Untangle Your Music… Are Power Cable upgrades just snake oil?

/ Audio T Enfield/

Before joining Audio T I wasn’t entirely convinced of the importance of cables in a low or even mid level hi-fi system. Interconnects and speaker cable…. sure. But mains cables? No way! power is power, surely?

So how did it start?

Things first started to change for me when I heard what a difference upgrading an interconnect made to my turntable, so I looked at the mess of mains cables behind my home cinema system and decided I could do better.

£45 and a few mouse clicks later, I had bought some used, short audiophile shielded mains cables (I thoroughly checked the connections before using them). I plugged them in, sat back and listened to some music and…. not much had changed. Maybe it sounded better? Or was it just wishful thinking? Eventually I came the conclusion it possibly sounded very slightly clearer but probably not worth the money in terms of sound quality. It did however tidy up the back of my system considerably, that alone may be reason it sounded slightly better? The jury was out on that one.

Good luck keeping this tidy!

Good luck keeping this tidy!

I gave up, switched on the telly to look at the TV guide and was astonished at the picture quality. There had always been a slight shimmer which I had put down to the limitations of plasma screens, but from my viewing position the picture was now flawless, it was only when I got right up close to the screen that I could see any shimmering at all. So, money well spent then!

Now, a few years later, I’m working at Audio T where we have a selection of audiophile mains cables to choose from, plugging a £250 mains cable into an expensive system doesn’t seem such an extravagance and sounds infinitely better, but would they make a difference to my humble Denon AVR at home?

The Test

To put it to the test, I took home three different models of mains cables to compare with my existing shielded cable. The first two made only a slight improvement on my current setup, but the third, a Chord Shawline immediately increased detail and clarity, and also improved soundstage. It was a clear change to older, well mastered music, but particularly noticeable with some of the less well produced music that has been released in more recent years. A lot of my favourite music from the 90s and 00s came alive and no longer sounded muddled or dull, very surprising!

Chord Shawline mains cable

So what’s going on here?

The Chord Shawline mains cable uses high purity, thicker stranded conductor and double shielding - a foil wrap to catch the high frequency interference and a wire braid to catch the lower frequency stuff. The cable also has a tough outer jacket that helps to damp any vibrations. All a significant upgrade over my existing foil shielded cable.

But the rest of my house isn’t wired with this stuff, so why does replacing the final couple of metres make such a difference?

It’s the last bit next to the AV equipment that is the noisiest part, with every unit and its cables putting out some kind of interference, so shielding in this area is very important.

Where to use shielded mains cables?

Basically everywhere if you can, some recommend you start with CD, Blu Ray, Network streamers and other sources first as these are more likely to be affected by noise.

All Chord power cables are available with a selection of connectors including IEC and figure 8 to suit most equipment. Standard lengths are: 1m, 1.5m and 2m although other lengths can be ordered to suit.

In conclusion, although you would probably think twice about spending £250 on a mains cable for a £300 AVR, I just couldn’t go back to the old sound and give up the extra detail and depth. I’ve spent the last few weeks enjoying music that previously I couldn’t listen to, so for me it was money well spent!

Don’t believe me? Why not try it for yourself. Give your local Audio T store a call to find out more information about the products listed, and if you’re just passing by, why not pop in and take a look at them too?!

Thanks for reading!

Richard, Elena & John – Audio T Enfield

If you have any questions about any of the equipment featured in this article, or any other Hi-Fi or home cinema enquiries, be sure to Contact Us.

If you’ve enjoyed this, why not go ahead and read some more of our other blogs, and be sure to follow us on our social media channels below…


Chord Company can be found at the following Audio T stores

*All prices, credit terms and interest rates quoted are correct at the time of going to press but may be subject to change. E&OE

Albums Of The Year 2022 at Audio T Cheltenham!

/ Audio T Cheltenham/

Mince Pies And Twiglets!

This blog is going to be a little self indulgent I’m afraid, but bear with me! Basically it is a big shout out for some of my favourite music of the year just gone (2022 in case you’d forgotten in a haze of football and reality TV mediocrity). I am always on the lookout for new pieces of music that are a little off the beaten track but are a dead cert to make your hifi system sound amazing. 2022 has been a year that has seen so many stunning new albums from a plethora of stupendous bands and artists

Mistletoe and Wine!

First on the list (but in no particular order) comes this juicy little improv spiritual jazz thing from Flock.

Beutiful Artwork by Muhammed Fatchurofi sets the scene for some sublime music

Flock consist of and all music is improvised by….

  • Bex Burch: gyil, vibraphone, bass drum, shakers, bells, gong, snake drum, electronics

  • Sarathy Korwar: drums, tabla

  • Danalogue: fender rhodes, roland juno-60, upright piano, roland SH-09 bass synth

  • Al MacSween: prepared piano, piano, Moog Sub37

  • Tamar Osborn: bass clarinet, flute, soprano sax, EHX deluxe memory boy

All the pieces were recorded in one day with the emphasis on breathing and listening to one other,” explains Bex Burch. “Improvisation is composition in itself, so although the music was freely improvised, we sometimes chose to stay on form and rhythm, repeating melodies and groove.” As Dan commented on the day, we “murmurated”.

For me the standout track is the expansive 13-minute piece ‘How Many Are One’. This is the perfect example of a collective following and leading as the music and rhythms shift and fold into each other as they develop. And the bass on this track will really test out your speakers. Just as you think the bottom end goes down low it gets even deeper……Nice!!

Figgy Pud

Next on the ( in no particular order ) list is the very wonderful album By Fenella that goes by the title “The Metallic Index”.

Me and fenella

Fenella is Jane Weavers experimental ensemble in collaboration with Peter Philipson and Raz Ullah, They return with a hallucinogenic excursion into ambient textures and hypnagogic drones on new album ‘The Metallic Index’. Taking further steps into their combined compositional universe with this follow-up to 2019’s acclaimed Fehérlófia album.

Loosely based on a genuine story recounting the short-lived abilities of a young psychic nurse in 1920s London, Fenella’s niche muse Jane Weaver justifies this celebratory return to vinyl, as she says “not once does it fall into the supposed tropes of staid hauntological-plunderphonics which repeatedly come to muddy our thirsty streams”. Fenella make spirited melodic progressive pop music that pulsates with the same magnetism that fans of Jane Weaver's own The Silver Globe and Modern Kosmology have come to respect and hold closely.

Handcrafted using a generous archive of some of the best vintage equipment in the country, the sound structures you hear at the heart of this album form the basis for Fenella's best work yet, while the individual spectral vocalisations and ethereal electronics that circle the room capture this trio's return, as peripheral visions, in full. The result is truly breathtakingly gorgeous and wonkily weird. Stand out track is “Telekinetoscopes” The soundstage is huge with sounds appearing and disappearing way outside the plane of the loudspeakers. See how good your hifi system is at revealing the beauty from within the glitchiness and the power from the propulsive deep bass. Go on try it, you never know you might just fall in love! Oh, the movie is a real corker too!

Crackers and Cheese

My final choice is “Solace” by Held By Trees.

The Beautiful cover painting is by nicola stockley

Held By Trees is an instrumental prog rock/post-rock collaboration of musicians heavily inspired by Talk Talk/Mark Hollis, consisting of musicians that took part in the infamous sessions for Spirit of Eden (1988), Laughing Stock (1991) and Mark Hollis' solo album (1998). Other inspirations include the minimal piano work of Ryuichi Sakamoto, and early 70's Pink Floyd. Not a bad little list of influences then eh?

Musically there is more than a hint of Talk Talk and any one who is a fan of theirs will really enjoy this. Legendary guitar player Eric Bibb guests on a couple of tracks too! Stand out track is definitely the six minute long “In The Trees”. The moment when the acoustic bass comes in is drop dead gorgeous.

Don’t Let The Bells End

These are just a few of the great albums from 2022 and I believe are much more fun than your run-of-the-mill hifi show demo smooth jazz, Nightfly by Donald Fagan anyone? Or any one of the awfully recorded Oasis albums? Play these and I guarantee that you will be more than pleasantly surprised at how good your hifi can sound when it is fed with top quality music that is well produced and recorded. And strictly speaking ( well writing actually ) all the greatest hifi equipment in the world would be totally useless if the music we played on it wasn’t up to snuff wouldn’t it?

Right ….now I am off to scoff mince pies and stollen….see you all on the other side!

Many thanks for reading, hope you have a great Christmas.

Andy, Jon and Farid - Audio T Cheltenham.

If you have any questions about any of the music featured in this article, and would like to hear how good your favourite albums can sound on some of our finest systems, or if you have any other Hi-Fi or home cinema enquiries, be sure to Contact Us.

If you’ve enjoyed reading this, why not go ahead and read some more of our other blogs, and be sure to follow us on our social media channels below…

Valve Power & Vintage Inspired Speakers - A look at Audio Note

/ Audio T Cardiff/

Are valve amplifiers and vintage inspired speakers the ultimate combination? A study and review of Audio Notes Cobra integrated amplifier and Audio Note AN-K loudspeakers. Matt from our Cardiff shop takes a deeper look into the Audio Note brand and talks about his passion for all things valve.

audio note cobra vlaves in the dark

Being a guitarist, I have always loved the sound of a valve amplifier. They have a certain tonality and warmth to them. Different combinations of valves (or tubes) offer different tones which we can identify with different brands of amplifier as well as different tone circuits in each brand giving us that “Holy Grail” of tone that myself and other guitarists continually chase.

Over the years I have come to be able to distinguish the difference between classic guitar amplifiers. An example of this is the Marshall Bluesbreaker, which immediately makes me think of Eric Clapton and John Mayall as this was the amplifier used in the recording of the album, “Blues Breakers”. Another unmistakable classic is the Vox AC30. The band that comes straight to mind is The Beatles. Both John Lennon and George Harrison used the iconic AC30 on many occasions whilst recording.

Mullard factory - Hammersmith, London

Guitar amplifiers are not the only ones to incorporate valve technology. The world of Hi-Fi has had its fair share of valve amplifiers from the very beginning. Valve technology goes back further in time before the modern days of solid state and digital amplification were ever a thought. I'm talking war time Britain when our only entertainment was radio, and yes you guessed it they had valve power sections in some models, they even had a valve rectified section if you look back to the original His Master’s Voice (HMV) radios and other brands like Bush. Most of the radios from this time period were valve based. In fact, once upon a time, Britain had one of the biggest valve production factories in the world, the Mullard Vacuum tube factory based in Hammersmith, London. Even though Mullard stopped manufacturing in 1982, their valves are still highly sought after today, with many enthusiasts hunting them out to use in their recording equipment, guitar amplifiers and even Hi-Fi systems.

Whilst many Hi-Fi manufacturers moved to solid state technology during the 70s and 80s, some continued to champion the alluring glow of the valve. One such contemporary Hi-Fi brand utilising valves in their equipment is Audio Note, who have made some groundbreaking amplifiers, speakers, DACs, phono stages and CD players. The Audio note CD 3.1 uses a pair of ECC88 dual triode valves on the output stage, so valves are not just about amplification.

A Little History behind Audio Note…

Audio Note Founder, Peter Qvortup

Audio Note LISTENING lounge (brighton)

Peter Qvortup founded the company back in 1989. His love of music and relentless pursuit of perfect tone brought him to building and perfecting his first production all valve integrated amplifier in 1991, the OTO PP. As an amplifier the OTO has certainly stood the test of time as it is still in production today. You can read a more in depth look at the current OTO amplifier in our Bristol stores blog. Peter’s vision with turntables, CD players, amplification and loudspeakers is to listen to music as it should be heard, perfectly balanced with every nuance and detail we want to hear. Perfect synergy between the equipment, from the source to the speakers is the end goal.

Reading Store Manager, Gareth, in Peter’s home listening room.

Peter has an incredible collection of music and a very eclectic taste, ranging from Classical to Drum & Bass and everything in between so that he can put his equipment through its paces.

Also, one other little known fact, which I think is rather awesome, is that he has hand selected and stockpiled the valves he uses… His secret? Whilst many manufacturers were moving to solid state technology, Peter was travelling the world and purchasing valves, but not just from musical sources… Under lock and key in the Horsham factory, You’ll find a large selection of small brown boxes, stamped with “Property of the US Government”, all of which contain valves (Or tubes as our American brethren will say)!

Many years down the line from the birth of Audio Note, Peter has come up with yet another great all valve beauty; The Cobra…

Has the Cobra got any bite?

The audio note cobra - a classic sound for a modern age

This little giant of a valve amplifier puts out a hefty 28 watts per channel, thanks to a quad set of Electro Harmonix EL34 power valves operating in class A (for the guitarists out there we all know Electro Harmonix as a quality valve brand). 28 watts may not sound much but in the language of valve that is pretty powerful. In the preamp section it’s running 2 x 6AU6 and 2 x 5670 Electro Harmonix preamp tubes.

This amplifier is capable of running a wide range of speakers not just Audio Note (although it is highly recommend that their is an obvious synergy between a pair of Audio Note speakers will have with an Audio Note amp). We have also tried this amp out on one of my favourite loudspeakers the Spendor D7.2s, let’s just say this was a great match.

The Cobra is equipped with three analogue stereo inputs and it also boasts a rather good DAC, which has a Philips TDA1543 D/A chip. The DAC can connect to source components via optical input up to 24Bit native or digital coax. You can even connect your computer or tablet via USB!

audio note cobra rear panel inc. dac inputs

The Audio Note AN-K - New speakers with an old soul

Audio Note AN-K speaker Poplar burl

The AN-K is classed as a compact bookshelf designed speaker, but I would say a good mid sized stand mounted speaker, which are also a great speaker to look at. In the Cardiff store we currently have them on demonstration in Poplar Burl, these speakers certainly pack a punch in a good way. The design of these speakers is inspired by classic Snell closed cabinet design speakers. The AN-K is a relatively easy speaker to drive so this does make these speakers a great pairing with any lower powered valve amplifier. The cabinet construction feels very solid. The birch ply construction can be seen at the rear of the speaker next to the binding posts. They are available in several different veneers. These speakers are 6ohm, which is a very happy medium, with a sensitivity of 90 db. The specially designed simple cross over incorporates air-cored chokes and hand selected capacitors, going from polypropylene up to river foil depending on the model of speaker. They have a specially designed 3/4 inch soft dome tweeter, and the bass driver is a specially designed by Audio Note 8 inch paper cone with copper voice coils, very much a classic combination in speaker design.

audio note ank speaker rear panel terminals

Setup

Interconnects and speaker cables:

Artists tracks and albums used in the audition:

Vinyl

Tom Petty and the Heartbreakers - Greatest Hits 1993 - “Mary Jane’s last dance”

Def Leppard - Hysteria 1987 - “Hysteria”

CD

Red Dragon Cartel - Patina 2018 - “Ghosts”

The Listening

Before I sit down and settle into this listening session as we know speaker placement is key especially with the AN-K’s most speakers need to be brought out from the wall to get the best out of them. In this case with the Audio Note speakers due to their classic closed cabinet design they need to be closer to the wall to work with the room bringing them closer to the wall controls the bass and the speakers become more alive then, everything comes together.

Now I have the speakers placed and the valve amp is nice and warm I can drop the needle and start the listening process.

Linn majik lp12 with nytech cdp122

Starting with the Tom Petty track Mary Jane’s Last Dance, from the start the combination of Linn and Audio Note had me engaged straight away. I can hear the Hammond organ used on this track clearer than I have ever heard it before and the bridge pickup tone on Tom Petty’s Gretsch sounds bright but tone full. I feel this is down to the nature of the EL34 power valves and the tonal character they have making guitars sound more real and alive to me.

Next up, Def Leppard - Hysteria. This track had me locked in from the start as it is incredibly well recorded and this particular pressing is rather good. Right from the start I was mesmerised by everything going on, from the chorus effect on the guitars, Rick Allen’s drums sound tight and not loose at all and Phil Collen’s guitar solo cuts through effortlessly. As I said before the valve amp making guitars sound more alive. I also feel the speakers are a perfect match for this amplifier, perfect system synergy going back to Peter’s vision of how music should sound. I’d say he has achieved perfection with the Cobra and AN-K combination.

Last but not least, Red Dragon Cartel. If you don’t know these guys you may have heard of the guitarist in the band, Jake E Lee, formerly with Ozzy Osbourne. Many years ago, he wrote the guitar parts to such tracks as Bark At The Moon, in my opinion one of the best riffs in existence. Now, many years later Jake came out of retirement to form Red Dragon Cartel. Enough of the band history let’s talk about how this sounds…

In this instance I’m using the Audio Note CD 2.1 CD player using digital coax into the Cobra’s DAC. Right from the off the bass riff on this track hit me in a good way powerful yet well controlled. Drums tight and precise, then Jake’s opening riff kicks in and I can almost hear the pick strike as he plays behind the bridge on his late 60s Gibson ES 335 TD, this is a very unusual but a really cool effect. Then the rest of the track comes together getting ahead nodding and feet tapping which is what we all want from a listening experience to get lost in the music. In short the Cobra’s DAC works really well with the all valve nature of the Cobra amplifier, detailed and warm.

Conclusion

I feel that Audio Note have certainly brought a few surprises to my ears. Things I have not heard before in the music I have been listening to today. This whole listening session today has kept me firmly glued to my seat from hearing what the Cobra can do and the tonal characteristics of the valves right through to how efficient the AN-K speakers are bringing every detail to my ears. Considering this is the tip of the iceberg for Audio Note what a great place to start.

When we talk about system synergy and every component of a Hi-Fi system working well together. We all want the listen experience to be seamless and effortless, just plug in and play and enjoy the music and not analyse everything that’s going on just to sit back and enjoy an album in its entirety. Peter has got this experience down to a T again, just listen to the music.

Why not pop in and have a listen to this fantastic system for yourself and tell me what you think. Even explore more of Audio Note’s range we can organise demonstrations with any of their fantastic equipment. You can contact us to organise a demonstration on Tel 02920 228565 or Email us at cardiff@audio-t.co.uk we’d love to hear from you.

Thank you for reading

Matt, Nick and Kerrin - Audio T Cardiff

If you have any questions about any of the equipment featured in this article, or any other Hi-Fi or home cinema enquiries, be sure to Contact Us.

If you’ve enjoyed this, why not go ahead and read some more of our other blogs, and be sure to follow us on our social media channels below…

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

In Review: Linn Sondek LP12 Week at Audio T Brighton

/ Audio T Brighton/

Audio T in Brighton is proud to present a summary of our LINN SONDEK LP12 week, where customers had the opportunity to see and hear the quality triumvirate of turntables offered under the Linn moniker; namely the LP12 Majik, LP12 Selekt and LP12 Klimax turntables with their respective power supplies, phono stages, arms and cartridges.

Every year, Audio T runs a series of store events to make our customers aware of upgrades and new products available.

This year, one year before Linn’s 50th year in business, the time seemed right to highlight the sonic benefits of going Linn.

Linn... We’re all in!

linn lp12 majik turntable, linn majik dsm streamer/amp and linn majik 140 floor standing speakers

Almost 50 years since Ivor Tiefenbrun started Linn and conceived the now famous Linn Sondek LP12 turntable, changing the sonic landscape for vinyl playback and the record playing public, it seems appropriate to present the improved current range.

Re-defining the meaning of magic...

The Linn Majik combination shown above, really highlights the all-round flexibility of the latest Linn system, comprising of: Linn Majik LP12/Krane/Adikt turntable combo, Linn Majik DSM streamer/amp, Linn Majik 140 floor standing speakers shown here displayed on a Quadraspire Evo bamboo rack, allowing vinyl playback, streaming services and internet radio playback for quality audio enjoyment.

The Linn Majik system really kicks things off with a sonic bang for the buck, displaying a sonic prowess and style that anyone with taste will appreciate.

Readers may also like to know that the Linn Majik LP12/Krane/Koil MC cartridge is also available as an option.

Linn LP12 Selekt/Arko/Kendo...

linn lp12 selekt with arko arm and kendo mc cartridge

It has been a real treat to have the Linn LP12 Selekt with Arko arm and Kendo MC cartridge this week. This is a first for us here at Audio T in Brighton, partly because the Arko arm and Kendo MC cartridge are brand-new products from the Linn stable.

Sounding sweet, refined and smooth, the Linn Selekt LP12 is a definite step up from the Linn MajikLP12. Much of this improvement is down to the Kore subchassis upgrade, along with the Linn Lingo 4 power supply and Linn Uphorik phono stage. Good power supplies support stable speed and reduce the noise floor, allowing the Linn Arko arm and Kendo MC cartridge to extract more information from the record grooves. Groove it certainly does, especially when played through our Naim NAP500DR power amp and 500PS power supply. into some ATC SCM50 passive speakers.

linn lp12 selekt with uphorik and lingo 4 plus linn majik dsm streamer below

Linn LP12 Klimax/Ekos SE/Ekstatik/Urika/Radikal…

linn lp12 klimax with Ekos SE arm, ekstatik cartridge

So, onto our top Linn LP12 deck - the Linn Klimax LP12.

This is a thing of beauty, in design, in looks and in sound. Armed with; a Keel subchassis, Urika phono stage, Ekos SE tonearm, Ekstatik cartridge and Radikal 2 power supply, the Linn LP12 Klimax sounds wonderful. A clear step-up from the Linn Selekt LP12, as it should be for the extra expense, the Linn LP12 Klimax offers a “reach out and touch” quality, brimming with detail, sparkling dynamics and authenticity whatever genre of music one decides to play. Again, playing through our top, in store, Naim NAP500DR power amp and 500PS power supply, a quality source like our Linn LP12 Klimax really has a chance to shine.

linn lp12 klimax and selekt on our naim 500 system here at audio t in brighton

2023 will be Linn’s 50th anniversary and some things never change. Ivor Tiefenbrun’s source first philosophy, often in conjunction with Naim Audio’s amplifiers, really highlights the importance of spending a fair proportion of the system budget on the turntable to maximise sound quality.

Quality engineering and half a century of experience in making record players speaks volumes and you’ll certainly want to turn up the volume when playing a Linn LP12, whichever variant you decide to go for.

The Linn Majik LP12/Krane/Adikt and Linn LP12 Klimax/EkosSE/Ekstatik are on permanent show here at Audio T in Brighton, so if you’d like to bring in some records and have a listen, give us a bell on 01273 609431 or email: brighton@audio-t.co.uk

We hope you enjoyed the read and whilst you’re here, let us take the opportunity to wish everyone a Happy Christmas and New Year.

Thanks for reading.

Ade, John and Paul - Audio T Brighton

If you have any questions about any of the equipment featured in this article, or any other Hi-Fi or home cinema enquiries, be sure to Contact Us.

If you’ve enjoyed this, why not go ahead and read some more of our other blogs, and be sure to follow us on our social media channels below…

音 OTO, The Japanese for “Sound” - Introducing Audio Note's Modern Day Classic - The OTO Phono SE Signature Amplifier.

/ Audio T Bristol /

The common misconception with valve amplifiers is that they measure badly in signal to noise ratio, distort, lack drive, resulting in poor bass extension and poor treble detail. This could be applied to any amp regardless of technology used, but it isn't. How does the Audio Note OTO sound? Why might it be right for you?

Justus von Liebig, the founding father of organic chemistry, somewhere in the mid 19th century turned his attention to food - how to make bread lighter, the chemistry of coffee making and, most notably, found a method of applying heat-autolysis to a sticky tar black residue created when brewing beer to create a yeast extract - add some salt and veggie flavouring and you get something vaguely edible - Marmite - a British cuisine icon.

Researching for this article throws up forums bursting at the seams with raging audiophile culture wars arguing for and against valves for all the reasons mentioned above. I'm going to be contentious here and summarise this as a Marmite argument. Because until you’ve tried it - How do you know if you Love it or Hate it?

UK Brighton based manufacturer, Audio Note are viewed by many as the mavericks of Hi-Fi. Free thinkers, eccentric,bold and quirky. But, this allows them to do things very differently. Unlike most manufacturers Audio Note have huge control over their components and materials - home folded capacitors, resistors, even the quality of steel/iron used in the windings of their own transformers. No detail is overlooked to produce products for Music's Finest conductor. Indeed, the detail results in no less than 8 variations of this integrated amplifier.

The Single Ended Triode (SET) is an exotic species amongst the Asian carp of modern solid state transistor amps. The OTO's first incarnation was over 25 years ago, The countless improvements and iterations have lead to a design that is well honed. The OTO is available in a variety of Push-Pull (Level 1) and Single Ended (SE Level 2) versions. The OTO PP models have been specifically engineered for sonic performance rather than technical specification, and fulfil all Audio Note (UK) Level 1 criteria:. The OTO SE models fulfil all Audio Note (UK) Level 2 criteria: - Pure Class A Push-Pull Pentode operation, topping out with the OTO Phone SE Signature featuring in house Audio Note Copper foil capacitors,, 1 Watt Ni-Chrome resistors used in the most critical areas, Audio Note (UK) KAISEI NP and KAISEI standard electrolytic capacitors. SHiB copper / copper c-core output transformers,

The model we have is the OTO Phono SE. This is single ended with a valve complement of 1 x ECC82, 2 x ECC83, 1 x 6DJ8 (phono stage), 1 x ECC83 (Phono stage) and 4 x EL84 producing 10W. Speaker selection is crucial when dealing with low output valves amplifiers, but this is something of a fallacy. Some talk is of minimum 100dB/2,83Vrms to really get the best out of valves. But, this seems to be aimed at badly designed valve amps, since the OTO is happy driving an 89 db speaker with no issues.

Setup

We setup the OTO within its own family of Audio Note components and with a few different source and speaker options:

Full Audio Note System
Audio Note CD 2.1x CD Player
Audio Note TT3 with IQIII Stylus Turntable
Audio Note An-K Speakers
Audio Note Lexus interconnects
Audio Note Lexus speaker cables

Components tested with the OTO:
Chord Odyssey speaker cable
Rega Saturn Mk3 CD player
Rega Planar 8 Ania Turntable
Harbeth C7ES-3 XD speakers
Harbeth M30.2 XD speakers
B&W 704 S3

Listening

The OTO plays well with other components particularly with the Saturn and Planar 8 options from Rega. It also seems really well suited to Harbeth speakers. There is no denying though, the Audio Note AN-K speakers with the TT3 turntable and CD 2.1 CD Player complement the OTO a little better, though the difference is not night and day.

Hi-Fi is ultimately about tuned electrical circuits refined to create the best possible music reproduction. Anyone who likes music can immediately appreciate the value of High-quality sound reproduction;

"It doesn't take a "golden ear" to know what sounds good", Robert Hartley, high Performance Audio Systems.

The Audio Note high-fidelity music system focuses on all the great music recordings produced through the ages, and their philosophy is that a great system should be able to play music across a spectrum of recording quality from poor to exceptional, and in an engaging and convincing musical fashion that rewards the listener regardless of what they want to listen to at any given moment. So, with this philosophy in mind we fired up the OTO and cranked through some albums.

Talk, Talk, The Colour of Spring rich instrumental textures with Hollis's melancholy voice soaring over the rich layers makes this pop, synth album a challenge for any system. The OTO presents a rich tapestry that doesn't flatten the textures that seems to happen with 80s thin recordings. The White Stripes, Elephant, no surprise how great this sounds. White's fastidious recording technique using eight tracks and pre-1960s gear needs to be heard on a valve amp.

Moving to a classical selection - Karl Bohm and the Berliner Philharmoniker Mozart Symphonien Nos 35-41 are clear with great stereo imaging , positioning of instruments and a texture that feels just right. Jonathan Sheffer, EOS Orchestra, Gershwin Rhapsody in Blue presented lovely detail in the opening clarinet solo, with the huge dynamics being handled perfectly. Doors, L.A. Woman, again presents sharply defined, oozing all the drama of the musical intention. This is sometimes lost, messy and tangled in sum systems, but not with the OTO. BB King, The Collection 20 Master recordings is quite a hard live feel. It has a nice spacious soundstage. BB’s vocals are strong and clear and along with his guitar sit front and centre. All other instruments spread out nicely.

Conclusion

The OTO excels at superb presentation of instrumental timbre, a sweet mid range and a clear detailed transparent treble that is never edgy, brittle or overly forward. The immediate effect is beguiling, culminating in what any great Hi-Fi should make you feel - the urge to indulge our passion and play more music.

Let's remember it took the work of two marketing geniuses to come up with the Marmite Love it/Hate it campaigns and create a modern day culture war around yeast extract. The Audio Note OTO is the growing up HI-FI “you never grow out of”.

No one but you can decide if a tube amplifier is ideal for your system and, as we always suggest, an audition of the OTO should be on your list - You may love it!

Thanks for reading.

Max, James & Justin - Audio T Bristol

If you have any questions about any of the equipment featured in this article, or any other Hi-Fi or home cinema enquiries, be sure to Contact Us.

If you’ve enjoyed this, why not go ahead and read some more of our other blogs, and be sure to follow us on our social media channels below…

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

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

/ Audio T Manchester/

The Scottish turntable manufacturer

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

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

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

The New Bits

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

The first of these is the Arko tonearm.

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

The Material

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

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

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

Delicate Intricacies

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

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

Get the right bearing

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

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

Where there’s a will…

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

How much better?

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

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

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

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

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

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

Need convincing? Interested in the Linn LP12 Selekt?

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

Thanks for reading.

Mike and Munir - Audio T Manchester

If you’ve enjoyed this, why not go ahead and read some more of our other blogs, and be sure to follow us on our social media channels below…

Linn can be found at the following Audio T stores

At Last, We Have A Good Soundbar! - The Sennheiser Ambeo Family

/ Audio T Cheltenham/

Having never been fans of the whole soundbar genre we were of course a tad sceptical of the boast from Sennheiser that the Ambeo Plus coupled with its partnering Ambeo Subwoofer would make us change our minds! Normally of course Sennheiser are more famous for a wonderful range of top quality headphones…not so much the soundbar thing but all that has changed with the Ambeo models and here we are putting the Ambeo Plus Soundbar and Ambeo Subwoofer through their paces.

ambeo plus with blurays for scale!

Set Up Is A Breeze

First of all set up of the Sennheiser Ambeo Plus was so simple. Just a quick download of the Sennheiser Smart Control app which talks you through the set up procedure step by step and will also very cleverly calibrate the soundbar and Ambeo Subwoofer to your room for optimum surround sound. It gets the bar connected to your Wi-Fi (or you can use Ethernet if you happen to have a cable near your TV), and then guides you through the optional steps for using Alexa as a voice assistant and using Google’s Chromecast built-in.

Set up screen that greets you when you open the app

Classic Movies

Once set up and working with an HDMI connection from our Bluray player I Played a couple of my favourite movie demonstration clips. First I played the beautifully filmed and choreographed Echo Game scene from House Of Flying Daggers with blind dancer Mei played by Zhang Ziyi, in which the floor is surrounded by drums on poles. Her nemesis throws a bean at one of the drums. She is to hit the same drum with the weighted end of her long sleeve. First one bean, then three, then countless beans are thrown, as Mei whirls in mid air to follow the sounds, hitting the drums with beats of her own. This becomes a ballet of movement and percussion with an amazing almost Kodo like drum sound that is a real test for the Ambeo subwoofer, which needless to say it passes with much aplomb. A simply stunning rendition of one of cinemas great scenes!

One of the best scenes in the history of movies!

Secondly I chose the brilliant final showdown gun fight scene from Kevin Costner’s 2003 American Revisionist movie Open Range. The gun fighting scenes in this film were intentionally filmed in giant wide shots and were praised for their intense realism. More importantly the gun fire sound is truly visceral and the Ambeo Soundbar Plus with its partnering Ambeo Subwoofer even make it sound like the echoes from the bullets are totally real as they fade away! This has to be the best gun fight in a movie ever!

You just know this isn’t going to end well!

Don’t Forget The Subwoofer

Although the Sennheiser Ambeo sub works really well it is possible to hook up any sub of your choice, not something that can be done with the majority of the competion. If your TV is wall mounted there is an optional wall bracket that can be had for an extra £50.

That’ll be the subwoofer then! It is possible to use up to four of these!!

A Bit More Info…

With the exception of the Ambeo Soundbar Max, I don’t think you can get a more immersive audio experience from a single speaker than the Ambeo Soundbar Plus. That is most certainly true when you feed it multi channel surround sound formats like Dolby Atmos or DTS:X, but it can be just as thrilling when listening to 5.1, 7.1, or even good old two-channel stereo.

The ambeo plus is a super slim 5.3 inches tall

Musically there is connectivity via Bluetooth, Apple AirPlay 2, Spotify Connect, TIDAL Connect with Dolby Atmos and Google Chromecast built-in too for good measure.

remote control too

Voice Enhancement allows for better speech clarity while Night Mode offers improved listening at lower volume levels, if the rest of the family are in bed and you don’t want to disturb them.

this is why it sounds so good

The Bit At The End…

Ok so this won’t replace a dedicated set of stereo or surround speakers but it is a great way to experience two channel sound in a truly immersive 3D presentation. If you want a single speaker solution with great sound and great looks this may well be for you.

As usual if you are even vaguely interested then you are welcome to give us a call on 01242 583960 to arrange a demo or pop in to the Cheltenham store where the Sennheiser Ambeo Plus is on (fairly) permanent demo. And if you’re just passing by, why not pop in and take a look at it too?

Many thanks for reading,

Andy, Jon and Farid - Audio T Cheltenham.

If you have any questions about any of the equipment featured in this article, or any other Hi-Fi or home cinema enquiries, be sure to Contact Us.

If you’ve enjoyed this, why not go ahead and read some more of our other blogs, and be sure to follow us on our social media channels below…

Accessorize your Christmas with Hi-Fi add-ons you never knew you needed!

/ Audio T Enfield/

When you hear the word ‘Hi-Fi’, you might often think of big, elaborate systems. But what if we told you that there could be some smaller, essential accessories missing from or could be added to your set-up? Or maybe you just fancy sprucin’ it up a bit? Either way, in this article we’ve listed 5 great items that you can add to your system right here at Audio T Enfield this Christmas, with some of those being on attractive Black Friday deals. Grab it while you can!

  1. Chord Electronics Mojo/Poly Premium Leather Case or Polycarbonate Hard Case - *BLACK FRIDAY OFFER*

Please Note: this is for the version one Mojo and will not fit the Mojo 2

‘Butter fingers’ is the expression that comes to mind… Has anyone ever described you in this way? Are you a little bit on the clumsy side and seem to drop everything? While we can’t always control these accidents, we can certainly add a layer of protection.

When we’ve invested our hard earned money into building your perfect system, it goes without saying that we want to keep it out of harm’s way as much as possible, after all, it would be a huge shame to spend a lump sum on something just for it to get damaged or break down the line, all because of those butter fingers!

Chord Electronics are here to help with the Premium Leather and Polycarbonate cases. They’re suitable for both Mojo version one and Poly, so why not add some extra protection for your DAC and grab a great deal all at once? You can save over £50* on the Premium Leather case as it is currently on a Black Friday offer for a very generous £69.00*! The Polycarbonate Hard Case is also up for grabs for £59*, saving you more than £20*.

Cases for the Mojo 2 are also available at their standard price, click here to view options.

2. Audioquest Super-Conductive Anti-Static Record Brush

Those small specks of dust on your record can be a right nuisance, especially when you hear those crackling sounds, knowing the stylus just did a hit and run on a bit of fluff. Many vinyl novices have probably tried a few tricks to get it clean; the good old ‘huff and puff and blow onto the vinyl’ (spoiler: it doesn’t work!), the overused ‘pull your sleeve down and wipe around in circular motion’ (spoiler: it really doesn’t work!), and the infamous ‘physically wiping off each individual particle with your fingertips (spoiler: it definitely DOES NOT work!).

“So what can I use to clean my records then?!” I hear you exclaim. The answer to your question: the Audioquest Super-Conductive Anti-Static Record Brush. Featuring 1,248,000 super-conductive carbon fibres, this record brush gently reaches into the groove, pulling out dust and dirt that would otherwise snap, crackle, and pop through your speakers. If you’re unsure of how to use the brush, click here to watch a short tutorial.

Retailing at just £24.95*, it’s not a hefty price to pay if you want to keep your extremely valuable and sentimental vinyl collection clean and listenable.

3. Pro-ject Clamp-It Record Clamp

Keeping to the subject of vinyl, here we have something that will allow your records to play at reduced resonance levels. Placing the Pro-ject Clamp-it on top of your record while it’s playing does not add weight, and you can fine-adjust the pressure according to the condition of your records.

Record Puck Issues

The Clamp-It weight is more effective than "standard" record pucks, which generally have two disadvantages that affect the sound negatively:

1) The weight can induce higher levels of rumble, when used with lower cost turntables which have less massive main bearings

2) Instead of tightening the records surface to the platter, heavyweight record pucks can cause the opposite: Vinyl will get shaped like a bowl with no contact of the outer edges of the record to the platter.

Why use Clamp It?

the clamp-it in action

In contrast, Clamp-It is a real solution, with a clamp mechanism around the centre spindle that will not add weight, which would induce rumble. You can fine-adjust pressure according condition of your warped records. Fitting of Clamp-It is easily done within seconds. This accessory will not only please your ears, its beautifully machined diamond-cut edges will also look extremely cool on any turntable!

At it’s modest price point of £79*, this would make a great stocking filler for vinyl lovers this Christmas.

4. Sennheiser CX True Wireless Earphones - *BLACK FRIDAY OFFER*

These noise-cancelling* beauties are perfect for someone who enjoys being in their own solitude. Whether it be on the work commute, at the gym, or even in the comfort of your own home, if you want to cut out the noise, these will do it for you! Alongside N.C*, features include Customizable Touch Controls, Bass Boost, IPX4 and 27-hour Battery Life, so you’ll never be without your playlists at a high-end quality.

What's in the box?

  • CX True Wireless Earbuds

  • Silicone ear adapter sets (XS, S, M, L)

  • Charging Case

  • USB-C Cable

  • Quick Guide & Safety Guide

Again, this would be a hugely apt stocking filler for just about anybody that enjoys their music. Save £50* this Black Friday on the Sennheiser CX True Wireless Earphones, now priced at £69.99*! Grab the deal while you can - surely it’s a no-brainer?!

5. Audioquest JitterBug USB Filter

Upgrading speaker or interconnect cables isn’t unusual for a traditional Hi-Fi system, but what if you wanted to upgrade your desktop audio system? This is where the JitterBug comes in.

Slightly smaller and chunkier than the DragonFly USB DAC (also currently on a Black Friday offer), it plugs straight into your computer’s USB input, where its job is to act as a passive filter and dissipate any noise before the signal enters your DAC. The main source of noise is actually your computer’s power supply - oh the irony! Nevertheless, the JitterBug saves the day by reducing this as much as possible.

So the bottom line is, if you own a desktop audio system then you should surely be equipping yourself with a JitterBug?! And if you’re not, then it’s never too late!

£59* is the current price for one of these, which I personally believe is practically daylight robbery for the job it does. Do yourself a quick favour and purchase one whilst they’re in stock!

Give your local Audio T store a call to find out more information about the products listed, and if you’re just passing by, why not pop in and take a look at them too?!

Thanks for reading!

Elena, John & Richard – Audio T Enfield

If you have any questions about any of the equipment featured in this article, or any other Hi-Fi or home cinema enquiries, be sure to Contact Us.

If you’ve enjoyed this, why not go ahead and read some more of our other blogs, and be sure to follow us on our social media channels below…

*All prices, credit terms and interest rates quoted are correct at the time of going to press but may be subject to change. E&OE

“For those about to Rock, We Salute You” - AC/DC Mains Regeneration from PS Audio

/ Audio T Oxford/

Here are Audio T, we have a long history of offering high quality mains filtration devices, but mains regeneration is a relatively new thing to us and one that is exciting!

Most of us are fortunate enough to experience a Hi-Fi that sings along beautifully without any problems. Unfortunately, there are those times when it just isn’t quite performing at its peak. The culprit can often be the variable quality of mains power coming into the house. Sadly, this is rarely as advertised, with a clean and consistent 230V being a distant dream, whilst distortion through the mains is always present, to a greater or lesser extent.

PS Audio is an American manufacturer that specializes in high-fidelity audio components, equipment for audiophiles and the sound recording industry. They currently produce audio amplifiers, preamplifiers, digital-to-analog converters and audio streaming solutions. But the purpose of this article is to discuss their power related products, more specifically their mid-priced Power Plant 12, which is currently in use in our demonstration room at Audio T Oxford.

How does it work?

Using an ultra-low impedance analogue power amplifier and a proprietary DSD sine wave generator; incoming AC is converted to DC and then back to form a perfect AC sine wave.

The Power Plant is not a mains conditioner. Instead, the Power Plant actually rebuilds the mains, delivering clean, distortion and noise free voltage, providing a properly regulated 230V supply to your equipment. It also reduces radio, mobile and computer interference to a massive degree. In a nutshell, you will be getting the mains supply that your equipment was designed for. It will improve the performance of any item of equipment attached to it, making for an overall system upgrade.

Features

Up to four zones and a total of 1250W are available, so the Power Plant can power most systems, allowing you to build a great foundational improvement for your Hi-Fi for many years to come. A colour touchscreen makes set up and monitoring easy and also conveniently shows the “before and after” improvement.

Original Mains distortion

distortion Free output from the Power Plant

improvement Factor

ready to go………

So, how does it sound?

The Power Plant 12 gives a system a truly astonishing deep black background, the noise floor having plummeted. As a result, the timbre and layering of both vocals and instruments improves greatly, as do the all-important micro dynamics. A greater dynamic range also seems apparent. If there is a downside (and in our opinion there isn’t), the level of insight can occasionally expose poor recordings, warts, and all.

Conclusion

If you love your music and you want to improve your whole system, both now and for any future changes, then you owe it to yourself to try a PS Audio Power Plant!

Join us for a forthcoming event…

We will be joined by PS Audio on Thursday 24th November, where you can experience first hand the affects these products have, as well as have a chat with the UK distributor. Please find out more Here.

Thanks for reading.

Rob and Jon - Audio T Oxford. 

If you have any questions about any of the equipment featured in this article, or any other Hi-Fi or home cinema enquiries, be sure to Contact Us.

If you’ve enjoyed this, why not go ahead and read some more of our other blogs, and be sure to follow us on our social media channels below…

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

Stand By Me - Incredible Stand Mount Speakers from Bowers & Wilkins

/ Audio T Swindon/

British loudspeaker manufacturer, Bowers & Wilkins have launched the latest generation of their successful 700 series, now called the 700 S3. The range comprises three floorstanders, three stand mounted speakers, two centre channels and a matching subwoofer.

The former CM range joined the 700 Series some time ago but every time a replacement or upgrade was launched the results were absolutely spectacular. It’s safe to say that we can’t wait to hear the next instalment when they arrive.

B&W 706 S3 in gloss black and 707 S3 in mocha

But for the time being, here at Audio T Swindon we have two of the stand mounted speakers of the new 700 S3 range, the 707 S3 and the 706 S3….

Blown away by walking into our demonstration room

I was about to walk into our demonstration room because I heard some good music playing in there. The music wasn’t overly loud, more at a reasonable volume level but something got my feet tapping (you know what I mean). What happened to me can only be described as one of these jaw-dropping moments when I opened the door and realised that it was a pair of B&W 707 S3, connected to a Rega system (Rega Aethos, Rega Saturn MK3 and a Rega Planar 6). Wow, it sounded big, and the bass was tight but not overblown and the midrange and treble blended in nicely. It just makes you want to sit down and listen to more music,

B&W 706 S3 and 707 S3 now ready for demonstration

B&W 707 S3 - A devil in disguise

The B&W 707 S3 are the smallest pair of new 700 S3 series. They are available in gloss black, satin white and a new finish, mocha. The 707 S3 feel very solid with each of them weighing over 6kg. This is due to the quality cabinet, the internal bracing that reduces unwanted vibrations and of course the high-quality drive units.

This speaker is like a devil in disguise, and it will stand its ground without problems if you play some tight bass through them. At the same time the bass doesn’t dominate the midrange or treble. What leaves us speechless is how room filling they sound for their size. A great song that I love to demonstrate speakers with is Homeless from Paul Simon’s album, Graceland. It’s this big and spacious sound that gives us goosebumps all the way.

As this is a standmount speaker, we found it works best on a solid stand to bring the tweeter up to ear level. The FS-700 S3 stands featured in one of the photos above, are the perfect companion and can also be filled with sand or an inert filler for a better performance.

Bowers & Wilkins 706 S3 - “Truly amazing with punch and finesse”…

The Bowers & Wilkins 706 S3 are the next model above the 707 S3. They are larger in size and that is exactly how they sound. A larger cabinet and a higher sensitivity, two reasons why the 706 S3 are ideal for people who like the 707 S3 but want more of that big, lush sound.

There are many good guidelines as to how to buy a pair of loudspeakers. Our best advice is to give us some time, bring some CDs or records and book a demonstration here with us. Here at Audio T Swindon, our two different sized demonstration rooms will help you find the speaker that works for you.

For more information please feel free to call us on 01793 538222 or send an email to swindon@audio-t.co.uk.

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

If you have any questions about any of the equipment featured in this article, or any other Hi-Fi or home cinema enquiries, be sure to Contact Us.

If you’ve enjoyed this, why not go ahead and read some more of our other blogs, and be sure to follow us on our social media channels below…

 

Why the Sonos Sub Mini could be the perfect Christmas gift for surround sound lovers

/ Audio T Enfield/

This time last year I wrote a blog about the Sonos surround system consisting of the Arc sound bar, and two One SL speakers. Sonos is a great surround sound solution for those who don’t necessarily want a mass of cables in their room and want to get as much bang for their buck. The great thing about this type of wireless set-up means you can swap out other Sonos gear to create your perfect system, so in this article I’ll be speaking about the Sonos Sub Mini and how it can benefit your current or future Sonos set-up…

Sonos Sub Mini

‘The compact subwoofer with big bass’

As it’s name would suggest, the Sub Mini is considerably smaller than the Sonos Sub Gen 3, but I can assure you that the difference in performance isn’t hugely noticeable, especially in smaller listening spaces.

To put it through its paces and test it in a real world application, I took the Sub Mini home to try in my humble abode. It’s safe to say that I was thoroughly impressed! Admittedly, I didn’t have a huge expectation, but I learned very quickly that a smaller unit does not always equate to dimmed performance. You can check out the video below to hear how punchy and tight that bassline is!

The sonos sub mini in full swing

Like all other Sonos products, the Sub Mini is available in both White and Black, meaning it will fit in to all home styles.

Compact-ible!

Being smaller in stature assures excellent pairing with other smaller Sonos components. For example, in the video above the Sub Mini is paired with a One SL, and because of they’re matching abilities, one doesn’t over power the other. The same goes for the Sonos One, Beam and Ray (the latest soundbar from Sonos). Any of these can be paired (or grouped if you have both surrounds and sound bar) with the Sub Mini seamlessly via the Sonos app and create a beautiful set-up for a great surround system, without hugely denting your pocket!

Specs

  • Amplifiers: Both Class-D digital amplifiers are perfectly tuned to the unique acoustic architecture.

  • Frequency Response: As low as 25 Hz

  • Woofers: Dual 6" woofers face inwards for a force-cancelling effect.

  • EQ Audio: settings automatically equalise to balance Sub Mini and the paired Sonos product(s). Use the Sonos app to adjust bass, treble, and loudness.

  • Architecture: Sealed cabinet neutralises distortion and enhances bass response.

  • Trueplay: This software measures the acoustics of the room then fine-tunes your Sonos system. Supported iOS device required.

  • Dimensions:  Height: 9.1 in (305 mm) Width: 12 in (230 mm)

  • Finish: Matte Weight 14 lb (6.35 kg)

  • Join Button: Press once to add Sub Mini to your system during setup.

  • WiFi: Connect to WiFi with any 802.11a/b/g/n 2.4 or 5 GHz broadcast-capable router.

  • CPU:  Quad Core 1.4 GHz A-53

  • Ethernet: 10/100 port for hardwiring to your router

  • Memory:  1GB SDRAM 4GB NV

  • Voltage: 100-240V 50/60Hz internal power supply

  • Operating Temperature:  5°C to 35°C (41°F to 95°F)

Sonos Novice

If you’re new to surround sound, Sonos or subwoofers, this would be a great way to start building your system. Although this is considered by many to be ‘entry-level’, it definitely performs at a standard that would make you think it’s at least an intermediate product, which is exactly why you don’t have to break the bank this Christmas!

So whether you’re buying for yourself or for a loved one, rest assured you can feel confident that you’re buying a product that performs impeccably despite its smaller stature. And why not check out our other Sonos products so you can create your own perfect set-up?

Contact Us to book a free demonstration!

Thanks for reading!

Elena, John & Richard – Audio T Enfield

If you have any questions about any of the equipment featured in this article, or any other Hi-Fi or home cinema enquiries, be sure to Contact Us.

If you’ve enjoyed this, why not go ahead and read some more of our other blogs, and be sure to follow us on our social media channels below…

A Classic reborn - The Neat Petite Classic

/ Audio T Brighton/

If we were to take a look back at the timeline of a speaker forming the basis of discussion for this months article, one could describe its siblings as being “tidy” and with a particular affinity for the playback of Jackie Wilson’s famous song, Reet Petite.

If you haven’t guessed the loudspeaker in question yet, you’re either too young, too old or have landed on this page by accident. I won’t keep you on tenterhooks any longer...

Neat Petite Classics... The original classic

Neat Petite classic in textured black finish

NEAT Acoustics was founded by Bob Surgeoner in 1989. Starting as a small shop in Darlington, County Durham, trading under the name North Eastern Audio Traders, Bob saw a gap in the market for a small, musical speaker and came up with the now legendary, Neat Petite.

North Eastern Audio Traders (Darlington, County Durham)

neat petite mk 1

The Neat Petite Mk 1 was born out of extensive listening tests as opposed to the more usual measurements emphasis used by most speaker manufacturers.

Quite groundbreaking at the time, Neat were criticised for this unusual method of design. However, listeners, both the public and audiophiles, praised the Neat Petite design for its musical verve and it proved both a good seller and launchpad for the company.

Neat have gone on to produce a number of models in the Neat Petite Classic range, along with others like: Neat Iota, Iota Alpha, Ekstra, Iota Explorer, Ministra, Motive SE2, Motive SX3, Motive SX2, Motive SX1, Orkestra, Petite 30

what hifi review of the original neat petite

As you can see from the photos above, it bears more than a passing resemblance to the newer model. Indeed the Neat Petite Classic model has identical dimensions and a similar finish, in black.

Driver differences are a little more obvious, with Neat using a 150mm mid/bass driver from SB Acoustics with a mineral filled polypropylene cone unit. This crosses over at 3.8kHz to an AMT(Air Motion Transformer) tweeter manufactured by Dayton Audio.

That’s Neat, that’s Neat, I really love your tiger feet...

On a personal note, I spent many hours listening to the original Neat Petites at my best mate’s place. I always loved their dynamic, rhythmical and musical sound on the end of his Cyrus kit and I was constantly amazed by the scale of sound possible from such a compact box when played through his Cyrus preamp, Cyrus power amp and Cyrus PSX power supply.

Great memories from my youth and so when the new Neat Petite Classics arrived at our Brighton store, I knew some fun was going to be had, both in listening to this new version and in writing this month’s blog.

The Neat Petites went through several incarnations over the following years, including: Mk 2’s, Mk 3’s and the SX range. Most recently, the Neat Special Edition 30 was released, prompting Bob Surgeoner to consider a modern day version of the Neat Petite... hence the arrival of the Neat Petite Classic.

For posterity’s sake...

In the interests of historical completeness, I have included a few images of the Neat Petite range post the Mk 1 version up to its modern day release.

Bringing things bang up to date...

neat petite classics in a Linn/naim setup here at audio t in brighton

Neat and tidy...

The Neat Petite Classics arrived here at Audio T Brighton brand new and sealed. As with all of the kit we get here, some time is spent “burning in” the speakers before listening properly or demonstrating to customers. The Neat Petite Classics require a considerable period of time before one can usefully critique their sonic characteristics. We’d recommend at least 30 hours before they start to open up. The character of a speaker is often apparent fairly quickly, but its subtleties take many hours before they shine through.

The rear ported design of the Neat Petite Classics is not in itself unusual, but having 2 rear ports is a first for me. These are of two different diameters and are tuned to different frequencies to match your room characteristics. The smaller rear port is tuned to 35 Hz, with the larger one at 70 Hz. As standard, the larger port comes with a foam bung in place and the Petite Classics offer this flexibility depending on positioning of the speakers, how much bass you desire and the way your listening room blends with their playback response. In a larger room you may wish to dispense with the bungs altogether, and that is the way we listened to them here for the majority of the time.

Using our main system listening space, on the end of a high quality Naim setup comprising of: Naim NDX2 streamer, Naim XPS DR power supply, feeding a Naim Supernait 3 used as a preamp fed by a Naim HiCap DR into a Naim NAP250DR power amp. the grip and control offered by Naim amplifiers really works wonders with the sound emanating from the Neat Petite Classics, providing a detailed, dynamic and delightful sound.

Another important thing to consider is that the Neat Petite Classics will reward perseverance with positioning in your listening space and when matching with commensurate quality sources and amplification.

Neat critique...

Over to the fun part... The listening.

One thing has remained consistent throughout the various incarnations of this speaker. The Petites only really sound complete when fed by quality sources and amplification. Our Naim setup really drives these little wonders to the full, allowing their musical, rhythmic and fleet-footed sound to abound from the speakers. Treble is smooth and sweet and their bass incredibly extended for such a pint-sized box. Imaging and soundstage are very solid and they paint a picture of the band before you in a most engaging fashion, without being overly analytical in the process. Delicious!!

I enjoyed the Neat Petite Classics immensely and perhaps the biggest musical credit I can give them is that I didn’t want to turn them off. That speaks volumes of a speaker that doesn’t take up much of that!

If you are interested in auditioning any of the products mentioned in this blog or from our extensive range of quality gear, please get in touch.

Thanks for reading.

Ade, John and Paul - Audio T Brighton

If you have any questions about any of the equipment featured in this article, or any other Hi-Fi or home cinema enquiries, be sure to Contact Us.

If you’ve enjoyed this, why not go ahead and read some more of our other blogs, and be sure to follow us on our social media channels below…

Chord Electronics Ultima Roadshow at Audio T Swansea

/ Audio T Swansea/

On Friday the 18th and Saturday the 19th of November 2022, Audio T Swansea invites you to experience British High-Fidelity Royalty from the comfort of one of your favourite Audio T sofas…

Amongst the many treats on show, Chord Electronics will be showcasing their astonishing Ultima Series alongside a pair of mighty SCM50 loudspeakers from ATC. We’ll also be joined by Maurice Tryner, UK Sales Manager for Chord Electronics, who will be on hand to answer all of your questions during the two day event.

So, let’s take a look at what you can expect to find on show…

Main Hall

Yes, we’re repurposing our shop floor for the main event, but doesn't “Main Hall” sound so much more grandiose? As well as refreshments, you’ll be able to sample the following…

First Floor Suite

We’ll be using this space to demonstrate some of the more compact and intimate options available from Chord Electronics, including…

Ground Floor Suite

So, that’s what you can expect to see on the day, let’s take a look at the background of some of the brands we’ll have on show…

Chord Electronics

Chord Electronics first took flight from the aviation world, "where engineering without limits means uncompromising standards." This concept (conceived by company owner John Franks), has shaped their philosophy since their inception in 1989. Their first amplifiers were supplied to the leviathan that is the BBC, followed by world-leading studios including Abbey Road, Sony Music (New York) and later, The Royal Opera House at Covent Garden.

Their reputation within the professional world generated clamour for a domestic range, encompassing the design, engineering and build standards demanded of the finest professional equipment. Today, Chord Electronics apply proprietary technologies to all of their products made in their bijou Kent factory and deliver studio-grade audio performance across the entire Chord range.


ATC Loudspeakers

First formed in 1974 by Billy Woodman, with the sole goal to manufacture custom drive units for the professional sound industry, ATC quickly made its mark with the 12″ PA75-314 driver, a design capable of handling more power and producing less distortion at a higher sound pressure level than any other unit on the market.

The next decade witnessed the introduction of complete speaker systems and further versions of the high power PA drive units used in OEM form by many leading manufacturers and performers – Pink Floyd and Supertramp were early customers. During this period ATC researched and developed the first active system elements, introducing the EC23 Active Crossover with built in phase correction. A contract with Danish Radio for an active portable monitor provided the opportunity to integrate the new SCM50 and SCM100 speakers with a Tri-amp pack and electronic crossover to create the industry standard SCM50A and SCM100A, the first reliable and accurate active systems. With regular fine tuning they remain as popular today in both professional and hi-fi applications.

Linn Products

Linn Products was founded by Ivor Tiefenbrun in Glasgow, Scotland, in 1973, the company is best known as the manufacturer of the Linn Sondek LP12 turntable.

From 2007 Linn was one of the first audio manufacturers to introduce digital music streaming using the home network and internet. This has become the focus of the company's strategy leading to audio systems to support digital music playback of 24bit/192kHz studio master quality recordings using a digital stream over a home network.

Linn Records was the first to sell DRM-free 24-bit Studio Master quality tracks downloaded over the internet.

This network approach was extended in 2013 with the introduction of the Linn Exakt technology to retain the 24-bit lossless signal in the digital domain to the active crossover.

In late 2014 Linn announced the integration of TIDAL's lossless music streaming service into Linn DS digital players enabling access to over 25 million audio tracks at CD-quality over the Internet.

Originally based in the Castlemilk suburb of south Glasgow (opposite Linn Park), it is now based just outside the city, between Waterfoot and Eaglesham, East Renfrewshire.

So now that you know what we’re working with, we advise that you book early to avoid disappointment…

Telephone 01792 474608 or email swansea@audio-t.co.uk to reserve exclusive use of one of our three demonstration suites, have a chat with Maurice from Chord Electronics, all while Nic, Adrian & Andy will be on hand to help out and make tea.

We look forward to seeing you at what promises to be a memorable event.

Thanks for reading.

Adrian – Audio T Swansea

If you have any questions about any of the equipment featured in this article, or any other Hi-Fi or home cinema enquiries, be sure to Contact Us.

If you’ve enjoyed this, why not go ahead and read some more of our other blogs, and be sure to follow us on our social media channels below…

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

ATC Loudspeakers can be found at the following Audio T stores -

Testing, Testing, Chord Mojo 1, 2, 1, 2… Taking a look at the Mobile DAC/Headphone Amplifier.

/ Audio T Reading/

There are some things in life that are pretty certain to last just a matter of days – say a viral cold or flu, the milk in the Audio T Reading fridge (excluding the one that turned to cheese a while ago) or say the job of UK prime minister or chancellor. Then there are things that are proving, or have proven, to stand the test of time – the good ol’ turntable, incredibly the Millennium Bridge in Central London (despite it originally wobbling like jelly and swaying more than a drunk uncle at a wedding) and, of course, the virgin Chord Electronics Mojo.

The Chord Mojo 2 taking the baton from the Chord Mojo - Pictured With the Meze 99 Classics

Speaking of the Mojo; Back in 2015 it was thought impossible, even by the engineering gurus at Chord Electronics headquarters, to make a super high-quality combined DAC and headphone amplifier for portable use that at the same time occupied the same footprint as a flapjack, or a slab of chocolate brownie – please excuse the half-baked attempts at conveying dimensional wishes for the Mojo. However, in a eureka moment, when a new FPGA chip appeared on the market (for deployment in place of an off-the-shelf DAC chip), Rob Watts of Chord Electronics said ah, but indeed it now can be done – and so came the birth of the Chord Mojo … It went on to win countless awards and was considered among parts of the hi-fi community to be one of the products of the decade. Fast forward to 2022… and the Chord Mojo 2 had landed. Just imagine our unbridled excitement when it did! So, without further ado, let’s go on a deep-sea exploration with the Mojo 2 and see if Chord Electronics has managed to take one of the very best, and make it better…

Chord Mojo Meets Chord Mojo 2 - The End is Only The Beginning

Nearly Over To You, Chord ‘Mobile Joy’ 2

That’s right… the original ‘Mojo’ name was conceived by Chord as a device with aspirations to bring ‘Mobile Joy’ to its eventual owners. Chord has a great way of naming their products (yes even their bizarrely titled ‘Dave’ flagship DAC/Headphone Amp is ludicrously charming) and they know how not to fix something that isn’t broken. So, just as with the infamous original, ‘Mojo 2’ has a lovely ring to it… perhaps it’s now the “Mobile Joy Joy”? Sorry, that was terrible… Please do read on…

Before we get stuck into the Mojo 2, let’s recap what the superseded Mojo was designed to do. The main focus of Chord’s Mojo was to take digitally captured music files (e.g. MP3, FLAC, DSD etc.) from our digital music sources (such as smartphones, tablets, laptops, games consoles, etc.) and make it all sound gloriously higher-fi through your headphones. Sweet. And by making the Mojo so small and battery powered, it meant we could take our high-resolution sounds with us and enjoy them on-the-move. Also sweet. Further to this, Chord even threw in an extra headphone socket so that we could do all of this and share the listening experience with a friend. Sweetness overload!

It's clear that, with the Mojo, Chord Electronics totally excelled at nailing its brief and did so with ensuing, overwhelming success. The Mojo’s mix of high-quality, versatility and simplicity – enabling us to just plug in our digital sources (via USB, coaxial or optical) and simply adjust the volume to our preference – has been a truly unmatched offering of sheer enjoyment for almost a decade… and now it’s gone… Time for us to find the biggest pillow and group-cry into it…

Chord Mojo 2 - Oh The Pretty Lights

Refinding Our Mojo – Enter The Chord Mojo 2

Ah but wait… It’s our party and we don’t have to cry if we don’t want to… let us cheer… the Chord Mojo 2 is here! Just as with the original, it’s still about as small as a deck of cards, but this time it has some new tricks up its sleeves. Heaven knows how Chord Electronics has managed to squeeze it all in. Just a quick glance at the Mojo 2, and the only immediate difference from the first Mojo is an extra ball-shaped translucent button riding on the longer edge of the still premium feeling aluminium casework. Okay, yes, there’s the obvious number ‘2’ (no giggling now) etched into the new casework too. But upon further inspection, there is now an added USB-C port – along with the Micro-USB port that adorned the original – bringing good connectivity options with newer (as well as older) music source devices. Going back to those translucent ball buttons on the Mojo 2, they are now fixed in place (much like the Chord Qutest DAC) and no longer do they roll around in all directions to infinity as they did with the Mojo, which is perhaps a good thing for those of us with a nervous disposition and endlessly fidgety fingers.

So, what are those new tricks that are hidden inside the Mojo 2? Well, in no particular order, there is intelligent battery management, which means that you can leave the Mojo 2 tethered to a power source without it overcharging nor frying the in-built battery. Nice. Then, onto that extra spherical button… it’s part of a new control system which, in addition to the standard volume adjustment, now allows for simple functions such as locking the device from accidental button presses and for dimming those colourful disco-like Chord lights (a lighting hallmark found on other Chord Electronics products too, such as the Chord Huei MM/MC phono stage).

But the show-stopping features embedded into those new controls are firstly a crossfeed function – while it sounds like taking a bite from everyone’s delicious food in a restaurant (who would do such a thing?), it’s actually a clever way of blending a small proportion of the left-channel audio with the main right-channel, and vice versa; with the goal of enhancing stereo imaging and soundstage abilities when headphone listening, where the overall sound can sometimes have the effect of coming from very left and very right, with little in the way of nicely graduated imaging and staging in-between. The second killer embedded feature within the Mojo 2 (fans of ‘neutral’ should take a tea/coffee break now) is the option to adjust the bass, lower and upper midrange, and treble levels to either compensate for the stock frequency response of the chosen headphones (fans of ‘neutral’, welcome back) or to create a listening profile that accounts for personal taste (all fans, rejoice…).

The Chord Mojo 2’s Digital Inputs - Including USB-C (Slightly Hidden from View Here)

Neat Tricks, Mojo 2 – But How About The Sound?

Before we get to the business end of the all-important sound quality, it’s worth us touching briefly on Chord Electronics’ taps. The new Mojo 2 has an upgraded FPGA (Field Programmable Gate Array) chip for performing digital-to-analogue conversion (DAC) duties, which now delivers 40,960 taps versus the 38,912 taps in the obsoleted Mojo. That’s 2048 more taps – more taps than a Bavarian beer festival – and what it all means, in a really rudimentary way, is that the Mojo 2 can reconstruct a waveform from the source file with more accuracy and with less noise than the Mojo. With that out in the open, let’s now wash our hands of these taps, and other nerdy jargon, and get to the fun part…

It was a pleasure to have both the Chord Mojo and Mojo 2 for audition and direct comparison. After a good number of evenings of listening to both, it has to be said that for most of those evenings all blogging duties had fallen by the wayside, because both of these devices made listening to music an absolute joy, or perhaps a mobile joy (definitely not a mobile joy joy), and the last thing anyone was in any danger of was getting a proper sleep. But one of these units eventually created more insomnia than the other… The original Mojo still sounded fantastic through a pair of Sennheiser HD 660S headphones, creating a wholly immersive experience with that signature Chord Electronics presentation. Everything in the musical mix had space to breathe, microfine details came through, and there was a massive sense of being in and amongst the performance as opposed to observing the action from a distance. Most of all, the Mojo showed that it has a fun-factor about it. It never forgot about the importance of letting its hair down, while still presenting the music with technical aplomb – what more could we ask for?

Well… we could certainly ask for the Mojo 2! Not at first though… because on initial listening through the Mojo 2, it sounded a bit too uptight. And like a stiff pair of new hard-wearing shoes, it just didn’t want to soften and break in (we’ve all had a pair of those stubborn clogs). This was noticeable on the first few evenings of auditioning, especially in direct comparison to the thoroughly worn in Mojo. Bewildered and on the verge of crowning the original Mojo the sonic champion, the Mojo 2 started to show glimmers of summoning its inner lifeforce. From this point on, hour-by-hour, album-after-album, it was gradually opening up and becoming more at one with The Matrix – eat your heart out, Keanu…

While streaming the DJ-Kicks: Kruder & Dorfmeister album from a Bluesound Node, via the Chord Mojo 2 and through the Sennheiser HD 660S (into a now very warm set of ears) it was noticeable how all of the original Mojo’s virtues were coming through, however now with improved dynamic range, more rhythmic snap, better tonal shading and generally more vigour. Moving to The Dining Rooms - Numero Deux what also kept coming through with the Mojo 2 was neutrality, to the point of sounding almost pancake-flat and not as pleasingly full as the original Mojo. Enter the frequency band adjustability within the Mojo 2. After just a few button presses, the bass and lower mid-range shelves were raised by just a notch. And in an instant, back came the fullness to the presentation, without affecting any of the other sonic goodness. While still feeling smug from the fulfilling fine tuning efforts, out came some more “tweakery” by engaging crossfeed at its lowest setting… This served to bring the stereo soundstage more out in front of the nose, whereas beforehand (with the crossfeed deactivated) the performance could be heard more inside the head. It’s a great option that could help to improve the performance of some headphones but might be best left disengaged for other cans and in-ear monitors.

Chord Mojo 2 - The Mighty Monarch Rules Supreme Over Its Headphone Kingdom

Concluding Impressions – King Chord Mojo 2

Without a shadow of a doubt, Chord Electronics have worked their magic yet again. They did it with the mighty Qutest, taking the DAC game forward from their honourable 2Qute. They did much the same in pushing the Hugo leaps and bounds ahead to deliver the stunning Hugo 2DAC and headphone amp. And now, in the feature-packed form of the UK made Mojo 2, Chord have raised the bar of the already best-in-class Mojo and taken their entry-level DAC-amp game into the stratosphere. At the current time of writing, there isn’t a product in and around the price point of the Mojo 2 that offers the same blend of versatility, superior sound and build quality, and outright desirability. It will even drive many of the higher-end headphones out there, such as the mesmerising Meze Elite, and we are happy to report that this combination works a treat. And let us not forget, the Chord Poly network streaming module, which thankfully remains compatible with the Mojo 2. When connected in unison, the Poly and the Mojo 2 create a powerful wireless, Roon Ready, streaming solution as well as a top-notch standalone digital music player by way of music stored on Micro SD. Yet more feathers in an already pristine looking cap. Chord Electronics’ Mojo 2 is well on its way to winning a whole host of awards and it does everything the Mojo did and a whole lot more. The King is dead… long live the King!

Thank you for reading.

Rishi, Gareth and Rob – Audio T Reading

If you have any questions about any of the equipment featured in this article, or any other Hi-Fi or home cinema enquiries, be sure to Contact Us.

If you’ve enjoyed this, why not go ahead and read some more of our other blogs, and be sure to follow us on our social media channels below…

The incredible equipment in this blog can be found or investigated at the following Audio T stores:

Cyrus & Acoustic Energy In-Store Event at Audio T Cheltenham. One not to be missed!

/ Audio T Cheltenham/

On Thursday December the 8th between the hours of 12.00 midday and 8.00 pm, the Cheltenham store will be playing host to British Hi-Fi powerhouses Cyrus and Acoustic Energy, in what promises to be a truly stunning system match up not to be missed. We will have the newly released Cyrus XR range coupled with the Acoustic Energy 500 series loudspeakers and take it from me, they make a wonderful sound together!

Stylish. Elegant.

Acoustic Energy AE 509 (the big one) and AE500 both in the walnut wood finish,

Acoustic Energy was founded in London, England in 1987 with the creation of the now-legendary AE1 loudspeaker. The AE1 redefined what was possible from a compact enclosure by setting new audio performance standards for dynamics, power and clarity previously unheard of outside larger, high-end speakers. These design principles have remained enshrined in the company ethos to this day…

The Cyrus i9-XR

Cyrus Audio is an internationally acclaimed, high-end audio brand based in Cambridgeshire, England. The company has been at the forefront of the audio scene for nearly 40 years. Having launched the original Cyrus One amplifier back in 1984, it quickly established itself as a company providing outstanding quality for the most discerning of music-lovers, and it has been designing and manufacturing award winning audio products ever since. Cyrus is proud to be one of the few remaining independent British brands, with their range of integrated amps, CD players, power amps and power supplies continuing to be manufactured here in the UK.

The beautiful Cyrus CDi-XR

On hand we will also have Jason Saxon from Cyrus and Adrian Dykes from Acoustic Energy as representatives from both brands to answer any questions or queries you may have on the day. Both of these guys have a wealth of knowledge and experience in the hi-fi world and between them there is nothing they don’t know… So come along and test ‘em out!

The awesome three way AE520’s will be there on the day too

Please feel free to bring in some of your own favourite music to play and test out the systems on the day. This can be vinyl or CD and any genre you like (don’t worry as we have have very wide tastes here and you won’t upset us). Anything from Katy Perry to Fu Manchu (look’em up!) is fine by us!!

Entry is free and there will be drinks and nibbles too, so please feel free to join us on what promises to be a really great day!

For all enquiries regarding this event please contact Audio T Cheltenham on either 01242 583960 or cheltenham@audio-t.co.uk

Thanks for reading,

Andy, Jon and Farid - Audio T Cheltenham.

If you have any questions about any of the equipment featured in this article, or any other Hi-Fi or home cinema enquiries, be sure to Contact Us.

If you’ve enjoyed this, why not go ahead and read some more of our other blogs, and be sure to follow us on our social media channels below…

Ruark R2 Mk4 - What can we expect from the latest addition to the Ruark Family?

/ Audio T Enfield/

Incoming, it’s on its way! The latest product release from Ruark Audio. The R2 Mk4, is about to hit our stores.

Picture an asteroid flying through space and hurtling towards Earth… Now imagine the asteroid is the contemporary-looking, all-in-one system, about to crash land (while staying perfectly intact, of course) into our Audio T showrooms across the country. The R2 Mk4 will arrive imminently (October 2022), so not too long a wait. In the meantime, let’s take a look at why we’re really looking forward to having it on our shelves…

A Present from the Past

The vita audio R2

As many of you will know, the first model of the R2 was released in 2007, and the Mk4 will be a subtle nod to what once was. It’s retained key features that have contributed to its popularity right from its inception, such as the trademark RotoDial controller at the top, and sleek, rounded edges, with its one of its most obvious changes being its slimmer profile. Another noticeable difference (although not a recent one) is that Ruark, as a parent company, used to brand their small radios and DAB systems as ‘Vita Audio’. As of 2012 however, all products carry the same brand name ‘Ruark’.

Aesthetically Pleasing

Alongside its timeless, retro slatted wood grilles and bonded glass display, the system’s new coloured LCD display now presents the time, alarm and programme information (including station and album artwork) and has an auto-adjust feature to adapt to any ambience in a room.

Features

R2 Mk4 is a full music system that includes DAB/DAB+, FM and internet tuners with presets, and natively supports major streaming services such as Spotify (also Spotify Hi-Fi once available), Amazon Music, and Deezer, as well as every other streaming service available over Bluetooth. The Bluetooth capability also combines smoothly with the volume function on phones and tablets, allowing volume to be quickly increased or decreased as needed. The R2 Mk4 also has a USB-C charge and playback connector, auxiliary line input, and headphone output. Remote control is provided via the free UNDOK app, or as an optional extra, a small IR handset.

Specs…

  • Bluetooth: Latest generation Bluetooth 5 Receiver

  • Radio: Smart Radio tuner with internet radio/DAB/DAB+/FM

  • USB: USB-C playback/charge port

  • Remote Control: Optional Infrared remote control

  • I/O: Analogue Input / Headphone Output

  • Display: Full colour auto dimming LCD display

  • Dimensions: H x W x D (mm) 185 x 340 x 150

  • Weight: 2.9Kg

Have a listen…

A both visually and audibly appealing bit of gear, you’ll want to grab the chance to demonstrate fairly quickly, as their reasonable price point of around the £480* will definitely be attention grabbing to many enthusiasts!

You can also read more about the Ruark R2 Mk4 in a full article featured in Music at Home+ Autumn Edition - Our FREE quarterly digital magazine.

Contact Us to book a FREE demonstration!

Thanks for reading!

Elena, John & Richard – Audio T Enfield

If you have any questions about any of the equipment featured in this article, or any other Hi-Fi or home cinema enquiries, be sure to Contact Us.

If you’ve enjoyed this, why not go ahead and read some more of our other blogs, and be sure to follow us on our social media channels below…

*All prices, credit terms and interest rates quoted are correct at the time of going to press but may be subject to change. E&OE

Great features, wide connectivity and great sound… Denon & Marantz Microsystems!

/ Audio T Swindon/

All-in-one music systems are very popular with a wide range of consumers for a whole host of good reasons. Not only are they are they a fantastic introduction to the world of Hi-Fi for many, but they are also a perfect secondary system for the most experienced of audiophiles due to their compact size.

These tiny boxes are packed full of features, but how do they sound? Let’s find out…

The three systems we want to show you in this article are -

Whilst some of these models are available as bundles with speakers branded by the original manufacturer, we think that this can limit your choice to get the best out of the system. As you’ll already know, we stock a wide range of speakers that we are happy to set up alongside one of these microsystems, and tailor the sound to your needs.

Denon RCDM-41 DAB

The entry-level price point of our trio comes in the form of the Denon RCDM-41 DAB. This great system is available in either black or silver, allowing you to fit it in to any classic or contemporary environment.

The RCDM-41 DAB combines an amplifier of 2 x 30 watts per channel with a CD player, a DAB/DAB+/FM radio tuner and Bluetooth music streaming. It also includes a headphone socket, which is nice touch that allows you to enjoy your music even late at night.

Denon RCDM-41 DAB - The front panel looks neat and tidy and you get all important buttons to control the system.

Tone controls are built in to the system, meaning that bass, treble and balance can be easily adjusted. You’ll also find a clock, a sleep timer and even a programmable timer added to the list of features.

Denon RCDM-41DAB rear panel - Plenty of inputs

On the back, you’ll find a set of decent loudspeaker terminals and the very useful analogue input to plug in a turntable phono stage. The two digital optical inputs will take care of a TV, set-top box, games console or video streamer. For extra bass just connect a subwoofer.

We’re big fans of this system and love the sound, especially considering the modest price point. Having demonstrated this countless times in store, we’ve found some great tried and tested speakers to partner with the RCDM-41 DAB to be -

Denon RCD-N11 DAB - HEOS Music Streaming and Multiroom ready

Like the Denon RCDM-41 DAB, the Denon RCD-N11 DAB is a system that includes a CD player, DAB/DAB+/FM radio tuner, Bluetooth music streaming and the same number of inputs and outputs. In addition, Denon have included HEOS - HEOS what is that?

Stream Music with HEOS - Denon/Marantz wireless multiroom audio platform

HEOS (Home Entertainment Operating System) is a wireless multi-room audio platform from Denon/Marantz, and it is fun to use. HEOS works through your existing Wi-Fi home network. Connect any Denon/Marantz product with built-in HEOS music streaming to your home network (wirelessly or hard wired) and you can enjoy Spotify, Amazon Music HD, TIDAL, DEEZER, SOUNDCLOUD, Napster and TuneIn. Apple Airplay 2 is included, too.

Music streaming via the HEOS app

HEOS, which is now included in many Denon & Marantz home cinema receivers, wireless music streaming speakers and all-in-one music systems, can be selected for multiroom music via the HEOS app. This app is free and available for Android and Apple iOS. We use this app daily here at the Swindon showroom and find it works really well and is extremely stable, as well as user friendly.

Multiroom music play back via the HEOS app

The Denon RCD-N11 DAB music system with HEOS music streaming (available in black, grey or white) is extremely good value for money and with an output of 60 watts per channel, a pair of B&W 607 S2 or Monitor Audio Silver 50 will work really well with it.

Marantz M-CR612 - Stylish with all your music in one place

The Marantz MCR-612 is very similar to the Denon RCD-N11 DAB and offers a lot of the same specifications. The question is is - Is there a difference between them? Yes, there is. Although Marantz and Denon share a lot of the same technology, the answer is on the back of the M-CR612.

There are two sets of loudspeaker outputs, and they can be used to power one pair of speakers (Speakers A) or two pairs of speakers (Speaker A&B). Perfect for someone who wants to listen to music in two separate rooms.

Bi-Amping - More control for a better sound

Another option is bi-amping. If the speakers have bi-wire terminals (4 sockets on the back), Speakers A&B can be configured to drive one pair of speakers. We would recommend trying it as it is a great upgrade to the sound without adding more boxes to the system.

Loudspeakers like Acoustic Energy AE300, Bowers & Wilkins 606 S2 or Dali Oberon 3 are no problem at all for the Marantz M-CR612 to handle. And with HEOS music streaming, CD and radio on board we think it’s a very enjoyable system.

Our Verdict

We truly love these three music systems! Despite their small physical stature and modest price points, they are certainly not to be overlooked. They sound great and look modern & stylish. These little boxes can become the heart of your home entertainment with the addition of a turntable, a TV (set-top box/games console). All you need to add is a pair of speakers of your choice. What’s not to like?

For more information please feel free to call us on 01793 538222 or send an email to swindon@audio-t.co.uk.

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

If you have any questions about any of the equipment featured in this article, or any other Hi-Fi or home cinema enquiries, be sure to Contact Us.

If you’ve enjoyed this, why not go ahead and read some more of our other blogs, and be sure to follow us on our social media channels below…

Humming to the wrong tune! - How to get rid of unwanted noise.

/ Audio T Cardiff/

Are hum and noise in your system driving you crazy? Fear not, we have the solutions for you! Matt from Audio T Cardiff takes a deeper look into these problems and which products can help resolve the issues, from power distribution sockets to other ways of filtering noise and improving sound and hopefully losing some of that unwanted hum or high frequency noise.

Planar 6 Exact cartridge and logo close up

Moving steadily along my own exciting hi-fi journey, with various changes in my own personal system, I was plagued by that old problem which I am very familiar with, ground hum. My home listening space sadly isn't the most ideal of rooms but it works.

MM & MC cartridge

The room itself is a converted garage and as you can guess the internal wiring from the house to the garage was an afterthought and tagged onto the ring mains of the house. It’s not the cleanest power in this room and leaves it open to noise such as ground hum etc. With my main music source being a Rega Planar 6 turntable, I notice this hum issue more when playing vinyl. Due to the nature of turntables and open pickups they are susceptible to noise. A cartridge is made up of copper windings, a cantilever and magnet open to the elements, thus its gonna pick up some noise and some cartridges pick up more noise than others.

So, what do I do about this hum? A little noise is not bad and to be expected with a turntable whereas a lot of hum is not so good and can be quite distracting. What can I do short of rewiring my house? I started looking into good quality power distribution sockets and ways of filtering out that hum without sacrificing my sound quality. In this article I’ll be taking a look into options such as power cables and plug-ins including power conditioners that can help with noise and improve sound.

What works best?

There are many products out there that can help with noise issues and sound quality in general. We carry a number of options in our shops and I have been able to take bits home and listen for what works best for the problem I have been experiencing with my own system. The problem with electricity is it’s unpredictable, in the sense it can fluctuate thus causing the problems we have mentioned.

Chord Company Music power cable

At Audio T Cardiff, one of our favourite cable manufacturers is Chord Company. This year they have added more options to their power cable and power distribution ranges. Starting with the Clearway power cable , then climbing up the ranks to Shawline, then Epic right up to their flagship Music power cables which utilise Chord Companies Array technology. Quite recently we had the opportunity to try out some of these power cable options including Chord’s new PowerHAUS power distribution sockets, the S6 and M6 , which also contain the GroundArray technology inside.

The PowerHAUS

To say that they made a big difference would sell them short. During our own audition of this new range of power cable and power distribution options from Chord Co. we started at the bottom and worked our way up the range. The sound difference as we progressed was incredible to say the least. For instance, I put on a piece of music which I knew wasn't recorded particularly well and when we reached the PowerHAUS S6 it made everything sound better, not perfect but more pleasing to our ears than when we started the listening session. This change in the delivery of the power gave us more dynamic range even a bigger and better sound stage. The PowerHAUS also had a profound effect on the vinyl side of things, again a much bigger soundstage with more detail and, dare I say it, more fun.

Chord GroundARAY high-frequency noise reduction.

Next up we added in the Chord GroundARAY “plug-ins”, so here’s a little run down to get you up to speed. The Chord Company have spent many years researching what makes a hi-fi sound great and it’s not just about the source, the amplification or the speakers, in Chords way of thinking it’s everything in-between i.e., speaker cables and interconnects. Chords latest research has gone into power and filtering with Chord GroundARAY plug-ins and as we’ve already touched on the PowerHAUS range.

The GroundARAY range consists of the following connections USB A, RCA, DIN, XLR, BNC, RJ45 and HDMI. Their idea behind the plug-ins is to go into unused sockets from your router right up to your amplifier, whether its RCA, XLR, BNC or HDMI, they all can be plagued by our old unwanted friend high frequency noise that can happen anywhere in the chain. Looking at the construction of these they are rather well machined pieces of thick-walled aluminium and this alone helps with noise. Each GroundARAY is filled with Chord’s vibration damping material protecting ARAY circuit.

The GroundARAY assessment

We began our assessment streaming from the Bluesound Node which was wired into the amplifier with Chord Company Shawline RCA cables and the speakers connected with Chord company Epic speaker cable. The Chord representative showed us a couple of combinations using the GroundARAY plugs going from the Ethernet switch right up to the XLR inputs on the Leema Acoustics Tucana amplifier. The difference was subtle at first but as the amplifier warmed up, we could really tell the difference.

The system we used -

The artists and tracks we used in this audition.

Streamed on Tidal

  • Bjork - Post 1995 - “Hyperballad”

  • Big Wreck - In loving memory 1997 - “Blown wide open”

Vinyl

  • Dire Straits - Communique 1979 - “Once Upon time in the west”

The Big Wreck track was the most suspect one of the bunch. I used this particular track as I knew it’s a bit too heavy on the bass in the mix, which meant this track loses definition. Believe it or not the Chord PowerHAUS seemed to help in calming down the bass and giving the track more definition.

Audioquest…

Audioquest niagara 3000 mains distribution block rear

thunder iec mains cable

We can’t mention power and conditioning without mentioning Audioquest, a great brand with a long history in the Hi-Fi industry. Audioquest have designed and built great audio cables such as the most recent edition, the Mythical Creatures range. They also offer options on the power distribution side of things too. From the G8 power outlet right up to the Niagara series , both product lines have had an impact in the industry. They also offer a superb range of power cables from the NRG series up to the Storm series. Again, like Chord they have spent many years of hard work and research looking into how they can improve that dreaded high frequency noise issue as well as RF noise i.e., radio frequency as well as ground hum. The offerings from Audioquest most definitely improve the sound quality of your equipment delivering power more efficiently with less noise or lowering the noise floor in your system.

The Wireworld Matrix

Wireworld are an American company owned by renowned cable designer David Salz. Their cable technology was founded with the unique mission of perfecting audio cables through objective listening tests. The idea is to make the perfect audio cable with such cables like the Platinum eclipse series from RCA connections right through to tone arm cables and speaker cables. They also make fantastic power distribution blocks such as the Matrix II shielded power cord extender, which is a no nonsense design and great value. This approach to power distribution is simple and effective.

The Audiolab DC block

Audiolab dc block

The Audiolab DC block is a fairly new addition to the Audiolab family of electronics and I think this piece of kit is a little wonder box. I feel it is unbeatable at its price bracket. In essence the DC block cleans up power by reducing unwanted DC distortion before it reaches the component in your Hi-Fi system. DC voltage from many house hold appliances can create unwanted noise on the AC mains supply. The DC block can cancel DC voltage found within the AC mains supply in your home. It achieves this by correcting the DC offset and rebalances the sine wave. The ideal power situation in the home would be to have a perfectly symmetrical sine wave alternating between positive and negative phases but this sadly is not the case. Power in the home fluctuates causing the noise issue we are describing. The main job of the DC block is to offset and rebalance the mains power giving you better all-round performance from your equipment.

direct current blocker

The Solution to my problem

Going back to the beginning with my system and the noise I experience at home as we have described above. I decided to take home a Wireworld Matrix 2 power distribution block and the Audiolab DC block to see if one or both of these fantastic pieces of equipment can help with my noisy system. I tried them both separately at first and found some improvement. The Dc block certainly dropped some of the hum and the Rega Elex-r amplifier sounded more alive in its performance. Then, I plugged everything into the Wireworld Matrix distribution block this by itself made a great difference to the noise floor and everything cleaned up really well. Next, you guessed it, I tried both the Dc block and the Wireworld together. what a difference hum almost gone but the main thing I noticed was the difference in sound power and clarity, and sound stage jumped to a whole new level in my little system. For now, I have just bought the Wireworld Matrix, but I will be buying the Audiolab DC block to go with it as I feel it’s a worthwhile purchase, not much outlay for great performance, I feel that’s a win in my book.

What else do I look at in my system if I have noise?

  • 1: The first things I would look at are connections between equipment such as RCA cables for instance between the phono stage and amplifier and make sure they’re fitted properly the same goes for things like optical cables making sure they’re connected properly.

  • 2: I would check the condition of the cables making sure there’s no breaks or corrosion on the plugs or on exposed wire and replace if necessary.

  • 3: Check speaker cables and make sure banana plugs are tight, if you are using bare wire make sure the terminals are tight and there are no stray wires that can cause a short.

  • 4: Check speaker terminals on the back of the amplifier and speakers are tight, for example if you have a pair of speakers with four terminals on the back with linking bars make sure they are locked down.

  • 5: If your turntable has a ground lead coming from the tone make sure it is connected to the ground point on the back of the amplifier.

  • 6: Make sure the fly leads are connected properly on the back of your cartridge, if they are loose they can short out or cause hum.

  • 7: Last thing to make sure your power leads are properly secured.

There are many other things that can cause unwanted noise, but these are some of the good basic checks you can do.

Other ways you can help with sound quality and noise in your system is to look at how your system is connected and consider changing speaker cable and interconnects. For instance, going from a basic pair of speaker cables to something like the Chord Company C screen X makes a world of difference to your sound. I also highly recommend trying some of these different pieces of equipment I have talked about in this blog in your own home as I have done, to find what works best for you in your system. Here at Audio T, we have a home loan scheme, so you can take equipment home and listen in the comfort of your own chair and see how much of an effect they have on your system and how everything sounds before and after.

Why not pop into our store for a chat or give us a call and we can certainly help and recommend many products that can help your system to sound its best. You can contact us on 02920 228565 or email us at Cardiff@audio-t.co.uk

Thank you for reading

Matt, Nick and Kerrin - Audio T Cardiff

If you have any questions about any of the equipment featured in this article, or any other Hi-Fi or home cinema enquiries, be sure to Contact Us.

If you’ve enjoyed this, why not go ahead and read some more of our other blogs, and be sure to follow us on our social media channels below…

ProAc Loudspeakers - The Epitome of Natural Sound

/ Audio T Brighton/

I thought that for this month’s blog, it would be nice to feature a brand of loudspeakers that have been very dear to us here at Audio T in Brighton - ProAc loudspeakers.

From a dealer’s point of view, we are proud to have been chosen to represent the ProAc brand on the south coast. Both as audio enthusiasts and as a professional retailer, we have been won over by their sweet signature sound, synergy, style and substance. Let’s get into it!

A potted history of Proac loudspeakers...

The brainchild of its founder, Stewart Tyler, ProAc loudspeakers started under the name Celef Audio in Borehamwood, Hertfordshire. The brand’s name being an amalgamation of the Celestion and KEF drive units incorporated into its early models.

stewart tyler working on his early celef speaker designs

Stewart spent a number of years in the 1970’s refining his bass port designs, using lots of small tubes, giving improved extension and power handling, without some of the bass port problems that plagued other speaker manufacturers.

After demoing some of his designs to a local hi-fi shop, he sold three pairs in a single day! Celef Audio was born and with the help of his parents in manufacturing and quality control, the family business went from strength to strength.

celef audio shop in the 1970’s

Celef speakers went on to be renowned for high quality, accuracy and spacious sound stage, being popular with hi-fi reviewers and members of the public alike.

ProAc was officially launched in 1979, after Stewart incorporated higher quality drive units manufactured by ATC in his speaker designs.

Proac in its early days

Stewart continued to experiment and refine his designs, from which spawned the well known Tablette, Response and K-Series of today.

In spite of the sad loss of its founder, Stewart Tyler in 2021, ProAc continues to flourish as a tightly-knit family-run operation, keeping his legacy alive and producing loudspeakers which will be revered by hi-fi enthusiasts, sound engineers, music producers and music lovers worldwide, for many years to come.

A selection of the ProAc speaker range...

Proac loudspeakers currently on dem in our brighton audio t store

Like an arrangement of cutlery, we’ll start from the inside out. Bonus points goes to anyone who spots the deliberate mistake in the positioning of one of speaker pairs.

Proac Tablette 10 Signature

Proac tablette 10 signatures in a standard walnut finish - shown here accompanied by a rega planar 3 and rega ellicit mk 5 amplifier.

For the purposes of this article, I will be referring to the Proac Tablette 10 Signature, as this is the model available for demonstration at our Brighton Audio T store.

The Proac Tablette 10 Signatures (pictured above) are the tenth edition of this world-renowned loudspeaker.

The Proac Tablette 10’s and Tablette 10 Signatures are an evolution away from earlier iterations of the speaker, in that they are now a sealed box, infinite baffle design, without a bass port. One of the advantages of designs of this type, is that they can be placed nearer to wall boundaries with fewer of the problems of bass boom associated with ported designs. This makes them very room friendly and a true bookshelf design.

proac tablette 10 signature

Click Here for ProAc Tablette 10 Signatures specifications

Easy to drive in theory, these little marvels really respond to the quality of electronics and source placed upstream in the sound chain. In our opinion, the ProAc Tablette 10 Signatures have great synergy with Naim or Rega amplifiers.

These speakers image like crazy and will fill a small to medium sized room comfortably with a sweet, fast, textured and transparent sound that belies their diminutive size.

The ProAc Tablette 10 Signature’s top end and mid range are particular highlights, although bass response depth isn’t their strongest point, it is fast, clean and tuneful. What’s important with hi-fi design is not to throw the baby out with the bath water and ask a speaker to defy the laws of physics, messing up other areas of the frequency spectrum that they already do really well.

On that basis, I’d recommend pairing with a good quality subwoofer, like the REL T5x, REL T7x or REL T9x, which will be able to keep up with the fleet-footed bass performance of the Proac Tablette 10 Signatures.

You can read my previous article on setting up an REL T7x and Proac Tablette 10 Signatures Here.

ProAc Response DB1

proac response db1’s with a naim uniti star

Next up, the ProAc Response DB1s, shown here in a lovely walnut finish, accompanied here by a Naim Uniti Star.

The ProAc Response DB1s are an upgraded version of the slightly cheaper ProAc Response DB3s.

These speakers exude quality and are a significant step up from the lower spec speakers in the range, with a ported design and much enhanced bass response. They certainly look and feel the part when you lift them up, giving a feeling of substance and class before you even plug them in.

The ProAc Response DB1s remind me of an earlier generation of speakers from the brand, namely the ProAc Response 1SC, which were highly regarded in their day and still command respect today.

Paired with suitable electronics, the Proac Response DB1s really show their mettle, with a significantly larger, fuller sound than their smaller brothers. The sense of space and air is quite remarkable and adding in that extra bass depth, if you came in to the shop with a blindfold on, I’m sure you’d be shocked by how small their dimensions are upon removal.

Click Here for ProAc Response DB1 specifications

proac response db1

ProAc Response D20R

proac response d20R

The ProAc Response D20R floor standing loudspeakers are 2nd up in the range of floorstanders from ProAc. These are the ribbon tweeter version in a beautiful oak finish.

proac response d20r

Click Here for Proac Response D20R specifications

At this level of performance, ProAc offer a choice between a soft dome tweeter in their D20 version or a ribbon tweeter in their D20R version. An information page in their brochure is available to explain which flavour you may prefer, but essentially, dispersion characteristics are one of the main differences, affecting how wide an area the “sweet spot” for listening is.

ProAc’s brochure can explain if you’d like to find out more and read their take on the differences.

As is often the case with larger floor standing speakers, the sensitivity is a little higher with the ProAc Response D20Rs, giving the impression of an easier amplifier load. However, this may lull you into a false sense of security and the prodigious bass response of these speakers, down to 28Hz, certainly requires an amplifier with grip in the bass to keep things from those sideways firing bass ports getting too unruly. We’d recommend a minimum of a Naim Supernait 3 or Rega Aethos to go with the Proacs. Each of these has the drive, grip and finesse to do the ProAc Response D20Rs justice and this is certainly borne out upon listening.

Playing music through a Naim ND5XS2 streamer and Naim Supernait 3 80W/per channel integrated amplifier, allows bass control and the see-through clarity of the ribbon tweeter on the ProAc Response D20Rs to really shine through.

Proac Response D30RS

proac d30rs with rega saturn mk3 and Rega aethos

Moving up to our most illustrious ProAc speaker in Brighton, we present the Proac Response D30RS in a lovely walnut finish.

You can get a feel for the dimensions and specs from the two pictures below, where it can be compared to the ProAc Response D20R model.

proac response d30rs v d20r

Click Here for Proac Response D30RS specifications

The ProAc Response D30RS is a considerably larger speaker, as can be clearly seen. The speaker has an 89dB/1W sensitivity and a bass response that goes down as low as 20Hz. Subwoofers aren’t exactly a requirement with the Proac Response D30RS.

proac response d30rs with rega saturn mk3 cd player and rega aethos integrated amplifier

Listening to these with a Rega Saturn Mk3 CD player and a 125W/per channel Rega Aethos certainly helps convey the sonic qualities, dynamics, finesse and extension of these speakers. The sheer gravitas and see-through transparency is ear-opening, to say the least. Even so, I would suggest something even higher up the “food chain” to get the most out of these big-boys! A pre/power combination along the lines of a Naim NAC282 preamp , Naim HiCapDR and Naim NAP250DR power amp would get these fellas in the zone!

Proac Response DT8

proac response dt8

Last in our collection of ProAc loudspeakers, but certainly not least, comes the ProAc Response DT8, pictured here in a lovely real wood cherry finish.

Although this may appear to be a 3-way design, ProAc designed this speaker as a 2.5-way design. Utilising 2 x 6.5 inch drivers, the pulp mica cone unit delivers exceptional bass performance in a ported cabinet with the bass loaded via side vents and the polypropylene unit gives a smooth, detailed and uncoloured midrange. Both drivers work in tandem resulting in a well extended low frequency response and ProAc's signature natural sounding midrange quality and pinpoint imagery. Treble is provided by a SEAS tweeter, manufactured to ProAc’s specification.

Click Here for Proac Response DT8 specifications

At the price point, the ProAc Response DT8 provide remarkable bass extension down to 28Hz and a fine midrange clarity. Treble is the usual spacious, 3D sound that ProAc speakers are so well known for.

Driven by an amplifier with good control and dynamics, such as the Naim Nait XS3, or better still, a Naim Supernait 3 or Rega Aethos, this speaker produces a wholesome and musical sound that delights. The ProAc Response DT8s will fill a medium to large room easily and with a sensitivity of 90dB/1W, can go pretty loud when called to.

Quality wooden finishes galore...

Amongst all the hi-fi and music talk, we shouldn’t forget that loudspeakers are considered “furniture” by many. Fortunately, ProAc offer one of the widest range of sumptuous wooden finishes on the loudspeaker market, coming in two different price brackets, standard and premium.

proac loudspeaker wooden finishes

When the rubber meets the road...

Here at Audio T in Brighton, you have probably gathered that we rather like the current range of ProAc loudspeakers. Sweet sounding, holographically spacious and extended, the ProAc range of speakers really has something for everyone.

A while ago there was a well known Apple ad that said, “Once you go Mac, you’ll never go back!”. From an audio perspective, I’d like to bring that up to date and say, “Once you go ProAc, you’ll never go back!”

If you are interested in auditioning any of the products mentioned in this blog or from our extensive range of quality gear, please get in touch.

Thanks for reading.

Ade, John and Paul - Audio T Brighton

If you have any questions about any of the equipment featured in this article, or any other Hi-Fi or home cinema enquiries, be sure to Contact Us.

If you’ve enjoyed this, why not go ahead and read some more of our other blogs, and be sure to follow us on our social media channels below…

Click Here If you’d like to read a more detailed history of the development of ProAc.

Up and ‘Atom’! A closer look at the Naim Uniti Atom streamer

/ Audio T Enfield/

I know what you’re thinking - another blog another product, but just hear me out with this one… In our current world of streaming, there aren’t many products quite like the Naim Uniti Atom. Here at Audio T Enfield we usually use the streamer to play background music on our shop floor, providing those ‘good vibes’ for you, the customer. It’s convenience is unmatched - we open up, stick the kettle on and press the Atom’s ‘on’ and ‘play’ buttons. Internet Radio begins to play, which we then change to a playlist (because no-one wants to hear adverts after every 3 or 4 songs) and voila, we have our good vibes. Really straightforward and easy right?! Today we’ll be taking a closer look at what makes the Atom super special, and hopefully by the end of this article, you’ll be convinced to invest in this lovely product.

What’s In A Naim?

I’m sure many of you appreciated the pun I just used. Even though it just sprung to mind this second, I’m certainly not the first person to use it. Although it lacks in originality, it’s an attention grabbing sub-title and its meaning holds significant relevance to what you’re about to read. “What’s in a name?” was originally quoted by Shakespeare in his play ‘Romeo and Juliet’. In basic terms, it means that a name itself does not hold much meaning, so one can be called anything else and the qualities the object/person holds don’t change. “How is that even remotely relevant?” I hear you ask. Well I’ll explain.

Julian vereker - the founder of naim audio

While not completely clear, there are a couple of theories as to why Naim is called ‘Naim’. The first being the obvious explanation of it simply being a play on the word ‘name’. Certainly plausible, but maybe a bit superficial. The second theory is that Naim sounds like ‘sweet sounding’ in Hebrew, so definitely a more full-bodied definition with added sentiment. Either way, the reason for its name doesn’t actually matter too much. ‘Naim’ is pretty basic and stands out just enough for consumers to remember, but it’s abundantly apparent that the manufacturer chose a simple name so that the focal point would be on the innovation and quality of it’s electronic products. And that’s perfectly fine, because the brand will always hold its qualities despite its name, bringing this full circle and back to that famous Shakespeare quote. See what I did there? *mic drop*

A Household Naim

Since its founding by Julian Vereker, the brand has gone from strength to strength and is now one of the UK’s leading Hi-Fi manufacturers, with some of it’s most well-known products including the 250 power amp, the CD5si and Nait 1 power amp to name a few.

In the late 60s, Vereker and his friends formed a band and produced/recorded music. However he became increasingly frustrated with the current products available on the market not producing the quality of playback he craved, so he turned his attention from race-car engineering to building and experimenting with amplifiers. Naim was officially founded in 1973, with the Salisbury-based HQ having both demonstrating and manufacturing facilities.

As technology and Hi-Fi itself evolved over the years, their products have accompanied this. Streaming was introduced in 2009 through the very first all-in-one player, the Naim Uniti, which was combined with a CD player and an integrated amplifier. Over time these players expanded, with the SuperUniti, NaimUniti 2, UnitiLite, UnitiQute 2 all released over the course of 3 years (although all have since been discontinued) between 2010 and 2013. The Atom was released in 2017 along with the Uniti Star and Uniti Nova, and in 2014 the Mu-so Gen 1 came into distribution. The difference between an all-in-one player and all-in-one system is that the latter doesn’t need speakers - they are built in along with everything else. But I digress…

Being an all-in-one player, the Naim Uniti Atom requires speakers (which isn’t the end of the world considering its capabilities). As of 2019, the Atom has been upgraded to include HDMI as standard, meaning it can be used as the central hub of your home entertainment system.

In 2021, Naim released the Atom Headphone Edition, which as its name would suggest., was geared more towards headphone enthusiasts. This version of the Uniti Atom doesn’t have a built-in amplifier, but that’s not to say you can’t include an additional amp or connect directly to a pair of active speakers.

Set-up is totally straightforward. Simply plug in your power cable along with your speaker cables and that’s the practical side done. Ensure you download the Naim app on your phone/tablet and follow the instructions on there for wireless configuration.

Spec-tacular!

For the tech-heads out there, here are the Atom’s specs:

Dimensions and weight:
95 mm x 245 mm x 265 mm (H x W x D)
7 kg

Connectivity:
Audio Inputs
2 x Optical TOSLink (up to 24bit/96kHz)
1 x Coaxial RCA (up to 24bit/192kHz, DoP 64Fs)
1 x HDMI ARC
1 x RCA
2 x USB Type A socket (front and rear)

Audio Outputs
1 x Stereo power amplifier
1 x RCA sub/pre output
1 x 3.5mm headphone jack 

Streaming:
Chromecast Built-In, Apple Airplay, TIDAL, Spotify® Connect, Bluetooth (AptX HD), Internet Radio™, UPnP™ (hi-res streaming), Roon Ready

You can read a more in-depth article on the specs here.

Say my Naim, Say my Naim…

So if you fancy moving on to streaming, or upgrading your current streaming system, the Naim Uniti Atom should definitely be a product you consider. Whether you’d listen through speakers or headphones, the crisp detail you’ll get from playback is pretty astonishing. And considering it’s so straightforward to set up both practically and on your phone/tablet, you won’t have any trouble listening to your favourite tracks, albums or podcasts. At the reasonable price point of around £2500*, you’ll get a huge amount for your buck! If we haven’t convinced you to purchase, then hopefully we’ve persuaded you to at least take a listen, which you can do so by booking a listening session with us today.

Contact Us to book a FREE demonstration!

Thanks for reading!

Elena & John – Audio T Enfield

If you have any questions about any of the equipment featured in this article, or any other Hi-Fi or home cinema enquiries, be sure to Contact Us.

If you’ve enjoyed this, why not go ahead and read some more of our other blogs, and be sure to follow us on our social media channels below…

*All prices, credit terms and interest rates quoted are correct at the time of going to press but may be subject to change. E&OE