Rega Aria phonostage | Tone Audio
Posted by The Sound Organisation on Oct 12th 2018
Originally Published March 24, 2016.
Tone Audio Magazine Gives The Rega Aria Phonostage A Whirl And Thinks The Name Is Quite Appropriate.
The Rega Aria phonostage is quite remarkable. It is very quiet, leaving your vinyl sound smoother and more detailed than you've heard it before. The moving magnet and moving coil inputs are entirely separate, maximizing the sound quality from each cartridge type. You can even connect two turntables at the same time! The settings for moving coil cartridges are very flexible. You can use it with almost any cartridge and get the best performance. $1495 US retail price. Find a Retailer near you to experience Rega.
Excerpts from the review:
Like all Rega electronics, the Aria does not need extended break in. It sounds great right out of the box, and stabilizes fully after a few days of constant play. Being that it uses precious little power, leaving it powered up 24/7 allows it to fully stabilize electrically and thermally, offering the best sound.
There’s a definite clarity that this phono stage brings that is immediately noticeable, and I must admit user bias. There are precious few op amp based phonostages that don’t have a fair amount of glare and haze in the presentation. Fortunately, the Aria sidesteps this problem with its discrete design.
...the Aria is incredibly quiet... Listening to "Solea" from Miles Davis Sketches of Spain, on the recent MoFi remaster is a joy. Davis’ horn begins the track slowly, and languishes throughout, with gentle drumming and cymbal work that floats throughout the soundstage.
...the Aria brings life to the mix. The Aria also excels in terms of dynamics – Davis’ explosive playing always a great trial for any analog components ability to follow musical transients quickly and cleanly.
...compared to the others we’ve heard in the $1,200 – $1,500 range, it is solidly at the top of the heap, offering a stunningly quiet and highly musical presentation, without any fuss or muss. Plug it in, turn it on and play records. It’s that easy. And the fact that you can plug a second table in is a big bonus. Highly recommended.