Rega Planar 1 turntable
Hi-fi turntables · 2016–present In production
$595 US reference price
Rega Planar 1 is a current belt-drive, manual operation, 33/45 rpm playback hi-fi turntable. The US reference price is $595.
Decision snapshot
The five things to check first
- Plays
- 33/45 rpm
- System hookup
- Phono input or preamp needed
- Cueing
- Manual cueing
- Stylus path
- Mapped: Rega Carbon stylus
- Buying status
- Current model
Setup bottom line: Budget for a phono input or separate phono preamp as well as amplification and speakers. Check model-specific stylus evidence →
The classic first 'real' hi-fi turntable: hand-built in Essex, ready to play out of the box with a factory-fitted Rega Carbon cartridge, and deliberately free of gimmicks — no phono stage, no Bluetooth, just sound quality.
The perennial What Hi-Fi Award winner at the entry level.
Model history: The current Planar 1 (2016) replaced the RP1 with a near-total overhaul: a new 24V synchronous motor (the first on an entry-level Rega), a higher-mass phenolic platter, a redesigned brass main bearing, and a new RB110 tonearm with a factory-fitted Rega Carbon cartridge.
Checked against the manufacturer’s site: 2026-07
Who it suits
Best suited to: a first serious turntable for an existing or planned amp-and-speakers setup. Less ideal for: plugging straight into passive speakers with no amp — check the built-in phono stage row above, and note most hi-fi decks still need external amplification.
Compatibility and setup
- Manual operation: you cue and lift the tonearm by hand at the start and end of each side — there’s no auto-return or auto-lift.
Good to know
- No built-in phono stage — use an amplifier with a phono input or add a separate phono preamplifier.
Specifications
| Drive | belt drive |
|---|---|
| Speeds | 33/45 rpm |
| Operation | manual |
| Cartridge included | Rega Carbon |
| Built-in phono stage | No |
| USB output | No |
| Bluetooth | No |
| Platter | phenolic resin |
| Tonearm | RB110 |
| Dimensions | 447 x 117 x 360 mm (W x H x D, lid closed) |
| Weight | 9.3 lb (4.2 kg) |
| Finishes | Matt Black, Matt White, Walnut Effect (limited edition, added Sep 2022) |
| Warranty | Lifetime Limited Warranty (not a fixed-year warranty like 2 or 5 years) — applies across the whole current Rega turntable range, not just higher-end models. |
| Years | 2016–present |
How it sits in the catalogue
Its belt-drive mechanism is the majority choice in the database (151 of 183). On price it sits toward the affordable end of its category — 22% of priced hi-fi decks cost less.
Cartridge and replacement stylus
Factory cartridge: Rega Carbon · replacement stylus: Rega Carbon stylus · around $50.
Keep the evidence layers separate
Buying evidence for this model
- US reference price
- $595. A dated guide value for comparison, not an offer or availability claim.
- Live retailer offers
- No live offer feed is enabled for this model.
- Retailer links
- Brand or product routes to relevant US retailers; a search link is not a stock claim.
An internally verified exact identifier may improve offer matching, but it is not published as a catalogue fact unless independently corroborated. Always confirm the exact model, final price, delivery and returns with the retailer.
Where to buy the Rega Planar 1
7 US retailers stock Rega — linked directly to the product page where we have one, otherwise to a site search for the deck.
| Retailer | Type | Shipping | Product link |
|---|---|---|---|
| Music Direct | hifi independent | Free shipping on orders over $49. | View at Music Direct ↗ |
| Turntable Lab | hifi independent | Free shipping to the continental US on most orders (bulk/oversized items excluded). | View at Turntable Lab ↗ |
| Audio Advice | hifi independent | Free shipping on most orders. | Search at Audio Advice ↗ |
| eBay | marketplace | Shipping set per seller; many listings ship free within the US. | Search at eBay ↗ |
| Reverb | used marketplace | Shipping set per seller; many listings ship free within the US. | Search at Reverb ↗ |
| Upscale Audio | hifi independent | Free USA shipping on orders over $99 (exclusions for oversized items). | Search at Upscale Audio ↗ |
| World Wide Stereo | hifi independent | Free shipping on all orders. | Search at World Wide Stereo ↗ |