Audio T Verdict
The Rega Ania Pro builds on the original Ania with a more advanced Vital-profile nude diamond stylus and tapered aluminium cantilever.
These improvements allow the cartridge to follow the record groove with greater precision, helping deliver more detail, stronger definition and a more controlled presentation while retaining the pace and musical involvement associated with Rega's moving coil range.
It is a natural partner for the Rega Planar 6 and Planar 8 and can be supplied factory-fitted with either turntable. As a low-output moving coil cartridge, it requires a suitable MC phono stage and careful installation.
Rega Ania Pro Moving Coil Cartridge
The Rega Ania Pro is a hand-built, low-output moving coil cartridge designed to sit between the standard Ania and the higher-level Apheta 3.
It uses Rega's miniature hand-wound generator, powerful neodymium magnet system and highly rigid glass-reinforced PPS body, but upgrades the stylus assembly to a Vital-profile nude diamond mounted on a tapered aluminium cantilever.
The result is a balanced and dynamic cartridge designed to produce tight, well-defined bass, an expressive midrange and a clean, detailed treble without losing sight of the music as a whole.
Vital-Profile Nude Diamond Stylus
The key difference between the Ania Pro and standard Ania is the stylus.
The Ania Pro uses a Vital-profile nude diamond, where the diamond itself is fitted directly to the cantilever rather than being bonded to a separate metal shank.
This reduces unnecessary mass at the end of the cantilever and allows the stylus to respond more quickly to small changes within the record groove.
The advanced profile is designed to make more precise contact with the groove than the elliptical stylus used by the standard Ania, helping retrieve more low-level information and improve separation during complex passages.
Tapered Aluminium Cantilever
The nude diamond is mounted to a tapered aluminium cantilever.
The tapered design provides a carefully controlled balance of stiffness and low mass, helping transmit movement from the stylus to the generator accurately.
This contributes to the Ania Pro's ability to respond quickly to transients while maintaining control and tonal balance across the frequency range.
Hand-Wound Moving Coil Generator
At the heart of the Ania Pro is one of Rega's smallest moving coil generator assemblies.
Its coils are meticulously wound by hand onto an iron micro cross using 0.018 mm fine wire. The miniature assembly operates within a high-powered neodymium magnetic field.
Rega's generator design uses a unique rhomboid pivot for the cantilever and does not employ a conventional tie wire. Reducing the moving mass allows the stylus and cantilever to react quickly to the information stored in the record groove.
Rigid Glass-Reinforced PPS Body
The Ania Pro body is moulded from Polyphenylene Sulphide, also known as PPS-Fortron, reinforced with 40% glass.
Rega selected this material for its hardness, stability and ability to retain accurate dimensions after moulding. These properties are important because the generator, pivot and magnet must remain precisely positioned in relation to one another.
High-specification stainless-steel inserts provide secure mounting points, while the distinctive red rigid cover protects the fine internal wires and generator during normal handling and installation.
Rega Three-Point Fixing
The Ania Pro uses Rega's three-point cartridge mounting system.
When all three fixings are used with a compatible Rega tonearm, the cartridge is positioned at the correct overhang without requiring a separate alignment protractor.
The third fixing also creates a secure mechanical connection between the cartridge and headshell.
The Ania Pro can be fitted to other compatible tonearms using conventional two-point mounting, but it must then be aligned according to the turntable manufacturer's instructions.
Professional Cartridge Fitting by Audio T
Moving coil cartridges contain extremely delicate cantilevers and fine internal wiring. Correct mounting hardware, alignment, tracking force and bias are essential.
Audio T staff can install the Ania Pro, align it to the tonearm, set the tracking force and bias, and confirm that the partnering phono stage is configured correctly.
Contact your local Audio T store
for compatibility advice and cartridge-fitting arrangements.
Planar 6 and Planar 8 Compatibility
The Ania Pro is available as a factory-fitted option with both the Rega Planar 6 and Planar 8.
Rega Planar 6
The
Rega Planar 6
uses the RB330 tonearm and provides a particularly well-balanced platform for the Ania Pro.
When selected as part of a Planar 6 package, the cartridge is supplied factory-fitted and aligned.
Rega Planar 8
The
Rega Planar 8
adds the higher-performance RB880 tonearm and provides the Ania Pro with an even more revealing platform.
It can also be supplied with the cartridge fitted and aligned at the factory.
The cartridge can also be fitted to other suitable turntables and tonearms, provided its mounting, weight, height and low-output moving coil requirements are compatible.
Choosing a Moving Coil Phono Stage
The Ania Pro has a nominal output of 350 µV, which is considerably lower than the output of a typical moving magnet cartridge.
It therefore requires a dedicated moving coil phono stage or an amplifier input specifically designed for low-output MC cartridges.
Rega Fono MC Mk4
The
Rega Fono MC Mk4
is a straightforward and natural partner.
Its adjustable settings include the 100 O loading, 1000 pF capacitance and high gain recommended by Rega for the Ania Pro.
Rega Aos MC
The
Rega Aos MC
provides a higher-performance adjustable option using technology developed from Rega's Aura Reference MC phono stage.
It is worth considering with a Planar 8 or a sufficiently revealing Planar 6 system.
The Ania Pro can also be used with suitable MC phono stages from other manufacturers. Check that the phono stage provides sufficient gain and supports loading close to Rega's recommended 100 O setting.
Ania or Ania Pro?
Rega Ania
The
Rega Ania
uses an elliptical diamond stylus and standard aluminium cantilever.
- Elliptical diamond stylus
- Aluminium cantilever
- Hand-wound moving coil generator
- Rigid PPS cartridge body
- Accessible introduction to Rega moving coil playback
Rega Ania Pro
- Vital-profile nude diamond stylus
- Tapered aluminium cantilever
- Reduced stylus-tip mass
- Greater groove-contact precision
- Improved detail, definition and control
- This product page
Above the Ania Pro, the
Rega Apheta 3
adds a fine-line nude diamond and a precision-machined single-piece aluminium body.
Key Features
- Low-output moving coil cartridge
- Vital-profile nude diamond stylus
- Tapered aluminium cantilever
- Hand-wound micro coil generator
- Iron micro cross assembly
- Coil constructed from 0.018 mm fine wire
- High-powered neodymium magnet system
- Unique rhomboid cantilever pivot
- Undamped generator design without a conventional tie wire
- Rigid glass-reinforced PPS-Fortron body
- High-specification stainless-steel mounting inserts
- Red protective generator cover
- Rega three-point mounting system
- Automatic overhang setting on compatible Rega tonearms
- Factory-fitted option for the Planar 6 and Planar 8
Technical Specifications
- Cartridge type: Low-output moving coil
- Stylus profile: Vital-profile nude diamond
- Cantilever: Tapered aluminium
- Tracking pressure: 1.75 to 2.00 g
- Input load impedance: 100 O
- Output impedance: 10 O
- Nominal output voltage: 350 µV
- Recommended capacitance: 1000 pF
- Recommended gain: High
- Mass: 6 g
- Fixing: Rega three-point or conventional two-point mounting
- Body: Glass-reinforced PPS-Fortron
- User-replaceable stylus: No
Frequently Asked Questions
Is the Rega Ania Pro a moving magnet or moving coil cartridge?
It is a low-output moving coil cartridge and requires a suitable MC phono stage.
What is the difference between the Ania and Ania Pro?
The standard Ania uses an elliptical diamond stylus. The Ania Pro upgrades this to a Vital-profile nude diamond and tapered aluminium cantilever.
Can the Ania Pro be supplied with a Rega turntable?
Yes. It is available as a factory-fitted and aligned option with the Rega Planar 6 and Planar 8.
Can I connect it to a moving magnet Phono input?
No. A standard moving magnet input will not normally provide enough gain or the correct electrical loading.
What tracking force should I use?
Rega specifies a tracking-pressure range of 1.75 to 2.00 g.
Does three-point mounting remove the need for alignment?
When all three fixings are used with a compatible Rega tonearm, the cartridge overhang is set automatically. Conventional two-point installation on another tonearm still requires alignment.
Can I replace the stylus myself?
No. The Ania Pro does not have a detachable user-replaceable stylus. Contact Audio T if the stylus becomes worn or the cantilever is damaged.
Can Audio T install and set up the cartridge?
Yes.
Contact your local Audio T store
for cartridge fitting, alignment, tracking-force adjustment and phono-stage setup.
Why Buy From Audio T?
- Genuine Rega moving coil cartridge
- Compatibility advice for turntables and tonearms
- Professional cartridge fitting and alignment
- Tracking-force and bias adjustment
- Help configuring moving coil phono-stage loading and gain
- Factory-fitted Planar 6 and Planar 8 package options
- Demonstrations with suitable Rega phono stages
- Advice comparing the Ania, Ania Pro and Apheta 3
- Ongoing support from the UK's oldest independent specialist Hi-Fi retailer
Contact your local Audio T store
to arrange a demonstration or discuss fitting the Rega Ania Pro to your turntable.
Rega's lifetime limited warranty covers confirmed manufacturing defects. Normal stylus wear, accidental cantilever damage and other consumable wear are not covered.