Is the Rega Brio-R the new Naim Nait 2?

I have the Nait 2 hooked up right now. I does have a very "warm" sound, but also a very dynamic and quick "jump factor". It just boogies! The older Naits generally need a recap and I was lucky enough to find one that was already serviced. So that is another factor to consider.

 

I've been living with a Brio-R, Rega DAC, Rega Klotz interconnects and a pair of Harbeth SHL5 speakers for nearly 2 years now and its the best sound I have had ever and I have been into Hi-Fi for nearly 40 years. Wonderful amp, very neutral with a warm analogue sound and a great soundstage. For the money they are hard to beat right now, unless you buy S/H. I don't care for the looks though.

 

Nice muic lovers system. Need some vinyl though!

 

Hahahaha, don't you start too - I'm getting a turntable when I retire in a couple of years time

I just bought a mint QUAD 405-2 last week, it was an itch I have had for ages and had to scratch it.

 

What do youse think of Brio-R driving Wharfedale Denton (80th Anniv.)?

 

It's got plenty of grunt. Shouldn't break a sweat. Drove my P3ESRs no problem.

 

I have both but haven't used the Brio-R on the Dentons. My AVR has driven them with ease.

 

I was thinking more about tonal matching; Brio R>Dentons hopefully wouldn't be too "pipe 'n slippers" ...? (I mean, I'm guessing not.)

 

Pipe and slippers, what does that mean anyway?

The Wharfedales are voiced different than any speaker I have heard or owned. Warm and romantic. The Brio-R is a thoroughly modern amp and not particularly warm, to me. I would think that if you like what the Dentons do to start with, then it should be a fine match.

 

Well, actually you nailed it: "pipe 'n slippers" = warm, relaxed, romantic.

I'm getting a Brio-R to try in a few days, to see how the matchup works. Currently a Croft integrated is driving the Dentons.

 

Is there something about the Croft that is not working for you?

 

Not sure yet (and not sure I can put my reservations about the Croft into words). I was able to trade into a Brio-R with a bunch of stuff I had sitting idle; so, a shootout! I want to see how the Brio lights up the Dentons, vs. how the Croft does it.

 

I have a latest generation NAC282/HiCap/NAP-250-2. I originally used some very expensive Transparent Audio speaker cable I had from my home theater system. Then one day I replaced it with some old NAC-A4 speaker cable I had left over from an old Naim 42.5/HC/140 system from the mid-80s. It blew the Transparent Audio cable away. The NAC-A4 completely improved and opened up the sound, so I bought a 7m pair of NAC-A5 cable on Audiogon, for small fraction of what the Transparent cables cost. That improved the sound even more. I put the Transparent Audio cable back into my HT system, and never looked back. The NAC-A5 – for as old as it is – is great speaker cable for my system. As for the inflexibility of it, that hasn't been a problem.

 

I really like the Brio R with RS3 (and REL T3).

 

The Naim speaker cable is specially designed with high INDUCTANCE and is to be considered a continuous part of the output stage of the amplifier. The high inductance helps minimize current draw changes on the amplifier. I was at first hesitant to settle with naca 5, and tried Nordost Tyr and Cardas Clear with my Naim NAP 250>300. Naca won, sound became bigger, more defined with the other cables, but the musical interaction between the players was so crisp and flowing with the Naca I haven't looked back.

 

For me, the Brio R replaced the Onix OA21s which comes from similar background. It is the same size and made in England. I often thought of changing it for a Naim but ended up w/Rega Mira 3 and now Brio R. I still have the Onix too and have compared them A-B with several different speakers. It shows just how far the British amps had already come 30 yrs ago.
http://www.vintageaudiobliss.com/2012/03/onix-oa-21s-amplifier-and-oa-22-soap.html

 

For your sake I hope the Croft slays the Rega (not really). Underdog and the little amp that could and all that...

 

Well, the Rega fan in me is hoping the Brio R kicks the Wharfedales into gear a bit.

 

I still use an all-original Nait II from 1991, and have done so with multiple speaker cables, though when I bought it from a Naim dealer in the UK he sold me a set of QED flat cables which he fitted with Naim banana blocks on the amp end. Still use that most of the time but have had to improvise on occasion with other set ups. Talking to the rep from Naim at RMAF this year, he suggested it was time to have the Nait refreshed so I'll likely do this soon. The amp has been with me for close on 25 years, never caused a problem, driven everything from old Kefs to large Von Schweikerts when needed, so what can one do but treat it like a member of the family. Ugly? How dare you.....

 

Do you mean sound-wise?

 

"Chrome bumper"? I love those. My Croft Phono reminds me a bit of that era of Naim, looks- and build-wise ....

 

Just set up a vinyl system for our kids for Christmas - > a Pro-Ject Debut Carbon DC (2M red) into a Brio-R into a pair of Wharfedale Denton's. Sounds pretty darn nice, the kids have been listening almost non-stop the past few days. Gotta mount the table on the wall as the floor is too springy, but all else is good.

 

^nice. I am about to do a Rega Brio-R and either a MMG or LS50 for my office.. That is if I don't find a Devailet 120 dealer first! Honorable mention to the McIntosh MHA100. (I don't care about the price difference)

 

Wow - lucky kids!!

 

Yes. Physically as well.
-Bill