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Rega Saturn MK3

Odd question but does anyone know if Exposure Electronic’s remote will control the Rega Saturn’s (play, pause, advance, stop)?
 
Odd question but does anyone know if Exposure Electronic’s remote will control the Rega Saturn’s (play, pause, advance, stop)?

No, but it's not very likely. Naim used the standard Philips remote protocol so any old Philips remote would work your Naim player. Handy as it let you keep the Naim one good! Most people don't though and there are quite a few different remote languages. Rega don't use Philips, I know that.
 
What you've got effectively is a separate DAC and transport in one box. I'm sure most people see it as just another CD player but it's not. You don't see many CD players with a back panel like that.

I'm confused... Why is there a digital output for the DAC and one for the CD "player"?

If you wanted to use the Saturn as a transport would you use the CD coax output?

I'm comparing Saturn R Vs Saturn R into Denafrips this wknd. I do have a soft spot for Saturns having owned Mk 1 since first released.
 
I'm confused... Why is there a digital output for the DAC and one for the CD "player"?

Because they've dropped the entire Rega DAC into the Saturn-R and the Rega DAC had one. They've left all the functions of the DAC intact, which is really good. Most manufacturers do not give you other inputs to the DAC inside their CD players.

If you wanted to use the Saturn as a transport would you use the CD coax output?

Yes. It has an optical output too but I use the coax.
 
Because they've dropped the entire Rega DAC into the Saturn-R and the Rega DAC had one. They've left all the functions of the DAC intact, which is really good. Most manufacturers do not give you other inputs to the DAC inside their CD players.



Yes. It has an optical output too but I use the coax.

Sorry i mean why are there TWO coax outputs: why do the CD player and dac not share one?
 
Sorry I mean why are there TWO coax outputs: why do the CD player and dac not share one?

Because it's essentially two separate components in one box. A full-function CD transport and a full-function DAC. Most people would cut the DAC off from the outside world and only give you a CD player. Rega kept the two intact which gives you much more functionality.
 
Sorry i mean why are there TWO coax outputs: why do the CD player and dac not share one?
1) To use the CD part as a transport (CD coax out) 2) To use the player as a DDC (digital pass through, e.g. to convert a USB signal to coax. DAC coax out).
 
Question to all you Saturn R users ?

I am seriously thinking of getting one as already an Aethos user.Love the new casework pics BTW.

How would you describe it's sound.From the reviews I have read they all say it sounds very analog.

As mentioned already. It sounds quite similar to the TTs.
Extremely fun to listen to, but that doesn't mean it cant dig into the depths of the song.

But it this way- It doesn't embarrass itself alongside the Isis. The Isis finds more detail, but you'd struggle to say the extra is worth it. But that is always the case when you get to these prices.
 
I was hoping that Rega would release a new CD player to match the aethos amp. A player to improve on the Saturn r.
Looks like the new Saturn is both of those things.

Odd question but does anyone know if Exposure Electronic’s remote will control the Rega Saturn’s (play, pause, advance, stop)?
No it doesn't. Exposure matches Naim (and ATC incidentally - I'm using their CD2). Rega are out on their own a bit.
 
No THIS was a display! ;0)

naim_cds_cdps-4.jpg


Bigger numerals, better colour, no wires visible, bright with black background and the dead areas of the panel masked off to improve contrast and tidy up the looks. I don't think anyone has bettered this.
I have just replaced my still working but aged linn mimik with a naim cd5si, I contemplated the rega offerings but the top loading was a massive no to me, I was not prepared to shift my LP12 for a CD player, the other reason was I did not want to pay for the dac side of things as it would be playing back through my Selekt Katalyst dsm, so therefore this would have been just a duplication of what I already have.
The naim loading system, display, and buttons are better than the rega, imo. I had the naim on home demo for four days and connected up with my old chameleon 2 interconnects, it’s now on chord epic’s and sounds great in my room, through my ears. Also considered a moon 260d transport but didn’t want to wait for 16 week delivery, no demo available either.
 
I have just replaced my still working but aged Linn Mimik with a Naim CD5si, I contemplated the Rega offerings but the top loading was a massive no to me..

It's probably a show stopper for a lot of people. Top loading is a cheap way around the issue of either designing your own expensive tray or using a cheap item from the far East. I think Naim's swing-out tray was a great solution. Looked weird the first time you saw it but worked great, who needs a motor to open the tray when you're standing there anyway?

Not wanting to buy the DAC section, not making much sense there. Every CD player has a DAC in it, including your CD5si! Rega are simply unusual in deciding it would be a good idea if you could plug other stuff into it.

Agree that the Naim user interface is better, no question. In fact I think their first players were the best of the lot, loved them.

Sound-wise I had a CD5XS and it was not as good as either a transport or a CD player. That was into the Rega DAC though so it might not be the same story with other brands of DAC. As a transport, the Saturn-R was better but not by a huge margin. As a player it was better by a huge margin.
 
It's probably a show stopper for a lot of people. Top loading is a cheap way around the issue of either designing your own expensive tray or using a cheap item from the far East. I think Naim's swing-out tray was a great solution. Looked weird the first time you saw it but worked great, who needs a motor to open the tray when you're standing there anyway?

Not wanting to buy the DAC section, not making much sense there. Every CD player has a DAC in it, including your CD5si! Rega are simply unusual in deciding it would be a good idea if you could plug other stuff into it.

Agree that the Naim user interface is better, no question. In fact I think their first players were the best of the lot, loved them.

Sound-wise I had a CD5XS and it was not as good as either a transport or a CD player. That was into the Rega DAC though so it might not be the same story with other brands of DAC. As a transport, the Saturn-R was better but not by a huge margin. As a player it was better by a huge margin.
Yep I am well aware there is a dac in my cd5 I just didn’t want all those spider holes in the back of a Saturn of which I would never use, I could have gone for the Apollo which had none of these extra inputs etc, but it was still a ..kin top loader, so no good for me, what pissed me off was the non available moon 260 d transport, I reckon 16 week delivery, they must be made on the moon not Canada ;)
 
I prefer a top loader! o_O

I do wish they did a saturn with and without dac inputs ... i'd like just a pure cd player with analogue outputs and nothing else.
 
I have just replaced my still working but aged linn mimik with a naim cd5si, I contemplated the rega offerings but the top loading was a massive no to me, I was not prepared to shift my LP12 for a CD player, the other reason was I did not want to pay for the dac side of things as it would be playing back through my Selekt Katalyst dsm, so therefore this would have been just a duplication of what I already have.
The naim loading system, display, and buttons are better than the rega, imo. I had the naim on home demo for four days and connected up with my old chameleon 2 interconnects, it’s now on chord epic’s and sounds great in my room, through my ears. Also considered a moon 260d transport but didn’t want to wait for 16 week delivery, no demo available either.

I understand the top loading issue, many deselect those.
IMO some of the best players are top loaders, Naim CDS range and Rega's amo.

Frontloaders, Linn CD12, Ikemi and probably Roksan Blak.
You seem to be a Linn guy, I'd have gone after Ikemi or Karik III, if you can find a serviced one.
I just loved my Ikemi back then, Linn support was non existent which put me off.

Naim CD5i range are entrylevel and not my cup, the more revealing setup the worse they sound, sorry to say, I've had them all three editions, didn't enjoy music TBH even they do the Prat.
Moon,: solid build, clear sound but no involvment.
 
Thing is, if you sell the CD5 now you'll get good money for it. Wait until it dies and you'll get buttons for it. Or be faced with the difficulty of getting it fixed, if you can. Rega still fix the Saturn, have a good stock of spares and the thing has a lifetime warranty!

Then of course you have the fact that it sounds better! I bought a CD5XS to see how it stacked up against the Saturn-R. It didn't. It was in fact embarrassing for the Naim, I felt bad for it. Looked the part, love the ergonomics but man, thing sounded like it was broken next to the Rega. I recon you're looking at a CDS to beat the Saturn-R, maybe.

Plus you get a full-moo DAC thrown in! Honestly, it's such a good product.

Good point about the value of the Naim. Hmm, will have a think...
 


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