I currently own the Wharfedale Diamond 9.2 loudspeakers and am considering the Rega Mira 3 integrated as well as the apollo cd player. I have a pretty good idea as to the performance etc. of the apollo but have yet to get an honest opinion on the Mira. Does anyone have any advice concerning this integrated?
Before my local Rega dealer died (and her shop closed), I had the opportunity to hear the Mira with the earlier Planet CD player and I was very impressed. Very smooth and liquid-like, the sound was very seductive (played through Rega speakers). I wouldn't say it was "tube-like", but there was absolutely no hint of the harshness one often hears from transitor amps. The sound is pretty warm to my ears, but not overly warm--the kind of sound you can listen to all day and never get tired. The amp projects this very unified soundfield where I could easily pick out where each instrument was on stage. It was the Mira demo that convinced me to start a second system for my music listening in my study. I was planning to get one, but a tuition bill was coming due and I was able to get a new Rotel at about 40% off instead, so I opted for the Rotel instead. Still, a Mira and an Apollo sounds like a mighty nice system to me and worthy of any good music lover.
I have not heard the Wharfdales--how do you like them?
I have really enjoyed the Wharfedales. I chose the 9.2 over the 9.1 only because I wanted a little better bass extention. The speaker does a great job of presenting mids and is not overly bright, which is what I was looking for. I'm very happy with them. I do recommend a sub as I would with most bookshelves.
The Mira has been through several iterations, not all good unfortunately. The earliest Miras were great amps. They were a development of the old Elex and blew us away when they turned up. You had to more than double your money to get an appreciably better amp and even then only a few could do so.
Unfortunately, the next Miras simply did not have the same kind of drive, engagement and passion in the music that the original enjoyed so much. It always felt like they were holding back a bit and didn't have the balls to play with the big boys any more.
The latest Mira addresses most of these concerns. It doesn't have the gutsy delivery of the original, but it has far more to offer as well, being better rounded, more balanced and still gutsy when required. The Mira went through an upgrade last year but was not renamed. This upgrade was enough to bring the amp right back into contention from being an also-ran. It's now an excellent machine again. It'll have no problems whatsoever with the Wharfedales since they're a piece of cake to drive. More usually I use things like Totems and Dynaudios with the mira which goes to show that this amp is capable of a lot more.
The best cable to use with Rega amps is Naim cable (as they say in their own documentation). It's a remarkably good combination. As to interconnects, get the best you can afford. I use Chord Co. interconnects since they work very well. I dislike the Rega Couple, finding it a bit mechanical and cold.
The Apollo is blinding value here in the UK. It's really quite something.
Thanks for your input. I feel much better about this purchase now. By the way, I got a fantastic deal on both the Mira and Apollo ($649.00 US for each)
The guy I deal with has a small hifi store in the back of his house and he has no overhead save a couple of installers. The Mira is pretty easy to get from him but the apollo will be about a 2 month wait from what he was telling me because of demand. soundadvicestereo.com is the website. Tell him Steve recommended you call him.
I can confirm that demand for the Apollo outstrips supply bigtime. Rega brought it on themselves really. They knew it was a cracking machine some time before they announced it, and when they did, they were completely unprepared for the dealers to jump on it like they did. I mean, we're in the UK here where they're made and we have to quote several weeks to customers too!
I think you will really enjoy the system, and when (if) the cash is avaiable you will have something can drive much more expensive speakers they way they need to be driven. Although I would be tempted to hang a pair of Rega R'3s or R'5s on the end. In additon to the Naim speaker cable, rega's seem to like Van Damme if it available in your part of the world
