Rega Elicit MK5 Integrated Amplifier

The Elicit MK5 is Rega's upper-mid-range integrated amplifier — a 105-watt design that borrows the discrete FET-based pre-amplifier section from the Aethos, Rega's reference integrated, and combines it with a phono stage, digital inputs, and the full connectivity of a do-everything amplifier. It is the point in the range where Rega's circuit engineering reaches down from the reference tier to a more accessible price, and the result is an amplifier that sounds significantly more refined than its position in the range might suggest.

The Alps volume potentiometer, the Wolfson digital receiver and DAC, the direct input, and the Sanken output transistors with discrete circuitry throughout are all details that tell you where this amplifier's priorities lie. The Elicit MK5 is not a Brio with more power — it is an amplifier with a different pre-amplifier architecture that happens to also include everything you need for a complete system.

Where the Elicit MK5 Sits in the Rega Range

The Elicit MK5 sits above the Elex MK4 and below the Aethos in the Rega amplifier range.

The step up from the Elex MK4 is led by the pre-amplifier section. Where the Elex uses a conventional integrated pre-amp design, the Elicit MK5 employs the same discrete FET-based pre-amplifier circuit as the Aethos — a significant upgrade in topology. FET (field-effect transistor) gain stages have a different sonic character from bipolar transistors: lower noise, a more linear transfer characteristic, and a sound quality that audiophiles associate with greater transparency. The Elicit MK5 delivers this character alongside features — phono stage, DAC, headphone output — that the Aethos deliberately excludes.

Also new: the Alps volume potentiometer. Alps pots are among the most respected volume controls in hi-fi — they track accurately at low settings, resist channel imbalance, and have a tactile quality that cheaper controls lack. At this price point, it is a meaningful inclusion.

Above the Elicit, the Aethos increases power to 125 watts, moves to a dual mono architecture, uses a custom toroidal transformer and K-Power reservoir capacitors, and deliberately excludes the phono stage and DAC to maintain circuit purity at that level. If your sources are already external — a dedicated phono stage, a streaming DAC — the Aethos is the next step. If you want everything in one box, the Elicit MK5 is as far as Rega takes you with an integrated design that includes digital and phono.

Sound and Performance

The discrete FET pre-amplifier section is the central story of the Elicit MK5. FET gain stages are inherently low in noise and linear in their behaviour, which means the pre-amplifier contributes less of its own character to the signal. What passes through the pre-amplifier stage comes out more faithfully — a quality that makes the difference between an amplifier that sounds slightly coloured and one that sounds truthful.

The Wolfson S/PDIF receiver IC and Wolfson DAC are known quantities in high-quality audio. Wolfson's digital processing is valued for low jitter performance and accurate D-to-A conversion; the combination handles both optical and coaxial inputs to the 192kHz limit. The Rega-designed discrete line-driver circuit that follows the DAC maintains the signal quality through to the line stage.

The power stage — 105 watts into 8 ohms, 127 watts into 6 ohms — is built on Sanken output transistors and discrete circuitry with polypropylene capacitors throughout the signal path. The Sanken devices are robust and linear, capable of driving the current demands of difficult speaker loads without the distortion that some output devices produce under stress.

The result is an amplifier that combines the rhythmic engagement Rega is known for with a level of pre-amplifier resolution that belongs to a higher tier of the range. It is musically direct and detailed without being analytical.

Build Quality and Design

The Elicit MK5 is hand-assembled at Rega's Southend-on-Sea facility. The Solaris system remote — the same remote supplied with the Aethos — is included as standard. Thermal cut-out protection is built in. The Alps volume pot, the quality of the internal components, and the careful board layout reflect an amplifier that has been engineered with the same priorities as the Aethos, adapted for a different market position.

Lifetime warranty against manufacturing defects applies.

Connectivity and System Matching

The Elicit MK5 provides one MM phono input, four line-level RCA inputs, two digital inputs (one optical, one coaxial), a front-panel headphone socket, a direct input, and a record output. The direct input bypasses the pre-amplifier volume control — useful for home cinema integration or a processor loop.

The natural source partners at this level are the Rega Planar 6 and Planar 8, both connecting via the MM phono input. For moving coil cartridges — the Nd9, the Ania Pro, the Apheta 3 — an external phono stage such as the Rega AOS MC connects to one of the four line inputs.

At 105–127 watts, the Elicit MK5 can drive a wide range of speakers, including those with sensitivities in the 84–86dB range. It handles impedance dips effectively and maintains dynamic authority with demanding loads. Dave or Chris at Martin's can advise on speaker matching at this level.

Technical Specifications

Who Is It For?

The Elicit MK5 is for the listener who wants Aethos-quality pre-amplifier performance in an amplifier that still includes a phono stage and DAC — those who are not yet ready to move to fully separate sources. It suits Planar 6 and Planar 8 owners, listeners who run a turntable alongside a streamer or DAC, and those who want a genuinely refined amplifier without the commitment to separates. For those who have made that commitment — dedicated phono stage and external DAC already in place — the Aethos is the more direct route to the next level.

Buying from Martin's Hi-Fi

Martin's Hi-Fi has been in Norwich since 1968, and the Rega range has been part of what we do for years. We are still family-run — Elizabeth Gould runs the business today — and we stock only brands we have heard properly and stand behind.

The Elicit MK5 is available to hear in our Norwich showroom; call ahead and we will set it up with a system that lets you hear what the pre-amplifier architecture genuinely contributes. When you get in touch, you will be speaking to Dave or Chris — both experienced hi-fi specialists who can talk you through the Elicit MK5, the Aethos, and what the difference sounds like in practice.

Reach them at dave@martinshifi.co.uk, chris@martinshifi.co.uk, info@martinshifi.co.uk, call on 01603 627010, or WhatsApp Dave or Chris directly on 07554 687137 for a quick answer after your purchase. You can read more about who we are and how we work on our Why Martin's page. We are at 85–91 Ber Street, Norwich, NR1 3EY, open six days a week.

Contact: info@martinshifi.co.uk | 01603 627010 | WhatsApp: 07554 687137 | 85–91 Ber Street, Norwich, NR1 3EY