rega MK5 Elicit Integrated Amplifier User Manual

: June 5, 2024
: Rega

rega MK5 Elicit Integrated Amplifier User Manual

YOUR USER MANUAL

Please be sure to carefully read this manual before using this product.
This ensures that you are getting the most out of your Elicit. Please scan the QR Code to access the multilingual user manual via the product web page.

SAFETY PRECAUTIONS

The lightning flash with the arrowhead symbol within an equilateral triangle is intended to alert the user to the presence of un-insulated ‘dangerous voltage’ within the product’s
enclosure that may be of sufficient magnitude to constitute a risk of electric shock to persons.

The exclamation point within an equilateral triangle is intended to alert the user to the presence of important operating and maintenance instructions in the service literature relevant to this appliance.

IMPORTANT INFORMATION

Service

With the unit disconnected from the mains, clean only with a micro fibre cloth (lightly damp if necessary). Do not remove any coverings; there are no user serviceable parts inside. If the unit performs erratically or emits smoke or odour, disconnect from the power supply and take it to a qualified service technician.

Warranty

All Rega products are covered by a lifetime warranty against manufacture defects. This warranty does not cover wear and tear. Any unauthorised modifications or failure to follow the Rega recommended guidelines may invalidate the warranty. If returning goods for inspection to your retailer, the original packaging must be used to preserve the warranty. Damage caused during transport due to incorrect packaging may invalidate your warranty. Replacement packaging is available from any Rega retailer. Your statutory rights are not affected.

Safety Instructions

Do not use this unit near liquids or expose to moisture. Do not use near sources of heat such as radiators, vents, stoves, or candles. Ensure adequate ventilation around the product, at least 10cm in all directions, and avoid placing the unit on soft surfaces such as long carpet and fabric. Do not open the product enclosure or force objects into openings in the unit. Place the unit on a fixed level surface where it will not fall or tip. The unit should only be used in moderate climates between 5°C (41°F) and 35°C (95°F). Keep packaging material and small pieces out of reach of children. Unplug the power supply if the unit is unused for extended periods of time.

COMPLIANCE INFORMATION

This symbol indicates that the electronic equipment bearing it should not be disposed of as general household waste at the end of its life. The equipment should be disposed of at a collec- tion point for waste electrical and electronic equipment in accordance with national legislation and Directive 2012/19/EU. For more information about how to dispose of your waste electronic equipment, please contact your local authority or retailer where you purchased the product. In the UK, please return your product to the retailer.

INTRODUCTION

Thank you for purchasing the Rega Elicit MK5. The Elicit is a stereo integrated amplifier designed to deliver the purest musical performance. Housed in a brand new custom designed case to match the rest of the Rega range, the new MK5 builds on previous Rega designs by using our multi-award- winning Class A/B power amplifier circuit to deliver a powerful 105W per channel into 8Ω loads. This power is provided by an ample, quiet multi-stage linear supply whilst supply rails for digital and analogue sections are galvanically isolated.

The Elicit is capable of driving difficult loudspeakers with ease and will integrate perfectly into any audio system by offering a wide range of connectivity options. In addition to line, digital, and a high-quality moving magnet (MM) phono inputs, you will also find pre-out, Direct in, Record loop functionality and a high-performance headphone output.

The Elicit now shares other design features taken directly from the highly acclaimed Aethos amplifier. You will find the same discrete FET based pre- amplifier circuit and Alps volume potentiometer have been introduced to further improve sonic and technical performance. As you would expect, special attention has been paid to the selection of key audio components. Discrete circuitry, high-quality relays, polypropene capacitors, and Sanken output transistors are used throughout the design.

The galvanically/optically isolated digital inputs utilise a Wolfson S/PDIF receiver IC to provide exceptional detail and clarity from any connected source. Output is provided by a Wolfson DAC and Rega designed discrete line- driver circuit.

The new Elicit MK5 calls upon decades of award-winning experience in amplifier and digital circuit design which culminates in a perfectly engineered balance of reliability, connectivity and above all, accurate music reproduction.

INSTALLATION & VENTILATION

The Elicit amplifier will work well on most surfaces, such as a shelf or a table, provided there is sufficient air around the heat sinks to prevent overheating. If using a turntable, avoid magnetic interference by positioning the amplifier as far away from the turntable as the tonearm lead will allow. If possible, place it to the left of the turntable. Keep other equipment away from the amplifier. Due to the layout of Rega’s amplifier circuit designs, they are virtually insusceptible to electromagnetic interference, and by virtue of a full metal enclosure, emit practically no electromagnetic radiation. However, placing any electronic equipment such as sensitive phono amplifiers close together may impair the performance of one or both items. Never stack other hi-fi components on top of the Elicit.

WARNING: The mains supply cord functions as a mains disconnect device.
The socket outlet should therefore be located near the equipment and be easily accessible.

The heat produced by the Elicit amplifier is dispersed via the heat sinks located on either side of the product. Please ensure adequate space around the exterior of the product to allow for sufficient airflow, otherwise overheating may result. If the Elicit is driven at high volume for a long period it may become quite warm. This is entirely acceptable as long as there is sufficient ventilation and the amplifier will continue to work normally without damage. If the amplifier is overdriven it may overheat, however the Elicit contains thermal protection that will disable the output or the power to the product temporarily. Once the product has cooled it will automatically resume normal operation. Never place the amplifier on carpets, rugs or bedding.

CONNECTIVITY

REAR PANEL CONNECTIVITY

Phono Input 1 – Enables connection of a turntable with a moving magnet cartridge. Loading will be suitable for most MM cartridge designs on the market, and a dedicated grounding point is provided directly below the input sockets for tonearms with a separate ground
Line Inputs 2 to 5 – The line inputs enable the connection of sources, such as a streamer, CD player, DAC, tuner, DVD or Blu-ray player for use with an Audio Visual These inputs are at standard line level and are suitable for any equipment with output at that level.
Record Input and Output – This is a line level input and output intended for use with a recording device such as a CD/DVD recorder, MD, tape cassette machine or sound Record Output is the same signal as selected by the main input selector (analogue inputs 1-5 or digital inputs D1/D2) and is not affected by the volume control. Selecting the Record function on the amplifier front panel/remote enables the Record Input, directing the signal from this input to the speaker output of the amplifier. This input is completely independent to inputs
1-5/D1/D2 and can be used to monitor the functionality and quality of the recording device without affecting the source being recorded.
Note: The Record Input button is located on the supplied remote only. The ‘Record’ LED will light on the front panel when activated.
Record Output Link – This output mirrors the Record Output, and can be used to drive ancillary components like headphone amplifiers This signal is also unaffected by the volume control.
Direct Input – This input is routed directly to the power amplifier input, bypassing the internal preamp and volume control. This allows the Elicit to be used with an external stereo preamplifier of the user’s choosing. It also enables the Elicit to be used with multi channel systems, where the Elicit is utilised to power the front speakers during multi channel content. Input selection and volume control are performed within an AVR or multi-channel preamp, the output of which is then passed to this The sensitivity is 760mV for maximum output. Power amplifier gain is 31.6dB.
Note: The Direct Input button is located on the supplied remote only. The ‘Direct’ LED will light on the front panel when activated.
CAUTION: As this input has no volume control, if a line level source like a CD player is connected to this input the speakers will be driven to their maximum level, potentially causing damage.
Pre-Amp Output – The pre-amplifier can drive at least 5 power amplifiers, sub bass units etc. The pre-amplifier output uses RCA type (phono) The output level is 760mV with a line input level and is always active.
Digital Inputs – These are S/PDIF digital Input D1 enables the coax input and D2 enables the Toslink input. All common input bit depths and sample rates up to 24bit/192kHz are supported.
Speaker Terminals – These are intended for use with 4-16Ω Sustained use into speakers of less than 8Ω could make the unit run warmer than normal.
Mains Fuse – See back panel for rating.
WARNING: Replace only with same type and rating.
Mains Power Inlet – Connect to mains See ratings label beneath inlet for country specific voltage, current and frequency ratings.
WARNING: Only use product with a power supply that conforms to the ratings listed on the label.

CONTROLS

FRONT PANEL CONTROLS

On/Off Switch – The power switch to the left of the control panel turns the amplifier on and off. The Elicit is on when the switch is depressed and off when it is The Rega logo will illuminate red when the switch is on and the product is supplied with power, indicating that the power supply is operational. Please refer to the diagram below.

Several seconds after turn on you may hear a gentle click, indicating that the switch-on relay has been released and the amplifier is ready for use. Always allow the Elicit to fully power down (indicated by the power Rega Logo extinguishing after 2-3 seconds) before switching on again, so that the self- test circuitry can complete its reset cycle.

Headphone Socket – The Elicit is capable of driving all standard hi-fi headphones (see specifications for the output levels). When headphones are connected, the speakers will automatically be turned However, it is recommended to reduce the volume of the Elicit before connecting headphones to ensure they are not damaged and prevent potential hearing damage.

WARNING: To prevent possible hearing damage, DO NOT listen to headphones at high levels for long periods of time.

Input Selection – The inputs are selected by pressing the Input button on either the front panel or the supplied remote. Repeatedly pressing the Input button will cycle through inputs 1-5, D1 and D2. The selected input is indicated by the input LEDs 1-5, D1 and D2 on the front
Input Indicator LEDs – The selected input will illuminate
Mute LED – Illuminates red when Mute is active, this is controlled by the corresponding button on the supplied The speaker, preamp, and headphone outputs are disabled.
Volume Control – The volume of the amplifier can be adjusted using either the volume control knob or via the supplied The control is motorised and will move independently when the remote is used.
Direct LED – Illuminates red when the Direct function is active (selected only via the remote) .
Record LED – Illuminates red when the Direct function is active (selected only via the remote) **.

**

REMOTE

SOLARIS REMOTE CONTROL

The Solaris system remote (supplied) is a system remote handset. It allows you to operate all the various remote controllable functions of this and many other Rega products. (Batteries included: 2 x AAA Alkaline) RC CODE: Phillips RC5 system number 16 audio pre-amplifier.

OPERATION

THERMAL CUT-OUT

If the amplifier reaches a temperature liable to cause internal electronic damage, a thermal protection sensor will shut the unit off or disable speaker output. The unit should be turned off for at least 10 minutes to allow for cooling. After this period, the amplifier should automatically reset and continue to work normally. If it does not, turn the unit off for a longer period, allowing complete cooling of the amplifier before trying again.

OPERATING TEMPERATURE

Allow adequate air circulation around the left and right hand sides of the product, as these are the heat sinks for the power amplifier and will run hot with high listening levels. This unit is intended for use in moderate climates. Recommended ambient operating temperature 5 to 35°C.

The thermal cutout should only occur with continuous over-driving of a difficult load. If it occurs under normal conditions, there could be a problem with insufficient airflow around the heat sinks or a fault with the loudspeakers. In this case it is advisable to contact your Rega dealer.

DC PROTECTION

One of the design requirements of the Elicit was to keep the capacitors in the signal path to a minimum to prevent unnecessary sound degradation at this crucial line level stage. In order to achieve this requirement, the output of both the pre and power amplifier are DC coupled. A servo control is applied to the pre-amplifier. In the unlikely event of a circuit failure causing any one of the above outputs to produce an excessive DC voltage, the DC protection will activate within milliseconds, protecting any connected device.

SHORT CIRCUIT PROTECTION

If in the event that the speaker leads are shorted, the fold back short circuit protection will protect the output stage from excessive currents. This protection circuit is not placed in the audio signal path and therefore does not affect sound quality.