A Phoenix from the flames - the INNUOS PhoenixNET audiophile internet switch.

/ Audio T Brighton/

An often touchy subject, especially on certain internet hi-fi forums where debate (that’s a polite way of describing it) carries on like a proverbial juggernaut, network switches polarise opinion as much as many a political, religious or ethical discussion in the mainstream press…

Not wanting to throw petrol onto the fire, I will seek to present our point of view on the topic as a whole, but with an emphasis on enlightening you about a top-quality product from the Innuos stable, the PhoenixNET audiophile network switch.

Innuos PhoenixNET audiophile switch

innuos phoenixnet in silver

The PhoenixNET audiophile internet switch is manufactured by Portuguese hi-fi specialists Innuos, established by husband and wife duo, Nuno Vitorino and Amelia Santos in 2009.

Innuos have made a name for themselves in the audiophile community over the last decade, by providing high-end music streaming solutions for music lovers wanting to go beyond the traditional cd players of yore. Indeed, their Innuos Statement server/ripper has received high praise in the upper echelons of the audiophile community, where ultimate playback sound quality is concerned. The trickle-down knowledge from developing a system such as this has allowed the development of several additional products in their range. One is the Innuos PhoenixNET audiophile switch and the other the Innuos PhoenixUSB re-clocker, both of which have received exceptionally positive feedback from the community.

So, what is the Innuos PhoenixNET audiophile ethernet switch all about?

Quoting from the Innuos website, the primary design criteria are to:

1. Minimize Network Switch Noise

  • Simpler 100mbps network switch chip results in lower operating noise floor compared to Gigabit

  • Network switch chip with no internal switching regulators. All 3 independent voltages supplied by internal Statement-grade linear power supply with independent ultra-low noise regulation.

  • Massive individual Network Isolation Transformers to further isolate from noise coming from router or connected devices

  • Just the right amount of Individually shielded, high quality ethernet ports soldered directly to the board with no ethernet activity lights as blinking leds introduce considerable electrical noise.

  • EMI absorption at the right places so that interference produced can be captured before influencing other components.

2. Increase Clocking Precision and Stability

Using the same 3ppb 25 MHz OCXO oscillator as used in the Statement, individually powered by its own linear power supply and connected directly to the network switch chip, avoiding precision losses from using external master clocks.

3. Provide Pristine Power to the Components

Two independent STATEMENT-grade linear power supplies with Mundorf Caps to power individually the OCXO clock and the mainboard, keeping the power path short with less opportunity for EMI contamination.

4. Minimize Vibration on Components

Vibration was managed at 3 levels: Anti-Vibration feet tuned to the resonant frequency of the chassis, top cover treatment to convert vibration captured from sound waves into small amounts of heat and sturdy RJ45 ports with silicone connection to the chassis.

innuos phoenixnet interior

Innuos PhoenixNET switch - what you need to know...

Here at Audio T in Brighton, we have been using a regular internet switch for years, a dependable Cisco 2960, primarily because of the large number of devices requiring an internet connection and the reliability of wired connection over multiple wireless connections.

More recently, the Cisco 2960 developed a fault and was replaced by an English Electric EE8 switch. The three of us noted a change in the sound, some beneficial, some not, but this isn’t a review of them so onto the next part of the story.

We then took in a demonstration Innuos PhoenixNET audiophile internet switch and the moment we connected it up, the three of us here at Brighton Audio T, looked at each other in astonishment because the improvements were that marked.

As the days have passed with our Innuos PhoenixNET audiophile internet switch, the sound has continued to improve as the power supply and OCXO clock have stabilised.

Let me explain this stabilization process some more. According to Innuos, the OCXO clock will improve after powering up because part of its design includes a cutting-edge oven-controlled crystal oscillator reaching a perfect operating temperature during several hours/days of operation. The 3 parts per billion accuracy of the OCXO fitted to the Innuos PhoenixNET is just one of the benefits of running this switch in your streaming hi-fi system and matches the specification of the Innuos Statement, their top performing product. The re-clocking done by the switch affects the timing of the digital signal, allowing your DAC to have an easier job when doing its conversion into an analog output signal, or at least that’s the theory and certainly borne out in our listening sessions.

We have many hi-fi systems on demonstration here at Audio T in Brighton and those that require network connectivity have all benefited from the Innuos PhoenixNET being included in the system. The only real downside to the Innuos PhoenixNET is that it only has one input and three outputs, limiting the number of ethernet devices in a simultaneously connected system. Not the end of the world really, just requires some additional unplugging of ethernet cables and for most people, the one input/three outputs may be sufficient, unless your home is like an Audio T hi-fi shop.

innuos phoenixnet image showing its single input & 3 output rj45 ethernet sockets

As mentioned earlier in the blog, special attention has been given to reducing noise and interference in the design, with high quality sockets to reduce electromagnetic interference, EMI and specially tuned feet to reduce the negative sonic effects of microphony. The Sean Jacobs DC3 based linear power supply includes Mundorf capacitors and shorter signal paths, all designed to stabilise power supplies serving the internal components, in order to reduce digital noise coming in/out of the switch.

Let’s get personal...

I am fortunate enough to own a rather nice Naim system of my own, consisting of: Naim Uniti Nova used as a preamp into a Naim NAP250DR power amp and Proac Tablette 10 Signature speakers with a REL Stampede subwoofer.

I was so enamoured by the benefits of the Innuos PhoenixNET audiophile network switch whilst it was in store, I had to try one myself at home.

I’ve only had the Innuos PhoenixNET at home for a short time, but after hearing the benefits it brought to streaming via Qobuz and a Naim Uniti Core in our Brighton Audio T shop, using several Naim systems, including a fully specified 500 system, a recent 200 series Naim system and other various streaming devices, I was optimistic, to say the least.

My own Naim system has been transformed in so many areas since the introduction of the Innuos PhoenixNET.  Personally, I have long believed that noise transferral, whether through mains or interconnect/Ethernet cables, has a detrimental effect on sound quality, especially in 3d spatial cues, tonality, transparency, clarity, micro-dynamics and overall musicality. The further down the hi-fi rabbit hole one ventures, for every answer come more questions, but that’s part of the fun!

Depending on your system, to varying degrees these are all audible, but not really that measurable, except with our ears! This is one of the main reasons detractors argue that internet switches cannot make a difference to the sound, because they can’t measure the effects easily, or that differences are at a level we cannot hear anyway. As I have mentioned before, the effects are quite audible, to our ears!

Quite frankly, the Innuos PhoenixNET ethernet switch is like a power supply upgrade, only to realise, it sort of is a power supply upgrade and so much more.  We’re treading new ground when it comes to digital noise suppression knowledge and the Innuos PhoenixNET polishes the floor very nicely indeed!

I also think there is the potential of quite a lot more experimentation to be done in acquiring the optimum sound balance in a hi-fi system with ethernet switch implementation, different types of power supply, be it SMPS or LPS, mains supply/filters and mains cables. On that note, we strongly recommend the use of Naim Powerlines or Naim Powerline Lites to supply your hi-fi components, especially those from Naim.

I remember when I first got into hi-fi, the old adage of, “Rubbish in, rubbish out!” being used all the time when considering a turntable system and I see and hear no reason why this shouldn’t apply to digital front-end systems as well. You cannot get more source orientated than a digital signal being fed from your router, via an ethernet switch, to a streamer/DAC, so perhaps it shouldn’t be so surprising that the Innuos PhoenixNET switch is so effective after all.

As always, the proof of the pudding is in the eating, so get in touch to book a demonstration.

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.

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Naim Phono NVC TT & NPX TT makes Chromey vinyl happy.

/ Audio T Manchester/

Back in around 1990, CD music sales bypassed both vinyl record and audio cassette sales for the first time. Hi-fi systems adapted to the change, in what at the time appeared to be the slow, and terminal decline of the vinyl record, which had been first conjured up by Emilie Berliner way back in 1881...

For those that don’t know - Turntable replay requires some rather special treatment by an amplifier's electronics. A cartridge and stylus can be thought of in the terms of a 'mini dynamo', the music is reproduced by the stylus tracing the three dimensional groove in the vinyl. The stylus connects to the cartridge's coils or magnets, which are located within the cartridge body. The stylus movement in the record groove creates a movement between these micro sized magnets and the coils, and a really small electrical signal is generated at the cartridge’s output. Special electronics are required to boost this super tiny signal to what might be called a 'line level', a level similar to the output of a CD player or DAC. In addition to this tiny signal that an amplifier’s phono stage has to deal with, there is the added complexity of the RIAA curve.

RIAA equalization is a form of pre-emphasis on recording and de-emphasis on playback. When a record is pressed at the recording studio, the bass frequencies are reduced by a really significant level. Without this, the bass frequencies would be near impossible to physically cut on to the record, this requires our amplifier to boost up the bass frequencies on playback to attain a flat response. However, there are two parts to the RIAA curve, in a bid to reduce both record noise and to ease the cutting of a record, treble frequencies are boosted when the record is produced, and need to be reduced when played back.

From around 1990 onwards, the majority of amplifiers tended to be designed without an inbuilt phono preamplifier. In some cases it simply wasn't needed if you had no turntable, and where it was needed, a new market in separate phono preamplifiers was created.

Naim Audio also took this route, and with the current vinyl revival showing no signs of slowing down, we now have this new phono preamplifier as part of the new classic range. The new NVC TT phono preamplifier comes in a traditional cast aluminium case, and is currently the smallest box within the new Naim classics. The quality of build is exemplary, the quality of the enclosure’s machining and anodising is superb, with a perfectly black perspex fascia, embellished with an illuminated, dimmable, Naim logo.

At the rear of the new NVC TT are all the connections and configurable switches. Two separate inputs are provided for MC (Moving Coil) and MM (Moving Magnet) with a switch providing selection, and a further switch offering up a choice between gain settings for MC cartridges. Next along are a pair of RCA outputs, for non-Naim gear, and Naim's recommended DIN connection (for all of their amplifiers). The connection for a power supply is to the side of this, which also allows the unit to be powered from a suitable Naim pre-amplifier, with one simple multi-pin connection for both power and audio. It is here that the dedicated, matching power supply, the NPX TT, can be very simply fitted as an upgrade for Naim users, or for any listeners using other than a Naim main or pre-amplifier. Just below the output connections are a pair of multi-position switches that vary the resistive and capacitive load presented by the amplifier, to fine-tune to any cartridge needs. Very comprehensive adjustments can be made.

Both preamplifier and power supplywere developed as part of Naim's limited edition turntable; The Solstice. However, this is the first time these exciting new products have been available on their own.

Moving coil and moving magnet cartridges have different needs. A moving magnet cartridge features larger fixed coils to pick up the magnet's subtle movements to generate the signal; the moving coil cartridge has the magnet fixed, and a micro sized miniature coil generating output. The micro sized coils require a lower 'load' from the pre-amplifier, and require much more amplification. By offering separate inputs, Naim can offer the best for both types, and compromise neither. A typical 'MM' cartridge produces 5mv, or 0.005 of a volt. An MC cartridge 5 microvolts, or 0.0005 of a volt! You can now see why a substantial power supply with robust regulation are required and supplied by the Naim design. Electronics are complex things; the cheapest way for a manufacturer to produce phono preamp is to purchase a simple IC integrated circuit. With this, of course, you are at the whim of the IC manufacturer; mass produced and cheap doesn't really suit the remit of a state of the art phono stage, and of course Naim do not go down that route. Fully discrete components are used to a bespoke and newly developed Naim design, using high end audiophile grade components.

The tech specs of the unit are truly impressive. Distortion is lower than 0.005% with a high 84 dB signal to noise ratio, helping produce a transparent and clean clear sound. The RIAA curve is reproduced with incredible accuracy, only deviating by the most tiny 0.1dB.

Of course with the resurgence of high end audiophile turntables and the increase in fidelity and design, this level of performance is needed The tiny information in the grooves has never been so accurately tracked. So the accuracy, quietness and cleanliness of the new Naim phono pre-amplifier can further resolve the most minute of details, enhancing our musical enjoyment.

The natural partner for the new unit is the New Classic range, and in store we connected it up to the NSC 222 streaming pre-amplifier and new classic NAP 250, driving Dynaudio Confidence loudspeakers. Turntable was a Linn LP12 Selekt fitted with an Arko arm and a Kendo cartridge (Moving Coil). A pretty cool, state of the art design, and a classic natural partner for the Naim. A classic system. So our auditioning began...

A classic system deserves some classic vinyl. Bob James album “Two”, produced in 1975 by the famous Rudy Van Gelder at his Englewood Cliffs Studio in New York. An early example of early complex multi-tracking and multi-layering of sound. This is a huge sounding recording, but subtly controlled in its dynamics. The 'TT phono stage placed in the above system reveled in displaying every level and layer of this recording. It wasn't forced, it wasn't emphasized. Bob James's keyboard work stood out cleanly from the complex and layered background. We played this album twice, once with the device powered from the '222 pre', and then connected to the NPX TT power supply. It was immediately apparent this power supply provides an incredible jump in performance, maxing out every parameter of the 'TT's performance.

Jumping forward some 40 years with our records, and a much more modern take on a jazz recording, Badbadnotgood (with Ghostface Killah) Sour Soul is, of course, far more dynamic and far more modern than Bob James.. a soulful trip-hop recording. The dynamics absolutely popped with the Naim phono pre-amplifier. Channel separation is huge, dynamics are huge. Bass extension, clarity, and weight are better than most digital sources. The absolute lack of background noise and the ultra-low distortion really let the music from the vinyl flow. No rose tinted vinyl spectacles here, this is modern state-of-the-art sound. Traditional Naim precision of rhythm and timing, but with a more up-to-date musical presentation, empowered with huge detail resolution.

These are wonderful products, designed for those seeking the very best in their vinyl experience. Naim have taken both technical and subjective performance to another level. For the few who can choose, an audition is highly recommended.

Thanks for reading

Haden - Audio T Manchester

Come along and speak to Munir, Dave and James at the store to arrange a demonstration.

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Audio T Cheltenham Goes Proper Retro With The We Are Rewind Cassette Player

/ Audio T Cheltenham/

This little cassette player is just sooooo much fun I just had to make it the subject of this month’s blog article. And hey, it was a great excuse to dig out some of those old cassette tapes once again! I decided to team it up with the Sennheiser Momentum Wireless 4 headphones just for good measure as I have been an admirer of the Sennheiser range for a long time and they never disappoint.

An eyecatching yellow box of delights

What’s In the Box?

This little beauty is obviously designed to tap into our current fetish for all things retro and in particular all things analogue and with sales of audio cassettes increasing every year since 2012 French company We Are Rewind have hit upon a little slice of genius here with a product that is well built, tactile and so easy to use. Featuring 12-hour lithium batteries, Bluetooth 5.1 connectivity, and a premium aluminium case just like the best old-school cassette players, this player features fast forward/rewind buttons, a headphone output, a volume control and an audio input so you can create your own mixtapes. Remember how much fun that was? Not only the giving of a personal selection of current favourites on a personalised tape, but receiving one too!

And this is inside the box

The Perfect Match Up

Now this player/recorder does not come supplied with headphones, but that is most definitely a good thing. Because it means that you can pair it up with an existing pair you may already own, or you could chose to match it up with a nice shiny new pair, such as I have done here with the rather lovely and very versatile Sennheiser Momentum 4s . These have the option of being wired (for the proper old skool approach) or you can connect up to the We Are Rewind via Bluetooth, if you want to feel a little more modern.

More exiting boxes

Daydreaming

I tried the pairing of Momentum 4s and We Are Rewind both wired and Bluetooth with the Adaptive Noise Cancellation turned off. Pure sound quality wise the cabled option was the best, so the bulk of my listening was done this way.

timeless Shoegazy lovelyness from Sonic youth

I will admit that I was prepared to be a tad disappointed with this Sonic Youth album, as my tape was bought when it was first released in 1988, but it was actually very good for a tape that is 35 years old. It succeeded in drawing me in to the music with a nice open soundstage with plenty of detail. Widely considered to be their watershed moment, the album catapulted them into the mainstream and proved that indie bands could enjoy wider commercial success without compromising their noisy artistic vision.

More recently, Daydream Nation has been recognized as a classic of its era: Pitchfork ranked it #1 on their “100 Greatest Albums of the 1980s”; Spin listed it at #13 on their “125 Best Albums of 1985-2010”. Daydream Nation was one of 50 recordings chosen by the Library of Congress to be added to the National Recording Registry in 2006 and it was voted "One of the Greatest Albums of All Time" by Rolling Stone. So if you have never played it perhaps you should!

The Red Shoes

The red shoes by kate bush

Next on the playlist was The Red Shoes By Kate Bush. Highly praised on initial release, The Red Shoes is a total masterpiece, an album of heartbreakingly beautiful ballads. It was quite possibly her most personal collection of songs to date, yet also her most accessible. The majority of the songs are linked by a palpable sense of loss, in particular the loss of love and loved ones.

It’s More Fun To Compute!

a groovy combination and perfect for travelling with too

This was quite possibly the most fun I have had whilst researching for one of my blogs, and everyone we show this to loves it as well. There are three different colour options available. Those being Serge (orange) as our demo model, Kurt (blue) and Keith (grey).

This pairing would also make an ideal travelling companion, as the Sennheisers come with a sturdy travelling case and fold up very neatly. They also boast a playback battery charge of up to 60 hours too!

If your interest has been piqued and you would like a listen to the amazing We Are Rewind for yourself then please feel free to contact us at Audio T Cheltenham. The kettle is always on and we always have a plentiful supply of biscuits too!

Thanks for reading…

Andy, Jon and Farid - Audio T Cheltenham.

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

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The love of music never dies - A 94-year-old’s upgrade to Naim and ATC

/ Audio T Portsmouth/

A lifelong love of orchestral music has fuelled nonagenarian Richard Stickland’s passion for hi-fi.

As the proud owner of a stunning new Naim 200 Classic Series system running through ATC SCM40 speakers, all supplied and installed by Audio T Portsmouth, Richard was happy to share his hi-fi and musical journey with us.

Most hi-fi enthusiasts can point to defining moments in their lives when they were ‘bitten’ by the hi-fi ‘bug’ - the moment when they glimpsed the possibilities of high fidelity music reproduction. For Richard, 94, his enthusiasm for hi-fi is inextricably linked to his passion for classical, especially live orchestral music.

London Philharmonic Orchestra Circa 1940s

Where it all began…

He recounts seeing the London Philharmonic Orchestra in Folkestone as a schoolboy just after World War II. The orchestra had decamped from London during the war and was touring the country almost continuously doing its bit to maintain morale.

“My parents had a gramophone, a wind-up one, and at school I was a member of a society and we used to play gramophone records,” says Richard, who lives in Fareham, Hampshire.

“So I was used to hearing music. But it was the power and scale of hearing a full live orchestra that opened my ears,” says Richard.

As a boy he learned piano and used to play the organ for school services. He retains a particular love of organ music – he is a fan of Saint-Saëns’ Symphony No 3, a piece of music that will show up the sub-bass limitations of most hi-fi systems.

New College, University of Oxford

Richard maintained his interest in classical music throughout his time at New College, University of Oxford, where he studied physics. He played piano for the Gilbert & Sullivan Society. He also saw the great Sir Thomas Beecham’s first concert with the Royal Philharmonic Orchestra, which he co-founded.

Richard’s first encounter with hi-fi was in the late 1950s when, in his late 20s, he heard Quad’s first Electrostatic Loudspeaker (ESL), which belonged to his mother’s cousin.

“I remember thinking it sounded much better than what I had been used to. But it was a bit weak in the bass,” notes Richard.

Quad’s first Electrostatic Loudspeaker (ESL)

After university Richard moved into engineering and worked for many years on oxygen production systems for Britain’s nuclear submarines. He moved to the Portsmouth area at the start of the 1960s.

His passion for classical music and hi-fi continued to grow.

“I had a six element VHF aerial which ran up beside the chimney. I could rotate it so I could tune into the French classical music station, France Musique, which I enjoyed. I could then play this through my stereo,” says Richard.

“I’ve had many hi-fi separates over the years. I tended to buy separates from different manufacturers. I would read reviews in hi-fi magazines about a particular product and then buy it.”

The CD Revolution

“My wife was always very good about it all. She had the view that if it was making me happy, then she was happy.” Richard admitted however that the advent of CDs in the 1980s did make it easier to ‘smuggle’ new albums into the house compared to larger format vinyl.

THE CD Revolution - Richard has had a Naim CDX for a number of years

He decided to upgrade to his previous system after seeing and hearing the Bournemouth Symphony Orchestra with his son.

“I came home and put on a CD of the same music we had heard at the concert. It didn’t do full justice to that live orchestral sound,” chuckles Richard.

The next step…

“I mentioned to my son that I was thinking of upgrading and he rather pooh-poohed the idea. After all I had a perfectly decent system.”

“But I arranged a demo of the Naim 200 Classic Series at Audio T Portsmouth. My son drove me and sat in on the demo and, do you know, he was very impressed,” says Richard with a smile.

“He is now considering taking over my old Cambridge Audio system so, yes, perhaps he will yet become a hi-fi enthusiast.”

NAIM NEW CLASSIC 200 Series

Richard’s new Naim system, which was installed in August of this year, comprises of NSC 222, NAP 250 and NPX 300 plus a pair of ATC SCM40 speakers. He retained his existing Naim CDX.

“I am delighted with the new setup,” says Richard. “The new system delivers a much larger scale sound. Although, having said that, I am now considering whether to replace my current subwoofer with two new ones.”

“Audio T have been absolutely wonderful throughout. Luke, the new manager there, has been unbelievably superb and I appreciate all his help and knowledge.”

Richard, a long term customer of Audio T Portsmouth, and of Jeffries Hi-Fi before then, is proof positive of the power of hi-fi to deliver lifelong entertainment and enjoyment.

Happy listening Richard!

Thanks for reading.

Alan, Luke and Stephen - Audio T Portsmouth

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ATC Loudspeakers can be found at the following Audio T stores

The Naim NPX 300 - The Difference Is Not Discrete

/ Audio T Cardiff/

With the new Naim classic range settling in nicely and securing its place within the industry, I thought It’d be the perfect time to take a look at Naim’s optional NPX 300 Power Supply. With the simultaneous release of the NSC 222 and NAP 250 the NPX 300 could easily have been overlooked but its performance demands I take a deeper dive!

What’s in the box?

The NPX 300 consists of eight discrete regulator ‘DR’ modules in a linear power supply configuration, a classic Naim design staple. Although it is no longer labeled as DR the new classic range very much is, lorded as one of the best upgrades you could make to classic Naim kit - We’re glad it’s here to stay. Although the basic idea of the power supply may not have changed from past designs they have brought it into the present with system automation. The power supply will switch on in sync with the NSC 222 and even matches the logo brightness between units automatically.

In terms of setup the NPX 300 is very simple, plug the provided Burndy cables from the NSC 222 into the power supply and disconnect the original IEC power cable and away you go.

The Difference

In terms of sound quality, it’s simply astonishing. As you might imagine, the NSC 222 and the NAP 250 are no slouch but as soon as you wire up the NPX 300 it becomes an entirely different animal. The most noticeable change is a smoothing of the upper registers, a tightening of the bass and an improvement in the instrument spacing. You tend to find this effect in higher quality amplifiers, where the distortion levels drop. It allows and almost encourages you to play at louder volumes, as the normal problems at high levels disappear. It’s only when someone else enters the room to complain about the noise that you realise how loud it really is! It’s honestly a good sign that I’m enjoying a system.

I found during my listening that it improves every genre I could think of. I threw everything at it from Chopin’s Nocturnes to Aphex Twin and Polyphia. Because it improves so many aspects of the sound simultaneously nothing was left out of the improvement. I find the vast majority of our customers are real music lovers who will enjoy almost everything so this is a really important factor.

Test Setup

Naim NPX300

Naim NSC 222 Streamer / Preamp

Naim NAP 250 Power amplifer

Spendor D9.2 Speakers

Naim NAC A5 Speaker cable

Chord shawline XLR Interconnects

Solidsteel S5-4 rack

The Theory

So that we can really appreciate why these changes happen, I’ll go back to the design board. The ‘DR’ modules simply take a voltage from the transformer and ‘regulate’ it to a reliable and steady voltage. What makes it ‘discrete’ is that Naim have taken a standard tiny regulator and blown it out into its base components. This allows them to really control the specifications to their high standards. Typically those ‘tiny regulators’ would cost about 70p but the time and effort that Naim have gone through to redesign and perfect them costs far more. Normally you would try and remove as many unnecessary parts as possible to increase the profit margins. Thats certainly not what Naim do when they install a DR module into a design. They have prioritized the quality of sound!

Casting a glance back to an older XPS DR power supply it’s clear that Naim have updated the DR modules from previous designs. They now have individual regulators for both the positive and negative voltage rails where before they were a dual output. It’s a nice and elegant change that lets Naim have a more modular design, while also reducing crosstalk and noise on the power lines. These regulators are also individually fed via their own rectification diodes and filter caps to create a better level of isolation between each module. What this really boils down to is the refinement of a classic design and that it’s still the same Naim sound and character that we love, just more of it!

I was very skeptical when first trying out Naim power supplies. The first time I heard their 555 PS power supply being added to a NDX2 streamer it literally took seconds for me to realise I was completely wrong. However, there is a problem when I take the power supply out of the system. It’s like splitting a mother and child, they are genuinely meant to be together, the fine picture that the three units paint together, becomes less clear as a pair. It’s certainly very hard to go back…

Thanks for reading

Kerrin, Matt and Nick - 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…

Naim can be found at the following Audio T stores

#naim #npx300 #nsc222 #nap250 #audio #music #burndy #discreteregulator #spendor #solidsteel #audio #hifi #naca5

The ProAc Speaker Shootout - Response DT8 vs the Response D20R

/ Audio T Oxford/

What do we have here?

Gorgeous craftsmanship - the dt8 on the left and the D20r on the right

On the face of it we have two similarly sized boxes, at different price points, with different driver technology.

The build quality of both is excellent, as we’ve come to expect from ProAc. That is solid, blessed with crisp edges and with superb quality wood veneers, available in a range of finishes to enhance any home. 

So, how do they differ?

The ProAc Response DT8 

The DT 8 is the entry point for ProAc floor standers. The speaker cabinets are cleverly designed, heavily braced, and damped to give the drive units a solid, low-noise foundation to work from.

The drive units are arranged in what is known as a D’appolito design, with two mid bass drivers one each side of the single dome tweeter. Treble is provided by a SEAS tweeter, manufactured to ProAc’s specification.

However, ProAc has approached the D’appolito format differently from most by using different mid bass drivers working in tandem, to get the best of all worlds - a polypropylene cone in the top unit shoots for natural mids, and a stiff poly mica diaphragm in the lower to deliver powerful-but-articulate bass. This is further supported by a ported cabinet with the bass loaded via side vents at the base of the speaker, making the speakers less fussy about room positioning than conventional rear-firing ported alternatives tend to be, but they will need some space around them. 

As a result, this speaker delivers ProAc’s design criteria of an exceptional extended low frequency response along with their signature natural sounding midrange and pinpoint imagery.

Despite a nominal impedance of just 4ohms, the DT8 aren’t overly demanding of an amplifier. They’re pretty sensitive at 90dB, so there shouldn’t be an issue getting to high volume levels but, they need to be driven by an amplifier with good grip, control, and dynamics, such as the Rega Elicit, or even better, a Naim Supernait 3 or Rega Aethos.

ProAc Response D20R 

The D20R is the second up entry point in the Response range, after the DT8. It carries a similar sized cabinet but uses a quite different design philosophy. 

Here there is a single bass/midrange driver, featuring a glass fibre weave cone, Excel magnet system and a unique acrylic damping phase plug. The speaker here also features the optional ProAc ribbon tweeter, which is lighter than human hair, along with a rear chamber damping and alnico magnet. As with the DT8 this is further supported by a ported cabinet with the bass loaded via side vents at the base of the speaker.  

All this is directed to meet the design criteria of an open and expansive midrange, with substantial bass and sweet and detailed high frequencies.

Again, they are pretty sensitive at 88dB, so there shouldn’t be an issue getting to high volume levels but, they need to be driven by an amplifier with good grip, control, and dynamics, such as the Naim Supernait 3 or Rega Aethos. Even better something like the Naim NSC 222 Streaming Pre-Amplifier and matching NAP 250 power amplifier.

How do they sound? 

In our demonstration room, both were positioned about 0.5 metres from the rear wall and well away from the sidewalls, angled slightly towards the listening position to focus the stereo imaging.

We tested both with a Rega P10 record deck and Apheta 3 MC cartridge, Aria phono stage, Aethos integrated amplifier and Innuos Zen Mini streamer. Both speakers were in their element with this system as the amplifier provided with them with really good dynamic power and vice like control.

The demo room - The DT8’s on the end of the rega system showing great dynamics and finesse

Both speakers can be described as agile, articulate with expressive dynamics, with an insightful midrange and a taught punchy bass. Exactly what your music needs. Where they differ is that the DT8 was more upfront, but still delivers the essence of the music. The DT8s are exciting, particularly with rock and dance music. The D20R also delivers all of this but is more articulate, with greater insight, the instruments and voices having more shape and expressed micro-dynamics, so that you can delve deeper into the performance. The bottom end is tight and deep. Overall, a richer experience surely helped by the fantastic ribbon tweeter and wider soundstage.

You just get more.

Next the D20’s in situ - looking and sounding great

Conclusion 

Both promise long-term listening pleasure, but they occupy different price points. In this context you would expect the D20R to be better overall, but the DT8 is good in its own right. So, there we have it. The more time we spend with the Response range, the more we like what they do. 

Important Notice

On Saturday 16th September in the morning and afternoon we are holding a ProAc event at our Oxford store. We’d love you to come along. Details here

 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 

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ProAc can be found at the following Audio T stores -

Celebrating 50 years of Rega with a reimagining of the award winning Rega Planar 3 turntable

/ Audio T Brighton/

Hi all, and welcome to this month’s Brighton store blog. This month we’re going to be taking a close look at a special edition of an old stalwart, one that has been a homie for the best part of five decades. The Rega Planar 3 turntable 50th Anniversary Edition (Exact MM Cartridge).

Planar 3 Walnut effect plinth with aluminium custom 50th badge

Form is temporary, class is permanent...

I’m finding myself in somewhat of a comfort zone as I start to write this month’s blog. Why? You ask…

my vintage 1980’s rega planar 3 in use at home.

Well, just take a glance at this photo to witness my set-up, including ownership of an early 1980s Rega Planar 3. As a long time owner of the Rega Planar 3, I can vouch for its qualities.

Barring some minor aesthetic and engineering changes (small, but significant) the Rega Planar 3 hasn’t changed all that much over five decades. Unless of course you are an aficionado of the brand’s decks, you may not even notice.

The many faces of the Planar 3…

The Rega Planar 3 turntable has appeared in several award winning iterations over the years, with minor cosmetic changes, such as the power button being moved from the top, to the underside of the deck. There have of course been engineering changes to the turntable throughout the decades, with changes in materials and components.

Currently the standard Rega Planar 3 is available as: Rega Planar 3 (no cartridge), Rega Planar 3 (Elys 2 MM cartridge) or Rega Planar 3 (Exact MM cartridge) all in 3 different colours; Gloss Black, Gloss White or Gloss Red finishes.

However, to celebrate the 50 years since its founder, Roy Gandy, set up Rega, a special version has been created to mark the event.

50th anniversary Rega Planar 3 Edition...

The 50th anniversary Rega Planar 3 edition is only available with a Rega Exact MM cartridge factory fitted, sporting a rather fine walnut vinyl wrap finish, so if your colour choice isn’t walnut you’ll have to go via one of the three colour options mentioned above, I’m afraid! The 50th anniversary Rega Planar 3 edition does take things a step further though, with the inclusion of an upgrade via the external Rega Neo Mk 2 power supply.

Rega Neo Mk 2 external power supply/speed change

rega neo mk 2 power supply

Normally the Rega Neo MK 2 power supply is an additional purchase which improves sound quality further, by externalising power with a beefier power supply, whilst keeping the noise further afield by housing it in a separate box. As a bonus, one can also change speeds between 33/45 by selecting a button, rather than having to remove the glass platter and manually change speeds via a rubber belt being repositioned. For some people, this feature alone will sway them towards this version.

The fact that the Rega Neo MK 2 power supply is included as a “freebie” when purchasing the 50th anniversary Rega Planar 3, makes it almost a “no-brainer”. But to add to that, the included Neo MK2 PSU is hand tuned to the motor to accurately set speed and minimise vibration (same method as used on the PL6 & PL8).

Rega Exact MM cartridge

rega exact mm cartridge fitted as standard on the 50th anniversary rega planar 3

The 50th anniversary Rega Planar 3 edition comes fitted with a Rega Exact MM cartridge. This is currently Rega’s finest moving magnet cartridge, offering a smooth and refined performance, matching well with Rega’s Fono MM phono stage or the phono inputs on their Rega IO, Rega Brio, Rega Elex Mk 4 or Rega Elicit Mk 5 integrated amplifiers.

Rega turntable EBLT reference drive belt

rega turntable Eblt reference drive belt

Last but by no means least, this turntable comes included with the Rega turntable EBLT reference drive belt. The research that Rega put into developing this drive belt are astonishing and the improvements in speed stability and noise reduction are tangible. The best analogy I can come up with is that you wouldn’t put cheap tyres on a racing car, it’s as simple as that. The fact that the EBLT belt is fitted as standard on the 50th anniversary Rega Planar 3 edition just seals the deal, in my opinion!

Summing up the 50th anniversary Rega Planar 3 edition...

testing three 50th anniversary rega planar 3 decks at our audio T store in brighton

The 50th anniversary Rega Planar 3 Edition is a remarkable sonic package for the money. Here’s a recap of the main features of this incredible product -

  • Walnut effect plinth with aluminium custom 50th badge.

  • Neo Mk2 PSU included - Hand tuned to the motor to accurately set speed and minimise vibration (same method as used on the PL6 & PL8).

  • Exact MM factory fitted.

  • Reference drive belt fitted.

  • RB330 precision tonearm.

  • 24 V low noise motor fitted with CNC’d Planar 6 drive pulley.

  • Double brace technology.

  • 12mm float glass Opti-white platter.

  • Smoked dust cover fitted with custom aluminium 50th lid badge.

Given the additional upgrades included in this package I would urge you to consider one before Rega cease manufacturing this limited edition product at the end of 2023.

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.

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Dynaudio Confidence 50 - Now at Audio T Portsmouth

/ Audio T Portsmouth/

As the newest member of the Audio T family, It’s not every day that I get to listen to speakers costing just over £24K, so it was with a sense of excitement that we took delivery of a demo pair of Dynaudio Confidence 50 at Audio T Portsmouth.

Arriving in wooden crates weighing around 80kg apiece it was clear that these were something pretty special. No cardboard here, thank you very much.

Unscrewing the crates and lifting tops off revealed glossy, 5ft long monoliths of impeccably lacquered Raven Wood (also available in Midnight High Gloss, Blonde Wood, Ruby Wood High Gloss and Smoke High Gloss) housing the trademark composite baffle fitted to Dynaudio Confidence range comprising the 20, 30, 50 and 60 models.

Sans crates the Confidence 50 weigh in at a relatively modest 50kg, nonetheless moving them out and standing them up is still a two-person job.

As with most floor standing speakers, the Confidence 50 are supplied with rubber feet for hard surfaces and substantial spikes for carpeted floors. Using the spikes in our recently carpeted demo room, we achieved a rock-solid stance for the big Dynaudio pair.

It started with a tweeter…

Bill Livingston, the UK Dynaudio Sales Manager, talked us through the design process for the Confidence and their 28mm Esotar3 tweeter. It was developed from scratch and its multi-component construction shows Dynaudio’s obsession with research and development.

“The design of the Confidence range began with the design of the tweeter. We knew if we got that right then the rest of the speaker design would follow,” said Bill.

Where it all began… Esotar3 soft-dome tweeter

The tweeter is set into a proprietary Dynaudio Directivity Control (DDC) lens which was developed, along with the tweeter and the rest of the drive units, using the company’s bespoke acoustic test facility, named Jupiter, which is based at their HQ in Skanderborg, Denmark.

Dynaudio Jupiter testing facility

The dynaudio confidence ddc lens

The DCC is designed to reduce sonic reflections from the ceiling, floor and furniture. Its shape means that it can do this while preserving the width of the soundstage (more of which later).

The tweeter and its DCC lens sit in the middle of twin mid-range units and woofers, all featuring single-piece magnesium silicate polymer (MSP) cones driven by robust yet light weight motor assemblies. These sit in the acoustically-sculpted composite baffle which is set into the beautifully finished cabinets which taper towards the rear, rather like the leading edge of an aircraft wing.

Let the listening begin…

None of the technical preamble quite prepares you for the sound that these speakers can produce. We had them hooked up to our demo Naim NSC 222 streaming pre-amp, a Naim NAP 250 power amp and a Naim NPX 300 power supply.

The first thing that hits you is the scale of the presentation. Of course, you’d expect any large three-way floor stander worth its salt to give you convincing musical scale. But the Dynaudio Confidence 50 give you full throttle Albert Hall meets Red Rocks Amphitheatre scale when the music demands it. Width is matched by depth and height.

Treble, midrange and bass (there is no shortage of low bass in these speakers, thanks in part to the downward-firing bass ports) are, individually, beautifully presented. But it is their combined effect that contributes to the Confidence 50 party piece – as realistic a musical presentation as I have personally ever heard.

While good speakers can deliver detail and micro dynamics in spades, the Dynaudio 50 take this to a new level. Whether reproducing a live symphony recording or a close-mic’d studio track, the Dynaudio Confidence 50 deliver levels of fidelity and insight that make the music sound immediate, present and organic. They convey a real sense of the musical intentions, techniques and emotions of the artists along with the nuances and imperfections of their recording environments.

Our Naim system worked brilliantly with the Confidence 50 but, as the Dynaudio cost more than all three Naim boxes combined, it makes me wonder how these speakers will sound with the new Naim 300 series pre and power amplifier being launched soon. It also leaves me wondering exactly how the bigger, pricier Dynaudio Confidence 60 manage to top their performance.

The good news is that we’ll have the Dynaudio Confidence 50 on demonstration for a while yet in the Audio T Portsmouth demo room and we’d be delighted to welcome you to drop in and have a listen for yourself.

Thanks for reading.

Alan, Luke and Stephen - Audio T Portsmouth

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Rega makes it clear that the P6 rocks. Chromey needs clarification.

/ Audio T Manchester/

Rega have a long history of improvement and development. Never a company to fit around fads or fashion, their products cut their own groove when it comes to product development. In the 1980's they redefined the performance levels offered by an affordable turntable; the classic Planar 2 and Planar 3 models both introduced revolutionary arm technology, with unheard of arm rigidity for the price. The RB250, and its more refined brother the RB300, became the stuff of legends.

I CAN see the death star from here!!

Over the last generation, Rega have hugely improved on these two landmark products, the introduction of the absolute reference 'NAIAD' turntable showed what Rega could do with a virtually unlimited budget, and further advanced Rega's knowledge and understanding of turntable design. Rega now offers a well-thought-out and carefully orchestrated range of turntables ranging from the introductory P1 through to the reference NAIAD. But still, a commonality runs through their ultra-low mass and high rigidity designs, even in the entry model P1, making them instantly recognisable as a Rega deck in both sound and style.

The P6 sits quite squarely as the 'mid-range' deck in the Rega range. The deck's plinth borrows technology from the High-End P10 model, with its use of its aerospace technology incorporated in the ultra-low mass foam core and HPL laminated plinth. The plinth is fully braced top and bottom with a pair of alluminium braces, linking the base of the arm to the precision main bearing housing. As standard the deck comes with Rega's NEO MkII electronic turntable power supply, which, as well as providing a convenient method of speed change, enhances the AC drive signal for the decks motor, providing an improvement in noise and speed stability. The result is a much clearer and defined sound. The 24V hand-tuned motor is coupled to the single-piece, precision-machined sub-platter via a reference EBLT belt. The main platter uses a substantial double-float layered traditional Rega glass-type design. This gives an increased fly-wheel effect, giving greater speed and pitch stability.

The CIRCLE of chrome, completes chromey.

The arm fitted is shared with the next model up in the range, the P8, the arm being the RB880. Technology in metal casting has been hugely improved from the days when the RB300 was state-of-the-art. The '880 features a thinner die casting, to reduce arm mass, and features a tapered arm tube, to reduce arm resonance and substantially increase strength. The RB880 also features exceptionally strong and low friction bearings, counterbalanced with a stainless steel counterweight. This all helps to capture all of the smallest of vibrations from the record, providing the most stable of structures for the cartridge to resolve every exact detail. The standard cartridge supplied is the well known three bolt mounting moving magnet the 'Exact' - with the option of a factory fitted Ania or Ania Pro moving coil.

All of this technology enables the Rega P6 to outperform rival decks at double the cost. A refined and detailed performer, offering a level of audiophile quality normally unheard of at this price point. Taking a classic album track such as Fleetwood Mac and 'The Chain', the improvement in bass definition, and the ability to clearly hear the precise changing of the notes is something that lesser decks leave muddy and fuddy. Vocals open out and the singers fill the room, sounding less like they are being reproduced via a pair of loudspeakers, but simply more real. The high quality arm bearings give the deck freedom and power in the bass & treble registers, when the drums kick in, you really feel it!

Rega has correctly always put performance as paramount over aesthetics. For the last few years, the latest P6 came from the factory in a finish described as 'polaris grey', fitted complete with a smoked lid, plus a frosted edge to the double float glass platter. As you can see from our pictures, the latest revision features an all white plinth, the grey polaris does remain, an all clear polished edge to the platter, plus an all clear lid complements this lovely new light white look, giving the deck an air of design and lightness of touch.

Thanks for reading,

Haden, Munir, James, & David - Audio T Manchester

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Do Hi-Fi cables make a difference?

/ Audio T Cardiff/

This month, Matt from Audio T Cardiff takes a deeper look into speaker cables and interconnects, and how different qualities make a difference to the sound of our wonderful Hi-Fi systems, and the big question of price.

On my long personal journey through the wonderful world of Hi-Fi, building up my own Hi-Fi system, one of the things I’ve found intriguing throughout is cables. I’ve always felt it’s important to have good quality cable. Going back to my pro audio days, depending on which instrument cable I used this would show up in my sound. Especially using clean tones on my guitar amplifier, which is all valve so this would show up a bad cable, and in some cases it would feel like my guitar is being strangled, eg. overly compressed and not enjoyable to the ear, whereas a good instrument cable would fix this.

Some people say it’s very much smoke and mirrors with cable and they doubt if all the marketing information is true. I believe any good manufacturer will do their research, test their products and bring their ideas to the table, then offer a range of cables which they feel has certain sonic benefits to our Hi-Fi systems’ sound. There are lots of variations in the way cables are manufactured, high purity copper, solid core or multi stranded, silver plating, how the cable is shielded and the material used to cover the cable, the type of plugs; all these things can affect how a cable performs.

Every company has their own idea of what sounds right, but what’s most important in all of this is to use our own ears, we all have our own taste when it comes down to our system set up, as I keep saying there’s no wrong answers.

Before I dive into cable companies, let’s look at the different ways you can connect your system and types of plugs used and maybe a little history. One of the most common interconnect plugs used, the phono plug (which is short for Phonograph) is associated with the connection of turntable tone arms. The phono plug is also more commonly known as an RCA plug. As we know, RCA is an acronym of the Radio Corporation of America, which became their standard connection in the US.

The other connection used quite often in a balanced set up is the XLR plug/socket which stands for X Latching Resilient connector. The XLR plug was originally invented by the Cannon electrical company.

And finally, the banana plug, which as we know is used on our speaker cables. There are few types out there solid core like Chords Ohmic plugs, and one of the most common designs, the simple but very useful Z plug. The main focus of this article is on RCA interconnects and Banana plugs on speaker cables.

CHORD COMPANY

First up is Chord Company.

Chord has been a well known brand in the industry for a rather long time. The Chord cable company started way back in 1984, with a conversation over dinner with the guys from Naim. The founders of Chord went away and came back with their first prototype cable, the Chrysalis RCA. The rest, as they say, is history.

Chord co. factory terminated epic speaker cable with chord ohmic speaker plugs

Chord Company has been building groundbreaking and award winning cables ever since with some of our favourite product lines such as Clearway, Shawline and Epic.

So how do Chord cables perform?

Throughout Chord’s lineup they seem to have the same lineage in sound in a good way. From the C series, such as their C screen speaker cable and RCA interconnects, right through the rest of their ranges - Clearway, Shawline and especially Epic.

Personally, I have always found Chord Cables to be a great brand to rely on as they seem to get it right pretty much every time. The main cables in their lineup that particularly shine for me are Shawline and Epic. Both have great sonic benefits. The Shawline RCA interconnects with their Array technology and silver plated conductors, fitted with their Chor-Alloy plugs, are a constant for me in any set up and they seem to bring great detail, accuracy, and control over bass to the sound. Whether it’s a turntable setup, CD or streaming I feel these are a great choice.

chord co. shawline analogue rca to rca

On the EpicX lineup, the speaker cable is where it’s at for me, again Chord’s great combination of copper and silver plating and high-frequency shield translucent PVC jacket for an improved performance, combined with Chords Ohmic banana plugs makes this a truly great speaker cable. For me, the sonic performance of this speaker cable offers detail, well controlled bass, and I even feel it improves timing between instruments.

BLACK RHODIUM

Black Rhodium’s origins date all the way back to 1975, when Graham Nalty began in the hi-fi industry, selling loudspeakers that he would demonstrate in customers’ homes. Later he put his vast knowledge into designing and building groundbreaking audio cable.

The Introductory level is the gateway to their wide range of products, I believe these cables perform way above their price point. The RCA interconnects Copper core construction, good shielding and gold plated RCA plugs make a great interconnect. Sonically I regard these as a very honest sounding cable, while being clean and precise, they don't colour the sound.

black rhodium intro speaker cable

Their Intro speaker cables have twin copper conductors and a large Ferrite core. The cable is sheathed with an expandable braid which reduces mechanical vibrations within the cable. These cables come fitted with gold plated Z plugs.

How do Black Rhodium cables perform?

Again, I feel that these speaker cables perform way above their price point, they have been our go-to cable for lower to mid priced systems for some time now. They have a clean and precise, well balanced sound, and good overall control.

HOW MUCH SHOULD I SPEND ON CABLES?

This really depends on the type of Hi-Fi system you have. A smaller system like a Rega Brio amp, Rega turntable and a pair of Dali Oberon 1 speakers is perfectly happy with something like Black Rhodium Intro, whereas if you put the same cable on the Naim NSC 222 with NAP 250 combination, the system will not perform at its best. So a better cable from Chord or Naim would be in order. It’s all about finding the right cable for the job, but do aim for the best cable you can afford within your budget.

We strongly recommend trying out different cables, listening to the differences they make to your system. To assist you with this take advantage of our home loan scheme, and see what you think and what difference cables can make to your sound.

Thanks 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…

Chord Company can be found at the following Audio T stores

Black Rhodium can be found at the following Audio T stores

Celebrating 50 years of Naim Audio with the limited edition NAIT 50

/ Audio T Cheltenham/

As Naim Audio celebrate their 50th anniversary this year, the audio sommeliers from deepest darkest Salisbury had the brilliant idea to create a limited edition run of the NAIT 50 integrated amplifier as a homage to the Original NAIT 1 that was introduced in 1983 and helped to forge the legend for them all those years ago.

Open That Box…..Quick!

Can you tell what it is yet?

Totally Redesigned

Every part of the new Naim NAIT 50 has been redesigned. Naim very proudly boast that it is a ‘big box’ audiophile Naim integrated amp but in a small box.

The original NAIT is certainly one of the most recognisable pieces of hi-fi equipment ever made and personally I have loved this diminutive marvel in (almost) all its forms over the years (I personally wasn’t so keen on the MK3 version though… I feel they lost their mojo a little there!), and I have been really looking forward to seeing if this new version sounds as good as I remember the old ones used to especially the MK1 and MK2 which were my most favourite.

Small amp with massive attack

Just Wow!

Even fresh out of the box the new NAIT 50 delivered that trademark Naim sound and was really enjoyable but after a few days worth of running in the sound blossomed and became instantly recognisable with that typical NAIT like fast, rhythmic, dynamic and detailed presentation that I was hoping it would do. I picked out my CD copy of Mezzanine by Massive Attack an album that I adore and know inside out and gave it a play. The sound was immediately just wow! The soundstage was huge with instruments seeming to just hang in the air totally free of the speakers and it was so easy to follow all the strains of the music all at the same time… No mean feat for this small 25 Watt’er! I very quickly began to realise that this was a rather special little amp and was an addictive listen. I found myself listening to the whole album as I was able to hear things within the NAIT’s almost holographic, exciting presentation that I was sure I had never heard before and I love it when that happens.

There is also a headphone socket on the front panel to access the very same new discrete transistor headphone amplifier that is to be found in Naim’s new super duper Classic series. There is no remote control but then that would spoil the retro appeal now wouldn’t it?

1973 And All That..

This is indeed a special little monster and other manufacturers now have a serious competitor, albeit only for a limited period because there will only be a total of 1,973 NAIT 50 produced, so don’t hang around too long as they are likely to sell out very quickly and will almost certainly become a bit of a collectors item! And for those of you that ask, it’s 1,973 units to commemorate the year Naim was founded, not the year the NAIT 1 was released - That was 1983.

What’s Round The Back

Even looks great from the back

On the rear there is a dedicated MM Phono stage for your turntable and streamer and auxiliary inputs on Naim’s preferred 5 pin din sockets. The loudspeaker outputs are banana sockets. Mains is via a 3 pin IEC socket and Naim supply one of their own superduper Power-Line Lite mains cables for superior electrical contact. The instant on switch when in the “on” position will keep all the sensitive audio circuits permanently powered up for optimum sound quality.

Conclusion

The NAIT legacy lives on in the limited edition NAIT 50. I am actually so impressed with this latest regeneration I may just want to purchase it myself! It is practically perfect. And if your interest has been piqued and you would like a listen to the amazing Naim NAIT 50 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 - Audio T Cheltenham.

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

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Don’t You… Forget About Me! Hi-Fi We Miss When It's Not Around…

/ Audio T Reading/

Don’t you… forget about me… Don’t, don’t, don’t, don’t you ever wonder why a song line randomly pops into your head, then naggingly plays on repeat internally for an eternity? Well on this occasion, there was surely a reason that the Simple Minds classic, along with other addictively good (and addictively bad) bangers, had infiltrated every part of our subconscious; Recently at Audio T Reading, we took our superb Sennheiser HD 820 closed-back headphones to Audio T Swindon for a customer demo, and literally as soon as they’d left us, we were yearning to have them back! The HD 820 just wouldn’t let us forget about them, because here in the shop they have become one of our ultimate can’t-bear-to-be-without products. We thought this would be a great opportunity to share more of our other most-missed items, and if you’d like to know why we cry into our pillows at night when these audio dependables leave the shop, then please read on…

SENNHEISER HD 820 – HOW I WISH… HOW I WISH YOU WERE HERE

It would be mischievous to keep you all in suspense having already mentioned the Sennheiser HD 820, so let’s get into why these headphones have become one of the go-to reference tools in the shop and why it induces panic every time they go missing... First of all, it’s hard to assign a sonic character to these cans and we find their great strength lays in largely telling it as it is. They are unerringly accurate. When we want to know how a particular piece of equipment in a system affects the overall sound, out come the HD 820. If we want to block out the ambient noise in the shop by way of best-in-class passive isolation, then we can count on the HD 820 – there have been times when the wearer of these headphones hasn’t heard the phone ringing right next to them, even with no music playing through the Sennheisers! Nevertheless, for a while now, the primary use for the HD 820 headphones within the shop has been to check the resulting sound quality from turntables after a cartridge fitting has taken place, or when various alignments and general turntable fettling have been performed. If, say, the vertical tracking angle of a tonearm isn’t quite right, or when trying to find the sweet spot for the cartridge tracking force, then the Sennheiser HD 820 are the headphones we regularly rely upon to hear exactly what’s happening and to fine tune the sound. Whenever these sweet cans leave our shop, we can’t help but wish they were here (à la Pink Floyd)…        

SOLIDSTEEL SS-6 – NOTHING COMPARES 2 U

It was unfortunately more than seven hours and fifteen days (thanks to the late & great Sinead O’Connor) since someone took our lovely SolidSteel SS-6 speaker stands away. When these beauties temporarily escaped our clutches, a collective sigh could be heard from us (as well as from our standmount speakers!). We’ve grown really fond of the SS-6 stands, especially in the raw metal finish, which just look so mightily fine with every speaker that they regally hold aloft. These stands aren’t just style over substance though – the solid yet lightweight design means that they store very little acoustical energy, helping the speakers to project with trueness and almost as if they’re not on stands at all. Their tripod design means that, unlike a boxer that’s gone twelve rounds with Muhammad Ali, they never rock or sway even a micrometre and maintain a sure footing at all times. This makes the SS-6 a demo-room dream, speaker stands that we can set down quickly and confidently, with full trust that they’ll do the job right. Quite simply, very little compares to them, and if anyone takes these away from us, we’ll most certainly get another demonstration pair…

NAIM UNITI ATOM HEADPHONE EDITION – AIN’T NO SUNSHINE WHEN SHE’S GONE

We’re still anxiously awaiting the return of our demonstration Naim Uniti Atom Headphone Edition (HE), and this time we are wondering if she’ll stay (Bill Withers, we salute you). Can there be a more complete solution for headphone listening than the Uniti Atom HE?

  • Balanced and single-ended outputs? Check.

  • Oodles of glorious Naim power to drive all but the most ridiculously inefficient of headphones? Check.

  • High quality on-board streaming? Yes.

  • Elegant design as well as robust build quality? You bet.

  • Multiple connectivity options such as Bluetooth and Airplay 2, Roon Readiness, Tidal and Qobuz streaming platforms… yes, yes, yes!

The list goes on! This is currently our go-to audio product for demonstrating the quality and potential of various different hi-fi headphones. There is something about the sound of the Uniti Atom HE that is just right… clarity and insight, dynamics and fullness, speed and finesse, sheer musicality – it’s all there waiting to be tapped straight into your favourite cans. It even makes for a wonderful preamp when paired with, say, a set of powered speakers, like the excellent Acoustic Energy AE1 Active. When we need a headphone amp that can pretty much do it all, the Naim Uniti Atom HE is what we turn to. And when we walk to the spot where it normally resides, only to find that it’s gone AWOL, we can be sure there is only darkness every day…

 

I AIN’T MISSING YOU AT ALL - A HAPPY ENDING

While (like Aerosmith) we don’t want to close our eyes, prefer not to fall asleep, and definitely don’t want to miss a thing, the good news is that you don’t have to miss anything at all (just ask John Waite). And if you would like to know of many more great hi-fi products that we would miss like crazy, but would be equally happy for you to take away for demo or procure for keeps, then please don’t you… forget about us… and please do get in touch with your nearest Audio T store. We’re always looking forward to seeing or hearing from you. For now, we’re off to search all around the world for our beloved demo audio equipment, our babies… (Lisa Stansfield).

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…

SolidSteel can be found at the following Audio T stores

Forgotten Gem? The Dynaudio Emit 10 Loudspeaker

/ Audio T Swansea/

It’s a hard fact in life that if we’re not occasionally reminded of the existence of a thing, that thing will fall out of the day-to-day consciousness. This is sometimes the case when you’re surrounded by so many Hi-Fi and Home Cinema goodies day-to-day… We have one or two such items in our shop that through no fault of our own, or indeed their own, have perhaps become not actually invisible, but now occupy a blind spot. So let’s refresh our minds and take a look at a beloved favourite…

THEY’RE EMIT 10S! WHO’D HAVE THOUGHT IT? here mounted on solidsteel ss-6 stands

A DYNAUDIO SPEAKER, BUT WHICH ONE?

There is nothing in their appearance to suggest they warrant a snub. The Dynaudio Emit 10 are attractive enough, with their plain and neat little cabinets, made of 18mm thick MDF have a chamfered baffle and a vinyl finish which is available in black, white or walnut. This is a step up from the painted finish of their predecessor, the Emit M10. They’re designed to be played in a small room, and their proportions reflect this.

Maybe it’s the components?

The star of the show here is Dynaudio’s own Cerotar tweeter, which derives from the extremely well received tweeters in their Confidence range. A great deal of Dynaudio’s 40 year long high reputation is built on their tweeters and one finds Dynaudio HF units in a great many other loudspeaker brands spread across the planet.

The midrange/bass unit is a highly damped design with its dust cap bonded to the voice coil behind and two magnets driving it – all the better to control the magnetic flux, we are reliably informed. The crossover was designed by the team behind the wildly successful Heritage Specials. No complaints here about that.

THE INEVITABLE CLOSE-UP WITH BOKEH SHOT.

The Emit 10 aren’t particularly difficult to drive, the 6 Ohm rating might suggest they may be, but when paired with modest amplification like the dinky Rega iO, they fill out the space they’re in very happily, creating a credible soundstage that does not suggest that more power is required. Listening to them in smaller rooms with modest amplification is a delight.

With this environment and partnering equipment the Emit 10 reward you with a beautiful, authentic and organic sound, filled with detail and with very little artifice. The decay of strings and cymbals is particularly natural and satisfying. Their nearest competitor, the Bowers & Wilkins 607 S2, might go louder and have more high frequency sparkle, but we feel that they can’t match the Emit 10s engaging and involving nature that allows you to melt into the music.

THAT REGA IO AMPLIFIER with a limited edition walnut rega planar 1

In conclusion, the Emit 10 deserve to be on everyone’s (who has a modestly sized space in which to play) short list of speakers under £800. In terms of transparency and authentic reproduction they have few peers at this price. They do have a limitation however – if you want to play music loud, look at the larger sibling the Emit20s.

in their preferred habitat of our music salon, rather than on a shelf, weeping softly because they’re all alone.

To experience what I mean I implore you to come over and listen to them. It’s the only way to be sure...

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…

Bowers & Wilkins can be found at the following Audio T stores -

What is Future-Fi™? Exploring the Options at Audio T Bristol

/ Audio T Bristol/

Back in 2016 the Venerable Bede of Hi-Fi reviewers, John Darko, coined the term “Future-Fi™”… 7 years on, where are we now? And what are the options? Traditionalists and hardcore audiophiles, look away now... This blog may not be for you!

Broadly speaking, traditional Hi-Fi consists of a source → amplifier → loudspeakers. The source may include a Turntable, CD Player and/or Streamer; The amplifier may be split into a preamp and a power amp – sometimes with associated power supply units for those modules and not forgetting the tagliatelle of cabling and interconnects. Every unit has its own unique job to do and this uncompromising approach, by its modular nature will deliver the highest audio quality and is robust. Any future improvements in DACS, preamp options or a better source can be easily plumbed into this Hi-Fi arrangement with the associated benefits easily appreciated.

However, unless you have a large space, dedicated listening room or have a penchant for a living space to resemble a recording studio, this approach may be visually intrusive. Also, there is the all important PAFF (Partner And Family Factor) - we are not all fans of black monolith obelisks, rack fulls of equipment and prefer our tagliatelle squid inked with mussels, calamari crackling and mozzarella purée, not laid out on the living room floor.

“Beam me up Scotty” - Marching onwards, let’s breakdown Future-Fi™ into back end integrations; Super Integrated amps, JAS and All-in-ones and front end integrations; active and streaming speakers…

The Super Integrated Amp

An integrated amp will have the pre and power stages in one box and usually includes a headphone output, phono stage and a pre out, which enables the connection of a power amp to upgrade the performance, bypassing the power stage of the integrated - just using the pre of the integrated.

Now, the Super Integrated has a DAC. This is normally in the form of a optical and/or COAX input. This allows you to connect a TV, streamer or CD directly to the amp. Invariably the DAC in the integrated is tuned to the amplifier, thus you get a sound profile of the integrated for all your sources and ONE volume control. Examples of this include the Rega Elicit, Rega Elex & Leak Stereo 130 to name but a few.

The JAS Hi-Fi

This is a new term that we’ve coined at Audio T Bristol - JAS (Just Add Speakers). Surprisingly, this can be as simple as a Bluetooth input like the new Rotel A11 tribute. This is the late Ken Ishiwata’s final design for an affordable great sounding amp. Many of our customers have started there Hi-Fi journey with this Rotel and a pair of Acoustic Energy AE100², and stream via a phone or ipad directly to the amp and then add a better source at a later date.

The likes of the Audiolab 9000A and the Roksan Attessa Streaming Amp both have four digital inputs and Bluetooth Receivers with the Attessa adding streaming by way of the BluOS streaming from Bluesound. The Marantz Model 40n utilises the Denon & Marantz streaming platform, HEOS. The JAS sector arguably tops out with products such as the Naim Uniti series Atom, Star and Nova and then the truly amazing Linn Selekt DSM with its myriad of modular design features, as reviewed earlier this year.

All-in-One

Sometimes our living spaces and our listening objectives do not allow for two channel speaker setups. For example a kitchen area, dining room or art studio/craft space where ambient listening that takes up very little space is needed.

Ruark Audio, a brand with a heritage founded in true hi-fi speakers, offer a range of all-in-one solutions from the compact R1 MK4 to the larger R5 and more models to come later in the year.

Naim also offer all-in-one solutions in the form of the Mu-So 2nd Generation and the more compact Mu-So QB 2nd Gen. Whilst these models are superb stand-alone products that feature Focal speaker drivers aligned for room filling detailed audio, they can also be integrated in to larger, multi-room Naim systems via the bespoke Naim app.

Another notable Hi-Fi manufacturer that is also known for a popular all-in-one product is Bowers & Wilkins. Now in its second generation, the Zeppelin has become an iconic item in the lifestyle and interior design world.

The Active Lifestyle

We’ve looked at the amp combining input source functionality, now let’s look from the business end. Speakers combining amplification is nothing new, but lately technologies have allowed speaker manufacturers to finely tune the speaker performance.

Theoretically, this is the perfect scenario - the speaker designer tunes the amplification and crossover to achieve maximum performance out of the speaker design. And certainly, in our opinion comparing active and passive versions, such as the ATC SCM40A or Acoustic Energy AE1 active, that is the case. Indeed, beautiful combinations of the AE1 active with a Bluesound Node as the source and preamp or the ATC SCM40As with a Naim NSC222 as the source and preamp are a marvel.

The Super Actives

Combining a streamer, DAC and source inputs into active speaker now gives a complete system that consists of just two stereo loudspeakers, doing away with need for any boxes of electronics. The new Dynaudio Focus range is the benchmark for this implementation. An absolute breeze to set up, an intriguing deep and detailed sound, a plethora of streaming services integration, Roon ready and Hi-Res streaming at your fingertips and we look forward to reviewing these very soon. The range consists of: Dynaudio Focus 10, Dynaudio Focus 30,Dynaudio Focus 50

In Summary

Low box count does not necessarily mean Lo-Fi. Future-Fi™ is here to stay and the options are becoming more compelling than ever with excellent Hi-Res streaming services cheaper than ever. Whatever your flavour of Hi-Fi, Audio T is here to help!

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…

Bluesound Node X Anniversary Edition.

/ Audio T Manchester/

It's incredible to think Bluesound has existed for ten years now. Streaming High Definition audio has transformed the way we audiophiles listen to our digital music choices. For the past few years, the Bluesound NODE has been without doubt the best introduction to this, and at a very budget-friendly price. Over the years Bluesound has increased the fidelity with every new version of the NODE introduced, and now to celebrate the 10th anniversary, they have released the ultimate limited edition to celebrate; The NODE X.

Chromey has X wings, finally.!!

Resplendent in it's limited edition silver finish, to mark it out from the standard NODE streamer, the NODE X has had it's audio performance turbocharged; the on-board DAC has been upgraded to a reference levels ESS Sabre DAC.

And headphone users take note, as symbolized on the front panel where the standard model's convenient headphone socket has been upgraded from a 3.5mm socket to the larger 6.35mm connection, hinting at a much more serious thought given to headphone amplifier quality. Behind the upgraded socket lies an upgrade in amplifier, with no lesser technology than from the World famous THX Labs, and their AAA (Achromatic Amplifier Technology) ensures what THX Labs claim to be the ultimate in a no-compromise headphone audio experience, with the highest levels of fidelity and the lowest distortion. The other handy little extra is the included remote control for the NODE X, a further upgrade in practicality.

The NODE has always been a bit of a 'Swiss Army Knife' in its approach. Especially given its ultra-compact dimension. Download the BluOS app to your mobile device, and you have a full-blooded streamer capable of accessing all your local audio files on your network, your PC, or via a hard drive or pen stick plugged into the rear of the unit. Even without the BluOS installed, the NODE's can stream from any Bluetooth-enabled device, up to 24-bit resolution is supported with the latest coding.

Apple users can enjoy the latest AirPlay, for lossless play from any Apple device. It is even possible to add other digital and analogue sources to the unit, handy if you have more than one Bluesound device, enabling easy multiroom set-up. The in-built DAC can even be used to upgrade your TV sound, with an up-to-the-minute HDMI channel for audio interfacing. Every streaming service is catered for within the Bluesound BluOS app, Spotify, and the higher quality master quality Tidal and Qobuz. MQA audio support has been native on Bluesound products since its introduction and of course 24 BIT 192Khz playback resolution. Comprehensive analogue and digital outputs are fitted too. If you can find a DAC to improve on the ESS Sabre fitted to the 'X... Internet radio is also embedded into the BluOS operating system. Did we say this really was a Swiss army knife!

The original NODE never fails to impress sonically. Given its low entry-level price, it is a real bargain. But the upgraded limited edition X takes the fidelity even higher, with more precision, and weight. Cleaner cut sonic details and a much more precise sound image. The normal NODE is a seriously amazing piece of kit for a very modest price, but the limited edition X takes it to another level.

Our Node X is on demo, so pop along to our Manchester store to take a look and have a listen.

Thanks for reading,

Haden, 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…

Bluesound can be found at the following Audio T stores -

CDs are back in fashion! - A trio of Marantz Players to consider; The SA10, CD60 AND CD6007

/ Audio T Brighton/

Hi all, and welcome to this months blog. The vinyl revolution has long been underway, with new record pressing plants opening up all the time and record stores re-purposing their shelves to accommodate this revitalised interest and make room for additional stock. Even the humble compact cassette has been given a new lease of life, with artists such as Metallica and Taylor Swift releasing their latest albums on tape. So what about the venerable compact disc? There are definitely signs of life for CDs and we are going to take a look at three players from the mighty Marantz.

Unless you’re into music playback in a big way you may not have noticed that music stores have changed beyond recognition in recent years. The shelves saw records diminish in number during the 80s and 90s in the wake of the compact disc era, almost to the point of extinction. Now, the opposite is happening and CDs are being replaced by records once again, with sales of vinyl massively increasing, along with the interest in record players and their ancillary equipment; cartridges and styli. Streaming has become all the rage and the majority of listeners are adopting this new technology for its portability benefits, choice of music and the reclaiming of domestic shelf space!

Why the CD resurgence?

Despite all of these changes and numerous benefits, CDs have once again started to become popular, with sales increasing during the post lockdown period. From a personal point of view, I hadn’t stopped buying CDs on a frequent basis, with second-hand bargains in charity shops and record stores to be had.

$ music format sales from 1973 - 2021. CD sales are in orange

So the next obvious question is why? I’ll briefly mention a few of my thoughts below, but there are many more than I’ll highlight here.

Firstly, playback and purchase habits have changed for several reasons. The most obvious being cost, with vinyl being very expensive compared to new and especially second-hand CDs. The cost of living crisis is making many people rethink how they spend their money and CDs are a good alternative to streaming services, especially if you’re selective about your music playback. CDs give you the chance to make a one-off payment for your music rather than effectively paying for it every time you play it.

Secondly, like with records, folks enjoy the physical ownership and tactile experience of putting on a CD, with album art and information available in sleeve or booklet form. There is also slightly less of a tendency to flick through tracks and actually listen to an album in its entirety.

Thirdly, you are not subject to the whims of artists or record companies removing music titles from online streaming services. Neil Young is notorious for removing his catalogue from Spotify, which is of course his right to do so, but it doesn’t help the Neil Young fan, unless you own a CD or record of your own. I’ve seen many copies of Neil Young albums available on the second-hand market at bargain prices.

Finally, the quality of the source of the music is pre-determined by the CD master you own and the information printed on the disc. All too often, streaming services have several versions of the same album available at different levels of Hi-Res playback quality. What this numerical data doesn’t tell you though, is how good it sounds. This can vary hugely depending on the choice of stream you select. With your own CD you know what to expect!

I have spoken at length about the virtues of streaming services in one of my earlier blogs. If you would like to read this to ponder the “CD Vs Streaming” debate, click here.

CD player choices...

One of the problems with the decline in CD sales was that manufacturers failed to continue to support older players. CD mechanisms and laser assemblies went out of production and replacements were harder to obtain or ceased to exist. Unfortunately this has meant that some very good older CD players are no longer supported, forcing owners to replace or upgrade an existing model in order to continue playing their precious CDs.

Annoying as this is, some manufacturers have continued to see CDs as an ongoing source of music playback and this is where Marantz comes in as one of the leading players, pun intended, in providing the hardware to do so.

Long-standing Marantz...

Marantz audio consolette circa 1953

Marantz has been around for seven decades as a major Hi-Fi manufacturer, producing some of the most highly regarded equipment, including CD players from the inception of the CD format during the 1980’s.

the original marantz model cd-63 from 1982

For the remainder of this article, we’ll look at three of Marantz’s current range of CD players and see what they have to offer…

From top to bottom: marantz CD6007, CD60 and SA10

Marantz CD6007...

marantz cd6007

The Marantz CD6007 is the baby of the current Marantz range. Stemming from a line of previous iterations of award winning CD players, the CD6007 inherits their established qualities.

rear of the Marantz cd6007(top) and Marantz cd60(bottom)

The CD tray is a pretty standard affair of good quality and has a smooth action when opening and closing. The back panel of the Marantz CD6007 is fairly similar to the Marantz CD60 in terms of inputs, albeit with a slightly different layout. Build quality on the entry-level CD player is very good for the money but the Marantz CD60 is clearly a step-up in construction quality, with visibly more sturdy bracing via additional bolts in the rear and a more hefty feel, which inspires confidence. Manufacturers often talk of building to a price point and the look and construction certainly reflect that.

Marantz CD60...

marantz cd60

The Marantz CD60 is a very elegant CD player with a nice pearlescent effect on the sides of the front panel when the light catches it right. A design style that Marantz is planning on expanding to other ranges. The CD60 is dimensionally slightly taller and considerably deeper than its younger sibling and this needs to be factored in when putting it on a shelf, so buyer beware and make sure you measure your space.

marantz cd6007(top) and Cd60(bottom)

From the front, the button layouts are slightly different but ergonomically they feel of reasonable quality, albeit slightly too small for my personal taste. The senior generation may enjoy bigger, clearer function buttons, or perhaps I’m just speaking for myself?

From a sound quality point of view, they both perform very well but there are clear sonic differences that your hard-earned pounds pay for. In isolation, the Marantz CD6007 is a smooth sounding player that doesn’t do a lot wrong, leaving out sonic aspects that would highlight its failings. You can hear why it is a What Hi-Fi? award winner in its price class, being a great all-rounder. Not Ian Botham quality but you get my drift.

The Marantz CD60 is a less murky affair, with added extension, detail and dynamic impact. Worth the extra outlay I’d say.

Marantz SA10...

marantz sa10 sacd player

Introducing the Marantz SA10 Super Audio CD Player. Now this is in a completely different league in terms of both construction and playback performance.

You’ve only got to lift the thing to get an idea of what I’m on about. In the previous paragraph I mentioned the great cricketing all-rounder, Ian Botham, and it may not be cricket to say this, but it’s like lifting him!

The copper chassis is a thing of beauty and designed to reduce the interference that can detract from audio performance.

marantz sa10 rear inputs

There are a plethora of inputs on the rear of the Marantz SA10 including; balanced or single ended outputs, USB playback via external storage or laptop, optical and coaxial inputs, so the Marantz SA10 can form the hub of a high quality digital playback system.

Conventional audio playback can be through normal Red Book CDs or via the SA10’s coup-de-gras, SACD playback. Via the medium of SACD (Super Audio Compact Disc), which is clearly shown on the display when playing, sound quality improves dramatically. The gains in detail, dynamics and warmth are massive. Realism is on another scale.

Now don’t get me wrong, the Marantz SA10 is no slouch in normal CD playback either, but if you’re going to make the sort of outlay financially required for this player, you need to have a system commensurate with its price/performance and a pretty significant collection of SACDs to make it worthwhile.

We played the Marantz SA10 through our Naim NSC222, Naim NPX300 and Naim NAP250 system into both Proac DB1 standmount speakers and more recently, the Proac D30RS floorstander speakers, to great effect.

proac d30rs through a naim nd5xs2 and naim supernait 3

Summing up the Marantz power trio...

The Marantz CD6007, Marantz CD60 and Marantz SA10 are a great trio of CD/SACD players and offer customers a good choice at various price points. Well made and sonically at the forefront of their respective price classes, the Marantz range continues their reputation for making excellent CD players since the dawn of the CD age.

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…

ProAc can be found at the following Audio T stores -

Audio T Cheltenham And The Linn Majik LP12

/ Audio T Cheltenham/

It’s the week that Linn have announced the new super duper 50th anniversary £50k Jony Ive (of Apple fame) tweaked redesign of the iconic LP12 and I have just rediscovered my love of the entry level version that Linn call the Majik LP12 and it shaves an absolutely massive £46,300 off the cost of the new anniversary version LP12-50!

Falling In Love Again

The Linn Majik LP12 With Krane arm and adikt cartridge

Of late here in Cheltenham things have tended to centre around the Rega turntables and it has been a while since this little beauty has been taken out for a spin. I thought it was time to change that. The Linn Majik LP12 comes complete with a Krane tonearm, and Adikt moving magnet cartridge, Majik power supply and the rather amazing new Karousel bearing. Owners of older Sondek would do well to look into upgrading old Cirkus bearings to this chunkier, better made version!

At Audio T, we understand the importance of a seamless turntable setup experience, which is why we go the extra mile for our customers. As with all Linn turntables the Majik LP12 will be assembled, set up and installed by one of our Linn trained staff for no extra charge.

Get Into The Groove

Adikt and krane ready for action

Part of the secret to the performance on offer here is the Krane tonearm. This is made to Linn’s exacting specification by the analogue boffins at Clearaudio and it locks that Adikt cartridge in the record groove rock solidly. The record I was playing at the time of re-discovering this groovy vinyl spinner was one of my all time favourite demo albums… Khmer by Nils Petter Molvaer.

Brave New World

such an amazing recording

This has only fairly recently been released on vinyl for the first time, although it first saw the light of day in 1997. Better late than never though eh? Stunningly recorded with some of the deepest bass in recorded music history. It is a wonderful pressing and recording produced by the wizard at ECM that is Manfred Eicher. Massive beats and throbbing grooves underpin the Norwegian trumpeter’s fiery solos in a project that forms a bridge between ECM’s improvised soundscapes and the brave new world of trip-hop, drum and bass, ambient/illbient, techno, industrial, electronica and samples. It is total genius and should be in every self respecting audiophile’s record collection. Played on the LP12 Krane and Adikt combination, this produced the kind of soundstage that was so large that the walls of the room just melted away and the music was left hanging in the air in front of me. It was one of those goose-bump inducing moments that meant I just had to play the whole album! I really do think that for what it was doing this punchy little entry level package was performing way above it’s pay grade. The music was sounding natural, unforced and portrayed the emotion and expressive detail in the music supremely well. The deck was tonally accurate with amazing detail retrieval, making this record a real joy to listen to.

Close up of the adikt

Any Colour You Like…

The Majik LP12 is one of those products that punches way above its weight and provides an ideal entry point into the wonderful world of Linn turntables. A definite improvement over old versions and a great taster for what the LP12 is capable of should you wish to take advantage of any of the myriad upgrades that are available. Unlike the new 50th anniversary deck this one is available in pretty much any colour you like for a little extra money!

Los Endos

If your interest has been piqued and you would like a listen to the amazing Linn Majik LP12 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…

The three musketeers - Andy, Jon and Farid

Andy, Jon and Farid -

Audio T Cheltenham.

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

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

Linn can be found at the following Audio T stores

It all started with a love of Dynaudio…

/ Audio T Oxford/

This month’s blog is something a bit different from our usual fare. Here we explore the front to back process, interaction, relationships and issues involved in a successful and happy customer transaction. Our customer, Rob, has contributed to this article and given his own input on how it went from his point of view… 

Introductions 

Rob got in touch with us at Audio T Oxford as he had recently moved into a new house and knew we are an authorised Dynaudio dealer. He wanted to discuss options on the best system he could have (active or passive), all whilst incorporating his enthusiasm for Dynaudio products.

The Brief and Its Development

High ceiling space - addressed by tuning in The focus 50’s and REL s/512’s

From our initial discussion we qualified Rob’s needs as these are key to a happy customer. We discussed his musical tastes, current music library and his passion for streaming and exploration of new music.

Something that a lot of people underestimate is the discussion around his physical home environment, room dimensions, technical requirements, and any challenges to be overcome to get a great system, matched to his home; both in terms of décor and sonic excellence. Within this we had a clear challenge to drive what is a very large horizontal and vertical space.

We started with a menu of choices and, as luck would have it, we had a Dynaudio Event at Audio T Oxford on 9th November 2022, which Rob attended. The intention was to enable him to get some ears-on experience of the active Dynaudio Focus 50’s that he had already extensively researched on paper, as well as ask some questions and get feedback from the Dynaudio experts on hand. We could then start to establish and formulate a closer approximation of what he was looking for.

Working within the context of a demonstration and/or musical event is one thing, but Rob correctly decided that he needed some time on his own with the system so that he could explore its technical and flexibility of settings, the DSP options and whether he could get an emotional connection with the music and sound quality of the system.

We arranged for Rob to come back in-store and set-up the Focus 50’s with a Innuos Zen Mini MKIII acting as a Roon Core. He spent most of the morning listening to a variety of music, some from his personal collection and some new, courtesy of Roon’s “deep dive” AI suggesting suitable music alternatives. 

The Order

To cut a long story short, Rob placed his order that very same day for a system comprising the Dynaudio Focus 50s, two REL S/812 subwoofers (to be connected via wireless Airships), and an Innuos Zen Mini MKIII (2TB SSD) as a Roon platform and to enable him to download his considerable music collection. The large twin subs were required to shift the air and engage with what is a very large space. 

The décor requirement was achieved by ordering light colours with the ability to hide equipment away in a cupboard where necessary, and with wireless sub connections. The Wireless Speaker and Audio Association (WiSA) connection between the Focus 50s adding to the minimalist look.  

view From the drivers seat - Innuos Zen Mini s and Airship Senders in the white cupboard. WISA wireless connection between the speakers ……..now Unleash the music!

Rob was also interested in a WiSA connection to his television and longer-term enabling DIRAC Live room tuning, both of which can be accomplished through the Focus 50’s. 

Planning & Installation 

Like any project, the idea is to bring things together at the right time, make sure the customer, all the team members and external experts are in the communications loop, test all assumptions are correct and build in a margin for unexpected surprises through consistent due diligence. The aim of all this is to get things lined up and tested so that they can be right first time, wherever possible. All of this was particularly important as we had the skill, but I personally had no actual previous experience of bringing together such a diverse and flexible system involving this relatively new form of technology.

The installation team comprised of Bill Livingston from Dynaudio, our own Kevin Starkie (Audio T Sales and Marketing Director) and Rob from our Oxford store. The installation took the best part of a morning, which included setting up the Focus 50s for room positioning (left master speaker in corner, right in open space), installing, and configuring the Innuos Zen for Roon and installing the two wireless subs and then tuning them to their local environment. And last, but by no means least, getting the music into the room!

Finished Installation - birds eye view from the upper gallery. showing the positioning of the two REL s/812 subs.

Robs Customer Comments

Rob has now had the system for a few months, and these are his comments on his musical and hi-fi journey, how he found the experience of developing and installing the system, and how it fits his lifestyle and sonic requirements…  

1. Can you give us some details of your various music and AV systems and musical journey?  

Started way back in 1979 when my grandparents bought me a radio. I discovered Radio 1 and was hooked! There are too many components to mention but my first ‘proper’ amp was a Rotel receiver with a beautiful analogue radio dial. My first ‘proper’ record player was a Dual CS505. Then university beckoned so it was a real mish-mash of hi-fi. Much later, when I could afford it! I bought second hand Dynaudio Audience 62 speakers, which were already 10 years old but sounded great. Next was a Naim XS2 amp and the synergy was fabulous. I was hooked! My love of Dynaudio has existed ever since. I have always been intrigued by active speakers, to me it just makes sense that the manufacturer finds the best synergy between amp and speaker and does it all for you. When Dynaudio released the Focus series it was a bit of a ‘no brainer’ as it also incorporates streaming capability, Dirac Live, sub-out and is Roon Ready.  

2. What range of music do you like and how has it developed? 

Electronic music will always be my mainstay. My mum used to listen to Vangelis when I was very young and it has clearly influenced me ever since. I still rate Vangelis as an early pioneer of electronic music alongside of course Kraftwerk, Tangerine Dream and the like. Now my musical taste is very broad, from jazz (big fan) to classical and almost everything in between. So a tough ask for any system to get them all right!  

3. In what way is music important for you? 

In so many ways. I will pretty much always have music playing and definitely whilst travelling. I’d be lost without my headphones as I travel a lot! But I am also a big fan of just sitting down and listening to an album, from start to finish and uninterrupted. I think this has been lost to a certain extent and would advise anyone to give it a go. I am a huge fan of Classic Album Sundays for this very reason, so check it out.  

4. What did you think about the process we developed to help define your system? 

I think the key part was being able to meet Otto and Bill from Dynaudio and with Rob’s input it became clear that my living room would need to ‘go large’! It is a huge space, so we wanted to ensure we could adequately fill it with sounds, hence the Focus 50s and two REL S/812 subs. 

5. How did you find the support throughout?

Exemplary. To have all these experts on hand to discuss requirements and set up was extraordinary, and I know I was very fortunate to have the Dynaudio team on hand. On the day of installation, I had Rob, Kevin and Bill all setting up the system in my living room, you cannot wish for a better service.

6. How happy are you with your end system? 

In short – Very. As this is a new house it has taken a long time to complete the furnishings, which I knew would also make a difference to the sound, in a good way. Now that this is finally complete, I can tweak and find the best balance. Next steps will be sound treatment, and then Dirac Live on the Dynaudio which is a fabulous feature to include. I was new to Roon too and I love it. It has so much functionality and has introduced me to new acts and artists, and all in a beautiful interface on a tablet device.  

7. What could we have done better? 

Nothing of note 

8. Any other comments? 

Just to say a huge thanks to all involved with this setup at Audio T and Dynaudio.

Summary

So, thanks go to Rob for trusting us to do this system and for agreeing to and contributing to this article. We know how busy he is and we really appreciate the time he has given from his very hectic schedule. 

Also, thanks to Bill and Otto from Dynaudio for their close support and experience, and to REL and Innuos for their technical support and insight. 

If you would like to know more about these products and how they work together, or for anything else, why not give us a call at the Oxford Store? We will be happy to work with you to get the outcome you are looking for.  

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…

Dynaudio can be found at the following Audio T stores

· BRIGHTON

· BRISTOL

· CHELTENHAM

· MANCHESTER

· ONLINE STORE

· OXFORD

· PORTSMOUTH

· READING

· SOUTHAMPTON

· SWANSEA

· SWINDON

Innuos can be found at the following Audio T stores

· BRISTOL

· CARDIFF

· CHELTENHAM

· MANCHESTER

· ONLINE STORE

· OXFORD

· PORTSMOUTH

· READING

· SOUTHAMPTON

· SWANSEA

· SWINDON

REL can be found at the following Audio T stores

· BRIGHTON

· BRISTOL

· CHELTENHAM

· MANCHESTER

· OXFORD

· PORTSMOUTH

· SOUTHAMPTON

· SWANSEA

· SWINDON

· ONLINE STORE

· READING

· CARDIFF

PLEASE NOTE: Both Roon and DIRAC software require a personal direct customer purchase, subscription and licence. In the case of DIRAC we recommend the use of a certified DIRAC installer which may include a separate fee. Only Roon was used in this install, DIRAC is an option that the customer may wish to undertake in the future.   

"£2K Tone Monsters" - The search for a new Hi-Fi Amplifier

/ Audio T Cardiff/

Thank you for once again joining me on my long sonic journey through the world of Hi-Fi and once again I am looking to make a change to my own Hi-Fi system. This time I’ll be looking to change my amplifier…

One of the most wonderful advantages of me working for Audio T is being able to search for that perfect sound in my own system and in-turn help others on there on their respective high-fidelity journey.

Within the Hi-Fi industry we often say that the source is the most important part of the system. As we know, this is where the music starts. But I, like many others, feel equally passionate about the important role the amplification plays. I always refer to the amplifier as the heart of the system. Every different amp brand bringing a different character to the sound coming from the speakers. Amplifier brands can be categorised in three or more ways like sounding forward, laid back or even neutral; some amplifiers out there defy all of these characteristics. You could say it’s searching for the holy grail, the thing we all hope to find in our HI-Fi systems - that tone, that perfect stereo image and the system synergy between source, amplifier and speakers. You may have heard me say this before, but I want a record to sound like a live band in my living room. To sit back and close my eyes and picture where all the band members are on stage putting a smile on my face or bringing a tear to my eye, truly engaging me in the music and the performance.

The Search Begins…

Like we all do, when we start looking for equipment we set ourselves a realistic budget. In this case I have set my sights at £2000, which as we know there are many worthy amplifiers out there that fit the bill at this price point. But, not only should the amplifier sound right to my ears, like many of us out there, we must also think think about how it’s going to affect our pockets and how to achieve near perfection within a price point. I have luckily narrowed the list down to three contenders which I will tell you all about very shortly but before I do, I’ll tell you about what led me to this dramatic change in my system.

the three contenders

My last change to my system was my loudspeakers. I went down the Danish route with Dynaudio and now proudly own a brilliant pair of Evoke 10’s in stunning walnut. My current amp driving these speakers is a Rega Elex-R which is a fantastic bit of kit but there is a slight problem in that the the Evoke 10’s like a fair amount of drive from the amp to hear them at their best. The Evoke 10’s are a 6 Ohm speaker with 84db sensitivity which means turning the Elex-R up to a fairly high volumes. Now, as much as I enjoy my music at higher volumes, I don't feel my neighbour's would be too happy with that.

So, this brings me to the next big change in my system, the amplifier. So, as I was saying a little while back, what I am looking for in a new amp is as perfect a sound as possible, but I want great performance at lower volumes too.

The Contenders

So, after some deliberation, I was able to whittle down the selection to three contenders:

To help me along choosing an amplifier I have pretty much replicated my system at home…

The Setup

Who will win the race? Let’s dive in ears first and join me on this journey see where I end up!

The Shoot out

Starting with the Audiolab 9000A, this amplifier has been one of the most talked about and well reviewed amplifiers in its class since its release last year. Audiolab as we know has great lineage in Hi-Fi history, going right back to the early 80s with the original 8000 series. Many years down the line it’s now time to replace the 8000 series with the all new 9000 series. The 9000 follows in true Audiolab tradition being class AB design delivering 100 watts into 8 Ohms and 160 watt into 6 Ohms so this amplifier is no slouch. As well as having many analogue inputs it also caters very well in the digital department where I feel the amp really shines with Audiolab’s ESS 9038PRO flagship 32 bit digital to analogue convertor (DAC) chip on board. This makes the Audiolab 9000A amp something rather special, especially the many filter settings on the DAC like Audiolab’s M DAC+ it gives you plenty of scope to set the DAC to your own taste. Whether your source is CD or streaming this amp is certainly capable. Sound-wise the amp had great detail in its sound, well controlled with warmth of tone and full of character. I feel this amp is a bit of a swiss army knife of amps a great do it all machine for sure.

audiolab 9000a rear panel

The 9000A feels right at home with the Dynaudio’s with plenty of power to drive them especially listening to tracks like Led Zeppelin's - No quarter off the Houses of the Holy album. With John Paul Jones’s organ part at the start of the track I could hear fantastic definition with the chorus effect he uses leading perfectly into the rest of the track, drawing me in and enhancing my listening experience.

rega elicit mk5 speaker terminals

To me, the Rega Elicit MK5 is like putting on my favourite pair of Vans trainers. Being a proud owner of a Rega amplifier I feel this is very familiar amplifier and the Elicit certainly has that Rega amplification sound. It’s a true class AB monster of an amp borrowing it’s FET based preamplifier circuit from its big brother the Aethos. The Elicit MK5 also has a very capable DAC on board the tried and tested Wolfson 24 bit DAC giving fantastic warmth and easy going analogue feeling tones on the digital side. I do feel the Elicit MK5 party trick is analogue reproduction, when a turntable is connected this amplifier really comes alive. As I said, this amp has a very familiar sound which I am very comfortable with but certainly does have its surprises, such as its ability to drive some of the most demanding speakers out there including my Dynaudios. The Elicit MK5 will deliver 127 watts into 6 ohms which is plenty of power. This amp sounds great at low volumes as well as cranked up but it made me want to turn it up! It just gets better and becomes more alive and one with the music, especially when I put the new Extreme album “Six” on the track being their big single “Rise”. Nuno Bettencourt’s guitar tone was just soaring as well as every detail in the band. In short this amp seems to have it all, so far so good. I feel the Elicit is a superb analogue amp, that’s warm with a hint of vintage Hi-Fi tones as well as forward sounding, near perfect to my ears.

cyrus classic amp rear panel

The Cyrus Classic AMP is up next and thinking back two years ago when I first started working here at Audio T Cardiff the XR range from Cyrus was first released. I vividly remember being blown away by the sound of Cyrus. Shortly after Christmas that year I took home the Cyrus i7 XR and CDi XR and wrote a blog about them which you can read here. It’s safe to say that they certainly left an impression on me.

When we think about Cyrus as a company and how far they go back in the world of Hi-Fi, right back to 1984, they are a true heritage brand. Always striving to perfect the sound in our Hi-Fi systems, as well as delivering great value for money. Moving forward to late last year I had the opportunity to listen to the new Cyrus Classic AMP, and let’s just say, in my very humble opinion, Cyrus has definitely unleashed a game changing amplifier here. They’ve taken some of the tried and tested technology from the XR range and brought it to the newly revamped classic integrated amplifier. The Classic is a great example of an AB amplifier, packed with great simple features with more than enough power to drive the thirstiest speakers out there with 91 watts into 6 Ohms. This amplifier has tricks up its sleeve, such as DB level adjustment so you can match the input levels.

pink floyd - “division bell” lp playing on the REGa planar 6

This amplifier has a vastly improved lower noise floor, especially when using analogue inputs such as the turntable I'm using today. Other great features on the digital side of things are helped along by Cyrus’s 1st generation Q-XR DAC. Listening to this amplifier is an absolute joy, with a new level of detail in music I haven't heard before; drawing me even further in to the soundstage with the amplifier reproducing a warm yet clean and precise sound. This amplifier gives exactly what I've been looking for when I sit down and listen to a band and close my eyes. I can hear near perfect placement of musicians on the stage, perfect separation and timing, what we all hope for out of a Hi-Fi system. For instance, listening to Pink Floyd’s album “Division Bell” the track I used off the album was “Marooned”. The Delay effect David Gilmour uses on this track is a Tc Electronic 2290 rackmount delay. The detail from that effect is more noticeable on this Cyrus Classic amp and the decay from each note really lasts from Gilmour’s Fender Stratocaster. I know I must sound like a massive nerd listening out for such things in music, but this is one of the things about music I am so passionate about, discovering new things in songs I thought I knew inside out.

The Winner

You may have guessed it, the winner for me is the Cyrus Classic AMP as this amp seems to have everything I need from an integrated amp, simple yet with all the right features and I am now a proud owner of a Cyrus!

the cyrus classic amp is our winner

Even though I chose the Cyrus Classic AMP, the other two amplifiers brought fantastic things to the mix. For instance, the Audiolab 9000A is absolutely packed with great and useful features, not to mention it has one of the best looking front panels in the world of Hi-Fi. The Rega Elicit MK5 for me is still very much a great analogue monster of an amplifier. In short between all three have something for everyone in the £2000 amplifier range. It goes to show between all three brands they have certainly got bang for their buck!

I guess the big question for you all out there is, which amplifier would you choose? Let me know or why not pop in and see us and give them a listen and tell me which one would be the winner for you. Thank you for taking the time to read my blog.

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 T Cheltenham and the Lyngdorf CD-2 CD Player

/ Audio T Cheltenham/

Just as the Compact Disc medium decides to fight back with a vengeance Sir Elton John was interviewed on breakfast telly earlier this week in his “record room” as he calls it. He actually said, and I quote “nobody buys CDs anymore do they?” But he is soooo wrong. Talking to the amazing staff at my favourite local music vending emporium they assure me that the CD is healthier and selling more now than it has been for years! And the perfect player to ride that wave of increased enthusiasm is quite probably this little beauty…..The Lyngdorf CD-2.

Pure Audio Drive

the Sleek and beautiful CD-2

Lyngdorf is the sister brand of Steinway, the people who produce the legendary grand pianos and as such shares the same revolutionary company DNA, and the important thing about this little marvel is that it has been designed specifically for Red Book digital audio only. Using this pure audio drive is simpler and better. All players that use a multi-format drive will inherently produce more digital noise and also be clunky and slow in use. Lyngdorf offer cutting edge research and development and boast that this player ranks up there with the very best on the market.

Happy Accident!

We came across the Lyngdorf CD-2 by happy accident really. We really wanted to stock and sell the Lyngdorf range of amplifiers (also lovely by the way), but we were told that in order to sell those we had to stock the CD player too. Initially we were not that keen but said yes anyway! A few days later, after taking delivery and having spent a little time running them in we were gradually coming to the conclusion that whatever we played through it was sounding rather lovely and customers began agreeing with us too. A couple of them even preferring the CD-2 to some very expensive alternative brand disc spinners….mentioning no Naims!

Blues Pills

First Album by blues pills on the nuclear blast record label.

For the purposes of supplying music to this blog I dug out my copy of the first album by Blues Pills. This is another one of those albums that I bought just because I thought that the artwork was so evocative of the hippie era long since lost. I also thought how could a record label called Nuclear Blast not be worth a punt! It hasn’t disappointed either. The combination of great female vocals from Elin Larsson with stinging guitar work from Dorian Sorriaux backed up by a powerhouse rhythm section of Zack Anderson on bass duties and Cory Berry on drums.

cover art by Marijke Koger-dunham

A Time Of Endless Flux

A bit of background here… Marijke is hailed as the mother of psychedelic art. She helped shape the imagery of the sixties as it exists in the nation's collective memory today. She turned the era's music into colours that pop, shapes that ooze and illogical patterns that evoked the creativity blossoming in the time of endless flux. It was the ultimate vision of hippie aesthetics, Koger-Dunham created album art and costumes for The Beatles, painted Eric Clapton's and George Harrison's guitars and painted the mural on the theatre that debuted the musical "Hair." She was enmeshed in both the musical and visual arts as member of "The Fool," a design collective and band, allowing her to seamlessly translate from sound to sight. Her imagery is dripping with freedom and passion. Plants shoot up with reckless abandon only to melt into washes of hallucinatory hues. Everything is growing and changing; mirroring the politics of the time.

Adding To The Vibe

Anyway I think that in this instance the cover art adds to the vibe and helps the music to come to life. I chose the track “Astralplane” and was immediately astounded by the detail retrieval of this player. This track has a double tracked guitar with one in the left channel and the other in the right channel. This combined with the atmospheric addition of organ by Robert Wallin was producing a soundstage that you positively jump into! Lovely bluesy old Fleetwood Mac at their prime kind of sound with power and passion and as for that guitar soloing….just wow! The CD-2 was able to portray both power and delicacy so that the bass drums and guitar never overpowers the passionate vocal performance and it is still easy to pick out and follow the organ part in the background. Nuances that are lost on so many other players.

Lee Morgan’s Charisma

Charisma by lee morgan… quintessential mid-'60s hard bop

Next on the playlist was this lovely slice of classic Blue Note jazz by Lee Morgan who is joined here by the altoist Jackie Mclean, Hank Mobley on tenor, pianist Cedar Walton, bassist Paul Chambers and drummer Billy Higgins is probably most famous for the Sidewinder album but I prefer this one, which was recorded with his band towards the end of 1966 just as Flower Power was beginning to catch on, and a bit of that is reflected in the blissed out summery jazzy grooves on this wondrous outing. One of my all favourite Blue Note albums (and there are lots of them!). Now you cannot go wrong choosing any of the tracks on this album but I decided to go for the aptly named “Somethin’ Cute”. I love this track for its sense of open-ness and space around all the instruments and the way that you can really hear the sheer joy of all the musicians and their interplay with each other. Just gorgeous, and the CD-2 lays bare the exuberance of the piano and bass in the background as the two saxophones and trumpet sparkle and shimmer in between the loudspeakers.

Charisma and then some

Shockingly Good

So on this basis Sir Elton could and should be well and truly proved wrong! This CD spinner is shockingly good. It proves that there is a lot of life left in the old format yet. Indeed this Lyngdorf CD-2 may well be the perfect CD player. It sounds great, it looks great and it is quick and easy to use. None of that clunky bluray/streamer mechanism malarkey that means your CD player takes ages to even twig what kind of disc it has in it and then makes you press the buttons multiple times as it takes an age to respond the button press! It out performs a whole host of CD players that would have cost you an awful lot of money even only going back a few years, let alone older players. Heck, it even out performs a lot of very much more expensive CD players that you can buy today, so on that basis alone you have to put this one on your audition list.

The End Bit

If your interest has been piqued and you would like a listen to the amazing Lyngdorf CD-2 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 - Audio T Cheltenham.

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

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

Lyngdorf can be found at the following Audio T stores…