Just ordered mine can't wait to connect it to my bluesound node 2i. My experience with Marantz is really bad, the optical input started failing after a couple of months light usage,than turned out the phono input didn't work either when I got my Rega planar. Plus it always turned itself on without any reason! Sound was ok but the rest is rubbish. My mate got a Marantz Cd player not a long ago and for the first time already skipped the tracks and gave a distorted sound! Warned him but he didn't listen! Well I guess it can happen with other brands too but I was a Yamaha guy for 15 years and never had any issues with them!
Glad to hear that the Io lives up to the legacy of its bigger Brio brother. I loved this amp when I demo-d it. I just didn't love it more than its Cambridge AXA35 companion for the price. Still wouldn't trade my Rega turntable for love or money. (At British domestic prices I'd probably have bought the Io. Here in Canada Rega amps seem to demand an unreasonable premium vs. say NAD and Cambridge).
I think this would be a good amplifier for connecting a PC with a soundcard and a decent DAC onboard. That would be the cheapest option for myself and still leaves the RCA line-in for another analogue component like a tuner plus you have your turntable connection. The other more expensive option would be to connect a DAC to The IO amplifier which would allow for more digital components to be added and will still leave you with a spare analogue connection. Has Rega stopped producing DAC's or will they be producing more in the future? Maybe a DAC to go with their new Rega System One?
I think it's very unlikely that Rega will produce another DAC as sales of better DACs seem to be declining. I liked the DAC-r so much that I bought extra when it was finishing so you can still buy one from me! Cheaper DACs seem to be still doing ok
@@michaelmcclean5169 Do you not think yourself that with all the digital connections available and streaming services that Rega should produce a decent budget streamer and DAC for their new Rega System One? I have an old Cyrus one from 1984 but is not working now. Do you still stock Cyrus amplifiers as my brother might be looking to buy one for the house and I am thinking of buying The Rega System One and use it in my flat for my desktop computer sound with a good soundcard and built-in DAC? The downside to not having a streamer and DAC built together is the noise a desktop computer makes while running. I hope sometime to be able to call into your shop with my brother for a chat and hopefully buy something that I like that has a decent quality of sound that is worth the price. Do you think the built-in DAC's to all devices are just getting better so maybe no real need for a separate DAC's now? I do still have a good soundcard at the moment from Creative and it made a big difference in sound quality compared to the onboard soundcard in the desktop computer I was using but I have to see if I can put The Creative Soundcard into the desktop computer I am using now which is a Dell XPS basic one. Is it okay to bring my speakers down to check some of your amplifiers with them? They are Mission Renaissance 737R from the 1980s, 30 to 120 watts per speaker. My HI-FI separates are all around 30 years old now but it is only The Cyrus One amplifier that is not working now but we still need another completely separate system for my flat when the brother gets a place to live. Sorry for the essay but hopefully I will get buying from your shop as soon as the brother and I are ready. Many thanks for your reply I hope others understand what I am trying to explain about The Rega System One and how to get digital connections connected to it.
@@trevorjenkinson6465 Hi Trevor I think to hit the low price point Rega made the decision early in the design process to forego the DAC in the interests of performance leaving it to you to decide what you wanted to add We still do sell Cyrus! There are 3 Cyrus One models starting from £ 599, which doesn't have a dac input but does have bluetooth
@@michaelmcclean5169 Thanks for your reply I hope to get calling into your shop sometime before the year is out or sooner depending on finances. Is your shop in Lisburn? Have you reduced the price on The three Cyrus One amplifiers by £100?
I've owned both, and the io sounds better than the Brio-R. The mids are less congested, it sounds more lively, and it images more vividly. The io has no problem driving my 88db sensitive Spendor SP3/1R2's.
I just bought a pair of KEF LS50 meta. I paired them with a Rega Brio. I love the Brio, but I find there is not enough separation, and the low end is also struggling. Anybody have any recommendations for an amp that would be a better match for these speakers?
I’ve had a Marantz 6005 and now have an IO and truly, sonically the Rega is in a different league! I have had amps from Creek and Naim and the little Rega is sonically very, very good! It now fills the place the original Naim Nait did before Naim took the Nait into a way different price league. The Marantz amps are good and offer way more features as the review pointed out but the Rega delivers a musicality Marantz don't even aspire to..
Just had mine delivered yesterday. Bought my 1st Turntable from Michael when he was at the Stranmillis store. Back in 1987. A gentlemen.
Love the simplicity of the Rega tried to buy one a while back but the shop was out of stock will try again soon.
Awesome and straightforward review! Loved the finale! Thank you 🙏
Love the passion and excitement gents! Looking forward to trying it out here in the USA.
Well done, great review, keep up the good work 👍
Just ordered mine can't wait to connect it to my bluesound node 2i. My experience with Marantz is really bad, the optical input started failing after a couple of months light usage,than turned out the phono input didn't work either when I got my Rega planar. Plus it always turned itself on without any reason! Sound was ok but the rest is rubbish. My mate got a Marantz Cd player not a long ago and for the first time already skipped the tracks and gave a distorted sound! Warned him but he didn't listen! Well I guess it can happen with other brands too but I was a Yamaha guy for 15 years and never had any issues with them!
No doubt about it the marantz with a cyrus cd player and b&w speakers
Glad to hear that the Io lives up to the legacy of its bigger Brio brother. I loved this amp when I demo-d it. I just didn't love it more than its Cambridge AXA35 companion for the price. Still wouldn't trade my Rega turntable for love or money.
(At British domestic prices I'd probably have bought the Io. Here in Canada Rega amps seem to demand an unreasonable premium vs. say NAD and Cambridge).
I am planning to by my first stereo system and considering Rega amps but their prices here in Canada make them less desirable.
I think this would be a good amplifier for connecting a PC with a soundcard and a decent DAC onboard. That would be the cheapest option for myself and still leaves the RCA line-in for another analogue component like a tuner plus you have your turntable connection. The other more expensive option would be to connect a DAC to The IO amplifier which would allow for more digital components to be added and will still leave you with a spare analogue connection. Has Rega stopped producing DAC's or will they be producing more in the future? Maybe a DAC to go with their new Rega System One?
I think it's very unlikely that Rega will produce another DAC as sales of better DACs seem to be declining.
I liked the DAC-r so much that I bought extra when it was finishing so you can still buy one from me!
Cheaper DACs seem to be still doing ok
@@michaelmcclean5169 Do you not think yourself that with all the digital connections available and streaming services that Rega should produce a decent budget streamer and DAC for their new Rega System One? I have an old Cyrus one from 1984 but is not working now. Do you still stock Cyrus amplifiers as my brother might be looking to buy one for the house and I am thinking of buying The Rega System One and use it in my flat for my desktop computer sound with a good soundcard and built-in DAC? The downside to not having a streamer and DAC built together is the noise a desktop computer makes while running. I hope sometime to be able to call into your shop with my brother for a chat and hopefully buy something that I like that has a decent quality of sound that is worth the price. Do you think the built-in DAC's to all devices are just getting better so maybe no real need for a separate DAC's now? I do still have a good soundcard at the moment from Creative and it made a big difference in sound quality compared to the onboard soundcard in the desktop computer I was using but I have to see if I can put The Creative Soundcard into the desktop computer I am using now which is a Dell XPS basic one. Is it okay to bring my speakers down to check some of your amplifiers with them? They are Mission Renaissance 737R from the 1980s, 30 to 120 watts per speaker. My HI-FI separates are all around 30 years old now but it is only The Cyrus One amplifier that is not working now but we still need another completely separate system for my flat when the brother gets a place to live. Sorry for the essay but hopefully I will get buying from your shop as soon as the brother and I are ready. Many thanks for your reply I hope others understand what I am trying to explain about The Rega System One and how to get digital connections connected to it.
@@trevorjenkinson6465 Hi Trevor
I think to hit the low price point Rega made the decision early in the design process to forego the DAC in the interests of performance leaving it to you to decide what you wanted to add
We still do sell Cyrus!
There are 3 Cyrus One models starting from £ 599, which doesn't have a dac input but does have bluetooth
@@michaelmcclean5169 Thanks for your reply I hope to get calling into your shop sometime before the year is out or sooner depending on finances. Is your shop in Lisburn? Have you reduced the price on The three Cyrus One amplifiers by £100?
Is the Io sound quality better than the older brio r? Only curious as they are close in price. And can it drive wharfedale lintons?
Cheers,
John
I've owned both, and the io sounds better than the Brio-R. The mids are less congested, it sounds more lively, and it images more vividly. The io has no problem driving my 88db sensitive Spendor SP3/1R2's.
I just bought a pair of KEF LS50 meta. I paired them with a Rega Brio. I love the Brio, but I find there is not enough separation, and the low end is also struggling.
Anybody have any recommendations for an amp that would be a better match for these speakers?
Is your cameraman eating an apple?
You seems John Wayne whit a long hair 🤣🤣
Could you do one on Turntables under 500
Audiolab 6000A or this for vinyl and tidal (separate DAC) ?
Go with the Rega, the audiolab Sounds very cold and haertless.
@@borisbobowski628 This is what I did and I am very glad I did thank you! Do you happen to know if the build in phono stage is any good?
@@ynnadk9859 its really good, i mean Rega is a pro Brand when IT comes to Turntables.
A bit more volume would have been good
Is this guy Irish? Sounds like Adrian Dunbar. Oh and can't fail to notice the man's passion, not your run of the mill salesman.
You need to increase the volume your presentation is too soft
No way, the Marantz sounds 1000 times better than the rega! ....
Obviously you've never listened to the Rega amplifiers. You must think all those extra buttons and watts make the Marantz sound better.
No.
You need your ears examined
@@bharatsodha3078 Maybe some QTIPS would help Bin Baz.
I’ve had a Marantz 6005 and now have an IO and truly, sonically the Rega is in a different league! I have had amps from Creek and Naim and the little Rega is sonically very, very good! It now fills the place the original Naim Nait did before Naim took the Nait into a way different price league. The Marantz amps are good and offer way more features as the review pointed out but the Rega delivers a musicality Marantz don't even aspire to..