Melco N1A Network Storage and more.

What does it do? First of all it brings your music back where it should be, that is, with your Hi-Fi where it belongs. It sits in your Hi-Fi rack together with your favourite bits of Hi-Fi kit rather than in another room as part of a computer system.

It comes with 4 USB sockets for one backup (USB 3) one for expansion (USB 3) one for import (USB3.0) and for convenience one on the front panel for import (USB 2). It's got plenty of space for your music as it contains 2 x 2TB hard drives (that can be used as a raid array).

In operation it is superb. Plug it in, power it up, and within half a minute it is ready to use. This product is built from the ground up for audio streaming and you can tell. In a blind test against our usual NAS I picked the Melco every time.

Recently it had an update which allows you to plug in a Dac for a complete solution. As I was writing this we received the new 2qute Dac from Chord electronics so out the box it came, we plugged it into the Melco and it worked flawlessly straight away (Stay tuned for an upcoming blog on the 2qute).

For me this is a game changing product as we can now, with confidence, sell you the complete streaming solution that works out of the box without getting bogged down with talk of computer periferals. Don't take my word for it though, come and have look and listen.

Quad Vena Integrated Amplifier and Audio Technica AD900x/700x/500x

Quad Vena

This great new product from Quad features a 45watt per channel amplifier and oodles of connectivity options. You get coaxial, optical, Bluetooth(aptX) and USB inputs which are dealt with by a high resolution 24 bit 192 khz dac. You also get the usual RCA analogue inputs plus a pre out (which you could use to feed your old quad power amp bringing it into the modern age). It sounds great and looks the part especially in the red vaneer, gloss black and gloss white finishes. These finishes retail at £699.95. It is also available in Lancaster grey for £100 less. It is a great buy whichever finish you choose.

Audio Technica ATH AD900x, 700x and 500x.

These are very reasonbly priced for the level of performance you get £315, £195, and £150 respectively.

These open backed audiophile headphone are delightful to listen to. They sit extremely comfortably on the head feeling like they are not there. Well worth auditioning if you are after a set of headphones at this price point.

Chord Company tuning workshop with very special guest Kudos Loudspeakers.

The Chord Company will be coming to the Bristol shop on the 13^th of November to conduct a workshop which will demonstrate how their wonderful cables can enhance the investment you have made in your Hi-Fi. What better speakers to reveal those differences than Kudos. Mat from Chord will be bringing those special runs of cable with an array of terminations including RCA, XLR, DIN. He will also demonstrate how digital cables can enhance your system including cables for streaming. Toby from Kudos will bring the brand new Kudos X3 speakers which are a welcome edition to Kudos's outstanding range of speakers. It's a floor stander featuring drivers specially made for Kudos by SEAS, high quality crossovers and coincidently Chord Sarsen internal cabling. As with all Kudos speakers the clean sound marries perfectly with the super clean lines of this elegant speaker. We will be using Naim and Sugden in the demonstrations together with the X3's and Super 20's. The event will run from midday to 8pm.

Look forward to seeing you there.

A Perfect Unity

Naim Unitilite and Focal Jmlab 906

Focal JMLab have created something special with the 906. A large stand mount which is perfectly proportioned from a design perspective. Large enough to produce a decent amount of bass but not so big as to suffer from cabinet resonance issues. Front ported it can be positioned close to a wall it is perfect for small to medium sized rooms. It comes in 2 finishes, Walnut and gloss black.

Naims Unitilite gives you an excellent one box solution offering CD playback, streaming (whether that is internet radio or high resolution audio from a hard drive) and an optional DAB tuner. Lots of devices stream music these days and being able to stream music can liberating because of the convenience it offers though not all products stream like Naim products. This is down to the interface between you and the machine. Naim have really nailed it with their N-Stream App. It's very elegant, uncomplicated and a pleasure to use.

So two excellent products both worthy purchases on their own but put them together and what you get is a fantastic unity. A tight fast sound with a big sound stage is hard to achieve, most often you find you can have one or the other but this combo achieves just that. The speakers unlike most stand mounts are easy to drive and Naims amplifiers are renown for their excellent dynamics and make no mistake this is a proper Naim amp not an afterthought. Join them together and you get an effortless sound that doesn’t lose anything at lower volumes and will happily play loud without harshness or compression.

The icing on the cake is that until the end of October we have an offer on this combo. You can save over £500. We have them both here at the Bristol shop and invite you to come and hear for yourself.

Give us a call for a demonstration and dig out your favourite CD or put a file or two on a USB stick.

Astell and Kern AK100mk2 and AK120

High end portable players at a bargain price.

  

We have new stock of the AK100 mk2 and the AK120 at half the price of the current versions. If you are looking at the latest version and feel they are price inhibitive then either of these could be your ticket to high quality playback on the move. Both offer incredible resolution from high quality Wolfson dacs and high quality headphone amps. They can both play back 24bit 192KHz files and offer large file storage facilities. These will not be with us forever so come and get yourself a bargain.

Simple Hi-Res Streaming Solution

Have you been thinking about getting into streaming and maybe thought that the streaming solutions available are either too expensive or not 'hi-fi' enough?

Well let us introduce you to Simple Audio. Simple Audio started life as a British company designing and manufacturing its products in Glasgow. It has recently been acquired by Corsair the computer memory people who saw the potential and invested to make what was already a great sounding product a more user friendly one.

So what do you get from Simple Audio?

There are two models the Roomplayer1+ and the Roomplayer2+ with Amp. You've probably guessed the Roomplayer+ is a streamer that you attach to an existing Hi-Fi and the Roomplayer+ Amp is the

the same streaming product but with a 50watt amplifier built into it, just attach speakers and away you go. Both have the exact same physical appearance a 20cm block with curved edges standing 5cm tall. Very discreet and very slick. They will stream up to 24 bit 192 khz files over your network though these are not Wi-Fi products.

Simple have been clever by designing homeplug technology into the units, meaning streaming is done via the electric cabling already installed into every home. You can install more than one unit in fact up to 64 giving true multi-room capabilities. You can stream different music to each room or group them so they all play the same thing. There are music services built in. Internet radio is taken care of with the ever popular Tunein Radio while Deezer and Wimp also making an appearance. There is also a convenient line-in input to allow you to connect a phone or similar device or maybe even a turntable.

So specs look inpressive how do they sound? I would say they sound much better than their price suggests they should. Much much better than the cheaper popular wireless multi-room system/s on the market and biting at the heals of the much more expensive solutions.

This is the perfect time to try for yourself as Simple have an offer on called Buy and Try. Come and have a demonstration in store and if you like what you see and hear buy it in the knowledge that if you get it home and it's not to your liking you have 30 days to bring it back and get a full refund no questions asked.

To quote a well known Meerkat.....Simples!

Focal-JMlab Maestro Utopia.

An invitation to meet the Maestro.

Focal speakers have for a long time been one of our favourites here at Bristol and Focal have not been quiet in developing innovative technologies for us to get our teeth/ears into. For instance we love the new 900 series with their Flax speakers or the popular Electra 1028be with it's sweet sounding beryllium tweeter and dynamic W cones. The technologies built into these speakers like most manufacturers trickles down from the speakers at the top of the range. Enter the Maestro.

One of four speakers in Focals Utopia range and is one of the most sophisticated they produce. Standing almost 1.5m tall and almost half a metre wide they are quite imposing but look fantastic. As their name suggests they don't just play the music but direct the performance in a way that invites the listener in. These speakers really are special and demonstrate admirably why Focal are known as one of the worlds top speaker manufacturers. We have them here at Bristol for evaluation on our main system in the shop. They are sounding great on our Naim NAP300 with an NDS/555 combination as the source and would love to have you guys come and hear them for yourselves.

Chord Electronics Hugo Review

If you have heard a DAC 64 then you will know why Chord Electronics want to celebrate the 20^th anniversary of what was a ground-breaking product. So to celebrate what they have done is release what is another ground-breaking product the Hugo. This diminutive box that fits into the palm of your hand packs more than a little punch. Don’t be fooled by its size as this it has a number of tricks up its sleeve. It can be used as a standalone DAC, a DAC/headphone amplifier, for use at home or on the move (as it has a built in rechargeable battery) and a DAC pre-amp, for use with a power amp and speakers or active monitors.

Chord are famous for their DAC technology and have managed to cram a lot of DAC into what is a small box. Chord say it is their most technically advanced 32bit DAC to date. It can decode sampling frequencies from 44.1kHz to 384kHz and that includes decoding of DXD files. So when it arrived in the shop we set out to test its capabilities. We first of all put it into our main shop system, which consists of Naim amplification and PMC IB2SE speakers. To put it simply we were blown away with the what it delivered. A big open sound with bags of separation and a massive amount of musical enjoyment. Everything we played sounded right and it was noted we found ourselves listening not to the Hugo but to the music.

So we agreed that the Hugo was a great DAC but that’s not all the Hugo is. It incorporates a high quality headphone amplifier that’s good enough to drive even the most awkward to drive headphone. It also has an in-built rechargeable battery that will last over 12 hours and is fully charged (by the supplied power supply) in 2 hours. Having a battery makes the Hugo portable and so Hi-Fi on the move is now a reality. Think on the train with a laptop or (get this) your phone. That was what we tried next and I was quite taken aback when the colour of the lights within the Hugo changed to indicate I was playing a high resolution file via usb from my android. I was also taken aback by the sound. I can't remember hearing my Sennheisser HD600 sound so good. Setting it up with my laptop was as simple as downloading the Hugo ASIO drivers. Using the computer with the Hugo was also a pleasure at all file resolutions not just high res. I must also mention another little trick as the Hugo will play wireless via Bluetooth using AptX technology for high quality results.

I also tried the Hugo in its third capacity DAC/pre amp. Again the little box didn’t falter. I think you would have to spend a lot more money on a separate pre-amp DAC to reach the same sort of performance levels. I'm going to say it, I want one. Whether you are after a standalone DAC, a DAC/headphone amp or a DAC/pre the Hugo is a must listen so if you want to have a go yourself come to see us in the shop.

On a side note, I tried using the Hugo as headphone amp/Dac for the purpose of producing music on a laptop. If you have ever tried mixing with headphones then you will know how difficult it is to get your levels right. A quick mix with the Hugo surprised on playback through a system as all the levels were just as intended. If you make music on the move and don't need to record then the Hugo is definitely worth a go.

Smooth operators

Here in Bristol we really like Rega's approach to all their products. Simple in design, cost effective and musically enjoyable. The Saturn-R and Elicit-R combination really carries this tradition forward offering a fabulously rewarding listening experience.

Saturn-R

The Saturn-R CD player is the latest edition to Rega's electronics range and continues where it's revered predecessors left off. But wait, it's not just a CD player it's also a very capable DAC with optical and coaxial digital inputs and even a USB socket for hooking up a computer. This allows you to carry on playing all the CDs you've collected over the years whilst giving you the ability to explore the world of streaming and high resolution audio (up to 24 bit 192khz). Of course the DAC is not just an afterthought it consists of a pair of Wolfson DACs, a high quality master clock, an asynchronous USB input all put together with great care taken to power supplies and circuitry. So whether playing CDs or your latest high resolution download you will get an excellent musical reproduction that sounds just right.

Elicit-R

The Elicit-R amplifier builds on the great things that Rega did with their last amplifier release the Brio-R.

They've doubled the power to 100w, added a stepped attenuator for greater levels of control and performance, incorporated a moving magnet and moving coil phono stage and used top notch circuitry such as using a pair of Darlington output transistors to emulate a class A driver stage.

Hearing is believing

All this technology makes for a superb amplifier that when combined with the Saturn-R delivers a very satisfying sound without a hint of 'digitalness'. It offers effortless power and bags of detail.

Both products can be bought separately of course and either will offer a level of performance some other manufacturers can only dream of. If you're in the market for an amp or CD/DAC or both give us a ring and we will set them up so you can hear for yourself.

Naim Event "The Evolution of the Nait"

On January 16th at 7pm at the Marriot City Centre Hotel we will be holding our annual Naim audio event.

This time we will be looking at Naim Audio's iconic range of integrated amplifiers from the entry level Nait 5si to the all new SuperNait 2. The event is entitled "The Evolution of the Nait" and will see Jason from Naim talking us through 3 systems.

System 1. CD5si / Nait5si. This will introduce us the acoustics of the venue and the entry point into Naim's range of separates.

System 2. ND5XS / Nait5XS upgrade with Flat-Cap2XS and XP5XS. The next level up and our first opportunity to see what happens when you add dedicated power supplies to Naim components.

System 3. NDX / Super-Nait-2 upgrade with Hi-Cap-2 "DR" and XPS-2 "DR" Top of the range integrated should be music to our ears.

We will be using Focal Aria 926 floor standing loudspeakers which work very well with the Naim range. These feature brand new speaker technology. If all goes to plan we shall also have Dave from Focal UK to explain a little about how Focal achieve such a good sound.

If you register your interest in advance you will be entered into a prize draw on the night with the chance of winning one of 3 prizes. First prize Naim Powerline mains cable, Second prize 10 Naim label CD's and Third prize 5 Naim label CD's. There will of course be a goodie bag with a sampler CD for everyone in attendance.

Book your place by emailing bristol@audio-t.co.uk.

Date: 16th January 2014

The Venue

Marriott Hotel,

2 Lower Castle Street,

Bristol,

BS1 3AD

Time

7.00pm, till 9.30 pm

Focal Aria & Naim Uniti 2: News is the French love the English and the English love the French.

The Naim Uniti 2 probably needs no introduction here but in case you didn't know it is a one box Hi-Fi.

It includes a CD Player, a DAB and FM tuner, internet connectivity to stream music and access Internet radio and music files stored on your computer or home network. It can play music from an iPhone /iPad/ iPod or from a USB stick (all this can be done with files up to 32bit 192khz ).

It has digital inputs for TV playstation etc, and has analogue inputs so you can plug in a turntable and it includes a fantastic sounding 70w amplifier.  Oh and did I say it's made in England. In Salisbury, Wiltshire to be precise.

So there's your amp and sources sorted, what about speakers....

Enter the Focal Aria 926/906. Made in France by one of the worlds biggest and most reknowned speaker manufacturers and these speakers are a perfect match with the Naim Uniti 2.

The bass/ mid drivers are made with the inovotive use of Flax (linseed) fibres sandwiched between two very thin layers of glass fibre. This special technique developed for over 5 years has produced a very light very fast driver with ideal properties for a bass/mid drive unit.

The tweeter has its roots in the famous beryllium inverted domes of the very high end focal speakers. Again it's very fast with low distortion, and being focal, very accurate but at the same time enjoyable to listen to.

 

Perfect so far but can we make things even better...

We have a special deal on at the moment which could save you up to £800.

Package 1 - Naim Uniti 2 & Focal 906 two way standmount loudspeaker

Package 2 - Naim Uniti 2 & Focal 926 3 way floorstanding loudspeaker

Just combine the Naim Uniti with a pair of Focals.

There are two speaker models to choose from. The 926 is a floorstanding model and looks very elegant in either black or walnut. It is a three way design and suitable for large rooms. 

The 906 is a standmount and would be suited to small to mid sized rooms.

Both sets of speakers sound excellent coupled with the Naim Uniti 2 but don't take my word for it, book a demonstration and bring along some music, whether it be on CD, your phone, USB stick or even a piece of vinyl, we are sure you will love what you hear.

Click here for more details.

Sennheiser Create The Right Balance With The CH800S

We've just received Sennheiser's new balanced cable for the HD800 headphones plugged them into the HDVD800 headphone amplifier and even though the cable is new, it sounds incredible. 

Much more open and musical. If you have a pair of HD800's I urge you to come and check out this fantastic combo.

Sony's VPL-HW50ES Projector Shining Bright in Bristol

What can we say about Sony's HW50? Well quite a lot actually.

It's whisper quiet, setup is a breeze with vertical and horizontal shift, it has excellent brightness, probably the best in it's class for 3D.

2D is stunning, deep blacks with excellent shadow detail, massive amount of control with a deep menu system (if you want it). The superlatives keep coming.......and you can count brilliant colour reproduction, gobsmacking detail on images on close ups to boot! Best of all is that it comes at under £3000 (£2798).

It represents fantastic value for money, but don't take our word for it, give us a call and come and have a look for yourself.

Heed Obelisk

After a succesfull Heed event at the shop we thought we should mention their shining star in our blog.

Heed has made quite a splash of late especially with there integrated amp the Obelisk. If you have around £1290 to spend on an amplifier you would be doing yourself an injustice not to try it. This amp just gets on with it, being able to drive most speakers with ease without displaying a hint of aggression. It's very versatile with optional extra's ie a dac card for digital input or the phono card to allow you the use of a record player without additional box's. You can also upgrade the amp with a dedicated power supply the X2, this gives it even more power and musicality.  Stay tuned for our thoughts on the full range of Heed products or come and hear for yourself.

Dynaudio Xeo 3 & Xeo 5 Wireless Speakers Are Here!

We have been recieving requests for decent wireless speakers for about 5 years now and at last we can say to our customers "take a listen to these."

There are two models in the range a stand mount, the Xeo 3 (pictured below) and a floorstander the Xeo 5. 

They are both active (no amplifier required) and they recieve music from any source wirelessly. This could be a computer a hi-fi separate a streamer or in fact anything that outputs sound.

The Xeo 3 is a stand mount and placed on a decent pair of stands, with your computer plugged into the sender box via usb, they sound incredible.

The tweeter is driven by a 50w built in amp and the woofer driven by its own 50w amp. There is no crossover so the music just flows giving a very open clean detailed and involving sound. From the sound they produce you would think that they were much bigger, looks indeed can be deceptive!

If you have a big room to fill then the Xeo 5 is well worth a look with all the attributes that make the Xeo 3 so appealing but with a 'bigger' sound.

Come along and have a listen, we think you'll be very surprised.

Martin, Alester and Stefan

Bristol Audio-T joins Sennheiser's Club Orpheus

Club Orpheus has been started by Sennheiser to give you, the customer, confidence when buying their most prestigious models. 

We are talking the fabulous top of the range HD800, the HD700, the HDVD800 and HDVA600 headphone amplifiers, the amazing IE800 (In Ears), the wireless RS220 and the excellent and popular portable headphones the Momentum's.

These models are only available through Club Opheus dealers and come with unparalleled after service including extra warranties and fast track repairs should anything go wrong. So if you want the best come and have a listen.

It's only 0's n 1's, so how can a cable make a difference?

If you don't already know we are holding a Chord Company cable event in the shop one week from today. Matt from Chord will be present and to help out we have Toby from Kudos and Heed. 

The main focus will be digital cables and Matt will be hoping to dispel the myth that 0's and 1's don't benefit from 'expensive' cables. We are not just talking optical and coaxial cables we will show you how usb cables can also make a difference to what you hear.

It's an open door event and will run from 2pm till 8pm. See you then.

BIG Speakers!

We've been having more fun than usual here in Bristol. We need a BIG pair of speakers to partner our higher end electronics. At the moment we have in the shop a pair of PMC IB2's and a pair of Kudos Titans. Both retail at around £12000. Which ones are best? Well they both have there strengths and they both sound the buisiness. Watch this space.

STREAM STREAM STREAM, STREEEEEAM (stop dreaming start....)

We've been busy here at Brizzle. Naim came to town with their Future of Hi-Fi roadshow to demonstrate their superb range of streaming products. It was an excellent event and since then we can't stop selling NDX's and the like. If you missed it, don't worry, we have the range in store and will be more than happy to give you a demonstration and talk you through the options. So come and dip your toes in the water, you won't need a life jacket you'll come up swimming in a sea of 100% pure sound waves.

The Rega RP1 turntable is the only turntable I have heard, at it's price point, that does not embarrass itself played through a £20,000 Hi-Fi system. It's plug in and play and comes in white to match your Apple kit. (also available cool grey and silver)