Rega Replay

Rega Replay: a turntable delivered ready to play

Once the turntable is out of the box, there are five steps left before you put on the first record: remove a shipping block, fit the platter and its mat, push the counterweight up to its stop, take off the stylus guard, and plug it in. Rega ships this turntable with its tonearm and cartridge already fitted and set up at the factory. It takes the platter, bearing and tonearm from the Planar 1 and puts them in a skeletal chassis, assembled in the United Kingdom like the rest of the brand’s range.

A 19 mm skeletal chassis

Seen from above, the plinth covers only the area needed to connect three points: the platter bearing, the motor and the tonearm pivot. Rega borrowed this shape from the Naiad, its concept turntable, which also gave rise to the skeletal chassis of the Planar 8, Planar 10 and Naia. On the Replay, it is cut from a 19 mm panel. A black MDF core is sandwiched between two melamine skins, top and bottom, which stiffen the whole structure.

Rega’s reasoning comes down to mass. A heavy, wide base stores vibrations from the motor and those coming up from the furniture. It then sends them back to the platter and tonearm, just as the stylus is tracking the undulations of the groove. A smaller plinth stores less and dissipates it faster. The complete turntable weighs 2.2 kg.

It stands on three rubber feet that isolate it from the surface but cannot be adjusted for height. The furniture therefore needs to be level. It is also best kept away from the speakers: a rigid shelf is a better choice than a sideboard supporting a subwoofer.

A platter driven from underneath

The 23 mm phenolic resin platter comes from the Planar 1. Its outer rim is heavier than the centre, and this mass at the edge gives it inertia: once up to speed, it better resists small speed variations. The main bearing is also the one from the Planar 1.

The 24 V synchronous motor, of the same type used on all Rega turntables, does not drive the platter by its edge. A short round belt connects its pulley to a sub-platter hidden beneath the main platter. According to Rega, this arrangement transmits fewer motor irregularities to the record than a long belt running around the platter.

Speed changes are done by hand. You remove the mat and platter, then move the belt onto the upper step of the pulley for 33 rpm, or the lower step for 45 rpm. Rega advises switching the turntable off first. The procedure is simple, but it quickly becomes tedious if you alternate between albums and singles in the same evening.

The Planar 1 has a felt mat on its platter; the Replay has a white synthetic mat. Its black, textured underside grips the platter. Its smooth top side doesn’t stick to the record when you lift it, which sometimes happens with felt.

Tonearm and cartridge set up before shipping

The RB110 is the simplest of Rega’s tonearms. Even so, it is assembled by hand, with an aluminium tube and the brand’s own bearings. Its 111 g counterweight slides along the rear stub up to a stop. Once at the stop, it applies the tracking force intended for the Carbon cartridge, with no scale or calculation needed.

Anti-skate compensates for the force that pulls the arm towards the centre of the record. On the RB110, it is fixed at the factory for Rega moving magnet cartridges and cannot be adjusted. With the original Carbon, this is not an issue. For another cartridge, it is a limitation to bear in mind.

For handling the arm, the RB110 has an arm lift with a cueing platform, a finger lift on the headshell and a clip that holds it at rest. Rega recommends using the arm lift at the start and end of each side to avoid marking the record.

The Carbon is a moving magnet (MM) cartridge, fitted and aligned at the factory. Its stylus can be replaced without touching the cartridge body. You can replace it like for like or move up to the Carbon Pro stylus, which Rega offers as an upgrade.

Setting up the Replay in a hi-fi system

The turntable connects via a fixed RCA phono cable. Grounding runs through the left channel, so there is no separate earth wire to connect. The signal from an MM cartridge is too weak for a line input. You need an amplifier with an MM phono input or a separate phono preamplifier. In its own range, Rega pairs the Replay with the Io amplifier, which has a phono input, and Kyte speakers.

The PS2 power supply is an external mains adapter that delivers 24 V AC (100 mA, 2.4 W). It plugs into the back of the turntable, in the motor housing, next to the power switch. With no load, the adapter draws 0.16 W. Rega specifies this model and no other.

The dust cover is a removable shell. It sits on the centre spindle and in a hole drilled next to the tonearm. It protects the turntable when not in use and is removed for listening: the manual prohibits operating the Replay with the cover in place.

Technical specifications

Overview

• Rega Replay: complete turntable (tonearm + cartridge), supplied ready to play with tonearm and cartridge pre-fitted
• Designed and assembled in the United Kingdom by Rega
• Platter, bearing and tonearm from the same family as the Planar 1
• Skeletal design inspired by the Naiad, the forerunner of Rega’s minimalist plinths: Planar 8, Planar 10, Naia

Base (plinth)

• Minimalist plinth that keeps as little material as possible around the platter, motor and tonearm
• Thickness: 19 mm
• Construction
  • Laminated MDF (medium-density fibreboard) core
  • Melamine finish on top and bottom for greater rigidity
• Low mass: vibrations dissipate quickly instead of lingering in the base
• 3 rubber isolation feet, non-adjustable

Platter and bearing

• Phenolic resin platter, identical to the one on the Planar 1
  • Weighted outer rim for greater inertia and more stable speed
• Driven via a sub-platter, the same principle as on high-end turntables
• Main bearing of the same quality as the Planar 1’s, designed to limit energy transmission
• Double-sided synthetic mat
  • Smooth white side on top
  • Textured black side underneath, against the platter, to prevent slipping
  • The mat does not stick to the record, unlike felt

Motor and speeds

• 24 V AC synchronous motor, the same type as on all Rega turntables
• Round belt drive on the sub-platter
• Two-step pulley
• On/off switch and power socket at the rear, integrated into the motor cover
• Speeds: 33⅓ rpm, 45 rpm
• Manual speed change: remove the platter and move the belt to the other pulley step
  • Upper step: 33⅓ rpm
  • Lower step: 45 rpm

Tonearm: Rega RB110

• Aluminium tube, very rigid
• Rega proprietary bearings
• Anti-skating factory-set, no adjustment required
• Counterweight with end stop: pushing it all the way to the stop sets the tracking force
• Arm lift with cueing platform
• Finger lift on the headshell
• Arm rest clip

Cartridge: Rega Carbon MM

• Moving magnet (MM) cartridge, factory-set
• Replacement stylus available from Rega dealers
• Upgradeable with the Carbon Pro stylus

Connectivity and compatibility

• Phono output: requires an amplifier with a phono input or a separate phono preamplifier
• Suggested Rega pairings: Io amplifier, Kyte speakers

Setup

• Up and running in minutes
  • Remove the cardboard packing piece under the sub-platter
  • Fit the platter and the mat
  • Push the counterweight to the stop
  • Remove the stylus guard
  • Plug in
• Place on a flat, stable surface, as the feet are not adjustable

In the box

• Replay turntable
• Parts to fit: platter, double-sided mat, belt, counterweight
• Removable dust cover
  • Fits over the centre spindle and into a locating hole next to the tonearm
  • Remove for listening: the turntable must never be switched on with the cover in place
• Rega PS2 external power supply
  • EU version input: 230 V AC, 50 Hz, 40 mA
  • Output: 24 V AC, 100 mA, i.e. 2.4 W
  • Average active efficiency: 77.7% (efficiency level VI)
  • No-load consumption: 0.16 W
  • The turntable must only be used with the supplied PS2 power supply
• Phono cable
• User manual

Highlights according to the press (The Ear, October 2026)

• Value for money deemed remarkable: turntable, tonearm and cartridge for £259 in the UK
• Coherent sound, with good timing, good stereo imaging and wide bandwidth
• Neutral tonal balance and plenty of musical emotion
• Very easy to set up