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Rega RS3 speakers

Ronaudio

Ronaudio
I've just bought these speakers from Moorgate Acoustics in Sheffield. I was initially taken with their compact (for a floor stander) dimensions and the nice cherry veneers, but then was impressed by their sound. Is anyone using these speakers and with what ancilliaries? What are your impressions of them?
 
I was using the RS3s and they can sound really excellent [mine did to start with], but then again...be carefull with the room and system.

The gentleman who bought mine initially was over the moon with them , till the honeymoon was over , then he had the same results as me.
I think he is still working at a solution.
My solution was RS1s , which on Partington stands cost the same as the RS3s.

Whats your system and room size.
 
My system is presently relegated to a medium sized bedroom, pending a move downstairs when I can sort out speaker positioning. Using a Valhalled Linn LP12/Ittock II/Dynavector 10X5, and an old A & R A60 amp (which I can't let go for sentimental reasons) I Presume you had some issue with the RS3's bass, as you changed to the RS1's which, I believe, have the same tweeters.
 
Yes , i didn't want to make too much of the problem , which was as you say , bass related. It was good tight bass , but the quantity in relation to the treble was too great.

Obviously this is a personal preference thing , but it was funny that the new owner found the same thing and his room is larger than mine.
We both wondered if the RS3s are more suited to amps in the Brio/Mira area. I would expect your A&R is a great match.
Its just something to be aware of if you do decide to upgade your system in the future.

How have you got the side units . I found they sounded better with them pointing out in my room.
 
to note, having some experience now with the RS5 sibiling and, previously, with the Ela 2000 for quite a long period, i must say imho Rega have changed their ol' sonics direction towards the present (a bit boomy but luckily not tizzy) trend... also, the so much loved musicality, transparency and soundstage depth of yore have all faded, though detail and long-term listenabiltiy have improved, and the great midrange tonally remained as it was - sans some emotion...
 
Thanks, and sorry I'm slow to reply. Actually I'm not finding the bass too great, and that as you suspect, may be due to my amp, but also I was looking for more bass anyway by way of a change from my previous speakers,Kef Q35's, which although deliberately engineered to be a bit bass light, in an attempt to fit in a less boomy way into the average domestic environment, ultimately I felt gave a less complete sonic picture. The Regas, though still running in, appear much more detailed, communicative and therefore involving than the old Kefs, and I agree with Mr Coltrane that they are very musical, the Kefs being mechanical by comparison. I always thought the strong point of the Kefs was their treble but the Rega's treble is obviously superior.
 
i use the original R3's and absolutely love them. From what I understand they are leaner in the bass than the new RS3s and as such I have no bass related problems. MIdrange and treble have always been to my liking since I got them.
 
Oh and the side units. Strange one this. Both in the shop audition and at home I prefered them firing inwards (as did a friend who accompanied me). One's room size/shape must therefore have a bearing on this one as I've read of other people preferring them firing outwards. Now of course I'm going to have to experiment again, and I'll let you know if I've changed my mind!
 
Hi Shrink. It's also good to have speakers which don't appear to heve been reviewed in the hi-fi press (although I understand that the RS1's were, and were very well reviewed)
 
Im a side drivers out guy :)

in my room, drivers facing in resulted in no bass at all, facing out i get extension and more punch. Its obviously very room dependant.
 
I'm using them in a P9/17D3/Saturn/Nait 2 system and love my piano black pair to bits. it's quite a small room (about 12 foot by 10) and they seem to work best with drivers in.

Their surprising lightness makes them a doddle to reposition and they seem nice and sensitive. I had them on loan from a dealer with a pair of PMC DB1is and Arcaydis something-or-others and there was no contest...

Perhaps drivers out works best in larger rooms.
 
...

Perhaps drivers out works best in larger rooms.

agreed to the most. in my 11x16 feet room the RS5s still work the best with the bass drivers facing in, and make wonders also this way REGArding ( :) ) tonal purity, PRaT, transparency and detail, too
 
I can only comment based on the older R series, but I can not imagine that they are that much different in terms of responding to room placement. The driver in or out thing is very room dependent, as I found out when I changed rooms. I also noted that having the tweeters close to ear height when sat to listen made quite a change to the overall sound balance. I really enjoyed my time the with R3, and may well go back to the RS series should a change again.
 
There you go then...some like them in, and some like them out. By the way, if anyone is tempted to buy, I paid £449 from Moorgate Acoustics, Sheffield, because they are 'cabinet seconds' but I, nor the staff, couldn't identify in what way they were 'seconds'. This was a considerable saving on the listed price of £698. I chose the Cherry finish, picking between two, as the one I chose had an interesting wood grain. I believe the piano black was offered at the same price.
 
The reason I purchased the Rega R5 speakers was due to the lack of bass in our hard floor un carpeted house. The Regas were recommended straight off when I explained the problem to my dealer and they work a treat. The speakers which worked fine in the previous house sounded tizzy and lacking in bass in this house. I wonder what the Rega's would sound like in the last house which was carpeted?
 
I too have a bare wood floor. The RS3's sound fine in the carpeted bedroom where I'm presently using them, so looking forward to using them on the bare floorboards. I expect that they too will give better results than my previous speakers (Kef Q35's) The R5's (or RS5's) would probably be a little too big for my lounge. The RS3's are still running in, as mentioned previously, and so I would expect further tonal changes to come, maybe even more bass, but I doubt that it will become overpowering. I'm really enjoying the way they make music and feel that they were four hundred and fifty quid well spent...
 


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