My new Rega Saturn sounds like my old Apollo

theoman

Confused Member
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After having my Apollo for over 10 years I decided to upgraded it to a new Saturn. Well, I can't tell the difference. Maybe its the CD's I'm using. I ordered a few Mofi discs maybe that will work?
Do the Mofi disk sound better?
 
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Maybe the Apollo was a very good player in it's time. Not uncommon. I'm not familiar with Rega gear but some of the older CDP can be very good. Newer doesn't always mean better.

BillWojo
 
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Maybe the Apollo was a very good player in it's time. Not uncommon. I'm not familiar with Rega gear but some of the older CDP can be very good. Newer doesn't always mean better.

BillWojo

I learning that over and over and still making the same mistake.
 
CD's and DACs are the pieces where THIS IS NOT TRUE. The designs and DACs have improved immensely. Remember that DAC's and CD players also have an analog out system and if that is not changed, you may not hear a difference.

Then do I find a good DAC and add it to the Saturn? Or is it best to run the CD player to the digital in puts of the preamp? I'm in the middle of upgrading my Macintosh Preamp to one that has digital pre inputs.
 
I would wait till you get the Mac and see how the DAC in that sounds. If all you play is CD's an older DAC from the height of CD popularity can be shockingly good. I use an old Parasound D/AC-1000 and love it. Burr Brown PCM63K chips were one of the best.

BillWojo
 
Then do I find a good DAC and add it to the Saturn? Or is it best to run the CD player to the digital in puts of the preamp? I'm in the middle of upgrading my Macintosh Preamp to one that has digital pre inputs.

I was look at the Mcintosh C46 that has two chassis one for digital and the other analog. you think plugging a transport into the Mac would be the best?

I have sampled a lot of CDP and other digital DACs and digital out put devices opposed to the DAC in my McIntosh D100 digital preamp. The D100 always wins and as such I go out of all sources digital to the D100 DAC and then to my analogue 2ch preamp.

Wait till you get the mac preamp with a built in DAC. I also like the Coaxl and optical inputs better than the USB.
 
The original, full width Rega Apollo was the first CD player I really liked. I bought mine used, gave it to a friend, and got an original, full-width Saturn, which I assumed I'd like even more. Not so, for me. In an A-B-C-D shootout, the Saturn was the brightest, tizziest digital source of the four contenders. I liked the Apollo more, from memory, but never had them side-by-side.
 
My friend had an older Apollo and I really like the sound. That’s the one I’m am planning on getting in the future. The Apollo R.
 
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