Rega Valve Isis Tube Reference CD Player

Key Features: 

• Rega’s advanced CD technology
• Twin Wolfson DACs
• Rega ‘K-Power’ smoothing capacitors
• Custom designed reference case
• CNC reference remote control
• Lifetime warranty against manufacturer defects

Product Description: 

Valve version of Rega’s reference Isis CD Player

The Isis valve edition elevates its digital and USB capabilities identical to its solid-state counterpart but introduces a unique valve-based analogue stage with passive filtering for an unparalleled audio experience. This analogue phase incorporates two high-grade military-spec triple mica 5814A (ECC82/12AU7) triodes, powered by the cutting-edge Wolfson WM8741 digital to analogue converter, known for its ultra-high performance. This combination ensures a warm, rich, and detailed sound reproduction that valve enthusiasts seek.

The Isis valve edition maintains the digital and USB infrastructure of its solid-state counterpart but distinguishes itself with a sophisticated valve-based analogue stage featuring passive filtering. Incorporating dual high-spec military-grade triple mica 5814A (ECC82/12AU7) triodes, this device is powered by the innovative Wolfson WM8741 digital-to-analogue converter for superior audio fidelity. Additionally, its output buffer and transformer driver stage employ two ECC88 (6DJ8/6922) triodes in an innovative configuration. Unlike conventional designs that simply use valves for warmth, this player leverages advanced valve circuitry to deliver a refined and powerful valve-based CD playback experience. Every component, from digital to analogue pathways, has been meticulously selected to preserve signal integrity.

The design extends to the PCBs, ensuring segregation of digital, analogue, motor, display, and control sections for pristine sound quality. Critical capacitors are complemented by film types for signal clarity, with power supplies bolstered by solid polymer capacitors and custom Rega K-Power smoothing capacitors for low impedance and efficient rectification. The Isis also features optimized control code for swift CD processing and display interaction, enhancing user experience through precise control mechanisms.

Technology

The Isis valve CD player employs a cutting-edge design where the digital to analogue converter's differential output is amplified by a valve differential amplifier, utilizing a careful amount of feedback for stability. The amplifier, powered by 5814A triodes and complemented by a solid-state current generator, optimizes the converter's differential output. This setup leads to a passive Butterworth second-order LC filter, with the final signal boost provided by an ECC88 triode, readying it for the output and balancing transformer.

The design strategy was to balance the valve's harmonic richness without overshadowing the digital stage's clarity, achieving an overall THD of typically 0.06%, with a desirable emphasis on even-order harmonics, especially the 2nd. This approach ensures the valve's warmth enriches the digital precision without compromise.

Extensive testing for the ideal tube configuration confirmed the 5814A's superiority in minimizing microphonics, ensuring reliability, and enhancing audio quality. Both high and low tension power supplies mirror the solid-state Isis in regulation and component choice, with a dedicated 50 VA transformer providing isolation between digital and analogue sections, ensuring purity of sound.

A balanced output, integral to the valve circuit design, incorporates a high-standard transformer, mirroring the one in the Ios MC amplifier, to maintain signal integrity and balanced audio output. This meticulous attention to detail in the Isis's design is intended to complement the Rega Osiris amplifier perfectly, promising an unparalleled listening experience that reflects the passion and precision invested in its creation.

Digital Section

The digital architecture of this device has been meticulously optimized, with significant enhancements across key components including the mechanism, optical amplifier, DSP core, PLL, master clock, and motor power supplies, ensuring peak performance and reliability. To further refine its operation, the digital circuitry benefits from an additional 10 dedicated power supply regulators, emphasizing the commitment to precision and stability in its functioning.

Distinct power supplies are allocated for the motor, user interface processor, and display, underlining the design's focus on isolating and optimizing each component's performance. A dedicated 50 VA transformer provides galvanic isolation for the digital stage, mirroring the care taken in the analogue section to prevent interference and maintain signal purity.

The device's mechanism undergoes rigorous grading and matching to the servo circuits, guaranteeing that the servo and optical amplifiers operate at their most efficient point. This meticulous calibration enhances error correction capabilities and playability, ensuring a smooth and accurate reading of discs.

The optical amplifier's headroom sees a 10% improvement by increasing the voltage in its power supply, a testament to the design's innovative approach to maximizing the potential of every component in the digital section, resulting in superior audio fidelity and user experience.

Digital

After five years of meticulous development, this groundbreaking player emerges as a collaboration between Rega and its design partners, introducing an innovative servo controller at its core. This state-of-the-art controller leverages cutting-edge signal processing technologies to guarantee that the data extracted from discs is of unparalleled quality. The fully digital servo employs sophisticated algorithms, optimizing the laser's position for data retrieval with unparalleled precision in focus, size, and tracking. This advanced approach ensures that every disc read is executed with utmost accuracy, showcasing the dedication to achieving the highest fidelity in digital audio playback.

Extra Error Correction

The latest innovation from Rega introduces a chip-set that transcends past limitations, eliminating the need to compromise between error correction capabilities. Previously, designers faced a choice: enhance jog resistance or prioritize musical performance. The new Rega chip-set, however, marries these two critical aspects, delivering both optimized musical fidelity and superior jog/vibration resistance. This advancement signifies a leap forward in audio technology, ensuring that listeners no longer have to sacrifice audio quality for durability against physical disturbances.

Super-Stable Phase Lock Loop

The integrated circuit (IC) within this device is governed by a proprietary Phase-Locked Loop (PLL) exclusively designed by Rega’s team. This specialized PLL enhances the accuracy of CD data retrieval and significantly elevates the quality of data fed to the Digital-to-Analog Converter (DAC). This innovation not only ensures more precise playback but also noticeably improves the overall auditory experience by delivering cleaner, more accurate sound data to be transformed into audio.

Low Noise Digital Design

In crafting their CPU integrated circuit (IC), Rega devoted meticulous attention to minimizing noise within the data and address buses. This effort is pivotal in ensuring that both the ground and signal connections to the Digital-to-Analog Converter (DAC) remain exceptionally 'clean.' By prioritizing the purity of these connections, we've significantly enhanced the overall sound quality, providing a pristine audio output that stands out for its clarity and fidelity. This approach underscores their commitment to delivering audio experiences that are not just heard but deeply felt.

USB Input

The device facilitates a seamless direct connection to a laptop or PC through a USB A-B cable, enabling the streaming of internet radio, MP3, or WMA files directly from your computer using the Isis's superior internal Digital-to-Analog Converter (DAC). The USB input is enhanced with a dual-clocked, isolated USB interface, allowing the device's DAC to interface with a computer's USB port while operating on its own regulated power supply. This design includes galvanic isolation from the main Isis player circuitry, effectively preventing earth current flow between the CD player and the host computer and eliminating noise from the computer's power supply. This ensures a clean, uninterrupted audio stream devoid of any interference from the computer's electrical system.

Disc Analysis

The Valve Isis possesses a sophisticated disc analysis system, akin to the engine management systems found in modern automobiles that adjust settings based on variables like temperature and fuel quality. Upon loading a disc, the Isis meticulously adjusts its settings for that specific disc to ensure optimal, error-free playback. This unique capability allows the Isis to successfully read and play discs that may have marks or scratches, which could render them unplayable on other devices. This feature underscores the Isis's advanced design and technological innovation, aimed at providing a seamless and high-quality listening experience regardless of the condition of the physical media.

Specifications: 

Dimensions and Weight: 

Overall - 434 x 112 x 350 mm

Space needed to operate - 434 x 200 x 350 mm

Product Weight - 19.5 kg