Rega Neo User Review
Hi Guys,
I have a 2016 model Planar 3/Elys 2 and have been wondering whether the Neo would be a worthwhile improvement. IMHO Rega have pretty well got the speed stability sorted in the 2016 stock Planar 3 and as I don't use 45s the electronic speed change was not a big deal to me however I thought the lower motor noise might be beneficial.
So I took some soundings from knowledgeable friends and and the consensus seemed to be yes it is an upgrade but don't expect a night and day improvement. As I was unconvinced I let it go until by chance I came across a used one for under half price and thought it was worth a punt.
Once I got it and as it was used I reset it to the original factory settings, hooked it up and as predicted did not hear major improvements except in bass articulation and definition which was obviously better. Anyway after a few days use it seemed to significantly improve with a cleaner more precise presentation across the bandwidth and notably better rhythm and timing so if anything the trademark Rega joie de vivre sound is enhanced a bit. It is also easier to follow an instrument even in complex mixes.
It runs with the case just warm to the touch but not hot and does not cause any hum issues in my experience.
In this day of megabucks prices for marginal if any real sonic improvements IMHO the Neo delivers a genuine and significant improvement at a typically reasonable Rega price. So for any of you Planar 3 owners out there thinking of a Neo as an upgrade it is IMHO well worthwhile giving it a try. So well done Rega!
Chris
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Originally Posted by walpurgis
..so I will go to the bottom of the class ..again!
