Land of the giants - Linn Klimax DSM v Naim ND555 network streamer/DACs

/ Audio T Brighton/

Linn Klimax DSM v Naim ND555...

Hello everyone, and welcome to the March blog from Audio T Brighton! For this month’s article we are going to give our full attention to a battle in the Land of the Giants - a face-off between the Linn Klimax DSM and the Naim ND555 network players.

It’s not often one gets the chance to witness a heavyweight contest like this without paying a viewer fee, so sit back and enjoy the ringside seat!

I have written at length about the Linn Selekt DSM streamer range in one of my earlier blogs and a lot of the latest Linn technology employed in the Linn Klimax DSM is used in the Linn Selekt Edition DSM, so to avoid repeating myself I’ll direct you to my blog here.

Both of these streamers sit at the top of their respective ranges, each offering something a little different. Let’s explore what they bring to the table and equip you, the listener, with the information to help you make an informed decision.

Linn Klimax DSM - all things to all men...

The Klimax DSM is Linn’s flagship digital product, offering a different approach to the Naim ND555. It functions as a streamer, DAC, and pre-amp in one, with optional AV capabilities via HDMI/eARC and USB connections for those who want added versatility. Interestingly, alongside standard Ethernet and wireless connectivity, the Klimax DSM features an SFP optical Ethernet connection — designed to minimise network-induced digital noise that can compromise sound quality. I’ve previously written in detail about the impact of Ethernet switches on reducing digital noise in an earlier blog here.

For those who value a compact design with few compromises the Linn Klimax DSM is an almost perfect product with great looks, great sound and functionality, just add a power amp. What’s not to like?

For the purpose of this blog, we’re evaluating it purely as a streamer/DAC by fixing the volume output and running it through our in-house pre/power setup — a Naim NAC 552/552 PS and Naim NAP 500DR/500PS — paired with the brilliant high-end loudspeakers, the Dynaudio Confidence 50.

A key feature of the Linn Klimax DSM is its in-house room correction DSP software, Space Optimisation. Whilst room EQ has its uses — particularly in tackling challenging spaces — we generally recommend starting with as little processing of the original signal as possible. Simple domestic items like rugs, bookcases, curtains, and plants can go a long way in managing room acoustics before resorting to more complex room correction software.

It’s a useful option to have, but since the Naim ND555 doesn’t include this technology, we’ll keep things fair by running both streamers without DSP for this comparison.

The Klimax DSM also features Linn’s proprietary Organik DAC and Utopik power supply, eliminating the need for external boxes — a definite space saver, with no discernible compromise in sound quality. It’s impressive what Linn has achieved sonically, especially given the limited internal space. The unit itself is housed in a beautifully inert case, precision-cut from a solid block of aluminium to minimise electrical and microphonic vibrational interference.

Naim ND 555 & 555PS...

The Naim ND555 network streamer, paired with the 555PS power supply (ideally two 555PS DR units), stands as Naim’s flagship digital streamer/DAC.

While the Linn Klimax DSM embraces a compact, all-in-one design with internal power supplies and filtering, Naim takes a more traditional approach, focusing on external power supplies — specifically the Naim 555PS DR. Naim’s long-standing audio philosophy revolves around using dedicated power supplies to enhance sound quality, with the extra shelf space seen as a worthwhile trade-off.

At the heart of the ND555 is Naim’s in-house 40-bit SHARC processor, employing custom filters alongside a Burr-Brown R2R ladder DAC to achieve that signature Naim “house sound.” The DR (discrete regulator) power supply ensures a stable, low-noise performance for optimal sonic results.

Naim has also undergone some design changes in recent years to align with its newer 200 and 300 Series, as well as the Uniti range. However, for those with existing Original Classic (OC) kit, there’s good news — you can still choose between the traditional green or the newer white logo for this heavyweight network player (correct as of March 2025).

Ali versus Frazier - battle of the giants...

So, in this battle of heavyweight giants — who came out on top?

It might surprise you to hear that it’s a case of ‘six of one, half a dozen of the other.’ Much like the legendary Ali vs Frazier bouts, this contest was incredibly close, with the winner ultimately coming down to personal preference — and who’s judging.

We found both players to be exceptional: the Linn Klimax DSM delivered a slightly more transparent and spacious presentation in the mids and highs, while the Naim ND555/555PS DR offered greater gravitas and rhythmic drive in the bass. We could wax lyrical about both streamers endlessly — their performance varied depending on the musical genre — and we tested them through Focal Kanta 2s, Dynaudio Confidence 50s, and ATC SCM50s. Our personal favourites shifted with each speaker and streamer combination, who was listening, and the music choice. Suffice to say, both are so impressive they need to be heard to be believed.

The final decision may come down to practicalities like rack space or system matching, with amplifier and speaker combinations playing a major role. For this comparison, the Naim ND555/555PS DR had a slight edge in synergy thanks to our use of a Naim NAC552DR pre-amp and Naim NAP500DR power amp. Unfortunately, we didn’t have a comparable Linn pre/power setup on hand, which naturally tilted things in Naim’s favour. On the other hand, until a second power supply is added to the ND555, the Linn Klimax DSM remains the more expensive option — so perhaps it’s a score draw on that front.

Ultimately, whichever you choose at this level will open your ears and stir your soul. Both players come highly recommended by us here at Audio T in Brighton.

As always, the proof of the pudding is in the eating — so get in touch to book a demonstration and hear for yourself.

Thanks for reading.

Ade, John and Paul - Audio T Brighton

If you have any questions about any of the equipment featured in this article, or any other Hi-Fi or home cinema enquiries, be sure to Contact Us.

If you’ve enjoyed this, why not go ahead and read some more of our other blogs, and be sure to follow us on our social media channels below…

Meze Audio – Makers of Headphones That Sound as Good as They Look

/ Audio T Brighton/

Hello everyone, and welcome to the February blog from Audio T Brighton! For this month’s article we are going to move our attention over to personal listening via a now well-established headphone manufacturer, Meze Audio.

Since 2011 Meze Audio has offered stylish and well-made headphones and in recent years expanded their range to suit all budgets. Let’s have a look and listen to four headphones in their range that we’ve had a listen to - spoiler alert, we like all of them!

Yet another bit of personal history...

I seem to be getting into a habit of giving accounts of some hi-fi gear that I own or have owned and love…

Over the years I have owned many pairs of headphones but started to use “cans” for personal listening more frequently with young children in the house, both for drowning-out their noise and to avoid waking the rest of the household when listening late at night, (I’m sure many readers of this blog will recognise this scenario quite well).

The second scenario I’m about to mention is more unfortunate - headphones break all too easily, especially the plastic headbands and cable attachments. Sadly this often means consigning the headphones to the bin because repairs cannot be carried out or parts are unavailable - the green revolution hasn’t yet migrated to headphone manufacture.

After having experienced a headband crack scenario with 3 consecutive pairs of headphones (original pair and 2 replacement pairs from a manufacturer who will remain nameless!) I decided to try and find a different manufacturer who manage to make headphones that look good, sound good and can be repaired - a tough ask!

Enter Meze Audio with the Meze 99 Classics! These closed-back headphones have been a family stalwart over the years and an ideal partner for entry-level headphone setups, portable audio and gaming use, offering fine sound and respectable isolation from external noise.

Meze 99 classics

User replaceable parts...

Visiting the Meze Audio website, they proudly advertise in the Accessories section the availability of user-replaceable parts, including the usual earpads, headband strap etc, but they also allow users to replace the drivers themself, if they happen to get damaged. Meze’s headphones are notable for the limited use of plastic parts in their construction and this certainly bodes well for serviceability and longevity, not to forget the aforementioned “green” recycling credentials.

Meze’s delectable range of headphones here at Audio T in Brighton...

Meze 105AER open-back...

Meze’s 105AER headphones are a new product in their range and the company’s entry-level open-back. The 105AER is one of the few models using plastic as a major material in their construction. Fortunately, the parts that benefit from non-plastic construction are used where they are most needed - in that headband. Along with other models in their range and pioneered by its use in the Meze 99 Classics, is a self-adjusting headband, allowing the user to just pop the headphones on their head and let the elasticated headband strap take up the strain. This method not only proves to be very comfortable, but its lightweight construction keeps the weight of the headphones down quite a bit and you hardly notice them on your head at all once the music starts playing.

Soundwise, these two headphones have a very different signature, with the Meze 105AER’s offering a more linear, open and refined sound - often the case when comparing open v closed headphones. The Meze 99 Classics offer a more “v-shaped” sound signature, satisfying for “bassheads” or those who need sound isolation.

Meze 109 Pro open-back...

Next in the Meze Audio headphone range are the 109 Pros. These open-back headphones, crafted from wood and metal, exude class and deliver a wonderfully open and extended sound. We found them to be a step up from the Meze 105AER, offering greater detail and openness, with good efficiency and an excellent sense of drive. They pair comfortably with portable devices, standard headphone outputs, and higher-end setups.

They also respond well to Meze Audio’s cable upgrade options - more on that later.

Meze Liric 2 closed-back...

Meze Audio’s premium closed-back headphone, the Liric 2, now comes with a revised tuning and perhaps more importantly, have an option to magnetically swap out headphone pads when they wear out, lacking in the original model. Adorned with a lovely wooden fascia, the Liric 2 are certainly more weighty than the aforementioned Meze models, but still incredibly comfortable. As one would expect for the price difference, the Meze Liric 2 are more open and refined than their closed-back juniors, the 99 Classics, but very different from the open sound of the Meze 109 Pros. However, if you want a luxuriously comfy fit, the isolation of a closed-back pair of cans, want a nice warm sound with plenty of detail, then these are a good choice.

Meze Empyrean 2 open-back...

Just below the top-of-the-range Meze Elites come the Empyrean 2. Like their closed-back siblings, the Liric 2, these have undergone a recent re-tuning & re-styling in their Mk2 guise.

The Meze Empyrean 2 employ neodymium magnets in a hybrid array to disperse sound uniformly across the whole driver diaphragm surface.

isodynamic array driver used in the liric, empyrean & elite headphones

The upshot of the use of their proprietary driver is one of outstanding linearity, detail and clarity across a wide bandwidth. We found the step forward in sound reproduction over the Meze 109 Pro was significant, with a much more mature, refined and sophisticated sound. There are similarities with the Meze Liric 2’s, but the open sound of the Meze Empyrean’s was a cut above.

Headphone cable upgrades...

One of the options on offer from Maze is the choice of a range of high quality copper or silver cables to upgrade the sound and look of their headphone range. Cables really can make a difference and they elevate the sound quality of their range of headphones significantly - the Meze 105AER, Meze 109 Pro and Meze Liric 2 all responded well to these cable upgrades with the Meze Empyrean 2 supplied with copper mini-XLR version as standard.

Copper v silver...

It’s important not to stereotype the effects of copper versus silver cable materials on sound characteristics, as there are always exceptions. However, in this case—and true to form—the Meze silver cables placed more emphasis on the upper mids and presence region, while the copper cables tended to offer a fuller, more rounded sound. In a way, they act like subtle tone controls, making them a useful tool for tailoring your headphones' sound to your preference. Both provided noticeable improvements over the stock cables supplied in the box.

Meze’s audio cuisine is geared to taste...

We’re big fans of the Meze headphone range—not only do they offer superb comfort and striking looks, but they also deliver fantastic sound and are built to last. Unlike the Greek cuisine of the same name, these are a treat you can enjoy for years to come!

Of course, the proof of the pudding is in the eating, and the best way to experience them is in person. Whether you're curious about how they compare to your current headphones or looking for something new, we’d love to help. Get in touch to book a demonstration and hear the difference for yourself.

Thanks for reading

Ade, John and Paul - Audio T Brighton

If you have any questions about any of the equipment featured in this article, or any other Hi-Fi or home cinema enquiries, be sure to Contact Us.

If you’ve enjoyed this, why not go ahead and read some more of our other blogs, and be sure to follow us on our social media channels below…

Meze Audio can be found at the following Audio T stores

Remarkable Ruark! The R610 console and matching Sabre-R speakers

/ Audio T Brighton/

Hello everyone, and welcome to the first blog of the New Year from Audio T Brighton! Let’s kick off 2025 with a bang by introducing some exciting new products from Ruark Audio: the Ruark R610 console, the matching Sabre-R bookshelf speakers, and the R-CD100 USB CD drive.

Since 1985, when Alan and his father, Brian Ruark, set up a small workshop in Rayleigh, Essex, to develop and manufacture loudspeakers, Ruark Audio has become synonymous with loudspeakers and more recently, smaller radio and lifestyle speaker systems, such as the R410, R1 and R1S. Always purveyors of quality kit, let’s see what the new Ruark R610 and Ruark Sabre-R speakers have to offer. I have the feeling that these offer a nice price/performance ratio in their market sector and will appeal to both the sound and aesthetics brigade. Let’s have a look...

Ruark R610 console

It’s always exciting to start the New Year with fresh new products, and this time we’re diving into the newly released Ruark R610 console and Ruark Sabre-R bookshelf speakers.

For this part of the blog, I’ll focus on the R610 console, exploring its features, sound, and functionality. But before we get to the details, let me indulge in a little background ramble!

One of the standout aspects of the new console and speakers is that they’re available to purchase separately. At first glance, this might seem like a minor detail, but Ruark’s “divide and conquer” approach could prove to be a real game-changer.

Ruark originally made a name for themselves with high-quality passive loudspeakers, but in the mid-2000s, they shifted gears into the “lifestyle” market. While their portable and lifestyle products are undeniably excellent, I always felt they left something behind when they discontinued their passive speaker range—a range that had taken a decade to perfect, earning critical acclaim and a stellar reputation along the way.

With this new console and speaker combination, Ruark has created a product that appeals to both lifestyle audio enthusiasts and hi-fi separates fans alike. It’s a clever move that bridges the gap between their heritage in loudspeaker design and their modern approach to lifestyle electronics.

If you’d like to dive deeper into Ruark Audio’s fascinating history, you can find a detailed blog I wrote about it here.

The new Ruark R610 console is available in two finishes—black or walnut—both of which are undeniably dashing! Ruark has also thoughtfully included an additional remote control, a handy feature for those whose listening chair is a little distance from their setup.

Inside the box, you’ll also find a 2 x 3m pair of beautifully braided, high-quality speaker cables, pre-terminated with banana plugs for quick and hassle-free speaker installation.

Flexible and future proof...

ruark r610 console rear inputs

The Ruark R610 console comes with the usual plethora of inputs modern digital devices often offer: Ethernet or wireless connection, DAB/FM radio, HDMI e-Arc, digital optical input, 1 x pair RCA line input/output, a MM phono stage/ground connection for your turntable and finally, a subwoofer output - as far as I can see, pretty much everything you need.

In terms of specs there isn’t much this console can’t do. Rated at 2 x 75W of Class-D amplification and with access to streaming services in abundance, the R610 really has you covered. A comprehensive list of services and specifications can be seen by clicking on the highlighted links.

R-CD100 CD drive playback option...

The rear of the Ruark R610 has an ace up its sleeve with a 5V USB-C input which cleverly allows for connection to the Ruark R-CD100 CD drive, in a nicely matching finish, especially if you buy the walnut R610.

ruark cd-drive as an optional extra

The Ruark Sabre-R bookshelf speaker...

The Ruark Sabre-R speakers mark a welcome return to form for the brand. Aesthetically matching the rest of the Ruark range, they exude class and sophistication. Of course, this would be meaningless if their sound didn’t live up to expectations—but thankfully, that’s far from the case.

The Sabre-R speakers deliver a wonderfully warm, mellifluous sound that pairs beautifully with the Ruark R610. While they may not offer the most intricate detail, they shine as musical speakers that will work seamlessly with other brands, thanks to their versatile and accommodating sonic character.

Available in two sumptuous finishes, the Ruark Sabre-R speakers will effortlessly complement most home environments.

A Ruarkably complete package...

ruark r610 console plus sabre-R speakers

There’s not much more to add about the Ruark R610 console and matching Sabre-R speakers that hasn’t already been said. Simply put, we all love them here at Audio T Brighton. If you’re looking for a perfect blend of style and sonic substance, we highly recommend this dynamic duo.

As always, the proof of the pudding is in the eating, so do get in touch to book a demonstration.

Thanks for reading.

Ade, John and Paul - Audio T Brighton

If you have any questions about any of the equipment featured in this article, or any other Hi-Fi or home cinema enquiries, be sure to Contact Us.

If you’ve enjoyed this, why not go ahead and read some more of our other blogs, and be sure to follow us on our social media channels below…

Audiolab go the whole nine yards with the 9000N

/ Audio T Brighton/

Hello everyone, and welcome to the latest article from Audio T Brighton. This month, we’re in for a streaming treat, featuring the Audiolab 9000N Streamer/DAC/Pre-amp.

Audiolab have been a well known and respected hi-fi brand since the original Audiolab 8000A integrated amplifier stormed onto the scene, designed by Philip Swift and Derek Scotland, back in 1983. The 8000A was a huge commercial success for the brand, loved both by reviewers and the public, and is still considered a design classic today.

Nowadays the Audiolab brand is owned by the IAG group and although there is an undoubted family resemblance to the amps of yore, the equipment offered today is cut from a different cloth, albeit with some sonic inheritance from the past. Let’s see what they have to offer.

Let’s get personal...

an audiolab 8000a from the mid-1980’s

It seems I've owned far too many brands of Hi-Fi in my life—this is the second blog in a row where I have a personal story to tell. At this rate, I'll have owned as many Hi-Fi brands as Pep Guardiola has had consecutive losses by the time this blog is published!

Along with one of my mates, we were both proud owners of an Audiolab 8000A integrated amplifier during the mid-eighties. I kept my Audiolab 8000A for about 10 years and during that time it offered a sterling service, being my first “serious” amplifier and my mate has kept and is still using his to this day! Equipped with tone controls and a good MM/MC phono stage, the 8000A offered a fine, crisp and neutral sound with plenty of detail, dynamics and punch. It was a pleasure to use.

Will the modern day Audiolab 9000N streamer carry on the brands fine reputation in 2024? Let’s see.

The Audiolab 9000N

the audiolab 9000N is partnered here by it’s sibling the 9000a amplifier and proac db1 speakers

The Audiolab 9000N is a streamer/DAC/preamp, available in a black or a silver finish. I have to say, in my view, that the black finish melds with the display interface of the unit more successfully, but your mileage may vary and after all, beauty is in the eyes of the beholder.

9000N connectivity and app use...

The Audiolab 9000N is a fully-fledged streamer based around the technology developed by Lumin, a competitor whose experience in the digital field has been utilised by Audiolab in offering a user interface and sound characteristic commensurate with a streamer of this price class - more on that later.

The Audiolab 9000N allows standard unbalanced RCA or balanced XLR analogue output connectivity into any standard integrated amplifier or preamplifier so the Audiolab 9000N can also be used as a digital hub into an external DAC using Coaxial or Toslink SPDIF digital outputs if wished. Optionally, from within the App, users can select a fixed level for output for superior sound quality, albeit sacrificing the digital volume control the preamp section allows for convenience.

A matching integrated amplifier, like the Audiolab 9000A, enhances the unit’s flexibility while delivering a cohesive visual and sonic pairing. Here at Brighton Audio T, we regularly use the Audiolab 9000A amplifier, and it impresses with its excellent sound quality and competitive price point. For those who enjoy spinning CDs, the Audiolab 9000CDT compact disc transport is the perfect addition to complete this impressive line-up.

Inputs on offer comprise of an asynchronous USB-type B input, an Ethernet port for wired Internet streaming and a USB-type A input for attaching a memory stick or an external SSD drive music file playback.

Like all user interfaces, getting used to the Audiolab app layout and its use takes some acclimatisation. However, the app connects easily and accesses network drives and streaming services as well as most, and I found it straightforward enough after a couple of uses. The ability to configure how the app functions is common to several UPnP apps on the market and this can be done according to your own personal taste.

For a more extensive look into the operation of the Audiolab 9000N have a look at the App User Guide or the 9000N User Manual.

Sounds like it was designed in an audio lab by audio professionals...

The Audiolab 9000N is equipped with the latest ESS 9038PRO Sabre 8-channel DAC chip, using proprietary circuitry and the latest Hyperstream 2 architecture with Time Domain Jitter Elimination Technology for ultra-low distortion and unprecedented dynamic range.

Access to streaming services is comprehensive, with Qobuz, Spotify and TIDAL all being available, with local streaming from a Home server/NAS completing the package. For some audiophiles the availability of now being fully ROON Ready will elevate its appeal, especially given the ingress into the music playback market this software has now made.

Sound quality from the Audiolab 9000N is exceptional for the price class, with a very detailed and refined quality, exhibiting good width and depth in the soundstage, something which is usually the reserve of more pricey units. It sounds neutral and yet is sweet enough to avoid being too “studio like”, without the usual clinical tendencies associated with digital playback - praise indeed!

Summing-up

The Audiolab 9000N is nicely constructed and offers consumers great flexibility in streaming and digital format playback. Sonically it is at the head of its class and when suitably partnered with commensurate equipment like its siblings from the Audiolab stable, the 9000A amplifier and 9000CDT CD transport, it presents a compelling choice. The Audiolab 9000N is highly recommended!

As always, the proof of the pudding is in the eating, so do get in touch to book a demonstration.

Thanks for reading.

Ade, John and Paul - Audio T Brighton

If you have any questions about any of the equipment featured in this article, or any other Hi-Fi or home cinema enquiries, be sure to Contact Us.

If you’ve enjoyed this, why not go ahead and read some more of our other blogs, and be sure to follow us on our social media channels below…

Dyn with confidence - a closer look at the magnificent Dynaudio Confidence 50 speakers

/ Audio T Brighton/

Hello everyone, and welcome to the latest article from Audio T Brighton. This month, we’re in for a treat as we explore a touch of loudspeaker bliss, featuring a product from across the North Sea: Danish manufacturer Dynaudio.

Dynaudio has been producing loudspeakers for both domestic and professional markets for decades, and here at Audio T in Brighton, we’re proud to be a Dynaudio dealer. However, this month is something special, as we have the privilege of hosting some of Dynaudio’s high-end range of speakers. Enter the Dynaudio Confidence 50 floor-standing behemoths!

Dynaudio Confidence 50...

dynaudio confidence 50 in our resident naim 500 series system

Dynaudio - A personal story...

As a kid, I remember the adverts for Danish bacon vividly, but it wasn’t until my teens that I first became aware of the Danish brand, Dynaudio.

Renowned for their speaker drive units, Dynaudio was the go-to for several hi-fi manufacturers who relied on them to provide quality drivers for their speaker ranges – and very good they are too.

My own experience began with a pair of entry-level Dynaudio Audience 42 stand-mount speakers, which served me exceptionally well for several years. The hi-fi bug had truly bitten, and when I heard the impact of a pair of Dynaudio Focus 110 stand-mount speakers could have on sound, I bought them – and they’re still in the family today.

I'm fortunate to be able to listen to a wide variety of electronics and speakers in my line of work, and I've thoroughly enjoyed my experience with speakers from the more recent Dynaudio range. In fact, over the past couple of years, I’ve written about the superb Dynaudio Contour 20i, which you can read about here.

Have confidence, will listen!

dynaudio confidence 50’s in our naim 500 series system

So, what do the Dynaudio Confidence 50 have to offer? Let’s just say they deliver a level of performance that’s worlds apart from the Dynaudio stand-mount speakers I’ve owned. It’s safe to say that the Confidence range is the finest series Dynaudio has ever produced, packed with the most advanced speaker technology available today!

Full technical specifications are available on our website here.

dynaudio’s confidence range (Photo Credit: Dynaudio)

The use of original Dynaudio drivers, including the formidable Esotar 3 tweeter, combined with a precision composite baffle, innovative cabinet design, and optimised crossover, has created the most advanced passive speaker in their history. Dynaudio’s cutting-edge sound analysis tools in their Jupiter Lab measuring facility have led to the next generation of Dynaudio’s DDC sound-beaming technology, including the DDC Lens waveguide system.

dynaudio’s jupiter test lab facility (Photo Credit: Dynaudio)

The Esotar 3 tweeter in the DDC Lens works in harmony with the NeoTec woofers, the groundbreaking Horizon midrange driver surround, and the innovative Compex baffle, ensuring music is directed perfectly to your ears.

Striding confidently through music playback

All the technology in the world would mean little if the Dynaudio Confidence 50 didn’t deliver sonically. Now, I know Bonfire Night has passed, but the sonic fireworks these speakers bring are something to behold. With explosive dynamics and a massive sense of scale, they delineate each instrument and voice as distinctly as individual fireworks lighting up the night sky. I can’t say they’d blow up the Houses of Parliament, but they’d certainly get MPs’ attention if the volume were turned up!

Once the smoke clears, the Dynaudio Confidence 50 also display a soft, delicate touch, with musicality radiating from every driver, bringing musicians vividly to life before your eyes and ears.

A class act!

things are looking up with the dynaudio confidence 50 loudspeakers

I can speak with confidence when I say these speakers come highly recommended...

The Dynaudio Confidence 50 are a recent addition to our line-up of speakers here at Audio T Brighton, and we’ve been utterly astonished by their performance since their arrival – especially when paired with our Naim 500 system, comprising the Naim NAC 552 preamp 552PS DR and NAP 500DR 500PS, fronted by a Rega Naia turntable with Aphelion 2 MC cartridge and Rega Aura phono stage.

During our recent Turntable Event, we paired the shop’s Naim 500 series system and Dynaudio Confidence 50 loudspeakers with a range of turntables to impressive effect, including an Audio Note TT-3 turntable with Arm 3/IO MC cartridge and PSU-3 power supply, a Linn LP12 Klimax with Urika, Ekos SE, and Ekstatik cartridge, a Michell Gyrodec turntable with T8 tonearm and Cusis S cartridge, an SME Series 15A Diamond turntable with Series 5 tonearm and Rega Ania Pro MC cartridge, and finally a Cyrus TTP turntable, all running through a Cyrus Classic phono stage with PSX-R2 power supply.

It’s safe to say that these speakers’ performance vividly highlighted the differences between each turntable. If you’re looking to build a high-end system, the Dynaudio Confidence 50 come highly recommended.

As always, the proof of the pudding is in the eating, so do get in touch to book a demonstration.

Thanks for reading.

Ade, John and Paul - Audio T Brighton

If you have any questions about any of the equipment featured in this article, or any other Hi-Fi or home cinema enquiries, be sure to Contact Us.

If you’ve enjoyed this, why not go ahead and read some more of our other blogs, and be sure to follow us on our social media channels below…

SME can be found at the following Audio T stores -

A turntable summit - 6 high-end turntables to take your vinyl playback to the mountaintops.

/ Audio T Brighton/

Hi folks, and welcome to this month’s article from us here at Audio T Brighton. Continuing from where we left off last month, we are going to focus our attention on the more exclusive end of the turntable market. What fun!

In part two of our blog on turntables, we are delighted to have the opportunity to listen to six turntables of distinction. To say that we have a rare opportunity is a bit of an understatement, as the turntables under consideration have been drawn from all over the country for comparison. To mark the occasion, Audio T Brighton will be hosting a week-long event to demonstrate to our customers the joys of quality record playback and what they may bring to your musical pleasure, taking place between Tuesday 5th November and Saturday 9th November.

An audio preface to phono stages...

Before we start on the major task of turntable reviews, we mustn’t forget the all-important phono stage. Whether moving-magnet (MM) or moving-coil (MC), they shouldn’t be overlooked when it comes to system matching and synergy.

The Aura is the finest in Rega’s current range and Moving Coil only phono stage, although this isn’t a problem at this end of the market because most of the cartridges employed tend to be of this type anyway.

The Cyrus Classic phono stage with PSU is another option we will use in these reviews. More flexible in its settings and MM/MC compatibility, it offers an excellent alternative when turntable matching comes into play (which, as you will see, it does quite often).

The Linn Urika phono stage with Linn Radikal 2 power supply is a little different, in that it is mounted internally on the Linn LP12 Klimax turntable, explaining why I haven’t included a photo here!

The brawn behind the brains...

Our blog wouldn’t be complete without mentioning the powerhouse system we’ve used to amplify and play our favourite records…

The top shop system comprises a Naim NAC 552 preamp with a NAC 555PS power supply and a NAP 500DR power amp with CD 555PS power supply, feeding a pair of ATC SCM50 passive loudspeakers. This system is as dynamic and transparent as they come, allowing our turntables to really show their stuff.

As an addendum to the above, we have just taken delivery of some Dynaudio Confidence 50 speakers, making a pleasant change from our resident ATC’s and their sound can only be described as spectacular!

our resident naim 500 series system, now with dynaudio confidence 50 speakers

Describing the sound and character of our turntables...

Our thoughts on the sound characteristics of the six turntables is difficult to do without personal preference or favouritism and is very subjective, so we’ve attempted to go back to school and remember our friends and peers in the context of the character they displayed and use that as a vehicle for description. Fingers crossed!

Audio Note TT3 with PSU3 and Audio Note IO cartridge...

audio note tt3 turntable with audio note io blue cartridge

Our first record player is an Audio Note TT-3 turntable with its matching PSU-3 power supply and an Audio Note IO Blue low-output MC cartridge.

Armed with an independently controlled, suspended 3 motor belt-drive, LEXAN platter (low resonance and non-reflective material) and Audio Note’s own in-house design tonearm, called the Audio Note ARM -THREE/II, all mounted on a substantial anodised-aluminium plinth, this turntable is a substantial beast on our hi-fi rack, yet subtle and finessed in its musical rendition. Interestingly, during our first listen with the Rega Aura phono stage, we felt the deck was not quite “singing”. Changing to our Cyrus Classic phono stage, and altering the gain settings, we found our preferred sound signature.

Bestowed with a fine and airy top-end, the Audio Note seemed to extract oodles of detail from our copy of Miles Davis, “Kind of Blue”, yet provided a pure and well-balanced, neutral performance. Overall, the sound was clean and easy on the ear, with long listening sessions possible, without the fatigue some decks can produce with over-mastered modern guitar-based recordings. I certainly enjoyed its sonic ease and transparency with old-school jazz. Unfortunately, access to an Audio Note phono stage wasn’t possible in time for our event. It's a pity because it would have been interesting to hear this deck with a “home-grown” phono stage before any final conclusions were drawn.

Our colleagues at Audio T in Reading have written an earlier blog on this turntable, so if you fancy an alternative and more technical review read here.

Using our student analogy, the Audio Note TT-3 was like a student I knew at school. He had an air of confidence, yet was socially quite laid-back in character. Particularly good at Art and Technical Drawing, with an eye for detail in his studies, he went on to study Graphic Design at Cambridge University.

Rega NAIA with Rega AURA phono stage...

rega naia turntable with rega aphelion 2 MC cartridge

Rega has established a formidable reputation as a major brand in-store at Audio T in Brighton. For over 50 years Rega has been producing quality music playback equipment, but they are currently best known for their turntables. In our case, we listened to the Rega NAIA with Rega Aphelion 2 MC cartridge played through a Rega Aura phono stage.

Rega NAIA spotlight...

I have written at length about the virtues of the Rega NAIA and its matching MC cartridge and phono stage in an earlier blog. To avoid repeating the technical details of the deck, I will point you to this article - Rega Naia blog and review.

Differences between the Rega NAIA and Audio Note TT-3 combos are quite marked, with physical characteristics being a world apart and reflecting a very different design philosophy when it comes to dealing with energy dispersal. Rega’s low mass theory versus the higher mass/suspension system of the Audio Note is an argument for theoretical physicists but there is no denying it affects the sonic qualities of each deck.

The Rega Naia is an exceptionally dynamic and weighty-sounding turntable with a wonderfully diverse tonal palette and a beguiling nature. As I have mentioned before, the phono stage changes the game, with the two decks sounding more alike (yet still totally unalike!) when the Cyrus Classic phono stage was used instead of the Rega Aura. The Rega combo is a synergistic marriage made in heaven!

Ending with our student analogy, the Rega Naia is a bit of a string bean, popular with his peers, has a playful and experimental nature, yet gets good exam results and goes on to achieve a 1st Class Honours Vocational Degree in Engineering.

Linn LP12 Klimax/Urika1/Radikal2/Ekstatik...

linn lp12 klimax with urika phono stage and linn ekstatik mc cartridge

There’s a saying that two’s company and three’s a crowd! Certainly, the market is flooded with a ton of turntable combinations and at these heady price levels, customers should expect their purchase to stand out from the crowd.

The Linn LP12 Klimax turntable with Ekos SE tonearm, Ekstatik MC cartridge and Urika/Radikal 2 phono stage/power supply does the best it can to do this and in many ways, its upgradeability, serviceability and heritage mark it out from the crowd. I guess the question is, does the LP12 Klimax live up to its name amongst the modern-day competition?

We have written extensively about Linn’s turntable options in many of Audio T’s blogs, including the more affordable combinations of Linn LP12 add-ons. Please read here for more info.

linn lp12 klimax with urika phono stage and linn ekstatik mc cartridge

So how does the Linn LP12 Klimax with Ekos SE/Ekstatik combo fare in such esteemed competition? The answer is, as you’d expect, very well indeed! However, when you are listening at this level, they all sound amazing.

I would describe the Linn LP12 Klimax sound as detailed and dynamic with great pizzazz and etched in the presence/lower treble region, a transparent mid-range and fluid bass with great timing. One of the beauties of vinyl playback is the ability to “flavour” your sound with different cartridges, with an extensive choice of quality cartridges on the market. We’ve certainly heard our fair share here at Audio T Brighton and some work better than others, especially when partnered symbiotically with amps and speakers in the audio chain. I guess this highlights the importance of listening to a range of system combinations before you buy and Audio T offer unparalleled services in that area that cannot be matched by reading reviews or buying online.

The Linn LP12 Klimax was a sporting wizard at school, has a very fastidious work ethic and a socially adept character, who went on to get a First Class Honours Degree at St.Andrews!

Michell Gyrodec with T8 tonearm & Cusis S MC cartridge...

michell gyrodec with michell t8 tonearm and cusis mc cartridge

At this point, we’ve gone beyond the two’s company, three’s a crowd, so we’ll say hello to the Michell Gyrodec with Michell T8 tonearm and Cusis MC cartridge, as it gatecrashes the party.

The Michell Gyrodec really is a sight to behold when it’s spinning, being beautifully eye-catching and yet distracting at the same time. The video -clip below will give you an idea of what I mean.

The Michell Gyrodec is probably closest in character to the Audio Note TT3, with less “air” in the upper treble, yet is more fleshed-out in the lower treble/presence region, giving cymbals a smoother yet more tonally rounded character. Interestingly, at least for us, we preferred the sound of the Michell without the record clamp attached. The clamp seemed to produce a slightly more sat-on character, possibly because of the damping effect it had, so we’d recommend leaving it off, but as usual, your mileage may vary!

Using our student analogy, it is like the quiet student in class, with an immaculate school uniform, gets on with their work without misbehaving, putting their hand up or joining in - yet still gets good exam results.

SME Model 15A-V Diamond with Series V tonearm and Rega Ania Pro MC cartridge...

SME model15/309 with series v tonearm and rega ania pro mc cartridge

The SME Model 15A - V Diamond with Series 5 tonearm is an engineering marvel and our crowd of turntables is rapidly turning into a collective pronoun, if one exists. Our visitors, Ian and Alester, took us through the extensive process of setting up the SME Model 15A - V Diamond with Series 5 tonearm, with a plethora of adjustment tools - all very impressive stuff!

The finished assembly is a sight to behold, with impressive engineering and a solidity that is commensurate with its elevated price. The SME design certainly falls into the high mass, suspended design, as opposed to the Rega NAIA with Aphelion 2 cartridge design, which favours a low mass design, platters aside.

The SME Model 15A - V Diamond with Series 5 tonearm and Rega Ania Pro MC cartridge was auditioned through a Cyrus Classic Phono stage plus PSU-XR.

Sonically, the SME combination has a very lucid presentation, with bass quality and its ability to play a tune especially noticeable. Dynamically, the SME sounded very adept and instruments were delivered very cleanly and with gravitas.

So what type of student is it? The SME Model 15A - V Diamond with Series 5 tonearm went to Lancing College, was a bit of a swot, a teacher’s pet, with shoes buffed like mirrors and won a scholarship in engineering at Cambridge!

Cyrus TTP with PSX-R2 PSU, Rega RB330 tonearm and Dynavector 20XII cartridge...

cyrus ttp with psx-r2 psu, rega rb330 tonearm and dynavector 20xii cartridge

Last but not least comes the Cyrus TTP with PSX-R2 PSU supplied as standard with a Rega RB330 tonearm and Dynavector 20XII cartridge. Lifting this deck gives a good impression of quality and it certainly falls into the high mass camp regards energy suppression. Along with some other decks in this blog, the Rega tonearm seems to be a go-to for turntable manufacturers, with several iterations depending on the audiophile tier that the deck falls into. All I can say is hats off to Rega for designing an arm that is ubiquitous in the hi-fi turntable manufacturers toolkit.

Fit and finish are splendid and we felt our choice of Dynavector 20XII cartridge was a good match for the Cyrus TTP when it came to our listening sessions.

It is almost a little unfair to compare the Cyrus TTP with our other decks in this blog because they operate in a different stratosphere when it comes to cost. However, you may be pleased to hear that the Cyrus TTP fared well, especially when used with the additional PSX-R2 PSU. We are a big fan of additional power supplies here at Brighton and with it, the Cyrus TTP is elevated significantly in sound quality, with a lot more detail and “meat on the bone”, producing a clean, well-separated sound, as sturdy sonically as it is in terms of its construction.

Using our student analogy, the Cyrus TTP with PSX-R2 PSU was the energetic, sporty student at the local comprehensive school, is popular with the girls and plays an Ovation acoustic guitar with his mates in a school band.

A turntable event to look forward to...

It is not often that the opportunity arises to be able to listen to such a range of quality turntables. We are already spoilt with our resident decks, available to demo every week, but to have four additional “special” decks is a privilege for us and an opportunity not to be missed for the turntable lover, so put these dates in your diary and give us a call.

Tuesday 5th November until Saturday 9th November at Audio T in Brighton.

Tel: 01273 609431

Email: brighton@audio-t.co.uk

As always, the proof of the pudding is in the eating, so get in touch to book a demonstration.

Thanks for reading.

Adey, John & Paul - Audio T Brighton

If you have any questions about any of the equipment featured in this article, or any other Hi-Fi or home cinema enquiries, be sure to Contact Us.

If you’ve enjoyed this, why not go ahead and read some more of our other blogs, and be sure to follow us on our social media channels below…

Rega can be found at the following Audio T stores

Cyrus can be found at the following Audio T stores

Audio Note can be found at the following Audio T stores:

Michell can be found at the following Audio T stores

Linn can be found at the following Audio T stores

SME can be found at the following Audio T stores

Dynavector can be found at the following Audio T stores

Dynaudio can be found at the following Audio T stores -

Naim can be found at the following Audio-T stores

All Hail Rega! Over five decades of quality record players - (Part 1 of a 2 part turntable special)

/ Audio T Brighton/

Hi folks, and welcome to this month’s article from us here at Audio T Brighton. Over the next month or so, we are going to be focusing the attention of our blogs solely on the venerable record player.

Our first instalment will consist of an overview of the extensive range of turntables from Rega - our trusty, Southend-made, English brand with an enviable track record (pun intended) of enabling music lovers to get the most from their vinyl playback. Part 2 will follow next month, but needless to say, we will be looking at the turntable options at the more exclusive end of the market and what additional qualities they bring to the party.

(Spoiler Alert: We will be including the Rega Planar 10 and their latest offering, the Rega Naia. Both of which have been written about in earlier Audio T blogs. If you haven’t already read them, hold onto your hats and links shall be forthcoming.)

So, onto this month’s subject… The offering from Rega, including: the Planar 1, Planar 1 Plus, Planar 2, Planar 3 and Planar 6.

Here goes!

Who are Rega?

rega wall-display here at audio t in brighton

I thought it might be worth writing a few lines about Rega using broad brushstrokes only to give an outline of the company’s origins.

Rega Co-Founder and Owner, Roy Gandy (Credit: Rega Research)

I think engineering just happened to be something necessary in my life - Roy Gandy.

As an avid music lover from early on in life, Roy Gandy’s desire to listen to music through a decent hi-fi system proved a catalyst in his drive to engineer the necessary equipment to do so. An initial desire to build an amplifier gave way to his home manufacturing of loudspeakers, all whilst holding down a full-time job at the Ford motor company. Moving onto his turntable designs, these evolved over a few years as he grappled with plinth and platter materials, motor and bearing design, sourcing a tonearm he thought worthy of his designs. On 1st July 1973, Roy Gandy and fellow businessman, Tony Relph formed Rega Research Limited, the name being formed from the first letters of their respective surnames. And so, the long, successful and ongoing story of Rega’s association with the manufacture of fine music playback equipment began.

In the rest of this blog we are going to focus on the conventionally shaped plinth varieties of Rega turntables…

Rega Planar 1 and Rega Planar 1 Plus

Rega planar 1 in white flanked by rega aya speakers at Audio T Brighton

Rega’s entry-level turntables, the Rega Planar 1 and Rega Planar 1 Plus, really are our benchmarks for a good quality, fine-sounding starter turntable, with good reason. Available in Matt Black, Matt White & Walnut, differences between the two variants are that the Planar 1 Plus is equipped with a built-in phono stage, facilitating a line-level output into amplifiers without a dedicated in-built phono stage, not uncommon in the era where CDs were all the rage and manufacturers thought vinyl was a dead duck. The Planar 1 Plus phono stage is roughly equivalent to their Rega Fono A2D mini, which is a separate phono stage box with the added benefit of a USB output, should your amp have no phono stage or you desire to digitise your record collection.

For someone looking to get into vinyl playback, the Rega Planar 1 and Rega Planar 1 Plus are an ideal starting point, with ease of setup straight out of the box, a good quality Rega Carbon MM cartridge and a sound quality exceeding their price point and an infinite improvement from the likes of Crossley, who many won’t know, that are actually detrimental to the quality of your records.

Rega Planar 2 plus Carbon or ND3 MM cartridge...

The Rega Planar 2 is a good step up from it’s younger siblings. Equipped with an improved RB220 arm, a superior glass platter and a more substantial bearing assembly, the Rega Planar 2 allows upgrade potential to the user via improvements in the cartridge options that can be fitted to the arm.

The Rega Planar 2 has always come fitted with a Rega Carbon MM cartridge as standard, which is great if you’re on a budget. However, the good news for upgraders is the addition of a brand new range of Rega MM cartridges; the Rega ND3, ND5 and ND7. Now available as a factory-fitted option, the Rega Planar 2 with ND3 cartridge is a huge upgrade on its predecessor, what we might sonically describe as a no-brainer, especially as when bought this way you save a good chunk of change.

Rega Planar 2 in gloss black with a rega carbon cartridge at Audio T Brighton 

Rega Planar 3

The Planar 3 is an old stalwart of the Rega turntable range and can almost single-handedly be lauded for the Rega boom of the 1980s. I myself am the proud owner of an original 80s Rega Planar 3, with its groundbreaking (for the time) one-piece RB300 tonearm.

The Planar 3 or Rega P3, as it has been known, is where record playback gets more serious. The current Rega Planar 3 has had numerous engineering improvements over the five decades of the company’s existence and in its current form, in our humble opinion, is the best turntable on the market in its price category… But don’t just take our word for it. Check out the numerous industry awards it has won here.

The latest RB330 arm, improved bearings, thicker platter, additional bracing, plinth material construction and a much quieter motor, have all made cumulative gains in sound quality. The current deck also allows for a Rega Neo power supply upgrade, allowing an even more stable, quiet power supply, with the added benefit of push-button speed change between 33/45 rpm. Throw in the latest generation of Rega MM cartridges; the ND3, ND5 and ND7 all push the performance envelope of the Rega Planar 3 to previously unheard heights.

Rega planar 3 in gloss red at Audio T Brighton

Rega Planar 6

The Rega Planar 6 offers another performance leap over the already exceptional Planar 3. The plinth used now has an aeronautical foam construction, which is both very stiff and extremely light, meaning that unwanted acoustic energy struggles to be stored - remember Newton’s Laws from school? Well, probably not! But to summarise, Rega’s philosophy is that unwanted acoustic energy stored in the plinth can only transfer through to the arm and cartridge, to the detriment of musical playback sound quality, so it goes that reducing energy storage has numerous sonic benefits. In addition, the tolerances in the arm bearings on the Planar 6 are tighter and the platter is now a more rigid, composite glass which is peripherally weighted to aid with speed stability. Finally, the Planar 6 comes with the Rega Neo 2 power supply as standard, with the previously mentioned benefits it bestowed on the Rega Planar 3.

Rega planar 6 with regA ania cartridge at Audio T Brighton

To be honest, at this level of record playback quality, one needs to seriously consider the Rega Aria phono stage to gain the most out of the Planar 6. The Rega Aria is a high-quality MM/MC phono stage, allowing the user to incorporate Rega’s fine range of moving coil cartridges; the Ania, Ania Pro and Apheta 3. The benefits of moving-coil cartridges over moving-magnet cartridges need to be heard to be believed - the tonal colours and textures are simply mesmerising.

So what have we learned so far?

Rega have been making turntables for over 50 years, establishing a name for sound quality, reliability and serviceability in the process. They are certainly a go-to recommendation when customers walk into our Audio T store in Brighton looking for a turntable. Starting at an affordable price for the Planar 1 and moving up the range as your record collection and experience grows, the Rega Planar family of turntables really are a must-listen if you are serious about spinning the black disc.

As always, the proof of the pudding is in the eating, so get in touch to book a demonstration.

Thanks for reading.

Adey, John & Paul - Audio T Brighton

If you have any questions about any of the equipment featured in this article, or any other Hi-Fi or home cinema enquiries, be sure to Contact Us.

If you’ve enjoyed this, why not go ahead and read some more of our other blogs, and be sure to follow us on our social media channels below…

An Olympian in the making - Advance Paris x-i75 amplifier

/ Audio T Brighton/

Hi folks, and welcome to the latest article from us here at Audio T Brighton. We’re potentially in for a bit of amplification bliss this month as we’re taking a look and a listen to a product from across the English Channel; the French manufacturer, Advance Paris.

Offering a diverse range of products new to us here at Audio T, they provide consumers an alternative choice of hi-fi products at both the entry-level, right up to the high-end. Advance Paris has been in business for over a quarter of a century and it will be fascinating to see what delights they bring to the Audio T-able! (See what I did there?)

Advance Paris x-i75 integrated amp...

advance paris x-i75

The Advance Paris x-i75 integrated amplifier is a well-adorned and smart-looking device with a specified 75W/ch into 8-ohms, a plethora of inputs on the rear, which includes: a MM phono input for a turntable, 1 x CD analogue input, 1 x Tuner analogue input and 4 x Auxiliary analogue inputs, 2 x co-axial digital inputs, 1 x optical(toslink) digital input, 1 x asynchronous USB-B input for a computer/laptop and 1 x USB-A input to allow music files to be played from an attached storage device, such as a USB memory stick or hard drive. An optional Bluetooth module can be purchased and plugged into the provided slot on the rear, if desired, as there is no network wireless connectivity built-in as standard. To be fair, consumers have alternative options from Advance Paris with products available in their range should they wish to go for network connectivity. Apart from that, customers will be unlikely to want more plug-in options than are available in the current range.

the well adorned input rear of the advance paris x-i75

Headphone users will be pleased to see a 1/4 inch headphone jack for personal listening. This is an advancement on the usual 3.5mm mini-jack available on many of the competitors offerings.

For full specifications on the Advance Paris x-i75 integrated amplifier please click on this link.

The Advance Paris x-i75 in use... Sacre bleu!

In order to gain some sonic impressions of the Advance Paris x-i75 amplifier we decided to partner it with a source from the same stable, the x-CD7 compact disc player, commensurate in price and a product we’ve heard a real buzz about!

I carefully placed a copy of The Very Best of Nina Simone and witnessed a positive closing of the CD tray. If you’re in a hurry to start listening to music, the x-CD7 won’t keep you hanging around because once the drawer has closed the CD starts to play immediately! It appears that the default setting on this unit is set to autoplay and this may be a convenient feature for some. On a more light-hearted note, it did remind me of a scene from Ronnie Barker’s BBC production of Open All Hours where Arkwright’s till drawer closed in a similar manner 😆

Sonically, the Advance Paris x-i75 amp and x-CD7 CD player seemed perfectly well-matched and provided a vibrant and flavourful sound, especially when reproducing Nina Simone’s voice.

John Scofield’s Uberjam Deus provided an album of weight and punch to test out the x-i75’s ability to control bass and play a tune and the pairing did a fine job, exceeding the performance of its price class.

Horses for courses, when it comes to hi-fi systems at this price point, both products performed extremely well in different areas, with subjective differences evident with a good in-store demonstration. We always recommend this approach before parting with your hard-earned cash when buying a new hi-fi system, of course, because variety is the spice of life.

We tried the Wharfedale Lintons with the Advance Paris set-up and the Lintons did the job nicely, offering a warm balance which we think complements the Advance Paris very well.

Quelle surprise!

We have been surprised by the quality of the Advance Paris offerings and the extensive range of models available to potential customers. The x-i75 amplifier and matching x-CD7 CD player offer customers a viable alternative to the competition with an extensive upgrade path available as you advance through their range.

As always, the proof of the pudding is in the eating, so get in touch to book a demonstration.

Thanks for reading.

Ade - Audio T Brighton

If you have any questions about any of the equipment featured in this article, or any other Hi-Fi or home cinema enquiries, be sure to Contact Us.

If you’ve enjoyed this, why not go ahead and read some more of our other blogs, and be sure to follow us on our social media channels below…

Cyrus Stream-XR streamer and Cyrus i9-XR amplifier - Bringing tears of joy to your hi-fi listening.

/ Audio T Brighton/

Hi folks, and welcome to the latest article from us here at Audio T Brighton. We’re in for a bit of streaming playback bliss this month as we’re taking a look and listening to a classic British Hi-Fi brand, Cyrus Audio. Cyrus has a long-standing history in many facets of the Hi-Fi industry and their kit has been widely acclaimed all over the world. Distinctive looks, practical 1/2 standard size case boxes and great sound have long been synonymous with the Cyrus name, so let’s have a closer look at some of their more recent offerings, the Cyrus Stream XR and Cyrus i9-XR integrated amplifier.

First, a little bit of history behind the Cyrus brand...

I have long remembered Cyrus from my early foray into the world of hi-fi during my university days in the mid-eighties. I have fond memories of the Cyrus 1 amplifier, launched in 1984, which a mate of mine owned, sporting a distinctly different sound to that of my NAD 3020, being both more detailed and dynamic than the warm and cosy NAD.

Horses for courses, but a great head-to-head shootout in the days when none of us could afford a Naim or Exposure amp on a student grant (remember them?)

Cyrus today...

Cyrus celebrating 40 years of hifi

The Cyrus brand has certainly moved on in the 40 years since my Cyrus v NAD head-to-head, if not much in the way of visual change but certainly technological advancements and range expansion. Cyrus has always maintained its half-case appearance and family sound, one that is familiar and has encouraged a loyal following over the decades.

Audio T in Brighton has a range of Cyrus products, including a Cyrus Stream XR, Cyrus i9-XR amplifier, Cyrus CDi-XR CD player, Cyrus PSU-XR power supply,

Our resident vinyl guru and shop manager, John Killick, heartily recommends the: Cyrus Phono Signature Phono Stage, Cyrus PSX-R2 power supply. We will endeavour to cover a couple of these products during the rest of this blog.

Cyrus Stream XR - Bringing tears to your eyes

cyrus stream xr

The Stream-XR streamer is great addition to the Cyrus range and the decision to use the Bluesound BluOS app to operate the streamer is a smart move by industry veterans.

Well established as a functional and reliable application, the Bluesound BluOS app allows use of the Cyrus Stream-XR to be a breeze, allowing connection to streaming services such as: Spotify, Tidal and our personal favourite, Qobuz, to be a relatively seamless user experience. Connection to the internet can be made wirelessly via your home network router, or better still, using the RJ45 Ethernet port on the rear, which we generally recommend anyway.

rear inputs on the cyrus streamer-xr

Equipped with a single pair of RCA analogue outputs, 1 x optical output and 1 x co-axial digital outputs, the Cyrus Stream-XR can be used as a standalone streamer or as a streaming transport if use with an external DAC is desired.

The Cyrus Stream-XR sounds great on its own, but as with their other products in the XR range, a Cyrus PSU-XR power supply upgrade will wring the last ounce of performance and musical engagement when funds allow, and is the first and most logical upgrade path for Cyrus owners to pursue.

Equipped with 1 x optical input and 1 x co-axial digital input, the Cyrus Stream-XR can also function as a DAC to output into an analogue amplifier, should they not be equipped with their own internal DAC. Many of the latest modern integrated amplifiers have built-in DACs so the options come down to personal taste and use case.

Partners in rhyme... Cyrus i9-XR amp

cyrus stream-XR with partnering cyrus i9-xr integrated amplifier

We have already mentioned some of the dance partners for the Cyrus Stream-XR earlier in the blog, but we do need an amplifier and a pair of speakers in order to listen to assess its talents. Keeping equipment in house, so to speak, we have been listening to it via its sister amplifier, the Cyrus i9-XR integrated.

Comprehensively equipped, the Cyrus i9-XR integrated amplifier comes with a plethora of inputs; quite an achievement given the small real-estate available on the rear panel. With 1 x MM phono input for turntable playback, 4 x RCA analogue, 2 x optical, 2 x co-axial and 1 x USB digital input for a computer, twin speaker outputs and a headphone amplifier output on the rear, the Cyrus i9-XR really does fit a quart into a pint pot!

Rated at 91 Watts into a 6-ohm load, the Cyrus i9-XR has plenty of power-on-tap into most normal speaker loads.

Together, the Cyrus Stream-XR & i9-XR bundle perform to a very high level, offering tight, detailed and punchy sonics, with imaging and clarity being strong points. Again, adding the Cyrus PSU-XR power supply upgrade brings forth remarkable gains in focus and clarity, with leading edges of notes, dynamic subtleties and timing moving from very good to excellent with the power supply in place.

A perfect dance partner...

System matching is an essential part of building a satisfying hi-fi system and our resident Wharfedale Linton speakers & stands proved a great partner for the Cyrus setup, offering a touch of warmth and richness to the sound, balancing nicely with the detail, clarity and transparency of the Cyrus pairings. The Wharfedales not only look good on their matching stands, but they sound grand for not a lot more than that, offering a remarkable value to sonic prowess ratio.

wharfedale Linton in walnut with Wharfedale stands.

As always, the proof of the pudding is in the eating, so get in touch to book a demonstration.

Thanks for reading.

Ade, John, Paul and Kevin - Audio T Brighton

If you have any questions about any of the equipment featured in this article, or any other Hi-Fi or home cinema enquiries, be sure to Contact Us.

If you’ve enjoyed this, why not go ahead and read some more of our other blogs, and be sure to follow us on our social media channels below…

Cyrus can be found at the following Audio T stores

Wharfedale can be found at the following Audio T stores

Hey Big Spendor! A closer look and listen to the floor standing A2, A4 and A7 models.

/ Audio T Brighton/

Hi folks, and welcome to this month’s article from us here at Audio T Brighton. We’re in for a bit of domestic speaker bliss this month because we’re taking a look and listening to a classic British speaker brand, namely Spendor loudspeakers. Spendor have many designs in their portfolio and we couldn’t possibly cover them all in this blog, so we will concentrate on models from the A-range of floor-standing loudspeakers; the A2, A4 & A7.

Our colleagues at Audio T in Reading have written a similar blog this month on one of their smaller siblings, the Spendor Classic 4/5 stand-mount speaker and you can read about that here.

Spendor - a potted history...

Spendor have always had a reputation for making fine speakers and we were recently given the opportunity to have a listen to a few pairs at our store in Brighton. We liked them so much we’ve taken some of their range on permanently and thought a fresh take on their qualities would be nice to write about in this month’s blog.

Spendor is a fusion of the creators, Spencer and Dorothy Hughes, who morphed the ‘Spen’ and ‘Dor’ to establish the brand name.

Spencer’s knowledge gained as an engineer at the BBC helped to create his first loudspeaker, the BC1, a design that has since gone on to become a bit of a classic.

spendor bc1 loudspeaker

To Spend Or Not To Spend?

50 years on from the Spendor BC1, the company has continued to evolve and currently has an extensive range of speakers, starting with the A-line, which is the focus of today’s article. The full range of Spendor speakers can be seen on our Audio T website or by visiting Spendor’s own website.

The Spendor company is a rarity in hi-fi manufacturing, in that they manufacture all of the cabinets in-house as well as the crossovers and drive units themselves. This allows complete control over the manufacturing process, with results we all can see and hear.

The quality of finish is near-unrivalled in the industry and several other manufacturers have, until recently, utilised the cabinet craftsmanship of the skilled carpenters at Spendor. The manufacturing process is a joy to behold - just watch the video below for evidence…

Spendor A2 - the baby of the line-up...

spendor a2 in oak

The Spendor A2 really is a quart-in-a-pint pot speaker. Measuring just 786mm(H) by 150mm(W) by 258mm(D), the A2 will slot in many places you wouldn’t expect a floor-standing speaker to go and as I expect you will find out, placement is easier than many a small stand mount speaker and without the bass overhang generated by positioning close to boundary walls. Now that isn’t to say careful positioning shouldn’t be undertaken, because any speaker will sound at its best when positioned well and matched with quality electronics. However, Spendor make bold claims about the room friendliness of their designs and for the most part, we’d have to agree.

At 85dB and 6.6 ohm minimum impedance, the Spendor A2 aren’t a challenging load for any decent amplifier but you will need some power to drive them to reasonable levels because of their low sensitivity. Spendor suggest 25 - 125 W/ch but we would err towards the upper limit of their recommendations to allow sufficient amplifier headroom.

Spendor A2 manufacturer specs can be seen here.

Spendor A4 - the middle man...

black spendor a4’s on dem at audio T in brighton

Unlike A4 v A2 printer paper, the Spendor A4 is the larger of the Spendor A2 and Spendor A4 loudspeakers. Measuring 861mm (H) by 165mm (W) by 284mm (D), the Spendor A4 are a substantially larger speaker and although the rated frequency response in the bass region (34Hz) v A2 (36Hz) is not significantly different on paper (whoops another paper reference!), the Spendor A4 sounds fuller and more dynamically free, certainly more than the additional 2Hz bass extension would suggest. It is also more sensitive at 86dB/W and will go louder much more comfortably than its baby brother.

More detailed Spendor A4 specs can be found here.

Now for the big Spendor - the Spendor A7...

oak spendor a7’s in our brighton audio T demonstration room

So now we get to the head-honcho of Spendor’s A-Line range of speakers.

The Spendor A7 measures 934mm(H) by 180mm (W) by 305mm (D). With a sensitivity of 88dB/W, it is an easy speaker to drive with a minimum impedance of 6 ohms. Power handling is increased to 200 Watts and the Spendor A7 rewards an amplifier with power and grip, not because it needs it, but the Spendor A7 is clearly the most capable of the three speakers tested in our blog. When we listened with our resident Naim ND 5XS2 streamer and Rega Aethos amplifier the sound blossomed beautifully. They also responded to further improvements in the front-end and amplification, as our resident Naim NSC 222 streaming preamp and Naim NAP 250 power amplifier ably demonstrated. The 4G Linear Flow Reflex bass port in the Spendor A7, unlike the normal circular port in the Spendor A2 and Spendor A4, seems to add additional control whilst delving a bit deeper into the bass. On top of that (pun intended) the mid-range and top-end of the frequency range seemed a bit more detailed and refined. We often hear that when the bass end of a speaker is improved, it creates a more natural and spacious effect in the upper frequencies, not unlike what may be achieved when a subwoofer is added.

For more technical specs on the Spendor A7 click here.

To sum up...

If the Spendor A-Line of speakers were exams, then each of our students would confidently achieve top marks in their respective speaker categories.

Beautifully made, easy to drive and exquisite sounding, you should form an orderly queue outside your local Audio T for a listen, they are that good.

As always, the proof of the pudding is in the eating, so get in touch to book a demonstration.

Thanks for reading.

Ade, John and Paul - Audio T Brighton

If you have any questions about any of the equipment featured in this article, or any other Hi-Fi or home cinema enquiries, be sure to Contact Us.

If you’ve enjoyed this, why not go ahead and read some more of our other blogs, and be sure to follow us on our social media channels below…

It's time to Selekt your Linn product - a review of the Linn Selekt DSM Hub Classic modular Hi-Fi system.

/ Audio T Brighton/

Hi folks, and welcome to this month’s article from us here at Audio T Brighton. We’re in for a bit of modular streaming hi-fi bliss this month because the streaming DAC/pre-amp/amplifier in question is one of the most flexible and upgradeable units on the market today. Throw in fine sound, sleek looks and user-friendliness and you’re as future-proof a design in this field as one can get. Time to look at the Linn Selekt DSM Hub Classic and her options.

Linn Selekt DSM Hub...

linn selekt dsm hub classic in a black finish

The Linn Selekt DSM hub comes in several variants - I will attempt to cover many of them throughout the course of this blog, but as a catalyst (or should I say Katalyst - pun very much intended!), we’ll be referring to a custom build of the Linn Selekt DSM Classic Hub with a built-in amplifier/standard DAC module. This version is on one of the starter models on the Linn Ladder of Listenability via modular design, which is both neat and allows customers flexibility as their music system expands with personal requirements. To be fair, this is not just marketing PR, which the industry can be prone to, as Linn has always followed this philosophy with their famous Linn LP12 turntables, allowing upgradability when funds and desires coincide.

Linn Selekt DSM Classic Hub with amp/DAC modules... Assembly

I thought a little video insert might be educational for folks to see how well thought out the Linn modular design is. So here goes...

I’m not sure the BBC have much to worry about and before you ask, no I didn’t go to film school! 😅 P.S. I did put the lid back on afterwards!

Linn Selekt DSM Hub hall of fame...

This section will aim to break down the options available on the Linn Ladder of Listenability and provide some insight into the plethora of options available to our customers.

First of all comes the box, so to speak, with a folded aluminium case in the Classic Hub, or a fully-machined case out of a solid block of aluminium with the Edition Hub.

It should be noted that the Edition hub comes with a fully machined chassis for rigidity. The sonic benefits this type of enclosure offers; reduced interference and microphonics, should not be dismissed lightly. The Edition hub version also has a built-in headphone socket and subwoofer output, which may be essential for some users.

Second up comes your choice of DAC performance; Standard, Katalyst, Organik or Dual-Mono Organik. I can personally vouch for the sonic upgrade between the Standard and Organik DAC’s, having fitted and listened to both, the sound improvements are marked and very worthwhile!

Choose your linn selekt dsm dac performance level

Thirdly, comes your application requirement; either as a digital source, a fully-fledged 2-channel stereo system or an AV/TV system.

All Linn Selekt DSM Hubs come with the latest Utopik power supply, which is in itself a significant upgrade, which I experienced when I fitted and heard the before and after on a customer’s Linn Klimax DSM.

It should be mentioned that owing to the modular upgradability of the Linn system, the Linn Utopik power supply upgrade is available as a retrofit upgrade for earlier versions of the Linn Selekt DSM Hubs.

More details about the various system configurations can be found on our website at Audio T in Brighton or by following the links provided in this blog or on Linn’s own website.

A technical tour-de-force...

linn selekt dsm technical specs

WiFi, Bluetooth and AirPlay 2 come as standard but we always recommend a good old ethernet cable whenever possible.

Being a Linn product , one would come to expect a good quality MM/MC Phono Stage and the Selekt DSM Hubs don’t disappoint, as we find out in our listening tests later. Digital playback is as agnostic as you’ll get, with Hi-Res, DSD lossless formats catered for and most compressed file types in the mix as well.

For those who encounter sound problems owing to awkward room dimensions or room layout, reflective surfaces etc, then Space Optimisation is available to counter these deleterious effects. Personally, we feel good speaker placement and system set-up negates the need for DSP but it is still a nice extra to have should you need it.

It’s time to Selekt your music...

linn selekt dsm edition hub with a matching linn selekt LP12 turntable

So, once you’ve chosen your Selekt DSM Hub configuration and had it assembled, delivered and installed by your local Audio T, now is the time to choose some music and enjoy your purchase, knowing full well that your future playback requirements are covered.

Linn Selekt DSM Classic sound...

How does it sound? Quite frankly, stunning!

Linn has built a sonic reputation around their famous Linn LP12 turntables, which celebrated its 50th anniversary in 2023 and currently comprises three performance levels: Linn Majik LP12, Linn Selekt LP12 and Linn Klimax LP12.

I’m pleased to say that the various incarnations of the Linn Majik DSM, Linn Selekt DSM and Linn Klimax DSM hubs perform at a commensurate level to their analogue siblings.

Here at our Audio T shop in Brighton, we paired a Linn Majik LP12 with a Linn Adikt MM cartridge, the aforementioned Linn Selekt DSM Hub Classic amp/dac module and a pair of Linn Majik 140 floor-standing speakers to great effect, sounding neutral, detailed and wholesome at the same time - not an easy feat for a music system, at any price.

I have attached a short video of the system in action for your pleasure!

Be one of the Selekt few...

The Linn Selekt DSM Classic Hub offers the user fine sound quality, an excellent user experience and a future-proof modular upgrade path. It comes highly recommended from Audio T.

As always, the proof of the pudding is in the eating, so get in touch to book a demonstration.

Thanks for reading.

Ade, John and Paul - Audio T Brighton

If you have any questions about any of the equipment featured in this article, or any other Hi-Fi or home cinema enquiries, be sure to Contact Us.

If you’ve enjoyed this, why not go ahead and read some more of our other blogs, and be sure to follow us on our social media channels below…

This time it's personal - the Naim Uniti Atom HE

/ Audio T Brighton/

Hi folks, and welcome to this month’s article from us here at Audio T Brighton. We’re in for a bit of a headphone journey this month because the streaming DAC/pre-amp in question is something I use personally on a daily basis. Let’s dive in and let you know my thoughts on this little marvel. Welcome to a review of the Naim Uniti Atom HE.

Naim Uniti Atom Headphone Edition...

naim uniti atom he

Released as an addition to the Naim Uniti Atom during the lock-down in 2020, the Naim Uniti Atom HE is a useful alternative package for the personal listener, without foregoing flexibility to the budding audiophile when playing back through some speakers, with the addition of a power amp or active speakers, of course. More on that feature later.

HE is very well connected...

At a glance, the Naim Uniti Atom HE looks virtually identical to the standard Naim Uniti Atom, so let’s summarise the similarities/differences because the retail price of both units are the same.

Naim Uniti Atom v Naim Uniti Atom HE

  • Ethernet/Wireless - Ethernet/Wireless

  • no phono stage - no phono stage

  • 3.5mm headphone input - 6.35mm input, 4.4mm & XLR balanced

  • HDMI eARC input - N/A

  • 40W/ch into 8ohms amp - Discrete headphone amp (1.5W/16ohm)

  • Both feature 2 x Toslink, 1 x Coax inputs, 1 x analogue RCA input, 2 x USB storage

If your primary listening is through a pair of loudspeakers, then the Naim Uniti Atom is a unit that performs superbly at the price, really looks the part, offers a good headphone output, connects to your T.V. and only needs a turntable and phono stage to be added separately to finish off a quality stereo system you’ll be happy with for many years. However if your raison d’etre is towards personal listening via a pair of headphones, then the Naim Uniti Atom HE really comes into its own.

Armed with 3 headphone outputs; a standard single-ended 1/4 inch jack on the front of the unit allows playback through the majority of cans, or if you’re more serious about your headphone playback, then two balanced connections are available; a 4.4mm Pentaconn on the front panel and a 4-pin XLR on the rear of the unit. The two outputs on the front automatically mute the pre-amp outputs on the rear, useful if you have a power amplifier connected to speakers. The rear balanced XLR output doesn’t mute the speakers, so you’ll have to use the headphone/preamp selector switch on the top-left of the front panel to make your choice. However, you can also make your output selection with headphones connected to one of the two jack sockets on the front panel if you wish, the switch usefully lighting up with a headphone symbol when connected to the headphone output.

Balanced or single-ended headphone output?

Balanced inputs/outputs are a hot topic in the hi-fi world at the moment, so let’s briefly discuss their pros and cons. Before we start though, we need to sing the praises of the DIN connections that Naim have used on their systems for a number of decades. The noise and grounding benefits of DIN are such that Naim still recommends their use on sonic grounds, where possible, but they are not widely used around the world which limits connectivity across brands when mixing and matching hi-fi components. Naim have opened the doors of compatibility across the world by incorporating balanced connections on their new products in the Naim 200 and Naim 300 series released in 2022/23.

naim uniti atom he with focal clear MG headphones

So why use the balanced connections on the Naim Uniti Atom HE?

The main reason is one shared with the professional audio industry. Noise is an unfortunate by-product of electronics, wi-fi and long cable runs - just ask any guitarist! Unfortunately, as well as sending a signal along a copper cable, the cable often acts as an antenna for RFI and EMI noise. Proper shielding and balanced connections can help reduce noise, especially over a longer cable length. For shorter lengths, like those often encountered in domestic use, single ended RCA connections may be better, as advocated by companies like Linn, but your mileage may vary depending on how noisy your electrical environment is.

Personally, I run a longer length cable (5 metres) so I can sit or lie down on my sofa when late-night listening. I also like the uncluttered look on the front fascia and robustness of the 4-pin balanced XLR connector in the long term, so I chose a balanced cable termination, but that is just me!

HE, HE, HE, this thing is no joke...

The Naim Uniti Atom HE is a diminutive device, only occupying a half-width profile, meaning placement is somewhat easier than for a full-scale system. A small table or shelf near a mains outlet, along with a good pair of headphones and a cable of a decent length is all you need!

The original Naim Uniti Atom had a respectable headphone performance but the Naim Uniti Atom HE’s headphone outputs really do play in a different league! Detail, separation and staging of instruments in the mix are far clearer, with dynamic contrasts superior in both macro and micro-dynamic domains, especially with a pair of headphones that can do the Naim Uniti Atom HE’s discrete headphone stage justice.

Focal headphones are a suitable match, such as; Clear MG, Celestee, Stellia and Utopia. This is only to be expected as Focal and Naim are now sister companies and developed many of their product ranges in tandem. Other headphones that will work well are the Meze 109 Pro, Meze Empyrean 2’s.

Whatever headphones you decide to pair with the Naim Uniti Atom HE, you are sure to be mesmerised by the sound it produces, whether they be open or closed-back headphones. Naim’s engineers have clearly spent time fettling the amplifier section and it will drive both low and high impedance cans comfortably, quoting 1.5 Watts into a 16 Ohm load, so there will be few headphones that won’t be able to be driven by the Atom HE.

Naim Uniti Atom HE as a streaming DAC preamplifier...

In all the hullabaloo about the Naim Uniti Atom HE as an excellent headphone amplifier for personal listening, we may forget a major use case for our budding audiophiles. It also happens to be an excellent streamer/DAC/preamplifier!

The Atom HE has both single-ended RCA outputs and balanced, stereo XLR outputs in the preamp section. The ability to add a power amplifier of your own choice is a major bonus to this device, allowing the user to tailor their power amplifier choice to loudspeaker and room requirements.

We’ve found the Naim Uniti Atom HE pairs particularly well to the latest iteration of the Naim NAP 250 power amplifier.

Another benefit of separating the preamp from the poweramp is the ability to upgrade the components individually when you’re ready to do so, along with the inherent sonic benefits of doing so. A Naim NSC 222 streaming pre-amp would be a good partner for the Naim NAP 250, opening the door to better units further up the range, including the Naim NSS 333 streamer and Naim NAC 332 pre-amplifier.

From there, the sky really is the limit!

naim uniti atom he shown with a pair of focal clear mg’s

As always, the proof of the pudding is in the eating, so get in touch to book a demonstration.

Thanks for reading.

Ade, John and Paul - Audio T Brighton

If you have any questions about any of the equipment featured in this article, or any other Hi-Fi or home cinema enquiries, be sure to Contact Us.

If you’ve enjoyed this, why not go ahead and read some more of our other blogs, and be sure to follow us on our social media channels below…

Dynamic Dynaudio - a closer look and listen to the Dynaudio Contour 30i

/ Audio T Brighton/

Hi folks, and welcome to this month’s article from us here at Audio T Brighton. We’ve certainly been treated to some quality gear coming through our door in recent months and our March blog continues this tradition with another special loudspeaker - the Dynaudio Contour 30i floor standing loudspeakers. Let’s delve in a bit deeper!

Dynaudio Contour 30i floorstanders...

dynaudio contour 30i’s in gloss black with our naim 300 series system

The latest iteration of the Dynaudio Contour 30i are our most recent acquisition here at Audio T Brighton , and they have numerous technical improvements over the original Contour 30 model. A 2.5 way design, using two larger 18cm Magnesium Silicate Polymer bass/midrange drivers with a tuned 2nd order bass crossover frequency of 300Hz to integrate the bass drivers and a separate tweeter crossover at 2200 Hz.

Quoted frequency response is 32Hz up to 23kHz at -3dB. Sensitivity is quoted at 87dB/1W. IEC power handling is rated at 300W and impedance quoted at 4 Ohms.

dynaudio contour 30i in nordic silver looking elegant in a domestic setting.

Dynaudio refine the design of their drive units periodically and the Esotar 2i tweeter now incorporate the Hexis inner dome to deal with back wave resonances and give superior sound with lower distortion figures. Our Dynaudio representative, Bill Livingston, was keen to show us the bass drive units in a recent visit to us, explaining how their choice of aluminium in the voice coils, instead of the usual copper, improved speed and dynamics owing to the reduced mass of such material. Other improvements to the asymmetric spider boast superior acoustic response. As you will read shortly, our listening tests certainly seem to support the claims made.

dynaudio contour 30i’s features

The crossovers in the Contour 30i are chock full of high quality Mundorf capacitors and air-core inductors, enabling Dynaudio to simplify the 2nd-order crossover, enhancing performance further. Dynaudio go to great lengths to get their speakers sounding right, with some of the most advanced testing facilities in the industry.

dynaudio’s advanced factory testing facilities

Dynaudio Contour 30i variants...

The Dynaudio Contour 30i are available in Gloss black, Walnut and Nordic Silver. As can be expected of speakers in this price category, the fit and finish are exemplary. According to Dynaudio, each cabinet takes over 90 minutes to turn on a five-axis CNC machine, the lacquering process takes 40 hours to cure, and 16 pieces of sandpaper are used in order to finish the speaker to Dynaudio’s standard.

So how do they sound?

As a previous owner of several Dynaudio speaker models, including the Dynaudio 42 and Dynaudio Focus 110 standmount speakers, plus my personal experience of the current range of Dynaudio Evoke 10, Evoke 20 and Evoke 30 we have on demonstration here at our Brighton Audio T shop, I have become accustomed to the family sound Dynaudio speakers exhibit. Refinement and added detail become more apparent as you move up the range; they all have the “bounce” and fun sound I associate with the Dynaudio in house sound, without losing technical quality in the process.

dynaudio contour 60i in walnut

Once you get to the Contour range, things definitely go up several gears, with models in the Evoke range only hinting at what’s to come sonically. My first experience of the Contour range came when I had the pleasure of listening to the Dynaudio Contour 20i on the end of a Naim Uniti Nova, )available to read in my blog here). To say I was bowled-over with their performance would be somewhat of an understatement, such was their refinement, musicality and fun-factor.

The Contour 30i take the scale and bass extension to another level and although not that hard to drive, quality electronics are almost a prerequisite to get the most out of them. Our resident Naim 500 series system consisting of ND 555 streamer, Naim NAC 552 preamp and Naim NAP 500 DR power amp fronted by a Linn Klimax LP12 with a Urika phono stage and Radikal 2 power supply really pep things up Guardiola style! Let’s put it this way, if there were a footballer called Dynaudio Contour 30i in the squad at Manchester City, I’m sure Pep Guardiola would have his name on the team sheet early on!

dynaudio contour 30i

As always, the proof of the pudding is in the eating, so get in touch to book a demonstration.

Thanks for reading.

Ade, John and Paul - Audio T Brighton

If you have any questions about any of the equipment featured in this article, or any other Hi-Fi or home cinema enquiries, be sure to Contact Us.

If you’ve enjoyed this, why not go ahead and read some more of our other blogs, and be sure to follow us on our social media channels below…

REGA ISIS compact disc player - Queen of the throne CD playback

/ Audio T Brighton/

Hi folks, and welcome to this month’s article from us here at Audio T Brighton. We’re in for a rare treat this month because the compact disc player in question is the “top dog” from Rega, the ISIS. Let’s dive in and have a look and listen!

Rega ISIS - the goddess of healing and magic

The Rega ISIS CD player is a real gem of a compact disc player and sits at the top of the tree when it comes to digital playback. According to historical Egyptian texts, Isis is the Goddess of healing and magic. As we will find out later in this article, the Rega ISIS has musical properties that make this a fitting description of how it sounds.

According to the latest market music sales figures, despite plateauing CD sales, they are still outselling vinyl LPs 2 to 1, clearly demonstrating a need for quality CD players in the hi-fi market. A relative veteran of the Rega range, it still more than holds its own against modern competition in the form of hi-fi streamers. If you’re into the idea of owning your music in a physical format, the Rega ISIS is a good reason to do so.

In the words of a former England manager, Terry Venables, “Form is temporary, class is permanent!” and this certainly comes through in our listening tests.

Rega ISIS features...

The Rega ISIS weighs in at just under 20kg, exhibiting a sound that mirrors this with similar gravitas. We’d recommend the top shelf of a sturdy hi-fi rack, such as one of the designs from Quadraspire’s range, because as one can see from the pictures in this blog, it is a top-loader and not something to be moved around on a regular basis, unless you’re into lifting weights at the gym!

The remote control is something to behold, made from a block of solid metal, with an incredibly weighty feel, that fills you full of confidence when in hand.

Careful choice has been made for every component in the digital and the analogue signal path of the Rega ISIS to ensure the integrity of the signal. Using discrete class A operational amplifiers and filters, the circuit can then be optimised for sonic performance.

Advanced grounding techniques are integral to the design of the Rega ISIS, part of the Holy Grail of hi-fi and an often underused and under appreciated technology in high fidelity design.

Hypervigilant design of the PCBs ensures isolation of not just the digital and analogue sections, but also the motor, display and user interface processor. All sonically critical electrolytic capacitors have been by-passed with polypropylene or polyester film capacitors.

The Rega ISIS uses power supplies that utilise custom Rega K-Power smoothing capacitors, along with fast diodes which have been used throughout in power supply rectification. Rega have also ensured that power supply impedances in the digital to analogue converter are kept very low by the use of solid polymer capacitors. Optimised control code for the control of the CD processor and user display speeds up the initialisation process, by means of a tighter control interface between the user micro and CD processor.

As a final nice touch, along with the weighty remote control, the Rega ISIS ships with a Rega Couple interconnect and the same high quality mains lead as comes with the Rega Aura phono stage.

Rega Isis rear view showing digital input choices

Another string to the Rega ISIS bow is that it can be usefully employed as a DAC input for another source. Although one may frown on the use of a computer to play back music, the Rega ISIS was ahead of its time when they designed it with a USB input, allowing stellar playback form another digital player. It can also be used as a top drawer transport with its digital coaxial output into another DAC, although one can hardly imagine playback at a much higher level than the Rega ISIS can achieve on its own.

Rega for life...

rega isis laser assembly mechanism

Rega are one of the few companies that offer a Lifetime Warranty on their products, subject to normal wear and tear or user mishap, and this certainly installs some confidence in purchasing their products. In the case of the Rega ISIS they go one better than this (or should I say two better than this) by archiving two matched laser mechanisms at the factory for the original purchaser of a Rega ISIS. Given that one can expect the life of a CD mechanism to be an average of approximately 10 years and this being one of the main reasons for consigning a CD player to the recycling bin at the end of its life. It is nice to know that the additional mechanisms more or less guarantee three decades of quality CD playback for the potential purchaser, and may be the deciding factor when making such a substantial outlay for this CD player. However, when one factors in the potential lifespan of the Rega ISIS and its superb construction & sound, the outlay seems to be very reasonable once the maths has been calculated!

So let’s get to the sound...

Rega Naia, Rega aura and REga aethos system

Our test system at Audio T Brighton consisted of a Rega ISIS CD player, Rega Naia turntable, Rega Aura phono stage into a Rega Aethos integrated amplifier and Rega Aya floor standing speakers.

To be honest, there is a family sound to Rega components and having recently waxed lyrical about the Rega Naia with Aphelion 2 cartridge paired with a Rega Aura phono stage, the Rega ISIS simply carries this on. Both sources have a dynamism, tone and sheer musicality to their sound that engages the listener in such a profound way, trying to do any jobs other than enjoying the music are nigh-on impossible.

To read more about our experiences with the Rega Naia with Aphelion 2 cartridge in partnership with a Rega Aura phono stage, please feel free to read my earlier blog HERE.

I am your father...

rega isis rear view

Advising someone to listen to the the Rega ISIS is a bit like telling Darth Vader to use the force - it really is a Master of the Universe when it comes to CD playback and we’ve heard nothing like it here at our Brighton Audio T store. It really is an other-worldly experience, so come in and book a demonstration before Luke Skywalker shows up (or our Rega rep takes it back!)

As always, the proof of the pudding is in the eating, so get in touch to book a demonstration.

Thanks for reading.

Ade, John and Paul - Audio T Brighton

If you have any questions about any of the equipment featured in this article, or any other Hi-Fi or home cinema enquiries, be sure to Contact Us.

If you’ve enjoyed this, why not go ahead and read some more of our other blogs, and be sure to follow us on our social media channels below…

Brighton Audio T says Happy New Year to 2024 with our Naim New Classic 300 series/Proac speaker week

/ Audio T Brighton/

Hi folks, and welcome to this month’s article from us here at Audio T Brighton. We are happy to announce a joint Naim Audio New Classic 300 series and Proac loudspeakers week from Tues 23rd January through to Saturday 27th January 2024.

Link to the event is here - or click on the image below.

Rather than review each product individually, like we have done before in our previous blogs, we would like to invite you to visit us and hear both ranges in our Brighton Audio T store during this week. We will be demonstrating different pairings of our extensive catalogue of Naim Audio and Proac speaker products and you can let your ears decide. Our resident Naim Audio and Proac loudspeaker gurus and company representatives will be here in person on Thursday 25th & Saturday 27th of January respectively and they will be more than happy to answer questions you may have about any of the products in their ranges.

If you would like to join us during our week long event and reserve your space, please call us on 01273 609431 or email: brighton@audio-t.co.uk

To inform you of what’s on show ahead of the event, earlier Audio T blogs and links to these will be strategically placed throughout this article to enable you to gain some insight into what will be demonstration during our Naim New Classic 300 Series and Proac Loudspeaker event.

Put it in the diary...

We have waxed lyrical about Naim Audio and Proac products before and especially when they are paired together, so let’s have a look at the possibilities.

Naim 300 series system with Proac speakers

The main engine room behind this event is the Naim New Classic 300 series components, consisting of: Naim NSS 333 streamer/dac, Naim NAC 332 preamp, Naim NPX 300 power supply and last but not least, Naim NAP 350 monoblock amplifiers.

Our turntable of choice for the event will be a Linn LP12 Klimax with a Radikal 2 and Linn Ekstatik cartridge.

Naim’s class leading designs have all the powerful sonic magic needed to light-up the wonderfully natural range of Proac speakers on demonstration.

If you would like to find out more before your visit, Naim’s latest range can be seen and read about in its full glory in our recent blog Here.

Other Naim offerings here at Audio T Brighton

In our other listening area we have some more Naim products, including the current Naim 200 series: Naim NSC 222 streaming pre-amp and Naim NAP 250 power amp. For turntable joy we have our Rega Naia turntable with Rega Aphelion 2 cartridge into a Rega Aura phono stage on demonstration.

What’s on offer Tuesday 23rd January - Proac Tablette 10 Signature

Firing things off, let’s start with Proac’s baby, the Tablette 10 Signature speakers. These really do fit a quart into a pint pot sonically, and you can read more in my ramblings about the Proac Tablette 10 Signatures in our earlier blog here.

Wed 24th January - Proac Response DB1 and Proac Response D2R

Our focus on Wednesday 24th January will be two more stalwarts from the Proac range, the Response DB1 with Proac’s high quality dome tweeter and Proac Response D2R with a ribbon tweeter. The Proac Response DB1 has proven to be a popular choice at our Brighton store because of its sweet, transparent and spacious sound, whilst the Proac Response D2R offers an extremely focused and detailed sound with a different flavour owing to the ribbon tweeter and new to our shores, so to speak. It is also worth noting that the Response D2 is available with Proac’s high quality dome tweeter as an alternative if desired.

Thursday 25th January - Proac DT8

On Thursday 25th January we’ll turn our attention to the DT8, which are Proac’s entry-level floor standing loudspeakers and equipped with their quality dome tweeter and part of a 2.5 driver speaker design. The Proac DT8 deliver a substantial sound at an attractive price, so anyone looking for their first foray into floor standing speakers should have these on their audition list.

To find out more, read our Proac blog here.

We are pleased to announce that on Thursday 25th, our Naim representative, Darren Woodyatt, will be available to answer questions about any of Naim’s extensive current range of products.

Friday 26th January - Proac D30R

On the Friday 26th January we’ll turn our attention to the Proac D30R. These are our penultimate speaker for our Naim/Proac week and offer a substantial sound for a large room and respond well to our Naim New Classic 300 series monoblock power amps, the Naim NAP 350. Where bass extension and power are desirable, these need to be heard to be believed.

Saturday 27th January - Proac K3

So we finally get to the big fella! Our coup-de-gras speaker of the ProAc/Naim week is the ProAc K3 floor standing speaker. At over 40kg each, these monsters throw out a full-range sound that really needs to be heard, with detail, clarity and extension in spades!

We are privileged to have the company of our Proac representative, David Johnson, for this final day in our week long demonstration of the Naim New Classic/Proac loudspeaker exhibition. He will be more than happy to answer questions about any of the extensive Proac loudspeaker range, so make the most of being able to quiz him fully.

As always, the proof of the pudding is in the eating, so get in touch to book a demonstration.

Thanks for reading.

Ade, John and Paul - Audio T Brighton

If you have any questions about any of the equipment featured in this article, or any other Hi-Fi or home cinema enquiries, be sure to Contact Us.

If you’ve enjoyed this, why not go ahead and read some more of our other blogs, and be sure to follow us on our social media channels below…

Say “Hiya” to the Rega Naia - Now at Audio T Brighton

/ Audio T Brighton/

Hi all, and welcome to this month’s article from us here at Audio T Brighton. I can honestly say that this month’s blog is going to be a bit special, in the announcement that we have taken delivery of the brand new Rega Naia.

To say I’m stoked at the arrival of this highly anticipated turntable would be an understatement. Spoiler alert, Rega have hit it out of the park with the Rega Naia! Let’s have a closer look and more importantly, a listen...

rega naia turntable

Rega Naia esquire...

Rega’s latest turntable, the Naia, is a fitting development to demonstrate how Roy Gandy’s engineering is at the apex of record player design after 50 years of his company’s existence. He should be very proud of his achievements!

Following on from the Rega Naiad, a limited production turntable at a stratospheric price and hand-built as a special order for well-heeled customers, the Rega Naia has evolved using “trickle-down” materials, engineering knowledge and manufacturing techniques to the point where it has become a more affordable production model, yet has sacrificed little of its illustrious predecessor’s audiophile qualities.

Rega Naia is sonically on fire...

To say that Rega have a game changer turntable would in our opinion be an understatement. Combined with a Rega Aphelion 2 cartridge, a Rega Aura phono stage and a Rega Aethos integrated amplifier driving either the Rega Aya floor standing speakers, the Neat Acoustics Motive SX2 floor standing speakers or the Neat Petite Classics on Solid Steel SS6 stands, the Naia turntable has had us all bewitched here in our Brighton store.

rega naia system in action

It has all the detail and dynamics you’d expect of a turntable at this level, it bestowed every record we played with a musical virtuosity and humanity we’ve seldom heard in a comparative system. We’ve literally been boogieing around the store like maniacs since its arrival, such is the musical involvement it deploys.

Another standout virtue with the sound from a Naia is it’s incredibly quiet background noise level. The Zirconium Alumina ceramic bearing, resonance controlled ceramic platter, RB titanium tonearm and low mass graphene impregnated carbon fibre skeletal plinth with Tancast 8 foam core graphene infused plinth, bestows this deck with a CD like quality in terms of noise levels, yet without that medium’s sometimes recognisable glare and digital quality.

Have you ever witnessed what I can only describe as cone-flap on vinyl record playback? Often this appears as unusually large bass-driver excursion during record playback and isn’t necessarily the result of bass-heavy music because it can occur during the lead-in and lead-out groove at the beginning and end of a record. The low-level rumble associated with record players can be emphasised by amplifiers, causing the cone-flap phenomenon, such that older amplifiers often had a rumble-filter to help reduce this. The Rega Naia has none of this, or at least none whilst I was listening, and may be part of the reason why this turntable is such a fantastic sounding deck. It allows the amplifier to play music rather than using amplifier power to try and reproduce low frequency noise, robbing the amp of dynamics because its power supply is drained by this low frequency noise.

One often hears the term ‘black background’ where digital playback systems are concerned, but not often with vinyl playback because of the often inherent noise of the medium. The Rega Naia is, to our ears, as close as one can get to mimicking the term ‘black background’ in analogue playback and a significant step forward in this regard.

In our experience, the only other turntable that comes close to the ‘black background’ quality of the Naia would be the Linn LP12 Klimax turntable with its Radikal 2 power supply and matching Linn Ekstatik cartridge, however that places it in a completely different price bracket.

rega naia with rega aura phono stage playing through a naim 300 series system

Personally, we all felt the Naia invigorated every system we played it through and sounded especially fine through a Naim 300 New Classic series system; composing of a Naim NSC332 preamp with Naim NPX300 power supply into Naim NAP350 monoblock amplifiers and ATC SCM50 speakers.

A Naia on perfect partner... the Rega Aura

rega aura phonostage

The Naia needs a sparring partner and in this article we’re looking at the perfect one. Rega’s top phono stage, the Aura.

The Rega Aura is a moving coil only phono stage and a mighty beast at that. You’ll certainly know when you try to lift it! To compare it with other phono stages, read our blog here. To summarise, the Rega Aura was my favourite amongst them with a lovely, mellifluous sound and it should come as no surprise that it works so well with the Rega Naia.

This Rega turntable A-Naia-lates the competition!

rega naia

All I can say is, I want one! The Naia is so stupendously good it annihilates the competition (pun intended).

It’s a beautiful design that is both complex and simple at the same time. Combine this with the humanity it brings to the records that are fortunate enough to be played through it, make this a game-changing deck for the money. Yes, it is a substantial investment, but if you value musical reproduction, you owe it to yourself to come in and give the Rega Naia an audition.

As always, the proof of the pudding is in the eating, so get in touch to book a demonstration.

Thanks for reading.

Ade, John and Paul - Audio T Brighton

If you have any questions about any of the equipment featured in this article, or any other Hi-Fi or home cinema enquiries, be sure to Contact Us.

If you’ve enjoyed this, why not go ahead and read some more of our other blogs, and be sure to follow us on our social media channels below…

Welcome to the future of Naim separates - the 300 New Classic series

/ Audio T Brighton/

Hi folks and welcome to this month’s blog from Audio T Brighton. In this month’s edition we will be reviewing the next chapter in the future roadmap for Naim Audio products - the 300 series including; the NSS 333 streamer/DAC, the NAC 332 pre-amplifier, the NPX 300 power supply and last but not least, the NAP 350 monoblock power amplifiers.

After the successful release of the 200 series of products from Naim in January 2023, the future framework of separates has finally been realised via its latest 300 series components.

Let’s have a look...

Introducing the 300 series...

naim 300 system partnered with linn lp12 klimax & atc scm50’s

Here at Audio T Brighton, we are proud to announce that we have taken delivery of the latest Naim 300 series hi-fi system. To say we have looked forward to this happening would be an understatement. In the following few sections of this blog we’ll break down the individual components of this system to see what they bring to the party. Without giving too much away at this stage, you’ll definitely want to party upon receipt of a system like this.

Naim NSS 333 streamer/DAC...

The Naim NSS 333 streamer/DAC is Naim’s latest standalone streamer, offering the newest power management and DAC architecture.

A natural successor to the established Naim NDX2 streamer, the NSS 333 streamer incorporates Naim’s latest reworking of a modern classic, with enhanced output offerings via balanced connections as well as the traditional single-ended RCA and DIN outputs to satisfy old-school Naimees.

Sporting the same visual design as the 200 series, the NSC 333 is fully upgradeable with NPX 300 power supplies, which conveniently simplifies the myriad of different power supply options Naim had available with their earlier hi-fi offerings.

naim nss333 streamer inside

Upgrades to the NSS 333 are additionally more nuanced than previous generations by having the option to use a *separate NPX 300 power supply on each of the digital and analogue sections. An extra box, but Naim have always been renowned for allowing their users to run upgrades by adding extra power supplies to their components; think HiCap and SuperCap for those familiar with the brand, the difference being that only one type of power supply is available this time, the NPX 300. Far less confusing and user friendly, I must say!

  • We must point out an E.U. legal caveat with running two separate NPX 300’s on a NSS 333 streamer - it will disable the energy saving 0.5W standby mode when used this way, so you will need to turn the units off to save energy when not in use, which to be fair, you won’t feel like doing that often because you’ll be too busy listening to music!

Naim NAC 332 preamplifier...

The NAC 332 is the latest generation of analogue pre-amplifiers from Naim. A significant step forward for Naim, the NAC 332 is a self-powered pre-amplifier, allowing for standalone use, somewhat of a step off the beaten track for Naim, who traditionally have required a separate power supply to enable their hi-end pre-amps to function at all.

This simplifies matters a lot, reducing box count, whilst still offering a superb level of performance and yet still allowing user upgrade with an NPX 300 power supply if desired. The same caveat applies to the use of two separate power supplies mentioned above, in order to meet EU energy saving regulations.

inside the naim nac332 pre-amplifier

Naim NPX 300 power supply...

The Naim NPX 300 power supply was the first of the 300 series components released back in January 2023. As part of Naim’s new range of components in the 200 series, the NPX 300 was the first of the 300 range but hinted at what was to come. The streamlined power supply range on offer from Naim means that the complexities of the old Classic components power supply upgrades no longer exist and the NPX 300 works just as effectively with both the 200 and 300 series equipment.

naim npx300 power supply internals

Naim has always considered their power supplies to be fundamental to enhancing sonic performance and the NPX 300 follows on in their design philosophy very nicely, with clearly audible benefits in all implementations of 200 or 300 series systems.

Naim NAP 350 monoblock power amplifiers...

Naim’s latest offering in amplification comes from an update of their famous and coveted NAP 135 monoblock amps from the 1980’s.

inside the naim nap350 monoblock power amplifier

The Naim NAP 350 is a pure class-AB linear amplifier, running from fully regulated DR power supplies producing 175W into 8 ohms and 345W into 4 ohms. It can deliver peak power of up to 1.7kW to drive impedance dips of complex speaker crossover networks, offering unparalleled performance in the range and a significant step on from the Naim NAP 250 stereo power amplifier released at the same time as the NPX 300 power supply.

Naim 300 system as a whole...

The 300 series components by Naim are a re-imagining of the old Classic systems known to Naim fans. They offer a modern twist on established products, with slick operation, efficient running and class-leading sonics with Naim’s famous reliability, after sales servicing and traditionally high residual values.

Naim that tune...

One of the defining qualities of Naim systems over the five decades of their existence and a reason for their customers returning for more, is their ability to play a tune.

The 300 series has a more modern sonic flavour, albeit not the same as older Naim systems, but it hasn’t lost the musical flow, PRAT and dynamics of old, achieving a cleaner, more detailed, resolved and spacious presentation than of yore.

I’m sure Mr Vereker would approve...

Julian Vereker, founder of naim audio

We are confident that Julian Vereker, the founder of Naim Audio, would be satisfied to find the sound of the latest 300 series converging towards his playback ideals and, should he still be alive today, a fitting culmination to 50 years of his design philosophy.

As always, the proof of the pudding is in the eating, so get in touch to book a demonstration.

Thanks for reading.

Ade, John and Paul - Audio T Brighton

If you have any questions about any of the equipment featured in this article, or any other Hi-Fi or home cinema enquiries, be sure to Contact Us.

If you’ve enjoyed this, why not go ahead and read some more of our other blogs, and be sure to follow us on our social media channels below…

A Modern Micro-System - The WiiM Pro streamer and Ruark MR1 Active Speakers.

/ Audio T Brighton/

“Micro-systems are so last year!”

Hi folks, this month we are looking at a modern alternative to an old stalwart of yesteryear - the ubiquitous micro-system. Using a WiiM Pro streamer or the newer WiiM Pro Plus and a pair of active Ruark MR1 speakers, we are going to look at a twist on the old micro-system option.

The venerable micro-system has been the vanguard of the student dorm for many a year, but as with all older technologies, we must adapt and move forward with the times whilst maintaining an eye on the purse strings, especially for the cash-strapped student or for that matter, most savvy members of the public!

WiiM Pro streamer and Ruark MR1 speakers

wiim pro streamer & ruark mr1 mk2 active speakers with a rega planar 2 turntable

As can be seen in the picture above, the WiiM Pro or WiiM Pro+ can be integrated into a small, but flexible home system with the Ruark MR1 Mk2 active speakers. Additionally, a Rega Planar 1 or Rega Planar 2 with a Rega A2D or Rega Fono MM phono stage can be used into the line(RCA) inputs on the rear of the WiiM Pro. A Rega Planar 1 Plus adds even easier integration with its built-in phono stage.

Let’s have a closer look at what each of the individual components offer in facilities and sound:

Ruark MR1 Mk 2 active speakers...

The Ruark MR1 Mk2s are a very dinky set of speakers indeed. Offering a big sound out of a small package, with a built in optical DAC input and 3.5mm analogue jack, along with a subwoofer output, these little marvels can really belt it out! All you need is a source signal, which can come from: a mobile phone via bluetooth, or as in our use case, digital input via our WiiM Pro or WiiM Pro+ streamer and a 3.5mm analogue via an adaptor cable for turntable/CD player playback. A separate CD player can also be used via the analogue/optical inputs and we would urge you to read our blog on Marantz CD players should you want advice in that direction.

the ruark MR1 mk2’s are a worthy t.v. speaker upgrade

Designed primarily as desktop speakers, the Ruark MR1 Mk2s can be utilised in an office/bedroom system or with a TV via its optical DAC input, remembering that built-in subwoofer output can also be taken advantage of when watching movies. The only real limitation is the length of the supplied cable that connects the two speaker together allowing for use as a stereo pair.

With a sound that belies its size, the Ruark MR1 Mk2s have a lot to offer sonically, with a built-in functionality that gives some great options for a small room and when partnered with a WiiM Pro or WiiM Pro+ and a Rega turntable with a phono stage, the choice of analogue or digital playback options make this system a compelling choice.

And for those of you wanting to build on the already impressive sound of the MR1 should check out the all new Ruark RS1 Subwoofer.

WiiM Pro and WiiM Pro+ streamer...

wiim pro streamer

A relatively new product to Audio T, the WiiM Pro and WiiM Pro+ streamers offer an entry level price into the world of streaming without an entry level performance or functionality.

What’s the difference?

The WiiM Pro+ streamer with remote is a brand new product and the WiiM Pro is a well establish budget streamer that has received a whole host of plaudits from the press, not only because it is a true budget device but also that it offers a high performance to price ratio.

Other than the included remote control, visually the differences between the two are small to non-existent, but the manufacturers are keen to point out the sonic enhancements offered by the WiiM Pro+ over the WiiM Pro “under the hood”

wiim pro v wiim pro+

You can buy it on a WiiM...

Apologies for the dreadful pun, but this little marvel offers so much bang for the buck I couldn’t help myself.

The user input functionality, as I outlined earlier, is really quite something. This allows one to put together a really well featured system that is affordable and packs a quart into a pint-pot sonically!

Taking a look at the rear of the WiiM Pro or WiiM Pro+, connection choices allow for both analogue or digital, input and output. This may not sound like a big deal, but it allows the WiiM Pro or WiiM Pro+ to act both as a streaming source and a pass through component for connection to external devices like a Rega Planar 1+ or Marantz CD6007 using wired connections and its bluetooth facility allows Apple or Android mobile devices to connect as well, if you wish.

WiiM Pro and Pro+ app functionality...

The WiiM app is available from the Apple iOS store or Google Play store, depending on your mobile device. It is sufficient to say overall operation is intuitive, slick and easy to use, even for an old-boy like me. Connectivity is extensive and you can even set-up an Alexa to voice control your music playback.

My experience with setting up streamers over a network usually points to using wired connections where possible, however, so long as your wireless network isn’t flaky, you shouldn’t have an issue with the WiiM Pro because everything went smoothly when we set it up in our Brighton Audio T shop.

So what does the system sound like?

Well, for a system priced at the budget level, the sound quality is really rather good. Whether through the WiiM Pro’s internal DAC or via the Ruark MR1 Mk2s optical input, using its internal DAC, audio quality is wholesome and musical with good detail and clarity, offering remarkable sound for the pound!

A wealth of connectivity options allow for more choices than you can shake a stick at. Our primary streaming source listening is via Qobuz, which we have found gives the best sound quality, outside of playing ripped files via our Naim Uniti Core on our internal network.

Hooking up a Rega Planar 3 turntable with an Audio Technica VM95ML moving magnet cartridge, feeding a Rega Fono MM phono stage and outputting into the line input on the WiiM Pro, feeding the Ruark MR1 Mk2s, allowed vinyl playback to be enjoyed with similarly good results.

Summing up, the system outlined allows for the connection of multiple digital and vinyl sources and the whole world is your oyster if you include streaming services and internet radio on vTuner, all for not a lot of money. With Christmas just around the corner, this is a fine budget system to think about purchasing for your friends or family and we’d encourage you to be quick because unsurprisingly, the WiiM Pro and WiiM Pro+ are proving to be a popular product given its bargain price/performance ratio.

As always, the proof of the pudding is in the eating, so get in touch to book a demonstration.

Thanks for reading.

Ade, John and Paul - Audio T Brighton

If you have any questions about any of the equipment featured in this article, or any other Hi-Fi or home cinema enquiries, be sure to Contact Us.

If you’ve enjoyed this, why not go ahead and read some more of our other blogs, and be sure to follow us on our social media channels below…

A Phoenix from the flames - the INNUOS PhoenixNET audiophile internet switch.

/ Audio T Brighton/

An often touchy subject, especially on certain internet hi-fi forums where debate (that’s a polite way of describing it) carries on like a proverbial juggernaut, network switches polarise opinion as much as many a political, religious or ethical discussion in the mainstream press…

Not wanting to throw petrol onto the fire, I will seek to present our point of view on the topic as a whole, but with an emphasis on enlightening you about a top-quality product from the Innuos stable, the PhoenixNET audiophile network switch.

Innuos PhoenixNET audiophile switch

innuos phoenixnet in silver

The PhoenixNET audiophile internet switch is manufactured by Portuguese hi-fi specialists Innuos, established by husband and wife duo, Nuno Vitorino and Amelia Santos in 2009.

Innuos have made a name for themselves in the audiophile community over the last decade, by providing high-end music streaming solutions for music lovers wanting to go beyond the traditional cd players of yore. Indeed, their Innuos Statement server/ripper has received high praise in the upper echelons of the audiophile community, where ultimate playback sound quality is concerned. The trickle-down knowledge from developing a system such as this has allowed the development of several additional products in their range. One is the Innuos PhoenixNET audiophile switch and the other the Innuos PhoenixUSB re-clocker, both of which have received exceptionally positive feedback from the community.

So, what is the Innuos PhoenixNET audiophile ethernet switch all about?

Quoting from the Innuos website, the primary design criteria are to:

1. Minimize Network Switch Noise

  • Simpler 100mbps network switch chip results in lower operating noise floor compared to Gigabit

  • Network switch chip with no internal switching regulators. All 3 independent voltages supplied by internal Statement-grade linear power supply with independent ultra-low noise regulation.

  • Massive individual Network Isolation Transformers to further isolate from noise coming from router or connected devices

  • Just the right amount of Individually shielded, high quality ethernet ports soldered directly to the board with no ethernet activity lights as blinking leds introduce considerable electrical noise.

  • EMI absorption at the right places so that interference produced can be captured before influencing other components.

2. Increase Clocking Precision and Stability

Using the same 3ppb 25 MHz OCXO oscillator as used in the Statement, individually powered by its own linear power supply and connected directly to the network switch chip, avoiding precision losses from using external master clocks.

3. Provide Pristine Power to the Components

Two independent STATEMENT-grade linear power supplies with Mundorf Caps to power individually the OCXO clock and the mainboard, keeping the power path short with less opportunity for EMI contamination.

4. Minimize Vibration on Components

Vibration was managed at 3 levels: Anti-Vibration feet tuned to the resonant frequency of the chassis, top cover treatment to convert vibration captured from sound waves into small amounts of heat and sturdy RJ45 ports with silicone connection to the chassis.

innuos phoenixnet interior

Innuos PhoenixNET switch - what you need to know...

Here at Audio T in Brighton, we have been using a regular internet switch for years, a dependable Cisco 2960, primarily because of the large number of devices requiring an internet connection and the reliability of wired connection over multiple wireless connections.

More recently, the Cisco 2960 developed a fault and was replaced by an English Electric EE8 switch. The three of us noted a change in the sound, some beneficial, some not, but this isn’t a review of them so onto the next part of the story.

We then took in a demonstration Innuos PhoenixNET audiophile internet switch and the moment we connected it up, the three of us here at Brighton Audio T, looked at each other in astonishment because the improvements were that marked.

As the days have passed with our Innuos PhoenixNET audiophile internet switch, the sound has continued to improve as the power supply and OCXO clock have stabilised.

Let me explain this stabilization process some more. According to Innuos, the OCXO clock will improve after powering up because part of its design includes a cutting-edge oven-controlled crystal oscillator reaching a perfect operating temperature during several hours/days of operation. The 3 parts per billion accuracy of the OCXO fitted to the Innuos PhoenixNET is just one of the benefits of running this switch in your streaming hi-fi system and matches the specification of the Innuos Statement, their top performing product. The re-clocking done by the switch affects the timing of the digital signal, allowing your DAC to have an easier job when doing its conversion into an analog output signal, or at least that’s the theory and certainly borne out in our listening sessions.

We have many hi-fi systems on demonstration here at Audio T in Brighton and those that require network connectivity have all benefited from the Innuos PhoenixNET being included in the system. The only real downside to the Innuos PhoenixNET is that it only has one input and three outputs, limiting the number of ethernet devices in a simultaneously connected system. Not the end of the world really, just requires some additional unplugging of ethernet cables and for most people, the one input/three outputs may be sufficient, unless your home is like an Audio T hi-fi shop.

innuos phoenixnet image showing its single input & 3 output rj45 ethernet sockets

As mentioned earlier in the blog, special attention has been given to reducing noise and interference in the design, with high quality sockets to reduce electromagnetic interference, EMI and specially tuned feet to reduce the negative sonic effects of microphony. The Sean Jacobs DC3 based linear power supply includes Mundorf capacitors and shorter signal paths, all designed to stabilise power supplies serving the internal components, in order to reduce digital noise coming in/out of the switch.

Let’s get personal...

I am fortunate enough to own a rather nice Naim system of my own, consisting of: Naim Uniti Nova used as a preamp into a Naim NAP250DR power amp and Proac Tablette 10 Signature speakers with a REL Stampede subwoofer.

I was so enamoured by the benefits of the Innuos PhoenixNET audiophile network switch whilst it was in store, I had to try one myself at home.

I’ve only had the Innuos PhoenixNET at home for a short time, but after hearing the benefits it brought to streaming via Qobuz and a Naim Uniti Core in our Brighton Audio T shop, using several Naim systems, including a fully specified 500 system, a recent 200 series Naim system and other various streaming devices, I was optimistic, to say the least.

My own Naim system has been transformed in so many areas since the introduction of the Innuos PhoenixNET.  Personally, I have long believed that noise transferral, whether through mains or interconnect/Ethernet cables, has a detrimental effect on sound quality, especially in 3d spatial cues, tonality, transparency, clarity, micro-dynamics and overall musicality. The further down the hi-fi rabbit hole one ventures, for every answer come more questions, but that’s part of the fun!

Depending on your system, to varying degrees these are all audible, but not really that measurable, except with our ears! This is one of the main reasons detractors argue that internet switches cannot make a difference to the sound, because they can’t measure the effects easily, or that differences are at a level we cannot hear anyway. As I have mentioned before, the effects are quite audible, to our ears!

Quite frankly, the Innuos PhoenixNET ethernet switch is like a power supply upgrade, only to realise, it sort of is a power supply upgrade and so much more.  We’re treading new ground when it comes to digital noise suppression knowledge and the Innuos PhoenixNET polishes the floor very nicely indeed!

I also think there is the potential of quite a lot more experimentation to be done in acquiring the optimum sound balance in a hi-fi system with ethernet switch implementation, different types of power supply, be it SMPS or LPS, mains supply/filters and mains cables. On that note, we strongly recommend the use of Naim Powerlines or Naim Powerline Lites to supply your hi-fi components, especially those from Naim.

I remember when I first got into hi-fi, the old adage of, “Rubbish in, rubbish out!” being used all the time when considering a turntable system and I see and hear no reason why this shouldn’t apply to digital front-end systems as well. You cannot get more source orientated than a digital signal being fed from your router, via an ethernet switch, to a streamer/DAC, so perhaps it shouldn’t be so surprising that the Innuos PhoenixNET switch is so effective after all.

As always, the proof of the pudding is in the eating, so get in touch to book a demonstration.

Thanks for reading.

Ade, John and Paul - Audio T Brighton

If you have any questions about any of the equipment featured in this article, or any other Hi-Fi or home cinema enquiries, be sure to Contact Us.

If you’ve enjoyed this, why not go ahead and read some more of our other blogs, and be sure to follow us on our social media channels below…

Celebrating 50 years of Rega with a reimagining of the award winning Rega Planar 3 turntable

/ Audio T Brighton/

Hi all, and welcome to this month’s Brighton store blog. This month we’re going to be taking a close look at a special edition of an old stalwart, one that has been a homie for the best part of five decades. The Rega Planar 3 turntable 50th Anniversary Edition (Exact MM Cartridge).

Planar 3 Walnut effect plinth with aluminium custom 50th badge

Form is temporary, class is permanent...

I’m finding myself in somewhat of a comfort zone as I start to write this month’s blog. Why? You ask…

my vintage 1980’s rega planar 3 in use at home.

Well, just take a glance at this photo to witness my set-up, including ownership of an early 1980s Rega Planar 3. As a long time owner of the Rega Planar 3, I can vouch for its qualities.

Barring some minor aesthetic and engineering changes (small, but significant) the Rega Planar 3 hasn’t changed all that much over five decades. Unless of course you are an aficionado of the brand’s decks, you may not even notice.

The many faces of the Planar 3…

The Rega Planar 3 turntable has appeared in several award winning iterations over the years, with minor cosmetic changes, such as the power button being moved from the top, to the underside of the deck. There have of course been engineering changes to the turntable throughout the decades, with changes in materials and components.

Currently the standard Rega Planar 3 is available as: Rega Planar 3 (no cartridge), Rega Planar 3 (Elys 2 MM cartridge) or Rega Planar 3 (Exact MM cartridge) all in 3 different colours; Gloss Black, Gloss White or Gloss Red finishes.

However, to celebrate the 50 years since its founder, Roy Gandy, set up Rega, a special version has been created to mark the event.

50th anniversary Rega Planar 3 Edition...

The 50th anniversary Rega Planar 3 edition is only available with a Rega Exact MM cartridge factory fitted, sporting a rather fine walnut vinyl wrap finish, so if your colour choice isn’t walnut you’ll have to go via one of the three colour options mentioned above, I’m afraid! The 50th anniversary Rega Planar 3 edition does take things a step further though, with the inclusion of an upgrade via the external Rega Neo Mk 2 power supply.

Rega Neo Mk 2 external power supply/speed change

rega neo mk 2 power supply

Normally the Rega Neo MK 2 power supply is an additional purchase which improves sound quality further, by externalising power with a beefier power supply, whilst keeping the noise further afield by housing it in a separate box. As a bonus, one can also change speeds between 33/45 by selecting a button, rather than having to remove the glass platter and manually change speeds via a rubber belt being repositioned. For some people, this feature alone will sway them towards this version.

The fact that the Rega Neo MK 2 power supply is included as a “freebie” when purchasing the 50th anniversary Rega Planar 3, makes it almost a “no-brainer”. But to add to that, the included Neo MK2 PSU is hand tuned to the motor to accurately set speed and minimise vibration (same method as used on the PL6 & PL8).

Rega Exact MM cartridge

rega exact mm cartridge fitted as standard on the 50th anniversary rega planar 3

The 50th anniversary Rega Planar 3 edition comes fitted with a Rega Exact MM cartridge. This is currently Rega’s finest moving magnet cartridge, offering a smooth and refined performance, matching well with Rega’s Fono MM phono stage or the phono inputs on their Rega IO, Rega Brio, Rega Elex Mk 4 or Rega Elicit Mk 5 integrated amplifiers.

Rega turntable EBLT reference drive belt

rega turntable Eblt reference drive belt

Last but by no means least, this turntable comes included with the Rega turntable EBLT reference drive belt. The research that Rega put into developing this drive belt are astonishing and the improvements in speed stability and noise reduction are tangible. The best analogy I can come up with is that you wouldn’t put cheap tyres on a racing car, it’s as simple as that. The fact that the EBLT belt is fitted as standard on the 50th anniversary Rega Planar 3 edition just seals the deal, in my opinion!

Summing up the 50th anniversary Rega Planar 3 edition...

testing three 50th anniversary rega planar 3 decks at our audio T store in brighton

The 50th anniversary Rega Planar 3 Edition is a remarkable sonic package for the money. Here’s a recap of the main features of this incredible product -

  • Walnut effect plinth with aluminium custom 50th badge.

  • Neo Mk2 PSU included - Hand tuned to the motor to accurately set speed and minimise vibration (same method as used on the PL6 & PL8).

  • Exact MM factory fitted.

  • Reference drive belt fitted.

  • RB330 precision tonearm.

  • 24 V low noise motor fitted with CNC’d Planar 6 drive pulley.

  • Double brace technology.

  • 12mm float glass Opti-white platter.

  • Smoked dust cover fitted with custom aluminium 50th lid badge.

Given the additional upgrades included in this package I would urge you to consider one before Rega cease manufacturing this limited edition product at the end of 2023.

Thanks for reading.

Ade, John and Paul - Audio T Brighton

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