Audioquest Jitterbug - Best £40 Upgrade for your Hi-Fi?

Just arrived in Portsmouth the new Audioquest Jitterbug USB Data and Power Noise Filter.

All you have to do is plug this USB filter into any audio based USB socket, like in our Naim Superuniti pictured above. Or you can use it in-line with any USB cable, for example going to a USB DAC.

It makes an obvious improvement/change to the sound of the system, making it more refined. It also seems to reduce the noise floor, and generally makes the system sound cleaner.

Come in for a demo and hear for yourself!

The Audioqest Jitterbug is available on home loan or if there is no demo unit available, on sale or return from the following branches of Audio T:  Bristol, Cardiff, Cheltenham, Enfield, Portsmouth, Swindon

The Spendor D7's Reveal Some Hidden Depths.

Having listened to the Spendor D7's for many months we can certainly say that they deliver music in a fresh vibrant realism that many speakers cannot match at this price level. No doubt this is mostly due to some important innovations at Spendor.

Spendor's humble beginnings go back to the mid sixties. At the time speaker development work at the BBC had advanced to a stage that was beyond the capabilities of the available paper pulp coned drive units. So it was decided to experiment with various plastics. Here is an excerpt from the journal of the founder of Spendor, Spencer Hughes (1924-1983:

"My part as a laboratory technician in the operation, was to do most of the actual work both on the plastic investigation, and development of the LS5/5. With that experience I decided that it should be possible to make a loudspeaker from scratch in the home environment. With the aid of our electric fire, a compressor working in reverse and an old iron bedstead, the first vacuum former was built. Bins full of malformed cones were produced before any measure of success was achieved and the first 8 inch unit was produced. This turned out as the first commercial 8 inch bextrene driver and still arguably one of the best."

Spendor continue to explore new formulations and the D7 is no exception, the bass mid range cone being made of copolymer with the bass only unit employing Kevlar reinforced skins on a lightweight core.

The new LPZ tweeter is also rather special. Built around a stainless steel front plate that forms an acoustic chamber in front of the diaphragm which in turn equalizes the sound wave and provides a symmetrical pressure environment so the tweeter actually operates in a balanced linear mode. This coupled with the other drivers give an honest portrayal of the music being played with vocals and instrument timber being remarkably neutral.

The photo above shows the Linear Flow port. Designed to work with the dynamic damping and looking somewhat like an aeroplane wing, assures the smooth flow of air both in and out of the cabinet. This is tuned to a low 27Hz which reduces port distortion and gives a practical in room bass extension down to 30Hz.

With a nominal impedance of 8ohms and a sensitivity of 90dB/W they are an easy drive for any amplifier and will also be well suited to valve equipment. We have been listening to them with the new Nytech CP202/CPA402 pre-power combination (more on these in the next blog) and it has been magical.

Last but not least is the rigid plinth and spikes mountings situatated on all four corners, ensure the D7's have a stable and sure footing. 

So pop  in with your favourite music and have a listen.

Spendor is a speaker brand that is also available at our Cheltenham store.

Spendor A5R Floorstanding Loudspeaker

The new Spendor A5R is the replacement for the original A5. It has benefited from technical improvements developed during the design of the High End D7 loudspeaker. 

The new 15cm bass driver utilises an advanced polymer cone and an ultra light Kevlar piston to give ultra fast and seamless bass/mid performance. High frequencies are produced by a newly designed 22mm wide surround dome tweeter utilising fluid cooling.

The A5Rs have a sealed cabinet so it doesn't suffer from many of the problems associated with a reflex cabinets and allows easy placement of the speakers in virtually any room.

The cabinets have been significantly improved from the A5 and now offer asymmetric bracing and a new dynamic damping system. By isolating the front radiating surfaces from the rear surfaces the A5R has managed to remove the effect of bass smearing often associated with smaller floor standing loudspeakers.

On listening all of these improvements that have been made are clearly apparent. Bass is tight, deep and very tuneful. This integrates seamlessly with the open and detailed midrange. Coupled with the 22mmm fluid cooled tweeter that offers a sweet and highly detailed top end.The A5Rs really are a significant improvement over the original A5.

Specifications

Type 2.5 Way Floor Standing

HF Unit 22mm Wide Surround dome with Fluid Damping

MF/LF Unit 150mm ep77 Polymer Cone

LF Unit 150mm Kevlar Composite Cone

Sensitivity 87dB for 1 Watt at 1 Metre

Impedance 8 Ohms

Power Handling 150W (Unclipped)

Cabinet Size 830mm x 165mm x 250mm (H x W x D)

The A5R is available in the following real wood veneers:

Black Ash, Cherry, Light Oak and Dark Walnut.

These speakers are available for demonstration. If you are looking for a compact floorstanding loudspeaker with exceptional performance the A5Rs are a must listen.

Spendor Loudspeakers are also available at our Cardiff store.

Audeze EL-8 headphones. You'll be el-8-ed.

In the market for a new pair of headphones.

Introducing the new entry level open back Audeze EL-8 headphone. 

Designed by BMW Designwork, BMW's very own design house. 

Fit and finish is class leading and very comfortable, as you would expect.

Although they look like conventional headphones they are in fact very different, using the worlds most advanced planar magnetic technology.

The cutting edge headphone capsule design includes Audeze's trade mark technologies :

FLUXOR™ MAGNETIC TECHNOLOGY

UNIFORCE™ DIAPHRAGM TECHNOLOGY

FAZOR™ TECHNOLOGY

The headphone cable uses a very nifty lightning-esque type connection. Great for when you need to pack them away.

All this adds up to a well balanced, sonically cohesive sound for prolonged listening sessions.

The EL-8's are available in closed back and open back configurations which can both be used with portable devices.

Yes Chromey, Audeze is pronounced like the word odyssey. Well done.

So, remember if you want a pair of headphones to, hyperstimul-8, be immacul-8, invigor-8,articul-8,scintill-8,

step up to the pla-8 and make a da-8 to come and listen to the Audeze EL-8 at Audio-T Manchester. 

You can request a demo through our website and it is available for demonstration at our Bristol store. You can read more about the Audeze El-8 on their website.

See you soon.

Munir, Kev, Mike and Dave

Audio T Autumn Hi-Fi Extravaganza!

Summer (did I blink?)  may be starting to fade away but we have lots of exciting audio events planned this Autumn to keep our spirits up!

The evenings may soon be drawing in but that's just an excuse to play more music!  What can be better than a cosy evening at home, feet up with a glass of your favourite tipple, a log fire crackling in the hearth and your favourite tunes playing on a great hi-fi system.

To assist you with this goal we will be hosting a number of events showcasing some great hi-fi brands as well as demonstrating the massive improvements possible when attention is paid to signal and mains cabling and conditioning.

Event number one is 4pm - 8pm on Friday September 4th plus 10am - 6pm on Saturday 5th and will be all about the benefits of mains cabling and conditioning with Isotek products.  At least one Isotek technical expert will be on hand to explain the principles of their products and to demonstrate the clear and dramatic upgrades which can be made to any audio or visual system.  

Event 2 is a week later at the same times, i.e. 4pm - 8pm September 11th and 10am - 6pm Saturday 12th.  On this occasion we will be featuring range topping Cyrus Signature Hi-Fi components and The Chord Company interconnects and speaker cables including the awesome Sarum and Super Aray range!

Nick from Cyrus will be here with at least two Mono X 300 Signature power amplifiers, maybe four or, if we are really lucky, six to drive our PMC Twenty 26 speakers to audio perfection!  Matt from Chord will ensure that everything is connected with the best possible cables.

We take a (well-deserved?) break the next week to ensure that Event 3 is perfectly timed for the official launch of the Rega Queen turntable.  Friday September 25th is the day we can release the first of these much anticipated and eagerly awaited special record decks.

As if this isn't enough excitement we are delighted that Mark from Hundred Records in Romsey will be here during the evening of the 25th (6pm - 8pm) and all day Saturday 26th (10am - 6pm) running a pop-up record store with a selection of great vinyl for you to browse and buy, and, even better, if you confirm an order very soon, you may even be able to collect your brand new Rega Queen turntable and the stunning  Queen box set during the event!

Containing all 15 studio albums re-mastered by Bob Ludwig onto 18 different coloured 180g LPs with a 108 page hardback book of album intros, lyrics, quotes and photographs and memorabilia this is a must have for any Queen fan, music lover or vinyl collector.

Please be aware that both the Queen turntables and box sets are creating such a buzz that demand is exceptionally high and neither Audio T or Hundred Records can guarantee that orders will be available to collect on the 25th or 26th September.  All orders will be honoured and those placing orders the soonest stand the most chance of collecting during the event.

Rob from Rega will also be with us on the Saturday.  Get here early if you want a chance to buy LPs from Mark or Rob will beat you to it!  

We will have at least two great turntable based Rega systems running in store, including the mighty RP10 through Aria and Elicit R with our newly arrived RX5 speakers.  You really won't want to miss this event.

Finally, nudging into October Event 4 will be featuring Arcam with both James and technical expert Andy joining us to explain and demonstrate the stunning performance of their new G class amplification.  Our brand new arrival A29 plus A39, A49 and maybe even C49 and P49 will all be available to listen to.

Not only will Matt from Chord visit again to ensure that only the best Sarum cables link the Arcam components to our favourite PMC Twenty 26 speakers but we are delighted that Tom from PMC will also attend to answer any PMC queries.

All of this Arcam, Chord and PMC action will commence between 4pm - 8pm Friday 2nd October and continue during Saturday 3rd from 10am - 6pm

That's all for now!  Watch this space for further updates as the events evolve and unfold.

Best mark them in your diary now and don't forget to place any Rega Queen and box set orders as soon as possible!

See you soon,

Alan and John

P.S. There will be exclusive prize draws at each of these events.  Another good reason to come along!

Latest Additions - Audioquest, Ruark, and Teac

Three great new reasons to visit Audio-T Portsmouth.

1. Audioquest Nighthawk headphones. These excellent new headphones are a must to audition at £499. They are super comfortable, and have a very clean and open sound while also retaining a smoothness that makes them easy to listen to for long periods.

2. New Ruark R4 £649.95

The new R4 has a few differences compared to the older model. Gone is the dock on the top but it now comes with Bluetooth instead. It's slightly smaller but Ruark have still managed to improve the sound, and they have also improved the usability.

3. Teac TN-300 Turntable £299.95 (Cherry pictured)

We have added this glossy looking turntable to our range for several reasons. Apart from the great looks, it has the flexibilty to plug straight into any system with an auxiliary input due to it's built in switchable phono stage. It also has a USB output. Changing from 33 to 45 rpm is also switched easily.

Chord Electronics Hugo TT DAC & Headphone Amplifier

You better? You better? You bet.

 

Here we have the Chord Electronics Hugo TT. A version of the Chord Hugo (which you can read about in an earlier blog here) but with several enhancements. The first question off everybody's lips seems to be, is it better than the original Hugo.

As a portable headphone amplifier come dac the Hugo certainly excelled and if you found it useful in its other guises i.e. stand-alone dac or dac come pre amp then you were most definitely onto a winner for not a lot of money (in relative terms).

The TT builds on what the original offered by making it a better proposition when putting into a system. Like the Hugo the TT is a headphone amp/dac/pre amp but with more than a couple of tweaks to make it a more suitable fit in a home system. It's bigger than the original Hugo and picking it up you can certainly tell that it is milled from a solid block of metal. Though it still runs off a battery it is not really portable. It feels reassuringly solid and well built as all Chord products do.

Unlike the Hugo it has a display to show you what input you have selected and if you wish it will display the sample rate of the music you are playing. It also comes with a remote control. On the front panel you have 2x large headphone sockets and 1x mini headphone socket, along with the afore mentioned display, an input selector button and a cross-feed selector. Around the back you have a (technically correct) BNC coaxial input an optical input and 2x USB B asynchronous inputs (more of which later). They have not forgotten about outputs as you get a pair of fully balanced XLR's and a pair RCA's.

Although the dac circuitry is the same as the Hugo the TT has been substantially changed in other areas. The battery has double the power of the Hugo and is backed up with a supercapacitor. These two tweaks enable the TT to cope better when the music demands, making the unit more capable in the way it handles dynamics and transients. The headphone amp is more powerful meaning it will drive even the most demanding headphone while always having something in reserve. I mentioned the 2x USB inputs. One is labelled SD and the other HD. They both handle music up to the same resolution but the HD input has been galvanically isolated ridding the sound of all of the inherent interference you get with USB outputs you find on computers. I didn't know that the usual implementation of galvanic isolation only works up to 48khz or 96khz at best, Chord have managed to get it working up to 384khz. Quite a feat and you can hear it.

The TT sounds no less informative than the Hugo but does so in a creamier way. It definitely sounds more in control with no edgyness to the sound what so ever. We have used it in the shop with an array of different products. As a dac we have used it with various streamers to great effect. It will also work flawlessly with the Melco N1A audio Nas we have in store (This product is definately worth a look if you haven't seen it already link here). Combined with the Melco the Hugo TT could give you the perfect streaming solution. We have tried it with various power amps and active speaker systems and it never sounded out of place. Of course we have tried it with lots of different headphones, including: Audeze EL8's and LCD 3's, Fostex ATH900's, Sennheiser HD600's, 700's and the difficult 800. It dealt with everything really well without drawing attention to itself and is a pleasure to listen to.

As ever don't take my word for it. It's here at the Bristol branch so come on in and have a listen.

Also available at our Brentwood, Brighton, Cardiff, Reading, Southampton, and Swansea stores.

Unison Research Unico Hybrid Valve Amplifier & CD Player Thrill Us.

The 'Reading Boys' are proud to announce a new addition to our already impressive line-up of mid-priced high performance audiophile equipment.

The Unison Research Unico Nuovo Phono 95 wpc amplifier and the  CD Primo CD Player.

Beautifully finished all aluminium casework and sand-blast finished front panel (available in black + £100); with more than a dash of Italian style, these two rather unassuming units pack a mighty punch. Don't for one minute assume the presence of the valves in the pre-amp and in the CD player's output stages results in a warm cuddly sound as that couldn't be further from the truth.

This combination produces an incredibly musical and engaging performance with a sense of dynamism we've not heard at anything like their price points: the inclusion of the valves ensure the sound remains fatigue free and sweet.

The amp also features a high quality MM/MC phonostage.

A healthy 95 watt Mosfet output assures the amp's ability to drive any likely partnered speakers.

A lovely sculpted solid wood remote is included with each.

Amplifier £1800, CD Player £1500. Available demonstration now.

The Audiofiles: A Musician's Hi-Fi Odyssey

I had a Sony 'boombox' when I was younger (I can't remember how old I was). I remember listening to a record of Tchaikovsky's Nutcracker when I was about 8 years old. It was the first music I really loved. My paternal Grandparents bought me a cassette tape of it around the same time; I still have that. 

My Dad had an all in one music system (not sure which make) with a record player on top. There was also a record of Billy Connolly's "Wreck on Tour" (c1974?) which I listened to so many times, I knew a lot of it word for word. One of my brothers gave me a tape of Queen’s album The Works. I fell in love with Queen and went on to acquire a number of their albums. I was lucky enough to see the Queen Musical twice, and to see Brian May and Kerry Ellis perform at the Albert Hall a few years ago. When I was studying for an MA (Kingston, 2002-03), I wrote about Queens music for Highlander and Flash; and had an email reply from Brian (via the Queen Fan Club) about Highlander.

I remember first seeing a What Hi-Fi? magazine in an art class at secondary school (91-96) - which we were cutting up and using for a collage.

New Adventures in Hi-FI
The first Hi-Fi system I got was a Marantz PM44 amp. There was a Marantz CD63 CD player as well; I can't remember if it was mine or my Dads. I had a Pioneer PD-S703? CD player which was unusual as you had to put the CD in upside down. I had an Aiwa tape player (AD-F450 I believe) that cost around £100 at the time, and a NAD tuner. I had some rubbish no-name speakers, which I upgraded to some Mission 731's (maybe £150?), which were great fun.

I bought some Monitor Audio floorstanding speakers (Pictured) with some money (£400) I inherited when I was 16. I remember wanting to set them up but my parents wouldn't let me because I had to study for my GCSE’s. I used part of a pay cheque to buy a Roksan Kandy amp (£575) around 98 or 99. My parents gave me an REL subwoofer for my 18th birthday (98).

Monitor Audio Floorstanders 

When I received compensation, for injuries I suffered in a road accident it allowed me to do a major upgrade. One of the Focal speakers is worth more than both of the Monitor Audio speakers I’d owned previously! I hope they will last me a similar length of time - 18 years!

Next Hi-Fi Upgrade

I look forward to adding a separate DAC and Power Supply to the Naim components as funds permit.  The biggest upgrade for me now, would simply to have the space to appreciate them.

It's All About The Music

I’ve got lots of (mostly old, some new) LPs. I recently purchased a re-pressing of a Led Zeppelin album. I love the tangible aspect of vinyl, as well as the audio quality.  I’ve seen the Queen branded limited edition Rega turntable in this months What Hi-Fi? and it looks amazing!

When I bought the Naim system, I gave the Roksan and Pioneer to my Dad but he doesn't use them much.

Living at home, means it's often difficult to listen to music at the volume I want to, so I usually only use the Hi-Fi when he's not around (like today).  Otherwise I use my iMac.  I’ve also got some Sennheiser HD-650 headphones (last year, £300) which are a great upgrade from the pair I bought with my student overdraft back in '99 for £140.  I lived in a detached house on my own for around 7 months between October '14 and May '15. It was great to be able to listen to loud music, even relatively loud music at 3am.  I'm looking forward to being able to do so again.

A Slice of Hi-Fi Heaven at Home 
Thank You For The Music

I just shared this on my Cheeky Promo Facebook group; "I purchased some Naim Audio Hi-Fi, CD player, amp, phono stage for my existing Rega Research PH & Rega USA Planar turntable and Focal Aria 926 speakers [total cost £5000 including off-shelf prices + kind discount] from the Reading branch of Audio T last year. I received great customer service and found the staff very friendly and flexible. I appreciated one of them delivering the speakers in their own vehicle to my home address (in SW London) as I was unable to transport them myself. I'm really enjoying all of the new hi-fi."

Someone commented: "You are part of a dying breed of people who listen to music in high quality."

With most people listening on their mobile phones, or on their computers I wonder how much of the music people are actually hearing? 

What got me hooked on music? That's another story..... although the Tchaikovsky is part of it.

Rupert Cheek, Musician, Music Lover and Promoter

If you would like your Hi-Fi system to be featured in our blog and newsletter, please contact phil(dot)paterson(at)audio-t(dot).co.uk or simply reply to the eClub newsletter. Every customer system featured will receive a £50 credit towards your next Hi-Fi purchase.

N.B. You don't have to write and essay and there are half a dozen questions that we'll ask you. You don't even have to write the article yourself!

Naim Audio : Another Happy Customer

A great system set up complete.

Pre amp        Naim Nac 202

Power amp   Naim Nap 200 DR

Streamer        Naim ND5XS

PSU               Naim HiCap

Phono stage Naim Stageline

Turntable      Rega RP6

Furniture       Naim Fraim

Speakers      Bowers & Wilkins  CM9's

It was our pleasure to set up such great product, we are sure it will provide years of enjoyment.

New B&W P5 Wireless Headphones

The new P5 Wireless headphones arrived with us yesterday and we couldn't wait to give them a whirl!

With exactly the same style and comfort as the standard P5 you would think that they may be a lot heavier but they feel no heavier at all when wearing them.

They come the usual very plush carry case and charging cable etc.

So.... to get them up and running...

Sometimes setting up bluetooth systems can be quite a challenge, these proved to be one of the quickest I've ever done. Following the instructions the headphones were straight into pairing mode, the i-pod touch scanned and picked them up immediately and away to go with playing music.... hit the share button and select P5 ... and Bob's your Uncle!

As you would expect from the P5 they sound fantastic! Bluetooth technology really does seem to have come a long way in the past couple of years, so much so that you would be hard pushed to tell they were not an ordinary cabled set of P5s.

If you are thinking of a bluetooth pair of headphones but are putting it off because you thought that they just are not as good as cabled headphones then please feel free to bring in your smart phone or tablet and have a listen for yourself... you will be pleasantly surprised!

Project's Debut Carbon Esprit SB is now on demo in Audio T Enfield!

The Debut Carbon Esprit SB offers unrivalled performance and versatility at its price point and is often referred to as the audiophile "best buy" 3-speed turntable.

The Debut Carbon Esprit SB represents a perfect selection of truly great ingredients. To start with a new DC power supply is coupled with a low noise TPE decoupled AC motor, controlled by a built in Speed Box. In practice this relates to precise 33 / 45 / 78 RPM speeds, improved pitch and timing.

Next up the platter, the Esprit version moves away from a metal platter, to a superior non resonant acrylic one. The use of acrylic eliminates high frequency "ringing" or "brightness" as heard with many metal alternatives, instead it provides a neutral blank canvas for the music to play from.

The tonearm is an impressive 8.6" single piece carbon fibre tube, a material primarily used on high-end tonearms. This provides stiffness and reduces unwanted resonances.

The ever popular Ortofon 2M Red cart is pre-fitted which delights listeners with precise timing and accurate detail. In order to play back 78 speed records the Ortofon 2M 78 stylus can also be purchased (changing the supplied drive belt would also be necessary).

The fun doesn't stop there, why not audition Project's Record Puck as a first upgrade to obtain a bigger & better organised soundstage. Secondly why not try Project's Connect-IT Phono RCA-CC upgraded external tone arm cabling to retrieve the very best performance out of this stunning turntable.

Book your demo today. The Project Debut Carbon Esprit SB is also available from the following branches of Audio T: Brentwood, Bristol, Cardiff, Cheltenham, Enfield, Manchester, Online, Oxford,Portsmouth, Preston, Swansea, Swindon

Audio T
159A Chase Side
Enfield
EN2 0PW

Tel: 0208 367 3132
Email: enfield@audio-t.co.uk

The Pro-Ject Essential II Goes Digital !!

The hugely successful and award winning Essential II has had a "digital" face lift. The Project Essential II DIGITAL aims to be one of the first turntables that can be connected to almost any modern home entertainment system.

The £309 Essential II stands out of the crowd thanks to its high quality gloss finish and the "Digital" logo emblazoned on the plinth.

A new phono stage based on the Project "Phono box" designs delivers a superb performance from the fitted Orfofon cartridge. This brand new integrated phono stage gives the option of either phono line level or the 24bit/96kHz optical output.  The Optical output uses a high quality Analogue-Digital Converter (ADC) to send a clean, uninterrupted signal to any digital hub. So whether listening to music through a soundbar, an AV receiver, a DAC, a digital pre-amplifier or a multi-room system with different input options - the Essential II Digital should fit in flawlessly. 

The low voltage motor with the perimeter platter drive has been retained from the original Essential II. You get a heavy MDF platter and the Ortofon OM5E cartridge.

Also retained is the high quality 8.6in aluminium tonearm with its traditional anti-skate device and damped lift/lower devise. The low vibration motor and silicone rubber drive belt ensure a clean and precise sound.

All in all another award winning design. Project have taken a traditional turntable and revolutionised it for the modern digital world. A versatile turntable at a bargain price. Pop in for a listen.

Monitor Audio Gold 50's are worth their weight in Gold.

And a little bit of silver as well.

Ahh... that will be the Pureflow® Silver internal cabling.

The new Gold 50's from Monitor Audio.

Now on demonstration at  Audio T Manchester.

Here are some highlights from the Monitor Audio website.

• C-CAM® (Ceramic-Coated Aluminium/Magnesium) ribbon transducer design – providing extension to a class leading 60KHz

• HiVe®II port technology for better transient response and tighter bass

• New C-CAM RST® (Rigid Surface Technology) bass/mid-range driver

• Single bolt through driver fixings for improved bracing, rigidity and driver/baffle de-coupling

• Die-cast alloy terminal panel arrangement with high quality bi-wire terminals and high end spade type link cables

• Pureflow® Silver internal cabling

• Selected premium quality wood veneer or high gloss lacquer finishes

• Rigid 20mm MDF construction throughout, employing radial and cross-bracing techniques for high rigidity resulting in low cabinet colouration

• Invisible magnetic grille fixing provides clean visual styling when used with the grille off.

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 (closed on Sunday's throughout August 2015)

Rega introduce 'Queen' special edition turntable...

Rega introduce a limited edition ‘Queen by Rega’ custom turntable.

Rega were proud to be approached by legendary rock band ‘Queen’ to produce a limited edition  turntable to coincide with the release of their 18 piece 180g vinyl LP boxset containing all 15 hit studio albums.

This turntable is a limited production of 2000 world wide so with that in mind these Queen turntables are set to sell like hot cakes!

We have ordered 5 of these stunning turntables so why not beat the crowd and pre order yours NOW!

This unique turntable will be available to purchase from us from the 25th September.

For more information click here

To pre order yours please feel free to contact us on 01793 538222

N.B. This also available from other Audio T stores - check your nearest store for availability. 

AudioQuest Nighthawk Headphones on Demonstration

NightHawk is an around-the-ear, semi-open headphone. They are very comfortable, rather beautiful and great sounding. We like them, and think you will too! 

Come along and have a listen.

New Unison Research Amps and Quad S1 Standmount Speaker at Audio T Cheltenham

After Extensive listening we have added some exiting new products to our already extensive range at the Cheltenham branch. These have all been chosen purely on the basis of sound quality and to address where we felt we had gaps in our existing range.

Unison Research Simply Italy Valve Amplifier

We have always wanted to offer the valve experience without the need to spend multiples of thousands of Pounds. Enter the Unison Research Simply Italy Ultra Linear Single Ended Class A 12 Watt Integrated amplifier.

The Simply Italy utilises ECC82 valves on the pre amplifier / driver stages and EL34 valves on the output stages. The amplifier also incorporates a new "Quasi Dual Mono" power supply allowing extremely low cross talk and low distortion.

The Simply Italy really does offer the valve experience without the usual mind blowing price tag. It offers an exceptionally open and detailed sound, pinpoint imagery and surprisingly tight and tuneful bass for such a modest output.

Technical Data:

Output Power - 12W Per Channel (Approx.)

Negative Feedback - Switchable 5dB or 1.8dB

Inputs - 5 x Line Level

Valves - 2x ECC82 (12AV7) 2 x EL34 (6CA7)

Dimension - 26 x 35 x 19cm

Unison Research Unico Nuovo Phono Amplifier

For those that want the Valve experience but also want exceptional power delivery we now offer the Unison Research Unico Nouvo.

The Unico Nouvo is a hybrid integrated amplifier based on a single triode per channel design. It Utilises 2 x ECC83 valves in parallel configuration. The output devices are fed by a symmetrical current image stage, the outputs themselves are powered mosfets. This offers a more valve influenced sound, greater channel separation and enhanced musical detail. 

In this configuration the amplifier is powerful enough to drive speakers to very high levels an still offer the sound quality only normally achieved by more expensive esoteric valve amplifiers.

The Nouvo offers four line level inputs, a Switchable MM/MC phono stage, pre amp output and line level tape output.

Technical Data:

Output Power 95W RMS 8 Ohm

Input Stage Pure Class A, Parallel Tube Design, 2 x ECC83 (12AX7)

Output Stage Dynamic Class A, Power Mosfet

Dimensions 43.5 x 9.5 x 43cm

Quad S1 Bookshelf Loudspeakers

We are constantly asked for a small loudspeakers that offer the performance of larger floor standing loudspeakers in a small room. Enter the Quad S1 Loudspeaker.

The Quad S1 stands just 285mm tall. It incorporates a 100mm bass driver and a bespoke ribbon tweeter.

The ribbon tweeter is an up to the minute design utilising the latest techniques and materials. Ribbons have always had the reputation of being delicate and easily overpowered. The ribbon developed by Quad is made using a sandwich construction that is fully immersed in a powerful magnetic field so that it accomplishes the dual role of being voice coil and sound radiator. This makes it robust enough to handle very high powered amplifiers and still offer an exceptionally open and detailed sound.

The ribbon tweeter is coupled with a 100mm Kevlar coned bass / mid driver carefully tuned to a rearward firing reflex port.

The cabinets use a sandwich construction of alternative layers of MDF and HDF to reduce panel resonances to below the audible level.

Technical Data:

Tweeter -  12 x 45mm True Ribbon

Mid / Bass Driver - 100mm Woven Kevlar Cone

Sensitivity - 84dB

Recommended Power - 25 - 100W

Nominal Impedance - 8 Ohm

Frequency Response - 58Hz - 20kHz

Dimensions - 285mm x 156mm x 270mm (H x W x D)

N.B. Quad and Unison Research products are available from a select number of Audio T Stores, so as always we would recommend you call your nearest store before travelling or check the brands page for more details.

An infestation of DragonFlys has never sounded so good...

We at Audio T Swindon are pleased to say that we now stock the amazing Audioquest DragonFly V1.2.

For those of you who are familiar with the Audioquest DragonFly this product needs little to no introduction but for those of you who are yet to discover the wonder that is the Audioquest DragonFly, Read on...

The Audioquest DragonFly V1.2 is a USB DAC, Preamp & Headphone Amp all rolled into one neat little USB stick sized package.

At heart of DragonFly is the 24-bit ESS Sabre conversion chip. This is what is typically found in better CD and Blu-ray players.

The DragonFly can accept audio and music files ranging from MP3s to native 24-bit/96kHz high-resolution, regardless of music file format. So if your computer’s software can recognize and play a format, The Audioquest DragonFly will make it sound its best.

DragonFly connects to a USB jack on a Mac® or Windows® PC, turning any computer into a true high- fidelity music source.

At £129, The DragonFly is an affordable and easy-to-use device that delivers far superior sound by bypassing the poor quality sound card that is often built into modern day computers.

Along with the DragonFly we will be stocking the NEW and amazing Audioquest JitterBug.

I've heard this little product do things to a digital based system that no £39 product should be able to do!

USB Data & Power Noise Filter

Dual Discrete Noise-Dissipation Circuits

• Reduces the noise and ringing that plague both the data and power lines of USB ports.
• Measurably reduces jitter and packet errors.
• Improves dynamic contrast, warmth and resolution.

              DUE TO ARRIVE IN JULY!

For more information on either of the above products please feel free to call us on: 01793 53822 or email us at: swindon@audio-t.co.uk

Classic Album Evening Number Sixteen Led Zeppelin IV

Another full house at our 16th classic album evening

A big thank you to all who attended,looking forward to the next one

cheers

Ian/Gavin/Andy

The Audioquest Nighthawk Headphones have arrived

We've just taken delivery of the new Audioquest Nighthawk headphones for demonstration.

They are crammed full of high technology and beautifully presented in sumptious packaging.

Even the leather case has a tooled logo

 and the headphones are securely nestled inside

They come with two leads, one of an exceptionally high quality as we would expect from Audioquest, and one which is more suited to repeated coiling and travel use.

With earcups made from "liquid wood" and biocellulose drivers there's more than a nod to the organic world, but this is coupled with the forefront of modern technology and materials, including a 3D printed component in the biomimetic grille!

So how do they sound?

Well the simple answer is vanishingly beautiful. They are very very natural, and don't seem to impose too much character of their own on the soundstage. Lovely controlled bass and very sweet treble combine to make a relaxing and revealing listening experience. 

Boswell just wishes they came in teddy-size

Available at the following Audio T Stores - Brentwood, Brighton, BristolCheltenham, Cheltenham, Enfield, Online, Manchester, Portsmouth and Swansea, Please check with your nearest store for availability before travelling.