# Rega Planar 3 RS Edition

- Source: https://stierproducts.com/products/rega-planar-3-rs-edition
- Category board: https://stierproducts.com/categories/record-players
- Placement: #1 of 15 in Record Players, S tier
- Brand: Rega
- LP on this board: 848
- Last researched: 2026-09-10T21:44:10.070Z
- Method: https://stierproducts.com/methodology
- Dataset: https://doi.org/10.5281/zenodo.22062813 - every board at once, one dated snapshot per release, same licence, prices and photographs left out
- Reuse: Text, rankings, tier assignments, LP values and verdicts are free to quote and reuse with attribution to stierproducts and a link to the source URL (CC BY 4.0: https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/). Product photographs are not covered: they belong to their respective owners and are reproduced to illustrate the product being reviewed. Do not redistribute them under this licence.

## Verdict

What Hi-Fi?'s best overall, backed by Rega's obsessive simplicity and lifetime-upgrade culture. The audiophile deck you hand down.

## For

- What Hi-Fi?'s best turntable overall in its 2026 buying guide
- Simple belt-drive design with almost nothing to fail
- Factory still services and upgrades 30-year-old decks
- Lifetime-warranty ethos on many components

## Evidence

Consolidated from 39 cited sources across 32 outlets

| Outlet | Said by | Stance | Link | Link status |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| A British Audiophile | A British Audiophile | B | https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VMgJYbVHQTE | fetched and confirmed |
| Audio T | Brighton | C | https://blog.audiot.co.uk/blog/2026/6/10/streaming-for-discovery-vinyl-for-recovery-feedback-on-our-recent-in-store-events-here-at-audio-t-in-brighton-and-how-the-upgrade-path-can-aid-your-recovery | fetched and confirmed |
| The Sound Organisation | soundorg.com | B | https://soundorg.com/news/the-planar-3-rs-a-classic-refined/ | fetched and confirmed |
| What Hi-Fi? | whathifi.com | B | https://www.whathifi.com/hi-fi/turntables/clearaudio-compass-vs-rega-planar-3-rs-edition-which-turntable-reigns-supreme | fetched and confirmed |
| Product Research Specialist | Product Research Specialist | B | https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8k4q5U10Xks | fetched and confirmed |
| Premium Sound | Stas Blanco-Parfenov | B | https://premiumsound.co.uk/journal/rega-planar-3-rs-vs-planar-6-rs-which-turntable-should-you-choose/?srsltid=AfmBOorddDjvJbNdN-dJpKX-y97dMDIgHa8-eOyuh8Vy0i-uuBovkW-X | fetched and confirmed |
| Sound Advice Review | Ed Selley | B | https://www.sound-advice.online/product-reviews/rega-planar-6-rs | fetched and confirmed |
| Avforums | Ed Selley | B | https://www.avforums.com/reviews/rega-planar-6-rs-turntable-review.23473/ | fetched and confirmed |
| Expressive Audio | John Nelson | B | https://expressiveaudio.com/blogs/expressive-audio/rega-planar-3-vs-planar-6-is-the-upgrade-worth-it?srsltid=AfmBOoruJq7uqdy9v2Pus0PO3nr1ByHkEIhf0LOl7rPM1Wp3WzxAlh13 | fetched and confirmed |
| The Apartment Audiophile | The Apartment Audiophile | C | https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8f3E1JTCmVc | fetched and confirmed |
| Martins Hi-Fi | Presto Web Design | B | https://www.martinshifi.co.uk/news/posts/the-rega-planar-6-rs-edition-review/?srsltid=AfmBOopohACYD7v1BILT3Wfmo_3eFQJTwI35N3eu66r63Zr5mA3rnG2j | fetched and confirmed |
| Audio T | Swindon | B | https://blog.audiot.co.uk/blog/2026/6/17/rega-planar-6-v-planar-6-rs-what-are-the-differences-and-which-one-should-you-go-for | fetched and confirmed |
| AVForums | Ed Selley | B | https://www.avforums.com/threads/discussion-of-our-review-of-rega-planar-6-rs-turntable.2551664/ | fetched and confirmed |
| The Apartment Audiophile | Charles . | B | https://www.theapartmentaudiophile.com/gearreviews/rega-planar-3 | fetched and confirmed |
| What Hi-Fi? | whathifi.com | B | https://www.whathifi.com/hi-fi/the-iconic-rega-planar-3-turntable-and-an-award-winning-cd-player-are-at-the-heart-of-this-awesome-hi-fi-system | fetched and confirmed |
| Blog KW Hi Fi - Conteúdo para ouvidos apurados | fernandokw | B | https://blog.kwhifi.com.br/2026/02/12/toca-disco-rega-planar-3-capsula-nd3-review-what-hi-fi/ | fetched and confirmed |
| Athens Pro Audio | athensproaudio.gr | B | https://www.athensproaudio.gr/en/blog/reviews/rega-planar-3 | fetched and confirmed |
| Martins Hi-Fi | Presto Web Design | B | https://www.martinshifi.co.uk/news/posts/the-complete-guide-to-rega-planar-turntables-which-one-is-right-for-you/?srsltid=AfmBOop3RZc1lduK5_4nDsgWoHTVVR-4EEls0FJIUVKsxWnv_Q_NydHH | fetched and confirmed |
| Audio Science Review (ASR) Forum | Stephen H | C | https://www.audiosciencereview.com/forum/index.php?threads/rega-p1-with-rb303-tonearm-and-rega-exact-cartridge-review-and-measurements.71121/page-2 | fetched and confirmed |
| Instagram | - | B | https://www.instagram.com/p/DadPisCDEWO/ | fetched and confirmed |
| Audio Trends | Kirsten Hickey | - | https://www.audiotrends.com.au/blogs/articles/which-rega-turntable-planar-1-vs-planar-3?srsltid=AfmBOore1raMocMY7s2FNUoOQOneJ2WMGYwP5H5gRhCLrpACGlcH6PHG | fetched and confirmed |
| Audio Advice | Audio Advice | B | https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZjPVtTzuaZo | fetched and confirmed |
| Sound Advice: hi-fi, TV and home cinema reviews | Sound Advice: hi-fi, TV and home cinema reviews | B | https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=44hRIxGN4_Q | fetched and confirmed |
| GRAMOPHONE | GRAMOPHONE | B | https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LEv3A1wA5U8 | fetched and confirmed |
| EvoGrid | EvoGrid | B | https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uusB_QYaC9U | fetched and confirmed |
| Sound Gallery | Sound Gallery | B | https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Lx9in33ZFyw | fetched and confirmed |
| Instal Audio | Instal Audio | B | https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cyV-0HIkJcM | fetched and confirmed |
| stereotec | stereotec | B | https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lKynK8QX7Uo | fetched and confirmed |
| Audio Advice | Audio Advice | B | https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dJPA3h4AMhY | fetched and confirmed |
| AV Atmos | AV Atmos | B | https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iFBPcQYQ_A0 | fetched and confirmed |
| zriha | zriha | B | https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zdrh_vT6MGs | fetched and confirmed |
| HiFi Buys | HiFi Buys | B | https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-9aky7nz6jg | fetched and confirmed |
| Audio Advice | Audio Advice | B | https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pAQZuX9TGRI | fetched and confirmed |
| HIFI Daydreaming | HIFI Daydreaming | B | https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hArtCKSlSU4 | fetched and confirmed |
| CNET | Ty Pendlebury | B | https://www.cnet.com/tech/home-entertainment/best-record-player-and-turntable/ | fetched and confirmed |
| Acoustica | Chris | B | https://acoustica.co.uk/rega-planar-3-rs-turntable-in-stock-and-available-for-demonstration/ | fetched and confirmed |
| ecoustics.com | Ian White | B | https://www.ecoustics.com/articles/best-turntables/ | fetched and confirmed |
| Trusted Reviews | Kob Monney | B | https://www.trustedreviews.com/best/best-turntables-3442912 | fetched and confirmed |
| BGR | Ojasvi Nath | C | https://www.bgr.com/2105004/vinyl-player-brands-ranked-according-users/ | fetched and confirmed |

## Nearest alternatives on this board

| Rank | Product | Tier | Page |
| --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 2 | Pro-Ject Debut Carbon Evo | A | https://stierproducts.com/products/pro-ject-debut-carbon-evo |
| 3 | Fluance RT85N | A | https://stierproducts.com/products/fluance-rt85n |
| 4 | Technics SL-1500C | A | https://stierproducts.com/products/technics-sl-1500c |
| 5 | Technics SL-1200GR2 | A | https://stierproducts.com/products/technics-sl-1200gr2 |
| 6 | Rega Planar 1 Plus | B | https://stierproducts.com/products/rega-planar-1-plus |
| 11 | Audio-Technica AT-LP60X | D | https://stierproducts.com/products/audio-technica-at-lp60x |
| 12 | Sony PS-LX310BT | D | https://stierproducts.com/products/sony-ps-lx310bt |
| 13 | Victrola Stream Onyx | F | https://stierproducts.com/products/victrola-stream-onyx |
| 14 | Angels Horn H019 | F | https://stierproducts.com/products/angels-horn-h019 |
| 15 | Crosley Cruiser Plus | F | https://stierproducts.com/products/crosley-cruiser-plus |

The full board is at https://stierproducts.com/categories/record-players.

## What this tier means

- S: Exceptional. Finishes top run after run; capped at 3 slots per category.

## How to read this

- Each category is researched in four independent runs, one per lens (expert consensus, value, reliability, community pulse). Every run ranks a board of candidates that deliberately includes products buyers cross-shop but should avoid. Placements score on a ranked ladder (LP), and tiers are derived from LP, so no tier is ever assigned by hand.
- LP is this product's points on its own category ladder. It is comparable within a category and not across categories.
- Link status reports what our pre-publication link check found when it fetched the cited URL. It says nothing about the quality of the review.
- A citation with no usable link is listed rather than dropped, and is excluded from the counted total above.

## Image

https://stspimgdevmfyk46r5vwkay.blob.core.windows.net/images/products/rega-planar-3-rs-edition.webp

Product photographs are not covered: they belong to their respective owners and are reproduced to illustrate the product being reviewed. Do not redistribute them under this licence.