Rega & Monitor audio

[slg]

Hi

Just started looking at some hifi for the house, would like something decent to play a range of music.

Looked at a Rega Brio-r amp, rega rp3 turntable with monitor audio rx6 speakers - bit more than I want to spend but seems like a half decent start with the reviews I've now read on the different pieces.

Does anyone have experience of the above or recommendations on something better/just as good that would cost less?

Any advice appreciated

Thanks

[blueg33]

Just kitted blue junior out with a Pro-ject Debut III SE, Marantz PM6005 and a pair of Mission MX1 speakers.

Sounds great, really like the tt, if your budget runs to an RP3 look at the Project Debut Carbon which has a superb carbon tone arm, you can also upgrade with glass or acrylic platters.

Not many discounts available for Project TT's online, but SevenOaks hifi did me a good deal

[RichB]

Interesting thread because like you I am planning to replace my 25 year old hi-fi kit. I've got about 200 vinyl albums so a turntable is essential. My brother, who is a hi-fi bore raves about Rega turntables and the Rega Planer in particular. I will then want a CD player because I've got about 500 of those and a tuner and an amp. As you may gather I'm an old got so not the least bothered about "burning it" it all onto a "jive-box" or whatever the latest musical recording device is from Apple. I'll follow this thread with interest.

[slg]

It's my wife that has the vinyl but I do like the idea of listening to it aswell. Quite a lot of cd's being slightly old myself but also have a lot on iPod but understand the brio-r can take an iPod Dock. Would probably end up putting the cds onto iPod to save spending £500 on the CD player just now.

[blueg33]

Some very good CD players around for well under £500.

IMO once the set up is in any furnished room ina normal house tat people live in you will struggle to tell the difference between a £200 cd player and a £500 or even a £5000 cd player. But maybe I have a crap ear?

[RichB]

People who play vinyl say that it's a better sound than the digitised CD and for me the CD music is again better than the compressed iPod files. I wouldn't use iPod for listening to music at home it's really only for convenience when out and about.

[V8LM]

I bought a Rega RP3 and Bior-R for my daughter a few months ago. I went for their RS1 bookshelf speakers too.

Sound is fabulous, although I have nothing to compare it to as the last turntable I had was 25 years ago,

[Hoover.]

I bought a 1973 Rega Planet turntable and then had it serviced and set-up properly, a Rega Apollo cd player (massive improvement on my old Roksan Caspian) run it with a Roksan Kandy amp.. and through Monitor Audio Silver 5i's

what I will say, is buying a load of kit with rave reviews doesn't mean you will end up with a great system, because they might not all work together well

[EssexIan]

A Rega Planar 3 will make an excellent base for a vinyl playing system. For the rest Hoover makes a very good point, find your local hi-fi specialist and let them and your ears guide you to a cohesive system. Often a bunch of award winners do not make a happy partnership. If you are around Essex Rayleigh HiFi would be a good place to start, if not look out for somewhere of similar experience.

[slg]

Thanks all for the advice, much appreciated. Have found that Glasgow have a rega demo this weekend coming & another store will set up the equipment I'm interested in to let me hear it so looking forward to next weekend.

Bowers & Wilkins speakers have also been put into the mix but they're another £500 more than the Monitors