Superline/IOS/Aria advice needed

Keep the superline as you have Naim all the way from there to the speakers. You should be using the signal output socket on the Hicap next to the input. 

I'm wondering the same thing. I have the Aria though and a spare hicap. 

Hi WM., 
It may be worth taking a small step back and looking at your system as a whole.
You have a wonderful, balanced & musical amp in the 272/XPSDR/250DR and it is driving a fabulous pair of speakers in the SL2.
HH has the same as you and seems to be very content.

For your vinyl source, you have a Rega P9/Alpheta 2, plus the Superline/Hicap and the optimised load plug.  Your amp and speakers are able to do justice to a £10k+ vinyl front end.  So is your phono stage.  If you want to tinker with phono stages or just fancy a change, then by all means replace the Superline with an Aria.  It will be a small backward step but only a small one.

There were 2 versions of the IOS - the original one cost about £1500 here in the UK and was in a standard, full width Rega case.  That too would be a small downgrade from your Superline.  That first IOS was replaced by the one in the battleship strength case to match the ISIS & Osiris, with some internal upgrades, a better power supply and a price tag to match of around £4k new.  This second generation IOS has also ceased production.  I have not heard this one but would expect it to be broadly comparable to your current phono stage.

If you want to genuinely improve your vinyl front end, then the most obvious step is a supercap DR on the Superline.  This is really the power supply that makes the Superline sing like a nightingale.  It is a stunningly capable combination.

However, as your phono stage, amp & speakers are already so much more capable than your turntable, I would leave the phono stage alone and put the money into a better turntable.  The Rega RP10 is a wonderful music maker to me and very hard indeed to beat at its price point when sitting on a suitable rack or wall shelf.  Then there are a number of well known and more expensive makes if you want to go that far.

Hope this helps, FT

I guess a lot depends on how important LP playback actually is. The Superline/Supercap is the best part of £7,000, which is an awful lot of money. I've never been impressed with the P9, finding it rather lacklustre. Maybe the 10 is the way to go instead. I've read many times that Rega phono stages are ideal with Rega cartridges, so maybe the IOS is a good idea. The alternative of course is just to do nothing. That said, and thinking briefly about the rest of the system which is, as FT points out, the same as mine, it would be worth considering the SL speaker wires, which have a synergy with the din to XLR you already have. 

The newer IOS was discontinued because of withdrawal of critical problematic parts as I understand it. I have a Rega RP10/Aphelion/Aria+Isotek Optimum power cord/Couple 2 ICs. The power cord made an immense difference lowering the noise floor etc. Rega and Naim work well together, and the Rega stuff with itself. I have yet to find a better IC than the Couple and don't feel the desire to after using the better power cord (tried others including PL) and the Optimum was in a different league.

WM Hi,

I can remember when I purchased my TT having a Rega P9 (among others) on home demo.  I loved the idea of the simplicity but I'm afraid as has been reported on here already it left me uninspired.  I therefore am with the view that the system deserves a considerably better TT.  Suggest for demo alongside a RP10 a Roksan Xerxes and Avid Volvere. I would also recommend a Dynavector cartridge with the Superline which in my opinion is excellent with the hi-cap.

Good luck.

Lindsay

The Bauer deck looks very interesting as well. No idea how much it costs though. 

Is it still available?   The Well Tempered is very good as well.

Cymbiosis have it on their website, so I imagine so. 

The RP10 arm is available to buy separately, and is one of the major improvements made to the RP8 to produce the RP10, the TT power unit being quite significant. The Aphelion when bought with the RP10 reduces the package price by £500 and your dealer may be able to make a further discount at a sale.

Great feedback, I really appreciate the insight and support.  I'll digest all the info and let you know what happens.

I really think swapping the superline / hicap for an aria would be a sideways move at best. If you want to move up, sell the hicap to finance a supercap or supercap dr. Superline + Supercap is generally regarded as a world class vinyl front end, and I think your amp / pre is good enough to take full advantage.

There are many TTS who will do a better justice to a 7k £ phono stage, brinkmann, Dr. Feickerts... check them out

I don't understand the obsession with linn and rega

Also there are many better alternatives to superline + supercap for their price levels... they are very good but they are better ones to that priceffect and I am a all naim guy with a biased liking of the green logo

I think Mr Foot Tapper nailed it very well.

Being an avid Rega use,  I can (sort of confirm) that Aria is a wonderful phono-stage. It is quite amazing though, how upgrading a turntable and a cartridge is so clearly audible, even via Aria. It has seen me progress from RP6/Exact II via RP10/Apheta2 to RP10/Aphelion.  

In case of the OP I'd leave the SuperLine / HiCap as it is and focus on the deck.

I spent 20 years tweaking a Rega Planar 3.   The Verdier (with Superline-Supercap) leaves it in the shade for a lot more money.  It is a big commitment to vinyl.   My humble recommendation would be a Superline and a new TT if you can swing it.  If not, start with the Superline and a new cartridge.    Once you have the TT dialed in, the Supercap will change your vinyl life.  

Analog is full of opportunities for the next level, but every component is a commitment, and multiple components are required to get the benefit.  Unless you have a lot of vintage vinyl, you might want to go slow.  Or stop here.

Skip posted:

I spent 20 years tweaking a Rega Planar 3

Wow! All I can say to that is "Wow"