I have a Rega RP8 with the Apheta 2 MC cartridge. The upgrade itch is upon me and while I think my Rothwell Rialto phono stage is excellent, I wonder how much of a difference I would hear with a decent upgrade to the new Rega Aria Mk 3 model, launched earlier this year. I expect for the best part of £1,000 to hear more punch, dynamics. Any advice gratefully received.
I use the Aria with an RP10/Aphelion into 552/500. As the upgrade path proceeded from 282 to 252 to 552 it got the benefits eventually. I do use a Powerline and Superlumina RCA to DIN.
Be warned that the Aria and the TT PSU can interfere with the black boxes, so site as far away as possible. Not sure if the Neo ones are better.
Phil
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I’ve got a Mk2, which I bought in conjunction with SN3, great combination, out of curiosity I did recently try straight into the SN3, which has a quite different presentation, which if I hadn’t heard the Aria I might have stayed with.
Put the Aria back in and then it was obvious of the benefits. Generally just find the Aria lets the music flow, with a more mature and solid image, dynamics are there in abundance if they are in the recording.
Suppose that was the main difference, the SN3 stage seemed to be emphasising certain aspects, which in isolation made for an exciting ride, putting the Aria back in made it more mature and better able to distinguish musical differences, plus a lower noise floor.
I’d imagine the Mk3 to be an evolution of this, don’t know how much of the electronics has changed between the Mk2 and Mk3 over the exterior casework.
My comments all based on the MM, which seeing as they are totally different circuits in the Aria may or may not be relevant to the MC.
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