Rega Planar 8 Manual Belt Drive Turntable

Harry Weisfeld's 2012 CLASSIC DIRECT direct drive turntable was an outstanding technical achievement, earning Stereophile Magazine's Class A+ rating. This award-winning table was loosely based on the VPI Classic Series table technology and included a thick aluminum plinth and armboard and an inverted platter bearing riding on a PEEK thrust disc. Combined with a cutting-edge BLDC direct drive motor, the CLASSIC DIRECT was created. The Classic Direct provided a stable, solid foundation for the music, allowing the listener to hear deeply into the recorded grooves to the treasures buried with-in!

• Fatboy Anniversary Tonearm

• Nordost Reference Wire

• Direct Drive Motor

• New VTA Base on the Fly

• Dustcover Included

• Internal Circuitry and Power

• Made in the USA​

• 5 Year Warranty

• Features the new B-Note tonearm, made from a carbon fiber alloy that is light yet rigid with a black anodized aluminum headshell. The B-Note tonearm provides all of the key features for cartridge alignment and adjustability: VTA (Vertical Tracking Angle), SRA (Stylus Rake Angle), VTF (Vertical Tracking Force), azimuth and a slotted headshell for overhang / offset angle.
• The anti-skate mechanism has been engineered for more intuitive calibration, making setup of the B-Sharp notably easier than competitive products.
• A proprietary low noise motor, floating chassis, aluminum platter and a high-density MDF low profile base are included as standard features of the B-Sharp. Like the C-Major, the B-Sharp uses a high-tech TPE (thermoplastic elastomers) suspension system that works in concert with adjustable feet that provide levelling ability for the table.
• Comes equipped with a factory installed Ortofon 2M Blue Cartridge, hinged dustcover, low mass aluminum record clamp, and a felt platter mat-all included.

In 1991 Pro-Ject started a revolution in HiFi with the introduction of the Pro-Ject 1 turntable. A new high-end, low budget turntable at the time when CD was king. Against all odds, we were creating interest in analogue audio at a time when others were turning their backs, and the success was down to three critical philosophies: – Simple yet technically correct design – High-quality valuable materials – Fully handcrafted, expert engineers, made in the EU This turntable design, with Pro-Ject's underlying core philosophy and dedication to quality music performance, has all the high-end aspects built in that really take vinyl listening to the ultimate heights. But as is the way in hi-fi many people still wanted more. They were willing to invest more, because this is how much they fell in love with their newfound passion. It is hard to improve on such a well performing turntable, but there are ways to do it. It was not time to reinvent the wheel, because the core engineering on the P1, or now the X1, already was and still is perfect. Instead they improved on the technologies that had previously been established: – The raw materials used in production are of a much higher quality but also more difficult to source. – The selected components are bigger, heavier, more massive and robust for improved performance and greater build quality. Not many companies are willing to go this extra mile, because it is a hard step to take and – as always – needs to be carefully balanced with cost vs. reward. Making the wrong decisions can lead to diminishing returns fast. Pro-Ject wants the X2 to lift the incredibly high standards, as set by its smaller brother the X1, to new limits. The X2 is made for those who take great joy in the fine details, the build-quality, the high-grade materials and even more audio performance. More mass in the chassis, platter and tonearm: Structurally, the X2 is supported by its large, heavy, dense and stiff MDF structure, reducing unwanted resonances to almost imperceptible levels. By adding this extra mass, the X2 is even quieter, allowing the vinyl reproduction to become more detailed and precise. Inside, it houses a sophisticated DC/AC generator board which, combined with the convenient speed control board, delivers clean and stable power to the silent motor system. The tonearm is longer – 9“ in length – and the tube has a wider diameter and the carbon/ aluminium sandwich construction results in better internal damping. This also means, the entire tonearm bearing is upgraded to compensate for the extra mass; altogether tracking will be more precise, stable and accurate. The increased mass makes the tonearm an excellent fit for low compliance MC cartridges. The one-piece design avoids vibrations caused by detachable headshells. The TPE damped counterweight reduces arm-cartridge resonances by as much as 50%. Precision tuned motor isolation: A good motor by itself, is already very quiet. To get the best performance out of it, we have improved the motor suspension. This will allow the motor to run stable and free from outside influences. Remaining vibrations are damped and eliminated, so they are not transmitted onto the chassis, platter and cartridge. The X2‘s motor chassis is carefully balanced and suspended on a precision tuned TPE belt; this way the motor chassis is effectively decoupled from the main plinth for optimal performance. It is free floating, horizontally completely level and able to operate at the highest performance levels. High-end Cartridge: The X2 is packaged to suit anyone who cares about how their vinyl sounds. Supplied either with or without an Pick it 2M Silver cartridge, average retail at 199€. Better Audiophile Features: Full aluminium tonearm base instead of a cheap plastic flange for better and stiffer fixing to the chassis with Azimuth and VTA adjustment. Better Feet: Height adjustable, isolating Alu/ TPE sandwich feet. Better Cable: All our turntables come with a high-quality phono RCAcable. Our Connect it E is a semi-balanced, low-capacitance cable, with superior shielding. Compared to other digital and analog music sources, the signal coming from a turntable cartridge is very fragile in nature and cheap RCA cables often do not provide the ideal conditions for getting a phono signal to an amplifier. The Connect it E is purpose-designed for this exact application. The design is carefully tuned to offer the most critical features for the best price and everything is put together with Pro-Ject‘s decade long experience in making the best-performing turntables without blowing the budget: MDF is 2-3 times more expensive than standard particle boards, not to mention a plastic chassis, but sounds and feels way better. The X2‘s luxury 8 layers of painting and the hand-polished finish are 3-4 times more expensive than simple foils. Inside, it houses a sophisticated DC/AC generator board which, combined with the convenient speed control board, delivers clean and stable power to the quiet-running motor. This adds additional costs, but performs many times better than a simple, direct powered AC motor. For even further improved performance, the motor is decoupled from the main plinth using a new motor suspension system. In the X2, the motor drives a new, heavy, non-resonant Acryl platter via a sub-platter drive system and a premium grade main bearing for liquid smooth rotation. This is the perfect platform on which to place your precious vinyl records, guaranteeing absolute reliability in its performance and sonic character. The X2 is also better than its predecessors thanks to the super-stiff, perfectly tempered Carbon/Alu sandwich construction tonearm. This 9“ tonearm design is incredibly light and stiff, with improved resistance to external interference. Finished as a one-piece, with no resonance-inducing headshell, the X2 can also be set for azimuth and VTA adjustment, offering the flexibility that so many people are asking for, especially in this and even lower price ranges. The tonearm is then supplied with a TPE-damped counterweight, further reducing cartridge-tonearm resonances. The X2 has all the high-end features of modern turntable designs to maximise the music and listening experience. It is a statement and a counterpoint against other upcoming turntable designs, which go the way of offering more features but less performance. The X2 is carefully tuned to offer only audio-focused features for the best possible price, and due to our decades-long experience in analogue technologies, it‘s hand-assembled by a European-based factory you can trust. Every effort has been made throughout to not cut corners on cost or sonic ability and the end result is a highly engaging, musical turntable. The X2 proves that, since 1991, our same core philosophies are those that guarantee to make music lovers happy with every new vinyl record they take for a spin.

• Speed: 33, 45, 78 (electronic speed change)
• Principle: belt drive Platter 30mm thick acryl, 2 kg heavy acryl
• Main bearing: Stainless steel
• Speed variance: 33: +/-0,25%; 45: +/-0,20%
• Wow & flutter: 33: +/-0,12%; 45: +/-0,10%
• Signal to Noise: 70 dB
• Tonearm: 9” carbon/aluminium sandwich tonearm
• Effective arm length: 9“/230 mm Effective tonearmmass 13.5 g
• Overhang: 18.0 mm
• Tracking force range: 0 - 30mN (18mN recommended for Pick it 2M Silver)
• Included accessory: 15V DC / 800 mA power supply, dust cover, Connect it E Phono RCA cable, felt mat
• Power consumption: 4.5 W max / 0.3 W standby
• Dimensions: 460 x 150 x 340 mm (WxHxD) lid closed
• Weight: 10 kg net

Designed solely for the reproduction of 78 rpm records, we have omitted any unnecessary gimmicks allowing us to concentrate the manufacturing costs on the high-quality parts necessary to reproduce records accurately. The minimalist design of the Rega Planar 78 and the use of extremely high-quality components ensure that your turntable should last for many years. The RB220 offers astonishing performance and is one of Rega's best selling tonearms. An evolution of the famous RB250, which was supplied as standard on early Planar 2 and P2 turntable, the RB220 uses our patent-pending ultra-lightweight high-quality polymer bearing selected, high quality vertical and horizontal bearings. The tonearm uses our die-cast tube and the three-point fixing technique based on the mounting design system. This system reduces stress on the plinth and tonearm and offers greater stability though the arm. All of which translates into more music for you the listener.