Rega Rp8/apheta
”The Rega takes it all in its stride, delivering a class-leading combination of attack and subtlety”
The RP8 is simply the most ambitious Rega turntable we’ve ever tested.
Over the years Rega has used plinths made of either MDF or chipboard covered with phenolic resin to deliver low weight coupled with rigidity, but in the RP8 the company has gone much further. The central core of this deck’s plinth is made of light, closed-cell polyolefin foam, which took three years to develop to match Rega’s needs. The result is a plinth seven times lighter than that of the original Planar 3.
Well-behaved structure
To improve that structure even further, it’s added two braces between the arm base and main bearing. Two materials are used; the top one is made of magnesium and the lower is phenolic. Each damps the natural resonances in the other, resulting in an immensely light, stiff and well-behaved structure.
Moreover the RP8’S plinth is a skeletal design intended to be as small as practical, thus again more rigid. To many it might look unfinished, but that’s just the way the material is.
The practical issue with skeletal decks is how to incorporate a dust cover. Rega’s answer is to build a surround for the structure resulting in what looks like a conventionally rectangular plinth; that way a conventional lid can be used.
The only place Rega likes more mass is on its platters, or more accurately at their rim. Mass helps maintain rotational speed and irons out slight speed fluctuations – though go too far and you create problems with the main bearing design.
The hefty platter of the RP8 is made up of three layers of laminated glass. The top layer is where the record sits and the subsequent layers focus the mass on the outer edge. The idea is to maximise the flywheel effect but keep the weight at the centre low.
This sits on an aluminium sub-platter, rather than the plastic used in more affordable models. We try to spot some play in the main bearing, but can’t – it’s as precisely machined as we’d hope.
A 24-volt AC motor spins the sub-platter though a twin belt arrangement, controlled by Rega’s TTPSU outboard power supply, which provides a clean, high-quality power feed. The TTPSU also has speed control, so you can swap from albums to singles at the press of a button.
The arm is an RB808. It’s handmade, with each bearing individually selected to find the closest match to the relevant spindle. The bearing assembly is an all-new design too, again majoring on low mass and high rigidity.
Even the arm tube has been designed specially to redistribute mass and reduce resonances. Lastly, the RB808 uses high quality cabling with fewer joins in the signal path and better quality plugs.
Musical power
The final part of the package is the Apheta cartridge, the only moving-coil cartridge the company makes and the natural partner for the RP8. While it may be tempting to go for a cheaper option, we think it’s worth the expense.
We can’t think of another turntable in this price range that digs up as much information. Play Mars from Holst’s The Planets and there’s power coupled to wide-ranging dynamics and the ability to keep a tight grip on instrumental strands. Nothing gets confused as the piece builds to a crescendo.
Tonally, the presentation is just a touch lean and bright. Bass, while wonderfully taut and tuneful, doesn’t quite have a full dose of weight to it. This lack of neutrality doesn’t go too far though, and certainly won’t be a problem unless other components in your system have harsh or aggressive tendencies.
Thumping sounds
The pay-off for that tonal balance is a magnificently responsive-sounding deck, delivering a sound full of energy and sparkle. If you want excitement, drama and the ability just to lose yourself in music, we haven’t heard a better alternative. The soundstage is good too – it’s stable, focused and layered.
Switch to Michael Jackson’s Billie Jean and the Rega latches on to that infectious rhythm and thumps out the dense, undulating bassline with skill. Vocals are delivered with passion and superb clarity, and are in no way submerged by the packed instrumental backdrop.
We go through our collection, taking in R.E.M’S Automatic For The People, Miles Davis’s Kind Of Blue and Bob Marley’s Exodus, and the Rega takes it all in stride, delivering a class-leading combination of attack and subtlety.
When Rega really goes for it, shooting for the stars rather than trying to meet a price point, the results are spectacular.
VERDICT The Rp8/apheta is a terrific turntable/cartridge combination that sets sky-high standards for the price