Rega Apollo-R cd player
Since streaming audio became more popular the last couple of years, demand for high quality cd players dropped significantly.
Nevertheless, there are still audiophiles & music lovers out there with big cd collections (myself included). They too search for a decent sources to play their beloved discs. Therefore I get asked from time to time, if I could recommend a decent quality cd player that does not cost a fortune.
Well, yes I can: the Rega Apollo-R cd-player.
The Rega Apollo-R is a “budget” high-end component. This means in real high-end terms it is dirt cheap. But for people that take their first steps in the audiophile game, this component might be quite a big investment, but it could also offer you years of joy and musical satisfaction if you are planning to keep playing your good ol’ compact disc.
To tell you a little secret: prices for out-of-print cd’s are still rising. Some audiophile cd’s are currently sold for + 1.000 euro. So if you thought the vinyl was on a revival tour, think again. Who knows in a couple of years our beloved little metal discs start to become popular again. Hang on to them, when you can.
The Rega Apollo-R is a visual masterpiece
The top loader, the small form factor, the sleek design, the beautiful black finish & red display,… All this beauty resembles a true high-end component. Luckily the Rega Apollo-R does not have the high-end price tag to pay.
If you want to check out current prices you can view the Rega Apollo-R on Amazon.
It is a real pleasure to play a cd with this little gem. Especially the top loader makes it so much more fun than any other cd player at this price point.
Much like the charms of playing vinyl, listening to your favorite cd’s can become the same kind of ritual: opening the top drawer, putting your favorite cd on the spindle, closing the drawer and pressing play – either on the component itself, or via the convenient remote control.
With such genius design, I hope the cd revival can start soon. The Rega R&D (research & development) team will too, I’m sure.
Connections
The Rega Apollo-R has both analog & digital outputs.
It uses a Wolfson WM8742 DAC chipset which decodes the digital signal and outputs it to the analog RCA outputs. So you don’t need for a separate DAC if you don’t want to. The internal Wolfson DAC does a fine job already.
But for those with higher demands, the player also has digital SPDIF (coax & optical) outputs so you can use the Apollo-R as a dedicated cd-transport.
In this configuration you can output the digital data directly to an external DAC, like for instance the partnering Rega DAC-R. This last option will give you even better sonic results but this might not be necessary, depending on the quality of the rest of your setup and your actual desires.
Sound quality
The Rega Apollo-R has received numerous stunning reviews & awards.
Soundwise this player does it all, especially when considering the price: natural sounding, descent amount of resolution, being able to dig up some of the micro details of the recordings, good timing, crisp, clean & balanced sound and being able to deliver a solid stereo image.
Where to buy?
You can order it directly via Amazon. Very easy to make your order, and a fast delivery.
Buy the Rega Apollo-R cd player on Amazon.
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