Rega Fono MM MK3 Phono Stage Black

Product Information

Rega has once again succeeded in all it set out to do. That Award-winning sound of the MK2 oozes through our speakers, yet with the lowered noise floor offering more clarity and expanding the horizons of its dynamic range.

Rega Fono mm mk3 vs mk5 | AVForums Rega Fono mm mk3 vs mk5 | AVForums

There is a compromise here, though. With all this focus on clarity and detail, the iFi loses a little of the rhythmic and dynamic sense we’d expect from a five-star product. While the texture and timbre of an instrument is interesting in itself, it needs timing and expression to be music. If you compare the Elys and the 2M they are quite different in frequency response. The Elys is a bit darker sounding:

At least not for sound quality alone. But there might be a specific sound character (color) you prefer that require you to look outside the Rega product range. For instance towards tube phono preamps.

Phono Amplifier From Moon - The Audiophile Man 110LP v2 Phono Amplifier From Moon - The Audiophile Man

Take the Rega Fono MM as an example of such a conundrum. Since the MK2 version received a What Hi-Fi? Award it has had plenty of competition, but none sufficient to relieve it of its crown. The Phono Signature on its own sounds refined and smooth with plenty of bite when required, but adding the updated PSX-R2 power supply takes sound quality to another plane altogether. The scale is even bigger, bass gains more authority, and the precise positions of the performers and instruments in the beautifully layered sound stage are laid bare. The insightful delivery squeezes the very last drop of emotion from a recording.Leaving your phono preamp on isn’t a problem. Besides, most high-end phono stages don’t come with a power switch because manufacturers always saw the need for constant powering. 3) Should You Plug In Your Preamp?

Rega Fono MM MK3 review | What Hi-Fi?

A phono preamp, phono stage, or turntable preamp is an audio element for amplifying the signal from a turntable. This way, you can easily connect it to a modern sound system like an MP3 or CD player. Nonetheless, high-end models have a different type of output since they pay more attention to preamplification. Portability Take the Rega Fono MM as an example of said conundrum. Since the MK2 version received a What Hi-Fi? Award, it has had plenty of competition, but none sufficient to relieve it of its crown. Even now, that incarnation remains one of the finest phono stages available for the money. But why would we. when we could continue to bask in this machine’s bold, powerful strokes, tempered by that confident yet delicate handling of timing and dynamics Rega has for so long mastered in its turntables and amplifiers?I'm running KEFs which are pretty wayward when it comes to bass (bungs provided as standard), with the Fono the bass has no presence. Another oldie but still a goodie, the Gram Amp 2 holds its own nearly a decade after first coming on the scene. And you can see why - simplicity is the name of the game here, an approach that ages remarkably well. It's a moving-magnet phono stage with one set of inputs, one output, no bells or whistles. Obviously everyone will have different kit, which will sound different with these amps, and different ears, and tastes, so it's tough to make a solid choice on other people's opinions but in a nutshell, this is what I'd say to those considering these amps: