Rega ELA MK2 speakers, NAD C320 amplifier, Beresford TC-7520 

Thanks. This is just a cheapo setup, sounded pretty good tbh, I think the whole lot was less than £300 used. Im using Ruark and exposure atm, decent step up over this video. Ive got the minstrels too, patiently waiting for some doublets or abbots to turn up on ebay 🤞🏻

@@russellparker4568 I still have my Inca tech the claymore from the 80s never wanted to change it 👍👍

Oh wow, been looking for one of those too, extremely rare. 👌🏻

@@russellparker4568 that's why they are rare they are just wonderful and musical great phono stage as well 👍

Sure. The Rega’s are similar to the RK’s in the way they are both very fast speakers, the RK’s do this a little better but its a very small difference. They both have a tremendous midrange, lovely tone authentic to real life, think 95% of the way to LS35A territory. They are almost identical here with the RK’s being slightly richer but only slightly. They both have good bass, the Rega’s are easier to live with in a small to medium room in the bass department, the transmission line cabinet rolls the bass of slow and smooth with zero port noise. They kick the most bass close to the front wall, unfortunately this flattens the soundstage but with them 2.5ft away it fixes that and the bass its still great. In a large room the Regas would struggle (I use a 10” subwoofer cut at 90hz in a medium room for more bass depth) The RK’s on the other hand, being front ported, actually produce a bit more bass but its harder to manage in a small to medium sized room, I imagine a larger room would be no issue. They can be placed further into the room with not as much loss of bass. The RK’s can pull off the weight of a kick drum with more authority due to the larger drivers but the port can sometimes chuff a little when its low and loud. Generally though theres not too much difference between them both. They both hit about 35hz in room no problem and probably -6db at 30hz Either way they both have plenty of texture and control. So, on to some bigger differences. The RK’s tweeter is just stunning, it creates a very clear and transparent sound that does better the Rega’s, maybe 20% better. The Rega tweeter is a scanspeak and its not a bad tweeter, quite good actually, but Russell has found a great tweeter in the Red 100’s. I think due to the cabinet shape of the RK’s they don’t soundstage the way they should. Imaging is decent but when you play certain tracks where instruments are playing just to the left or right of the speakers it sounds more like its coming from the speaker. On the other hand the Rega’s place the instruments in thin air wherever they sit in the soundstage. The RK’s just dont vanish like the Rega’s do and boy do the Rega’s disappear. The Rega’s have width outside the speakers, depth, height and put that singer or instrument right there in the room with you, I love that about them. They are both easy to drive, the Rega’s more so. One thing I will say is that the RK’s, in my room, needed quite a lot of help from dirac. They throw such a large amount of energy from the speaker unlike anything else Ive ever owned. It made the frequency response shoot all over the place. Once I worked the response a bit they sounded great. Now in a bigger room, I would imagine this wouldn’t be an issue. The Rega’s on the other hand play pretty much anywhere in my room with no real fuss at all other than some lack of bass output when they are say over 3-4ft out in the room. I prefer the Rega’s in my room, maybe the RED 50’s would have been a better choice for me in hindsight. I think the RED100 are the better speaker but…… the Rega’s can be had on the used market for around £200.00 where as the RK’s are about £1000.00 used, and due to that, in my opinion the Rega’s are better value for money. One last thing, the Rega’s have only 3 components in the crossover so if you like to faff with capacitors like me theres only one on the tweeter and thats it. I’ve got some jantzens in now since this video, also running them with a arcam diva a85.

Oh and I’ll just say if your after a musical speaker, either of these two are some of the best Iv’e had so far, I’d probably give it to the Rega’s here though, the RED 100’s being slightly more leaning to that transparent/hifi kind of sound.

@@russellparker4568 I appreciate your detailed comparison between the Rega and RK speakers. It's clear that you've spent time evaluating their performance in different aspects. Thank you for sharing such an in-depth comparison of the Rega and RK speakers. Your insights are valuable for anyone considering these options. It's clear that both speakers have their strengths, and the choice ultimately depends on personal preferences and room size. The Rega's smooth bass response and ease of placement in smaller rooms, along with their midrange performance, make them a practical choice for many setups. It's great to know that they can be found at a reasonable price on the used market. On the other hand, the RK speakers seem to excel in the tweeter department, providing a clear and transparent sound. The imaging and soundstage differences you've highlighted could be crucial for those seeking a more immersive listening experience. Your mention of room size and the need for Dirac in your setup is also helpful information for potential buyers. It shows that speaker performance can be influenced by room acoustics and that some speakers may require more room correction than others. Ultimately, your insights will help others make informed decisions based on their specific needs and preferences. Thanks for sharing your experiences and opinions on these speakers!

@@russellparker4568 I'm looking to drive those beautifully looking Russell K 100 with a Densen B200/B300 combo, should be enough power/control to make them sing😃