Rega Brio MK VII

The first Rega Brio was released in 1991, and since then each subsequent version has featured a sparse, all-analog design that focuses everything on high-quality sound while incorporating basic functionality. The new version, called the Rega Brio Mk VII, does not deviate from this well-established pattern, but takes changing times into account by adding a pair of digital inputs. However, this has resulted in a slight increase in price that pushes it outside its traditional market niche, putting it in competition with more gifted products, at least on paper.

Rega Brio MK VII: technical description

With the Brio Mk7, Rega has retained the graceful and practical half-width cabinet of the previous generation while adapting the design of the front and rear panels to the style of its current product range. The result is quite neat, however, placing the old 2017 Brio R next to the new one, I cannot help but prefer the metal controls of the old model over the plastic ones of the Brio Mk7. Even more unkempt to me was the rear panel, also made of plastic, which deforms when subjected to the traction (albeit minimal) exerted on it by the wiring.

A further differentiator with past models is the switch from a front-panel mounted 6.3 mm headphone output to a 3.5 mm one; most headphones with a price compatible with that of the Brio MK7 are equipped with this type of connector, so the choice seemed reasonable to me. A note of praise I feel is due to the well-designed and easy-to-use remote control.

The big change from the past is the addition of the two digital inputs. The Rega Brio Mk7 offers a choice between coaxial and optical connections and is compatible with PCM files up to 24 bit/192 kHz, while DSD is not supported. Rega does not specify which chipset was employed but, peeking inside, we saw a Wolfson. More serious in my opinion is the absence of a USB input, which limits pairing with CD players, TVs, etc., leaving out most streamers that often have only a USB output. There are of course exceptions, one of the most popular being the WiiM Ultra which offers coaxial and optical digital outputs, so this might be a good partner for the Rega Brio MK7. It is worth mentioning that one of this Rega’s competitors, the Arcam A5, is not equipped any differently, although it does include a Bluetooth input, which the Brio does not have and, given my idiosyncrasy toward that type of connection, I would add fortunately. Despite its simplicity and affordability, this small amplifier is designed to offer the best possible sound quality, and this is something that Bluetooth does not is capable of providing, being more of a convenience than a quality connection. On the analog side, the Rega Brio MK7 has three unbalanced line inputs, as well as a phono for moving-magnet phono cartridges, which is dutiful in a Rega device that of turntables has always been a proud and capable manufacturer.

Once the top cover is removed we gain access to the interior where we find a PCB designed from scratch to improve performance and reduce distortion. The designer Ashton Wagner, who replaces in this case the famous Terry Bateman author among many others of the Rega Elex MK IV model we tested about a year ago, has done a great job aimed at improving the isolation between the sensitive phono stage and the high current sections of the amplifier. Looking inside we noticed the presence of a thermal protection device to prevent damage in case of overheating and a short-circuit protection . The output power is 50 watts per channel on an 8 ohm load, rising to 72 watts as the impedance is halved. In absolute terms this is not a high value, however, sufficient to ensure that the Brio MK7 will be able to drive most compatible loudspeakers as a price range without fatigue.

Rega has built into this amplifier an automatic standby function, which puts it into sleep mode after about an hour without an input signal. This is a useful detail, which can still be turned off should you wish to keep it warm and ready to use.

In summary, the rega Brio MK7 is a small, functional integrated amplifier designed to accomplish a specific task, namely to sound good, rather than to impress with fancy aesthetics. The strongly positive impression, at least in my case, was there the moment I set out to listen to it. Of that aspect I will say in the continuation of this review.

Listening

I began listening tests of the Rega Brio MK VII using Indiana Line Tesi 6 loudspeakers. These are speakers characterized by an excellent quality/price ratio that I found particularly suitable for this amplifier. As analog source I used the New Horizon 303i turntable with Ortofon 2M Bronze cartridge and as digital source the small LAiV Harmony µDAC, also consistent as to price range. The DAC was connected to the Line inputs of the Brio MK7 via XLR->RCA unbalancers, while the signal was supplied to it by an Audio PC on which runs the AudioLinux operating system connected in USB with a JCat USB XE card. As you can see these are products already tested on our Audio-2G channel.

Mindful of my previous, excellent experience with the Rega Elex MK IV integrated amp, I expected the sound of the little Brio MK7 to retain something of the British manufacturer’s Family Sound. What I didn’t imagine was HOW close it could get to the sound of its big brother. Sure, the power is less, the timbre less structured and the airiness less, yet there remains that unmistakable ability peculiar to every Rega I have ever heard, to “pull you into” the music. Contributing in the case of the amplifier under test is a very solid and deep bass range but, at the same time, agile and precise. This forms a solid foundation on which the midrange and high range can unfold in a credible and engaging way. In particular, I felt that the midrange was extremely rich and articulate, with a florilegium of color that you would not expect from a budget amplifier. But there is another aspect that – in my opinion – constitutes the best card the Brio MK7 has to play: the sense of cohesion and naturalness it manages to impart to the reproduction. This is an aspect of which one realizes from the very first bars: even at low volume the music flows organically, naturally in fact, without harshness and without apparent effort. In this sense, it is hard to believe that we are in the presence of an amplifier of “only” 50 watts, because the pressures it manages to generate and – more than anything else – the ability to handle micro and macro dynamics would suggest something more. It is therefore thanks to such aspects that listening to the most articulate and complex pages of the great symphonies (Mahler, Beethoven, Bruckner, etc.) are represented in a credible and engaging way. I wondered how the Brio MK7 would behave when paired with better performing and even more challenging speakers than the “easy” Indiana Line speakers. So I put in their place the Vivid Kaya S12s thus going to make a system certainly unlikely as to assortment from the price point of view, but absolutely enjoyable to listen to. In this context I was able to appreciate the ability of the small Rega Brio MK7 to exploit to the last the superb ability of the Vivid stand-mounted speakers to recreate complex, layered and articulated soundscapes in the listening space. Finally, a note of merit for the phono input to which I would like to pay a compliment by saying that it fully respects the sonic character of the amplifier, while also managing to be extremely quiet.

Conclusions

Since its debut back in 1991, the Rega Brio has always been an influential presence in the budget segment of amplifiers. Today, now in its seventh iteration, the Brio maintains that characterization. There is no doubt that there are amplifiers on the market with a more assertive sound or more attractive aesthetics. However, I think I can say that very few amplifiers have the musical authority and consistency that the Brio Mk7 exhibits in this price range. The aesthetic presentation may not please, especially with some “style lapses” such as the plastic elements. However, it is a solid product as much in construction as, and more importantly, in sound. A sound that is able to offer high-level musical involvement even in systems that are much more revealing than its natural partners will be. If you are looking for an amplifier that will keep you entertained, regardless of the music you listen to, this is one of the most recommendable options in the 1,000 Euro range.

Giulio Salvioni