Rega DAC-R DAC Review

[Deleted member 5641]

Their website is remarkably free of useful information like wow/flutter measurement so doesn't inspire my confidence. Technics' site gives that spec for all their decks.

With Rega you gotta believe. Why publish measurements and disrupt the consumers imagination?

 

[DSJR]

With Rega you gotta believe. Why publish measurements and disrupt the consumers imagination?

You know the subjectivist reasoning for that. Sad init

 

[Deleted member 5641]

You know the subjectivist reasoning for that. Sad init

I won’t deny that I enjoy the sound of my vintage R2R DAC

 

[DSJR]

I won’t deny that I enjoy the sound of my vintage R2R DAC

I just used speakers with a clean (ish) high frequency end. Previously 'lean toned' or simply 'brightly lit' dacs now sound neutral as they probably always were

Always the music rules though, as I don't any more want the main gear reproducing it to have a 'sound' baked in - been through the wringer on that one several times in my life and no time for it now - hence my being here mostly now

 

[Deleted member 5641]

I’m usually torn between gear fetishization and objectivity. So I mix all kinds of stuff into seemingly endless permutations and have a closet full of gear either waiting to be sold or rotated in.

Yet, I have long since overcome any belief that brands like Rega and ilk are actually doing anything better other than marketing to the pride, sensibilities, biases, and hearing limitations of old, financially able, brexit-voting British men

But then again, ive got a Nait 2 and Jupiter 2000 in rotation right now. Have you seen Olive Naim paired with a gold faced EAD?

 

[slacki]

i had this DAC and the amp from them. i wanted some things to get repaired (warranty), the dealer went insolvent and i had to go to court to get things fixed. the court ordered a technician and they checked those pieces i had. there were some serious things the technician complaint and i was proven right in court. lucky me, the general importer of germany took those devices from me and gave me a good refund. and this thread proves i was right. in going to court and taking the refund

 

[Deleted member 51584]

You name it: REGA is a marketing based manufacturer and people "like the REGA sound" because they are told by stereophile, Darko etc.

Rega has a large global retail network, built up over 50 years. Dealers don't carry product that doesn't sell. They were around for many decades before Darko ever emerged, and several decades before the internet. They have a UK supply chain, make everything in the UK and export 75%. Their revenues are around $30m (that's dealer, not retail revenue) and 42% gross profit.

So the complete opposite of ChiFi that has to be marketed and sold online. Anyway, as 75% is sold overseas, they have no responsibility for marketing it, that is done by local distributors.

 

[Deleted member 5641]

Rega has a large global retail network, built up over 50 years. Dealers don't carry product that doesn't sell. They were around for many decades before Darko ever emerged, and several decades before the internet. They have a UK supply chain, make everything in the UK and export 75%. Their revenues are around $30m (that's dealer, not retail revenue) and 42% gross profit.

So the complete opposite of ChiFi that has to be marketed and sold online. Anyway, as 75% is sold overseas, they have no responsibility for marketing it, that is done by local distributors.

No doubt Regas business model is from another era that relies on a distributer
network and retail relationships . And that’s a lot of hands in the profit pie. Good thing it’s realllly cheap to build those turntables in an operation that resembles little more than a glorified garage assembly operation.

Note that advertising is but a small part of “marketing”. Marketing includes anything that can drive consumer demand for goods / services and that includes industrial design, sales, performance characteristics, branding & the “brand story”, manuals and support materials, web copy…. Regas “total brand experience” is no accident and carefully orchestrated by Roy Gandy. The ultimate brand manager.

 

[oceansize]

A Rega marketing film, giving a quick tour around their garage.

 

[Anthony T]

No doubt Regas business model is from another era that relies on a distributer
network and retail relationships . And that’s a lot of hands in the profit pie. Good thing it’s realllly cheap to build those turntables in an operation that resembles little more than a glorified garage assembly operation.

Note that advertising is but a small part of “marketing”. Marketing includes anything that can drive consumer demand for goods / services and that includes industrial design, sales, performance characteristics, branding & the “brand story”, manuals and support materials, web copy…. Regas “total brand experience” is no accident and carefully orchestrated by Roy Gandy.

please tell me how much the P1, P2, P3, P6, P8, P10, Naia and Naiad cost to manufacture?

You don’t leave any room for yourself to manoeuvre with your accusation of “Good thing it’s really cheap to build those turntables in an operation that resembles little more than a glorified garage assembly operation” so please supply the cost of just 1 of the turntables listed above to manufacture or do I put you on ignore as just another imbecile with a agenda to disparage a brand you don’t like?

Btw, this is a DAC review, why are you blabbering on about the turntables when they sell several amplifiers and CD players or do you only have access to the turntable prices?

 

[Deleted member 5641]

A Rega marketing film, giving a quick tour around their garage.

Yes a “glorified” garage, as evidenced by this very video. Relative to Linn it looks like Santa’s workshop.….

 

[Mart68]

They don't do any advertising or marketing but there's a factory tour video on line?

Maybe it was filmed undercover by the milkman?

 

[Deleted member 5641]

Btw, this is a DAC review, why are you blabbering on about the turntables when they sell several amplifiers and CD players or do you only have access to the turntable prices?

Following the thread I’m sure you noticed it has taken many twists and turns around the badge value of Rega, amongst other British manufacturers, and the erosion of this badge value amongst a new set of more technically informed and objectively oriented audiophiles skeptical of the hyperbole and obtuse performance claims of the classic audiophile brands.

Or maybe you think this is still just a DAC thread? If you want to play thread cop and have your cognitive biases reinforced I believe you have stumbled on the wrong forum.

 

[amirm]

A Rega marketing film, giving a quick tour around their garage.

Neat. Quite a large operation and lot of mouths to feed.

 

[Anthony T]

Following the thread I’m sure you noticed it has taken many twists and turns around the badge value of Rega, amongst other British manufacturers, and the erosion of this badge value amongst a new set of more technically informed and objectively oriented audiophiles skeptical of the hyperbole and obtuse performance claims of the classic audiophile brands.

Or maybe you think this is still just a DAC thread? If you want to play thread cop and have your cognitive biases reinforced I believe you have stumbled on the wrong forum.

So you have no idea how much anything costs them to manufacture do you? Thought not.
I’m not playing thread cop I just couldn’t understand why you wouldn’t use the objective data to hand to berate the brand rather than talking out of your backside about their turntables but your last post makes it patently obvious you don’t have a clue and makes me think you’ve swallowed the HIFI Objectivists handbook and just randomly picking phrases out…or chat gap

Btw, It’s a moderators job to tell me where I am, not yours.

 

[Deleted member 5641]

Oh I see, you are a fanboy.

You’d be shocked by the BOM of most any “high end” gear. You’d probably lose sleep over it.

R3 turntable is about $50, for example.

Don’t be offended. You’d also be shocked by the BOM of your favorite shampoo. Goop is cheap and costs nowhere even near retail to make. So are laminated MDF turntables. If the dealer can take 40%, what does the distributer take? the manufacturer? And what’s the overhead? Break it all down and that leaves just enough for some MDF, plastic laminate, cheap power suppliers, motors, and tonearms made with ancient moldings long depreciated. It’s all very old tech. The most expensive thing about it might be the shipping. The most technical the logistics.

Again, wrong forum if you want “moderators”. The GORTs at SHTV (and similar) are there to keep your biases aligned with industry interests and nothing more (some perhaps unwittingly so)

 

[Mart68]

If it retails for $1000 BOM will be between $50 and $100 - or it's a new company that will soon go out of business - or it's made in a shed by a bloke with next to no overheads and who isn't costing in his time.

Ofc when you get up into the nonsense money kit the BOM may be down to one percent or less of the retail. Case/enclosure will be the most expensive part.

 

[Deleted member 5641]

Such precision standards…..

 

[tcli]

NVA - https://nvahifi.co.uk/

I love the address :

Hi-Fi Subjectivist Audio Ltd
Unit 2, The Old Goods Yard
Commercial Road West
Coxhoe
Durham
DH6 4HJ
United Kingdom

 

[audio_tony]

I love the address :

Hi-Fi Subjectivist Audio Ltd
Unit 2, The Old Goods Yard
Commercial Road West
Coxhoe
Durham
DH6 4HJ
United Kingdom

I wonder if the new ownership has improved the reliability and build quality of their power amps?

I've seen some shocking builds.