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Any comments on the Rega Osiris Integrated Amplifier?

My retailer suggested I purchase his Rega Osiris Integrated Amplifier to replace my Musical Fidelity M6Si integrated amp. The unit is preowned from someone that upgraded to separates. I plan to audition the amp next Saturday. 

My retailer said “The Rega Osiris Integrated Amplifier is described as slightly warm sounding, leaning just a bit to the warm side of neutral. Its midrange is particularly praised for being rich and seductive, offering a musical and engaging presentation. This warmth is subtle and balanced, avoiding excessive coloration while maintaining excellent detail and dynamics”.

This amp has a dual mono amplifier housed in a custom Rega CNC machined aluminum case.  The specs say the amp is designed around “minimalist” high gain power amplifier and “passive pre-amplifier” circuit topology, a passive volume control and a single stage of power amplification between the input and the speakers, the Osiris offers unrivaled performance and build quality”.  I am using the Bricasti M21 DAC and PMC speakers. 

In summary, the Rega Osiris is a high-performance integrated amplifier distinguished by several key design features:

Technical Highlights

            •           Dual mono design with 162 W per channel into 8 Ω

            •           Uses a “minimalist” high-gain power amplifier topology

            •           Features a single stage of power amplification

            •           Employs eight Sanken 200-watt output transistors in a “triple” high-current output stage

Advanced Circuit Design

            •           Fully symmetrical circuit throughout

            •           Low-distortion, high-linearity common-base voltage-amplifier driver stage

            •           Passive volume control using ultra-high-quality Alps Blue Velvet potentiometer

            •           Cascaded differential input amplifier with low-noise LED referenced current generators

Power Supply Excellence

            •           Two 400A toroidal transformers

            •           40,000µF of Rega K-Power smoothing capacitors per channel

            •           Dedicated power supplies for audio circuits, separate from control and protection circuits

            •           Regulated symmetrical-tracking power supply with low-noise voltage reference. 

The above technology is interesting, but I am more interested in your comments on the Rega Osiris Integrated Amplifier and its sound quality.   My Musical Fidelity M6Si has a smooth, relaxed sound with warmth and seems very musical to me. Obviously, I must hear this amplifier, but I am interested in your thoughts.  Thanks.

hgeifman
dritz40
2 posts
 

I bought a used one 10 years ago.  I did an A/B test against what I then owned — a Rega Elix-R.  I also used to have a Naim separates (sorry, I cannot remember the models).  I used to have a Quad 66 system before that. So yes, I love British organic sound.  The Osiris is lovely and human sounding and I never think of upgrading. 

You need other good gear to make the most of it, and that’s where my appreciation has grown. Upgrading my source gear has only improved my appreciation for it.  I now have a Rega Aura phono preamp and a Planar 8 with Ania Pro.  I have used a Saturn-R as my DAC for about 8 years and recently (like two weeks ago) upgraded to a Naim NDS and recapped 555 power supply.  With better source the sound has gotten better i.e., the amp just keeps giving.  I also upgraded to KEF Meta Reference 3 speakers. The Osiris makes every other upgrade worthwhile!

Trust your ears!

 

akg_ca's avatar
akg_ca
2,298 posts
 

I have it in my A system. It bests the ELEX by a quantum leap…full stop.
When I bought it, it bested all contenders and pretenders in my system at up to double its pre point.

NOTE

@dritz40 highlights an important point: users best steps are to pair it either an equivalent build high-end build and high-end performer as your upstream source . It will graphically expose all the warts and all the compromises of lesser quality options. Your system components look good….

For other readers: if you are considering to chintz it with budget strata sources, think again and look elsewhere.

I drive mine with a REGA ISIS VALVE cdp/dac, and a MOON 280D MIND2 streamer/ DAC, into HARBETH M30.2 XD speakers. Upgrading to CARDAS CLEAR full cables array was a not insignificant performance uptick .

the OSIRIS linked with sources with fully balanced XLR  ICs are recommended.

 

 

 

REVIEW

https://audiofi.net/2012/08/rega-osiris-punching-heavy/#:~:text=Final%20verdict%3A%20The%20Rega%20Osiris%20is%20a%20classy,ears%20focused%20on%20the%20music%20for%20long%20hours.

 

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