Rega Naia Turntable with Aphellion 2 MC Phono Cartridge

Description

MY TAKE: Rega have outdone themselves with the Naia! This is the definitive statement of what Rega turntables are all about - the rhythym, pace and timing are at their pinnacle in the Naia. But beyond that, is resolution and refinement, and when partnered with the Aphellion 2 MC cartridge, the results are spectacular. The technology and implimentation of unique and exotic materials is astounding, but beyond the technology, it's all about the misic, and the Naia delivers. An unquestionably strong recommendation! - Galen Carol

NAIA -

The Rega Naia turntable is the result of years of painstaking development which was used to create the now famous ‘Naiad’ test bed turntable. The Naia takes the best of this development and technology and transfers it into a production ready version without compromise. The Naia is packed with ground-breaking features, materials and technology developed by Rega over many years to reach new levels of vinyl replay.

THE HEART OF THE MUSIC -

The Naia takes our pioneering low mass high rigidity plinth technology to the next level by using a Graphene impregnated carbon fibre skeletal plinth with Tancast 8 foam core. This ultra rigid structure is then strengthened further using two ceramic aluminium oxide braces, the same material used to create the redesigned, resonance controlled ceramic platter with improved flywheel effect and complex profile. 

KEY FEATUES -

• Graphene impregnated Carbon Fibre skeletal plinth with Tancast 8 foam core
• ZTA Zirconium toughened alumina (ceramic) central bearing
• RB titanium tonearm : One piece titanium vertical bearing and Titanium vertical spindle assembly
• Tungsten balance weight shaft and weight
• Ceramic top and bottom braces
• Reference advanced fully adjustable power supply
• Resonance controlled ceramic platter with improved flywheel effect and complex profile
• Low mass skeletal aluminium feet
• Triple Reference drive belts for improved stability and drive characteristics.
• Rega Aphelion 2 MC factory fitted (optional)
• Lifetime warranty against manufacture defects

PRODUCT DETAILS:

RB TITANIUM TONEARM -

The RB Titanium tonearm is the most advanced and accurate production tonearm we have ever released. The entire tonearm structure is designed to have the minimum of mechanical joints whilst using the stiffest materials in all critical areas.  The RB Titanium achieves near frictionless movement horizontally and vertically whilst having no measurable free play in the bearing assemblies. The RB Titanium uses a new one-piece titanium vertical bearing housing and titanium vertical spindle assembly. The recommended Rega Aphelion 2 MC will be mounted upon our unique hand-polished aluminium single piece arm tube to keep mass as low as possible. The design is completed with a Tungsten balance weight shaft and balance weight.

GRAPHENE IMPREGNATED CARBON FIBRE PLINTH -

In order to achieve the ultimate balance between low mass and extreme rigidity, Rega has pioneered the use of graphene impregnated carbon and a Tancast 8 polyurethane foam core. Both materials are widely used in the aerospace industry and provide the perfect platform on which to assemble a turntable. The ultra lightweight random structure of the foam core helps reduce vibration transmission whilst the stiffness of the skin ensures no microscopic movement of the plinth occurs during playback. The addition of graphene boosts the strength and stiffness of the carbon fibre even further to create the stiffest production plinth we have ever produced. 

ALUMINUM HUB AND ZTA HUB BEARING ASSEMBLY -

The Naia uses a custom aluminum sub-platter with a spindle and central bearing manufactured from ZTA (zirconium toughened alumina). ZTA was formerly developed for use in much larger machines used in the paper industry. The resistance against abrasion was much higher than alumina oxide which makes it the perfect material to construct a central bearing assembly from.Exceptionally complex to make, production is similar to other oxide ceramics. Starting life as a powder preparation with spray drying, the piece is formed in an isostatic press (which applies pressure in all directions to create even density). The piece is then turned in a green state (before firing) then fired at 1600 °C for 3 days before grinding the bottom flange and bore before final honing to match the spindle diameter. The spindle and bearing are then kept together as a set to guarantee the perfect fit.
 

ZTA is better against abrasive wear and is exceptionally hard, with both the spindle and bearing being manufactured from identical material. This reduces the risk of wear as they have identical hardness. The spindle will run on an ultra-thin layer of fully synthetic oil which reduces wear even further. The result of this complex engineering process is the hardest, most accurate and longest lasting bearing assembly we have ever produced. 

REFERENCE POWER SUPPLY -

The NAIA reference power supply offers the ultimate in motor control stability, convenient electronic speed change, advanced anti-vibration control and user adjustable, electronic fine speed adjustment to ensure total accuracy and control over the life of the motor.
 

Housed in Rega’s latest custom-designed case, the reference PSU is dedicated to running our 24v, low noise motor as quietly and as accurately as possible. The speed and control of the motor is achieved by using a DSP (Digital Signal Processing) generator built upon a high stability crystal. This device will divide the accurate square wave from the crystal to the exact frequency required to turn the platter at the selected speed.
 

The DSP core will also generate a near perfect sinusoidal waveform to power the motor. Factory set vibration removal and fine speed adjustments are then made to the power supply to tune each motor for optimal performance.

EBLT TRIPLE BELT DRIVE -

For three years, Rega has been researching and developing with chemists the use of a bespoke new rubber compound for drive belts. Using a specialised curing system, the new drive belt offers superior consistency of modulus (a constant representing the degree to which a substance has a particular property, especially elasticity). These new belts are manufactured on Rega designed, state of the art, super-accurate tools (inspired by working with the manufacturer of high-tech Formula 1 engine parts) which produce ‘perfectly round’ and ‘dimensionally accurate’ belts, critical for perfect speed stability.

DB TECHNOLOGY (DOUBLE BRACE TECHNOLOGY) -

“Mass absorbs energy - lost energy equals lost music”! A super lightweight plinth combined with a ceramic top and bottom brace mounted specifically where the increased rigidity is required between the tonearm mounting and the main hub bearing. This forms a structurally sound, “stressed beam,” assembly.

This rigid plinth design prevents energy absorption and unwanted resonances which will add unnatural distortions to the music. Equally, heavier mass can transfer more unwanted energy such as motor or bearing noise directly into the rotating record. The tonearm and cartridge must be able to read accurately, directly from the platter. This unique Rega double brace solution guarantees as much detail is retrieved as possible.
 

The use of braces instead of the complete skin allows increased thickness in these key areas whilst providing further weight reduction to the plinth which directly addresses the issue of mass absorption and unwanted energy transmission.

REVIEWS:

EAR HiFi Music Gear:

A Vinyl Revelation - "Extraordinary about sums it up. That any turntable can deliver so much musical information, so much of what the musicians who made each record laid down in the first place is truly remarkable. I have always known that vinyl is the finest format, the medium with the greatest sound quality available to the music lover and the Rega Naia proves this to be true in no small way. The Planar 10 is one of the best turntables in the world and this is significantly better, I seriously doubt I will hear another record player that comes close."

Earns EAR Best  of 2023 and Editor's Choice Awards

The Tracking Angle:

"The NAIA presents an exquisitely tight ship for a record to sail on. Both the arm and ‘table take Rega’s thinking to the limits without totally breaking the bank to Naiad territory. Stopping at NAIA makes sense because according to Rega, while NAIA can be a production assembled product, Naid cannot, and because once you’re in $45,000 territory there’s very serious (but not as stiff) competition. Skeptics will look at the NAIA and think it can’t possibly be twice as good as the Planar 10 though it costs twice as much. As with all things audio, the laws of diminishing returns apply. I can’t say the NAIA is twice as good as the Planar 10 but I can say with complete confidence that it’s much better in every way and the measured performance demonstrates that the NAIA is a step above the Planar 10 and above much of the competition at any price. It's that good. Because the Aphelion 2 is so far advanced from the original Rega MCs I’ve heard, the combination produces timbrally neutral, well- balanced sound and it tracks better than any MC I’ve tested using Ortofon’s test record. The cartridge is a fitting NAIA companion.
 

"Rather than closing with the usual audiophile checklist, which this turntable checks off with ease, I'd rather close with this: I feel confident in writing that if you get to hear this turntable and cartridge combo in a proper setting at a store, or at a show, you'll easily hear how good it is and how much musical fun and rich detail it effortlessly delivers, while just sounding "right". If you encounter reviews claiming the NAIA/Aphelion 2 is “all anyone will ever need” or “performs as well as turntables costing ten times as much”, well those reviewers either are satisfied campers at a different performance level or have been listening to the wrong top tier turntables. There are some not such good ones that the NAIA beats, especially in terms of speed stability rhythmic polish and even background quiet, but it's not the "ultimate", though it might be within its price point and probably beyond.
 

"Put it all together and you have a remarkably compact, lightweight, high performance package that at $16,999 is costly but not impossibly so and that can be taken out of the box, perfectly set up and playing records within ten minutes. If there's another turntable that combines all of these attributes at the NAIA's price I haven't seen or heard it—and I've seen and heard plenty!" - Michael Fremer

Audiophilia:

"Rega now has a turntable that can compete with the very best. At £12,000, sure it’s expensive, but as I wrote, I’ve heard turntables at twice the price sound half as good. I’d consider the Naia a home run at 12K. You can get it for £10,000 without the Aphelion 2 cart, but be sure to hear it with the Rega cart before you buy. I think you’ll find it a superb match. Why break them up? And while you're at it, see if your dealer has an Aura phono stage to audition it with. The synergy between these three products is wonderful.
 

"So, would I trade my USD $15,000 ‘table/arm for a Rega Naia? Similarly price, they both do amazing things with a stereo image and all the tenets I’m personally listening for in a great analog front end. In my view, it would fall under the Peter principle, specifically the “lateral arabesque”. Like for like. As such, both are superb. I’m happy with my setup, and I’d be equally overjoyed with a Naia.
 

"The FOMO is huge as is the hype. Nothing wrong with that if you can get one. But I’m betting these will sell out. Try to hear the Naia in a proper setting and I’m guessing the most discerning audiophiles will want one. Very highly recommended."

Earned The Audiophilia Star Components Award

Sound Advice:

"In recent years, the idea of ‘convenient high end’ has become more prevalent. Equipment that blows your socks off while requiring no suffering for your art have started to appear in most product categories. The Naia might be the first time this has genuinely been the case with a turntable though. Here is a genuinely high end device; a piece of analogue replay equipment that trades blows with the best of them, but that is no more demanding in use than one at a tenth of the price.

"The Rega is a tremendous achievement and an outstanding turntable." - Ed Selley

TECHNICAL SPECIFICATIONS -

• Naia Turntable Dimensions (W x H x D) 420 x 115 x 350 mm (with dustcover fitted)
• Reference Power Supply Dimensions (W x H x D) 218 x 80 x 320 mm
• Turntable Weight 4.65Kg (including dustcover)
• Reference Power Supply Weight 3 Kg

Video: REGA NAIA TURNTABLE 'The Heart Of Music'