Rega IO or Audiolab 6000A (For vinyl mostly)

Could you tell me a bit more about the build quality of the BRIO?
Being the indecisive guy that I am, I went out and got an io to compare it with the 6000A (30 day return on both.) My first impressions are as followed:
  • It looks like a toy compared to the 6000A, the build quality feels really cheap.
  • The volume knob has an imbalanced channel on very low volume (right goes almost completely silent) is this normal?
  • Now on to the sound: I think I do like it more then the 6000A, it sounds more gritty. I listen to a lot of rock/metal/punk music, and the IO sounds more raw. The 6000A makes everything sound very clean, when I sometimes just want a raw gritty guitar riff that tears my ears apart. It's like the 6000A always plays it safe compared to the IO. It sometimes sounds artificial even.
The build quality on the IO is a deal breaker for me though, so I am hoping the BRIO is better in that regard.
Just wondering if this opinion was based on headphone listening? Supposedly the Rega has a very good headphone out. I’m interested in the Audiolab but I’d be keen for a good headphone experience
 
Just wondering if this opinion was based on headphone listening? Supposedly the Rega has a very good headphone out. I’m interested in the Audiolab but I’d be keen for a good headphone experience
It's only the Brio and the new Aethos that have headphone circuits, don't know how good the Brio's is. A standalone headphone amp will outperform an integrated amp's circuit if you're serious about headphones. I have an Elicit-R which doesn't have it's own circuit and attaching a standalone headphone amp is extremely easy.

I use a Lehmann headphone amp and it simply buries any headphone circuit I've got in the house on AV amps or previous stereo amps.
 
It's only the Brio and the new Aethos that have headphone circuits, don't know how good the Brio's is. A standalone headphone amp will outperform an integrated amp's circuit if you're serious about headphones. I have an Elicit-R which doesn't have it's own circuit and attaching a standalone headphone amp is extremely easy.

I use a Lehmann headphone amp and it simply buries any headphone circuit I've got in the house on AV amps or previous stereo amps.
Thanks. My ‘seriousness’ is highly abbreviated by my financial means RN. I’m trying to upgrade from a Yamaha A-S300 which is not a catastrophe amplification wise but the headphone is shocking compared to what I get out of my audio interface at my computer (a Metric Halo ULN2) I thought something like the Brio might be a solid improvement all around but I’m not in love with the form factor and the other amp that had my attention was the Audiolab 6000a but I’ve not heard anyone talk of the headphone performance.

i guess another option would be to use a dedicated headphone amp but it would need a audio through as the Yamaha doesn’t have a pre-out
 
Yamaha A-S300
Your Yamaha has a 'Record Out' feature. This is a fixed line-out and it is where the majority of amps will allow a headphone amp to be run from. As it is fixed gain then it is the headphone amp that controls the volume. All you have to do with the AS300 is to either mute the speakers or turn the volume to zero.

Basically that's how I have my Rega Elicit-R connected to my Lehmann headphone amp when it's in the main system.
 

The latest video from AVForums

Is 4K Blu-ray Worth It?
Subscribe to our YouTube channel
Back
Top Bottom