Rega Saturn MK3/Elicit MK5

As Rega’s first amplifier to augment analogue inputs with digital ones, the Elicit MKS comes equipped with one optical and one coaxial input offering support for PCM up to 24-bit/192kHz. Decoding comes via an unspecified Wolfson DAC.

This small digital section joins four RCA line inputs and a moving-magnet phono stage, the latter being retained from the previous Elicit-R, making this the largest Rega amp to feature an internal phono stage. The amplifier section benefits from Rega’s work developing its Aethos HFC 457) and this is most apparent in the preamp. The new Elicit uses a FET-based circuit with an ALPS potentiometer in place of the microprocessor-controlled system of its predecessor. This means that input selection has been moved to a separate control although, like the Aethos, there is no direct input selection.

The new amp is significantly more powerful than the outgoing model. Rega quotes 105W into 80hm, rising to 127W into 6 and 162W into 4, making the Elicit significantly more powerful than some key rivals. Power is available to a single set of speaker terminals and a 6.35mm headphone socket. The result is an amplifier that, on paper at least, moves on from its analogue-only predecessor while also changing the dynamic of how you might build a system around it. You could realistically use the phono stage, the coaxial input for something like the iFi ZEN Stream p103) or a CD transport while entrusting your TV to the optical connection resulting in a complete and modern system.