The new Cyrus 40 series has arrived at Manchester ahead of The Bristol Hi-Fi Show.

/ Audio T Manchester/

The brand new Cyrus 40 AMP and 40 ST streamer mark a bold step forward for the British hi-fi brand, blending cutting-edge design with the signature sonic excellence Cyrus is known for. As part of the newly launched 40 Series, this Duo arrives with a fresh aesthetic and a host of connectivity options, making it a compelling choice for hifi enthusiasts, audiophiles and modern music lovers a like.

Read on for an overview of the new kit.

Ahhhhh, check mate chromey.

Gone is the old style fascia with the Godfather chin, instead, the 40 AMP and the rest of series, sports a sleek and new aluminium enclosure with a minimalist glass front panel. It definitely exudes quality.

Connectivity & Features

Cyrus has equipped the 40 AMP with a well-rounded set of inputs, catering to both your digital and analog needs. You'll find:

  • Four RCA line-level inputs for traditional sources

  • Moving Magnet (MM) phono stage for vinyl.

  • USB, optical, and coaxial digital inputs for streaming and media players. HDMI eARC support, so you can stick your TV in the middle of your stereo set up for those that use their living room for music and a bit of Jools Holland.

Turntable inputs are the norm nowadays,thankfully

Performance & Sound Quality from the Cyrus 40 amp.

At its core, the Cyrus 40 AMP delivers 100 watts into 6 ohms using a refined Class AB amplifier design, which is much improved over the older version. The result? A powerful yet articulate sound that maintains a perfect balance between warmth and precision.

We put our unit through its paces using CD and streaming and hasn't let us down.

The results are that the low-end is tight and controlled, and with enough depth to satisfy even the most bass-heavy tracks. The midrange is detailed enough as to allow vocals and instruments to shine with clarity. And the treble is smooth and refined, avoiding any harshness of fatigue over long periods of listening sessions.

So, whether paired with bookshelf or floor-standing speakers, the Cyrus 40 AMP exhibits an impressive sense of space, delivering an open, natural soundstage. The built-in phono stage is another strong point, offering a detailed performance for your turntable.

The Cyrus 40 ST is the other latest addition to the new 40 Series—a high-resolution streamer that is manna from heaven for serious music lovers. With the same sleek new aesthetic, extensive connectivity options, and a focus on top-end performance, the 40 ST aims to compete with some of the best network streamers on the market.

Features & Connectivity

The Cyrus 40 ST is packed with features that ensure broad compatibility with most other hi-fi brands.

  • Wi-Fi & Ethernet connectivity for high-quality streaming

  • Supports high-resolution audio up to 24-bit/192kHz

  • Native support for TIDAL Connect, Qobuz, Spotify Connect, and internet radio

  • Roon Ready certified, allowing seamless integration with other high-end streaming devices in your home

  • USB, optical, and coaxial digital outputs for easy connection to DACs or amplifiers

Performance & Sound Quality of the Cyrus 40 ST Streamer.

Cyrus has long been known for delivering clean, detailed, and natural sound, and the 40 ST is no exception. This streamer handles high-resolution files with aplomb, presenting music with clarity, depth, and dynamics.

In the short time we've had the Cyrus 40 Series, it hasn't missed a beat.

The timing and rhythm of the 40 ST are particularly impressive, making it a cracking choice for listeners who appreciate detail and toe-tapping musicality. Whether you're playing jazz, classical, rock, or electronic music, the streamer delivers a balanced and engaging experience.

The fit and finish is excellent, as you can see in the images below.

That’s a quick overview of the new Cyrus 40 Series. We have four pieces available for demonstration: the 40 Amp and 40 Streamer, along with a new CD transport and a brand-new PSU (power supply unit). All are now on demo at our Manchester store.

Additionally, Cyrus will be at The Bristol Show in the Matthew Suite on the lower ground floor.

Thanks for reading.

Munir, James and Dave - Audio T Manchester

See you at The Bristol Show.!!!

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

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

Cyrus can be found at the following Audio T stores

Chromey ponders iconography as the Node Icon shows off its colours.

/ Audio T Manchester/

Introducing the brand new Bluesound Node Icon Reference Streamer—the latest evolution of Bluesound’s renowned streaming platform, and it has now landed at Audio T Manchester!

With a refreshed look, encased in a sleek aluminum chassis, it features a full-colour 5” HD display that provides clear visibility of track information, album artwork and system settings. This addition enhances the user experience and makes it easier to navigate the menus.

We know you're eager to hear all about it, so join us as we take a quick look at the new flagship steamer from Bluesound.

any thoughts chromey?

Who are these people?

Bluesound is a Canadian audio company specialising in high-resolution, wireless, multi-room audio systems. Founded in 2013, it is part of the Lenbrook Group, which also owns other audio brands such as NAD Electronics and PSB Speakers.

The company is renowned for its BluOS software, a proprietary multi-room operating system that supports streaming of high-resolution audio (up to 24-bit/192kHz) and integrates with various streaming services like Spotify, TIDAL, Qobuz, and Amazon Music. Handily, BluOS also allows for seamless integration with smart home systems, voice assistants, and control apps.

Generally, Bluesound products are highly regarded for their emphasis on sound quality and compatibility with a wide range of audio ecosystems.More recently collaborating with Cyrus, Roksan and Monitor Audio, making them a popular choice among audiophiles and home audio enthusiasts.

thrust! another great album by Herbie

Ok, so back to the Node Icon Reference Streamer…

Offering a plethora of connectivity options, on the input side we have HDMI eARC, optical (TOS), analog (RCA), and USB-C inputs. Output connectivity options are comprehensive too, including a true balanced XLR and unbalanced RCA output, digital outputs are obtained via optical and USB.

Earr! , whats all this then.?

It also has a subwoofer output which works via single RCA, and even lets you connect to the Bluesound Pulse subwoofer wirelessly. Talking of which, “over the airway support” comes courtesy of Apple AirPlay 2 and aptX Adaptive Bluetooth for wireless streaming.

the I/O section at the back

Still looking for a route back to 1977 chromey? , THX it may well be, but not this time lad.

The Tomlinson Holman Experiment?

Now, here's an interesting one, there are two THX AAA enabled headphone outputs, Yes, that's right, the famous THX sound format created by Lucasfilm for cinema back in 1977. Now operating more like an audio electronics company that makes THX tuned digital boards and cables for the home cinema and hifi industry. And in this instance, low noise and low distortion are the key benefits for the Node Icon. Both sockets have an input detector and it is possible to use both outputs simultaneously, however the best performance is to be expected with only one pair of headphones connected at a time.

Dirac!

Another feature that sets the Icon apart and showcases its exceptional audio credentials is Dirac Live. For those unfamiliar, Dirac Live is a sophisticated room correction and audio optimisation software designed to elevate the sound quality of home cinemas, studio setups, and other audio systems. Developed by Swedish audio technology company Dirac, it employs advanced algorithms to analyse and correct room acoustics, speaker placement, and other factors that impact audio performance. It's a thoughtful touch that enhances the overall listening experience.

Screen Time!

The 5” display screen is a fantastic upgrade, offering immediate access to playback information without the need to rely solely on external devices like a mobile or tablet. The BluOS operating system remains impressively robust, and its streaming capabilities support a wide range of services, including Amazon Music, Deezer, Napster, Qobuz, and Tidal, ensuring seamless access to your favourite music.

Sound Quality.

At its core, the Node Icon boasts a dual-mono DAC design with two ESS Sabre ES9039Q2M DACs, delivering exceptional dynamic range and ultra-low distortion. This setup ensures crystal-clear, detailed, and dynamic sound reproduction. Adding to this is the inclusion of THX-certified headphone amplifiers, which provide remarkably low noise and distortion-free listening through quality headphones—an upgrade that makes for an outstanding headphone experience, in our humble opinion.

The dual DAC chips bring a balanced design that gives the Node Icon an openness and clarity, noticeably elevating it above the standard Node. The internal DAC of the Icon delivers significant improvements, offering more refined and nuanced audio performance.

Another standout feature is its support for DSD playback. For those with a library of high-resolution audio formats, the Node Icon has you covered.

In short, it ticks all the boxes, making it a superb choice for any music enthusiast!

As always, the proof of the pudding is in the eating—or in this case, the listening! While the specs and features of the Bluesound Node Icon are undoubtedly impressive on paper, the real magic lies in experiencing its performance firsthand. That's why we invite you to get in touch with us at Audio T Manchester to book a personalised demonstration. We’d be delighted to guide you through the Node Icon's remarkable features. Contact us today to arrange your visit, and discover how the Node Icon can transform your listening experience!

Thanks for reading

Munir, James and Dave - Audio T Manchester

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

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

Bluesound can be found at the following Audio T stores -

In Retrospective, Quad 33/303 Combo Hits the Nostalgia Nail on the Head.

/ Audio T Manchester/

With the arrival of the new Quad 33 Preamplifier and 303 Power Amplifier combo at Audio T Manchester, we’re taking a moment to reflect on the legacy of these iconic components and explore how the new versions honour their heritage while embracing modern advancements.

The History from Quad

The Quad 33 preamplifier, first introduced in 1967 alongside the Quad 303 power amplifier, is a vintage audio component highly regarded for its elegant design, modular construction, and smooth, musical sound. It was designed as part of Quad’s integrated system, particularly for use with the Quad ESL electrostatic speakers, making it a classic choice for audiophiles.

The original Quad 33 is visually iconic, with its compact, cube-like chassis and distinctive silver and orange finish. It embodies the minimalist, functional aesthetic of the 1960s, emphasizing ease of use and modularity.

• Controls: The front panel features rotary knobs for volume, balance, tone, and input selection, offering a clean and straightforward interface.

• Inputs and Outputs: Includes multiple DIN inputs for radio, tape, and auxiliary, along with a dedicated phono input (suitable for MM cartridges).

the original 33/303 (PHOTO CREDIT: QUAD)

The Present

The reimagined 2024 Quad 33 preamplifier and 303 power amplifier bring a modern twist to the iconic 1967 models, while maintaining their classic design ethos and sound quality. Key updates include improved circuitry, contemporary connectivity options, and a retro-futuristic aesthetic, but with an even better build quality.

Seriously, the fit and finish is excellent. The Quad is just beautifully bolted together.

chromey basks in the glow of nostalgia

Design and Aesthetics

Both models retain their compact and vertical design. The Quad 33 preamp features a matte silver finish with orange accents, now LED-lit, and a modern LCD display replacing older labels. Similarly, the 303 power amplifier preserves its signature heatsink fins, updated to a more modern appearance, with ten squared-off fins instead of the original eight . Now there’s a factoid for ya!

something about those lines that take you back to 1977, be careful you don’t end up in 1967 Chromey.

Performance Upgrades a plenty.

The 2024 Quad 303 power amp, rated at 50W per channel (8 ohms), incorporates an advanced “triples” output stage and a low-noise toroidal transformer. These updates enhance thermal stability, (according to Quad) reduce distortion, and provide ample current for demanding speakers. The amplifier can also be bridged to mono, delivering 140W for more demanding speakers. We had ours playing with a pair of Spendor D7.2, in standard 50w mode, the 303 didn’t skip a beat.

no sharp edges here, silky smooth.

The 2024 Quad 33 preamp introduces a tilt control, an innovative frequency adjustment tool from another time, originally introduced with the Quad 34 in 1982, and bass and balance controls come as standard (er thank you). It also features an upgraded phono stage supporting MM/MC cartridges and a dedicated headphone amplifier, not featured on the original 33.

The 33 also retains an all-analogue design but introduces a new low-noise toroidal transformer and upgraded circuitry for better performance. It now features modern (tongue in cheek) connectivity options, including RCA, XLR, (no dins here, pardon the pun) and a phono input with adjustable gain for turntables.

Sound Quality

Both units maintain Quad’s hallmark warm and detailed sound. Improvements in clarity and dynamic range ensure they don't sound like a “pipe smoking and slippers hifi”. Staying true to the smooth character of the originals with the added sparkle of Quads more recent offerings, we may have something here that may actually start a new trend. We are quite happy to recommend the new/retro 33/303 combo to all.

We think these new updated versions of the classic Quad strike a nice balance between nostalgia and recent hi-fi tech, making them a solid choice for both lovers of the retro aesthetic and modern hi-fi users, and that's not an oxymoron.

Thanks for reading

James, Munir & Dave - Audio T Manchester

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

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

Quad can be found at the following Audio T stores

Sennheiser 600 series has a new edition to the range and it's got it's own prerogative!

/ Audio T Manchester/

Sennheiser HD 620S – How do they compare to the HD 660S2?

The 600 series from Sennheiser has been a staple of both audiophile and studio grade headphones for years now. With the studio ready HD 600 – the audio purist’s choice for reference playback. The more refined and tuned HD 650 - for analytical listening with expertly balanced acoustics, smooth response and a dimensional soundstage.

The new HD620S

And the latest open back offering in the range, the HD 660S2 – building on the recognised benchmark for neutral audiophile sound set by the HD600, HD 650, and original HD 660S, the S2 features numerous improvements on the previous models; such as enhanced sub bass response and a revised coil construction, providing higher magnetic force and electrical dampening for cleaner impulse response.

The Sennheiser HD 660S2 is an impressive successor to the HD 660S, refining the series’ already respected appeal.

the Hd 660s2 and the 620s

Launched in May of this year, the HD 620S is Sennheiser’s latest closed-back offering, designed for music lovers seeking exceptional sound quality and noise isolation, aiming to maintain the well established signature sound of the 600 series, with the added bonuses of next to no sound leakage.

Much like the rest of the 600 series family, the HD 620S2 combines advanced sound reproduction with a robust, comfortable design suitable for long listening sessions. At the core is a custom 42mm dynamic driver made in Sennheiser’s Tullamore facility in Ireland, which delivers a natural, immersive audio experience with well-defined bass and clear, responsive highs.

Sennheiser HD 620S2

They distinguish themselves by balancing the open-back sound qualities typical of the HD 600 series with the benefits of a closed-back design. This means listeners can enjoy high audio fidelity and expansive soundstage while minimizing external noise, making it versatile for environments where focus is essential. Sennheiser has enhanced the headphones’ construction with metal reinforcements and steel plates that help reduce internal reflections, which in turn preserves sound clarity and precision. This refined setup provides detailed sound localisation, beneficial for both music & film lovers, as well as gamers who prioritise spatial accuracy.

Sennheiser HD 660S2

Let's give them a listen, compare them to the HD 660S2 and discuss the strengths, differences and minor trade-offs between the two…

Sound Quality

Bass: Starting with the HD 660S2, one of the main improvements Sennheiser implemented on the S2 is the enhanced low-end response. Compared to the original HD 660S, the S2 has deeper and more defined bass, which gives it a fuller, richer sound. They appear to have utilised a similar approach on the new HD 620S, as they too have a deep, rich bass, with plenty of texture and prominence in the mix, without getting too overbearing. The 660S2's bass seems a little more pronounced, possibly due to their open back nature allowing more of the airy high frequencies to escape and 'float' around your head, while the bass remains thundering in the earcups. On the other hand the 620S' closed-back design keeps all those fine high end details ringing inside them, giving the impression of less outstanding bass in comparison. It's also worth noting that the frequency response on the 620S goes down to 20Hz, while the 660S2 reach down to 10Hz.

While listening to Nude from Radiohead's In Rainbows, Colin Greenwoods' Dub-like P Bass sounds full and driving, while still letting all the textural details and reverb trails happening around it shine through. The Moog-like synth bass at ~4:00 of Frank Ocean’s Nights resonated nicely on both pairs, providing lots of low end detail without muddying any of the low mids or other elements of the mix.

Mids: The HD 660S2 delivers exceptionally detailed mid-range, especially for vocals and instruments like guitars and strings. The mids are well-balanced and give a natural warmth that audiophiles will appreciate.

The 620S sounded a little clearer in the upper mids to our ears, but this range is where all the 600 series headphones shine, they capture vocal nuances and instrumental textures that help encapsulate an immersive and engaging listening experience.

The slow building dynamics and timbre of Thom Yorke's voice on Nude were crystal clear here, surrounded by glistening, chiming guitars and strings panned around the soundstage. The chirping guitars and spatial synth layers in Nights were crisp and clear too.

Treble: The treble range is smooth and clear, without harsh peaks or sibilance. Sennheiser designed it to avoid fatigue, making it suitable for long listening sessions.

Listening to Falaise by Floating Points, from the album Crush on the HD 620S, there's no escaping the soft background hiss swelling in before the first note pierces it with a soft whine. On the HD 660S2's however, this hiss is much less prominent and fades into the airiness of the open back ear cups, not really feeling like the piece “starts” until that initial piercing note.

While the highs may lack some sparkle for those who prefer a brighter sound, they maintain clarity and detail, ensuring a pleasant, non-fatiguing listening experience that’s perfect for detail-focused listeners.

A close up view of the 620 s drive unit

Soundstage and Imaging

The soundstage on the HD 660S2 feels open and well-defined, providing an immersive listening experience without the excessive width of some open-back headphones. Imaging is precise, allowing listeners to pinpoint the position of instruments and sounds with ease. This quality makes the HD 660S2 suitable for a range of music genres and for critical listening, where spatial accuracy and layering are crucial.

Since the HD 620S are closed-back, the sound stage isn't quite as wide as the HD 660S2, they will however, give you a more direct and isolated sound, allowing you to hear every detail no matter your environment.

On the other hand, the open-back HD 660S2 offer a more expansive sound stage. The imaging and instrument separation are excellent, which results in precise placement and spatial accuracy of sounds. This makes them ideal for those who enjoy complex compositions, acoustic music, or live recordings where separation of sound elements is essential, although wouldn't be suited to those without a quiet listening space.

HD 620s

Comfort and Build

Sennheiser has maintained the same sturdy build and understated aesthetic seen in previous models. The headphones feel both robust yet lightweight, with a combination of metal and plastic materials that offer durability without adding bulk. The HD 660S2 come fitted with velour ear pads and a well-padded matching headband to make them comfortable for extended listening sessions. On the HD 620S they've opted for leather on both the earcups and the headband padding, which although to us do feel just as comfortable, might end up on the sweatier side during long listening sessions compared to the velour.

The clamping force is moderate, which helps with stability but might feel a bit tight for some users initially, but tends to loosen slightly with use over time.

Compatibility and Connectivity

The HD 620S has been designed to work with both high-end and more accessible audio equipment, thanks to its 150-ohm impedance. A dedicated headphone amp or DAC would really make them shine, but wouldn't be essential.

The HD 660S2 however, with an impedance of 300 ohms, would benefit from a dedicated amplifier to reach their full potential. While you can drive them from a smartphone or a portable DAC, they really come alive when paired with a high-quality amplifier or desktop DAC. Audiophiles will appreciate the S2’s responsiveness to high-end audio equipment, where it reveals its full clarity and detail.

Mirroring this difference, the HD620S comes with a detachable 2m cable with a 3.5mm jack for ease of use with laptops, USB DACs etc. as well as a gold screw-on 6.3mm adapter & a carry pouch.

The HD660S2 comes with two detachable 1.8m cables, one with a 6.3mm jack and one with a 4.4mm balanced cable, more suited to high end equipment, along with the same carry pouch.

It may be worth noting that the HD620S cable only plugs into the left earcup via mini-jack whereas the HD660S2's cable attaches to both sides via a 2 pin plug.

Final Verdict

Whether you fall on the side of open or closed back, these headphones are well-suited to anyone who values detail, comfort, and a balanced sound profile without extreme bass or harsh treble. While they may require good amplification to reach their full potential, both the HD 660S2 & HD 620S provide a rewarding, natural listening experience for listeners who appreciate accuracy and musicality without excessive colouration. If you're lucky enough to have a quiet listening environment, with nothing to disturb or be disturbed by, then the HD 660S2 might be for you. If you value silence and environmental isolation is essential, the HD 620S may be up your street.

Give us a shout at Audio T Manchester if you'd like to book a listening session to try them out for yourselves.

Thanks for reading

James, Munir & Dave - Audio T Manchester

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

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

Stand aside Olympics, Paris has its own champion! The X-i50BT

/ Audio T Manchester/

Introducing the Advance Paris X-i50BT

Is it new?

New Hi-Fi manufacturers are few and far between these days, so when one arrives with a range as extensive as the one Advance Paris has to offer, you have to stick your head above the parapet and take a look.

However, Advance Paris isn't exactly new. First created in 1995 to cater for the French market only, Advance Paris extended their range extensively in 2004 with an integrated amplifier and electronic components. Wanting to break free of their home market they expanded into a least 40 other countries in 2005.

Audio T Advances to Paris.

Today, Audio T has a near exclusive on Advance Paris products which range from streamers to valve amplifiers to all in one amp/streamers and CD players, the latter of which is resurgent in today's market.

Here at Manchester we are taking a look at the new Xi-50BT

It's an integrated amplifier that has Bluetooth and a phono input and utilises class A type technology, which basically runs at higher temps but offers excellent sound quality.

The first reaction to the Xi-50BT is the styling, Advance Paris are using perspex for the front fascia and a formed steel construction for the case work. Which looks and feels elegant and solid. Good start.

Around the back

The X-i50BT has what you could reasonably call a fair selection of analogue inputs, which include a turntable input. I can't imagine anyone being left wanting for more inputs in the analogue domain.

From a digital angle, the supplied Bluetooth aerial screws into the back and enables communication with smart devices, opening up endless possibilities for visitors to your home wanting to play their own music on your system.

Next up is the USB input, which in this instance, keeps things simple with offering MP3 playback. So if you've got a collection of USB sticks with MP3s on them which you may use in the car, you can stick them in the back of X-i50 as well.

And at the front

Conveniently, the X-i50 has a chrome volume dial which also operates as a multifunction jog wheel, this lets you access tone controls and a loudness feature, as well as cycling through the inputs. Also, the white glow from the back light on the dial against the black perspex fascia adds a premium look to the unit.

The testing

We put our unit through its paces by pairing it with the new WiiM Ultra streamer, a pair of Dynaudio Emit 10 sat on the Atacama Nexxus speaker stands.

Our playlist consisted of German electro/techno maestro Robag Wruhme, some instrumental ambience from Contours, an old school Manchester jazz collective, The Cinematic Orchestra and a little bit of classic funk from Parliament.

What's the consensus mon ami

Well, very good indeed! £500* gets you an amp that happily drives a pair of hefty speakers with aplomb. In general, the sound was detailed and engaging. The high bias mode helped for lower volume listening and across all our playlist the sound filled our demo room with ease.

The electro from Robag Wruhme was pacey, no flabbiness in the bass. The Contours “Elevation” album sounded airy and open. And George Clinton sounded like, well, George Clinton.

Are there other amps around the same price that sound as good? Well, there is a small selection in the same price bracket that either sound very different in terms of playback quality or have a fraction of the connectivity available. However, other integrated amps around the same price, beware!! we have a new kid on the block, and the X-i50BT means business!

But don’t just take our word for it. Contact your nearest Audio T today to book a demonstration.

Thanks for reading.

Munir

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

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

*All prices, credit terms and interest rates quoted are correct at the time of going to press but may be subject to change. E&OE

The Behemoth Returns - Denon AVC-A1H weighs in on its home cinema credentials

/ Audio T Manchester/

When you think of Japanese Hi-Fi companies, you tend to think in relatively modern decades... 70s, 80s etc. But, Denon can trace their sound making roots back to the beginning of recorded sound. Up until the 21st Century, Denon was the brand name of The Nippon Columbia record company. The Japanese arm of the American record company Columbia, supplying the Japanese market more with it's own material than American imports. Through events such as World Wars and various Emperors, Denon slowly became the company we know today.

A bit of history

A major supplier to the Japanese broadcasting organisation NHK (Nippon Hoso Kyokai, literally Japan Broadcasting Corporation) building electronics, turntables and pick-up cartridges specifically for the Japanese broadcaster. Even today, the classic DL103 cartridge, launched for broadcast purposes in 1963 is still a part of the Denon lineup.

The Legendary DN-023R

Denon was at the forefront of digital audio. In 1972 it announced the DN-023R , the world's first digital recorder. Less than a decade later, the brand unveiled the first CD player for professional use, followed a year later by the first consumer model, the inimitable DCD-2000.

The humble cassette.

Denon used to make a plethora of great cassette decks in the 80’s and 90’s

At the end of the 60s, Denon was one of the first companies experimenting with digital PCM recording, as a route to mastering better vinyl record replay, and by the mid-1970s, Denon had firmly established a digital recording and mastering chain, releasing all of their recordings as digital mastered, years before the CD player was on the market. They earned a high reputation for sophisticated direct-drive turntables, and some of the best sounding cassette recorders ever made.

As the market moved towards multi-channel sound and home theatre, Denon was one of the companies pioneering the technology. In fact, the original version of the Denon AVC A1 amplifier, was one of the very first amplifiers with full Dolby Digital surround.

And today, from Denon we have a new behemoth to wow our home cinema enthusiasts. Enter the Denon AVC-A1H…

Design

Denon has consistently been a reputable name in the audio-visual industry, known for its high-quality receivers and amplifiers. The latest addition to their lineup, the Denon AVC-1H, continues this tradition with a host of advanced features and cracking performance.

The AVC-1H boasts a sleek and modern design, characterized by a minimalist front panel with a clear, easy-to-read display, which to be honest hasn’t really changed much over the last number of generations, and that’s not a bad thing. The construction is solid and at 32kg it feels like it. Its aesthetic appeal will complement any home cinema setup, blending seamlessly with both modern and traditional decors.

The ins and outs

The Denon AVC-1H is packed with connectivity options, including multiple HDMI inputs and outputs, USB, and analogue connections, dedicated XLR connections from high-end sources like the Panasonic UB9000 UHD player and XLR outputs for subwoofers. So those of you who may have high-end subwoofers in your setup, you are not going to be left wanting.

One standout feature is the support for HEOS multi-room audio technology, which enables seamless music streaming throughout your home. Additionally, built-in Wi-Fi, Bluetooth, and AirPlay 2 offer versatile wireless streaming options, catering to different user preferences.

The AVC-1H also includes voice control compatibility with Amazon Alexa, Google Assistant, and Apple Siri, providing convenient hands-free operation. The intuitive setup assistant and on-screen GUI make installation and configuration straightforward, even for those new to high-end AV equipment.

So many useful connections hidden around the back, wait!!!, whats that!! a lesser spotted Chrome trooper??

the avc is designed and built in Japan

the high quality transformer brings the power

high end components adorn the inside of the AVC-1H

Performance

Denon has always prioritised sound quality with its flagship range, and the AVC-1H is no exception. Equipped with advanced audio processing technologies, it delivers rich, immersive sound. The receiver supports the latest audio formats, including Dolby Atmos, DTS:X, and Auro-3D, providing a three-dimensional audio experience that is both enveloping and precise.

The power output packs a punch with it's 210W per channel, easily driving a wide range of speakers with precision, clarity and detail. The AVC-1H’s ability to reproduce both subtle details and stark dynamic shifts makes it ideal for both music and movies, ensuring an engaging listening and visual experience. The beach scene at the beginning of Dunkirk is a great example of this, a great movie with superlative audio and visuals.

In addition to its stellar audio performance, the AVC-1H excels in video processing. It supports 8K/60Hz and 4K/120Hz video pass-through, making it future-proof for upcoming content. HDR10+, Dolby Vision, and HLG compatibility.

While the AVC-1H sits at the higher end of the price range, its extensive feature set and exceptional performance justify the investment, standing as a powerful and versatile AV receiver that excels in both audio and video performance for audiophiles and home cinema enthusiasts seeking the top tier of audio and video quality.

Its wide range of features, future-proof specifications, and user-friendly design make it a standout choice for anyone looking to elevate their home entertainment system. Whether you’re a cinephile or a music lover, the AVC-1H promises to deliver an immersive and satisfying experience.

Our AVC-1H is on demo at our Manchester store. We have both inwall and free standing speakers to hang off the AVC-1H, all of which sound absolutely epic.

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

Thanks for reading

Munir - Audio T Manchester

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

A Wiim my way, is all mighty in the value stakes

/ Audio T Manchester/

Whilst being a fairly new name on the streaming market Wiim are making real waves in the Hi-Fi industry, releasing some of the most affordable units around. Offering a range of products from the Wiim Mini (a Google Chromecast style device), two Hi-Res streamers in the form of the Wiim Pro and the Pro+, and the all-new flagship model: The Wiim Ultra.

Although it is the Wiim Streaming Amp that is the feature of this month’s little review, a lot of the operational features described are also applicable to the stand alone streamers too. Wiim are really offering incredibly good value with all of their products. The Pro streamer costing just under £150*, the higher spec Pro+ at under £220. The Wiim Streaming Amplifier incorporates a well specified Class D power amplifier, producing a decent 60 watts per channel into 8 ohms, and doubling that to 120 watts in to 4 ohms load, and is incredible value at just £319.

The super compact 19cm x 19cm x 7.5cm enclosure has a digital volume control with a pause/play in the middle, and at the side, a row of pin-sized LED indicators show the volume level. The main control of the amp is really carried out by the included Bluetooth remote or, the slick Wiim app on smartphone or tablet.

On the rear are the mains power connector, four quality speaker terminals, along with subwoofer output, analogue input, HDMI Arc connector for enhancing your TV sound, USB, an optical 'toslink' SPDIF digital input, and a network LAN connector for those not wishing to use Wifi.

Although there is no physical headphone socket, the Wiim amp offers two-way Bluetooth, so any Bluetooth headphones can be connected, and everyone, including guests, can stream in via Bluetooth.

As a streaming product, the support offered by the Wiim app is second to none. As well as being Roon Ready, this little box offers direct streaming from Amazon Alexa & Music, BBC Radio, Calm Radio, Deezer, Napster, Open Network Stream, Pandora, Qobuz, Radio Paradise, SoundCloud, SoundMachine, Soundtrack, Spotify, Tidal, TuneIn, iHeartRadio, and vTuner (subscriptions may be required for some services of course).

Connectivity with other apps is also similarly impressive. Chromecast Audio, group connect with HomePods Nest and Echo speakers and displays, Alexa Multiroom, control via Siri, Alexa, Google, the mentioned Bluetooth, full DLNA, local network accessible hard drives, and AirPlay 2. It is hard to find something this little box doesn't support, and with automatic updates through the internet, you’ll always stay connected and up to date.

The included remote control is fully voice-controlled, and being Bluetooth has the advantage it will work in the room regardless of where you locate the tiny Wiim amp, even if it is hidden in a cabinet, not that anyone could object to such a tiny little enclosure.

In use, just add speakers, plug in and go! Of course, the HDMI input is a real boon for TV users. Simply connecting to your TV set’s HDMI Arc channel will establish a connection, enabling TV sound and level control to be sent via the Wiim amp. All sources can be used in multi-room mode too, with any compatible Wiim device.

It's hard to believe so much technology is packed into such a tiny little enclosure, and that it all works so well! Of course, as a streamer, you must download the control app to your device to start. Set up is super easy, be it wired LAN connection, or using your Wifi. Connect up your loudspeakers, plug into mains power, and you are off. The app is super slick, and on top of that, it’s whizzy in its use. No waiting for operations, it just does it.

Considering the price, the sound quality is seriously good. Stereo image and location are excellent, giving the sense of space and reality. The midrange is also fluid, and for a small enclosure, the sound packs a punch. A digital graphic equalizer is incorporated within the design, which can be handy for customers needing the speakers tucked away. Different EQ settings are available for different inputs too. Given the unit is happy with 4-ohm speakers, it can drive a surprising amount of loudspeakers with ease.

The value for money is amazing with the baby Wiim streaming amplifier. It would be great value even just as a source for Bluetooth headphones, with the built-in 240W power amp, superb app, and great sound per pound, it makes the perfect second room system or can form the basis of a very competent introduction system, and the world of streaming.

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

Thanks for reading

David, Munir, James & Haden - Audio T Manchester

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*All prices, credit terms and interest rates quoted are correct at the time of going to press but may be subject to change. E&OE

AYAaaa!!! How you doin'?? - A look at the Rega AYA Floor Standing Speakers

/ Audio T Manchester/

Rega AYA

Hi-Fi loudspeakers may not be the first thing you think about when you mention the Rega name; their class leading turntables have dominated the hi-fi market for nearly two generations for very good reasons; the company's high class engineering has left competitors in their wake. But for thirty years now, Rega has offered full hi-fi systems, amplifiers, at one time a tuner, and even CD players; all with their unique design and cleverly engineered twist. This also applied to their speakers too. Fast, lightweight cones, easy to drive, and offering a really incredibly open sound...

An Interesting Cabinet!

As usual, Rega have taken a unique approach to the new AYA floor standing speakers, one glimpse of the tall slim cabinet tells you that tale!

The cabinet has taken a great deal of research and co-operation with a third party concrete specialist, it is actually a construct of concrete lightened with glass fibre. The material is unfinished, and smooth to the touch. Each cabinet will have its own little unique pattern of micro air bubbles. The cabinet looks very sculptural, and is certainly a talking point in anyone's room.

Compared to a standard wooden box, it is much more rigid, and a far better acoustic enclosure. The base is terminated in a three legged arrangement, which offers perfect floor coupling, and gives the speaker the impression that it is floating in space. The drive units are open and exposed, grills are optional. The tweeter has inbuilt protection from inquisitive fingers, but other than that, they stand naked, at 258 x 871 x 215mm (10.2 x 34.3 x 8.5in) .

Rega aya! a step up from the rest

It Tweets and Thumps!

Rega list the drive units as the ZRR tweeter, MX-125 five inch mid bass, and RR 7.8 seven inch bass driver. No crossover points are given, but the design is described as a 'two and a half way'. In practice, this means that both the five inch and the eight inch driver handle the lower bass frequencies, with just the upper frequencies rolled off the larger unit.

Both units appear to be of doped paper construction, and both are fitted with phase plugs in the centre. Both units share the same space in the cabinet, with an acoustic resistance unit splitting the cabinet in to two sections, the drive units in the top half, with tuned bass port in the lower.

Not a space port chromey, for the umteenth time!! Bless him

What Drives Us?

Rega speakers of the past have been famed for their ease of drive, and the new AYA follows this established pattern. A modest 6 ohm nominal load is 50% higher than the currently accepted 'norm' of 4 ohms, and is easier for an amplifier to drive.

In addition, the Rega AYA is well above average when it comes to sensitivity. Sensitivity is essentially how efficient the speaker is at producing acoustic power from the amplifier's power in watts; the AYA will play very loud from as little as 20 watts, even 10 watts in smaller rooms, yet can handle well up to a 110 watts, enough to fill a very large space.

Room Friendly.

The low coloration and non resonant cabinet enables the speakers to be used in many different positions in a room. All speakers require a little space to perform at their absolute best, but of course they have to fit both physically and aesthetically in to our rooms. But this is one speaker that will work reasonably close to walls.

The port at the front affords you the ability to place close to the wall

The Music Matters!

If you have heard a Rega speaker before, you will hear the clear family pedigree in this new design, with an open and liquid midrange, excellent stereo image and precise sound stage.

The speaker responds well to more budget oriented systems, as well as the much more High-End. On arrival in store, we ran the new AYA up on around £15,000 worth of Naim pre-power-streamer system. The AYA did not disappoint. Skipping through a few tracks, the classic 1972 track by The Temptations, Papa Was A Rolling Stone popped up. On this song, each of the vocalists are positioned in a different location within the mix, and on a good system, you can hear quite clearly this splendid stereo effect. And again, on a good system, the different vocal characteristics of the singers shows clearly, and the Rega AYA excelled on this track.

Another 70s special, Bob James and the track, Angela (more familiar as the theme tune to the cult TV show Taxi). Bob James' Fender Rhodes electric piano sounded really clear, the midrange is really a stunning part of this superb speakers design, which as with The Temptations track, human voice is handled aplomb.

Sticking with the 70s vibe, some rare grooves from Camille Yarbrough and Take Your Praise (famously sampled by Fatboy Slim) which has low down sassy vocals and a solid bass line, the AYA did a fabulous job rendering this track, as they did on the more funky Hit or Miss, by Odetta. The piano, bass and drums sounds of Vince Guaraldi, and the recently remastered Black Orpheus soundtrack further proved the AYA's exceptional stereo imaging and life like qualities.

Jumping forward, and back in to the 21st century, the speaker had no problems with more modern programme material, as well as our classic choices. The treble is clean and fast, not bright and splashy, but smooth and controlled. The speaker's efficiency dictates that the bass end is never going to be thunderously deep, but they do go deep, and have a nice warming punch, that in no way effects the gloriously open and spacious midrange.

Chromey takes a stance on good feet and sits down on Aya’s feet.

How Much??, Give Over!!

Even on a much more modest Rega Brio amplifier accompanied by the Rega Planar 3 turntable, the fidelity remains top notch. One thing we haven't mentioned yet is the new AYA's price.

Despite the unique bespoke and rather clever cabinets, the handmade drive units and rigorous testing, the AYA costs a modest £1,499*. On a value for money note, there are few speakers that come close to the AYA on its liquid midrange, its openness, ease of drive and ease of use. A speaker that is at home in a High-End system, as much as a more budget friendly one. The unique looks might be a bit of a 'marmite' issue. But if you are in the market for a speaker at this price point, it is really hard not to give this excellent new addition to the Rega range an audition in store.

Our Rega Aya are on display and ready to demonstrate at our Manchester store. Please feel free to come along to the store and seek out the Rega Aya and see “how they doin’ "

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

Thanks for reading

Haden (Photos by Munir) - Audio T Manchester

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Chromey yearns for Jern, Rupert loves them too - Jern Loudspeakers

/

Full Metal Jacket

Chromey and Rupert are truly awed by the jern 11.

In the grand scheme of things, JERN Loudspeakers are a relatively new company, but stem from a long pedigree of Danish engineering and consulting. The Danes in general don't have a bad rep when it comes to speaker design, well known brands like DALI and Dynaudio for example. The raison d'etre for this little design is the superb cast metal enclosure. Not just any casting mind, but a high graphite content cast iron. Although the use of metal for enclosures is nothing new, dating back to the 1950s with the Goodmans Stereo Bowl for example; and through the generations, there have been plenty of metal cabinet designs. However, none have been in an inert cast graphite iron form. Danish JERN, pronounced 'yern' in English, are quick to point out the strong sonic advantages of the material. This, combined with the unique shape, and the rest of this speakers technology have, of course, a huge influence on the overall sound signature of the speaker.

JERN are always going to be a small bespoke manufacturer. Casting a heavy iron cabinet is never going to be something for the mass production mass market.

vibration kill chromey, Don’t panic!!! it’s just a patent

The technical bit…

The Model 11 stands just about 12” tall. It may be small, but they are mighty; they are over 12 kilo mass (each!) and make the speaker feel like it defies gravity, feeling a lot heavier than that! They come in four finishes, Polar White, Casting Grey, Nordic Black and Danish Red. It's shape has been carefully crafted, after the early pioneering work of engineer Dr Harry Olsen.

Olsen carefully measured the effect a cabinet had on sound resonances, and the cast cabinet of the JERN closely follows the ideal. Across their range of speakers there are differing qualities of drive units. The 11 starts the ball rolling, no pun intended! There is a clear synergy across the models. All feature simple 1st order crossover designs, famed for their flat phase response and transient speed.

Try not to get absorbed along with any diffracted sound chromey!

The tweeter is a 22mm Wavecor model with a textile membrane and a foam ring on the mounting plate to help absorb diffracted sound, providing a clearer and more pinpoint sound.

The mid/bass driver has a 146mm chassis and a woven glass fibre cone, the centre pole of the large magnet structure is ventilated to aid dispersion of heat, increasing power handling. The shape of the cast cabinet aids time alignment of the unit. That is to say both the voice coil of the bass unit and the tweeter are aligned, this with the first order crossover allows the two drive units to seamlessly integrate. The design is a sealed infinite baffle type enclosure. It does not have a bass port. All bass ports add some 'colour' to the sound, but at such low frequencies most of us feel it, rather than hear it.

the doughnut will hold you in place chromey.

To aid mounting of this heavy speaker, JERN can supply a couple of round 'doughnut' style rings to help locate and possibly protect any furniture you might like to place your heavy little JERN speakers upon. There is a matching stand available too, at a premium. The base of the speakers is flat, so some experimentation with different speaker stands is possible. The majority of speaker designs are designed to give their most accurate frequency response in a 'free space', that is to say well away from walls or corners. The JERN have huge immunity to coloration, thanks to the inert cabinets, and they are designed to be placed close to a rear wall. Much more convenient than most speakers. Connections are via a high quality set of binding posts / 4mm sockets. The speakers in room response is quoted as 45 hz to 20 Khz, sensitivity is on the low side, at 86dB per watt, and a nominal 4 ohm impedance, does dictate the use of fairly 'punchy' powerful amplification.

lets get ready to rumblllllllllle!!!!!!

Demonstration

With that in mind, the JERN speakers were hooked up to a NAIM NSS 222 streamer/preamp and latest NAIM NAP 250 power amplifier, located on a NAIM Frame lite, Chord Company Epic XL speaker cable and stands from Solid Steel. Our Manchester audition room is fairly large, and with quite huge bass absorbing windows. If any room can test a speaker’s performance, it is in here!

From the onset this speaker truly impresses, with its lack of colouration from the cabinet. Listening was started on George Benson's classic 1976 album Breezin' and the title track. This laid back smooth jazz track is impeccably recorded at the hands of engineer Al Schmitt at the world famous Capital studios in Hollywood. Played back on the JERN this track sounded immense. The sense of space and and openness was just incredible. Benson's guitar just floated in to the room, with real sonic realism. Trying to catch the low bass out, I upped the funk to a track by 'The Headhunters', God Made Me Funky. This track was played in a cinematic way, with a literally huge sound-stage, the bass lean, tight, fast and accurate.

Playing John Cage's latest album 'Solo', featuring Cage playing a retrospective of his past 50 years of work on the grand piano. A simple recording, it is superbly engineered, these little speakers really conveyed a grand piano in our listening room. The sound from both speakers converged so well, they actually manage that rare trick of actually disappearing, and the piano sound genuinely appearing in front of you. Playing various tracks from the ECM label, with their signature reverb sound was just utterly beautiful.

Whatever music was played, whatever genre, there was an underlying sense of accuracy and space. Flicking through a Frank Sinatra compilation, spreading across the years, each track had its own sonic personality, these little speakers providing the widest window on the sound available.

Those that value stereo image should really seek this speaker out. The imaging was just incredible, especially for a sub £1,500 speaker. Put your hand on a cabinet while playing, and there is no sense of vibration from it. The presence on vocals and wind instruments like saxophones is very impressive. The bass, although soufflé light, can convey textures and tones beautifully; rather than a muddy undercurrent to the tune, the bottom end displays real accuracy, individual strings have an open touch that few designs can match.

job well done boys!!

The speaker is not perfect, no speaker is. But very few speaker designs at any price point come with this sense of accuracy space, pace and absolute clarity... they are so radically different in looks sound and build, a unique, bespoke hand made speaker, refreshingly clean. Do not let the unconventional looks put you off. These little loudspeakers from Denmark are highly recommended.

Be sure to pop along to the Manchester store to view the Jern 11 in the flesh and experience the incredible sound they offer.

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

Thanks for reading

Haden, Munir, Dave and James - Audio T Manchester

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JERN Loudspeakers can be found at the following Audio T stores

Seventy years and counting, Saul Bernard Marantz's legacy continues.

/ Audio T Manchester/

In the early days of audio recordings, records suffered from inconsistent recording characteristics. In 1952, unhappy with equipment available at the time, music lover, freelance graphic artist, and amateur musician Saul Bernard Marantz, created what was for the time, a revolutionary pre-amplifier. The Audio Consolette was equipped with every equalizer curve necessary to handle erratic recording characteristics and immediately struck a chord with his friends. As a result, Saul established the Marantz Company in 1953 and opened a factory in Woodside, Queens, New York.

This was over 70 years ago, and the story of the Audio Consolette is worth a deep dive into for another blog, and because it involves RIAA curves I’m going to have to tap into Haden’s mind for some more knowledge on this.

Did you know! Saul Marantz built the very first Audio Consolette at his kitchen table..

I also can't help but feel a bit guilty about not covering Marantz's 70th Anniversary last year with a blog or acknowledgement of how they have contributed so significantly to Hi-fi over the past seventy-plus years. Watch this space for a separate story on that.

For now though, we would like to take quick look at the brand new 50 series combo from the Marantz Hi-fi collection…

I think that’s too casual chromey, our readers want a little more focus please.

The Marantz Model 50 amplifier and the CD50n (CD and network player) both fall in the middle tier of the Hi-fi range from Marantz. We'll run through some of specs and features here.

The CD50 Network streamer and the Model 50 amplifier

Marantz Model 50

A high-current, dual-device A/B amplifier, rated at a healthy 70 watts into 8 ohms and 100 watts into 4 ohms. This will partner a wide range of speakers from floorstanders to difficult to drive bookshelf speakers too.

The amp feels hefty because of the double layer bottom plate, which keeps the chunky power supply and thick metal front plate in place without any flex. Always a good sign for your engine room.

As regards to the styling and the new look from Marantz, which is all encompassing across the range, including the new AV surround amplifiers, I like it!

The wave ripple effect on the front fascia looks great in my humble opinion, Certainly not boring, reminds me of radio waves. Also, just like the Audio Consolette from 70 years ago we have bass and treble tone controls.

Around the back you have six analogue inputs including upgraded connectors for CD and phono, the most commonly used inputs. The moving magnet phono stage uses a new circuit without distortion-inducing coupling capacitors.

And as you can see the chunky binding posts let you connect 2 pairs of speakers to the Model 50, so you can, if needed, stick another pair in a different part of the house like the sun room for example and enjoy your music in there.

it says Marantz chromey, not massage.

Marantz CD50N

Marantz's combined CD player & network player, things start to get a bit more interesting.

The CD playback comes courtesy of a 32bit/384 DAC that gets those digital bits converted. The mechanism for the drawer is super smooth and so quiet, and if you're wondering “what's the big deal” well, it feels like an age since we have had CD players that can hold a candle to our regular British brands that tend to use manual drawers that you open by hand, pressing a button and having a drawer present a CD to you in this fashion, seems pretty cool again.

Marantz CD50n

The CD50's streaming credentials are underpinned by HEOS. A now established streaming platform that can claim to hold its own against other tried and tested platforms by Naim, Yamaha and Linn.

Within the app you can control streaming services from Tidal, Deezer and Spotify with the potential for more in the future.

You can also stream music from your own server to access music you may have previously stored on your computer or NAS drive. There's access to a tuner via the HEOS App, opening up thousands of radio stations for your perusal.

Ahh, a close inspection of those wonderful copper screws that hold everything in place

Two aerials on the back of the CD50N give you Bluetooth and Wifi, you can then stream directly from your phone to your hi-fi, podcasts, radio shows, YouTube even audiobooks. The addition of Airplay 2 affords you the ability to stream directly from your iphone and ipad too.

Aerial acrobatics coming up from chromey (alley-oop)

Another feather in the cap of the CD50N is the addition of digital inputs to the rear panel, you have a USB DAC for a direct PC/MAC connection for asynchronous file playback. An optical input and a coaxial input make up the rest.

More importantly, as regards to inputs, the CD50N has a HDMI ARC input. So if your stereo speakers are positioned on either side of your TV, you can connect a HDMI cable from the TV via the HDMI ARC and TV sound now extends to your wonderful Hi-fi speakers.

Around the back.

The source

And talking about wonderful speakers, we connected our Dynaudio Evoke 30s to the Marantz combo for an audio workout. So, firstly, we tried out the CD playback courtesy of that wonderfully smooth mech.

And to be fair, we were quite impressed, the DAC in the Marantz CD50 is from a lineage not to be sniffed at. Our Ali Farke Toure, Niafunke CD sounded great, a nice open sound that wasn't harsh like a lot of cheaper CD players can be.

The streaming playback followed suit, accessing Tidal through the HEOS app was a breeze.

And 24bit playback, again sounded smooth and refined, there is never a sense that the CD50 is shouting at you, but just gently talking to you with dulcet tones.

Now, to be honest, we didn't get to try out the HDMI ARC option on the CD50, however, we were quietly confident that the 32/384 DAC would do a way better job of being honest to one of Jools Holland's guests than a soundbar.

The final touch of super convenience for all, is the Airplay 2 and the Bluetooth function.

Everybody's phone connected seamlessly. We have a mixture of Android and iPhones in use at the store, and they all connected with little fuss. So YouTube audio here we come.

Ok, so to the engine room.

Everything we have spoken about regarding the CD50's sound wouldn't qualify were it not for the Model 50's handling of the Dynaudio Evoke 30's. The 100 watts into 4 ohms is more than ample for the speakers to sing along at loud volumes without missing a beat. Lower volume control is also great, which is always a good indicator, when the volume needs to be dropped for late night listening the sound stage is still full and rounded.

We tried some German electronic music from one of our faves Robag Wruhme, just to put the amp through it's paces, and sure enough, it didn't disappoint, The track Thora Vukk sounded huge with bags of bass filling our listening room, without sounding slow or wallowy.

So to wrap up. combined and individually, the series 50 from Marantz are a great new addition to Marantz's range, purchased together or as addition to an existing system, you'll be pleasantly surprised.

Our Marantz 50 series pairing is on demo at our Manchester store, feel free to give us a visit.

Thanks for reading

Munir, James, Haden & Dave - Audio T Manchester

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Chromey basks in Rega's Aura.

/ Audio T Manchetser/

Rega's reference phonostage, the AURA could be seen as perfect for any high end turntable, but especially the new Rega NAIA…

It's funny, a couple of generations back, phono stages hardly existed. But when CD started to have its moment, a lot of amplifiers began to lose their internal phono capabilities. A record deck requires a sophisticated circuit to both amplify and equalise the delicate signal from the record deck’s cartridge and stylus. In the dark digital days, it was considered an unnecessary addition to an amplifier and was removed by certain manufacturers, some offering a basic add on phonostage, some not. But from this there developed a market for add-on phono stages, some of which from small manufacturers could be better sounding than the propriety one from a major maker! The market for phono stages opened up, and now, you can buy anything from £100 to £100,000, with huge arguments about just 'what' makes the best design.

The cartridge fitted to the end of your turntable's arm produces a tiny tiny voltage, especially moving coil type cartridges. A cartridge is effectively a mini generator. As the record groove turns, the undulating record groove wall moves the stylus side to side and up and down, and the tiny generating system produces a stereo signal from this. (In mono records, information is 'cut' as just sideways movement in the groove.) In voltage terms, the average moving coil, MC, cartridge produces only around 0.0005 of a volt! A terrifyingly low signal level. The phono stage has the hard job of amplifying this very low signal up to around a 1 or 2 volts (5 volts for a balanced signal, on your typical XLR type connections).

That sadly is not the end of the complexity. All records are 'cut' with an equalisation curve, called the RIAA curve, very simply the treble is severely boosted and the bass severely lowered when a record is 'cut' at the studio. On playback, this boost and cut needs to be reversed for perfect reproduction on playback: The bass severely boosted, and the treble hugely reduced.

As you can see from above, the phono stage has an incredibly complex job to do. The Rega Aura is a state of the art piece of electronics designed to do just that, and gain the maximum fidelity from your records. It has been 100% optimised to resolve the 'best' from all low output moving coil cartridges, and been designed to fit universally in to any High End audio system.

The first thing to hit you about the Aura, is its substantial build. 10mm thick aluminium panels form the top and the bottom of the unit, minimising any possible vibrations interfering with the delicate and highly sensitive audio electronics within the case. At the rear are six professional audio connectors. Four professional grade phono sockets provide input from your turntable, and output to your amplifier, with the addition of a pair of balanced fully professional XLR output connectors. A ground terminal and an IEC mains connector. The front panel contains a power switch, mono/stereo switch; this helps reduce noise while playing mono records, a mute switch; handy for changing records, gain high/low selector; depending on just how low output your cartridge is, and fine adjustment of both the cartridge load and capacitance; each cartridge has its own unique settings.

For the technically minded, the AURA can be broken down into four parts; arguably the most important part of any amplifier is the power supply. On the AURA it is simply huge; an oversized high current toroidal mains transformer literally supplies the juice, along with dual balanced power supply with active regulation, with a much higher voltage than is common in any phono stage. The input from the cartridge is directly coupled to the input electronics, in this case a direct connection to an array of FET transistors, delicate enough to accurately boost up the delicate audio signal to a useable level. The signal is then passed on to the middle part of the circuit via a passive high filter, this corrects the treble part of the RIAA curve.

The middle circuit builds on the gain of the first part, and accuratly corrects the bass part of the RIAA equalisation curve actively. Lesser designs combine the RIAA correction in to one active filter, although cheaper, this kind of circuit can both increase distortion and be less accurate. Of course this is a state of the art design, and a no compromise design at that. The final part of the design is a 'flat' amplifier to give a suitable output for your amplifier. Fully balanced to suit direct connection to other balanced designs via the XLR connections, as well as the more conventional phono sockets. Internally, the two channels are built in monoblock configurations on the main high quality circuit board.

In use, we have tried and tested the AURA in all manner of systems. In every case it has excelled in performance. The sensitive FET front ensures high gain and low noise, providing you with a deeper incite in to the recordings. The split passive (treble) and active (bass) RIAA ensures soaring heights, with pin sharp stereo imaging, combined with controlled, clean, deep articulated bass. Kick drums delight in their power, but light and open touch. Cymbals have clarity and depth, with no spit, sizzle or splash. Both male and female vocals have a true authority and power, helped by the AURA's powerful output stage and huge power supply. The overall sonic landscape is smooth, weighty, extended and beautifully detailed. The amount of information retrieval is truly impressive, as is the expansive sound stage. Stereo imaging is holographic, the internal monoblock design of the circuit really helping to maximise the stereo separation. There is a lot of competition in High End phono stages. What marks the REGA Aura out is its utterly organic sound. The way the music starts and stops, its openness and smooth dynamics. It's universality aids its popularity as our 'best selling' High End phono stage, it's ability to extract the best from all low output moving coil cartridges, as well as being optimal for REGA's own excellent cartridges.

If you are in this market, and looking for the very best fidelity for your money. Contact your local Audio T dealer for an audition today.

Thanks for reading

Haden, James, Munir & Dave - Audio T Manchester

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Rega Naia & Aphelion 2 Cartridge - Chromey and Haden investigate

/ Audio T Manchester/

Many years ago, Rega was famed for their upper end budget record spinners, the classic Planar 2 and Planar 3, utilising the classic RB300 and RB250 tonearms, sold by the tens of thousands. Not to mention the production of improved and refined models continue to this very day.

As the company has grown, so has the choice of turntables offered. The budget Planar 1 offers audiophiles on a budget a real taste of high fidelity sound far in advance of any single competitor for the money. Moving up, the Planar 6, 8 and 10 really offer serious and significant upgrade paths, technology developed for the higher-end decks has filtered down and found it's way in to the more budget models.

Roy Gandy - Co Founder and OWNER rega

In 2009 Rega started work on making the absolute best turntable they could produce. The result was the Naiad. An extremely limited edition run of turntables, available only to those that Rega felt worthy. However, to make Naiad remotely affordable, Rega had to order parts in quantities of 50, this set the figure for the maximum number of Naiad Rega would ever be able to manufacture, each one painstakingly assembled by hand by a team of their most highly skilled team, including Rega’s CEO, Phil Freeman. To this date, Rega has now made and sold more than 30 Naiad at a cost of £29,999 each.

Rega have chosen to close the gap between the performance offered by the exclusive Naiad model, and the excellent Planar 10. Enter the Naia…

At first glance, you might mistake the new reference Naia model for the older Planar 10 model. The black chassis, white ceramic platter, and polished aluminium arm tube give similar styling clues... But in truth, the only 'common' part is Rega's highly developed 24V motor, every other part is a substantial upgrade from the already sublime Planar 10.

CHROMEY AND THE REGA NAIA

Rega was the first company to sell a modern injection die cast tonearm, in the form of the original 1980s RB300 (and lesser sibling, RB250). This arm not only won awards for its sonic abilities, but industry design awards for its innovation. The arm fitted to the Naia is a true reference. Similar to the arm fitted to the Planar 10, it features a low-mass polished one-piece aluminium arm tube, dubbed the RB-Titanium, above a mere number, the Titanium references the core of the arm, which, as you may have worked out, is machined from titanium. Rega can proudly boast this is the most rigid and most accurate sound reproducing tone arm they have produced.

The black chassis is based on the well used Rega theory of two rigid 'skins' filled with a light weight material, and then utilising a matching pair of braces to link the energy flowing through the deck. In order to achieve the ultimate balance between low mass and extreme rigidity, Rega has pioneered the use of graphene impregnated carbon and a Tancast 8 polyurethane foam core specifically for the Naia. Both super light and super rigid. In addition, the braces themselves are now made out of super rigid ceramic. Even the chassis feet have had much of their mass removed in a unique and bespoke manner, all upgrades from the Planar 10. Rega argue a high mass plinth system cannot help but to store some energy, and therefore 'smear' the detailed sounds recovered by the superb RB Titanium arm.

not sure you are going to go fast enough to leave orbit chromey!! Worth a shot i guess (pardon the pun)

You can see the concave in the platter above.

One of the standout visuals on the Planar 10 is the ceramic platter. The Naia ceramic platter is slightly deeper than the 10, but also has had more thought to it's design, the underside is concave, with rather than a 'lip' of mass at the periphery, as within the 10, the Naia gently smooths from thin at the centre to thick at the edge. The platter is much more inert, introducing less of its own sonic character.

Over the years, much has been made about the main bearing quality, and all Rega decks made feature a super quality main bearing. The Naia really pushes established manufacturing technology. In Rega's own words: “The Naia uses a custom aluminium sub-platter with a spindle and central bearing manufactured from ZTA (zirconium toughened alumina). ZTA was formerly developed for use in much larger machines used in the paper industry. The resistance against abrasion was much higher than alumina oxide, which makes it the perfect material to construct a central bearing assembly from. Exceptionally complex to make, production is similar to other oxide ceramics. Starting life as a powder preparation with spray drying, the piece is formed in an isostatic press (which applies pressure in all directions to create even density). The piece is then turned in a green state (before firing) then fired at 1600 °C for 3 days before grinding the bottom flange and bore and then final honing to match the spindle diameter. The spindle and bearing are then kept together as a set to guarantee the perfect fit.” All this assures unhindered platter revolution and absolute stability, and near perfect sound..

As mentioned earlier, the 24V motor is about the only significant assembly carried over from the Planar 10. A revised pulley sees no less than three drive belts, (as per the Naiad) to counter any belt slippage, linking to the precision sub platter. As per the Planar 10, a powerful power-supply and speed control drives the motor, but with the Naia, the motors drive waveform is derived through digital signal processing techniques, which further reduce any possibility of motor noise being imparted upon the refined sound.

chromey is at aphelion (for you astronomers)

Rega can supply the new Naia factory set-up with the Aphelion 2 cartridge, and as a set to listen to, as you would expect, it is a serious performer. The first thing that stands out is the openness and directness of sound. The deck liberates tunes from your vinyl collection. Each record played with such detail and fluidity. Pitch stable and solid, but open and lifelike reproduction. The deck is also incredibly quiet. Between tracks there is an almost deathly silence, the deck adds no mechanical noise. No rumble or noises from the motor or drive system. The turntable does its absolute best to disappear from the sound, and leaves you with just the music, with a lack of 'colour' to the sound. A sound that is defined by the records themselves, and not the deck.

As a range topping deck, featuring cutting edge technology, the Naia sets new heights in sonic fidelity from Rega. Ready for your own choice of cartridge from £9,999*, or complete with the Aphelion 2 for £12,499. On audition now at your local Audio T store.

Come along and speak to Munir, Dave, James and Haden for further information on the Rega Naia and Aphelion combo.

Thanks for reading

Haden, James, Munir & Dave - Audio T Manchester

Come along and speak to Munir, Dave and James at the store to arrange a demonstration.

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

*All prices, credit terms and interest rates quoted are correct at the time of going to press but may be subject to change. E&OE

Chromey pre-empts his preamble about the precious new Preamplifier from prestigious purveyors of Hi-Fi, Naim, and predicts a premium powerhouse.

/ Audio T Manchester/

The Preamble

1974 seems like a long time ago for some, for Hi-Fi maker Naim Audio 1974 was their first year of business after founding the year prior in 1973 and - relevant to today’s blog - it's when they first introduced the NAC 12 preamplifier, which subsequently resulted in the release of multiple award-winning preamps over the years, that are still sought after by Hi-Fi aficionados the world over.

Naim are never a company to rush a new product to market. Their range has steadily developed from the original NAC 12 / NAP 200 combination over the last 50 years. The route of their design and philosophy has slowly progressed, and today we are celebrating the new NAC 332 preamplifier. A powerful design that bases itself on state of the art electronic design developed for the cool quarter of a million pound Naim Statement amplifier. The traditional black die cast enclosure sleeve has had a major upgrade to its design, as has the facia and electronics. Only the footprint remains similar to Naim's traditional separates range.

The Presentation

The fascia is balanced on the right-hand side by the rather pretty function buttons. The box design is broken up with a strip of high-quality perspex that extends across the top and down the fascia, with a bright and clear (and dimmable) Naim logo right in the middle. Rather than the rather solid, and rather staid-looking black cast sleeve, that has been a hallmark of the vast majority of Naim designs over the past 45 years, the construction of the '332 is much more esoteric in both design and quality of materials. Various high-quality anodised panels make up the lid and base, with a pair of complementary 'heat sinks' on either side. Nobody would or could ever accuse Naim of skimping on the build of their products, but these latest designs (including the NBC-TT phono stage, NSC 222 streamer/preamp, NSS 333 streamer, NPX 300 power supply and finally the NAP 350 mono-block power amplifiers) raise the design game by an utterly enormous magnitude. They look amazing, are built amazingly, which of course helps and aids the sublime sound quality.

The Preliminaries

The new volume control dominates the fascia. Not only is it pleasing on the eye, but Naim's volume control is pleasing on the ear too. For generations conventional volume controls have been based on a potentiometer, literally the volume control is a resistive element wiped by a pointer. This simple arrangement was used back in the 1920s, and despite being heavily refined over the years, there are always mild errors which translate to poorer sound. Electronic alternatives rely on either electronic switches, resistor ladders, relays, or even specially-made integrated circuits for the job. Each design has its own quirks, and Naim have cleverly combined two types into one control; the resistor ladder and the integrated circuit. The ladder network offers the highest fidelity, and is the most costly. On the negative side, the network can make clicks when adjusting the level. The integrated circuit has much poorer sound, but is devoid of clicks. Naim have cleverly combined both, so you have the best sound of the resistor ladder, but the noise free option of the integrated circuit. Of, course, this tech was taken from the Naim Statement.

The Preconnections

Connections on the rear include fully assignable phono sockets and XLR connections, with outputs and inputs in both those formats. There are also 'Burndy' connections for power supply upgrades, and more traditional Naim DIN connectors to connect to the matching NBC-TT phono stage, which can be powered from the '332, and of course both designs can be upgraded with the appropriate matching power supplies.

Prepare yourself

Of course these physical design upgrades would be pointless if there wasn't such a huge upgrade within the handsome solid case. As previously mentioned, the new '332 borrows heavily from the top of the line Naim Statement, and being blunt about it, is a huge upgrade on previous classic Naim preamplifiers. The sound is more open, wider and more detailed, without losing the classic Naim pace rhythm and timing... the unit's sonic qualities are simply sublime. Matched with the complementary and equally impressive NAP 350 power amplifiers and NSS 333 streamer, the NAC 332 comes closer to that Naim statement than ever before… And for around a tenth of the price!

We have ours set up in Manchester, so come along and talk to us about a personal demonstration.

Thanks for reading

James, Munir, Haden & Dave - Audio T Manchester

Come along and speak to Munir, Dave and James at the store to arrange a demonstration.

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

Chromey Screams XRRRRRR!!!!!!! - (Sorry, He Streams Cyrus XR)

/ Audio T Manchester/

Cyrus have a long history with their small format British-designed & built audio equipment, in fact, 2024 will mark the brand’s forty year anniversary of innovation and superb sound quality. The first Cyrus amplifier was quite revolutionary at the time, and offered giant-killing performance for a very modest cost, and set the mould for the style of the die-cast enclosure.

Chromey investigates the stream XR this all hallows eve.

There is quite a lot within the compact and now rather iconic diecast 75 x 215 x 355 mm enclosure, as well as an in-built ESS based 24 BIT DAC, the unit offers two digital inputs and a fixed or variable analogue output, allowing one small compact unit to drive a matching Cyrus power amp, or even a set of active loudspeakers, for a truly minimal high-end system. Streaming control is based around the popular BluOS, now in the latest 4.0 version; a highly smooth operating system, which as well as supporting multi room audio at the full 24 BIT 192KHz lossless resolution, network streaming, and internet radio, it also supports all of the popular streaming services such as Tidal, Qobuz, Deezer, Spotify and dozens of others, as well as Roon, Apple Airplay2 and MQA decoding.

Soft touch control.

Existing Cyrus owners will be the first to notice the subtle style changes to the iconic die-cast case. The smooth finish is complimented by eight smooth soft-touch controls, which include basic functions such as power and volume control. A comprehensive LCD display shows the status of the unit’s operation. At the rear analogue outputs are complemented by two digital outputs and two digital inputs, one of each standard type SPDIF coaxial and Toslink optical. The digital inputs allow the streamer to operate as a preamp for any other digital source, DAB tuner, CD transport, TV sound, DVD, Bluray etc. In addition to the IEC power cable, a connection is provided for the latest PSU-XR, an upgrade on the well known and highly popular PSX-R power supply. A USB connection and RJ45 local area network connection are provided as well as the internal high speed 5Ghz Wifi. To sync functions, there is also the Cyrus MC bus connections.

Cyrus claims that the latest XR series of audio products are the manifestation of over a decade’s accumulated technology and development knowledge. There is no shortage of innovation under the skin of the Stream-XR, with particular attention paid to the detail of every component that lies in the audio path. The DAC output stage of the Stream-XR features the 2nd generation of the award-winning QXR DAC, which includes a high-speed analogue buffer audio stage. The QXR DAC design is based on the ESS ES9038Q2M chipset, which has had every component analysed by the Cyrus engineering team, coupled with the layout being fully optimized to tune the DAC to achieve the highest possible performance. The result is a DAC that claims to reconstruct the original analogue signal with incredible accuracy and precision, revealing layers and depth to the music.

The new cyrus casework has chrome feet!!!! Put those back chromey!!!

The sound is incredibly analogue sounding and spacious, and what is more, can be transformed to an even higher level with the aforementioned PSU-XR. The original 1980s PSX supply was quite a simple, if powerful power supply. The PSX-R offered a big improvement in sophistication, but the new PSU-XR is in a different much higher class. A large audio-grade toroidal transformer with fifteen separate windings, ground-isolated regulation circuitry and separate output power and ground returns in the umbilical connection cable minimise electrical noise in the multiple power feeds to the Stream XR. No less than five separate regulated supplies are provided, and the entire supply is intelligent, featuring its own microprocessor to control it. This unit offers a serious upgrade on the already very high standard set by the standard Stream-XR.

Forty years ago, when Digital Audio was in its infancy, and the highest resolution was a lowly 16 BIT signal, Cyrus was already pushing digital audio sound quality boundaries, just as it is doing today with the latest Stream XR and PSU-XR, their strong legacy continues. We invite you to audition these latest high-end streamers at Audio T. And as a plus for any owner of the earlier generation of pre-BluOS Cyrus streamer, an upgrade path is on offer for a limited time. Find out more here.

Now on demonstration at Audio T Manchester. Book your audition now.

Thanks for reading

Haden - Audio T Manchester

Come along and speak to Munir, Dave and James at the store to arrange a demonstration.

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

Naim Phono NVC TT & NPX TT makes Chromey vinyl happy.

/ Audio T Manchester/

Back in around 1990, CD music sales bypassed both vinyl record and audio cassette sales for the first time. Hi-fi systems adapted to the change, in what at the time appeared to be the slow, and terminal decline of the vinyl record, which had been first conjured up by Emilie Berliner way back in 1881...

For those that don’t know - Turntable replay requires some rather special treatment by an amplifier's electronics. A cartridge and stylus can be thought of in the terms of a 'mini dynamo', the music is reproduced by the stylus tracing the three dimensional groove in the vinyl. The stylus connects to the cartridge's coils or magnets, which are located within the cartridge body. The stylus movement in the record groove creates a movement between these micro sized magnets and the coils, and a really small electrical signal is generated at the cartridge’s output. Special electronics are required to boost this super tiny signal to what might be called a 'line level', a level similar to the output of a CD player or DAC. In addition to this tiny signal that an amplifier’s phono stage has to deal with, there is the added complexity of the RIAA curve.

RIAA equalization is a form of pre-emphasis on recording and de-emphasis on playback. When a record is pressed at the recording studio, the bass frequencies are reduced by a really significant level. Without this, the bass frequencies would be near impossible to physically cut on to the record, this requires our amplifier to boost up the bass frequencies on playback to attain a flat response. However, there are two parts to the RIAA curve, in a bid to reduce both record noise and to ease the cutting of a record, treble frequencies are boosted when the record is produced, and need to be reduced when played back.

From around 1990 onwards, the majority of amplifiers tended to be designed without an inbuilt phono preamplifier. In some cases it simply wasn't needed if you had no turntable, and where it was needed, a new market in separate phono preamplifiers was created.

Naim Audio also took this route, and with the current vinyl revival showing no signs of slowing down, we now have this new phono preamplifier as part of the new classic range. The new NVC TT phono preamplifier comes in a traditional cast aluminium case, and is currently the smallest box within the new Naim classics. The quality of build is exemplary, the quality of the enclosure’s machining and anodising is superb, with a perfectly black perspex fascia, embellished with an illuminated, dimmable, Naim logo.

At the rear of the new NVC TT are all the connections and configurable switches. Two separate inputs are provided for MC (Moving Coil) and MM (Moving Magnet) with a switch providing selection, and a further switch offering up a choice between gain settings for MC cartridges. Next along are a pair of RCA outputs, for non-Naim gear, and Naim's recommended DIN connection (for all of their amplifiers). The connection for a power supply is to the side of this, which also allows the unit to be powered from a suitable Naim pre-amplifier, with one simple multi-pin connection for both power and audio. It is here that the dedicated, matching power supply, the NPX TT, can be very simply fitted as an upgrade for Naim users, or for any listeners using other than a Naim main or pre-amplifier. Just below the output connections are a pair of multi-position switches that vary the resistive and capacitive load presented by the amplifier, to fine-tune to any cartridge needs. Very comprehensive adjustments can be made.

Both preamplifier and power supplywere developed as part of Naim's limited edition turntable; The Solstice. However, this is the first time these exciting new products have been available on their own.

Moving coil and moving magnet cartridges have different needs. A moving magnet cartridge features larger fixed coils to pick up the magnet's subtle movements to generate the signal; the moving coil cartridge has the magnet fixed, and a micro sized miniature coil generating output. The micro sized coils require a lower 'load' from the pre-amplifier, and require much more amplification. By offering separate inputs, Naim can offer the best for both types, and compromise neither. A typical 'MM' cartridge produces 5mv, or 0.005 of a volt. An MC cartridge 5 microvolts, or 0.0005 of a volt! You can now see why a substantial power supply with robust regulation are required and supplied by the Naim design. Electronics are complex things; the cheapest way for a manufacturer to produce phono preamp is to purchase a simple IC integrated circuit. With this, of course, you are at the whim of the IC manufacturer; mass produced and cheap doesn't really suit the remit of a state of the art phono stage, and of course Naim do not go down that route. Fully discrete components are used to a bespoke and newly developed Naim design, using high end audiophile grade components.

The tech specs of the unit are truly impressive. Distortion is lower than 0.005% with a high 84 dB signal to noise ratio, helping produce a transparent and clean clear sound. The RIAA curve is reproduced with incredible accuracy, only deviating by the most tiny 0.1dB.

Of course with the resurgence of high end audiophile turntables and the increase in fidelity and design, this level of performance is needed The tiny information in the grooves has never been so accurately tracked. So the accuracy, quietness and cleanliness of the new Naim phono pre-amplifier can further resolve the most minute of details, enhancing our musical enjoyment.

The natural partner for the new unit is the New Classic range, and in store we connected it up to the NSC 222 streaming pre-amplifier and new classic NAP 250, driving Dynaudio Confidence loudspeakers. Turntable was a Linn LP12 Selekt fitted with an Arko arm and a Kendo cartridge (Moving Coil). A pretty cool, state of the art design, and a classic natural partner for the Naim. A classic system. So our auditioning began...

A classic system deserves some classic vinyl. Bob James album “Two”, produced in 1975 by the famous Rudy Van Gelder at his Englewood Cliffs Studio in New York. An early example of early complex multi-tracking and multi-layering of sound. This is a huge sounding recording, but subtly controlled in its dynamics. The 'TT phono stage placed in the above system reveled in displaying every level and layer of this recording. It wasn't forced, it wasn't emphasized. Bob James's keyboard work stood out cleanly from the complex and layered background. We played this album twice, once with the device powered from the '222 pre', and then connected to the NPX TT power supply. It was immediately apparent this power supply provides an incredible jump in performance, maxing out every parameter of the 'TT's performance.

Jumping forward some 40 years with our records, and a much more modern take on a jazz recording, Badbadnotgood (with Ghostface Killah) Sour Soul is, of course, far more dynamic and far more modern than Bob James.. a soulful trip-hop recording. The dynamics absolutely popped with the Naim phono pre-amplifier. Channel separation is huge, dynamics are huge. Bass extension, clarity, and weight are better than most digital sources. The absolute lack of background noise and the ultra-low distortion really let the music from the vinyl flow. No rose tinted vinyl spectacles here, this is modern state-of-the-art sound. Traditional Naim precision of rhythm and timing, but with a more up-to-date musical presentation, empowered with huge detail resolution.

These are wonderful products, designed for those seeking the very best in their vinyl experience. Naim have taken both technical and subjective performance to another level. For the few who can choose, an audition is highly recommended.

Thanks for reading

Haden - Audio T Manchester

Come along and speak to Munir, Dave and James at the store to arrange a demonstration.

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

Rega makes it clear that the P6 rocks. Chromey needs clarification.

/ Audio T Manchester/

Rega have a long history of improvement and development. Never a company to fit around fads or fashion, their products cut their own groove when it comes to product development. In the 1980's they redefined the performance levels offered by an affordable turntable; the classic Planar 2 and Planar 3 models both introduced revolutionary arm technology, with unheard of arm rigidity for the price. The RB250, and its more refined brother the RB300, became the stuff of legends.

I CAN see the death star from here!!

Over the last generation, Rega have hugely improved on these two landmark products, the introduction of the absolute reference 'NAIAD' turntable showed what Rega could do with a virtually unlimited budget, and further advanced Rega's knowledge and understanding of turntable design. Rega now offers a well-thought-out and carefully orchestrated range of turntables ranging from the introductory P1 through to the reference NAIAD. But still, a commonality runs through their ultra-low mass and high rigidity designs, even in the entry model P1, making them instantly recognisable as a Rega deck in both sound and style.

The P6 sits quite squarely as the 'mid-range' deck in the Rega range. The deck's plinth borrows technology from the High-End P10 model, with its use of its aerospace technology incorporated in the ultra-low mass foam core and HPL laminated plinth. The plinth is fully braced top and bottom with a pair of alluminium braces, linking the base of the arm to the precision main bearing housing. As standard the deck comes with Rega's NEO MkII electronic turntable power supply, which, as well as providing a convenient method of speed change, enhances the AC drive signal for the decks motor, providing an improvement in noise and speed stability. The result is a much clearer and defined sound. The 24V hand-tuned motor is coupled to the single-piece, precision-machined sub-platter via a reference EBLT belt. The main platter uses a substantial double-float layered traditional Rega glass-type design. This gives an increased fly-wheel effect, giving greater speed and pitch stability.

The CIRCLE of chrome, completes chromey.

The arm fitted is shared with the next model up in the range, the P8, the arm being the RB880. Technology in metal casting has been hugely improved from the days when the RB300 was state-of-the-art. The '880 features a thinner die casting, to reduce arm mass, and features a tapered arm tube, to reduce arm resonance and substantially increase strength. The RB880 also features exceptionally strong and low friction bearings, counterbalanced with a stainless steel counterweight. This all helps to capture all of the smallest of vibrations from the record, providing the most stable of structures for the cartridge to resolve every exact detail. The standard cartridge supplied is the well known three bolt mounting moving magnet the 'Exact' - with the option of a factory fitted Ania or Ania Pro moving coil.

All of this technology enables the Rega P6 to outperform rival decks at double the cost. A refined and detailed performer, offering a level of audiophile quality normally unheard of at this price point. Taking a classic album track such as Fleetwood Mac and 'The Chain', the improvement in bass definition, and the ability to clearly hear the precise changing of the notes is something that lesser decks leave muddy and fuddy. Vocals open out and the singers fill the room, sounding less like they are being reproduced via a pair of loudspeakers, but simply more real. The high quality arm bearings give the deck freedom and power in the bass & treble registers, when the drums kick in, you really feel it!

Rega has correctly always put performance as paramount over aesthetics. For the last few years, the latest P6 came from the factory in a finish described as 'polaris grey', fitted complete with a smoked lid, plus a frosted edge to the double float glass platter. As you can see from our pictures, the latest revision features an all white plinth, the grey polaris does remain, an all clear polished edge to the platter, plus an all clear lid complements this lovely new light white look, giving the deck an air of design and lightness of touch.

Thanks for reading,

Haden, Munir, James, & David - Audio T Manchester

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

Bluesound Node X Anniversary Edition.

/ Audio T Manchester/

It's incredible to think Bluesound has existed for ten years now. Streaming High Definition audio has transformed the way we audiophiles listen to our digital music choices. For the past few years, the Bluesound NODE has been without doubt the best introduction to this, and at a very budget-friendly price. Over the years Bluesound has increased the fidelity with every new version of the NODE introduced, and now to celebrate the 10th anniversary, they have released the ultimate limited edition to celebrate; The NODE X.

Chromey has X wings, finally.!!

Resplendent in it's limited edition silver finish, to mark it out from the standard NODE streamer, the NODE X has had it's audio performance turbocharged; the on-board DAC has been upgraded to a reference levels ESS Sabre DAC.

And headphone users take note, as symbolized on the front panel where the standard model's convenient headphone socket has been upgraded from a 3.5mm socket to the larger 6.35mm connection, hinting at a much more serious thought given to headphone amplifier quality. Behind the upgraded socket lies an upgrade in amplifier, with no lesser technology than from the World famous THX Labs, and their AAA (Achromatic Amplifier Technology) ensures what THX Labs claim to be the ultimate in a no-compromise headphone audio experience, with the highest levels of fidelity and the lowest distortion. The other handy little extra is the included remote control for the NODE X, a further upgrade in practicality.

The NODE has always been a bit of a 'Swiss Army Knife' in its approach. Especially given its ultra-compact dimension. Download the BluOS app to your mobile device, and you have a full-blooded streamer capable of accessing all your local audio files on your network, your PC, or via a hard drive or pen stick plugged into the rear of the unit. Even without the BluOS installed, the NODE's can stream from any Bluetooth-enabled device, up to 24-bit resolution is supported with the latest coding.

Apple users can enjoy the latest AirPlay, for lossless play from any Apple device. It is even possible to add other digital and analogue sources to the unit, handy if you have more than one Bluesound device, enabling easy multiroom set-up. The in-built DAC can even be used to upgrade your TV sound, with an up-to-the-minute HDMI channel for audio interfacing. Every streaming service is catered for within the Bluesound BluOS app, Spotify, and the higher quality master quality Tidal and Qobuz. MQA audio support has been native on Bluesound products since its introduction and of course 24 BIT 192Khz playback resolution. Comprehensive analogue and digital outputs are fitted too. If you can find a DAC to improve on the ESS Sabre fitted to the 'X... Internet radio is also embedded into the BluOS operating system. Did we say this really was a Swiss army knife!

The original NODE never fails to impress sonically. Given its low entry-level price, it is a real bargain. But the upgraded limited edition X takes the fidelity even higher, with more precision, and weight. Cleaner cut sonic details and a much more precise sound image. The normal NODE is a seriously amazing piece of kit for a very modest price, but the limited edition X takes it to another level.

Our Node X is on demo, so pop along to our Manchester store to take a look and have a listen.

Thanks for reading,

Haden, Munir, James, & David - Audio T Manchester

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

Bluesound can be found at the following Audio T stores -

Cyrus takes a new stance on a Classic, Chromey investigates!

/ Audio T Manchester/

For those of you who think that change for the sake of change is the way to move forward and keep the Hi-Fi fires burning with "an all-new look", I'd say fair enough, but when it comes to case design from one of our oldest Hi-Fi manufacturers in the UK, Cyrus, the old adage goes: if it ain't broke...

So, fittingly, the Classic AMP has kept the original styling from the past 15 or so years, apart from a small but very welcome change. Gone are the "stick on" rubber feet and in come adjustable chrome feet, giving the Cyrus a "tougher yet sturdier-looking stance".

From Chromey to chrome

For instance, Porsche, known as one of the few car designers that have stuck to their guns for over 50 years, has kept roughly the same shape for the 911, and I personally love the look of the Porsche, as they also look tougher and meaner, even after putting on a little weight. But let’s not digress…

Old school Vs New school

The word “classic” in the new Classic AMP from Cyrus doesn't mean they’ve just reintroduced an old design back into their portfolio; on the contrary, the bods at R&D have completely re-designed the internals with upgraded components that mirror and reflect the new XR lineup, that's making waves for Cyrus at the moment.

What the Classic AMP does is give people with the previous kit and the same casework the chance to change out the engine room in their respective systems, and upgrade at the same time. It also affords the opportunity to fans of the classic styling to grab a great looking integrated amp with a small footprint.

Very Grounded

The Classic AMP has a built-in phono stage of a decent calibre, not ostentatious or showy, but just right. It can confidently hold its own against standalone phono stages priced anywhere up to £500. The 2 phono socket caps in the picture help against interference when not in use, again, a nice little touch from Cyrus.

Heady aspirations!

Hidden around the back you’ll also find a dedicated headphone output, for those moments when you don't want to disturb anyone during a late-night listening session. It's a 3.5mm jack that takes up minimum space on the rear panel and sounds great with most reasonably easy-to-drive headphones.

Its XR rated.

We listened to our Classic AMP at the Manchester store with a pair of Spendor A7 loudspeakers. And to say we're impressed is an understatement.

The Cyrus sounded open and detailed, with the bass control to rival amps way above this price point.

It sounded like "Cyrus", as in the Cyrus of old, clean, and refined, but with the added clout of the new XR range. The Classic feels like a recipient of trickle-down technology from the XR range, which is great.

Interestingly Cyrus is, and has been over the last few years, making up for lost ground that they may feel they've lost to the competition. The recent acquisitions and collaborations are bearing fruit.

We get the feeling that Cyrus's new stance on Hi-Fi is going to be a solid one.

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

Thanks for reading,

Munir, James, & David - Audio T Manchester

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

Cyrus can be found at the following Audio T stores -

Neat Petite - The finest little speaker Chromey wants to meet!

/ Audio T Manchester/

Neat Acoustics speakers have been a regular feature at Audio T over the years, supplying us with various diminutive and distinctive loudspeakers for the last 30 years, offering up cutting-edge technology such as isobaric bass cabinets and supremely smooth ribbon tweeters.

Today, we’ll look at the latest version of the Neat Petite Classic. Featuring a compact 2 way design with the Air Motion Transformer (AMT) ribbon tweeter taking care of the higher frequencies and a mineral filled polypropylene cone on mid/bass duties.

A Little History

In 2021, with the blessing of founder Bob Surgeoner, Neat Acoustics launched a special edition, 30th Anniversary version of the Neat Petite. Limited to just 100 pairs worldwide, the Petite 30 was an all-new model that echoed design cues from previous incarnations. Moreover, each pair was tested personally by Bob and came with a gift pack containing a Neat branded pen, tote bag, dedicated commemorative booklet and a USB containing a unique collection of Bob’s music dating from the 1970s to the present day.

The design proved so successful that Neat have now committed to a new range called the Petite Classic…

Now for the technical bit…

The AMT tweeter, also known as Air Motion Transformer. Invented by an interesting chap called Oskar Heil, the AMT operates on a different transduction principle from other loudspeaker designs, such as moving coil, planar magnetic or electrostatically-driven loudspeakers, and should not be confused with planar or true ribbon loudspeakers.

In fact, the diaphragm pushes back and forward from itself in a physical motion similar to that observed when an accordion is pushed in and pulled out to pump air though the reed chambers, albeit over an exceedingly smaller motion range. This all ties together nicely with the fact that Oskar Heil studied music at the Georg-August University of Göttingen in 1933, very clever.

Bass Bump!

Another interesting design feature to note is that there are two tuning ports on the rear panel. Straight out of the box, the larger diameter port is blocked with a foam tube. This gives the optimal tuning for most rooms. In some larger spaces however, the foam tube can be removed, changing the bass emphasis. We’d recommend that you listen to the bass and see how it interacts with your room, if the bass performance has been improved, leave the foam tube out.

The listening room

It’s safe to say that we love them. The bass tuning port with the foam bung can actually make a huge difference in the way the Neat Petites behave in your room, which is a welcome addition because most speaker manufacturers won't offer a twin tuning port for adjustments, and the AMT tweeter helps to provide nice wide and open soundstage.

In general, they sound much bigger than their comparatively small footprint, they can fill our demo room convincingly with even a modest amplifier.

An enjoyable listen.

Come along and join us at Audio T Manchester and ask for a demo of the Petite Classics and see what you think.

Thanks for reading,

Munir, James, Mike & David - Audio T Manchester

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

Neat Acoustics can be found at the following Audio T stores -

Focal Bathys, Chromey takes a plunge into sound.

/ Audio T Manchester/

Bathys (pronounced, batis) comes from the word “bathyscaphe”, the first submarine exploration vehicle. The embodiment of calm, depth and absolute silence, this vessel is the inspiration behind the name of Focal's very first headphones with active noise reduction.

A Potted History, just a quick one.

The FNRS-2 was the first bathyscaphe, a free-diving, self-propelled deep-sea submersible and was conceived by Auguste Piccard in 1937 and was finally finished in 1948, after a brief interruption by World War II. Auguste Piccard, inventor of the bathyscaphe, composed the name using the Ancient Greek words βαθύς (bathús), meaning "deep", and σκάφος (skáphos), meaning "vessel, ship").

Introducing the new Focal Bathys headphones…

Making all the right connections.

Right then, joining the dots, this can be done in one of 2 ways, the most common will be the wireless bluetooth connection. This is the latest 5.1 version of this (nothing to do with home cinema btw). It's a marked improvement over previous versions and offers better sound quality.

The other way and some would say , "the hi-fi way" is the wired USB DAC method, which uses the built in DAC with a resolution of up to 24 bit 192khz.

Built like a ship, a submersible one.

The Bathys use a aluminium/magnesium in the drive units which are assembled in France, the headband cushion is made from leather for comfort and the yoke that holds the headphones is made from aluminium/magnesium. This all results in a headphone that feels and sounds like a premium, high end headphone, and yet is priced at a fair £699*.

Sealed in and shut tight.

Noise!!! Yes, that stuff that gets in the way of your quiet listening moments or even an important phone call while out and about, whether it's land or air, Focal's proprietary active noise cancellation does a grand job of cocooning you from the outside world.

We love the sound it makes when switching between on and off, a very positive kahthlunk is the only way to describe it, and it offers three noise cancellation modes, ‘Silent’, ‘Soft’ or ‘Transparency’ & an adjustable EQ, all accessed from the Naim Focal app.

“This is the way”, well Chromey we thought it was “the Hifi way”, but if you insist.

The depth of quality! (I know I can't help it)

Brilliant. Simples.

With or without the noise cancellation applied in bluetooth mode the Bathys sound full and rounded, bass notes don't boom for no reason at all, like a lot of "outdoor, on the go headphones tend to do"; plus a sweet treble that doesn't scream at you.

Use the "the hi-fi way" which is the use of the internal DAC with a USB cable, you are upping the ante with the quality of your music. Quieter backgrounds, with space between the instruments, an instant upgrade from the wireless option, giving you a truly hi-fi experience akin to high end headphones we know and love at Audio T, like the Focal Utopias or the ever popular Sennheiser HD800.

What’s in the box?

Although being the first Focal headphone to boast bluetooth, included in the box is a 1.2m 3.5mm to 3.5mm jack cable, so headphone enthusiasts can still wire up to their amplifier of choice and enjoy the Bathys with no wireless compression. Also included is USB-C Cable for use of the onboard DAC (also 1.2m), and a luxurious carry case for keeping your headphones safe when not in use.

On a final note, our version of the bathyscaphes potted history isn’t a long one but boy, is it steeped in history, adventure and romance, so why wouldn’t Focal use it as an inspiration and design for the Bathys headphones.

Want to experience a pair of Focal Bathys headphones? Head over to our store on Bridge Street in Manchester and we will be glad to submerge you in sound (I really can't help myself).

Disclaimer: In spite of their namesake, The Bathys headphones are not to be used under water! 😉

Thanks for reading,

Munir, James, Mike & David - Audio T Manchester

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

Focal Bathys can be found at the following Audio T stores -

*All prices, credit terms and interest rates quoted are correct at the time of going to press but may be subject to change. E&OE