May 10, 2021

A CAREFULLY CURATED HEADPHONE SELECTION......

May 10, 2021/ Reading

There are times when we want to listen to music in peace, or when others don’t want to listen to our music! Perhaps you like to listen in your office, or work from home or maybe you live in a flat with thin walls? Well, there is a way you can still listen to the full emotional and sonic magnificence of your music collection. High fidelity headphones are the answer. So, with that in mind we have carefully curated a selection of headphones, the ones that our resident expert on the subject, Gareth, thinks hit the sweet spot at each price point.

CLOSED BACK OR OPEN BACK?

What does this mean?. Basically, closed back headphones do not leak much sound from the ear cups, open backed ones can leak sound to those close to you, which others may find it intrusive. so, you have been warned!

THE SELECTION

In cost ascending price order we have…

Meze Audio 99 Classics

The Mezes are well built and sturdy with a precise assembly. The closed back ear cups are made with a satin finished wood, each with its own individual and unique grain. Real luxury here with CNC carved wood ear cups, cast zinc alloy hardware with electroplated coating, stamped manganese spring steel headband, memory foam and soft PU leather are the materials your hands, eyes and ears will enjoy. All the parts are completely serviceable.

The mezze audio 99 classics & Sennheiser 660s

Put them on, sit back, and enjoy your favourite sound of strings, upbeat grooves or thumping beats, with stylish good looks to boot. As one of our colleagues has already said, “pretty much anything sounds fun and engaging through these wooden gems"

Sennheiser HD 660s

The HD 660S have been created so that you can enjoy music in supreme quality and from many different audio sources. Accordingly, it comes with a choice of cables for just about any occasion. All cables are made of highly conductive OFC copper, featuring very low handling noise

The open-backed 660S is strong yet lightweight in construction. The elliptical ear cups are shaped to follow the anatomy of the ear, while thick padding on the headband and the replaceable ear cushions guarantee hours and hours of listening in supreme comfort. Uncompromising craftsmanship combined with a high-end aesthetic

The sound is pure and effortless, with a crisp bass, excellent mid-frequency response, and a gentle, pleasantly natural treble, the HD 660S has a musical expressiveness that stays exceptionally accurate and transparent.

Beyerdynamic Amiron (Wired)

The Amiron has Tesla technology to make your living room sound more like a real concert hall. This is a cutting-edge innovation from Beyerdynamic, employing a much stronger magnetic field than standard headphones.

The beyerdynamic T1 & T5 V3, together with A beyerdynamic A20 Headphone amplifier

These open-back headphones produce a spacious three-dimensional sound, allowing you to experience music of incredible closeness and transparency. It feels like you are in your own personal concert hall. The Amiron combines a very precise bass with transparent mids and pleasantly clear highs, with a real concert hall feel.

Beyerdynamic T1 and T5 V3 Headphones

The Beyerdynamic T1 and T5 headphones look very similar at first glance, especially considering they both currently sit at the same price point. The T1 is semi-open backed and the T5 is a closed back headphone. Both are designed for hi-end sophisticated music enjoyment, including high resolution music. Again they employ Tesla technology giving an unrivalled richness of detail and spatiality.

So how are the T1 and T5 different? Well, the heart of the third generation T1 has a gently intensified bass to give the very neutral, spatial sound signature even more warmth. The third generation T5 achieves better, more natural reproduction of high mid-range frequencies. This means the sound signature is even more realistic.

Fit quality, comfort and materials standards are as you would expect. High-end through and through.

Sennheiser HD 800S

The latest HD800S offers a more natural and balanced sound compared to its predecessor through the inclusion of an acoustical absorber. This gives an extended and smoother frequency response with fewer "peaks", resulting in a more natural sound throughout the frequency range.

At the bass end, improvements have yielded a headphone that sounds more balanced and cohesive as a whole when compared to its predecessor. Rather than just increase amount of bass, with a consequential detrimental impact on sound quality, Sennheiser have instead opted to extend the useful output of the phones allowing them to dig deeper at the bass end. Clever.

Generally, the 800S majors on exceptional sound quality, design, and comfort.

The sennheiser HD800s & HD 820 with the beautiful Chord Electronics HUgo TT2 DAC/headphone amp.

Sennheiser HD820

The sound field of the HD 820 is wide open, which is not what you would expect from closed back headphones. So, you can listen to your music without intruding into the sound space of those close to you.

The signature breakthrough to such a transparent performance had been achieved by the legendary Ring Radiator transducers being fitted with unique glass covers. This visually striking feature was actually developed wholly in service to the sound. The concave glass reflects the sound waves from the rear of the transducer to an absorber, which results in minimal resonance. Thus, the sound waves are effectively “gone”, as they would be in open backed headphones.

SUMMARY

Headphones are very much like speakers – a matter of personal preference and taste. They are similarly affected by the conditions in which they are expected to work and need to be right for that situation. Another variable to consider is how will the music be delivered? It could be a hi-res mobile player, a preamp or integrated amp, a specialised headphone amplifier, a streamer or a DAC (digital to analogue converters).

We will be happy to help you make the right choice to match your requirements, whether it be for the delightful aesthetic of early renaissance Italian choral music, the sonic charms and signature changes of Nitin Sawhney, or the immense dynamics of Massive Attack. Whatever floats your musical boat.

As we said earlier this is a curated selection and we can also obtain other headphones for you to hear from across the Audio T range.

Happy listening!

Rob & Gareth – Audio T Reading

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A selection of headphones can be found at the following Audio-T stores -

May 07, 2021

THE NEW OPHIDIAN MINIMO 2… SMALL IS BEAUTIFUL!

May 07, 2021/ Cheltenham

Ophidian Audio is an award winning UK based loudspeaker manufacturer. Founded by design genius Gareth James in 2011 with the goal of creating loudspeakers with outstanding performance. Gareth likes nothing more than ignoring conventions and by thinking outside the box has designed some wonderful sounding loudspeakers over the past decade.

The newest loudspeaker to spring forth from their home on the Wirral are the rather small but perfectly formed speakers they like to call the Minimo 2 Micro Monitors. Measuring just 21cm high by 13.2cm wide and 19cm deep with their grilles on. Weighing in at 2.6kg each, the Minimo 2 is a complete reworking of the award winning Minimo micro monitor. A compact 2-way design suitable for use on bookshelves, desktops, wall mounts or on stands. The secret to its impressive sense of scale is the combination of a midbass driver with a powerful long throw motor system and the unique Aeroflex bass topology; a method of extracting the most clean and accurate bass out of any cabinet size - be it a full size floorstander or one the height of a CD case.

The MINIMO 2 features a 115mm midbass unit with a 65% greater surface area than the previous model, which allows greater power handling. Aeroflex technology enables this tiny speaker to produce deeper and more controlled bass notes than its size would suggest, by keeping port velocity to a minimum and ensuring the midbass unit is properly supported throughout its excursion. Complimenting the midbass is a 27mm tweeter with a Sonolex coated fabric diaphragm and low distortion neodymium motor system. The excellent dispersion characteristics combined with close placement within the small cabinet allow a seamless integration of the drive units and incredibly lifelike, realistic sound reproduction.

By building the port systems directly into the cabinet structure the outer walls are braced and strengthened minimising panel resonances. Integral rear inserts allow for easy wall mounting - especially useful for surround or background systems. Don't be fooled by the size though - MINIMO 2 is more than capable of powering most living room systems.

The Aeroflex technology very cleverly controls internal air turbulences, to dissipate any unwanted resonances and smooth out the airflow through the rear port of the cabinet. It is easy to test this by placing your hand over the rear port whilst playing music at a decent volume level. It was surprisingly noticeable how much the airflow and turbulence was reduced. In some designs that have a port, a chuffing sound can sometimes be heard as air rushes backwards and forwards through it. Many methods have been used to try and control that effect, drinking straws stuffed into the port tube being one – or dimpled port exits flared in shape. Some manufacturers like to partially block ports with foam bungs, an approach that I don’t personally like. Gareth’s design works really well though.

Let’s get down to some serious listening and put these things through their paces. I connected them up to a tried and trusted combination of Rega Apollo CD player and Rega Brio amplifier all joined together with a Rega Couple phono to phono lead and Chord Company Rumour X speaker cable. A combination that I know really well, so I will be able to tell exactly what the little Ophidians are adding to the sonic stew.

**The music is as spooky as the cover art.**

I thought I would be really cruel and play my three favourite bass monster tracks, to see what they can do. Firstly the gorgeous and very ambient (Psybient?) track called Evolution 1:1 by the beautifully named Connect.Ohm from the enigmatically titled 9980 album. This track has some deep low-end right from the start, but around half way in the bassline drops out for a few seconds, and when it comes back in they drop the bass down even lower. All the while gorgeous sounds waft across the background creating what is quite possibly the trippiest piece of electronic music this side of prime time Boards Of Canada. The first thought that came to mind was just WOW!

How do these little boxes manage to sound so big?

Being a small box means that the speaker becomes more of a single source point and with less cabinetry comes less colouration, meaning that these little wonders produce a big open stereo image that would shame many a bigger and more expensive design. The depth of bass is just staggering for such a tiny box.

**This copy is a little beaten up…but then it does get a LOT of use because it is so lovely.**

Next on the playlist is an album that has become my go to demo disc for the last couple of years. The wonderful band that goes by the name of Lump.

Lump consist of Laura Marling on vocals and Mike Lindsay from the band Tunng on instruments and stuff. The recording quality is to die for and the music is gloriously wonky and off kilter but catchy and engaging at the same time. On the Ophidians things sounded big, open and detailed, with sounds coming from way left and right of the loudspeaker placement which is just how I like it. Although the speakers are teeny weeny little things they can really shift some air. By the way Lump have just released a new track called Animal which is totally ace. Listen to it now!!

Oh…and the cover art is rather far out too. — **Oh…and the cover art is rather far out too**.

Finally I played the song Brujo off the album Volition by avant garde jazz destroyers Krakatau. This track again has subsonic levels of bass and being on the fabby ECM label has dynamics that are off the scale. The Minimo 2s again fought valiantly, with another top quality performance. Height, width and depth all there, almost like you can hear around the back of all the instruments…..uncanny.

If you have a small room, or perhaps you are looking for a great little near field speaker for the desk in your office, then look no further. The Ophidian Minimo 2 should be the perfect loudspeaker for you. A great option to consider when thinking about upgrading your speakers, and it would integrate well in a wide range of home systems. The well balanced nature of the speakers offers a versatility when it comes to pairing with almost any amp. I have even used them as a great upgrade on the little Denon DM41 Micro System, which as a combo really works (rules were made to be broken I suppose). This little speaker system realiy can sound amazingly good and they’re not afraid of performing in a larger room too with their surprising bass response.

Give us a call in the Cheltenham store to arrange a demo. Bring in some of your favourite music too. See if you love them as much as we do.

Thanks a lot for reading. Andy, Jon and Farid - Audio T Cheltenham

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

Ophidian Audio can be found at the following Audio-T stores

May 07, 2021

FIRST LOOK AT DALI EPICON 2 & 6 LOUDSPEAKERS

May 07, 2021/ Swindon

The letters in the word “Dali” stand for Danish Audiophile Loudspeaker Industries. We here at Audio-T Swindon have been Dali dealers for a few years now. With a growing number of enquiries from our customers we have decided to take on the top range, the Epicon Series. The range comprises a standmount, a centre speaker and two pairs of floorstanders. The Epicon 2 & Epicon 6 have now arrived here with us and we couldn’t wait to check them out.

Unboxing and our first impressions

Where do we start? We are blown away just by looking at the immaculate finishes of both speakers and the quality of the supplied bi-wire speaker links. Even the supplied spikes for the Epicon 6 are extremely solid and well machined.

In the box with the Epicon 6 you’ll find a plinth which has been designed to give the speaker a larger footplate as a necessity for the EU safety tilt test. Interestingly, according to Dali there is no audible benefit , so if you decide not to use them, you won’t lose anything on the performance.

Dali Epicon 6 packed with care with all accessories

Attention to detail : The underside of the Epicon 6

Dali Epicon 2

The Dali Epicon 2, the smallest model in the Epicon range, is a two-way rear ported design. It features a soft dome tweeter and a mid/bass paper-cone woofer, made with wood-fibre reinforcement . This adds stiffness to the very light paper cone for top-class behaviour.

Dali Epicon 2 in Walnut High Gloss Lacquer

Dali Epicon 6

The Dali Epicon 6 is a two-and-a-half way design with two rear bass ports. There are two mid/bass drivers ( same size as the driver used in the Epicon 2 ) but here is what is special about this model - The hybrid tweeter module.

The Hybrid Tweeter Module - The Job Share

The double tweeter design, a soft dome and a ribbon tweeter is usually featured in the company’s larger speakers. The idea is that the ribbon tweeter takes over at a threshold where the soft dome tweeter starts to struggle (at the top of the higher frequencies). This end result is better control and a more detailed sound.

This could have been included with the Epicon 2 but only at the expense of a much bigger cabinet, not to mention cost. Some might remember the Dali Helicon 300, which was unusually tall for a standmount speaker.

Dali Epicon 6 in Ruby Macassar High Gloss Lacquer

What do they sound like?

We left both pairs of speakers running for a few days before we sat down and gave them a proper listen. The result was absolutely fabulous, in every way.

These speakers are extremely well balanced. Big sounding but not boomy, crisp & rich but not bright or harsh, warm and engaging but not mellow.

Unlike usual speaker set-ups, Dali suggests positioning them straight ahead towards the listening position. We’d suggest taking this as a recommendation as every listening environment is different. We decided to move the speakers and toe’d them slightly inwards, which we found gave the best results in our listening room.

Our Verdict

Both, the Epicon 2 & Epicon 6 are excellent and we can’t wait to get our hands on a pair of Epicon 8. We will do another comparison once they are here with us - promise.

Please come in and listen for yourself and feel free to bring some records or your favourite CDs. Just remember to give us a call first to make an appointment.

And one more thing...

You can save 20% on Dali Epicon when you trade in your old speakers
and this promotion runs until the 31st July 2021.

Thanks for reading - Stefan & Andy - Audio-T Swindon

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

Dali can be found at the following Audio-T stores

May 06, 2021

THE CHORD TRILOGY BREAKS THE BOX OFFICE AT OUR MANCHESTER STORE

May 06, 2021/ Manchester

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

A Totem Pole of Power

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

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

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

The M Scaler

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

Hugo TT2

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

Chord Electronics, manufactured in england since 1989

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Dave, Munir, James, Mike and Haden will be around to help - Audio T Manchester

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

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

May 04, 2021

CLASSIC LINN LP12 RETURNS TO AUDIO T SOUTHAMPTON!

May 04, 2021/ Southampton

It's been a few years since the iconic Linn Sondek was on demo here but we are delighted that we now once more have a lovely oak plinth LP12 Majik to spin our LPs on!

IN THE BEGINNING…

Back in the early 1970s when even I was too young to work here, and many years before Wayne was born, this emporium in it's previous guise as Hampshire Audio was one of the first Hi-Fi retailers to stock the then new Linn Sondek. In the days when vinyl was king for the first time, the Linn LP12 was regarded by many as the ultimate turntable.

REVOLUTION EVOLUTION…

Ivor Tiefenbrun's precision engineered vinyl spinner was born out of his disappointment with the performance of the best decks which were available at the time. His mantra of 'Garbage in, Garbage out' soon became common parlance amongst audiophiles and changed forever the hierarchy of Hi-Fi systems. The LP12 has evolved over nearly half a century, with every component and all aspects of it's performance honed and enhanced to a remarkable degree in the ultimate Klimax version.

MUSIC FOR A LIFETIME…

All Sondeks, even the oldest, are able to be upgraded to current specifications. How many other 50 year old products does that apply to…? The recent Karousel bearing is a massive upgrade and indicative of Linn’s continuing commitment to the longevity of their classic turntable.

SUITS YOU SIR!

Our new demo LP12 Majik looks great in it's oak plinth. Other finishes are available, even custom painted and monogrammed options can be made to order now. Any colour you like with your initials! Tempted?!

The Project Arm fitted with Linn Adikt MM cartridge sound great but we can't wait for the new Linn Krane arm to arrive to fully complete the package!

LINN, REGA OR MICHELL?

It's great to have a choice of top quality turntables in store once more. What shall we play today:

Linn LP12, Rega Planar 8 or Planar 10 or Michell Gyro SE? Mmmnn... a tricky choice, so we'll spin a side or two on each and enjoy them all!

WHICH ONE WOULD YOU CHOOSE…?

You are welcome to come in and reach your own conclusion. Just call or email us to book a listen and bring a couple of your favourite albums.

See you soon,

Alan and Wayne - Audio T Southampton

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Linn can also be found at the following Audio-T stores

April 21, 2021

REGA PLANAR 1, IO & KYTE - THE SINGLE MANUFACTURER VINYL SYSTEM BUNDLE

April 21, 2021/ Swansea

It isn't very often that we get to review a single-make system that isn't a smartspeaker or exotica from Linn, & certainly not a vinyl-playing one.

Beer Budget

Much to our delight, our chums at Rega have furnished us with their brand-new Kyte loudspeakers, which means we can blog about a single-manufacturer vinyl system for around the £1100 mark, instead of a rig with an extra zero on the end, fun though that may be.

This looks familiar

The observant amongst you will recognise the Rega Planar 1, probably the most popular item we sell & deserved of it's cult status in teenage bedrooms across the planet. Acting upon feedback from customers that a Brio amplifier at around £600 was possibly a touch salty for the average Planar 1 owner, Rega developed the IO amplifier (a compacted Brio with fewer inputs – but crucially still fitted with a tidy MM phono stage) as a suitable partner for under £400. The Secret Squirrels did a great job, the IO is characterful, enormous fun and I'd choose it over something mainstream any day of the week.

Gosh, you've been busy, you’ll be needing a sit down.

Not wishing to rest on their laurels and surprising the hell out of all of us, Rega announced the Kyte compact loudspeakers last year. Alas Covid-19 starved many manufacturers of components (Rega included) and so production was pushed back until quite recently. They are deserving of a blog post all their own, such is their design. Rega have invested considerably in their technology, going so far as to partner with another British materials development company and they are very proud of their results; they should be, these Kytes are really enjoyable.

That all sounds fine, when's my turn then?

This system is playing upstairs in our dem room as I type and it sounds great; there's enough go in it to rattle your jewelery and shake you all night long*. If you want to hear it for yourself (and why wouldn’t you?), you can arrange an appointment for a demonstration by calling Nic, Chris or Ade in Swansea on 01792 474608 or by emailing us via swansea@audio-t.co.uk

Oh and bring some records.

*with profound apologies to John Lennon and AC/DC

Thanks for reading

Ade, Nic & Chris - Audio T Swansea

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Rega can also be found at the following Audio-T stores

April 16, 2021

REGA, HOW HIGH CAN THE KYTE FLY?

April 16, 2021/ Portsmouth

Generally speaking, Rega is a manufacturer known for a series of outstanding products. They have carved their way into the hearts of many audiophiles by questioning the status quo of Hi-Fi development, whilst also creating products to fulfil all price points. The Kytes are Rega’s latest addition…

“A lifetime of musical enjoyment at an affordable price” is Rega’s tagline for these modestly priced speakers. I think it’s safe to say that a lifetime is a pretty long time, so how do they achieve this?

Some may argue that Rega as a company put a lot of emphasis on their research and development as opposed to spending their time and budget on marketing. It’s a case that they let the product speak for itself. That’s no surprise with co-founder & owner, Roy Gandy at the helm. A man with a passion for music and engineering.

“If I was born with a talent, it is the intuition to recognise when something is wrong and the impulsiveness to correct it or search for what is right.” - Roy Gandy

Perhaps if we re-examine the tagline, “A lifetime of Musical Enjoyment...”, it’s not referring to the life expectancy of the product, but the man behind the design and what has gone in to the making of this product?

LET’S GO FLY A KYTE…

So let’s take a peek at Rega’s newest and most affordable loudspeaker, The Kyte.

First announced at the 2020 Bristol Hi-Fi Show, The Kyte’s were set to feature in the yet to be released, System One bundle alongside the IO Amplifier and multi award winning Planar 1 turntable. However this is expected to be due later into this year. Until then, the speakers are available as a stand alone product and sitting at the comfortable price point of around £500.

Let me tell you, I for one feel that Rega have worked their fingers to the bone with these loudspeakers. Featuring their newly designed ZRR high frequency unit paired with a Rega MX-125 bass-mid driver carefully fitted into a phenolic resin cabinet.

Yes, you heard that correct! These speakers feature a plastic resin cabinet. This is something all to familiar in the world of pro music and studio monitors, but something we very rarely see in the Hi-Fi world. The black injection moulded cabinets are supported by ceramic plates/cross bracing which reduces the resonance of an already rigid cabinet. For those who aren’t up on your physics, the idea behind this is the reduction of any unwanted resonance of the cabinet that is naturally generated through the movement of the speaker drivers. That’s the theory anyway, but what is it like in practice?

Put simply, they are excellent! If you remove any misconvienced preconceptions that you may have against plastic cased speakers and give the new Rega Kytes a listen, I think you’ll you will be pleasantly surprised. What Rega have created is a speaker that performs well outside of its budget.

Like many people in their early 20s, I hadn’t grown up with records being the go-to format for music listening. I had traditionally always used streaming or CDs for musical playback. As such, I’m fairly fresh in to the world of record collecting.

After several hours, I found myself fully immersed in the listening experience, falling in love with my records for what felt like the first time. I had pretty much assembled my own Rega One bundle as I paired the speakers with the new Planar One in Matt Black finish and the Rega IO.

I used the Kyte’s in my room on the isoacoustic aperta isolation stands

At first, the speakers threw me off a little. The plastic finish gives them an uninspired look for the most part, however, the saving grace being that this does fit in with the sleek modern design. Putting the aesthetics aside, after two or three records, I was hooked! The Kyte speakers are unassuming but boy do they sure fly high!

The Rega Kytes speakers are a well rounded speaker, not so soft in the top end that it becomes dull, nor too exaggerated to the point where it becomes harsh to your ears. They have nailed a position in the acoustics zenith.

This balance is played off well for the overall tone, as the detail you receive is comparable to high budget speakers.

Now, as I already mentioned, I am younger than the average Hi-Fi enthusiast. And with only having two decades under my belt, there comes a different attitude and feeling towards Hi-Fi technology. It’s not like I was raised in an era where music had restricted releases in the shops or on the radio. I’ve grown up in an age where music is readily available through Youtube or Spotify. I certainly don’t have vivid memories of running to the local record store for the latest release, nor a nostalgia when it comes to the anticipation of placing the stylus on a brand new album for the first time. These experiences are a recent discovery for me. Whilst enjoyable, it does make me feel as if my relationship with music could have been possibly different growing up. But hey, they do say “You’re never too old to start”.

A NEW VINYL AGE?

Did you know that 2020 was the first year vinyl officially outsold CDs since the 1980s? There is an increasing number of younger people exploring this physical format and learning to love music in a new way. But are they falling in love with it in the right way.?

After talking to friends and seeing posts on social media, I’ve noticed that a lot of other young record collectors are accessing the format of vinyl through all-in-one record players, not dedicated Hi-Fi systems.

Often these “one box ” jobs will have the functionality to play both 45 rpm and 33 rpm records at a reasonably loud volume - but often they have the drawback of sounding pretty awful. As if your favourite vinyl was recorded with something a little tike my first walkie talkie. But it isn’t very surprising that so many people go for them when you can pick up one up for under £100. These purely convenient music destroyers are made to be cheap and affordable instead of bringing your music to life and getting the most out of vinyl records.

I think it’s safe to say that they are not doing the playback of your favourite feel good music any justice!

So what’s the alternative to these boxes of doom? Well, on the subject of Rega we’ve already discussed the System One bundle which is due to arrive later this year. Obviously, the entry-level Planar 1 turntable price point doesn’t go as low as the previously mentioned budget record players, but when you consider the engineering that goes in to Rega products, not to mention the fact that they are handmade in England out of top notch components, it’s not really surprising. That being said, it’s not like it breaks the bank either!

I’ve added these points to my review as I did indeed fall in love with my records properly for the first time. I found the urge to explore the vinyl I have collected, even going back through them a few times to enjoy each one again.

We currently have two Rega bundles featured on our site, including everything you will need to enjoy your records at an all inclusive price.

Rega Planar 1 Bundle

Rega Planar 2 Bundle

Thank you for reading - Jake and Nick - Audio T Portsmouth

Be sure to follow us on Instagram and Facebook to stay up to date with what’s going on in store.

Rega can be found at the following Audio-T stores

April 12, 2021

The Marantz SA12 Special Edition SACD Player with a very special DAC.

April 12, 2021/ Oxford

As fringe benefits go, its tenuous at best to suggest that the lack of customer demonstrations during this lockdown has allowed us to be a little more than indulgent when borrowing our branch stock, but if there is a silver-lining to our current situation, then this must be it!

Currently I’m using a Bluesound Node 2i in my system at home, which is a superb product in every way. It offers an exceptional interface with the BluOS - operating system - and a very capable DAC, that is even more impressive when you figure in a price of around just £500; simply put the whole package makes streaming a joy.

Having had a Bluesound Node 2i in my system at home for nearly two years, I haven't been able to resist the temptation to try and improve the performance of my principal source component and as the operating system is such a joy to use, upgrading the DAC was the obvious step. I have only tried a couple of alternatives in the past. Naturally the Chord Qutest was my first thought, and, as you would expect, the improvement is a definite step forward. A worthy audition if you are considering a DAC upgrade yourself. The other DAC I tried was the Audio Note DAC 0.1x which offers a valve infused output stage. I must admit that this was the immediate appeal, as it was clear the Audio Note would offer a very different flavour. In comparison the Node 2i has a crisp and dynamic delivery and without being side tracked too much, the upper register was beautifully realised, with a clean and transparent vocal and a beautifully realistic appraisal of the instruments, even if the Audio Note is restricted to decoding at only Red-Book standards. Both DAC's offered something worthwhile, but news of what really read like a whole new concept in DAC technology has been to difficult to resist and so I did a little bit of lobbying to arrange an early demonstration unit when the SA12 Special Edition came to our shores. The amplifier the PM12 Special Edition and SA12 player were Japanese only models initially.

The upper echelon of the Marantz range are always an exciting proposition. Build quality is always exceptional, the fit and finish equally so and a little look under the hood shows the plethora of lessons learnt from the design of products past, with those lessons rigorously re-applied to ensure the best sound possible. As indicated earlier, my principle interest in the SA12 Special Edition, was the "fancy" DAC, and I will mention more of my thoughts in a few moments. As a CD player, naturally with the capacity to play Super Audio CD’s, you will see much more than faint echoes of the range topping SA10, that priced at £6000; which is literally double the price of the SA12. While the SA12 can't offer you the exacting copper casework specified for SA10, or benefits such as balanced XLR outputs, the execution is very similar. The DAC architecture is based on the same concept, and while component parts will differ and the output stages may as well, think of the SA12 as the baby brother to a masterpiece. No where is this quality more obviously illustrated than the CD mechanism. It is smooth and assured, making barely a sound as it opens and closes, the surest sign of the attention that has been lavished on this premium disc-spinner. "It's got a great action" and you would absolutely be forgiven for marvelling at the mechanism, even if you’re not planning on using the transport; just as I secretly might have done!

Build quality aside, the DAC is a key element of the SA12 Special Edition and it offers a useful range of digital connections for use with other components, with Coax and Optical inputs, for use with a streamer, and an asynchronous USB-B, when using a laptop or PC. Technically, the DAC is a powerhouse with the USB-B connection capable of decoding PCM and DXD file formats up to 32bit/384kHz, with DSD2.8MHz, DSD 5.6MHz and DSD11.2MHz. The Coax and Optical connections will support files of up to 24bit/192KHz - "Hi-Res" - and this is how I have enjoyed the SA12, via a Chord Clearway Digital coax’ cable from my Nod,e with the digital filter set on filter two, (of two), which has a sharper roll-off and appears ever so slightly more dynamic to my ear. As I have indicated the DAC in this case is something new, taking the digital data from say, a disc and, forgive me for removing a couple of steps in the process to save the column inches, converting from PCM to a DSD style bitstream. This new development in DAC technology is known as Marantz Musical Mastering, or MMM for ease. It has also been referred to as the "DAC that's not a DAC", by one of the principal architects of this radical design. The finer details are still "patent pending", so a more detailed explanation isn't possible, but what I can say is that when it comes to listening, this is a special experience.

There is no escaping the fact that the DAC in the Node 2i is exceptional, and not just for the price point, however, the addition of the SA12 decoding a Tidal stream has been nothing short of superb. To describe the sound in my system leads me to an almost contradictory conclusion, a warmth, very reminiscent of the Marantz sound signature as many understand it to be, yet with a real sense of power and control, which is almost, conversely clean and certainly clear. All the fine detail is clear to hear, vocals are sweet, they are further forward in the mix and the sound-stage, and instrument placement, are very precise. There is a cohesion and warmth, making for a transparent and detailed, easy listen! The bass delivery is rich and warm, as you would expect without ever being woolly and uncontrolled. This is not a one note presentation, even if it is best described as warm, bass tones are easy to discriminate and yet the pace is ever-present and what you have here is tonally rich, never dry and never missing the emotion. Ultimately it makes a piece of music a performance, a real event and yet the player still manages to offer a lovely easy listen with no long-term fatigue. When I am at home now, the stereo is on all day and I stop to sit down and listen properly, much more frequently, a testament to the benefits that a superior source component can do in any system, it's just a shame that as we will be reopening very shortly, the SA12 will have to vacate it’s slot on my rack. It will be missed!

As an aside, while I haven't had call to try the SACD replay with the SA12, I have played several standard CD's and the performance is just as positive an experience as when streaming. The SA12 offers something rather special and is available to hear at the Oxford branch, but equally if you are looking for a top class Integrated amplifier, the matching PM12 Special Edition is just as accomplished. Featuring some very potent Hypex amplifier modules, that have been thoroughly fettled by the Marantz engineering team, both would be worthwhile demonstrations, they are a winning combination.

Thanks for reading. Best wishes and stay safe as the world slowly returns to normal.

Andrew, Jon and Luke - Audio T Oxford

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

Marantz can be found at the following Audio-T stores

March 11, 2021

ChordMusic High End cable bargains at Audio T Southampton!

March 11, 2021/ Southampton

We have been big fans of The Chord Company’s range of speaker cables and interconnects for many years. The high end ChordMusic range are our absolute favourites!

Uniquely, we are in a position to offer you a chance to join the exclusive club of ChordMusic owners at a massive saving. A system upgrade and change of configuration by one of our best customers led to different cable length requirements and we can now offer some little used and mint condition speaker cables and interconnects at much, much lower prices!

We have two pairs of 2m ChordMusic speaker cables for sale. The new price is £4400 or you could have these, as good as new, pairs for £3000 each!

Both pairs are factory terminated with ChordMusic spade connectors at amplifier and speaker ends.

A 1.5m pair of balanced 2 XLR to 2 XLR ChordMusic interconnects retails for £6750 or you could have this immaculate pair for £4500!

All are complete with all original packaging including badges and certificates of authenticity.

Just email or call us in store if you are interested.

Alan and Wayne - Audio T Southampton

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

March 11, 2021

REGA PLANAR 1 AND IO - Detailed, Rhythmic and Fun System that Won't Break The Bank!

March 11, 2021/ Cheltenham

I think it’s safe to say that the general consensus on the new Rega IO amplifier and upgraded Planar 1 turntable is that they truly outperform their price point. Especially when you take in to consideration that both of these products are handmade in the UK. So join me now as I take a closer look at these giant slayers!

The Rega IO, the most affordable UK made amplifier on the market, is essentially a stripped back version of the ever popular Brio. An amplifier that has been known for making fantastic sounds for a number of years now. The IO may only have three of the five inputs its older sibling has, but don’t let that put you off; The sound produced by this little wonder is everything you have come to expect from Rega’s high quality of engineering. Although physically smaller, the IO uses the same power amplifier and phono stage as its larger, multi-award winning, brother. The IO aims to deliver exceptional sound quality in a smaller and more cost effective package. The class A/B circuit shares its DNA with the rest of Rega’s amplifiers, and as usual, great care has been taken in component selection.

Couple the IO with the latest incarnation of the Planar 1 turntable, which now sports a sleek matte finish in either black or white and a new updated eBLT drive belt which improves speed stability. This combination is truly a force to be reckoned with. This latest update loses none of its multi-award winning ‘Plug and Play’ design and is also accompanied by Rega’s handmade RB110 tonearm, with pre-set bias and a factory fitted Carbon cartridge. Set-up is possible in under 30 seconds and delivers incredible performance, well beyond its price point.

Let’s take a closer look

One review I read recently suggested that the little IO was half of the Brio in terms of both price and performance. I personally don’t think this to be fair or necessarily true. The IO may be cheaper but it is every bit as capable as the Brio in terms of its sound. One of the most prominent differences is that you don’t get all the extra inputs that you would find on the larger models in the Rega family. Also, the remote that is supplied with the IO may be smaller and a little stripped back but it has everything you need to make it an easy listening experience. Don’t forget the inclusion of a really great sounding built in headphone amplifier. The phono input is no slouch either and is more than capable of getting the most out of the Planar 1’s Carbon Cartridge, not to mention any other MM cartridge you may want to use.

There is an awful lot to be said for this small and simple unit, and as long as you’re not expecting to run it at really high volumes in big rooms, it can be capable of some stunning results.

So what about speakers?

Well, everyone’s tastes and budgets differ, however, we have been getting some fantastic sounds from the Rega combination paired with the new Monitor Audio Bronze 50 loudspeakers. A really funky looking and even better sounding little bookshelf loudspeaker.

This is one of those systems that works really well together to become way more than the sum of its parts. Producing a scale of sound that belies the nature of the small amp and speakers to give a big holographic soundstage. Instruments and voices are carried off into the air as if the speakers themselves are just not there. Truly stunning and for the budget it is just unbelievable what this little system can pull together and produce!

The only thing that this combo does not really get stuck into is the deeper end of the bass registers, however, that proved to be an easy remedy with the addition of the REL T Zero MK3 subwoofer. It is amazing what this unassuming little square box can add to the quality of sound. Everything is improved. Bass is deeper but also tight and in control, but somehow the mid range becomes even more open and transparent with a three dimensional soundstage. The top end also improves getting seamlessly integrated with the mid range, to the huge benefit of the vocals which become lush and way more realistic.

What this little system can do will truly knock your socks off. It has to be heard to be believed. We will be open again for demonstrations on the 13th of April, so make sure to give us a call or drop us an email, so you can book an appointment and hear what all the fuss is about!

Andy, Jon and Farid - Audio T Cheltenham

Rega can be found at the following Audio-T stores

February 03, 2021

Auralic - What are these streamers all about?

February 03, 2021/ Brighton

Okay, so there’s not exactly a sea view from our Brighton Store but the sea breeze is definitely felt in the extremities! Thanks to Auralic however, we no longer need to venture out into the chilly sea breeze, and can stay warm and fully entertained from the comfort of our very own sofa.

We’ve recently become stockists of the fabulous Auralic range of products, and we are thoroughly impressed with them. We’ve tested and played with them extensively, comparing them to our favourite ‘high-end’ streamers, and it’s safe to say they have performed admirably.

In our biggest test, we paired the Aries G2.1 with the Vega G2.1 Streaming DAC, and put it up against a Naim streaming system - NDX 2 with XPS power supply - both systems into a Naim 282 power amp. Now, the Vega G2.1 is a Streaming DAC, and the Aries G2.1 is a standalone streamer. When you connect the two together, the Vega becomes a very high quality DAC.

“Were we surprised?”

We started with a blind test, and for a few minutes, we couldn’t be sure which was the NDX and which was the Auralic. Were we surprised? Absolutely. We listen to the NDX 2 in the shop almost every day, so we are very familiar with how it sounds, so to not be able to differentiate easily was unexpected.

That said, as we listened on the differences did become apparent. That’s not to say they were bad, not at all, just different. The NDX 2 had all of its usual Naim characteristics, presenting the music in the way we expected. The Auralic was cleaner, a bit more controlled in the lower frequencies, and overall a bit more ‘studio’ sounding, rather than a live band in the room. All of this of course depends on the music being played. I personally like the cleaner sound, but the others in the shop are very big Naim fans.

The Altair G1, Auralic’s all-in-one streamer!

Then there is the Altair G1, which stands out as a great entry to the Auralic world. It’s priced moderately and is in roughly the same area as the Naim Uniti Atom. In terms of performance, they’re similar, both being all in one systems - Streamers with power amps built inside. The sound quality of both is extremely good, however, with those same nuanced differences noted above. They offer a great alternative to the Naim Uniti range.

The basic ‘all albums’ page that shows upon opening the app.

Auralic also have their own bespoke app. Although it is basic, it has all the features needed to get the unit to do what you need from it. It is also compatible with Roon, which a lot of people already use, and it would integrate into your existing system quite easily.

Although these Auralic products aren’t ‘entry level’ pieces, as reflected in their cost, they are by no means priced above their performance! There is an Auralic product to suit everybody’s needs, and they definitely deserve a serious listen when you are upgrading your streamer, or even purchasing a streamer for the first time.

We are here in store to answer your questions by phone or email, and we can satisfy your Hi-Fi needs by offering click & collect, or delivery.

John, Paul and Chris - Audio-T Brighton

Be sure to keep an eye on what’s happening in the Brighton store by following us on Instagram and Facebook.

AURALiC can be found at the following Audio-T stores

January 22, 2021

"What if each of us could hear music perfectly tuned to our unique hearing?" - Dr. Luke Campbell, Co-founder of Nura

January 22, 2021/ Bristol

Nura was founded in 2016 by medical doctor and hearing scientist, Dr. Luke Campbell, and electrical engineer, Dr. Dragan Petrovic.

Inspired by Dr. Campbell's research, they set out to answer a question, "what if each of us could hear music perfectly tuned to our unique hearing?". They didn't anticipate they would be reinventing the headphone from the inside out.

How it works?

Using the Nuraphone app, and following the setup procedure, the Nuraphone plays a range of tones into the ear, and then measures a very faint sound that your ear generates in response to these tones called the Otoacoustic Emission (OAE). This tiny signal originates in the cochlea and vibrates the ear drum, turning it into a speaker and playing sound back out of your ear. Yes our ears make sound! This sound is about 10,000 times smaller than the sound that went in.

5d89b51f1fc86804180abca6_03_HearingProfileiPhone_01_small.gif

Encoded in the returning sound wave is information about how well you heard the sound that went in. The nuraphone uses an extremely sensitive microphone to detect this returning sound wave, and a self learning engine built into the nuraphone to create your profile. No buttons or knobs. It all happens automatically and in about 1 -2 minutes. It is a little bit of magic.

Once the Nuraphone has created your hearing profile - think of it as a personalised graphic equaliser (though you can't manipulate it yourself). it sonically shapes your music so that it matches your hearing system and delivers all the detail of the music.

How does it sound?

I'll start out by saying - me and headphones don't get on. If it's the not the fit that falls at the first hurdle, it's the sound and the position of the sound. Some headphones position the sound right behind your nose - those ones make me sneeze. Some the bass is so strong that my jaw vibrates. Then there are microphonics caused by rough cables, headbands, badly fitting in ear plugs, faux leather pads. That's why I've stuck with the in-ears that came with my iPhone.

There are a bunch of reviews around, and I admit to being quite sceptical. What I found is an open sound, immense detail.

Some thoughts on the Nuraloops

The fit is really very good. The adjustable loops over your ear ensure a secure fit and the ear bud options made it very easy to get a good seal.
Really top notch build quality, high class look and feel and great packaging.
Some applications of ANC make you feel you've dived to the deeps of Mariana Trench and compress the music by a similar pressure. The Noise cancelling of the Nuraloops is the best in class experience.
The touch sensitive is the resistivity type. This means the slightest touch activates something. On a particularly windy and rainy evening, I put my hood up and that created so many touch responses that it bricked the headphones. This was fixed by connecting the headphones to the charger.
The immersion setting works well with classical and jazz music, not so well with heavy bass tracks.
The soundstage is expansive. The position of instruments, vocals and background sounds are so clearly defined.
In order for headphones to deliver the right sound, they must be matched to the listener. Nura even recognizes you when you put them on.

Some thoughts on the Nuraphones

It takes a little getting used to. It feels a little wrong, Like you're being probed by some Alien device.
Really top notch build quality, strong and feels very durable. High class look and feel with great packaging.
Get passed the weird fit and there is no headphone at this price that offers such a revealing experience.
The immersion setting is a little strong on some tracks

Whether it’s the loops or phones - these are well worth a consideration as your next headphone, and according to Forbes “Nuraphone Are The Last Headphones You Should Ever Buy“

Be sure to keep up to date with what’s going on in store by following us Facebook and Instagram.

Thanks for Reading -

Max, James & Justin - Audio T Bristol

Nura can be found at the following Audio-T stores

January 22, 2021

A LITTLE ROON TO MANOEUVRE - PREMIUM STREAMING AND MORE

January 22, 2021/ Audio T/ Manchester

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

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

This isn’t your every day set-up…

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

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

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

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

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

Simple.

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

Installing the Extensions was surprisingly easy.

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

…or scrolling with the track, karaoke style.

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

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

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

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

Thanks for reading -

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

January 22, 2021

KEF LS50 - DOES META MEAN BETTER?→

January 22, 2021/ Audio T/ Portsmouth

Imagine it, you are living in 1961 with clear disappointment in the way music sounds. Will you stand down? Raymond Cooke didn’t, and that is what this passion that lead to the creation of countless innovations in speakers, including the KEF LS50 Metas.

LS50 Black edition VS Ls50 Meta Mineral White

KEF (named after Kent Engineering and Foundry) has one sole purpose - to listen to music without compromise. That is what Mr Raymond Cooke believed in when he started the journey. Inspired by his love of music, he made it his goal to fill rooms with music as it was made to be heard.

There are two types of music lovers in the HiFi world. Those who would hike a large valley to experience the world through a clear stunning transparent window, and those who are looking for an exciting experience - The listening equivalent of a thrill-seeker who jumps in any roller-coaster or throws themselves out of a plane to skydive.

They are both enjoyable and valid ways to listen to music, but KEF believe in combining those valley views with a ride a few dB away from a adrenaline rush.

They’ve proven this time and time again, with their top end reference series as well as dedicated studio monitors engineered for recording professionals (We have sold a pair or two to recording engineers local to Portsmouth).

But they are far from bland. KEF’s LS50s have been a statement to the HiFi world for 11 Generations of models. They offer you the music as the artists pictured it, as the artists imagined it. But with the changing times the 12th generation has entered the picture, the LS50 Meta. But does Meta mean better?

So what is Meta?

Meta stands for Metamaterial, a substance that exists to contain no acoustic traits seen by any natural material. KEF implemented Metamaterial Absorption Technology (MAT) in the LS50 Meta as a type of acoustic treatment to reduce up to 99% of unwanted sound bouncing created from the back of the driver. In short, they have managed to reach new levels of clarity, having reduce the Mid-Band total Harmonic Distortion to a low of 0.07%. This means your ears can enjoy a immersive experience with even more clarity throughout the frequency spectrum. Which, in turn, has helped balance out the bass frequencies, an issue that has been noticed with its predecessor.

Sounds like some sort of Sci-Fi voodoo to me! luckily KEF have given it a more indepth look in this video here.

Our shop elf got to choose the shop speakers over the christmas period

The LS50 Metas have set a new precedent in speaker technology, especially in being an affordable high end bookshelf speaker. KEF also have the benefit of very few competitors a similar price range.

The KEF are a master-stroke of balance to compliment a wide range of music, with a dash of excitement to make you want to listen more and more.

So let’s sum this up

The KEF LS50 Metas are a great option to consider when thinking about upgrading your speakers, and would integrate well in a wide range of home systems. The well balance nature of the speakers offers a versatility when it comes to pairing with almost any amp. They’re not afraid of performing in a larger room with their surprising bass response.

The New LS50 are currently available in four finishes - Carbon Black, Mineral White, Royal Blue and Titanium Grey.

Thank you for reading - Jake and Nick - Audio T Portsmouth

Be sure to follow us on Instagram and Facebook to stay up to date with what’s going on in store.

KEF can be found at the following Audio-T stores

January 21, 2021

LEAK STEREO 130 OLD SKOOL LOOKS WITH 21ST CENTURY PERFORMANCE

January 21, 2021/ Reading

IAG, owners of Quad and Audiolab amongst others, has decided to reintroduce the LEAK Brand. LEAK have a hallowed history in British hifi, producing a revered range of valve pre and power amplifiers, transistor integrated amps, tuners and speakers in the 1960’s and 70’s.

So, what do we have here? Well LEAK have revived the traditional LEAK look based on the 1963 Stereo 30, one of the first transistorised amplifiers, except that the internals are fully updated to current high standards. This beauty comes with a remote, front panel volume control, and tone controls for bass, treble and balance. For those who eschew tone controls there is a bypass to take the tone and balance controls out of circuit.

The Stereo 130 also has a good quality moving magnet phono input for vinyl-based music and two more for other analogue inputs. Digital inputs include coaxial and optical connectors, USB and Bluetooth aptX. The internal DAC is a sophisticated ESS ES9018 DAC, fully capable of playing most digital formats, handling up to 32/394 PCM and DSD256 via USB.

The speaker driving capabilities are good, with 55 Watts into 8 Ohms, rising to 64 Watts into 4 Ohm loads. More than enough to go loud in all but the largest rooms.

So, internally, this is a highly sophisticated and versatile amplifier with a broad range of capabilities, but with a lovely external retro chic vibe.

How does it sound?

Jon Coltranes “A Love Supreme” was conveyed with its all of its emotional and sonic intensity in hi-definition form.

With Bob Marley and the Wailers “ Positive Vibration” (Vinyl), the Stereo 130 impressed with its great bass performance, timing and rendition of voices.

Rage Against the Machines’ “Killing in the Name” visceral intensity was captured and handled with full intent.

In Summary

The Leak Stereo 130 ’s all-round performance is engaging, full-bodied and refined, with great linearity and low distortion. Detail, timing and dynamics excel, regardless of source or medium. This allows the Stereo 130 to enhance the expression and enjoyment of your music collection.

The Stereo 130 costs £699, or £799 with the gorgeous walnut sleeve featured in this blog.

As an Addendum…….

Jimi Hendrix used to live in London and his flat has become a museum and tourist attraction. The Handel & Hendrix Museum has re-created his stereo system. Bang & Olufsen donated a fully-functioning, original 1960s Beogram 1000 turntable; Lowther supplied a set of their restored Acousta 115’s speakers developed in the 1960s. To complete the setup, LEAK sent one of their new LEAK Stereo 130 integrated stereo amplifiers, modelled on the classic Stereo 30 from 1963 which Hendrix used.

We hope you enjoy the Museum article, together with the video, which delves into the Hendrix Record collection.

Thanks for stopping by -

Rob & Gareth - Audio T Reading

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LEAK can be found at the following Audio-T stores

January 21, 2021

CYRUS XR - COMING SOON TO AUDIO T SOUTHAMPTON

January 21, 2021/ Southampton

In the brief respite between Lockdowns 2 and 3 (remember that?) and just before Christmas (remember that?!) we managed a sneak preview and listen to the new range-topping Cyrus XR products.

Cyrus is a long established brand in store here, going right back to the original Cyrus One and Two in the 1980’s in our previous guise as Hampshire Audio. I’m old enough to remember how distinctive and important these innovative and mould-breaking amplifiers were back in the day, overturning overnight the notion that amplifiers had to be big and macho and adorned with tone controls, equalisers and the like in order to produce real hi-fi performance. The shoebox form factor which evolved into the now classic alloy casework has been Cyrus’s signature for many a decade now.

Speaking of Signature, this was, until recently, the top range of Cyrus separates, that is until XR was announced.

Jason from Cyrus showed and played us the two new integrated amplifiers, i7-XR and i9-XR. We were immediately impressed by the improved finish with the control panel now matching the casework perfectly, the sharper display, solid metal rotary encoder, and the slicker touch sensitive controls replacing clunky switches. The sound quality didn’t disappoint either. Both sounded open and detailed with a sweeter presentation than previous Cyrus amplifiers. Unsurprisingly the i9-XR had substantially more authority and depth, with a lot more power on tap.

We then listened to the top of the range Pre-XR, which replaces the long established DAC XP Signature. It’s a completely new design from the ground up, with much lower noise floor, greater dynamic range and broader bandwidth capable of 32 bit/768k and DSD files. There are five analogue inputs, including MM phono, plus a headphone output, two toslink and two coaxial digital inputs as well as USB. This much higher specification was matched by the tremendous improvement in performance. The Pre-XR effortlessly presented music, intricately unravelling the most complex passages so every individual strand can be followed whilst remaining a coherent whole. It really is outstanding.

We were so impressed that we have ordered all five of the first release of Cyrus XR products:

Cyrus i7-XR 52W integrated amplifier

Cyrus i9-XR 91W integrated amplifier

Cyrus CDI-XR integrated CD player

Cyrus CDT-XR digital CD transport

Cyrus Pre-XR digital/analogue preamplifier

We can’t wait for them to arrive! So good to have something positive to look forward to during lockdown!

As soon as our XR demo stock arrives we will run it in and put it through its paces, so check in again soon for an update.

Alan and Wayne - Audio T Southampton

P.S. As if that isn’t exciting enough, coming later will be the all new high end PSU-XR power supply, which will massively enhance the performance of any Cyrus XR product!

Cyrus can be found at the following Audio-T stores

January 15, 2021

LINN MAJIK DSM - A ONE STOP BOX OF TRICKS : JUST ADD SPEAKERS

January 15, 2021/ Swindon

The new Linn Majik DSM is the latest edition to a range of Linn network music players. It’s a complete box of tricks, and all you have to do is to add a pair of loudspeakers!

Linn Majik DSM front panel with headphone output

You can stream music from streaming services such as Tidal, Qobuz, Spotify, Amazon Music, Internet radio via TuneIn and your own music, stored on a network hard drive. The Majik DSM connects to your home network via either WiFi or wired ethernet. You also have Bluetooth capability on board for quick and easy playback from tablets and smartphones.

There are 4 x HDMI 2.0 ( 4K compatible ) inputs for Sky, Blu-Ray players, Apple TV, games consoles and more. Simply connect your TV and the DSM becomes a central hub for your home entertainment equipment. You’ll also find a built in MM (moving magnet) phono stage easily connect your turntable, as well as optical and a coaxial inputs for any other digital sources.

The internal power amplifier can be switched off if you want to connect the Majik DSM to an external power amplifier or active speakers. This is a nice touch as some might want to upgrade to another amplifier in the future without having to change the entire music system .

Is it easy to use?

Yes it is! As well as being supplied with a remote control, there are dedicated Linn Apps for Apple iOS and Android tablets & smartphones. On the top of the unit you will find six customisable buttons for easy access to your favorite radio stations, any particular inputs you used regularly or even a particular song.

As a bonus you can wirelessly connect multiple Linn DSM players to create a multi-room system.

Linn’s network music players have Space Optimisation software built-in which means that the performance of the system can be personalised. But how does this work? It builds a picture of the room, down to placement of your speakers and furniture in the room and cleans up unwanted frequencies. This feature can be switched on or off.

If you're looking for a compact, high-quality and great sounding music system, we think that this is the way to go.

Thanks for reading

Stefan & Andy - Audio-T Swindon

Linn can be found at the following Audio-T stores

January 14, 2021

RETRO LOOKS, MODERN SOUND - THE LEAK STEREO 130 ARRIVES AT AUDIO T CARDIFF

January 14, 2021/ Cardiff

The word retro is something that we come across of a lot of these days. It has become fashionable in clothing, furniture and many household consumer items like kitchen radios. It has also wriggled its way in to the world of Hi-Fi, especially now that vinyl has had a great revival, with sales at their highest since the early 90s. The latest example of this comes from Leak Hi-Fi.

Many of us of the older generation will have fond memories of the Leak Stereo 30 (2 x 15). This appeared in the 60’s and was a popular seller. It formed the heart of many systems. The Stereo 30 used germanium transistors, because that was all that was available at the time. They worked but were noisy and prone to thermal runaway, making it a challenge to design practical hi-fi amplifier circuits using them. These were replaced in the middle of the decade with silicon varieties, which was an improvement. These transistors were also used by Quad and B&O, as well as other manufacturers.

So here’s an interesting proposition for those of us that are enamored in the retro - Do we buy an old Leak Amp, spend some money on refurbishing it and hope we get the sound we want? Or, do we buy a system that retains the retro aesthetic whilst utilising the advantages of modern technology? Well, I know what I would do… I would invest my money in the sensible option and purchase the new one.

A 60 year old amp, however popular it was at the time, is highly unlikely to sound as good as the modern day equivalent, not to mention reliable and availability of parts moving forward.

Here enters the LEAK STEREO 130.

Looking very similar to the original, this amp certainly has the retro look. Sporting the design of the original 30 with its smart wooden enclosure. The innards of the Leak Stereo 130 are based around the Quad Venna II, so we are already off to a good start as far as sound and build quality is concerned.

The Leak 130 has a respectable 2 x 45W (8ohm) output and has been designed to fit in the modern world. It is a full-function integrated amplifier. It includes modern quirks such as a Moving Magnet phono input, a DAC, and a headphone amplifier. You can also connect to the Stereo 130 via Bluetooth using the aptX or AAC codecs. 2V Triggers are included for tethering the Stereo 130 to the matching CDT player so you can control both units with the same included remote. No stone left unturned there!

I connected the amp to a pair of Dali Oberon 5 using the Rega Planar 3/ Elys as the source. After a couple of hours warming up this system was focusing on the rhythmic aspects of the music, which certainly gets your foot tapping A clarity that nicely highlighted vocals and lead instruments, separating them out from the mix in a very distinct manner. The overall sound image reached well beyond the Oberon’s physical placement, extending in every dimension with a clear and present sense of the space of the recording. This combination also displayed taught and well-formed bass. Turning to some classical recordings the wonderful sense of space was still present bringing extra delight to the enjoyment.

The Leak Stereo 130 certainly has a character that extends beyond its looks and when combined with a complementary speaker like the Oberon 5, it offers many strengths that will suit any music you care to play through it. Add up all of the Stereo 130’s pluses, which include a very good sounding DAC, an excellent MM phono stage, Bluetooth connectivity and a decent headphone amplifier, all in a vintage-inspired case and you have a superb amp at a price that won’t break the bank.

Audio T Cardiff - Hefin, Nick & Kerrin

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LEAK can be found at the following Audio-T stores

January 14, 2021

DYNAUDIO SPECIAL HERITAGE - THEIR PARTS-BIN MUST BE A GOLDMINE!

January 14, 2021/ Swansea

Attentive Hi-Fi buffs may well remember the well-received, well-reviewed and well-loved Dynaudio Special 40 that made landfall a couple of years ago. They were a delight and everyone was très désolé when that model came to the end of its limited production run.

Emboldened by their success, the engineers at Dynaudio decided to turn their attention to drivers that “became available” from higher up in the canopy – specifically the brand-new Confidence range tweeter, the Esotar3 (but with the previous model’s mounting plate) and the Bass/Midrange unit from the outgoing and shatteringly expensive Evidence Platinum (a mere £80k!)

Dynaudio designed the cabinets to house them in are heavily overbuilt, veneered American Walnut, which reminds me of the classic Contour range from a decade or more ago. This is no bad thing. Limited globally to 2500 pairs, Heritage Special is tipped to sell out quickly.

After a loooonnngg... period of running-in, they opened like a rose to reveal a huge, marvellously wide and deep soundstage. With a bass response that had me wondering about pints, quarts and changing the laws of Physics (Captain). The insight they provide is remarkable - every breath and held breath - brilliant. They need muscular amplification and a quality source to give of their best, but these speakers are simply glorious and I would certainly want some! I know that certain staff members in sister stores have already placed orders for theirs…

If you're looking for a serious speaker for a modestly-sized environment then these must be on your shopping list; they're terrific and I want a pair. I may have said that already.

Nic, Chris & Adrian - Audio T Swansea

Dynaudio can be found at the following Audio-T stores

January 14, 2021

HERITAGE SPECIAL FROM DYNAUDIO

January 14, 2021/ Cheltenham

It has been quite a while since my last blog but I have been tempted to put finger to key by these rather excellent new Limited Edition Dynaudio bookshelf loudspeakers. ‘Heritage Special’ isn’t just a name. It’s a salute to traditional high-performance Danish audio design.

Now at first glance you may think that these are rather expensive, but they may just be the best bookshelfers that you will ever hear. The first thing that struck me about these little marvels was how open and detailed they sounded and how they managed to image from way left and right of the speaker cabinets. This is something quite rare in a speaker, even at this price! Bass is effortlessly deep and taught as Santa’s belt. Top end is sweet and seductive. No one part of the music ever gets coloured by any of the rest making it so easy to hear and follow everything all at the same time no matter what type of music you listen to.

Slightly retro styling with state of the art drive units

To give these beauties a real workout I thought I would try my 2020 album of the year - The wonderful triple vinyl compilation called Door to the Cosmos from On The Corner Records.

The album’s title, a nod to the afro-futurist jazzer Sun Ra’s infamous chant ‘dare to knock at the door to the cosmos’, is the perfect invitation to delve into this vast celestial journey of sound. Door to the Cosmos can only be described as a tremendous 24-track compilation album from the innovative and exciting left-field imprint On The Corner. For their 10th full album release they have gone all out to honour their adventurous, Miles Davis-esque ‘call it what you want’ philosophy. With over 30 artists featured on the album, from long-standing label contributors to those new to the On The Corner family, all are devotees to the curation of future sounds – melding ancestral music with club culture and pushing genres. The recording quality is sublime throughout as well. A great work out for your hifi system! Just listen to the seven and a half minutes of pure joy that is La Negra Lorenza by Jose Marquez. Intoxication isn’t the word…truly stellar!! and that is just one of a huge number of amazing genre bending wonders.

Be warned these speakers are strictly limited to 2500 pairs worldwide and are selling fast, even in these Covid restricted times, so don’t hang around too long or you may just miss out.

“If a job’s worth doing, it’s worth doing Jaw-Droppingly”

The build quality is amongst the best that you see. Look closely at the tweeter. Dynaudio historians will notice the unmistakable shape of the legendary Esotar T330D soft-dome tweeter. That’s Special enough on its own – But as they say, If a job’s worth doing, it’s worth doing jaw-droppingly. So they have replaced the insides with the finest tweeter technology they have ever created: Esotar 3. You’ll also find it, along with its powerful neodymium magnet, larger rear chamber and resonance-defeating Hexis inner dome, in their top-of-the-line Confidence series.

Taking on mid/bass duties is something equally Special: the 18W75 XL Heritage Special MSP Woofer (bit of a mouthful that, but whatever). If you were truly eagle-eyed, you might remember its exponential cone design from the magnificent Evidence Platinum series. The difference is, the Dynaudio boffins have taken it even further: this driver has an improved voice coil (a classic internal-magnet design with aluminium windings, now on a glass-fibre former); magnet system (a hybrid design with both neodymium and ferrite magnets for even greater flux control); and spider (Nomex, as seen on Confidence and Contour i).

All this attention to detail produces what must be one of the finest stand mount loudspeakers that we have ever had the pleasure of listening to. They are never harsh or bright sounding as so many of today’s newer designs can sound. These are speakers that you can listen to all day long and never get tired of. The bass is deep and juicy but always perfectly controlled. The whole soundstage they produce is big and open, extending massively outside the boxes. Dynaudio can be well and truly proud of these. They truly deserve that “Special” tag in their name.

If you would like any more information on The Dynaudio Heritage Special loudspeakers then please contact Jon, Farid or Andy in the Cheltenham store.

Farid has even a pair himself!

Dynaudio can be found at the following Audio-T stores -

Audio T Blogs

CLOSED BACK OR OPEN BACK?

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SUMMARY

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Unboxing and our first impressions

Dali Epicon 2

Dali Epicon 6

The Hybrid Tweeter Module - The Job Share

What do they sound like?

Our Verdict

And one more thing...

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The M Scaler

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IN THE BEGINNING…

REVOLUTION EVOLUTION…

MUSIC FOR A LIFETIME…

SUITS YOU SIR!

LINN, REGA OR MICHELL?

WHICH ONE WOULD YOU CHOOSE…?

Beer Budget

This looks familiar

Gosh, you've been busy, you’ll be needing a sit down.

That all sounds fine, when's my turn then?

“If I was born with a talent, it is the intuition to recognise when something is wrong and the impulsiveness to correct it or search for what is right.” - Roy Gandy

LET’S GO FLY A KYTE…

A NEW VINYL AGE?

Let’s take a closer look

So what about speakers?

“Were we surprised?”

How it works?

How does it sound?

Some thoughts on the Nuraloops

Some thoughts on the Nuraphones

This isn’t your every day set-up…

So what is Meta?

So let’s sum this up

How does it sound?

In Summary

As an Addendum…….

Is it easy to use?

Here enters the LEAK STEREO 130.

“If a job’s worth doing, it’s worth doing Jaw-Droppingly”

Audio T

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