Naim Superuniti

/

We've had the Superuniti in store for a while now and just wanted to let you know how impressed we are with this fantastic product.  Anyone looking for a one box hi-fi system without compromise need look no further.  The comprehensive specification includes DAB/FM, internet tuner, network streaming and more than enough power to drive even the least sensitive speakers to high levels.  The audio quality is simply stunning.  Do give us a call to arrange a demonstration.  We are sure you can't fail to be impressed.

STOP PRESS:  If £3250 for the Superuniti is a little over your budget and you want to continue playing CDs Naim have just announced a new improved version of the Uniti, the Uniti 2.  Building on the runaway success of the original Uniti, the updated model incorporates a bigger power supply with separate windings for DAC, analogue, power amp, relays, CD player and digital control.  Power output increases from 50W to 70W along with upgraded DAC and Naim's latest 24 bit 192kHz streaming board.  CD playback has not been overlooked either with an improved laser mechanism and loading tray.  All this for £2795!  We look forward to the Uniti 2 arriving in store very soon!  

Naim joins Britain's elite at the Make it in Great Britain exhibition

/


Naim Audio have been selected for involvement in a prestigious UK exhibition taking place this summer. Make it in Great Britain takes place at the Science Museum in London from 24th July to 9th September 2012. Naim’s dedication to consistently developing the highest quality home audio products over the last 35 years has earned it a place alongside other British manufacturing greats such as McLaren, Airbus, Rolls Royce and Sunseeker in this prestigious exhibition ahead of hundreds of other applicants.

Championing British Manufacturing
The aim of the Make it in Great Britain campaign is to banish the myth that ‘Britain doesn’t make anything anymore’ at a time when the world’s eyes are on Britain throughout the Olympic and Paralympic games and in the Diamond Jubilee year. The exhibit will tell the engineering story behind Naim products through interactive installations and ‘a great British hi-fi system’ playing ‘great British music’. Entry to the exhibition will be free of charge.

We look forward to hearing more about the products Naim plan to Show in the near future, meanwhile here's a little photo from the archives...

Brighton Vinyl Day on Saturday 12th May now with REGA

/

As our Vinyl Roadshow approaches I am delighted to tell you that

REGA WILL BE JOINING US with DIVERSE VINYL BETWEEN 10 am AND 5 pm!  

Rega will be joining us for this event, with our account manager Rob Noble here for the day, along with..............
A preview of the NEW TOP OF THE RANGE RS10 LOUDSPEAKERS £7998 pr
They will be used in a REGA Reference Series System with Rega P9 turntable/ Apheta MC cartridge/ New IOS Reference phono stage/ Osiris Reference Integrated amplifier and Isis Reference CD player.
The NEW Rega RP6 turntable, and the RP3 and RP1 models will be on display.
We are hoping to be able to show the NEW Fono MM and NEW Ear Headphone Amp.

WE ARE LOOKING FORWARD TO A GREAT DAY AND HOPE TO SEE YOU THERE...............................

 

Thick As A Brick

/

 

For those of a certain age, I’m sure you’ll remember the day when Jethro Tull released their Thick As A Brickalbum. Yep, 40 years ago!

 Recorded in answer to the accusation that their previous release, and my all-time-favourite album Aqualung, was a concept album. Ian Anderson has always said this wasn’t so, that it was simply an album were a few songs were of a similar theme, notably God and religion, the remaining songs were wholly unrelated.

 So he wrote TAAB to show the critics what a concept album is really like! Somewhat tongue-in-cheek lyrically, featuring the early years of a fictitious 10 year old boy named Gerald Bostock, the music is complex in the tradition of prog-rock with only two ‘songs’ one per side but the melodic qualities of the band’s previous albums remain.

 So why am I telling you this? Well, after much encouragement over the years, Ian Anderson was finally persuaded to write a follow-up album which ponders what Gerald Bostock might be doing now, 40 years on.

 Released April 2nd and simply titled TAAB2 and credited as Jethro Tull’s Ian Anderson as no other members of the original Tull line-up are present, each song ponders an alternative career move or what might have become of him.

 Sympathetically recorded to fit with the original and mixed by none other than Steve Wilson of Porcupine Tree, the sound is astonishing. I feared an over produced, over played dud but have been rewarded with none of the like. There’s none of the 80’s kitch and electronic drums, hyper-bowl Dire Straits like guitar sounds here that for me ruined much of Tull’s later efforts, instruments sound like instruments. It was apparently recorded live in the studio in the main as was the original.

 But the really good news is that the band are touring this but better than that, they intend to play the whole suite, yes, TAAB 1&2. Tull have not played the original since its first tour in 1972. Check out their site http://www.j-tull.com/ for dates a tickets I’ve mine for Reading in May.

 Enjoy.

 

Simon

Easter New Arrivals!

/

Just to show that Mother Nature doesn't have a monopoly on all things new as Spring bursts forth, we have some brand new products to share with you.

The fantastic new PMC Twenty 22 stand mounted speakers are now available in store for you to enjoy on their matching 2122 stands.  We've been blown away by the musicality and resolution of these great speakers. Judging by the reaction in the hi-fi press we are not alone!

 

 

Anyone looking for an Easter present for the music lover in their life, even if that is yourself, Arcam have the ideal hi-fi accessory for iPod, iPhone and iPad users in the form of the dr Dock.  It is a no compromise iPod dock featuring a top quality cast alloy housing with HDMI as well as coaxial digital and analogue RCA outputs and remote control.  All this for £199.  Go on treat yourself!

 

 

For those seeking a Home Cinema speaker package capable of producing the dynamics required for movie soundtracks whilst maintaining domestic harmony B&W have the ideal solution.  The updated M1 satellite speakers have refined the winning formula which made the original M1 such a success story.  All areas have been improved, including drive units, power handling and low frequency extension.  It's a lot of speaker for a modest £149.00 each.

 

The new B&W PViD subwoofer is the perfect match for the M1 satellites.  The iconic pressure vessel design is retained from its predecessor with the addition of all new digital signal processing allowing far greater control and incorporating presets for seamless integration with a wide range of satellite speakers in both two channel and home cinema systems.  The speed and transient capability which was the hallmark of the original design has been enhanced and low frequency slam is markedly superior.

 

 

Many more tempting treats are available in store including some great streaming solutions from Sonos, Cyrus and Naim and a wide range of DACs from Arcam, Audiolab, Cyrus, Rega and Naim.

We look forward to seeing you soon.

Alan and John

 

 

 

 

Spring has arrived!

/

The first signs of spring are with us and so too are some exciting additions to our product profile.

 

First off are the recent Bowers & Wilkins PM1 loudspeakers. A most beautiful loudspeaker that would grace any room. Resplendent in their high gloss ‘mocca’ veneer with matching stands they sound as good as they look and really engage one in whatever music takes your fancy, well done B&W for designing a product that doesn’t sacrifice sound for the aesthetic.

 

Next up, Rega are still busy guys producing more fabulous new products the latest of  which is the RP6 turntable. A natural progression from their highly successful RP3, in a gorgeous high gloss finish. Key features are a new ‘flywheel effect’ glass platter and an aluminium brace.

 

Naim too have been busy, expanding their range of ‘streaming’ products. We now have the baby of the range in the form of the ND5XS. A scaled down version of the NDX if you like, it really shows how streaming should be done!

 

We also hope to showcase their flagship streamer, the NDS, sometime soon. Watch this space!

 

Whilst on the subject of premium products, Chord Electronics have very recently upgraded their QBD76 DAC to include full support for HD audio furthering their position of making one of the most potent DACs on the market today.

 

Last but definitely not least, we have a brilliant new D33 DAC from Arcam. They’ve gone full out to produce a state-of-the-art DAC with multiple inputs and full support for HD audio. A slam dunk as they say.

 

All of the above are all now fully run in and ready for demo/home demo, please call to arrange an appointment.

 

Simon

 

Brighton Vinyl Day on Saturday 12th May

/
The people from Diverse Vinyl will be joining us to promote a day to celebrate the record and the record player in store. We will have a selection of records for sale and will be featuring the record players from Linn and Rega, so come along and enjoy the day with us. More details will follow closer to the event but we are hoping to have some new and rather interesting products to play to you !
Taking place over the same weekend is the Brighton Great Escape Festival
http://escapegreat.com/

Bristol Show report

/

The Show is now over for another year and we are highly delighted to report that it was the most successful Show for 4 years.

If you didn't make it down to Bristol then there are already a few reports on the internet that you can check out to get a feel for what you missed:

What Hi-Fi? Sound & Vision

Hi-Fi World

Our next Show is in Manchester on Saturday 20th and Sunday 21st October. Put the date in your diary today and bookmark the website.

The Bristol Show will return in 2013 on Friday 22nd – Sunday 24th at the Marriott City Centre Hotel.

You can also keep up-to-date by following us on Facebook:

Manchester Show

Bristol Show

Arcam FMJ D33 DAC arrives at Audio T Southampton!

/

We are very proud to announce that we one of the first of an exclusive few hi-fi retailers to stock the superb new high end DAC from Arcam.  Those with longer memories will recall that Arcam have a long and illustrious history, pioneering the separate DAC, primarily to improve CD audio quality, with the original Black Box series.

                                                                                

This stunning new DAC is very much state of the art with dual Burr Brown 24bit/192kHz converters, twin toroidal power supply and 4 layer PCBs.  The comprehensive input sockets include 2 coaxial digital, 2 optical, iPod, AES/EBU and asynchronous USB socket for PC or MAC based music as well as 192kHz high resolution recordings.  The outputs are equally well catered for with dual RCA phono outputs as well as balanced XLR sockets.  This is a no compromise design engineered to maximise the fidelity of any digital music source.

                                                                                                                                                          

The sound quality is stunning, open and totally involving.  The Arcam D33 is a true high end product and a worthy competitor to the awesome Naim DAC.  Give us a call to arrange a demo of either or to compare Arcam and Naim.  We are sure you won't be disappointed.

If your wallet won't stretch far enough for these fantastic DACs, don't forget that we also stock the wonderful Rega DAC and Audiolab M-DAC and the diminutive but capable Arcam R-DAC.  We have a DAC for every budget from £325 to £2099!  

Why not book a demonstration and see how good digital music can sound!

 

 

 

Cyrus 6XPd/CD Transport Offer

/

Today we've got a great saving for you on the Cyrus 6XPd amplifier and the new CD transport.

When purchased together you can save £300 off, making the combination just £1,700!

The 6XPd will open your ears to just how good all your other digital music sources (even your PC) can really sound, and in the CD Transport you will have Cyrus’s revolutionary SE technology, that gets the digital data off a CD more accurately than any other, giving you the purest possible digital signal to feed into the class leading DACs on your new 6XPd.

Don't forget the FREE NAS drive offer is still available on Cyrus Streaming products until 31st December 2011.

Find your nearest Cyrus store here.