Rega Brio is NOT a typical amp

Read my written reviews with scores at iiwireviews.com/
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Buy Brio on Amazon: amzn.to/4cFrHrm
00:00 About Rega Brio
01:50 Sound
07:04 Power and Pairing
10:52 vs Atoll IN100
12:26 vs NAD D3020 V2
14:18 vs Affordable SMSLs
17:04 This happens...
18:03 Conclusion
Follow me on Instagram for behind the scene stuff: / iiwireviews
Test system:
Pi2Design Mercury streamer: bit.ly/3PLha14
Ladder Schumann DAC: bit.ly/3OYjt0n
Gustard R26 DAC: bit.ly/3A6BaX5
Acoustic Invader AMP and PREAMP (Fulcrum): acousticinvader.com/
Spirit Wind Speakers
KEF LS50 speakers: amzn.to/2ztRg0s
#hifi #audiophile #amplifier #stereo

[@iiWiReviews]

I've just learned from a comment that I've mispronounced REGA my whole life. It's actually REEGA. It's a funny thing to think about, reading What Hi-Fi my whole life but never listening to a Rega review before. Fun fact - in Serbian language we always read words as they're written (phonetically), hence the tendency to make these kinds of assumptions.

[@rasskall-aka-Luke_A.]

Lotsa folks mispronounce it here in the U.S. also, esp. if there are no local dealers. But the old-timers seem to know the correct way.

[@JP1050x]

REGA is the combination of the founders last names. Tony Relph + Roy Gandy. So, technically, pronouncing the name as RÉGA is not wrong.

[@civinenad]

govori SRPSKI da te ceo svet razume :)

[@varun110291]

Hahaha even I thought it is REGA and not REEGA

[@duntrolling8876]

Its not an actual word. so how you pronounce it is of no importance. Im English and to me it has always been RAY-GAH. and Ive heard official stockists pronounce it in this way too.

[@cpg8000]

This is bar-none one of the very best reviews on YT. This guy is phenomenal in his examples. Wow!

[@zindahoon]

Hey Soul , what a fantastic review Rega is well known British brand for Turn table and Amp and well known for their tonality there are few other amp in the similar price like Audiolab and ms2i but those are bit thin sounding and the phono stage on Rega is top notch. Your exceptional review style will help a lot to your subscribers.. keep up good work I m sure by end of 2023 you will cross 50k milestone

[@bluerev]

Great review! Love the attention to detail in your comparisons!

[@mangs9940]

i was wondering about this for a while. thanks for taking the time to do this.

[@cau8365]

Great review. Your descriptions also aligned with the Brio-R I have. It paired well with Magnepan MMG.

[@paulcathcart7896]

I purchased one of these around two years ago from AudioT in Swindon and when they got it home it only played our through one speaker. They did replace the unit with a perfect one and apologised for the inconvenience BUT they also told me the problem was unheard of, which makes me laugh watching your review now and hearing there are common problems.

[@sloboat55]

Always dig your vids.

[@lbk607]

Thank you for the video review! Very helpful 👍

[@rrtind]

Excellent review. I work with Rega equipment all day, everyday, and I fully agree with you. Loving your work, keep it up 👌

[@GeorgeFrideric71]

Very useful, detailed review. Many thanks.

[@colinvannbohemen11]

Excellent review, top notch advice. I've had the pleasure of retailing Rega for many years now...they just don't put out anything less than a first class product.

[@Firebottleman]

In my opinion, the Brio does not need more wattage, it should have at least double the power supply capacitance in reserve for those dynamic peaks in the music. That would solve the woofer control issues at higher volumes. It would make this little amp much more effortless sounding. Thanks for the video.

[@ricstars95]

is brio lean towards thin or fuller sounding amp?

[@raymoore8435]

@@ricstars95 It’s warmer

[@rupertherbert594]

your way to speak, slowly and with some gestures, and in detail, is very pleasant, for a non motherlanguage. You have successful and prefectly describes how this amp sounds. Of course one will need to try it in person but I feel that this one can pair well with my old (but still in perfect shape) Ditton3 Celestion, still driven by an even older Mission Cyrus two, curiosily same power and factory form of the Brio. Thank you so much! :)

[@bryanpaulgilbert7308]

great review!

[@AdiMaco]

Very good review!

[@pierremartin9048]

Excellent review

[@mehmetcamat4458]

I fully agree with you. I have listened to it and it sounds really nice and warm especially with triangle borea speakers

[@jornkohler4977]

Also agree on that. Brio + Br07: very dynamic and engaging sound. Maybe a perfect match.

[@matthewhilty4209]

Pairs well with KEF LS50s ( Yes LS50s do ALWAYS need a sub-woofer . I actually think they should state that on the box ). There are 2 Rega Brios , The older model no headphone jack , and this model with a headphone jack. The MM phono stage is actually very good also, it plays my Hana SH cart wonderfully.

[@mehmetcamat4458]

LS50 Metas also sound very good with Hegel

[@tee-jaythestereo-bargainph2120]

Nice job thanks for the video, Bro 3s are a little antlitikle pairs amazingly with Iota sa3

[@kibreddy]

I exchanged my Audio Note Class A tube amp with a friend's Brio. I think you review is SPOT ON. The presence with the Brio is Phenomenal! Exactly what I was looking for. The Mid-range is perfect, exactly like corner placement of the speakers but with non of the Bass bloat. And the forward sound staging is awesome too. I am keeping this one. One thing you should add, Brio needs a couple of hours of use to sound its best, becomes way more confident and detailed after heat up.

[@bettlergott]

Ok...

[@larrywe3320]

Good to have an A/B amp reviewed - Thanks

[@mikecees2230]

Somehow this excellent review flew under my radar. Anyhow...you described the Brio exactly as I would have. With the right speakers this is a great little amp. I heard it struggling to drive low sensitivity Proac Tabs, after a few seconds sales guy looked at me shook his head and said ''this isn't working as expected'' and quickly replaced it with a Nait XS2. Bass tightened up considerably. On paper the Brio's bigger brother, the Elex R MK4, should offer be able to offer a happy compromise of both with a price somewhere in between.

[@jonathandunkelman]

great review

[@kostass3124]

Nice review. Thank you ! I dont have the Brio. I bought an IO instead (same sound) and now have it connected to the high efficiency Martin Logans 20i. The sound is pleasing indeed but not superb. I have not yet heard many amps to test with the 20s, but the sound that came out from those speakers with the Exposure 2510 amp, it was a wow indeed ! It also need a good DAC to match Brio by the way

[@nc3419]

Was the SQ of the Exposure 2510 so much better at moderate volumes or just at higher volumes where the headroom of the IO becomes insufficient? I've eyed Rega, Exposure and Belles integrated amps.

[@peterfletcher6678]

Sounds like the amp I’ve been looking for. Did you get to test the headphone amp? Great video very informative thank you 🙏

[@justonemoregshock]

I'm glad you pointed out the differences between SMSL amps and what Rega brings to the table. It's like 2 different worlds. While SMSL products sound lean and laid back with no texture at all Rega is on a total opposite of the spectrum meaning there's a lot of texture in every sound aspect starting with a solid and meaty but not overwhelming bas up to beautiful and not edgy sweet highs. Just purchased Rega Elix-R which feels like a jackpot in a world of digital and edgy yet non substantial sound. Mind you, Elix-R is much more powerful than Brio so it brings more goodies that Brio is famous for with ease. Highly recommended!

[@rmy81]

Nice review 👏 How would it pair with kef ls50s? You should review the bigger brother, elex-r, too.

[@darylbaylon2217]

Hi. I am one of your subscribers and always watch your reviews, as I find them very insightful, without the marketing hypes. I have a Rega Brio 2 and I agree with your observations on this capable amplifier. I’ve watched also your KefLS 50 review so I decided to hit the trigger and recently purchased a dealer demo unit KEF LS 50. I wanted to up the capabilities of LS 50. Do you think a preamp would do and if so what brand do you recommend on say $300-400 budget?

[@carrion_man3700]

Great review. I'm thinking of pairing with some KLH Model 5s. My feeling is the Brio will help warm and round the lower base and tame the the tinny tweeter a bit. Basically, arrange the tones in a rounded, warmer manner. (If that makes sense?) Anyway, thanks for this great video!

[@bobb.9917]

WOW! Hanne Boel recording is well-recorded! My system delivered it so well! 😊

[@kix-s]

나이쓰 ^^ 항상 감사합니다!! 앞으로도 장비 소개 많이 해주세요 ^^

[@trexabyte9943]

the phono stage is superb!!!

[@mrkitewine7700]

I use Neat Motive SX3s with my Brio. It's a great combination although the Neats have recently had a massive price increase to about £1600

[@micky0778]

Thanks for the review - I am curious as to which DAC in your review process sounded best with the Rega Brio? Looking for a amp and dac to match with KLH Model 5 speakers. They have a great mid-range presentation and I want something that will bring the mid-range to life. Would love your recommendations.

[@xstensl8823]

i have this. i thought it was Class A when i first heard it. extremely musical. i use the Rega RS1 speakers and a Denafrips DAC.

[@timleelim9930]

Nice review and mirrors what I heard with the Brio, its smaller Io brother and various Chinese chip based Class D amps. While probably not a priority to most of your viewers, if vinyl LPs are part of their sources, the fine phono stage in the Brio really ups the value proposition.

[@QuangNguyen-md8ky]

I think this amp will be a great match with Klipsch RP bookshelves series.

[@vladimirjovanovic2803]

Nice review Srbo, as always! Very interesting to hear about Rega (Reega?) Brio and it's sound signature. Would certainly like to be able to hear it in my space, as it obviously is different from my Atoll IN100 Sig :) Also, I wish I could hook it up to my BRO3s, so I could hear if their treble could be tamed a bit...

[@iiWiReviews]

Thanks! Hope you'll have that chance soon. Regarding the pronunciation, I was told it's Reega first, then another British viewer said some call it Rega like I did. So.. I guess we should cherish Vuk Karadžić. 😊

[@vladimirjovanovic2803]

@@iiWiReviews Yes, we owe a lot to Mr. Karadžić, don't we? His work made our lives much simpler :) Regarding the Rega: some of the commenters here mentioned a hum coming from the amp, especially in the nearfield and with efficient speakers. Did you happen to hear any of that (with BROs, for example)?

[@iiWiReviews]

I think I've noticed a bit of hum when unused input is selected. Didn't pay much attention to it because it was not noticeable when I used the correct one.

[@metroboom25289]

One way to get thst warm sounding fullness with lean and bright amps is to match it with a warm, mid centric and foreward sounding speakers like the wharfedale 80th anniv speakers or the linton or the early elac models b6 or the reference series

[@fetaface1203]

Any amp recommendations for the lintons?

[@thepickyaudiophile]

This is spot on!! I have never owned the Brio, but heard it in multiple dealer demos. Based on this I purchased the Rega Aethos, which to me adds tons of resolution and refinement, but without loosing the lovely fullness of the lower mids. The Rega DAC also has the same quality, which is possibly why it's been hard to replace (e.g. the Denafrips Ares II sounded too lean to me). I spent the first half of my life as a live/studio musician and I strongly believe that the lower mid fatigued, upper mid forward sound signature is a hifi construct, that you don't really find in the wild, where music is actually performed/created 🙂 Also the Rega amps are really good at low volumes, something that most amps don't manage (not fixable with tone controls).

[@Audiorevue]

you hit it right on the head bud ,it's that lower mids for sure that really bring about something special with their amplifiers. also it's this really sense of tone that I really love, I don't know if you listen to live musicians and you listen to a guitar being played or a piano being played you can really feel the tone but a lot of HiFi just doesn't do that, but rega does.

[@thepickyaudiophile]

@@Audiorevue As a piano player through 20 years I can’t agree more! 😀 Someone once said that “once you outgrow the beginners audiophiles obsession with tonal balance.. something something”. Arguably amplitude curve and the distribution of the overtones is what defines the sound of an instrument. If you make a leading edge focused component, with a de emphasis of the fundamental partials, you have definitely changed things! Now I find faithful reproduction as dull as the next guy, color can be awesome, but color it is (IMO) 😊

[@Audiorevue]

@@thepickyaudiophile Color is the beauty of life, without it we're living in 1984.

[@thepickyaudiophile]

@@Audiorevue 😄👍🎸

[@johningham4219]

How would this compare to Vincent sv 500 thanks

[@gman5218]

Had one and nothing touches it including Audiolab. Perfect for vinyl lovers who aren’t interested in digital inputs as it has an amazing internal phono stage.

[@mudsplat]

What I would love to know is - have you reviewed an amp which is affordable yet powerful and importantly great sounding for driving difficult loads like current hungry Magnepans (example Magnepan LRS or Magnepan 1.7i)?

[@gregoryfrassetti1276]

I have this Rega hooked up to Dali Oberon mini towers and my source are streaming units Sonos Port and Bluesound Vault. Really nice pairing and super happy with the sound. The Rega Brio is a very fun amp, great PRaT and overall sound. I also hook them up to a pair of B&W Matrix 805 bookshelves and even with 87 sensitivity it rocks hard.

[@ChicagoRob2]

Wow, another Matrix 805 owner. Join the club! I’m running mine with a Yamaha A-S1200, which is an amazing combination. Dead-neutral presentation and transparent.

[@paulcathcart7896]

I have this brio with Dali Oberon 5. What cd player do you have?

[@GreatestCornholio]

I just bought the Brio to replace my old Marantz pm6005, I also have a pair of Oberon 5s. How are you finding the brio with them?

[@nicotorres5867]

​@@GreatestCornholio Hello! How are you finding the Rega Brio vs Marantz? I am also keen to know if this is a good step up!

[@GreatestCornholio]

@@nicotorres5867 I definitely think it’s an improvement. The sound is similar but feels more refined. The bass is a little bit lighter, but I like that as I thought the bass on the Marantz was a little bit much, and slightly fuzzy sounding. I’m very pleased with it overall!

[@lowrider007007]

If your looking for cheaper option with lush warm sound grab an Onkyo A-9010 second-hand, amazing value for money.

[@cremersalex]

Right now I'm listening to Wharfedale Lintons and a Denon PMA-2000ivr. And trust me, it doesn't sound thin!

[@ryansudding667]

I have had two Rega amps in my system. First was the Elex-r. It was too thin with my Monitor Audio BX5'S. Preferred the Naim 5si with the MA'S. Recently moved to the Aethos. Yes, it is a bit more laidback than the Naim, but way more detail, and soundstage and imaging is much better on the Rega. It doesn't have a slightly warmish mid range, but found the bass to be tighter, cleaner and more defined than the Naim. Aethos is an amazing amp. Highly resolving.

[@matthewhilty4209]

Good to hear you like the Aethos because It has been on my radar for awhile , I was told by a dealer that is has similar tonality to the newer Brio.

[@ryansudding667]

Hi Matthew. Happy to help. If you want more information, I can certainly share more details on the Aethos. My experience is Rega is quite picky about speakers. So I would highly recommend a home demo if you can.

[@wylliamkwong9155]

Hi, thanks for your detailed review. I have bought the Rega Brio. I am looking for a matching bookshelf speaker for small room, what do you think would match better, the Q3020i or wharfedale 4.1? Also, to add a network streamer, which one will you recommend? The Matrix Mini i4 or Eversolo dmp A6 ? Thanks for your advice!

[@zemun755]

Imam Regu Brio sa Focal Chora 826 , odlična kombinacija i muzikalno fantastično zvuči! Pozdrav

[@Lordofmrak]

Upravo si mi dao odgovor da li da uparim sa 806 :)

[@asheshchand3616]

I too have Chora 806 and I'm craving warmth in sound.. they are bit harsh with my IOTAVX SA3. Found out I'm very sensitive to hardness in upper frequency. Wonder if BRIO solve that problem.

[@ilmatanela1816]

Hi, this is a remarkable review, good job thank you! May I ask you which amp you would choose (under €1000,00) to pair with a pair of Wharfedale Linton ? I listen mainly rock and jazz music and don't prefer dry or too bright amps. Thanks in advance.

[@paritoshcnlu]

Nice review. Wanted a quick suggestion. I'm getting rega io system one for $1750 and rega brio with Planar 1 for $1250. Which one should I go for. ? And if For the second option then what set of bookshelf speakers would serve better ?

[@jari121]

I used to have a Rega Brio-R and your description fit that well too. This was a really good review and sound description from you, as well as a comparison with other amplifiers. I now own a Rega Elex-R amplifier, which has more authority. An amplifier with the same style of full warm tone is also the Onkyo A-9150. It has a deeper and more controlled bass and a full midrange. Its treble is not as crisp as the Brio-R has. I don't think you can find this model for sale new, but you can find used ones. I also have an Onkyo A-9010 which is a bit brighter and lighter sounding. I have mainly switched to class D amplifiers, such as Aiyima A07, SMSL AO-200 and XTZ A2-300. They just have such deep, tight and controlled bass, detailed midrange, extended treble and a black background. Sometimes I would like a little more authority, a fuller midrange and more dynamics from them. To get all those from a class AB amp, I'd have to pay many times the price of those class D amps.

[@jornkohler4977]

I changed from an expensive T+A class D amp to Rega Brio and for me it is much more fun to listen to the music now. Bass control might be less, but the music sounds more dynamic and organic.

[@christophesarrazin5802]

What do you think of the association of this rega with the ls 50 ? Does it match ? Merci pour tes tests (from France) 👍

[@spuddyl9938]

Hey that's my amp!

[@D1N02]

Reminds me a bit of the Mission Cyrus one. I wonder how it compares to the Ayima D03 (should only be used with digital sources because it does a poor ADC on the analogue input) or the Fosi audio TB10D (improved version) the @cheapaudioman raved about. (He likes them better than the SMSL's you discussed because they sound creamy and caramelly whatever that means).

[@frederf69]

They are a good old school type amp' best suited to speakers above 88db sensitive, but no remote is why I didn't go for this one years ago 👍👍✌✌

[@raymoore8435]

Wrong it has a remote !

[@seanb3303]

I have owned Brio R and NAD D3020 V2 and totally agree with your assessments…I had to sell my Brio R due to its high noise floor causing tweeter hiss on my desktop setup….apparently the small chassis has issues in that it can’t effectively isolate noise or prevent crosstalk.

[@o.p.8461]

Agree, had unfortunately the same issues on 2 devices, which was really bad humming noise - not recommended I am afraid, but sounds like as described by iiWi.

[@JP1050x]

I have a Brio-R, and it doesn’t make any noise, unless I have my ear next to the tweeter, or if I crank it up super loud without any music. But, I’ve heard buzzing can be a common issue with REGA amps.

[@seanb3303]

@@JP1050x the noise floor is an issue for a desk setup which is a shame because that is where a little amp is most handy…and tweeter hiss with no music playing is annoying. Maybe they have fixed issue recently but it’s been going on for years with Brio.

[@vlad69ist]

Hello, excellent channel, have you auditioned this rega brio with Oberon Dali 5 speakers?

[@seanb3303]

Vista Audio Spark is made and designed in Serbia. Also vintage sounding but with less bass and power but cheaper.

[@davidhauseman9652]

I pair my Brio with Axiom M5HPs… sounds wonderful.

[@LorDarkGoose]

The previous Brio definitely felt like a higher quality build, but was a bit shrill sounding so much prefer the new model. This amp sounds great with the BRO3's but when I paired it with my Revel M16's it was really dull. So maybe bright speakers is the way to go.

[@jornkohler4977]

Probably you are right. Triangle to my ears is a very good match with Brio. Moved to Triangle+Rega from a much more expensive Combo of Dynaudio/T+A amp and I am much more satisfied now. Less boring, more PRaT, more organic and lively sounding.

[@roddersh5396]

What a coincidence. I had the Brio 2017 for a few years paired with Dali Menuet SE. Nice lush and warm sound, pretty powerful. Also listened to the Atoll In100 Sig but went the safe route and upgraded to Elex R instead. I didn't think the Atoll was forward or bright, quite the opposite I thought, though it could've been the speakers pairing. Anyway thanks for the review and comparison. Which DAC would you pair the Brio with by the way? That would've been helpful given your extensive DAC experience.

[@mykeldg]

In your experience, the Atoll was warmer than the Rega when paid with the Menuets? Did you prefer the Elex-R over the Atoll? TIA

[@roddersh5396]

@@mykeldg I can't be sure as I heard the Atoll on a floor stander, my impression was that they were rounder sounding... But I could be wrong. The Brio whilst warmer havea slight grain or bite in the mid high frequencies to me. The Elex and Atoll seem to lack the grain. If you watch Cheshire audio opinion on the Atoll, I generally concur with his conclusions.

[@ryanschipp8513]

Nice review:) Where are you from?

[@johy2007]

Rega amps sound warm and really good.

[@mcfly7703]

Would be nice if you could test an Advance Paris integrated amp/preamp/poweramp

[@santiagowardak9434]

I own this amp for more than a year and I really enjoy it. It's paired with a Rega Planar 3 TT with a Schiit Mani 2 phono preamp and a pair of DALI OBERON 3.

[@spuddyl9938]

I also have this amp paired with oberon 3's. My dac is a aune x8 VXIII with sparkos opamp

[@spuddyl9938]

Why not use the built in phono stage in the brio? I heard it is really good.

[@gregoryfrassetti1276]

I also have this Rega hooked up to Dali Oberon mini towers and my source are streaming units Sonos Port and Bluesound Vault. Really nice pairing and super happy with the sound. The Rega Brio is a very fun amp, great PRaT and overall sound. I also hook them up to a pair of B&W Matrix 805 bookshelves and even with 87 sensitivity it rocks hard.

[@santiagowardak9434]

@@spuddyl9938 I used it for a while but then wonder if I could improve it somehow. Since the Mani is quite cheap I give it a try, and believe me it makes a difference. It sound more open and there are better separations and clarity.

[@briang530]

I've also got a Brio paired with Dali Oberon's. It's a great mix. The phono stage is very good, but (at least with my P2/goldring E3) the internal phono stage is noticeably outperformed by my Dynavector P75. For fun though, I threw my old pro-ject phono box pre amp on, and the internal stage is broadly similar in performance to that.

[@Kbaum752]

Great review. Love my really old original Rega Brio, 30 watts per channel. Used with totem mites and a rel t5i:) Update: bought the 2017 model. Wow. Amp’s really matter. How did they work with your ls50s?

[@jasonme3557]

I have said this before. Rega for amps are not as well received as there turntables. But these amps are in there own class. I have the Aethos and two things about the Aethos, One the sound is awe-inspiring wide open stage lush, warm. Just good. Second, if you have less then good speakers, its going to show you. This is the best amp I have. So nice

[@teachonlywhatiseasy]

could you reach out to project to review the project box 5 s2. i heard it matches ls50 and distorts even less at high volumes

[@philthomas8351]

I would like Rega to update the Brio with thoughtful improvements. As seen in the video above. I have the "io" and it sounds good on my desktop. My space is limited.

[@Gez492]

Get up and go and jumpy and jolly, sounds like you ate describing "PRAT" pace rhythm and timing. It really is a thing and often missing from class D designs

[@bluerev]

The only thing keeping me off Rega (Rega IO in my case because my room is small and speakers have to sit real close to the wall - I'm afraid, as you pointed out, the Brio bass might be overkill) is the problems with QC, noise/hum, etc. Otherwise it's exactly the kind of sonic character I'm looking for.

[@mrkitewine7700]

The transformer hum some people report is due to DC on your mains supply. Naim and Audiolab are even more susceptible to it to the extent that Audiolab now sell mains DC blockers. I've not had any issues with my Brio, but I used to have intermittent issues with my 90's era Audiolab 8000S. It it purely down to your mains supply and other devices (TVs etc) on the same circuit.

[@gordthor5351]

I certainly don't think you are wrong about using spades on that amp. When you mentioned that it was supposed to accept spade ends, I could see that there was no room from pretty much all directions and the power cord wasn't even in the way yet. Maybe they expected people to bend their spades at 90 degrees.

[@richards.3404]

I have the same electronic issues of drop out.

[@eugenefudge1883]

I owned a Rega brio for a couple of years and wasn't totally happy with it. I feel it was lacking power. I traded it for a MacIntosh ma252 which is a much better amplifier. Now I am totally happy with the amplification especially with the Gustard R26 . I still think my turntable setup sounds better which consists of a Rega P6/ Nagaoka MP 500 and a trigon vanguard III phono preamp.i

[@henrym78]

You’re comparing a Rega Brio to a Macintosh MA252 which is almost 10 times the price 😂

[@eugenefudge1883]

@@henrym78 it's not 10 times the price. The brio cost me $1000. Cdn plus tax and the Mac cost $4000 cdn plus tax. It's 4 times the cost. Let's not exaggerated.

[@gdwlaw5549]

@@eugenefudge1883haha…..for 3K you can buy a car😅

[@dextercool]

Are there any comparably warmer amplifiers around the $1000 price point?

[@downnoutdubin]

I have some Triangle Titus EZ speakers that I'm trying to find a perfect amp pairing for it (with maybe some extra headroom on top). They're known to stage and layer extremely well. I feel like the Rega Brio would pair well with it. However I'm wanting something to stage better than the Rega Brio. While still layering as well as the Brio. I was considering Atoll AM100 Signature (power amp). I haven't been able to find much for reviews on their power amps. I have a Gustard R26, so I'm not in need with anything integrated. Would prefer Class AB.

[@jornkohler4977]

I have the Brio paired with Triangle Borea BR07 and can highly recommend it. For my taste, sound staging is excellent with good Tidal sound files. However, I tested several interconnects and speaker cables and this makes a difference in dynamics, resolution and sound staging. This combo reveals every little change in the chain.

[@downnoutdubin]

@@jornkohler4977I ended up going with a Dayen Menuetto.. I wish I could try and compare between the two. I'm really happy with it, but don't have reference to compare.

[@budgetaudiophilelife-long5461]

🤗👍 HERE TO SUPPORT , SRBOLJUB 😊 HAVE A GREAT DAY 💚💚💚

[@sexytasmin]

This is an excellent amplifier and is far superior to the Audiolab 6000a I also own. It has a warm sound and very easy to listen too. It also has record - out phono outputs which are important for recording and something which the audiolab does not have.

[@michbest]

How about soundstage depth and gradation of the plans? Rega Brio still better than Audiolab 6000a?

[@stephenclark5218]

Thank you for your informative videos I have a pair of bro 3 Do you think rega brio and denyfrips ares 2 would work togethe

[@roddersh5396]

Brio would work with triangles. Think you should try that first before getting Ares2

[@joshuabrain9751]

I owned the original Rega Brio-R about 10-12 years ago. Its a crazy good amp for the money.

[@mario184mario]

I have paired to the br 08 triangle a similar amp, on the same league, it is the Musical fidelity m2si, and they match perfectly. But I own also a sansui au-317 and when it gets warm (it takes 20/30, mon to warm up) the sansui sounds beautiful! Even not so different to the MF.

[@gonepostal1356]

Anyone know if this amp can drive Neat Motive SX2 speakers. 86 sensitivity and 8 ohm. Thanks.

[@SPLATON_89_64]

Would you review new ifi neo stream?thank you 😉

[@iiWiReviews]

Probably not. iFi doesn't have a distributer in my country, stopped sending me any review samples (customs procedure was bothersome for them), and importing those devices from other country would make me bleeding money. So for now I will have to pass until some of these conditions change.

[@luminousfractal420]

Audiophile activity for 2023..plug shaving 😂

[@o.p.8461]

I am shocked that no-one talks about the humming sound on one of the stereo channels if the volume is low or no signal active on the selected input. I had this on 2 Rega Brios and was not really convinced...bad luck? Maybe? Curious to hear others...of course once you turn the volume up the input signal overlays the humming - but still - not what i would expect? Maybe the voltage transformer is a bit to close to one of the signal path at the end of the day within that shoebox design?

[@VinodKumar-gx7wj]

How does the Rega Brio compare with Yamaha WXA-50 in terms of sound quality that you reviewed a year ago?

[@iiWiReviews]

WXA-50 is very tight sounding, very airy, lean, and a bit dry sounding. Rega Brio is slightly less precise in the bass, less airy up top... But is sounds warmer, fuller, smoother, and more dynamic. Choosing between the two depends a lot on your personal taste, rest of the system and its placing inside the room.

[@blacktxars5461]

Please make a video on 7hz 71 dongle dac

[@iiWiReviews]

I think I have it with me, but need some time to get to it.

[@jm-vq4cm]

How does it stand next to a comparable Naim amp?

[@D1N02]

Maybe the Ace of spades can fit them 😁

[@VinodKumar-gx7wj]

Will you be able to review the Audiolab 6000A integrated amplifier and compare with Rega Brio ?

[@jari121]

Audiolab is more balanced, neutral and detailed amp.

[@gman5218]

Had both brio is better for analogue… internal phono blows audio lab out the water. If your into digital and don’t wanna buy an external dac get the audiolab.

[@stephenbailey9969]

One has to be careful of quality control with Rega. I purchased a Brio and had to send it back, but the replacement also had the same problem. It was very noisy, with a hum coming from the speakers where my previous amp (the NAD C328) had been dead silent. The hum through the headphone amp was so loud as to make it unusable. I finally gave it up and switched to an Arcam, which has a silent noise floor.

[@iettord3124]

Reminds me of the British car industry... I have recently bought a used Rega DAC-r and started to experience some issues with the intermittent noise. Took it apart and found a lot of bad soldering. "Made in the UK" is almost a sign to stay away. However, I really liked the sound of that DAC (dynamic, PRaT, Smoothness and body).

[@metroboom25289]

A lot of amp brands concentrate too much on detail and resolution to the detriment of the midrange and bass frequencies. Ditto with most digital sources like dac and streaming devices. I have been to a hifi show and noticed most digital sources to play music, there are still that digital artifacts that is bright and grating to the ears! You pair these kind of bright sounding sources with lean and bright sounding amps and youll experience an uncomfortable experience. Sure youll get clarity and clean presentation, but in the long run youll get tired listening to it

[@rlwings]

90 degree spades might work

[@johncallaghan3097]

Actually, Srboljub, some English speakers (I'm one of them) do pronounce it "Rega" rather than "Reega". In its written form, English is pretty hopeless when it comes to indicating how one should pronounce words! For that, we'd probably need a few more vowels and consonants. The Brio has been pushed relentlessly by What Hi-Fi magazine, but I take that with a pinch of salt. For my money, the Audiolab 6000A for a little more cost is very well built and offers better features, including separable pre and power sections plus digital inputs for its onboard DAC. I know it sounds good because it's in my second, nearfield system. But to be fair, I haven't heard the Brio, so how they'd do in a straight sound quality comparison I can't say. If you can ever lay your hands on a 6000A, I'd be very interested to hear your thoughts.

[@NeilBlanchard]

IF you *bend* the spades to about 90 degrees, you may be able to use spades?

[@iiWiReviews]

You can purchase a 90 degree ones too... But those are not common in most cables and it's just an inconvenience. I remember my Cyrus 8vs2 being the same shoebox size and annoying me with its posts that accepted only hollow banana plugs and nothing else. A friend would bring a good expensive cable with spades or classic banana plugs and I was unable to hear it in my own system because of that.

[@NeilBlanchard]

@@iiWiReviews Right - and bending (some?) spades may or may not even be possible - or difficult? And it is not "reversible" - you would need new spades / cables if you use another amp in the future, possibly?

[@johngreek]

For pairing with Q3030i , this one or Audiolab 6000a ?

[@JP1050x]

I really like my Q3030i’s with my older Brio-R. I’m sure the newer Brio would sound great with it too.

[@marcgii]

I own a Rega Brio and currently use it with the SVS Ultra. Honestly I don't think it's a particularly good pairing. Anyone got an idea on a better pairing that's also suited to a smaller room? My Ultra's are definitely too close to wall. But I'm too space limited to move them away.

[@HonestSonics]

What is it about the sound you dislike?

[@richm4402]

SVS Ultra’s are great speakers, however, sounds like they may be to big for your room ?

[@jornkohler4977]

Try Triangel Borea br03! They might perfectly fit your needs and play far above their price in my opinion.

[@marcgii]

@@jornkohler4977 Thanks for the suggestion. I'll look into them. Have you tried them with the Brio?

[@jornkohler4977]

​@@marcgii Yes, a very good match, as stated in the video. Currently, I do have the Brio combined with the Borea BR07 in a larger room. Very dynamic, engaging and organic sounding. Lots of detail, but not too bright.

[@darrellwoods5961]

I bought NAD AV receiver 7.2 channel. Turned out to be an Absolute Nightmare. Braking down several times and repair shop NAD warranty covered the cost. But it Kept braking down! No more warranty, software issues or something.. sad shit. Ended up throwing the POS in the trash Dumpster

[@jarvisluke]

Does the Rega Brio running hot? Since there are no vents on the case.

[@speedy1979]

Mine is sort of warm after some hours of use, but never hot. And I use an old fashioned rack with closed glass front door so ventilation is not optimal