Rega System One Review & Comments

[Ed Selley]

The System One is a complete, plug and play, vinyl fronted system intended to encapsulate the Rega experience in miniature. Does it deliver?
Read the review.

Write your own review for Rega System One

 

[gavinbullstag]

I haven't heard the Kytes or Planar one but I can say the IO is absolutely brilliant paired with my Zensor 1s and dragonfly black.

 

[moujik]

Great review!

I couldn't find and test Kytes at the time, but I wonder if I'd be happy enough with them. I don't think I'd be satisfied with bass and midrange fullness after Opticon 6 now, but I'm still curious

 

[gavinbullstag]

I'm yet to try my IO with my Castle Severn IIs but how do you find your IO and Opticons?

 

[keithwiggins]

Good review proof positive the law of diminishing returns is alive and well

 

[RugbyAl]

Nice review but I still don't understand how a £1200 system can be supplied with a very budget £33 cartridge with conical stylus - especially as its the only source component. I've never heard a cartridge that cheap that I've liked. It's the weakest link in the system and the improvements to be made by moving up to Rega's own Elys 2 would be substantial.

 

[Ed Selley]

Nice review but I still don't understand how a £1200 system can be supplied with a very budget £33 cartridge with conical stylus - especially as its the only source component. I've never heard a cartridge that cheap that I've liked. It's the weakest link in the system and the improvements to be made by moving up to Rega's own Elys 2 would be substantial.

The key word here is 'system.' It would be a slightly awkward thing to find on a £1,200 turntable but on a £300 device (which the Planar One is), I'm more ambivalent; yes, there are higher quality stylii doing the rounds at that price but the Carbon isn't so far off the pace as to be incomprehensible. The decision not to fit the Elys2 is as much down to production capacity as anything else I think- they struggle to make enough as is. The Carbon is effectively an AT91 so I'm pretty sure you could fit THIS or THIS and boost performance fairly cost effectively.

 

[pilgrim99]

Hi Ed, I've been intrigued by the IO and Kytes for a while, but as someone who's mostly into digital (files, streaming, Hi-Res) I was mulling the idea of buying the IO and Kytes separately for my small room (4x3m) and pair them with a streamer/DAC. My takeaway from your review that the system would still sound fine with a digital source - just not as fine as with vinyl. I've heard about Rega's analogue warmth - is it retained in digital playback as well?

Also, how do the Kytes cover different genres? I like jazz, classical and all kinds of acoustic/vocal music, but I also like rock (mostly 60-80s classic rock, prog and current indie rock, nothing super heavy).

 

[moujik]

I'm yet to try my IO with my Castle Severn IIs but how do you find your IO and Opticons?

Opticon 6 mk1 are the most sensitive of the series at 89db, and I rarely have to turn the volume past 9 o'clock.
Still, whenever I hear a tune with less crisp bass, I suspect it's due to Io's lack of power and wish for more but I haven't had a chance to compare Io with a more powerful amps.

Overall I love the combination!

 

[moujik]

Nice review but I still don't understand how a £1200 system can be supplied with a very budget £33 cartridge with conical stylus - especially as its the only source component. I've never heard a cartridge that cheap that I've liked. It's the weakest link in the system and the improvements to be made by moving up to Rega's own Elys 2 would be substantial.

Carbon cartridge is at least good enough to show a clear step up in P2 over P1!
I would recommend to trial P2 with AT-VM95SH in System One +

 

[Countryman1972]

Sounds like the perfect mix of outstanding, affordable products. I’ll happily bet this out-performs many far more expensive products. Long live, Rega.

 

[password1]

What are alternative systems for around £1200?

 

[RugbyAl]

Carbon cartridge is at least good enough to show a clear step up in P2 over P1!
I would recommend to trial P2 with AT-VM95SH in System One +

I guess the Carbon's sins are ones of omissions, perhaps a slight lack of detail rather than distortion. I have Rega speakers (RS5s) so know the Kyte's drive units well. They can be very musical. Also, if the system balance is correct then I guess it could be a case of the end result being greater than the sum of the parts.

I have a Nagoaka Mp200 on my RP3 and I think that it sounds great but I must admit I'm very curious about the AT95 range, especially the ML or SH.

That an easy upgrade path is available on this system is a great bonus.

 

[Khazul]

No matter how good this may be at its price, I do find it odd putting together a turntable+amp+speaker package and labeling it as a 'system' without also having a streaming, at least as a matching device addition if not included.

 

[gavinbullstag]

Cheers, sounds good. Enjoy.

 

[BT Bob]

Great review.

I remember listening to this at the Bristol HiFi show in February 2020.
Even in a hotel "demo" room it delivered a mightily impressive performance.
It's a shame they've had to bump the intended RRP from the original £999, but it still great that they've managed to finally get round to launching it properly.

 

[pressure]

Cracking system with the almost mythical system synergy in spades. I suspect you’d struggle to do better second hand. If you can put it in a decent room - at least half the battle - and put the speakers on decent stands - another £70? - and sit at the apex of an equilateral triangle, it’ll sound great. Mind you, if you fulfil all those criteria - which is surprisingly hard to do in most domestic environments - almost anything will sound good. But for vinyl, this system will be special.

I can’t help wondering what an entry level BK sub could do for those speakers. I suspect it could be highly enjoyable with a high level connection.

 

[karlsushi]

I think Rega will hold a special place in many hi-fi enthusiast's hearts as the early gateway to 'proper' hi-fi. They certainly do for me.

This seems to exemplify the traditional core values of Rega's approach to hifi and it's great to see those values still going strong against a backdrop that has changed so much since Rega started out back in the 70's.

Simplicity, excellent value, excellent quality and above all, great sound. Perhaps attributes that a good many companies try to fulfill, but I'm not quite sure any of them have done it as well or as consistently as Rega.

Long may it continue...

 

[Khankat]

A good review. Had this been available when I first bought a turntable, speakers and amp, many moons ago, I might well have gone for it.

@Ed Selley Off topic; you mention the Rega system being in close proximity to the Rega 10 and accompanying Vertere Sabre. Was the Sabre there because you were reviewing it or because you chose it?

 

[jimmyjamesh]

I have a Rega IO attached to a pro-ject essential 3 turntabe, concept 20 speakers and an ifi zen dac V2 (apple lossless music).

The sound is amazing and might be under the £1200 price of the Rega system!

 

[acgingersnaps]

Love the idea of this. Added to the Yamaha WXC50 you'd have digital inputs, streaming and a what sounds like a great amp/speaker/turntable combo for under £1500.

-Yamaha WXC-50 Wireless Streamer

The Yamaha WXC-50 Wireless Streamer offers simple music streaming from a compact unit, connecting with Wi-Fi and Bluetooth, as well as having analogue and digital inputs. The WXC-50 also works as a pre-amp, to produce a more strongly amplified sound.

www.hifix.co.uk

 

[Sandyb01]

Loved this review, and love Regas approach to offering this "vinyl as a system". Nothing is dirt cheap in this age of inflation, but even at this price I suspect buyers will be pretty happy.

 

[Califmike33]

Im running the Rega IO with Triangle Borea Bro 2 and its sounds amazing.

 

[Chromedome]

I have the IO & RP2 , I need to change my speakers in the near future (some old Mission)

I know you need to listen to them really but it's a total minefield.
Rega Kyte
Q Acoustics 3030i
Quad S1
Wharfdale Diamond
Monitor Audio
The list goes on & on

 

[Califmike33]

Has anybody tried some good headphones on the Rega IO ?????? and what do you think.