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Rega Aria

C

Conster

pfm Member
Can anyone shed some light on this...Other than the newer casework does anyone know if this phono stage is any different from the original? I am under the impression that the internals are identical
 
The Rega website simply says;

"New styling September 2018
Housed within our latest half width custom designed case to give it a fresh new look and match the range are two entirely separate, high performance phono stages. One fully adjustable, dedicated moving coil and one moving magnet. Each stage is designed and engineered to maximise the potential of your vinyl system whilst remaining easy to use and set up."

If it was anything other than just the case, I'm sure it would have been called 'Aria Mk2' and Rega would have announced it as an 'improved and better sounding' revision.

After all, they have done this on their website, in respect of the Fono MM being Mk3 from Mk2 and also the Fono Mini A2D now being Mk2.

Its would seem logical, therefore, to announce any sonic improvements to the Aria
 
Mr Frog said:
The Rega website simply says;

"New styling September 2018
Housed within our latest half width custom designed case to give it a fresh new look and match the range are two entirely separate, high performance phono stages. One fully adjustable, dedicated moving coil and one moving magnet. Each stage is designed and engineered to maximise the potential of your vinyl system whilst remaining easy to use and set up."

If it was anything other than just the case, I'm sure it would have been called 'Aria Mk2' and Rega would have announced it as an 'improved and better sounding' revision.

After all, they have done this on their website, in respect of the Fono MM being Mk3 from Mk2 and also the Fono Mini A2D now being Mk2.

Its would seem logical, therefore, to announce any sonic improvements to the Aria
Click to expand...

Agreed. Some person on the Rega facebook site was talking some nonsense about Rega changing some internal parts which have led to a sonic improvements. He said that Roy Gandy confirmed this on a recent Michael Fremer video visiting the Rega factory. I watched the video and nothing of that sort was mentioned. Actually Roy said that they actually didn't want to put both a MM?MC in the same box for obvious sonic reasons but that's what the market wanted.
 
Discussed in this video:


Specifically from time 25m:14s ("running change") but view from 22m:25s for context.
 
I'm pretty sure many companies operate with silent revisions during a products lifespan but perhaps don't mention it to the public? :) Unless you state it clearly with a MkII designator. As Roy says in the video it was a pretty significant upgrade in performance.
 
krenzler said:
The video is from early 2017 and I don't remember when the Aria was first introduced?
Click to expand...

Excellent point. I believe the Aria was introduced in 2015 so maybe the ones after 2017 and now with the newer casing are the same and the ones before are without the newer FET's? Perhaps Paul Darwin could chime in here and confirm
 
The current model is the same as the previous one; changes are just cosmetic. It's an excellent phono stage.
 
No, I meant the current casework model isn't a change from the previous casework, but that video was surely made whilst models with the previous casework were being produced. This may mean it is worth checking Serial Number and date if buying one with the previous casework second hand.
 
Conster said:
Agreed. Some person on the Rega facebook site was talking some nonsense about Rega changing some internal parts which have led to a sonic improvements. He said that Roy Gandy confirmed this on a recent Michael Fremer video visiting the Rega factory. I watched the video and nothing of that sort was mentioned. Actually Roy said that they actually didn't want to put both a MM?MC in the same box for obvious sonic reasons but that's what the market wanted.
Click to expand...

There is no sonic compromise in putting an MC stage in the same box as an MM stage.... It would be pretty bizarre to have two completely separate stages in one box though!
There is however often (but not always) a compromise in making a phono stage switchable between MM and MC.
The optimum input stage for MM and MC designs is usually quite different and a circuit which can handle either merely by switching in/out a resistor to change the gain (ie most MM/MC stages) will usually compromise one or both types of cart.
 
MusicMiles said:
Which the Rega does!
Click to expand...

Nope it just has separate input stages according to some bumpf I just looked at. This gets around the issue I outlined above. The cheapo Cambridge Audio 640P (and all it's derivatives) does the same thing but very badly. When I make these into Arkless 640P's I remove all this and make one much better stage, switchable for MM and MC. At this price point a switchable stage done well can be much better than dedicated input stages done crap!
 
Arkless Electronics said:
Nope it just has separate input stages according to some bumpf I just looked at. This gets around the issue I outlined above. The cheapo Cambridge Audio 640P (and all it's derivatives) does the same thing but very badly. When I make these into Arkless 640P's I remove all this and make one much better stage, switchable for MM and MC. At this price point a switchable stage done well can be much better than dedicated input stages done crap!
Click to expand...

To quote Rega: "Housed within our latest half width custom designed case to give it a fresh new look and match the range are two entirely separate, high performance phono stages. One fully adjustable, dedicated moving coil and one moving magnet. Each stage is designed and engineered to maximise the potential of your vinyl system whilst remaining easy to use and set up."
 
MusicMiles said:
To quote Rega: "Housed within our latest half width custom designed case to give it a fresh new look and match the range are two entirely separate, high performance phono stages. One fully adjustable, dedicated moving coil and one moving magnet. Each stage is designed and engineered to maximise the potential of your vinyl system whilst remaining easy to use and set up."
Click to expand...

Something I looked at said it was just separate input stages and this is what I would expect. It would be pointless having separate circuitry after the input stages as it would just be duplicating. I assume there is only one output rather than MM out and MC out?
 
Arkless Electronics said:
Something I looked at said it was just separate input stages and this is what I would expect. It would be pointless having separate circuitry after the input stages as it would just be duplicating. I assume there is only one output rather than MM out and MC out?
Click to expand...

Right, but there are separate MM & MC inputs and Rega boasts separate power supplies for each stage.
 
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