[stick]

Hi all

Haven't posted for a while, but the money has been saving up, and thanks to my last freelance contract, I have enough to pay for a Rega Saturn. So I was just looking around some websites for reviews and I came to this one I hoping those of you out there can help me out. Rega Saturn's price tag is the most I'm willing to pay, but I certainly don't want to fork it out if this is a wide spread problem. Should I be looking for alternatives? Should I be checking build dates? Is there anyway to check if a problem exists before getting the player? I suppose I should qualify all this with what gear I'm using... AKG 701's HeadRoom's Max Desktop Amp and Power supply, music tastes are all over the map.

I would really like to hear from any or all of you, is this a wide spread problem? Has Rega fixed it? Many Thanks for any and all information.

Stick

 

[Clarity]

If true this is very disappointing because I have narrowed my search down to two sources........either the Rega Saturn or the Marantz SA-11S2.

The Rega is supposedly the player to beat in its' price range and that are good deals on used units at audiogon. Now I'm starting to wonder if people are selling due to problems.

 

[Morph201]

I don't know of any widespread issues with Rega gear. One thing that did occur was with the early batches of Apollo's, I believe the first year or so, but that has since been corrected.

It's hard to determine if the problems people are experiencing now are due to "user error". Both the Apollo and Saturn take some time to "initiliase" (determine level of error correction) a disc, and some people are impatient and continously hit the play button which might cause hiccups down the line; or the skipping around of tracks (which hasn't been an issue for me).
Some people claim issues with reading certain types of discs.

I highly doubt Rega's problem rate is higher than any other CDP manufacturer (i.e. ARCAM,Cambridge Audio, etc...)

I've auditioned the Apollo and Saturn, at home and didn't experience ANY issues. I wound up buying the Apollo and haven't had any problems with it at all.

Quote:

Now I'm starting to wonder if people are selling due to problems.

I wouldn't worry about that, I see a ton of 840c's and Ayre CX7e's for sale too..

 

[Clarity]

Quote:

Originally Posted by Morph201 /img/forum/go_quote.gif I don't know of any widespread issues with Rega gear. One thing that did occur was with the early batches of Apollo's, I believe the first year or so, but that has since been corrected. It's hard to determine if the problems people are experiencing now are due to "user error". Both the Apollo and Saturn take some time to "initiliase" (determine level of error correction) a disc, and some people are impatient and continously hit the play button which might cause hiccups down the line; or the skipping around of tracks (which hasn't been an issue for me). Some people claim issues with reading certain types of discs. I highly doubt Rega's problem rate is higher than any other CDP manufacturer (i.e. ARCAM,Cambridge Audio, etc...) I've auditioned the Apollo and Saturn, at home and didn't experience ANY issues. I wound up buying the Apollo and haven't had any problems with it at all. I wouldn't worry about that, I see a ton of 840c's and Ayre CX7e's for sale too..

Thanks for clearing this up. I did a search for Rega Saturn on this board and everyone speaks highly of this player. Aestetically I prefer the Marantz unit but looks aren't everything

I know both players are really good but I'm sure the Saturn, at a much lower price point, should fulfill my needs. I would love to hear some impressions from those that heard both players.

 

[909]

the first production apollos had problems, which REGA remedied early on before the release of the saturn. i owned both for nearly a year and they worked perfectly without incident. there are dealers knocking 25% off retail, so it might be worth it to buy new, if you can get a great deal.

 

[Gradofan2]

Quote:

Originally Posted by Clarity /img/forum/go_quote.gif Thanks for clearing this up. I did a search for Rega Saturn on this board and everyone speaks highly of this player. Aestetically I prefer the Marantz unit but looks aren't everything I know both players are really good but I'm sure the Saturn, at a much lower price point, should fulfill my needs. I would love to hear some impressions from those that heard both players.

I'm not sure what you think was "cleared up?" I've seen multiple reports on the internet of problems with these CDPs, that have not yet been resolved by Rega - notably the one in the OP below.

DAGOGO Commentary: Reconsideration of Rega Saturn

So... if you decide to "take the chance" you'd better be sure you get the "extended warranty" and buy it with a credit card that doubles the warranty... and... ideally pay the price premium to get it from a reliable dealer that will take it back and refund your money, if you have problems (e.g. Galen Carol Audio in San Antonio - Galen Carol Audio: Digital).

But... with the devalued dollar... you're paying a "heck of a premium" for products that sound no better than others at much lesser prices.

 

[Morph201]

Quote:

Originally Posted by Gradofan2 /img/forum/go_quote.gif I'm not sure what you think was "cleared up?" I've seen multiple reports on the internet of problems with these CDPs, that have not yet been resolved by Rega - notably the one in the OP below. DAGOGO Commentary: Reconsideration of Rega Saturn So... if you decide to "take the chance" you'd better be sure you get the "extended warranty" and buy it with a credit card that doubles the warranty... and... ideally pay the price premium to get it from a reliable dealer that will take it back and refund your money, if you have problems (e.g. Galen Carol Audio in San Antonio - Galen Carol Audio: Digital). But... with the devalued dollar... you're paying a "heck of a premium" for products that sound no better than others at much lesser prices.

Doug Schroeder seems to be on a holy crusade, for whatever reason. I saw his EXTENSIVE posting on audiogon, and other sites concerning this issue. Most of the "problem" reports are between him and another chap... hardly a "widespread" problem. Check out eCoustics.com - Consumer electronics product reviews, news, articles, forums and price comparisons also, and tell me how many "problem" posts you see there. It doesn't seem that Rega has an "above average" defective rate compared to any other "higher end" cdp maker. If you need to see stats, contact Sound Organization, based in TX., the US distributor for Rega, they will have that information.

Like I said, I had used Rega products without any issue, maybe I'm in the "lucky" group.


Also, what is this statement: "you're paying a "heck of a premium" for products that sound no better than others at much lesser prices." based upon?

The Saturn sounds EXTREMELY better than say an NAD c542 or ARCAM CD73t (lower priced items)... Even the difference between the highly touted 840c and Saturn is noticeable... IMHO with the edge going to the Saturn.

Best thing is to bite the bullet and buy from a reputable dealer, after auditioning of course, we all hear different.

 

[tyrion]

I've listened to a Saturn the past few days and it is a wonderful cdp at the retail price. I've been nothing but impressed with the quality of music production it generates. The one I've heard has been a demo in a store for a number of months and has not had a single issue.

 

[stick]

many thanks for your comments, I finally had a chance to audition the saturn with my headroom desktop max amp and was very impressed with the analogue style sound it played, it almost sounded like a record! As soon as my freelance check clears I think I'll order one from my local dealer. He mentioned if there was a problem that it would be shipped back and a new one sent out. Seeing as this is a 3000 CAN piece of equipment, that means a lot to me. Oh, and then he put my monster interconnects to shame by bringing out a set that cost 300 dollars for .5 meter. *sigh* It is the only time I've ever heard a difference via cable. Best start saving for those too.

Cheers and thanks again
stick

 

[HiWire]

What kind of cables were they?

 

[chesebert]

I think any cable costing $300 should beat a monster under any rational normal circumstance

Just to go back to OP's concern; yes I had the problem when I used the remote, notwithstanding it interfered wildly with the Transporter, that's why I stopped using it; the resulting task of getting up from my chair every time I need to operate the CDP had become so burdensome that I eventually sold the player.

 

[Gradofan2]

Quote:

Originally Posted by stick /img/forum/go_quote.gif many thanks for your comments, I finally had a chance to audition the saturn with my headroom desktop max amp and was very impressed with the analogue style sound it played, it almost sounded like a record! As soon as my freelance check clears I think I'll order one from my local dealer. He mentioned if there was a problem that it would be shipped back and a new one sent out. Seeing as this is a 3000 CAN piece of equipment, that means a lot to me. Oh, and then he put my monster interconnects to shame by bringing out a set that cost 300 dollars for .5 meter. *sigh* It is the only time I've ever heard a difference via cable. Best start saving for those too. Cheers and thanks again stick

That's the right thing to do... if... you're going to buy the Saturn, or Apollo. It may cost you several hundred more... but... at least you'll have a reliable dealer who'll take care of you, if it has issues.

And... if you want some great cables... which I guarantee you'll hear the difference - try these. They're incredible values, which provide a big improvement in the sound - much more refined, detailed and clear.

Pure silver audio video cables at TweekGeek.com

 

[orkney]

Quote:

Originally Posted by Morph201 /img/forum/go_quote.gif Doug Schroeder seems to be on a holy crusade, for whatever reason. I saw his EXTENSIVE posting on audiogon, and other sites concerning this issue. Most of the "problem" reports are between him and another chap... hardly a "widespread" problem.

You're dead-on there. In his original review DS went to great lengths to emphasize that he was -- or might have been -- the FIRST person in NA to review the unit, blah blah blah, and produced a very odd review, followed up by what seems to be an unbroken sequence of posts on various forums on the problems he's had ever since.

I've owned the Saturn for nearly two years, and between my own ham-fistedness and my two year-old's curiousity, have had NO problems of the kind he describes. The dealer I bought it from -- and have dealt with for years now -- reports no returns on thirty-odd units. This thing seems to have snowballed and I'm not sure what Rega or its dealers can now do about it, except repeat, as the US distributor has, that any and all problems/faults will be taken seriously and the units replaced if necessary.

Rega has a terrific track record for its engineering and for customer service -- a whole lot more, I might add, than does Doug S as a reviewer and now, maybe, general scare-monger. I agree that you should buy with care (dealer, warranty) but the Saturn is a killer player, and I wouldn't cross it off my list just because of the various reports online. The other players I looked at included the McIntosh MCD201, which sounds worse and has had WAY more reported problems.

best,

o

 

[yotacowboy]

I've owned a Rega Apollo for nearly a year now, and have only ever had difficulty with ONE cd (of my library of about 1,500 cd's in regular rotation) - Beirut's "The Flying Club Cup". After initializing, the Apollo will scan through the first 9 songs, and begin playing the 10th... every time... After it plays a minute or so of the 10th track, it will play the rest of the album with no problems. Finicky, yes, but, although that particular CD doesn't *appear* to be scratched or damaged, my G4 Powerbook (and my wife's Macbook) refuses to import it, too. My guess is that Rega's error correction scheme doesn't cover every single CD - or that the Beirut CD's TOC info is flawed somehow.

Other than that single CD, I've been nothing but happy with the Apollo. Sounds great to my ears!

 

[Bu11dog]

I havn't follow any Rega Saturn topic for awhile. Wow, I am very surprise to hear this problem.

I owned a Saturn for about 1 year now and I did not experience any issues that Doug Schroeder mentioned. Saturn does have a long disc initialize time for about 3 seconds, longer for MP3 disc.

In last one year, I probably only power off my Saturn 3 times. It is always on and ready to work.

60% of time I play APE -> CDR and the other 40% MP3 -> CDR. My Saturn has no problem reading those discs.

One big reason why I bought a Saturn was how wonder MP3 sounds comming out from this player. Simply amazing!