I have a P6 in my office system and love it. Very direct and PRATy. I haven’t listened to the P3, but have heard many lower level Rega TTs and the P6 is a big step up. Hifi rather than midfi.
My general experience is that it is worth picking the better option when it comes to audio gear – just keeps the upgradeitis at bay longer.
One note - I am not convinced QC at Rega is the best - really worth looking at the copy your going to buy and making sure everything’s right - I returned my first P6 which had poor plinth edge trim and also a flaw in the platter float glass…I’m sure it was fine acoustically, but it would have bugged me.
Chris. I really want a turntable. I know it’s expensive and so are records. I know lots of people will think I’m daft, especially as I already have 2 good sources but then plenty of people would think the HiFi ‘hobby’ is expensive and daft (not on this forum obviously). My wife gives me withering glances when I mention upgrades or any new kit. That said, when I mentioned buying a turntable, she was miraculously sympathetic!
If you are starting a vinyl collection I’d go for the cheaper TT and see how you get on with it before investing more heavily. The Rega P3 should not disappoint and it gives you a good baseline when deciding whether you need to spend more. It’s easier to shift a lower end TT these days if you decide to upgrade
…but the convenience of streaming is tough to beat and I was an ardent defender of the LP and Turntable up until just a few months ago.
I will quite often start playing an album, especially a double or more in the case of a Boxset, on LP and switch to the streamer halfway through.
Opera is often a victim of this victimless crime🫤
It’s funny, but I do exactly the opposite when I remember I have something on vinyl. However, it’s only now because I now have the convenience of switching between streaming and vinyl without having to disable the mains powerline extender due to phono interference. I’m now hardwired with Ethernet which is a lot less faff. I was mainly streaming until I did that (oh and added a Supercap to the Prefix). Pretty much 50/50 now which is a surprise to me.
The trouble with the Planar3 recommendation is that it’s not at the level of the SN3. So it’s more likely to disappoint. So chap rejects vinyl because his experience is so poor with the Planar 3.
I doubt a Rega Planar 3 50th is going to result in such a poor experience that the OP rejects vinyl. You make a good point about having a balanced system but the point I’m making is that the OP might not get on with Vinyl or the expense compare to streaming. Dipping a toe in the water first is no bad thing. That’s all I’m saying.
I would agree that the Planar 6 is the minimum level for any Naim system. At the same time I consider it to also be the maximum level for a MM-cartridge like the Exact:
Rega turntables are very much designed as a system with their own carts and phono stages.
From the P6/Exact one would first go with the Ania Pro (forget the standard Ania) and the Fono MC, then to the P8 and so on. And this comes from someone who really likes the Exact, but I was not convinced by the P8 with that cart as a value proposition. Unless you’re in the UK and you can find one pre-loved or ex-demo at a low price, of course.
With the MC carts and phono stages also the Rega systems become more expensive quickly (both initially and every time you have to replace the cart).
The XS3 and SN3 have really excellent MM phono stages so not using those first would be a waste in my opinion.
So adding all that up I went with a Majik-level LP12 with a decent MM cart into first the Nait 2 and now the XS3. When you find one pre-loved it is an even better proposition.
Starting off with a Planar 6 with Exact and see how you like it would be my second recommendation.
So you know you want a turntable, and you’ve had one before so you’re not just dipping your toe in the water to see if you like the idea. Get the RP6 quick, before your wife changes her mind!
I compared the Rega P3 and P6 last year and the P6 was clearly better. I ended up with a refurbished P25 and Hana MH cartridge. It was comparable to the P6 to my ears. I use a Cyrus Signature Phono and PS and it sounds very good with my Naim system, exceeding the ND5XS2 IMO. Collecting vinyl is extremely expensive however.
I have done the opposite as well Paul.
Just the other day with Wishbone Ash and Pink Floyd.
I guess it’s things like Opera, where you’re up and down like a fiddlers elbow, that I start to rethink playing the Vinyl. It’s honestly not that often though
Good to hear. I just made an order of the P3 50 based on the expectation that it will be much closer in sound quality to a P6 than a standard P3. I would not be happy to hear it was close to the regular P3.
I have an RP6 (predecessor to the P6) and a P3. With the P3 however I have upgraded it with the Neo PSU (I also replaced the TT-PSU on my RP6 to the Neo) and I replaced the Exact Cart with an AT540ML.
The Exact is a fine match for the P3 so don’t worry there, but I added an Ania to the RP6 and that got me thinking how far could I push the P3, hence the change to the AT cart in place of the Exact.
The P3 can sound very fine it its own right, my RP6 does have the edge, as it should, but the sound of the upgraded P3 from its stock form is a massive change. Also have the latest reference belt on it as well.
If you’ve got no vinyl then think long and hard about it. It’s an addictive drug, so make sure you have deep pockets or good control. The weakness with the P3 and the P6 IMO is the Exact cartridge. Its dull and lack lustre. But, if you’ve not got got access to a MC stage then i see why you are considering it.
My daughter has “my” P6 and that is a great TT, albeit it has a HOMC cartridge which goes along way towards its greatness.
Not sure if i had zero vinyl i’d be looking at a TT. I can resist anything except temptation
The NEO PSU does make a big difference for the better, and a VM540ML will also make a considerable upgrade over the Exact at a fraction of the cost, IMO of course. The P6 is still a better deck, for the price difference I would still choose a P6.
