Rega Brio
Image credit: Rega
T his sixth-generation Rega Brio (the original launched in 1991) replaced one of our favourite budget amps, the Award-winning Brio-R. The Brio remains an analogue-only amp, but this version also has a headphone socket. Crucially, it sounds terrific – and every bit as exciting as its predecessor.
Everything we loved about the Brio-R is here: its sense of rhythm, the punchy dynamics; the agility, detail and fun. The Brio takes all of those qualities and hones them even more finely. As a result the sound it produces is clearer, more detailed and more muscular.
One issue with the Brio-R was that its lean character meant it had an excitable treble that needed careful matching with the rest of your kit. That leanness has been filled out, making the Brio more forgiving than its predecessor when it comes to pairing. It has a fuller, richer sound that has a gorgeous solidity running through every note.