Rega’s premium integrated amp is more versatile and better sounding than ever
Say the name Rega and it’s the company’s long-running range of Planar record players that tends to come to mind. These turntables have been a dominant force in the market for more decades than we care to remember and show no signs of relinquishing their grip. Yet, look past those all-conquering vinyl spinners and you will find that the British brand has been steadily making a range of amplifiers that is almost as talented for almost as long.
The new Elicit MK5 on test here is one step down from the Award-winning Aethos integrated (£3300) and marks a surprising change of direction for the company’s amplifier designs.
Seismic shift
Rega products tend to be pretty purist affairs that prioritise performance and solid engineering above all else – they rarely excel on the features front. But that seems to have changed with the Elicit MK5, since it now includes digital inputs alongside the usual analogue connections. This is something of a seismic shift for the company and a welcome one, as many rivals have long walked down that path.
The digital-to-analogue module is a hybrid design that combines aspects from the company’s well-respected standalone DAC-R and its Apollo and Saturn CD players to produce what the company feels is an appropriate solution for this amplifier. This digital circuit is compatible with signals of up to 24-bit/192kHz PCM, and while that will be fine for the majority of users, there will be some who are disappointed with the lack of DSD compatibility. Perhaps more limiting is that the inputs are restricted to just a coaxial and an optical. We wish Rega had really pushed the boat out and included a USB connection and wireless connectivity in the form of Bluetooth; then this amplifier really would be up there with the better-equipped alternatives at the price.
We can’t complain about much when it comes to the analogue domain, though. The Elicit MK5 has five line-level inputs, a moving-magnet phono stage, a headphone output and a range of signal outputs for external power amps and recorders. That should be more than enough to cope with the kind of systems this amplifier is likely to end up in. There’s also the less common option that allows users to connect a standalone preamplifier to the Elicit’s power amplifier section. Be aware, though, that any signal that goes through this input bypasses the Rega’s volume control and preamp circuitry, so will need some means of controlling the signal level, if damage to your ear drums or speakers is to be avoided.
Rega’s amplifiers
