MA BR5 vs Rega R3 vs??

[admin_exported]

Does anyone wnat to throw their 2 cents worth in?

I'm not going to get to trial the BR5 and R3 next to each other which is going to make the comparison quite difficult. Both are what I would call obscure brands in NZ but both appear to have reviewed quite well with the R3 mentioned favourably numerous times on this site. I like that they are both front venting floorstanders which will suit my room requirements and are in approximately the same price bracket.

The speakers will probably be driven by my old NAD C370, perhaps not the most subtle amp but it will do for now. While I'm more interested in 2ch music I also want to get an AV amp (possibly a Onkyo TX-SR705), sub, sats and centre speaker. I suspect the NAD C370 will give better music reproduction than the TX-SR705 even if I use two spare channels on the 705 for bi-wiring. I guess an alternative might be to lose the C370 altogether and get a TX-SR875 for music and HT. For music think Keb Mo instead of Korn.

As a pure 2ch music speaker, how would you describe the BR5 v R3 and is there a recognised clear favourite?

If I go MA then i could also get the BR1, BRLCR and BRW10 as a matching package. Going Rega is a bit more difficult as the centre would be the R Vox but the R1s are too big for where they have to fit, and Rega doesn't do a sub. Is there much of compromise in using another brand rears and sub with the R3 and R Vox?

Would the TX-SR875 be on par/better/worse music wise compared to the C370?

I know that the R3 isn't bi-wirable so using the two spare channels on a 7.1 AV amp isn't an option and I'm not even sure if they are shielded. Are either of those things major deciding factors?

Thanks to anyone who shares their thoughts.

 

[drummerman]

The BR5 is actually not a bad speaker and more fun than some of the silver range but it really is more an HT speaker. A bit boom'n tizz.

Rega really is in a different class imo.

 

[Anonymous]

drummerman:

Rega really is in a different class imo.

I second that...

 

[drummerman]

You could also, if they are available where you are, try a home cinema speaker system from Epos. I've never heard an entire epos HT system but generally think highly of them. I can't help you with regards to whether different rears match or not but would have thought that centre and front left/right are more important to be voiced the same than the rears as long as the tonality is not to far out. In regas case thats neutral and fast. Thats one for the cinema boffins and I'm not one of them. Perhaps one of the editors could help too. As for the sub there are plenty of products available at different prices. Avoid cheap ones and you should be ok.

 

[Anonymous]

The Rega R3 has the edge over the MA BR5, in my opinion.

 

[matthewpiano]

Rega R3 every time. The Bronze series are over-rated in my view. The Regas just love music, and that is as it should be.