Rega Brio amp, good/bad but not ugly

[admin_exported]

Anyone have one or know anything about the Rega Brio amp, will it work with my Cambridge Audio 540c/v2. I think Joel mentioned to me on a previous thread to take a look at Rega as i was looking for a warmer sounding set up.

 

[Thaiman]

I always has been a pro-rega even before WHF review the Apollo but rega's amp seem to be a weak link of the company....shame that is as speakers, cdp and decks are top class.

 

[drummerman]

Rega does not sound 'warm' especially in their latest incarnations nor is it upfront. The latest CD players are for my ears very detailed, very hifi but also a bit lifeless. The mira is similar and I think, inferior to the Brio which is more dynamic, less fatiguing to listen to and very musical especially with rega's own R3. That was the set-up I've heard some month ago. When we changed Rega's own two latest CD players to a cyrus, things improved no end. It'll work fine with your player. Why dont you get one for home dem?

 

[Anonymous]

Thaiman thanks for your input, the amp may be a weak link in the Rega family but is it as weak as the Cambridge A5 amp in my system?

 

[Anonymous]

Thanks Drummerman, i am watching a couple on Ebay at under £250 and under a month old so a saving of £100, thought it might be a bargain and make my system a little bit easier to listen too.(a little harsh on the ear at the moment) Just wanted a little advice on to bid or not to bid, so basically is the amp better than the Cambridge A5 i have and will it sound better? will it work ok in my system? I know i should try and listen to a product before i buy which i intend to in the very near future when i have the cash to visit my local Naim dealer.

Thank Paul

 

[Anonymous]

[quote user="drummerman"]
The latest CD players are for my ears very detailed, very hifi but also a bit lifeless. The mira is similar and I think, inferior to the Brio which is more dynamic, less fatiguing to listen to and very musical especially with rega's own R3.
[/quote]

I have to say that your analysis suprises me somewhat. I thought the Apollo, Mira 3 and R5s sounded superb! Lifeless couldn't be further from what I heard. But hey, it's all down to preference. I'm not sure about Rega's amps, but I would def. rate their CDPs and speakers as very talented and musical.

 

[drummerman]

[quote user="buddha"]so basically is the amp better than the Cambridge A5 i have and will it sound better?[/quote]

I dont know the Cambridge A5

 

[drummerman]

[quote user="igglebert"]I have to say that your analysis suprises me somewhat. I thought the Apollo, Mira 3 and R5s sounded superb! Lifeless couldn't be further from what I heard. But hey, it's all down to preference. I'm not sure about Rega's amps, but I would def. rate their CDPs and speakers as very talented and musical.[/quote]

Fair play igglebert

We did'nt have R5's at hand. To cut a long story short, eventually we replaced the rega electronics with cyrus ones, namely a CD8x and 8vs2. The difference was not small. Whereas the regas (all combinations ie. apollo/saturn/mira/brio) emphasized detail with sweet subtlety (if that makes sense) to a greater or lesser extend, it was a rather reserved, polite rendition of Keb Mo. The cyrus gear brought back some life, presence and fun but of course it too can be critisized (like everything). Of the rega combinations I thought the brio offered more of a 'live in front of me' feel than the mira. You could argue the cyrus player and amp are more expensive but when you put a mira with a saturn I felt there was no comparison and the price for the combination is similar. Horses for courses and we dont all like the same thing. I might add I would'nt choose either combination if it was me that had to buy but thats another story.

 

[Anonymous]

I def agree that the Rega sound is polite. Almost grown up in a sense! If you wanted to be really critical it's a little dry and boxy (the combo I heard), but also had exceptional timing and musicality. From the description it could almost be the older, more sensible brother of Naim...
I have to confess that I've never heard any Cyrus kit so I think I need to get some audition time to see what all of this acclaim is about. I'm in the market for either a new amp or pair of speakers and I suspect I need the later more - we'll see!

 

[Anonymous]

I just replaced my musical fidelity xa1 with a cyrus 8 amp and the difference is quite substantial, i will replace my mf x-ray with the cyrus 8x in two months or so, ive been a musical fidelity fan for years and there hasnt been much out there to sway me in a different direction until i herd cyrus, go and listen!

 

[JoelSim]

[quote user="buddha"]
Anyone have one or know anything about the Rega Brio amp, will it work with my Cambridge Audio 540c/v2. I think Joel mentioned to me on a previous thread to take a look at Rega as i was looking for a warmer sounding set up.
[/quote]

I don't know about the amp, but the Apollo CD player sounded good through a Naim 5i and Epos m12.2 and AVI neutron IVs.

 

[drummerman]

[quote user="jimm"]I just replaced my musical fidelity xa1 with a cyrus 8 amp and the difference is quite substantial, i will replace my mf x-ray with the cyrus 8x in two months or so, ive been a musical fidelity fan for years and there hasnt been much out there to sway me in a different direction until i herd cyrus, go and listen![/quote]

Yes, cyrus is nice but there is so much more out there ... !

 

[Anonymous]

[quote user="drummerman"]
[quote user="jimm"]I just replaced my musical fidelity xa1 with a cyrus 8 amp and the difference is quite substantial, i will replace my mf x-ray with the cyrus 8x in two months or so, ive been a musical fidelity fan for years and there hasnt been much out there to sway me in a different direction until i herd cyrus, go and listen![/quote]

Yes, cyrus is nice but there is so much more out there ... !
[/quote]

Amen