The final HF&MS Best Ever award this season goes to the Rega Io. The Io was such a revelation at the time, particularly in respect of the price, which was just £379 at the time. With 30W/channel and based on the fantastic Brio, the Io is THE entry into the audiophile journey. An entry that could reasonably take you to the Brio, the Elex, the Elicit and beyond. HF&MS said in the review:
As a package with 2 line inputs, a remote, a headphone amplifier and a very good moving-magnet input stage, this is an absolutely outstanding amplifier
The Io was such a bouncy amplifier with a significant soundstage. HF&MS said of the Io’s MM input, in combination with an old-school Rega RP3 turntable:
Their (The War on Drugs) recording of Accidently Like Martyr, a cover of the bittersweet track written by Warren Zevon and covered by just about everyone, is a perfect track for me. This first run vinyl pressing comes over with such a large soundstage for such a small amplifier and the energy and vibrancy of the music are conveyed with ease by the Io.
Congratulations to Rega for their amplifier range, in particular the Rega Io, and on an HF&MS Best Ever award.