Well, after two weeks with the Planet 2k, I do believe I have a better impression now of Rega gear. Here's a mini-impression on what I think of it the 2nd time around. The comparison is to the Arcam FMJ CD23T. It's worth keeping in mind that the CD23T costs nearly twice as much as the Planet 2k.
First things first, why did Vert, the infamous Rega hater, bother giving the Planet 2k the time of his day at all?
1. I have been listening to the CD23T and nothing but the CD23T for nearly a year. I figured this would be an opportunity to use a totally different sounding player to better judge the CD23T's strengths and weaknesses.
2. My associated gear is vastly superior to what it was back when I auditioned the Rega Jupiter 2k. In light of that, I figured I'd be much more likely to accurately judge the Rega sound this 2nd time around, and give them a 2nd chance, if you will.
With that all said, the truth is, my overall impression of the Rega sound didn't change too much from what it has always been. As anybody that is being honest will say, Rega's sound is based nearly entirely on PRaT, and is less focused on the minute details. This is nearly a 180 degree turn from what the Arcam CD23T concentrates on, which is the minute details over musicality.
The Planet 2k, paired with Staxs, makes for an incredibly relaxed listening experience. This is all due to its rather laid back sound signature. A closer listen revealed that the Planet 2k actually was digging out all the details available on the CD, but it was the way those details were presented that resulted in the sensation of it not being revealing. For instance, the Planet 2k's ability to resolve transient detail and seperation is not as good as the CD23T's, and by a pretty far margin. Likewise, the Planet 2k presented certain background details, such as background vocals, with less clarity than the CD23T. Some may argue the idea that minute details should purposely be hidden, and not be presented at an equivilent level as the main presentation. I agree with this idea to a certain extent, but having heard the CD23T's presentation of minute details, and how well it meshes them in with the main presentation without deliberately glossing them over, I believe the two can coexist when properly executed.
As mentioned earlier, the Rega sound's strength lies mainly in PRaT. This is something I didn't quite understand in the Jupiter 2k trial, but something I understand much better this time around. There is a certain swing and pace to the Rega sound that makes you want to tap your toes and rock your head in tune to the music. The Planet 2k's midrange is also noticeably more forward than the CD23T's midrange. This tends to lend an extra sense of depth to emtionally charged vocals, as voices get projected a bit closer to you than they are with the CD23T. I've noticed the Planet 2k's treble is slightly more focused and "harder" than the CD23T's treble, which is a bit more smooth and slightly glossy. Likewise the Planet 2k has a tad bit more bass impact in the upper registers, but in general, its bass could considered on the tight and tuneful side.
One interesting thing to note about the Planet 2k's soundstage. It particularly tended to shine the light on recordings done in an echoey venue, in that you can clearly hear the reverbs in such a venue. This in fact was something that drew my attention when I heard it, and is certainly an element that normally doesn't catch my attention on the CD23T. Either from lack of concentration in that area, or it's something the CD23T doesn't do as well.
The final element to mention is what ultimately decided that the Rega sound really wasn't for me, and it goes right back to the element of details. With long term listening, I realized two things about the Rega sound...I kept feeling that something was missing, and that it didn't sound "real". Having lived with a highly detailed player for a year now, I kept running into parts of recordings where I expected a certain background element to show up, only to have it glossed over or faded farther back by the Planet 2k. I pretty much realize this is my listening style and preference taking over, and so can't help feeling annoyed by it.
The 2nd reason involves the execution of instrument textures, something that the CD23T shows off through the deep retrieval of all the minute sounds that surround and make up an instrument. From the transient speed to the fast attack and slow or slow decay to the overlaying textures, all these elements combine to lend a sense of realism to an instrument, reinforcing its particular uniqueness. I find all these elements almost completely missing from the Planet 2k. I am instead left with an instrument's sound, but there is a lack of uniqueness to that sound...like the grunt of a cello, or the slow wooden drawl of a violin, or the attack, decay, and weight of a piano note.
And this is pretty much what I have to say on the Rega sound. I don't consider it up my alley, but I certainly have a new respect for it. Likewise, I would not hesitate to recommend it as a first player at its price range. It is without a doubt, quite an inoffensive player. And as a side note...I am totally in love with the way Rega CDPs look. I still consider the Rega Jupiter 2k to date as my favorite player in the looks department. Having to part with it the first time was rather painful for that reason.
I'd like to thank pigmode for allowing me the chance to hear the Rega sound again. Without a doubt, I learned some new things, and reinforced some old ideas.
Associated equipment:
Stax Omega II earspeakers
Stax SRM-717 solid state driver unit
Zcable Live V4 interconnect
Zu Mother power cords on Planet 2k and SRM-717
And as always...all of the above was in my opinion, in my system, to my ears.
