Synergy is key (and Rega beats Naim!)

[M@ver1ck]

On a lark, went ahead and bought a few pieces s/h, with the intention of playing around with things and selling things off that don't work.

Surprise. Surprise.

I've got the Rega Dac/Brio-R combo (@$1800) handily beating a CD5XS/NaitXS/FlatCap stack (@$7500), all running into Rega RS5 speakers.

This obviously in my living room and to my ears.

The Naim Stack might have more control on the speakers and sound a little more solid. But the Rega Stack hits back with a more musical and heart touching performance. It's also just a little laid back compared to the Naim stack. Where the Naim stack sounds a little edgy at times, the Rega stuff just sounds perfect. And at 1/4th the cost.

Anyway, will be moving the Naim to a different much smaller room and will try to find some other more laid back speakers for that stack. If it doesn't work out, bye bye Naim. Nice to have known you. (thinking Harbeths and the new PMCs). Or maybe just get rid of the Naim stack. Don't throw good money after bad.

 

[Rocketride]

Try your Naims with Neat Motive1 speakers.

 

[conread]

Yes, Rega is on to something. They deliver what people want these days. Excellent products with good VFM. My feeling is that Naim is a bit out of the market with their premium pricing and has a confusing portfolio also.

 

[bottleneck]

Im not so sure it's the case that synergy is key, or just that you prefer brand X to brand Y in this circumstance.

Might be worth trying brand A, B, and C also.

 

[sm1907]

Yes, there is life after Naim

 

[avole]

What a lot of rubbish!

Synergy means you like the sound, that's all.

 

[Mick P]

Yes, there is life after Naim

True but going with Naim means you know you got a quality product and you don't have to worry about all this cable codswallop etc.

You use the product and enjoy the music without worrying if you made the right marriage between boxes.

You do eventually end up with expensive boxes but it is well worth it.

Mick

 

[gary yeowell]

Yes Mick, and it hold it's value rather well too.

I like Rega products, however, not one time have I ever heard a Rega product sound better than what Naim offer at that price point.

 

[Pinky]

I've got the Rega Dac/Brio-R combo (@$1800) handily beating a CD5XS/NaitXS/FlatCap stack (@$7500), all running into Rega RS5 speakers.

But surely this is a one sided comparsion.

You have experienced the 'synergy' of the Rega system because you used Rega speakers. However you did not listen to the Naim set up using Naim speakers.

Whether that would make a significant difference to your conclusion I don't know, but then neither do you.

 

[linnfomaniac83]

Yes Mick, and it hold it's value rather well too.

I like Rega products, however, not one time have I ever heard a Rega product sound better than what Naim offer at that price point.

I thought the original rega apollo gave the naim cd5i (non italic) a good run for its money at about £400 less, I went to buy the cd5i when the dealer advised me to have a listen to the new rega players (this was mid 2007 iirc), I was tempted to save a few quid and take the apollo but then heard the saturn, the saturn wiped the floor with both the cd5i and the linn majik cd so that's what I brought

 

[linnfomaniac83]

To add to that I think rega's current offerings are stunning, the brio r is a much better amp than their own mira3 imho!

 

[tomek]

Rega is getting better and better. They didn't invested money&manpower in streaming devices, maybe it was a right decision.

 

[jamesd]

I have a pair of Vienna Acoustics Bach Grands that I've been looking at new amps for, seemingly forever, without making a move.

Some gentleman out there in the audio nerd internet also has the same VA speakers and purchased a Rega Brio-R to try out. I had been leaning towards that amp until I saw he returned them, citing brightness/sibilance. Has anyone else had the same experience with the Rega amp?

 

[avole]

The Nait 5i goes well with Vienna Acoustics. Can't comment about the Brio.

 

[M@ver1ck]

What a lot of rubbish!

Synergy means you like the sound, that's all.

Which is all that matters.

 

[linnfomaniac83]

I have a pair of Vienna Acoustics Bach Grands that I've been looking at new amps for, seemingly forever, without making a move.

Some gentleman out there in the audio nerd internet also has the same VA speakers and purchased a Rega Brio-R to try out. I had been leaning towards that amp until I saw he returned them, citing brightness/sibilance. Has anyone else had the same experience with the Rega amp?

Silibance/brightness are not words I would use to describe the brio r, musical, flowing, exiting, sweetly detailed are words that come to mind.

I haven't heard one with vienna acoustics speakers though.

The I once heard the SCHÖNBERG's at griffin audio in birmingham with a naim nac112/nap150/cd5xs and found it pretty cold sounding, detailed and well imaged but still cold and a little uninspiring, the dealer swapped them out for rega r7s iirc and the sound came to life!