****** - Verified Buyer
4.5
Pairing the REGA mc cartridge with the REGA phono preamp was the way to go. There are a lot of preamps to choose from at all kinds of prices but this was the one I ‘d be assured of.For several years, I used a Pro-Ject Tube Box S with a modified Rega P3. When I updated the cartridge to the Rega Ania, I began to wonder whether the Rega Fono MC phono preamp, which is especially designed for Rega MC cartridges, would make a perceptible difference. Consequently, I bought one to audition. The difference was immediately recognizable. Indeed, the Fono MC passed one of the most significant audiophile tests--after just a few seconds of music, my wife said, "That sounds better!" And it did!! The Pro-Ject is a good phono preamp; however, the Rega Fono MC just opens up the cartridge, adding detail, fullness, and instrumental differentiation that extends the sonic range in all genres of music. My son is now enjoying the Pro-Ject in his system, and I am definitely enjoying the Rega in mine!I recently moved to a MC cartridge (Rega Ania on a Rega P6) from a MM and lost so much gain that it was actually a step back for my system in terms of listening enjoyment. After some research, I chose to get this phono stage as it was designed with the Rega MC carts in mind. I have to say it's been transformative for my system. I am now getting all of the detail and beauty I expected from my MC cart. I now have a black and silent sound stage, and a HUGE increase in gain. High recommended if you have a Rega MC cart. Keep in mind that you'll need interconnects to attach this to your system, and the better the cable, the better the sound. Consider cables that as high quality as you can afford to get the most from this unit.This phonohraph pre-amplifier received great reviews in the articles I read before purchasing it. After setting it up and using it for several months I totally agree with the high ratings it received. The Rega Fono MC sound output is outstanding. The great sound and the reasonable price make this a very good value. I highly recommend purchasing this phono pre-amp especially if you have a moving coil cartridge.Bought a Rega p8. After trying my existing pre amp, I plugged this one in and realized a major difference. Especially in volume. Th.ey match well with rega cartridges as well. Worth the additional investment. I cannot speak of use with other tts or cartsThis MC phono stage preamp boosts the signal from an MC cartridge to line level. My only complaint is noise (hiss) when the volume is turned up (1 o'clock) with nothing playing. The hiss is not audible while an L/P is being played.It just sounds great! My first phono pre amp that didn't come inside a receiver or mixer, and what a sound! I have it on a P3 with a Denon DL 301 mk II. Really very nice combo. I don't have a lot of others to compare it to (or any) but I know this, it works by not working. It just disappears into the system and does it's job solidly and invisibly. It was more expensive than I would typically spend on such a thing but totally worth it.I bought the Rega as an upgrade from a budget XPS-1 phono for my ATF7 cart. I paired the Rega Fono MC with a Swagman Labs LPS. The sound is exquisite and detailed without sounding mechanical, it’s musical sounding and addicting. I can’t imaging ever wanting another pre-amp. My goal was for my vinyl collection to sound better than my subscription based UHD music channels. I’ve accomplished this goal by a significant amount with adding the Rega fono MC to my setup.The special, $75 wall wart this unit requires broke after four months of use. Rega currently lacks a Canadian distributor, making warranty service a real pain. The preamp itself sounds fine for the price but avoid this product until Rega can fix its quality control and distribution!
