Rega Isis CDP black

The Isis represents the pinnacle of the British manufacturer’s expertise in digital playback: a massive 19 kg chassis machined from aluminum, a fully symmetrical Class A analog section, and a finely calibrated disc transport mechanism. This top-loading player also incorporates a DAC accessible via USB to connect a computer.

Industrial-grade precision engineering

The Isis chassis is carved from a solid block of aluminum, CNC-machined and then black anodized. The loading lid and front panel feature a genuine black chrome finish that gives the whole unit a sleek, understated elegance, in keeping with the brand’s aesthetic tradition. This 19 kg mass is not just for show: it plays an active role in damping vibrations and stabilizing the transport mechanism.

Discs are loaded from the top via a manual lid with precisely calibrated resistance. The front panel remains minimalist, with a central display flanked by four push buttons for the essential controls. A solid aluminum remote control comes with the unit, machined from two assembled aluminum blocks.

Dual, fully separated power supplies

The Isis strictly separates the digital and analog sections, each with its own 50 VA toroidal transformer. This complete galvanic isolation eliminates interference between the two domains. Twenty separate power regulators (ten per section) ensure maximum stability of the operating voltages, while the motor, display, and interface processor each have their own dedicated power supplies.

Filtering relies on K-Power capacitors developed specifically by Rega, combined with solid polymer capacitors to maintain very low impedance at the converter. Critical electrolytic capacitors are systematically bypassed with polypropylene or polyester film capacitors.

Digital section and adaptive disc analysis

The Isis servo controller was developed in collaboration with a British partner specialized in signal processing. A custom-designed phase-locked loop (PLL) optimizes data recovery and the quality of the stream sent to the converter. The main integrated circuit has been extensively refined to minimize noise on the data and address buses.

The unit analyzes each disc individually during the initialization phase, much like an engine management system that adapts its parameters to operating conditions. This automatic optimization makes it possible to read scratched or damaged discs that other players would reject. The transport is calibrated and matched to the servo circuits to guarantee operation at the optimal point. For each unit produced, Rega archives three matched laser-lens assemblies: one installed in the device, two kept in reserve for potential future servicing.

Dual-mono parallel conversion

The analog section uses two Burr Brown PCM1794 converters operating in a dual-mono parallel configuration. This architecture delivers a wide dynamic range with a total harmonic distortion rate below 0.0013%. A central development goal was to recover the current-output signal from the converter, without internal amplification, and convert it to an analog voltage via discrete Class A operational amplifiers.

This current-to-voltage amplification circuit is derived from work done on the first stage of the Rega Ios phono preamplifier, with which it shares strict requirements in terms of low noise, high slew rate capability, and gain-bandwidth product. The architecture remains fully symmetrical from the converters to the XLR outputs, with the unbalanced RCA outputs derived from this balanced circuit.

USB input with galvanic isolation

The Isis includes a USB input for connecting a laptop or desktop computer via a USB A–B cable. The interface uses a dual, isolated clock and has its own regulated power supply. Complete galvanic isolation eliminates stray ground currents between the player and the host computer, as well as noise from the computer’s power supply.

This input accepts MP3 and WMA audio streams up to 16-bit / 48 kHz, allowing the Isis DAC to be used for playback of computer-stored files or internet radio streaming. Input selection is performed from the front panel or via the remote control.

Connectivity and system integration

The Isis offers comprehensive connectivity with balanced XLR and unbalanced RCA analog outputs, as well as coaxial and optical digital outputs for possible use with an external converter. The quality of the connectors is in line with the overall finish of the unit.

The brand supplies the Isis with a quality mains power cable and a set of Rega interconnect cables made by Klotz with Neutrik connectors. The unit was developed in parallel with the Osiris integrated amplifier, forming a coherent pairing both aesthetically and sonically. Naturally, the Isis can be integrated into any system of equivalent quality, whether equipped with balanced or unbalanced inputs.

Technical Specifications

Audio Components

• Two Burr-Brown digital-to-analog converters (PCM1794)
• Class A discrete operational amplifiers and filters
• Audio-grade electrolytic capacitors
• Rega “K Power” filter capacitors

Performance

• Frequency response: 17 Hz - 20 kHz ± 0.1 dB
• Total harmonic distortion and noise (THD+N): < 0.0013%
• Wide dynamic range, low distortion
• Wavelength: 780 nm
• Sampling frequency: 44.1 kHz

Construction

• Custom CNC-machined Rega aluminum casing
• Lifetime warranty against manufacturing defects

Physical Specifications

• Dimensions (W × H × D): 434 × 112 × 350 mm
• Required space (W × H × D): 434 × 200 × 350 mm
• Weight: 19 kg

Power Supply

• Power consumption: 23 W
• Mains fuses for 230 V version: Analog T500 mA, Digital T500 mA