Lately I've been on a bit of a tear trying to get my stereo systems in order before I retire some day, maybe.
Preamps, speaker cables, subwoofers, amplifiers, phono preamps and those weird sounding CD players with the perfect sound forever.
I always like Rega for the top loading design, their being the last major manufacturer to enter the CD player market and their history of turntables - they're going to know what stuff should sound like.
They revamped their line up a while ago so I decided to give their stuff a shot.
Here's what I've found in my systems, my rooms, my ears.
Their half-width Apollo-R is just a tremendous match with the Magnepan LRS speakers.
This little weasel is just the perfect fit.
Not so hot with the 1.7s and with the 3.7s it sounds "off" as they gave it a brash voicing.
Headphones, nothing to write home about. Maybe it makes a good transport...
With the LRS', though, it sounds great. Crank the volume up and you're in the 5th row.
I avoided the out of production Jupiter model as I understand if it breaks you own a paperweight SO I picked up a used Saturn which is a really good match with the 1.7s. Better detail and certainly a more neutral sound than the Apollo-R, picture 15 rows back, good seats in the middle.
Finally, I picked up a barely used Saturn-R for the 3.7s and this is the ticket.
More detail than the older Saturn, a crisper sound and it's a bit more foreward, you're up by the stage again but the sound engineer is someone who knows what they're doing.
It took a little fooling around to figure out what was going to work here and what wouldn't.
It only makes sense as you go up the ladder with the speakers your CD player had better do the same.
I just wasn't expecting the results to be so noticeable.
