Rega have done it again, not content with a new cd player, amp, dac, record players and phonostage over the past couple of years, they have re-visited the Elicit amplifier to see what could be done.

The Elicit R is the result, a heavier beast at 13kg and a fresh new stlye more in keeping with the higher priced Osiris amplifier. It has plenty of inputs including a great internal phonostage on input 1, for those of you that either aren't vinyl users or already have an external phono stage, this input can be made into a line level input by use of a button to the side of the input on the rear of the amp.

It also has a full in/out recording circuit and a direct input which bypasses the pre-amp and volume stage and goes directly to the power amp stage for use in home cinema systems and finally a pre amp output, so any of you out there with the Cursa/Maia combo or perhaps other power amps this could be an opportunity to upgrade your pre amp section.

Like the Brio R it has a new power amp circuit with improved power supplies giving it an increased power output to 100 watts a channel into 8 ohms and we've not yet managed to find a speaker that it doesn't do justice to. It has a new remote with a nice clear lay out for ease of use which can be used to control all the new R size components.

When it comes to performance it more than holds its own against ampilifiers of a similar price and some costing a lot more with its well balanced Rega sound so now we are left waiting, hopefully for not much longer, for its CD stablemate the Saturn R and we're sure that this combo with a pair of Rega RS7 speakers will be a force to be reckoned with.

Treat yourself, bring in a couple of CD's or records and have a listen.

Read the What Hi-Fi? review here.