RP6/stageline/hicap > Rp10/apheta/aria

A demo.

I can't speak to the RP10/apheta, but as for the phonostages, if you're after Naim's solid/balanced/gritty sound you'll get it with the Stageline. If you enjoy Rega's bouncier/playful sound you'll get that with the Aria. The Stageline/HCDR is a great phonostage albeit pricey. I guess that price makes one wonder about the alternatives.

Should have added - I have an mm stagrline/hicap - I don't think I could justify not using the rega and buying an mc stageline or superfine...

Hi,

I had a RP6/Exact2/Stageline (fed off Uniti) and found I greatly preferred my current RP8/Apheta2/Aria combo - granted, I never tried a HC on the Stageline. Are you looking at the Apheta or Apheta 2? With the Aria as the phono stage, it probably doesn't matter too much. The original Apheta didn't review very well to those in the know due to frequent improper loading of the cart (by reviewers who didn't have the Aria). Rega make it easy with the Aria/Apheta combination. 

Aric

Even more reason to demo. You can use the Aria with your existing RP6/mm combo in place of the Stageline to give the phonostages a direct comparison. From there apply the RP10/Apheta and see what you think. I much prefer the Stageline to the Aria in my RP6/mm combo. Not to say the overall RP10/Apheta/Aria wouldn't trump all, but I haven't heard it.

Go for it and don't look back  

RP10/Apheta/Aria is a match made in heaven. Have faith in Rega's ability to build a good phono-stage. There is also a visual aspect - RP10's power supply is in the same size bix as Aria.

Just make sure you get a good powrer-supply cable.

Recently upgraded to RP10/Apheta from RP6/ExactII.

Thanks all - demo is bit tricky for various reasons (nothing at all dodgy but very problematic) but I'll ask re apheta/apheta2. 

Apheta 2 is the current cartridge. I think it came out 5-6 years ago.

The Apheta 2 just came out last year.

Rega do have a new moving coil that is a step up from the A2... Can't remember the name but it's about 2x the cost of the A2.

HiFi Critic just did a review in March of the Apheta 2 and the new cartridge Aphelion (also in the same issue they reviewed the NAP 300DR and ATC's SCM-11). There's an issue for buying. Oh, and Paul M give's some insight into his new Statement Pre. 

Zipperheadbanjo posted:

The Apheta 2 just came out last year.

Rega do have a new moving coil that is a step up from the A2... Can't remember the name but it's about 2x the cost of the A2.

 

Aphelion

Yeah, aphelion sits alongside 552/500 as beyond my 'ever going to happen' price range....

Never say never... I keep my fingers crossed for your 552/500 then 

Just a side question - cartridges obviously are consumables - they wear out - more than 99% of hifi kit. How often would one expect to replace an expensive (A2) or really expensive (aph) cart?

Say vinyl used as primary source for c10 hours a week = 500pa. 

Annually? Imagine there's a group of people who could just about afford the likes of aphelion, but def not every year! Have to say I'd probably have to let the A2 decline a bit longer than ideal too if that's the timescale we're talking about. 

The Apheta (both mk I and II) should easily be able to play for 1500-2000 hours. So you can assume 3-4 years at your projected rate. Yes, there will start to be some degradation by year 3ish, but shouldn't be to bad until close to year's end. You probably won't really even notice, only until you swap out for a new cart will it become apparent. 

REGA's re-tipping cost on the Apheta 2 is very reasonable, so that lowers the pain when it's time to refurb. I would just mark your calendar out in the future for when it's time to re-tip, not something worth stressing over IMO.

Has anyone heard the Aphelion yet?

joerand posted:

Even more reason to demo. You can use the Aria with your existing RP6/mm combo in place of the Stageline to give the phonostages a direct comparison. From there apply the RP10/Apheta and see what you think. I much prefer the Stageline to the Aria in my RP6/mm combo. Not to say the overall RP10/Apheta/Aria wouldn't trump all, but I haven't heard it.

I'm interested in comparision between Stageline (N) and Aria (MM mode). 

I currently have an Ortofon 2M Blue mounted on a Technics SL1210 M5G and I'm using a Stageline N powered directly by Aux2 socket of a SN2. The former idea was to add an HCDR to Stageline but lately aslo a Rega Aria, wich is MC compatible too, is making me pretty curious... 

now, reading your opinion on the Stageline compared to the Aria in MM mode, I'm just wondering... 

regards,

Stefano

Essezeta,

I have a SN2 powering a Stageline N via Aux 2 and RP6 with a Grace F9-E cart (the Grace is quite a dynamic, revealing, wider soundstage cart compared to the Exact 2 I formerly used). When I put the Aria into the mix I found it different with nothing immediately displeasing. After some long term listening I came to the conclusion that the Aria transformed my "Naim sounding" system into more of a "Rega sounding" system. The Rega sound was familiar to me after demoing a Saturn CDP in my Naim system and having once demo'd a Brio-R.

There's nothing wrong with the Rega sound and it's very musical, just that I prefer the Naim sound to it. To me the Rega sound has a distinct (perhaps distracting) mid-bass bounce with a sweet, but rolled-off upper end. I find The Naim sound has a stronger lower bass foundation balanced by a shinier top end, with all in between grittier and having a truer/flatter response. In short, the Aria - with it's Rega sound signature - was not what I wanted in my Naim system.

Aric posted:

Has anyone heard the Aphelion yet?

A mate of mine has, and he's just purchased the RP10 package with the Apheta 2 and Aria phone stage. He said it was awesome. Apparently his dealer was that impressed during the demo that he was taking it home to compare it to his fully 'blown' LP12...and he loves his LP12!

joerand posted:

Essezeta,

I have a SN2 powering a Stageline N via Aux 2 and RP6 with a Grace F9-E cart (the Grace is quite a dynamic, revealing, wider soundstage cart compared to the Exact 2 I formerly used). When I put the Aria into the mix I found it different with nothing immediately displeasing. After some long term listening I came to the conclusion that the Aria transformed my "Naim sounding" system into more of a "Rega sounding" system. The Rega sound was familiar to me after demoing a Saturn CDP in my Naim system and having once demo'd a Brio-R.

There's nothing wrong with the Rega sound and it's very musical, just that I prefer the Naim sound to it. To me the Rega sound has a distinct (perhaps distracting) mid-bass bounce with a sweet, but rolled-off upper end. I find The Naim sound has a stronger lower bass foundation balanced by a shinier top end, with all in between grittier and having a truer/flatter response. In short, the Aria - with it's Rega sound signature - was not what I wanted in my Naim system.

 

 

thank you very much for your clear and detailed explanation. 

Regards,

Stefano