Features

Rega Research Factory Tour Part 1

Michael Fremer  |  Feb 14, 2017

More than 20 years have passed since analogPlanet.com editor Michael Fremer first visited Rega Research. Back then the company had just moved into its recently completed, spacious new factory and there was room to spare.

Today, despite since adding a new building and turning mezzanine level storage areas into factory space the company is again squeezed. It's taken storage space across the way, yet, as you'll see, it's again "cozy" as turntable sales soar.

Rega currently ships monthly approximately 6000 turntables along with an unspecified number of MM and MC phono cartridges, amplifiers, CD players, DACs, phono stages, loudspeakers and accessories. This is the first of a multi-part factory tour hosted by Rega co-founder Roy Gandy that you're sure to find fascinating and surprising.

You'll learn that the word "research" in the company name is not a vain descriptor! BTW: "Terry" is Terry Bateman, Rega's chief electronics designer and Ashton is a young American engineer who recently joined Rega. Greater historical background will be forthcoming in a review of the new Rega book.

COMPANY INFO
Rega Research
http://www.rega.co.uk

COMMENTS
cdvinyl's picture
Submitted by cdvinyl on Tue, 2017-02-14 13:09

Wow! I now have a new appreciation for the amount of work that all Turntable/Cartridge Mfg. go through to develop and produce products of this quality. Seriously!

vinyl listener's picture
Submitted by vinyl listener on Tue, 2017-02-14 15:35

... is mr gandy still a proponent of not cleaning records ?

:D

MattyB's picture
Submitted by MattyB on Tue, 2017-02-14 21:14

I would really love to work there - I don't know about winding coils but I am very handy with a tin of green paint! :)

tbeavan's picture
Submitted by tbeavan on Tue, 2017-02-14 22:24

Loved the video, Michael, looking forward to the next one. Couple years ago I bought myself a nice used P25 and the reprint of the review on this web site had a lot to do with my decision! I absolutely love it and now I appreciate it just a wee bit more. Maybe I'll have to upgrade to an RP8 some day. Maybe.... :)

JanS's picture
Submitted by JanS on Wed, 2017-02-15 05:10

Very interesting tour this is, thanks for sharing the video.
One thing I still haven't figured out, though.
These upper class turntables use a kind of skeletal plinth. I can imagine the benefits as there's less material te resonate. But why bother to provide the rest of the board as well? Is this purely for cosmetic reasons for those customers prefering the looks of a traditional plinth? Or are there alterations in sound, is this part provided for tweaking reasons?

vinyl listener's picture
Submitted by vinyl listener on Thu, 2017-02-16 01:08

... the lid

:)

volvic's picture
Submitted by volvic on Wed, 2017-02-15 10:30

Any NOS spare P9's lurking somewhere in that factory?

ravenacustic's picture
Submitted by ravenacustic on Wed, 2017-02-15 11:29

Look at all those people and all that fine detail hand work and people want to know why high end audio costs money.

arlissed's picture
Submitted by arlissed on Fri, 2017-02-17 10:43

The person with the book / custom Rega turntable is UK pop star Tim Burgess, lead singer with The Charlatans. I need to pick up his book!

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