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Rega Saturn + Dac

Y

Yani

pfm Member
Anyone here using both these units, but independently !!!.

After trying the DAC I found I liked it with certain tracks but preferred the Saturn with others. I ended up handing the DAC back.
It has occurred to me now that I could have both units running into different line inputs on the Brio - R and just switch between them depending on the track.
That way the Saturn Dac is still in use when required.

Just wondred if anyone is doing this at present.
 
Yani said:
Anyone here using both these units, but independently !!!.

After trying the DAC I found I liked it with certain tracks but preferred the Saturn with others. I ended up handing the DAC back.
It has occurred to me now that I could have both units running into different line inputs on the Brio - R and just switch between them depending on the track.
That way the Saturn Dac is still in use when required.

Just wondred if anyone is doing this at present.
Click to expand...

Same case... I compared Saturn through REGA DAC and the differences were subtle, maybe none at all but this "test" could be flawed because:

-The AC power cord in the Saturn is far superior to REGA DAC.
-The IC in the Saturn also is better.
-I have not tested the different filters in the REGA DAC.

We must remember that Saturn and DAC uses almost the same DAC ICs (Wolfson 8740 vs. Wolfson 8742).

I´m waiting about 6 weeks because I´m moving to a new space and then I can make further and more extensive tests. The REGA DAC is wonderful in lossless files... with my M2Tech HiFace, HD files are awesome!!!...:D
 
Hi,

I have both a Rega Apollo and a new Rega DAC.

The Rega DAC is marginally better than the Apollo, certainly not worth the £500 it costs so it will shortly be going onto ebay.

Having heard the Saturn previously that certainly is better than the Rega DAC.

kind Regards

L.
 
For info, it took some time to find a digital source that bettered my Saturn.

I eventually found it with a Teddydac via a Mac, then with the Weiss Dac 2 via FireWire.

A very capable cd player in my opinion.
 
it all depends on the rest of your system. With the Brio-R, the rega dac is just awesome. The Saturn is comparitvely laid back.

With the NaitXS, I always found the rega dac a little too forward, and the saturn was a better match. Ditto with the Mira.
 
Demoed Rega DAC and found Saturn to be in totally another league. Saturn is so much better.
 
Thanks for the feedback guys. It appears from what I am reading that the hype over the DAC has settled into a more realistic view being presented.

I was given the DAC to demo when I borrowed a Brio - R. The shop obviously keen to sell a DAC as well as an amp. This created a small problem in that I was trying to assess the amp & dac at the same time. Half way through the week I removed the dac altogether so I could concentrate on the amp.

I ended up keeping the amp but returned the dac as like most of you here I seemed to prefer the Saturn most of the time. Its just I am now pondering getting the dac back to sample again now that I have settled in with amp.

From memory the dac does have a more open presentation than the Saturn and on some material was better , jazz etc. It just occurred to me that I could run the Saturn as a stand alone and as a transport with dac when I felt it suited the track choice. That was really the question, does anyone use both units in that way ?.
 
Anyway a CD player originally costing two and a half times the same company's DAC has been found to sound a bit better - I'm sure I'm missing the shock, horror here somewhere.

If, on the other hand you are seeking a DAC that would give the Saturn a decent game at an equivalent cost, there are several alternatives.
 
To be honest, never was my intention to replace or even try to upgrade my Saturn... the REGA DAC is playing more than 3000 lossless files that I have, lot of them in hi res:eek:...and it works fantastic...:D
 
FatElvisForever said:
I liked the DAC at first, and praised it for it's "organic" sound quality, which is very true. The Saturn can sound a bit more "clinical" in direct comparison.

But over extended listening I started to sour on it and was glad I hadn't sold the Saturn. The Saturn's timing is just right. It reveals more detail in an extremely balanced way, without ever sounding "forward". The DAC developed a slow plodding nature, quite a bit "hot". On some bass heavy material it was unlistenable. Imagine, Rega kit that gets timing all wrong! I couldn't follow Mark King's bass lines! Unacceptable.

It might pair really well with the Brio-R, and maybe that's it's intended partner, but after about three months I grew bored with it and sold it at a loss. That's the quickest I've ever turned a piece of gear over. I'm already seeing a lot of DAC's available second hand.

The folks "upgrading" their Saturn with the DAC are, in my opinion, falling victim to "new product hype" and a healthy dose of "bad dealer advice".

Eventually I did sell the Saturn, but it was for a Linn Majik DS, which six months in continues to surprise me. Now with the Apollo-R I imagine we'll start to hear all kinds of "better than Saturn" hype but I'm not biting.
Click to expand...

You and I don't agree about much but you have put your finger on a problem that I've been trying to figure out for awhile. I have not heard a DAC I like. There is something of value in having the whole enchilada built to one task.
 
When I demoed both with the Mira, they really both sounded very close to me. The Saturn a little laid back and smooth, the Dac, more of a party animal. Really hard for me to decide.. until I played some songs that just did not sound right with the Dac. Totally soulless. Songs that I remembered sounded very good. Well, the Saturn did all the right things with that music.

I tried various things and the Dac never sounded right with the Nait XS.

Having said that, With the Brio-R, the Dac is an excellent match and has some great synergy and is a very enjoyable combination. Makes sense: you just need to look at the shoebox size, and you'll know what units in the Rega lineup are supposed to go together.

Using the Rega Dac with the Saturn's optical out makes no sense to me. You'll just introduce a few more hops. Also doesn't make sense to use an excellent and expensive cd player just as a transport.
 
Using the Saturn just as a transport is NOT what I was intending. If you read my original post it is to use the Saturn individually but should I find the DAC more preferabale on some tracks then do so. I do not wish to REPLACE my Saturn dac with the stand alone unit as I, like many people enjoy the Saturns sound. What is wrong with having some choice depending on the choice of music being played ??. Is that such a crime.

I also am not the type that MUST have the latest kit. I only updated to the Saturn after 12 years of owning a Marantz CDP. My Orig uk spec Audiolabs have also just been updated to the Brio -r. So to say I must have the latest kit is total bollocks !!!!.
 
FatElvis, I take your point regarding new released gear in that it can be hyped beyond its capabilities. In my younger days I could have fallen for that hype but not now. I only buy if I hear a marked improvement to the sound. I also accept shops need to sell to survive so it is only natural they will try to tempt. I am using Glasgow Audio at present and find the guys very helpful and accomodating when I wish to try equipement at home.

As for the DAC , I just possibly would like another go with it over a week or so. As I have said before its not to replace the saturn dac but rather run along side it into another line input. It would just give me choice as to what floated my boat depending on the genre of music.
 
Guys, you are all absolutely right. The Rega DAC is a total of waste of money. Having bought it to upgrade my Apollo, it does nothing of the sort. It sounds identical, a complete waste of money. The Saturn is miles better.

For anyone who has an Apollo or even better a Saturn, don't waste your money on the Rega DAC piece of crap. Instead buy music and enjoy what you already have.
 
(i realise this is off topic and apologise to the original poster.)

i think that the source being fed to the rega dac is very important. feeding it with an apollo, which is essentially a budget cd player so a budget transport at best and expecting dramatic improvement or 'saturn' like, high end sound seems nonsensical to me. likewise feeding it with a saturn and expecting the resulting sound to be 'better' seems rather illogical.

i have a rega dac and fed with my budget pioneer cd player it sounds ok, quite possibly on a par with an apollo or similar priced cd player i would imagine, but fed with my dedicated theta transport it sounds superb.

my previous dac, although old, was as high end as it got 15 years ago with the designer being more than well respected around these parts, and i can state categorically that the rega dac fed by my theta transport absolutely kicks that old dac into touch.
 
Fatelvisforever,

"Flooding the used market" eh, well I can tell you there are none on e bay, one on audiogon, none on Pink Fish, none on The art of Sound and a sixth month old ad on Hififorsale.

Hardly flooding the used market at significantly less than 0.008% of those sold.

Leeoh,

Why did you not audition it before buying ?

Paul Darwin
Rega Research
 
paul darwin said:
Fatelvisforever,

"Flooding the used market" eh, well I can tell you there are none on e bay, one on audiogon, none on Pink Fish, none on The art of Sound and a sixth month old ad on Hififorsale.

Hardly flooding the used market at significantly less than 0.008% of those sold.

Paul Darwin
Rega Research
Click to expand...

i was going to say that i see a fair few 'young' dacs and 'm-dacs' on the used market but don't see many rega dacs myself.
 
Paul,

What are your thoughts on the Apollo-R + Rega DAC? A mini Isis for those with pesky mortgages and families to support?

Joe
 
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