View Full Version : Rega Planar 2 (P2000)Upgrade and Rebuild
I recently bought Planar 2 without an arm for £75 (P2000 model) to use in 2nd system i was putting together. I already had a fully modified Audio Origami RB300 for it and thought I'd just buy a new belt, happy days a nice little plug and play deck to go with the Nait 5 and Dynaudio Audience 52's,
3 weeks later all that's left of the original is the bearing housing, feet, plinth and the lid.
The P2000 has an older 110v motor, plastic sub platter and a platter made of either resin or mdf it's hard to tell so I decided to replace all three and also get a TTPSU.
Unless I absolutely have to I always buy used as well as keeping costs down it means that the items you buy are fully run in and unless you buy them on eBay and just stick to forum classifieds you can be almost certain you'll get what you thought you where buying.
Luckily I got a reply over on pfm from someone who had three of the items an aluminium sub platter, Delrin platter both by Phonography Systems and a TTPSU Mk2 for a very reasonable £250 and he also threw in a ceramic bearing and a red silicone belt. I took my chances on eBay and got lucky for £85 I bought a used official Rega 24v motor upgrade kit
I've never heard of Phonography Systems before now but I have to say both the aluminium sub platter and Delrin platter are beautifully made and a dream to fit.
There isn't much to say about the build really as apart from the motor all the other bits are simple drop in replacements and even the motor is pretty much a drop in you just need to take the old motor off and centre the new one.
I have now decided to trade up to a Neo PSU at an added cost of £60 (after I sell the TTPSU) and also add some new feet and a double belt pulley which was £14.
Hi Nat,
A good result all round then.
How much did the upgrade and table cost all in?
I'll bet bang for buck you've saved a fair bit!
Jac Hawk
25-06-2020, 08:02
Sounds a bit like my planar 3, the only thing left of the original deck is the baring housing and the ball, everything else is new. There’s a guy in Preston that I got my platter and sub platter from, fidelity design was his business name but I think he’s closed it down now but the parts he made were top notch. I’ve gone for the 24v motor upgrade and separate PSU for convenience more than anything, one thing I would recommend is decoupling the motor I got the SRM Tech silent base and it has been the biggest improvement to the sound quality of all of the tweaks and changes
Sounds a bit like my planar 3, the only thing left of the original deck is the baring housing and the ball, everything else is new. There’s a guy in Preston that I got my platter and sub platter from, fidelity design was his business name but I think he’s closed it down now but the parts he made were top notch. I’ve gone for the 24v motor upgrade and separate PSU for convenience more than anything, one thing I would recommend is decoupling the motor I got the SRM Tech silent base and it has been the biggest improvement to the sound quality of all of the tweaks and changes
I'm glad to hear from someone who has actually gone for a Silent Base as I have a jet black Silent Base reserved for me by SRM it's coming at the end of June / 1st week of July.
I also have the 24v motor upgrade and was going to try and build my own version of a Silent Base but for £129 it's hard to beat financially.
So far after deducting money for the bits of the old deck I've sold it stands me in about £400 considering that a new Rega P6 is well over £1,000 now and Groovetracer charge $350 plus postage from the U.S for just a Delrin Platter I think I've done pretty well.
Here's a few photographs of the Phonography Systems sub & main platters, the Rega RB300 the cart is an AT150EA and also the 'donor' deck the P2.
https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/50046329207_f6a78463e1_b.jpg (https://flic.kr/p/2jfqw5X)IMG_1795 (https://flic.kr/p/2jfqw5X) by https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/50046328917_fcecff92c4_b.jpg (https://www.flickr.com/photos/141362658@N06/
[url=https://flic.kr/p/2jfqvZX)IMG_1800 (https://flic.kr/p/2jfqvZX) by
[url=https://flic.kr/p/2jfqw3h]https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/50046329052_49bf5421fd_b.jpg (https://www.flickr.com/photos/141362658@N06/)IMG_1799 (https://flic.kr/p/2jfqw3h) by
[url=https://flic.kr/p/2jfqvYz]https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/50046328837_f6915ef1f5_b.jpg (https://www.flickr.com/photos/141362658@N06/)IMG_1802 (https://flic.kr/p/2jfqvYz) by
[url=https://flic.kr/p/2jfqw3Y]https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/50046329092_3ea7080cd8_b.jpg (https://www.flickr.com/photos/141362658@N06/)IMG_1796 (https://flic.kr/p/2jfqw3Y) by [url=https://www.flickr.com/photos/141362658@N06/]
Jac Hawk
26-06-2020, 08:35
I'm glad to hear from someone who has actually gone for a Silent Base as I have a jet black Silent Base reserved for me by SRM it's coming at the end of June / 1st week of July.
I also have the 24v motor upgrade and was going to try and build my own version of a Silent Base but for £129 it's hard to beat financially.
it is good value, on mine I’ve completely moved the motor control board out of the original plinth and installed it in the silent base, it makes set up a lot easier as the motor is only connected to the pcb with short wires so if you’re not careful you end up pulling wires out
Agree!
Always liked that version of the P2, the black on grey plinth looks great.
Prefer that to the gloss black versions.
So far after deducting money for the bits of the old deck I've sold it stands me in about £400 considering that a new Rega P6 is well over £1,000 now and Groovetracer charge $350 plus postage from the U.S for just a Delrin Platter I think I've done pretty well.
Thanks JH sounds like a sensible idea.
Yes I like this version too the very first version had that picture frame type wooden plinth which I'm not keen on either.
I've got my 2 belt pulley, two red silicone belts and have borrowed a Lim Pulley Puller does anyone have any tips on pulley removal?
Jac Hawk
29-06-2020, 07:51
If its a plastic pulley and you're not going to need it again then cut it off with a hot knife, metal ones on the newer 24v models will need a puller. I've tried the 2 belt system and found it increased motor noise wasn't any more stable as far as the speed is concerned the only real benefit was start up time was much quicker, i've since moved back to a single belt.
That is interesting and luckily I do have a metal pulley incase I want to swap back it's a relatively cheap experiment and as you say can be reversed easily enough.
My main reason for trying it out is that the Delrin platter is very heavy and takes a good while to get up to speed.
alcarmichael
30-06-2020, 16:09
Just give it a helping push as is the way with Nottingham Analogue decks.
Jac Hawk
30-06-2020, 21:22
Just give it a helping push as is the way with Nottingham Analogue decks.
that’s what I’d suggest before using twin belts
Just give it a helping push as is the way with Nottingham Analogue decks.
Give it a push!
Don’t wanna stretch your belt when it’s picking up speed..
I did it with my Michell Orbe and still with my Rega P10.
No standing in ceremony...
it’s a heavy weight spun by an elastic band!
Physics! :)
If it’ll make the belt last longer, why not?
Not updated for a while but the two belt pulley was a waste of time and reverted back to my single belt.
I have though added a plinth brace by Stack Audio which is based on the one Rega used on their RP3, RP6 and RP8.
Fitted it this evening there is a hole one end for the bearing sleeve to pass through and the other end the tone arm pillar passes through the lock nuts on both the bearing sleeve and tone arm hold the brace in place and there are also two fixing points to screw the brace directly to the plinth but I've not done this yet. I've only fitted the brace but have not done any listening test yet but the product itself at £29 was great value and very well engineered.
I've also paid for my jet black SRM Tech Rega Silent Base which should here at the end of the week.
Gmanuk101
28-07-2020, 05:25
I'm interested to hear from folks who have used the SRM Tech base, I'm looking at that upgrade also. It looks pretty simple (if you're patient) to install to me. thanks guys. G.
I'll let you know once mine arrives I waited a little while longer for a jet black version but I believe they have lots of clear ones in stock.
Jac Hawk
28-07-2020, 18:48
The SRM Tech silent base is probably one of the most worth while upgrades you can do, removing the motor from the plinth is just plain common sense in my opinion here's my deck with the silent base fitted
https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/50071687007_da057b0c31_z.jpg (https://flic.kr/p/2jhEu5p)IMG_2417 (https://flic.kr/p/2jhEu5p) by mike davis (https://www.flickr.com/photos/185433896@N07/), on Flickr
Gmanuk101
29-07-2020, 04:57
that deck! that is lovely. I emailed Stuart at srmTech.... customer service is great, decent bloke to deal with. I think I'll invest in one next pay day :) can I ask about that Plinth? sorry, don't want to hijack this thread.
No worries I'm interested in the plinth too it looks lovely. I think my final upgrade will be a new plinth but I'd want a piano black finish which I cannot seem to find.
Jac Hawk
29-07-2020, 20:52
That is 30mm Birch ply with a rosewood veneer, i ordered it off ebay it was about £80 as i recall, but if you have your original plinth i'm sure a cabinet maker in your area could easily machine one for you, f you don't want a veneer and if you're handy with spray paint you could even paint it yourself.
I made an isolation plinth for a Linn Axis many years ago and it took an age to get that high polished look many layers and many, many minutes spent polishing and in the end I was entirely happy.
I've seen a dark ebony veneer that looks very nice though.
Did you find the increased mass of the plinth helped and did you buy the silent base before or after the plinth as Stuart from SRM asked my the dimension of my plinth from left edge to spindle apparently there are two different sizes of Rega plinths.
Jac Hawk
30-07-2020, 08:12
Yes there is apparently the older Planar 3 is a different size to the new one, I ordered the silent base before the plinth and made sure I sent the exact plinth measurements I wanted when I ordered the new one.
Theres a lot of opinions surrounding the use of a higher density plinth, in reality it didn’t make a huge difference and probably damps the bearing better, in reality my deck isn’t really a Rega anymore, yes there are some Rega parts but not many, the thing I kept was the bearing, I was all set to change it and was talking to Jonny from Audio Origami and mentioned my plan to him, he told me that unless it was damaged to keep the original bearing as in his opinion it was one of the best ever made, so I did
Thanks for that.
I have a piano black new Planar 1 (P1) plinth that I'm going to use.
I've fitted the Silent Base and the plinth brace I've also made a third isolation platform from a P1 plinth.
Definite improvement, though since I've put it all back together the platter wants to turn the wrong way occasionally it spins the correct way once it's given a push I bought the 24v motor upgrade kit used on eBay I'd hat to think that one of the caps is failing so soon.
it's hard to say after so many upgrades which is the best one but what I do have now is a fantastic sounding deck. I've been playing some records that my LP12's didn't use to like but the Rega is playing them without any fuss.
Next will be a new plinth perhaps a skeleton type.
https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/50178514738_ba95a0b223_b.jpg (https://flic.kr/p/2js71eQ)IMG_2417 (https://flic.kr/p/2js71eQ) by [url=https://www.flickr.com/photos/141362658@N06/]
Jac Hawk
02-08-2020, 09:12
It's looking good Nat, with the silent base i would stick to the full rectangular plinth though.
I see your point but the skeleton could still rest on the same three points and decouple the motor in the same way but I'm only floating ideas around at this point. I'm not in a rush as the P2 plinth is in really good condition though I'm not overly keen on the finish.
Jac Hawk
02-08-2020, 09:38
Yes they do tend to look like a worktop off cut
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