Cyrus takes a new stance on a Classic, Chromey investigates!

/ Audio T Manchester/

For those of you who think that change for the sake of change is the way to move forward and keep the Hi-Fi fires burning with "an all-new look", I'd say fair enough, but when it comes to case design from one of our oldest Hi-Fi manufacturers in the UK, Cyrus, the old adage goes: if it ain't broke...

So, fittingly, the Classic AMP has kept the original styling from the past 15 or so years, apart from a small but very welcome change. Gone are the "stick on" rubber feet and in come adjustable chrome feet, giving the Cyrus a "tougher yet sturdier-looking stance".

From Chromey to chrome

For instance, Porsche, known as one of the few car designers that have stuck to their guns for over 50 years, has kept roughly the same shape for the 911, and I personally love the look of the Porsche, as they also look tougher and meaner, even after putting on a little weight. But let’s not digress…

Old school Vs New school

The word “classic” in the new Classic AMP from Cyrus doesn't mean they’ve just reintroduced an old design back into their portfolio; on the contrary, the bods at R&D have completely re-designed the internals with upgraded components that mirror and reflect the new XR lineup, that's making waves for Cyrus at the moment.

What the Classic AMP does is give people with the previous kit and the same casework the chance to change out the engine room in their respective systems, and upgrade at the same time. It also affords the opportunity to fans of the classic styling to grab a great looking integrated amp with a small footprint.

Very Grounded

The Classic AMP has a built-in phono stage of a decent calibre, not ostentatious or showy, but just right. It can confidently hold its own against standalone phono stages priced anywhere up to £500. The 2 phono socket caps in the picture help against interference when not in use, again, a nice little touch from Cyrus.

Heady aspirations!

Hidden around the back you’ll also find a dedicated headphone output, for those moments when you don't want to disturb anyone during a late-night listening session. It's a 3.5mm jack that takes up minimum space on the rear panel and sounds great with most reasonably easy-to-drive headphones.

Its XR rated.

We listened to our Classic AMP at the Manchester store with a pair of Spendor A7 loudspeakers. And to say we're impressed is an understatement.

The Cyrus sounded open and detailed, with the bass control to rival amps way above this price point.

It sounded like "Cyrus", as in the Cyrus of old, clean, and refined, but with the added clout of the new XR range. The Classic feels like a recipient of trickle-down technology from the XR range, which is great.

Interestingly Cyrus is, and has been over the last few years, making up for lost ground that they may feel they've lost to the competition. The recent acquisitions and collaborations are bearing fruit.

We get the feeling that Cyrus's new stance on Hi-Fi is going to be a solid one.

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

Thanks for reading,

Munir, James, & David - 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…

Cyrus can be found at the following Audio T stores -

Is Bigger Always Better? A look at three little lionhearted loudspeakers...

/

They say that good things come in threes… And that good things come in small packages. Well, recently here at Audio T Reading an opportunity came along for me to audition three high-quality and relatively premium little loudspeakers. This all happened a bit by chance, with all three speakers arriving like buses at the same time!

First up came the peppy Neat Petite Classic, drafted-in for a customer who was very keen to hear them. Then came the gorgeously finished Audio Note AX One, first unveiled at The Bristol Show 2023. And last but certainly no means least, the Harbeth P3ESR XD, kindly loaned by Gareth, our Reading store manager, from his personal collection of hi-fi goodies. Out of curiosity, I packed up the Neat Petite Classic to trial at home, but all the while thinking – “Why am I bothering? There’s no way these little ‘loudies’ can hold a torch to my own larger ATC SCM 11 standmounts”. As it turned out, they didn’t just hold a torch… They drew a sword and jousted with my 11’s all the way! In disbelief, I was left ruminating… “Why haven’t I considered premium smaller speakers before?” Please allow me to share with you more on this newest, most enlightening Audio T adventure…

A bit of backstory

Since acquiring my ATC SCM11 speakers, I’ve been so overjoyed with them that I’ve often wondered what direction I would take if I were to move on from them. How would I bring about an improvement in presentation and overall enjoyment? Just go bigger and pricier, surely. It seems logical that bigger gives you more! Proceeding with this one-dimensional perspective, my attentions turned to one of the best standmount speakers in our shop, the dynamic Dynaudio Special Forty, and also a floorstanding option like the sublime Spendor A7. Both of them sound fab in our main demonstration room… but in my own smaller, more flimsily built living room, the performance of both were hampered and could not reach anywhere near their full potential. With simply arranged acoustic music, they sounded great, but with more rhythmic or propulsive genres I found that both were over-exciting my living room and delivering the dreaded bass boom. Please let me be clear, the fault lays with the limitations of my room and not with the Special Forty or A7 speakers. I highly recommend listening to them as they’re both first-rate. Going back to my tunnel-visioned approach, I had lined up copious other large loudspeakers for audition as surely one of them would give me the ‘more’ factor I would be after. Then, as if by divine intervention, the following three little lovelies interrupted my one-track journey at just the right time…

NEAT PETITE – SHE’S A REALLY SWEET – CLASSIC

With the Neat Petite Classic atop of SolidSteel SS-6 stands and occupying the space in my room where I’m so conditioned to seeing my larger ATC SCM11, the Petite Classic by comparison felt like looking at a piece of paper side-on! On viewing, they just weren’t there. But upon listening, it’s as if they were everywhere – projecting high-quality, clean sound to all corners of my room. The air motion transformer (AMT) tweeter is incredible at conveying high-frequency information. Vocals sound hauntingly detailed and the ambience of the room where the original recording took place is delivered with absolute certainty – be it in a concert hall, or in a studio, all of the electricity and air of the venue came through distinctly, with great height and width. The big surprise with the Petite Classic is the sizeable bass on offer; it went surprisingly deep, was lightning fast, and seemed to belie the size of the speaker cabinets. This bass witchcraft, combined with the Petite Classic’s agility and detail retrieval, made for an engaging listening experience. Taking care with placement and the tuning of the rear ports only helped to make things better. The Neat Petite Classic were brighter than my ATC SCM 11, but not harshly so, and while my 11’s have more scale and authority, the Neats do what they do so well that I was mostly blissfully unaware of anything I was missing.

AUDIO NOTE AX ONE – NO AX TO GRIND WITH THESE

Whilst still buzzing from the previous dinky speaker discovery, these little beauties – the Audio Note AX One – turned up in the shop in a luscious European walnut finish. At first I wondered what that port was doing on the front baffle so close to the tweeter and mid-bass unit. I need not have worried; Audio Note know what they’re doing and take pride in doing things their own way. And without further ado, I took the AX One home… And my gosh what a treat it was to hear this compact communicator. The AX One a little firecracker! If you’re familiar with Audio Note, you’ll be aware of their musicality comes first approach. When listening to Audio Note equipment, three words tend to spring to mind: tone, timbre and swagger. The AX One has all the precision of a studio monitor, but with that beautiful Audio Note tone. They are one of the most informative speakers I’ve heard in my room, and that sweet tone did a great job of distracting me from their unquestionable ability to dissect a recording. Switching to a heavier stand helped with balancing the energetic treble and allowed the AX One to shine. This is a lively, fast and above all musical speaker that can place images in the foreground and background with exactitude. On heavier stands, they weren’t shy in the bass department either – okay, not quite the low-end that had my ornaments rattling! But the bass on offer exhibited texture and substance, if not the outright scale of my ATC SCM 11. I did, however, find the AX One slightly more revealing in my room.

P3ESR XD – NOT A CAR REG PLATE, BUT A SWEET HARBETH

By now, I’d all but forgotten about the existence of bigger speakers and found myself routinely chewing Gareth’s ear off about the joys of little “loudies”. Seeing that I was loving the small-speaker voyage, and perhaps in part to preserve his own sanity, Gareth rocked up with a box containing his very own Harbeth P3ESR XD loudspeakers and kindly offered that I could try them at home. At this time of writing, I still have them and can’t stop listening to them! These are one of the most complete sounding speakers I’ve ever heard. There isn’t a hint of harshness to them, even in my bright and lively living room. And with everything I play they just don’t seem to put a foot wrong. The P3ESR XD convey detail effortlessly, and with a slightly softer outline which brings a sense of organic-ness to their sound. Much like the Audio Note AX One, they image with astonishing aplomb. And with careful placement, they have a way of capturing the shape of instruments and sounds, giving a believable impression of three dimensionality. These little Harbeths have a fullness to their presentation that make them sound much bigger than they are. Compared to my bigger ATC SCM11, again outright scale is appreciably not as extended, but the P3ESR XD produce bass with definition and nuance, and in the lower midrange there’s a surprising amount of slam, ensuring kickdrums can be satisfyingly felt as well as heard.

Lasting impressions from the small speaker expedition…

It’s safe to say that I’m currently smitten with premium little loudspeakers. All three of the speakers featured are thoroughly entertaining in their own way and the key lesson learned here is that it’s possible to gain improvements in many areas of sound quality and overall enjoyment by going for a dinkier design. Perhaps the measurements, construction and acoustics of my living room dictate that a top-notch small speaker may yield better results than a bigger one? But on auditioning the Neat Petite Classic, Audio Note AX One and Harbeth P3ESR XD, it’s been encouraging to discover that all three sound way bigger than their physical dimensions suggest, and they don’t mind playing louder too. If I were blindfolded and asked to listen, I’m not confident I’d be able to correctly identify them as diminutive speakers. Which one of them is best? Well, it’s a matter of system matching, room integration and acoustics, and of course personal sonic and visual preference. All of these miniature marvels have their own unique musical boons. If like me you’re intrigued to discover more, my advice would be to get in touch with your nearest Audio T store. Our team can tell you more about these as well as other superb little offerings that we have. I’m now off to reluctantly pack up and return Gareth’s little Harbeths…

Thank you for reading. Rishi and Gareth – 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 enquired about at the following Audio T stores:

A customer’s journey to audio nirvana with Naim in 222 words…

/ Audio T Brighton/

This month we are going to focus on a customer’s system journey through time, not wanting to Naim names, of course. Just think of Bill and Ted’s Excellent Adventure, only more exciting! Our chronological journey will be heard through the ears of a long standing customer of Audio T Brighton, who has waxed lyrical about the performance of his newly acquired Naim system. It may take a few more than 222 words though, 250 or 300 perhaps! (See what we did there?)

An itinerary of our Naim journey...

Let’s have a brief look at the components we’ll be focusing on... the Naim NSC 222 streaming preamp, Naim NAP 250 stereo power amp and optional Naim NPX 300 power supply.

naim nsc222 streaming preamplifier

naim nap250 power amplifier

naim npx300 power supply

Not wanting to step on the toes of my colleagues, but an in-depth look at the new Naim 200 series has been written by Audio T Bristol, which you can read here.

Let the journey commence...

Naim 200 series with a Naim classic nap250dr

Paul is a regular visitor to Audio T Brighton and has waxed lyrical about his Naim and Linn kit over the past forty-or-so years he has traversersed through the hi-fi rabbit hole. He recently decided to purchase some new gear from Audio T as part of the Naim 200 series, including the Naim NSC 222 streaming preamp and Naim NPX 300 power supply.

I will let Paul tell you his story in his own words:

I bought my first Naim kit around 1981, getting a 42/110 with moving coil boards to use with my then LP12, Syrinx PU2 and Asak and shortly afterwards got a pair of Linn Kan speakers. It sounded great and I kept it for around 15 years pretty much as was, except for changing the PU2 to an Ittok and replacing the Asak in the later 80s with a cheaper cartridge, as at the time I could not afford another Asak level cartridge. There was also a change of speakers due to an ex-partner preferring bigger speakers with a fat woolly bass, one of my biggest regrets was selling the Kans but I did get a good price through the for-sale board in Jefferies Hi-Fi (now Audio T Brighton) and got a bargain Meridian 104 tuner from the shop, that I still have.

In the mid to late 90s I upgraded the 42/110 to a 32.5 with 72 boards, a 140 followed soon after with Hi-Cap. I also upgraded a Rotel CD to a Marantz CD10. I also got a pair of Rega Ela Mk1s. The Linn LP12 stayed as is, probably serviced a couple of times by John at Audio T Brighton as I had a cartridge fitted, again cheapish cartridges as money was tight then and the LP12 became very much a secondary source as I was buying and listening to CDs mostly. This system lasted until 2014, when my cancer prompted me to simplify my system and I bought a Unitilite to use with my existing speakers, but soon upgraded to a pair of Rega RX3s. I also had some work done on the LP12 and I got a Dynavector 10x5. I kept the Unitilite when I bought the Uniti Star in about 2018, having two good systems. At this time my intention was to stay with the Star/RX3 for the long term. 

Prior to the pandemic, I had vaguely considered upgrading to a separate system as the NAC-N272 with a power amp would have sounded better, against this I would have lost the benefits of the Star ripping and functionality so stuck with what I had. Then the pandemic happened and I found myself at home a lot more and listened to a lot more music again, mostly ripped CDs but Vinyl was being played more. Audio T started selling lots of ex-dem products, which I saw from the monthly email, and I spoke with John about getting a 250DR as a first step, with the expectation of the 272 replacement arriving sooner than it did. Shortly afterwards a pair of SCM40s were available ex-dem, so I jumped at them. 

naim uniti star and rega rx1 speakers

This system worked really well in my old home and in some way buying the speakers before I moved was a bit of a risk. Fortunately, they work as well if not slightly better in my new room. After moving I was listening to music more and getting back into listening to LPs more. Once the NSC 222 was announced I soon ordered one with a NPX300 to use with my existing 250DR. Around the same time I finally went for the upgrades to my LP12 that I had been talking about with John for a while, initially I was going to do the upgrades in two stages but fortunately decided to do them all at once. 

The upgraded LP12 arrived back slightly before my 222 was ready. It was so much better that I began listening much more to LPs again. Once the 222/300 arrived, the MM input and preamp stage improved the sound quality even further. The 222 is a significant improvement over the Star as you would expect. The SQ in all aspects is improved. In the 70s the concept of “musicality” was formulated and the system did become more musical. In today's terminology, “PRaT” was improved. The system 6 weeks in is still improving and I am listening to Rips and LPs much more than I did and listening to Radio 6 less. TV hardly gets a look in these days.

Atc scm40’s on the end of a naim nsc222, npx300 and nap250dr.

Summing it all up...

We would very much like to thank our customer, Paul, for providing us with such a detailed hi-fi history for this blog. There are many positives to be taken from this, including system satisfaction, sound quality and good customer service from Audio T. Once again, I hope that our future potential customers can see the value in dealer service over speculative purchases from online retailers, where the personal touch and face-to-face conversation still offers a better and more rewarding experience.

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…

Audio T(akeover) with Audio Note at Bristol: Hi-Fi versus Real-Fi. Music's Finest Conductor and a Concert Cellist

/ Audio T Bristol/

What if you could listen to an accomplished passionate and energetic musician, with an original artistic vision, filled with warmth and depth simultaneously with a Hi-Fi system dedicated to the quest of re-creating that performance with maximum realism, emotion and intensity?

I refer to Robert Harley, editor in chief of the Absolute Sound magazine - “High-End audio is about passion – passion for music, and how well it is reproduced”. Here at Audio T Bristol we did just that with an unusual event...

The Contenders

Vincent Bélanger hails from a prominent family of musicians, many of whom have contributed greatly to develop the musical scene in Quebec, Canada. He attended Master Classes with Yo-Yo Ma (Lyon, 2001) and Catalonian master, Lluis Claret (Montpellier, 2001). With grants from the "Fondation des Jeunesses Musicales du Canada" in 2002, he went on to study with renowned French cellist, Yvan Chiffoleau and won First Prize in the Cello Master Class. He premiered as a competitor at the Young Artists Show, presented by CBC, Canada national network, in 2004. His album "Lâ", launched in Spring of 2011 (Fidelio label), won the "coup de coeur" of Radio-Classique, Quebec and Montreal before its official public release. It also received praise from the press and the public in Canada and overseas. It was ranked as best seller for several weeks on the USA's audiophile download website HDtracks.

The Audio Note system hails from Brighton from a prominent family of engineers, many of whom have contributed greatly to the High Fidelity world of tuned audio circuits.

Audio Note’s product range is built around a series of ideological and technological performance platforms from which they have developed a wide and comprehensive product range.

The platform levels are created to demonstrate that increases in price are consummate with suitable improvements in sound quality. Typically, this means using silver in key areas of signal path, uprated materials and tighter tolerances of components.

The Equipment

Audio Note TT3

The turntable is fitted with an Arm Two, IQ 3 cart and PSU 1 power supply, Our colleagues at Reading reviewed the Audio Note TT3 - read here and we have to concur - a stunning turntable. It’s hard believe that this is an MM setup given the amount of detail retrieved and the smoothness. Comparing to other turntables - the TT3 has the punch of a Rega Planar 10 and the airy-ness of a Linn LP12, but a musicality that is very difficult to describe. It feels revealing and complimentary to any musical genre almost regardless of quality of recording.

Digital Done right - CD 3.1 CD Player

The CD3.1x/II is the first model of integrated CD player in the Audio Note range to feature the highly regarded Analogue Devices AD1865 digital to analogue converter chip, the same device that they use in there more costly stand alone DACs. This 18bit device has consistently outperformed every competing chip they have tested regardless of specification or price.​

The transport is an in house modified Philips CD mechanism, designed purely to read true Red Book CD, which Audio Note believe is still the best possible Digital music format currently available.

The analogue output stage features two ECC88 dual triode valves and custom designed and manufactured Audio Note (UK) copper foil capacitors. Tantalum resistors are also used in critical areas, offering a quite remarkable level of performance.

Audio Note Meishu Phono Tonmeister Silver

We reviewed the level 2 Meishu Tonmeister back in 2021 (you can read it here). It’s hard to explain, but the Tonmeister leaves you with an emotion - no matter what you’re listening to. Music is reproduced to a different level of expression. This is the single malt equivalent of Hi-Fi. At Level 3, the amplifier is Class A single-ended directly heated no feedback triode, The Silver upgrades over the standard version specification with AN HiB C-core output and interstage transformers, AN silver (AN-V) and copper internal wiring, a combination of AN Standard and AN KAISEI Electrolytic Capacitors, 1W AN Ni-Chrome and 2W AN Tantalum Resistors in selected places. The most notable improvements over the standard Tonmeister is the depth of sound stage, timbre and transients - faster and tighter.

Speakers - AN-E SPE

Again, level 3 Speakers are the AN-E SPE Hemp in a Birch burl piano gloss finish. These speakers have a 1” tweeter & 8” high efficiency Hemp bass driver with Silver voice coils, 97.5 dB efficient, AN-SPe internal Silver cable, internal crossover, copper inductors.

The Session

Beginning with an introduction from Daniel Qvortrup, Director and son of founding Director Peter Qvortrup, Daniel explained the setup and the system. I was intrigued by the speaker placement, very different from many setups. The Audio Note AN-E benefit from being close to the corners of a room and near the walls. I expected the soundstage to be recessed and boomy, but not at all. The soundstage was quite forward and truly three-dimensional. I have never experienced a system capable of this and what is even stranger - move around the room a little and the soundstage stays locked between the speakers. This off-axis response is astonishing.

Vincent Bélanger then took over the reins, with an intriguing repertoire that had us captivated. It is a very special experience to be that close to a cello and see and feel the performance. Truly magical was a moment when Vincent played with an ensemble, the other instruments played by the Audio Note system. Listening to the difference between the real life instrument of the cello and the Audio Note system, which seemed to blend so perfectly, was a beguiling experience.

Consonance, the second album by Vincent Bélanger has his arrangement of Ravel’s Bolero, the centerpiece of the album and an “act of revenge for cellists and double bassists” as the original work neither has cello of double bass playing the melody. The album is a celebration of the expressive richness of the cello and is well worth seeking out.

All in all this event was an intriguing and highly enjoyable experience. Thank you Vincent, thank you Audio Note & a big thank you to all who attended and we look forward to welcoming you again - stay tuned for the next Audio T Events by subscribing to our newsletter.

Justin, Max & James - 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 -

A first step into Hi-Fi - A conversation with a customer…

/ Audio T Swansea/

A young gentleman by the name of Aled popped in to see us a short while ago at the behest of one of Swansea’s great audio institutions - Derrick’s Music. Our young hero has been collecting vinyl for some time, but was suffering with a sub-optimal record replay system and had asked the inimitable Chris at Derrick’s for advice:

“You need to have a chat with the lads in Audio T. Tell them I sent you and take a couple of records 😉” (Diolch Chris – Mae’r siec yn y post! - That’ll be Welsh for “The cheque’s in the post!”)

And what follows is an account of that fateful day…

Armed with a box of records and a cup of tea in hand, we trot upstairs to our demonstration suite to test the Rega Planar 1 and 2 turntables, a Rega iO amplifier and a pair of Acoustic Energy AE100² speakers…

An alumnium record case with many vinyls in it.

“i’ve brought a couple of records” - We love it when customers bring along their own collections

the rega planar 2 turntable

I span the Planar 1 and played Aled’s copy of Wet Leg’s ‘Chaise Longue’ – all familiar, boppy teenage fun “Yeah – that sounds great!” he said. I then swapped over to the Planar 2… “Haha! Wow! How is that even possible? There’s just so much more…drama. And the drums are really solid now. Can we...err...play a track from the Blondshell album next? I’m going to see her in a couple of weeks.”

“How is it possible?”

“Well” I said, “Let me see, the Planar 2 has a stiffer plinth; proper Rega one-piece, fully adjustable, cast aluminium tonearm rather than the bonded two-piece on the Planar 1, and a glass rather than resin platter. It all means that the cartridge can track more accurately in the groove which gives us more information and it has much less noise going into it. Same cartridge - but it’s supported more effectively. And yes, of course we can.”

I hadn’t heard Blondshell on vinyl before. Ms Teitelbaum’s atmospheric vocal on the track “Veronica Mars” is presented in a very pleasant, sweeping, open soundscape before the contrasting, dense, lo-fi crunchy guitar effects condenses the soundstage in front of us.

So, in the interest of transparency, I swap the turntable back to the Planar 1. The opening vocal soundscape is still enjoyable, albeit less convincing, but it’s the lack of weight and the congestion and thinness of the grunge guitar FX which disappoints; “Oh no! That doesn’t sound right at all. Ewww - what’s going on there?”

Back to the Rega Planar 2 and…

“Oh much better – that sounds right now. I don’t think I’ll be having the Planar 1. It’s great value and everything, but I couldn’t go back to it, not after hearing the Planar 2. Are there ummm…any different speakers I should listen to? These are really nice, but for maybe a little bit more there errr…might be something even nicer…?”

A quick trip down to the shop floor and five minutes later we’re listening to Bowers & Wilkins 607 S2s Anniversary speakers. “Oh it’s crazy how much more I can hear in there. How much better can it get Ade?”

Actual footage of Ade’s facial expression during this conversation 😅

“Oh OK. Right. Realistically, am I selling myself a little bit short here then?”

the rega planar 3

“Well, one of Rega’s favourite turntables, the one they really seem to love despite not being the top of the range, is the Planar 3…”

“It’s the Volkswagen Golf of the range, the most bang for your buck and one with a large upgrade potential. You can start with a modest cartridge like the Audio Technica VM510CB and it’ll flatten that Planar 2. And, when the urge grabs you, you can upgrade to the Neo power supply which will give you a big improvement, then you can really go to town on the cartridge.”

the rega Planar 6 6 WITH NEO POWER SUPPLY

“OK that’s cool - so what about the amp?”

“Well, as you heard, the Rega IO is amazing value at £420*. The next Rega amp is the Brio which is usually £700. However, Rega were about to release a replacement when they found a load more Brio parts that they didn’t know they had, so they’re currently doing the Brio for £549! That is silly cheap for an award winning amp of that performance, but once they’re all gone, that’s it.”

the rega brio amplifier

“Can I have a listen - have we got time?” asked Aled.

“Aye, no trouble whatsoever, it won’t take long, but you did ask to audition them, so remember that it’s not my fault when you can’t live without them. I did warn you.”

“Err…OK Ade.” I think Aled might look a touch unconvinced.

After I spin a couple of records, Aled decides on the white Rega Planar 3 turntable that comes without a cartridge as standard and accompany it with the Audio Technica VM510CB cartridge, a Rega Brio amplifier and Bowers & Wilkins 607 S2 Anniversary speakers.

Deposit taken and a day later I receive some photos of the room via email. It’s a touch smaller than I expected, but it’ll be just fine. A few days later, Aled appears with a big grin and three new albums in-hand; “I’m moving my room around and I’m going to need somewhere to put the speakers and will the turntable be OK on the cabinet in the photo?”

So I advise, “Bowers make dedicated stands for your 607s called STAV24s and if you find that the cabinet is causing problems there’s an isolation platform called the zaZen available from a nice Canadian company called IsoAcoustic for your turntable.”

“Have you got them here?” he rapidly asks. To which I reply, “It’s your lucky day sir!”

“I’d better take them with me”. I’m beginning to like this man’s style!

About a week went by and Aled’s turntable arrived in-store along with the speakers. I got to work fitting the blue Audio Technica VM510CB cartridge. It does look rather snazzy on that gloss white Planar 3.

job done, tea and jaffa cakes discreetly out of shot.

The install

Once Aled had returned from a gigging trip to the Big Smoke, we arranged a morning to install the system.

It’s a small space, hence the compact speakers, so I set them up for an intimate, small-venue feel. It’s an aural aesthetic that Aled prefers.

an intimate venue…

The much-feared resonant cabinet had been moved to the rear of the room and replaced with a rigid table, (complete with beer fridge underneath), for the turntable and amp. Keen to not waste even a minute, the IsoAcoustic Zazen plinth was already in place and Aled had built and levelled the STAV24 stands. Good man.

bjork sounded great. note the rare autographed blondshell album. sometimes if you ask nicely…

After a few minutes tweaking the speakers position, we still had too much upper/mid bass. The 607s are a rear-ported model and using the supplied port bungs, we calmed the bass response down effectively. We could hear more than just the one note, but it still wasn’t quite right. Fortunately the Bowers & Wilkins bungs are two-stage, meaning that the centre of the bung can be filled or removed. Deploying the supplied reflex port bungs in their 1/2 size format (like a big foam Polo mint) calmed the bass down to give us a credible couple of octaves that we couldn’t hear before. The soundstage is quite near-field and it’s like the artist is speaking directly to you. The $64,000 question though…is Aled happy?

i do indeed aled. cheers!

“That’s brilliant Ade, it sounds fantastic and I’m so happy I came to see you. Someone said you like red wine, so I’d like to give you this to say thank you. I hope you like Rioja…”

Postscript: A few days later, we received an email:

“Hi Ade,

Thank you so much for installing my system, I love it and it’s changed my music world for good 😊 

I am glad you enjoyed the Rioja 

Thanks again

Aled”

Thanks for reading

Ade, Andy & Nic – 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…

*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

“Music is the Key to Everything” - How Music Makes A Difference In Our Lives

/ Audio T Cardiff/

In this months article, Matt from Audio T Cardiff takes a look at how we connect to music and how choosing the right Hi-Fi system can further ignite our passion for music and also expand our music collection…

Jimi hendrix Lp cover

Music in Evolution

If we really think about it, music has always been a driving force for us as a race. Regardless of our personal tastes, there is something for everyone. Casting our minds back roughly 40,000 years ago to early human civilisation, rudimentary handmade percussion instruments were being played around the fire, creating different rhythms, dancing and singing. People making their own musical entertainment, this was the start of it all.

Fast Forward around 38,200 years to the genius of Ludwig Van Beethoven with his era defining ‘5th Symphony’, jump again another 160-odd years to the late 1960s with yet another musical genius, Jimi Hendrix, which everybody will know for ‘Voodoo Child (Slight Return)’.

Moving forward again to the 1970s, we have the likes of Black Sabbath and their early track ‘Black Sabbath’ that believe it or not used to scare some members of the audience due to the rather ominous guitar tone of Mr Tony Iommi and Ozzy’s lyrical content (which never stopped me listening). Some would say this is where heavy metal started. Moving onto the 1980s, and one of my personal favourites, Van Halen. Mr Edward Van Halen turned music on its head yet again and changed how we think about playing the guitar and the evolution of heavy metal as we know it with tracks like ‘Jump’ and ‘Panama’.

Now, admittedly the aforementioned artists are particular favourites of my own musical tastes. It is important to remember that throughout these periods, there were countless artists pioneering different genres. Take for example Hip-Hop and acts like Public Enemy, who rose to fame with tracks like ‘Don’t believe the Hype’. And of course we can’t forget the Beastie Boys who believe it or not actually started as a punk band but became more well known for their Hip-Hop side with their breakthrough album ‘Licensed To ill’ and of course the track everybody knows, ‘Fight For Your Right’.

It’s safe to say that music is so deeply embedded in the human experience that we often take it for granted.

“Music is the key to everything”

Anyway, enough of me talking your ears off about music history as you all know there’s a hell of a lot more out there than the small number of artists I’ve just talked about. But what do all of these famous bands and acts have in common? They are all innovators in their different styles of music, and have all in some way influenced our lives and left their mark regardless of what music we’re into. Whether you’re into Classical, Hip-Hop or you’re an old rocker like me, we go out and buy their albums, go to their gigs and festivals and we are drawn into their music that has made a connection with us.

As my Dad used to say to me when I was very young, “Music is the key to everything”. It’s stuck with me my whole life, I even say this to my own kids to this day… I feel I was very lucky growing up. My Dad was a sound engineer working for Harlech Television (HTV) , which is now known as ITV Wales. At the time I spent a lot of time hanging out in the studios after school (probably much to his annoyance). The guys there would always play albums to keep me entertained. Even then I found music to be a beautiful distraction.

The first time I heard Pink Floyd’s “Dark Side of the Moon” was in those studios. The track “Time”, with the clock chimes, still makes me jump to this day. I also first heard Van Halen “Jump” as a result of hanging around the studios. Both bands and their albums are firmly implanted in my memory. It’s safe to say that my Dad was my biggest influence on my musical tastes. I feel he was definitely right when he said “Music is the key to everything”. I couldn’t imagine a day without music in my life, a day without music would be a very dark and sad one for me.

Music-Evoked Autobiographical Memories

rega planar 8 spinning a covert lp

All of us will no doubt have a song or an album that brings back a memory. That magic when you first hear a guitar riff or drum beat, that person sing for the first time, the emotional connection we have with music. This sensory phenomenon is known as Music-Evoked Autobiographical Memories (MEAMs). It can also be induced by Rhythmic entrainment, a process whereby an emotion is evoked by a piece of music because of a powerful, external rhythm in the music. For instance, Van Halen will always put a smile on my face, although the songs weren't always written about happy subjects, such as “Ain’t talkin bout Love”. Perhaps it’s the association that Van Halen influenced me to learn to play the guitar. Who knows?

To me Eddie Van Halen was and still is the coolest, although he’s sadly no longer with us his musical influence stays true till this day. Even going to my first gigs seeing my favourite bands, especially later on with my wife, have had a great influence on my musical taste.

When I talk of an emotional connection and how it affects us, as we know music can make us happy, putting a smile on our faces, make us dance or even bring a tear to our eye.

Music has the power to help and in some cases heal. There are many forms of music therapy. Many people think it is joining in and playing instruments as a group, but listening can have the same positive effects. This is no more apparent than when patients with crippling Alzheimer’s or dementia listen to a piece of music that reconnects them with favourite memories., making them lucid and talkative. Studies show that music has great benefits on our mental health. It never ceases to amaze me (I know this will sound cheesy), the power of music and what it can do.

It’s all for the love of it…

Over my years, especially in the music side of retail, I feel I’ve been lucky enough to see connections customers have with music first hand, with customers from my days in the pro audio industry handing someone their first guitar, hitting that first chord and watching their reaction, the look of excitement as the sound of the guitar comes to life, whether it being an electric guitar through an amplifier or playing acoustically, it’s that magic.

Years on, I proudly work for Audio T and I count myself very lucky to watch similar reactions, this time with customers listening to their favourite pieces of music on a high-fidelity sound system. Watch feet tap and heads nod, watching facial expressions change when they become engaged with that album or piece of music. There’s nothing like talking to like-minded people about such a great subject that I'm passionate about, as we’re all passionate about music.

Rega planar 10 rega aria with rega elicit mk4… And they call this a job?

recent vinly & coffee evening at mec coffee shop crwys road

As we know, the last decade has seen a massive resurgence in vinyl, with more independent record shops hitting the high streets, not just the veterans such as Spillers records and The Record Exchange, both situated here in Cardiff.

In fact, we’ve been running our own vinyl evening at our local coffee shop, Mec Coffee.

Sound Reproduction

Many of you will already own fantastic hi-fi systems, capable of reproducing music to the highest quality. But for those that don’t they might find themselves asking “Where do I start building a Hi-Fi system?”

One of our favourite entry setups consists of a Rega Planar 1 turntable, Rega iO amplifier and a pair of Dali Spektor 2 speakers, and maybe even a pair of Atacama Nexus speaker stands. This is a great example of how you don't have to break the bank to get a great sounding Hi-Fi system. There are many other choices in turntables, Rega has a fantastic range from the Planar 1 right up to the legendary Naiad.

But let’s not forget there is a great range of CD players and transports out there such as one of our favourite brands Cyrus Audio. With their new Classic Range and their flagship XR Range and fantastic QXR Dac. Their very existence proves CDs are very much alive and well.

But if you didn't want to go down the physical format route and perhaps look into streaming music, a great option would be the Bluesound Node streamer which you can plug straight into the Rega iO amplifier.

Streaming

Streaming music can certainly help with exploring new music, with services like Spotify, Tidal and Qobuz there’s a whole feast of music at your fingertips. For instance, I use it for exploring new bands and to decide whether I’m going to buy an album on vinyl.

new naim nsc222 streaming pre-amplifier

There are countless streamers available on the market, such as the previously mentioned Bluesound Node. There are other great streaming products out there like Naim’s Uniti range and Cyrus have also got a new range of steamers coming very soon.

As I know myself, choosing a Hi-Fi system is very much like choosing a musical instrument, both are very personal to the listener and as I always say “there are no wrong answers”. Whether you like more of a bright and lively sound or a warmer tone, there is something for everybody. It doesn’t matter if you’re using vinyl, CD or streaming; the amplification, the speakers even down to the speaker cable, each part of a Hi-Fi system is very personal. Much like the feelings and memories we have when we listen to certain songs.

So why not give us a call or pop in and see us to share your music experiences and let us take that journey through Hi-Fi with 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…

Rega can be found at the following Audio T stores

Bluesound can be found at the following Audio T stores

DALI can be found at the following Audio T stores

Cyrus can be found at the following Audio T stores

Audio T Cheltenham And The 50th Anniversary Rega P3

/ Audio T Cheltenham/

I must admit to having a big soft spot for the Rega Planar 3 turntable having purchased one myself back in 1983 when the RB300 tonearm had just been added to it and had significantly raised the performance level. It joined my A&R Cambridge A60 amplifier and Rogers LS7 loudspeakers to make a wonderful sound. Now to help Rega celebrate their fiftieth anniversary they have released the Planar 3 50th Walnut and I am here to tell you why it is rather special!

The Sticker on the box doesn’t give much away!

This Is What’s In The Box

nice innit?

In case you hadn’t realised, I am also a bit passionate about vinyl and have loved the Rega Planar 3 in all of its different guises and editions over the years but the new P3 50th Anniversary has to be right up there at the top. Everything about it is just that little bit special. It comes supplied with the upgraded EBLT Reference belt, which normally comes with the much more expensive decks. And it also boasts the 24 volt low noise motor fitted with the beautifully CNC machined belt drive pulley that is normally found on the Planar 6.

close up of the reference belt and upgraded drive pulley.

Custom Tuned PSU

The power supply, which gives you the option to change speed from 33 to 45 RPM, is specifically custom tuned to match each individual deck. That normally doesn’t happen until you go up to the Planar 6.

Custom tuned neo mk2 power supply.

The P3 50th Anniversary deck also comes fitted with the Exact which is the top tier of Rega’s handmade moving magnet range of cartridges. Built to the tightest achievable tolerances and using an advanced ‘Vital’ stylus profile, (a complex fine line micro-ground from a rectangular diamond billet). This advanced profile is guaranteed to extract more music from your vinyl by tracking the grooves with greater accuracy.

Close up of the factory fitted Exact cartridge.

The Plinth comes in the hugely popular new walnut wood effect finish, and is badged with exclusive aluminium plinth and lid badges for the finishing touch.

anniversary plinth badge completes the look

Let’s Play Some Music

Apart from my soft spot for Rega turntables I also have a serious fetish for great Prog Rock (as if you didn’t know already) and chose to check out the new Rega 50th Anniversary deck with a couple of proggy classics!

First on the P3 platter was “The Ghosts Of Pripyat” by Steve Rothery. Just so you know… Pripyat is an abandoned city in northern Ukraine, located near the border with Belarus. It was founded to serve the nearby Chernobyl Nuclear Power Plant. The city with a population of almost 50,000 was evacuated on the afternoon of 27 April 1986, one day after the Chernobyl nuclear reactor went into meltdown and has stood empty ever since and has now become a tourist attraction!

Ghostly picture of deserted Pripyat.

If any of you reading this have even only half an interest in good Progressive Rock then this album by Marillion guitar genius Steve Rothery has to be listened to! I chose the 12 minute long track Old Man Of The Sea. Steve is joined on this track by both Steve Hackett (from Genesis) and Steven Wilson (from Porcupine Tree) and listened to on the new P3 I am immediately struck by how big and open the soundstage is. Bass depth and rhythmic propulsion is rock solid. Detail and background sounds are so easy to follow, and when all three guitar players unleash their guitar pyrotechnics towards the end of the song it is truly goosebump inducing! Sound quality on this album is top notch too!

Down By The Riverside

Next I chose another classic in the shape of the very first album by Polish Prog greats Riverside. The album is called Out Of Myself and the first track on side one is the rather amazing song that goes by the title of The Same River. This one is a real slow burner gradually building up to a crescendo of real rhythmic power and passion. The Rega P3 once again doing a wonderful job of keeping everything under tight control and portaying the whole thing within a huge stereo image….just amazing! It was so good I just had to play the whole album just to make sure!

The First Rverside LP…truly amazing.

SUMMARY OF THOSE KEY FEATURES

  • Walnut Effect plinth with custom aluminium badge.

  • RB330 Precision tonearm.

  • Exact MM cartridge factory fitted

  • Custom tuned Neo turntable PSU MK2 included.

  • 24 V low noise, low vibration motor, hand tuned to the custom Neo PSU Mk2.

  • Double brace technology.

  • 12 mm float glass opti-white polished platter.

  • CNC machined Planar 6 drive pulley for use with the Neo PSU.

  • Supplied with a smoked dust cover as standard.

  • Reference EBLT drive belt fitted as standard.

  • Anniversary Special Edition only available to buy during 2023.

  • Lifetime warranty against manufacture defects.

The Bit At The End

If your interest has been piqued and you would like a listen to the new Rega 50th Anniversary turntable for yourself then please feel free to contact us at Audio T Cheltenham. The kettle is always on and we always have biscuits too!

Thanks for reading….

Andy, Jon and Farid.

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…

No Substitute for a Subwoofer - it’s not just thump

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When some people think of a subwoofer they likely imagine one that occupies the whole boot of a small souped-up car, with a “DOOOF DOOOF DOOOF” so powerful it startles pedestrians and sets off car alarms as it goes past.

In hifi it’s very different, the key is: a subwoofer should not be the component you hear the most in a system - actually you should hardly hear much of it at all, but you should definitely feel it.

The REL S/510 cranked up!

The Home Cinema bit

It’s easy to appreciate the impact of a subwoofer in your home cinema system, adding excitement to action films, adding more depth to atmospheric background noises or more drama to cinematic scores.

The Audiophile bit

Adding a sub to a 2 channel system currently seems to be more popular in the US than in Europe, but audiophiles are starting to catch on here too. We believe a subwoofer can bring a stereo system to life! A well set-up sub seems to add depth and clarity to the midrange of your existing stereo speakers no matter the size.

A subwoofer only lets you know it’s there once it’s been switched off - you’ll really notice the difference in the sound. Its main job is to underpin the sound of your main speakers with those lower frequencies, so what you hear sounds ‘fuller’.

How Low Can You Go?

Or more importantly, how low does our music really go? Bass notes are made up of a fundamental pitch, plus complex overtones and harmonics that give a note character and allow us to identify the instrument that created it.

In the old days of acoustic instruments in contemporary music, the bass player struggled to be heard over the drummer and the horn section. The advent of the Fender Electric Precision Bass Guitar and amplification in 1950 allowed the lowest bass notes to be heard much more clearly. A four string electric bass is usually tuned E, A, D, G with the fundamental frequency of the low E string at approximately 41.2 Hz when tuned to concert pitch.

In the early 1970s electric bass player Anthony Jackson tuned his Fender Jazz bass down to a low C. You should check out his amazing bass lines on Chaka Khan’s early solo albums and also with Steve Khan’s Eyewitness Band. He then commissioned luthier, Carl Thompson, to create a 5 string bass tuned BEADG, and later a 6 string “contrabass” tuned BEADGC, the low B having a fundamental frequency of 30 hz.

A 6 string bass alongside a rel subwoofer

Some genres such and metal or electronic music use even lower notes than this, some classical music has thunderous bass notes that makes an orchestra sound huge.

What Hi-Fi? have written an article specifically listing the best tracks for testing bass, which you can find here.

REL Subwoofers

REL Acoustics LTD was founded in 1990 by Richard Edmund Lord, on the basis of his dissatisfaction with the performance of available subwoofers at the time. By 2005, John Hunter and Donald Brody had taken over. Find out more about their chronological timeline and products here.

The evolutionary key element of the subwoofers’ design is the high input level, which came about from the design idea from Silicon Valley of more power and better performance with natural sound filtering. They also use musical instrument grade bracing on cabinets for a controlled bassline.

REL subs have very low latency even when using their Arrow wireless system… The quicker the drive unit moves, the tighter the bassline sounds. And it’s not just about how quickly a note starts, the timing of where the note stops is equally important with bass players often using space between the notes to create a groove.

REL Subs have two inputs: a high level input that is piggybacked off your speaker terminals using a special cable (provided) and a line level input. Each input has a volume setting for maximum flexibility.

Sub Optimal Placement…or optimal sub placement?

Low frequency sound waves become problematic when their wavelength starts to coincide with the dimensions of your room. This causes the sound to either cancel out at certain frequencies, or to combine and produce resonant notes. This will also result in an uneven bass response, with some parts of the room bass heavy and other areas completely lacking. If your listening position happens to be in one of these nulls then turning up the bass isn’t going to make any difference, it may even make the problem worse!

One trick to is to place your subwoofer in your listening position and then place yourself in various locations around the room until you find a spot where the bass sounds great…. that’s probably where your subwoofer should ideally go. It does however involve crawling around the room, so maybe wait until you’ve got the house to yourself, family members probably wouldn’t understand.

Although, let’s be honest, they probably already don’t understand.

The optimal placement for your subwoofer will often be very different to the optimal position for your main speakers, with subs near a wall or in a corner and the main speakers away from walls where possible.

Placing your full range speakers can often be a bit of a compromise between bass coherence versus soundstage, adding a sub you can allow you to make fewer compromises with your main speaker placement.

Sub Settings

Before experimenting with levels and crossovers it’s important to listen with the phase switch in each position, you want your sub to be working with your speakers and adding to the sound. If the sub is out of phase it will likely cancel out some bass, and not in a predictable way, one position will sound clearly better.

Crossover frequency

This controls the cut-off point of the sub and will depend on how deep your main speakers will play, you want enough overlap so that basslines don’t drop out at certain frequencies, but not too much that you get a bass hump.

Conclusions

While it may take a few hours to initially set your sub up for best results, and you may spend a few weeks making small adjustments, it’s definitely worth the effort.

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 & 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…

ProAc... A welcome new addition to Audio T Oxford

/ Audio T Oxford/

A proac family photo

Some background on ProAc

ProAc are a legendary British speaker manufacturer who combine a strong heritage and legacy with the latest materials and technologies. The company is a tightly knit family run operation; making loudspeakers that are revered by hi-fi enthusiasts, sound engineers, music producers and music lovers worldwide.

Today, ProAc produce high-quality and internationally renowned loudspeakers that embody a meticulous approach to both sonic design along with superb build quality.

The founder of ProAc (originally Celef) was a young engineer called Stewart Tyler. His initial aim was to build a compact speaker that possessed extended high frequencies and low bass extension, but also one that minimised cabinet colouration and would offer a natural midrange. Over time, Stuart grew the business, with his parents joining him to help run the new factory.

It was successful, but Stewart’s excellent engineering brain, along with new advances in technologies, drove him on to want to produce superior products. These new designs were so far removed from the older Celef models that Stewart decided they should be sold under a different brand name, and so they became ProAc (Professional Acoustics).

Tragically, Stewart died in 2021 but his legacy lives on though the fantastic range of speakers that ProAc currently produce.

What do we think about ProAc? 

The minute you unbox a pair of ProAc speakers you are immediately aware of the quality of finish of the cabinets, how well they are put together, and the quality of the engineering. So, a big tick in the pride of ownership box.

In addition to a definitive pride of ownership, the sound quality is outstanding; all possess a sweet treble, clear midrange and generous, even bass. They are dynamic, with a rightness and balance that allows you just to listen into the music. What could be better than that?

The speakers are generally a pretty easy drive and tend not to be overly fussy about room positioning, which can often be a bonus. Ten finishes are available, so it is easy to match to any room decor.

Currently, we are featuring the Tablette 10 Signature stand mount, Response DT8 and Response D20R floorstanders.

How do they sound? 

Here is a brief description of what we found playing these speakers, using the highly capable Rega Elicit amplifier and Saturn CD player combination. We also mixed things up with a Rega Planar 6 with Ania MC cartridge for our analogue delights and a Innuos Zen Mini for streaming.

The Response D20R - We would say that the D20R holds a particular sweet spot for us. Priced at £3825* (for most finishes), they are such a great all-rounder; so much so that it is really hard to pick any faults. The sound is warm, large, non-fatiguing, but detailed and dynamic. They possess a sweet and nuanced midrange and delicate treble (courtesy of the fabulous ribbon tweeter).

The Response D20 R in Oak

The Response DT8 – these floorstanders convey a great deal of the ProAc goodness, but in a more affordable package (from £2825.00 dependent on finish). They are contenders in their own right.

The Response DT8 in striking walnut

The Tablette 10 Signature – these small speakers are BBC LS3/5A size but much more developed. They work well on good quality stands and even up against the wall. The ProAc signature sound is there, with a surprisingly large soundstage and bass for such a small speaker. Ideal for smaller rooms and/or second systems (from £ 1905.00 dependent on finish).

The amazing Tablette 10 signature in Mahogany

Despite their professional history, ProAc speakers do not suffer some of the issues that many other monitor heritage speakers do; that of being incredibly analytical but so often sounding sterile and soulless. If you want to be truly involved in the recording and depth of musical experience, ProAc’s may well be just right for you.

Our Music

Shelby Lynn – Just a Little Loving (Streaming) 

The title track from Shelby Lynn album: The sound immerses the listener in an emotional and intimate way. It is such a lush, sweet experience. To us this music is all about emotion, and it’s hard not to be moved. If you haven’t heard this album, you really must: it is a beautiful recording.

Neil Cowley Trio – Spacebound Apes (Vinyl)

This whole album is a fine and expansive Jazz/electronic epic, that deserves playing all the way through. Wide dynamic range and swirling special effects, atmospheric with surprising deft and moving touches.

Late Night Tales Presents Version Exclusion – Curated by Don Letts (CD)

This collection presents a wide catalogue of Reggae and Dub and definitive mixes. A real joy to listen to on this system.

Summary 

If you would like to listen to ProAc loudspeakers, please get in touch. We think you will be impressed, just like we are. We have a wealth of experience. We are all about the music and working with you to get the result you want.

What do you think of this kit? Would you like to listen to it? 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.

Thanks for reading.

Rob & Jon - Audio T Oxford 

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 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

The Pro-Ject Colourful Audio System - Vinyl and music streaming at home

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What is the Pro-Ject Colourful Audio System? It is a music system put together by Vinyl specialist Pro-Ject Audio, a company from Austria, renowned for high quality Hi-fi equipment. The idea is a complete music system that doesn’t take up much room, is easy to set-up and most importantly, a system that sounds great. We have sold Pro-Ject equipment for a long time and we can’t wait to hear what it can do.

The Pro-Ject Colourful Audio System comes in five hand painted satin finishes, black, fir green, golden yellow, steel blue, and white plus a real wood veneer. The Speaker Box 5 S2 and Debut Carbon Evo are bundled in the same finish, the Maia S3 amplifier comes in a black finish.

The Pro-ject Colourful Audio System in Steel Blue

What’s in the box?

The Turntable - Pro-Ject Debut Carbon Evo

The turntable is the award winning Pro-Ject Debut Carbon Evo. It comes fitted with a Carbon Fibre tonearm, rarely found on turntables below £500, a factory fitted and aligned Ortofon 2M Red cartridge, a new motor suspension, a heavy steel platter and all of it mounted to a very solid plinth with high adjustable dampening feet - This is a high spec turntable.

A switch underneath the plinth allows speed change from 33 rpm to 45 rpm and with an extra belt supplied, it will play 78rpm records, as well.

The Amplifier - Pro-Ject Maia S3

The Maia S3 is the heart of the system and it offers up to 40 Watts per channel. There are three analogue and three digital inputs, the latter very handy to connect a tv or set-top box or any device that has an optical or coaxial output. If you want to stream your music from your mobile phone, tablet or pc you can simply connect to the high definition AptX HD capable Bluetooth 5.0 input with a sound quality up to 24-bit & 48kHz which is better than standard CD quality. A pair of headphones connect to the front headphone socket.

The Loudspeakers - Pro-Ject Speaker Box 5 S2

The Speaker Box5 S2 are a perfect partner for the Maia S3 amplifier and we would say, they are the surprise in this system. They are easy to drive and with a 25 mm silk dome tweeter that delivers crystal clear highs and a 130 mm fibreglass bass/mid driver, this speaker gives full-bodied and lush mids as well as punchy and tight bass. A set of grills are supplied in the box.

Included Accessories

The Colourful Audio System comes with all accessories you need. Included is a three metre pair of speaker cables with fitted gold plated plugs, a 7” single adapter, an extra belt for playing 78 rpm records, power supply, a dust cover, turntable interconnect, 6 absorber feet to reduce vibrations if the speakers are on the same surface as the turntable and a set-up guide for the turntable.

Accessrories included with the Colourful Audio System

Sound Quality

The system is set up and the first record we play is Morning Phase from Beck. We have listened to this album many times and because it is so nicely recorded we couldn’t resist playing it again. This a very relaxing sounding album and this system made us feel exactly that - We feel chilled and happy. It is fantastic how good music makes you feel when it’s well recorded and played on a great sounding system.

Then we choose to play a track called Human from Sevdaliza. We stream it from Tidal Hi-fi, a high quality music streaming service and play it via Bluetooth to the Maia S3 amplifier. I picked up this track during an install from a customer’s play list, and this is a great system tester for bass to check what the system is capable of. It sounds crisp, punchy and powerful, incredible for such a small speaker. We can’t get enough of this.

Our verdict is - You like it ? Go for it. The Pro-Ject Colourful Audio System looks and sounds fantastic and it is fun to use. Please come in for a listen in one of our demonstration rooms and feel free to bring some of your own records.

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…

Neat Petite - The finest little speaker Chromey wants to meet!

/ Audio T Manchester/

Neat Acoustics speakers have been a regular feature at Audio T over the years, supplying us with various diminutive and distinctive loudspeakers for the last 30 years, offering up cutting-edge technology such as isobaric bass cabinets and supremely smooth ribbon tweeters.

Today, we’ll look at the latest version of the Neat Petite Classic. Featuring a compact 2 way design with the Air Motion Transformer (AMT) ribbon tweeter taking care of the higher frequencies and a mineral filled polypropylene cone on mid/bass duties.

A Little History

In 2021, with the blessing of founder Bob Surgeoner, Neat Acoustics launched a special edition, 30th Anniversary version of the Neat Petite. Limited to just 100 pairs worldwide, the Petite 30 was an all-new model that echoed design cues from previous incarnations. Moreover, each pair was tested personally by Bob and came with a gift pack containing a Neat branded pen, tote bag, dedicated commemorative booklet and a USB containing a unique collection of Bob’s music dating from the 1970s to the present day.

The design proved so successful that Neat have now committed to a new range called the Petite Classic…

Now for the technical bit…

The AMT tweeter, also known as Air Motion Transformer. Invented by an interesting chap called Oskar Heil, the AMT operates on a different transduction principle from other loudspeaker designs, such as moving coil, planar magnetic or electrostatically-driven loudspeakers, and should not be confused with planar or true ribbon loudspeakers.

In fact, the diaphragm pushes back and forward from itself in a physical motion similar to that observed when an accordion is pushed in and pulled out to pump air though the reed chambers, albeit over an exceedingly smaller motion range. This all ties together nicely with the fact that Oskar Heil studied music at the Georg-August University of Göttingen in 1933, very clever.

Bass Bump!

Another interesting design feature to note is that there are two tuning ports on the rear panel. Straight out of the box, the larger diameter port is blocked with a foam tube. This gives the optimal tuning for most rooms. In some larger spaces however, the foam tube can be removed, changing the bass emphasis. We’d recommend that you listen to the bass and see how it interacts with your room, if the bass performance has been improved, leave the foam tube out.

The listening room

It’s safe to say that we love them. The bass tuning port with the foam bung can actually make a huge difference in the way the Neat Petites behave in your room, which is a welcome addition because most speaker manufacturers won't offer a twin tuning port for adjustments, and the AMT tweeter helps to provide nice wide and open soundstage.

In general, they sound much bigger than their comparatively small footprint, they can fill our demo room convincingly with even a modest amplifier.

An enjoyable listen.

Come along and join us at Audio T Manchester and ask for a demo of the Petite Classics and see what you think.

Thanks for reading,

Munir, James, Mike & David - Audio T Manchester

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Neat Acoustics can be found at the following Audio T stores -

Retro Hi-Fi Speakers brought bang up-to-date with the Wharfedale Heritage range

/ Audio T Brighton/

Much like mid-century furniture, retro hi-fi equipment is currently all the rage! With records in renaissance as the “cool” way to playback your home music collection, the knock-on desire for other retro-components such as; amplifiers (both valve and solid state), tuners, cassette decks (which are rather difficult to come across these days) and loudspeakers.

Now, whilst second hand retro hi-fi may look great, I’m reminded of the phrase “Caveat emptor”, which is a Latin saying that means "let the buyer beware". You never know what’s really going on under the hood of these products, not to mention the fact that materials and manufacturing processes have come on leaps and bounds, especially when it comes to hi-fi speakers. After all, if you’re after retro hi-fi, surely it’s about it looking good and not sounding old?

Lamb dressed as mutton…

Wharfedale are a speaker manufacturer who have been around since 1932 and been at the forefront of the retro speaker revival. This month we're going to take a look at one of the newly revamped Wharfedale ranges, the Wharfedale Linton Heritage, which has embraced the “old school vibe” but with modern driver and crossover design technologies.

Wharfedale Linton Heritage...

Wharfedale linton heritage

The Wharfedale Linton Heritage are a large 3-way, standmount speaker which have the option of a dedicated pair of stylish but heavyweight stands that double-up as speaker storage. If bought together as a bundle, the stands are heavily discounted. To be honest, the speakers not only really look the part with the bespoke stands but sonically it also makes sense, as we’ll discuss later in the article.

Redesigned from the ground up by Peter Comeau, Director of Acoustic Design at IAG, the new Wharfedale Linton Heritage embraces the style of the original with all the advantages of modern computer aided design and anechoic chamber resources. The results speak for themselves (pun intended), with a musical sound that original owners will recognise, but with a noticeable enhancement to clarity thrown-in.

wharfedale linton heritage with matching stands doubling as a record storage.

The real McCoy...

wharfedale linton heritage real wood veneer finishes

The Wharfedale Linton Heritage have a real, luxurious feel to them with sumptuous wooden finishes... I personally am particularly fond of the walnut finish, which is available for all to see and hear at our Brighton store. So feel free to come in and witness it for yourselves.

wharfedale linton heritage in walnut on dem at our brighton audio t store

Keeping up appearances...

The Wharfedale Linton Heritage speakers certainly are “lookers” but are they up to snuff sonically?

At their price point, competition is relatively scarce, certainly in the large standmount category. It is nigh on impossible to find a floorstanding loudspeaker to compete with a good quality, small bookshelf in that price range and the Wharfedale Linton Heritage, albeit not strictly a floorstander, fits the bill, as a nice looking and sounding alternative.

Competitors may include the Dynaudio Evoke 10s and the ATC SCM7s, both of which we recommend highly, however these two are much smaller bookshelf designs offering a very different look and sonic palette and if you’re after something like the Lintons, you’d probably not even give them a thought. On the face of it, the Wharfedale Linton Heritage seem to offer a lot more for the money!

wharfedale linton heritage v dynaudio evoke 10

A lot of sound for the pound...

Since the Wharfedale Linton Heritage arrived in store, we’ve listened to them with a range of different sources and amplification, from the more intermediate level Rega Brio through to more prestigious designs like the Naim NSC 222, NPX 300, NAP 250 combination.

naim 200 series proved an excellent match for the lintons

In all cases we’ve used them in the Wharfedale Linton Heritage delivers a sound that is both wholesome and detailed, without being overly analytical. They are very easy to listen to, being musical and sufficiently dynamic to do justice to good recordings, without making poor recordings unpleasant to listen to. The only use case where I’d point a customer in a different direction would be intensely dynamic and complex orchestral pieces, where its big brother, the Wharfedale Dovedale Heritage, might be a wiser choice, albeit at a significant premium.

Somewhat of a surprise to us was how easy the Linton Heritage were to position and get good results out of. Although we’d not recommend placing them in a corner or right up against a wall, where the twin bass ports may allow the bass to become too “fruity”, 20 inches or so out into the open produced nicely balanced results, with good bass extension and timing.

Wharfedale Linton Heritage specs can be found here but needless to say they are fairly easy to drive and any modern, competent amplifier should get them going nicely.

wharfedale linton heritage twin rear bass ports

A retrospective view of the Lintons...

The Wharfedale Linton Heritage standmount speakers are an excellent addition to the Audio T Brighton repertoire. They fill a void in our price range and are very enjoyable and easy to recommend to our customers, because not only do they look and sound the biz they also offer a lot of speaker for the money. Highly recommended from myself and the team.

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…

Wharfedale can be found at the following Audio T stores

Naim can be found at the following Audio T stores

Dynaudio can be found at the following Audio T stores

Linn Selekt DSM - The Swiss Army knife of HiFi

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Stream everything. Connect anything. Linn's network music players are flexible and future-proof. From high-res albums to movie soundtracks: it's all at your fingertips. Welcome to high-performance music streaming.

Linn

Founded by Ivor Tiefenbrun in 1973, Linn was born from one man’s belief that he could vastly improve the sound quality of his music system, using precision-engineering and determined experimentation. The central philosophy to this is the source first approach.

Picture this charismatic Scot turning up at HiFi dealers, LP12 for dem showing up the more established brands of the time - pulling more information off a vinyl record than was thought possible. Information lost at the source is lost forever. No matter how good the amplifiers or loudspeakers that follow, you can't get back what has already been lost, so it’s essential you put the best source possible at the front of your system.

The Linn DSM first appeared in 2011, 2 years before this they had declared that the CD was dead and controversially no longer made a CD player. Streaming services were in their infancy and the average broadband speed in the UK was 14Mbps - there was no Spotify! The current incarnation of Selekt was launched in 2018 as - The world’s most configurable digital music player, to critical acclaim.

The Linn Selekt DSM is probably the most versatile high end HiFi component with a single unit that can turn its hand to pretty much any setup you care to imagine, exemplifying the single vision for Linn over their 50 year history that - source is king.

The Swiss army knife of Hifi with precision & finish of Swiss watchmakers

The standard Selekt, as of late 2022, comes in 2 case options - the Classik and Edition hub. The Edition Hub is a superior-quality enclosure, featuring an all-machined construction for improved rigidity, interior isolation, and elevated aesthetic appeal – with sleek sight lines, concealed joins and a lovely wave form CNC’d into the vents. Also of note, it comes with left and right sub outs and a headphone jack on the side of the unit - this is not on the Selekt Classic.

the modular nature of the linn selekt: From left to right: dac module, line out or amplifier cartridge, chassis

Both versions have; internet connection via Wifi or wired, digital inputs via Bluetooth, HDMI ARC, USB, TOSLINK x2, COAX x2 (note that this can be configured as a digital line output), or Linn’s own Exact link. Moving to the analogue duties, we have 1 pair of RCA in, an MM and MC phonostage, That blank plate next to the analogue stages can be configured to hold a five input HDMI input when the surround module is configured.

Next we choose the DAC performance level; Standard, Katylst or Organik. The entry level DAC is still capable of 24/192, The Katalyst uses it own stabilised power supplies and voltage reference point. This mean that any "crosstalk" from other audio channels and circuitry are isolated and give a cleaner/purer music.

With Organik we enter a world where Linn has designed their own in house DAC. Most manufacturers take off-the-shelf chips, compliance check, programme and tweak to get the best out of them. The extreme would be to bake your own circuits in silicon, if you have some sand and a billion or so lying around. Linn have chosen the middle still expensive route of FPGA (Field Programmable Gate Array) - deep programmable logic far more efficient in terms of processing time as well as offering very tight timing when compared with optimsed code running on 3rd party chips. Organik uses an 8-layer circuit board, facilitating optimal delivery of power and clocks to the DAC. Power for the conversion stage is generated by a discrete regulator, and delivered using multiple internal power planes.

Lastly, amplification. This is where things get mightily modular. I worked out there are 8 configurations across 2 case options with 2 case colours with 3 levels of DAC.. The 3 cartridge slots can be configured as a single line out or as complex as a HDMI card, surround module 5.2 50W Class D amplification per pair of speakers.

Setup

Linn’s documentation is extremely good, with community help over at LinnDocs, a thorough read is a must. As a line level source, it slots into any system and is configurable through Linn’s Manage systems/Kloud Konfig, which will allow you to set up from a webpage.

Another great setup tool is Linn’s Space Optimisation, which uses acoustic modelling to build up a complete picture of how your speakers, their placement, and the unique characteristics of your room interact to affect the sound you hear. It’s a free software upgrade to all existing owners.

In Summary - The King of Source

We have many hours of listening to the Linn Selekt with standard DAC, Katalyst, Organik stereo and Organik Dual mono DACs - each level a leap in performance.

The Organik occupies the stratospheric rarefied air of top performing streamers. The strength is clarity and engaging with emotional depth of performance that is so difficult in the digital realm.

What Linn has achieved is remarkable, uniquely sticking to a philosophy for 50 years that source is king and providing the HiFi world with a product that is modular, future proof and upgradable as Trigger’s broom, like the first LP12.

Conceivably you could take an entry level £4,900 Selekt Classic edition with line out and standard DAC and upgrade all the way to a performance close to the £35,500 Klimax, by way of the Edition mono line out Organik DAC variant.

Book an audition and sample a wee dram of Scotch, In the words of Linn’s Ivor “…Play it for the people and let them hear for themselves what it does, and let them decide if it's worth it to them. Let them decide whether we deliver the performance." - - John Atkinson interview with Ivor Tiefenbrun

Thanks for reading.

Justin, Max & James - 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…

Linn can be found at the following Audio T stores

And now for something a bit different... Introducing SPL Audio

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Every now and then we get the opportunity to get a hands on experience and listen to some audio equipment that is a bit out of the ordinary. Here at Audio T Oxford we recently had this opportunity via the fine folk at SCV Distribution.

They asked us if we could arrange a demonstration for a local customer who was interested in putting some SPL Audio equipment into his domestic hi-fi, to drive his existing active speakers. We agreed happily.

For those of you not in the know, SPL Audio is a well known brand in the pro audio world. Also known as Sound Performance Lab, they are a prestigious manufacturer of studio equipment and hi-fi, founded in Germany in 1983.

What do we have here?

SPL Elector Pure Analogue Preamplifier

Lovely VU meters on the Elector!

The SPL Elector Pure Analogue Preamplifier features 6 analogue inputs, three of which are balanced with 3-pin XLR connectors and marker LED indicators. On the reverse of the unit are two sets of outputs, one set direct and one dedicated for preamp routing, again via balanced XLRs. The Elector is also furnished with two exceptionally cool mechanical VU meters at the front!

SPL Performer s1200 Stereo Power Amplifier

the POWERFUL yet compact Performer Power Amp

SPL Performer s1200 Stereo Power Amplifier – a pure analogue power amp offering a clean 520 watts per side at 4 ohms (550W at 2 ohms), with 6 cooling fans! Although the customer is using active speakers at home, the power amp was required for this demonstration as we didn’t have any active speakers at the time.

 SPL Phonos RIAA Phono Preamplifier

the phonos MM/mc pre-amp

SPL Phonos RIAA Phono Preamplifier - catering for both MM and MC cartridges and a variety of loadings. All the equipment features SPL’s 120 Volt technology to deliver a wide dynamic range.

Our Impressions

Not only is this stuff built to practical pro-audio standards, it is also well made, beautifully designed and would grace any home listening room. Available in red, black, and silver finishes, with a mix and match faceplate on the power amp. You can also adapt the Elector to operate with a “One for All” programmable remote! No superfluous features, everything counts.

When we set up the system for the demo we were pleasantly surprised by a number of things: 

  • How cool it all looked (those colours and VU meters again!)

  • How quiet it runs.

  • How well the small form factor and design fitted into a domestic situation.

Listening

This kit cuts the sonic mustard in a domestic environment, being exceptionally dynamic and insightful, with a delivery that is realistically weighty and powerful. You could spend a lot of time exploring music with this system and that is a good sign

We listened to some testing and dynamic music including Charles Mingus, London Grammar and Burnt Friedman.

The Demonstration

Our customer Mike demonstrated this system with an analogue front end, as he has a large vinyl collection, as well as a few digital tunes for good measure. This was followed up by a home loan, after which Mike decided to purchase both the Elector Preamplifier and RIAA Phono, which fitted into his system like a glove.

The demo SPL system - COMPLIMENTED by the Planar 6 and Dali epicon 6 speakers

Conclusion

So, thanks again to SCV for giving us the opportunity to try out something different. We remain very impressed by the SPL kit we heard and, best of all, we have another satisfied customer! 

What do you think of this kit? Would you like to listen to it? 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.

Thanks for reading.

Rob & Jon - Audio T Oxford. 

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…

 

How Do I connect Naim New Classic Range 200 Series to Legacy Products?

/ Audio T Portsmouth/

Naim have built a solid reputation for their unique approach to how they connect their hardware together, allowing old and new ranges to work seamlessly. You may even have heard the term “Hi-Fi Lego” used in the past to describe how easily their systems can be built and improved with simple add-ons. The New Classic Range is no different, in spite of the fact they have mostly moved away from their famed composite DIN connections to XLR.

Whilst die hard Naim users have celebrated the exclusivity of the “all Naim eco-system” for decades, it has meant that other Hi-Fi enthusiasts and Audiophiles who like to cherry-pick their components have been somewhat left out of the equation. But this doesn’t mean that Naim aficionados have to worry…

What is XLR?

To the everyday Hi-Fi admirer, XLR isn’t a connection that you often come across, so it is understandable if you’ve not used one before.

XLR is a three-pin connection electrical connector, More often found in professional audio, video and stage lighting equipment. In audio, it is a balanced connection which three pins utilise a positive, negative and ground/shield.

As with most types of audio connection, there are two types of XLR, Male and Female. Male gives the sound and the Female receives it.

FEmale XLR and male XLR (Female with three sockets and male with three pins)

How to connect the new NSC 222 Streaming Preamplifier Series to the Legacy Naim Products

Let’s say you are looking to upgrade your existing Naim 200 series Streamer and/or Preamplifier but don’t wish to upgrade your current Power Amplifier. Then you will need a specific cable or cable assembly depending on your current power amplifier to integrate the NSC 222 into your system.

NAP 200

If you’re looking to connect the new NSC 222 to a power amplifier such as the NAP 200, you will need a cable that goes from the two Male XLR outputs of the Streaming Preamplifier to the 4-pin DIN input of the Power Amplifier (as below) -

Naim NSC 222 StreamING PREAMPLIFIER to NAP 200 POWER amplifier

The Lead Assembly you will need is the Naim Signal Interconnect NSC 222 - NAP 200 (2XLR - 4 Pin DIN).

NAP 250

Connecting the NSC 222 to the NAP 250 power amplifier is slightly different and will require a cable that goes from the two Male XLR outputs of the NSC 222 to a single female XLR input on the NAP 250 (as below) -

Naim NSC 222 StreameING PREAMPLIFIER to NAP 250 POWER amplifier

This this connection you’ll need the Naim Signal Interconnect Naim NSC 222 - NAP 250 (2XLR - 1XLR).

NAP 300

Connecting the NSC 222 to the NAP 300 Power Amplifier, will require two cables, that go from the two male XLR outputs of the NSC 222 to the two Female XLR inputs (Left and Right Channels) on the NAP 300 (as below) -

Naim NSC 222 Streamer to NAP 300 amplifier

For this connection you’ll need the Naim Signal Interconnect Naim NSC 222 - Naim NAP 300 (XLR - XLR) - These are sold individually, so you’ll need the specially tuned Left & Right channel cables.

If you want to use something other than Naim, you could check out the Chord Company ChordMusic, Clearway or Shawline XLR interconnects.

The NSC 222 would make the perfect replacement for the NAC-N272. With its increased bitrate for streaming and digital inputs from 24bit/192kHz to 32bit/284kHz as well as an MM phono stage and impressive headphone amplifier inherited from the Uniti Atom headphone edition. The NSC 222 is also equipped with an 8 pin DIN (5 pin compatible) for use with external phono stages such as the NVC TT for any of the Naim Solstice owners.

XPS/DR

The NSC 222 is also compatible with the older Naim XPS/DR Power Supply upgrade using a 19 way single Burndy Cable from the Naim XPS/DR power output to a 12 and 23 way Burndy cable to the power input of the NSC 222 (See below).

Naim NSC 222 Streamer with external xps power supply

For this connection you’ll need the Naim Burndy XPS - New Classic.

And there we have it! If you have older Naim Classic 200 Series & want to experience the improved sound quality the new 200 Classic Series brings, or 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.

Thanks for reading.

Luke, Nick and Stephen - Audio T Portsmouth

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…

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

  • BRIGHTON

  • BRISTOL

  • CARDIFF

  • CHELTENHAM

  • ENFIELD

  • MANCHESTER

  • OXFORD

  • PORTSMOUTH

  • READING

  • SOUTHAMPTON

  • SWANSEA

  • SWINDON

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“Don’t Fight It Love, Don’t Fight It.” - A look at the Chord Electronics Ultima and Dynaudio Contour Loudspeakers

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Sometimes when a customer wants a demonstration of a hi-fi component we don’t normally stock, it can create a disturbance in our store equilibrium. Regular visitors will be well aware that our ground floor demo suite has an all but permanent Rega and Audio Note system installed within. A Rega Planar 10/Apheta3 turntable, the Aura phono stage, Audio Note CD3.1X/ii CD player, Meishu Phono Tonmeister amplifier and AN-E SPE HE loudspeakers.

We’ve got it set up exactly how we like it, it took us some time to get there, the gods are in Valhalla and all’s right with the world.

Our customer wanted to hear the very lovely, but altogether very-different-to-AudioNote Dynaudio Contour 20i speakers, “in a smaller room than your 1st floor suite” and “can I hear them with the Chord Ultimas?” We had some changes to make.

We marked the floor with masking tape so Nic didn’t have to repeat the three-hour(!) speaker position setup when normal service is resumed and humped the Audio Note gear off the Italian-chic, SolidSteel HY4L rack, and onto the shop floor IKEA Lack table. I’m almost positive the Tonmeister gave us the side-eye; the IKEA table certainly groaned.

Connecting up the Chord Electronics Dave DAC, Ultima Pre3 and Ultima 5 Power with our favourite Black Rhodium Concerto XLR interconnects and Quickstep S speaker cables is always a clicky, snicky pleasure.

No, I never pretend to be Angus Young plugging in to an enormous amp stack at Stadio River Plate on a warm Argentinian evening. That would be juvenile.

Firing up the Chords and watching them settle into their reassuring teal green gleam is always an event, the punched steel grilles allowing a view of the perfectly populated circuit boards mounted inside. Is it at once a nod to valve amplifiers with their orange glowing tubes and a deliberate contrast to have the Ultimas glitter a cool water-green?

The difference in audio presentation is as stark. The full-bodied, lush, Phil Spector-esque wall of sound we’re used to from the AudioNote, has been replaced with an open, airy soundstage with instruments etched exactly in a 3D space. A drier style, with the emphasis on accuracy, speed and a spotlighting of the performers.

That’s not to say the AudioNote is sluggish, vague or is attuned to a particular style of music – electronica and rock are thoroughly enjoyable, the huge scale of a live Metallica performance is reproduced to jaw-dropping effect, the giant slabs of bass on the American Beauty soundtrack pressurise the room and frequently have customers asking where we’ve hidden the subwoofers.

The Ultima and Contour system is equally capable and thoroughly enjoyable, but sounds very different. A forensic rendition that allows the listener to see directly into the recording and what each artist brings to the performance.

A good recording sounds amazing; the vocal track on Dominique Fils-Aime’s ‘Birds’ from her album ‘Nameless’ stands out. Not only can we hear Dominique’s vox, but also all the other sounds that she makes at the same time; the involuntary sounds of her chest, tongue, lips and teeth. We hear the human making the sound, it’s a person inhabiting the space. We hear far more than simply air over vocal chords.

Less well-produced audio sounds great but a not-so-well engineered one will be shown up for what it is. This is not a fault of the system, but of the recording. The AudioNote glosses over such foibles to a certain extent, adding some much-needed colour to a poor recording. You may prefer this sympathetic treatment, or you may prefer the honesty of the Chord and Dynaudio.

Rock music fizzes out of the Contour 20i’s, full of attack and vigour. Jane’s Addiction ‘Just Because’ off the 2003 album ‘Strays’ is taut with excitement and hard charging guitar riffs that never seem to stray (sorry) into harshness, even at quite inadvisable volumes.

It’s with acoustic instruments and vocals in particular, that the Chord Electronics show their mettle. The very finest detail of and around a plucked string, the resonance of an instrument body and the decay of notes. Micro-dynamics are revealed, from the different weight a pianist might put into their key strikes, through the variable textures of drum skin available to a percussionist, to the visceral sensation of fresh rosin on a cellist’s bow. It’s impressive and very, very pretty stuff.

What of the A-N system? We’ve set it up on the shop floor so we (and you) can enjoy it in a really big room. We’re not sulking about it. Why don’t you pop on over and see?

Damn but Miles Davis’ trumpet sounds mighty fine….

Thanks for reading

Ade, Andy & Nic – 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…

Audio Note can be found at the following Audio T stores

Chord Electronics can be found at the following Audio T stores

Dynaudio can be found at the following Audio T stores

Music from the heart of the valleys… A tale of a happy customer.

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In this months article, Matt from Audio T Cardiff talks to one of their favourite local customers, Mr Allan Williams, about his passion for music and all things Hi-Fi, and his journey from Audio Excellence to Audio T and building the perfect system.

allan and matt

I first met Allan not long after I started at Audio T, almost two years ago (how time flies). I was out on an installation with our manager Nick to install a rather stunning pair of Spendor D7.2 speakers at Allan’s house in Merthyr Tydfil. It was here that I first got to know Allan and his fantastically eclectic taste in music, which not only aligned with my own, but we also shared a common pursuit of finding the perfect sound.

Now, these days I feel we are both at the end goal, or at least at systems that meet our current needs. But as any Hi-Fi enthusiast will tell you, there’s always room for change and you can always improve your sound. Sometimes it feels endless but once you have got to that end goal the work is done, as we say “sit back and enjoy the music.”

The Journey Begins

Before we talk about where we are with Allan’s system, let’s go back to where it all started…

Allan’s original copy of Dr.hook - sylvia’s mother LP

Growing up, Allan always had a passion for music. In-fact, he was telling me he got his passion for music from his Mum, who was very much a music fan. He explained his fond memories of growing up, and listening to tunes which gave him a good ear, knowing what sounds right.

One of Allan’s most treasured records is Dr Hook and the Medicine Show album “Sylvia’s Mother”, which is in fantastic condition for its age. Some of his other musical influences at the time were bands like Fairport Convention, Jethro Tull, Bruce Springsteen, The Eagles, The Allman Brothers Band and of course The Rolling Stones. There are also classical composers such as Tchaikovsky, but this is just the tip when it comes to Allan’s music taste. There’s so much more in his collection between vinyl and CD format, not to mention the other music he listens to on streaming services such as Qobuz.

Allan’s Hi-Fi history.

The first system Allan ever bought back in the day was from Comet. The system consisted of a Trio turntable, Pioneer amplifier and a pair of Wharfedale speakers. For the time, I’d say that’s not a bad system.

Fast forward to 1982: Allan was reading Hi-Fi Answers magazine and noticed there was a new Hi-Fi shop on Kings Road in Canton Cardiff called Audio Excellence, owned and operated by our operations director, Mr Tony Revelle.

The Kings Road Audio Excellence shop quickly outgrew its premises and between 1982 and 1983, Tony felt there wasn't quite enough room in the old Canton shop for all the fantastic equipment he wanted to stock. That’s when he found our current home know now at 134 to 136 Crwys Road, Cardiff in the summer of 1983 and where we have been happily ever since.

an original nytech CTA 252 tabletop amplifier

After reading about Audio Excellence in Hi-Fi Answers magazine, Allan thought he’d pop into the store and see what it was all about, which is where he met Tony for the first time and bought his first Hi-Fi from Audio Excellence. His first purchase was a bit of a classic setup in our eyes, a Linn LP12 Sondek fitted with an Ittok arm and a Linn Asak moving coil cartridge. The amplification was a Nytech CTA 252 with built-in tuner (Allan has revisited Nytech once again which I will tell you all about shortly). His speakers were a pair of Mission stand mount speakers which Tony came out and installed along with the rest of the system. He also setup the LP12 to perfection!

Not long after having this system installed, Allan decided to go for a much bigger amplification and speaker setup which I would consider at the time to be the Rolls Royce of all Hi-Fi. He decided to go pre-power which consisted of a Naim NAC preamp and a Krell power amplifier, driving a pair of Shahinian Arc floor standing speakers. Much later on when CD players first came into action, Allan even owned a Meridian CD player. All this would have been the perfect system at the time. I would have certainly loved to have listened to that, I bet it would have sounded massive and tone full.

Present Day

In 2019, Allan revisited us at Audio T and went for a fantastic system again, not too dissimilar to mine in some ways. Like me, he went for a Rega Planar 6 turntable originally fitted with a Rega Ania moving coil cartridge, but it was not long before he changed the cartridge (man after my own heart on this one) for a Dynavector 10X5, the same you’ll find on my P6. We both agree how awesome they sound. Anyway, I digress, back to the set up… Allan opted for a Naim Nait 5Si integrated amplifier and a pair of Spendor A4 floor standing speakers, a great little setup indeed.

rega p10 and benz micro ebony l

Moving forward Allan wanted to experiment further with his system. He was happy with his setup but he thought “How can I make this sound even better?”. In July 2021 Allan decided to part exchange his previous system and started on the journey to building his “ultimate system”, and this is where I joined his story.

The system as follows at the time:

As I mentioned before, Allan owned one of the original Nytech integrated amplifiers and had fond memories of its sound, so much so that he wanted to revisit the brand. Nytech does offer a blend of vintage and modern Hi-Fi sound which I think suited Allan’s set up perfectly.

On the digital side of things, Allan had an introduction to a great Welsh brand and his first dabble at streaming music. The digital part of the system was a Leema Acoustics Elements Streamer which works well and sounds phenomenal.

Last but not least the speakers, the Spendor A4 loudspeakers were swapped out for the Spendor D7.2 in one of my favourite finishes, walnut!

Of course, the system would not be complete without some cables and furniture to get the best performance. At the time he opted for Chord Company, with a mix of Shawline and Epic. As for furniture, he decided on the lovely Hi-Fi Racks Podium Slimline rack finished in Walnut to match the colour of the Spendor D7.2

“The times they are a changin”

As Bob Dylan once sang, “the times they are a changin” or in this case you guessed it was time for the system to change and evolve yet again…

Planar 10 - isoacoustics dleios - benz micro wood cartridge

Sticking with the Rega planar 10 and Benz Micro combination as the main source, we added a IsoAcoustics Delos isolation plinth which tightened things up sonically and presented even more transparency in the music.

At this point, Allan also upgraded his phono stage from the Trichord to a Rega Aura MC phono stage. He also took the opportunity to upgrade the main preamplifier and decided to go with another favourite of ours, the Leema Acoustics Pyxis.

Of course, we can’t have a preamplifier without talking about power, and in this case a pair of monoblock power amplifiers. A pair of Cyrus MONO X300 signature power amplifiers to drive Allan’s speakers.

Now onto speakers. Allan loved the Spendor D7.2s but curiosity got the better of him and he wanted to try a pair of Spendor D9.2. To look at his room you’d think they would be overkill but believe you me they sound perfect, especially since we added IsoAcoustics Gaia feet.

isoacoustic gaia ii isolation feet

The Digital Source Components

Over time, Allan felt he was missing something when listening to his CD collection, so in 2022 he decided to upgrade from the Leema Elements CD player. We talked about what he felt he was missing with the presentation from the CD player and we came to the conclusion that the Audio Note 3.1 X ll CD player with its valve rectifier circuit would be the perfect balance of analogue and digital. Whoever thought a CD player could sound so warm and natural?

As mentioned previously, Allan had the Leema Acoustics Elements Streamer and he enquired how could he improve on the streaming side of things, so we arranged for him have a home demonstration of the Naim NDX2 streamer. He found this gave a huge uplift in quality when streaming from Qobuz and not only that, we also added one of Naim’s outboard power supplies, specifically the Naim 555ps DR. People ask “Do power supplies really make a difference?” I’d say in this case, it’s one of the biggest changes in sound I have ever heard on a streamer, everything sounded clearer with a lot more detail and control.

Naim ndx2 and Naim 555psdr

Ricable sticker

The most recent modification we made to Allan’s system was changing out the speaker cable. Some say that cables don’t make much of a difference… The simple fact is, they do. I suggested going with a brand we have recently taken on, a fantastic cable company from Italy, Ricable. I personally own some of their Magnus speaker cables myself and I can happily say it does make the right sort of difference. Allan went for the Invictus speaker cable and wow, it transformed the sound of Allan’s system from great to awesome! This really is the cherry on top! More clarity and separation in the musical instruments and even bass sounded more controlled. The couple of tracks we played while I was there were:

  • Bruce Springsteen - The Ghost of Tom Joad

  • Bob Seger and the Silver Bullet Band - Against the Wind

The tracks used were “Betty Lou’s gettin out tonight” and “Fire Lake”. The piano on Fire Lake sounded full with control and detail. In short, yes this cable made one hell of a difference.

System Synergy

You’re maybe thinking there’s quite a mixture of different brands going on here, but when I think of system synergy I feel we have achieved near perfection. I don’t think I’ve ever heard a Hi-Fi system sounding better than this. It has the perfect combination of all the right things -

  • Low noise floor - The turntable is virtually silent as Allan says it almost CD quality.

  • Clarity and detail - This system definitely has it this and can be heard with every genre of music from classical to folk country and rock. Believe it when I say this Allan listens to all of it.

  • All about that bass - As we know, bass can be a bit of a problem and can be unruly at times, going back to the size of the Spendor D9, the amplification in this instance keeps them perfectly under control such a great combination of Cyrus and Leema who would have thought the two would work so perfectly together.

Lastly, and some would argue the most important, timing. This system has superb timing, you can hear perfect separation between the instruments, especially when there’s a lot going on in a piece of music, such as Bob Seger’s “Betty Lou’s Coming out tonight”. From the guitars, to the vocals, drums and keys I could hear the space between them all, allowing your mind to place the sound stage with ease.

We have certainly had a lot of fun building this system with Allan, but more importantly Allan’s not just a good customer but also a good friend. I always look forward to going up to see him and help him with his system and talk about music and other subjects such as Lord of the Rings, another favourite of Allan’s. Will there be more changes to Allan’s system? Maybe, but until then I’d say this system is perfect.

Thank you Allan for giving us the opportunity to guide you once again on your hi-fi journey.

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 streaming - What’s it all about?

/ Audio T Southampton/

Where do we start? Well, audio streaming is commonly misunderstood, as the terminology is misused and incorrect assumptions are made, leading to confusion and propagation of misinformation. We’re here to break it down and make it simpler to understand by outlining:

  • What is audio streaming?

  • What are the types of audio streaming?

  • Systems applications

  • Streaming services

  • Types of Music files

  • System elements of a streamer

  • What do I need

  • What is audio streaming

So, without further ado, let’s get started…

What is audio streaming?

Audio streaming is the ability to digitally transfer audio data between the place it is stored to a place where it can be heard. A common example of this would be playing music files from a smartphone to a wireless speaker. But how does it work? What method is used to transfer this data?…

What are the types of Audio streaming?

Bluetooth - Bluetooth is a short range wireless technology that is commonly used in phones and headphones. There are many variants of the protocol and you will need the transmitter and receiver to be capable of the latest protocol to get the highest quality. Bluetooth in general is a lossy protocol, which means the quality is less than CD and subject to higher degrees of compression. Not to mention it is occasionally prone to dropouts and interference.

AirPlay - AirPlay is a proprietary wireless communication protocol developed by Apple that allows streaming of audio & video between devices over a Local Area Network abbreviated to LAN (Wifi and Ethernet). Originally implemented only in Apple's software and devices, it was called AirTunes and used for audio only.

Apple AirPlay icons found on apps that support the protocol

Although a convenient and easy protocol, it has limitations on the quality of the audio it uses. AirPlay 2 is able to support a multiroom and there are many devices that support AirPlay such as Sonos, Naim and Bluesound.

Chromecast - This was developed by Google as an answer to Apple’s AirPlay and works over a LAN. The latest version supports audio files of 24bit 96kHz.

Google Cast is a proprietary protocol developed by Google for playing Internet-streamed audio/video content on a compatible consumer device

Some systems have Chromecast support built-in, such as Cyrus ONE Cast and Arcam ST60 to name but a few.

Cyrus one cast streaming amplifier

uPnP Streaming - Universal Plug and Play (UPnP) allows for files to be passed between a storage device and a compatible player. Smartphone apps such as Bubble allow for the control of media being played.

Spotify Connect and Tidal Connect allow you to stream your music to any Connect-enabled device over WiFi and directly from the streaming services servers to your audio device.

System applications

To enable control over your selection of music sources such as streaming services or playback devices, manufacturers utilise interactive applications that run on smartphones, tablets and computers.

Common System platforms:

HEOS - HEOS is a wireless multi-room sound system from Denon & Marantz that allows users to play their favorite music using a home Wifi network. The audio platform is available through receivers, select wireless speakers, and soundbars from the two brands.

Bluesound BluOS - Although originally designed specifically for use with Bluesound products, BluOS has become integrated with many hi-res wireless music systems from the likes of Roksan, Cyrus, DALI and Monitor Audio. This provides a unique opportunity to connect multiple BluOS-enabled systems from different manufacturers together to enjoy your music in perfect sync in every room of your home.

Bluesound bluos app

Manufacturers such as Arcam, AURALiC, Naim, Linn, Innuos, Sonos all use their own specifically developed applications that are unique to their own products.

Roon Labs - Roon brings all your music together, so you don't have to worry about where it's stored, what format it's in, or where you stream it from. Roon supports music files stored on internal and external hard drives and NAS, your iTunes library, live radio stations, and streamed content from the likes of TIDAL and Qobuz.

Steaming services

There are numerous internet streaming services that have different catalogues, types of music file (quality) and subscription plans. Some of the most popular are -

  • Spotify (Try Premium for 90 days Free Here)

  • Apple Music

  • Amazon Music (Try for 90 days Free Here)

  • Tidal (Try for 30 days Free Here)

  • Qobuz (Try for 90 days Free Here)

  • Deezer (Try for 30 days Free Here)

  • TuneIn (used for internet radio on a multitude of systems)

Types of Music file

When storing files there a lots of different formats. Lossless audio is assumed to be the same quality as CD.

  • Uncompressed audio formats e.g: WAV and AIFF

  • Formats with lossless compression e.g: FLAC, ALAC, WMA LOSSLESS

  • Formats with lossy compression e.g: MP3, AAC, WMA

Hi-Res Music - High-Resolution Audio is audio that uses a higher sampling rate than in CDs. Higher sampling rates mean that more samples per second were taken when the original analog sound was converted into digital which in turn gives a more accurate reproduction of the analogue signal.

System elements for streaming

Storage - Audio files can be stored in a number of ways. These include:

“Ripping” is a term for taking the content of a CD and storing it on a digital storage device. This allows for people to store their entire CD collection on a small device. There are many devices that allow for combined ripping and storage solution such as the Naim Uniti Star, Bluesound Vault 2i, Innuos Zen range and products from Melco.

Streaming Transport - A streaming transport allows for locally stored files and internet streaming services to be used. The transport only deals with digital audio and does not have any analogue output.

DAC - A DAC (Digital Analogue Converter) converts a digital signal to analogue audio. These can be built in to components or bought as dedicated units that come in all shapes and sizes, from the small and portable EarMen Sparrow Pocket DAC all the way up to the AURALiC Vega G2.1 Streaming DAC and even further beyond. You can see a full range of DACs on our website here.

External Clock - An external clock usually connects to your equipment using word clock connections, typically using BNC cables, and provides a more stable and accurate clock to improve the sound of DACs. There are exceptions to this, like the award winning Innuos PhoenixUSB Clocker, which as its name suggests connects via USB.

Upscaler - Upscaling (or upsampling) is a process which increases the resolution and quality of a digital file. Examples of these products are the Chord Electronics M Scaler and the AURALiC Sirius.

What do I need?

The answer to this question needs an understanding of what is required. This could be from wirelessly playing music from your phone to a speaker, or the best way to reproduce digital music from your audio streaming provider.

At Audio T we can guide you through the process so you find a solution that meets your needs and gets the most of your system. There is no such thing as a stupid question so ask away and we will be happy to take you through the world of digital audio.

Thanks for reading,

Nick, John and Wayne - Audio T Southampton.

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.

You can find out more about Lyngdorf and their history by reading a full article in Music at Home+ Spring 2023.

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…

Rejoice with Ruark Audio - Radios for Hi-Fi Lovers

/ Audio T Brighton/

Listening to radio has been a staple source of entertainment since its invention in 1895 by Italian inventor, Guglielmo Marconi. Since the early 1900’s, radio has developed from a simple Morse Code messaging system, effective over a short range, to being the truly worldwide phenomenon it is today. In fact, it’s hard to imagine how the world would have developed to the extent it has today without it!

This month we're going to take a look at the British company Ruark Audio. First starting operations as a speaker manufacturer, Ruark Audio moved onto portable radio devices and utilising their extensive experience in making speakers to sound advantage, pun intended!

I’ve always felt that musicians have an advantage over most listeners when it comes to judging the quality of music playback. So long as the years of practice and live gigs haven’t taken too much toll on their hearing, the intrinsic understanding and connection with the sound of live music should intensify musicality and the appreciation of dynamics or tone of instrumental playback, especially when designing electronics and speaker equipment.

As a live musician and music lover, Alan O’Rourke (co-founder of Ruark) has certainly done this, producing many fine audio solutions over the years…

First... A little bit of Ruark history

Beginning in 1985, Alan and his father, Brian, set up a small workshop in Rayleigh, Essex, to develop and manufacture loudspeakers. In 1986, they released their Sabre and Broadsword designs. Beautiful cabinet design and the use of quality drive units brought Ruark speakers to the attention of the public and the world’s hi-fi press.

(A more extensive history of Ruark speakers can be found on here.)

ruark Co founder, alan o’rourke

Music lovers and audiophiles alike (not necessarily the same thing!) will be familiar with the names; Sabre, Talisman, Templar, Crusader, Equinox, to name a few and many folks will still have these in their hi-fi systems doing sterling work to this day.

In 2004, Ruark changed direction and decided to concentrate manufacturing into their radio speaker range, releasing the DAB radio, Ruark R1 in 2006, to much critical acclaim. Ruark have continued to expand their lifestyle range of quality sounding radios and music players.

The current Ruark range...

brighton audio t ruark display

Ruark R1 and now... The R1S

The baby in the range, the Ruark R1, still packs a punch. Available in Espresso & Light Cream (Also a limited edition Beach Hut Blue) and with a Backpack 3 which is purchasable as an extra to endow the Ruark R1 with portability.

There is a newer version of the Ruark R1 to become available shortly, unsurprisingly called the Ruark R1S, essentially a better connected version of the R1, which can be seen on Ruark’s website here.

Ruark R2 Mk4 Smart Music System...

The Ruark R2 Mk4 is a “souped-up” version of the R1 with a more expansive sound. Flexibility is excellent, with wifi network access allowing Internet radio, DAB radio, FM radio, Spotify, Deezer, Amazon music, plus the usual Bluetooth aptX codec for better sound. Headphone listeners are also catered for, alongside those who wish to plugin devices using a 3.5mm aux input. Pretty much all the bases really!

For a full list of features look at the list featured below in the Ruark R3S, minus the CD player of course.

Ruark R3S...

ruark r3s

Moving up the range, we get to the CD version of Ruark’s R3S.

A significantly larger and more powerful unit, the R3S includes a slot loading CD player. The expansive sound via its wireless/Bluetooth streaming capability, or through its silver disc spinner, is something to behold. The R3S sounds and looks great wherever you place it, thanks to its clever adaptive equalisation feature or via its bass/treble controls. The Ruark R3S looks sumptuous and is available in Rich Walnut or Soft Grey finishes.

Some key features of the Ruark R3S

  • Multi-format slot-loading CD player

  • Spotify Connect*, Deezer and Amazon Music

  • Smart Radio with Internet/DAB/DAB+/FM tuners

  • New generation Bluetooth 5 receiver

  • Comprehensive dual alarms and sleep timer

  • Dedicated podcast source

  • Class leading audio with enhanced Stereo+ sound

  • Adaptive EQ provides ideal sound at all volumes

This really is the tip of the iceberg, so if you want to see everything this little beauty can do, visit the Ruark website here.

ruark R3S in soft grey

Ruark MR1...

The Ruark MR1s are a small pair of Bluetooth loudspeakers. Connecting between the pair via 3.5mm jacks (supplied) allows for wireless Bluetooth via aptX codecs to produce a high quality sound in a small package.

The sound emanating from these MR1s is quite phenomenal considering their diminutive size - small speakers but no small sound here! One can appreciate the heritage of Ruark loudspeakers when you play these, as they clearly demonstrate the years of experience in producing their “quart from a pint pot” quality.

I would imagine these Ruark MR1s would make an excellent choice for those students wanting proper stereo sound whilst away at university or a TV listener who wants a simple way to expand their TV’s sound, where the traditional sound bar may not meet their requirements.

Don’t let the baby of the range fool, these Ruark MR1s pack quite a punch!

Ruark MRx Streaming Wireless Speaker...

ruark mrx wireless streaming speaker

Last but certainly not least comes the Ruark MRx wireless streaming speaker.

Offering the ultimate in flexibility, the Ruark MRx is available as a single mono speaker or can be linked to several other MRxs to provide a connected wireless speaker system across several areas or rooms in your house, if necessary. These can be seated in landscape or portrait orientation should they need to be squeezed onto a shelf somewhere.

Ruark accessories...

Ruark offer a variety of supporting products for their range: a remote, the Undok app and the R1 backpack, should you wish to go portable.

A summary of the Ruark range...

Ruark have a long history of producing fine audio products, starting with their hi-fi speaker range before moving into the lifestyle radio market. They have produced a stunning range of products that are easy to use, flexible and sound as good as they look. We’re certainly impressed at the Brighton Audio T store, so we’d recommend you contact us on 01273 609431 or email: brighton@audio-t.co.uk and organise a listen.

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…

Are Bluetooth Headphones about to steal the show? The all-new Focal Bathys

/ Audio T Reading/

Here at Audio T Reading we’re still buzzing from the successful return of the Bristol Hi-Fi Show, Britain’s biggest and best home and portable audio extravaganza. We loved our time at the show, and in a desperate ‘just one more’ moment to continue playing with alluring audio goodies, we decided to grab a clutch of Bluetooth headphones from the show for further amusement in our Reading shop. But, why Bluetooth headphones? Simple… it was easier to sneak out larger numbers of these than, say, bigger and bulkier amplifiers (erm, we snuck a couple of these out too, but it’d be rude not too hey?). Among our Brizzle (Bristol) headphone heist, there is one particular set of Bluetooth cans that has ironically stolen from us, stealing first our ears and then our hearts… So please make yourself comfy, we need to tell you more about the Focal Bathys…

Behold… THE BATHYS

 BUT WAIT… ‘HI-FI’ BLUETOOTH HEADPHONES?

So why the excitement about a set of Bluetooth headphones? We all know that Bluetooth isn’t proper hi-fi don’t we (arms folded, take those things away)? Well, allow me (Rishi) to share a personal journey… Over the years I’ve owned a number of wired headphones, mostly Sennheiser’s, from the DJ’s favourite HD 25 (couldn’t resist the aluminium 25th year anniversary edition), to the HD 560S (perhaps the most transparent ‘phones at the price) as well as the largely coveted HD 660S (we now have the version two HD 660S2 in-store and they’re even better). But back in 2020, a year that certainly brought me perfect vision, I wanted to join the growing hordes of listeners experiencing sound without wires.

I had just downloaded the Tidal music streaming app to my phone, and I needed a simple, convenient, way to connect to my phone and listen both wirelessly AND in high-quality… surely a contradiction. Going on sound quality alone, everything I’d read at the time (and still read now) suggested that ditching the wires wasn’t the way to go. Fearing the worst, I researched endlessly into the somewhat limited wireless options available, and eventually I went for an unpopular Bluetooth headphone offering at the time, the Beyerdynamic Lagoon. Why the Lagoon? Firstly because of Beyer’s renowned sonic pedigree, and then because of the Lagoon’s promise to connect using Bluetooth codecs, such as AptX HD, that were among the highest-quality available at the time. Although I could only connect to my iPhone via the (supposedly) lesser quality AAC codec, my talented Bluesound Node 2i (the Swiss army knife of streamers) was packing AptX HD and had a rare ability to stream music to other devices, such as Bluetooth headphones, as well as receive Bluetooth streams from other devices, such as smartphones and laptops. So, what’s the point of this trip down memory lane? Well, the Beyerdynamic Lagoon did something quite unexpected… it impressed me with its seemingly high-fidelity sound! Even connecting via AAC to my iPhone, I couldn’t stop listening to music through them. In fact, I used them so much that they literally started to fall apart! I blame it on their extended battery life - this paved the way for longer back-to-back listening sessions without having to constantly reach for the charger.

EXUDING QUALITY - CHECK OUT THOSE YOKES, FOLKS

 GETTING AU FAIT WITH THE FOCAL BATHYS

Back to 2023 and enter the Focal Bathys (all together now, bat-tees). It was mentioned before about the sonic pedigree of Beyerdynamic… well French outfit Focal are seasoned high-fidelity thoroughbreds in their own right. They know more than a thing or two about making highly accomplished, multiple award-winning, hi-fi headphones. With the Bathys, Focal have taken on a challenge that at best may be deemed audacious, but at worst will likely be dismissed as foolhardy – they have dared to release a set of premium, active noise cancelling (ANC), hi-fi quality, Bluetooth (surely not hi-fi?) headphones. The Brits will tell you, tongue-in-cheek of course, that their French neighbours are a bit mad. But in the case of our demo Focal Bathys, and while getting more au fait with them, there were attributes revealing themselves as much more mad-genius!

First of all, build quality on the Bathys is phenomenal, especially in the domain of currently available Bluetooth headphones. The yokes that attach each earcup to the headband are metal and incorporate magnesium, giving strength and lightness, and the design allows for the earcups to move freely in all planes. This bodes well for a comfortable fit on various different head shapes. Back into first-person for a moment… the reason I’m so drawn to this exemplary aspect of build-quality is because the yokes on many headphones that I’ve owned have been made from plastic, and with heavy-duty use (repeatedly putting the cans on and taking them off, throwing them on the table, dropping them on the floor, squeezing them into my jam-packed travel bag, etc.) some of those headphones have eventually ended-up breaking at one of their yokes. And when your ‘phones break there, no amount of DIY Sellotape repairs will make them feel great again.

BREATHTAKING DESIGN, FABULOUS FINISH - THE BATHYS

It's also hard not to notice the familiar Focal design cue of numerous circular holes punched into the ear cup covers, which surround the tornado looking Focal logo. This logo illuminates by the way, but can be unlit using the Focal & Naim app. And the way the logo is offset to the front of the earcups, a sweet design tweak by Focal, makes for a striking visual pattern of radiating concentric orbs that are smaller at the front and larger at the back. The Bathys could well be Focal’s prettiest headphones yet.

MARVEL AT THOSE ANGLED MAGNESIUM-ALUMINIUM DRIVERS

 BUT HOW DO THE BEAUTIFUL BATHYS SOUND?

This brings us to the most exciting part and a big inspiration for this blog – How do the Bluetooth Bathys sound? Have Focal managed to pull off the unthinkable and produce, at their very first attempt, an audiophile grade set of Bluetooth headphones?

Through the most grit of teeth, even the most ardent of “wire-philes” may do well to concede that they’ve done just that. At this time of writing, compared to the vast majority of other wireless Bluetooth headphones out there, the Bathys are a noticeable step up in sonic performance. While many of the others can sound mid-to-hi-fi at best, these Bathys are genuinely hi-fi sounding, showing the virtues of being detailed throughout the entire frequency range, having the ability to clearly dissect and present the individual layers in the most complicated of tracks, and demonstrating a wide dynamic range that makes listening to many musical genres a joyful experience. Straight out of the box, our demo Bathys sounded bright and a tad tight, but after a week or two of regular play the hybrid magnesium-aluminium drivers opened up a treat, and for a closed-back pair of headphones the Bathys impress with a spacious presentation.

Via the Focal & Naim app, it’s possible to tweak the stock tuning of the Bathys via a 5-band equaliser. This adjustment is great if, say, you find the stock tuning leaning a bit bright, or perhaps want to eek out more sparkle for low level listening, etc. The Bathys’ high-quality drivers love to play loud too, showing great cleanliness at those higher decibels with little-to-no compression.

It’s worth noting that the ANC remains permanently engaged on the Bathys, which does a great job of creating a silent cocoon for listeners to enjoy their tunes even in the noisiest of environments. The ANC can also be switched to a lower strength setting, which works a treat if a lesser amount of ANC feels more suitable or comfortable.

CONNECT VIA THE DAC FOR HIGH RESOLUTION UP TO 24 BITs / 192 KHZ

LASTING IMPRESSIONS - THE FUTURE OF HIGH-END BLUETOOTH CANS 

Given the strong showing of the Focal Bathys, the future of premium, truly hi-fi, wireless Bluetooth headphones is looking increasingly more exciting, and it’s clear that the Bathys has significantly raised the performance bar and may well have kicked-off a trend towards higher quality, perhaps even reference grade, Bluetooth headphones from a whole host of aspiring audio equipment manufacturers. For anyone thinking that wired headphones are still the holy grail for the best possible audio quality, well that still more-or-less holds true, and that very case is made here given that the performance of the Focal Bathys itself can be improved further by attaching a USB cable between it and a digital music source, courtesy of the Bathys’ inbuilt DAC mode. But the key takeaway here is that the difference between using the Bathys in wireless and wired mode isn’t cavernously huge. The gap between wired and wireless audio quality is closing all the time, and the Bathys in their Bluetooth mode are so admirably proficient that they could genuinely be preferred over a number of similarly priced wired designs. Throw in the Bathys’ stated 30 hours battery life, their grab-and-go convenience, and their ability to connect wirelessly to your mobile phone (most of which don’t sport a headphone jack anymore) all while sacrificing so little in the all-important sound quality department, and perhaps it won’t be all that long before the Focal Bathys’ chic charms steal your ears and heart too.

Rishi and Gareth – Audio T Reading – Thank you for 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.

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