Rega io review

Editor's Note

Editor's Note

Andy Madden

The budget stereo amplifier market has shrunk in recent years, but the good news is that the Rega io is still up there as one of the best (despite its lack of digital inputs). There is some stiff five-star competition from the likes of Marantz and more recently Rotel, though. You'll see both rivals mentioned in our also consider section at the bottom of this review.

While Rega used to make a high-end DAC called ‘io’, the naming of its budget stereo amplifier is almost certainly a nod to the familial link with its big brother, the excellent Rega Brio.

Billed as a smaller, cheaper Brio, the Rega io quite reasonably has half its name. But that doesn’t quite translate to half its performance.

Build and features

The class A/B-powered, 30W-per-channel, entry-level Rega io can be purchased individually, or as part of Rega’s System One all-in-one proposition with the Planar 1 turntable and Kyte speakers. It borrows the power amplifier and phono stage design from its Award-winning older sibling and that goes a long way to explain the pleasing sonic resemblance between the two.

When it first entered the market and when we originally reviewed it in 2020, the io was yours for £379 / $595 / AU$849 – the price has since crept up to £420 / $725 / $949. The Rega io has won two What Hi-Fi? Award trophies (one in 2020, one in 2021) as our favourite budget stereo amplifier, but it has given way to more cost-effective and newer models in recent years.

Despite the price increase and competition from newer rivals, the io hasn't diminished in our affections when it comes to outright sound quality. To pack such a performance into this price point, Rega has, as has been tradition for the brand until very recently, stuck with analogue-only connections here. Despite the digital friendliness of price rivals such as the Marantz PM6007, analogue-only is common at this budget end of the market – as seen with the newer Rotel A8. The io sports two line-level inputs (two fewer than the Brio) and an MM phono input, so you can hook up a turntable as well as a couple of components such as a CD player and streamer.

A 3.5mm headphone jack completes the io’s fairly modest connectivity list. It sits on the front panel alongside a volume dial and a small plastic button that cycles through the inputs.

The compact, half-width aluminium chassis feels well built – the same goes for the satisfyingly simple remote control – and its low-key design should suit some hi-fi traditionalists. Measuring just 6.8 x 18 x 29cm (hwd) and weighing 2.9kg, this compact integrated should also fit into smaller spaces more easily.

The io’s plastic front panel gives it a pretty unremarkable aesthetic, however. Rega certainly isn’t trying to hide the fact that most of its efforts have gone into the performance.

Sound

The discrepancies between Rega’s two half-width boxes in terms of physical size and decorative refinement are more or less mirrored in the amplifiers’ sonic differences.

The Brio (originally £599, now £549 / around $995 / AU$1549) is a bigger-sounding component with an overall more polished presentation. The Brio injects more space between strands of music and conveys them with notably greater detail and dynamic precision. In other words, it does what it should to justify its extra spend over the io.

However, Rega’s consistency with components and the implementation of those components makes the smaller io instantly recognisable as a descendant of the Brio. In fact, we could repeat the very same words we used in our Brio review, including “incredible sense of rhythm, punchy dynamics; agility, detail and fun”.

Play Drake’s Money In The Grave ft. Rick Ross, and the io’s nature comes to the fore, its natural sense of momentum driving the dominant bassline forward. The deliveries of the two rappers have the transparency, richness and clarity that demand they are taken note of, while the amplifier’s innate musicality captures the rhythmic chimes that hold it all together.

The similarly priced Marantz PM6007 offers more space around the vocals and an overall maturity to the rendition, but its smoother, more laid-back approach comes at the cost of not quite being able to capture the track’s energy.

Similarly, with Aparat’s violin-led 44, the Marantz (and the Brio) add a welcome dose of refinement and extra space and openness over the io. But while the io is a cruder listen, it still seizes the strings’ abrasive texture and captures the foreboding emotion, while tracking their dynamic movement too. It may not have the sonic sophistication of its rival and big brother, but its directness and buoyancy make for a truly compelling listen.

New rival Rotel A8 offers a more even sonic balance more refinement and space – it’s more of an all-rounder. But the io’s upbeat, enthusiastic nature means it should be paired with like-minded speakers, such as the Bowers & Wilkins 607 S3 or Dali Spektor 2. Note too that Rega has done well to keep quality and character consistent through the headphone output.

Ultimately, with the arrival of the io, Rega’s unmistakable and unquestionably entertaining signature amplifier sound is now more accessible than ever. And, as we cast our minds back to when we first learned of the Rega io’s existence, that is all we could have hoped for.

Verdict

There are many who will bemoan the lack of any digital inputs here, especially considering the all-inclusive, versatile Marantz is offering so much more at a similar price. What will most win fans over to the Rega io, though, is its class-leading performance.

Those who are happy with a simple, no-fuss, purely analogue amplifier and prioritise entertainment should arguably consider the io on their shortlist.

First reviewed: 2020. Review updated: December 2024.

SCORES

• Sound 5
• Features 3
• Build 4

Also consider

Marantz PM6007
A consistent five-star performer, the PM6007 has been a favourite amplifier of ours ever since it launched in 2020. The introduction of a new DAC chip seems to have added even more clarity and punch to its sonic ability.

View Deal

Rotel A8
Our current class leader at the money, the Rotel A8 is quite the sonic package. It looks simple and unassuming, but we were blown away by its clear, controlled presentation, expressive dynamics and punchy bass.

MORE:

Read our Rega Brio review

And read our Rotel A8 review

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