I recently acquired an Elicit R amplifier that replaced my much loved Nakamichi AV-10. The difference in audio quality on the same speakers is simply astounding, And one clearly understands now why Rega commands such a hefty price tag. A lot of money predominantly goes into product development, exquisitely hand-built components and meticulous attention to detail throughout every step of their manufacturing and assembly processes. I'd really enjoy a full tour of the factory someday, I heard Rega's turntables are something to be admired. 😉👍
Thanks, even 11 months later there aren't a ton of comparisons out there. We are definitely still enjoying the whole range and the new IO has really impressed our customers.
@@Dreamonoids I’d definitely take a walk up Southend pier. It’s the longest pleasure pier in the world at 1.34 miles. Thorpe Bay and Chalkwell seafronts are also nice to walk along.
I've had the Elicit R and Elex R. They both benefit from having a very quality mains cable. For me as I had an external phono pre amp the Elicit was a good upgrade over the Elex as the Elicit has a very quiet analogue pre amp.
Hey I’ve got the Aethos and after seeing this kinda miss my Elex r - wish I’d kept it in some ways it is a cracking amp.... 👍🏻🔊. Am enjoying the Aethos though 😁
Hi Joey, would it be wise to get the Aethos instead of the Elicit r? Would the Aethos work well with my Rega RS5`s, P6 with Exact cart and "lower end" Rega gear? What do you think?
I would recommend the Elicit R as it has a built in MM and it’s refinement is perfect for the RS5 and P6 with exact. If you plan to go Moving Coil at some point you can always add an MC preamp and will be good as well.
I wish you would focus on sound, sound, sound. As a consumer we can figure out the majority or what you covered online. What we don't have access to is the specifics of their sound characteristics. Highs, mids, lows, detail soundstage clarity noise floor, neutrality etc.
We would need to look into that, but we do know the Brio has a very sweet sound that people prefer to many other amps in that range. We have admired the Brio since the 1990's when they came as half clamshells, they were a hoot!
Hello guys, the channel is really cool. Great to talk about an excellent brand and little publicized in the USA. I would like to see on your channel tests with audio from this Rega amplifiers. There is nothing similar on the internet. There are only text analysis. But since they have "audio" and video why not do an audio demonstration of the amplifiers? Best regard s
Hey Joey , I just discovered your videos , they’re amazing and so informative! I have a question - deliberating a P6/Ania/Elex-R/Fono MC , but the omitted headphone jack is troublesome . Question for U - I see the Rega Ear costs around 400$ which seems high to me at the moment . Will the Elex-R have troubles with a Schiit Headphone amp or any other headphone amp for that matter? Do they just plug into a certain output in the back of the receiver? I’ve never heard of headphone amps until today . Thank you!!
This is a great question! You can use the tape out of the Elex R and will be just fine! Glad you found a work around and I believe the Schiit amp will work fine. I personally use a Music Hall tube headphone amp with Grado GS1000’s with good results and on my computer for editing I use a Motu M2’s headphone out. Good times!
Really fine review of the 3 Rega ints...Elex is prob my choice when I'm ready to buy, but love that new Aethos, although I'm reading about lots of quality control volume probs with Aethos. You are very knowledgable. Your partner can learn a lot from you since he seems "green" to me.
Well the Aethos we have had been through it’s paces, played at volume for hundreds of hours. It has help up and has been top notch. I hadn’t heard about the volume pot issue. I use it and the remote pretty evenly and haven’t had any issues. But good to know. As for my partner, he doesn’t look green to me, maybe I am color blind though....
Thanx for the quick reply, J. Good to know your Aethos is good. Reviews have been talking about the volume pot and remote issues. Issue is that volume comes on too strong too fast.
Curious, I'm running an Elicit-R to RX5. Analog end is an RP3->Aria. Digital is Apollo-R -> DAC-R. So would going up to Aethos make much difference? I'm guessing I'd have to bump up to Osiris and RS10 to get a discernible upgrade in sound quality.
Looks like you have had a great time building your setup. At this point I would recommend moving up on the turntable and then an Aethos upgrade, that would be a super rewarding path.
The only thing that brought me here was the Aethos. I am trying to step up from my current Hegel Rost, which I absolutely love and am hoping the Aethos is a significant step. Really looking for an end game amp for my new ZU’s.
Oh. And my reply sounded blunt. I like your videos too! But my main interest is the Aethos. Not interested in anything below it because it would be a lateral move or downgrade to my Rost. And the Osiris is too expensive. That Aethos is in that sweet spot.
@@Dreamonoids Will do! I know it's hard to say but how would you consider the Aethos against a Hegel amp? I have a Rost right now which has great control over the drivers in the ZU's, and I love it. I wonder how big of a step up the Aethos is. Guess I will find out soon.
the latest Brio incorporates a circuit the emulate Class A. not sure if the Elex is the same. how does the SQ compare. i heard both and ended up with the latest Brio. just sounded more transparent over the Elex. also auditioned both the RS1 and the RX1, and liked the RS1 better i also picked up the Rega interconnects and speaker cable. great value
The circuit on the previous generation Brio (-r) is also a simulated Class A design. My understanding is that the Elex is based on the power amp section of the Brio-R but with a beefier power supply and other upgrades. The Elex also has the same phono stage as the Elicit-R. I have the Brio-r and love it dearly, even when compared to the newer Brio which I trialled for a while... I kept hold of the Brio-R.
Hi, what a great review, thank you for that. I have a very basic (and probably stupid) question :) The quality of the record output line is better on the elex-r when compared to the brio-r? Thank a lot. Regards
@@joeylopezphd Thks for the answer. I am lucky to have the Rega Aria connected to the Brio. Taking into account that I listen to a lot of music through headphones and, therefore, I use the "Rec Out" output of Brio-r to connect a headphobe amp, my curiosity is if, perhaps, the "Rec Out" output of Elex-r will be better than the do Brio. Thks again :)
@@jorgec1684 Ahhh, that's a great question, it would come down to how different the preamp section is and any buffering used on the output. My non quantitative opinion would be the record out's difference would be marginal. I will look into it though, love that you have an Aria, an amazing phono section.
Hello, I have the Buchardt S400 speakers, which have a 4 Ohms impedance and a sensitivity of 88 dB. Do you think the Rega Aethos could drive these rather difficult speakers without overheating at normal to moderately loud listening volume (max. 85-95dB)? I ask because the instruction manual makes reference of a safety circuit against overheating, but does not mention in the specifications a 4Ohm rating. Many thanks in advance; stay safe!
I drive a 90 db/Wm Mantra 30 with 4-8 Ohm with an io at moderate Volumes. The volume control did’nt exceed the 9 o clock position :-) The case is slighthly warm, not hot. And there is big reserve behind it :-) So the Aethos should do it easily :-) Good luck!
Did you buy an amp? I have the S400’s and the Aethos and I really think they were made for each other! It really transformed the S400 (low listening levels, no longer a problem), I would go as far as to say it was a revelation. Note that I did try the S400 with 3-4 other amps. The Aethos is also really great with my B&W Nautilus 805. As always your mileage may wary 😃
@@thepickyaudiophile Thanks for taking the time in adding a little info; I actually ended up with the NAIM XS 3 which has plenty of muscle for the S400. To be honest, I was not really impressed how REGA handles over/heating issues (I live in Southern Europe with high temps. in the summer) ... hence, the heat sink fins on the Aethos or the amps below this one.
@@andreasb.769 Indeed, I think the Aethos is high bias into class A, why it gets so hot. I like to keep my electronics powered on 24/7 so things are always ready to go, not really an option with the Aethos (but sounds fine from cold) 😅 Totally worth it for the sound though.. Living in Northern Europe likely helps. Cheers 😊
I am thinking of buying The Rega Elex-R amplifier or The Cyrus HD one amplifier but I am leaning towards Rega for quality in sound rather than having digital connections. I can always upgrade later with a DAC converter. I have a set of Mission 737R Renaissance 120 watts into 8 OHMS which or still working properly with The old Cyrus one from 30 years ago but is not working now. Would this amplifier drive them okay and should I buy a new set of speaker and RCA leads? I am not using expensive cables yet. Thank you for your informed video.
@@joeylopezphd Thanks that helps me a lot I will probably just buy the speaker leads and The Rega Elex-R amplifier as I have been using inexpensive leads for years. I first used phone wire over 30 years ago when I first got into The HI-FI world. I had been into Cyrus and Mission but now I am starting to be impressed with Rega's budget and more expensive products. I think Cyrus is getting into the digital connections and forgetting about the quality of sound in their budget amplifiers.
there is so LITTLE about Rega on YT - probably the company "forgot to send 100 copies to the reviewers" (for free of course); Anyway, I went for Elex-R with my Monitor Audio Silver 300 and I cannot be more happy. Elex-R has 1 issue though: the input 1 (phono) is so sensitive that if you connect RCA on input 2 it leaks to input 1 (when input 2 has signal connected and the input 1 is chosen you will hear it in the speakers). Otherwise I have not found any other issue. Even, when volume is very very low, the channel balance is not an issue - many other amps have this problem but not Elex-R.
In glad you found our channel. We got more Rega videos coming, and we are glad to hear the Elex-R is serving you well. We will take a listen to ours to see if we have the same issue.
I have another question: Does one need a (Rega) preamp (Fono MM/MC or Aria) with Elex, or is the built-in phono stage of Elex-R capable enough to work without a separate preamp?
Did you mention the choice of the new mk.3 Aria Phono Stage? It's out now! ;-) Me and so many other Audiophiles using Rega components, would love to see Rega make a Phono Stage that comes in between the Aria & the flagship Aura. We need that choice for our systems. As for Power cables, i use to think the same as you, until i began try out various power chords, and suddenly it all makes sense too me. In fact, i think Power Chords are the most important choice of cables, when upgrading from stock cables, but you need to be aware which device your plugging into? You need better power chords where the most current appears, like your amp/amps, phono stages, and the likes. But with cables you also need to be able to mix match, so you get the right synergy effect for your system, and that can be a task. In my 35+ years with HI-FI, i just recently gave up on the idea that a power cable isn't necessary, and boy i was wrong? How can i tell that for sure? Just like you say in the vd above, and that is the fact that Rega doesen't do anything for the fun of it, or to make a gimmick out of it, so when they decide to make a power chord, my eyes were wide open :-) Now i just bought a Chord/Shawline power cable for my Lehmann Black Cube SE II ref. phono stage, which i run with my Rega P8/Apheta II combo, and that was a very audible upgrade for the better, and not even very expensive (imo). Cheers from Denmark & thx for making these vd's for us Rega owners and fans.
@@joeylopezphd Yeah...they are quite busy at Rega these years, with a lot of new stuff coming out each year. Can't wait for the next new product to land :-) We NEED a phono stage that can fill the gab between the Aria and the Aura, so one could hope for that ;-)
Tone controls while seemingly simple, actually control the frequencies by inducing circuits into the source signal that mess with the phase of the signal to lower and higher certain bands. Much like a speaker cross over. By adding bass and treble knobs the signal has more potential to be degraded. This is why even in high end equipment that has tone controls they often offer a “direct” button. Hope this helps!
I live in Sussex and thought, "Wow, I didn't know that!?" Ah well, never mind!! I appreciate these videos, they are very well done and full of info. It's great to see everything lined up next to each other I was shocked at the size of the flagship phono stage! Haha!!
Hi, I’m planning to buy the Elex R amp, and wondered if you can advise me on what phono stage amp to buy. I currently have a MM cartridge on my P3, but eventually plan to buy a P6 turntable with a MC cartridge. If I buy the Rega MM phono stage, I’ll have to sell it and buy a MC phono stage at a later date which is quite inconvenient. I’ve been looking at the Aria MM/MC phono stage which is obviously a lot more expensive, but it means I’d only have to buy a phono stage once. Lastly would the sound quality be better with the Aria MM/MC compared to Rega’s cheaper offerings? Kind regards Harvey
The Aria is the way to go if you are going to be switching between MM and MC. The Fono MM and MC are great, but if you want the ability to do both and better sound while doing it, the Aria is better suited for the job. As for the Ania, it is an amazing cartridge that I believe is a major step up from the Exact. That said, the Exact is a great MM cart and has a body to it that many appreciate. I actually have a customer who owns both and switches out. For me a sure bet is the Ania Pro, there is no question it is head and shoulders above the MM's.
Hi there. Absolutely great and very informative review! Have a quick question: I have a rega elicit-r. Using only digital i.e. dac-streamer. Do you think upgrade to aethos would be worth it ? And what about Osiris?
Great question. The Osiris is a great amp, however it’s the lineage from which the Aethos comes from and I believe offers a better bang for the buck. As far as upgrading from an Elicit R, I think it would be a evolutionary step rather than revolutionary step. Also have you tried Rega’s power cord? If not I highly recommend giving it an audition.
@@joeylopezphd Got it. Thank you very much for your answer. I have not tried the rega power cord. I do use a power cord from a different company which I believe is a good one but I will inquire about rega’s . Thanks for the note!
Hellloooo - Maybe you could give us an overview of the sound profile of the various Rega's and Rega in general - Are they warm sounding amplifiers? Keep well.
Rega amps tend to have good PRAT (pace, rhythm and timing), while also being more on the warm side then analytical, which is quite a combination as usually it’s one or the other. For example the Rega Brio is a great that will provide the sounds audiophiles Associate with a good amp (imagining, depth, resolving), however it also keeps its musical characteristic described above. I hope this helps.
Great overview. I would like to know if Elicit-r is really USD1300/ GBP 730 (i.e. price difference between the two) better than Elex-r. Is it worth upgrading from Elex to Elicit? Can Elex drive Rega RX5 with ease and to the fullest capacity of RX5?
The Elex R matches well with the RX5’s, i have customers with both the Elex R and eight eh Ellicit hooked up to the RX5’s and they both sound great in their own rights. The Aethos is also amazing the RX5’s. That’s the cool thing about those speakers, as soon as you think you have gotten the most out of them, they show you that much more.
Hi i'm in the UK , very informative video thanks . I recently bought a P6 with Ania cartridge , Rega mc , Brio amp and Sennheiser HD660S phones , i am waiting on Spendor A2s for demo , we have delivery problems here in the UK at present. What are your thoughts ,are Spendor A2s combatable with this equipment ?
@@Dreamonoids Hi thanks for your reply , well iv'e had the Spendors about six weeks now and am really pleased with them, more bass than i was expecting which is great, maybe the tweeters are a little layed back overall when played at lower volumes but lift the volume slightly and everything is singing, a little time taken setting up is worth while , distance from wall and toe in etc, good purchase ☺
Hi, Great Amps Rega, I had the new Brio (excellent) and upgraded to the older style of the Rega Ellicit-R for more power with my Neat speakers (6 ohms). However, the Ellicit amp has an inherent problem of over heating and cutting out esp. on warm days (something to do with bias). I’m a little annoyed by this and not sure what to do... return to Rega or maybe look for a different setup ie Pre amp with a powerful class D amp (that runs cool) ?? I believe the Elex-R runs much cooler.... We will see.. any comments/thoughts ? Thanks 👍🏻
Yes both the Elicit-R and Aethos run hot. I have not heard of the Aethos shutting off but have heard of the Elicit-R shutting down due to heat. It doesn’t hurt the amp, but can be annoying if you haven’t ever experienced such a thing. It is recommended to keep the amp in a well ventilated space and in a cool environment. In Texas we all use AC heavily so I haven’t had any customers have issues. But as you mentioned, it can be one. I recommend messing with air flow and air conditioning.
Great question. The ELEX R has driven 4ohm low sensitivity speakers pretty well from our experience. Most run Linn and ATC speakers of that type. An 86db rating at 4ohms means you will want to think about the size of the room and the volume you would like to achieve and for how long IE RMS CS Dynamic headroom in terms of wattage. Hope this helps.
Thanks for your reply... I have a room of 10 by 16 ft , I like it loud at times and definitely would Like some headroom, I have the naim atom now 40 per channel.
joey lopez phd it’s pretty good but I feel more comfortable with more power than the naim . I like the fact that the naim has a streamer Dac built in and if I go with rega I’ll need a new streamer Dac. Any suggestions
Thanks for the review Joey. Always enjoyable and informative. I sold my Elex r when I found my hard to find Rega Exon3 amps and Cursa 3 pre-amp. At first I regretted selling my Elex because it really is/was a nice amp but now I`m really appreciating what my Exon/Cursa combo is offering since I set the Cursa to it`s lowest gain setting. Is there anyway I could buy a REGA sticker from you? :)
I love old school Rega combos! I won’t lie, if a Clamshell Rega Hal/Exxon combo ever came up I would think hard about picking it up. As for the stickers, let me see what I can cook up.
@@joeylopezphd That would be so cool Joey! Thanks so much! I`m a huge Rega fan! All my 2 channel audio set up is Rega. P6 with Exact cart and Neo ttpsu, Aria phono stage, Ear headphone amp, a pair of Exon 3`s, Cursa 3, Rega RS5`s, Apollo cd player connected to Rega DAC r as well as Rega interconnects and speaker cable. The only component not Rega is my REL sub.
The factory is in Essex not Suffolk. To be more specif its in Southend-on-Sea, which is only 90 minutes from Central London which is in fact 'near'....
Just came across your review, 3 comments to make, First you said made in England next to London, lol so wrong as London is in England but we forgive you as your from across the pond, Next you said we don't like to have competing brands in shop? Really.... competing brands are there not just to compete but to offer alternative, yes you may have the best $3000 amp on the market but that amp will only shine with said partner gear IE CD, Turntable and so on, so having a choice depending on the gear I already own is how you replace gear, what works with one system will not or be the best item your selling for my system, Point three,,,,, I did still like the video and still relevant a year on,
Thanks for the comments. We just really love Rega gear that much, name another brand that still designs and makes their gear in house based around PRAT that isn’t astronomically expensive and we might consider carrying them too.
