Black Friday has rolled round once again, and with it comes that familiar mix of excitement, good intentions, and the annual hunt for something genuinely worth buying. Manchester isn’t exactly shy when it comes to doing things its own way, and our selection this year reflects that spirit nicely — proper deals, on proper kit, chosen by people who actually listen to the stuff day in, day out.

Whether you’re thinking of upgrading your source, adding some muscle to your amplification, or treating yourself to something a bit luxurious for private listening, we’ve put together a trio of offers that really deserve a second look. These are our “Mancunian Candidates” for Black Friday — and they’re cracking deals.

Marantz CD50n CD Player

Was £1,700 - Now £949 - Save £751

We wrote a blog on the Marantz's combined CD player and network player last year. Here's a quick recap of what is now, even more of a bargain.

The CD playback comes courtesy of a 32-bit/384 DAC, which gets those digital bits converted to analogue beautifully.

The mechanism for the drawer is super smooth and very quiet, and it feels like an age since we’ve had CD players that can hold a candle to our regular British brands that tend to use manual drawers. Pressing a button and having a drawer present a CD to you in this fashion seems pretty cool again (so the kids tell us).

The CD50’s streaming credentials are underpinned by HEOS — a now-established streaming platform that holds its own against other tried and tested systems. Within the app, you can control streaming services from Tidal, Deezer and Spotify with the potential for more in the future.

Another feather in the cap of the CD50n is the addition of digital inputs on the rear panel. You have a USB DAC for a direct PC/Mac connection for asynchronous file playback, an optical input, a coaxial input and an HDMI ARC connection.

The sound quality? We're impressed! The DAC in the Marantz CD50 comes from a lineage not to be sniffed at. Our Ali Farka Touré Niafunké CD sounded terrific — a nice open sound that wasn’t harsh or digitised, like some CD players can be.

Streaming playback followed suit: the 24-bit playback sounded smooth and refined; there is never a sense that the CD50 is shouting at you, which can leave you fatigued.

We liked what we heard when the price was £1,700, but at £949 it’s a steal.

Cyrus i9-XR Amplifier

Was £3,595 — Now £2,374 — Saving £1,221

The Cyrus i9-XR was, until very recently, one of Cyrus's flagship amplifiers — the new Cyrus 40 range being the new kids on the block, usurping it from its throne.

Our own personal experience with the i9-XR has been nothing but positive. The 98-watt Class A/B amplifier delivers enough clout to drive most speakers, yielding a punchy performance both at high and low volumes.

The small form factor really does give the Cyrus i9-XR a “wolf in sheep’s clothing” feel. It has multiple inputs, boasting analogue and digital (including USB), and a cracking phono stage.

The Cyrus i9-XR pops up multiple times in the Audio T Black Friday blogs posted by our stores — John from Brighton and Matt from Cardiff both have it on their lists.

And we think Matt sums it up nicely:

“The i9-XR is a true testament to Cyrus’s years of hard work in amplifier design. This amplifier has become a design classic. Best of all, you can own this amazing amplifier for a fraction of its original price!”

Agreed, Matt — it's a cracker.

Focal Bathys Headphones

Was £699.00 - Now £499 - Save £200

And finally, here's something luxurious. These beautiful headphones are even more of a bargain in the Black Friday deal. We blogged about these a couple of years ago.

The Bathys use aluminium/magnesium drive units assembled in France; the headband cushion is made from leather for comfort, and the yoke that holds the headphones is made from aluminium/magnesium. This all results in a headphone that feels and sounds like a premium, high-end model — and yet is priced at a fair £699, and now at £499!!!

With or without the noise cancellation applied in Bluetooth mode, the Bathys sound full and rounded. Bass notes don’t boom for no reason at all like many outdoor, on-the-go headphones tend to; plus there’s a sweet treble that doesn’t scream at you.

Use them “the hi-fi way,” which is to say via the internal DAC with a USB cable, and you’re upping the ante with the quality of your music. Quieter backgrounds, more space between instruments — an instant upgrade from the wireless option, giving you a truly hi-fi experience akin to high-end headphones we know and love at Audio T, like the Focal Utopias or the ever-popular Sennheiser HD800.

A bona fide deal if ever there was one.

And there you have it — our picks and pics for Black Friday. A CD player/streamer that punches well above its price, an ex-flagship amplifier with attitude, and a pair of headphones that feel like a treat every time you put them on. Not a bad shortlist.

But this is just the start. We’ve got plenty more deals in store, across all sorts of systems and budgets. If you’ve had your eye on something for a while, or you’re thinking about refreshing part of your setup, now is genuinely a good time to come in and have a chat. We’ll happily run through options, fire up a demo, and help you find something that suits how you listen — not just what’s on offer.

View all Black Friday Clearance Deals

Thanks for reading.

Munir, Thomas and Dave - Audio T Manchester

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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