Rega-RP8 Turntable

General Information

*“There’s no better deal in high-end analog right now than the brilliant-sounding Rega RP8 turntable. Acclaimed by the likes of The Absolute Sound, What Hi-Fi?, Analog Planet, Hi-Fi+, and TONEAudio, just to name a few expert industry publications, RP8 will instantly take your vinyl LP collection to a whole new level. If you’ve been thinking about upgrading, or want to pick a ‘table that will more than carry its weight for years and years to come, you cannot pass up the Rega RP8.

We know what you’re thinking: RP8 looks like it belongs as the centerpiece in a modern art museum. Yes, it does. But this evolutionary and revolutionary design—anchored by a custom-made skeletal plinth—also sounds brilliant. Equipped with a new tonearm-bearing assembly, triple-layer glass platter, and 24-volt low-noise motor controlled by a hand-tuned electronic power supply, this ‘table extracts the finest details from LPs due to its superior rigidity, low-vibration motor, double bracing, and ultra-stable RB808 tonearm. Unbelievable performance, incredibly low price: Rega pushes the boundaries like never before with the RP8. You need to hear it for yourself, particularly at this almost-too-good-to-believe-it cost.

Read more in-depth information about the power supply, tonearm, triple-layer glass platter, plinth, motor, and construction below. And take a gander at the quotes from some of the industry’s top writers. Then, order a ‘table, pick out the cartridge of your choosing, spend just the few minutes required on setup, and prepare to be transported with your favorite records to a better place. Your very own RP8 awaits.

“The sound of the RP8, which brings new levels of transparency, fine detail, soundstage definition, and drive to the always engaging Rega sound, along with a tonal richness weight, and dynamic thrust that I’ve never before experienced from any Rega design. The RP8 is one of the best mid-priced designs on the market – period.”
—The Absolute Sound, Golden Ear and Editors’ Choice Awards

“This is a hugely accomplished package that lifts a massive amount of information off the groove and organizes it in a musically engaging way. It’s the kind of record player that keeps us listening, just wanting to see how good it makes the next record sound.”
—What Hi-Fi?, five-star review

“Every play of every familiar LP emphasized the ‘table’s remarkable rhythm ‘n’ pacing, its expressive dynamic abilities and its precise instrumental attack against a dead black backdrop. This turntable’s overall detail resolution, but particularly of the low level, reverberant variety and its handling of instrumental decay was exceptional regardless of price.”
—Michael Fremer, Analog Planet

“[The] Rega RP8 is the best sounding, sensibly priced turntable and arm I’ve ever heard.”
—Jason Kennedy, Hi-Fi+

“[If] you want a high performance record player with next to zero fuss required, I can think of no better choice.”
—Jeff Dorgay, TONEAudio, Exceptional Value Award

Specs and Features

Compact TT-PSU Power Supply for Extreme Balance

The compact TT-PSU uses a high stability, crystal locked, low-distortion sine-wave generator. This, along with an efficient drive amplifier fed from a stabilized DC power supply, generates a 24V AC balanced signal of less than 0.05% distortion, which is completely unaffected by any changes in the mains/line voltage and conditions. This then drives the improved Rega anti-vibration circuit built into the RP8 motor PCB.

Hand-Built and Newly Improved RB808 Tonearm

The RB808 tonearm is packed with new features pushing the boundaries of tonearm design. As with all Rega tonearms, each one is meticulously hand-built by a team of highly skilled technicians. RB808 has improved bearings and a tightened spindle fit tolerance over previous models (each bearing is individually selected to find the perfect match for the chosen spindle). This is a proven method of increasing the amount of detail retrieved from the record surface. A brand-new, low-mass, precision-engineered vertical bearing assembly has been manufactured to further complement the inherent design philosophy of RP8. RB808 uses the latest Rega arm tube. Completely redesigned to redistribute mass, and further reduce stresses and resonances. This advanced design tube increases the stiffness and rigidity of the overall assembly using CAD design to blend the multiple varying tapers. Externally, Rega fitted a bespoke low-capacitance phono cable, which uses an advanced phono plug assembly. This has only two parts to minimize joints and incorporates a twist and clamp design. locking the plug to the terminal. The design increases connectivity and ensures the signal path is kept as clean as possible.

Obsessive Dual Bracing for Stability and Damping

A super-lightweight plinth combined with a double brace (mounted specifically where the increased rigidity is required) forms a structurally sound “stressed beam” assembly. This design prevents energy absorption and unwanted resonances which will add un-natural distortions to the music. RP8 takes Rega’s double brace technology to the next level. Not content with an unprecedented stiffness to mass ratio, Rega obsessively reduced any resonant properties by using two different materials for the new stressed beam. The top layer is magnesium and the bottom layer is phenolic (two of the lightest and stiffest materials available). Incorporating two different materials into the brace structure lowers their ability to pick up unwanted airborne vibrations. Simply put, different materials have different natural resonances. By using two different materials together, they decrease the natural frequency of each other by self-damping.

An Engineering Feat: The Super Flywheel Effect Triple-Layer Glass Platter

The RP8 three-piece laminated-glass platter is the result of a collaboration with a small, young British glass engineering company. As a general rule, the only part of a turntable that requires extra mass is the turntable platter in order to achieve constant rotational speed. However, a heavier platter creates more problems for the main bearing design, so again, an ideal compromise creates the best solution. This means keeping as much of the mass to the outside rim of the glass platter to create more flywheel effect but keeping the inside of the platter as light as possible without sacrificing stiffness. RP6 was the first Rega turntable to use a precision-engineered glass ring laminated to the outside using modern CNC techniques to ensure concentricity. RP8 takes it one step further by laminating three rings together to produce the RP8 super flywheel-effect glass platter.

Skeletal Plinth Features Polyolefin Foam Core

Rega has always researched methods of producing light but stiff and rigid plinths. The technology is simple: Unwanted noise at microscopic levels is developed by the turntable motor and main bearing. The plinth can also pick up airborne vibration from the music. Rega long ago pioneered the use of a stressed skin structure for the plinth. This uses two layers of phenolic resin with a lightweight particle or fiber board sandwiched between the skins. This technique has been used in many applications where stiff, light structures are needed. The current increase in interest in turntables has allowed Rega to research and develop higher technology structures for the customer that is happy pay a little more for higher sound quality. RP8 turntable utilizes a unique, new, stressed skin structure produced from thin phenolic skins sandwiching a featherweight nitrogen expanded, closed cell, polyolefin foam core. This material has been developed exclusively for Rega. The RP8 plinth is 7 times lighter than the weight of the original Planar 3 plinth.

De-Coupled Outer Frame and Dust Cover

A common problem for many skeletal design turntables is the inability to incorporate an effective dust cover. Rega constructed an outer frame that minimizes contact between the inner and outer plinth. The only points of contact are three location devices on the feet, which centralize the inner and outer plinths. This makes setup extremely easy and allows the use of a dust cover. RP8 can be used without the outer frame if desired.

24V Low-Noise Motor

The motor is a high-specification, 24V twin phase synchronous unit that has the anti-vibration circuit hand-tuned to each motor and is controlled by Rega’s unique and innovative TT-PSU. The motor drives the CNC machined pulley and sub platter/hub-bearing assembly via the belt drive.”*