REGA DAC review


Category: Digital

I posted this in the digital forum, but I guess that was the wrong spot!

Those of you who are still on the fence with the wide-world of DACS, here's my experience with the Rega. Rich over at Signature Sound was kind enough to loan me his Rega DAC to see how it might improve my system. My system for this audition is as follows: Merlin TSM-MXr speakers on Skylan stands connected to a Manley Stingray II amp via Cardas SE9 wire. Interconnects are also Cardas. Sub is the MJ Acoustics 150 MKII. The Rega is connected to an Oppo DV981 and new Macbook Pro. Previous players I've had in the system: Rega Apollo, Audio Aero Prima, Cambridge 840c.
My initial interest was to compare the DAC to the Oppo player and this was quite interesting. Using Norah Jones Painter Song on "Come Away with Me" The DAC seemed to put vocals a bit further back, but I also heard a bit more high frequency detail. Percussion was better defined as was bass overall. It was anything but a startling revelation. I could easily make a case for the Oppo being more forgiving than the DAC, but in the end I did prefer the DAC as it simply seemed to add a more layered effect. I stayed with filter setting one for most of my listening.
Next up was the Groove Note demo CD and several tracks of classical music. Here was where the Rega pulled away from the Oppo in a big way. While I had always felt the Oppo was good for soundstage it now sounded flat and two dimensional compared to the Rega. The Rega created a deep soundstage that was far more realistic. Switching back to some earlier tracks I know heard this effect, even with the Norah Jones cuts.
Time for my lovely wife to have a listen and I simply switched between the Rega and CD player without telling her which was which. Her observation was that choice 1 (the Oppo) sounded flat and too forward. She much preferred the Rega, which she also found less bright. This observation made me wonder if her younger ears could detect more HF than I could.

As I had previously found the differences between the Audio Aero Prima and Oppo very small, I'm pleased that the Rega made a dynamic improvement to the sound, even with a inexpensive transport.

My friend is bringing over his Cambridge 840c this evening and I'm trying to get a W4S 2 to compare later this week as well. More to come.

Cheers,

Rob
robbob
This has to be one of the most analog sounding DACs that I have heard. One reviewer commented how much the DAC was voiced to sound like Rega TT or in other words how vinyl-like. I totally agree! Liquid, smooth, organic are words that come immediately to mind. In fact, I cannot believe my ears are listening to a digital source!

I have tried the various filters but playing 44.1/48 through Rega's USB, I preferred #1. The other filters caused a bass hump or thump which I found very fatiguing. In fact, I had the Rega DAC On #4 for some time, only to discover that the bass hump was due to the filter. It gave the bass a hollow sound. In the manual, Rega recommends #1 as the default.

This DAC is highly recommended! Build quality is beyond reproach.
I have managed squeeze everything from REGA DAC USB input

1) Polytec audio custom made USB driver (It works with Rega)
2) ASIO 64bit output for winamp (its sounds better than foobar ASIO output or ASIO4all)
3) Custom bult USB cable
4) power cable from Ölflex Classic 110 2.5m2x3

all improvements give quite a difference