REGA Ania MC Cartridge

ANIA Moving Coil Cartridges   The Ania was inspired by the success of our Apheta and Aphelion MC models. Ania uses the same complex hand wound micro coil found in the rest of the range, and is housed in a unique PPS highly rigid body. This body is an exceptionally accurate design that includes Rega’s three point fixing to optimise connection to the tonearm headshell and automatically sets overhang when fitted to a Rega tonearm. The new body is protected by a CAD designed, clear rigid cover to protect the internal fine wires, making handling whilst fitting, safe and risk free. The Ania features a super high-powered, neodymium magnet and a coil meticulously hand wound on to an iron micro cross. This miniature assembly allows us greater freedom to track the vinyl groove ensuring even more detail is extracted from the vinyl. Welcome to the world of moving coils Rega’s Moving Coil cartridge design is unique in its approach to achieving an ultra-low mass generator which is undamped (no tie wire) using a unique rhomboid pivot for the cantilever powered by a purpose designed, exclusive to Rega, Neodymium magnet system. This type of design requires a zero-tolerance engineered cartridge body which is Rega’s area of expertise and with the Apheta 3 and Aphelion 2 products these bodies are machined from one piece of the highest quality aluminium. This is a difficult and expensive process requiring all of Rega’s years of experience to achieve. In particular, the “zero” tolerancing of the body is required in the alignment and dimension of the pivot pad mounting hole and the magnet mechanism mounting hole relationship.   KEY FEATURES Iron micro cross assembly One of the worlds smallest MC generators Cutting edge high power Neodymium magnets Elliptical profile stylus Aluminium cantilver Coil constructed from 0.018 mm fine wire Lifetime warranty against manufacture defects   When we decided to produce a Moving Coil cartridge at half the cost of the Apheta 3, the special aluminium body could not be used, it was simply too expensive. The solution lay in an unusual polymer/glass combination called Polyphenylene Sulphide (PPS-Fortron). With 40% glass, this material could be moulded and would solve the cost problem. The special attributes of this material are its hardness and stability in shape and dimension post moulding, both critical for the performance of Ania. Now came the challenge. Rega designed and prototyped using SLA systems in just a few months, proving the validity of the design direction. Now we had to design a production mould tool capable of extreme accuracy and long life. PPS is a difficult polymer to mould and requires special attention to how the mould tool operates. Couple this to an almost unmouldable complex shape of the Ania body and a very considerable challenge faced the Rega engineers and the toolmakers chosen. The toolmakers are of the highest technical skill level, using the most accurate Swiss EDM CNC machines, their regular customers being the military and medical industries, routinely working down to a micron (one thousandth of a millimetre). To achieve this intricate body shape required the most complex high pressure injection mould tool that Rega has ever designed. The tool has eight major parts, four of which must move in perfect synchronicity with each other to achieve each cartridge body. The design and manufacture of this “work of art” took an entire year to produce and was made exclusively by the most senior toolmaker requiring all his lifetime of artisanal experience. Combine this special PPS body with its high specification stainless steel inserts, a unique rhomboid pivot system, a tried and tested high performance, diamond tipped elliptical stylus cantilever with low mass moving coil generator assembly and you have new market leading musicality, performance, speed, clarity, and detail as never before at this price.     REVIEW & AWARDS Rega Ania & Fono MC - Read More "The Rega Ania and Fono MC are a pretty sweet package, you need a decent turntable and arm to make the most of them, an RP6 at least, but given that, the result is pretty damn close to the music power available with much pricier combos. In fact I can’t think of a more inspiring record player than RP8/Ania/Fono MC for £2,500. But be careful, it could give you a chronic case of vinyl addiction. " - Jason Kennedy   Partners in rhyme - Read More "Individually, these are two very strong models in their respective categories. The Ania is a tremendous moving-coil design at a great price that delivers on the speed and immediacy associated with this type of cartridge and is likely to win over many fans. The Fono MC phono stage is – if anything – even more impressive. It combines superb basic performance with unusual flexibility for a design at this price, making it a go-to design at or anywhere near the asking price. As a pairing costing £750, it punches well above its weight and should work convincingly with a wide variety of different systems. Component synergy has long been part of the Rega appeal, and this combo is one of its finest examples yet " - Ed Selley   Rega Planar 6/Ania review - Read More "Rega aims high and scores with a wonderfully refined, articulate and precise turntable that's lovely to listen to " - What Hi-Fi?   Rega Planar 8/Ania Review - Read More "Even by Rega’s high standards, the Planar 8/Ania is a beautifully realised machine. " - Simon Lucas       SPECIFICATIONS Input Load Impedance 100 Ω Output Impedance ​10 Ω Nominal output voltage ​350 μV Channel Balance ≥ 20 μV Channel Balance ≥ -29 dB Tracking pressure ​1.75 - 2.00 g LOAD SETTINGS FOR ADJUSTABLE MC STAGES Impedance 100 Ω Capacitance 1000 pF Gain Setting High (‘On’ position for Rega phono stages)