An extended review of the Rega P5

[Puma Cat]

Well, it's been about 6 weeks now that I have had my Rega P5 and I have to say that I am extremely impressed with this modestly-priced table (original MSRP was a mere $1395).

I was thinking back to Jerome's comments about his P9 compared to his Clearaudio. This table just gets music right. In that respect it's a lot like Conrad-Johnson gear, it just sounds right. I was reading a review in TAS that talked about it's outstanding musicality, and that's bang-on in my experience.

This table really extracts a great deal of information from the grooves, yet maintains a lively, rhythmic, toe-tapping, and intensely musical presentation. It's spaciousness and imaging have to be heard to be believed, especially a table that costs less than 1500 clams. The stock table is quiet, but with a GrooveTracer Reference subplatter and ceramic ball bearing, and the Rega TT-PSU, this table is REALLY QUIET, and anytime you can lower the noise floor on an turntable, that pays huge dividends on the musical experience because TTs are so prone to the effects of noise. You literally hear more INTO the music when you knock the noise floor down on a turntable. I'll be honest, my Michell is an incredible table, as is the Koetsu an incredible cartridge, but I've lately been spending about 50% of my time listening to the Rega because it provides a lot of the intangibles of listening to a musical performance that is immensely enjoyable. It fully provides a good 80% of the performance of the Michell for about 1/6 the cost. It's also different enough from the Michell that listening to it is like sampling a different single-malt...one night you might want Talisker, another night you might want The Macallan. Both are truly excellent, and which one you enjoy is only dependent on whatever mood you're in. But the P5's performance is so good that you are not aware of giving up anything when you are listening to it, just as you're not aware that Talisker is intrinsically a better Scotch than The Macallen; they're just different.

Any of you that are thinking of dipping your toe into the world of vinyl, this is a great place to start; pick up a nice, clean used P5, a good moving coil, "set it and forget it", but most of all...enjoy it!

Wonderful, just wonderful.

[Jerome W]

Originally Posted by Puma Cat

Well, it's been about 6 weeks now that I have had my Rega P5 and I have to say that I am extremely impressed with this modestly-priced table (original MSRP was a mere $1395).

I was thinking back to Jerome's comments about his P9 compared to his Clearaudio. This table just gets music right. In that respect it's a lot like Conrad-Johnson gear, it just sounds right. I was reading a review in TAS that talked about it's outstanding musicality, and that's bang-on in my experience.

This table really extracts a great deal of information from the grooves, yet maintains a lively, rhythmic, toe-tapping, and intensely musical presentation. It's spaciousness and imaging have to be heard to be believed, especially a table that costs less than 1500 clams. The stock table is quiet, but with a GrooveTracer Reference subplatter and ceramic ball bearing, and the Rega TT-PSU, this table is REALLY QUIET, and anytime you can lower the noise floor on an turntable, that pays huge dividends on the musical experience because TTs are so prone to the effects of noise. You literally hear more INTO the music when you knock the noise floor down on a turntable. I'll be honest, my Michell is an incredible table, as is the Koetsu an incredible cartridge, but I've lately been spending about 50% of my time listening to the Rega because it provides a lot of the intangibles of listening to a musical performance that is immensely enjoyable. It fully provides a good 80% of the performance of the Michell for about 1/6 the cost. It's also different enough from the Michell that listening to it is like sampling a different single-malt...one night you might want Talisker, another night you might want The Macallan. Both are truly excellent, and which one you enjoy is only dependent on whatever mood you're in. But the P5's performance is so good that you are not aware of giving up anything when you are listening to it, just as you're not aware that Talisker is intrinsically a better Scotch than The Macallen; they're just different.

Any of you that are thinking of dipping your toe into the world of vinyl, this is a great place to start; pick up a nice, clean used P5, a good moving coil, "set it and forget it", but most of all...enjoy it!

Wonderful, just wonderful.

Ha Ha Stephen, you put a big smile on my face this morning my friend !
I agree 100% to everything you stated. We could change our homes for holidays and be happy I think, although my P9 has only a modest Exact cart on it.
The Rega tables sound right. Definetely. And moreover, they are made to sing to your soul. Many audio companies design products to "impress" the listener with incredible sounds and punch and bass weight and so on. When I hear some systems really "shouting" and lacking musicality, I often think of the immense gap there is between some companies and others. Many just forget the Essence. They forget to design a product that REALLY SINGS AND MAKES MUSIC.
My P9 has a rich analog / vinyl sound ( although less colored than most suspended tables ) that my Clearaudio cannot match. In comparison, the Clearaudio sounds like a "Super CD" : it beats the sound of digital by a wide margin, but it is quite the same "family", like a father and his son. I like this table a lot, but when I really want to be charmed and hear a vinyl sounding like a vinyl should sound, I switch to the Rega.

[Puma Cat]

Jérôme,
Once again your wonderful writing and insights are spot-on. The Regas really make music, don't they? I've been spending the entire evening listening to my P5, and just enjoying it so much...it's been very gratifyfing. I LOVE this table.

I love my Michell, too, it is also wonderful but different. I liken the Michell to a fine Pinot Noir and the Rega to an excellent Zinfandel or Merlot, not as rich or full-bodied, but immensely enjoyable nonetheless.

That being said, I've just found out from my employer that I've been given the okay to do some "outside consulting" with another biotech firm, so I may be coming into some additional, not inconsiderable discretionary income over the next 4-6 months, and have been thinking that I may go "all-in" and get a P9!

If that were case, I'd likely pass the P5 onto one friend or another at a great price. I'd rather keep it "in the family" than have it go to a stranger. Or I might keep the P5 as my mono deck and sell the Concept. There's a thought....

[Jerome W]

Originally Posted by Puma Cat

Jérôme,
Once again your wonderful writing and insights are spot-on. The Regas really make music, don't they? I've been spending the entire evening listening to my P5, and just enjoying it so much...it's been very gratifyfing. I LOVE this table.

I love my Michell, too, it is also wonderful but different. I liken the Michell to a fine Pinot Noir and the Rega to an excellent Zinfandel or Merlot, not as rich or full-bodied, but immensely enjoyable nonetheless.

That being said, I've just found out from my employer that I've been given the okay to do some "outside consulting" with another biotech firm, so I may be coming into some additional, not inconsiderable discretionary income over the next 4-6 months, and have been thinking that I may go "all-in" and get a P9!

If that were case, I'd likely pass the P5 onto one friend or another at a great price. I'd rather keep it "in the family" than have it go to a stranger. Or I might keep the P5 as my mono deck and sell the Concept. There's a thought....

Stephen,

Rega is working on the P10. We don't know the final look yet and when it will be released. My guess is around april / may 2012.
But you will maybe have occasions to grab a P9 at a nice price. ( I won't sell the P9 and won't personnaly go for the P10 because the P9 is the perfect table for me, but other P9 users could follow this route ).
If you consider moving up the line, I think that the P5 should replace your Clearaudio table as your mono deck.

[Puma Cat]

Originally Posted by C220MC275

Stephen,

Rega is working on the P10. We don't know the final look yet and when it will be released. My guess is around april / may 2012.
But you will maybe have occasions to grab a P9 at a nice price. ( I won't sell the P9 and won't personnaly go for the P10 because the P9 is the perfect table for me, but other P9 users could follow this route ).
If you consider moving up the line, I think that the P5 should replace your Clearaudio table as your mono deck.

Jérôme,
I'm with you on that; I really like the P9, and especially it's wood surround, so I would want one of those over a P10. Maybe the price will come down on P9s in advance of it being discontinued for the P10 like they did on the P3/24 and the P5s!

I'm thinking that I agree on keeping the P5 instead of the Concept; the only catch is that I would need to get a different mono cartridge, as I have a Grado right now, and it does not hum with the Clearaudio, but it would with the Rega. I've been kind of thinking of going upscale with a better mono cartridge but it's rather low on my list of priorities at the moment. So, well have to see on that one.

[Puma Cat]

Jérôme,
Where the Michell surpasses the P5 is in playing classical music, particularly classical violin. I attribute this principally to the Koetsu, though, it does violins better than anything I've ever heard; they never sound harsh, strident or steely with the Urushi Vermilion. Can't say the same thing about the Shelter, as good as it is.

[JGM411]

Thanks for the reviews.

As I did 32 years ago, my first piece of stereo equipment then was a Dual TT with an AT cartridge. That TT was the beginning of stereo purchases.

This past Friday, I received my first higher end piece of stereo equipment as I build a nicer 2 channel rig. That item was a P5 with an Exact cartridge.

It warms one's heart knowing they made the correct decision. Thank you, Stephen and Jerome for confirming my purchase.

Joe

[Jerome W]

Originally Posted by JGM411

Thanks for the reviews.

As I did 32 years ago, my first piece of stereo equipment then was a Dual TT with an AT cartridge. That TT was the beginning of stereo purchases.

This past Friday, I received my first higher end piece of stereo equipment as I build a nicer 2 channel rig. That item was a P5 with an Exact cartridge.

It warms one's heart knowing they made the correct decision. Thank you, Stephen and Jerome for confirming my purchase.

Joe

Congrats Joe !
You just can't go wrong with Rega.
Post a pic when you can !

[JGM411]

Originally Posted by C220MC275

Congrats Joe !
You just can't go wrong with Rega.
Post a pic when you can !

I did. The picture is over on the "show us your turntable" thread.

[Puma Cat]

Originally Posted by JGM411

I did. The picture is over on the "show us your turntable" thread.

Congrats, Joe on an excellent choice and welcome to the wonderful world of vinyyl all over again. You will find yourself pulling out LPs you haven't heard in years just to experience the new table. I'm confident you will love the table as much as I do. What "color" did you get?

Keep us posted of your impresssions as they develop; you're welcome to post here or in your own thread. But I won't consider it thread-jacking if you decide to post here; the more the merrier!