Rega io £379
Rega’s curiously named io almost certainly gains its moniker in a nod to the familial link with its big brother, the excellent Rega Brio. It’s not far off half its price or half its performance – and so, quite reasonably, it has half its name.
The 30W-per-channel, entry-level io is instantly recognisable as a descendant of the Brio. In fact, we could repeat the same words we used in our Brio review, including “incredible sense of rhythm, punchy dynamics; agility, detail and fun”.
Play Drake’s Money In The Grave, and the io’s natural sense of momentum comes to the fore, driving that dominant bassline forward. The rap vocal has the transparency, richness and clarity that demands it be taken note of, while the amplifier’s innate musicality captures the rhythmic chimes that hold it all together.
It may not have the sonic sophistication of its big brother, nor indeed that of the Marantz PM6007 you see below, but its directness buoyancy make for a truly compelling listen.
To pack such a performance into this price point, Rega has, as with all its amplifiers, stuck with analogue-only connections. The io sports two line-level inputs and a moving-magnet phono input, so you can hook up a turntable as well as a couple of other components. A 3.5mm headphone jack completes the io’s fairly modest connectivity list.
The compact, half-width aluminium chassis looks austere but feels well built, and the same goes for the satisfyingly simple remote control.
While this amp might not be as versatile as the all-inclusive Marantz PM6007, those who are happy with a simple, no-fuss, purely analogue amplifier and who prioritise entertainment should arguably consider the io their number-one choice.