Rega Brio-R Break-in time.

I am using Proac Signature 2000's and a Cambridge Audio 840c CD player with Audioquest cables. None of these components are what I would consider to be bright sounding. They are transparent and if anything a bit on the warm side.

I will give it 200 hours like you suggested. I love the Brio otherwise, but if that brightness does not change it might be a deal breaker for me. Everyone hears different. Maybe I am just sensitive to that brightness more than others? I re-connected my older Arcam A70 that I was hoping to replace with the Brio R. Just to get an idea. The voice S and T sounds were still there but they were less sharp and more rounded than the Brio is. It was something I could live with. So far with the Brio it is not. Thanks for your help. I will give you an update in the next week or so after further break in.

Sorry, I noticed I never responded back on this thread. I actually sold the Brio-R after about 5 weeks of use. I liked almost everything it did. But in my system at least, it was still a little too bright for me if I am honest. Maybe I needed a longer break in time? Most people like the Brio-R and for good reason. So I really can not knock it because it did most things as good as any under $2000 integrated I have heard. For me those S and T sounds need to be really smooth otherwise they bother me. Like I said before everyone hears a little bit different so I would recommend to anyone looking in this price range to give the Brio-R a try. My guess is that most people will love it. Besides, Rega is a great audio company.

The Bach's are really nice speakers. I personally don't think the Rega is a good match up for Vienna speakers. For $500-1000. That's a tough one. You want something powerful, yet smooth and clear for the Vienna's. If you can find a used Primare I21 I would go for that. Heard it together one time and sounded good. NAD might work well. Arcam is smoother than Rega. Oh I know, this is just a hunch but there is on sale right now on Audio Advisor website a Vincent Audio integrated amp. 100 watts and a tube preamp stage with 4 tubes! I bet anything you will like it. If not they have a 30 day return policy. Regularly $1500 on sale for $1000 right now. It will give you the current that the Viennas need and the warmth you are looking for. Let me know what you decided. Good luck!

That is interesting. Not sure if people are just hearing differently or perhaps I didn't let it in burn in long enough? I played it a few hours everyday for about 5 weeks. So I don't know. I ended up selling mine on here. One thing that did help was that I swapped out my Audioquest Diamondback interconnect cables for Cardas Quadlink 5-C. That smoothed out the sound somewhat.
I also bought my Brio-R at the Needle Doctor. Those guys are very helpful. The Vincent Audio SV-226 MK2 I saw in a recent Audio Advisor catalogue that they sent me. It was in the clearance section. Maybe it's already sold out. I didn't see it on their webpage either.
On a side note, I have to be honest, I have to say that the Rega might need more break-in time or not but I have owned over 15 integrated amps in my life and there was only one that sounded brighter to me ears in the upper midrange and lower treble and that was an Audiolab 8000. Makes no sense because a lot of the Rega's frequency range sounds really smooth except in certain areas. If you decide to keep it I look forward to knowing if it got a lot better after a long break-in time or not. Let me know if that brightness ever calmed down.
Thanks