REGA APOLLO VS. SATURN. SIMILAR BUT VERY DIFFERENT. We've already written about the Rega Apollo in our comparison to the Creek Evo CD player. The Apollo offers a level of sound which was previously unattainable at the price. Countless magazines and online review sites have awarded it Player of the Year and numerous other praises. It IS a benchmark product. But, how does the overachieving Apollo compare to its big brother, the Rega Saturn at over twice the cost? On first examination, you will be forgiven for wondering whether the Saturn is really worth the extra $1700. The two players use the same case design and look identical in almost every way. However, pick up the Saturn and it's quite evident the internals are very different. First of all, you'll notice that the face plate is a chunky solid aluminum vs. the plastic of the Apollo. This seems to add significant resonance damping properties. The Saturn also features substantial heat sinks on the bottom, alluding to a much more robust power supply. Like the Apollo, the Saturn uses an innovative transport control system which optimises each disc according to 4 levels of error correction. This increases loading time, but definitely brings auditory benefits. The Apollo uses a Wolfson WM8740 Sigma Delta 24bit DAC with differential outputs while the Saturn uses two of the same working in parallel. Various other upgrades including the aforementioned power supply, crystal clock and capacitors further distinguish the Saturn from the Apollo. The Saturn is basically an Apollo built without compromises. The sound of the Apollo is now well known. Amazingly, the reviews from various magazines have been accurate. The player has a solidity and cohesiveness that gives it an analogue-like sound. From the bass to the treble, no particular frequency or tonal characteristic stands out while listening. It presents music in a very holistic way - of a piece - while presenting nicely layered detail and texture. This is a CD player that makes the most of all music and is always a joy to listen to. There are never any moments of harshness or crudeness on poorer recordings. The Apollo strikes a rare balance between musical value and sonic interest. It is not a dull or rolled off sound, instead it presents the best characteristics of whatever is played. This is truly a world-class all-rounder with perhaps only a sole competitor under $2000. Switching to the Saturn, what is first apparent is that the tonal balance and cohesiveness of the Apollo is very much present. Some who don't listen very long or carefully will be quick to write off the players as sounding the SAME, but these poor souls will be missing out on some truly beguiling differences. Listen to a wide range of music and it becomes apparent that the top and bottom extension of the Apollo is of a smaller range than the Saturn. The Saturn simply digs deeper and goes higher. When the source material demands it, it is a dramatic contrast. The difference in the bass becomes particularly noticeable on full-range systems and challenging source material. For any of you who have heard a megabucks CD player you will know how the bass is different. Beyond sheer extension, the Saturn has the rare ability to SURPRISE you during a crescendo or a drum solo. It's a visceral difference of dynamics which makes music FEEL more real. On a pair of small speakers or with run-of-the-mill pop music you may not hear the potential of this player but for those seeking reference level playback, the difference will be obvious. The bass is not overly damped or "crushing" as you might hear on a Wadia or Krell player. It has a much more organic natural bloom which is not slow or fat, just more round. On the top end, there is a similar improvement. While not obviously brighter or more extended than the Apollo, the Saturn brings FLUIDITY to the table. Fluidity is a difficult quality to describe if you haven't heard it. Some components provide you with the details front and centre but they have an artificial quality. The best, of which the Saturn is an example, provide all those details without hitting you over the head. Play a well recorded violin or piano piece and it becomes obvious that the utmost detail is being presented as it is, in a natural flowing way. If you haven't heard a good turntable or high end system you are not necessarily going to pick up on it, but once you've heard it, it is easy to identify. The Rega Saturn instantly has a sense of rightness about the treble region which catapults it to the forefront of the state of the art in digital playback. While a Linn CD12 or Ayre C-5xe presents more overt detail, the Rega Saturn presents it in a more convincing musical form. By now you are probably starting to get a hint of just how good the Saturn is. A comparison to the Apollo shows a strong family resemblance, but as always it's the little differences that begin to build an iron clad case for the upper model. Where the Apollo shows great balance and musicality, the Saturn ups the ante with better extension and doesn't screw it up like many costly players by sacrificing musical flow for detail. The Saturn is one of the few players at any cost, which so successfully brings detail and emotion together. It may be more than double the price of the Apollo, but if you can stretch it is well worth the investment. In these twilight years of CD playback, the Saturn could be the last and best CD player you ever buy. For those who already own the Apollo, all the reasons you love the Apollo are only heightened with the Saturn. Unlike many companies who's high end loses the soul and substance of their budget components, Rega simply gives you more of everything you love with no tradeoffs. They may be cut from the same cloth but the jump from the Apollo to the Saturn is no small difference. More info on the Rega Apollo and Saturn