Quad ERA-1 Planar Headphones

I must profess that I am not a regular headphone user. I have always preferred the more natural presentation that you tend to get with a good Hi-Fi with the acoustic subtleties, caused by the room acoustics. However, the new Quad ERA-1 may well change my opinion.

The ERA-1 features a 20-Ohm impedance,m108dB sensitivity and a 10Hz~40kHz frequency response. It comes with two sets of ear pads (one synthetic leather, one genuine sheepskin) a fitted case and detachable (socket-fitted) two-meter cable with 3.5mm jack and 6.3mm adapter included.

Build quality is excellent, with the ERA-1 featuring a comfortable headband and a healthy dose of metal-alloy and plastic throughout its chassis.

The ERA-1 fits comfortably and snugly. Having the choice of pads is surprisingly useful, personally, I preferred the comfort of the sheepskin pads.

The sound of the ERA-1’s is classic Quad: Warm and musical. Possessing superb bass control and extension, combined with tremendous detail and spatial separation. £599 is by no means cheap, however, anyone looking for a pair of high end headphones, should give these Quad ERA-1 headphones some serious consideration.

We have a demonstration pair here at Audio T Oxford, so please do come and have a listen for yourself.

Quad Hi-Fi is available from the following branches of Audio T:
Brentwood, Brighton, Cardiff, Cheltenham, Enfield, Manchester, Oxford, Portsmouth, Preston, Southampton, Swindon

 

Yamaha RXA 3080 Home Cinema Amplifier Arrives At Audio T Oxford

The latest flagship multi-channel home cinema receiver from Yamaha has arrived, the new RXA 3080. This 11 speaker channel, Atmos / DTS:X enabled AV amplifier will up convert via HDMI to 4K and analogue video up to 1080p.

If the thought of running speaker cable to the rears has previously been a deterrent in considering a 5.1 (or more) home cinema system, this receiver has the ability to use the latest two of the MusicCast 20 or one or two MusicCast 50 speakers as a wireless surround option.

WiFi and Bluetooth enabled, Spotify Connect, Tidal and Deezer are supported. It is also compatible with Alexa voice control assistants.

The digital signal processor is what really sets this apart from the previous generation: Very clever electronics can create phantom front and rear height effect speakers.

The other unique feature is the ‘Artificial Intelligence’ mode. This adjusts the DSP parameters on the fly by choosing the most suitable DSP mode, dependant on the movie content as it plays.

I played the Blu-ray of Fury, switching between the AI and DTS Master, while watching the scenes involving the battle against the field guns and the battle with the Tiger tank. While the differences were by no means night and day, the dialogue was definitely cleaner with the AI function on.

If you would like to hear the Yamaha RXA 3080 (or indeed the Yamaha RXA 1080) please call us 01865 765961 to arrange a demonstration.

Thanks for reading: Chris, Jon and Andrew - Audio T Oxford

Yamaha Hi-Fi products are available at the following branches of Audio T:
Brentwood, Bristol, Cardiff, Enfield, Manchester, Online, Oxford, Portsmouth, Preston, Southampton, Swansea, Swindon

The King Is Dead, Long Live The King! We Welcome The New Naim ND 555 Network Streamer

The ND 555 is the first product launched in the 500 Series by Naim Audio in more than a decade and effectively replaces both the now discontinued CD 555 and NDS, as the source of choice.

The ND 555 has no internal power, requiring either one or two separate 555 PS DR power supplies. Like the rest of the 500 Series, it places great importance on PCB isolation and vibration control, with the circuit boards for conversion and amplification resting on high mass brass spring board platforms, to de-couple the PCBs from any vibration above 10Hz. Thirteen of Naim’s own DR voltage regulators feed the power supply! Add to this two laser-trimmed, selected PCM1704U-K resistor ladder DAC chips and a fourth generation SHARC chip for DSP, filtration, and buffer wrangling. A Naim Power Line mains lead and a Hi Line Din to Din is also included.

Designed to perform to higher sampling rates than its predecessor; up to 32-bit, 384kHz PCM, and DSD 128. The ND555 is Roon ready, supports gapless playback, Tidal, Spotify Connect, Apple AirPlay and Google Chromecast. The ND 555 features a five-inch TFT colour display and four hard-buttons.

So how does it sound?

In a word: Astonishing!

We have played numerous tracks, CD rips and 24 bit downloads from the Naim Core as well as Tidal CD quality streams. The Naim ND555 sounds so much better than ANY other streamer that we have ever heard. Scale, detail, dynamics, resolution, cohesion, it’s as near to perfect as you can imagine. Some streamers can struggle to convey the emotional content in music, not so the ND 555.

OK, so it will cost you £20,000 to own one, but for the performance it offers, it could just be considered a bargain! 

Come and have a listen and be prepared to be smitten or join us at our exclusive launch event at the Shillingford Bridge Hotel on 27th September at 7pm. Click here to read more and reserve your place.

Naim Hi-Fi products are available from all branches of Audio T.

New Monitor Audio Studio Speakers Have Arrived

We've just taken delivery of the new Monitor Audio Studio speakers. These standmount speakers will make a stunning addition to any room. Featuring technologies derived from their range-topping Platinum II series, they offer a truly high-end listening experience.

Hand-crafted and available in a sleek satin black, white or grey finish, these are an elegant pair of speakers. An optional black or white dedicated floor stand is also available.

The new Monitor Audio Studio is billed as a high-end loudspeaker with a grilleless design with two metallic silver RDT II speaker cones that the company say, deliver an audiophile grade performance. The dual 4” drivers are those used in the flagship Platinum PL500 II speaker and they have been modified to produce bass, as well as mid-range detail. An MPD (Micro Pleated Diaphragm) tweeter has been designed to provide outstanding articulation due to the low mass diaphragm. MPD tweeters work like a super fast accordion by rapidly squeezing the pleats to produce a smooth, wide, naturally fast response.

Having heard the latest speaker from Monitor Audio at the Bristol Show (which we organise) we were keen to hear them in store. And we are pleased to report that these elegant and beautifully made loudspeakers, sound as good here as they did at the Show.

With a sensitivity of 86db and 4 Ohm nominal impedance, the Monitor Audio Studio are perhaps not the easiest of speakers to drive. Having said that, we got them to really boogie using the Naim Atom.

The sound is clean and open, with a lifelike treble and a fast, articulate, powerful bass and sound at their best at mid to higher volumes.

If you are looking for a high quality, revealing stand mounted loudspeaker, these really should be on your shortlist.

Come and have a listen! Jon, Chris and Dom - Audio T Oxford

Monitor Audio loudspeakers are available from the following branches of Audio T:
Brentwood, Cardiff, Enfield, Manchester, Online, Oxford, Portsmouth, Southampton, Swansea, 
Swindon

Experience The Difference Mains Conditioning Can Make To Your Hi-Fi System

Visit us at Audio T Oxford on Friday 18th May (12 noon - 5:30pm) and Saturday 19th May (10am - 5:00pm) and hear for yourself the benefits of mains conditioning in conjunction with IsoTek.

The quality of the electricity we feed into our Hi-Fi and Home Cinema systems has a profound effect on how our music and films sound. As the electronic devices we use at home grow and the demand for electrical power increases, the quality of the electricity we feed our systems continues to degrade from RF interference and mains noise.

IsoTek is a leading brand of power management products for Hi-Fi and Home Cinema use. Its product range includes high-performance mains cables and connectors, plus a range of performance enhancing power conditioners focused on the specific requirements of individual systems. IsoTek have earned numerous accolades from specialist audio and AV publications worldwide. The product ranges comprise of the following solutions:

Mains Cables and Blocks
The standard black mains leads supplied with your Audio and AV components are designed to do a basic job, no more. They lack the quality of materials and construction needed to protect the integrity of the electricity they feed your system, thereby degrading performance. The first rung on the IsoTek ladder is to replace these leads with EVO3 Premier power cables. 

Mains Conditioners
These are designed to remove noise contamination from both Differential noise that is created by the power supplies in all electronic devices and Common Mode noise in introduced by RFI and the wireless communications.

Regenerators
These are state of the art hybrid power cleaning systems. They effectively take the mains and regenerate it having taken out all the noise.

Prize Draw
We will put the names of all attendees into a prize draw giving you the opportunity of winning an Isotek EVO3 Initium Mains Cable worth £80. The draw will be made at the end of the event day on Saturday.

This is a great opportunity to hear how much you can improve the sound quality of your system and an affordable and worthwhile Hi-Fi upgrade.

Refreshments and snacks will be served over two days and of course we will be more than happy to answer any questions you have. 

We look forward to seeing you. Jon, Dom and Chris. If you would like to reserve your place then you can do so by clicking here or on the poster above. 

IsoTek mains conditioning products are available from the following branches of Audio T:
Cheltenham, Oxford, Southampton, Swindon

ROON - One Music Player And Hi-Fi Controller To Rule Them All

Roon is the latest and one of most exciting innovations to Hi-Fi music replay, so what exactly is it? Roon is a music player and control application (software) designed specifically for music lovers. Roon allows you to view all of your music from a single interface and allows you to play from any supported device in any location within your home and offers some fantastic features designed that enhance sound quality. 

One Control App To Rule Them All
You no longer need to keep opening, swapping and closing different system control apps whilst listening to music from different products, sources and places in and around your home. Roon organises all of your music in an attractive, easy to use single interface and like the wizard Gandalf from the J R Tolkien's books it has a few magic tricks up its sleeve that will allow you to enjoy your music even more...

So what can Roon do?
Roon allows you to control various, previously incompatible Hi-Fi brands with just the one control app. For instance, it can control your streamer and music library and play them through, for example, a high end Naim system and a multi-room Sonos system simultaneously. 

Roon is the software brains in your home audio system

Better Sound Quality via Digital Signal Processing (DSP) and Room Equalisation / Correction
Roon can both up-sample and down-sample music files, but what does that mean in reality? Well two things; firstly and most importantly, it can improve the sound of your music throughout the home. Secondly (using higher resolution audio and Sonos as an example) when previously playing 24 bit music throughout the home, Sonos would mute, as it could not handle anything above CD resolution. Using Roon, it will down-sample the hi-res files so that your Sonos will play quite happily.

Room correction: Roon has the capability to improve how your music sounds by enabling your speakers to work better in their environment. You can set up distances to the listening position and there is a graphic equaliser so that you can fine tune the sound to your liking within your own listening space.

Musical focus and radio: Roon has the ability to find exactly the sort of music that you want to hear, and when it is finished, will continue to play Roon Radio which will play music of a similar genre.

What about the Roon interface?
Roon is the best music app that we have ever seen. It is totally intuitive and incredibly informative. Discography, bibliography, intelligent links, lyrics and more, are readily available. Learn more about the album, artists, who they collaborated with and discover more music that you like. 

Sorted by Artist

Sorted by date added

Album page view

Discover music!

What do I need?
You will need a Roon enabled product and the list of manufacturers is growing. You can view the current supported brands here.

Internet Radio & Tidal Hi-Fi
You can play any Internet radio station via Roon and if you are a Tidal subscriber it integrates your favourite albums right along side your own record collection. It will also allow the replay of MQA files the high resolution format supported by Tidal.

Roon Core & Nucleus
A Roon Core: it’s the traffic cop, the housekeeper, and the brains behind the operation. A PC or Mac is needed to handle the quite substantial processing. Some ripper servers (Innuos for example) can act as the core as it has Roon software built in. The core manages your music collection from many sources, and builds an interconnected digital library using enhanced information from Roon, allowing you to explore your favourite artists and to discover new music genres.

If your system has multiple players, room correction and a lot of DSP in use, then the dedicated Roon Nucleus Core would be well worth considering. Nucleus becomes the centre of your Roon music system.

Aside from being a powerful, music server, what sets Nucleus apart is that it’s powered by Roon OS – a fast and lightweight operating system optimised to do just one thing: browse and play your music. Roon is a multi-room, multi-user networked audio platform built to the exacting standards for music lovers. For more information on pricing and availability please call Audio T Oxford.

Can I see it working?
Yes you can. Please contact Jon Abson at Audio T Oxford and he will arrange to show it to you in store. If you like it, we can set you up with a FREE trial for a month and if you like it we can organise a subscription for you.

It's A Kind of Magic! Dynaudio’ Focus XD Active Speaker Listening Event At Audio T Oxford

Visit us at Audio T Oxford on Saturday 9th December (1100 - 1730) to hear the amazing Dynaudio Focus 60XD and 20XD Loudspeakers. We will also have a representative from Dynaudio to answer any questions you may have.

The Dynaudio’s Focus XD Active Speakers redefine the high-end loudspeaker and high-end audio system: The perfect combination of a high end loudspeakers and high performance digital amplification.

The great benefit of active speakers is that the built-in amplifier helps streamline a system: you just connect source components (Record Player, CD Player, Streamer)  directly to the digital or analog inputs on the speakers and press play. Full 24/192 operation with the Focus XDs requires a digital cable connection from a source to one speaker, and a second cable run from that speaker’s digital output to the second speaker. Then you are up and running, it is as simple as that.

Another huge bonus, is they have settings for freestanding, wall and corner positions, using their advanced onboard Digital Signal Processor (DSP) to adjust the bass output accordingly or just to personal taste.

We think they are absolutely stunning, and would love to show you the amazing performance and benefits of having such a speaker in your own Home system. 

Attendees have the chance to win two IsoTek Premier Mains Lead worth £230 and those that are interested in buying Dynaudio equipment can save 15% OFF on the day!

Refreshments and snacks will be provided and of course we will be more than happy to answer any questions you have. You can reserve your place here. We look forward to seeing you and enjoying your company and the music together. Jon, Dom and Paddy.

Dynaudio loudspeakers large and small are available from the following branches of Audio T:
Brighton, Bristol, Manchester, Oxford, Portsmouth, Reading, Southampton, Swindon

Hear The Difference That Mains Conditioning Can Make To Your Hi-Fi System

The quality of the mains electricity we feed into our Hi-Fi and Home Cinema systems has a profound effect on sound quality. Moreover, as the electronic devices we use at home continue to grow and the demand for electrical power increases, the quality of the electricity we feed our systems continues to degrade from radio frequency (RF) interference and mains noise.

Visit us at Audio T Oxford on Friday 22nd September (1300 - 1730) and Saturday 23rd September (1000 - 1730) and come and hear for yourself the benefits of mains conditioning in conjunction with IsoTek. 

                                     Your chance to win an IsoTek Premier Mains Cable worth £115 .

IsoTek is a leading brand of power management products for Hi-Fi and Home Cinema use. Its product range includes high-performance mains cables and connectors, plus a range of performance enhancing power conditioners focused on the specific requirements of individual systems. IsoTek have earned numerous accolades from specialist audio and AV publications worldwide. The product ranges comprise of the following solutions:

Mains Cables and Blocks:

The standard black mains leads supplied with your Audio and AV components are designed to do a basic job, no more. They lack the quality of materials and construction needed to protect the integrity of the electricity they feed your system, thereby degrading performance. The first rung on the IsoTek ladder is to replace these leads with EVO3 Premier power cables.

Mains Conditioners:

These are designed to remove noise contamination from both Differential noise that is created by the power supplies in all electronic devices and Common Mode noise in introduced by RFI and the wireless communications.

Regenerators:

These are state of the art hybrid power cleaning systems. They effectively take the mains and regenerate it having taken out all the noise.

                

Click here to view the range of IsoTek Hi-Fi mains products.

Prize Draw

We will put the names of all attendees over the two days into a prize draw giving you the opportunity of winning an IsoTek EVO3 Premier mains cable worth £115. The draw will be made at the end of the event day on Saturday.

This is a great opportunity to hear how much you can improve the sound quality of your system and an affordable and worthwhile Hi-Fi upgrade. If you would like to book a personalised 1-2-1 demonstration please call us on 01865 765961.

Refreshments and snacks will be served over two days and of course we will be more than happy to answer any questions you have. 

We look forward to seeing you. Jon, Dom and Paddy.

Rega Launches New Planar 6 With Neo PSU With Ania Moving Coil Cartridge

Over the last year Rega have relaunched their P1, P2 and P3 turntables, the next new product is the stunning Rega Planar 6. The all new Planar 6 benefits from a single piece machined aluminium sub-platter, a new 24v motor, NEO power supply and a custom drive pulley fitted with white drive belt fitted as standard.

The new Planar 6 is available without cartridge or with the superb Ania MC cartridge. It is now more an RP8 RP10 lite than an RP6!

The Planar 6 is then further enhanced by the following features:

• Custom dual layer smoked / clear float glass platter.
• New single piece aluminium sub platter.
• New custom machined high precision drive pulley.
• Patent pending central brass hub.
• Rega’s double brace technology, with integral custom matched aluminium tonearm and hub pillars to ensure maximum rigidity and accuracy.
• RB330 handmade precision tone arm with custom stainless weight.
• New smoked dust cover.
• New aluminium foot trims and Planar style feet.

One of the best features of this turntable is its external ‘Neo’ PSU. The new Neo PSU replaces the old TT-PSU and features the DSP-based motor control from the Rega RP10's PSU. The end result is that the Planar 6 will spin at exactly the correct speed regardless of fluctuations in the mains’ current that are inevitable from any socket. The Neo PSU also gives you push-button 33 and 45 RPM speed control without having to lift the platter.

We recently had the opportunity to hear the Planar 6 / Ania / Neo combination. We used the new Fono MC and an Elicit-R Amplifier. The results were truly amazing; the Planar 6 presented a very crisp, dynamic soundstage. It had great depth and incredibly low noise floor which ensured that every musician, every note had space to breathe. We found ourselves playing all sorts of music and whatever we threw at it be-it Etta James, Bob Dylan, Daft Punk or Metallica the Planar 6 was just brilliant. 

As you can tell we think the Planar 6 and MC Ania combination represents stunning value for money and we highly recommend you have a listen to it. To complete the package we would also recommend the new Fono MC 2017 pre-amplfiier, a brilliant compact phono stage that shares the same design of housing and case work of the Neo. 

The Planar 6 will be available in stores very soon, if you would like to arrange a personal demonstration please call us on 01865 765961. 

Rega Hi-Fi products are available from the following branches of Audio T:
Brentwood, Brighton, Bristol, Cardiff, Cheltenham, Enfield, Manchester, Portsmouth, 
Preston, Reading, Southampton, Swansea, Swindon

The Wonders Of Room Correction With Arcam And Dirac

If you love music and film but have a strange shaped room or are suffering from a disappointing home cinema experience due to poor room acoustics, then we may have a solution for you.

The new Arcam AVR550 and AVR850 amplifiers have been out in the market for a while, but what you may not know is they have a secret weapon. Arcam's Home Cinema products also include the very latest room correction technology from Dirac Research.

Dirac Research was founded in 2001 from Uppsala University, Sweden, where the founders have been conducting research in signal processing, automatic control, systems modelling and acoustics for many years.

“Dirac Live for Arcam will provide users with world class precision room correction with amazingly transparent results.”, says Charlie Brennan from Arcam.

Using the latest is computer wizardry and a high quality microphone Dirac seeks to compensate for frequency and EQ issues reproduced within the room. A great deal of which are very difficult or impossible to remove with traditional EQ setups. If unresolved this can affect the quality of the sound output which impacts negatively on the listening experience. The advanced Dirac software analyses the speakers as well as the room and corrects these issues with the aim of achieving a much more immersive experience.

Using a microphone, laptop and network access, each of the speakers are measured from 9 different test microphone positions. This way, a clear map of the room and the speaker's acoustic behaviour is built up.  The whole process can take a while dependent on the complexity of your system. After these measurements are taken, the results are processed very quickly and remotely (via the web to Dirac HQ in Sweden) and received back ready to be applied. This file is then uploaded to the Arcam  AVR550 or AVR850 and you're ready to listen. 

Arcam have put together a video on Dirac:

In tests in store using the Arcam AVR550 with a 5.1.2 Dolby Atmos setup we switched between the standard room EQ method and Dirac. The results were amazing Dirac Live brought the whole sound together, tightened the bass response and focused the imaging. Dirac makes the entire system faster, more dynamic and much more fluid. The most amazing effect was how it seemed to make the walls disappear and propel you into the film.

While watching Mission Impossible: Rogue Nation we were transported into the atmosphere of the opera house scene. During Gravity we were there with the astronauts in space, physically ducking to avoid space debris. Then in the insanity of Mad Max Fury Road we found ourselves totally immersed in the massive sand and lightning tornado that whistled and roared around the room.

If you want improve your home cinema experience, I would strongly recommend getting an Arcam AVR550 or AVR850 amplifier and exploring the benefits of Dirac. So call us, ask about the Arcam products and let us show you the benefits of such an amazing technology suite. Don't give up on your system we can help.

Arcam products are available at the following branches of Audio T:
Bristol, Cardiff, Cheltenham, Enfield, Manchester, Oxford, Portsmouth, Preston, Southampton, 
Swansea, Swindon

The New Ruark MR1 MK2 Speakers Have Landed In Oxford.

Over the last couple of years if a customer asked for inexpensive desktop speakers, our recommendation had always been the brilliant Ruark MR1 speakers. These compact speakers were fantastic value for money and could not be bettered for the price. The MR1 desktop Bluetooth speakers are now four years old, so Ruark has decided to update them and here we will review the new MR1 MKII.

The drivers are the same as before, but Ruark has made changes to the crossover to help give the MK2 version a bigger more open sound.  Style wise Ruark have done away with the removable grilles of the MK1s and in their place is a fixed version. There is no denying that the appearance and quality of finish is a marked improvement over the Mk1s.

The MR1 Mk2 are a two-way bass reflex speaker system utilising a 20mm treated textile dome tweeter and a 75mm long throw bass driver, with a powerful neodymium magnet. The MR1s have a built in 20W Class A-B linear amplifier incorporating a high quality switch mode power supply.  

The MR1 Mk2s now have an optical input so you can connect external devices such as  your TV or Chromecast Audio etc, to improve the sound. They also offer apt-X Bluetooth for CD-quality streaming from compatible devices (Laptops, Phones, some TVs etc) and an analogue input for connecting a turntable.

To complete the package and to offer a great upgrade path they also have a subwoofer output for connection to an active subwoofer.

The Mk2 Speakers provide a sound quality and scale that belies their price and size. We listened to a variety of music from Ella and Louie singing “Summertime” to more testing music from the likes of M83s “Hurry up we're dreaming” and the Mk2s never skipped a beat. The performance was superb without any hint of boxiness and the bass extension was deeper than expected for such a compact design. These speakers may not be able to fill a large room but if required you could partner them with an external powered subwoofer to provide a great compact speaker solution.

The MR1 Mk2s are available in Rich Walnut and Soft Grey Lacquer finishes. An optional BackPack II power pack is available to free the MR1 Mk2 from the shackles of mains power (the slave speaker can be removed completely for ease of portability).

We have them on active demonstration in store, so please come by and have a listen.

Ruark Audio products are available from the following branches of Audio T:
Brentwood, Brighton, Bristol, Cardiff, Cheltenham, Enfield, Manchester, Online, Oxford, 
Portsmouth, Preston, Southampton, Swansea, Swindon

New Dynaudio Contour Range Arrives At Audio T Oxford

The new Dynaudio Contour range has arrived in our Oxford Store. Consisting of four models Contour 25c Contour 20 Contour 30 and the mighty Contour 60. In this blog I will be concentrating on the Contour 20's stand mount loudspeaker.

Dynaudio is a Danish loudspeaker maker, founded in 1977 with a pedigree. Dynaudio builds exceptional quality loudspeakers for home systems, professionals and cars. Products from its professional division are used as studio monitors in recording studios across the world.  

The Contour 20 speakers are a large rear-ported design stand mount speaker, with a solid machined aluminum front baffle set into a beautifully finished multi-layer cabinet. Each speaker has completely new woofers, designed especially for each model, while all the speakers use Dynaudio's Esotar 2 tweeter, previously found on the company's flagship speakers.

In store we have tested the Contour range with multiple electronics brands. We found they really start to sing when partnered with high end, high current amplification. However you don't need to spend a fortune to get a great sound from them. We loved the sound the Contour 20's produced when partnered with the Quad Artera Pre/Poweramp combination. You can easily spend many times that amount on electronics and you will continue to release more detail, clarity and enjoyment from these amazing speakers.

The Contour 20 faces stiff competition at this price point from the likes of the Focal Electra 1008 BE  and the Kudus Super10. All three of these speakers are superb, however, in our opinion, the Contour 20's deliver class leading stereo imaging, substantially better depth, bass control and a fantastic mid-range that the competition cannot match. 

The Contour range are available in the following finishes: Walnut Satin, White Oak Satin, Piano Black, Piano White, Rosewood High Gloss and Bubinga High Gloss. Dynaudio offer a matching stand for the Contour 20's that are available in Black and silver.

As you can tell we love the speakers, and think you will too. If you would like to have a demo please call us on 01865 765 961 and talk to Jon, Dom or Paddy.

Dynaudio loudspeakers are available at the following branches of Audio T:
Brighton, Bristol, Manchester, Oxford, Portsmouth, Reading, Southampton, Swindon

The QUAD VA-One Integrated Valve Amplifier At Audio T Oxford

The QUAD VA-One integrated valve amplifier is the latest Hi-Fi product to join the QUAD family.

The Quad VA-One is a small but perfectly formed Integrated amplifier, its footprint measures just 18x33cm. The VA-One includes a DAC, a headphone amplifier, a valve-based pre-amplifier and power amplifier for £1299.

Three digital audio inputs – optical, coaxial and asynchronous USB – support data up to 24-bit/192kHz, and an RCA-phono input gives the option to connect an analogue source like a CD player or a turntable (though it does not have a built in phono-stage).

The preamp section incorporates an ECC83 high-impedance triode. The output stage uses two EL84 pentodes per channel, delivering 2x15W.  Despite its relatively low output it can still pack a punch when paired with easy to drive speakers. It delivers a warm and open sound and would be the perfect amp for fans of female vocals, Jazz, Blues and Soft Rock.

QUAD VA-ONE PICTURED WITH QUAD S1 STAND MOUNT SPEAKERS

In a recent Review Ken Kessler summed it up perfectly:

"It's everything a modern integrated amp/DAC should be, yet with the retro warmth of valves" Ken Kessler, Hi-Fi News.

If you would like to come and have a listen call the Audio T Oxford shop on 01865 765961 and book a demo.

QUAD Hi-Fi products are also available from the following branches of Audio T:
Brentwood, Brighton, Cardiff, Cheltenham, Enfield, Manchester, Oxford, Preston, Southampton, 
Swindon

Bowers & Wilkins P7 Full Size Bluetooth Wireless Headphones

We have recently received the new P7 Bluetooth Headphones from B&W and straight out of the box we think they are fantastic. A quick look through the press and you will quickly find that we are not the only ones.

“B&W's P7 over-ear headphones go wireless, with spectacular results."

“B&W has produced one of the best-sounding wireless headphones you can buy at any price.”

Winner of What Hi-Fi? Awards 2016 -  Best wireless headphones £300+

The P7 Wireless combines advanced acoustic technology with aptX™ Bluetooth® connectivity to deliver a seamless audio experience. They sound great with a deep articulate bass and open wide soundstage. The P7's are a very comfy fit and have a great wireless range.

The P7's aptX Bluetooth is controlled by the power button simply slide it across to turn on and off, and push it inwards to make the headphones discoverable to new devices. They charge up via a micro USB cable and have a @15hr battery life. Therefore within seconds of opening the box you can experience the gorgeous sound quality and brilliant comfort of these headphones. 

Pop in to try them out, we think you will be amazed. We also carry a wide range of other Headphones, Headphone Amplifiers and Accessories. Our Big Red Winter sale is now on, with some great offers and package savings.

From Jon, Dom and Paddy, at Audio T Oxford we wish all of you and your families a very Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year!

Bowers & Wilkins H-Fi products are available from the following branches of Audio T:
Brentwood, Brighton, Bristol, Cardiff, Enfield, Manchester, Oxford, Portsmouth, Preston, Reading, Southampton, Swansea, Swindon

Audio T Oxford 50th Anniversary & Naim Statement Event

To celebrate our 50th Birthday, we would like to invite you to an open day on Saturday 26th November for some food, fizz and fun.

We will be showcasing Naim’s flagship Statement system. The pinnacle of Naim’s engineering knowledge and artistry. The series comprises the NAC S1 preamplifier and NAP S1 mono power amplifiers.

To partner such an amazing system we will be demonstrating the outstanding Dynaudio Evidence Platinum speakers. This stunning combination is quite possibly one of the greatest Hi-Fi systems available today, with a price ticket to match at a cool quarter of a million pounds!

If Carlsberg did Hi-Fi systems this would be it.

The event starts at noon on Saturday 26th and finishes at 5pm. We will be playing a wide selection of Hi-Res and Streamed Music and will be more than happy to take requests.

Come and celebrate with us.

We look forward seeing you.

Jon, Dom and Paddy

For more information please email us at oxford@audio-t.co.uk or call us on 01865 765961.

A Weekend of Vinyl and Valves at Audio T Oxford

Henley Designs will be bringing a selection of gorgeous Unison Research valve, valve hybrid amplifiers, CD spinners, plus some of the more exotic Pro-ject turntables.

If you really like your music, you really should come along for a listen. If you have a favourite album that you would like to hear on the Day please bring it along with you.

Unison Research were founded in 1987 by a group of audiophile technicians, are a prestigious Italian manufacturer of valve-based premium high fidelity audio components. Specialising in the design and construction of amplifiers, CD players, headphone amps and phono stages that boast not only impeccable, effortlessly rich sound, but also an artistic visual design. 

Pro-Ject are widely recognized as one of the biggest and best turntable manufacturers in the world. Their mission is simply to produce the best sounding turntables and analogue components at the most competitive prices possible. We will have a number of turntables on display and demonstration over the weekend from their entry level decks through to their Signature Series.  

Refreshments and snacks will be served over two days and we will be more than happy to answer any questions you have. 

We will put the names of all attendees into a prize draw giving you the opportunity of winning a Project Spin Clean Record cleaning kit worth £75. The draw will be made at the end of the event day on Saturday. There will also be a number of discounts and special offers on the turntables and electronics on display.

We look forward to seeing you. Jon, Dom and Paddy.

Hear The Difference That Mains Conditioning Can Make To Your Hi-Fi System

Visit us at Audio T Oxford on Friday 4th November (1pm - 5:30pm) and Saturday 5th November (10am - 5:30pm) and come and hear for yourself the benefits of mains conditioning in conjunction with IsoTek. 

The quality of the electricity we feed into our Hi-Fi and Home Cinema systems has a profound effect on how our music and films sound. As the electronic devices we use at home grow and the demand for electrical power increases, the quality of the electricity we feed our systems continues to degrade from RF interference and mains noise.

Win an IsoTek Premier Mains Cable worth £99.95 In Our FREE to enter competition

IsoTek is a leading brand of power management products for Hi-Fi and Home Cinema use. Its product range includes high-performance mains cables and connectors, plus a range of performance enhancing power conditioners focused on the specific requirements of individual systems. IsoTek have earned numerous accolades from specialist audio and AV publications worldwide. The product ranges comprise of the following solutions:

Mains Cables and Blocks:

The standard black mains leads supplied with your Audio and AV components are designed to do a basic job, no more. They lack the quality of materials and construction needed to protect the integrity of the electricity they feed your system, thereby degrading performance. The first rung on the IsoTek ladder is to replace these leads with EVO3 Premier power cables. We will have the following on demonstration:

• IsoTek EVO3 Initium Mains Cable - £6
• IsoTek EVO3 Premier Mains Cable - £99
• IsoTek EVO3 Elite Mains Cable - £240
• IsoTek EVO3 Polaris 6 Way Mains Distribution Block - £295
• IsoTek EVO3 Sirius 6 Way Filtered Distribution Block - £495

Mains Conditioners:

These are designed to remove noise contamination from both Differential noise that is created by the power supplies in all electronic devices and Common Mode noise in introduced by RFI and the wireless communications. We will have the following products available for demonstration:

• IsoTek EVO3 Sigmas - Provides 6 Mains Outlets (2x16A outlets for Power Amplifiers, etc and 4x10A outlets for CD Players, Pre Amps etc) £2195
• IsoTek EVO3 Titan - Designed for use with high power components such as power amplifiers, Active loudspeakers, etc - £2695

Regenerators:

These are state of the art hybrid power cleaning systems. They effectively take the mains and regenerate it having taken out all the noise. We will have the following products available for demonstration:

• IsoTek EVO3 Genesis One - Designed for single front end components. Multiple Genesis ones can be used from a single mains outlet. £1495
• IsoTek EVO3 Mosaic - Designed for system use offering three medium power outlets and two high power outlets. £5995

Prize Draw

We will put the names of all attendees into a prize draw giving you the opportunity of winning an IsoTek EVO3 Premier mains cable worth £99.95. The draw will be made at the end of the event day on Saturday.

This is a great opportunity to hear how much you can improve the sound quality of your system and an affordable and worthwhile Hi-Fi upgrade.

Refreshments and snacks will be served over two days and of course we will be more than happy to answer any questions you have. 

We look forward to seeing you. Jon, Dom and Paddy.

Come And Hear The New Cable Ranges From The Chord Company

Join us on Friday 30th September (12 noon - 5pm) and Saturday 1st October (10am - 4pm) at Audio T Oxford, when we will be running a music event featuring the new cable ranges from The Chord Company.

The Chord Company has been designing and producing cables for Hi-Fi and home cinema systems since 1985. Recently The Chord Company completely restructured its cable line-up, with new ranges, new additions and a simplified grouping system.

The Chord Company’s product portfolio now comprises seven distinct ranges, from the entry-level C-series, to the flagship, ChordMusic cables. The new ranges make it easy to discern between price points and performance levels and offers consumers a high-quality Chord cabling solution, regardless of budget.

So come and join us to take a trip through the new Chord Company cable ranges and see how this most cost-effective of upgrades can work wonders with your system.

We will be demonstrating new Interconnects, speaker cables, power leads and digital audio cables (coax & ethernet) from the C-Line range through to the Signature Range.

This is a great opportunity to hear how much you can improve the sound quality of your system in a friendly and informal way. It really is one of the most cost effective upgrades you can make to improve the sound quality of your Hi-Fi system that will have you rediscovering your entire music collection. Refreshments and snacks will be served. Over the two day event we will be more than happy to answer any questions you have and also you will be able to borrow the cables to try at home in your own system. There will be exclusive special offers for attendees in over the two days.

We look forward to seeing you....Jon, Dom and Paddy.

Upcoming Musical Events at Audio T Oxford

We are running a whole series of musical events over the next few weeks:

Chord Company: Friday September 30th & Saturday October 1st.

Chord have introduced their biggest changes to their range of interconnects, speaker cables and mains leads. A representative from Chord will be on hand to guide you through the new ranges and offer advice on how best these can be utilised to transform your existing system. More details to follow shortly.

IsoTek Mains Conditioning: Friday November 4th & Saturday November 5th.

Are you hearing your Hi-Fi at its best? The answer is probably no. IsoTek will be showing you how to transform the sound quality by ensuring that the quality of the mains feed is uncorrupted. More details to follow.

Vinyl and Valves: Friday November 18th & Saturday November 19th.

Henley Designs will be bringing a selection of gorgeous Unison Research valve, valve hybrid amplifiers, CD spinners, plus some of the more exotic Pro-ject turntables. If you really like your music, you really should come along for a listen. More details to follow.

The Importance Of Selecting The Right Cables For Your Hi-Fi

The cables you choose play a vital role within any Hi-Fi system. It can turn a tired old system into a rejuvenated energetic one and vice versa, if poorly chosen.

As with any investment, cost is always a key consideration and you could find yourself spending as much on a cable loom (Speaker cable, interconnects and power leads) as you do on some of your Hi-Fi components. However you may also find that after careful selection and testing, that you settle for something more cost effective because it just works. At the end of the day, if it makes your toes tap, your hair stand on end and makes you smile then it is the right choice. There are a wide selection of products available from our shops, suitable for all systems and all budgets. So if you're considering an upgrade or a new system just ask and we will be more than happy to help.

Recently while purchasing a new Hi-Fi for myself I tested a number of cables from different manufacturers and budgets. One suite of cables in particular really impressed me with its value for money: The QED Reference Range, consisting of XLR, RCA, Digital and Speaker Cables.

QED Reference 40 RCA Interconnects

QED is an award winning British company with over 40 years of experience. They make a vast array of cables for all manner of budgets. Over the last 3 months I have had QED Reference 40 RCA £100 + XLR £150 Interconnects and XT40 Speaker Cable £10p/m in my system and quite frankly they are brilliant. I have given a short review below:

QED Reference 40 XLR Speaker cables

The QED Reference 40 XLR

XLR 40 is designed primarily for low capacitance as this has been identified by QED as a major factor in leading to a high fidelity experience. Steps have been taken to eliminate minute timing errors in the cable by the use of a special floating zinc ferrite jacket alongside use of QED's 'Tri-Conductor' technology (reducing signal to ground capacitance to vanishingly low levels).

The Build quality is excellent and so in the Sound. I found them to have great timing and tight bass. The cables delivered excellent detail with everything from Choral music to heavy Dubstep. The connectors on both the XLR and RCA cables are easy to fit, and the locking collars on the RCAs offer a firm connection. I have a vary varied taste in music and no matter what I played on my system it just sounded right. After testing I would be happy to say it is one of the best Interconnects on market under £200.

The QED Reference XT40 Speaker Cable

QED All Plugged in nice & neat

Acclaimed by What HI-FI? Magazine; this 'Five Star' award winning pure copper loudspeaker cable boasts QED's X-TubeTM technology and has a 4mm2 cross sectional area. Resulting  in a cable that delivers a flat frequency response within the audio band.

As soon as I had plugged these cables in I just thought they were a bargain. Easy to strip and prepare, flexible and have quite a small profile. In my system they delivered great depth and scale, and in combination with the Interconnects they were superb. They have a smooth delivery with an expressive & open midrange. Whatever I played, be-it Simon and Garfunkel, Rimsky-Korsakov or Chase & Status, they just delivered. I compared them against similarly priced competition and just found myself wanting to go back to the QED cables.  

I would be foolish to say they are perfect for my system as there are better cables out there but none that I have found at this price point.  This series of cables would be perfect for the first upgrade to an existing system or as a purchase with almost any Mid-Level system. The Speaker Cables would also be brilliant for use within an AV / Home cinema system. 

I will be testing more cable suites at higher end price points in the months to come and will report back on my findings, but at the moment I am happy..

I would strongly recommend that if you are in the market for an upgrade or just want to see what your system is capable of, do like I have done, borrow and listen to cables at home on your system, in your own time.  

QED cables are available from the following branches of Audio T: 
Brentwood, Brighton, Cardiff, Cheltenham, Enfield, Manchester, Online, Oxford, Portsmouth, Preston, Reading, Southampton, Swansea, Swindon