vmhf Posted March 23, 2009 Posted March 23, 2009 Hi everyone, Just like to start a thread about the latest Rega CD player, the Apollo SE. I was lucky enough to purchase one of the few units in Australia at HIFI Trader in Newtown, Sydney. Check out the following link for the new player if you like... http://www.hifitrader.com.au/prod356.htm Cosmetically it is almost identical to the black version of the original Apollo. There are a few changes to the trim and buttons but most of the important upgrades are inside. I spent some time with the store manager doing an A/B test with the original Apollo and the SE version. We immediately noticed appreciably higher resolution and more presense of sound with the newer machine. Initially I was going to purchase the original Apollo due to it being on special but ultimately went for the limited release SE. The components used in store were a Rega Mira amp and Rega bookshelf speakers. The true test would be how it would sound in my home setup with Krell components and ATC speakers. In a word, highly musical. I would say more musical than my other 2 players being a Musical Fidelity A5 and a McIntosh MCM205, both more expensive but older machines. The Rega uses current Wolfson DACs but does not employ upsampling which my other 2 players do. Perhaps this is one of the reasons for its musicality?This is my first Rega CD player and I would love to hear the thoughts of others with their Rega CD players of past and present. Upon reading a little of Rega's history it appears they ventured very late in the CD player arena. I am sure their turntables must be king though. Cheers everyone, Victor.
abev2709 Posted March 25, 2009 Posted March 25, 2009 I have had the Rega Saturn for 6 months now and can only say you have made a good choice. Looked at the Apollo and the Saturn was so much more musical, open and much wider/deeper sound stage. The up grades on the 35 Aniversary model can only have moved it in the direction of the Saturn. I love listening to the Saturn and certainly a wonderful player to rediscover all the old CD's. Happy listening
Lloyd Posted March 25, 2009 Posted March 25, 2009 Hi Victor. That is indeed a nice CDP. Having put up with very el cheapo CDPs for as long as I can remember (and they served their purpose well) I did what abev did and got a Rega Saturn, which maybe cost a few hundred bucks more than your Apollo SE. I have nothing to grumble about. I am sure that the difference would not be sonically noticeable, although I may be wrong - it is splitting hairs. From my reading of every review at the time of getting the Saturn 12 months ago, the original Apollo was a very fine CDP. Yes, Rega got into the scene only quite late, as I think that they are perfectionists and probably baulked at anything non analogue. What attracted me to Rega CDPs, amongst other things, is their claim that they run in Class A, and use superior bit technology compared with other mass made CDPs. Without learning more, this has probably been incorporated into Apollo SE, so there is probably no difference to the Saturn. Enjoy the music! Have the guys at Rega got an infatuation with outer space or what?
vmhf Posted March 25, 2009 Author Posted March 25, 2009 I was getting a little worried there that I would be the first person on SNA to start a thread that actually ended on its own thread! In my younger days I was a bit of a Star Trek fan and many people who see the cd player say it looks like the Enterprise on top! Definitely a statement player that deserves top mounting in any system. I should of mentioned that I had a listen to the Saturn as well albeit in a different setup at HIFI Trader so couldn't do an A/B comparison with the Apollo SE. I am sure the manager would of arranged it if I requested but my budget only allowed for the Apollo SE anyway. From my brief encounter with the Saturn it seemed to have more resolution and had more presense again compared to the Apollo SE. I am definitely a Rega fan now! Does anyone out there have Rega amplification with their Rega CD players? At the expense of going into debt again I was thinking of getting the Rega Mira 3 to complement my new cd player. The pair sounded great in the showroom with the Rega R1 bookshelves but at home could be a different story as I have experienced before. One of the things I love about a top loader is to be able to quickly open the top and remove the cd even when the player is turned off. I don't think I will go back to a tray again. My friend's Naim CDx has a pretty cool tray opening mechanism as well but not as nifty as the Regas! Cheers everyone.
just2ch Posted March 25, 2009 Posted March 25, 2009 Good choice on the Rega player. I used to own the Planet 2000 and the Saturn. The Planet 2000 was warmer and its sound was a bit rounded, seemed like the frequency extremes were truncated. This created a sense of the notes being quicker and the player having good PRAT. The 2000 was well suited for electronic/synthesized music due to this reason and it also had great bass. The 2000's sound was definately not 'hi-end' but it was very musical and easy on the ears, no trace of digital harshness. The Saturn had a completely different sound, much more detailed yet sweet. It could dig deep into the recordings and the sound was pretty much 3D. The bass was deep and very tuneful. I would say that the sound could certainly meet 'hi-end standards'. The Saturn was definately a better player but not neccessarily more enjoyable. Another thing that I like about Rega players is their no-frills approach in build quality, simple casework and no fancy RCA sockets or balance outs. Design philosophy and inside components are what it counts. I could live with any Rega player and my next player will be a Rega. Happy listening.
mazco Posted April 16, 2009 Posted April 16, 2009 Hi VMHF ! congratulations on getting the special edition Apollo ! I have the standard Apollo which I bought with me from the UK when I moved to Melbourne in 2007. Its a truly great player and the only one on my shortlist with a Naim CD5i (original version) - to my ears and the dealer's it wiped the floor with the Naim sonically no question, and was also substantially cheaper 450GBP against 795GBP. I did however much prefer the sound of the Naim Nait 5i with the Apollo than the matching Rega amp so consequently bought the Nait. I didn't bring the Nait 5i with me so am now using a Cayin A 55T valve amp bought in Melbourne with the Apollo and together they work very nicely. I doubt I will ever sell my Apollo as I suspect it will become a much sought after future classic. kind regards M.
josh0571 Posted April 16, 2009 Posted April 16, 2009 The true test would be how it would sound in my home setup with Krell components and ATC speakers. Cheers everyone,Victor. Victor Off-topic, but which model ATC speakers did you have and were you running them through the Krell amps? Cheers:) Josh
Ralph Posted April 16, 2009 Posted April 16, 2009 This is my first Rega CD player and I would love to hear the thoughts of others with their Rega CD players of past and present. Upon reading a little of Rega's history it appears they ventured very late in the CD player arena. I am sure their turntables must be king though. Cheers everyone, Victor. Good choice - I have a Rega Planet and it is very musical. The only drawbacks I have found is that it is very sensitive to dirty / scratched discs, and also sensitive to external vibrations. I currently use it with a Bel Canto DAC2, which only makes a very small difference in sound quality. I have heard the Apollo and Jupiter and they are superb players adding details without loosing the musicality. If only my funds are healthier... RalphH
vmhf Posted April 16, 2009 Author Posted April 16, 2009 Thanks for reviving this thread guys. I truly think Rega make some special players that stand out from the crowd visually and sonically. My two other cd players are a Musical Fidelity A5 and a McIntosh MCD 205. Each over twice the price of my newly acquired Rega Apollo SE. I am listening mainly to the Rega now with the others gathering a bit of dust! The ATC speakers I have are a pair of scm19s that are a bit room dominating in size. Beautifully transparent, honest sound but recently replaced with the Mark and Daniel Maximus Sapphires I have been raving about in another thread. The Sapphires provide a much more exciting listen as it has floorstander scale of sound from a tiny standmount design. The amp combo are a dynamic sounding Krell KAV 280p preamp and KAV 2250 poweramp. I need this muscle to power the relatively inefficient Sapphire speakers but it is worth it. Cheers guys and happy listening. Victor.
k371n Posted April 16, 2009 Posted April 16, 2009 I still use the facelifted Planet 2000. And I concur re: its musicality, well according to my ears. Wow, it's npw a ~7 year old unit! Anyway, I would love the chance to put these units, ie. Planet, Apollo and Jupiter, together for a listen. cheers + enjoy your new Apollo SE k_
My Rantz Posted April 19, 2009 Posted April 19, 2009 I recently purchased a Rega Apollo SE and it surpasses both the standard Apollo and the Naim CD5i (not the MK2 model I haven't heard it), the latter I purchased as it sounded a little better than the std Apollo I had. Don't get me wrong, I really liked what both those players did, but the SE does it all just that much better. Dead silence, space around instruments, great detail and very pacey. It can really sort the muisc into a very cohesive, enjoyable sound. I actually brought home a Cary CDP1 first which retails here for $3800 (now) but while it did many things very well, I found the low end bass lost a bit of control. Perhaps slightly more dynamic than the SE but not as enjoyable. I did not audition a Saturn as there were none in stock at time. Just as well, as I saved a bundle and I'm more than happy with the SE. My dealer says the SE is closer to the Saturn than it is to the Apollo - I don't know, but it wouldn't surpise me.
vmhf Posted April 20, 2009 Author Posted April 20, 2009 I recently purchased a Rega Apollo SE and it surpasses both the standard Apollo and the Naim CD5i (not the MK2 model I haven't heard it), the latter I purchased as it sounded a little better than the std Apollo I had. Don't get me wrong, I really liked what both those players did, but the SE does it all just that much better. Dead silence, space around instruments, great detail and very pacey. It can really sort the muisc into a very cohesive, enjoyable sound. I actually brought home a Cary CDP1 first which retails here for $3800 (now) but while it did many things very well, I found the low end bass lost a bit of control. Perhaps slightly more dynamic than the SE but not as enjoyable.I did not audition a Saturn as there were none in stock at time. Just as well, as I saved a bundle and I'm more than happy with the SE. My dealer says the SE is closer to the Saturn than it is to the Apollo - I don't know, but it wouldn't surpise me. Great to hear another SNA with the Apollo SE. There can't be too many in Australia as Rega only released 500 units worldwide. I listened to the Saturn in another setup so could not accurately compare the 2 players but ultimately bought the Apollo SE because of its limited run and of course very musical sound. Plus a saving of over $1000 for more wine! Nothing like relaxing after a hard day at the office listening to some music with a glass of red. My friend has the Naim CD5i which is also a class player. I have listened to it extensively on his full Naim rig. It has a perhaps snappier sound with slightly better rythme (what Naim is famous for I believe) but I preferred the Apollo's sound for some reason. I would probably lose the puck required to hold the disc down in the Naim! On another note I have foregone the purchase of a Rega Mira to complement the Apollo but instead went for a Naim Nait 5i 2. The dealer offered me a great price for the last demo unit I couldn't resist. This is my first foray into Naim gear but the results with the Apollo so far are superb. Earlier in this thread another SNA mentioned this combo so I took his advice literally. In the past I have always strayed away from Naim due to the inflexibility of component and cable mixing. The new Nait 5i has been designed for newcomers to the brand with heaps of flexibility. I fear a full system overhaul to Naim may be iminent in the future. Thankyou Mr Rudd for the new amp or part of it at least!
Orpheus Posted April 20, 2009 Posted April 20, 2009 What attracted me to Rega CDPs, amongst other things, is their claim that they run in Class A, and use superior bit technology compared with other mass made CDPs. Without learning more, this has probably been incorporated into Apollo SE, so there is probably no difference to the Saturn. I am the last person qualified to try and run any technical argument (I tend to ignore these arguments, and just listen to the product), but wouldn't most CD players run in class A? After all, all they have to do is produce a 2mv current. Could those who actually know what they're talking about confirm that the fact that a CD player runs in class A doesn't take the CD player out of the ordinary?
My Rantz Posted April 20, 2009 Posted April 20, 2009 I am the last person qualified to try and run any technical argument (I tend to ignore these arguments, and just listen to the product), but wouldn't most CD players run in class A? After all, all they have to do is produce a 2mv current.Could those who actually know what they're talking about confirm that the fact that a CD player runs in class A doesn't take the CD player out of the ordinary? Orpheus, I think you are correct, it's not out of the ordinary, though, not being a techi myself, I don't know if this is pertains to CDP's generally. VMHF, once bitten by the Naim bug, it is difficult to shy away from. I found the Apollo SE was a little better in the trebles as well as in the PRaT department than our CD5i even though that's what it is renowned for. But, my amp could be the reason - a Musical Fidelity A5. Had I Naim amplification I sure I would have upgraded within the same brand. And yes, my wife and I enjoy a nice red or three with our music also. Cheers
aston63 Posted March 28, 2010 Posted March 28, 2010 The Rega Apollo 35th is a great cd player, I am very lucky to own one and love it even though I had to return mine to be fixed by Rega, there was a loud transformer hum coming from the back of the case, have got it hooked up to a Naim Nait XS, Proac studio 110 speakers connected via Atlas 2.0 cable. the reason I got the XS was when I went to demo an amp to go with the Apollo, I was told the Naim amps go well with tha Apollo,I was going to go for the Naim 5i but the sales guy recommended I listen to the XS the difference was amazing, the clarity and punch of the XS made the 5i sound like poor relation !! which doesn't do the 5i justice, it's just that the XS is so good but £500 more expensive so I saved up and don't regret it, this setup will last me for years
vmhf Posted April 2, 2010 Author Posted April 2, 2010 Hi Aston63. People from the UK really love their own gear and I don't blame them! We are part of an exclusive club of only 500 Rega Apollo SE owners worldwide. I have moved onto more exotic spinners and had thoughts of selling the Rega but realised it was worth keeping for its limited run. The only problem I have found with my little Rega is that it is sometimes a little fussy with scratched discs. But that is my fault, not the player's!
Bunyip Posted April 2, 2010 Posted April 2, 2010 (edited) Jolly*glad*this*thread*has*been*revived. I bought my first Rega back in 1998, the Planet had just been released. Loved the sound and I must say as a turntable guy, I was smitten by the idea of a toploader. Built like a tank too. Some may be familiar with my tale of woe concerning this player, and it's slow sad demise once I moved back to Australia and has it converted to Australian voltage. It was never the same, skipping and stopping playing until I had to consign it to the great CD player graveyard in the sky. A sad day for me - I really had a soft spot for that player. :nana However I did realise I now had a genuine excuse to upgrade, always a reason to get excited. I contemplated the Apollo SE as a replacement - *Auditioning speakers I did find the Apollo > Cayin A-55TP > PMC was a delight to my ears - but was also interested in the idea of a CD5i.* *In the end I wound up getting both secon hand at very good prices. Seeing how much you guys love your SE I am feeling a bit rueful that I didn't get it. I am currently running the Naim on my main system and the Apollo in the living room. My theory is I am going to run my PMCs in and get to know it with the Naim. Then swap it out with the Apollo and see what the differences are. Then I'll either pop the naim back on or sell them both and get a SE or Saturn. Either way, it's good to see my Rega brothers here. Edited April 2, 2010 by Bunyip
mikey d Posted April 3, 2010 Posted April 3, 2010 I am a Saturn owner. Picked up a demo model on ebay for $2,000. Couldn't be happier. Would take a serious DAC to improve things. Can't wait to put my planer 2 back together, with modded RB250 arm & retipped Garrot Bros Supex 901 Super MC cart, & do a a/b session. I suspect the turntable will flog it. Don't know about the amps & speakers though. I'm sure they're good but they won't beat what I already run. Try a really good power cord with the Saturn. I've tried about 10 & was sticking with a Voodoo Cables Gold Dragon but a Kubala Sosna Fascination cord does amazing things to the humble little Rega. Huge 3dimensional soundstage, black silences & immaculate detail retrieval. But I reckon the Rega took months to fully burn in. Makes me wonder how listening to brand new gear can really give an accurate impression. The Saturn sounded truly aweful out of the box. I thought I had made a huge mistake. Absolutely no bass, brittle top end & thin 2dimensional sound. I left it running on repeat for weeks before things opened up. Enjoy the SE, I'm sure it sounds very, very sweet.
vmhf Posted April 3, 2010 Author Posted April 3, 2010 From what I hear Bunyip, Rega prices have recently dropped. I would be getting the Saturn over the Rega Apollo SE as I have compared the two. The Saturn has a more dynamic yet more refined sound. At the time of purchase the Apollo SE was around $2200 which was $1000 less than the recently released Saturn. I think a brand new Saturn is less than $2500 now. Definitely worth investigating. I might check it out myself. Mikey d I will try some different powercords on my Apollo SE and see what sort of improvements I can get. Thanks for mentioning your experiences. Some people I know obssess over power cords and spend almost as much as their gear on them. I am using standard level Furutech power cords throughout my system. Would a Nordost Oden $7000 power cord yield any improvements to the sound I wonder!
mikey d Posted April 4, 2010 Posted April 4, 2010 I'm sure the Oden would make a beautiful noise but whoa! What else would 7K get you? I've been lucky to get my hands on some amazing diy cables, wires & cords from a guy that changes his gear often. I wouldn't change the diy IC's & speaker wires but he has handed down some quality power cords that do bring out different characteristics of the components. It can get ridiculous I know but hey, it is fun swapping things around. I'm sure the Furutech cords are excellent. Also found that the Rega really liked the Chord Company Power Cord too & that has come down in price lately too.
vmhf Posted April 4, 2010 Author Posted April 4, 2010 I was at Pymble HIFI a few weekends ago listening to the great Legacy Focus SE floorstanders connected to Moon Evolution gear. The owner and manager were both there during my audition and we had great fun trying out different power cords, speaker cables and interconnects. I must say the Legacy Focus SE is one of the best floorstanders for around the $15k mark I have heard. Speaker cables were Nordost Valhalla that cost as much as the speakers! Power cords being Cardas Golden Ref, Shunyata and Nordost Oden. Changing the power cords around in the source altered the sound significanly we found. I have forgotten the order of cable changes now but recall one power cable added more detail and air to the music whilst another a deeper, punchier bass. Whilst another added a warmer, rounder sound. There was no doubt about it that power cords can effect the sound significantly. Perhaps with less transparent gear the differences would be negligible.
mikey d Posted April 4, 2010 Posted April 4, 2010 Wow, that would have been fun. What gear did you bring home? All of it? LOL!
vmhf Posted April 4, 2010 Author Posted April 4, 2010 Yes, great fun until you see the invoice for all the goods taken home! For the first time in ages I walked out of a hifi store with nothing but a smile on my face! Kudos to Pymble HIFI.
Bunyip Posted April 4, 2010 Posted April 4, 2010 Hi VMHF !congratulations on getting the special edition Apollo ! I have the standard Apollo which I bought with me from the UK when I moved to Melbourne in 2007. Its a truly great player and the only one on my shortlist with a Naim CD5i (original version) - to my ears and the dealer's it wiped the floor with the Naim sonically no question, and was also substantially cheaper 450GBP against 795GBP. I did however much prefer the sound of the Naim Nait 5i with the Apollo than the matching Rega amp so consequently bought the Nait. I didn't bring the Nait 5i with me so am now using a Cayin A 55T valve amp bought in Melbourne with the Apollo and together they work very nicely. I doubt I will ever sell my Apollo as I suspect it will become a much sought after future classic. kind regards M. Hey mazco, interesting to see someone else with an Apollo and cayin a-55tp. And I totally agree with you, they are a terrific pairing. Rounded out perfectly, in my case, with pmc gb1is.
My Rantz Posted April 23, 2010 Posted April 23, 2010 Haven't been around here for a while. Have had some upgrades since my last visit. When my Rega dealer had a Saturn in stock, I decided to have a listen and bought it. I got a full refund for my Apollo SE and have not regretted the decision at all. I love the Saturn especially since I have upgraded quite a few components which has done wonders for my music. I recently put the Saturn and Rogue pre-amp on 25mm MDF boards with rubber cones tipped with 8mm ball bearings. This was well worth the effort in bringing out more very fine detail. Previously, if I can use this analogy, the older system allowed to me to see the trees through the forest. Now it's like I can see each individual tree in that forest. I believe it's due to the combination of the amps and cdp, but the most beneficial addition is the Rogue valve pre-amp. Happy listening folks.
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