The Ultimate Rega Reference Turntable
The Rega Naia turntable is the result of years of painstaking development, which was used to create the now famous ‘Naiad’ test bed turntable. The Naia takes the best of this development and technology and transfers it into a production-ready version without compromise.
Packed with ground-breaking features, materials and technology Naia has been lovingly developed by Rega over many years to reach new levels of vinyl replay.
THE HEART OF MUSIC
The Naia takes Rega's pioneering low-mass, high-rigidity plinth technology to the next level by using a graphene-impregnated carbon fibre skeletal plinth with Tancast 8 foam core. This ultra-rigid structure is then strengthened further using two ceramic aluminium oxide braces, the same material used to create the redesigned, resonance-controlled ceramic platter with improved flywheel effect and complex profile.
RB TITANIUM TONEARM
The RB Titanium tonearm is the most advanced and accurate production tonearm we have ever released. The entire tonearm structure is designed to have the minimum of mechanical joints while using the stiffest materials in all critical areas.
RB Titanium achieves near frictionless movement horizontally and vertically whilst having no measurable free play in the bearing assemblies. It uses a new one-piece titanium vertical bearing and titanium vertical spindle assembly.
The recommended Rega Aphelion 2 MC (shown in image) will be mounted upon our unique hand-polished aluminium single-piece arm tube to keep mass as low as possible. The design is completed with a Tungsten balance weight shaft and balance weight.
GRAPHENE IMPREGNATED CARBON FIBRE PLINTH
In order to achieve the ultimate balance between low mass and extreme rigidity, Rega has pioneered the use of graphene impregnated carbon and a Tancast 8 polyurethane foam core. Both materials are widely used in the aerospace industry and provide the perfect platform on which to assemble a turntable.
The ultra-lightweight random structure of the foam core helps reduce vibration transmission, while the stiffness of the skin ensures no microscopic movement of the plinth occurs during playback.
The addition of graphene boosts the strength and stiffness of the carbon fibre even further to create the stiffest production plinth we have ever produced.
ALUMINIUM HUB AND ZTA HUB BEARING ASSEMBLY
The Naia uses a custom aluminium sub-platter with a spindle and central bearing manufactured from ZTA (zirconium-toughened alumina). ZTA was formerly developed for use in much larger machines used in the paper industry.
The resistance against abrasion was much higher than alumina oxide, which makes it the perfect material to construct a central bearing assembly from. Exceptionally complex to make, production is similar to other oxide ceramics. Starting life as a powder preparation with spray drying, the piece is formed in an isostatic press (which applies pressure in all directions to create even density).
The piece is then turned in a green state (before firing) and then fired at 1600 °C for 3 days before grinding the bottom flange and bore before final honing to match the spindle diameter. The spindle and bearing are then kept together as a set to guarantee the perfect fit.
ZTA is better against abrasive wear and is exceptionally hard, with both the spindle and bearing being manufactured from identical material. This reduces the risk of wear as they have identical hardness. The spindle will run on an ultra-thin layer of fully synthetic oil, which reduces wear even further.
The result of this complex engineering process is the hardest, most accurate, and longest-lasting bearing assembly we have ever produced.
REFERENCE POWER SUPPLY
The NAIA reference power supply offers the ultimate in motor control stability, convenient electronic speed change, advanced anti-vibration control, and user-adjustable, electronic fine speed adjustment to ensure total accuracy and control over the life of the motor.
Housed in Rega’s latest custom-designed case, the reference PSU is dedicated to running our 24v, low-noise motor as quietly and as accurately as possible. The speed and control of the motor are achieved by using a DSP (Digital Signal Processing) generator built upon a high-stability crystal. This device will divide the accurate square wave from the crystal to the exact frequency required to turn the platter at the selected speed.
The DSP core will also generate a near-perfect sinusoidal waveform to power the motor. Factory-set vibration removal and fine speed adjustments are then made to the power supply to tune each motor for optimal performance.
EBLT TRIPLE BELT DRIVE
For three years, Rega has been researching and developing with chemists the use of a bespoke new rubber compound for drive belts. Using a specialised curing system, the new drive belt offers superior consistency of modulus (a constant representing the degree to which a substance has a particular property, especially elasticity).
These new belts are manufactured on Rega-designed, state-of-the-art, super-accurate tools (inspired by working with the manufacturer of high-tech Formula 1 engine parts), which produce ‘perfectly round’ and ‘dimensionally accurate’ belts, critical for perfect speed stability.
DB TECHNOLOGY (DOUBLE BRIDGE TECHNOLOGY)
“Mass absorbs energy—lost energy equals lost music!" A super lightweight plinth combined with a ceramic top and bottom brace mounted specifically where the increased rigidity is required between the tonearm mounting and the main hub bearing. This forms a structurally sound, “stressed beam” assembly.
This rigid plinth design prevents energy absorption and unwanted resonances, which will add unnatural distortions to the music. Equally, heavier mass can transfer more unwanted energy, such as motor or bearing noise, directly into the rotating record. The tonearm and cartridge must be able to read accurately, directly from the platter. This unique Rega double brace solution guarantees as much detail is retrieved as possible.
The use of braces instead of the complete skin allows increased thickness in these key areas while providing further weight reduction to the plinth, which directly addresses the issue of mass absorption and unwanted energy transmission.
About Rega
Rega has been designing and manufacturing turntables since 1973. They have won more awards than any other turntable manufacturer in history for their accuracy in reproducing music. The RB330 handmade precision tonearm ensures exceptional tracking of the grooves and therefore optimal music information retrieval. Rega actually handpicks the tonearm bearings
