April 16, 2019

The New Ruark R5 Streaming Music System Buzzes In To Manchester.

April 16, 2019/ Manchester

Say hello to the brand new R5 from Ruark, officially the bigger brother of the ever popular R4, but with the design queues from the top of the range R7, in fact the R5 is like a scaled down version of this Ruark range topper.

The new fabric exterior makes the Ruark R5 look really classy, and with the smooth, slick CD loader and an OLED display the unit offers a discreetly high-tech look, balanced with the furniture grade rich walnut veneered cabinet and soft grey anodised metal-work, result in a minimalist, yet practical design.

To operate and control the R5 it could not be simpler. Fitted atop the cabinet is Ruark's trademark controller, the RotoDial, this ergonomically designed control offers instant operation of the main functions, and with the simplest press of a couple of buttons, some of the more advanced features too.

The RotoDial is completely copied with the supplied remote commander, so all features can be controlled from the comfort and convenience of your favourite arm chair. But there is more; the recently developed Ruark 'LINK' control app, allows you to take full command of the unit via your smart phone or tablet. Through this app, you can link other Ruark WiFi compatible units, and create a whole house Ruark wireless system...

Connection Heaven is how Ruark describe the R5, and that is no lie or exaggeration.

It starts with a traditional CD player, one offering multi-format support. All three radio systems are incorporated, conventional FM, DAB+ Digital, and internet radio. The R5 boasts a Bluetooth wireless connection, for playing music from all your favourite devices; featuring the latest high specification aptX HD receiver. In addition, both analogue (a separate RCA line input, with separate RCA Phono input) and digital (via optical toslink connection) hard wired inputs are provided. Full wireless music streaming from U-PNP devices; and as mentioned, fully multi room ready. You can also play your favourite tunes from Spotify Connect, with support for Tidal, Deezer and Amazon Music services.

Inside the R5's electronics it has a high capacity linear power supply and utilises genuine Hi-Fi grade Class AB power amplifiers, driving the main left and right channel high quality full range speakers. These larger drive units, compared to the smaller R4, are combined with a low frequency bass driver mounted underneath the unit to help give the R5 a truly rich sound, much bigger than the elegant, compact case would suggest. Room filling sound within even a large room, distortion free and with ease.

The base unit and reflex port underneath the R5.

The heat sinks on the class A-B amplifier.

The Ruark R5 in on display and available for demonstration at our Manchester store.

Come along and ask for a demo. Munir, Mike, Macarena,Dave and Haden should be there to help

See you at the store.

.

Ruark Audio Hi-Fi products are available from the following branches of Audio T:
Brentwood, Brighton, Bristol, Cardiff, Chelte n ham, Enfield, Manchester, Online, Oxford, Portsmouth, Preston, Southampton, Swansea

April 12, 2019

Dali Oberon Loudspeakers Now Available At Audio T Swindon

April 12, 2019/ Swindon

We have taken delivery of the first two speakers of Dali’s Oberon loudspeaker range. Dali, Danish Audiophile Loudspeaker Industries, are a company with more than 35 years of experience and we can’t wait to have a listen to them!

The Oberon range comprises of two pairs of standmount speakers, two pairs of floorstanding speakers, a pair of on-wall models and a centre speaker. The speakers we would like to show you are the Oberon 5 floorstanding speakers and the Oberon Vokal centre speaker.

The Dali Oberon Series is available in four finishes : Black Ash, White, Dark Walnut and Light Oak. The new grills are either Mountain Grey supplied with the light finishes or Shadow Black supplied with the dark finishes. Marshmallow White is available is an extra cost.

Our speakers have arrived in Light Oak and we have to admit that they look really nice .

Dali Oberon 5 Floorstanders and Oberon Vokal Centre Loudspeaker with Grills

Dali Oberon 5 and Oberon Vokal without Grills

The Oberon 5’s are 83cm high, 16cm wide and 28cm deep. Like all Dali speakers, the Oberon 5’s fire straight ahead (not angled in towards the listening position) due to the soft dome tweeter’s wide dispersion. The two bass/mid woofers wood-fibre cones take over the mid-range and bass frequencies.

Here are a few photos of the Oberon 5. Stunning wood finish

The Oberon Vokal centre speaker is an ideal partner for the surround sound system and blends in nicely with it’s soft dome tweeter and two wood fibre cone woofers.

The Dali Oberon 5 and Oberon Vokal offer a very nice balanced front soundstage when used together in a surround sound system, just add Oberon1, Oberon3 or even Oberon On-Wall as your surround channels.

We listen to all sorts of music and the Oberon 5’s sound fast, detailed, sharp without being bright. A great allrounder.

Please come in for a listen . Coffee and tea will be provided.

Stefan & Andy

Dali loudspeakers are available from the following branches of Audio T :

Brentwood, Cardiff , Online , Swindon

April 11, 2019

Rega Record Store Day Special Edition Turntable Available On Saturday 13th April

April 11, 2019/ Brighton

Just 500 limited edition versions of the Rega Planar 1 Plus turntable will be manufactured. 125 of those will have some special and rare prizes hidden at random inside. Ranging from £25 record tokens, to artist signed albums, posters and pictures, and a super prize of two tickets to this years Mercury Music Prize awards!

In Brighton we’ll be featuring the Linn Sondek and Rega Planar turntables on Record Store day.

The Rega RSD turntable benefits from a high quality built in phono stage, custom printed mat, matching lid badge, Record Store Day screen printed plinth, premium smoked cover, Rega Carbon cartridge, and is a plug and play design.

Because of hidden prizes we have restrained ourselves and held back from opening one of our RSD decks, which means that we cannot bring you a photo we’ve taken of one, so here is a Rega image

Our homage window to support Record Store Day. With thanks to John for the coloured vinyl and the display

And in case any of you were to doubt the commitment of Rega in the support of playing records, we bring you the redesigned Rega Planar 78 turntable. Yes, that’s right it plays at 78 rpm (and only 78 rpm!).

Another Rega photo as we do not keep this in stock. It is available to order £349 excluding cartridge.

Join with Julian, Paul and John to explore what Linn and Rega turntables can bring to you and your record collection. Discover more of the music from your records.

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

Linn Hi-Fi products are available at:
Brighton, Bristol, Manchester, Oxford, Swindon

April 05, 2019

New Ruark R5 Lifestyle Music System With Rega Planar 2 And A Goat

April 05, 2019/ Portsmouth

Yes that's right a Goat. We have been experimenting with the phono stage in the new Ruark R5 just to see if it really can do everything really rather well, or if we could find a chink in the armour.

As in Preston’s wonderful blog on the arrival of the R5 and its many features, it is a hugely versatile and a great sounding system as one would expect from a Ruark product. However, we know that built in phono stages can be can be of variable quality, so we thought we would put the Ruark through its paces.

The circular remote takes a short time to learn how to navigate but very pleasant to use when you have.

We felt the Rega planar 2 (with Carbon cartridge) was a suitable match as you could hear the difference between the Planar 1 and the 2 quite clearly. We did try the Planar 3 but didn’t feel you where getting the best out of it.

After a short listen we had a quick play with the sound settings to a) see how easy it is and b) to find out how much more we could pull out of the system. It was super easy and you can make the changes during playback making things fast and efficient. We switched off 3D sound, switched loudness on and kept bass and trebile level. This seemed to give the overall sound presentation more openness and clarity, allowing more control in the room. Of course this can differ from room to room, and the surface upon which the R5 is placed will play a role in how the system sounds.

Then we cranked the volume and enjoyed some Goat!

So, why do I keep saying Goat. Well Goat are a Swedish Alternative/Experimental group, who formed in 2012. Their main genres are various types of rock such as experimental, psychedelic and hard sort of world music (that being the name of their debut album). I often get asked by customers if I have come across anything new and a bit different, well Goat fits that bill. The album is very well produced, open and a good system test. Certainly worth a try.

After listening to two of the four discs at various volumes we decided that the built in phono stage is certainly not a chink in the armour but another strength.

In conclusion, much as expected the Ruark R5 is an all-round fabulous portable music system bringing stylish, compact quality and great sound into the home.

We look forward to seeing you in the Portsmouth branch so can can hear it for yourself. If a home demonstration is required that can also be arranged.

Nick, Joe and James

Ruark Audio Hi-Fi products are available from the following branches of Audio T:
Brentwood, Brighton, Bristol, Cardiff, Cheltenham, Enfield, Manchester, Online, Oxford, Portsmouth, Preston, Southampton, Swansea

April 02, 2019

The All New Ruark R5 Portable Music Streaming System Has Arrived

April 02, 2019/ Audio T

The all new Ruark Audio R5 has arrived. As we have come to know and love from Ruark is that they are well designed and visually pleasing, and jam packed with features for a single box music system.

The R5 is fitted with a multi-format CD player that will play self made discs in WAV, AAC and MP3 formats and has an OLED display for clear information display.

You can connect a mobile device to the R5 using the very latest in Bluetooth technology, AptX HD Bluetooth. Or, if you prefer you can stream music from Spotify, Spotify connect, Deezer, Amazon music and Tidal streaming services which are all built in to this competent and visually appealing unit.

You can choose from a phenomenal range of music stations on FM, DAB and DAB+ or from anywhere in the world using internet radio where you are sure to find something for your listening pleasure. The R5 will connect directly to your network either via an ethernet port situated on the back of the unit or via WiFi. The R5 even lets you play your stored music from a network hard drive using the UPNP feature.

The Ruark R5 is equipped with a built in phono pre-amplifier enabling you to connect a turntable directly with no additional boxes required. Ruark have also expanded the physical inputs on the R5 to include an optical input to connect your TV or another digital device as well as an analogue RCA input and a USB port for playback from USB devices in a variety of file formats.

Situated on the front of the R5 is a convenient headphone socket for those late night listening sessions enabling an up close and personal performance from your favourite artists day or night.

This latest addition to the Ruark Audio line up the R5 has a full remote control that works on radio frequencies so doesn't need to be pointed at the unit and if you misplace the remote control temporarily, there are controls on the top. Ruark Audio have a control application 'Ruark Link' which works with both Apple and Android devices giving you all the control you will ever need over your music.

The R5 is multi-room ready so will connect with MRX, R2 Mk3 and R7 Mk3 for seamless multi-room playback.

We look forward to seeing you in store for a listen

Ian/Gavin & Andy

Ruark Audio lifestyle Hi-Fi products are available from the following branches of Audio T:

Brentwood, Brighton, Bristol, Cardiff, Cheltenham, Enfield, Manchester, Online, Oxford, Portsmouth, Preston, Southampton, Swansea

April 01, 2019

Record Store Day 2019 fun

April 01, 2019/ Audio T

For this year’s Record Store Day we’re going to have a fun day in store, when we’ll set up a couple of fab vinyl based systems and play a selection of classic albums all day.

This sort of thing…..

The fantastic Audio T offer of one of our excellent record bags free with any turntable purchased will be in full effect.

We will of course have the limited edition Rega Record Store Day turntable available on a first come first served basis.

Of course we’ll be happy to offer advice on upgrading or servicing your turntable as well as having a selection of vinyl based accessories from stylus brushes to phono stages to help you get the most out of your deck. Or try out one of our record cleaners and see how that can improve the sound quality of your music.

Oh and we have actual records for sale too!!!!

Come in and join in the listening

See you then!

March 28, 2019

Audiolab 6000 Series Integrated Amplifier And CD Transport Arrives At Audio T Enfield

March 28, 2019/ Enfield

We have always been fans of Audiolab electronics. With that in mind we are very happy to announce we have the Audiolab 6000A Integrated amp and Audiolab 6000CDT CD Transport on permanent demonstration for your aural pleasure.

Starting with the Audiolab 6000CDT CD transport first, you will notice that this now sports a slot loading mechanism instead of the standard tray loading mech. This ensures almost silent operation, together with excellent disc reading accuracy. The large front display can be switched off to further enhance not only the signal purity but also the sleek styling.

Moving on to the Audiolab 6000A integrated amplifier, this pays homage to the classic Audiolab styling but brought bang up to date. It now has an inbuilt phono stage (Moving Magnet only), Bluetooth receiver, onboard DAC (4 Digital inputs) and a headphone input.

Moving to rear of these beauties, the CD Transport has both optical and co-axial outputs. The amp has the aforementioned 4 digital inputs and an additional 3 analogue inputs along the MM Phono stage.

Finally, we connected these up to a variety of loudspeakers and have had excellent results with brands such as Acoustic Energy and B&W among others. We found an ideal partner for vinyl replay in the shape of the Rega Planar 3 / Elys combination.

Audiolab Hi-Fi products are available from the following branches of Audio T:

Brentwood, Bristol, Cardiff, Cheltenham, Enfield, Manchester, Portsmouth, Southampton

March 25, 2019

Bowers & Wilkins 800 Series Now Available At Audio T Bristol

March 25, 2019/ Bristol

We are very proud to take our love of Bowers and Wilkins speakers to the next level, and welcome the 800 Diamond series to the Bristol shop. We have all models from the 800 range on demonstration and boy do they sound good!

The range starts with the 805; a classic standmount and an excellent entry into the 800 series.

We move swiftly on to the floor standers, starting with the 804 then onwards and upwards with the 803, 802 and the unbelievably good 800.

The Bowers and Wilkins 800 D3 loudspeaker. Perfect fit for our dem room.

We all went to the factory in Worthing, a couple of weekends ago, to get trained up on the range and be introduced to the amazing manufacturing techniques developed by Bowers to make these fabulous speakers.

All lined up and ready to bring a smile to many peoples faces.

The factory is now dedicated to the production of the 800 Diamond series and watching the staff do their work was an experience in itself. They are all obviously passionate about what they do and the standards are so high that you can pretty much guarantee, all the products leave the factory perfect. It is even in the employees contracts that they are not allowed to drink alcohol the night before they have work to ensure a steady hand.

The matrix. This is what allows you to here the music and not the cabinet.

We all came back to Bristol having thoroughly enjoyed the trip. A bus mans holiday it certainly wasn’t and we couldn’t wait to get back to the shop and listen to our 800’s. They are here if you want to indulge.

We will be doing in depth reviews as well as dedicated listening events in the very near future.

Bowers & Wilkins 800 Series are available from the following branches of Audio T:

Audio T Brentwood, Audio T Bristol

Bowers & Wilkins loudspeakers are available from the following branches of Audio T:

Brentwood, Brighton, Bristol, Cardiff, Enfield, Manchester, Oxford, Portsmouth, Preston, Southampton, Swansea, Swindon

March 16, 2019

Denon DM41 - An Introduction To Hi-Fi & A Fully Featured Alternative To A Soundbar.

March 16, 2019/ Oxford

While Denon's DM41 has been around for a little while now, it remains as popular as ever and is the latest iteration in long line of Award winning compact Hi-Fi products from Denon.

Offering a wealth of features and connectivity, coupled with strong amplification and tucked in a box no larger than the footprint of a A4 piece of paper, the DM41 is perfect if space is at a premium. But it most beguiling feature is it’s capacity to offer a genuine taste of sonic benefits, and the enjoyment to be had, from a separate’s Hi-Fi system; it's a fantastic way to start your Hi-Fi journey.

Denon has been at the right at the forefront of Award-winning compact, one-box solutions for a good 20 years and while FM radio, DAB and CD have always been the mainstay of Denon's previous iterations, consistent improvements and refinements have lead to today's DM41, which now offers a much wider range of facilities. An additional feature for this model is the inclusion of a Bluetooth receiver module, ideal for straight-forward streaming of music from a phone, tablet or laptop. And if wish add a turntable, a single set of RCA’s connections will do the job perfectly, and what’s more, if your turntable has a built in phono-stage, these is no need for any further investment, just settle down and enjoy your vinyl.

The Denon DM41 also offers a neat little solution for enhancing your TV sound, in glorious 2.1, that will offer clarity and dynamics that just can't get from the vast majority of TV speakers. Small enough to slot easily into most TV stands, the real beauty of using the DM41 for TV sound is the inclusion of "sub-out" connection allowing you to experience real impact while watching films and TV and also allowing you to enjoy enhanced detail with both speech and ambient sounds, making even everyday viewing a much more enjoyable experience. Amplification is rated at 30 watts into 6 ohms which should be more than enough power to drive and control speakers to more than acceptable levels in small and medium rooms.

We partner our display DM41 with a pair of Monitor Audio Bronze 1 speakers, which, to our ears, an ideal match. But stepping up to the Monitor Audio Silver 50 makes the world of difference, with clearer separation, a more realistic sense of an tone and timbre to instrumentation, clearer vocal presentation and a more rounded and detailed bass output.

The Denon DM41 offers fantastic value for money and also gives a great introduction to the world of Hi-Fi and all of the reward a well chosen components can bring.

Denon Hi-Fi products are available at the following branches of Audio T:
Brentwood, Brighton, Bristol, Cardiff, Cheltenham, Enfield, Manchester, Online, Oxford, Portsmouth, Preston, Southampton, Swansea, Swindon

March 15, 2019

Audio T Southampton's (well John's) Top Ten Home Cinema Demo Movie Scenes!

March 15, 2019/ Southampton

Our resident Home Cinema fan John has some personal favourite movie scenes which he uses to set up and calibrate AV systems. We thought we would share a few with you in case you want to put your own Home Cinema through it’s paces.

Are you ready? Here’s John’s top ten! (His choices…)

Straight in at No.10 is Battleship, scene 15 running into 16. I would just like to make it clear at this point that artistic quality is not a factor here. This is just a dynamic visual and audio extravaganza which tests dialogue coherence (but sadly doesn’t improve content!) during action sequences.

No.9 is another movie which majors on automotive action rather than subtle characterisation… Fast and Furious 8 (is that all..?), scene 17, will give your system a thorough work out, although the language is a bit fruity.

No.8. Iron Man 2, scene 16. Not an Art House film, although there’s a bit more acting and dialogue here, but being John’s choice, it is mainly gunfire and explosions… again. Good surround effects though, from the laser sequence.

No.7. X Men Apocalypse, scene 14. I think you get the picture, as it were, by now. Not exactly cinema verite, but this scene includes some clever slow motion CGI and very effective Dolby Atmos accompanied by the Eurythmics backtrack.

No.6. Terminator 2, Judgement Day., scene 4. A bit of a classic now, albeit not in the same sense as Citizen Kane, for example, but these are John’s selections…This is a well filmed vehicle chase sequence with an excellent soundtrack. The Harley sounds convincingly throaty on a good, well set-up system.

No.5. Top Gun, scene 1. Stepping even further into the past, John has gone with the opening scene with it’s full throttle soundtrack providing a test for anyone brave enough to turn the volume up to 11. WARNING! John has damaged speakers doing this so please do exercise some caution. Top Gun top tip is to play the DTS soundtrack to avoid audio disappointment.

No.4. Back to the Future III, scene 15, the duel. Guns again… However, central to John’s selection this time, is the atmospheric sound and musical soundtrack during the gunfight. It’s a fair cop.

No.3. Jeff Beck Live at Ronnie Scott’s, scene 11. At last we can do away with guns and pick up an axe instead. Well, listen to Jeff play his Fender Stratocaster anyway. This welcome musical break from action movies shows how a concert video can be enhanced by a well recorded DTS surround soundtrack, perfectly capturing the intimate atmosphere of Ronnie Scott’s Jazz Club

No.2. The Greatest Showman, scene 8. Keeping his focus on music now instead of pyrotechnics, John likes the gripping soundtrack in this scene which draws one’s attention to the spectacular choreography on screen, if you like musicals…

And at No.1. Bohemian Rhapsody, scene 23. A masterful recreation of Queen’s 1985 performance at Live Aid. John would have loved to have been there, if only he wasn’t five, but this movie gives him more than a taste of the real experience with Dolby Atmos providing the requisite acoustics in order to suspend disbelief.

We will be hosting a Movie Night at The White Horse Hotel Romsey on 30th May. The movie being screened is yet to be selected but please rest assured that John won’t make the final decision without supervision. Perhaps you would like to email us with some suggestions?!

Don’t forget to check out our store blog for Movie Night updates closer to the date.

That’s all Folks!

Alan, John and Wayne

March 15, 2019

Neat Motive SE2 - Thinking Inside The Box!

March 15, 2019/ Cheltenham

For a while now the speaker that we sell the most of has been the Neat Motive SX2. They are that great combination of being easy to drive, small in stature but sound big!

Recently we have discovered that there is an improved version (only made to special order) called the Neat Motive SE2 which boasts a new version of the classic EMIT planar magnetic tweeter that is ordinarily only found in the rather more expensive prestige Ultimatum models. Here the tweeter is very cleverly compliantly mounted within its own discrete cavity and boasts a new and enhanced crossover. And here’s the good news …….. all of this comes for only an extra £100! Bargain or what!! Sorry for all the exclamation marks but in this instance they are entirely justified!!!

Since we discovered these little gems it is now not often that we sell the SX2. Every time we demo the SE2 people always prefer its sweeter and more engaging presentation of the music.

These speakers are also not too fussy about position either. They do like a little room behind them and a bit of a toe in which will open up the soundstage, but if you are pushed for space and need to get them close to a rear wall or if you are listening off axis they will still do a great job. They also come in a variety of room friendly finishes too.

The Neat Motive SE2 really come to life when partnered with the amazing little Rega combination of Apollo CD player and Brio amplifier. This combination as system punches well above its weight. That all important thing of “system synergy” really comes into its own here producing a sound that is both finely detailed and musically engaging without ever sounding bright or harsh.

Playing a CD copy of the wonderful Prog Rock classic that is the first Riverside album “Out of Myself” the first track which is called The Same River has mid-range detail in bucket loads and proper deep bass that will drag you in and keep you hooked while the band builds up a true epic of the genre and until the very last note fades! This band should be huge. They are masters of creating Prog Rock epics building on the sounds of Porcupine Tree, Dream Theatre and Pink Floyd, this is a great disc for sorting out the men from the boys when it comes to loudspeaker reproduction. Like the soft petals of a flower unfurling to reveal a Venus Flytrap inside with the sting of a Scorpion (ooer!). And if you like this one there are lots more to discover as well!

So to conclude this little bloggy thing, we think that the Neat Motive SE2’s are one of those magical loudspeaker designs that you should really put on your shortlist what ever your budget is! You will not be disappointed!! Yikes …..more of those exclamation mark things again!! Oh Well.

Neat Acoustics loudspeakers are available from the following branches of Audio T:
Brighton, Cheltenham, Portsmouth, Preston, Reading

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

March 15, 2019

Grab Yourself A Hi-Fi Bargain & Save Up To 50% OFF In Preston's Spring Clearance Sale

March 15, 2019/ Audio T

We are having a bit of a spring clean here at Audio T Preston and we are moving on some top quality Hi-Fi at bargain prices.

We have a veritable Aladdin’s cave of open box and ex-demo products including headphones, amplifiers, speakers, streamers , subwoofers and lot’s lot’s more besides.

We have Rotel, Yamaha, Dynaudio, Martin Logan, Ruark, Piega, Monitor Audio, Bowers and Wilkins, Quad and the list goes on…

If you are a member of the Audio T e-Club then you get an extra 5% discount. If you haven’t joined you can click here to sign up.

Don't forget that these are limited offers and when they are gone, they are gone, so don't miss out!

Click HERE or on the Clearance List poster above to see the full list of clearance sale products. If there is anything that you like the look of then give us a call on 01772 883958 or email us at Audio T Preston and we can discuss it further.

Listed below are just some of the bargains to be had, enjoy.

Martin Logan ElectroMotion ESL - Save £1298

Quad Vena Amplifier - Save £120

Piega Classic 3.0 - Half Price !!

Novafidelity NF-X50D - Save £250

Monitor Audio Silver 200 - Save £400

Rega DAC - Save £150

Dynaudio Contour 60 - Save £2250

March 14, 2019

Record Store Day 2019 at Derricks Music In Swansea Featuring The New Rega Limited Edition Turntable

March 14, 2019/ Swansea

Record Store Day 2019 on Saturday 13th April is set to be another cracker in Swansea! We will once again be teaming up with Derricks Music on Oxford Street Swansea to play vinyl on some great sounding Rega (official sponsors of RSD) Hi-Fi.

With the success of our previous years prize draw we will again be giving away the limited edition Rega RSD turntable. All you need to do to be in with a chance of winning the turntable is call in to Derricks on RSD and fill in the entry form, and we will pull the winner out of the hat at 5pm as usual.

Last year in particular was the best phone call we made to let the winner know the good news. The phone was answered and the news delivered, but the winner was in the pub and already a couple of sherberts in. It took about five attempts to tell him that it was not a prank, it was hysterical!

We managed to present the prize the following week…

As usual we will be playing vinyl all day, this year we will be playing the very turntable that you can win!

There will be a few more goodies and offers that we will have with us on the day, so keep an eye on our Facebook page as we get closer to the day.

If you’ve not yet seen the list of RSD releases for 2019 you can find them here

We look forward to seeing you there….

March 13, 2019

PMC?......The Is' have it! Brighton Review The PMC iB2SE Standmount Loudspeaker

March 13, 2019/ Brighton

Last June we had the brief opportunity of hearing the PMC MB2se, which are now happily residing with our customer as his speaker of choice. Since then we’ve been wanting to spend some more time with a speaker of this type to give it a proper evaluation.

Fast forward to the end of February this year and we took delivery of a pair of PMC IB2se, these are said to be more of a domestic version of the MB2se. Although they are still a very substantial speaker they are slightly more conventional in styling and driver layout, but before doing any evaluation we set about running them in, as we felt they needed a few more hours to get them to sing.

The main differences here are that these are passive speakers, using a smaller flat sectioned bass driver, slightly smaller in size all around, slightly lighter in weight with small differences in transmission line length, sensitivity, impedance and frequency response but still using the same stunning mid range and treble units which result in its ability to give the music its clarity.

In the short time we had the MB2se we were completely blown away by them, so we were looking forward to hearing what these would do considering the smaller size and cost. We hooked them up to our reference system here in the shop; a full Naim system comprising of a Linn Klimax LP12 for vinyl playback, a Naim ND555 network player for streaming our ripped cds from a Naim Uniti Core hard disc player into a Naim NAC252 pre amp, Naim Supercap DR pre amp power supply and Naim NAP300 DR power amp.

Differences? yes, but these speakers are most definitely cut from the same cloth, the level of detail and musicality is incredible, the bass is full but in no way over blown, the mid range is full of delicate subtlety and the treble is insightful and full of sparkle without being relentless or hard, these really are a speaker that bring all of the accuracy that is required by a studio engineer for mastering music but with the added bonus of being a speaker to come home to after a long day at work, put on some of your favourite music and spend the evening in musical bliss.

Whilst listening a customer, who was in the shop at the time, said with a big grin on his face “WOW! I’ve not heard that level of insight in to the music being played since I was in a studio and feel I could just spend hour and hours trawling though my music collection with these”

Unfortunately these speakers will not be with us forever, so if you get a chance pop in and give them a listen, you’ll not be disappointed, Julian, Paul and John will be happy to play them for you…..it gives us a good excuse, as if we needed one!

PMC Loudspeakers are available at the following branches of Audio T:

Brighton, Bristol, Cardiff, Enfield, Manchester, Portsmouth, Southampton, Swindon

March 13, 2019

Seeing How They Are Made: The Bowers and Wilkins 800 Series Loudspeakers

March 13, 2019/ Audio T

We recently had the opportunity to visit the Worthing based production facility for Bowers and Wilkins 800 series speakers to see first hand how their flagship range are made.

We were greeted at the door by the iconic Nautilus loudspeaker, this one resplendent in its Union Flag livery.

Our guide to the process and factory was Peter, who has been working for Bowers and Wilkins for more than 25 years. He took us around the complete production facility explaining processes and technologies along the way in a very informative, and entertaining, way.

One example of this was the machine used for forming the cabinet for 800 series. This is created from multiple layers of wood and glue which are formed at high pressure and temperature by folding down across a folder like this:

The tour was like the audiophile version of Charlie and the Chocolate Factory with a huge array of machines and people finishing, sanding, painting etc etc.

We saw the famous Bowers and Wilkins Matrix being inserted into one of the 800 series floorstanders.

With the cabinet prised apart by metal jaws the matrix is positioned and glued into place. When the jaws are released the natural spring of the cabinet form will add compression to the matrix

Peter was full of interesting information most of which highlighted the amount of time and care which goes into making these speakers. They are not just built, they are truly hand crafted!

From paint which is applied in up to 13 layers with a four day drying time for each layer, to creating, forming, and metalising the Continuum cones for the drivers everything is done with so much care and attention to detail. The people who work at this production facility are justifiably proud of the products they create!

The factory also produces the iconic Nautilus speakers and the Custom Theatre range which includes beasts like this:

Also some funky special edition colours.

All in all we were incredibly impressed with the dedication of the people on site and the pride and care which was taken over every aspect of the production of these phenomenal 800 D3 speakers.

We came away with a new found admiration and respect for the Bowers and Wilkins 800 D3 series

We already knew they sounded stunning, now we have a better understanding of why due to the care and attention to detail that goes into creating them,

Last but not least these two poor cabinets were marked “no partner” maybe they need a dating app? I’m thinking Timbr possibly!

The Bowers & Wilkins 800 Series are available for demonstration at the following branches of Audio T:

Brentwood, Bristol

March 08, 2019

Big Sound, Small Package! Rega Brio Stereo Amplifier & Apollo CD Player Made In England

March 08, 2019/ Swindon

These two award winning Rega Research products, the Brio amplifier and the Apollo CD player make a very nice sounding music system and all you have to add is a pair of loudspeakers. Let’s have a look at the two.

On the front of the Brio you find the on/off switch, input selector, volume control knob and a headphone socket designed to avoid interference with the main audio circuit.

On the rear you find 4 sets of input sockets, a dedicated input ( No.1 ) for turntables with moving magnet cartridges and a set of record output sockets.

The Rega Apollo CD Player, similar in size , is a perfect partner for the Brio. The unique top loading mechanism stands out

On the back there is a set of analogue outputs and two digital outputs, optical and coaxial.

Both the Rega Brio R and the Apollo are supplied with a remote control.

These two together are a musical combination with a nice crisp top-end and plenty of detail.

The Rega Brio and Apollo are on demonstration here in the shop. Please feel free to come in for a listen . Coffee and tea will be provided.

Rega Research products are available from all branches of Audio T

March 08, 2019

The Hills Are ALive With An ACE Sound. Benz Micro Ace SL MC Cartridge From Switzerland

March 08, 2019/ Cardiff

Benz Micro cartridges have been in production since the 1980s, earning recognition throughout the world as one the top brands in the field. Ernst Benz, founder and designer of the original Benz-Micro cartridges, retired in 1994 and sold the cartridge production to Albert Lukaschek, his close associate and designer of the Benz-Micro PP-1 phono stage.

Albert relocated and modernized the factory, employed a highly skilled workforce, introduced many new models, including the ACE which we are looking at here. Though best known among audiophiles as a cartridge designer and manufacturer, Ernst Benz was also a well respected watch designer. He also developed and manufactured a high temperature vacuum oven for bonding diamond to steel that resulted in a line of diamond cutting tools.

Hand-building a phono cartridge is a highly developed skill, requiring specially trained technicians working with microscopes and ultra small-scale manufacturing. A competitive global business environment and technically demanding jobs have made finding skilled workers a major concern. On-going changes in the Swiss workforce, including the growth of both the high-end watch industry and high tech, have reduced the pool of these skilled technicians and the potential for new trainees. Benz Micro’s current production team represents the best of the best for producing state-of-the-art phono cartridges. These changes in the labour force, combined with further advances in design and materials, have resulted in new Benz-Micro models that surpass all previous versions in music reproduction.

The Benz ACE S-L has become one of our favourite phono cartridges. It is a low output device (.4mV) based on the generator system and stylus assembly of the Benz Glider with a protective acrylic body, The ACE is the first handmade cartridge in the range and one of the only hand-built cartridges at this price point! The Benz ACE is simple to install thanks to the inclusion of threaded mounting holes, no nuts were needed during set-up, which was welcomed as, with its exposed generator and lack of stylus guard, any mistakes could have been costly. The translucent shell projects the vital parts inside. This low output version is distinguished by its red casework, and features a solid boron cantilever and line contact stylus, rather than conical or elliptical profiles. It is also available in both medium and high output versions

The Swiss pedigree is obvious from the packaging and accompanying accessories alone, which include a circular bubble level and stainless miniature screwdriver. Albert Lukaschek listens to every Benz Ace cartridge before it leaves the factory ensuring that they all meet the high level of sound quality he demands.

To describe it as both warm and neutral might sound contradictory but that’s exactly what it is. There is never a sense of “character”. The Benz micro is a pure musical tool; it delivers exactly what the record intends, whether it is life and propulsion or calm and introspection and without even a hint of harshness. Instruments are portrayed realistically and with occasional surprise; sounds sometimes leap out that you wouldn’t expect, giving that spine tingling sensation. This is a true music lover's cartridge, warm and natural through the mid-range, with great bass extension and silky smooth high frequencies. If you just want to play record after record with a big smile on your face...the ACE is the cartridge for you.

Fitted to A Michell Techno “a” Arm” ready to play!

The Benz Micro SL MC Cartridge is available from all branches of Audio T.

February 18, 2019

Bowers & Wilkins 700 Series At Audio T Bristol

February 18, 2019/ Bristol

Bowers & Wilkins is not the kind of company that sits on its laurels. It is the kind of company that likes to innovate, with every new range you get new technologies or tweaked technologies from the range above. The latest 700 series is a perfect case in point. We get a newly developed tweeter and bass/mid cones developed for the 800 diamond series.

The 700 series range consists of 8 models. 3 stand mounts, 3 floor standing models and 2 centre speakers.

The new tweeter is not aluminium which has been the go to material for Bowers and Wilkins ranges below the 800 series for a long time. The new tweeter, featured in all of the 700 series speakers, is a carbon design which extends the upper range of the tweeter to 47khz. This gives the listener a much cleaner musical image plus more subtle details thus bringing you closer to the musical performance.

The floor standing models are all three way designs which feature a midrange driver derived from the 800 series.

The smallest in the range is the 707 standmount. It is a fantastic little speaker with a surprising amount of bass for its size. Midrange is superb and the detail from the carbon tweeter exceptional.

Next up is the 706 standmount. It is bigger than the 707 so would suit a larger room. You will get decent levels of bass and a wonderfully detailed in room experience.

The last standmount in the range is the 705. The design of this speaker takes performance to the next level. The tweeter has its own enclosure which sits on top of the box containing the bass/mid. The benefits of this arrangement are immediately obvious when you listen to them. The soundstage gets bigger and even more in the room with the sound appearing to hang in front and around you. If you want a speaker at this price point, even if you think you want a floor stander, then these are a must listen.

The Bowers & Wilkins 704 is first of three floor standers in the 700 series (Note as the size of the speaker goes up the number given to it goes down). As it is a floorstander, you get more bass than the stand mounts. Not only that but you also get a dedicated mid-range driver resulting in, unsurprisingly, a better mid-range performance. This is a slim speaker that is very room friendly with just a few compromises compared to bigger speakers for example the 703. Same configuration as the 704 but not as slim. This gives room for bigger drive units and results in a bigger sound with more depth to the sound stage. The biggest in the range is the 702. Here again we see Bowers & Wilkins moving the tweeter to its own enclosure on top of the box. The results are much the same as with the 705 standmount. It’s immediately obvious with the speakers disappearing, leaving just the music floating unobstructed around the room.

You still have till the end of March to bag yourself a fantastic deal and receive up to £400 worth of Chord Company cable when you buy a pair of 700 series loudspeakers. For details click here.

Bowers & Wilkins loudspeakers are available from the following branches of Audio T: Brentwood, Brighton, Bristol, Cardiff, Enfield, Manchester, Oxford, Portsmouth, Preston, Southampton, Swansea, Swindon

February 18, 2019

AURALiC Aries G1 Wireless Streaming Transporter For Great Digital Music Streaming In Brighton.

February 18, 2019/ Brighton

The ARIES G1 connects over Wi-Fi to digital sources like network attached storage, Internet streaming services like TIDAL and Qobuz, Internet Radio, and USB drives to bring high performance streaming to your home audio system. Infused with AURALiC technologies and designs developed for the premier G2 line.

Aries G1 provides a digital output so will require connecting to a Digital to Analogue Converter. A perfect choice for anyone already happy with the DAC performance in their system.

The well made and very handsome G series styling with high quality colour display is winning friends. Spotify Connect, AirPlay, and Roon Ready, ARIES G1 connectivity is more expansive than ever. A perfect choice for streaming audiophile-grade resolutions up to DSD512 and PCM 32bit/384k.

Take control with user apps like Lightning DS or Roon, and gain true audiophile streaming.

Visit Julian, Paul and John at Audio T Brighton to explore the great performance from AURALiC products and compare with the competition. 01273 609431 brighton@audio-t.co.uk

AURALiC Hi-Fi products are available from the following branches of Audio T:
Brighton, Bristol, Cheltenham, Online, Southampton

February 16, 2019

''Incredible!'' ''Wow!'' ''Fantastic!'' ''Better than going to the Movies!''

February 16, 2019/ Enfield

These are just some of the words and sentences that customers have said to us when they have experienced the Audio-T Enfield demo rooms with our Dolby Atmos Home Cinema systems.

Audio-T Enfield has now added a second Dolby Atmos room to complement the main big demo room. We are now one of the very few dealers in the UK to have two Dolby Atmos Home Cinema rooms.