The Brio also has five inputs, including a phono stage that has been optimized for use with Rega cartridges. While it doesn't stand out in my equipment rack, it certainly doesn't seem out of place with the more expensive gear, either. Still, it's much more than a typical black box integrated, with its gently curvy top and solid overall build quality. It still looks a lot like the old Brios, which is to say it shares the same aluminum casework as a wide variety of Rega products. *Modified power supply (using Sanken 150w output transistors) This new version, which is about a year old now, offers the following improvements over its predecessors:
I remember almost buying the original for $399 back in 1986 or so. While I have to admit that the sound quality is a clear step down from what I'd been used to over the last decade or so, I've concentrated on the strengths of the Brio and now love it for its simple, unassuming way of doing things.įor those of you aren't familiar with the Brio, it's the entry-level integrated amplifier from Rega that's been around in one incarnation or another since the '80s.
So I've been quietly using the Brio 3 in my system over the last year. So when I left TONE in the summer of 2009, I was amp-less. Jeff came to the rescue with the Brio 3. But I never made the plunge and purchased anything. But the simple fact was that I wouldn't be able to review a wide variety of speakers as long as I had the Yamamotos. So I sold them (and immediately regretted it).ĭuring my time at TONE, I used a wide variety of amplification-everything from McIntosh to Exposure to Simaudio to Nagra to conrad-johnson to Manley to BAT to LFD to Clayton Audio to an old Advent 300 receiver. I was using the Zu Audio Druids at the time, and they were a fantastic match with their 101 db sensitivity and 11 Ohm impedance. All in all, it was about $8000 worth of amplication that provided a whopping 2 watts per channel. I also had to add a pair of Yamamoto Sound Craft step-up transformers so that the CA-03 would mate better with my Koetsu Rosewood cartridge. When I started writing for TONE, I had the exquisite Yamamoto Sound Craft A-08 45 single-ended triode amp and matching CA-03 preamplifier w/phono stage. I received the Brio 3 from Jeff Dorgay as a lovely parting gift after I left TONEAudio. I have to agree with Brian completely I can't think of an integrated amp that matches the Brio's performance for anywhere near its modest asking price of $650. He's also one of those dealers who absolutely loves any piece of hi-fi that converts music lovers into audiophiles through the sheer force of value. Sure, Brian is a Rega dealer and sells a lot of Brios, but he's also one of those dealers who prefer to sell the models he loves as opposed to the models that have the largest margins. That was Brian Di Frank, owner of Whetstone Audio in Austin, after I told him I'd been using the Rega Brio 3 in my system for much of the last year. For that reason, it's well worth auditioning."I think that the Rega Brio is the single biggest bargain in all of audio." This product doesn't offer the same level of enthusiasm and dynamism found in a few of the options listed above, but we can't help but fall for its honest sonic character. If the aim of the game is to reproduce each note, having perhaps given it a little polish, Zen Phono wins hands down. It's clean but never drifts into the realms of clinical. It's also worth noting that the balanced circuit design reduces noise and crosstalk – a feature less common at this end of the market. It's suited to moving magnet cartridges, but can handle moving coil too. In fact, you'll struggle to find anything that does a better job, clarity-wise, at this price.Īs you'd expect from a company with solid reputation in this sector, the iFi Zen Phono is well-built.
The iFi Zen Phono is a welcome edition the ranks of decent, entry-level phono stages that make your records sound clean.
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