Rega Planet source

...yes and no.

It works well enough, but has a different presentation to Naim's players. "Love it" or "hate it" are typical reactions to this player, so demo if you can.

Also, there are at least two different versions of the Planet so be clear about what you are getting. The newer one (Planet 2000?) sounds better to my ears, but I don't really get along with either Planet. They sound harsh up top to me.

- GregB

Insert Witty Signature Line Here

BTW,it´s a Rega Planet 2000

I have a Planet 2000, it plays through my second system but I have wired it into the naim setup on occasions. It is a nicely balanced player, not the last word in detail, but everything is presented in a very musical fashion which is very enjoyable over long periods. Not sure I would pick treble out as harsh (at least in my set up), the bass is not that well extended but has good resolution and detail, voices are nice but it does not sparkle at the treble end. The original model was said to be slightly more dynamic which would address some of my critcisms. I certainly preferred my Planet over various Arcam and Marantz at similar cost when I bought it. They all seemed to sound extremely 'digital' in comparison.


I think that first impressions of the player is that it is flimsy, at least partly because it is so light, but in fact it is very well made.



Bruce

[This message was edited by Bruce Woodhouse on MONDAY 01 July 2002 at 15:00.]

Earlier this year I intended to buy a CD player and auditioned a Planet. Yes, its good, but not brilliant. Unfortunatley for the bank balance my dealer demoed a CD5 as well (ok its more than twice the price but...) there was no contest.

If you've got a stack of CD's to play then it would be a short term answer. Rather than let your collection gather dust listen to it first, if you like what you hear, buy it but do save up for a Naim player - you know it makes sense.

Wait until you can afford the Naim - you know it makes sense.

Source first...

Regards,

Steve.

The proof of the pudding...

If you can't afford a naim player for awhile why not pick up a used original planet? They can apparently be had for about $350US and you should be able to sell it for almost what you bought it for when you are ready for a naim CDP.

I have the original planet and, although I haven't compared it to naim players, I demoed it against a Linn Karik and thought it stood up pretty well. Of course the Karik was better but the Planet seems to get out of the way of the music and doesn't have the nails on blackboard digital sound many players at the planet's price point have. Sure it gives up some detail to do this but I think that's a fair trade.o

Nuno,

When I bought my Nait 5, the demo was Planet 2000/Nait 5/B&W CDM1NT. It swung enough for me to buy the Nait, the Rega does music. If you'll be able to recover what you pay for the Planet when you think you'll have enough for the CD5, why not ?

Peter

Ok Guys:
Thank you for your feedback!It was useful for me this argument,but maybe one more time ST is rigth!The minimun source that goes with this amplifier is a jupiter!It´s better for me waith and save my money!I will hear a Naim cd 5 to listen the sinergies!I will take some notes to this forun ,after!

I have original Planet and Sony SCD777ES. The Planet is definitely better on CDs, especially a nicer top end. The setup is important to dynamics and speed - especially the orientation of the mains supply (need to try live /neutral or black/white both ways), the support (Mana ref sounds good, some other stand tweak like 3/4" glass or the famous foam blocks from the beauty dept could also work) and how clean your CDs are (polish with optics microfibre cloth). My impression is that more cable players are not so sensitive to these things. Very satisfying though, the best at the price IMO and a sh one may be the way to go.
If you would also need to buy a stand the Naim CDP would be a better purchase I think.

Jeremy

Hello Jeremy:
do you think I can get that dynamic and speed I´m looking from a source like Planet 2000?Or it just don´t work fine with my amplifier?

Nuno,

I think the consensus is that there probably isn't a better player at the price, whether you consider speed or dynamics or whatever. I have only heard an original Planet, not the 2000. Coincidentally, I carefully set it up again today to see if I could stand CDs after all and I can't! It has nothing to do with the dynamics etc, it just sounds like someone or something is trying to turn the music into noise, and in the most obnoxious way!

Are you committed to CDs? I'm sure a Rega planar 2 or 3 turntable will give you the dynamics and speed you're looking for! (I guess you'll need a phono stage with the NAIT5 too but Rega make one of these too). Alternatively, I read in TAS that there is a new Sony SACD player which is heavily discounted
at the moment (around $200-$300 US) which should sound almost as good as the Rega turntable (only with SACDs though I'm sorry to say).

Jeremy

I needed a new CD player, I used to have a horrible sony number and I wanted to get on the name laddere asap, so I bought the 42.5 and 160 first ( I know this is not the source first route that I should go for) but second hand amps are easier to come by and more affordable.

When I had the money to get a CDP, the only thing in my price range that did it for me was the Planet 2000. I bought an ex-dem machine for £400 that was only a couple of months old.

Although the CD5 is better, I feel the 2000 does a similar job. Just before I bought the 200, I had one final listen to the 5 and it cannot be doubted that Naim CDPs are in a different league, but £1200 GBP was simply too much for me, and it will be for a while, so the 2000 was an easy choice.

Tho only other option I can think of is a CD3 on the second hand market, the only problem being that I kept hearing stories that the transport is no longer made, and should it go wrong, would be rendered worthless, thus making it impossible to sell when it is time to upgrade.

I may not have ears that are as sophisticated as other forum members but the 2000 does play music and does a credible job of it. Yes bass may not strech that far, and I like the sharpish top end, when it is time to upgrade my speakers, I may have to be careful to make sure I find a good mach, but the control given by the 160 should keep me out of too much trouble.

A lot of rambling I know but I am just trying to say that for under £1000 gbp, I think it is the only option where any amount of longevity is needed.

If it just a short term fix you are after I would buy some more CDs.


Simon

Hi Simon:
Thank you for your reply!I´m with you,I don´t have enougth money for a cd 5,it´s just a shorth fix,and I want to buy and listen some cd´s

Simon says."A lot of rambling I know but I am just trying to say that for under £1000 gbp, I think it is the only option where any amount of longevity is needed.

If it just a short term fix you are after I would buy some more CDs."
Let´s see :Simon I want replace my source Nad c 540 cdp for a new for two years,minimum!It´s not a short term fix. I´ve got enougth cd´s,I just don´t like my source sound,I want a new to listen appropriate my cd colection!
So do you think a Planet 2000 it´s a solution for two or three years until I can save easily more money to upgrade the source?

I had a version 1 Planet. It was a good player made even better by putting downward facing cones under each of its squashy feet (although balancing it became a slight problem when loading CDs!). For the 2nd hand price of GBP250-300 for a 2000, you cannot go wrong, and use it whilst waiting for a new/nearly new CD5 (or a 2nd hand CD1) when you can justify enough money like I did. The CD5 is better all round, but you will definitely not feel cheated by the Rega.

Nuno

Had an original Planet for 3 years. I was very happy with it. My main source was my P9, so it was never meant to be a competition between the CD and vinyl. However, as my CD collection grew, I wanted to get more from this medium.

My advice would be to listen to both (of course!) and see which will give you the best service. If CD is your main source, then I would go for the better player. If you can't afford the CD5, then the Planet will do a good job. I do feel that very soon you will be wanting more.

I went from Planet to CDX. This made more financial sense to me as I knew after I had heard the CDX, I would always want one and didn't want to keep swapping players.

Save your Euro. Stick with the NAD and buy the best source you can. Patience Grasshopper!

Well my problem is I want to replace my Nad source!I can´t get satisfaction anymore from Nad cdp!Yes of corse I can waith and save my money,but I will listen Planet in my sistem and if it does a good job,why not buy a Planet?It´s just 500 £ and a CD5 is 1 125 £!But I will listen CD too,so if I really like cd 5 ,maybe I go on with my Nad source until have money to buy CD5!I just want to say that I´m not going to buy a cd 5 because all guys in forum Naim like it!For me I like Rega sound,I´ve listen Planet and it´s ok,let´s see what my ears tell me about CD5!It´s a good match,I will make some notes in the forun

That's right, don't listen to us, use your own ears!

Audition the CD5 versus the Planet 2000 with your Nait.

If you like the CD5 more than the Panet but you feel its better sound is not justified by its extra cost, then go buy the Planet.

If however you think the sound of the CD5 is so much better that you couldn't live with a Planet for more than a couple of months, then wait until you can afford the CD5.

Otherwise, you'll buy the Planet and be here all over again within a matter of weeks asking about second-hand CD5s...

Regards,

Steve.

The proof of the pudding...

quote:

---

Originally posted by Steven Toy:
That's right, don't listen to us, use your own ears!

Audition the CD5 versus the Planet 2000 with your Nait.

If you like the CD5 more than the Panet but you feel its better sound is not justified by its extra cost, then go buy the Planet.

If however you think the sound of the CD5 is so much better that you couldn't live with a Planet for more than a couple of months, then wait until you can afford the CD5.

Otherwise, you'll buy the Planet and be here all over again within a matter of weeks asking about second-hand CD5s...

Regards,

Steve.

_ The proof of the pudding..._

---

personal advice is to go straight for the cd5. the cd5 is well worth the money. if you get the rega and have heard the cd5 before, like what is mentioned above, you will be thinking of the cd5 in no time.

He is already dissatisfied with his Mullet Audio system of the NAD CDP into his Nait, and wants to fix this problem as soon a possible given his budget restraints.

The Planet will half-fix the problem, but probably only for a matter of weeks before he realises that he still has a smallish growth of mullet.

Would you be so patient, given hs predicament?

Hi-fi is a drain one one's resources.

Alternatively, he could take the Pig route into nirvana and get some Mana under his NAD, but I doubt this would fix the problem.

The requisite amount of Mana would probably offer no financial saving anyway!

Regards,

Steve.

The proof of the pudding...

Thank you guys for your feedback!That´s why I like the foruns!First of all I will listen A CD 5,just then I can think save my money to buy one!Let´s see what my ears listen...If I like it maybe it´s the better option,as Planet can be a not safe options a few months in future!Well I wish that CD5 can give me pleasure enougth to start save for replace my NAD!

quote:

---

Originally posted by Steven Toy:
Wait until you can afford the Naim - you know it makes sense.

---

Steve,

perhaps you would like to reconsider your advice in light of the fact that Nuno is offered a second hand Planet 2000?

Concensus is that the CD5 is better, but if he can get a source upgrade with the Rega, then sell it & get a CD5 for little loss, isn't that a good plan???

cheers, Martin