[Sound Battle] REGA BRIO vs NAD C316Bee V2 / KEF R3 Bookshelf Speakers

[@34332]

NAD316 for being more clear, insightful and a wider soundstage, maintaining a good balance overall with all tracks. The Brio has a darker, more cramped sound, and pronounced bass that also troubles its midrange (example: voice on the Metal track). It's also an achievement to make the R3 feel less detailed 😄

[@AmbientWanderer]

Absolutely agree

[@gbee8888]

I think differences would be easier to hear if both amps played the same music section right through rather than each amp playing different parts of it. Then the listener could jump from one amp to the other repeating the exact same music section for each amp for an easier A/B comparison. I think you have done this in at least one of your other videos.

[@DougMen1]

Here ya go. Open two tabs and you can instantly toggle back and forth in each part of every song kzbin.info/www/bejne/oKitYnqipdilqMk kzbin.info/www/bejne/mXSvY56hnaqgeKs

[@34332]

Although this A/B question isn't new, lol, I would appreciate that also.

[@slowpawstevet3676]

I have a Rega Brio, it can sound a little bright on some records on my B&W speakers, i have a number of NAD amps too and i don't know what it is about them but despite their humble specs musically they sound amazing! Very impressed with the C316BEE V2 on this test at half the cost of the Brio.

[@davidcarr2216]

The NAD has a more open sound and but the Brio has a bit more thump and a bit more harshness with the R3s.

[@34332]

Makes me wonder how the Audiolab 8300a would sound. 😄

[@davidcarr2216]

@@34332 Probably not as good as the 6000a 😊

[@DougMen1]

I should have never listened to this video. Now I desperately want the Q150 again. The Toto song Africa sounds a thousand times better here than on Jay's $700,000 Boulder and Magico system, and I've never heard the Metallica song sound this good before either. This is simply stunning sound from a $2000 system. kzbin.info/www/bejne/bWPTnaeJjL2Fbrs I think I may like the 150 more than the 350, or even the Meta and R3, and more than any other speaker under $1000, and even most, if not all, under $2000

[@34332]

@@davidcarr2216 Yes, the 6000a beats it, said no one ever. 😄

[@williammiebach1798]

Welcome back E. I find this a very interesting and close comparison. I think both have minor sonic advantages over the other. To me the Rega tops the NAD by a hair in purity and clarity. The V2 exhibits a touch less midrange naturalness, and a touch more graininess in its treble and bass. The NAD does have slightly more extension or emphasis in those areas wich give it a bit more life and energy, but with some compromise in refinement. I think the C316 Bee V2 may be slightly improved over the original in midrange neutrality, but not too much in other ways. Still it's less than half the price of the Brio, and may be a better value.

[@34332]

From what I've read on the Brio, it isn't particulary suited for

[@williammiebach1798]

@@34332 To me the Brio is a bit bland sounding and lacks some dynamics and frequency extension with all the speakers we've heard it with. I perceive it to have a more tonaly natural midrange than some amps, but why should any modern, thousand dollar amp be incapable of driving four Ohm loads well?

[@34332]

@@williammiebach1798 That's a good question. This was a measurement and comment from Stereophile, re. its 4 Ohm performance and not enough headroom.

[@williammiebach1798]

@@34332 Thats one reason I loved the vintage NAD integrateds. They seemed to maintain their clarity and dynamics with almost any speaker. My 1990s seperates can drive 2 ohm loads all day and night without a trace of slurring or loss of dynamics and extension. Today you seem to have to spend around 2 grand plus for that, yet there are so many modern speakers under $1000 that have a lower than 8 ohms impedence. ???

[@34332]

@@williammiebach1798 NAD was an early adaptor of implementing excellent power circuitry (power-envelope, high peak performance, dynamics, etc). NAD also specified and published 2 Ohm ratings, even for their lower-tier amps. Owned NAD before and loved it. There's a reason why older NAD series are still popular. That said, I wonder if 2K will do the trick to better the ones you have, but most likely we already know the answer. 😄

[@jasonpaoletti263]

C316Bee v2 gets my vote. Have we heard the R200’s with this amp?

[@DougMen1]

Here's the 316 with the R200 and Diamond 12.2. However, the speakers are on very small stands, putting them right on top of the table, resulting in much more bass from them than with these taller stands he's now using kzbin.info/www/bejne/eIbSgWyFeZd_hdU

[@teokon5165]

Almost identical. A bit more attack from the brio but i would choose Nad that sounds a bit more weighty

[@AbsoluteFidelity]

C316BEE V2. Because separation. And the Brio sounds like its playing a bass boosted song in Punkd.

[@DougMen1]

You were right. The Sopra 1 destroyed the Magico A1 in that video, where the Magico sounded much smaller and thinner. Even Jay's $70,000 S7s sounded too bright and shrill until he changed some electronics and cables to smooth out the highs. Now he's comparing $6,000 power cords, lol

[@34332]

@@DougMen1 LOL. It's not complete without cable risers.

[@DougMen1]

@@34332 Haha! That's the other Jay, lol. I actually havn't seen too many other high end reviewers talk about them, but Jay in Florida uses extremely expensive stands for his amps and other electronics. No racks for him. Everything is on its own stand on the floor. And, no cable lifters either. His $20,000 speaker cables are laying right on the floor.

[@34332]

@@DougMen1 No racks, taking it to another level, lol. 20K cables 🙃

[@34332]

@@DougMen1 Speakin' of the devil (and powercords), Alfa-Audio did a test: kzbin.info/www/bejne/Y361nGd4iNd_l6M

[@isaidstream4547]

Klipsch 51M, pleaseee.

[@DougMen1]

The NAD truly embarasses the Brio, for less than half the cost. It really shows the Brio's mid-centric sound, and its lack of high end and dynamics, resulting in a small and two dimensional overall sonic picture .

[@MalcaratMartinez]

I am just out of a real test in a local dealer, my NAD C315BEE against a new Rega Brio. Actually, the embarassing one is the NAD. I was just SHOCKED at the difference in punch and dynamics. It was not a small difference, it was huuuuge. So much, that in 1 hour I am out to collect their demo unit, that I got at a reduced price. Really, we have been testing different speakers with the NAD (Even a pair of Sonus Faber Lumina II), but by far the biggest difference was the Rega.....

[@isaidstream4547]

Looks like KEF R3 works great with cheap amps. WTF! 😂

[@DougMen1]

It has excelled in past videos here with the Yamaha S301, the Cambridge AXR85, and even the $80 Aiyima A07

[@AmbientWanderer]

Yet many audiophiles will tell you that you'd have to spend thousands on an amp to make the R200 sound good 😂

[@DougMen1]

@@AmbientWanderer The videos here with the R200 paired with the affordable amps I mentioned have all sounded great too

[@rupertherbert594]

to me it seems that the Brio is way more linear and controlled than the C316, but of course, listening trought an youtube video is not enough, but justcan give you a clue. The Nad is too much coloured and confusing. Brio seems to have a very similar soundstage of my old Mission Cyrus II, also same power and same boxing, could pair well in my mind with my Celestion Ditton 3 loudspeakers. Thanks for the test :)

[@davidcarr2216]

I too used to have a Cyrus II back in the day and TBH I wouldn't describe it as a great amp , admitedly with many more yrars of listening experience. Dynamically impressive but with really transparent speakers it had a gritty sound. Most speakers weren't super transparent though, way back when.

[@rupertherbert594]

@@davidcarr2216 well I used it with the external power supply for drive a pair of Bose 901, but when gone with the Celestion Ditton 3, I removed the power supply because the sound with that loudspeakers was too compress (indeed were was 70W instead of 50) then I remember have tried some other amps at the time including a Musical Fidelity and a Nad but keep the Cyrus II and it still work after all these years, but it is time to replace, maybe with a tube amp this time :)

[@davidcarr2216]

@@rupertherbert594 Don't mind me Rupert, I was just being an asshat. It's always going to depend on your speakers and taste. I have an Audiolab 8300A these days, not saying it's the best amp in the world, but it works well with my Wharfedale speakers. I doubt that I would want to use it with KEFs or Focals or B&Ws, to mention a few.

[@rupertherbert594]

@@davidcarr2216 yup, indeed, the only meter is to listen to systems directly, and of course also our ears are changing in time, recently I tried a very little class A (6.8W per channel) and it sound good with the Celestion that are still in perfect shape. I think the Audiolab is a good one tho, I would like to try it and also the Rega Elex, just a step up to the Brio. Problem is that now I'm a bit far from my 'music chamber' and don't have room for a couple of standing, so have to rely on a Marshall driven by a minipc with daphile and a cambridge audio dac 100. Anyway thanks for the chat, in the meantime, I hope to find space to get the Celestion here :)