Rega Presents.....
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Gold Member Username: ArtkAlbany, Oregon USA Post Number: 7477 Registered: Feb-05 | http://www.rega.co.uk/index2.htm My new audio dream..... The Elicit. |
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Silver Member Username: LamcamOrange County, CA USA Post Number: 110 Registered: Nov-07 | very nice... |
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Silver Member Username: KevincorrFairbanks, Alaska Usa Post Number: 565 Registered: Jul-07 | Art- You stop that right now!!! I also promise to quit reading AudiogoN! |
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Gold Member Username: ArtkAlbany, Oregon USA Post Number: 7478 Registered: Feb-05 | I must stop as it'll be quite awhile before I can do anything but lust...lol! |
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Gold Member Username: Frank_abelaBerkshire UK Post Number: 3150 Registered: Sep-04 | Hmmm, I remember the older Elicits. Good amps in their day. It'll be interesting to see what this one does and what price it'll be at. The Mira has been creeping up in price but the pre/power hasn't crept up much. Could be a bit crowded. We'll see. |
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Silver Member Username: KevincorrFairbanks, Alaska Usa Post Number: 574 Registered: Jul-07 | |
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Gold Member Username: ArtkAlbany, Oregon USA Post Number: 7508 Registered: Feb-05 | Yep I saw that Kevin. The old Elicit was considered the Best Rega amp ever made in terms of sound but had reliability issues. |
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Gold Member Username: Frank_abelaBerkshire UK Post Number: 3155 Registered: Sep-04 | There were a couple of Elicit versions actually. Neither was particularly unreliable as I recall. I sold a fair number of the later model, but I was too late for the earlier (funkier graphics) model. Powerful amplifier, not the quickest, but enjoyable nonetheless. |
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Gold Member Username: ArtkAlbany, Oregon USA Post Number: 7512 Registered: Feb-05 | I understand that they were pretty unreliable...relatively speaking. Too much stuff in one little box, lots of heat related problems. Your experience may vary but it seems a common experience with the old Elicit...I did note the vents and heat sinks on the new model. Wonder how much they'll ask for it. The old Elicit was 80 watts per channel wasn't it Frank? They also had a lower model at that time too if I'm not mistaken. |
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Gold Member Username: Frank_abelaBerkshire UK Post Number: 3160 Registered: Sep-04 | Yes there was an Exel - now that was relatively unreliable! I know the Elicit was pretty powerful but not sure if it was in the 80wpc range - that would be remarkable since Rega aren't renowned for making powerful amps so 80wpc from a Rega would be very powerful. |
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Silver Member Username: KevincorrFairbanks, Alaska Usa Post Number: 586 Registered: Jul-07 | As long as we are lusting, I will take the Nait5i |
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Gold Member Username: ArtkAlbany, Oregon USA Post Number: 7549 Registered: Feb-05 | You may want that new Rega after we hear it.... |
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Gold Member Username: Nickelbut10Post Number: 1745 Registered: Jun-07 | I would think the whole idea behind bringing this new amp to market would be to compete against some of the higher end NAIM stuff. I bet it would be close to the 5i. |
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Gold Member Username: ArtkAlbany, Oregon USA Post Number: 7552 Registered: Feb-05 | The Mira 3 is close to the 5i (some prefer it...obviously not Frank...lol!). I'd bet the idea for the Elicit is to outperform the 5i and compete with better amps. I am truly looking forward to hearing it. Problem is that my closest Rega dealer has gone way upscale and doesn't stock any Rega gear and the next closest is difficult to do business with...poor prospects for hearing it unfortunately. |
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Gold Member Username: Nickelbut10Post Number: 1747 Registered: Jun-07 | Yeah the problem with my comment was the fact that I am not familiar with NAIM equipment and their model numbers. No doubt the Elicit will be a sure winner indeed. |
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Silver Member Username: KevincorrFairbanks, Alaska Usa Post Number: 589 Registered: Jul-07 | Art- "...Rega dealer..." if that is the one I think, it is too far to drive for you anyway now with the gas prices! The glossy magazine critics are ga ga over the Nait5i. I will go with one all Rega, one all Naim and one Bryston or Classe system. Tomorrow. |
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Gold Member Username: ArtkAlbany, Oregon USA Post Number: 7553 Registered: Feb-05 | I will take that as well... Actually one Rega, one Naim and one tube setup...Mastersound and Devore Fidelity with a Scheu table and Bryston CD player. |
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Gold Member Username: Nickelbut10Post Number: 1748 Registered: Jun-07 | I would take....LOL.. One Bryston CD Player, one Bryston Power amp and a Tube Mastersound/Devore Fidelity Tube Pre amp and a Scheu table. MMmmm Hows that for a hot breed of a system?lol |
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Gold Member Username: ArtkAlbany, Oregon USA Post Number: 7554 Registered: Feb-05 | DeVore would be speakers Nick...lol!' I'm looking forward to actually hearing that combo...guess I'll have to call Dale and take a trip to Eugene...Kevin knows Dale. They don't use cd players....heresy to them, so I'll have to settle for vinyl...too bad...NOT! |
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Gold Member Username: Nickelbut10Post Number: 1749 Registered: Jun-07 | LOL Art as you can see I have never heard of Devore. So to be safe I added the good ol " / " in there just in case.lol. I would take Mike Wodek's tube pre amp off his hands though if he ever feels the need to upgrade. I somehow doubt he will for quite sometime though.lol If ever. I still want my Bryston Power though. And I agree with you Art, a Bryston CDP would be grand. One day my friend. |
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Gold Member Username: ArtkAlbany, Oregon USA Post Number: 7556 Registered: Feb-05 | Yes indeed... |
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Gold Member Username: Stu_pittIrvington, New York USA Post Number: 2948 Registered: May-05 | I was contemplating a Bryston DAC and music server like a Squeezebox Duet. Bryston's DAC is everything everyone claims their CD player is and more. The Squeezebox has gotten mixed reviews from a old trusted Hifi dealer who carries them. I demoed the Slim Devices Transporter this weekend with Mac seperates and B&W 802Ds. Not bad, but not stellar either. That dealer (doesn't carry Rega) assured me that my Apollo would easily better the Transporter alone, and would still sound better than the Squeezebox and any DAC. He's played all the Slim Devices and Sonos gear in multiple configurations in his own home before committing to putting the Slim Devices stuff on the floor. Appearently, he states they're pretty good, but not better than a good stand alone dedicated CDP. He's even paired it up in a full Mac system with the Mac DAC. His advice - Wait a few years. They're still in their infancy. |
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Gold Member Username: Stu_pittIrvington, New York USA Post Number: 2949 Registered: May-05 | The new Elicit looks pretty good. I'll have to check it out when I get a chance. I figured they wer thinking a system comprised of Elicit/Saturn/R9, but recently heard Rega discontinued the R9 and possibly R7 as well. Not sure where they're going with the Elicit. Also, I don't think it has a phono stage built in as standard issue. I think its optional. This week's sign of the Apocalypse - A Rega integrated amp without an internal phono stage |
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Silver Member Username: KevincorrFairbanks, Alaska Usa Post Number: 590 Registered: Jul-07 | Wow. I have never owned an amp, integrated or receiver without phono! |
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Gold Member Username: ArtkAlbany, Oregon USA Post Number: 7558 Registered: Feb-05 | It's optional so that you can choose between MC and MM from what I've read. |
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Bronze Member Username: SoundgameRichmond Hill, Ontario Canada Post Number: 24 Registered: Jun-08 | I guess they never thought of someone having both an MC and MM cartridges or two TT sets...or maybe figured someone with both could afford to pay for the option, eh? LOL |
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Gold Member Username: Nickelbut10Post Number: 1751 Registered: Jun-07 | nice. Can't do both all at once? |
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Gold Member Username: Frank_abelaBerkshire UK Post Number: 3172 Registered: Sep-04 | My view, fwiw, is that they probably think that people buying into the Elicit could go for higher end sources. For example people who believe (correctly  ) in the source first principle could put together a system such as a P9/Ios/Elicit and some good speakers. This is a perfectly acceptable solution although not one that would meet with much agreement on this board I suspect! In this case it makes perfect sense to have a line-only Elicit. Rega have been making line-only and choice of MM/MC versions of their higher end amps for a long time. The Cursa has always had the options for example. It also depends a lot on price positioning. The Mira3 is now around £650 where the Nait is £785. I suspect that the Elicit will be in the £900 price range to demarkate it from the Mira. This is a bit more expensive than the Nait5i and a fair bit less expensive than the Cursa/Maia (around £1500) and the Naim 122x/150x pre/power (£1650 including the interconnect which reduces the price differential). As for the choice between MM and MC, this is probably in part due to the amount of space in the box. You either create a really good MM circuit with a step-up transformer in front of it (with all the problems that entails) or you put in two separate circuits, 1 for MM and 1 for MC. If there isn't enough space, you put in one circuit. This is quite commonplace nowadays. It offers customers the option but also makes them aware of the other solutions such as external phono stages. Another issue is the nature of MC phono stages. In an integrated amplifier, the MC stage is a one-for-all solution, but it has become recognised that MC cartridges suffer quite a bit by not having better matched load characteriistics from the phono stage. The Ios has a certain amount of load matching capability and many other phono stages do as well, whether it's by using jumpers or switches. Building this into an already tight space in an integrated amp is not easy. Really and truly, in a nice system that one would build around a relatively expensive integrated amplifier such as the Elicit, one would not normally want to put the phono stage in the amplifier as well. An integrated amplifier is a relatively hostile environment thanks to the noise from the output stage and the power supply (which will be quite substantial if old Elicits are anything to go by). I suspect that the option is only provided to keep all customers sweet. I should point out that I admire Rega equipment greatly, apart from their bigger R-series speakers. If I were listening to that level of kit, they would definitely be on my short short-list and the choice between something like a Saturn/Elicit and Naim CD5x/Nait5i would not be an easy one. Incidentally, I realise I got the name of the other amp wrong earlier (transposition error) - it was the Elex. |
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Bronze Member Username: SoundgameRichmond Hill, Ontario Canada Post Number: 25 Registered: Jun-08 | Hey Frank, Another logical, detailed and well written explanation. I'd love to have you by my side when I decide to build my 2ch system. I'm sure I'll be coming to you for input. |
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Gold Member Username: Frank_abelaBerkshire UK Post Number: 3173 Registered: Sep-04 | George, Thank you but I have a feeling it's a bit far to travel from Canada to the UK... |
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Gold Member Username: Nickelbut10Post Number: 1754 Registered: Jun-07 | LOL easy way of getting Frank for input. Type in www.ecoustics.com, click on Forum and call Frank out.LOL Frank- Excellent,detailed explanation. Thanks man. |
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Gold Member Username: Frank_abelaBerkshire UK Post Number: 3179 Registered: Sep-04 | I need to find an interesting job... |
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Gold Member Username: Nickelbut10Post Number: 1758 Registered: Jun-07 | Id love to sell audio equipment. That would be sweet. |
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Gold Member Username: Mike3Wylie, Tx USA Post Number: 1415 Registered: May-06 | Nick K, JV dropped a bunch of 12AX7s off with me for my Pre-amp. Welcome to the world of tube rolling. I figured I would be changing tubes every 2-3 months for the next year or two, but then I swapped the Golden Dragons into the phono gain stage. Your grand kids have a better chance of getting my pre-amp than you do now. LOL. |
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Gold Member Username: T_bomb25Dayton, Ohio United States Post Number: 1647 Registered: Jun-05 | I'll tell you what the Elicit's guts look very tasty its even attractive,something I've never thought Rega amps were,I thniks its gonna be a smoking amp,well Art time for you to start wheeling and dealing again,it may be a lifetime amp. |
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Gold Member Username: ArtkAlbany, Oregon USA Post Number: 7591 Registered: Feb-05 | I'm thinkin' here in a couple of years... Rega Elicit Rega Saturn Devore Fidelity Gibbon Super 8's Yummie! |
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Gold Member Username: T_bomb25Dayton, Ohio United States Post Number: 1657 Registered: Jun-05 | Yes very Yummy love the Saturn and the Super 8's! wonder what the Elicit will cost,I wonder will it be similar to the Creek Destiny in price another fantastic amp by the way. |
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Gold Member Username: Nickelbut10Post Number: 1768 Registered: Jun-07 | "Your grand kids have a better chance of getting my pre-amp than you do now. LOL." LOL Mike, sounds like fun man. |
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Gold Member Username: T_bomb25Dayton, Ohio United States Post Number: 1658 Registered: Jun-05 | I guess Micheal has his claws locked into that preamp.lol |
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Gold Member Username: Nickelbut10Post Number: 1770 Registered: Jun-07 | lol I understand why. Thats ok thought as I am very happy with the Bryston Pre. Down the road though I want to experiment with a tube pre amp on the Bryston Solid state power amp as I still believe the best combo I have heard to date is a solid state power amp with a tube pre amp. |
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Gold Member Username: T_bomb25Dayton, Ohio United States Post Number: 1669 Registered: Jun-05 | Yep Nick its hard to beat a good Hybrid setup. |
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Gold Member Username: Stu_pittIrvington, New York USA Post Number: 3024 Registered: May-05 | Elicit review coming soon - http://www.audiocircle.com/circles/index.php?topic=59274.0 |
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Gold Member Username: ArtkAlbany, Oregon USA Post Number: 7877 Registered: Feb-05 | Excellent! |
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Bronze Member Username: DudywoxerScunthorpeUK Post Number: 67 Registered: Mar-06 | it would seem Mr Bateman has become the Alchemist of sound http://www.rega.co.uk/product_images/ELICIT%20TRANSFORMER%20CLOSE%20UP.jpg £1500 note's worth of pure rega |
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Gold Member Username: Nickelbut10Post Number: 2000 Registered: Jun-07 | That is sexy. All those pretty colors. I need to hear one of these. |
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Silver Member Username: Jazzman71Phoenix, AZ USA Post Number: 317 Registered: Dec-07 | Rega seems to be adopting all the foresight and pioneering in styling adopted by GM in the mid-1980s. This is the most ardent endorsement of any amplifier I have ever read by folks that have never heard it. Rega is in good shape. Nick, with all due respect, Cindy Crawford at her age is far sexier than the guts of an infant Rega amplifier, IMHO. OOPS, OK, now I get it. Oh crap, now my wife is here. |
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Gold Member Username: Frank_abelaBerkshire UK Post Number: 3258 Registered: Sep-04 | Colin, How much?! £1500? That'd make it almost as expensive as a Cursa/Maia. I'd expect it to be less than that. |
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Bronze Member Username: DudywoxerScunthorpeUK Post Number: 68 Registered: Mar-06 | ok its less £1498.00 it will I assume replace the cursa maia leaving room for a better pre to front the exons http://www.signals.uk.com/ |
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Bronze Member Username: KbearPost Number: 83 Registered: Dec-06 | WhatHiFi has reviewed the Ellicit. http://whathifi.com/Review/Rega-Elicit/ |
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Silver Member Username: SoundgameRichmond Hill Toronto ..., Ontario Canada Post Number: 474 Registered: Jun-08 | Sounds like it has the Rega PRAT and musicality but lacks the dynamics, depth of stage and specificity. Worth giving a listen to but sounds like it's worth listening to its competition, as well. |
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Gold Member Username: Frank_abelaBerkshire UK Post Number: 3460 Registered: Sep-04 | Always - it's always worth listening to the competition to whatever you're considering. |
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Bronze Member Username: KbearPost Number: 86 Registered: Dec-06 | Two reviews of the Arcam A38 and two very different opinions: WhatHiFi: http://whathifi.com/Review/Arcam-A38/ HiFi Choice: http://www.techradar.com/reviews/audio-visual/hi-fi-and-audio/amplifiers/arcam-f mj-a38-375485/review HiFi Choice even called it a "future legend" on the cover of this issue. So I agree, you really have to listen for yourself and then make your own call. Reviews make for interesting reading but perhaps not a lot more. To be fair though, I believe both reviews highlighted the same weak points of this amp...one just felt they were more of an issue than the other I guess. |
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Gold Member Username: ArtkAlbany, Oregon USA Post Number: 8548 Registered: Feb-05 | For me it's looking more and more like the Naim Nait XS is the best buy at anywhere near it's price. |
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Silver Member Username: SoundgameRichmond Hill Toronto ..., Ontario Canada Post Number: 493 Registered: Jun-08 | So Art, is the vision a Rega/Naim hybrid or would you be looking at a full-out Naim kit? Just interested in how you think the Naim Nait XS would fit into your plans. |
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Gold Member Username: Nickelbut10Post Number: 2214 Registered: Jun-07 | How much is the Naim Nait XS in American dollars Art? |
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Gold Member Username: Stu_pittIrvington, New York USA Post Number: 3136 Registered: May-05 | The XS has a few very good features - a powered output for either a Stageline or Headline, and an input for an external power supply. Naim's external power supplies are a huge upgrade. In regards to the reviews listed above, I've always liked Hifi Choice. I agree with most of their opinions on gear that I've heard. |
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Gold Member Username: ArtkAlbany, Oregon USA Post Number: 8549 Registered: Feb-05 | Between $2250 and $2500 is what I understand relative to price Nick. |
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Gold Member Username: Nickelbut10Post Number: 2216 Registered: Jun-07 | hmmm I must hear this Naim unit. I bet its fantastic. I would throw in a few other integrated amps that should rival the NAIM at 2500 dollars like the Bryston B60, McIntosh's so called entry level perhaps. I have never heard the NAIM gear yet though. Is it much better than the Rega stuff? |
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Silver Member Username: SoundgameRichmond Hill Toronto ..., Ontario Canada Post Number: 501 Registered: Jun-08 | Hey Nick, what Mc is in that ballpark. The entry level Mc integrated is $4300 CAD, or around there from what I've heard. I've heard the SuperNait powering the Staffs and first impression was nice, quick tight sound but I wasn't blown away but that could be the open area I listened to it was not for critical listening. Now on the other hand when I heard the Mc 6600, which runs around $6800 CDN, that was jaw dropping. Really big sound. |
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Gold Member Username: ArtkAlbany, Oregon USA Post Number: 8550 Registered: Feb-05 | For me there is no other integrated that I've heard that I like as well as Naim's at their price (or anywhere near it)....period. I have yet to listen to the XS but am looking forward to the opportunity. |
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Gold Member Username: Nickelbut10Post Number: 2217 Registered: Jun-07 | hmmm i wish we had more NAIM dealers in my neck of the woods. |
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Gold Member Username: Frank_abelaBerkshire UK Post Number: 3474 Registered: Sep-04 | Nick, I thought you were in the UK? Naim dealers are plentiful here. To clarify - the XS is £1250. With currency fluctuations that could be anything from $1750 to $2500. Rega's presentation differs enough from Naim's for people making direct comparisons to be swayed one way or the other. It's more usual for Rega people to migrate to Naim gear than the other way around simply because the Regas are in Naim's budget end of the range. Even the Saturn only competes with the 2nd up from the bottom Naim CD player (there are three more, each twice the price of the next). So once you've maxxed out your Rega system what do you do if you want more fidelity? You stick with it or you move away... There had been talk a year or two ago of Rega bringing out an uber CD player more than twice the price of the Saturn. Now that would be quite a different tack from the hitherto 'giant killing performance for the money' approach that has always been Rega's trademark - unless of course it kills giants at twice the price... |
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Gold Member Username: Nickelbut10Post Number: 2263 Registered: Jun-07 | Hey Frank, no I am a born and raised Canadian bud. Still living in Ontario Canada. There is no dealers in driving distance of me that carry Naim. A Pity. I might just pick up a used Naim Integrated amp one day and either keep it or turn around and sell it for the same price. Cheers Frank. Oh...any suggestions on some good used Naim integrates out there that are selling for half decent prices? |
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Silver Member Username: SoundgameRichmond Hill Toronto, Ontario Canada Post Number: 526 Registered: Jun-08 | Nick when you hit Toronto next, let's go audition some Naim equipment together. I know Bay & Bloor Radio sells it. |
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Gold Member Username: Nickelbut10Post Number: 2266 Registered: Jun-07 | Sounds good to me George. When I am in the area next I will PM you before to let you know. |
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Gold Member Username: Frank_abelaBerkshire UK Post Number: 3481 Registered: Sep-04 | Nick, Sorry my mistake: According to Dimexs, the Canadian distributor, the following are in the Ontario area: ONTARIO Audio Two, Windsor (519) 979-7101 audiotwo@mnsi.net BayBloor Radio, Toronto (416) 967-1122 sales@baybloorradio.com Hi Fi Fo Fum, Toronto (416) 421-7552 steve@hififofum.ca Lockridge HiFi, Markham (905) 475-6300 info@lockridgehifi.com Muskoka Sound & Vision, Bracebridge (705) 645-4990 david@davidsavu.ca Professional Sound Audio&Video, Sudbury (705) 522-6708 professionalsound@on.aibn.com Whitby Audio (905) 668-0787 sales@whitbyaudiovideo.com As for Naits well, I doubt you'll find the earliest example since Naim were still pretty small fry back then. The Nait2 was popular for a long time (and introduced me to the Naim sound so I'm a fan), the Nait3 was a bit rough and ready but still very engaging and the Nait5 was far more cultured and mature but still very capable. All Naits are low powered and all should be used with a minimum of 3.5m a side of Naim's own speaker cable since they designed this as part of the output circuit. Don't forget that they use DINs only on all those variants so special interconnects will be required. There's a very interesting comparison between all the Naits from HiFi World's Oct 2007 edition here: http://www.penna-media.hu/review/naim/Tom%20Tom%20Naitology.pdf Cheers, Frank. |
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Bronze Member Username: KbearPost Number: 89 Registered: Dec-06 | I've been to Lockridge HiFi. They are very helpful and will spend a lot of time with you to audition their gear. If I go with Rega or Naim in the future it will be from that store I'm sure. As far as I recall, Rega is also pretty prominent there, as are speakers from Neat. I like BBR too, it's more of a big box atmosphere I guess, but of course they carry relatively high end brands. Some say they are overpriced but I find they have some pretty good sales. I got my Arcam DV135 for over half off this past summer. I wasn't planning on buying something that pricy but at over half off I couldn't resist. |
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Gold Member Username: Nickelbut10Post Number: 2269 Registered: Jun-07 | Thanks Frank and Dan. It looks like the closest place is the Whitby store. They are about an 90 minute drive away. I will just go the extra 30 and spend the day with George in T. |
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