New reference Rega CDP?!?!
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Bronze Member Username: MorphPost Number: 30 Registered: Feb-08 | Just lifted this info off of head-fi.org: reply from Terry Bateman... Hi Eric, Yes, the Saturn can be improved upon as described in the article, and we are planning to release such a player within the next few months. This will be a High end variant of the Saturn/Apollo CD, the planned price will be approximately £3000 (UK Pounds). There maybe a variant using the latest Wolfson high end DAC IC with a passive filtered valve output stage. There are no plans to update the Saturn, so it will stay untouched for the foreseeable future. Regards. Terry. |
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Bronze Member Username: MyselfPost Number: 17 Registered: Jan-08 | so the new reference rega CD will use Wolfen WM8741? |
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Bronze Member Username: Jazzman71Phoenix, AZ USA Post Number: 41 Registered: Dec-07 | What is it that Charlie Brown always says, "I can't stand it!" Before anyone lays down 3K British Pounds (is that the same as 150 stone?) for such a device, I hope they consider their needs. "There are no plans to update the Saturn, so it will stay untouched for the foreseeable future" Are you kidding me? Untouched? You need to spend a day with someone at Procter and Gamble. Me-I'm steadfastly holding out for the Rega Pluto--indeterminate amount of pounds. When's that coming out? Maybe I can trade my house for one. Oh crap, I forgot the interconnects. I guess I'll need another house for those. |
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Bronze Member Username: MyselfPost Number: 18 Registered: Jan-08 | neil, 3K british pound is around US$6K...but it's still not as expensive as some of the interconnect cables...i remember seeing a pair of "the Zero" internconnect cable from Taralabs with an asking price of US$14,700 per pair!!!! (http://www.stereophile.com/cables/1206tara/index2.html) |
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Bronze Member Username: DudywoxerScunthorpeUK Post Number: 46 Registered: Mar-06 | If the next CD player is as price competitive as the current pair of CD players, and most of the other Rega kit it will be a welcome addition into the market. I would rather have seen a up market pre amp first though. But with the Ios nearly here, and the CD on the way, may be the pre will be next. |
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Gold Member Username: Stu_pittIrvington, New York USA Post Number: 2504 Registered: May-05 | Here's a good interconnect - http://www.musicdirect.com/product/74069 |
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Bronze Member Username: MorphPost Number: 31 Registered: Feb-08 | Nononono! This is a MUCH better interconnect! http://www.needledoctor.com/Tara-Labs-The-Zero-Audio-Cable?sc=2&category=92 |
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Bronze Member Username: MorphPost Number: 32 Registered: Feb-08 | Shoot! Disregard the above message! I see this IC has been suggested already!! |
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Bronze Member Username: MyselfPost Number: 23 Registered: Jan-08 | darren, excellent recommendation on the zero i have a piece of digital cable and a pair of speaker cable of "the one"...although they are not as good as the zero, the one is very very good |
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Gold Member Username: Frank_abelaBerkshire UK Post Number: 2762 Registered: Sep-04 | FYI, I have known about the £3k player for about 3 years. It's been in the works for a very long time. However, I would not hold my breath. Rega will only launch it when it's ready and not a moment sooner. They have always prided themselves for providing high poerformance value for money units. Their current range is topped by the £1300 Saturn as the most expensive item so a £3k machine would have to be a real leap in performance terms. Given the scope of improvement afforded by both Apollo and Saturn, as well as their relatively recent introduction, the £3k machine is probably still some way off. When it does come out it'll be a very interesting development! Regards, Frank. |
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Gold Member Username: Stu_pittIrvington, New York USA Post Number: 2517 Registered: May-05 | Will Rega's amplification and speakers be able to do it justice? |
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Gold Member Username: ArtkAlbany, Oregon USA Post Number: 6474 Registered: Feb-05 | The R7's and R9's are very good speakers IMO...I'd guess the apmlification would have to improve. |
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Gold Member Username: Stu_pittIrvington, New York USA Post Number: 2520 Registered: May-05 | I was thinking that too Art. I haven't heard the Cursa and monoblocks, but I'm assuming that the system Rega would be aiming for would have to be the monos and R9s with the new CD player. I'm just wondering if a Cursa/Exon/R9 system would do justice to a $6k Rega CD player. |
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Bronze Member Username: DudywoxerScunthorpeUK Post Number: 47 Registered: Mar-06 | The Cursa could do with a bigger brother may be, but the exons are more than up to the Job. As with a number of pre-powers, it is normally the pre half of the pair that is the weakest link. Trouble is when you replace the Cursa with a ''better'' (I'll use the usual rubbish here)pre you can get more Hi-Fi, and/or a sweeter top or deeper deeps, strangely not inkier blacks. What you don't seem to get is any more musical involvement, as in its hi-fi for hi-fi's sake, and you loose the synergy and integrity that the Cursa/exon has. (for those who are wondering the cursa/exon trio is a whole lot better than the cursa/maia pair, more together and of a whole somehow) If Rega could come up with a Cursa at say saturn money that keeps the synergy and drive with a touch more space then I would be first in the que, credit card in hand. I have tried a couple of Naim's with PSU, Ayre, and Linn Pre's as well as Sugden Masterclass, and a AR pre in front of the exons, the cursa still lives on the rack, you have to balance the gains against the losses, and each trial has brought some changes, but not a overall Cursa beater as the loss of musical involvement and cohesion has too me been a greater loss than the Hi-Fi gains. The closest 'fight' was between the Sugden and the Cursa. |
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Gold Member Username: Stu_pittIrvington, New York USA Post Number: 2521 Registered: May-05 | The Naim w/PSU and Linn pre-amps were more Hifi and less musical than the Cursa? Very interesting. I'm not saying you're right or wrong. Its all subjective. |
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Gold Member Username: ArtkAlbany, Oregon USA Post Number: 6486 Registered: Feb-05 | Remember what Frank said...those who love the Rega sound, whether my lowly Mira/Apollo/R5 or Colin's Cursa/Exon, are rarely satisfied with anything else. |
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Bronze Member Username: DudywoxerScunthorpeUK Post Number: 49 Registered: Mar-06 | The Linn's were disappointing to me,in most ways the Naims did some stuff very well, but were missing in a few others, if anything other than Rega was going to come into my system at the moment it would be from the flat cap wearing, ferret breeding gents from just across the county border. And yes I admit I am a confirmed Rega user, and little else hits the spot in the same way. Stu,I could be very wrong for your ears, and equally right for mine. |
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Bronze Member Username: MyselfPost Number: 24 Registered: Jan-08 | i actually wish rega produce a good DAC(with free HQ digital cable)...so that Apolo and Saturn owners will be getting an upgrade without the need to buy a new player |
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Gold Member Username: Frank_abelaBerkshire UK Post Number: 2764 Registered: Sep-04 | Nothing lowly about an Apollo/Mira! It's a great combination and a true High Fidelity system which works wonderfully without eating hugely into the law of diminishing returns. I cannot imagine a Linn Pre with Naim power amps. What on earth would that sound like, especially with the switched mode power supply in the pre causing havoc with the linear one in the Naim amp? Very unrecommended combination. A Naim integrated, or indeed a Linn integrated would probably have a better result... On the subject of a better Pre than the Cursa, I have heard nothing to suggest Rega are working on something, but I guess I wouldn't be surprised if they did something to take advantage of the extra capabilities of higher range equipment. I agree that in the Rega scheme of things, the Cursa is probably the limiting factor at the moment, but considering it as a Rega product, its place is very firmly at the top of the Rega range and makes sense in terms of its performance. On the question of whether it would make the most of the new CD player, possibly not, but then the amplifier would be made the most of where a Saturn cannot do so at the moment. I do wish Rega had offerings in the price range twice as expensive as their current options, or alternatively to lose the Cursa/Maia/Exxon part of the range to a more capable £2k integrated with pre/power further up the chain. rega are resolutely in the 2-channel stereo space, but with the lack of range, Rega customers have to stick with what they have or move away from the brand. Regards, Frank. |
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Bronze Member Username: DudywoxerScunthorpeUK Post Number: 51 Registered: Mar-06 | why do they need to loose the cursa/maia, all it needs is a better Cursa to partner the exons. As I said, I have tried a number of pre's in front of the exons, and the cursa stays on. The Cursa Maia is a very competitive product pairing, and a integrated that matched them for sound and price would probably be very welcome on the market, alongside the cursa/maia rather than instead of. As to change brand, If my dealer has any more tries to move me to Naim/Linn/ayre I'il buy some valves just to spite him, and probably stop talking to him .  |
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Gold Member Username: Frank_abelaBerkshire UK Post Number: 2767 Registered: Sep-04 | I was only suggesting this as an option. The world has moved on from the time when the natural place to break into pre/power was £500 a unit. Nowadays it's possible to get more expensive integrated amplifiers which offer more performance from the single unit. Therefore, although the Cursa/maia/Exon option remains good value for money, it may be possible for Rega to squeeze more performance from a single higher quality integrated. It would make no sense for them to produce a £2k integrated and a £2k pre/power since the range needs to be kept streamlined and offer a sensible upgrade path. So in my view they have two options - keep the Cursa with Maia/Exon option or produce a new big integrated at around £2k. The current range makes a lot of sense. The price brackets are sensibly spaced. The units offer good value for money at their respective price points and as you say the Cursa/Maia is a very good combination. However, it is difficult for a dealer to upsell a customer from the Cursa/Maia. The Exons mean an extra box (always an issue), and anything else other than cable has to move customers away from Rega. It's a small range of electronics and we're in the business of improving customer options as much as possible. The new Rega Ios phono stage shows that Roy is still applying his expertise to the business of quality amplification. After all, phono stages are the most difficult amplification stage there is, so it would be good to see more options being made available to the Rega customer. Regards, Frank. |
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Bronze Member Username: MorphPost Number: 33 Registered: Feb-08 | I'll I wanna know is WHO (and WHEN) will be selling their Saturn to upgrade!?! I'm currently trying to fight off the ugprade bug, I've only had the Apollo for 2 months!!  |
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Silver Member Username: NmytreePost Number: 165 Registered: Aug-04 | I've had great musical joy and fun with the Exon monos, Vincent SA-T1 Hybrid Tube pre Amp and with both the Saturn and Apollo. As I have said a few times in the past, find the right tube pre amp to put between the Saturn/Apollo and Exons........and you're in musical heaven! Sweeeeeeeeeet! I have never even tried one of Rega's pre amps or integrated amps. I'm sure the synergy is something special. But I enjoy the Vincent SA-T1 with those Rega pieces.......way too much to care. |
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Bronze Member Username: Jazzman71Phoenix, AZ USA Post Number: 80 Registered: Dec-07 | Darren, what are you playing downstream of the Apollo? What is driving you to want to upgrade? What about the sound in your current setup does not satisfy you? The question is not whether the Saturn is better than the Apollo, the question is what additional will you get out of it that you don't now get out of the Apollo. Until you can answer that with conviction, stay with the Apollo. I'm not trying to be a smrtaz, just testing your need to upgrade.  Cheers. NMT, so how do you really like the SA-T1? LOL. I looked hard at that one late last year. Was on the short list. Saw your pics and happy it worked out well for you. Enjoy it. Regards. |
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Gold Member Username: Frank_abelaBerkshire UK Post Number: 2771 Registered: Sep-04 | Our observation is that although people want separates quality, the vast majority want a certain homogeneity if at all possible. Therefore, there has been a significant shift toward one-brand systems. Obviously, there is still a small segment of the market that is both willing and prepared to put up with a disparate set of looks in their system, but they are a smaller proportion of the audiophile community than has hitherto been the case. Therefore it would be wonderful if Rega raised their game and provided another tier of performance. |
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Bronze Member Username: MorphPost Number: 35 Registered: Feb-08 | Neil: You ARE being a smrtaz!!! (KIDDING!!) I'm going from memory on this one, but a while ago I auditioned the Saturn and Apollo at the local dealer, and while the Apollo did have more clarity and better defined bass (coming from an NAD C542), it didn't drawn me completely into the music with that emotional WOW factor. Whereas the Saturn did! I can still remember the CD that did it for me (24kt Steve Hoffman mastered Gene Ammons Gentle Jug - WOW!)... That first bass note and I was sold! But, at a 2500 price tag it was definitely out of my range, so I settled for the Apollo, instead of waiting for the extra funds.. Now I have a chance to trade in my current unit (well more like HAD), but my wife has OTHER plans with the left over bonus money! Long story short: I expect to get the extra amount of detail retrieval, more bass impact, and a better separation and focus of instrumentation... from what I can remember the Saturn had it all, I could actually live with it for a year or two (I've had the Apollo for 2 months)! Now the rest of my components is even more modest, and I'm still toying with the idea of investing in the Mira, or a tube preamp\poweramp and some speakers.. which might make all the difference for me. Currently, I'm using the Apollo as a headphone\bedroom rig. I'm using audioquest columbia interconnects, van den Hul and SHunyata AC power cords, a Meier audio headphone amp, which leans towards the neurtal side, and ultrasone 2500 headphones with an aftermarket headphone cable. |
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Gold Member Username: Mike3Wylie, Tx USA Post Number: 1164 Registered: May-06 | darren I went through the hierarchally upgrading my system a beginning little over a year ago. I suspect I am done (mostly). I would have to win the lottery to do it again as the better it gets it is almost like you need more zeros ($$$) to collectively take your system to the next level. My Saturn will be my Saturn for quite a long time  . |
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Bronze Member Username: Jazzman71Phoenix, AZ USA Post Number: 86 Registered: Dec-07 | Darren, I'm just trying to talk you down off the ledge, man. If I understand your post correctly, you are contemplating upgrading your CDP from one that is already the highest quality component in the chain. "Now the rest of my components is even more modest, and I'm still toying with the idea of investing in the Mira, or a tube preamp\poweramp and some speakers.. which might make all the difference for me." I don't argue upgrading the CDP first, but let me tell you the way I would analyze it if it were me. I would ask myself what the realistic time frame is for the other upgrades. [I personally don't know what the immediate impact in SQ will be playing a Saturn through modest components versus staying with the Apollo (I'm assuming here that your reference to modest is versus the Apollo). But lacking better information, I would assume the incremental improvement would be fairly minimal.] If I expected to make the jump on the others in a reasonably short time, then I would be more inclined to go for it if I was not satisfied. If not, then I would question the decision to upgrade the source at this time without more certainty about what I was going to get out of it. BTW, I would not be thinking in terms of $2500 less what I could get for the Apollo ($800?, $900). I would be thinking in terms of at least $6-9K less what I could get for the Apollo. If that realistically was two or three years out, I would likely (try and) talk myself out of buying the Saturn for now. Others may differ. |
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Bronze Member Username: MorphPost Number: 36 Registered: Feb-08 | Well, in that case... Anyone interested in buying my Apollo!?! $780!! |
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