Linn adds a new Edition to it's DSM range... Chromey thinks it looks Organik.

Our Scottish friends in Glasgow have been keeping busy again, this time it's in the form of a luxurious case upgrade for the Selekt DSM Classic Hub, now know as the Edition Hub. But what is that you say - “How will this improve the overall sound quality of the Classic Hub?” - Well, in more ways than one. Read on…

One of the first things you notice is the beautifully realised control wheel/jog dial. It really does look the part. Made from cut and ground glass and an etched stainless steel surround.

You control the volume with a turn and press the cardinal points to scroll through inputs, settings and navigate the options. All very intuitive and slick.

The Edition Hub has a quality enclosure, featuring machined construction for improved rigidity and better interior isolation, it also looks amazing.

Internally, Linn like to use multi layered circuit boards, double sided to boot. These are of a very high quality and go up to 8 layers and help to keep the signal path nice and short.

Also lurking inside is the beating heart of this system, the Organik DAC. This is a fully programmable gate array (FPGA) multi-bit DAC.

Phil Budd, Senior Design Engineer at Linn explains it eloquently in this video.

Another thing that's very rare nowadays in Hi-Fi is the modular system. With the Selekt, it is a key part of the design. Inspired by very high-end PC motherboards, it has three cartridge slots plus optional HDMI switching, allowing the unit to be customized to the users needs. The Selekt DSM can be assembled as anything from a two channel music streamer with a line level out, up to a 5.1 AV system.

We have ours up and running on our shop floor and have it connected to the equally luxurious Linn Klimax 500 twin power amp. We have a pair of Dynaudio Confidence 50's hanging off it to round it off.

This system just sounds epic, and at higher volumes it just opens up and can fill a large space with ease if required. Depth and a sense of 3D soundstaging is all there.

Now, that is without the use of Linn's Space Optimisation system. Once you take the time to give the Linn the dimensions and features of your room, along with finding the perfect spot for your speakers, you can make even the most compromised of rooms sound like a custom built listening space.

We really are spoilt at Audio T, working hard all day with a backdrop of great sounding Hi-Fi systems to keep our feet tapping.

But you too can experience that, just pop over to the store and let the Organik Klimax Kombo shower you with audio.

Thanks for reading,

Mike & 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…

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Linn can be found at the following Audio T stores

• BRIGHTON

• BRISTOL

• MANCHESTER

• OXFORD

• SWINDON

• PORTSMOUTH

• CHELTENHAM

• CARDIFF

• SWANSEA

Naim arrives at Five Zero with a New Classic...

Since 1973 Naim has embodied the best separate Hi-Fi elements we've come to love over the last fifty years. Designed and developed by Naim engineers in Salisbury these timeless products are still used in people’s homes today, maybe because of Naim's philosophy of servicing a vast majority of products ever manufactured by them is the reason why. Of course, the milestone of 50 years is a biggy, and Naim have developed a trifecta of pieces called the New Classic Range to celebrate this.

A Trilithon - Naim 200 Series

The capstone in this trilogy is the NSC 222 preamp, and it continues with Naim’s streaming skillset, which is respected industry wide. The Naim app lets you stream from Tidal, Qobuz, Spotify and Apple Music. It supports bitrates up to 32 bits/284 kHz and is Roon ready. It also notably comprises of the same headphone amplifier found in the Naim Uniti Atom headphone edition, again, really well received among the HiFi press. With the added bonus of a MM phono stage the NSC 222 is the “all rounder”streaming preamp we have been waiting for.

The Engine Room

There is also a new version of the NAP 250, now yielding a 100w dual-mono design powerhouse.

This iconic amplifier has been around since 1975 in one form or another and is basically a Naim stalwart that now has trickle-down technology from the Naim Statement series, adding to it’s lore even further.

A clever new heat sink adjusts to temperature fluctuations, thus keeping things in check during those extended listening sessions and true balanced XLR inputs for each channel are a step up from the single connection from the current NAP 250.

Icing on the Cake

The final embellishment of this threesome is the NPX 300 PSU. It's a completely redesigned power supply by Naim. It's different to the way the older power supplies work. It now feeds directly into the pre-amp, bypassing any route through a power amp. This again reduces the noise floor yet further. A pretty big change in our opinion.

It uses two internal power supplies, one of which completely disables the internal power supply in the NSC 222 and can also be used in multiples to really beef up a system. Another bonus here is that you can use the NPX 300 with legacy equipment such as NAC 272 and the NDX2.

New Look

One other thing of note with the Naim is the styling. The casework is stunning. A combination of the classic 500 series with a touch of Uniti and Statement, with a fit and finish that is impeccable, super clean lines and deep black brushed metal finish that oozes quality (yorkshire accent).

Listen Up

Now then, the sound quality.

In a nutshell, we're blown away. It's the Naim sound we know but not quite as we know it. There's a difference which is palpable, enjoyable, not fatiguing, foot tapping and fun.

To be honest, we are still going through our listening phase with the New Classic. It's being used with vinyl and streaming, our playlists include Electronic, acoustic, Jazz funk and punk, which included the Mad Caddies, Jimmy Smith, Nick Drake and some Moderat, and we had fun with all of them.

Something tells me the 200 Series is literally going to go down as a classic.

We have our New Classic on permanent display and demo at our Manchester store.

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…

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Naim can be found at the following Audio T stores -

• BRIGHTON

• BRISTOL

• CARDIFF

• CHELTENHAM

• ENFIELD

• MANCHESTER

• OXFORD

• PORTSMOUTH

• READING

• SOUTHAMPTON

• SWANSEA

• SWINDON

Chromey investigates the Linn LP12 Selekt and Arko Tonearm at Audio T Manchester

The Scottish turntable manufacturer

Anyone visiting our website knows that quality and craftsmanship are synonymous with the company Linn, from Glasgow.

The Linn Sondek is a prime example of not only those attributes but the skilled engineering, with an eye for detail, that’s the envy of the Hi-fi industry.

So here at Audio T Manchester we are proud to now have the Linn Selekt LP12 on demonstration.

The New Bits

The Selekt LP12 comes into being thanks to two brand new components that elevate it from its predecessor, the Akurate LP12.

The first of these is the Arko tonearm.

With its silver finish and black base, the Arko is visually reminiscent of the old Ittok arm that impressed so many back in the 80s. The performance, however, has moved on.

The Material

Built on a gimbal base that allows for impeccable bearing tolerances, the 7075 aluminium arm is able to float delicately above the record with as near as possible to no resistance.

The 7075 grade aluminium has been used from the gimbal base all the way through to the headshell. This helps filter unwanted resonance away from the cartridge and down through the sub chassis.

The synergy of the 7075 grade aluminium continues into the other brand new component, the Kendo moving coil cartridge.

Delicate Intricacies

The Kendo houses its generator in a nickel-coated, aluminium chassis. The cantilever is boron, and has a super fine line diamond mounted at the end.

The Arko and the Kendo are mounted on to the now familiar Kore sub chassis, which provides excellent rigidity and stability.

Get the right bearing

Just like on the Akurate LP12 the bearing is the current Karousel single point bearing, which is somehow smoother and more consistent than the Cirkus that made way for it.

The whole thing is then kept moving by the unerringly Akurate (I made a Linn joke! Or pun, maybe it’s a pun?) Lingo 4 power supply.

Where there’s a will…

…theres a reason why Linn have been able to get away with selling the same turntable for nearly 50 years. It’s bloody good and every so often they work out how to make it better.

How much better?

Well having listened to it in our demo room we can safely say that Linn have done it again.

The Arko/Kendo combination work beautifully, the Kore then stiffens the chassis to keep things tight and pacey, the overall result is a fast and detailed sound that’s not fatiguing, with a smooth warmth that washes over you.

The Soro (Afrika) from Snarky Puppy sounds overwhelmingly huge and all encompassing, Salif Keita and his backing singers perfectly positioned in the sound stage, and flutes, wow!!, how such a small wind instrument can sound so big is a testament to the recording and the Linn been able to pluck all that detail out for you.

Alpha Blondy's Kalachnikov Love is another track that sounds massive, go figure, it was mixed at Tuff Gong studio, Kingston, Jamaica in 1986. Again the bass, played by Aston "Family Man" Barrett is tight yet lush, while Alpha's vocals fill the soundstage without harshness, and the synth sounds epic considering when it was recorded.

In a nutshell, the LP12 Selekt makes you want to play records, you could quite easily spend most of your evenings with many of your records spread across your living room floor as you decide what to play next.

We'd say that's not a bad place to be.

Need convincing? Interested in the Linn LP12 Selekt?

You can arrange a demonstration with us at the Manchester store, email or call us.

Thanks for reading.

Mike and 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…

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Linn can be found at the following Audio T stores

• BRIGHTON

• BRISTOL

• MANCHESTER

• OXFORD

• SWINDON

• PORTSMOUTH

• CHELTENHAM

• CARDIFF

• SWANSEA

Not every Rose has its thorn - Introducing HiFi Rose and the RS150B Streamer

HiFi Rose is a relatively new audio technology brand from Korea, that focuses on delivering high-quality streaming audio in an accessible way, utilising a host of innovative features. HiFi Rose claim to focus on the lifestyle of the music lover. So let’s put it to the test and take a first look at the HiFi Rose RS150B High-End Audio & Video Streamer…

Chromey begins his inspection of Hifi Rose RS150

Your first impressions of the Rose RS150B streamer are dominated by the unique and super slick 378mm touchscreen display, to the point you initially miss the utterly superb case, which has been machined out of a single solid billet of ultra high purity aluminium. As well as looking good, this provides a super solid base for the units state of the art electronics, acting as a thermal heat sink for the cool running of the unit, and doubles-up as a mechanical vibration sink; all helping to aid the superb sound quality.

As well as the solid aluminium billet case aiding the superior sound quality, the Rose streamer has on board and under the cover some pretty impressive technology. For a start, it boasts the use of the highly regarded ESS Technology SABRE ES9038PRO DAC. For the technically minded, this allows the HiFi Rose streamer to play both PCM digital files up to 768Khz 32 BIT and DSD digital files up to native DSD512 (22.5792Mhz) – some of the highest studio grades. HiFi Rose choose a super regulated linear power supply as a power source for the unit, which is tuned to both reduce mains noise and provide a super clean DC supply for the audiophile electronics inside. A further reduction of digital jitter and digital noise is taken care of by use of a Femto master clock. (A Femto clock is a super accurate, down to a single femtosecond; one quadrillionth of a second!)

As mentioned, the huge touch screen dominates the fascia. This not only provides an excellent and changeable look to the front of the unit, but provides a direct and highly useable interface to control every aspect of the HiFi Rose streamer. This makes setting up the machine for your exacting requirements, controlling the myriad of both analogue and digital connections, and the streaming options super easy. As well as displaying your album art and other user options, a selection of interactive screensavers can also be displayed, customised to your requirements.

The screen is matched in its flexibility, actually surpassed in its flexibility, by the units connectivity. As a stand alone streamer, it can be super straightforward; simply connect your amplifier or active loudspeakers to either of the XLR balanced or RCA phono output connections and play. The Rose RS150B offers optional volume control. Just connect to your internet and stream direct from music sources such as Apple Music, Spotify, Tidal and Qobuz. Not forgetting it can stream via ROON and Apple Airplay, with DLNA compatibility, the streaming of your own music from a NAS drive, off your computer’s hard drive, or an (optional internally fitted solid state drive or external USB) hard drive.

Impressively, the unit offers high quality streaming of 4K HD video (including YouTube), plus a huge selection of internet radio sources and optional Bluetooth! Adding to this, the unit provides analogue and digital inputs with switching, two HDMI, (including ARC, enabling your TV sound and TV remote to control the unit.) four USB connections allow you to link a combination of portable hard drives/flash drives, CD drives as well as directly to your computer or laptop. You’ll also find coaxial and optical inputs and outputs, plus a pair of high end I2S digital outputs for ultra high end DAC upgrades.

In use, the HiFi Rose OS app is downloadable to any current Android or Apple device. This compliments the impressive touch screen, allowing full control wirelessly from your favourite armchair. The app is slick, and intuitive to use. Offering easy input selection, easy streaming and easy control.

And what a sound! Playing the latest Hi-res audio formats is approaching the very best sound digital can offer. Even with standard CD, the sound is sublime, smooth, fatigue free and a highly musical, accurate performance; on audition now, at Audio T Manchester.

Thanks for reading.

Haden, Mike, Munir, Dave and James - 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…

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HiFi Rose can be found at the following Audio T stores

• MANCHESTER

• ONLINE STORE

What is the difference between a moving magnet and moving coil cartridge? Does it matter?

Moving Magnet

In a moving magnet cartridge, the stylus (typically a diamond) is attached to a rigid cantilever, which has a small magnet on the other end. Within the cartridge body, near the magnet attached to the cantilever, are a pair of coils. The movement of the magnet, caused by the stylus running through the groove of the record, generates a current in these coils which can then be picked up by the phono stage.

Moving Coil

As the name suggests, in a moving coil cartridge, the magnet and the coils have switched places. So, the cantilever has the stylus at one end and a pair of coils at the other. The cartridge body then contains the magnets. As with a moving magnet cartridge, the stylus running through the record groove cause movement in the cantilever. This time however it is the coil that moves within the magnetic field rather than the magnetic field moving around the coils to generate the signal which passes to the phono stage.

Moving Iron?

I have to admit, that until writing this blog I had always incorrectly assumed that Moving Iron was just another way of saying moving magnet. Magnets are made from iron, right?

It's not far off but there is a subtle difference. In a moving iron cartridge, both the magnet and the coils are in fixed positions within the cartridge body and there is a small hollow temporary magnet or armature attached to the cantilever. This small hollow piece of iron has a magnetic field induced in it by the stationary magnet within the cartridge, the movement of the armature then induces a magnetic flow within the poleshoes which are within the fixed coil. This generates the necessary current to be picked up by the phono stage.

Effectively, this means that with moving iron cartridges, you can get greater detail than a standard moving magnet while retaining the high output.

Moving magnet cartridges tend to have an output of between 2mV and at the extreme 10mV, most typically being between 3mV and 5mV.

Moving Iron carts have a similar output to moving magnet and can therefore be used with a moving magnet phono stage.

Both of these types of cartridge need a phono stage with a 47KOhm input loading and usually around 40-47dB of gain. Any moving magnet phono stage will be capable of running these cartridges and no adjustment need to be made.

Moving coil cartridges have a much lower output voltage, due to the size of the coil that can be attached to the cantilever. They can be as low as 0.15mV and rarely get above 1.6mV. This means that they need a phono stage tailored to deal with these low outputs. Usually these will have adjustments so you can match the input loading, both impedance and capacitance to the cartridge manufacturers specifications. There is normally a gain adjustment too.

Moving coil cartridges can be used with a moving magnet phono stage but to do so requires a pair of transformers, one for each channel to sit between the cartridge and the phono stage.

So then, does it matter?

Yes, it does. It matters both for reasons of compatibility and fidelity.
In terms of compatibility it is simple, buy the wrong cartridge for your phono stage and it simply won't work. Running a moving coil cart into a moving magnet stage won't provide enough gain and your turntable will barely audible. A moving magnet cartridge being put through a moving coil stage will overload the input and produce a distorted sound.

When it comes to fidelity, a moving coil cartridge has the benefit of a small coil on the end of the cantilever allows for greater detail to be retrieved from the record. This because there is a much smaller mass moving, so the response to the contour of the record groove is faster and can be more subtle. As discussed earlier this means that the signal produced is more delicate and needs more gain to be added than a moving magnet does. This means that the phono stage is more important to the end result as well.
That's not to say that you can't get very good results with either moving magnet or moving iron, just that the more you move into the world of high end turntables the less you will see moving magnet/iron, to obtain that detail that we are all chasing, moving coil is usually the best answer.

Thanks for reading, and feel free to contact us if you need more information on this subject.

Mike - 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…

We take a CD and travel to Saturn... The Rega Saturn MK3 CD Player/DAC that is!

Our Journey begins.

Rega have quite a history in making well regarded CD players, the Planet CD player from 1997, then the Jupiter 2000 from the year, well, 2000. The Saturn R CD player came along in April 2004 and was equally well received. Since then we have had the Apollo half width case Cd player and the beautifully constructed Isis Cd player from Rega’s Reference range.

It’s a brand new ship.

Just like the rings of Saturn, good things usually come around again, only this time wearing a different suit. Enter the new Rega Saturn MK3, all new but not quite. Let me explain.

Rega have been changing their casework recently, the new Aria, the power supplies for the P10 and P8 and the very cute Rega Fono MM and MC, all look better for it. The casework is very slick.

The Saturn MK3 however, is the first of the full size cases to adorn the new architecture, the new casework and button layout is probably a clue as to what the new range of amps coming from Rega will look like.

Lets take it to the bridge.

You may have noticed the very cool looking CD mech that Rega use for all their CD players. The disc is housed in a fixed position that clicks into spring loaded mechanism. Not having any plastic cogs and gears for a drawer that opens and closes just reduces the possibility of things going wrong inside the CD player. The cover for the CD is reminiscent of the Starship Enterprise, which when closed just glides beautifully into place using a quiet damping method.

The communications hub and engine room.

The Saturn MK3 has plenty of connectivity options around the back, up to and including 24bit-192kHz audio.

There are two optical and two Coaxial inputs, a fully asynchronous USB as well. So that’s five digital inputs for items situated close by such as a TV or network streamer or even a digital tuner and more.

Interestingly the USB input on the back has three LED’s surrounding it to indicate status, so after you have downloaded the correct drivers you can get on with listening to your lush 24/192 files from your computer.

The lights, which indicate, comms, power and data at least let you know if you’re doing it right when they all light up, if somethings wrong one of the lights (or all of them) won’t come on. A great little touch from Rega to help you get connected easily and to confirm that the correct type of data is getting through.

Two Wolfson WM8742 digital-to-analogue converter chips are at the centre of this machine, these take care of dishing out the digital signals to two outputs and of course also do the job of converting to analogue as well. And at this they truly excel.

Communicator check one two one two.

To the sound quality, well, firstly it’s important to remember that this Saturn MK3 is the same on the inside as the Saturn R MK2 from May 2013. Only the case work has changed. However, Rega have refined the build process and introduced stricter production tests and checks, to improve reliability even further. As a result our opinion of the Saturn hasn’t really changed. We have always liked the sound signature from Rega’s Saturn MK2, which is to say that it’s an open sounding CD player with lots of forward sounding pop.

It grabs your attention and keeps you focused on the music, in fact, on our last demonstration our customer was quick to point out these very same traits, and of course he purchased the unit.

Live long and prosper?

It’s also only fair to say that in this time of dwindling CD player sales the bulk of our focus is on the streaming side of things when it comes to digital music, the Saturn MK3 CD Player/DAC and other CD players tend to fade into the background until a customer comes along and asks for a demo. That’s when our interest is usually peaked and when we realise what an impressive bunch of nuts and bolts the Saturn actually is - Which often starts the debate about whether CD is actually dead. Interestingly, according to data from RIAA (Recording Industry Association of America), CD sales have rose for the first time in 17 years. Yep, you heard that right, CD sales have gone up! How long will this trend last? Well, does it matter? Not really, as most of our dedicated customers have significant sized libraries of CDs to peruse from anyway, it’s just matter of dusting off the collection and letting the Saturn MK3 works it’s magic.

The new Rega Saturn MK3 CD Player/DAC is on demonstration at our Manchester store.

Come along and take some of your CD’s for a spin.

Dave, Munir, Mike , James and Haden will be on hand to help.

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 Facebook or Instagram to keep an eye on what’s happening in store.

Rega can be found at the following Audio T stores

• BRIGHTON

• BRISTOL

• CARDIFF

• CHELTENHAM

• ENFIELD

• MANCHESTER

• OXFORD

• PORTSMOUTH

• READING

• SOUTHAMPTON

• SWANSEA

• SWINDON

• ONLINE STORE

A closer look at the award winning Bowers & Wilkins 607 S2 Anniversary Edition

Offering power and scale that belies its compact form, the 607 S2 Anniversary Edition features the Continuum™ cone and updated crossovers to ensure exceptional resolution and musicality. Ideal for stereo Hi-Fi or Home Cinema surround sound use. These beautifully built, compact, standmount loudspeakers, represent the starting point of Bowers and Wilkins ownership.

Ideal for smaller spaces, the 607 S2 Anniversary Edition uncovers incredible insight and dynamism in your music. Using the same game-changing technologies as its siblings, 607 S2 Anniversary Edition is perfect for enjoying your music or providing surround sound as part of a home theatre system.

Available in three finishes; black, white and oak, they’re sure to look the part in any home!

So what do we think?

One of the biggest changes between the current version and its predecessor was introduced by B&W a year or so ago, and came in the form of moving away from a Kevlar to Continuum mid/ bass drivers. “But what does this actually mean?”, Well, S2 Anniversary as a whole are less coloured and more lively. Personally, here at Audio T Oxford, we are big fans of these newer ranges, be they 600, 700 and 800 series.

Listening through a Rega Elex R amplifier and using a Naim NDX as a source, we started out by playing Rob Wasserman’s “Ballad of the Runaway Horse”.
This is an excellent track for assessing Hi-Fi: The double bass was taught and controlled, whilst Jennifer Warne’s voice, was clear and powerful, lacking the edginess that some metal dome speakers can exhibit. Having said that, if a customer’s room was more on the ‘lively’ side, I would possibly be tempted to recommend a slightly warmer sounding speaker. However, for more typical rooms, especially if on the more compact side of average, these speakers would be ideal. But as we all know, no two listening spaces are the same, so we cater the best systems for your room based on our expert knowledge. So don’t hesitate to Contact Us if you have any queries.

After going through some of our usual evaluation tracks, we relaxed, chose some our favourite tunes, put the kettle on, and just had fun, because if these speakers are anything, then that anything is fun!

Voices and instruments are delivered with purity and precision. Something that is no doubt aided by the Continuum cone, as found in Bowers & Wilkins flagship 800 Series. Once reserved only for their most revered models, Continuum brings you a cleaner and more accurate performance over the previously mentioned Kevlar material.

At the moment, these represent even better value for money, because at Audio T, we are currently selling the Bowers & Wilkins 607 S2 Anniversary Edition for £399, with a saving of £100!*

If you would like to hear these great sounding speakers, then please do not hesitate to get in touch.

Thanks for reading.

Jon and Andrew - Audio T Oxford

Be sure to keep up with all that is going on at Audio T Oxford by following us on Facebook and Instagram.

Bowers & Wilkins can be found at the following Audio T stores:

BRISTOL

CARDIFF

CHELTENHAM

ENFIELD

MANCHESTER

OXFORD

PORTSMOUTH

BRIGHTON

SOUTHAMPTON

SWANSEA

SWINDON

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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

Roksan puts on the red light for streaming.....Introducing the Attessa Streaming Amplifier

Roksan have been a stalwart of the Hi-Fi industry for the last 30 plus years. Making their introduction with the now legendary Xerxes turntable in 1985 and then continuing in ‘86 with the Darius loudspeaker and the spectacular Artemiz arm in ‘87.

Roksan continued to bring out new products over the next few years, and in 1990, launched their first range of electronics which consisted of the ROK S1 stereo amplifier and the M1 mono amplifier with matching preamps and power supplies. The release of new products from Roksan has continued unabated since and seen numerous industry awards from Hi-Fi publications from all across Europe and the US.

This brings us to the new Attessa Streaming amp from Roksan. Sitting around the £1500 price mark, it seemed like a no brainer to give this a go in store.

Chromey getting up close and personal with the attessa streaming amplifier

The new Attessa range from Roksan, is comprised of a CD transport, integrated amplifier, streaming amplifier and turntable. Today we're going to have a quick look at the streaming amplifier.

As implied by the name, this is an integrated amp with the capability to stream music. It also has a built-in DAC as well as a moving magnet phono stage.

The amplifier has been based on the successful Caspian range, that dates back to '98, as well as taking its name from the Attessa 3 box CD player from '92. Having been based on the Caspian, the construction of the unit is impressive, utilizing plated steel along with an anodized aluminium fascia.

Analogue Incorporated.

The analogue side of the amp has everything you would need in a standard 2 channel system. Two line level inputs, a phono stage for your turntable, pre outs for those of you with a power amp, a headphone amp and most importantly the amplifier itself. This boasts an output of 80w per channel into 8 ohms and sounds as good as you would expect from well established brand such as Roksan.

DAC & Chips please.

The DAC has 2 optical, 2 coaxial and bluetooth inputs. Plenty of options to connect your CD player or transport, television, mini-disc, DAT etc.

The coax inputs will decode all the usual signals as well as MQA, even decoding MQA CDs played on the Attessa transport.

The bluetooth input has all the latest standards (A2DP, SBC, aptX & AAC) and will accept signals up to and including 16/48.

Streaming – BluOS

For the streaming side of things, Roksan have utilised the very popular Bluesound BluOS platform. This gives them access to an already stable application, which means the end user gets a great experience and bypasses all those teething problems Hi-Fi manufacturers can have when they build a streamer and try to write an app that doesn’t behave. Not to mention the added option of connecting to other products that utilise the same BluOS capability.

So THAT'S , streaming, Bluetooth,Cd and vinyl, once again streaming, Bluetooth, Cd and vinyl. Ah Thank you

The Streaming Attessa amp really is the perfect hub for a modern system. Stream to it, play your records, plug in your TV, everything you need and more in one well built and excellent sounding box.

Thanks for reading.

Munir, Dave, James, Mike and Haden - 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 Facebook or Instagram to keep an eye on what’s happening in store.

Roksan can be found at the following Audio T stores -

• ONLINE STORE

• BRIGHTON

• BRISTOL

• CHELTENHAM

• PORTSMOUTH

• SWINDON

• SOUTHAMPTON

• ENFIELD

• OXFORD

• READING

• SWANSEA

• MANCHESTER

Linn and Dynaudio Takeover at Audio T Manchester - 25th & 26th February 2022

As you’ve all probably heard by now, sadly, The Bristol Show isn’t happening this year. Being the second year in a row it’s been cancelled due to the global pandemic, withdrawal symptoms are kicking in for us at Audio T. So to fix it we have let select brands take over our stores for what would’ve been the weekend of the show.

To see what’s happening at our shops over the Store Weekend Event Click Here.

Here at Audio T Manchester we are going to let Linn and Dynaudio take over for the 25th and 26th of February.

We will have products from Linn's Majik, Akurate, Selekt and Klimax ranges, covering both vinyl and streaming sources. These will make up at least three separate systems throughout the store and will be powering Dynaudio speakers.

From Dynaudio we will be using speakers from the Emit range right up to the Confidence, with something from all the ranges in between.

If you are planning on attending, please see our contact details below to book a slot for a demo or if you just plan to come along to have a browse.

If you would to like to visit the Show Weekend Take Event at our Manchester store, you can contact us via email and phone.

Email - manchester@audio-t.co.uk

Phone - 0161 8398869

We look forward to seeing in store!

Munir, Dave, James, Mike and Haden - 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 Facebook or Instagram to keep an eye on what’s happening in store.

Linn can be found at the following Audio T stores

• BRIGHTON

• BRISTOL

• MANCHESTER

• OXFORD

• SWINDON

• PORTSMOUTH

• CHELTENHAM

• CARDIFF

• SWANSEA

Dynaudio can be found at the following Audio T stores

• BRIGHTON

• BRISTOL

• CHELTENHAM

• MANCHESTER

• ONLINE STORE

• OXFORD

• PORTSMOUTH

• READING

• SOUTHAMPTON

• SWANSEA

• SWINDON

Pro-Ject X1 Turntable with Carbon-Aluminium Tonearm.

Here at Audio-T Manchester we have our regular turntable brand, Rega, that we turn to for all our vinyl needs.

However, we’ve always had a strong relationship with Pro-Ject, and over the last 20 years they’ve always had a presence at our store. So the arrival of the new X1 turntable from Pro-Ject piqued our interest once again.

Pro-Ject Audio were founded in 1991 and are headquartered in the northern part of Vienna. An Austrian company with it’s manufacturing based in the Czech Republic.

1991 was the era of compact disc and CD players, however, Pro-Ject stuck to it’s guns and kept it simple and along came the Pro-Ject Debut 1, which was a huge success and a great entry level introduction into vinyl.

Things have come a long way since then and Pro-Ject are probably one of the most prolific makers of turntables on the planet. We of course have chosen only a select few to stock at our stores.

Today’s blog will look at the Pro-Ject X1.

Our example of the X1 is in walnut and comes with a Pro-ject Pick It S2 cartridge, manufactured by Ortofon in Denmark. With a proper 1.5 kg frosted acrylic platter from Pro-ject, it’s perfectly weighted to nail those 33⅓ rotations.

The Walnut plinth has a nice chunky look and feel with a great finish and the adjustable feet help to keep everything on an even keel.

The 8.6” tonearm is a one piece affair with a built in headshell made from carbon and aluminium, and benefits from a built in VTA and azimuth adjustment. The Pro-ject Pick It S2 cartridge is moving magnet with an elliptical stylus. Pro-ject are aiming for a fast and dynamic performance, and with this configuration, we think they’re getting it!

The TPE- dampened counterweight bookends the arm nicely, to let you finely tune the tracking force.

Conveniently, Pro-Ject have added the option to change the speed electronically from 33⅓ rpm to 45 rpm with a simple press of a sensibly placed, integrated button; a welcome change from the add on box/belt changing shenanigans of previous Pro-ject decks at this price point. (78rpm is also available but will require a change of pickup cartridge).

So, how does it sound? The partnering of the carbon arm and the Pick It S2 gives the soundstage an open and lively feel. Lots of detail to be had from Goldfrapp’s ‘Seventh Tree’ album. Alison Goldfrapp’s voice portrays detail with depth, letting her hit the low notes while retaining the subtle highs she is capable of, certainly no flattening of the soundstage that some entry level to mid range cartridges can do.

Taking all that into account, keep in mind that after the Pick-It S2 has worn out it’s stylus, you can replace it with an even better cartridge that will potentially elevate the X1 to even greater heights; you can see why the Pro-ject X1 can quite easily be a long term investment in any set-up.

Our own X1 is on dem at the Manchester store, please feel free to call us and arrange a demonstration.

Thanks for reading.

Munir, Dave, James, Mike and Haden - 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 Facebook or Instagram to keep an eye on what’s happening in store.

Pro-ject can be found at the following Audio-T stores

• BRISTOL

• CARDIFF

• CHELTENHAM

• ENFIELD

• MANCHESTER

• ONLINE STORE

• OXFORD

• PORTSMOUTH

• SWANSEA

• SWINDON

• BRIGHTON

• READING

BEYERDYNAMIC AMIRON HOME OPEN BACK HEADPHONES.

Much like shopping for a new set of speakers, headphones can be just as daunting. There is such a huge range of manufacturers and models that it is difficult to know where to start. So we thought that as we’ve only just started to stock Beyerdynamic here at Manchester, and the fact that Amiron Home have been a staple product of theirs for the last few years, we would take a look at the Amiron, and with the help of our store mascot “Chromey”, put them through their paces and see if they can still hold their own against the competition…

Right then Chromey, lets get these headphones plugged in, there shoud be a headphone amp lurking around here somewhere.

The Comfort

One thing that is unique about shopping for headphones compared to speakers is that not only do we take sound quality into consideration, but also the comfort and fit. The Amiron have you covered… They feature a super soft headband, made from alcantara microfibre, a common synthetic fabric with a texture similar to suede. You’ll actually find this plush pile used in automotive interiors, so not only is it comfortable, but durable too. So it’s good to know that the ear cups are made from the same materials as well.

Combine this with a construction of other lightweight materials, and you have a pair of headphones that you can wear all day long without discomfort. They truly are extremely comfortable around the ears… Very cosy!

Chromey catching some Z’s

The Build

The fit and finish of the Amiron Home exceed what you’d expect of a pair of headphones around the £500 mark, which is excellent.

There are little design touches, such as the way the earcups connect to the headband, that are of the highest quality. Even the smallest detail has been meticulously thought through. When you have a product of this calibre, there is a certain sense of longevity to their design. Components are easily replaceable, which is a good thing, especially if you’re on the clumsy side and end up sitting on them… that could happen to the best of us!

The Sound

Tesla Technology

The drive units utilise Beyerdynamics’ own Tesla technology. They employ a much stronger magnetic field than standard headphones, Beyerdynamic claim this technology is responsible for the improved sound quality. I can certainly confirm that they help reduce unwanted vibrations and rein in any annoying treble resonances. These open-back headphones produce a spacious three-dimensionality, allowing you to experience music of incredible openness and transparency.

Listening

Listening to “In Rainbows” from Radiohead, Thom Yorke’s voice is sweet and concise on the track “Weird Fishes”. The bass response of the headphones hit low enough to complement the exceptionally well recorded basslines, as well as provide definition and clarity between the guitars and keyboards in a clear and defined manner.

Bonobo’s “Black Sands” album is one of our favourites here at Manchester. The first track, “Prelude”, mainly consists of strings. And yet again, the Amiron Home sound rich and detailed. The bass response is powerful but doesn’t overpower the mix, something that we have experienced with other brands and models.

Hand Made

It goes without saying that here at Audio T we love handmade products of a high quality. Just look at some of the impressive brands we stock and you’ll see what we mean. So it’s great to know that Beyerdynamic are no exception, making their headphones by hand at their factory in Heilbronn, Germany.

“The “made in Germany” seal of quality not only applies to the product development side of the business but, for the overwhelming majority of products, also to the manufacturing side: the designs created by the beyerdynamic engineers and designers in Heilbronn are subsequently crafted, largely by hand, by around 300 highly qualified employees in Germany.”

— Beyerdynamic

The Beyerdynamic Amiron Home are available for demonstration, along with a collection of other models from the Beyer headphone range, here at the Manchester store. Please feel free to contact us and arrange a time to pop in and have a demonstration.

Munir, Dave, James, Mike and Haden - 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 Facebook or Instagram to keep an eye on what’s happening in store.

Beyerdynamic can be found at the following Audio-T stores

• CARDIFF

• MANCHESTER

• SWANSEA

• PORTSMOUTH

• ONLINE STORE

• OXFORD

  You can see the specification credits below.

TECHNICAL SPECIFICATIONS

• Transducer type . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . dynamic

• Operating principle . . . . . . . . . . . . . open

• Frequency response . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5 - 40,000 Hz

• Impedance . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 250 Ω

• Nominal SPL . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 102 dB (1 mW / 500 Hz)

• T.H.D . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . < 0.05%

• Nominal power handling capacity . . 200 mW

• Max. SPL . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 125 dB (200 mW / 500 Hz)

• Sound coupling to the ear . . . . . . . . circumaural

• Cable . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3 m / double-sided

• Connector . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . gold-plated mini stereo

SPEAKERS WITH CONFIDENCE… THE LATEST RANGE FROM DYNAUDIO

Here at Audio T, we’re proud to say we now have Confidence! Well, to be honest we’ve always had confidence in our ability to provide great service and bring you some of the best sounding equipment in the industry, but now we can stick our chest out with pride and declare that the Confidence Range from Dynaudio will blow you away… Read on…

DYNAUDIO CONFIDENCE 20

Firstly, we’ll take a look at the Dynaudio Confidence 20. Finished in a stylish modern smoke grey, paired with their bespoke floor stands in a matching colour scheme. There is an elegance to their design that defies convention.

The Confidence 20 features a two-way reflex port design which utilises a downward firing system that is cleverly controlled by the dome shaped plinth on the top plate of the stand. Although they are the smallest speaker in the range, they are in no way small sounding, providing a huge soundstage. There is no doubt that performance would be optimised when paired with equipment of a matching or higher quality. To put this theory to the test, we paired them with Naim, Chord Electronics and Linn, brands that we particularly favour here in Manchester. We were not left disappointed and found excellent results every time.

As they have a minimum 5 Ohm load and a sensitivity of 87dB/w, they can be driven by any good amplifier of similar quality to an optimal level.

These speakers incorporate the latest Esotar 3 28mm silk dome tweeter, which has improved dispersion due to the new Dynaudio resonance stabilising Hexis inner dome technology.

The Hexis inner dome has replaced the felt ring design Dynaudio used to favour behind the tweeter diaphragm. The new design maximises control over resonant frequencies, whilst at the same time smoothing out the speaker’s high frequency response.

This is paired with the new 18cm NeoTec msp woofer, which as you’d come to expect from Dynaudio features a vented voice coil and utilises a neodymium rare earth magnet, (as does the tweeter). These have greater magnetism than conventional magnets and are also far smaller and lighter, giving the speaker a higher performance.

Designed in Dynaudios Jupiter lab, absolutely nothing has been left to chance with the new Confidence range. This amazing facility allows Dynaudio to simulate all sorts of different scenarios from real world domestic settings to unnervingly absorbent properties of an anechoic chamber. This allows them to achieve their trademark sound as quickly as possible and with more accuracy than ever before.

Performance wise, they have a refined high frequency response with controlled and authoritative bass. Having switched over to them from the much larger Contour 60i, the amount of low frequency produced from such a small cabinet is astounding. With a soundstage as high as it is wide the Confidence 20 will fill your room with detail in all three dimensions.

With a range of musical tastes from punk to jazz and folk to drum and bass all present within the store, we were able to put the Confidence 20s through their paces in every conceivable way, loud, quiet, fast, slow, clean and dirty. They impressed at every turn.

Play a simple recording of just voice and piano, such as the Citizen of Glass album by Agnes Obel, and the confidence allow the emotion of the voice to flow through them, somehow effortlessly placed above the perfectly ringing strings of the piano.

At the other end of the spectrum, they take nothing away from the ferocity of Zach De Le Rochas vocal on Rage Against the Machine’s Sleep Now In The Fire, while still portraying the huge riffs behind him.

Both the Dynaudio Confidence 20 and Confidence 50 are on demonstration in our Manchester store.

Munir, Dave, James, Mike and Haden - 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 Facebook or Instagram to keep an eye on what’s happening in store.

Dynaudio can be found at the following Audio-T stores

• BRIGHTON

• BRISTOL

• CHELTENHAM

• MANCHESTER

• ONLINE STORE

• OXFORD

• PORTSMOUTH

• READING

• SOUTHAMPTON

• SWANSEA

• SWINDON

“X” MARKS THE SPOT - THE NEW REL T/X RANGE ARRIVE IN MANCHESTER

REL Acoustics have just released the new range of the brilliant award-winning T series, the T/x, and we proudly have them on display here at Audio T Manchester. We just wanted to see how they stack up against our other subs in the shop… Bah doom tish’… I’ll get my coat…

So the honest truth is we haven’t really put the new Serie T/x through their paces. Since welcoming you lovely lot back in store we’ve had a busy old time at the shop and not really had an afternoon to work our way through this terrific little trio of subs.

Luckily you for you, Aga and the lads at our illustrious Portsmouth Store have had a sit down with the range and put together a cracking review of the new T/x range. Check it out here.

Chromey floats between the space of two subs. Bass heaven.

Meanwhile, we can show you some beautifully detailed pictures and quickly discuss some design changes to the new range as well as answer some of the questions our customers often ask us about the LFE and High Level connections as both are used on the Serie T.

Why the RCA low level connection?

Well, this simple tried-and-true method connects using a low level signal and is used on the vast majority of more modestly configured systems. It takes a very small signal from the .1/LFE subwoofer output on the rear of your receiver and outputs, typically, a theatre-centric signal to your new subwoofer.

In other words the .1 (point one) is the subsonic thunderous bass you get when a tank rolls by Saving Private Ryan or a F16 does a fly over in Top Gun.

It uses the ubiquitous RCA cable and plugs in similar to how tuners or CD players have done so for decades. It’s easy and works fine for relatively short runs of, say, 25’ or so. So why would anyone use anything else? Quality of sound and quietness, or the ability to keep the signal robust and the noise down to a minimum are the reasons to move up from this basic standard.

Why would I use the high level connection?

This connection method has been used by REL Acoustics for over thirty years and offers several performance benefits. Many of the most experienced listeners strongly prefer the performance gains available from this type of design.

I always thought High Level was about music and LFE for movies?

This is true when music is the preferred art form you’re taking in. BUT and it’s a big but, when movies are being played, the High Level does this wonderful trick of improving every single sound in the movie, not just the special effects but the music and the dialog, creating a richer and more full theatre experience .

So movies need both High Level and .1/LFE?

Ideally yes. You see, all the sounds we hear in films, even including the fictitious altered reality of movies taking place in the future, are more than often things that we naturally hear in the everyday real world. To recreate the real-life listening experience of these full-range sounds, you require a full-range system that isn’t restricted by the frequency response of your speakers. With this in mind, you will always benefit from a high quality subwoofer that extends your systems frequency response. Having both connections means that the High Level input will perform a kind of sonic restoration of movie soundtracks, enhancing all the rich, dynamic sounds. You will find that voices sound more natural and don’t suffer from that bright hard shallowness that makes many movies difficult to get through. Music scores convey the full emotion of the moment. The bottom line is that spatial qualities are conveyed by a full range sound, and hearing this full range properly rendered in movies makes them so much more enjoyable – just like watching a film at the cinema (remember those?).

Hopefully that answers some questions you may have had about the way both these connections work? If not, feel free to contact us for more information.

Now let’s take a look at the range -

REL T/9x

The largest of the three new subwoofers -

Rel T/7x

The middle sibling in the trio -

Rel T/5x

The baby of the family -

As you can see REL have softened the design of the new T/x series, giving the subwoofers a beefier, shorter and squat look, which we feel really adds to the stealthier appearance. It’s really nice, you have to see them in the flesh to appreciate it.

The rounded corners perfectly follow the lines of Chromey’s dome.

The front grill follows the same sleek lines as you can see below. Very elegant.

And there you have it folks, a quick look at the brand new Serie T/x from REL Acoustics.

We now have these subwoofers on display and ready to demonstrate at our Manchester branch, so why not contact us and book an appointment today?

Thanks for reading.

Munir, Dave, James, Mike and Haden - 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 Facebook or Instagram to keep an eye on what’s happening in store.

REL can be found at the following Audio-T stores

• BRIGHTON

• BRISTOL

• CHELTENHAM

• ENFIELD

• MANCHESTER

• OXFORD

• PORTSMOUTH

• READING

• SOUTHAMPTON

• SWANSEA

• SWINDON

• ONLINE STORE

THE CHORD TRILOGY BREAKS THE BOX OFFICE AT OUR MANCHESTER STORE

Yes the Chord Hugo TT, M Scaler and TToby have made a huge impression here at the Manchester store. So let’s start with a quick look around this triple threat from Chord Electronics.

A Totem Pole of Power

At the top we have the Chord Electronics Hugo TT2, which is your DAC and preamplifier.

Below that we have the M Scaler, which is the magic ingredient in this set up.

And finally, the engine room, the power house which is the TToby amplifier.

The M Scaler

the chord electronics m scaler

The M Scaler takes a digital feed from a source of your choice, CD player or streamer, and upscales it using Chord’s proprietary filter technology. It simply takes a 44.1 kHz signal and upscales it to 705.6 kHz. We used a Naim NDX2 as our source. So it can upscale your 96kHz and 192 audio as well. Adding a sense of depth and cleaner backgrounds to your audio, no mean feat when your source is already the spectacular Naim NDX2.

Hugo TT2

Next up, the now legendary Hugo name from Chord makes it’s 4th appearance as the Hugo TT 2. The internal DAC’s are multi award winning and designed by Rob Watts (also legendary in DAC design). Using the preamp design from the “DAVE” DAC the Hugo TT2 delivers a nice clean signal to the TToby, and I know you’ve probably heard this before but, this is what makes the difference with lots of space between the instruments and an open soundstage.

The TToby brings the muscle to the red carpet, with 100 watts of power and a very clever method of keeping things cool by using forced air-cooling through the casework, it seems unfazed whatever speakers you use with it. Our system was running with a pair of Dynaudio Contour 60is and for a period with our Dynaudio Confidence 20s.

So, to summarise this trio of boxes from Chord Electronics are astounding. The term box office used in the title is exactly what you get from this combo from Chord Electronics.

Our Dynaudio Contour 60is never sounded so good, pushing the volume up never fazed the TToby. Winding up the wick just sounded cleaner and more composed, urging you to turn up the volume even more.

It always surprises me how you start to look for tracks to play when a new hifi system gets your attention, digging up old Funk classics, German Electronica and even a bit of Punk. We had a blast, and this is just our day job 😏

So, considering how many different, great sounding, Hi-Fi systems we have at the store, the Chord Trilogy is a certified hit.

We have the Chord Electronics M Scaler, Hugo TT2 and TToby on demonstration at our Manchester store.

Please ring us for an appointment if you would like a demonstration of this Chord Electronics trio (or any other product for that matter).

Dave, Munir, James, Mike and Haden will be around to help - 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 Facebook or Instagram to keep an eye on what’s happening in store.

Chord Electronics can be found at the following Audio-T stores

• BRISTOL

• CARDIFF

• MANCHESTER

• READING

• SOUTHAMPTON

• SWANSEA

• ONLINE STORE

A LITTLE ROON TO MANOEUVRE - PREMIUM STREAMING AND MORE

Having used Roon on and off for a few years in the shop with various devices. Sometimes because it was necessary, as with the B&W Formation series, and sometimes just because it is convenient to have all of our many, many, many networked streaming products show up in one app. I decided it was time to try it out at home in a simple network of one server and two clients.

I had two main reasons for wanting to do this. First, I was interested in how good the Linux support was, having been let down so many times before. Second, adding the functionality of an alarm clock and the ability to shuffle play by album, which were two things I'd wanted to try for a long time. 

This isn’t your every day set-up…

The server in question is really a computer running Ubuntu 18.04LTS. The main client is my Linn Sneaky DSM streaming amplifier.

The second client is my Raspberry Pi with Wolfson HAT DAC, using RuneAudio OS and Squeezelite music player. Long time readers may remember the Raspberry Pi from a previous blog detailing how I set up the Raspberry Pi and whether it was a serious streamer or not.

The first stage of setting Roon up at home was to download and install the Roon Server. With this being for Linux, it obviously isn't as easy as that makes it sound but once I had downloaded the necessary dependencies, I was able to install the Roon Server with three “simple” commands.

So far, so good. The Roon app on my android phone sees the server and I am able to set up my music library.

The Server is also able to see the Sneaky DSM straight away and as soon as I select enable from the Audio Settings menu, I am able to play music from my library into my main system.

Simple.

The extra functionality that I was looking for with Roon, alarm and album shuffle, are added by way of extensions to the Roon server. I'm honestly not sure how supported these are by Roon but having tried them in work on a Windows machine, I knew they could work exactly how I wanted them to.

Installing the Extensions was surprisingly easy.

I was now able to have Roon run at boot but each of the extensions needed to be started manually from the command line.

All I needed was an extremely simple bash script, to run the commands I was using in the terminal at boot. This lead to me learning the use of & and && at the end of a line. 

Hey presto, Roon runs at boot with all the extensions I need.

Onto the final hurdle, getting Roon to see my Raspberry Pi. As ever this had me beaten for a couple of days. In theory, once you turn on Squeezebox support in the Roon settings and turn off Logitech Media Server, Roon should see all of your Squeezebox devices.

As you may have guessed, this was not the case. I must stress at this point, that given that I'm using a community developed software only version of a squeezebox that this isn't a problem with Roon, just something that needed a few tweaks to get right.

I'm not sure what was preventing Roon from seeing squeezelite but I did three things attempting to make it work and one of them must have been correct. First was to ssh into my Raspberry Pi and direct Squeezelite to look for a server at the IP address of my server. Second, I unistalled Plex Media Server, which I didn't use anyway. Finally, I prevented Logitech Media Server from running at boot by removing the start up script from /etc/init.d.

And that's that. I now have Roon running with the ability to set alarms and have my music shuffle by album in both of the audio zones in my house.

I have now been using Roon for a few months and have to say I’ve been very impressed, so much so, it will be very hard to go back to not using it.

The app opens to the your account overview. This has four main sections. The first, Discover, has suggestions of both new releases you may be interested in from Tidal, as well as suggestions of music from your existing library and featured artists, composers, genres, and many more for you to consider. Next is Recent, this lists the latest additions to your library and the most recent plays on your system. Third is Tags, which I haven’t used and won’t speculate about. Finally you have playlists, which as you may suspect, integrates playlists from Tidal, Roon and your library into one list.

Having been using MinimServer for years this is a big change. As a music lover it’s great to have new things that could interest me front and centre of the experience

The excellent integration of Tidal continues throughout. Search results combine both your library and Tidal’s which helps add missing items from known artists into your collection.

The now playing window has more features that will get you listening to more new music as well as more that you own and forgot about!

I’ll start with Roon Radio, which is a built in feature that works a lot like Last.FM. When it is turned on, as your queue of music is coming to an end, Roon Radio will begin selecting tracks based on the last song in the queue. It will continue to do this for as long as it is left uninterrupted. If you go to the Roon Radio screen, however, you can select which tracks it adds to the queue and sort of let it know what style of music you want. 

To supplement this, I installed the Random Radio extension. Where Roon Radio keeps the music playing by trying to play me songs I will like, Random Radio simply picks an album or track from my collection once the queue has finished. You can choose whether you want an album or track selecting in each zone.

Obviously, you don’t always want to have Slipknot coming on after Beth Orton but it really does get you listening to albums you haven’t thought about in years.

There is a screen that shows your play history going back as far as you want. As well as the usual queue window allowing you to see and edit the existing queue.

In the actual now playing screen you will find everything you expect regarding the track that is currently playing.

There are also some extra features, like being able to see the signal path of the track. 

You can also see links to information about the album and artist you are listening to…

… and some tracks even have the lyrics available. These can be either static….

…or scrolling with the track, karaoke style.

Having used Roon a little at work one of my major worries about moving over from Minimserver was the prospect of having to redo all my tags, again. I’ve spent months getting these just how I want them. Fortunately the people at Roon have thought about this and you are able to choose whether to use your data or theirs. You can make this choice for the whole library or individual artists, albums or even tracks.

I started out wondering if Roon could satisfy my need for a couple of extra features within my home system and work well with Linux. It has surpassed all of my expectations. It installs easily on Linux and is a full version not some half baked port from windows. This includes the extensions. I love it for features that I have deliberately avoided in the past, the extra information about artists, merged searches and suggestions. So far any concerns I had about things like it using its own metadata not mine have all been addressed with simple customizable solutions. It encourages me to listen to more music, from more sources, more of the time. To quote my wife, “I’ve never listened to so much music”. I hope we never have to go back.

I started by saying that I had used Roon a little in work, either when I had to or for simple convenience. Having now spent some time with the software I can fairly confidently say that no matter what streaming electronics you are using, be it high end like Naim, Chord Electronics or Linn, or more entry level like Sonos, Bluesound or even a little DIY project, Roon will offer an improved experience. Particularly with full Roon ready devices but also those that are brought in to the system utilising airplay or squeezebox.

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

Thanks for reading -

Mike, James, Haden, Munir and Dave, - Audio T Manchester

Bowers & Wilkins make their mark with the new Signature series.

The new Bowers and Wilkins Signature series have arrived at our Manchester store.

B&W have used technology from the ever popular 800 series to add a little extra pizzazz to the already impressive 700 series, with new design features exclusively for this range.

The brand new Carbon Dome tweeters are purpose-built for the 700 Series and deliver pinpoint imaging accuracy and detailed insight in to your music.

Milled from a solid block of aluminium, just like Chromey, the Solid Body Tweeter design creates an acoustically optimised housing that is inert and resistant to resonances.

The tweeter grill on the 700 signature is now in an elegant silver finish, very slick.

The 702 Signature is finished in Datuk Gloss, which reminds us of a tiger ebony finish. It looks very nice.

According to B&W “Voices and instruments are delivered with purity and precision, thanks to the smooth, accurate Continuum cone mid-bass driver.”

And we agree, the Signature series are more open and spacious than the equivalent standard 705.

There’s no denying the fit and finish of the signatures. Bowers and Wilkins have done a great job.

Ahem, Chromey, that’s a bass port not a space port.

We have both the 702 Signature and 705 Signature at our Manchester store.

Both are on display and ready for demonstration. If you are interested and would like a demo, just ring the store to book an appointment.

We are only allowing 2 to 3 customers in the store at the same time in the interest of safety during these difficult times, so please ring ahead to book an appointment.

Dave,James,Munir,Mike and Haden will be on hand to help.

Small Form Factor Gets a Big Boost from Arcam and Rega.

They say good things come in small packages, well, presented here are two new pieces of hifi amplification from Arcam and Rega that prove the point. The Rega is a pure analog beast with a cheeky little phono stage built into it, meanwhile the Arcam is a streaming amplifier and is purely in the digital domain, with Airplay and Chromecast being the priority connections. Read on for more info.

The Rega IO comes in at 18cm x 29cm and has a power rating of 30w per channel. It has the same sonic ablilities as it’s bigger bro…The Brio. So it’s open and punchy with depth to the soundstage, which is presented beautifully, albiet not quite as exciting as the Brio but really excellent for the price.

The Solo Uno comes in at an even smaller 14cm x 21cm. It has a power rating of 25w per channel. The Solo Uno is completely new in its design, and is an even “younger” brother of the original Solo Mini. It genuinely has a tiny foot print.

Around the back of the Solo Uno you have the wifi antenna for Airplay, Chromecast and an auxiliary input for any analogue devices you may have. The dedicated subwoofer output lets you add a little meat to smaller speakers you may have connected to the Solo Uno. The new T/Zero from REL would be a perfect choice.

Around the back of Rega IO we have two regular analogue inputs and a phono MM input and, with Rega’s penchant for making great phono stages, that’s a welcome bonus. There’s even a headphone jack on the front.

The build quality on both units is telling. The Solo Uno has great looking binding posts ready to accept a decent set of speaker cables. The Rega’s casework has quality all over it, even underneath, the fit and finish offered is exceptional.

Both units are available to demostrate at our Manchester store.

Come along to see us and we will be happy to help, but please remember it’s appointment only at the moment.

IsoAcoustics Gaia lll Isolates Your Speakers From Earth

The Gaia III isolators from IsoAcoustics are part of a range of products that help you decouple your Hi-Fi and speakers from the rest of the planet and improve the sound quality of your system.

The IsoAcoustics Gaia III feet are designed to replace the spikes at the bottom of your speakers. We have been putting ours through their paces at the store, and taking some cool snaps with Chromey as our model.

Iso Acoustics Gaia III Isolators.

Stop, Isolate and listen, IsoAcoustics are back with a brand new invention.

Interestingly the base of the Gaia feet is made from a rubber compound that acts like a sucker and sticks to hard surfaces. Inside the Gaia III is a spring loaded mechanism that works the magic to reduce the vibrations.

The Spendor D7.2s floorstanding loudspeakers sounded and looked a whole lot better after the Gaia III upgrade.

Our own tests prove that the Gaia feet do actually make a difference. Adding the feet to a pair of Spendor D7.2's with the Rega Aethos integrated amplifier and the Naim NDX2, the Gaia's made the music much easier to listen to. Even making the instruments sound clearer, it tidied up the bass and improved the overall sound stage, giving you an improved image if you like.

So that's a marked improvement to your sound quality for a little under £600.

For those of you with carpets, IsoAcoustics also make carpet discs for all 3 sizes of the Gaia feet.

Not pictured here.

And as you can see they have won plaudits from across the pond, with the legendary publication Stereophile, giving the Gaia III’s the product of the year award and editor’s choice award. Not an easy feat. (Nice to see you having pun! Ed.)

Why not come in and have a listen at Audio T Manchester and hear the difference for yourself. If you’re still not convinced, you can make use of our home loan service and try them on your own speakers. Hearing is believing!

IsoAcoustics isolation products are available at all branches of Audio T.

New REL S/812 And S/510 Subwoofers Thunder Into Audio T Manchester.

Audio T Manchester are proud stock the brand spanking new S Series subwoofers from REL Acoustics.

No End to the Low End

The new REL S/812 medium chassis subwoofer is dressed to kill with devastating levels of power. REL have upped the power of the previous S range and added an elegance and design not seen in the S range before.

A Pair of Ace of Bases

The REL S/510 follows the same suit but with smaller footprint.

Both the 812 and 510 have amplifiers that offer extra headroom over the quoted power, and as a result, even though the 812 is rated at 800 watts it could easily manage 1000 watts in short bursts.

These are also the first medium chassis REL’s designed to be stackable, yessss, up to three (3) units high per side.

Special fixtures and (included) metal plates allow these models to be stacked up to three-high safely and remain locked together. It will give our customers a chance to own REL line arrays for half the price of the Reference Line Arrays.

The 510 also has the NextGen3 amplifier from the previous outgoing flagship from the S range and now features a full 500 watt monoblock design.

Addicted to Base

The uniquely tuned passive radiators use special suspensions, now with an additional 30mm of linear travel, to produce performance far beyond conventional subwoofers.The new SuperProgressive™ passive radiator produces extremely long travel allowing for very loud output while retaining the variable stiffness of its suspension. This allows it to act like a sealed box compact 12” design at low volume and a high output 14” design at its limit.

Bass in the Place

All about the Bass

Thunderbolts and Lightning, very very frightening

At 800 watts the NextGen5 amplifier in the REL S/812 is borrowed from the reference models and rocks huge reservoirs of power and current. The 45% increase in power (previous version was 500 watts) is needed to deliver both the insane output levels needed for modern home cinema, as well as to produce the deepest bass in a high end 2-channel system. This increase in power is the result of an all-new circuit termed PerfectFilter™ that balances both frequency extremes.

PerfectFilter performs two seemingly disparate qualities; extending the strong, even response of the extreme low end of bass frequencies while simultaneously opening up air and delicacy in the middle and high frequencies of a system. Additionally, the applied customised PureTheatre™ filters allow the S/812 to deliver the most awe-inspiring home cinema effects ever offered in a classic REL.

So Much Rumble, It’ll Make Your House Crumble.

Tick, Tick,Tick, Tick….Booom!!

Yes, yes and yes…you can stack the S/series.

Our S/812 and S/510 are on demonstration at the Manchester store. and you’re welcome to come along and listen to ours.

James, Munir, Mike, Dave and Haden will be here to help.

We hope to see you soon!

REL Subwoofers are available from the following branches of Audio T: Brighton, Bristol, Cheltenham, Enfield, Manchester, Oxford, Portsmouth, Southampton, Swansea, Swindon

Stop it You're Kiln Me! The New Rega Planar 10 Turntable With Ceramic Platter And Brace.

Sorry, we just couldn’t help that pun, but it was well intended. More to the point though, we have now received our spectacular new Rega Planar 10 record player.

We are also pleased to announce an official launch of the Rega Planar 10 on the 19th October 2019 at our Manchester store on Bridge Street. Click on the poster below to reserve your place or come along on the day!

And if that wasn’t exciting enough for all you vinyl heads, Diverse Vinyl will be bringing their pop up vinyl store to Manchester on the 19th too. So you can peruse the record store after you have demonstrated the some of the best turntables on the market.

And now we are thrilled to introduce the new Rega Planar 10.

Here’s a series of unboxing photos for those of you that are curious and can’t wait for our official launch event!

What’s in the box???

Take a quick shot for Instagram.

DB Technology (Double Brace Technology)
“Mass absorbs energy - lost energy equals lost music.” A super lightweight plinth combined with a ceramic top brace and phenolic resin bottom brace mounted specifically where the increased rigidity is required (between the tonearm mounting and the main hub bearing) forms a structurally sound, “stressed beam,” assembly.

Ceramic Platter
The P10 uses a custom ceramic, flywheel effect platter. The platter is produced from ceramic oxide powder which is compressed, fired and diamond cut to ensure perfect accuracy and flatness across the surface. The latest platter features a modified construction with improved coupling to the sub platter.

Aaaahnd relax….

Ultra-lightweight plinth
The Planar 10 is the third Rega turntable constructed using our latest technology the ultra-lightweight Tancast 8 polyurethane foam core (a material developed for the aerospace industry). This material is sandwiched between two layers of HPL (high pressure laminate). HPL is exceptionally thin and extremely rigid. This new construction makes the new Planar 10 skeletal plinth 30% lighter than the original RP10 while offering increased rigidity over the previous model.

The Planar 10 features the new RB3000 tonearm fitted with an improved, low mass, precision bias housing.

The beautifully machined bias adjuster.

The Rega Apheta 3

Make a note of Saturday 19th October in your diary. Records,refreshments and turntables are the order of the day.

We look forward to seeing at the store. The Rega Planar 10 will be on display and playing and we hope to have the new Rega Aethos amplifier available for you to listen to as well!

Come along and ask Dave, Munir, Mike, James and Haden at Audio T Manchester and we will more than happy to spin you some vinyl.

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