The simple approach from realistic budgets to a high level of musicality- Rega Aria

Big Dog RJ

Well-Known Member
Feb 2, 2012
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Melbourne
G'day mates, from down unda Melbourne, the best city in the world!

We are having our HiFi show as I write this, starting today up till Sunday. Won't be able to attend as I work during weekends. Hope it turns out ok though compared to the last one organised by Stereo Net...

Just thought I'd some points of wisdom for those on a simple budget and are after a high level of musicality.
Since acquiring the Rega RP3 few years back, I've always been after a fairly simple realistic priced phonostage that can compete with the top end gear. I have tried so many in my system and they were all around 4-5 grand starting. Even the most affordable CJ starts at 3.5 grand for its entry level. I was after something around 2 grand or less, and then came along the Rega Aria.

I tried this at home, and it never went back to the dealers! Superb musicality and a wonderful match with CJ amplification. Wish I had it when I had the ACT2 and Classic 60SE just for comparison. With the CAV45 it's like a match made in heaven. The Aria has separate switches and settings for MC and separate MM circuitry using Bipolar devices for inputs. The MC stage uses Mosfet devices, and you can connect two TT's to the Aria. The build quality is superb, solid finish and healthy weight to it, plus it runs very cool compared to other phono stages I have tried. All in all, I got this for just under 2 grand, and the level of musicality is simply superb.

The gain stages are remarkable and on MC the settings are quite high to compensate and match various types of cartridges. Just last night I was listening to Patricia Barber (plays Cole Porter mix on Mofi), Miles Davis (my kind of Blue), Cassandra Wilson (new moon daughter) simply superb! Inner detail and level of depth I had not experienced before from this phono rig, and through the Quads is outstanding. I could only image what this would be like on a pair of ML CLX's, I guess that would be another pleasant journey.

I'm using the Ortofon 2M Black as well as the 2M Blue for older LP's. Either of these works extremely fine with the Aria and the level of fine detail comes out unhindered, utterly transparent. Most pleased with the Aria and couldn't justify why on earth I would want to spend over 5 grand for a phonostage. The Aria is definitely good enough!

So, for those looking for the simple approach without having to break the bank or go homeless, if you can muster 2 grand (I would think the Aria would cost less in Europe & USA), please give the Aria an audition, you won't be disappointed.
Cheers and happy listening, and enjoy those LP's!
RJ
 

JackD201

WBF Founding Member
Apr 20, 2010
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On the analog and electronics end I think Rega's sins are of the best kind, those of omission. They are always easy to listen to and to enjoy. If any I find their weakness is in loudspeakers. However given how affordable they are, this is simply nitpicking.
 

Big Dog RJ

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Feb 2, 2012
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Melbourne
g'day jack, that's a good point. agreed their loudspeakers aren't top notch but for what they can do and deliver is quite remarkable.

on another remarkable note- I was at the dealer chaps place listening to the RP10- wow very nice! extremely detailed and I thought the Michel gyrodec was superb...
the RP10 is higher in price compared to the gyrodec, for that matter I would be quite pleased with the gyrodec. but there's just something right with the overall balance and musicality factor of the Rega. for me it's hard not to want it! I was thinking very seriously about a gyrodec down the line but after closely listening to the RP10, I am now wondering what to do.

I do know one thing for sure is that my RP3 is sounding top notch with the Aria, so might as well just sit back and enjoy as much as I can. well worth the wait to check out what both Rega and Michel offer down the line. I'm in absolutely no hurry.

now I need to start acquiring some good LP recordings to enjoy for a while. I was recommended a great high quality store in the outer suburbs that caters to audiophile recordings on both vinyl and digital. as with the new Cav45 I'm starting to really enjoy my cd's once again. thought I never would!
Cheers mate and have a good one
RJ
 

microstrip

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May 30, 2010
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On the analog and electronics end I think Rega's sins are of the best kind, those of omission. They are always easy to listen to and to enjoy. If any I find their weakness is in loudspeakers. However given how affordable they are, this is simply nitpicking.

Curiously an all Rega system is the best way of enjoying Rega equipment. No extremes, but lively and glorious colored but fat free midrange - a great receipt for some types of music.

Although I appreciated their systems I never liked their equipment when mixed with higher class equipment - even the famous RB300 tonearm that represented great value for money thirty years ago stayed for little time!

BTW, I do not have experience with the Rega Aria - these are just some general thoughts.
 

Big Dog RJ

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Feb 2, 2012
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Melbourne
yes mate, fully agree on your thoughts. after so many long years of TT's in the good old days, where you just put a lp and drop the needle and play, that was about it!

now you have to worry about cartridge, stylus, tone arm, plinth, platter so on and we haven't got to the phono stage yet!

when I sent my rp3 in for a recalibration, I had the opportunity to seriously listen and compare side by side the two. The RP10 cost 3 grand more than the gyrodec. my dealer chappy actually prefers the gyrodec since he is also using one but I wasn't totally convinced after careful audition of the RP10, which I liked very much. I guess I'm used to that clean Rega sound afterall.

The new RP3 called the planar 3 has a few upgrades to it- double braced plinth, improved tone arm and some cosmetic changes. honestly I couldn't tell the difference. However, going up to the Rp6 or Rp8 there was and then of course onto the RP10. but for 8 grand I'm beginning to wonder...
I'll give it a few years and see how things go down the line. any further thoughts or suggestions please do send.
Cheers, RJ
 

Johnny Vinyl

Member Sponsor & WBF Founding Member
May 16, 2010
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Hello RJ! - Glad to read you found a phonostage to your liking. I'd like to go that route one day as well, but TBH I'm quite pleased with the internal phono of my Marantz Ref Pearl. I'd like to have a listen to the Oracle Paris PH100 or PH200 as it would match my Paris Turntable. I've always been a believer in component matching when possible, so I would be remiss if I didn't give one of those a trial audition.
 

Big Dog RJ

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Feb 2, 2012
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Melbourne
Johnny mate, how's it going? It's been a while, where have you been hiding...
I know you've been enjoying the Paris TT, especially after that escapade might as well sit back and enjoy the music.

yes it certainly took a while for me to find the right matching phonostage for the RP3. I've been looking since 2014. I was also not sure if I was going to settle on the RP3 or the gyrodec.

I went through quite a few from CJ to Arc to Quad, Linn and so on. price wise these were way beyond my budget but something I was seriously considering to spend. until the dealer chappy lent me two phonostages to try at home for however long I needed. The two were the Cyrus and the Aria. The cyrus was actually better but also had a whole lot of features for MC that I am not currently using. it also had digital controls on the front face plate allowing you to make changes more easily.
price was about 2 grand more than the Aria pitching it at around 4grand. The Aria is a full analog system and no digital circuitry whatsoever.

When I sat back and listened extensively to the Aria, not only was it just a perfect match for my budget, it also sounded just right! especially after having the new Cav45 in place with no linestage, just pure power, the Aria seems to present the entire musical passage upfront unhindered, and the level of musicality is marvelous!

The Marantz pearl is one superb unit! my other dealer chap who carries McIntosh offers the Marantz line up. I was really taken up by the Pearl when it was driving Sonus Faber Elipsa's, very smooth drive to it. to me it sounded even smoother than Mac gear with real sense of musicality when matched with the right speaker load.

planning on embarking on the Martin Logan journey, mainly for reliability reasons. but for now the Quads are behaving and sounds wonderful, I plan to hold onto them for as long as possible. I'm heading to that special music store next week to hunt down some quality lp's, trust I can find a few special ones.

Enjoy your paris and Pearl mate, I'm sure you're in musical heaven!
Cheers, RJ
 

Johnny Vinyl

Member Sponsor & WBF Founding Member
May 16, 2010
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RJ - I've been pretty busy with other things this year, so I haven't had much time to spend here. Speaking of being in musical heaven, I just read your thread on the CJ Cav45 and it appears you are there as well. That's wonderful news indeed. How do you like the Ortofon 2M Black? I've had a bit of a setback (again) recently as the suspension on my Dynavector DV20x2L crapped out on me. I need to save for a replacement and might go back to the 2M Black....not sure yet.

Which ML's are you considering?
 

Big Dog RJ

Well-Known Member
Feb 2, 2012
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Melbourne
Hey Johnny, not to worry I'm sure you will get the dynavector back up soon.

The 2M black was again done solely from listening. I listened to several others in similar range and then onto MC. I realized that the 2M black was so good it not only beat the other MM's I tried it also was able to compete with some of the good mc's. in order to beat the 2m black I would have to spend a considerable amount more, around a couple grand to achieve a significant level of improvement.

I also got the 2m blue for older lp's and ad a back up. The 2m black's stylus is very narrow and accurately sits on the grooves better. picking up every nuance from lp's. it is crystal clear and delivers the full frequency spectrum vert nicely and has superb balance, not too much of anything. I found the 2m blue equally good but a slightly less level of refinement, preferred to use on older lp's.

The only downside to the 2m black is due to this very narrow type of diamond cut, it tends to pick up and gather more dust and unwanted muck. hence nearly once a month I need to get it cleaned.
Whereas the 2m blue doesn't seem to have this problem. cleaning with the little stylus brush is more than adequate. The dealer chap cleans with an ultrasonic cleaning machine makes the 2m black Diamond nice and shiny again.

with the ML's my overall plan are the full range CLX'S. but they do cost twice as more than Quads. Therefore, I was initially thinking of the Ethos but since the Quads are sounding better than ever before with the cav45, I don't want to change anything right now. I don't know how much longer the Quads would last until another panel fails. I guess only time will tell...
Cheers mate and have a good one.
RJ
 

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