Rega RP-40 Turntable $1600!
To celebrate its 40th anniversary (how time flies!), Rega has just brought out its RP-40 turntable fitted with custom RP-40 cartridge. Each detail of RP-40 is a tweak up of its lauded RP-3.
The power supply, motor, RED belt and cartridge are all improved for the 40th year.
Even the RP-40 cartridge is a one-upped Elys 2 with 7.0mV output! The very high output means that Rega is very forgiving of less than state of the art phono preamps. Many well intentioned vinyl lovers run cartridges (cheap OR expensive) of low input into generic phono sections, yielding disappointing results.
The bad news- Rega is only making a relative handful compared to its normal production runs. Jump on this guy if you can NOW! They’ll be gone before Thanksgiving!
Rega RP-1 With Performance Pack In White $640
Rega’s RP-1 runs $450 with its new Carbon cartridge. Rega builds this in its own UK factory. While we like the standard RP-1, the RP-1 with Performance Pack is well worth the upgrade! The cartridge, belt and mat are all a step up. Please read our April 2013 newsletter for details.
It is finally available in white (!) which makes for some stunning eye candy! The sound of your LP starts at the bottom of the turntable’s bearing well. Rega machines its parts in house to insure low friction where ever parts interface. There are competitors that might catch your eye in the same price range, but none attend to detail or are hand made in their own UK facility like Rega!
Anthem I-225 Integrated Amp $1800, 225×2
Sometimes we take old friends for granted. We shouldn’t. While audiophiles the world over want to know, “What’s new?” “What’s the latest greatest?” Often the best purchase is the tried and true classic. It isn’t necessarily smarter to buy a new box with a new button.
Let’s take a look at this venerable jewel that has been available for about three years and is just as strong a value today as the minute it came out!
First, let’s talk power. YOU NEED POWER. All the audiophile chatter about gorgeous, flowing watts smells pretty. But YOU NEED POWER! Yes, size matters. I can prove this to you on speakers that are small, as well as large!
I-225 provides OVER 225 w/ch into STEREO operation. In fact, the lowest we have seen it tested is 258×2. It’s not fibbing to brag this beast up at 250×2 into 8ohms! The design is A-B topology. This big dog weighs 48 pounds and uses a Toroidal transformer. It uses metal film resistors and high quality film caps. It runs high end Nichicon caps in the power supply. It runs six output transistors per channel, think twelve cylinders, not four! Massive heatsinks are employed. Anthem hasn’t sunk to noisy fans to move air. Output connections are via high quality binding posts. In short, it uses edge of the arts parts quality that you would generally have to pay for in expensive separates.
The preamp section is analog. Anthem respects the digital world but does not want to build a DAC on board because digital is a moving target. Anthem feels that no matter which DAC you have today, you might want a better/different one tomorrow. Hence they encourage you to view the DAC as an outboard component unto itself. It does support a mini plug input for iPod use. The preamp section has tone controls (if you need them) with bypass provision, a nice headphone amp and the following gold inputs: MM phono, CD, Aux 1, Aux 2, Aux 3, Recorder and BALANCED.
Yep, BALANCED! I-225 also has pre outs in case you want to connect a more powerful amp (why?) or subwoofer(s)- why not?
Anthem takes phono super seriously. The MM section is a split, active/passive circuit. Above 2122Hz per RIAA, the circuit is passive. Below that it is discrete, active- making for a fine sounding phono section. It is not an after thought or 39 cent chip.
We have many an I-225 out there driving GREAT, high end speakers from new Brystons and Paradigms to Magnepans. Fact is, I-225 is so good and so affordable that it makes great sense to buy it- and throw your zillions of dollars at the speakers instead!
George Frideric Handel (1685-1759)
George didn’t mince words with opinionated musicians. A singer chastised Handel for his conducting. The singer threatened to jump on Handel’s harpsichord and smash it to pieces. Handel returned the fire,
“Let me know when you will do that, and I will advertise it. More people will come to see you jump than to hear you sing!”