How Good is the Rega Aura Phono Stage Vs Higher End Phono Stages

Bonesy Jonesy

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Hi All,
I have been the proud owner of a Kuzma XL DC with Kuzma 4Point 11" fitted with a My Sonic Lab Eminent EX cartridge over the last 4+ weeks.

I have been enjoying playing a lot of my vinyl since owning the Kuzma set-up as it sounds great especially through my TOTL Headphone System (Hifiman EF1000 Amp with Suvara Headphones) and is a huge step up from my Rega P10 with Apheta 3 (which had a number of issues when using my headphone system i.e. high motor hum, lots of ticks and pops and high record surface noise - even though I clean all my vinyl with a Keith Monks Classic RCM).

My Kuzma turntable set-up is connected to my Rega Aura Phonostage (which I bought with the Rega P10 back in May 2021).

I am now wondering if I should sell the Rega Aura in exchange for a much higher end Phono Stage to complement my Kuzma set-up ?

The problem I have is I don't know how good the Rega Aura is against other headphones both in similar and higher price brackets as little is written on the internet of the Aura vs 'a another phono stage' although there are plenty of detailed reviews on the Aura itself.

Has anybody had a Rega Aura in the past and have upgraded to a higher end Phono Stage and if so, what was it ?, and were the improvements good enough for the additional expenditure outlay ?
 

AMR / iFi audio

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Aug 21, 2019
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Hi All,
I have been the proud owner of a Kuzma XL DC with Kuzma 4Point 11" fitted with a My Sonic Lab Eminent EX cartridge over the last 4+ weeks.

I have been enjoying playing a lot of my vinyl since owning the Kuzma set-up as it sounds great especially through my TOTL Headphone System (Hifiman EF1000 Amp with Suvara Headphones) and is a huge step up from my Rega P10 with Apheta 3 (which had a number of issues when using my headphone system i.e. high motor hum, lots of ticks and pops and high record surface noise - even though I clean all my vinyl with a Keith Monks Classic RCM).

My Kuzma turntable set-up is connected to my Rega Aura Phonostage (which I bought with the Rega P10 back in May 2021).

I am now wondering if I should sell the Rega Aura in exchange for a much higher end Phono Stage to complement my Kuzma set-up ?

The problem I have is I don't know how good the Rega Aura is against other headphones both in similar and higher price brackets as little is written on the internet of the Aura vs 'a another phono stage' although there are plenty of detailed reviews on the Aura itself.

Has anybody had a Rega Aura in the past and have upgraded to a higher end Phono Stage and if so, what was it ?, and were the improvements good enough for the additional expenditure outlay ?
Most definitely I would try something out. If there won't be much difference, at least you will sleep better, not wondering if it's worth it or not :) I would advise auditioning Phasemation phono stages. They are up there.
 
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Bonesy Jonesy

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Most definitely I would try something out. If there won't be much difference, at least you will sleep better, not wondering if it's worth it or not :) I would advise auditioning Phasemation phono stages. They are up there.
Thank you 'AMR / iFi audio' for your recommendation on the Phasemation phono stages. Much appreciated.
 
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Bonesy Jonesy

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Joined the CH Precision club with buying today a used one owner 2021 CH P1 to replace my Rega Aura that I sold this week.

Hope to receive it hopefully by next weekend via a courier express service as it is coming from overseas to the UK and will need to go through UK custom clearance etc.
 

Bonesy Jonesy

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Jan 3, 2017
677
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Joined the CH Precision club with buying today a used one owner 2021 CH P1 to replace my Rega Aura that I sold this week.

Hope to receive it hopefully by next weekend via a courier express service as it is coming from overseas to the UK and will need to go through UK custom clearance etc.
Been listening to my newly purchased CH P1 the last couple of days albeit not with the X1 Power Supply.

I can now answer my own question i.e. How good is the Rega Aura compared to other TOTL Phono Stages ?

I have my My Sonic Lab Eminent Ex (connected to my Kuzma 4Point 11" which is connected to my Kuzma XL DC TT) connected to MC1 (trans-impedance / current) input on the CH P1.

Set gain at +25dB (highest level), standard RIAA and Subsonic Filter on.

The CH P1 is connected to my TOTL Headphone System (Hifiman EF1000 & Susvara headphones) via single ended RCA cables.

The CH P1 is on another planet compared to the Rega Aura. Everything is massively improved i.e. much higher detail and much more transparency across the complete music frequency spectrum, much more 3D image, much deeper and wider soundstage, and one very important change... a much lower record surface noise and no hum at all.

Over the moon with my CH P1 purchase.

Would love to hear it with the X1 Power Supply and see if I can hear any further improvements with my headphone system, so I must try and get a home demo in the UK or maybe somebody in the UK owns one I can listen to ?

The CH P1 has certainly made me addicted to vinyl now.

My Chord DAVE & Chord Blu Transporter (with built in M Scaler) which also sounds great with my headphone system doesn't even get a look in ! lol

Fo2bWx88Rj6cWmsAoM8S4A.jpg
 
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heihei

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Kudos on the P1. If my experience with the L1 pre-amp is anything to go by, adding an X1 is worth about 20% increase in performance.

Great headphone set-up btw - am pondering Susvara to go with a recently acquired Cavalli amp. Out of interest, where abouts are you based?
 
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Bonesy Jonesy

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Kudos on the P1. If my experience with the L1 pre-amp is anything to go by, adding an X1 is worth about 20% increase in performance.

Great headphone set-up btw - am pondering Susvara to go with a recently acquired Cavalli amp. Out of interest, where abouts are you based?
Hi heihei,
Wow.... 20% increase in performance....sounds like a must listen to then !

Thank you for the reply on my headphone system. Yes, the EF1000 & Susvara is an awesome combination. My UK based small bedroom / listening room is not ideal to listen to music through speakers so I bought a TOTL headphone system to make-up for it. Good thing about headphones is you don't get any room issues regarding to the sound lol

I am based in south Birmingham in the UK (not far from Birmingham Airport).
 

heihei

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Ha I grew up in Coventry, but now live down in Surrey so a bit too far to nip round and borrow your Susvaras to try!
 

Bonesy Jonesy

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Ha I grew up in Coventry, but now live down in Surrey so a bit too far to nip round and borrow your Susvaras to try!
Ooo wow I am also from Coventry lol :). Brought up in Coundon !
 

heihei

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Bonesy Jonesy

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