Phono stage
typical
Among the 44 phono stages in the catalogue, this one is typical.
A band places a component against its peers and carries no price. It is deliberately the only price indicator on this page: a second one, measured against a different set, would narrow the two together far enough to give the figure away.
Two entirely separate phono stages (MM and MC) with their own input sockets and PSUs; relay-switched at high level / low impedance.
Self-adjusting servo control keeps MC input at optimum despite temperature drift. Lifetime warranty.
WhatHiFi 5-star + Hi-Fi Choice 5-star ("Rega Updates Aria"). StereoNET: "musical, engaging and tonally smooth — fights above its pay grade."
Polypropylene caps in signal path; Nichicon FG electrolytics in PSU.
Assessed against 9 rivals across the sixty systems: 31 head-to-heads won, 13 lost.
The dimension the engine names as the weakest link, counted across every head-to-head it lost.
4 lost · Artisan, Reference, Twin Arms
Against the Artisan brief, the EAR Yoshino 88PB MM/MC keeps the slot clearly.
With the Audiolab 9000Q, the pairing gives up most on quietness at rest.
With the van den Hul The Colibri, the pairing gives up most on quietness at rest.
On its own merits the Rega Aria Mk3 MM/MC is the stronger phono stage — but it loses here on fit: the pairing with the Audiolab 9000Q gives up quietness at rest under the Artisan weighting.
3 lost · Vocals-First
Against the Vocals-First brief, the Tom Evans Groove+ SRX MkII keeps the slot by a whisker.
On its own merits the Rega Aria Mk3 MM/MC is the weaker phono stage for that brief.
It sits well below the share of the budget this brief aims at the phono stage position.
2 lost · Silent Path
Against the Silent Path brief, the Whest Audio 60Se Pro keeps the slot decisively.
With the Goldring Eroica HX MC, the pairing gives up most on low-level clarity.
On its own merits the Rega Aria Mk3 MM/MC is the weaker phono stage for that brief.
It sits well below the share of the budget this brief aims at the phono stage position.
2 lost · Vocals-First
Against the Vocals-First brief, the Cyrus Classic PHONO keeps the slot by a whisker.
On its own merits the Rega Aria Mk3 MM/MC is the weaker phono stage for that brief.
1 lost · Silent Path
Against the Silent Path brief, the Whest Audio TITAN Pro II keeps the slot decisively.
With the Goldring Eroica HX MC, the pairing gives up most on low-level clarity.
On its own merits the Rega Aria Mk3 MM/MC is the weaker phono stage for that brief.
It sits well below the share of the budget this brief aims at the phono stage position.
1 lost · Silent Path
Against the Silent Path brief, the Michell Apollo + Muse PSU keeps the slot decisively.
With the Goldring Eroica HX MC, the pairing gives up most on low-level clarity.
With the Audiolab 9000Q, the pairing gives up most on quietness at rest.
On its own merits the Rega Aria Mk3 MM/MC is the weaker phono stage for that brief.
0 lost· 16 won · Anchored, Artisan, BBC Sound, Cavity-Native, Characterful, Intimate, PRaT, Reference, Romantic, Twin Arms
Against the Twin Arms brief, the Rega Aria Mk3 MM/MC takes the slot decisively.
On its own merits the Rega Aria Mk3 MM/MC is the stronger phono stage for that brief.
It sits well below the share of the budget this brief aims at the phono stage position.
insight, excellent dynamics and rhythmic abilityWhat HiFi Aria review
0 lost· 8 won · Anchored, Characterful, PRaT, Romantic
Against the Anchored brief, the Rega Aria Mk3 MM/MC takes the slot decisively.
With the van den Hul The Frog, the pairing gains most on quietness at rest.
With the Audiolab 9000Q, the pairing gives up most on quietness at rest.
On its own merits the Rega Aria Mk3 MM/MC is the stronger phono stage for that brief.
dual-monoMusical Fidelity M8x Vinyl press record
dual-monoMusical Fidelity M8x Vinyl press record
0 lost· 7 won · BBC Sound, Cavity-Native, Intimate, Reference
Against the Intimate brief, the Rega Aria Mk3 MM/MC takes the slot clearly.
With the van den Hul The Crimson, the pairing gains most on rhythmic grip.
On its own merits the Rega Aria Mk3 MM/MC is the weaker phono stage — yet it wins here on fit: the pairing with the van den Hul The Crimson gains rhythmic grip under the Intimate weighting.
It sits well below the share of the budget this brief aims at the phono stage position.
honest and authentic, rhythm and flow Hi-Fi Choice 5-star + What HiFi terrific· Timing precision
insight, excellent dynamics and rhythmic ability What HiFi Aria review· Tonal body
slightly dynamically constrained but tonally smooth StereoNet Aria Mk3 review (Aug 2020)· Micro-dynamic resolution
| mm capable | True |
|---|---|
| mc capable | True |
| mm gain db | 41 |
| mc gain db | 63.5/69.3 |
| mm load resistance kohm | 47 |
| mm load capacitance pf | 220 |
| mc load resistance options ohm | 70/100/150/400 |
| mc load capacitance options pf | 1000/2000/3200/4200 |
| input overload mv | 93.0 |
| rumble filter | False |
| output level mv | 200 |
| output impedance ohm | 150 |
| balanced output | False |
| dimensions mm | 218/78/315 |
| weight kg | 3.1 |
| power consumption w | 10 |
| psu external | False |
| notes |