Question Rega Fono MM Mk3 VS Moon 110LP v2

[montanasan]

At the end of the day you are the one who will be reaping the benefits of what you buy. It's not a perfect world I have bought things and realised afterwards it was not a good choice.
Money is made round to go round. Good luck with whatever you chose.

Thanks.

 

[plastic penguin]

I'm auditioning and will make my own mind on which I prefer.
Interested to hear other folks experiences is why I asked the question. Nothing irrelevant about my curiosity.

Out of interest. How long have you/are you auditioning for?

 

[montanasan]

Out of interest. How long have you/are you auditioning for?

The Cambridge amp was gifted to me from CEO through my management company and the phono preamps are from a friend who works for a well known HiFi store in Scotland.

 

[plastic penguin]

The Cambridge amp was gifted to me from CEO through my management company and the phono preamps are from a friend who works for a well known HiFi store in Scotland.

I was curious as some components can take a while for the ears to adjust

 

[montanasan]

I was curious as some components can take a while for the ears to adjust

I've been listening with the Moon for about a month and have just switched to Rega.
Had the CXA81 since end of December,

 

[plastic penguin]

I've been listening with the Moon for about a month and have just switched to Rega.
Had the CXA81 since end of December,

Fair play.

From my limited experience of outboard phono stages, as with Dacs, there's very little to choose between unless you go way up the price scale.

I did listen to few when I had the Leema Tucana but settled on the Leema Elements stage purely as it came from the same stable.

 

[montanasan]

Fair play.

From my limited experience of outboard phono stages, as with Dacs, there's very little to choose between unless you go way up the price scale.

I did listen to few when I had the Leema Tucana but settled on the Leema Elements stage purely as it came from the same stable.

To be honest, there's a fair difference in these two already. I'm certainly preferring the Regas wider soundstage atm. Moon is very well balanced but there's an excitement in th Fono that's pleasing me today. Early days.
FYI - I'm a pro writer/producer/mix engineer in my day job - have my own studio with lots of high-end audio gear... I'm very particular when it comes to audio 👊🏻

 

[plastic penguin]

To be honest, there's a fair difference in these two already. I'm certainly preferring the Regas wider soundstage atm. Moon is very well balanced but there's an excitement in th Fono that's pleasing me today. Early days.
FYI - I'm a pro writer/producer/mix engineer in my day job - have my own studio with lots of high-end audio gear... I'm very particular when it comes to audio 👊🏻

Okay. You asked about the two aforementioned stages and all we can do is give you our personal experiences.

 

[montanasan]

Okay. You asked about the two aforementioned stages and all we can do is give you our personal experiences.

Absolutely and much appreciated 🙏

 

[nopiano]

To be honest, there's a fair difference in these two already. I'm certainly preferring the Regas wider soundstage atm. Moon is very well balanced but there's an excitement in th Fono that's pleasing me today. Early days.
FYI - I'm a pro writer/producer/mix engineer in my day job - have my own studio with lots of high-end audio gear... I'm very particular when it comes to audio 👊🏻

Then please try to hear a better turntable if you possibly can. You can’t improve the sound once it’s been captured by your cartridge, as you surely know, which is why my earnest advice is to focus on the turntable, arm and cartridge rather than the differences between two phono stages. I’m surprised your Hi-Fi store friend hasn’t said the same.

You obviously know what you’re hearing because I’d expect the Moon to sound smoother and the Rega more exciting too. I owned the Rega Fono mini I recommended earlier for about 8 years, and you shouldn’t interpret ‘fine’ as any put down. When I ‘upgraded’ to the Fono II, which is much the same internally as the one you’re auditioning, it wasn’t particularly superior sounding, just nicer to use and with a pretty light-up logo. The MM stage in my Linn DS that I now use is better than the Rega to my ears.

 

[montanasan]

Then please try to hear a better turntable if you possibly can. You can’t improve the sound once it’s been captured by your cartridge, as you surely know, which is why my earnest advice is to focus on the turntable, arm and cartridge rather than the differences between two phono stages. I’m surprised your Hi-Fi store friend hasn’t said the same.

You obviously know what you’re hearing because I’d expect the Moon to sound smoother and the Rega more exciting too. I owned the Rega Fono mini I recommended earlier for about 8 years, and you shouldn’t interpret ‘fine’ as any put down. When I ‘upgraded’ to the Fono II, which is much the same internally as the one you’re auditioning, it wasn’t particularly superior sounding, just nicer to use and with a pretty light-up logo. The MM stage in my Linn DS that I now use is better than the Rega to my ears.

Thanks. I fully intend to upgrade turntable some point in the near future but as I've been gifted these components I'd be daft not to keep one of them as I currently need a phono stage for my CXA81 👌

 

[Al ears]

Thanks. I fully intend to upgrade turntable some point in the near future but as I've been gifted these components I'd be daft not to keep one of them as I currently need a phono stage for my CXA81 👌

In that case I would advise, if you ever see yourself progressing to moving coil cartridges, keep the Moon.
It will also bring the most money should you decide to sell it on.