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Rega DAC 176.4 khz playback glitch ?

Garth

Garth

pfm Member
Hello all,

I am just about to buy a used Rega DAC but just discovered it is one of the very early ones - serial #00613 - that had a glitch at 176.4 khz playback and back in the day Rega would repair for free. This one has not had the fix done and the owner says he hasn't encountered issues but does not listen to 176.4 khz tracks regularly. I don't even have any idea when one would be playing something back at 176.4 khz or what this all means and if I should be concerned now? Just wondering if anyone can speak to the issue? If it needed to be repaired it would likely need to be sent to a Rega service Centre either in Texas or Quebec and I would have to pay for the repair. I am in Victoria B.C. so this would be quite a hassle and likely a fair expense.

Other than that, everything looks fine and it is a good deal. Any thoughts?

Also, it has quite a few small hairline scratched on the front glass faceplate. Does anyone know if this can be easily polished out without making things worse?

Thanks!
Garth
 
Garth said:
Also, it has quite a few small hairline scratched on the front glass faceplate. Does anyone know if this can be easily polished out without making things worse?
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The front is thin, clear plastic on a black plastic fascia. Tricky to polish.
 
I managed to scratch the fascia with a vacuum cleaner hose when I bought mine new years ago (I accidently backed into it whilst vacuuming the carpet)....Rega very kindly replaced it foc and the film still remains in place to this day.
It do mark very easily from my experience.
 
paul darwin said:
Garth, not sure why you have sent me a PM and then posted exactly the same message on the forum before giving me a chance to reply.

Could I point you at the Sound Organisation who are our distributor in both America and Canada and will be able to address any questions you may have.
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Is it just HiFi cranks you tend to attract Paul or all kinds?
 
Darren said:
Is it just HiFi cranks you tend to attract Paul or all kinds?
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FYI. I only reached out to post this thread and reach out to Paul after speaking with Peter Marsh, Product Support at Sound Organization who was not aware of this issue and unsure of in what context it might arise and if it could be problem. He thought it could still be repaired but that it would likely need to be sent to either Quebec or Texas and did not know what the cost might be, if it were able to be repaired. He was however very kind and polite and did not seem to think I was a HiFi crank as Darren above and Paul seem to have concluded.

I don't particualrly appreciate being referred to as a HiFi crank for reaching out to a member and creating a thread when the manufacturer's distributor was not able to answer my question.
 
My early Rega DAC had the same problem (I think it requires a firmware update). It only became noticeable when I started using Qobuz, which has a fair number of choral pieces recorded at 176.4kHz e.g. Tallis Scholars Taverner Missa Corona spinae (a truly sublime performance). It also began to develop a couple of other faults too, such as a slight hiss in one channel and a problem with sub-bass frequencies. I sent it back through Audio-T UK, from whom I’d bought it in 2011. I believe Rega couldn’t repair the latter two faults, so they replaced the motherboard for free, charging me only for postage. Their generosity stunned me!

It was interesting to get it back as new. At first it sounded thick and heavy (crude). After maybe two months of being left switched on, it’d returned to its recognised former glory. I have never heard a DAC sound more musical than the Rega and it’s here to stay. I use it via the coax input only. USB will not play at the faulty frequency with this original version one.
 
Avon said:
My early Rega DAC had the same problem (I think it requires a firmware update). It only became noticeable when I started using Qobuz, which has a fair number of choral pieces recorded at 176.4kHz e.g. Tallis Scholars Taverner Missa Corona spinae (a truly sublime performance). It also began to develop a couple of other faults too, such as a slight hiss in one channel and a problem with sub-bass frequencies. I sent it back through Audio-T UK, from whom I’d bought it in 2011. I believe Rega couldn’t repair the latter two faults, so they replaced the motherboard for free, charging me only for postage. Their generosity stunned me!

It was interesting to get it back as new. At first it sounded thick and heavy (crude). After maybe two months of being left switched on, it’d returned to its recognised former glory. I have never heard a DAC sound more musical than the Rega and it’s here to stay. I use it via the coax input only. USB will not play at the faulty frequency with this original version one.
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Thanks so much! Nice to get an informative and helpful response! Unfortunately Rega's lifetime warranty only apples in the U.K. Your experience does make me a bit hesitant, especially since here in North America Rega's warranty only applies for 3-5 years. Cheers, Garth.
 
There are plenty more DACS in the sea. Personally I’d be patient and wait for a better example to turn up. Or buy a North American brand.

Cheers BB
 
Garth, if you absolutely needed 176.4 via USB (why not via co-axial or optical I do not know) then you could look for the later model a Rega Dac R which would allow such operation after the FOC download of drivers from our website.

It may well be that you would never need the facility given that by your own admission you are not sure what it means - FYI, 176.4/24. is a 24 bit digital music sample taken at 176,400 times per second, four times the sampling rate of the standard CD (44.1 kHz), this is a standard format for downloadable high-definition music that was converted from a DSD master (see SACD)

Our Lifetime Warranty against manufacturing defect does not just apply in the UK it is a Worldwide obligation via our distributor network, which does not cover normal wear and tear nor "consumables" like cartridges, belts, CD mechs (separate warranties exist) etc and requires them to have the product, analyse and identify the fault and establish whether it fits the above criterion (manufacturing defect).

If it does and there is proof of purchase it will be repaired FOC, if not then a charge would be made.

I hope you also find the above "informative and helpful" :):)

best regards

PD

PS - for the record I did not at any point say you were a HiFi Crank ;);)
 
anuenil, PS3 - I liked a post as I thought his terminology was amusing, nothing else, no implications, no attribution, no problem, simples.
 
anuenlil said:
PS2. He just liked a post whose only content was to say you were. Wink, wink.
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Come on, didn't we leave shitstirring behind in secondary school? Believe it or not, PD is your friend - he's sorted out a million and one questions and queries over the years. Better to embrace it - not him.....personal space and all that!
 
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