Rega IO has become one of the most popular entry-level integrated amplifiers, gaining praises from critics and audiophiles. It also garnered prestigious awards such as the “Best Stereo Amplifier Under £400 Award” from What Hi-Fi, “Best Buy Award” from AVForums, and many more. Are you gunning for the Rega IO or already a proud owner of it and are now looking for speakers that could pair nicely with this magnificent integrated amp? Then you are at the right place, before we start to introduce the speakers, let’s find out more about the main characteristics and features of Rega IO.
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Rega IO Main Characteristics and Features
IO is Rega’s smallest and most affordable integrated amp, weighing only 2.9kg, it is so lightweight and small that you can easily fit them nicely into any home. If you use line input, the frequency response will be from 12Hz (-1dB) to 43kHz (-3dB) which is pretty impressive for an entry-level amp. Rega IO power outputs are class A/B at 30 Watts RMS both channels are driven (rated load 8Ω) but no mention of the power outputs for 4Ω load. There is a warning though, the case may exceed 40°C above the ambient temperature if you were to continue high-level use into 4Ω. This is quite an indication to avoid using speakers with 4 ohms impedance, at least for me, I will avoid them.
More Details at Amazon – Rega IO Integrated Amp
The power amplifier and phone stage of Rega IO are the same as Brio another of Rega’s award-winning integrated amp but more powerful. Other notable features, will be the headphone output and the mini remote control which is really convenient to have. An important note will be that Rega IO has a similar sound signature to the rest of Rega’s bigger amps. If you haven’t listened to Rega amps before and are concern about their ‘house sound’, you might want to audition them first before purchasing.
Rega IO delivers a detailed presentation of the music, with a slightly smaller soundstage than its big brother Brio but not small till it is congested sounding. The agility of this budget amp is astounding, and the rhythmic sound delivery makes it fun to listen to. The sound reproduction is a tad warm which makes vocals sound natural. The bass department is surprisingly punchy and rich, but when it comes to bass-heavy tracks, you can start to notice the congestion and high-frequency clarity loss.
There’s a lot of energy inside this little fellow and you can hear it, Rega IO is an integrated amplifier made for music. The slightly warm-sounding amp is great for vinyl too. So now we know the characteristics and strength of Rega IO, we can now select matching speakers to pair with it. If you already own a pair of speakers and worried about the overall sound quality may be too warm for you, changing to silver speaker wire may help. Best that you audition a silver speaker wire that is already broken in before purchasing so that you can hear how it sounds first.
Rega IO Specifications
- Power Outputs: 30 Watts RMS both channels are driven into the rated load of 8 Ω
- Frequency Response:
- Phono: 15Hz-40kHz (-3dB) / 27Hz-20.5kHz (-1dB)
- RIAA Accuracy: 100Hz-10kHz ±0.4 dB typically better than ±0.3 dB
- Line: 12Hz (-1dB) – 43kHz (-3dB)
- Power Consumption: 135W
- Inputs: 1 x Phono input, 2 x Line inputs
- Output: Headphone output
- Dimensions (W x H x D): 180 x 68 x 290 mm (7.08″ x 2.68″ x 11.42″)
- Weight: 2.9kg (6.39lbs)
Recommended Speakers to pair with Rega IO
Due to the low power outputs of Rega IO, pairing it with floorstanding speakers will be not advisable but if you really want to, then you will need to get very efficient floorstanders with high sensitivity. Omega Junior 8XRS is one such flood-standing speaker, it can be driven as little as 2 watts and has a sensitivity of 98 dB at 8 ohms. It also delivers a large soundstage with incredible stereo imaging and may improve the spaciousness of Rega IO with its huge presentation.
For bookshelf speakers, Bowers and Wilkins 606 is the most popular choice, highly praised by critics, and has won many accolades. B&W 606 has similar characteristics, which compliments the integrated amplifier really well and brings the best out of each other. Pairing them together provides you with a fun and entertaining listen, never a dull moment. The aesthetic looks of both HiFi components blends in together well, just that the integrated amp stands out a little with its reflective front.
More Details at Amazon – Bowers and Wilkins 606
Wharfedale Diamond 225 bookshelf speakers are another amazing choice, owners who pair it with Rega IO love how great they sound together. When compared to B&W 606, Diamond 225 gives a little more oomph in the bass department and takes slightly lesser power to drive them (recommended amplifier power: 25-120Watts). But the Bowers & Wilkins 606 can reach a higher frequency extension of up to 33kHz, with higher clarity and accuracy. Wharfedale Diamond 225 speakers have an impressive soundstage for their size and affordable as well.
More Details at Amazon – Wharfedale – Diamond 225
Focal Aria 905 when paired with Rega IO amp, they actually balance each other out. Rega IO gives more energy and makes Aria 905 sound more enjoyable to listen to. The bookshelf speakers also deliver more precision and clarity, Focal Aria 905 is rhythmic as well but slightly more composed. As you can see both of their characteristics works seamlessly together to reproduce a well-balanced presentation with agility and control. If you are a Focal fan, Aria 905 is highly recommended to match with this integrated amplifier.
More Details at Amazon – Focal Aria 905
Triangle Borea BR03 is a pair of bookshelf speakers with the highest sensitivity on the list (excluding Junior 8XRS since it is a floorstander). The scale of the music these speakers could bring to the table is astounding, complimented with the rhythmic nature of Rega IO, you are getting an exciting musical experience. The Rega IO gives the Triangle Borea BR03 more punch in the bass response. Not to mention, the speed and accuracy of the music delivery is an absolute joy to listen to. Is a pity, the aesthetic designs don’t match well, but you can ignore this if sound quality is what it matters.
More Details at Amazon – Triangle Borea BR03
If you are looking for an affordable pair of bookshelf speakers with high sensitivity or even higher sensitivity than Triangle Borea BR03. You can check out Klipsch, specifically their Reference R-51M. They are quite bright sounding speakers though, so it is recommended to audition them first before you decide to get them. They are efficient pairs of bookshelf speakers and can go quite loud without much power (93dB@1Watt/1Meter). If you are into rock music, then probably Klipsch R-51M is an excellent choice for you.
More Details at Amazon – Klipsch R-51M Bookshelf Speaker
Rega IO lack of Subwoofer Output
For bass fanatics who love their dubstep and trance, this may be a bummer for you. Rega IO doesn’t have a subwoofer output and the low power ratings mean it can’t drive floorstanding speakers to their fullest potential. Yes, you can get very efficient with high sensitivity floorstanders but usually, it will cost a lot more than the amp itself. You might as well use that money to buy a more powerful Rega integrated amp such as Rega Elex R. If you insist, then you should check out the GoldenEar Triton series, Triton One.R, Triton Two+ and Triton Three+. They have a built-in powered subwoofer in each speaker and their recommended amplification starts from 20W onwards. Their smallest floorstander with subwoofers Triton Three+ has a frequency response of 21Hz-35kHz, but one of them costs about $1,400 each. If the Three+ tower speakers are too expensive for you, you might want to look for other integrated amplifiers with a subwoofer output.
To sum it up
If only Rega IO has higher power output but still at this price point, you are already getting an impressive integrated amplifier with high-quality sonic performance. Due to the limitations, you should really choose the speakers carefully and might want to start with the recommended speakers. Have an audition with them, hear them out and from there you can judge if they are the right speakers for you. The recommended speakers listed here are definitely worth your time and consideration.
You can also check out other speakers but do stick with bookshelf speakers as typically, their power requirements match well with what Rega IO can provide. Just remember to audition these speakers by pairing them with Rega IO and take note of the speaker wires that your local dealers are using, if possible, try to do the speakers auditioning at home.
The recommended speakers are mainly bookshelves, you can refer to the floorstanders mentioned earlier if you are thinking of getting them instead. They cost way more than the amp itself though, still what is more important is that you love how they sound when paired with this wonderful compact amplifier. Just remember to have a listen before buying.
