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

[Gmanuk101]

Got the Rega-Brio R.

Decent phono stage on it, but I am wondering for under £250 could I get a better phonostage at all?

Cheers

G

[hifi_dave]

I doubt it very much.

I've tried quite a few, far more expensive phono stages against that in the Brio-R and not one has sounded better - within sensible prices that is.

[DSJR]

And the apprentice and I were there when some of the comparisons were done!!!!!

Rega are vinyl people first and foremost - and probably valves too if Terry the designer has anything to do with it. The emotional connection with the music is of paramount importance to the chaps at Rega now they have some twenty or more years of electronics design and construction behind them and believe me, their phono stages MUST be good, even in their cheapest amps, since that's the number one source for them still. I'm not saying they forget digital, far from it but vinyl reproduction is anything but an afterthought.

If you were to double your budget to the cost of the amp itself, you might possibly find something (start with the Croft and work upwards from there). A pal has a Brio R and a £600 Slee phono stage. In direct comparison, he finds the Brio R phono stage superior - and this is a chap who's spending obscene amounts of money a month on good used LP's

[Thirsty Dog]

Sorry to but in, but this is extremely encouraging, as a Brio-R is on my purchase radar
Do you think they are tailored towards Rega's own turntables, or would the suit others as well?

[DSJR]

I would say, but then I'm supposedly biased that you can use this with anything half decent and get a good predictable result. Rega's cartridges range from the "jump in with both feet" Bias to the low output, lightning fast and ADHD suffering Apheta which obviously needs a step-up.

Apparently, the £200 Fono is directly related to the phono stage in the Brio R

[hifi_dave]

Sorry to but in, but this is extremely encouraging, as a Brio-R is on my purchase radar
Do you think they are tailored towards Rega's own turntables, or would the suit others as well?

Anything you want, within reason.

I regularly use Rega's own, various Ortofon 2M, Sumiko, Audio Technica, Grado etc. No problemo, so long as it's decent.

[Audioman]

I am using a Rega Fono MC and it is excellent. Need to spend quite a bit more to clearly better it and it is widely compatible and adjustable. Unfortunately Rega appear to be phasing the MC version of the Fono out to replace with their new MM/MC which I believe is going to be in £1K + territory? Perhaps hi-fi Dave could fill us in on this. There is a worrying up market + premium price shift with some of Rega's products. Just hope they aren't going to abandon mid price products like much of the market has done.

[hifi_dave]

I am using a Rega Fono MC and it is excellent. Need to spend quite a bit more to clearly better it and it is widely compatible and adjustable. Unfortunately Rega appear to be phasing the MC version of the Fono out to replace with their new MM/MC which I believe is going to be in £1K + territory? Perhaps hi-fi Dave could fill us in on this. There is a worrying up market + premium price shift with some of Rega's products. Just hope they aren't going to abandon mid price products like much of the market has done.

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.

[Gmanuk101]

thanks for the replies chaps, I will be leaving it for now and concentrate on upgrading my source

[hifi_dave]

The Brio-R is good enough to be used with front and rear ends in far higher price brackets than it's £498 would suggest.