to us at Audioadvice.com and chat or call in. Thank you, The Audio Advice Team

[@pointsbeingmade7996]

I love the p10!

[@Alexandros1953]

Great video!!!

[@naimusic362]

I’m getting a P8 very soon but with an Audio Technica Cartridge ,, oooh can’t wait 🇬🇧🏴󠁧󠁢󠁥󠁮󠁧󠁿

[@AudioAdvice]

Let us know how you like it, which model AT? If you need shims, we have them on our site too. www.audioadvice.com/acoustic-signature-rega-spacer-set

[@sabstraight]

tonearm RCA's are soldered so no switching with other brands?

[@johnbevier4784]

Masterful Leon - I learned so much from your presentations - thank you!

[@AudioAdvice]

Hi John, so glad to hear you're enjoying our videos!

[@louisgreen3915]

I have seen that the P10 is almost double the price of a P8. Now I'm sure that the P10 sounds quite a bit better, but almost double the price better, well I doubt it. I think I'm getting a P8, I don't think I can justify a P10 considering my budget. Even a P8 is quite a bit above my price range but just about do-able. And people still say that the sound blows them away, so that'le do for me. The White one looks awesome.

[@AudioAdvice]

Both are great tables. As with all things high performance diminishing returns come into play. The P8 is the best bang for the buck. www.audioadvice.com/rega-planar-8-turntable

[@AudioElectronicsChicago]

Very elegant looking turntables!

[@AudioAdvice]

They sound even better than they look!

[@brewt1mer]

I own the p8 with the apheta 2 and the aria pre amp..i absolutely love it..

[@AudioAdvice]

Hopefully purchased from Audio Advice ;)

[@brewt1mer]

@@AudioAdvice sadly no..i live in the uk...I love watching your vids though..

[@Si1983h]

I went and auditioned both yesterday alongside the Linn Majik LP12. I have an otherwise all Linn system with the exception of my current deck which is a Rega P5/Neo/Elys2/GT reference sub platter. I thought I’d gravitate towards the Majik LP12 being a Linn user, but the Planar 10 was clearly the best deck by a fair margin... the only bugbear is the Aria phono stage, they need to update it to match the new RP10 PSU (which looks fabulous in my opinion). I know the Aria matches the Neo PSU aesthetically, but at £850, I’d expect it to match the aesthetics of their top line products. I’ll likely stick with a Linn Linto phono stage. I’m saving for the Planar 10/Apheta 3 now.

[@512bb]

Wow, such definitive statements, based on what??? Btw I happen to own the legendary SP10 Mk3, although cool it's not my Kronos.

[@Si1983h]

@@512bb based on the way I liked how it sounded… I actually have an Akurate-ish spec LP12 now anyway and I love that. I still think the P10 is a cracked deck but the LP12 I actually bought takes the crown for me. Just to make it clear here, I’m stating opinions, not facts.

[@512bb]

@@Si1983h I apologize as somehow I was replying to @felixfranzen7578 who was replying to @everythingquads & for some crazy reason that I can't explain it ended up with you. If you read his post, my comment will then make sense. As it turns out I also am emotionally attached to the LP12. I bought my first one in 1982 fitted with the Well Tempered arm. Bill Fireball was a friend of the shop & owned an LP12 which he used to develop the arm, still proudly own it. In spite of some of the design compromises the LP12 can still sound great no matter what the nay sayers think & just get better as you move up the upgrade path, which can cause the owner some real soul searching. Although I discount many of the third party suppliers I am very fascinated with the things Arthur from The Funk Firm has designed, they make a lot of sense from an engineering perspective. Arthur has always been a terrific, outside the box thinker which is why the Pink Triangle Anniversary sounded so good back in the day. As I own two of the Woodsong Audio plinths, I am really considering building one up using the 20/20 kit from him. None the less I hope this clears up the confusion my reply must have caused you. All the best & long live the LP12!

[@LS-ti6jo]

Love my P10 w/Aphetta3. Q - do you have any tips on stopping the felt mat from sticking to LP's when I take them off the table? Its annoying.

[@AudioAdvice]

Yes, that is a wonderful turntable, thanks for sharing! Static is a problem that plagues most of us. This Milti Zerostat gun works fairly well, but they are unobtainable right now, we have had them on backorder since March www.audioadvice.com/music-hall-milty-zerostat-anti-static-gun. Another tip is to as you lift the record up, try to move it up just enough off the center spindle to clear the vinyl, but not the mat, then slide it to release the mat. Just be careful of your stylus.

[@mariocassar3117]

Static…..wash your vinyl….

[@garonmario99]

Didn't the RP8 feature a single point bearing rather than a flat type.... Why would they downgrade the RP8's bearing like that?

[@raycimbalnik5159]

Looking to purchase my first turntable. What would you recommend between 500 to 750? Any advice would be appreciated.

[@rlwings]

Rega P1

[@AudioAdvice]

I would take a look at the Rega Planar 2, Pro-Ject DC Esprit, and the Pro-Ject RPM1. They are also all on our site if you want to take a look!

[@BB-se9bl]

Definitely the Rega Planar 2. Have one and it’s amazing.

[@BB-se9bl]

Keep up the great videos👍👍

[@AudioAdvice]

We'll do our best! Thanks for your support!

[@andynovak9838]

Hi there what Technics model is equivalent to a Rega P6? That is what Technics turntable is an upgrade from my 23 year old Linn Basik?

[@AudioAdvice]

Please reach out to our team at www.audioadvice.com to discuss your turntable options.

[@JohnSmith-zl8rz]

why you need the outside thing that make it squared (not show it on the video), I see some pics and there's a piece outside to make the table squared, what's the point?

[@teukuaziz]

Those outside thing are from the previous generation models, RP8 and RP10. It’s there to provide anchor point for the dust cover. The current generation P8 and P10 don’t have the outside thing anymore.

[@JohnSmith-zl8rz]

@@teukuaziz oh! thanks, good to know, so they should be down the price! haha

[@markwagner1997]

Great, detailed review of two outstanding turntables. Thank you! What's up with Rega and another manufacturer putting non-functional "dust covers" on their products?? They are a joke. Might keep dust from the platter, but the beautifully machined and finished tone arm and all it's pivot points are totally exposed to dust.

[@mikemcguinness1304]

It's a shame they don't have through bolts for the p6 motor, like they do on the 8 and 10

[@nicholaskrebs7815]

I own the P10 and love it! I don’t think it’s the best table I’ve ever heard, but at its price point there are only a few rigs that equal it with respect to dynamics, pacing, and musical honesty. I tried the Apheta 3 cartridge with it for about 500 hours, it’s a very good cart for the price, but recently moved to a Hana Umami Red cart…it’s vastly superior and took the P10 to a different level. I would also say you need a great phono stage to maximize what the P10 can do. I run it with a Modwright PH-150 tube stage and its sublime. I do wish they wouldn’t hard-wire the tonearm cables in. I’d prefer tweaking cables. If you like to geek out on adjustability of the tone arm, the Rega arms won’t do it for you. I like the P10 arm a lot because it sounds great and is easy to set up, but others may think it’s a bit basic. Also, you need to isolate the P10 and level it probably because it’s very sensitive to any vibration. For me, the P10 is a stunningly good table with the right setup and I still enjoy it more than any other comparable table I’ve heard.

[@AudioAdvice]

Thanks for sharing, the P10 is a great table and the Hana does mate up with it well, we have done a couple of those too. And we completely agree on the phono preamp, the better it is, the more you appreciate the P10.

[@lifeofvinyl3003]

You mention sensitivity to vibration, can I ask do you use the dedicated wall shelf? I’m thinking of getting one. They’re currently £185 so not super expensive and i suspect they might be worth it cheers

[@nicholaskrebs7815]

I use an IsoAcoustics platform on the top shelf of my SolidSteel rack, really works great but I think an isolation wall shelf would work well.

[@MrDrobin71]

Is a record mat used on a P10?

[@georgedoughly8682]

Yes, it’s a thin white wool mat.

[@JumbleTasteSpinning]

i think that the planar 6 is the best rega turntable, all classic.

[@brave1671]

Best price/performance ratio

[@dl4162]

Undoubtedly very good turntables, however the 10 is £3500 here in the uk. I will stick with my Technics SL1200 GR as I believe it is the best pound/performance compromise on the market. I also own a Planar 2 so have experience with Rega. It does sound great but Rega turntables need careful placement and a degree of isolation.

[@juandv930722]

so I take you prefer the gr to the p2?

[@dl4162]

The 1200GR is in a different league to be honest with you. Paired with a Goldring 1042 it’s wonderful.

[@juandv930722]

@@dl4162 have you ever compared to an older vserion? say a mk5?

[@dl4162]

J v . I have a mk2 and can honestly state the GR might look the same but it is not. The GR is better engineered, has a quieter power supply, redesigned direct drive motor, wow and flutter and rumble figures are peerless at the price point. The GR also has rca outputs instead of captive cable so you can fit high quality ones. The tonearm on the GR has tighter tolerance bearings. The platter is almost a kilo heavier than the mk2 platter. Trust me it’s a huge step forward over the older mk2. Hope this answers your question :-).

[@juandv930722]

@@dl4162 thanks it does, how about the p2 compared to the mk2?

[@BellTunnel]

Are the feet height adjustable?

[@AudioAdvice]

No. Thanks for watching

[@DwayneSmith1965]

I think I'll stick with my 1983 vintage Rega Planar 3 and RB300 arm for a while yet...

[@mikechivy]

I had a planar 3, 2016, and the p8 absolutely annihilates the p3. Its a totally different level. I understand your setup works for you, but a planar 8 with the apheta 3 is something special

[@soabundantly739]

I was disappointed in the P10, when hearing a dem at an audio shop. I wanted to like it, as it looks great but felt there were limitations to dynamics in it's sound. I find the P8 has more dynamic performance. I am told the P10 needs it's Aurora high performance phono stage to bring out it's quality.

[@AudioAdvice]

Interesting. That has not been our experience. Did you do a direct comparison on the same system? Thanks for watching

[@soabundantly739]

@@AudioAdvice Yes I seem to remember it was coming through the same electronics. However I am willing to give a turntable the benefit of the doubt as they are susceptible to very careful set up, with the right components. Also the rep was adamant he wasn't going to swap the Rega speakers, when he had a huge choice available and far superior in the shop.

[@AudioAdvice]

@@soabundantly739 We would suggest you give it another shot. We did the comparison ourselves and found the exact opposite. The P10 was much more dynamic. The cartridge does vary in sound with tracking force but that was more how the top end sounded than dynamics. If memory serves correctly since it's been a while, we think we did use the big Rega phono preamp when comparing. Better speakers might have also shown you more.

[@soabundantly739]

@@AudioAdvice Yes, this is something that people sometimes fail to understand. That a High end turntable needs a phono stage of equal quality. Also I felt it wasn't a good demonstration and am aware of contributing factors when listening to audio equipment.

[@AudioAdvice]

@@soabundantly739 👍👍

[@hawkmoon369]

My next turntable planar 10..

[@AudioAdvice]

Great choice, we will be here for you when you are ready to upgrade

[@user-xv4hh2ck9v]

what about the P9?

[@AudioAdvice]

The P9 was a great table in its day but it’s been over 25 years since it was released. We focus on new and current products in our overviews. But if you own one, it is still a fantastic table. Rega tables generally last for many decades. Thanks for watching

[@AudioAdvice]

Let us know which Rega turntable you own in a comment below!

[@Josal]

currently using Rega 3, thinking to update/change to Rega6 or Rega8

[@AudioAdvice]

@@Josal We like the way you are thinking. Let us know if we can help!

[@tomlocke7628]

Audio Advice I’m enjoying a Planar 6 with exact 2 cart.

[@rogerallen665]

RP10. Absolutely love it

[@jonathanhotopf1823]

I have a secondhand Ex demo RP6 with a new Anita via an Arcam rPhono, sounds great to me!

[@gwadaflat]

The P8 with an Audiomods 6 series arm ! 😉👍🏽

[@maximotadlas1316]

How much does it cost?

[@AudioAdvice]

The people who are kind enough to allow us to video their home theater installation do not want us to talk about the budget on KZbin. Please reach out to our team at www.audioadvice.com for more details.

[@gkb4401]

Hello may i ask something

[@pablogalvan]

no

[@gkb4401]

@@pablogalvan lolll

[@dosstodd8014]

I purchased a P6 with a Ortofon 2M Black last summer. The Ortofon is sounding better but not as good as the Sonus Gold-Blue I had many years ago. Took me 3 trips to Audio Advice which is an hour and 45 minutes from my home to get a Rega that worked somewhat right. My P6 is noisy. I can hear the motor or possibly the belt/pulley standing in front of the turntable. Wish I had purchased the MoFi or the EAT. The Rega sounds good but sounds cheap at idle when not playing music. Back in the mid 70’s, this would have been a $300 to $400 table at best. Considering selling the P6 and starting over. Any suggestions?

[@kurtzcol]

get a vpi

[@QoraxAudio]

Get a modern direct drive, like the Technics SL-1200G or the Thorens TD402 DD. VInyl may be old fashioned, but - in contrast to what many believe - it doesn't make modernization pointless. Unfortunately, most turntable manufacturers are very conservative, because they don't want to save up money to invest in new innovations.

[@mikechivy]

I went from a p6 with an Ortofon black to a p8 with an apheta 3. Of course way more expensive, but omg. The 8 is insanely good

[@mikemcguinness1304]

What about the motor hum with the motor being too close to the spindle

[@davidgena2667]

Beautiful tables to be sure, but I’ll stick with my Fluance RT 85 and save a lot of money by doing so.

[@bkkersey93]

And the quality of the Fluance will still match the quality of the Regas. They're known for not being as groundbreaking as everyone claims.

[@mikechivy]

@@bkkersey93 no they won’t. Not at this level. I had a planar 3, a planar 6, and now the 8. The 6 was a massive step up, and the 8 is other worldly. I don’t see an Rt 85 even being considered better than a planar 3, so idk about that

[@fredgien]

And what about their sound?

[@AudioAdvice]

Our written article got a little deeper, but...more subtle nuances and the ability to hear small dynamic changes with the P10, an even quieter background, and the deep bass slam was a pretty big difference. Please reach out to our team at www.audioadvice.com for more details

[@GP-hb3bx]

almost like a sales pitch

[@mariocassar3117]

Love the technology and the tight tollerances…BUT no azimuth adjustment, no levelling and isolation feet, fixed tonearm interconnects, fixed headshell…….half baked solution!

[@AudioAdvice]

Fair enough. Thanks for watching.

[@PressureRoomManilaest]

i think turntable designer love cakes!

[@brucegelman5582]

Too expensive vs way more expensive

[@Si1983h]

That rather depends on your budget, record collection and priorities. Sure they’re expensive, but if you have the records collection to justify it, and the means to afford it, they’re worth it. I heard both yesterday, and I’ve auditioned other decks within their price range, trust me, they’re by far the best performers at their given price points, and they’re backed up by one of the best companies in the industry... if you have a problem at any point in the future, Rega will fix it for you and it’ll only cost you the shipping (provided the problem isn’t caused by your own obvious misuse/abuse). I had a PSU fail after four years, it was fixed within 7 days at zero cost to me, and a loan unit was given out whilst mine was being repaired, so I once had half an evening without music.

[@richardpeters2193]

After spending my life working in engineering purchasing for two automotive companies, that includes analyzing turbocharger and fuel injector designs, abs and electronics, excluding cartridges and I can't say regarding the platters but for the rest of the turntables there isn't a $25 difference in real cost between those two. Different doesn't necessarily mean more expensive.

[@asokpatnaik8709]

Kyocera pl-701

[@AudioAdvice]

That's an oldie goldie! We actually used to sell that model. Either of these are in an entirely different performance league way above the Kyocera. Thanks for watching

[@piotr8828]

No cons at all? Great advertising video and paid af.

[@daan5361]

So pops, clicks and crackles are history with one of these?

[@christophbresch]

no

[@maltehannover3537]

Just clean your vinyl

[@QoraxAudio]

The shape of the plinth, looking like a chassis, is very well designed. It has obviously been designed to reduce resonance and I believe the reviewer when he says it has very good damping properties. But except for that, this turntable has nothing innovative or special to offer. The platter bearings are nothing special, this floating of the platter on top of the bearing is also a thing with the Linn Sondek LP12 from 30 years ago. And just a simple synchronous motor connected to a sub-platter isn't anything special either. Using multiple separate belts has no advantage over using one bigger belt and when those belts aren't exactly the same, it can destabilize the rotation stability. The planar 10 is low-tech, but about 5600 dollars, so they should do a comparison to a high-tech direct drive turntable.

[@MrStingraybernard]

8 and 10 grand ? 🤨 yea right

[@Si1983h]

Ron Bernard not in the U.K., the Planar 8 is £1600 without a cartridge or £2599 with the Apheta 3, and the Planar 10 is £3600 without a cartridge or £4499 with the Apheta 3, that’s including VAT at 20%. If they cost that much more in the USA it’s because you’re being robbed blind with local taxes.

[@JohnSmith-zl8rz]

@@Si1983h P8 in this is US store is £ 2,496 WITHOUT cartridge, is fucking ridiculous high over UK price. P10 is £ 5,695 without cart. Is insane!!!!!! overpriced.

[@pointsbeingmade7996]

If getting a p10 please equip it with zyx R1000

[@karaloca]

I’d be angry if I found a turntable.

[@ericjensen9091]

Are you a comedian or a jazz singer, both, or neither?

[@mariocassar3117]

This presentation convinced me NOT to buy a REGA. I don’t care whether it’s manufactured in the UK or in Timbuktu….

[@AudioAdvice]

Thanks for the feedback.

[@JohnSmith-zl8rz]

P10 colors are not good, BLACK + WHITE + SILVER too much mix, such a shame. Platter should be black or silver, not white. Arm silver is ok. body black is ok.

[@gianoroberto4701]

I agree with you. I think the colour design for P8 is a perfect match while that for P10,.... let's forget about it.

[@Kwippy]

High end turntables are kind of like expensive Swiss watches, marvellous feats of engineering, lovely to own and use, but functionally obsolete.

[@AudioAdvice]

Thanks for sharing, but if you love pure analog sound they are the way to go.

[@opalgarcliff470]

imagine buying a 10k state of the art turntable that looks like a toilet when the dust cover is on.

[@AudioAdvice]

We agree, the dust cover is not the most elegant, but boy does the turntable sound good. Thanks for watching

[@nigelsmith2044]

Blind listening test I wager you wouldnt hear the difference between a P1 and P10...Dont tell the listeners what brand they listening to just total blind listening test