New Rega Brio on the way!

[manicm]

Update from the horses mouth. Volume control looks intriguing - is that a glass center? Regal needs to embrace digital though - why not a matching streamer?

Ditto - I think the central part of the volume control could be hiding a display of some sort? Also, like the Cyrus One, why no digital input?!? *unknw*

Because if you have a digital input you'd need to incorporate a DAC section and thus push the price up. There is a reason to keep a simple amp in your line-up.

I certainly didn't say that, I want Rega to offer a matching seperate streamer. That's a glaring omission in their line-up. They have a pure DAC, but I still don't see any value in a standalone DAC when many streamers have digital inputs as well.

Agree. A DAC/Streamer makes sense but pure Streamers in this day and age when you can buy a CCA for less than a meal out for two doesn't make to much sense anymore imho.

CCA is well and good if you'll only stream via internet like Dave, but others like me want to rip extensive cd collections for local streaming, which if I'm correct is not really suited to the little guy.

 

[tino]

Ditto - I think the central part of the volume control could be hiding a display of some sort? Also, like the Cyrus One, why no digital input?!? *unknw*

Because if you have a digital input you'd need to incorporate a DAC section and thus push the price up. There is a reason to keep a simple amp in your line-up.

The price to me if I have to buy an external DAC would be pricier than if they incorporated it in the amp in the first place and precludes any pure digital sources, or to simply hook it up to the optical output of a TV or media streamer (the analogue outs of which are usually not that good). An opportunity missed in my opinion.

 

[Al ears]

Ditto - I think the central part of the volume control could be hiding a display of some sort? Also, like the Cyrus One, why no digital input?!? *unknw*

Because if you have a digital input you'd need to incorporate a DAC section and thus push the price up. There is a reason to keep a simple amp in your line-up.

The price to me if I have to buy an external DAC would be pricier than if they incorporated it in the amp in the first place and precludes any pure digital sources, or to simply hook it up to the optical output of a TV or media streamer (the analogue outs of which are usually not that good). An opportunity missed in my opinion.

I reckon they will sell more to those that already have a DAC of some sort or, indeed, those that don't want one.

 

[Al ears]

Ditto - I think the central part of the volume control could be hiding a display of some sort? Also, like the Cyrus One, why no digital input?!? *unknw*

Because if you have a digital input you'd need to incorporate a DAC section and thus push the price up. There is a reason to keep a simple amp in your line-up.

The price to me if I have to buy an external DAC would be pricier than if they incorporated it in the amp in the first place and precludes any pure digital sources, or to simply hook it up to the optical output of a TV or media streamer (the analogue outs of which are usually not that good). An opportunity missed in my opinion.

I reckon they will sell more to those that already have a DAC of some sort or, indeed, those that don't want one. A smart move in my opinion not everyone needs DAC's with everything.... ;-)

 

[drummerman]

Update from the horses mouth. Volume control looks intriguing - is that a glass center? Regal needs to embrace digital though - why not a matching streamer?

Ditto - I think the central part of the volume control could be hiding a display of some sort? Also, like the Cyrus One, why no digital input?!? *unknw*

Because if you have a digital input you'd need to incorporate a DAC section and thus push the price up. There is a reason to keep a simple amp in your line-up.

I certainly didn't say that, I want Rega to offer a matching seperate streamer. That's a glaring omission in their line-up. They have a pure DAC, but I still don't see any value in a standalone DAC when many streamers have digital inputs as well.

Agree. A DAC/Streamer makes sense but pure Streamers in this day and age when you can buy a CCA for less than a meal out for two doesn't make to much sense anymore imho.

CCA is well and good if you'll only stream via internet like Dave, but others like me want to rip extensive cd collections for local streaming, which if I'm correct is not really suited to the little guy.

You can use 3rd party apps such as bubbleupnp to cast stored music such as ripped to Flac on MusicBee.

 

[matthewpiano]

Ditto - I think the central part of the volume control could be hiding a display of some sort? Also, like the Cyrus One, why no digital input?!? *unknw*

Because if you have a digital input you'd need to incorporate a DAC section and thus push the price up. There is a reason to keep a simple amp in your line-up.

The price to me if I have to buy an external DAC would be pricier than if they incorporated it in the amp in the first place and precludes any pure digital sources, or to simply hook it up to the optical output of a TV or media streamer (the analogue outs of which are usually not that good). An opportunity missed in my opinion.

I reckon they will sell more to those that already have a DAC of some sort or, indeed, those that don't want one. A smart move in my opinion not everyone needs DAC's with everything.... ;-)

The other consideration is fitting everything into the Brio case and maintaining sufficient shielding. In the PM6006, Marantz shield the digital circuit from the analogue ones to avoid interference, but there is precious little space to do much in the Brio case and the Brio-R already has well documented issues with the power supply inducing hum in the signal path. It doesn't need a further source of potential interference.

 

[Al ears]

Ditto - I think the central part of the volume control could be hiding a display of some sort? Also, like the Cyrus One, why no digital input?!? *unknw*

Because if you have a digital input you'd need to incorporate a DAC section and thus push the price up. There is a reason to keep a simple amp in your line-up.

The price to me if I have to buy an external DAC would be pricier than if they incorporated it in the amp in the first place and precludes any pure digital sources, or to simply hook it up to the optical output of a TV or media streamer (the analogue outs of which are usually not that good). An opportunity missed in my opinion.

I reckon they will sell more to those that already have a DAC of some sort or, indeed, those that don't want one. A smart move in my opinion not everyone needs DAC's with everything.... ;-)

The other consideration is fitting everything into the Brio case and maintaining sufficient shielding. In the PM6006, Marantz shield the digital circuit from the analogue ones to avoid interference, but there is precious little space to do much in the Brio case and the Brio-R already has well documented issues with the power supply inducing hum in the signal path. It doesn't need a further source of potential interference.

Good point, there is also the fact that DAC quality seems to be moving at a very fast pace so the idea of keeping the DAC as a seperate bit of kit improves future upgrade opportunities, putting all your eggs in one basket doesn't.

 

[manicm]

Update from the horses mouth. Volume control looks intriguing - is that a glass center? Regal needs to embrace digital though - why not a matching streamer?

Ditto - I think the central part of the volume control could be hiding a display of some sort? Also, like the Cyrus One, why no digital input?!? *unknw*

Because if you have a digital input you'd need to incorporate a DAC section and thus push the price up. There is a reason to keep a simple amp in your line-up.

I certainly didn't say that, I want Rega to offer a matching seperate streamer. That's a glaring omission in their line-up. They have a pure DAC, but I still don't see any value in a standalone DAC when many streamers have digital inputs as well.

Agree. A DAC/Streamer makes sense but pure Streamers in this day and age when you can buy a CCA for less than a meal out for two doesn't make to much sense anymore imho.

CCA is well and good if you'll only stream via internet like Dave, but others like me want to rip extensive cd collections for local streaming, which if I'm correct is not really suited to the little guy.

You can use 3rd party apps such as bubbleupnp to cast stored music such as ripped to Flac on MusicBee.

I don't want to use a PC at all, apart from ripping. No thank you.

 

[manicm]

Ditto - I think the central part of the volume control could be hiding a display of some sort? Also, like the Cyrus One, why no digital input?!? *unknw*

Because if you have a digital input you'd need to incorporate a DAC section and thus push the price up. There is a reason to keep a simple amp in your line-up.

The price to me if I have to buy an external DAC would be pricier than if they incorporated it in the amp in the first place and precludes any pure digital sources, or to simply hook it up to the optical output of a TV or media streamer (the analogue outs of which are usually not that good). An opportunity missed in my opinion.

I reckon they will sell more to those that already have a DAC of some sort or, indeed, those that don't want one. A smart move in my opinion not everyone needs DAC's with everything.... ;-)

The other consideration is fitting everything into the Brio case and maintaining sufficient shielding. In the PM6006, Marantz shield the digital circuit from the analogue ones to avoid interference, but there is precious little space to do much in the Brio case and the Brio-R already has well documented issues with the power supply inducing hum in the signal path. It doesn't need a further source of potential interference.

Good point, there is also the fact that DAC quality seems to be moving at a very fast pace so the idea of keeping the DAC as a seperate bit of kit improves future upgrade opportunities, putting all your eggs in one basket doesn't.

DAC quality moving at fast pace? Unless you have a Chord sized wallet to buy their new models every year, I don't see it. Or unless you want DSD and/or MQA. How bad is that DAC you bought 5 years ago for a grand? You mean suddenly obsolete? Suddenly sounds ho-hum? What about Naim's 2 grand NDX streamer you bought few years back? Suddenly not good? I don't think so!

Other companies could learn a lesson from Linn with regards to upgradability. And they stopped making stand-alone DACs ages ago. But they have introduced DAC upgrades in their streamers retrospectively, at a cost admittedly, but you see what I'm getting at.

It's horses for courses, but a standalone DAC does not hold any value to me personally, unless I was interested in PC streaming, which I'm not, even though I may be in the minority there.

 

[chebby]

Ditto - I think the central part of the volume control could be hiding a display of some sort? Also, like the Cyrus One, why no digital input?!? *unknw*

Because if you have a digital input you'd need to incorporate a DAC section and thus push the price up. There is a reason to keep a simple amp in your line-up.

The price to me if I have to buy an external DAC would be pricier than if they incorporated it in the amp in the first place and precludes any pure digital sources, or to simply hook it up to the optical output of a TV or media streamer (the analogue outs of which are usually not that good). An opportunity missed in my opinion.

I reckon they will sell more to those that already have a DAC of some sort or, indeed, those that don't want one. A smart move in my opinion not everyone needs DAC's with everything.... ;-)

The other consideration is fitting everything into the Brio case and maintaining sufficient shielding. In the PM6006, Marantz shield the digital circuit from the analogue ones to avoid interference, but there is precious little space to do much in the Brio case and the Brio-R already has well documented issues with the power supply inducing hum in the signal path. It doesn't need a further source of potential interference.

Good point, there is also the fact that DAC quality seems to be moving at a very fast pace so the idea of keeping the DAC as a seperate bit of kit improves future upgrade opportunities, putting all your eggs in one basket doesn't.

DAC quality moving at fast pace? Unless you have a Chord sized wallet to buy their new models every year, I don't see it. Or unless you want DSD and/or MQA. How bad is that DAC you bought 5 years ago for a grand? You mean suddenly obsolete? Suddenly sounds ho-hum? What about Naim's 2 grand NDX streamer you bought few years back? Suddenly not good? I don't think so!

Other companies could learn a lesson from Linn with regards to upgradability. And they stopped making stand-alone DACs ages ago. But they have introduced DAC upgrades in their streamers retrospectively, at a cost admittedly, but you see what I'm getting at.

It's horses for courses, but a standalone DAC does not hold any value to me personally, unless I was interested in PC streaming, which I'm not, even though I may be in the minority there.

+1

 

[Al ears]

Ditto - I think the central part of the volume control could be hiding a display of some sort? Also, like the Cyrus One, why no digital input?!? *unknw*

Because if you have a digital input you'd need to incorporate a DAC section and thus push the price up. There is a reason to keep a simple amp in your line-up.

The price to me if I have to buy an external DAC would be pricier than if they incorporated it in the amp in the first place and precludes any pure digital sources, or to simply hook it up to the optical output of a TV or media streamer (the analogue outs of which are usually not that good). An opportunity missed in my opinion.

I reckon they will sell more to those that already have a DAC of some sort or, indeed, those that don't want one. A smart move in my opinion not everyone needs DAC's with everything.... ;-)

The other consideration is fitting everything into the Brio case and maintaining sufficient shielding. In the PM6006, Marantz shield the digital circuit from the analogue ones to avoid interference, but there is precious little space to do much in the Brio case and the Brio-R already has well documented issues with the power supply inducing hum in the signal path. It doesn't need a further source of potential interference.

Good point, there is also the fact that DAC quality seems to be moving at a very fast pace so the idea of keeping the DAC as a seperate bit of kit improves future upgrade opportunities, putting all your eggs in one basket doesn't.

DAC quality moving at fast pace? Unless you have a Chord sized wallet to buy their new models every year, I don't see it. Or unless you want DSD and/or MQA. How bad is that DAC you bought 5 years ago for a grand? You mean suddenly obsolete? Suddenly sounds ho-hum? What about Naim's 2 grand NDX streamer you bought few years back? Suddenly not good? I don't think so!

Other companies could learn a lesson from Linn with regards to upgradability. And they stopped making stand-alone DACs ages ago. But they have introduced DAC upgrades in their streamers retrospectively, at a cost admittedly, but you see what I'm getting at.

It's horses for courses, but a standalone DAC does not hold any value to me personally, unless I was interested in PC streaming, which I'm not, even though I may be in the minority there.

I meant just that, the ability to handle data greater than CD standard 16/44.

If you have an amp with inbuilt DAC that doesn't handle DSD files and you suddenly decide all yo want to play is DSD then you'd have to sell that amp. Simples!

However this has sod all to do with the initial post about the Brio and why it hasn't got a DAC in it so I'll shut up here.

 

[manicm]

Al Ears, so you would sell your dac/amp because it can't play DSD? You are aware of the fact that 99% of hires music is in PCM format don't you? I.e. Wav/Flac.

Well kudos to you then.

 

[YiannisK]

Has anyone got one yet? Impressions?