Price Paid:  $800.00 from Audio d'occasion

Summary:
I bought my Rega Radio tuner in 2001. I'm very satisfied about the performance of this tuner for 2 mains motives. Firstly, it is the only one which is able to reproduce the bass frequecies in its price range. Secondly, it has a soft and warm sound. I compared this tuner with the competition from cambridge, denon and magnum dynalab. The Rega Radio is not afraid by the others in its price category. It is exceptionnal particularly with commercial broadcast (pop song and rock song) because it is softer than the others with these kind of music. I don't regret my purchase. It works very well with the indoor FM antenna ST-2 from Magnum Dynalab and a single silver wire from Radio Shack for the AM section. I recommend this tuner without any shy!

Strengths:
Soft and warm sound.

Weaknesses:
Nothing for the price.

Similar Products Used:
Cambridge audio, Denon and Magnum Dynalab.

Summary:
There are two lines that music can take. Listen to either Hal Galper (jazz) at the Maybeck Recital Hall or the Gene Harris Quartet (It's the Real Soul), both recoded on the Concord Jazz label. All musicians and music are wonderful, yet the sound is what I like to call "the harsh line." Contrast this with a CD from Riverside label of Dick Hyman or Dick Hyman's "Age of Swing" on Reference Recordings. Here you will hear a mellow sound, all the harshness on the previous two recordings gone. This is what the Rega tuner sounds like. Classical stations as well as jazz deliver an unusually smooth, mellow sound. Clear and detailed, yet mellow and sweet. If you like "the mellow line," vs. "the harsh line" that I've talked about here, you will love the tuner. I have heard jazz and classical played on this tuner that is extremely mellow and musical, yet after purchasing the CD have not liked the brightness (harsh line) the CD provides. The tuner actually sounds better than the CD player. You have to be willing to give up a bit of detail, possibly, but the overall musical experience is actually improved. Talk, like from a PBS station, is excellent also.

System components: Sonus Faber Signum speakers with SF stands. Rega IA, Rega CD player and tuner and speaker cables, and Audio Note AN~V interconnects. Interconnects are well worth the investment and contribute to a very musical experience. I believe the tuner sells for $795 and it is surely worth every penny. Thanks to Concert Sound in San Antonio for furnishing the equipment.

Strengths:
Wonderful, mellow sound. Lots of detail.

Weaknesses:
None

Similar Products Used:
Linn Classic. Rotel stereo sytems.