Rega Elicit-R Integrated Amplifier

Here we have a very nice integrated amplifier from British analogue specialists Rega. The Elicit-R includes a moving magnet phono stage which if not required can be switched to a simple line level input. Our example is in good condition with a couple of small blemishes on the fascia, and comes with remote control, manual, mains cable and our regular three month warranty.
Rega Say….
The Elicit-R is built to the highest standard and designed to deliver the best possible audio performance whilst remaining simple to use and easy to setup.
Our recent development work in amplifier design circuitry has allowed us to further advance the Elicit-R performance by using new and improved power amplifier circuits (based around the hugely successful Rega Brio-R amplifier) combined with FET II discrete line pre-amplifiers and a programmable stepped attenuator volume control.
The Elicit-R includes a high quality, built in, moving magnet phono stage which can be switched off by the user if so required. A simple switch on the rear panel switches to a secondary input socket at line level. This socket can be used with any line level product; however, the circuit has dedicated isolation making it ideal for an external phono stage such as the Rega Aria MM/MC.
These features coupled with Polypropylene capacitors (used throughout the signal path), improved power supplies, increased output power to 100 Watts per channel, all housed in a brand new custom Rega designed case, combine to give the best performance Elicit to date.
Our time, effort & money has been spent on developing the circuit and construction, utilizing the highest specification of components throughout. As part of the design, we have included useful features such as the switchable phono input, to enable the new Elicit-R amplifier to be used in a wide combination of systems and have avoided superfluous gadgets such as tone controls or a headphone socket as they can obstruct the signal path and degrade the sound quality.
The Elicit-R amplifier further advances the performance of the Elicit II by combining the Brio-R power amplifier circuit, the Elicit II FET discrete line pre-amplifier circuit and a stepped attenuator volume control. Improvements have also been made to the Brio-R power amplifier circuit which includes better power supplies and an increase in the output power to 100Watts per channel.
The Elicit-R has been built to Rega’s high standards of reliability and quality to ensure many years of musical enjoyment. The primary function of an amplifier is to boost and equalize the low level signal generated by a phono cartridge, CD player or other source component to a level that can drive the loudspeakers. It is vital that the amplifier achieves this whilst minimising distortion, as this would directly affect the music.
A few extravagantly priced, exotic, high-end amplifiers have used volume controls with a few dozen switched resistors to alter volume levels. The Elicit-R uses a custom chip which contains 1024 resistors which alter volume and simultaneously retain correct input impedance. Only the resistors operate in the audio/music circuit. The programmed control and volume encoder are entirely separate, so the analogue music quality is not affected.
The output amplifier used in the Elicit-R and Brio-R was born after extensive research by our engineers to develop a low source impedance emitter follower Class-A driver stage. This is based around a complementary pair of 150w Sanken Darlington output transistors. The technical and sonic improvement gained by the use of low impedance drivers is well known, however, it can feature high standing currents in the driver stage when using standard transistor configurations. By combining the low impedance driver with the Sanken Darlington transistors (with their imbedded thermal bias network running at a lower standing current), this combination forms a complementary emitter follower emulating Class-A conditions with good thermal stability and lower standing currents in the driver stage.
Specifications:
Power output: 105 watts per channel into 8 Ω (stereo)
Frequency response: 10 Hz to 85 kHz
Total harmonic distortion: 0.01%
Input sensitivity: 2 mV (MM), 196 mV (line)
Output: 196 mV (line), 0.76 V (Pre out)
Speaker load impedance: 4 Ω (minimum)
Dimensions: 432 (W) x 340 (D) x 82 (H) mm
Weight: 13.0 kg

For a review from What Hi-Fi? magazine please click here