Rega Brio R too laid back

[zarathustra38]

Hi,

I recently purchased a Gold Note CD-7 player to go through Rega Brio R amp and Rega RS-1 speakers. I use Atlas Elements interconnect and Rega FSC Quatro speaker cable. I cannot but feel that the combo is sounding slightly too warm to my liking. I miss high frequences a fair bit. It almost sounds as if there is a veil or blanket over the sound. Is there anything I could do to get more top end out of my setup? I was thinking of a DAC but would Rega DAC cater for the things I am after. Or would I be better off with a different, more analytical, DAC? Thans for all comments and suggestions!

 

[Hi-FiOutlaw]

Hi,

I recently purchased a Gold Note CD-7 player to go through Rega Brio R amp and Rega RS-1 speakers. I use Atlas Elements interconnect and Rega FSC Quatro speaker cable. I cannot but feel that the combo is sounding slightly too warm to my liking. I miss high frequences a fair bit. It almost sounds as if there is a veil or blanket over the sound. Is there anything I could do to get more top end out of my setup? I was thinking of a DAC but would Rega DAC cater for the things I am after. Or would I be better off with a different, more analytical, DAC? Thans for all comments and suggestions!

i think the problem is you CD player, i did a demo of the ATC SCM11 with a Perreaux 80i and a Gold Note CD7 if i'm not mistaken is a valve cd player.

And i felt the same as you, and they changed the cd player for a Perreaux as well, and the vail was lifted...

Best REGArds

 

[zarathustra38]

Thanks for that. Gold Note CD7 is not a valve CD player. http://www.goldnote.it/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=88&Itemid=68&lang=en

I also tried the amp with an old Panasonic portable CD player (with a separate line out) ,for what its worth, and found the overall sound signature pretty similar, so I guess it must be Brio still. I will fill up my speaker stands, and see if that tames that bass a little bit and brings some more clarity into my system.

 

[Hi-FiOutlaw]

Thanks for that. Gold Note CD7 is not a valve CD player. http://www.goldnote.it/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=88&Itemid=68&lang=en

I also tried the amp with an old Panasonic portable CD player (with a separate line out) ,for what its worth, and found the overall sound signature pretty similar, so I guess it must be Brio still. I will fill up my speaker stands, and see if that tames that bass a little bit and brings some more clarity into my system.

And why not try another set of speakers? I love my combo Brio R and Dynaudio Excite X12, they have a detaild, vivid and neutral over all presentation!

I find the RS3 a bit muffled, and the twiter is the same, never eard the RS1.

 

[Hi-FiOutlaw]

The CD player in my demo was a Audio Note, not a Gold Note!

Sorry fot the miss understood!

 

[BigH]

I recently heard that system (Rega) and thought the same, said to dealer that and he changed the speakers to B&W CM1s and the veil was lifted straight away, so I think it is more the speakers than the amp. Im not saying the CM1s are the speakers to buy as I thought they had too much bass and needed quite a bit of power to drive them. Very disappointed with the RS1s.

 

[CnoEvil]

Rega speakers are warm and comfortable sounding, so I would agree with those who have pointed the finger in that direction.

 

[BigH]

I would try some AE 301s if you can or those Dynaudios someone else mentioned, try for a home demo.

 

[zarathustra38]

Thanks, guys, for your thoughts. Will try to get some different speakers from my dealer to see if that would bring some punch into my ssystem

 

[plastic penguin]

There's another big Rega fan who's heard the Brio-R with Neat Motive 3 speakers. If your budget allows it'll be wothwhile having a dem. Like the others I think the amp isn't the culprit. never heard of Gold Note so wouldn't know where/how to advise. Certainly worth looking at speakers with Neats, MA GX50 and PMC DB1is.

 

[ISAC69]

Thanks, guys, for your thoughts. Will try to get some different speakers from my dealer to see if that would bring some punch into my ssystem

Before you bought the Rega combination didn't you demo it ?

It is very important to check every component before buying and don't base your decision on reviews !

 

[jjbomber]

Rega Brio R too laid back.....

Stand it upright :rofl: :rofl: :rofl: :rofl:

 

[antskip]

I recently purchased a Gold Note CD-7 player to go through Rega Brio R amp and Rega RS-1 speakers.It almost sounds as if there is a veil or blanket over the sound.

I never have any experience of a "veil"; nor is it "laid back", nor especially bright. The Rega Brio-R is notable for its honesty/transparency, rather than a special sound or character (akin to KEF LS50's in speakers, and TQ Blacks in speaker cables).

A veil/blanket affect is commonly associated with new equipment that has not yet travelled far enough through the settling-in period. The system sound is a result of every component working as a team in a specific physical environment working with a specific data source. A very new component can "cloud" everything, in which case one has to wait a day or two for the actual result to appear. Then one can but substitute components one at a time to find the culprit.

 

[zarathustra38]

Thanks! However, the amp/speakers combo has been playing for almost three weeks now. The type of congestion of the new equipment you referred to did indeed clear up in a few days. I really hoped that the treble side would clear up too but it has not happened and I doubt it will happen. I think I really need to demo some different and more detailed speakers, as suggested above, to see if that would change things more to my liking.

 

[zarathustra38]

Thanks! However, the amp/speakers combo has been playing for almost three weeks now. The type of congestion of the new equipment you referred to did indeed clear up in a few days. I really hoped that the treble side would clear up too but it has not happened and I doubt it will happen. I think I really need to demo some different and more detailed speakers, as suggested above, to see if that would change things more to my liking.

 

[zarathustra38]

I have to admit I made a rookie mistake not to demo amp and speakers together. I listened RS1s with a generic Marantz amp in the dealers rather noisy storage room. They sounded fine at the time and I only expected them to sound better with Brio R. In all honesty, they still sound good but just too warm. I like my hi-hats and cymbals shimerring, please.

 

[zarathustra38]

I have to admit I made a rookie mistake not to demo amp and speakers together. I listened RS1s with a generic Marantz amp in the dealers rather noisy storage room. They sounded fine at the time and I only expected them to sound better with Brio R. In all honesty, they still sound good but just too warm. I like my hi-hats and cymbals shimerring, please.

 

[ISAC69]

I heard the Rega products first they sound very good but on long listenning they do sound too worm and colorful espcially the DAC .

It is a big mistake to buy based on reviwes, you must demo every component carefully and if can in your home before buying. I did it before

and made mistakes that caused me a lot of money. now I am trying as many options as I can including products that did not received positive reviwes

and you will be very surprised to find out how many of them are very good .

I think you need to consider companies that have neutral and natural sound for amp such as : Roksan , Rotel , Audiolab act.

for speakers : Proac , PMC ,Spendor ,B&W act.

For cabels and Interconnects : Tellurium , Chord , VDH act.

 

[Lo Fi]

I have a Brio R with Audiolab 8200 cdp and Monitor Audio RX6 speakers and I can assure you that this combo is not laid back.
It is detailed and very dynamic some may say a bit bright but I think detailed and dynamic.

 

[mindgames]

You may think you are a rookie but heck you've chosen well for your CD player! I had the opportunity to hear equipment from the Gold Note range at audioflair in London (www.audioflair.co.uk) - and ended up with the Gold Note (Goldenote as it was know then) DAC-7. I've not heard a better DAC for the money and I've heard a good many including the likes of Wyre4Sound and the Arcam's - for me at least - the DAC-7 showed them a clean set of heels musically speaking!

Well done for finding out about the Gold Note - little known about - but a gem hiding away from most of us Audiophiles (not many dealers in the UK).

I am enjoying the sounds from my Gold Note as I sit here typing this now.

 

[audioaddict]

maybe a cyrus component slotted in would open things up a bit

 

[mindgames]

Did you ever get to the bottom of your problem? I notice with the Gold Note CD player you are using a Simaudio Moon DAC1 - I've not heard this particular DAC (I have heard many others) but if you do feel you need an external DAC then the perfect suitor would be the Gold Note DAC-7 which is a fabulous DAC!

Otherwise we are talking amp and loudspeakers (more likely). But if you ever get a chance to try this Gold Note DAC - please do - it's that good!

 

[MajorFubar]

You're unlikely to get a reply from the OP, he hasn't logged in to the forum since last July. Would be kind of spooky if today's the day he chooses to log in after a nine month sabbatical, but stranger things have happened.

 

[Happy_Listner]

I would have to say the problem is the Rega RS-1 speakers. I have heard them before hooked up to the Brio-R and Apollo-R and felt the sound was a bit soft and laid back maybe even a tad small. I owned the Rega Brio-R for few months so I would not say it is the Brio-R's fault. Hooked up to my Proac Signature 2000's it sounded very lively and exciting. I think the Rega RS-3 speakers and up are the way to go.

The only other problem I can think of is perhaps your CD player. Does your Audio Note CD-7 have tubes in it? That could be smoothing out the sound and rounding out the top end too much for your liking.

 

[unsleepable]

I auditioned the Brio-R with Kef LS 50 and I found it a bit too warm, and lacking detail. Pleasant in its own way, though. But my overall opinion was that its sound lacked presence altogether.