What a faux pas.

I started penning this blog back in March, feeling rather pleased with myself. Rega has a habit of choosing names that sound as though they have some deeper meaning behind them, so when I first heard about the AOS, I somehow convinced myself it was actually called the EOS.

That sent me down a rabbit hole of mythology. Eos was the Greek goddess of dawn, rising each morning to bring light and disperse the night. Then there was Eostre, the Germanic goddess associated with spring, renewal and longer days. It all seemed rather fitting for a product that promised to breathe new life into a vinyl system.

Then I looked at the product name again.

It's AOS, not EOS.

So, please ignore my carefully constructed mythology lesson and welcome to this month's blog.

Rega's Spiel

The AOS is a dedicated, no-compromise, fully adjustable moving coil phono stage using a circuit design based heavily on the Rega Aura reference MC phono stage. Comparing the specifications, two of the three stages are shared between the Aura and AOS, albeit with different components.

Housed in a half-width, fully aluminium case, much like its Aria predecessor, the enclosure screens the internal circuitry from stray RFI signals. The AOS is designed to work with a wide range of moving coil cartridges, offering plenty of gain for low-output MCs and excellent loading adjustability, making it the perfect partner for whichever moving coil cartridge you choose.

Unlike the outgoing Aria, the AOS is MC-only, with no moving magnet input. I suspect this means a dedicated MM model may be on the way to complement the new Nd cartridges.

The AOS utilises parallel-connected, low-noise FETs (Field Effect Transistors) configured as a compound pair. The use of FET transistors ensures there is no bias current flowing in the cartridge coil, preventing any disturbance to the delicate magnetic geometry of the cartridge.

Via DIP switches on the rear panel, the MC input allows resistive loading adjustment from 70Ω to 400Ω and capacitive loading from 1,000pF to 4,300pF. Input sensitivity can also be adjusted by 6dB, and there is an automatic standby function when no signal is detected.

The Setup

Turntables

Rega Planar 10 with Apheta 3
Linn Akurate LP12 (Arko arm, Krystal cartridge, Lingo 4)

Phono Stages

Rega AOS
Rega Aura
Rega Fono MC

Preamplifiers

Naim Atom HE
Naim NSC 222
Rega Mercury

Power Amplifier

Rega Solis

Integrated Amplifier

Sugden A21SE

Speakers

ATC SCM40A
ATC SCM100A

Phono stages are tricky things. Along with cartridges, they are among the most difficult components in a Hi-Fi system to evaluate. Determining whether the sound is different is usually straightforward. Determining whether it is genuinely better can be another matter entirely.

Speak to some of the true analogue Hi-Fi crate-digging vinyl aficionados, and they'll happily tell you which turntable, arm, cartridge and phono stage combination works best with a particular pressing.

For most of us mere mortals, however, we simply want to set everything up, enjoy our records and get on with listening to music.

For us at Audio T, the question is slightly different. We need to know how well a component plays with others. Is it flexible enough to work across a range of systems, or is it going to punch you in the face and steal your lunch money? Hence the rather extensive list of equipment used to evaluate the Rega AOS.

The Listening

I think there is a level of class that any vinyl playback system needs to achieve. Old and less-than-perfect pressings are often the best test of this. Fundamentally, the resolving power of a system should never get in the way of the music. Great recordings should sound spectacular, but average recordings should still remain engaging and enjoyable.

Vinyl Used

To Kill a Mockingbird – Elmer Bernstein
The Stunt Man – Dominic Frontiere
Bonny Light Horseman – Bonny Light Horseman
Exodus – Bob Marley & The Wailers
Blue Note Re
Houses of the Holy – Led Zeppelin
The Reprise Years – Frank Sinatra
We Out Here – Various Artists
To Pimp a Butterfly – Kendrick Lamar

Beginning with the Naim Atom HE and ATC SCM 40A active speakers, switching between the Rega AOS, Aura and Fono MC, the biggest jump in performance was between the Fono MC and the AOS.

The AOS brought a noticeable improvement in soundstage depth and scale, allowing recordings to breathe more naturally. What was perhaps more surprising was just how close the Aura remained to the AOS in this setup.

Moving to the Naim NSC 222, some daylight began to appear between the two. Bass texture on Exodus became more apparent through the Aura, while instrument separation and spatial presentation on The Stunt Man soundtrack gained further clarity, width and depth.

Stepping up again to the Rega Mercury and Solis driving the larger ATC speakers, the Aura really began to justify its flagship status. This wasn't necessarily dependent on the turntable itself. If anything, switching between the Planar 10 and the Linn LP12 highlighted the differences even more clearly.

What remained impressive throughout was just how composed and capable the AOS sounded. It never felt out of its depth, never embarrassed itself and consistently delivered a highly engaging performance regardless of the partnering equipment.

The further up the system hierarchy you moved, the more advantages the Aura revealed. Yet at every stage, the AOS remained remarkably competitive.

The Summary

The Rega AOS is surprisingly — or perhaps worryingly — close to the Aura.

Given that it shares two of the three core stages found in Rega's reference phono stage, this should perhaps come as no surprise, even if different component choices have been made to achieve a more accessible price point.

Where the Aura ultimately pulls away is when the rest of the system reaches genuine reference-level territory. In those circumstances, the additional refinement, resolution and authority become increasingly apparent.

However, Rega has once again performed its familiar trick of producing a component that appears to outperform expectations for its price. The sheer enjoyment offered by the AOS should not be underestimated.

Here at Audio T, our staff have experience with a wide range of equipment and can help find the best combination to suit both your system and your budget. As always, listening before buying remains the best advice we can give.

Paul, Justin & Max - Audio T Bristol

If you have any questions about the Rega AOS, or any other Hi-Fi or home cinema enquiries, be sure to Contact Us.

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