(March 30, 2026) It’s been a busy stretch for Rega. Just days after announcing its new AOS MC phono stage, a product designed to bring more listeners closer to the performance of its reference AURA platform, the company is following up with a turntable release that continues the same trickle-down engineering theme.
The new Planar 6 RS Edition has now been officially released and is available to order, with production underway and the first units scheduled to reach dealers by the end of the month. While it carries the familiar Planar 6 name, this “Rega Special” version leans heavily on design elements pulled from higher up the lineup, most notably the Planar 8. At its core, the Planar 6 RS is built around Rega’s lightweight, high-rigidity plinth philosophy. The deck uses a Tancast 8 foam-core structure, finished with a high-pressure laminate and aluminum skin, a combination designed to reduce resonance while maintaining structural integrity. It’s a design approach Rega has refined over time, and one that continues to define how the company balances mass and rigidity.
Mounted to that platform is the RB880 tonearm, a component typically reserved for the Planar 8. Here, it comes factory-fitted and aligned with Rega’s Nd9 moving-magnet cartridge, creating a ready-to-run package that emphasizes precision and consistency right out of the box. For many users, that level of factory setup removes a layer of complexity that can otherwise come with vinyl playback.
Drive and speed stability have also been addressed with a series of upgrades. The RS Edition introduces a CNC-machined twin drive pulley paired with dual Reference EBLT belts, a configuration designed to improve rotational accuracy and reduce speed variation. Power is handled by the Neo MK2 external power supply, working in conjunction with a hand-tuned 24-volt low-noise motor that drives an aluminum sub-platter. Up top, a dual-layer float-glass platter completes the system, contributing to rotational stability and energy efficiency.
Taken together, these changes position the Planar 6 RS Edition as something more than a cosmetic update. It’s a version of the Planar 6 that extends upward, borrowing key performance features from Rega’s higher-tier designs while maintaining the familiar form factor and usability that have made the line so popular.
That same philosophy showed up earlier in the week with the release of the AOS MC phono stage. Built around a circuit derived from Rega’s reference AURA design, the AOS MC is a fully adjustable moving coil preamp that focuses on preserving signal integrity through a pure analog design. Features like selectable loading, low-noise FET-based input stages, and a simplified signal path reflect a similar effort to deliver higher-end performance at a more accessible level.
The Rega Planar 6 RS Edition is available to order now, with UK pricing set at £2,000 and initial shipments scheduled to begin by the end of March through authorized dealers and Rega’s retail network. US customers will pay closer to $3,195 and can preorder through dealers now.
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