Rega Elex MK4 Integrated Amplifier – First Look

All Image Credit: Rega

For all you Rega fans out there the Elex MK4 is a new high performance stereo integrated amplifier from the English Hi-Fi brand that replaces the Elex-R. The new custom case design now matches the rest of the Rega range and contains their award winning class A/B power amplifier providing 72watts per channel into 8Ω loads. This new design also features a DAC with two digital inputs that support 24/192 decoding.

Operation is conveniently available using either the amplifiers front panel controls or the supplied IR remote. The Elex Mk4 can provide up to 90watts into 6Ω from Sanken Darlington power transistors, with DC power provided by a “quiet, multi-stage linear supply”. Its high quality Rega designed moving magnet (MM) phono pre-amplifier with dual-stage RIAA curve correction is now accompanied by two digital inputs; 1 x optical and 1 x coaxial. These digital inputs support up to 24-bit/192KHz PCM (no DSD or MQA) and use the Rega DAC-R circuit with a Wolfson S/PDIF receiver IC and digital power supply rails that are galvanically isolated from the analog section’s in order to reduce interference. Output is provided by a Wolfson DAC and Rega designed discrete line-driver circuit.

Other front and rear panel connectivity includes; a high quality headphone output, four line level inputs, stereo record pre-out, stereo pre-amp output, speaker binding posts and IEC AC power socket.

Key Features At A Glance:

• 72 W per channel into 8 Ω / 90 W into 6 Ω
• High quality moving magnet phono stage
• High performance Rega DAC circuit for digital inputs
• 4 x Line level inputs
• 2 x Digital inputs – 1 x optical and 1 x coaxial
• Headphone output (6.4mm)
• New custom design case
• Thermal Cut-Out
• Lifetime warranty against manufacture defects

Technical Specifications:

• Power:
  • Power Amplifier Output 72W per channel into 8Ω. 90W per channel into 6Ω
• Distortion:
  • Line Inputs Typically 0.005% at 1kHz
  • Preamplifier Output Typically 0.002% at 1kHz
• Frequency Response: Bandwidth (at 80W into 8Ω)
  • Phono Input 15Hz (-3dB) to 65kHz (-3dB)
  • Line Inputs 10Hz (-1dB) to 65kHz (-3dB)
  • RIAA Accuracy Better than ±0.5dB 100Hz to 20kHz
• Analog Sensitivity:
  • Input Sensitivity (for 72W into 8Ω):
    • Phono Input: 1.6mV load 47k in parallel with 220pF
    • Line Inputs 2 thro 5:  164mV load 10k
    • Power Amplifier Gain 31.6dB
  • Output Sensitivity (at rated inputs):
    • Record Output: 164mV
    • Pre-amplifier Output: 625mV
• Digital Inputs:
  • Input D1 S/PDIF Isolated 0.5V 75Ω Co-axial
  • Input D2 S/PDIF Optical Toslink
  • Supported Sampling Rates 32, 44.1, 48, 88.2, 96, 176.4, 192kHz
  • Supported Bit Depths 16 to 24 bit
  • THD+Noise (DAC Output from Tape Out) Typically 0.004% at 1kHz

MSRP:

• US: $1,875.00
• UK: £1,199.00.

For more information visit the Rega web site.

Want to know more about amplifier classes? Check out this post: Amplifier Classes-A Quick Primer Course.