|
Audio Asylum Thread Printer Get a view of an entire thread on one page |
For Sale Ads |
[ Asylum Support ] [ Rules ] |
Model: | APOLLO |
Category: | CD Player/Recorder |
Suggested Retail Price: | $995 |
Description: | Single Disc w. MP3 and WMA media capability |
Manufacturer URL: | Rega |
Model Picture: | View |
Review by Doug Schroeder (A) on January 21, 2006 at 15:05:18 IP Address: 72.131.17.99 | Add Your Review for the APOLLO |
There's a special feeling when you're one of the first to own a hot new product in the country. Not oten that happens to me, but in this case, yup, I got an Apollo early. Dave Holmes at Audio Emporium in Milwaukee sized things up correctly by reading the signs of early reviews and industry comments - so he put in an early order, and I among a few blessed others benefit.Ok, so on to the good stuff. Same aluminum case w. nice deep charcoal color. Some rag about the lack of innovation on the looks. I say, excellent move on Rega's part to actually not stick the customer for unnecessary frills. Innovate the guts, that's what makes the music! But, it is a classically good looking unit.
The top loader is much more sensible now; gone is the whirling dirvish center weight. A clean dark window replaces that. The cd is placed onto the drive similar to portable players; it snaps into the "spindle" which has those three ball bearings to keep it in place. Decidedly low tech, but I've never seen a more sensible system. Kudos to Rega for going to that setup.
The BIG DEAL about this unit is the special laser assembly which is supposed to readjust the distance which it reads each disc. I guess sort of like focusing a projector for each movie, or like the old VHS tapes where you'd see "tracking" and the little bar jumping around on the screen while it adjusted. So, it takes about 5 seconds to get its act together and go into the ready mode. Not long at all; it's done by the time you sit down and grab the remote.
The sound? GLORIOUS! I owned the Planet 2000 prior to this. I was utterly shocked at the difference in quality when I first heard the Apollo in my system. It sounds like a completly new technology (I guess it is with the new adjustable laser...). About two months ago I was at Quintessence Audio in Illinois and heard a wonderful very high end system with vinyl source. Rich, very rich, but I can't stomache the snap, crackle, pop of vinyl. The very first thing I thought when I heard the Apollo was, "Vinyl is in trouble!" Same richness, live sound, but without the noise.
Treble. The Apollo really softens the high end while extending the cymbal taps. The treble shimmers softly, it doesn't pinch the ears to listen to it. Many of my cd's which were tough to listen to because the higher electric guitar notes, or monotonous cymbal tapping are now lovely to hear. No listening fatigue from the high end!
Talking with David from Audio Emporium, he said that the Apollo has such black background, it made the Planet 2000 background sound "grey". Yes, the instruments sound like they are playing in "purer space". The room in which the recordings are done and other nuances comes through clearly. One does not have to strain to hear an echo of reverberation.
I had been introduced to Joss Stone's work by a fellow audiophile recently. Putting on her cd, one can hear her lips part or her breathing when she sings a particular line. The nuances are amazing.
I will have to spend more time listening to catch the whole perspective of the soundstage. If I had to guess now, I'd say it's a bit more forward than the Planet. Not much.
Bass is very rich and full. In the whole spectrum there is nothing I can find (at least at this early time) in the presentation which the Apollo does not do well. The music is presented in a much more coherent manner than with the Planet. With the Apollo one forgets that he is listening to a cd. With other disc players in the past, I would find myself watching the readout on the display, thinking "I can hear the digitalness of the music." the seconds tick by and I sense it's churning out the data rather mechanically. The Apollo, on the other hand, seems to "flow" music. I'm not staring at the display, which says to me it's not sounding digital.
There have been very few products that I am willing to go full price on. The Apollo is a no brainer. Value way in excess of good. The addition of this player into a moderatly priced system can jump up the quality so that it sounds very high end. Paired with a superior set of speakers the musicality is profound and highly moving. I am finding that even music which I had not been too enamored of I am being drawn into because of the sheer beauty of it. It's being repoduced so well that I cannot ignore it.
I have found that I'm listening at slightly higher levels since the quality of sound is so good that at louder volumes it does not seem to be harsh on the ears. This increases the "live" feel, like a private concert.
I have not heard the Jupiter, but can tell you confidently, if you're gonna buy a Planet, skip it. Save your pennies and go for the Lexus experience, the Apollo. I think Rega's gonna sell a ton of these. I'm just glad I beat you to it! ;)
Product Weakness: | If you've gotta have a new case, you'll be disappointed. |
Product Strengths: | Musicality, vinyl-like sound, seems like world class sound for a song. Better loading than former models. Neat appearance. Sounds like a genuine technology breakthrough! |
Associated Equipment for this Review: | |
Amplifier: | PS Audio HCA2 |
Preamplifier (or None if Integrated): | PS Audio PCA2 |
Sources (CDP/Turntable): | Apollo! |
Speakers: | Chapman T-7 |
Cables/Interconnects: | Tice Audio with TPT |
Music Used (Genre/Selections): | Smooth Jazz, instrumental |
Room Size (LxWxH): | 23 x 13 x 8 |
Room Comments/Treatments: | Tuned with Auralex panels |
Time Period/Length of Audition: | 3 whole days! |
Other (Power Conditioner etc.): | Tice Audio |
Type of Audition/Review: | Product Owner |
Your System (if other than home audition): | Home Theater |
Follow Ups:
Based upon the description of the "delay" in accessing a track:
"...The BIG DEAL about this unit is the special laser assembly which is supposed to readjust the distance which it reads each disc. I guess sort of like focusing a projector for each movie, or like the old VHS tapes where you'd see "tracking" and the little bar jumping around on the screen while it adjusted. So, it takes about 5 seconds to get its act together and go into the ready mode"
I was reminded of the following thread discussing Skip/Track Access raised two years ago in the Digital forums of AA...about the time to gestate a new CD player/chipset in an era of diminishing CD chipsets?
Thanks for the great review, im trying to track one down locally.. I read in the manual that it mayhave trouble with CD-Rs that were burned at speeds higher than 8x, have you had any troubles with it yet when it comes to CD-Rs?
I have played CD-R's burnt at 24x with no problem on my Apollo.The initialising process may take a few seconds longer than with a standard CD, but that is the only difference I have noticed.
Rega is a group of talented, creative people who love music. Plain and simple. They have always produced great gear and super value. No gimmicks, hype, their products speak for themselves. If the new player is that far ahead of the Planet 2000, then I'm with you, they may now make a player that outright competes with the best avaliable. I wouldn't be surprised. The thing that held back the old player IMO was the analog section. It used one multipurpose opamp/regulator that didn't perform as well as it could've. So the weakness was not so much in the musical presentation but in the sound quality(which wasn't bad at all). I think the new player has a redesigned analog section using discreet devices. Also, the new software...This is easily the most exciting review I've read in years. I may actually try to hear one.
Greetings all!
I tried to convey in my review the wonderful warmth and detail of the Apollo. It's quite a surprise when one first encounters it!
I was not trying to be demeaning of vinyl in my comments of "snap, crackle, pop." I left vinyl about twenty years ago and probably have missed a lot of gorgeous sound in the interim. But no more, I think. Not now, since the Apollo.
I know it's not likely to BE the end all and be all in cd players. I can get a bit excited about it all. However, in my system it sounds like it's the end all and be all. Isn't that what we're after? :)I can't imagine anyone who hears this player coming away with anything but respect for what Rega's done.
I rummaged through my discs again and they sound OH SO GORGEOUS with the Apollo. Even the older discs like Dan Fogelberg, Supertramp, etc. all sounds REALLY good. I know that some equipment seems to reveal harshness and defects in the worse recordings, but somehow with the allignment system this disc player is using, everything sounds good - far better than average, even the older discs that one wouldn't expect to hear so much from.
To summarize my thoughts about it, the Apollo seems to be the type of component that will make a mediocre system sound decent, and will make a high end system sound incredible.
Funny, I paid no attention to the 2 or 3 prong issue; I bypassed the sotck cord and went immediately to the Tice power cord I had. I would recommend an aftermarket powercord from the start.
I was in a debate on the Assylum a few weeks ago (not wishing to reopen the debate, but simply make an observation) about the efficacy of cheap vs. specialized speaker cables. It's my feeling that with the incredible leap in resolution and dynamics of the Apollo virtually everyone will be able to hear much more when testing out different cables. The new cd technology may help put to rest the old subjective/objective debate. I'm guessing that with the Apollo many more people will clearly hear differences in cabling far better than in the past.
OH, WHAT A JOY THIS UNIT IS! I DECLARE THAT THE APOLLO HAS BROUGHT ME AS MUCH JOY AS ANY COMPONENT I HAVE BOUGHT IN TWENTY YEARS IN AUDIO!
(shouting for joy; my apologies if I hurt anyone's eardrums)This year has been quite a blessing; I have acquired two of the absolutely sweetest components I have had the privilage of owning. The Chapman T-7's (Stuart Jones is in process of making me a custom pair of T-77's) and the Apollo. These two have moved my system ahead light years in terms of beautifully and emotionally reproducing the music I love.
(Maybe you can all agree with me...) When one finds a component that gives such pleasure, my heart fills with gratitude to the people who work to reproduce music faithfully, so that when it's listened to, it stirrs the soul! If they are making a buck from selling me a piece of electronic equipment, God bless them! They're filling my room with that elusive, ephemeral beauty that gives me joy.
"I was not trying to be demeaning of vinyl in my comments of "snap, crackle, pop." I left vinyl about twenty years ago and probably have missed a lot of gorgeous sound in the interim. But no more, I think. Not now, since the Apollo."While I have also discovered recently that CDs CAN be very enjoyable to listen to, I do have a problem with you saying that you don't miss vinyl after listening to the Apollo. I guess there is a bliss of ignorance, as they say, but not knowing what your analog setup was like twenty years ago, analog playback has come a LONG way and is much better for much less money. There is still something organic about good analog reproduction that digital doesn't really match. Again, I do think that standard red book CDs (where did that term come from, anyway?) can sound really good, but I still think the best of vinyl playback is more engaging and satisfying.
I'm not saying that you won't come up with a different opinion, but get yourself refamiliarized with what great analog can do.
in that I cannot say definitively "in my system" I prefer the Apollo to vinyl, since I do not have an analogue setup.
I have heard several very high end vinyl rigs (i.e. At Glen Poors in Chicago, and the one I mentioned elswhere at Quintessence Audio). Great sounding. The richness of the Apollo reminds me of that sound.
True, I probably would hear a world of difference between what I had for turntable/cartridge years ago and what's possible today. I'm sure the same profound advancements in sound have happened to analogue too.
For me, the imperfections of vinyl were intolerable. Even if the sound was not as rich as vinyl I still turned to cd's because I couldn't stand the noise in the reproduction of the recording, as well as the inconvenience of prep for playing vinyl. In fact, I very much disliked the tape hiss/grey background present on many older AAD cd's. What's amazing is how the Apollo seems to filter out the noise on the older cd's too! They sound FAR better than I have ever heard them. Bonus!
So, yes, I have known that better sound (if one ignores the imperfections associate with vinyl) existed in the Analogue realm, but in my experience with cdps' none within my budgetary constaints has gotten as close to that sound as the Apollo.As analogue reproduction has gotten better, so has digital. Has the gap closed between them? That's arguable, but I'm guessing many will suggest the Apollo has taken a step toward closing that gap.
I would very much enjoy reading comments from individuals with good analogue rigs who might procure an Apollo for demo or permanent addition to their system. It would be interesting to hear how they feel the Apollo compares to vinyl.
Let me chime in, if I may. I've owned both the Rega P3/dynavector/monolithic phono and the Rega planet 2000 cd player. Having lived with both of them in my system consisting of various good quality integrateds both ss and tube and a classic pair of polk audio speakers(good ones believe me), I can say that they were about a tie. The cd player was just as musical on most program material but not quite as real sounding on most material. It was somewhat smoother and more suave and a little easier to listen to for long term listening.Now if the new player is much better than the planet 2000 I would think that it would eclipse the performance of the P3. The p3 is not the best but would you believe that a cheaper cd player would be out performing a good vinyl set up 5 years ago? Cd has come a long, long way.
...time to update your inmate system description...move over Planet 2000
I heard the Apollo just yesterday.
Fantastic sounding player...My few nit-pickings would be...
1) cheap plastic(?) lid
2) some squeaking sounds when the CD starts spinning, reminds me of those cheap DVD players using a plastic(ABS) spindle/clamp.Othes than the above, yup, one hell of a good sounding machine!
Congratulations on a good buy!
and it seems the Apollo has hit the bullseye when it comes to that balance between affordability and upper echelon performance.
I actually like the looks of the lid better now. I definitely like the fact that there is less moving parts/dust collectors ect. in the lid. to me, it is much quieter laser mechanism than the Planet. After it's done playing it's very subtle when it moves to stop position. I hardly notice the slight peep it makes when it reads the disc. What WAS weird was the soft "beep" emitted by the Planet 2000 when it was done reading. It was so indistinct, it sounded almost like it came from the speakers. I actually put my ear to the speaker once to see if it sent the signal to the amp. No, but one could hear the beep easily enough. I'm glad that's gone.I should take a closer look at the laser mechanism. My understanding is that it moves to align with every cd it plays. It sure seems to do the trick well in my book!
Also, the appearance with the deep charcoal but not quite black case, is a winner in my opinon. Very rich looking and nice to do something different than just black or silver.
Hi,
Is the Apollo grounded?
I saw the Apollo (230V 50/60Hz version) as a 2-pin configuration, no ground.
But the diagram in the user-manual on Rega's website shows a 3-pin IEC receptacle... I wonder what the story is on this...
The third prong is only use as a safety ground and tied to earth, it has nothing to do with the electronics. In the US it's not required (and normally not used) if the casing is made of plastic.
Rega does not use a three prong system on their gear. The chassis is insulated from the electronics and I presume they use a floating ground system. That would eliminate hum issues and keep external noise to a minimum.
-Bill
Sorry to hijack your thread... just wondering if you have compared the Quad with the Apollo?Appreciate your advice!
(I am quite a Rega fan too... my first turntable 20 years ago was a Rega Planar 2. It still functions well but it is now in my storeroom hibernating! ;-)
Nice review Doug. I'm glad that you were able to find and hear one nearby. I have been impressed also. It sounds almost single-ended with the harmonic richness and totally smooth yet immediate, analog sound. Definately the most analog sounding player that I have heard while not losing resolution.
-Bill
When will the Saturn model be available and how much?
When they make it and probably around $1995.
-Bill
...nice review. It will be one of the transports on my short list next to the CEC TL-51x(z).I put together a few links on the Rega Apollo including the story behind the origins behind this player as a result of Sony discontinuing CD chipsets.
. . and the Apollo will likely be no exception, but did you have to go and say
"About two months ago I was at Quintessence Audio in Illinois and heard a wonderful very high end system with vinyl source. Rich, very rich, but I can't stomache the snap, crackle, pop of vinyl. The very first thing I thought when I heard the Apollo was, "Vinyl is in trouble!" Same richness, live sound, but without the noise."??Yah, maybe you're just a CD guy and I'm a vinyl guy, but any high end table making "snap, crackle, pop" is either not set up properly or the records were pulled out of a dumpster.
Even my JVC JLA20 table with Grado black, which I might say cost me a whole $75, is dead quiet, black backgrounds and with a sound quality that beats any CD player I've heard including some very nice ones, which will probably still leave the Apollo in their tracks.
I do listen to CDs though, but only when I get too tired or am too lazy to flip LPs.
Thanks for putting a big effort into a good review, even though it would have been more credible if you'd left out the vinyl slag.
On the basis of your impressions and of Ted's in a thread below, I'll be seeking out an Apollo for audition very soon.
Vinyl crackles and pops, vinyl will always crackle and pop. Even Mr. Analog- Michael Fremer will tell you that."...even though it would have been more credible if you'd left out the vinyl slag."
Vinyl crackles.
I grew up with 78's and Black and White TV and vinyl crackles.
I've had the best VPI's and now the Ariston and vinyl still crackles. I seldom listen to CD, except, like you when I don't feel like jumping up every 20 minutes while cooking or soldering.
Clean it with RRL, vacuum it and clean it a second time and nothing else sounds as good, But, vinyl still crackles.
Very nice impressions. I spent the last couple of hours auditioning the Apollo at a local shop. I brought in my Eastsound CD-E5 to compare. I have to say that I was pretty close to as impressed as you are. For the money, the E5 is still a nice source but I really enjoyed the Apollo. It was warm without giving up detail and dynamics. Vocals had more weight than on the E5. The soundstage and imaging were more three dimensional than the E5. Those are my initial thoughts.
Say, quick addition, I have tried the modded Ah! Njoe Tjoeb and found the Planet 2000 better. I tried external dacs and went back to the single box, which seemed to present a better value to performance for the sub $2k range.
The Apollo puts teeth into the argument for leaving all the tweaks, combining more modest players with external dacs, etc. This is a superbly rewarding listening cdp. Don't waste your time trying to cobble together a "performs way over its price point" cdp/transport when a product like this has come onto the scene.Last thought. There are various threads/arguments re: Is cd dead or is it not? Well, having experienced the Apollo I'm gratified to say that if innovations like this come along to jump up the listening experience with redbook cds, we'll be enjoying better two chanel sound through innovations for many years to come!
Blessings!
This post is made possible by the generous support of people like you and our sponsors: