Rega Brio-R phone stage, bypass with external - recommended?

[Audioman]

Far from it. Rega are well aware that their core market is affordable, great value products. They sell close to 1000 RP1 turntables per month, for instance. They are covering everything from budget to expensive (but not silly) to high end.

The long awaited Aria phono stage should be here any day now - fingers crossed. It is £800, MM and MC on two separate inputs and various loading options. It is based on the outgoing Ios circuit and sounds very good indeed.

That sounds good value but is a big jump from Fono MC if that disappears. Also previous IOS was improved and put in fancy case - up from £1500 to 4K. Now that sounds like high end pricing to me.

[hifi_dave]

That sounds good value but is a big jump from Fono MC if that disappears. Also previous IOS was improved and put in fancy case - up from £1500 to 4K. Now that sounds like high end pricing to me.

The Reference Ios is not the same as the Ios. Similar but components and wiring have been changed. Plus, there is the superb casework which some people like to pay a premium for. The sonic difference between the Ios and Ios Ref are quite noticeable.

The £4K price is definitely significant but it stacks up well against all the usual telephone number products.

[wiicrackpot]

Rega's cartridges range from the "jump in with both feet" Bias to the lightning fast and ADHD suffering Apheta

I did just that and bought an Exact and got my arse bitten, by far the worst cartridge i ever came across by a wide margin and should never seen the light of day,
two records and it was back in it's box and begging the dealer to take it back and swapped for a 10x5 with 'no return' deal, never again.

What's ADHD?, i understand the ''suffering''.

[Audioman]

I did just that and bought an Exact and got my arse bitten, by far the worst cartridge i ever came across by a wide margin and should never seen the light of day,
two records and it was back in it's box and begging the dealer to take it back and swapped for a 10x5 with 'no return' deal, never again.

What's ADHD?, i understand the ''suffering''.

Years ago since I heard a Rega cartridge and it was crap - similar design to current models. This does not apply to the Rega R100 (Supex made?). One I regret not keeping when I upgraded everything 24 years ago. Can't understand why they just don't do rebadged Goldring as would be much better MMs.

BTW Dave I'm sure the suped up IOS is better sounding but if you factor in wiring new components and balanced connection it looks like nearly £2K for the casework.

[wiicrackpot]

Glad i wasn't the only one Paul,

so very well getting things made OEM but do they not listen to it before it gets released,
dunno.. maybe my sample was faulty.

[DSJR]

I did just that and bought an Exact and got my arse bitten, by far the worst cartridge i ever came across by a wide margin and should never seen the light of day,
two records and it was back in it's box and begging the dealer to take it back and swapped for a 10x5 with 'no return' deal, never again.

What's ADHD?, i understand the ''suffering''.

ADHD is something some kids suffer from - basically they're more "hyper" than usual - hence my description of the LOW OUTPUT MC Apheta design (capitals for the thickie twonks elsewhere who take everything literally (Aspergers) and deliberately don't read into the meaning behind the discussion at hand.

The Exact isn't strictly my cuppa either, but they DO vary and a good one is quite enchanting in its own way. I personally prefer something that can grab Richard Dunn and his two yes-men by the balls and swing him round at 33.3rpm Maybe an SPU could do it, but it'd be a big waste of its talents

The 10XV is certainly a safe option though, but I'd like to compare one with a Benz to see what the differences are.

[DSJR]

Years ago since I heard a Rega cartridge and it was crap - similar design to current models. This does not apply to the Rega R100 (Supex made?). One I regret not keeping when I upgraded everything 24 years ago. Can't understand why they just don't do rebadged Goldring as would be much better MMs.

I'm currently using an R100 in the Zero 100. It has a flat but downtilted response shape, heavily bass-up and treble-down (a very audible if pleasant 6db tilt IIRC). The ears are so easily fooled and you soon get used to it, but it's not "correct" and was only really good for masking the screech and tinsel of the Linn and related undamped "flat-earth" speakers of the time - and I have to admit we did sell loads of R100's... Currently, the Sumiko mm types are directly related and sound similar perhaps, and the Garrott P77 (and the old A&R ones like the E77 especially) seem to share very similar bodies.

The Goldring 10** series isn't that good now IMO UNLESS they're going in a Rega deck and arm (P3 series mainly). The unrefined and slightly scratchy quality is tamed by the Rega deck and the deck sonics are livened u accordingly. I tried the 1042 in a variety of other turntable combinations and it's not really good enough and, IMO, easily bettered.

[hifi_dave]

Years ago since I heard a Rega cartridge and it was crap - similar design to current models. This does not apply to the Rega R100 (Supex made?). One I regret not keeping when I upgraded everything 24 years ago. Can't understand why they just don't do rebadged Goldring as would be much better MMs.

BTW Dave I'm sure the suped up IOS is better sounding but if you factor in wiring new components and balanced connection it looks like nearly £2K for the casework.

I'm not wasting my time defending Rega and their pricing policy. The Ref is a similat circuit to the standard but with balanced ins and outs, better components and casework. If they can sell them, which they are, they must be doing something right.

Look inside most high end/high priced kit and do you see value for your money ? No you don't and that's something which has been winding me up for a few years now. Look inside a £10K Ref pre from *** and there's naff all. The thing could sell for £2K and everyone would be happy. It's not often you can do a component count and arrive at anything like value for money.

As to Rega cartridges. They might not suit you but they sell in vast quantities and even little old me sells some every week in demonstrations. Can't be all bad !!!

[wiicrackpot]

1~ADHD is something some kids suffer from - basically they're more "hyper" than usual - hence my description of the LOW OUTPUT MC Apheta design (capitals for the thickie twonks elsewhere who take everything literally (Aspergers) and deliberately don't read into the meaning behind the discussion at hand.

2~The Exact isn't strictly my cuppa either, but they DO vary and a good one is quite enchanting in its own way. I personally prefer something that can grab Richard Dunn and his two yes-men by the balls and swing him round at 33.3rpm Maybe an SPU could do it, but it'd be a big waste of its talents

3~The 10XV is certainly a safe option though, but I'd like to compare one with a Benz to see what the differences are.

@1-Thanks for the explaination, i am a thicko and still none the wiser.

@2-Thanks for the un-biased answer, i sure wasn't ''enchanted'' by it,
as for swinging the ging gang goolies of our symbiotic forum leader and his mates, i'll leave that to you, i am a Quaker and have my views,
my views are i'd be Quaking in my boots at the thought of trying to get RD in a headlock.

@3- I had no bargaining power, taking the 10x5 as it was similar in price, funny you should mention a Benz,i moved onto a Lp Ebony years later.

[DSJR]