Chord Day - Sat 6th September Featuring Tuned ARAY and Signature Reference

We are having a Chord Company event on the 6th September from 11 - 6pm.

The emphasis will be on the new upgrade cables that Chord do to replace the Naim Snaic 4 and 5 leads (pre to power), and their ethernet range.

There will be demonstrations of the sound improvements that these cables can make, so anyone who is interested in a relatively inexpensive upgrade to their Naim system, or streamer, should pop along for a listen.

We will be using our Naim NDX, NAC202, Hicap DR and NAP200 system through a pair of PMC Twenty24 speakers.

The cables we will be demonstrating are the Chord Chorus and Signature Tuned Aray as replacements for the Naim Snaic 4 and 5. Plus Chord Ethernet cables from the £40 C-stream upwards.

We hope to see you all there.

A vinyl playing system for under £500!!!

We've just taken delivery of the new Project Stereo Box amplifier.

Not only is it a fully featured integrated amp in a tiny chassis with three line inputs, but it even has a built in MM phono stage, and all for £199.

This got us to thinking whether we could come up with a complete viny playing system for under £500, and with this little amp at its core it is possible.

So we partnered the Project Stereo Box with a Project Elemental turntable at £159, and a pair of Q Acoustics fab little 2010i speakers at £129 and ended up with a rocking little system all for £487, give us £500 and we'll even include some decent speaker cable. Nothing else required for a smart looking great sounding, expandable system

oh and it wouldn't be a blog without Boswell's approval

Classic Vinyl Evening #2, Tuesday 9th September

We are pleased to announce that following the success of our first vinyl evening, we will be returning to The Bridge Pub for another evening of musical entertainment.

This time around the album is going to be Bryter Layter by Nick Drake. We will be using a recent repressing cut from a back up copy of the original master tapes that had been kept safe by the producer Joe Boyd.

Equipment wise, the mighty Rega RP10 will be making a triumphant return but will be fed into into Naim Audio electronics (exact set up TBC) and PMCs latest speaker the Twenty 26.

Our new PMC Twenty 26 speakers have arrived and are playing instore.

You can read about them here.

Seating is limited, so please get in touch if you would like to come along to avoid any disappointment.

Doors open at 6pm, album start 6.30pm.

UPDATE...

Just to let you know our second Classic Album Evening went swimmingly and a good time was had by all.

Here is some feedback from one of our patrons.

Just a quick message to say thanks for
another excellent evening.  It was great to be able to hear
the new PMCs - they are such a natural and involving
sounding speaker - and it has certainly given me aspirations
to eventually own at least a pair of Twenty 21s.  Nice
choice of album too, and love the fact that you played
'Solid Air' after the Nick Drake.  Danny
Thompson's bass playing really came through well!

Matt.

 

Don't forget!! If you want to attend our next Classic Album Evening just drop us an email at manchester@audio-t.co.uk. 

Or keep an on our blog page for upcoming dates.

Southampton Summer Sizzlers!

Just a quick reminder that not to be outdone by the summer heatwave we have some red hot bargains to match the weather!  Here's our window, packed full of goodies to suit all needs and budgets, ranging from QED interconnects at £12 to Naim CDX2 CD player at £3451, a huge saving of £609!

Apologies for the poor images but bright sunlight and glass don't help to make great photos!  

 

Check out our full clearance list on our store page and give us a call or pop in to see us.  It may be hot outside but it's air conditioned bliss here!  Plus, you never know, you may be able to persuade us to offer even greater savings!  And don't forget that many items purchased over £500, until 31st August, qualify you for a £100 off your next purchase over £200!

Super Summer Offer on Selected Naim Power Amplifiers

Just one week remaining from Saturday 23rd August.

We have predictably some Used Naim NAP200 & NAP250 Power Amps available

Check here http://www.audiot.co.uk/clearance/#store=5

Until the end of August 2014 we have some very tempting offers on new

NAIM NAP200, NAP250 and NAP300 Power Amplifiers.

This extends to upgrading existing Naim power amps, so contact us for generous part exchanges.

brighton@audio-t.co.uk

Power Amplifier

Naim power amplifiers are designed to drive real loudspeaker loads and can easily deal with any impedance from zero Ohms to infinity without damage or signs of instability. All our power amplifiers feature heavyweight power supplies and can swing huge amounts of current so they are never caught out by dynamic transients. Many models benefit from technology that has trickled down from the massive amount of development work that produced the majestic NAP 500.

• 
  NAP 500
  500 Series
• 
  NAP 300
  Classic Series
• 
  NAP 250
  Classic Series
• 
  NAP 200
  Classic Series

Pioneer's Superior Club Sound SE-MX9 Headphones Now on Demonstration.

First impressions had us hooked on their awesome finish and subtle styling.

The SE-MX9's over-ear design makes for comfortable, fatigue free listening. Pioneer quote "Thanks to their cleverly designed headband – with light, soft rubber cushion – maximum comfort and a stable fit are guaranteed." We can't argue with that, the fit & finish is fantastic!

The SE-MX9's are fully enclosed dynamic headphones that use 50mm drive units capable of reproducing impressive deep controlled bass and clean but smooth mids & highs.

The SE-MX9 comes with two cables, one 1.2 m with inline microphone and remote control (detachable OFC Litz wire with lock-function) and one 2m coiled cable, a 6.3mm Jack adaptor, an in-flight plug, Jack caps x2 each & a carrying pouch.

We love the looks, robust design, comfort and sound of the SE-MX9's. Look, touch, feel & listen for yourself in store today.

Audio-T

159A Chase Side

Enfield

EN2 0PW

Tel: 0208 367 3132

The competition warms up, the Yamaha RXV677 is now on demonstration

Yamaha's RXV600 series has been considered one of the best AV Receivers, around the £500 price bracket which has gained excellent press and 5 star ratings from various HiFi magazines for the last few years running, can it really get any better? Join us as we take a closer look at the RXV677.

Like many modern AV Receivers, the RXV677 is equipped with a Swiss Army knife of features including the latest technological advancements. WiFi, HDMI 2.0 with 4K  Ultra HD upscaling, Airplay, HTC Connect, DLNA, MHL, Spotify, Napster, Internet radio, Dolby TrueHD, DTS HD Master, Yamaha AV Controller app, Yamaha’ s latest Graphical User Interface, CINEMA DSP 3D & Yamaha's YPAO Automatic System Calibration, are all squeezed inside.

150 watts of power means excellent control over most 5.1 sub sat speaker packages upto entry level floorstanding 5.1 systems. Yamaha's RXV677 is a 7.2 capable AV Receiver which means you can run up to 7 speakers with 2 subs or alternatively bi-amp a larger set of front left & right channels with the extra 6th & 7th speaker terminals.

The RX-V677 surrounds listeners in a rich & wide soundstage, natural treble, mid range & bass that sounds smoother than many alternative brands, which you could argue is better matched for listening to music. Movies, live recordings, documentaries & your favourite TV series sound fantastic, again presented with a broad & immersive soundstage.

Book a demo & listen today!

Audio-T

159A Chase Side

Enfield

EN2 0PW

Tel: 0208 367 3132

Rega RP40 Anniversary Special, Now £649.

Grab yourself a bit of turntable history, brand new and boxed, the Rega RP40 40th Anniversary special.

And at a bargain price as well, only £649.

So now's your chance because we will be posting it up on Ebay shortly.

Audio T Manchester have one left in our stock room (brand new and boxed).

Tech specs.

The RP40 will be supplied with a special edition white Elys40 cartridge, carefully tested to the highest achievable specification offering improved stereo imaging, balance and detail. 

A new Silicon drive belt exclusive to RP40.These belts are manufactured on a new tool to guarantee a stable diameter over the full circumference of the belt offering improved speed stability whilst reducing flutter. 

A custom TT-PSU will be included which will be hand tuned to each individual motor before fitting to the deck. (a level of fine tuning only found on the RP8 and previously the Planar 9 turntable). This will maximise the efficiency of the anti-vibration circuit whilst still offering the convenience of electronic speed change.

• Custom matched TT-PSU.
• Exclusive Red Silicon drive belt and Red Mat.
• Exclusive Elys40 MM cartridge.
• Stainless steel balance weight.
• Aluminium foot trims and matching top brace.
• Custom Titanium coloured Plinth.

Please contact the store for more details on the revolutionary Rega RP40.

Tel: 0161 839 8869

email: manchester@audio-t.co.uk
web: www.audio-t.co.uk
We are open Monday to Saturday 9:30 - 17:30
and Sunday 11:30 - 16:30

Pioneer gets set for another round in the ring, the Pioneer VSX 924 arrives!

Pioneer's sub £500 AV Receiver, the VSX 900 series has been amongst our favourite AV Receivers at this price point for some years now. The new VSX 924 certainly hasn't given us any reason to change our minds.

The VSX 924 oozes with all the latest technologies & features including Bluetooth, Airplay & DLNA streaming, Internet radio, Spotify Connect built in, HDMI 2.0 with Ultra HD 4K upscaling, a high quality SABRE DAC, Hi Res audio support inc DSD, Advanced room calibration (MCACC) & iControlAV5 app to name a few.

Pioneer quote 150 watts of power which is perfect for driving budget to high end sub sat packages, we particularly like both B&W's MT50 or Monitor Audio's R90HT1 5.1 solutions. It doesn't have to stop there though, the VSX 924 is a 7.2 capable amplifier meaning you can run 7 satellites with multiple subs, it also means instead of running a 7.2 setup you can assign the 6th & 7th speaker outputs to bi-amp and drive a larger set of floorstanding left & right speakers safely & efficiently. We really like Q Acoustic's 2050i, 2000c, 2020i & 2070i or Monitor Audio's Bronze BX5, BX Centre, BXFX & BXW10 5.1 packages.

Pioneer never fails to impress with its crystal clear detail & deep controlled bass. Music is clean & crisp with excellent timing with a awesomely quite noise floor, however Movies are where this amp really makes it's mark, whether your getting scared watching the latest horror, getting blown away from the latest action, or just having fun watching the latest animation, we have struggled to find a AV Receiver that makes us jump out of our seats, puts that smile on our faces or creates this much laughter quite like the VSX 924.

Book a demo & listen in store today

Audio-T
159A Chase Side
Enfield
EN2 0PW
Tel: 0208 367 3132

Classic Album Night Manchester, The Aftermath.

 Well, our very first vinyl night is over and to see how it turned out,  please continue reading through to the end of this blog. 

...and our very first album will be Rumours by Fleetwood Mac.

The date  :  Tuesday 15th July

The time  :  6:00pm for a 6:30pm start. 

The place :  The Bridge Tavern, 58 Bridge Street, Deansgate, Manchester, M3 2RJ

So how does it work?

Well, once you have booked your place just head over to The Bridge Tavern and grab your seat and maybe a drink at the bar.

We will be playing the complete Fleetwood Mac Rumours album on vinyl, this is the 45rpm version taken from the original analogue master tape.

The equipment used for playback?

Rega RP10 turntable with Apheta cartridge and Rega IOS phono stage. Rega Osiris amplifier...

...and the speakers?? now, there is a surprise in store for you, but even we don't know for sure yet. Watch this space.  

Rega RP10 

Breaking news!!! The all new KEF Reference 5 will be introduced at our vinyl night.

The Reference 5 in Gloss finish. Stay tuned for more info on the speakers.

Please note, that because of limited numbers it will be great to know if you would like to attend.

Ok...simply send an email to manchester@audio-t.co.uk  or call 0161 8398869, letting the shop know you are coming.

Looking forward to seeing you there.

Regards

Dave,Munir,Mike and Kevin

Update on 2014-07-20 10:51 by Manchester

Well, our first vinyl night is over and judging by all the feedback we were given from all those who attended the evening, it was a cracking night.

Just to quote some of our customers.

" I've been to many hifi shows over the years and usually find the rooms playing music, underwhelming and forgetful, tonight however will stick with me for a long time. It was very impressive"

"Just wanted to say thank you for a great evening last night at the Classic Album vinyl event.  It was great to end the working day listening to the Fleetwood Mac and the other music in such a relaxed environment and on such a superb system.  I was particularly pleased to hear 'Black Swan' by Bert Jansch as he is a musical hero of mine and the Rega/KEF set-up really brought the track to life.  It was also nice to be able to meet Paul Darwin from Rega and Jonathan from KEF." 

That's just two of many positive reviews from our patrons who attended. 

Audio-T  Manchester were  the first UK dealer to to showcase "KEF The Reference 5" Designed and manufactured in the UK and what an awesome result.

This would not have been possible without the efforts of Johnathan Johnson (pictured below) from KEF so a big thank you from all

of us at Audio-T (and most likely the audience). 

The KEF Reference Model 5 were beyond our expectations, having heard them on our shop floor for a few days while we were running them in, it was nice to get them in a room where they could show off their true potential. Everybody agreed on how much poise and control they showed, and boy, do they go loud.

We started with a few tracks from Beth Orton, Bert Jansch and Massive Attack and then of course the main event...Fleetwood Mac and Rumours.

Throughout it all the KEF Reference didn't let up at all. As you can see in the photo above, it was a large space to cover and the KEF Reference managed this with ease. 

Rega's contribution for the evening comprised of the RP10 with the Apheta, Ios Reference phono stage and the Osiris which was very capable of retrievng the music from the record and maintaining this through to the speakers. 

Paul from Rega (pictured below) brought along the Ios Reference phono stage to compliment the RP10/Apheta.

Big thanks to Paul Darwin for chipping in as well as introducing his equipment to the audience and for lugging around 20kg of reference phono stage.

Our shop manager Dave McIntyre (stood to the right in the picture below) was master of ceremonies and DJ.

The behemoth which is the Rega Osiris intergrated amplifier.

This was our engine room for the evening, driving and controlling the speakers was all down to the Osiris.

This it did with aplomb. 

Our front end for the evening was the Rega RP10/Apheta combo via the Ios Reference phono stage.

The speaker cable used was the Chord Company Signature Reference.

The interconnects were the Chord Company Signature Reference Tuned Array.

All in all a cracking evening then, with some great music and good company courtesy of our customers.

So thanks for coming and making it all worth while for everyone involved in our very first vinyl evening.

Our next Classic Album Evening will happen in September. 

Watch this space for details of a date and time in September.

Big Thanks from,

Dave,Munir,Kevin and Mike

Isotek and Clearaudio day. Thursday 25 Sept.

From 3pm to 8pm we will be demonstrating products from both Isotek and Clearaudio.

In store we will be playing both the £11,000 Innovation and the £25,000 Master Innovation turntables on suitably juicy systems. I doubt I will have ever heard any turntable as good as either of these.

Isotek will be running half hour long demonstrations, working through their range, showing the advantages of both mains conditioning and regeneration. So many of us have great systems but neglect that fact that if the electical supply is not up to scratch, the sound quality will consequently suffer. Isotek offer products from under £100 so significant gains can be had for a minimal outlay.

Refreshments and snacks will be provided.

We will be giving away an Isotek Isoplug and an EVO 3 Premier mains lead to two lucky attendees who's names will be drawn at random.

If you would like to attend, please call us on 01865 765961 or e.mail oxford@audio-t.co.uk

New Product - Rega Elex-R Amplifier

Following on from the Rega Brio-R and the Rega Elicit-R Amplifiers Rega have now introduced the new Elex-R Intergrated Amplifier.

The Elex-R has been designed to offer exceptional performance for the money. It has an array of inputs including a very high quality moving magnet phono stage and pre amplifier out for the addition of an external power amplifier, sub woofer, etc.

However to achieve the highest quality signal path Rega have omitted superfluos gadgets such as tone controls and headphone output. (If using headphones on an amplifier of this quality the amplifier deserves the addition of an extrenal headphone amplifier such as the Rega Ear 2012 - See below).

On listening to the Elex-R we have found it to be powerful (72.5 watts into 8 Ohms) and extremely controlled. The mid range is very open and there is no hint of hardness on the top end.

The Elex-R has a similar character to it's baby brother the Brio-R but takes the musical experience to the next level.

For more informatio see the Link to Regas web site below:

http://www.rega.co.uk/elex-r.html

Available now for demonstration.

KEF Reference 5 arrive at Audio T Manchester (for a limited time only)

Audio T Manchester are proud to announce the missing link in our Fleetwood Mac Classic Album Evening.

What follows is a short picture diary of the boys from KEF unboxing and setting up the new Reference 5,

Big Ron and Jonathan from KEF carted these beauties over from Maidstone HQ Kent. 

Beautifully presented accessories.

Attention to detail?? Even the spikes and feet are specifically designed for acoustic improvements.

Audio-T Manchester are to proud present.

For the first time at a Hifi retailer in the UK. (for a limited time only)

The All New KEF Reference 5. 

Dave listens intently.

Not the ideal position for speakers but all our new arrivals land on the shop floor demo area for all to see. 

A few words from KEF.

REFERENCE 5

Magnificent is the only word.

KEF’s passion for perfection embodied in a tall three-way floorstander that aligns four powerful, extremely linear 165mm (6.5 inch) bass drivers – two above and two below KEF’s latest 125mm (5 inch) MF/HF Uni-Q array, with the sensational new 25mm (1 inch) vented aluminium dome tweeter at the acoustic centre. Lows are reproduced with consummate agility and control, fluidly integrating with the Uni-Q output to create an all-enveloping soundfield of spine-tingling accuracy and depth. For music or film, it reveals subtleties you’d never noticed while gripping your emotions with the full power of the performance.

THE REFERENCE: the standard by which others are judged, and to which they aspire.

The perfect reproduction of recorded sound is what KEF's legendary Reference Series has always stood for. And after 40 years of continuous development, the Reference has earned its name as the yardstick of high-end acoustic engineering.

If you're a perfectionist when it comes to enjoying movies or music, it's the one name that towers above the rest.

The Reference. It speaks for itself.
 

“A description was needed to convey the idea that every loudspeaker is subject to scrutiny at all stages of assembly, culminating in a final test comparison with a laboratory-maintained reference standard. So the method became the name: Reference.”

- Laurie Fincham, Engineering Director 1968-1991
 

Technical Specifications. Click  here

The KEF Reference 5 will used at our first Classic Album Evening at Audio T Manchester

Platinum plated binding posts.

Come along to our Manchester store and take a peak at what could turn out to be a 

true speaker design classic. 

Tel: 0161 839 8869

email: manchester@audio-t.co.uk
web: www.audio-t.co.uk
We are open Monday to Saturday 9:30 - 17:30
and Sunday 11:30 - 16:30

And for your listening pleasure...

A newly set up Rega RP3 with Dynavector 10X5 cartridge. Our afternoon just got booked solid. Come and join in the fun.

Tired of ripping CDs to a NAS drive using your computer?

Well we are. You may have considered a rip NAS already which can set you back around £400 or you've looked at a simple but costly audiophile media server, but for those of us that want to keep as far away from our computers as possible and are on a tight budget these options aren't satisfactory. Well there is a solution... We at Audio-T Enfield are very happy to introduce the Cocktail Audio X10!

Rip CDs in WAV, FLAC, OGG, & MP3 in a matter of minutes (4-5mins average) with all relevant metadata (album, artist names & album artwork) inc. without the tiresome chore of using your computer to do it! Share this music with the likes of Sonos (samba server needs to be "enabled"on X10, CDs ripped at "FLAC" for the best results, then type "\\X10\MusicDB" in Sonos media server setup). Share music with many other streamers including Naim, Cyrus, Marantz, Denon & many more!

Digitally archive your vinyls without the need to use a USB phono stage and complicated recording programme on your computer, simply plug your turntable with phono stage into the "aux" input on the X10 and press "rec" on remote.

The Cocktail Audio X10 doesn't stop there, the X10 can be used as a complete system (CD player/ripper, recorder, streamer including Internet radio, & a built in amp) just add speakers, making this one of the neatest most versatile micro systems available on the market.

And the best thing about the Cocktail Audio X10 is the price. It's cheaper than a rip NAS, easier to use with more flexibility to record external sources, yet it's ease of use & operation feels like a more expensive media server.

X10 (without hard drive) £299

X10 (500GB) £379

X10 (1TB) £439

X10 (2TB) £469

Book a demo today

Audio-T

159A Chase Side

Enfield

EN2 0PW

Tel: 0208 367 3132

Email: enfield@audio-t.co.uk

Advanced Acoustics And Stunning Looks From Geneva

The GENEVA Model XXL combines a powerful home cinema system and a Hi-Fi in one unit. It also provides an elegant support for your TV with additional shelf space for external equipment. Designed to hold up to a 65" television this furniture-grade wood cabinet is available in a choice of white, red or black piano lacquered finishes.

Engineered in Switzerland the XXL is designed to provide optimal sound for speech, music and surround effects so whatever you are listening to, you will have an exceptional sound experience. Seven individually enclosed loudspeakers including a down firing sub are driven by seven digital class D amplifiers totalling 400 watts of power. 

Incorporating FM/DAB and DAB+ digital radio tuners with 6 FM and 6 DAB presets as well as Apple Airplay and Bluetooth connectivity the XXL provides ample choice for your listening needs. 

Here is a close-up view of the high quality drive units of the XXL along with the remote control.

The back panel provides ample connectivity for both digital and analogue inputs including two HDMI. Connecting your TV could not be simpler using just one HDMI cable to enjoy high quality sound from all your favourite programmes. 

Setting up the GENEVA XXL was simple, finding out network and connecting seamlessly in just a few minutes. HDMI cable to the TV and we were ready to go. Sound quality from the XXL is simply stunning. Movie sound-tracks provided a room filling sound with deep controlled bass and clear dialog. Stereo music was equally impressive. We were soon listening to our favourite tracks in CD quality sound streamed from Qobuz using just the app on our i-pad. 

Call in and have a listen. You will be amazed!

Also show in the picture is GENEVA's smallest product, the XS. This travel alarm clock speaker incorporates Bluetooth, DAB, DAB+ and FM radio with touch sensitive controls. Designed on the old fashioned travel alarm clock the unit folds neatly and takes up little space in your suitcase.

  

Simple Hi-Res Streaming Solution

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

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

So what do you get from Simple Audio?

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

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

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

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

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

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

Arcam's A19 Continues to Impress

Arcam's A19 has been on the market for a while now, but that hasn't stopped us admiring it's many talents. Compared to its predecessor the A18, the A19 sounds more agile, detailed & textured. This however doesn't mean it's lost any of that "Arcam richness" or impressive "large scale" character.

The A19 is equipped with 8 analogue inputs (x1 MM phono stage, x1 3.5mm jack & x6 phono pairs) to connect all of your analogue sources, x1 record output, x1 pre out (to add extra power amps), a headphone amp (Arcam quote "A stand-alone headphone stage of similar quality would cost hundreds!") and lastly a independent 6V Auxiliary power supply to provide cleaner power to select Arcam rSeries products (rLink & rBlink) compared with the supplied wall wart power supplies included with the rSeries products.

The A19 uses a 50watt Class A/B amplifier powered by a high performance custom toroidal transformer capable of driving every speaker we have connected to it so far. The most interesting part of the A19 for me lies in the resistive ladder volume control, this is the same circuit found in Arcam’s top-of-the-range FMJ AV888 processor! Which I feel is one of the main reasons for such a fantastic sounding integrated amplifier.

Arcam's A19 is without a doubt one of the best amplifiers money can buy at its price point.

Book a demo today and listen for yourself

Audio-T

159A Chase Side

Enfield

EN2 0PW

Tel: 0208 367 3132

Email: enfield@audio-t.co.uk

Denon's DCD520 AE & PMA 520 AE Entry Level Price...High End Sound

We have recently taken in the Denon DCD520 AE and the accompanying integrated amplifier the PMA 520 AE at £179 each.

For the initial test we put the Denon system with Q Acoustics 2020i £169.95 (non gloss) speakers. We linked the amp and CD player with Audioquest Evergreen 2RCA -2RCA (£30) and Chord Leyline (£2.60 per meter) to the speakers. We used "Don't say a word" by Phantom limb as the test track

Looks and feel wise they have have a very pleasing traditional appearance the PMA520 especially, not to mention the surprising weight of the amp. The draw action is solid and smooth on the CD player and the input selection on the amp has a very definite and pleasing feel.

The DCD-520AE has a built in 32bit/192khz DAC  and the amp boasts 70 watts per channel. Making this  a statistically formidable system at the price. We could not have been more impressed when we heard how full bodied yet controlled Yolander Quarteys powerful vocals came through. adding that to the separation of the backing instrumental gave impression of a much higher spec'ed system.

Out of curiosity we swapped the speaker cable for Chord Rumour at £15.00 a meter and where not disappointed, going to show that even inexpensive systems can still be improved with higher end cable allowing you draw every last ounce out of a system.

We where very impressed and surprised with what a £470 system sounded like (minus speaker cable) The Denon system we think could do even more allowing for system expansion should one wish. Our over all opinion is that this is a fantastic system that can suit a rage of enthusiasts from students looking to keep their room mates up, to any one looking to unwind after a hard day. 

A Brief Encounter,The Rega Elex-R pays a quick visit to Manchester.

UPDATE!! Great news...Rega Elex-R now on permanent demonstration at Audio-T Manchester.  

Paul Darwin from Rega introduced us to the new Elex-R today, the latest intergrated amplifier from our friends in SouthEnd-On-Sea.

It was only a whistle-stop tour and Paul had to jet off around the country with the Elex-R in tow.

So here, for the first time anywhere in the world, is a quick, short, sharp review of Rega's newest product.

We actually had the amp over night to run it in and the following morning tested the Elex-R against the lower priced Brio-R from Rega.

Compared to the Rega Brio-R, the Elex-R was more detailed and open, pace and timing was much improved over the Brio-R.

There was also much better control of the speakers, in this instance the Rega RS3's. Tighter and deeper bass and more bite at the top end.

Daba Toure and Skip Mcdonald's album sounded huge and wide, yet everything was refined and subtle at the same time.

So overall, we were very impressed with our very brief encounter. Hopefully our demo unit will be with us very soon.

Looks like our Naim Nait 5si finally has some competition and even though the Elex-R is a kind of hybrid love child of the Brio-R and Elicit-R, it's sound is more a kin to the Elicit-R.

And of course we had to take the lid off and take a look inside...

Terry Bateman, Rega's head designer, likes to personalise pcb's with little reminders of days gone by.

Here is one to bring back some memorys, an absolute hifi classic. You've done it again Terry!!.Nice one.

The output stage is the same as the Elicit-R. 

A clearly larger transfomer than the Brio-R.

Looking good there Chromey, looking good.

We are hoping to get our hands on our very own Elex-R in a few weeks time. Just keep an out on our website our check out our blog for any updates. 

See you soon.

Munir

Tel: 0161 839 8869

email: manchester@audio-t.co.uk
web: www.audio-t.co.uk
We are open Monday to Saturday 9:30 - 17:30
and Sunday 11:30 - 16:30