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Against 67 recent USD comps, this sits a touch below the US$195 median and just above the US$160 25th percentile, so US$180 is a fair-to-good buy rather than a steal. It’s not bargain-bin territory, but it is comfortably in range for a used Rega phono stage with a solid market following.
The FONO line is well liked for its quiet, lively presentation and easy system match with MM setups, so the value here is in getting a competent, plug-and-play phono stage without paying new-retail money. If the unit is clean and comes with the original power supply and any box/manuals, that adds real appeal; at this price, it’s a sensible enthusiast buy.
Independent perspective — not a price guarantee. Always verify condition, accessories and provenance before purchase.
Rega Research, founded in 1973 in Essex, England, by Roy Gandy and Tony Relph, emerged from Gandy's lifelong passion for vinyl playback. A Ford engineer and music enthusiast, Gandy built his first turntable, the Planet, in his spare time, blending the founders' surnames to create the Rega name. From humble beginnings in a derelict mill, the company quickly gained traction with early models like the Planar 2 and Planar 3, establishing its heritage as a British hi-fi pioneer dedicated to precision engineering and hand-assembly.
Rega specializes in turntables and tonearms, its cornerstone products, but has expanded into a full ecosystem including cartridges, integrated amplifiers like the Elicit and Brio, phono stages such as the Fono, and speakers like the Ela series. While early efforts included loudspeakers and electronics from the 1980s onward, the brand prioritizes vinyl-centric components over headphones, DACs, or cables, all designed in-house for musical fidelity using specialist materials and tight tolerances.
Rega holds a revered position in the high-end hi-fi market as a niche boutique icon, prized by audiophiles for affordable, lifetime-quality performance that emphasizes music over gimmicks. Globally exported to over 50 countries from its Essex facility employing more than 150, it remains a symbol of British ingenuity, with turntables like the Planar series securing enduring loyalty among vinyl revivalists.
See all Rega listings on RADAR.
