November 25, 2021

THE YEAR OF THE THIRD SOLSTICE

November 25, 2021/ Brighton

Traditionally, there only two solstices in a calendar year. As 2021 draws to a close, the 21st December 2021 will see the convergence of, or even union of another solstice. Welcome the Naim Solstice turntable!

As the winter solstice approaches, this turntable shines as brightly as its summer namesake . . .

So the wait is finally over and boy . . . . . . .was it worth the wait!

As rare as a Hawkwind fan at Stonehenge, or to put it another way, rarer than a real druid on the island of Anglesey on a Summer Solstice, Naim have finally produced the turntable to follow on from their highly regarded unipivot arm, the Aro.

Unlike your average hippy druid, this turntable is a thing of beauty indeed, donning a gown worthy of a king. As you can already see from the picture above, the design and construction have been implemented to a high standard that fits in with the Naim aesthetic.

During this blog you will have the opportunity to see the Naim Solstice both inside and out, not an opportunity you will get in many places, unless you happen to be on the assembly team…

Beauty is more than skin deep

The construction and bracing of the Naim Solstice are first class with a very heavy and solid feel to it when held and inspected. Once lubricated the inverted ceramic bearing was ready to receive the precisely machined spindle. After the belt is fitted, the monstrously weighty platter is carefully lowered into position.

belt and spindle attached ready for the monster of a platter

Attach the counterweight and check the tracking weight is the exact 2.34g. “Why so precise?”, I hear you say…

Jason Gould, from Naim, went to great lengths to explain how long it took via auditioning before the decision was made on this particular tracking force and it was evident in listening that they got it spot on.

tracking weight of 2.34 grams ready to be applied

The other members of the Naim Solstice triage

NAIM SOLSTICE PHONO STAGE(LEFT) AND MATCHING POWER SUPPLY(RIGHT)

On the left we have the Naim Solstice phono stage and its separate power supply on the right. In the image below, one can see the flexibility the Naim phono stage offers with different cartridge manufacturers to fine-tune the resistance and capacitance of their particular model for maximum performance.

Naim Solstice phono stage - resistance and capacitance adjustments aplenty

All ready to Rock’n’Roll!

They say that, “The proof of the pudding is in the eating”, or in the case, the listening. This certainly proved to be the case in the couple of hours we had with the Naim Solstice and we certainly felt well-nourished afterwards.

Playing Miles Davis, “Kind of Blue” and the track So What?, we certainly didn’t come away with that kind of feeling. On the contrary, the sound was very well balanced through the ATC SCM50’s and had the characteristic Naim house sound, with a good uniform tonal balance from top to bottom and a groove, dare I say, P.R.A.T.

John Coltrane’s sax on this classic track was exemplary, with an in the room, live sound, perfectly replicating the fidelity this recording purveys, in an era where recordings were un-edited and which makes them a sheer joy to listen to.

The Naim Solstice proved incredibly transparent and faithful to the recording, allowing a deep, musical insight into the minutiae contained in the grooves. It is evident with vinyl reproduction at this high a quality level of playback, why playing records keep the analogue enthusiasts away from digital playback altogether.

Other albums we tried included; Stevie Ray Vaughan’s “The Sky is Crying”, Bob Dylan’s “Highway 61 revisited” and Roy Buchanan’s “That’s what I am here for”.

In each case, the Naim Solstice proved consistently faithful to the recordings, with soaring dynamics and an emotional attachment that pulls you in and keeps you on the sofa listening, except for the necessary changeover after each side of the record. Don’t worry, doctors say getting up off the sofa every twenty minutes or so is good for you and I would agree with them, but not necessarily for the same reasons as they might suggest, the desire to play just one more record is enough of a reason in itself.

Wrapping up . . .

Even though there are only two solstices in a calendar year, I can safely predict that we’ll be seeing more from the Naim Solstice over the coming year, especially as one can see and hear one of these whenever you like, assuming the £16,000 is within your means, of course. Chances are, if you own a Naim Solstice, you’ll be playing it on the equinoxes as well.

Naim Solstice with Naim ND555/PS + NAC552/PS + NAP500/PS

Thanks for reading - Ade - Audio T Brighton

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Naim can be found at the following Audio T stores -

AUDIO T - THE UK's OLDEST INDEPENDENT SPECIALIST HI-FI RETAILER

October 22, 2021

STREAMING IS BELIEVING - THE BRAND NEW ROKSAN ATTESSA STREAMING AMP

October 22, 2021/ Brighton

Here at Audio T, we are excited to announce we have taken delivery of the latest products from the Roksan Attessa range, including a turntable, CD transport, integrated amplifier as well as a separate streaming amplifier full of bells and whistles.

For this blog, we shall be focussing our attention on a product I’m particularly excited by, the Attessa streaming amplifier. So, without further ado…

First off, a little history lesson…

Roksan was formed in 1985 by Tufan Hashemi & Touraj Moghaddam. The name “Roksan” itself is derived from the name Roxana, daughter of the Persian King Darius. This closely reflects the Persian heritage and roots of both Hashemi and Moghaddam. Unsurprisingly, many of their product names have references to cities, places and famous people of Persia.

The name Attessa is a modified version of the Ancient Greek word, “Atossa”, which for fairly understandable reasons, could be misconstrued in English. Literally, this name means “bestowing very richly”. This is certainly very apt, as we will discuss shortly…

To quote from the Roksan website;

“Designed to combine all the wonderfully complex sound of a class-leading Hi-Fi system with the simplicity most listeners crave - making it easier to connect with devices, and with the people around you.
A home audio product which is not intimidating for the first time Hi-Fi consumer.”

We couldn’t agree more.

Bells and whistles

Roksan attessa streaming amplifier connectivity

Features include:

The one-touch dial control user-interface is both simple and intuitive to use. A simple push and turn selects different input options.
There are a wide variety of digital and analogue connections, including Bluetooth® and AirPlay 2
The Attessa has a built-in Moving Magnet phono stage, which allows turntable connection to accommodate the resurgence in vinyl playback.
SPDIF inputs will decode MQA encoded PCM streams including MQA CDs played back by the Attessa CD Transport
The MaestroUnite app allows setup for over the air updates. More on this below.

The business end…

around the back of the attessa streaming amplifier

Taking a look around the back of the Attessa provides plenty of scope for connectivity, with plenty of optical, SPDIF and analogue phono inputs to satisfy the inclusion of the rest of the Attessa range, or if you wish, to mix and match with an existing system.

Set-up and use

This is the first time we at Audio T Brighton have had the opportunity to have a hands-on play with one of the new Roksan Attessa family of components. At a quick glance, it is clear that this range of products are designed with quality, convenience and style in mind.

First impressions are very good, with a weighty and quality feel when it is taken out of the box. The large volume knob has a lovely, smooth motion to it and exudes a feeling of confidence in construction quality.

Set-up was nice and easy using the dedicated MaestroUnite app, which is free to download on Android, iOS, Windows and Mac.

Input selection is easy, with a mere push and turn of the front control knob to select the plethora of inputs available.

Roksan have made a very wise choice in utilising one of the better, tried and tested apps already available on the market (the BluOS™ app) rather than trying to create their own. This Attessa Streaming amplifier works seamlessly with the Bluesound option. Quite frankly, if I owned this unit, I would probably leave it set this way most of the time due to the ease of access to music through either streaming services and/or music stored on a server/drive on your network.

The Attessa proved equally adept using the turntable and CD inputs when tested in store with our Rega RP3 with a Audio Technica AT95ML cartridge and a Rega Apollo CD player.

We’ve been big fans of the Bluesound range of products here at Audio T Brighton. Roksan’s use of the BluOS™ app is an exciting move as it allows for streaming connectivity between Roksan, Bluesound and any other manufacturers who utilise the BluOS™ app.

So what does it sound like?

After unpacking the Attessa, we left it running on repeat over the weekend to give the electronics a good warm-up and run in.

First impressions; listening to Kruder and Dorfmeister’s - DJ Kicks, the unit produced a nicely neutral and well controlled sound with plenty of sparkle at the top end and fluid bass. The detail through the, all important, midrange was on-point as well.

Listening to some 50’s and 60’s jazz, the Roksan Attessa continued to give a good impression of itself, with good tonality, soundstage and sufficient warmth to allow the analogue recordings of the day to create the live feel that they so often have.

Listening to Billy Gibbons F Gibbons’ new album “Hardware”, using MQA playback on Tidal’s Masters gave the expected boost in sound quality and should prove a real “feather in the cap” for those who use Tidal as their streaming service.

Let’s sum things up…

The Roksan Attessa is certainly a great all-rounder, especially considering its moderate price point. It gets a huge two-thumbs-up from myself, Paul and John. It will serve any Hi-Fi enthusiast very well as a multi-sourced system. To add to all of this, it has a sleek look without the possible clutter of multiple boxes and the potential spaghetti around the back of your system.

It would be hard to find another product in the current marketplace at this price point that sounds this good, offers this degree of flexibility and user friendliness, so it gets a hearty recommendation. But why take our word for it? Why not contact us to book a demonstration at your local store today.

Many thanks for reading - Ade, Paul & John - Audio T Brighton

If you’ve enjoyed this, why not go ahead and read some more of our other blogs, and be sure to follow us on Facebook to keep an eye on what’s happening in store.

Roksan can be found at the following Audio-T stores

If you can’t see your local Audio T on the list, be sure to contact them for a demonstration.

September 21, 2021

LIFE OF A ROOKIE… JOINING THE TEAM AT AUDIO T BRIGHTON

September 21, 2021/ Brighton

“Please allow me to introduce myself”… No, I'm not Mick Jagger, but new Audio T employee, Ade Pollard, his better looking twin. I’m a man of few words, taking the opportunity to give you some insight into the life of a new employee (that's me, not MJ, of course). So, come with me now on the first instalment of my '“Life of a Rookie” blog series…

In a former life …

After obtaining a degree in Mathematics from Leicester University, I spent some time working in retail at Boots the Chemists, before deciding to do a PGCE and become a maths teacher. I spent two years in a school in Northampton before moving down south to sunny Brighton, where I spent 30 years teaching at Blatchington Mill School and VI form, in Hove.

That was enough for me and I decided to “retire” from teaching, seeking to pursue other interests in the world of music and Hi-Fi. I have always had a keen interest in this area, so when the opportunity to work at Audio T came up, I jumped at the chance. Luckily for me, Audio T welcomed me into their family and so here I am. Fortunately, John and Paul are big kids, so it hasn’t been such a culture shock and I haven’t needed to get the cane out ….. yet!

Time for the Teacher to become the Student…

So, my new life here at Audio T began on Tuesday 7th September, where I was given the keys to the castle and spent some time getting to know the two gents at the Brighton store.

For those of you familiar with the Brighton branch, you’ll know that John and Paul are lovely chaps. It seems to have taken very little time to feel like I've known them for a long time. Being of a similar age certainly helped!

It's been a long time since I last worked in the customer service industry, and even then that was in Boots the Chemist. There are systems a plenty to get to grips with and products and spare parts you would have never known existed.

Boys and their toys…

Part of the joy in joining a company like Audio T is all the fun gadgets we get to play with. Now, a turntable I have always coveted, but never owned, has been the Linn LP12. Watching John and Paul take these apart to service is a sight to behold. It clearly demonstrates the mastery in engineering required to construct and assemble every component to create the top quality sound from vinyl that Linn have been able to make over the years.

During my first week, I’ve had the pleasure of witnessing John's 30 plus years of expertise in servicing several different marques of these magnificent machines. The care and attention to detail he shows whilst stripping, replacing, rebuilding and re-aligning these beauties is a privilege to watch. You can read about the detailed process in our previous blog Here. I hope to be able to emulate his skills once I’ve visited the Linn Factory in Glasgow to be trained by the finest engineers.

Audio T RP3 — Rega Planar 3 in a Sporty Red finish

In contrast to the LP12, I have also witnessed Paul's skill in servicing the Rega Planar 3. In engineering terms this is a much simpler turntable, but quality often comes in many different forms.

I was privy to some interesting techniques including a very a rather unique way of removing the bearing (a trade secret of course). This is all useful knowledge for me personally because I can practise these techniques on my old 1980's RP3 deck and get that back into action.

Beyond the gear…

It has been a pleasure to chat with the many new and old customers that have come into the shop and it has tested my knowledge of the various combinations of Hi-Fi available. But I'm pleased to say I’m happy with my recall but there is much to learn.

So, stay tuned and find out how I get on with my journey in the wonderful world of Hi-Fi and Home Cinema.

To be continued . . .

Thanks for reading - Ade - Audio T Brighton

Keep up to date with everything that’s happening at Audio T Brighton by following us on Facebook and Instagram

Linn can be found at the following Audio-T stores

Rega can be found at the following Audio-T stores

August 28, 2021

Linn Vs Naim - The Great British Duel...

August 28, 2021/ Brighton

A few weeks back, during those customary ‘end of July showers’, we had a customer brave the elements and walk through our door to enquire about upgrading his streamer. He asked us “If money was no object, should I buy the Klimax DSM, or the ND555?”… While we’ve heard and experienced both units individually, we’ve never sat down and compared them side by side in one sitting… so we thought we’d do just that, and now we’re going to tell you about it!

Here at Audio T Brighton, we consider ourselves to be incredibly lucky to have both a Klimax DSM and an ND555 available for demonstration. Those familiar with Naim and Linn will know the heritage of the two companies, and you’ll no doubt know how they differ in terms of design. To make the comparison as fair as possible we’ve put them up against each other in the exact same system. The only component being changed are the streamers themselves, so this should give us a clear picture of the differences between the two units.

The system* comprises of -

We’re using Naim Super Lumina Speaker cables. The ND555 is hooked up with a Naim Super Lumina interconnect, and the Klimax is using a Linn Silver interconnect which comes in the box with the Klimax).

*We’re fully aware that using a full Naim system is going to compliment a Naim streamer well, but that’s not to say you can’t plug anything else in and expect excellent results. The main thing to remember that the only part we’re changing is the streamer itself.

Two streamers, two looks…

Those familiar with Naim’s Classic series will recognise the box straight away from the olive green LED logo. The 500 series is incredibly similar in design, but the big difference is the smooth black anodised case, which Naim themselves refer to as the ‘500 series finish’, as opposed to the slightly rougher black powder coat on the Classics.

The Klimax DSM is a slightly different beast. The DSM design is fairly familiar, at least in recent years, as the Klimax is in a similar box to the Selekt DSM and the Majik DSM - although the Majik doesn’t have the volume knob on the top. However, the big difference here is the material. The Klimax DSM is machined out of one solid block of aluminium. It really is a piece of engineering art that happens to translate music to the highest of calibres.

So which one sounds better?

It’s safe to say that the world of Hi-Fi is truly a subjective one. One person’s ‘audio bliss’ could be another’s ‘nails on a chalkboard’, so it’s really impossible to give a definitive answer on which one is best. However, we’ll give you a descriptive picture of what they both offer.

We all know that there are a ton of “go-to” test songs out there. Well, we’ve used absolutely none of them for this comparison. “But why?” we hear you cry. To put it simply, we believe that in some circumstances that test songs can be redundant if you don’t listen to that song or artist. The best test songs for any system are whatever you’re going to be listening to regularly. Sure, test songs have their place in testing the response of a system, but to determine your own preferences, stick to your favourite albums and build the system around those.

For this purpose we’ve picked one song that is immaculately produced - Slow Burn by Kacey Musgraves - and one that is a bit more rough around the edges - Steady as She Goes by The Raconteurs. Both are award winning tracks, but they are almost at opposite ends of the spectrum in terms of engineering. This is a big part of why we’ve chosen these two tracks, as will be revealed! We’ll be chatting about both tracks individually.

First up, Slow Burn from Kacey Musgraves’ Golden Hour album -

Every track on this album is remarkably well produced, even winning Album of the Year at the 61st Grammy Awards. This particular track is a firm favourite though. It starts with some acoustic guitars, followed shortly by Kacey’s vocal. As soon as the guitar starts, you feel as though you’re in the room with the guitar. At this point the difference between the two units is fairly negligible, with the Naim having maybe a tad more of an edge on the vocal. The biggest difference so far is the soundstage, which is a touch more 3D on the Naim, but it isn’t until the bass and drums come in during the second verse that the difference becomes more obvious. The Linn is very clean and clear, and the high production of this track really starts to shine. It has a real “direct-from-desk” feel, as if you’re listening back to a newly finished track in the mastering studio. Each instrument has its space in the track, and the vocal remains clear throughout, even when the track does get louder. On the Naim, the bass and drums almost leap out of the speakers at you, with a real significant punchy feel. The separation between instruments is still there, but the guitars have an edge that isn’t quite so apparent on the Linn.

Next, Steady as She Goes from The Raconteurs debut album Broken Boy Soldiers -

Anyone familiar with Jack White and his style of ‘analog only’ engineering, will enjoy this album immensely. The collaboration with the rest of The Raconteurs means that things are kept a little in check, especially compared to some of the White Stripes records, but as a result we get some fantastic songs. This one starts with a punchy drum and bass intro, followed shortly by a very crunchy guitar. This is where the Naim really shone for the first time in the test, the edge in the upper mids produced by the ND555 grabs hold of that guitar and brings it right to the front. When switching to the Linn, the drum and bass intro doesn’t leap out of the speakers in the same way. You don’t feel that air move as much with each kick drum hit, and the crunchy guitar doesn’t have the edge, like on the Naim. However, when the vocal comes in, the story changes a bit. The Linn grabs that vocal and thrusts it right to the front of the mix, and even through the tape saturation of the vocal, it remains clear through the entire song, including the loud fuzzed out guitar chorus. The same chorus on the Naim remains punchier but the vocal isn’t as clear and up front. There does feel like a bit more of that 3D soundstage we mentioned earlier. It’s especially noticeable on this track, more so than on the earlier Kacey Musgraves track. You can really cling on to each instrument and vocal part separately, whereas with the Linn it feels as though the individual instruments have been fitted in and around the ever present vocal.

Our closing thoughts…

The most interesting part of this test was how much difference there was in the units with the Raconteurs track compared to the Kacey Musgraves. It has led us to conclude that if you’re looking for the most accurate representation of an album, and don’t want an overly punchy, particularly forward presentation, the Klimax DSM might be the streamer for you. If you want all the detail, but a bit more in your face, then the ND555 might be your preferred path.

Both the Naim ND555 and Linn Klimax DSM will be worthy streamers that will serve you admirably, but as always, listen to them both for yourself! It’s not a small investment for either unit, so you’ll definitely want to be sure you make the right choice.

Thanks for reading.

John, Paul, and Chris - Audio T Brighton

Please keep up to date with our social media pages, they’re updated regularly! Facebook & Instagram

Naim can be found at the following Audio-T stores

Linn can be found at the following Audio-T stores

June 26, 2021

QUAD ARTERA SOLUS PLAY VS LEAK STEREO 130 & CDT

June 26, 2021/ Brighton

For some of us, the names Leak and Quad will bring back memories of the 60s, 70s, and 80s. You’d be right in thinking that they are older names, but they were once at the forefront of the British hifi scene. While both companies were known for high quality audio products, and innovative design, Leak had stopped producing new products by the late 70s, and Quad went through to the mid 90s before going through a couple of changes in ownership. Thanks to the IAG Group, both names are alive in the modern world! While Quad has had a fairly consistent set of products over the past couple of decades, Leak has long been gone… until now!

We’ll start off with one of our favourite products from Quad, the Artera Solus Play If you are the owner of an original Linn Classik, the Solus Play will be a familiar product to you. It’s one of those ‘do-it-all’ boxes, and one of the best ones around, especially when you factor in cost per feature. Quad themselves refer to it as their “Wireless Streaming Integrated Amplifier / DAC / Preamplifier / CD Player”. This is a pretty impressive list as it is, but have a look at this list of features and see for yourself just how versatile the unit is.

Wireless Streaming via DTS Play-Fi app
Built in FM radio
Hi-Res Audio capabilities - up to 24bit/192Khz using ‘critical listening mode’
Standard mode is 16bit/48Khz, more affectionately known as CD quality.
Onboard CD player
Multiroom
Dedicated headphone amplifier circuit
Bluetooth

These are just a handful of our favourite features, but when you dive in you will find that it has a lot more in its arsenal.

Rear panel of the Quad Artera Solus Play

“But how does it sound?” I hear you ask… well, the short answer is it sounds great. It’s not necessarily going to blow you away if you’re used to a very high end system, but if you’re after one box to do everything well, then you’re in the right place. It has a smooth and detailed sound, but still manages to be quite musical, and when paired with the right speakers, it sings. It handles everything from orchestral music, to punk, to house music and everything in between, and showed little sign of struggling. It will drive pretty much any sensibly matched speakers, with the exception of the larger harder to drive types.

A customer recently tested the Solus Play against a Naim CD5si and Nait 5si combination, and although he agreed that the Naim sounded a little better when playing CDs, the difference wasn’t so big that he wanted to turn down the extra features of the Quad, and to be honest we weren’t surprised. Of course, the Quad and the Naim system aren’t equally matched in terms of build quality, and they definitely sound different. Quad is much smoother than Naim in general, some people don’t like this smoothness, and some love it! It’s all subjective and there is nothing wrong with preferring one over the other.

Streaming apps all differ from each other, and some people will have their favourites. The DTS Play-Fi App that is used with the Quad is not as slick as some, however, there is a big update promised at some point in 2021 which should address this..

If you are in the market for a versatile one box solution or you are one of those using an older Linn Classiks you should give this Quad some serious thought. (Linn Classik are becoming dated and a lot of parts are now obsolete, which means that when things start to go wrong, they are no longer fixable).

What about the Leak?

The Stereo 130 amp will bring back memories of their original Stereo 30 (famously pictured with Jimi Hendrix!!). It certainly looks the part, and it fits the bill of looking ‘vintage’. I mean, just look at the Art Deco ‘LEAK’ logo, that is a huge throwback. When you pair it with the CDT, you get a pretty nice looking system. Sure, you wouldn’t have had a CD player in 1971, but in 2021, some of us still love our CD collections. Of course, this does mean having two boxes, but when they look this cool…

Let’s not get too carried away though, you won’t find any valves present in this one. To be fair, at this price point, there was never going to be a chance of any valves lurking in the back.

So what does it sound like then?

Well, it certainly needs a bit of time to run in, as straight out of the box the sound was a bit bland, but we find that there isn’t a single piece of electronic equipment that doesn’t need to run in for some amount of time. When you look at the unit, you may be coerced into believing it will sound “vintage”, which really doesn’t mean all that much. Sure, it isn’t going to sound like that old valve amp you had back in the day, but it isn’t designed to. What it does have is a clear, open presentation with no undue emphasis on different frequencies. With the direct button engaged the sound opens up even more, while still remaining controlled.

Rear panel of the Stereo 130 showing all available inputs and outputs.

Perhaps the most surprising thing about the Stereo 130 is that it leans more on the side of pristine, clean and smooth, rather than the sonic richness one might expect from vintage style gear. I personally think this is a plus point for the Leak, but one could be forgiven for being a little disappointed if you expected the old Leak sound.

At only 45 watts a channel (63w at 4ohms), it isn’t going to drive every speaker out there, but it handled all of the stand-mounted speakers we threw at it, from Rega, ProAc and Dynaudio. If you take a little bit of time to pair this amp well, it will form the centre of a very respectable system.

In terms of features, it falls short of the Quad, but it isn’t limited by this. It has an MM phono stage built in, as well as two additional RCA aux inputs, and 3 digital inputs. The addition of the phono stage is a huge plus compared to the Quad if you’re a vinyl fan. The CDT being a transport - as indicated by the ’T’ - means that it can only be plugged in through a digital cable, but this does mean you get to keep all of your RCA’s free for extra boxes. It also has a handy little usb socket on the front,which gives you the ability to play your music stored from external usb drives, if correctly formatted.

So there you have it, two interesting products with a different approach to hi-fi pleasure. When factoring in the Quad’s streaming capabilities, it might make it more difficult to choose between them. Both units are great, but not exactly comparable, so it really comes down to the features you think you want most!

Give us a call and arrange to come in and hear them for yourself, as with all hifi, it’s always best to hear things for yourself!

John, Paul, and Chris - Audio T Brighton

Please keep up to date with our social media pages, they’re updated regularly! Facebook & Instagram

Quad and Leak products can be seen at the following Audio-T stores

May 18, 2021

ZEN AND THE ART OF TURNTABLE MAINTENANCE

May 18, 2021/ Brighton

There is certainly an art to maintaining a Linn LP12, and it really is a labour of love. What follows is a brief [okay, fairly brief…] dive into the process!

We recommend that you have your LP12 serviced every five years or so. Think of it more like maintaining a car. If you keep up with regular maintenance, your deck won’t need to be completely stripped like the one we are going to describe below.

(This is only an insight into a typical full service, and not an instruction manual. Always have your LP12 serviced by a Linn authorised service agent with plenty of experience.)

But what about that faithful LP12 on the shelf, that sees regular use but hasn’t been looked at in a decade or more? Or maybe you’ve inherited an old one that could use some TLC… we’ve even had reports of people finding them in skips after a house clearance (never happens to me…)!

Well, even if the deck has never been looked at and is in pretty bad shape, it’s not the end. All but the most extreme damage can be rectified. Here we have a typical example of that, a customer’s old deck with a decent spec, but in need of a service - so we got the camera out!!

What happens first?

Firstly, the turntable is fitted to this contraption they call a jig. The jig is essential to servicing LP12s, as it allows access to the inside of the turntable from underneath as well as having height adjustable feet to allow us to get the deck perfectly level, which is essential when adjusting the suspension.

Next we remove the outer platter, followed by the inner platter and block off the bearing hub, to stop dust and dirt getting inside.

You can see dirt on the top plate quite clearly here. This will be years of dust, fingerprints, things that come with general day to day use. This is actually relatively clean compared to some we see, but we’ll still clean it up regardless.

Inside the turntable from below, this particular deck has a Valhalla power supply.

Then we inspect the inside from below, to determine; what power supply, whether the sub-chassis is glued or welded, and just a general check on what condition everything is in before we start. In this case we have a Valhalla power supply, attached to the wiring strap.

You can usually determine what power supply is inside just by looking at the power switch, but what this does confirm is whether there are any burnt components or signs of it needing a service.

Time to start removing bits!

Once we’ve had a thorough check inside the deck, and now have a feel for it, it’s time to start dismantling.

First to go is the tonearm, in this case a Linn Ittok (rarely seen in black!). Once the plug has been removed from the bottom of the arm, and the bolt on the side [pictured] has been sufficiently loosened, the arm will lift out leaving only the collar on the armboard.

Valhalla PSU being removed - note the wiring strap it is bolted to!

Even if the Valhalla board doesn’t need to be sent away for service, it still needs to be removed for us to be able to strip the deck right back to the plinth.

Having a Valhalla serviced can bring an old turntable back to life, and as it’s no longer a current product, a service is the best way to keep your turntable the same spec.

This Valhalla is in great condition and functions perfectly so we set this aside for now.

Turntable after removing the sub-chassis.

Removing the sub-chassis is a bit more complicated than everything else so far. We remove the nuts, washers, rubber grommets and suspension springs, and set them aside as we’ll need them when rebuilding.

Sometimes on older decks the rubber grommets start to perish, becoming either too soft or too hard. If this is the case they’d need to be replaced when we come to rebuilding the deck.

The condition of these parts tells us quite a lot about the history of the deck and how it’s been looked after in the past. This is helpful when the deck is new to us

Once everything is removed, we’re left with the bare plinth!

Next to come off is the top plate. This is secured by two screws on the top (Newer turntables have a third fixing bolt to tighten the top plates connection to the internal bracing.). It comes off last because everything else is assembled around it.

While it’s off, it gives us the opportunity to clean it throughly. We also get the chance to check the fittings inside the plinth, and tighten any internal screws. All these small tweaks add up, and do make a difference.

Once the plinth is cleaned up and looking nice, it’s time to put it all back together again… this is where the attention to detail starts!

Putting it back together means just doing all of that in reverse, right?

Well, sort of. Not exactly. There are certain things we’ll look out for when reassembling. For example, the bolts that hold the springs could have a very slight bend, and that alone would be enough to stop the suspension from being 100%. Normally we’ll also change the nuts for newer ones to be sure they’re not going to slip!

First thing to go on is the top plate. What you see below is the big affect a light clean can have on the look of the turntable!

We also always clean the pulley with a bit of isopropyl alcohol. Over the years, the rubber from the belts transfer a small amount of residue to the pulley, which can affect the way the pulley and belt interact with each other.

By cleaning it, we limit the chances of the belt slipping or sticking on the pulley, which will ultimately result in much more accurate speed, therefore your records will sound the way they’re supposed to!

Sub-chassis, armboard and inner platter replaced.

Now the guts go back in. This includes the sub-chassis, the wiring strap, with Valhalla in this case, the inner platter, and the arm. We put the sub-chassis in without balancing the springs for now, as this is the last part to be adjusted.

This means we are able to fit the inner platter and set the correct overhang.

Valhalla board with arm cable visible at the back.

The Valhalla wires are then reconnected. The arm cable [pictured right] still needs to be secured into position, but we’ll do this after the suspension is set.

The arm goes back on… the eagle-eyed among you will notice the cartridge change. This isn’t necessarily part of the service, however if you haven’t had the deck looked at in over 5 years, there is a strong chance you’ll need to think about changing or updating the cartridge.

Now is where it gets even more intricate, aligning the cartridge!

For this, we use the Linn Protractor [pictured right]. It’s important that the tip of the stylus is aligned properly on the protractor, so we minimise tracking error distortion across the whole side of a record.

The Linn protractor is also how we adjust the speed of the motor. You see those lines on the outer edge of the protractor? More on that later…

As well as aligning the angle of the cartridge within the arm, you have to adjust the height of arm at the bearing end to set the vertical tracking angle (VTA) of the cartridge. Usually the best setting is for the arm to be parallel to the record on the turntable. Using a square edged pencil, or a business card with parallel writing, on top of a record (don’t worry, it’s an old record we use for this exact purpose!), you can clearly see when you look along the side whether the arm is parallel to it.

This has to be done carefully as a very small adjustment in height can make a very big difference along the length of the arm.

One of the three suspension points from below (taken from another deck due to photo from the original black deck being far too dark)

The next step is to balance the suspension. A lot of effort goes into this part, and you need a huge amount of patience. Once the outer platter has been put on, the arm is secured and the belt is on correctly, we can start.

What we aim for is that when you ‘bounce’ the platter gently, that it bounces only up and down, and not side to side in any way. It can be hard to achieve, but when it is bouncing perfectly you can certainly see it. A very small adjustment to each suspension spring underneath can make a massive difference to the bounce. There are three suspension springs, and in order for the weight to be distributed evenly each spring will be at a different tension. Some springs bounce differently, and sometimes changing one of the springs is the difference between 98% and 100%. Another thing to note is that when you adjust one spring, it will interact with the others as well, so it can start to feel like you’re never going to get there. Very occasionally, you can only get to 98%, and you need to compromise. For example, this could be down to even the tiniest twist in the plinth that may not be visible to the naked eye. 98% is definitely enough for the turntable to perform really well, however, we strive for 100% every time.

Once the suspension is bouncing nicely, we start dressing the arm cable. There are some things to note when dressing the arm cable. Linn say that the cable should be “neither too taut, nor too loose. The position of the armboard should not change whether or not the cable is plugged into the arm, as this would indicate that the arm cable is pushing or pulling on the suspension”.

When we’re happy that everything is set where it needs to be, the bottom goes back on the deck and it’s nearly ready to listen to!!

How we measure the speed - The outer ring measures 33rpm, and the inner ring measures 45rpm.

Finally, we adjust the speed. This is where we get the Linn protractor out again. Using the lines visible on the outside edge we are able to measure the speed.

When the turntable is spinning and is up to speed, we look at the way these lines react inside the light emitted from the green LED, and this tells us whether it’s running too fast or too slow. When not using a Lingo 4 or a Radikal PSU, we are able to adjust the speed manually.

As with all things, there’s a certain amount of compromise needed between the two speeds, for example you have 45rpm set exactly right, but this puts 33rpm fractionally out. As the majority of us are probably mostly listening at 33rpm, we tend to make sure 33rpm is as close as it can be, and accept that 45rpm might be fractionally out.

So what does it sound like now?

This is where we cross over into the dark side a little bit… believe it or not, the deck sounds different depending on the position of the belt. So we ‘listen to the belt’, and then turn it inside out and listen again. Then we turn it upside down and listen again. There are very small differences here, but enough that it’s worth getting it right! So we’ve got our belt on how we want, how does it actually sound? We want to make sure it’s consistently running at the correct speed and make adjustments if we need to. Always good to use an album you know very well at this point.

When setting the “VTF” - Vertical Tracking Force - for the cartridge, manufacturers usually have a minimum and a maximum tracking force. We’ll set it right between the two and adjust from there after listening. This is really down to the customers personal taste, and often they’ll want to adjust this themselves in their own room. We’ll generally play through both sides of a record, and listen out for oddities. In the event something is out, we’ll adjust accordingly and carry on listening. Once we’re happy that everything is working great, you’ll get the call to say the deck is ready!

*Please remember that this is only an insight into a typical full service, and not an instruction manual. Always have your LP12 serviced by a Linn authorised service agent with plenty of experience.

What about upgrades?

There are several excellent upgrades available for the LP12, and it can be confusing knowing which to do next. So the whole way through this process we’ll be thinking about what your next few logical upgrade steps would be, and we’ll always let you know our recommendations.

If you think your LP12 might be in need of a service, or you’re thinking about upgrades, then give us a call and we can have a chat about it!

See you soon,

John, Paul & Chris - Audio T Brighton

Keep up to date with everything that’s happening at Audio T Brighton by following us on Facebook and Instagram

You can have your LP12 serviced at the following stores:

February 03, 2021

Auralic - What are these streamers all about?

February 03, 2021/ Brighton

Okay, so there’s not exactly a sea view from our Brighton Store but the sea breeze is definitely felt in the extremities! Thanks to Auralic however, we no longer need to venture out into the chilly sea breeze, and can stay warm and fully entertained from the comfort of our very own sofa.

We’ve recently become stockists of the fabulous Auralic range of products, and we are thoroughly impressed with them. We’ve tested and played with them extensively, comparing them to our favourite ‘high-end’ streamers, and it’s safe to say they have performed admirably.

In our biggest test, we paired the Aries G2.1 with the Vega G2.1 Streaming DAC, and put it up against a Naim streaming system - NDX 2 with XPS power supply - both systems into a Naim 282 power amp. Now, the Vega G2.1 is a Streaming DAC, and the Aries G2.1 is a standalone streamer. When you connect the two together, the Vega becomes a very high quality DAC.

“Were we surprised?”

We started with a blind test, and for a few minutes, we couldn’t be sure which was the NDX and which was the Auralic. Were we surprised? Absolutely. We listen to the NDX 2 in the shop almost every day, so we are very familiar with how it sounds, so to not be able to differentiate easily was unexpected.

That said, as we listened on the differences did become apparent. That’s not to say they were bad, not at all, just different. The NDX 2 had all of its usual Naim characteristics, presenting the music in the way we expected. The Auralic was cleaner, a bit more controlled in the lower frequencies, and overall a bit more ‘studio’ sounding, rather than a live band in the room. All of this of course depends on the music being played. I personally like the cleaner sound, but the others in the shop are very big Naim fans.

The Altair G1, Auralic’s all-in-one streamer!

Then there is the Altair G1, which stands out as a great entry to the Auralic world. It’s priced moderately and is in roughly the same area as the Naim Uniti Atom. In terms of performance, they’re similar, both being all in one systems - Streamers with power amps built inside. The sound quality of both is extremely good, however, with those same nuanced differences noted above. They offer a great alternative to the Naim Uniti range.

The basic ‘all albums’ page that shows upon opening the app.

Auralic also have their own bespoke app. Although it is basic, it has all the features needed to get the unit to do what you need from it. It is also compatible with Roon, which a lot of people already use, and it would integrate into your existing system quite easily.

Although these Auralic products aren’t ‘entry level’ pieces, as reflected in their cost, they are by no means priced above their performance! There is an Auralic product to suit everybody’s needs, and they definitely deserve a serious listen when you are upgrading your streamer, or even purchasing a streamer for the first time.

We are here in store to answer your questions by phone or email, and we can satisfy your Hi-Fi needs by offering click & collect, or delivery.

John, Paul and Chris - Audio-T Brighton

Be sure to keep an eye on what’s happening in the Brighton store by following us on Instagram and Facebook.

AURALiC can be found at the following Audio-T stores

October 16, 2020

THE KAROUSEL BEARING - A WEEK ON FROM OUR LINN KLINIK

October 16, 2020/ Brighton

It’s been a week since our Linn Klinik in-store Karousel event, and we thought we’d provide you with an update on how it went, as well as some comments from our customers who have already had the new bearing fitted. If you’re thinking about it but not 100% sure yet, maybe this will seal the deal for you?

Out of all the people we had come in for the Klinik, two-thirds of them put in their Karousel order before leaving. The others were impressed and will look to upgrading in the future, after a bit of saving. One of them is now looking into getting a whole Linn Majik system in the future, off the back of hearing it on the day.

Using our Klimax system, the Karousel excelled [you can find details of this system here]. One customer brought in a very old record, let’s just say it was ’well used‘ and he said “struggles to play quietly wherever I’ve tried it” and it played superbly. He was shocked at how clean and clear it sounded in comparison to playing it on his own LP12 - a deck that is no slouch! The pops, crackles and scratches were very significantly reduced, and even the few that did get through sounded sweeter, and less noticeable.

So, what comes in the box?

Well, obviously the bearing, but as you can see here, there is a lot more in the box! You get a new inner platter, as well as; new suspension springs, grommets (large and small), an earth wire with tags, suspension lock nuts, a P-clip, and more than enough oil. A pretty impressive haul for not a huge amount of money!

*You will need a minimum of a Cirkus sub-chassis to upgrade, and it is not compatible with Valhalla or pre-Valhalla power supplies due to safety issues.

The inner platter from the Karousel bearing kit

One of the first Karousels we fitted was for a long time customer. After he received it back we got an update from him with his thoughts on the bearing.

“Sat here on the couch slightly stunned at what I’m hearing from my turntable. There are bass and cymbal lines I’ve simply never heard before, and it’s only been playing for five minutes”

Understandably this initial response gave us confidence in the Karousel, but you’d better believe that it only got even better… One valued customer provided us with some very detailed email updates. One on the day after installation, another one a week after, and finally two weeks after.

Here are some of our favourite snippets from each of those emails!

The day after, he said “I’m quite cynical about post-upgrade over-enthusiasm, but I think your other customer’s ‘jaw-dropping’ assessment justified in this case.”

A week later; “Having now listened to a range of types of music and recordings/pressings of varying quality, I’m in no doubt at all about the scale of the improvement, with the Karousel. Instruments and vocals sound more natural, realistic and authentic. I think it’s a bigger step forward in my system than any recent upgrade.”

And after two weeks; “Two weeks post-installation and I’m out of superlatives to describe the improvement the Karousel has made to my LP12. Not surprisingly, great recordings are better now. The biggest change however is with material that didn’t sound quite right with the Cirkus, which now makes it over the line, often by a considerable margin.”

We would absolutely agree with all of these comments, and the countless snippets of praise we’ve had from everyone. The noise floor drops away almost completely, leaving more space for each individual instrument. That’s not to say it gives an unnatural ‘3D’ sound, but you can certainly pick out more detail than with other bearings. Another benefit is that it’s less fatiguing on the ears, we can certainly attest to that having given our shop model a good run in for at least 5 full days.

As our customers have said, music that they know well is being heard in completely different ways and details that weren’t noticed before, are suddenly revealed in all their glory. We would agree with that fully, and it is a joy to listen to.

This bearing is a real testament to the work that Linn do, and despite a global pandemic happening just as they released the bearing to the public… it has not affected the demand for these at all. We get enquiries about it daily!

We can honestly say that this upgrade is easily the best value upgrade you can do to your LP12, and it is without a doubt firmly in the top 5 upgrades of all time.

If you’d like to discuss this, or any other LP12 upgrades, then please give us a call at the shop and we’ll be happy to talk through what we can do. Just remember that all of our stores are currently operating on an appointment only service.

John, Paul & Chris - Audio T Brighton

Linn Products are available at all of the following Audio T Stores -

Be sure to keep an eye on what’s happening in the Brighton store by following us on Instagram and Facebook.

September 17, 2020

Brighton's Linn Klinik featuring new Karousel bearing - 8th October 2020

September 17, 2020/ Brighton

We’re very excited for our upcoming Linn Klinik event showcasing their new LP12 bearing, the Karousel! John has been very busy the last couple of months fitting Karousels to many of our customer’s decks, and the orders are still flooding in. The great thing about the Linn Klinik is that it gives customers an opportunity to hear what the Karousel does with their own ears, instead of relying solely on reviews and recommendations.

We thought we would take this opportunity to tell you what systems we will be playing on the day.

The first system we’ll be using will be a full Linn Majik system. Comprising of a Majik LP12 - with Karousel bearing - into either a new Majik DSM or a Selekt DSM (depending on availability), playing through Linn’s own Majik 140 floor-standing speakers. We’ve been running this one on and off for the last few weeks in preparation and it sounds excellent. It’s very sweet, detailed and clear, without being too aggressive. It’s very easy to listen to without fatiguing your ears.

the klimax lp12, with radikal lurking in the background!

The next system we’ll be using is a higher end system. We built this system based on some of the most popular combinations our customers use with this level of LP12. This one is a Klimax LP12, it has a Karousel, an internal Urika phono stage and is being powered by the Linn Radikal (Klimax enclosure) which powers both the deck and the Urika - a ‘doubly impressive upgrade’ as Linn say! This then going through a Naim NAC552 & NAP300 combination and into a pair of ATC SCM50s. This is a very impressive sounding system and really makes the Karousel shine!

Linn are also running a promotional offer for the day, if you spend £3000 or more on any Linn product*, you get the Karousel bearing for free. So, if you’ve been thinking about finally going for that Radikal upgrade, now might be the time.

*Excluding Kandid Cartridge

We do recommend that everyone who is coming to listen brings a selection of their own records, and advise that they be records you know well, so you can really hear the differences the Karousel makes. We do carry a selection of records for demo purposes, but as we all know, each pressing is different!

Each booked appointment will last around 45-60 minutes, and we will be able to answer any questions, as well as provide recommendations about upgrades to your own system. You can book your slot in Brighton by clicking here

Below is a list of the available dates for all other participating Audio-T stores. Contact your nearest branch to get more details about booking.

Bristol - Thursday 30th September 2020

Swindon - Wednesday 7th October 2020

Cheltenham - Saturday 10th October 2020

Manchester - Friday 16th October 2020

Portsmouth - Saturday 17th October 2020

Oxford - Saturday 23rd October 2020

We’ve enjoyed putting together these systems for people to hear, and we look forward to seeing a few of you on the day!

John, Paul, and Chris - Audio-T Brighton

August 17, 2020

Need to replace your beloved Linn K9? Look no further!

August 17, 2020/ Brighton

If you've been in the turntable game for a long time, there can be no doubt that you have come across Linn and their K9 cartridge at some stage of the journey. Originally released in 1989 as Linn's base level moving-magnet cartridge, the K9 quickly became a firm favourite and certainly one of ours. But in 2020, what on earth can we use to replace the now discontinued K9?

A K9 cartridge. The earlier models sported this yellow, before changing to a mid-grey colour later on!

The K9 MM cartridge was widely used across many turntables and not just restriced to Linn's LP12s. It was one of those cartridges that just worked no matter what the set-up. Things sounded the way you expected them to. Sonically it was very natural, clean and detailed with a great bass response. This made it really easy to listen to and not at all too taxing for your ears. Cartridges like this make it easy to think “just one more record”... and five hours later, you realise you haven’t eaten dinner yet! While it was never really a ‘cheap’ cartridge at the time, it wasn't the high-end of the market either, so it made for a great mid-range cartridge - and for people who didn’t want to shell out for the real high-end stuff, they didn't have to ‘settle for a lower sound quality’. Of course, cartridges are a matter of taste and some weren't enamoured with the K9 and found themselves shopping elsewhere.

For those loyal K9 fans out there, the news of its discontinuation in 2001 will have been a sad day indeed. I imagine the common thought was "well, what am I supposed to use now?". So we've been searching for another cartridge that fulfils the same expectations as the K9 yet remains in a similar price bracket...

Linn’s Adikt cartridge, fitted as standard to the base level Majik LP12 turntable.

Linn technically 'replaced' the K9 with the Adikt – which is now their base level cartridge and the only MM cartridge they offer. The only trouble is, it costs £400+. While the Adikt is a phenomenal MM cartridge, it no longer filled the space of the K9 because even taking inflation into account, it's just overall a more expensive cartridge. So, we turned to a familiar face… Audio-Technica.

There had always been a link between the K9 and the AT-95 cartridge, after all the K9 was manufactured for Linn by Audio-Technica. The AT-95 stylus was also regularly retro-fitted to the K9 cartridge; it fit, but it wasn't pretty! It is still a popular option today, and is still regularly suggested. Some people didn't approve of that replacement as the AT-95s had always been a cheaper cartridge than the K9, and some felt that even a brand-new AT-95 stylus was worse than a used K9 stylus, so why even bother? - One customer once commented “It’s like putting Volkswagen wheels on a Porsche”, and that always stuck with me.

When searching for K9 replacements, you will always see familiar cartridges such as the Ortofon 2M Red or Blue, various Audio-Technicas, the Dynavector 10x range at the higher end... the list goes on and on. But wait right there! We finally think we've found the perfect replacement…

AUDIO TECHNICA AT-VM95ML

As already mentioned, there has always been a strong affinity between the AT-95s and the K9, and this particular model fits the bill perfectly. The way the MicroLinear (ML) stylus is designed certainly has a part to play in why this particular model works so well. We recently replaced a customer’s beloved Linn K9 for the AT-VM95ML and we found the sound was very similar. Uncannily so, in fact. Much like the Linn K9, it has a very natural, detailed, open sound and is very very pleasant to listen to.

With the Audio-Technica priced at around £150, it is in the same price bracket as the K9 (at the time of release). In fact, using an inflation calculator, £60 in 1989 equates to almost exactly £150 in 2020, so theoretically it's exactly the same price!! It even has a familiar look – although we do miss the iconic bright yellow look of the earlier K9s.

We will certainly be recommending the AT-VM95ML in the future for K9 replacements, and we can confidently say it will perform equally as well as your K9.

Pop-in to any of our shops for cartridge advice at any time!

Chris, John & Paul – Audio-T Brighton

Be sure to keep an eye on what’s happening in the Brighton store by following us on Instagram and Facebook!!

Audio Technica products are available in all Audio T Stores.

July 23, 2020

Entering the ring, Rega Planar 1 vs Rega Planar 2 - Battle of Britain‘s Most Affordable Home Grown Turntables

July 23, 2020/ Brighton

If you’re just starting in the world of turntables, you might have done some research online or in-store and you’ll most likely come across the UK made Rega Planar 1 or Planar 2 turntables. These are both excellent entry-level turntables, but what are the real differences between these two models? We recently put them through their paces in-store with one of our customers and here’s what we found out.

For someone who is new to the world of Hi-Fi equipment, it may seem like a daunting mountain to start to climb. Rega, even at their entry-level, is a great starting point that easily sounds as though it should be double the price tag.

Rega as a company have always had great vision, and that is something they stick to across their entire range. From the humble Planar 1 at £249 all the way to the Planar 10 that goes beyond the £6k mark! As a result, Rega products have a unique signature sound and characteristic. Any time you upgrade to the next model up, you will hear that familiar sound, but noticeably improved - But who knows, maybe you prefer the sound of something like the Planar 2 over a Planar 3, and that’s definitely allowed.

The Rega Planar 1 (P1), pictured on THE DEDICATED Rega wall bracket.

Above you’ll see the Planar 1, a very respectable turntable. It adopts the timeless Rega design, dating back decades . While this is indeed a great sounding deck, especially for the modest price point, there is certainly a noticeable difference when you step up to the Planar 2.

The Planar 2 (P2), WE CHOSE THE WHITE VERSION FOR OUR DISPLAY MODEL, but IT is also available in BLACK AND RED.

Next, we have the Planar 2. Although our display model (pictured above) is the white version, it clearly has the same Rega design. You may spot one very obvious and crucial difference just from looking though… the platter! The P2 has a 10mm thick ‘Float Glass’ platter whereas the P1’s platter uses a ‘phenolic resin’ design. Whilst they have both been designed to minimise any vibrations that could interfere with the playback of a record, one does it better than the other… and how great does that glass platter look?! You always want to get the best possible sound from whatever record you’re spinning, and details like this certainly help in that department.

For the purpose of our test, the customer brought his own records. We always recommend that everyone does this because the music you know and love is going to really allow you to analyse any differences between whatever you’re comparing. Although it is still a good idea to listen to a wide variety of music whilst testing a system; if the sound of your favourite album captivates you through a new set-up, then you know you’re on to a winner!

We tried the P1 first, and it doesn’t disappoint at all. That classic Rega sound is very apparent, and the vinyl character shines straight through. We have the IO driving a pair of Rega RX1 speakers on floor stands; a great and affordable combination!

We Tried BOTH THE turntables through Rega’s newest power amp, the io. This is also an amazing sounding unit, THE MOST AFFORDABLE UK MADE AMPLIFIER ON THE MARKET, and we love it!

Rega rx1’s in cherry were used for the demonstration

When we move up to the P2, using the same amp and speakers, the difference is instantly noticeable! The sound is much more open and defined, the soundstage is bigger, individual instruments have more separation and are more defined in their ‘space’ within the recording. The frequency range is noticeably extended at both ends and overall there is more detail available from within the record compared with the P1.

As someone new to Hi-Fi like our customer, they didn’t immediately notice a difference. Their ears may not necessarily be tuned to what to listen out for. Often, the differences are much more apparent when you go back down to the lower model. Your ear quickly gets used to the extra detail you can hear and when those details are missing on the lower model, you’ll notice it straight away. We did this and almost instantly the customer noticed the quality of the sound was lower. It is important to jump between models whilst your ears are fresh and not fatigued, as the differences really stand out.

So what did the customer go for?

In this instance, the customer decided to purchase the Planar 2, even though prior to listening, they were pretty set on the Planar 1. They were also impressed with the IO amp and RX1 speakers and how everything worked together, so much so that they had to write down the models. We think they’ll be back for those soon as they were a significant improvement on their current system!

This has us thinking - If we’re hearing such a difference between the Planar 1 and a Planar 2, what would we start to hear if we compared to P3s, P6s, and beyond? Maybe that will be a blog for another day…

Don’t forget you can pop into any Audio T store to hear the comparisons for yourself.

Chris, Paul, and John - Audio T Brighton

Be sure to keep an eye on what’s happening in the Brighton store by following us on Instagram and Facebook!!

Rega products are available in all Audio T Stores.

March 16, 2020

Linn Sondek LP12 New Karousel Main Bearing Upgrade

March 16, 2020/ Brighton

With over 100,000 Sondek LP12 turntables sold in almost 50 years Linn are introducing the Karousel, a new precision engineered single point bearing, offering smoother rotation and greater stability for even better sound from the Sondek LP12.

The Karousel is available on all new LP12’s from 23rd March and as an upgrade kit (in the photo below) for earlier LP12’s, in keeping with the modular nature of this great record player.

LP12 Upgrade Promotion

From 23rd March until 22nd May 2020, customers upgrading their LP12 with the new Karousel bearing will receive this free of charge when spending £3,000 or more on any Linn products*. (T&Cs apply)

Linn Karousel Bearing_Upgrade Kit_72.jpg

That vital union between the platter, spindle, bearing and sub-chassis is now the strongest they’ve ever achieved, thanks to the innovative new design and material choice. All of this combined leads to the reduction of noise for more accurate vinyl reproduction. In short, the addition of Karousel will elevate the performance of every LP12 ever made.

Adding the personal touch. High gloss plinth finishes.

And…available for the Keel, choose up to 4 letters to be precision laser-etched onto the armboard, to make it truly yours forever.

Join us in Brighton and take your LP12 to the next level.

Linn Hi-Fi products are available from the following branches of Audio T:
Brighton, Bristol, Manchester, Oxford, Swindon

February 14, 2020

ATC SCM50 Loudspeakers And Native Qobuz High Resolution Streaming For Naim

February 14, 2020/ Brighton

We are very pleased at Brighton to have our new ATC SCM50 on demonstration in store and complementing our Naim ND555, NAC552 and NAP500 system. There is no doubt that these speakers are what we’ve been looking for as they bring a new level of engagement and integrity to the musical performance.

The ATC SCM59 3 way speaker system comprises the improved new 25mm tweeter, along with the outstanding 75mm soft dome midrange driver and 234mm super linear bass driver, in a relatively compact and very solidly constructed cabinet. These speakers are built for serious performance, and can be used in passive or active configuration. We have the active amplifier modules as well, so with some notice, we can demonstrate both versions. ATC make larger versions of this speaker for those able to accommodate them.

Do drop in for a listen or make an arrangement so you can spend a decent amount of time with the system.

Qobuz high resolution streaming comes to Naim along with a free 30 day trial. Certainly worth giving it a try to see what it offers.

Naim have incorporated native Qobuz music streaming in the recent firmware version 3.4 update for ND555, NDX2, ND5XS2 network players and Uniti Nova, Star and Atom systems along with other improvements, that include better sound reproduction. The firmware update for the 2nd Generation Mu-so2 and Qb2 will follow soon.

Visit us at Audio T Brighton or ring 01273 609431 or email us to explore Naim equipment.

Naim Hi-Fi products are available from all branches of Audio T.

December 16, 2019

Naim 500 Series Now On Demonstration at Audio T Brighton

December 16, 2019/ Brighton

The legendary Naim NAC552 DR pre-amplifier and NAP500 DR power amplfiier are back on demonstration in Brighton alongside the outrageously good range topping ND555 network player and 555 DR power supply.

Our in store big system is really coming together now and will be joined soon by a pair of loudspeakers to complement the substantial performance on hand, but in the meantime the ATC SCM40 are doing sterling service, and have been ‘woken up’

The Rega Planar 10 and Linn Klimax LP12 turntables are on hand for record playing duties.

Streamed music played on the ND555 network music streamer comes from CD’s ripped on the Naim Uniti Core music server for best results and streamed from the internet for convenience and huge choice, with great quality too. The ND555 allows the music to flow with astonishing ease and engaging musicality. A cutting edge design in so many ways.

The NAC552 DR pre-amplifier has proved itself time and again over the years for its ‘fundamental rightness’ and substance, with a real sense of texture and body to instruments and sounds.

The NAP500 DR power amplifier could be described as a gentle giant. It benefits from the transistors and and high power Discreet Regulators developed as part of the Naim Statement project. An amplifier of speed and agility along with great power and finesse.

The attention to detail through the design and manufacture is extraordinary and the results speak for themselves. The power supplies are housed separately from the more sensitive circuitry in each 500 series component.

The Naim Super Lumina cable range developed alongside the Statement amplifier will bring more to the 500 system than the already very good cables supplied with the products.

The Naim 500 Series is aspirational for many and with the Naim Statement amplifier beyond the grasp of all but the fortunate few, we urge you to arrange a visit and bring some music with you to spend a little while enjoying what this fabulous equipment can do for your music.

Visit us at Audio T Brighton or ring 01273 609431 or email brighton@audio-t.co.uk to explore Naim equipment.

Naim Hi-Fi products are available from all branches of Audio T.

November 15, 2019

AURALiC Aries G1 & Altair G1 A Tale Of Two Streamers

November 15, 2019/ Brighton

Being relatively new to the audio market hasn’t stopped AURALiC making a big name for itself in a very short space of time. The Hong Kong based company, formed in 2009 and has garnered swathes of great reviews and much respect from the industry from day one, with the Ark D to A converter and Taurus Headphone amplifier and pre-amplifier.

Here we are 10 years later with AURALiC having established themselves as one of leading manufacturers of digital streamers, with two new models but with different intentions. The Aries G1 Streaming transport and the Altair G1 Streamer with DAC and digital pre-amplifier.

Both have the usual AURALiC high standards of build quality. Anodised matte black aluminium case with full colour 4” high resolution display giving clear images of album artwork when playing. Both have the sonic performance we have come to expect from AURALiC, with effortless clear and detailed sound but never forward and overpowering. Other makes may give the impression that they have more oomph in the lower regions, but the AURALiC family sound tends to stay on the neutral side and lets the rest of your system choose the character.

The Aries G1 streaming transport released earlier this year is just that. A network streamer without a built in digital to analogue converter (DAC). Allowing access to your music on your network attached storage (NAS), USB drive or via Tidal or Qobuz streaming services, with the added bonus of Internet radio and the ability to play via Bluetooth or Apple Airplay. With audiophile resolution up to DSD512 & PCM 32bit/384k all you need to do is just add the DAC of your choice. Available outputs are coaxial/Toslink and USB. We have been getting very good results from the Chord Electronics range for example. All can be controlled with AURALiC’s own very good Lightning DS app or if you choose, it is also Roon ready. You are now ready to explore the world of music streaming by adding this to your existing Hi-Fi system.

Now here is the difference. The Altair G1, with DAC can bring streaming to your existing system. There is the option to add local storage so you can store your music on board. It’s also a digital pre-amplifier with single ended RCA & balanced XLR outputs, meaning it can also be used either with a dedicated power amplifier or into active loudspeakers, making it a neat one box solution. It also has a very decent headphone amplifier built in. With the addition of digital inputs of AES/EBU, USB, coaxial and Toslink you can also add your other digital devices too.

This is one of the very best ways of moving up the music streaming ladder and improving considerably on the sound quality of basic music streamers or indeed of getting into streaming at a very decent level. We’re very impressed with what AURALiC offers.

Both models are available to audition at our Brighton store, so get in contact and Julian, Paul and John will be happy to set up a demonstration discuss the various features and options with you.

AURALiC Hi-Fi products are available at the following branches of Audio T: Brighton, Bristol, Cheltenham, Online, Southampton

October 09, 2019

Essex Appeal! The New Rega Aethos Amplifier Arrives At Audio T Brighton

October 09, 2019/ Brighton

Hot on the heels of our Rega Planar 10 turntable fitted with the new Apheta3 cartridge, comes another new product from those clever and ingenious people from Southend-on-Sea.

Rob Noble and Phil Freeman from Rega arrived on Saturday 5th October with the shiny new Aethos amplifier and what an amp it is!

The newest amplifier in Rega’s range has been designed to fill the gap between the Elicit R and the Osiris

This is a serious amplifier and went down a storm with all who attended on the day and was demonstrated with our Planar 10 turntable and the Saturn R CD player

The biggest disappointment of the day was having to put it back in its box to continue its journey to some of our other branches for more lucky customers to hear it.

Regas’ new addition to the family has arrived

Our demonstration model is due in the next 6 to 8 weeks at which time we can do a more in depth review but for now we’ll have to make do with the memory and look forward it its arrival in due course.

Keep an eye on our blog or the Audio T website and as soon as you see it, we should have one available here for you to take a listen to, we know you’ll not be disappointed and we will look forward to demonstrating it to you.

We look forward to seeing you soon. Julian, John & Paul - Audio T Brighton.

Rega Hi-Fi products are available at all branches of Audio T

September 11, 2019

We're In A Spin! The New Rega Planar 10 & Apheta 3 Cartridge Will Be At Our Launch Event!

September 11, 2019/ Brighton

It is with delight and eager anticipation that we can now reveal the other new product to be unveiled at our Rega Product Launch on Saturday 5th December at Audio T Brighton!

It is the new Rega Planar 10 and optional Rega Apheta 3 cartridge!

The Planar 10 promises to deliver the highest level of performance from a Rega production model to date.

The Planar 10 features the new RB3000 tonearm, ceramic top brace, completely re-engineered central hub bearing and the latest PL10 PSU housed in a custom case to match the latest range of electronics.

All this technology is built around the latest ultra-lightweight TANCAST 8 foam core with HPL skin skeletal plinth.

From launch, you have the option to have the all new Apheta 3 cartridge factory fitted (more details to follow).

How about this for attention to detail!

EBLT Drive Belts
For three years Rega has been researching and developing with chemists the use of a bespoke new rubber compound for drive belts. Using a specialised curing system, the new drive belt offers superior consistency of modulus (a constant representing the degree to which a substance has a particular property, especially elasticity). These new belts are manufactured on Rega designed, state of the art, super-accurate tools (inspired by working with the manufacturer of high-tech Formula 1 engine parts) which produce 'perfectly round' and 'dimensionally accurate' belts, critical for perfect speed stability

Rob from Rega will lead this launch event, and you will have the opportunity to treat yourself to an album or three from the high quality vinyl selection provided by Paul of Diverse Vinyl.

JOIN US IN STORE IN BRIGHTON ON SATURDAY

5TH OCTOBER BETWEEN 10.30AM AND 4.00PM!

Rega Hi-Fi products are available from all branches of Audio T.

August 14, 2019

Rega Aethos Amplifier And Another Major Product Launch With Diverse Vinyl Saturday 5th October

August 14, 2019/ Brighton

We will be unveiling the eagerly awaited Aethos, amplifier a brand new serious integrated amplifier based upon the Osiris and another major new product to be announced in early September.

Rob from Rega will lead this launch event, and you will have the opportunity to treat yourself to an album or three from the high quality vinyl selection provided by Paul of Diverse Vinyl.

JOIN US IN STORE IN BRIGHTON ON SATURDAY 5TH OCTOBER BETWEEN 10.30AM AND 4.00PM!

Product details are sparse at this point, but these two new items are likely to ruffle some feathers and cause a stir! The Aethos prototype was first shown at The Bristol Hi-Fi Show earlier this year.

The rather tidy looking new Aethos amplifier packs a meaty 125 watts per channel into 8 ohms, remote control and a headphone socket to complement line level inputs. Rega decided not to include a turntable phono stage as with an amplifier at this level there are cartridge choices to be made between moving magnet and the potentially better moving coil types.

We anticipate having both the Aethos amplifier and the other new exciting new product on demonstration by the time of our event.

Do come and have a listen when it suits you at Audio T Brighton with Julian, Paul and John.

Rega Hi-Fi products are available from all branches of Audio T.

July 15, 2019

New Naim Supernait 3 & Nait XS3 Arriving Soon.

July 15, 2019/ Brighton

We are very much looking forward to receiving our demonstration models of the new Naim Supernait 3 and Nait XS3 integrated amplifiers that are due at the end of July.

The illustrious heritage behind the Nait integrated amplifier range can pretty much guarantee the best possible sound and class leading performance, and is likely to be a worthwhile upgrade on the previous ‘2’ series amps, which themselves were exceptional within their sector!

A high quality phono stage is now included to connect a turntable, allowing the use of both Moving Magnet and high output Moving Coil cartridges.

Significant development of the power amplifier sections result in a more muscular sound.

Indeed, each component within the amplifiers has been scientifically examined as Naim’s R&D team look to capitalise on the opportunity to further enhance the Naim signature sound.

The Supernait 3 & Nait XS3 can be upgraded with external power supplies, power amplifiers and even cabling upgrades to get the best from all sources, if you so wish, and who wouldn’t?

Match these new amplifiers with suitable source components and speakers for what we expect to be a truly satisfying result.

Visit us at Audio T Brighton or ring 01273 609431 or email brighton@audio-t.co.uk to explore Naim equipment.

Naim Hi-Fi is available at the following branches of Audio T: Brentwood, Brighton, Bristol, Cardiff, Cheltenham, Enfield, Manchester, Oxford, Portsmouth, Preston, Reading, Southampton, Swansea, Swindon

June 12, 2019

Neat Acoustics Add Something Ekstra To Their Range Of Loudspeakers.

June 12, 2019/ Brighton

The Neat Ekstra is an elegant 2.5 way floor standing loudspeaker incorporating an integral subwoofer and is supported on three feet.

It is available in American walnut, black oak and satin white with an option for either silver or black feet, also included are magnetic cloth grilles for the upper box section.

The design of the Neat Ekstra, uses a configuration first employed in the Ultimatum XL6 and is made up of two sealed boxes.

The upper box houses the ribbon tweeter and bass mid driver which is attached to a sub-baffle which in turn is mounted, via a decoupling polyethylene membrane for the reduction of unwanted vibrations, to the main cabinet making this section work as a two way infinite baffle.

Neat Ekstra Upper Box inc Ribbon tweeter and Bass Mid driver

The lower box is ported half way down its length and terminates internally with the first of the two bass drivers facing to the floor, the second driver is immediately below in its own section. These two drivers work as a sealed iso-baric arrangement acting as an internal subwoofer system. The low-q port in the mid section is also specially tuned to enable close to the wall placement of the loudspeaker in most rooms.

Rear view showing Low-Q port and single wire speaker terminal

We hooked the Neat Ekstra’s up to a Naim NDX2 network player and a Naim Supernait2 amplifier for testing purposes after a week of running in.

These are a very undemanding loudspeaker, an easy listen, whatever we played through them they rewarded us with a detailed musical presentation, never edgy, but with a sweet insightful top end and rhythmic tuneful bass, a very well balanced speaker in our view.

One of the Ekstras’s downward facing bass drivers

The Neat Ekstra offers a lot of loudspeaker for the money, the elegant lines and attention to detail in tuning make them ideal for most locations.

Ready for action, just turn up the volume

This may be the speaker you’ve been waiting to hear, so come along and talk to Julian, Paul and John at Audio T Brighton and we'‘ll set them up for you.

Neat Acoustic Loudspeakers are available from the following branches of Audio T: Brighton, Cheltenham, Portsmouth, Preston, Reading

Audio T Blogs

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All ready to Rock’n’Roll!

Wrapping up . . .

First off, a little history lesson…

Bells and whistles

The business end…

Set-up and use

So what does it sound like?

Let’s sum things up…

In a former life …

Time for the Teacher to become the Student…

Boys and their toys…

Beyond the gear…

Two streamers, two looks…

So which one sounds better?

Our closing thoughts…

What about the Leak?

So what does it sound like then?

What happens first?

Time to start removing bits!

Putting it back together means just doing all of that in reverse, right?

So what does it sound like now?

What about upgrades?

“Were we surprised?”

So, what comes in the box?

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