Rega Elicit MK5 Stereo Integrated Amplifier - Black

The First Rega Amplifier With a DAC Inside

Rega has built amplifiers in Essex since 1973, and the Elicit has always been the model where the company stops economising. The MK5 is the fifth generation. It is also the first Rega amplifier ever built with a digital-to-analog converter inside it, which is a bigger change than the name suggests.

Power is 105 watts per channel into 8 ohms, 127 watts into 6 ohms, and 162 watts into 4 ohms. The case measures 432 x 82 x 340mm and weighs 12.5kg, so it is a full-width component with real mass behind the front panel.

Eight Ways In, Two of Them Brand New

The analog side is generous. Four line-level inputs take your CD player, streamer, or tuner. A moving-magnet phono input handles a turntable directly. A Direct input bypasses the volume control for a home-theatre processor, and a Record input feeds a tape loop.

Then come the two new ones. A coaxial S/PDIF input and a Toslink optical input run into Rega's own DAC circuit. Both accept sample rates from 32kHz up to 192kHz, at 16 to 24 bits, which covers a TV, a CD transport, and most hi-res files.

Where the Signal Goes Out

Speaker terminals handle 4 to 16 ohm loads. A preamp output feeds a larger power amplifier if the system grows, and a record output feeds a deck. The headphone socket uses the mute relay to switch the speakers off. Rega's Solaris remote is included in the box.

Class A/B, Sanken Transistors, and No Shortcuts

The power section uses Rega's multi-award-winning Class A/B circuit with Sanken output transistors. Ahead of it sits a discrete FET-based preamplifier stage, built with polypropylene capacitors and high-quality relays rather than integrated chips. The whole amplifier is made in England.

The measurements are quiet. Distortion through the line inputs runs typically 0.007% at 1kHz, dropping to 0.005% through the Direct input and 0.004% at the preamp output. Line-input response spans 10Hz to 85kHz, and the phono stage tracks the RIAA curve to better than half a decibel from 100Hz to 20kHz.

Why It Runs Hot, and What to Do About It

Rated consumption is 375 watts just below clipping into 8 ohms, and that heat has to go somewhere. Rega warns that sustained hard driving into 6 ohms or less can push the case past 40°C above the room and trip the thermal shutdown. Give it air above and around.

What Reviewers Are Saying

Ian Ringstead reviewed the Elicit MK5 for HiFi Pig on August 26, 2022, and gave it the site's top 5 Hearts award. He reported: "The detail and layering were excellent, along with the raw excitement of the live event."

Simon Wilce made it Highly Recommended at HiFi and Music Source on June 23, 2022. His verdict: "the excellent and comprehensive DAC treatment, the high-quality MM phono stage and the decent headphone output make this the leading contender at this price point."

Who Is This Integrated Amplifier Best For?

• You want one box to run vinyl and digital — a moving-magnet phono stage and Rega's own DAC share the chassis, so a turntable and a CD transport both arrive without a single extra component on the shelf.
• Your speakers are demanding — 105 watts into 8 ohms rises to 162 into 4, so difficult loads are within reach.
• You connect a TV — the optical input takes a television directly, with no separate converter.
• You expect the system to grow — the preamp output lets the Elicit become your preamplifier instead of being replaced.
• If you stream, plan on a separate streamer feeding it. The Elicit MK5 is built as an amplifier, not a network player. Tidal or Qobuz arrives over its coaxial or optical input, which puts Rega's own DAC to work. You can also upgrade the streamer later without touching the amplifier. See our Music Streamers.

How Does It Connect to Your System?

Speakers go to the binding posts, and your turntable to the phono input with its earth lead on the ground post. A CD player or streamer takes any line input. A TV or CD transport goes to the optical or coaxial digital input, and headphones plug into the front socket.

If you run a surround processor, the Direct input passes it through at fixed level so the Elicit drives your front speakers without fighting the processor for volume.

Then it's one knob and a handful of buttons.

Pairs Well With

Building around the Elicit MK5? Here are some good companions:

• Turntable: Put the built-in MM phono stage to work — see our Turntables.
• Speakers: 162 watts into 4 ohms suits a real floorstander — see our Floorstanding Speakers.
• Headphones: The output drives everything from 32 to 300 ohms — see our Headphones.
• Cables: Good speaker cable earns its keep at this power — see our Speaker Cables.

Frequently Asked Questions

How much power does the Elicit MK5 deliver?

105 watts per channel into 8 ohms, 127 watts into 6 ohms, and 162 watts into 4 ohms. Speaker terminals accept 4 to 16 ohm loads.

Does it have a built-in DAC?

Yes. This is the first Rega amplifier with one. A coaxial and an optical input feed Rega's own DAC circuit, handling 32kHz to 192kHz at 16 to 24 bits.

Is there a USB input for my computer?

The digital inputs are coaxial S/PDIF and Toslink optical. A computer reaches them through a USB-to-S/PDIF converter, or connects to a line input by its own analog output.

Does the phono stage work with moving-coil cartridges?

It is a moving-magnet stage, loading at 47k ohms in parallel with 220pF. A moving-coil cartridge runs through an outboard phono preamplifier into any line input.

What warranty does it carry in the US?

Three years from the date of purchase by the original owner, through Rega's US distributor. The warranty is non-transferable and needs your original receipt.

See It in Action

Analogholic walks through the Elicit MK5 in detail:

EvoGrid revisits the amplifier and weighs its analog and digital sides against each other:

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Learn More

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