Rega Planar 2

The Rega Planar 2 is a belt-drive turntable for listeners stepping up from an entry-level deck to a true hi-fi source. Developed over two years alongside the Planar 3, it pairs Rega's RB220 tonearm with a factory-fitted Rega Carbon moving magnet cartridge, so it is ready to play straight out of the box.

The hand-assembled RB220 tonearm uses Rega's patented ultra-low-friction bearings in a stiffer, lightweight bearing housing, with adjustable bias for wide cartridge compatibility, an integrated arm clip and a custom aluminium arm tube. A 24V low-noise, low-vibration motor with the advanced EBLT drive belt turns a 10 mm Optiwhite float-glass platter on an 11 mm self-securing brass central bearing. The plinth is high-gloss acrylic or walnut-effect laminate, with redesigned feet to reduce vibration.

It plays 33-1/3 and 45 RPM records, with speed changed by hand at the pulley. The Planar 2 has no built-in phono stage, so connect it to an amplifier with a phono (MM) input or a separate phono stage such as the Rega Fono Mini A2D. Gloss finishes come with a clear dust cover and the walnut finish with a smoked dust cover. Bought at Blacknote, the Planar 2 comes with Rega's lifetime warranty against manufacturing defects.