I recently picked up a used Brio-R, and it has great synergy with my Q Acoustics 3030i’s. Love that Rega sound. My old amp was a low powered class D, and it made the 3030i’s sound smooth and rolled off at the top end and bloated at the bottom. The Brio-R woke up the 3030i’s and made the speakers sound more forward and articulate with more resolution and control throughout the range. I wanted to go for a newer Brio or Elex-R, but the older Brio-R still sounds great.
Hi Rohit, got my Rega Brio a year ago based on your review, planning to get a a used pair of PSB Imagine B speaker with a 4ohm impedance and 87db sensitivity. Can the Brio drive these speakers?
Good day Sir, thanks for the detailed review, may I check, currently I have the technics SL1200MK4 which has a separate removable the ground cable. Since there is no ground terminal on the Brio, will it cause any hum when connected via its built in phono inputs? Thanks for your reply in advance
@Analogholic oh.... I see..... this will solve my concern as it was indeed a surprise to me that it is actually located on the underside.. thanks again
I still have my Rega Brio 3, purchased a new demo unit way back in 2007 and it's still going like the energizer bunny! I know the current Rega Brio is a whole nother level of audio fidelity over the RB3 and am planning to visit my local audio shop for a listen to the current model. Thanks for the review.
Thanks for the review. I have the older Biro R and used it for a few years with large Indian-made Sonodyne 2605 89 db speakers, and the sound was really great - big sound to put it in two words. Now got smaller speakers, Fyne F302, and they really make them sing! Next stage is getting a turn-table.
@@johy2007 I have heard the Regas and the Debuts. I think the Regas have the better tonearm and hence a fuller sound. I have not listened to the newer carbon evo though.
Very informative review. I wanted to know what differences you heard compared to the smaller i0 amp and you brought them out well. It would really be great to compare the Brio with your other amps. It’s good to know Rega can also excel in electronics and not only in turntables for which they are primarily known.
I have a Marantz pm6005 at the moment and a pair of Dali Oberon 7 speakers. I was planning on upgrading the amp, as the marantz seems to be a bit lacking in detail. Would you recommend this as an upgrade or is there another around the same price point you would suggest? I mostly listen to vinyl and occasionally some cds.
Nice review! I listened to this amplifier, connected to a pair of KEF LS(?)50, i mean the passive ones. And it sounded great,full. No tone controls, but you don't need that. I didn't bought it, because i have a vintage restored(caps,transistors etc) Sansui AU-317 that sounds equal maybe a bit better. Connected with a pair of Triangle Borea 3 by the way. But it's from 1978 so no remote. Since a few months i have(i wanna try) an Aiyima D03 class D amplifier and changed the standard (32 volt?)power supply for a 36 volt power supply. I didn't expected how good this little amp sounds! Use the internal dac of the Aiyima via coaxial cable, that (you won't believe it), that sounds better than the internal dac of my Bluesound Node 2i; more high and mid. tones. Yes i forgot to mentioned; i only stream music; Spotify and Tidal. And..i live in a small room(about 20m2) in Amsterdam, so not a lot of space, but a relative high ceiling. But..the Brio is a great(also looking) amp! Nice narrow(but deep), Nce in modern interiors. And..it's all about how(quality) a track/album is recorded in the studio, or live. And room-acoustics ofcourse..
I'm considering getting a Brio or an Io to drive easy-to-drive Tekton 8 Ohm speakers. You mentioned that the Brio got warm when driving 4 Ohm speakers. Can you expand a bit on the Brio's (or Io's) heat dissipation? Thanks.
Warm to touch indeed when driving some 4 ohm loads. But really nothing to worry about. Never got worrysome-ly 🔥! The amp is class AB, with probably high bias in lower watts (say 2- 5w) in class A. The aluminum chassis is the heat sink. About 4" or so of ventilation space was plenty. Also curious as to which tekton model? BTW, Eric is a gem of a guy!
I have a question for you about the Brio. Would the record out work for plugging into a DAW for ripping vinyl into a software program like Ableton/Logic? I want to use this unit for ripping samples off records to use in beat making software.
Very good question. Im afraid I'd have to look into this one. I know it can used to record onto R2R tapes and cassettes, so it may be of use for your application if you are plugging into a ripper that has Analog to Digital converters.
Nice review, I just scored a Brio off AudioGon today... very excited to use at as my main amp. Also, love the bunnahabhain and Ardbeg in the background, ISLAY! I'm a big malt-head myself.
Thanks for the review! Have you experienced any noise/hum with the Brio? Looks like a widespread issue with this amp. I'm considering between the Io and Brio for my small bedroom (3 x 4 ft) - would you go for the Brio if you were in a small space, or would the Io be perfectly fine? I guess it depends on the speakers - but let's assume it's a fairly efficient one (around 90db).
Hi there! Let's talk hum first and then amp choice for your situation. Regarding hum; this is going to be a long one. I have no hum in my system with the Brio (or IO) connected using the P3. But I can create a hum-situation , if I move my outboard phonostage and/or my outboard DAC right beside the Brio. Both the phonostage and DAC have large power supplies and their proximity to the unit induces hum. Situate the amp one rack away, or increase distance of amp from these sources and there won't be hum. Zilch noise from volume being turned up high with no music playing. I deliberately set it up that way the first time, given a lot of years of experience with hum haha. Not my experience with Rega products, but with a lot of high powered SS (Krell) and tube amps (PrimaLuna, etc). But the amps weren't the root cause. First culprit is usually proximity to other devices that also have large power supplies. If that doesn't solve it, try changing interconnects. I have had "high-end" interconnects causing hum. If the above two don't resolve it, there is some other component connected to the main outlet causing a ground-loop. This is time consuming, but worth troubleshooting. Having all sources connect to the amp and volume turned up, toggle to the respective inputs and power off (or unplug)the sources one at a time. You will likely find the offender. Try a different interconnect or a cheater plug and that may solve the issue. If you find your turntable is the source of hum, get a thin ground wire. Fix one bare end to the Brio (bottom-back end of chassis). Attach the other to the turntable. On the Rega TT carefully lift the screw up one of the 3 tonearm screws, attach the bare wire and screw it back down ensuring contact to the metal screw. This should fix it. Hum is annoying and can be hard to trace down, but with patience it can be done. People can get frustrated with it and blame the newest component introduced into the chain.. It typically is not the fault of the amp. Now if your amp is powered on and it hums without being connected to sources, then yes the amp itself is faulty. I have heard good things about Rega dealer support and they should replace it for you pronto. Now to IO vs Brio. Yes, given the small listening room and fairly efficient speakers the IO may satisfy you completely. What the Brio does vs IO is that it scales better. And despite having the same built in phono, the execution of it is better in Brio in regards to isolation from electrical noise. It depends on what you want to spend. You will not have buyer's remorse with either. Happy listening!
Hi, Love your videos. My current setup is a pair of GoldenEar Triton 2+ running straight from my Denon 3700H AVR. Extremely clean, if lean sound. Amazing sound stage, instruments seem to hang in space - the thing I value most in my system. Funnily enough, when I first got the speakers, I was shocked at how bright and harsh they sounded, and started to look for warm sounding stereo amps to take the edge off. After 'Burn in' (something I didn't even believe in before), the speakers are too polite and I want some of that sparkle back! So I went from looking at Cambridge Audio amps to Brio/AudioLab 6000A/Musical fidelity. One major criticism of my speakers is that the top end while airy, is not refined. I want to 'sweeten' the sound and bring back some of that top end sparkle. You think Brio is a good bet for that? And will the sound stage stay the same when I use the pre-outs from the receiver? Or can you think of any other amp that would be better for my needs? Thank you.
Thank you for watching, liking my videos. Although I havent listened to your equipment, the AVR 3700 is no slouch and the Triton2+ are nice well. The Brio being all analog will likely inject good dynamics and liveliness into your system. But it will depend on how big your listening room is and how demanding of a load the Triton 2+ can present to an amplifier. If the speakers arent very demanding and the listening room is not extremely large, then there's a good chance the Brio will make you happy.
@@analogholic_reviews Got to borrow a friends Brio and try it in my system. I was using the Denon A110, Audio Note OTO PP Tube amp and Kinki Studio XM1+ with my speakers before. The little Brio is my fav so far even compared to the others from several price points above. The Presence! oh my god, its to die for. THICK sound and very well textured and detailed too. No going back. Im honestly shocked at how good it is. Perfect amp for blight speakers.
@Rohit Devraj I hear the higher-ups in the Rega line up have a brighter sound and require careful pairing, which is the last thing I need. A110 and kinki are solid amps, but my speakers are bright and need a warm and full Amp like Brio. Would love to try out the Elex though..
I am paring this amp with Kef LS50 (original) This combination sounds excellent to me despites people saying this amp lacks power for these speakers. I like it more than LS50 wireless (230w build in amplifier). Do you have plan to review Elex-R or Elicit-R in the future? I heard They sound brighter and leaner than cheaper models. Keep up your good job. Thanks for the review.
Hello and thank you! I have actually heard the ElexR in a well setup showroom with Fyne 501SP speakers. They sounded more relaxed than the Brio and I didn’t hear any brightness or leanness at all. And yes, I do plan to review the ElexR amp in a week or so.
Need information on connecting my old Yamaha RXV661 AV receiver to this Brio Amp through Pre-Outs. What would be the suitable connections. Preout from AV Receiver to the Line In of Brio of Record Out ?
Unfortunately, I don’t think you can optimally connect your yammie’s preout to the Brio’s line in. You could try it by turning it up the volume on the Brio and control the volume on the Yamaha receiver. Not the best way to do things. Certainly cannot use the Brio’s record out . You need to find an amp with a “power in” or a dedicated power amplifier. Hope this helps.
Really great preparation and way is explained is marvelous, If you can help me decide which one to go for Brio R or IO as I have bookshelf speakers wharfedale 12.1 and my other source is denon network player. Will be grateful for your guidance, as at moment they don't have a dealer or distribution channel in India, when I travel next either to US or UK will pick up accordingly. Many thanks in advance.
Not a dumb question at all. There are a a couple of BT adapters that come to mind that I will link below. Essentially these adapters will connect to your int amp's line inputs with either a 3.5mm TRS to RCA, or just a regular RCA to RCA cable. www.crutchfield.com/p_979IBT402/HOSA-IBT-402-Drive.html?tp=71627 www.crutchfield.com/p_532BTA10/Harman-Kardon-BTA-10.html?tp=71627
@@analogholic_reviews do you have any recommendation we watch tons of your vids. Another question: what’s your recommendation for a speakers for the planar3 + rega brio? Mid/high budget.
@@xbone thank you for watching! The HK BT adapter comes with everything you'd need and crutchfield has a 60 day return policy so you could pick one that's best for your price range. I dont listen to BT that often. As far as speakers, I really like the Fyne 500/501 pairing with the Brio for medium budget. Higher budget speakers I would recommend with Brio would be the Harbeth C7ES3, SHL5, M30.1/2. You may eventually give into upgrading from the Brio of you went with the SHL5 or M30s, but these speakers IMHO & E might just end the speaker "merry-go-round"!
Greetings from Germany! Thanks very much for the informative review. I‘m just buying my first set-up since the 90‘s, and would like some advice on the speakers. I want to get the Brio, a P3 and the Apollo CDP (I know, but I‘ve listened to the Rega components and love the sound) and I want to have some bookshelf speakers. I‘m thinking about the Kef LS50 Meta, but would like your advice on alternatives. Thanks in advance.
Hi Chris! What is your listening room size and what type of sound (balance) are you after? I am actually listening the the LS50 Metas right now and my review is coming soon. It's detailed for sure. More listening required to evaluate other traits.
@@analogholic_reviews thanks for the quick reply! I have an open plan room which is a bit quirky. 6x8 metres with a wall at 3 metres which bisects the room in the middle. Also the speakersstand next to an outside wall that is more or less completely glass.
Thanks for the details. I would stay away from speakers that have a brighter balance. The LS50 could still work if you can pull them out into room a little. Another superb speaker to consider if you are particular about midrange reproduction is the Harbeth P3, C7, M30.x. You could also consider Spendor. Of course both do well across the spectrum, but they do mids really well. Depends on music and budget now.
i have a Brio currently but would like more transparency not more power. my speakers are the Rega RS1's. 99db. should i go for a Elex R? or Elicit? how about Hegel?
The Elicit > Elex > Brio in terms of transparency. Sorry, no experience with Hegel but I have owned and listened to various high quality integrated amps like audio research, Naim, primaluna, Arcam, LFD, etc. Rega seems to offer serious bang for buck IMHO.
Hello thanks for the review. I have a Rega Amp Io + Diamond br03 speakers, Rega P3+ Goldring 1042. Having the possibility to sell the Rega IO do you think that going to the Brio will be an upgrade soundwise or will I regret it? Some reviews talk that the Io Amp sounds better despite having smaller soundstage. I'm very pleased with the Amp Io I just want to improve the sound
thanks for the review, do you think I could go easy replacing my 35yo Cyrus II from Mission, same power 50W on 8 ohm, with this one? I saw interior and being a technician for many years, I like it a lot, a lot more than Rega IO. In my old system setup I have a pair of Celestion Ditton 3, 3way 70W, 8ohm with about 92 db efficiency, here I'm using a pair of Indiana Line Tesi 261, 8 ohm, 91db, don´t have turntable here, my Thorens TD 316 is far from here, but using a Cambridge Dac Magic 100 connected on a mini fanless pc with Daphile and almost play music from there at the moment. So the question is, I would go for this one primarily because I could use it in either setup, or I could go for dunno, maybe a Musical Fidelity M3si that has an integrated DAC, maybe better than the Dac magic 100?
Hi Rupert. Excellent questions! First off, I think replacing the 35 yo amp with the newer Brio, will bring sonic dividends. I have always found that amps with built in DACs do neither job well and tend to keep the DAC o/b. So, I would recommend going Brio with an o/b DAC like the superb Cambridge.
@@analogholic_reviews Thanks a lot, indeed, the fact of having an implemented DAC seems to be a nice thing, but indeed, that technology may change in few years and having an external DAC is better, and you'll have a pure analog device that won´t change any time soon. Also the form factor of the Brio is the same of the old British amplifier :)
@@analogholic_reviews Well, it's going back. I bought it as a potential replacement for my Onkyo A-9150, but there was no question as to which is a more enjoyable, engaging listen. I feel the A-9150 is a real hidden gem and it'll take at least a $1500 amp for me to feel like there's a justifiable difference. I also in-home demoed a Rotel A-12 and an Audiolab 6000A and neither of them were worth the cash over the A-9150 in my opinion (considering I already own it and paid something like a meager $335 for it a couple of years ago). Thanks again for your content!
@@analogholic_reviews I listened to it for about 12 hours in total. I know there's an adjustment period to equipment, but I knew pretty quickly that I couldn't justify the expenditure over the Onkyo and also that I just preferred the Onkyo's sound. On some guitar driven tracks, the IO was superb. John Martyn's The Man in the Station sounded as good as I've ever heard it, but Start Running by The Comet is Coming sounded dead and lifeless by comparison. Shabaka Hutchings' sax sounded thin and anemic. It just didn't have the slam that I needed it to have in some tracks. But hey. It's a tiny little thing that, I am afraid, I expected too much of going into it based on hype reviews.
Hi James. I am not familiar with the Polk SDA but I looked up measured specs and found an article on the SDA-2a and it seems mentioned a min impedance of 3.5 ohms. So, I have to ask about your listening environment. How big is your listening room and how loud do you normally listen? If you are in a small room and listen at max 70 - 75ish db, you should be fine.
@@analogholic_reviews Thank you, The SDA 2 speakers were driven by a Sansui AU-d11 II . I was hit by lightning a few weeks ago. Can I take it to get fixed or move on? It is an incredible amp. Thinking about starting over. I would like power for a large room. Possibly a step above the Brio, Perhaps the Elex-r and a turntable. I have a ortofon X5 mc. I would appreciate any recommendations and thanks again!
Superb Islay. Thanks for the recommendation sir. Need to do a few vids about stereo and whiskey. My subscribers need to check your channel as well and I will work it in. I'm sure there are a lot of people like me love complementing this hobby with good whiskey :)
Have been using a Yamaha R-N303D as my main amp into Monitor Audio 200's. But Musiccast is just crap... So I scored a previous gen hardly used Brio-R and Bluesound Node 2i. It should all arrive by Friday... can't wait. Yammy is ok, but I am sure Rega will blow it out of the water.
The Brio is awesome. I bet even the older BrioR is pretty solid. The Node2i is a neat streamer and I really like mine. I use Qobuz and music files on my NAS. The user interface is quite good!
@@analogholic_reviews Yes I have used the Node2i all weekend with Tidal I was expecting to use Tidal Connect but the BluOS app is indeed very good! One thing I noticed already is an increased sense of timing and clarity (sorry for the platitudes) from the Node2i, everything just grooves more and make me bounce more on the coach and it is more engaging ;) The Monitor 200's sound amazing already! Brio arrives today ;) and I CANT wait!!
@@analogholic_reviews So it's here. Have set it up during lunch break... Amazing how brutally honest it handles lesser recordings!! And great recordings sound huge! Happy so far, it seems slightly on the bright side, but could also be the speakers showing their real face.
Very interesting! Id like to know a bit more if you dont mind... Did you like it better than the current Brio? What speakers were you using and how big is your listening room?
@@analogholic_reviews I had the 2017 brio. I really liked it. The speakers I use are Russell k red 50s. I also used the brio with rega rs3 . Didn’t have the power for the rs3. I felt the brio gave me more bass definition but the IO is much more defined. The IO is a better lower volume listen. The brio has a lovely tone. The IO has a similar tone but enhanced clarity. My room is 6.5m by 3.5 m. I enjoy your reviews. I’m interested in the audiolab 6000a. Will this give me a wider soundstage without losing too much body? I just want the added features to be honest
The DAC in the audiolab is fantastic. It does have a wider and deeper soundstage, but I really loved the tonal colors and dynamic expression from the IO. You may miss that aspect when going to the audiolab. Not sure... Maybe ... Depends on your listening preferences. Note tho that the audiolab integrated's phono is just meh...
I'm must say I'm enjoying your understated presentation style.Thanks for the nice review.
Thank you very much!
I recently picked up a used Brio-R, and it has great synergy with my Q Acoustics 3030i’s. Love that Rega sound.
My old amp was a low powered class D, and it made the 3030i’s sound smooth and rolled off at the top end and bloated at the bottom. The Brio-R woke up the 3030i’s and made the speakers sound more forward and articulate with more resolution and control throughout the range. I wanted to go for a newer Brio or Elex-R, but the older Brio-R still sounds great.
Hi Rohit, got my Rega Brio a year ago based on your review, planning to get a a used pair of PSB Imagine B speaker with a 4ohm impedance and 87db sensitivity. Can the Brio drive these speakers?
Good day Sir, thanks for the detailed review, may I check, currently I have the technics SL1200MK4 which has a separate removable the ground cable. Since there is no ground terminal on the Brio, will it cause any hum when connected via its built in phono inputs? Thanks for your reply in advance
It may not but if you need to ground, the ground terminal/screw is hidden under the chassis
@Analogholic oh.... I see..... this will solve my concern as it was indeed a surprise to me that it is actually located on the underside.. thanks again
I still have my Rega Brio 3, purchased a new demo unit way back in 2007 and it's still going like the energizer bunny! I know the current Rega Brio is a whole nother level of audio fidelity over the RB3 and am planning to visit my local audio shop for a listen to the current model. Thanks for the review.
IDK how much better but Rega make gear that are just solid value for 💰
IDK how much better but Rega make gear that are just solid value for 💰
Thanks for the review. I have the older Biro R and used it for a few years with large Indian-made Sonodyne 2605 89 db speakers, and the sound was really great - big sound to put it in two words. Now got smaller speakers, Fyne F302, and they really make them sing! Next stage is getting a turn-table.
Ah I remember seeing the ads for Sonodyne in mags when was I was a kid! The Fynes are solid. What turntables do you have in mind?
@@analogholic_reviews I am looking at Project Debut 3 or a Rega Planar 1/2 - all depending on available discounts here in India.
@@johy2007 I have heard the Regas and the Debuts. I think the Regas have the better tonearm and hence a fuller sound. I have not listened to the newer carbon evo though.
@@analogholic_reviews Thanks a lot for your inputs!
Very informative review. I wanted to know what differences you heard compared to the smaller i0 amp and you brought them out well. It would really be great to compare the Brio with your other amps. It’s good to know Rega can also excel in electronics and not only in turntables for which they are primarily known.
Thank you for the feedback. Compare n contrast coming soon!
@@analogholic_reviews Excellent! I look forward to all your future videos.
Also very interested in this as I may switch out my AXA35 for an Io based on my experience with the Brio.
I have a Marantz pm6005 at the moment and a pair of Dali Oberon 7 speakers. I was planning on upgrading the amp, as the marantz seems to be a bit lacking in detail. Would you recommend this as an upgrade or is there another around the same price point you would suggest? I mostly listen to vinyl and occasionally some cds.
I would certainly recommend the Brio as an upgrade. Especially the built in MM phono preamp is really good.
rega elex r or rega brio, what are the sound differences and which one sounds better
Rega elex r , su rango medio esta por debajo del rango medio del rega brío, es increíble pero cierto.
Nice review! I listened to this amplifier, connected to a pair of KEF LS(?)50, i mean the passive ones. And it sounded great,full. No tone controls, but you don't need that. I didn't bought it, because i have a vintage restored(caps,transistors etc) Sansui AU-317 that sounds equal maybe a bit better. Connected with a pair of Triangle Borea 3 by the way.
But it's from 1978 so no remote.
Since a few months i have(i wanna try) an Aiyima D03 class D amplifier and changed the standard (32 volt?)power supply for a 36 volt power supply.
I didn't expected how good this little amp sounds!
Use the internal dac of the Aiyima via coaxial cable, that (you won't believe it), that sounds better than the internal dac of my Bluesound Node 2i; more high and mid. tones.
Yes i forgot to mentioned; i only stream music; Spotify and Tidal. And..i live in a small room(about 20m2) in Amsterdam, so not a lot of space, but a relative high ceiling.
But..the Brio is a great(also looking) amp! Nice narrow(but deep), Nce in modern interiors.
And..it's all about how(quality) a track/album is recorded in the studio, or live. And room-acoustics ofcourse..
I'm considering getting a Brio or an Io to drive easy-to-drive Tekton 8 Ohm speakers. You mentioned that the Brio got warm when driving 4 Ohm speakers. Can you expand a bit on the Brio's (or Io's) heat dissipation? Thanks.
Warm to touch indeed when driving some 4 ohm loads. But really nothing to worry about. Never got worrysome-ly 🔥! The amp is class AB, with probably high bias in lower watts (say 2- 5w) in class A. The aluminum chassis is the heat sink. About 4" or so of ventilation space was plenty.
Also curious as to which tekton model? BTW, Eric is a gem of a guy!
Where did you get your small sleeve lights? They look awesome. Thanks
IKEA!
I have a question for you about the Brio. Would the record out work for plugging into a DAW for ripping vinyl into a software program like Ableton/Logic? I want to use this unit for ripping samples off records to use in beat making software.
Very good question. Im afraid I'd have to look into this one. I know it can used to record onto R2R tapes and cassettes, so it may be of use for your application if you are plugging into a ripper that has Analog to Digital converters.
Nice video. Would the
Brio do ok with power hungry Elac Debut 2.0 b6.2 speakers? Thanks!
I believe so unless they are pushed to very loud levels in a very large room.
Nice review, I just scored a Brio off AudioGon today... very excited to use at as my main amp. Also, love the bunnahabhain and Ardbeg in the background, ISLAY! I'm a big malt-head myself.
I love me some good islay malts ha! The peated bunnahabhain is fantastic. And of course the Brio is simply awesome. Enjoy!
Thanks for the review!
Have you experienced any noise/hum with the Brio? Looks like a widespread issue with this amp.
I'm considering between the Io and Brio for my small bedroom (3 x 4 ft) - would you go for the Brio if you were in a small space, or would the Io be perfectly fine? I guess it depends on the speakers - but let's assume it's a fairly efficient one (around 90db).
Hum is an issue but I think there are some solutions out there @rohit can you talk about this
Hi there! Let's talk hum first and then amp choice for your situation.
Regarding hum; this is going to be a long one. I have no hum in my system with the Brio (or IO) connected using the P3. But I can create a hum-situation , if I move my outboard phonostage and/or my outboard DAC right beside the Brio. Both the phonostage and DAC have large power supplies and their proximity to the unit induces hum. Situate the amp one rack away, or increase distance of amp from these sources and there won't be hum. Zilch noise from volume being turned up high with no music playing. I deliberately set it up that way the first time, given a lot of years of experience with hum haha. Not my experience with Rega products, but with a lot of high powered SS (Krell) and tube amps (PrimaLuna, etc). But the amps weren't the root cause. First culprit is usually proximity to other devices that also have large power supplies. If that doesn't solve it, try changing interconnects. I have had "high-end" interconnects causing hum. If the above two don't resolve it, there is some other component connected to the main outlet causing a ground-loop. This is time consuming, but worth troubleshooting. Having all sources connect to the amp and volume turned up, toggle to the respective inputs and power off (or unplug)the sources one at a time. You will likely find the offender. Try a different interconnect or a cheater plug and that may solve the issue. If you find your turntable is the source of hum, get a thin ground wire. Fix one bare end to the Brio (bottom-back end of chassis). Attach the other to the turntable. On the Rega TT carefully lift the screw up one of the 3 tonearm screws, attach the bare wire and screw it back down ensuring contact to the metal screw. This should fix it. Hum is annoying and can be hard to trace down, but with patience it can be done. People can get frustrated with it and blame the newest component introduced into the chain.. It typically is not the fault of the amp.
Now if your amp is powered on and it hums without being connected to sources, then yes the amp itself is faulty. I have heard good things about Rega dealer support and they should replace it for you pronto.
Now to IO vs Brio. Yes, given the small listening room and fairly efficient speakers the IO may satisfy you completely. What the Brio does vs IO is that it scales better. And despite having the same built in phono, the execution of it is better in Brio in regards to isolation from electrical noise. It depends on what you want to spend. You will not have buyer's remorse with either.
Happy listening!
@@analogholic_reviews Thank you very much for such an extensive answer!
@@bluerev most welcome!
@@naimusic362 The Brio doesn’t hum, you are doing something wrong.
Hi, Love your videos. My current setup is a pair of GoldenEar Triton 2+ running straight from my Denon 3700H AVR. Extremely clean, if lean sound. Amazing sound stage, instruments seem to hang in space - the thing I value most in my system. Funnily enough, when I first got the speakers, I was shocked at how bright and harsh they sounded, and started to look for warm sounding stereo amps to take the edge off. After 'Burn in' (something I didn't even believe in before), the speakers are too polite and I want some of that sparkle back! So I went from looking at Cambridge Audio amps to Brio/AudioLab 6000A/Musical fidelity. One major criticism of my speakers is that the top end while airy, is not refined. I want to 'sweeten' the sound and bring back some of that top end sparkle. You think Brio is a good bet for that? And will the sound stage stay the same when I use the pre-outs from the receiver? Or can you think of any other amp that would be better for my needs? Thank you.
Thank you for watching, liking my videos. Although I havent listened to your equipment, the AVR 3700 is no slouch and the Triton2+ are nice well. The Brio being all analog will likely inject good dynamics and liveliness into your system. But it will depend on how big your listening room is and how demanding of a load the Triton 2+ can present to an amplifier. If the speakers arent very demanding and the listening room is not extremely large, then there's a good chance the Brio will make you happy.
@@analogholic_reviews Got to borrow a friends Brio and try it in my system. I was using the Denon A110, Audio Note OTO PP Tube amp and Kinki Studio XM1+ with my speakers before. The little Brio is my fav so far even compared to the others from several price points above. The Presence! oh my god, its to die for. THICK sound and very well textured and detailed too. No going back. Im honestly shocked at how good it is. Perfect amp for blight speakers.
@@kibreddy wow that's quite the praise! Wait till you hear the Aethos! BTW, as great as the Aethos is... The Elex is the budget gem IMO.
@Rohit Devraj I hear the higher-ups in the Rega line up have a brighter sound and require careful pairing, which is the last thing I need. A110 and kinki are solid amps, but my speakers are bright and need a warm and full Amp like Brio. Would love to try out the Elex though..
I am paring this amp with Kef LS50 (original) This combination sounds excellent to me despites people saying this amp lacks power for these speakers. I like it more than LS50 wireless (230w build in amplifier). Do you have plan to review Elex-R or Elicit-R in the future? I heard They sound brighter and leaner than cheaper models. Keep up your good job. Thanks for the review.
Hello and thank you! I have actually heard the ElexR in a well setup showroom with Fyne 501SP speakers. They sounded more relaxed than the Brio and I didn’t hear any brightness or leanness at all. And yes, I do plan to review the ElexR amp in a week or so.
Need information on connecting my old Yamaha RXV661 AV receiver to this Brio Amp through Pre-Outs. What would be the suitable connections. Preout from AV Receiver to the Line In of Brio of Record Out ?
Unfortunately, I don’t think you can optimally connect your yammie’s preout to the Brio’s line in. You could try it by turning it up the volume on the Brio and control the volume on the Yamaha receiver. Not the best way to do things. Certainly cannot use the Brio’s record out . You need to find an amp with a “power in” or a dedicated power amplifier. Hope this helps.
Really great preparation and way is explained is marvelous,
If you can help me decide which one to go for Brio R or IO as I have bookshelf speakers wharfedale 12.1 and my other source is denon network player. Will be grateful for your guidance, as at moment they don't have a dealer or distribution channel in India, when I travel next either to US or UK will pick up accordingly.
Many thanks in advance.
I personally like the Brio better than the IO. The IO sounds warm and sweet. The Brio brings more dynamic contrast.
@@analogholic_reviews thanks very much, will take your advice on Brio and will go for it
I've heard a few people say that this amplifier has a hum issue. Did you encounter this?
Not a hint of hum
This may be a dumb question: can you connect a Bluetooth adapter to the brio? If so, how? Any recommendations?
Not a dumb question at all. There are a a couple of BT adapters that come to mind that I will link below. Essentially these adapters will connect to your int amp's line inputs with either a 3.5mm TRS to RCA, or just a regular RCA to RCA cable.
www.crutchfield.com/p_979IBT402/HOSA-IBT-402-Drive.html?tp=71627
www.crutchfield.com/p_532BTA10/Harman-Kardon-BTA-10.html?tp=71627
@@analogholic_reviews thanks for the info!
@@analogholic_reviews do you have any recommendation we watch tons of your vids. Another question: what’s your recommendation for a speakers for the planar3 + rega brio?
Mid/high budget.
@@xbone thank you for watching! The HK BT adapter comes with everything you'd need and crutchfield has a 60 day return policy so you could pick one that's best for your price range. I dont listen to BT that often.
As far as speakers, I really like the Fyne 500/501 pairing with the Brio for medium budget. Higher budget speakers I would recommend with Brio would be the Harbeth C7ES3, SHL5, M30.1/2. You may eventually give into upgrading from the Brio of you went with the SHL5 or M30s, but these speakers IMHO & E might just end the speaker "merry-go-round"!
@@analogholic_reviews great stuff. Thanks again! We’ll let you know what we pick
Greetings from Germany! Thanks very much for the informative review. I‘m just buying my first set-up since the 90‘s, and would like some advice on the speakers. I want to get the Brio, a P3 and the Apollo CDP (I know, but I‘ve listened to the Rega components and love the sound) and I want to have some bookshelf speakers. I‘m thinking about the Kef LS50 Meta, but would like your advice on alternatives. Thanks in advance.
Hi Chris! What is your listening room size and what type of sound (balance) are you after? I am actually listening the the LS50 Metas right now and my review is coming soon. It's detailed for sure. More listening required to evaluate other traits.
@@analogholic_reviews thanks for the quick reply! I have an open plan room which is a bit quirky. 6x8 metres with a wall at 3 metres which bisects the room in the middle. Also the speakersstand next to an outside wall that is more or less completely glass.
@@analogholic_reviews also the sound must be clear and precise - I love details!
Thanks for the details. I would stay away from speakers that have a brighter balance. The LS50 could still work if you can pull them out into room a little. Another superb speaker to consider if you are particular about midrange reproduction is the Harbeth P3, C7, M30.x. You could also consider Spendor. Of course both do well across the spectrum, but they do mids really well. Depends on music and budget now.
@@analogholic_reviews thanks my friend, that helps me a lot!
i have a Brio currently but would like more transparency not more power. my speakers are the Rega RS1's. 99db. should i go for a Elex R? or Elicit? how about Hegel?
The Elicit > Elex > Brio in terms of transparency. Sorry, no experience with Hegel but I have owned and listened to various high quality integrated amps like audio research, Naim, primaluna, Arcam, LFD, etc. Rega seems to offer serious bang for buck IMHO.
Also watch out for the new version of the Elicit with dac coming soon!
I think I made this comment before on another of your videos--the Brio is damn good headphone amp.
Hello thanks for the review. I have a Rega Amp Io + Diamond br03 speakers, Rega P3+ Goldring 1042.
Having the possibility to sell the Rega IO do you think that going to the Brio will be an upgrade soundwise or will I regret it? Some reviews talk that the Io Amp sounds better despite having smaller soundstage. I'm very pleased with the Amp Io I just want to improve the sound
Hi Filipe. To me the Brio does sound better. Has a bit more of everything that the IO offers, but a tad less soft with more dynamics.
Is there much difference between the older brio r and this version of the brio? Mainly concerned with sound quality.
From memory the older Brio-R while an excellent performer, sounded a bit lean in comparison to the new Brio.
@@analogholic_reviews thanks!! I can get a good deal on a old brio. Gonna go with that then.
thanks for the review, do you think I could go easy replacing my 35yo Cyrus II from Mission, same power 50W on 8 ohm, with this one? I saw interior and being a technician for many years, I like it a lot, a lot more than Rega IO. In my old system setup I have a pair of Celestion Ditton 3, 3way 70W, 8ohm with about 92 db efficiency, here I'm using a pair of Indiana Line Tesi 261, 8 ohm, 91db, don´t have turntable here, my Thorens TD 316 is far from here, but using a Cambridge Dac Magic 100 connected on a mini fanless pc with Daphile and almost play music from there at the moment. So the question is, I would go for this one primarily because I could use it in either setup, or I could go for dunno, maybe a Musical Fidelity M3si that has an integrated DAC, maybe better than the Dac magic 100?
Hi Rupert. Excellent questions! First off, I think replacing the 35 yo amp with the newer Brio, will bring sonic dividends. I have always found that amps with built in DACs do neither job well and tend to keep the DAC o/b. So, I would recommend going Brio with an o/b DAC like the superb Cambridge.
@@analogholic_reviews Thanks a lot, indeed, the fact of having an implemented DAC seems to be a nice thing, but indeed, that technology may change in few years and having an external DAC is better, and you'll have a pure analog device that won´t change any time soon. Also the form factor of the Brio is the same of the old British amplifier :)
@@analogholic_reviewsI have cyrus 2 psx and brio. Lower to mids better on biro.cyrus better detail.
How this Brio compare to somewhat "old" amps, such as Roksan Kandy K2, which is in my country has a slightly lower price than Brio..?
I’ve only read good things about the Roksan Kandy. Unfortunately, I’ve not listened so can’t tell you how they are fare against each other, sorry!
Thanks for the review! I have an IO on the way. Hopefully it's satisfying enough to not leave me wanting the Brio...
The IO is a fantastic amplifier. Just enjoy the tunes!
@@analogholic_reviews Well, it's going back. I bought it as a potential replacement for my Onkyo A-9150, but there was no question as to which is a more enjoyable, engaging listen. I feel the A-9150 is a real hidden gem and it'll take at least a $1500 amp for me to feel like there's a justifiable difference. I also in-home demoed a Rotel A-12 and an Audiolab 6000A and neither of them were worth the cash over the A-9150 in my opinion (considering I already own it and paid something like a meager $335 for it a couple of years ago).
Thanks again for your content!
@@jakebrown3822 very welcome. I enjoy talking about this.
@@jakebrown3822 I have also read good things about the little onkyo but haven't had the chance to listen.
just curious, how long did you have the io?
@@analogholic_reviews I listened to it for about 12 hours in total. I know there's an adjustment period to equipment, but I knew pretty quickly that I couldn't justify the expenditure over the Onkyo and also that I just preferred the Onkyo's sound.
On some guitar driven tracks, the IO was superb. John Martyn's The Man in the Station sounded as good as I've ever heard it, but Start Running by The Comet is Coming sounded dead and lifeless by comparison. Shabaka Hutchings' sax sounded thin and anemic. It just didn't have the slam that I needed it to have in some tracks. But hey. It's a tiny little thing that, I am afraid, I expected too much of going into it based on hype reviews.
Could this amp drive a pair of polk audio sda speakers. thank you!
Hi James. I am not familiar with the Polk SDA but I looked up measured specs and found an article on the SDA-2a and it seems mentioned a min impedance of 3.5 ohms. So, I have to ask about your listening environment. How big is your listening room and how loud do you normally listen? If you are in a small room and listen at max 70 - 75ish db, you should be fine.
@@analogholic_reviews Thank you, The SDA 2 speakers were driven by a Sansui AU-d11 II . I was hit by lightning a few weeks ago. Can I take it to get fixed or move on? It is an incredible amp. Thinking about starting over. I would like power for a large room. Possibly a step above the Brio, Perhaps the Elex-r and a turntable. I have a ortofon X5 mc. I would appreciate any recommendations and thanks again!
@@jameshopkins7333 the ElexR is a solid amp IMHO. Sorry to hear about the lightning related damage.
@@analogholic_reviews End up being a positive. Insurance paid replacement $2000.00 bought a 1590 rotel
Excellent review!
Thank you!
I spy some Bunnahabhain above those records :) excellent review!
Superb Islay. Thanks for the recommendation sir. Need to do a few vids about stereo and whiskey. My subscribers need to check your channel as well and I will work it in. I'm sure there are a lot of people like me love complementing this hobby with good whiskey :)
Have been using a Yamaha R-N303D as my main amp into Monitor Audio 200's. But Musiccast is just crap... So I scored a previous gen hardly used Brio-R and Bluesound Node 2i. It should all arrive by Friday... can't wait. Yammy is ok, but I am sure Rega will blow it out of the water.
The Brio is awesome. I bet even the older BrioR is pretty solid. The Node2i is a neat streamer and I really like mine. I use Qobuz and music files on my NAS. The user interface is quite good!
@@analogholic_reviews Yes I have used the Node2i all weekend with Tidal I was expecting to use Tidal Connect but the BluOS app is indeed very good!
One thing I noticed already is an increased sense of timing and clarity (sorry for the platitudes) from the Node2i, everything just grooves more and make me bounce more on the coach and it is more engaging ;) The Monitor 200's sound amazing already!
Brio arrives today ;) and I CANT wait!!
@@bruunm1975 I know the feeling! Enjoy! And let me know how you like the combination.
@@analogholic_reviews Will do ;)
@@analogholic_reviews So it's here. Have set it up during lunch break... Amazing how brutally honest it handles lesser recordings!! And great recordings sound huge!
Happy so far, it seems slightly on the bright side, but could also be the speakers showing their real face.
Anyone know how the Brio compares to the Leak 130? Thanks.
Hello! I will try to get a leak fora comparison.
I had both the io and brio at the same time. Sold the brio. Don’t regret it. Io much clearer
Very interesting! Id like to know a bit more if you dont mind... Did you like it better than the current Brio? What speakers were you using and how big is your listening room?
@@analogholic_reviews I had the 2017 brio. I really liked it. The speakers I use are Russell k red 50s. I also used the brio with rega rs3 . Didn’t have the power for the rs3. I felt the brio gave me more bass definition but the IO is much more defined. The IO is a better lower volume listen. The brio has a lovely tone. The IO has a similar tone but enhanced clarity. My room is 6.5m by 3.5 m.
I enjoy your reviews. I’m interested in the audiolab 6000a. Will this give me a wider soundstage without losing too much body? I just want the added features to be honest
The DAC in the audiolab is fantastic. It does have a wider and deeper soundstage, but I really loved the tonal colors and dynamic expression from the IO. You may miss that aspect when going to the audiolab. Not sure... Maybe ... Depends on your listening preferences. Note tho that the audiolab integrated's phono is just meh...
The brio + LS50 or LS50w ?
I am reading good things about the LS50w. And it comes with more functionality (built in streamer etc).
The Brio pairs well with the Dynaudio Evoke 10 in the same price range as the LS50 meta.
Consider comparison to a Keces E40.
Interesting amplifier. Thanks, I will look into it!
One thing that bothers me. I prefer inputs to be labelled not numbered.
good amp