The first thing to try is moving the Neo PSU MK2 as far away from the turntable as its connecting cable allows, without putting the cable under strain. Rega identifies this placement as its specific way to minimise hum picked up by the cartridge. Then check the phono leads, confirm that the phono-stage input matches the cartridge fitted to your turntable, and separate electrical hum from mistracking or playback distortion. Do not open the power supply or add an improvised ground wire; persistent noise should be checked by a Rega dealer or distributor.
Start with the Neo PSU MK2
On the Planar 6 RS Edition, the most direct manufacturer-backed hum check is physical separation between the turntable and its Neo PSU MK2. Rega’s English user manual states: "To minimise the risk of hum picked up by the cartridge, we recommend the Neo PSU MK2 should be situated as far from the turntable as the cable will allow." Read the full setup instructions in the Planar 6 RS User Manual.
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Carry out this test with playback stopped and the amplifier at a low, safe listening level. Move the PSU away from the turntable, keeping the supplied cable connected and unstressed. Listen before and after the move. If the hum changes when the PSU position changes, that is consistent with the cartridge picking up interference; it is not, by itself, proof that the motor, cartridge, or PSU has failed.
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There is no published decibel figure for the improvement, and Rega does not promise that moving the PSU will cure every noise problem. It is the correct first check because it is explicitly specified for this model rather than being a generic accessory tweak.
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Where the PSU can go
- Use the cable length to place the Neo PSU MK2 as far from the turntable as practical.
- Do not pull the cable tight, sharply bend it, or leave a connector under mechanical stress.
- After repositioning, listen again at the same low volume so that a change in amplifier volume does not disguise the result.
Identify whether the sound is hum or playback distortion
Electrical hum and a mistracking cartridge can both be described as “noise,” but they require different checks. Hum is usually audible even when no music is being played, whereas mistracking or distortion appears during record playback and follows the groove, musical level, or particular passages. The Planar 6 RS instructions connect PSU placement with cartridge hum pickup, but they discuss tracking force and bias in the context of cartridge setup rather than as an electrical-hum remedy.
Signs that justify the PSU and cable checks first
- A low-frequency buzz is present with the stylus lifted or playback stopped.
- The noise changes when the Neo PSU MK2 is moved farther from the turntable.
- The problem is present across records rather than only on one damaged or difficult pressing.
Signs that point to tracking setup instead
- Distortion starts only when a record is playing.
- One or both channels sound rough on loud or complex passages.
- The symptom resembles mistracking rather than a steady background buzz.
These patterns do not diagnose a failed component on their own. They tell you which documented check to perform first and when to stop making adjustments.
Use this troubleshooting sequence
Follow the checks in order. Stop when the symptom is resolved; changing several things at once makes it difficult to identify the cause.
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- Stop playback and lower the volume. Lift the stylus or stop the record, then reduce the amplifier volume before moving cables or the PSU. This prevents a handling noise from being mistaken for the original fault.
- Move the Neo PSU MK2 away from the turntable. Keep it connected with the supplied cable, place it as far away as the cable permits, and make sure the cable is not stretched. Listen again at the same low volume.
- Inspect both external phono leads. The tonearm’s external leads must run to a suitable phono stage. Push each plug fully into the intended socket. Rega assigns red to the right channel and black to the left channel; a loose or incorrectly assigned plug can produce a missing, weak, or unbalanced channel and can complicate noise diagnosis.
- Confirm the selected phono-stage input. Match the input type to the cartridge actually installed in your Planar 6 RS Edition. The standard configuration is the Nd9 moving-magnet cartridge. Rega also lists an Ania moving-coil configuration and an Ania plus Fono MC bundle. An MM cartridge needs a suitable MM input; an MC cartridge needs a suitable MC input. A phono-stage change is a compatibility requirement when the existing input is wrong, not a measured guarantee of lower hum.
- Decide whether the remaining symptom occurs without a record playing. If the buzz remains with playback stopped, continue with the placement, lead, and service checks. If the noise appears only during playback, check the Nd9 tracking settings in the next section instead of treating it as proven electrical hum.
- For an Nd9, verify tracking force and bias. The manual specifies 1.75 g tracking force and says to set the bias slider to the same number as the tracking-force control. Make this check only when the complaint is mistracking or distortion. Do not claim this setting reduces electrical hum.
- Leave factory cartridge alignment alone. Rega says the factory-fitted cartridge has already been aligned and advises against further adjustment. If the cartridge needs replacing or its alignment is in doubt, have a Rega dealer fit it rather than trying to correct alignment as a noise experiment.
- Stop before opening the PSU or improvising a ground connection. The Neo PSU MK2 has no user-serviceable parts, and the model-specific manual does not provide a separate-ground-wire procedure. Persistent hum belongs with a dealer or distributor who can isolate the turntable, phono stage, cables, and cartridge safely.
Check the cartridge and phono-stage pairing
A phono stage applies the gain and equalisation needed by a cartridge. The input must therefore suit the cartridge fitted to your particular RS Edition. Rega’s Planar 6 RS Edition product information, updated in July 2026, identifies these relevant configurations:
| Configuration listed by Rega | Cartridge type | Input requirement | What to check |
|---|---|---|---|
| Standard Planar 6 RS configuration | Nd9 moving-magnet (MM) | Suitable MM phono input | Confirm the phono stage is set or connected for MM and that both channel plugs are fully seated. |
| Alternative cartridge configuration | Ania moving-coil (MC) | Suitable MC phono input | Confirm the phono stage is set or connected for MC; do not use the MM setting simply because the turntable model is the same. |
| Ania plus Fono MC bundle | Ania moving-coil (MC) | Suitable MC phono input | Check the MC signal path and the red/right and black/left channel assignments. |
The table is about correct compatibility, not a ranking of phono stages. The available documentation does not quantify hum reduction for one phono stage over another. If the cartridge and input already match, buying a different stage should not be presented as a proven cure for cartridge pickup hum.
Verify the two channel connections
- Red plug: right channel.
- Black plug: left channel.
- Both plugs: fully inserted into the phono-stage inputs.
- Phono-stage output: connected to the correct line input on the amplifier or receiver.
If a channel is silent or very faint, correct the connection before interpreting the result as a hum problem. A swapped channel is not normally fixed by moving the PSU, and a loose plug can add noise or intermittent sound.
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Set the Nd9 correctly when the problem is mistracking
For the standard Nd9 configuration, Rega specifies a tracking force of 1.75 g. The bias slider should be set to the same number as the tracking-force control. This is the relevant documented adjustment when music sounds distorted, gritty, or unstable while the record is playing.
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Rega says the factory-fitted cartridge has already been aligned and recommends no further alignment adjustment. Do not move the cartridge in its mount, change its geometry, or alter the tonearm as a trial-and-error response to a steady electrical buzz. If the cartridge has been replaced, damaged, or physically disturbed, ask a Rega dealer to perform the fitting and alignment.
Tracking force and bias cannot be treated as a universal hum control. Correct settings may address mistracking, but the cited manual gives no evidence that changing them lowers the electrical noise floor.
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Use the correct power adaptor and observe the safety limits
The Planar 6 RS documentation specifies the supplied Rega PS1 AC adaptor for the Neo PSU MK2. Use that specified adaptor rather than substituting an unverified unit with a similar-looking plug or voltage label.
The Neo PSU MK2 has no user-serviceable parts. Rega warns against opening its case. If the adaptor, cable, or power supply appears damaged or faulty, disconnect it as appropriate for your installation and contact a dealer or distributor about a compatible replacement. A replacement adaptor is a remedy for a damaged or suspect power component; the documentation does not support buying one as a routine noise upgrade.
Do not turn a hum check into a safety risk
- Do not open the Neo PSU MK2 to look for an internal ground or shielding fault.
- Do not splice the AC adaptor cable or substitute an unverified power supply.
- Do not attach a separate ground wire simply because a buzz remains; the model-specific manual gives no such procedure.
- Do not continue repeated listening tests at high volume while moving powered equipment or signal plugs.
Read the symptom before replacing anything
| Observed symptom | First documented check | What the result means | Next step |
|---|---|---|---|
| Steady buzz with playback stopped | Move the Neo PSU MK2 farther from the turntable. | A change suggests cartridge pickup is being affected by PSU placement; no change does not identify a failed part. | Check phono leads and cartridge/input compatibility, then seek service if it persists. |
| Noise changes when the PSU moves | Leave the PSU at the quietest position allowed by the cable. | This is consistent with Rega’s cartridge-pickup warning. | Do not open the PSU; continue only with the connection checks. |
| One channel weak, missing, or incorrectly located | Reseat the phono leads and verify red/right and black/left. | The connection assignment or seating needs correction before further diagnosis. | Retest at low volume. |
| Rough or distorted sound only during record playback | For an Nd9, verify 1.75 g tracking force and matching bias. | The symptom is more consistent with tracking setup than a proven electrical-hum fault. | Leave factory alignment alone; use a dealer for cartridge fitting. |
| Hum remains after placement and connection checks | Stop modifying the system and arrange professional isolation of the components. | The available model documentation does not identify a user ground-wire or internal-PSU repair procedure. | Contact a Rega dealer or the appropriate distributor. |
When a phono-stage change is actually relevant
Changing or adding a phono stage makes sense when the turntable is connected to an input that does not support the installed cartridge, or when no suitable phono stage exists in the system. The Nd9 is an MM cartridge; the Ania is an MC cartridge. Match the signal path to that type before assessing noise.
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That decision should not be confused with a claim that one phono stage has been shown to remove hum from the Planar 6 RS Edition. The official material establishes the required MM/MC compatibility and connection arrangement, but it supplies no measured noise-floor comparison or guaranteed reduction.
What to do if the hum does not go away
Once the PSU has been moved, the phono leads have been reseated, the input has been matched to the actual cartridge, and the Nd9 tracking settings have been checked where appropriate, stop adding variables. The manual does not document an owner-installable separate ground wire, an internal PSU adjustment, or a replacement procedure intended to improve ordinary cartridge hum.
Prepare a concise description for service: whether the sound is present with playback stopped, whether moving the Neo PSU changes it, which cartridge is fitted, which phono input is selected, and whether both channels are affected. This gives a dealer a useful starting point without asking you to open powered equipment or alter cartridge alignment.
Rega’s user-manual and downloads page directs service enquiries to UK dealers or global distributors. Use that route for persistent hum, a suspect adaptor, damaged cables, or a cartridge that may need fitting or alignment.
Limits of the documented remedy
The manufacturer’s material supports a clear order of operations: separate the Neo PSU from the turntable, verify the phono connections, match the phono-stage input to the installed cartridge, and use the Nd9’s specified tracking setup when the symptom is playback distortion. It does not provide a numerical hum-reduction claim, a universal cure, or a user procedure for adding a separate ground wire.
That distinction matters. A quiet result after moving the PSU is useful evidence about placement, but it is not a guarantee for every installation. Conversely, a remaining buzz is not proof that the turntable needs a new motor or that an internal repair is safe for an owner to attempt. The correct escalation is professional diagnosis through a Rega dealer or distributor.
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