Rega EL8 speakers.

[brian2957]

Anybody know anything about these speakers . Very little information on the internet .

[Gazjam]

http://bit.ly/O9VBW9 :)

Comments on Pinkfish seem good?

Glasgow selling a set?
http://www.gumtree.com/p/for-sale/rega-el8-floorstanding-speakers-quality-hi-fi/106972857

[brian2957]

Ta buddy :)

[DSJR]

Once upon a time, Rega made a range of three speakers, the wall mounted Kyte, a miniature two way with a vent that did little and a very bright balance with sources other than their own vinyl ones, the famous tilted back baffle ELA, no deep bass, a raw but informative midrange and an increasingly tiresome treble as time went on. In the middle of all this, the Kyte drivers (a Rega made bass unit and small dome Vifa-like tweeter which Rega modified/vented into a custom cavity for better performance lower in its range) and possibly crossover too, went into a floor mounted cabinet called EL8 with low plinth as I remember. The things looked horrible, but sounded very good in small rooms and vinyl sources, but a bit too rough with CD, even Rega's Planet.

A few years later, the EL8 was significantly re-styled into the Alya and the Kyte into the Ara. Both of these were better balanced than before, while using the same drivers and crossovers. I actually gutted some EL8's and transferred everything successfully into some Alya boxes, which my Dad used for a couple of years until his death over ten years ago. No sonic difference between these and a pukka pair.

Does this help? The basic concept sort of lives on in the RS3's, which share the raw vitality and energy of the EL8 and Alya, but the extra bass driver does help no end in presenting a more realistic tonal balance I feel. use the EL8's close up to a wall, choose the sources and amp very carefully and you'll love it I think.

[brian2957]

Thanks David , very informative . I'm currently using a music server - v link Caiman SEG - NVA AP20 amp , cables are NVA SSP I/Cs and LS6 speaker cable .I know I really should try these in my system , however any advice if these will work in my system appreciated. Incidentally how did you modify the EL8s . Heard the RS3s in an all Rega system and was very impressed BTW.

[DSJR]

All I did was remove the drivers, wadding and crossovers from the EL8 boxes and transfer the whole thing over to some Alya boxes bought from Rega - maybe slight seconds but it's a very long time ago now and in a different life...

The sound is very much in keeping with the NVA ethos I think (awaiting the lightning bolts to swiftly descend from Epping :lol:), and obviously without trying it myself, I don't think you'll have any issues whatsoever. If the Bushmaster DAC does what Jerry & Co say it does in comparison with the Gator Caiman, I suspect the BM may work better as a main source in terms of tonal flavour (or no flavour, if you see what I mean) since the extra meat on the bones, plus the extra depth perspectives, will help suspension of disbelief, a term I use widely in an audio context 'cos that's what a good stereo is supposed to do IMO. Where's your volume control? I've just panicked that the Bushmaster may not have a suitable variable output if the NVA is a power amp only.....

[brian2957]

All I did was remove the drivers, wadding and crossovers from the EL8 boxes and transfer the whole thing over to some Alya boxes bought from Rega - maybe slight seconds but it's a very long time ago now and in a different life...

The sound is very much in keeping with the NVA ethos I think (awaiting the lightning bolts to swiftly descend from Epping :lol:), and obviously without trying it myself, I don't think you'll have any issues whatsoever. If the Bushmaster DAC does what Jerry & Co say it does in comparison with the Gator Caiman, I suspect the BM may work better as a main source in terms of tonal flavour (or no flavour, if you see what I mean) since the extra meat on the bones, plus the extra depth perspectives, will help suspension of disbelief, a term I use widely in an audio context 'cos that's what a good stereo is supposed to do IMO. Where's your volume control? I've just panicked that the Bushmaster may not have a suitable variable output if the NVA is a power amp only.....
Thanks David , the AP20 is an integrated and I will be holding on to it and the Caiman for the foreseeable future . Again I know that this is a value judgement and a personal thing but in your opinion are these worth £120.

[Gazjam]

All I did was remove the drivers, wadding and crossovers from the EL8 boxes and transfer the whole thing over to some Alya boxes bought from Rega - maybe slight seconds but it's a very long time ago now and in a different life...

The sound is very much in keeping with the NVA ethos I think (awaiting the lightning bolts to swiftly descend from Epping :lol:), and obviously without trying it myself, I don't think you'll have any issues whatsoever. If the Bushmaster DAC does what Jerry & Co say it does in comparison with the Gator Caiman, I suspect the BM may work better as a main source in terms of tonal flavour (or no flavour, if you see what I mean) since the extra meat on the bones, plus the extra depth perspectives, will help suspension of disbelief, a term I use widely in an audio context 'cos that's what a good stereo is supposed to do IMO. Where's your volume control? I've just panicked that the Bushmaster may not have a suitable variable output if the NVA is a power amp only.....


Brians Caiman was compared to the Bushmaster, Rega Dac and a custom Valve Dac over at my gaff recently.

We all felt the Caiman (fully modded mind) sounded better than the Bushmaster, particularly at the low and top end.
Smoother easier to listen to. The Bushmaster was a bit too strident(?) in the mids to our ears and less easy to listen to.
The Rega and valve dac were better again.

[brian2957]

Thanks mate , forgot about that:doh:

[DSJR]

Now that's interesting. Knowing how long the 7520 took to come on song, I wonder if this may be the reason why the BM didn't gel for some reason? The extra weight and "texture" seems to be what the BM is good at, but I haven't heard one sadly...

Anyway, I think you have your answer now. For £120 you'll have a safe used option that should still be servicable and an easy speaker to drive, the amp should be fine for them, as was the little Clamshell Brio at the time and if you don't like them, it shouldn't be difficult to pass them on I think. They sold for £289 approx IIRC and the Alya for £349 or so.. If you like the RS3, the "flavour" is the same in spirit IMO.

[brian2957]

Thanks for your help David , much appreciated. :)