Rega Planar 10 vs SME Model 6
Side-by-side specifications and a plain-English account of the recorded differences. Full profiles: Rega Planar 10 · SME Model 6.
| Specification | Rega Planar 10 |
SME Model 6 |
|---|---|---|
| Price | Highlighted difference. £4,370 | £5,000 (used) |
| Category | High-end | High-end |
| Status | current | discontinued |
| Years | 2019–present | 2020–? |
| Drive | belt drive | belt drive |
| Speeds | 33/45 rpm | 33/45 rpm |
| Operation | manual | manual |
| Cartridge supplied | sold bare or with Apheta/Aphelion | sold bare |
| Phono stage | No | No |
| USB output | No | No |
| Bluetooth | No | No |
| Platter | ceramic-oxide | aluminium |
| Tonearm | RB3000 | SME M2-9 |
| Wow & flutter | — | — |
Practical differences
Highlighted cells show a lower reference price, support for more listed speeds, or the presence of a convenience feature. They are not an overall score.
There's a real gap here: £630 separates them, with the SME Model 6 the pricier of the two, bearing in mind one figure is a current RRP and the other a typical used price that moves with condition.
Both are belt-drive, so that part of the experience should feel similar on either deck: a motor that's mechanically isolated from the platter by an elastic belt, which is the usual route to a quieter noise floor — the default choice across most of hi-fi.
The SME Model 6 is discontinued, so that side of this comparison is really "used SME Model 6 vs new Rega Planar 10" — factor in condition, service history and the lack of a warranty against a fresh unit with manufacturer support.
Bottom line: £630 separates these reference prices. That difference is factual; this specification comparison does not assign an overall winner.
Live merchant offers
Checking current in-stock offers for Rega Planar 10…
Merchant searches
16 UK merchants stock Rega — linked directly to the product page where we have one, otherwise to a site search for the deck.
| Merchant | Type | Delivery | Product link |
|---|---|---|---|
| Analogue Seduction | hifi independent | Free UK delivery on most items; specialist packing | View at Analogue Seduction ↗ |
| Sevenoaks Sound & Vision | hifi chain | Free UK delivery over £100; in-store demonstration and setup | View at Sevenoaks Sound & Vision ↗ |
| The Audiobarn | hifi independent | UK delivery; demo by appointment | View at The Audiobarn ↗ |
| Audio Affair | hifi independent | Free UK delivery over £50 | Search at Audio Affair ↗ |
| Audio T | hifi chain | Free UK delivery on most items; in-store demos | Search at Audio T ↗ |
| Criterion Audio | hifi independent | UK delivery; Cambridge demo rooms | Search at Criterion Audio ↗ |
| Cymbiosis | hifi independent | By arrangement; specialist installation | Search at Cymbiosis ↗ |
| Doug Brady HiFi | hifi independent | UK delivery; specialist setup | Search at Doug Brady HiFi ↗ |
| eBay UK | used marketplace | Varies by seller | Search at eBay UK ↗ |
| Fanthorpes HiFi | hifi independent | Free UK delivery on most hi-fi | Search at Fanthorpes HiFi ↗ |
| Grahams Hi-Fi | hifi independent | UK delivery; London demo rooms | Search at Grahams Hi-Fi ↗ |
| Hi-Fi Corner | hifi independent | UK delivery; Edinburgh & Falkirk stores | Search at Hi-Fi Corner ↗ |
| Peter Tyson | hifi independent | Free UK delivery on most hi-fi; competitive pricing | Search at Peter Tyson ↗ |
| Richer Sounds | hifi chain | Free UK delivery on most orders; click & collect from stores | Search at Richer Sounds ↗ |
| Superfi | hifi independent | Free UK delivery over £50 | Search at Superfi ↗ |
| Vinyl Revival | music retail | UK delivery | Search at Vinyl Revival ↗ |
Merchant searches
2 UK merchants handle used or discontinued decks like this — each outbound link searches the deck on that merchant’s site.
| Merchant | Type | Delivery | Product search |
|---|---|---|---|
| eBay UK | used marketplace | Varies by seller | Search at eBay UK ↗ |
| Vinyl Revival | music retail | UK delivery | Search at Vinyl Revival ↗ |

