[Merle]

I found the thread below about knowing when to stop very interesting. As it was getting rather long, I wanted to start a new one. Some background: I've been into audio for around 35 years. For the last 20 or so, I've been fortunate enough to play around with most any gear I wanted, within reason of course. I've always joked that I've pretty much owned at least one of most every componet out there. Not quite true but closer than I'd like to admit. I've owned some pretty spendy set ups with the likes of Audio Research, Bryston, Conrad, Naim, Spendor, Proac, Harbeth and hundreds more, too many to name. Bottom line was I always found SOMETHING about them that would drive me nuts. Off they go to Audiogon while I try something else. Well, about 8 months ago, I tried a different approach. I went with a one brand system. Turntable, cartridge, tuner, cd player, integrated amp and speakers all from one brand. Rega. I bought a P5, TT PSU, Exact2, Radio3, Mira3, Apollo and R5 loudspeakers. Good God Almighty! Finally, this was it! Far from the most expensive system I've owned, this thing makes music better than any other I've heard, much less owned. It's a case of the sum being FAR greater than it's parts. Each componet is designed to work with the others and damm do they work well together. I no longer have any interest in "upgrading" anything in this system. It is flat out fantastic with rock, jazz, classical or anything else you want to throw at it. When other audiophiles first see it, they seem to expect maybe one of those "lifestyle" systems. Put an LP on and they melt. One guy told me "wow, that really sounds great for a store bought system". No idea what he was expecting but the comment cracked me up all the same. Store bought system? Who knows? Anyway, I wish I had tried this approach a decade ago, I sure would have saved a bunch of money. So, yeah, enough is enough. I'm done obsessing over gear. Now I just listen to music on a system that makes music like I want it to sound. Just an amazing stereo. Rega gets it.

[TONEPUB]

That's cool.

I'm anxiously waiting for the Rega integrated and speakers to show up.  I've reviewed the Saturn and all of the Rega TT's
and they are excellent.  I currently have a P9 and enjoy it tremendously....

You should send an email of this to Roy Gandy at Rega.  It would make him very happy!

[denjo]

Rega makes some great audio gear no doubt!

The other British company that makes excellent component that synergises well with each other is Audiolab. Although I have never owned the entire system, their pre and power and DACs and tuner worked beautifully together. Its great to see Audiolab make a comeback.

[Russell Dawkins]

Merle, I find your story surprising and interesting. I think you bring up an important point.

Since not many companies we tend to be interested in have the resources to make or even have made a complete range of equipment, the next best thing would be for them to publish combinations of gear they know to be synergistic.

This would definitely include any gear used in the development and voicing of the product.

For example, the Yamaha NS 1000, which can sound so-so on many moderately powerful amplifiers sounds great on the old Crown DC-300.

It was the amplifier used in it's development!

[eric the red]

One guy told me "wow, that really sounds great for a store bought system". Probably not up there with the Bose he's heard in stores but pretty nice nonetheless... 

Welcome to the Rega fan club Merle. I haven't had a Rega piece (Planar 2, 2 Planets, 2 Jupiters, and now a hot-rodded P3 and an Apollo) that I didn't like. Always been curious about the Mira 3 but I like my tubes too much. Hard not to like a company that makes great sounding great looking gear at reasonable prices aimed at us two channel geeks. 

[denjo]

One other British company makes audio gear that synergise well together. AVI at www.avihifi.com
Good thing about buying ALL gear from one audio manufacturer is the fact that each unit is designed to work as a modular whole.

[Merle]

I agree with Russel's comment about manufacturers listing compatible equipment. I think that would be very helpful. Lot's of audiophiles enjoy the mixing and matching but I found that approach to be very costly and at times rather frustrating. Not all gear works well with other gear and finding the "magic" combination can be a study in frustration. In my experience, most Dealers will push the gear they carry. More than once, I've gone to a Dealer to see a product they carried and fawned over two months ago only to find out they no longer carry it and now trash the line. Amazing. Spending tens of thousands of dollars on a poorly matched system is enough to drive people who can afford it away from the hobby. In my Rega system, the cartridge is designed to work with the arm which is designed to work with the table which is designed to work with the phono stage in the amp which is designed to work with the speakers and so on. While all of Rega's componets are highly regarded in their own right, you really can't understand just how well they mesh as a "system" until you hear them all together. The dealer I bought my system from did not and does not have a "Rega system" on display. He only shows a few pieces in his shop. I think that's a huge mistake. If people were able to hear them as they are intended, as a system, I believe a lot of people would get off the audio merry-go-round and come to own a stereo that really does what their looking for, make beautiful music. Not being able to actually hear the Rega system as a whole prior to purchasing, I talking quite a bit with the importers down in Texas. They were extremely helpful in helping me choose the combination of componets I ended up with. After 30 years, I now own a system that just makes me melt on the sofa every time I turn it on. I've always listened to a lot of music but since going with the Rega system, I probably log three to four hours a day, every day. If you can do that and still be delighted every time you turn it on, then, in my opinion, you have the right system for you.

[stereocilia]

One other British company makes audio gear that synergise well together. AVI at www.avihifi.com
Good thing about buying ALL gear from one audio manufacturer is the fact that each unit is designed to work as a modular whole.

The most obvious example in my mind of a company whose components go with one another is naim audio.  They use DIN connectors and IIRC require their some of their preamps to be powered by a PS or a naim power amp.

[Jampot]

They use DIN connectors and IIRC require their some of their preamps to be powered by a PS or a naim power amp.

Like the vintage Quad stuff - 33 preamp has 2 switched AC outlets on the rear to power the FM3 tuner and 303 power amp. As a young man I could never afford these -used to drool at the dealers window then go home to listen to my Goodmans / Garrard / Infinity system.

Then, when the 77 series was being closed out at the dealers I cleaned up - CDP, pre with phono, 2 power amps and 77-10L speakers. Bliss

I already had a Rega Planar 3 for vinyl duty. Must be 8 or 9 years old now and I still find it hard to beat, though the Bolder modded SB2 I added recently has left the CDP kind of neglected

I satisfy the lust for tinkering with my office system, the 3 series Quad compnonents I couldn't afford all those years ago (bought on ebay and sounding fabulous) RWA stuff I have bought off members here and which has all provided tremendous fun - but I haven't been tempted to swap any of it into the main system until the convenience of the squeeze boxes won out aa

Yep, Merle has it - enough is enough.

Jim

[TONEPUB]

Actually, the Naim stuff has become more freindly and no longer requires it to just use
their cables.

As for the power supplies, that is now often an add on to get even more performance.

But they do have a fantastic system approach, and Linn does a lot of this as well
as Meridian.

I have to believe that this approach can work well in some cases, because they can
voice everything to work together, at least electronically.  It then just depends if that
is your vision of what sonic bliss is!

But at the end of the day, I"m all for making it easier!

[Whitese]

Wasnt Naim the company that you connected all components by stacking them and hence making connection?

[TONEPUB]

that sounds familiar, but I don't think it was naim!

[Whitese]

I think it was Linn....they were smallish components..

[stereocilia]

I'm not sure who had stacking components, but that would save on interconnects.  Does any other company besides naim have everything from their own record label to cables to speakers?  I can't think of any.

Speaking of going outside the RCA connector box, I would be curious to hear the Krell CAST 'current tunnel' connection vs. standard connection -- that seems like a cool idea.  At least, the marketing makes it sound like a cool idea.

[Russell Dawkins]

Does any other company besides naim have everything from their own record label to cables to speakers?  I can't think of any.

Linn. Philips. Sony.  Meridian has all but the record label, and I'm not sure about that.

Philips and Sony are huge behind the scenes.

Yamaha makes everything, but I'm not aware of a record label.

To give them their due, I think they must be the most surprisingly versatile company in the world in terms of what they do very well. They make world class pianos, guitars and all band and orchestral instruments, motorcycles that ruled the tracks in the early 70s, outboard motors, recording and live sound gear of all kinds, including arguably the first speaker to come out of Japan to earn any serious respect in the west (the NS-1000 in the early 70s).