Pro-Ject & Rega: Masters of Analogue

Whether it’s your first foray into analogue audio or you’re looking for that final touch to your curated HiFi system, there’s a turntable for everyone! With the analogue scene slowly but surely building traction, we’re really starting to see the benefits of modern design and technology in the classic turntable format.

Our friends over at Rega and Pro-Ject are fantastic examples of how modern turntables should be done. They’ve got a plethora of options to fit all budgets and great customisation, plus most allow you to upgrade your cartridge! (see our previous blogs on Moving Magnet cartridges or Moving Coil cartridges for more information on those)

First and foremost, both of these brands are designed and produced in Europe. Rega, a British manufacturer since 1973, is proud of their dedication to keeping production in the UK. Pro-Ject, founded in Austria in 1991, has production facilities across Europe, including Germany, the Czech Republic, and Slovakia. Both companies stick to a handcrafted philosophy, and aim to bring their best to the table.

While these two brands fit into a similar market, they take different approaches to their products.

Rega’s approach to design is about reducing weight as much as possible. This philosophy creates a more delicate delivery, as the lighter components mean the tonearm can more freely and achieve an airier, or lighter sound. This also means they aren’t always as feature rich as Pro-Ject turntables, as they remove anything that could possibly introduce unwanted vibrations or electric noises down to the speakers.

Pro-Ject’s designs are more robust in nature. They’re heavier than Rega, with dense bodies and are more feature rich in the entry to mid-range segment. These are ready for that “plug and play” experience, with built-in phono stages, Bluetooth, and auto play/stop functionality. All of this leads to Pro-Ject having a heavier, or deeper tone to its delivery.

Entry/First time buyers ($400-800)

This price point is quite competitive. It’s very attractive for first-time buyers, or those looking to upgrade from cheaper alternatives. You’ll find decent build quality and a good feature set in this market, with something that can easily slide into an existing system.

For beginners, the first thing to understand is that there’s automatic and manual turntables. Automatic variants are mostly seen in the entry spectrum and make for an insanely easy experience. Put the vinyl on, hit play and away you go! Most will return the tonearm when the vinyl is done, but not all might. Manual variants require you to choose your vinyl’s speed, place the needle to hear the music and remove it once the vinyl is done. There’s more care needed, but that’s all part of the fun!

Manual types are more common the further up the list you go, as more work is invested into getting the best sound out of the turntable rather than adding the most features. While very quiet, moving components inside a turntable will create mechanical hum and noise, which can be picked up through the cartridge. Minimalising the amount of noise inside the turntable will give a cleaner sound overall.

A few prime examples in the affordable Hifi segment are Rega’s Planar 1 and Pro-Ject’s Primary E turntables. With a fantastic features set and an attractive price point from two internationally renowned heavyweights in the audiophile market, you can’t go wrong with these turntables.

The Planar 1 is great for those prioritising performance over everything else, as its more paired back feature set leans towards offering a cleaner soundscape with less components on the inside. This turntable doesn’t feature a Phono Stage, but if you do need one however, they conveniently have their Planar 1 Plus, a similarly priced alternative that’s easier to slot into an existing system! 

The Primary E is an awesome choice for those who want more of a plug-and-play setup, with the built-in Phono Stage lending itself quite useful in those scenarios with amplifiers (new and old) that lack a Phono Stage. At a similar price point, those who need a Bluetooth connection can look at the Pro-Ject Primary E + Phono Box E BT5 or Pro-Ject T1 EVO BT!

Perfect upgrades (Mid-high range) ($1000-1500)

The mid to high end sector is where the real sauce is! You start getting into Hifi componentry like cartridges and carbon fibre tonearms, and the quality of sound is pretty extraordinary. You’ll notice that turntables start paring back their feature-set too, which might seem backwards, but at this price point we’re aiming for quality over quantity, and you’ll most likely either have an amplifier or dedicated Phono Stage to get the most out of these turntables.

Products like the Rega Planar 2 with Nd3 Cartridge and Debut Evo 2 with Pick It MM cartridge are some exceptional starting points in this price point, with a lot to offer. This price range dives headfirst into premium materials to squeeze as much detail out of your vinyls as possible. Both can come with in-house designed cartridges, and be fitted with specialist cartridges from Ortofon for example.

This is where we start noticing the differences between the brands, and they begin showing their true colours. The Rega Planar 2 is delicate, lightweight, but calculated. With the included Nd3 cartridge, the turntable presents an airer sonic quality. There’s plenty of detail and a great soundstage.

The same can be said for the Pro-Ject Debut Evo 2 with the Pick It MM cartridge. With its heavier frame and robust material choices, there’s a sense of weight to the music coming through this turntable. Again, fantastic detail retrieval and soundstage at this level.

The Flagship Models ($5000 and Beyond)

As we reach the epitome of this category, we truly begin to understand what we can achieve from turntables. It shows the extent of what technology can do for the timeless style of analogue audio we know and love.

The Rega Planar 8 and Pro-Ject Xtension 9 Evolution are absolutely superb high-end turntables from these two brands, and represent unbelievable value at the audiophile level.

The Planar 8 once again proves that Rega’s design language stacks up against the competition. The incredibly light skeletal design is jaw dropping and shaves an astounding amount of weight from the product (not to mention they made the power supply a separate component!) It’s a work of art and a real head turner for those looking for something different beyond having a product that sits at such an incredible bar for analogue audio.

In the same field, the Pro-Ject Xtension 9 Evolution sits at that same threshold and shows what can be done on the other side of the spectrum. This luxurious turntable has incredible density and firmly plants itself to the surface it sits on. This is a great turntable for customers who like a classic style, but yearn for a modern edge and reap the benefits of new-age technology.

But we can go further…

The Rega Naia for example, their flagship turntable, uses a skeletal carbon fibre base infused with graphene, titanium tonearm, and ceramic and tungsten materials in various components. Every component is chosen to be as light and strong as possible to create rigidity without adding weight. The Rega Naia represents the culmination of Rega’s “low mass, high rigidity” philosophy, offering a transformative listening experience.

The Pro-Ject Signature 12.2 Turntable is within a similar calibre. This immense turntable weighs just over 10kg, with almost every component being carefully selected to reduce as much reduction and noise as possible. The platter is magnetically decoupled for precise movement and noise reduction. The Pro-Ject Signature 12.2 is a no-compromise high-end solution that transcends the limitations of mass-market decks. It’s an investment in a listening experience filled with lush, dynamic, and effortlessly detailed sound.

There are so many great options out there, and far more than I have discussed today, but Rega and Pro-Ject have constantly proven to be at the forefront of analogue audio and giving you, the customer, the best value at any price point.

Whether its your first wireless turntable, or the last component to a perfectly curated system you’ve developed over the years, it’s something we can help with and have you playing your favourite vinyls in no time! Give us a text or call, or pop into one of our West Coast Hifi stores around Perth to discuss your options!