Step-up hi-fi

Here we have an all-rounder of a system that verges on serious hi-fi territory

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We're getting into serious hi-fi territory here. This setup, comprising four superb products all coming in at between £600 and £900, proves you don't have to spend really silly money on getting stunning stereo ability.

For just over three grand, you are getting here a system that will give you many years of service playing your vinyl and digital discs. And, of course, there is always the scope to upgrade, should you feel the need, adding (say) a streamer. That might not be required for a while though, as the CD player has the ability to handle hires files as well, so there's plenty of variety available here straight out of the box.

Rega's Planar 3 record deck has been around for as long as What Hi-Fi? - it is now in its 50th year, having been launched back in 1976. In that time, of course, it has been tweaked, upgraded and generally improved on numerous occasions.

Probably the biggest evolution came in 2016, but it was buffed again in 2024, when the big change was the switch of cartridge from the Elys 2 to the Nd3.

As we say in our most recent Planar 3 review: "The comparisons between the Nd3 and long-running Elys 2 don't take long to make. As we work our way through Michael Jackson's Bad, The Boatman's Call by Nick Cave And The Bad Seeds and Beethoven's 9th Symphony, it becomes clear the new cartridge is better in just about every area." And the Elys 2 package had won plenty of Awards itself.

"The Nd3 tells us more about the recording, rendering vocals and instrumental textures more convincingly. It has stronger dynamics too."

The turntable is joined here by Arcam's 2023 CD5 CD player, which has fast become a mid-price contender.