Micro Seiki DD-40 vs Rega Planar 3 (original)
Side-by-side specifications and a plain-English account of the recorded differences. Full profiles: Micro Seiki DD-40 · Rega Planar 3 (original).
| Specification | Micro Seiki DD-40 |
Rega Planar 3 (original) |
|---|---|---|
| Price | $475 (used) | $475 (used) |
| Category | Vintage | Vintage |
| Status | discontinued | discontinued |
| Years | 1976–? | 1977–2000 |
| Drive | direct drive | belt drive |
| Speeds | 33/45 rpm | 33/45 rpm |
| Operation | — | manual |
| Cartridge supplied | None | None |
| Phono stage | No | No |
| USB output | No | No |
| Bluetooth | No | No |
| Platter | aluminium | glass |
| Tonearm | Micro Seiki S-shaped arm | Rega R200 (RB300 from 1983) |
| Wow & flutter | — | — |
Practical differences
Highlighted cells show a lower reference price, support for more listed speeds, or the presence of a convenience feature. They are not an overall score.
The mechanics differ too: the Micro Seiki DD-40 is direct-drive, the Rega Planar 3 (original) is belt-drive. The Micro Seiki DD-40 gets instant start-up, rock-steady speed under load, and enough torque to nudge or backspin the record — the reason DJs and scratch decks are built this way.
Beyond that, these two are close in the recorded fields. Build quality, condition, setup and dealer support are not captured by this table.
Bottom line: $0 separates these reference prices. That difference is factual; this specification comparison does not assign an overall winner.
Retailer searches
4 US retailers handle used or discontinued decks like this — each outbound link searches the deck on that retailer’s site.
| Retailer | Type | Shipping | Product search |
|---|---|---|---|
| Guitar Center | music retail | Free standard shipping on most orders $25+. | View at Guitar Center ↗ |
| Reverb | used marketplace | Shipping set per seller; many listings ship free within the US. | View at Reverb ↗ |
| Upscale Audio | hifi independent | Free USA shipping on orders over $99 (exclusions for oversized items). | View at Upscale Audio ↗ |
| eBay | marketplace | Shipping set per seller; many listings ship free within the US. | View at eBay ↗ |
Retailer searches
4 US retailers handle used or discontinued decks like this — each outbound link searches the deck on that retailer’s site.
| Retailer | Type | Shipping | Product search |
|---|---|---|---|
| Guitar Center | music retail | Free standard shipping on most orders $25+. | View at Guitar Center ↗ |
| Reverb | used marketplace | Shipping set per seller; many listings ship free within the US. | View at Reverb ↗ |
| Upscale Audio | hifi independent | Free USA shipping on orders over $99 (exclusions for oversized items). | View at Upscale Audio ↗ |
| eBay | marketplace | Shipping set per seller; many listings ship free within the US. | View at eBay ↗ |

