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Just recieved my new Rega Planar 8

So I just took delivery of my new planar 8 Friday and I am blown away. I originally planned on buying a new model planar 6 but after all the "upgrades" to my planar 2, I was worried it would be a lateral move. My current generation planar 2 has a Groovetracer reference subplatter and derlin platter, JA Michell Tecnoweight, RB330 tonearm (and one Rega spacer to correct VTA). By all rights the tricked out planar 2 sounds amazing but it doesn’t hold a candle to the planar 8. I am using the same Rega Ania cartridge and Rega Fono MC on both setups and the difference is dramatic. The new model planar 8 is certainly an impressive piece of engineering. I may have found my forever table (unless I stumble into a good deal on a planar 10 I guess.)
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guy-incognito OP
169 posts
 
I bought a deer hide mat from "Jake's Turntable Mats" on Amazon and have been very happy with it. I have been using it since March 2018 with my previous Planar 2 and moved it over to the Planar 8 when I upgraded. Being deer hide it is very thin and supple so it doesn't mess with VTA like some of the thicker mats.

With the planar 2 the leather mat fixed all my static issues. I have noticed with the planar 8 I occasionally have some cling issues caused by the plastic cover sitting directly on top of the mat. No real issues during playback but the lid itself will pull the mat up after the TT has sat idle for some time. I point this out because I suspect if its happening with my leather mat it probably happens to other mats as well. I think this is an issue more with the lid than the mat.

https://www.amazon.com/Premium-Leather-Deer-Hide-Turntable/dp/B00JDWHDSS/ref=mp_s_a_1_3?dchild=1&...


In another forum post a user with a new model Planar 10 ended up with a Teac TA-TS30UN rice paper mat. He seemed pretty happy with it.

https://www.amazon.com/Teac-TATS30UNBW-Turntable-Sheet-Converter/dp/B01DQ1XM22
smatsui
167 posts
 
I recommend the Herbie's Audio Way Excellent II mat for better sound quality and it also eliminates static very well.  I compared the Teac Washi mat, a white leather mat, and the Herbie's Way Excellent and Grungebuster mats on my Rega P10.  I ended up preferring the Way Excellent mat over the Teac, my leather mat and the Grungebuster mat for sound quality.  The Teac and both Herbie's mats eliminated static.  The Way Excellent mat provided more detail, larger soundstage, better imaging, and a more lively, full body sound than the Teac mat.  There's a thread in this forum that I posted my comparison and another member came to the same conclusion on his P8.  Here's the link to that thread:
https://forum.audiogon.com/discussions/mat-for-rega-p10

rossb
185 posts
 
I've got the Herbie's mat, the achromat, a cork/rubber mat, some expensive Japanese paper mat, and a bunch of other mats that I have tried on my P8 and P10.

I prefer the stock felt mat. There is the occasional static issue but on balance it still sounds the best. Rega know what they are doing.
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