Smaller Box, Same Big Naim Sound!

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Naim has just released its new asynchronous DAC (DAC-V1) and baby power amplifier (NAP100)

And it sounds sweet....

The DAC-V1 has 5 digital inputs including 2 optical, 2 coax and 1 BNC that will handle up to 24bit/384Khz amd allow you experience high definition audio.

With its own volume control and headphone amplifier you can either just use it as a multi source headphone amp that can handle high res files or combine it with a power amp of your choice. The one that suits its best is its brother the NAP100.

With 50 watts into 8 Ohms and 75 watts into 4 Ohms its a powerful little box and as well as looking the part next to the DAC-V1 it just makes sense. If you want to go the extra mile and add another box then the Uniti-Serve will make a considerbale difference in the reproduction of the music!

The NAP 100 has RCA inputs so can easily integrate with an existing system or can even be used in multi channel systems! And at £650 it's an excellent upgrade!

By the looks of it Naim have made this move to bring audiophile quality sound reproduction to the home office and it makes perfect sense....being so compact it can fit in with ease! 

I listen to a lot of music through my headphones as I don't like keeping the neighbours awake at might and the headphone jack allows for those ate night listening sessions/

Connect these two wonderful units with a pair of KEF LS50's or Monitor Audio GX50's and it truly does sound good and its unobtrusive compact diemensions should make it partner friendly too!

Come and along have a cuppa and biscuit or three and have a listen.

Classic Vinyl Evening - Thank You

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A big thank you to all who attended our classic album evening on March 5th.

Also a thank you to Paul from Bowers & Wilkins for taking us through the CM range. We hope to organise another evening soon, so keep an eye on the blog for more details.

Meanwhile, new in the Preston store this week we have the brand new Naim DACV1 and NAP100 and also the new Musical Fidelity in-ear headphones why not call in for a demonstration. The new Rega RP8 turntable is also in stock and on demonstration in our dem room, bring in some vinyl and have a listen!

See you soon

Ian, Gavin and Andy

 

Audio World Manchester Show

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We are pleased to be at the Show sharing a room with long established hi-fi manufacturers Rega.

The show takes place at the Radisson Hotel (Manchester Airport) on March 23rd and 24th.

Click here for more details

 Dave from Audio-T Manchester will be on hand to advise and demonstrate the New Rega  RP8, RB808 and Apheta turntable package. The brand new Rega Aria phono stage and the Rega Elicit R will also be demonstrated. The PMCFact 3's will be used as our front end.

 

Ruark iPhone/iPod Adaptor

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Availability of Lightning Adapter Support (LAS)

 £7.99

As many know, the release of the new Apple products with Lightning connector caused much consternation, so our Lightning Adaptor Support which combines with Apple’s own Lightning to 30-pin adaptor has come as a blessed relief to many and provides a flexible solution that allows iPod/iPhone models old and new to be used with no degradation in performance!

Both customers and the media have described our LAS as “genius”, which indeed it is and over the next few years we expect to sell thousands, as not only does LAS fit our own R2i and R4i models but also most other brands that feature Apples Universal Dock, including Bose, Roberts, Pure, Denon, Marantz to name but a few!
Lightning Adapter Support
  
 

Chord Company Training Day

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On Monday 4th March we had the pleasure of spending time with the Chord Company in Salisbury.


 

The day started with a factory visit. What immediately struck us was the lovely working environment. The work areas are spacious and full of natural light. Music is played continuously and there is music and movie memorabilia is everywhere. Everyone was enthusiastic and proud of their product.

After a lovely lunch we were given the opportunity to make up some cables ourselves! It soon became obvious that the attention to detail and care was second to none. If you buy a Chord cable, you can be assured that it has been lovingly assembled.

The best and final part of the day was spent listening to the entire range. This is something that we could never do in store and it was so useful. We progressed from Crimson (£55) to Sarum (£1600) with interconnects, and Carnival (£4.10) to Sarum (£5.50) with speaker cables.

To be able to hear each difference and improvement as one cable was substituted for another was truly interesting. We even heard the improvements that the new VEE 3 plugs make (and it was not subtle)!

We would really like to thank all those at Chord for a lovely day.

 

Brighton Vinyl Roadshow Saturday 13th April. Hi-Fi & Records for Sale.

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Diverse Vinyl will once again be joining us in store for a celebration of the LP record between 10am and 4pm on Saturday 13th April.

Along with several trestle tables stacked with pristine high quality vinyl available to purchase, we will be demostrating the superb performance available from the Linn Sondek LP12 record player, and the range of Rega record players, from the humble RP1, to the RP3 and RP6 up to the RP8.

We will be featuring these turntables in several systems that include Naim, Linn and Rega amplification, along with a range of loudspeakers.

Bring along a favourite record and hear what we can do for you.

Bring your turntable for a free assessment and advice on upgrading it.

Join us for a fun day!

Rega speakers come to Swindon...

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REGA speakers are now on demonstration at Audio T Swindon.

Along with the new Rega RP8 turntable, we are pleased to announce that we now have a selection of Rega speakers here for you to audition. They make for the perfect partner for the Rega Brio-R amplifier or any other Rega amp for that matter!

We have the very small and compact RS1 - standmount speaker and the really musical RS3 and RS5 larger floorstanding speakers.

If you would like to find out more about these really musical speakers then please feel free to give us a call on 01793 538222 to arrange an audition.

Rega RP8 turntable arrives in Swindon

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The Swindon branch are pleased to announce that we have recently taken delivery of the new Rega RP8 Skeletal turntable, fitted with the Apheta moving coil cartridge.

This turntable takes Rega’s design philosophy further than ever before. A radical new plinth using custom designed materials, a new tonearm bearing assembly, 24v low voltage motor controlled by a hand tuned electronic power supply and a custom version of their Planar 9 engineered hub bearing assembly. These are just some of the features of this amazing new turntable designed to extract more music from your vinyl than ever before.

So if you are in the market for a new high end turntable that is a little out of the ordinary in terms of design, then you owe it to yourself to have a listen to the new Rega RP8. It's truly stunning!

Feel free to give us a call to book your demonstration. Give us a call on 01793 538222.

 

The Sonos Playbar has arrived!

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The eagerly awaited Sonos Playbar has finally arrived...

The set up could not be easier, from getting it unpacked it was up and running in about 5 minutes!. We have set it up with the Sonos Sub which again was a dream to set up.

As well as connecting to the TV to massively improve the sound quality compared to the TV's own speakers, it (as you would guess) also features all of the usual Sonos music playback capability. To switch form listening to the TV to use it as a music player is simply one selection from the home menu - it could not be any easier!.

If you are concerned about the operation being confusing or difficult, please feel free to call in and try it for yourself - i'll hand you the remote control and give you some tasks. You will be amazed how simple it is....

So you can get an idea of it's size and shape the pictures show it underneath a 55" screen..

The Playbar is constantly running in the shop so please call in to have a listen...

UK Dealer Day - REL Hi-Fi Subwoofers

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Please join us for Audio-T music day on the 7th of March, 2013.

REL staff are joining us here at Audio T Cardiff to demonstrate REL and how it benefits any 2-channel or home cinema.

The systems on demonstration we will be the reference A/V system employing “REL 3D”.

The new REL Habitat1, on-wall sub-bass system and the new R-528SE.

For any of you who didn’t get to go to the Bristol Show where these products were first shown, or if you would like a personal demo give the staff at Cardiff a call and book your place . Don’t miss this exclusive event!

Address

Audio T Ltd.

134/136 Crwys Road

Cardiff

CF24 4NR

Tel: 029 2022 8565
Email: cardiff@audio-t.co.uk

Contact Hefin, Haydn, Nick and for additional information.

Sonos has done it again!

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Sonos has recently launched its first ever wireless TV sound solution in the form of a wireless soundbar called the 'Playbar'.

It features 9 speakers, 1 optical input to go from a TV or other device and also 2x ethernet connections.

The 9 speakers make the Playbar an LCR unit with the option to add Play:3's or Play:5's as surrounds to make a 5.1 system. Which of course means adding the Sonos SUB!

You can use the LCR on a day to day basis with your TV/Sky/Virgin Box to add much more clarity and definition to the lifeless sounds you get from the flat panels that look beautiful on our walls. This system performs well with Dolby and DTS 5.1 movies via the optical connection from a blu-ray player. Performance is superb for a wireless solution.

It really does make everything just sound that much better and testing it with the SUB makes even more sense!

We have been using Playbar in the shop for all of 6 hours but we are already in love with it. We know it will be a success. Call in, have a listen, also having the use of Napster and Spotify at our fingertips its easy enough to demonstrate!

 

Spring Clean

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Now that spring is fast approaching what better time to have a good clear out. That's what we are doing here at Audio-T Cardiff. Why not pop in or check out clearance section on our web site and grab yourself some bargains. With at least 20% off most items. its an opportunity not to be missed. Top of the range 50" Panasonic Plasma TV's brand new boxed for under a £1000 with a 5 year guarantee, a pair of Spendor A6 (ex-dem) for £1820 are just a couple of the items on offer.

So don't delay, call us today. 

B&W M1 Speaker Package

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Anyone looking for a good quality sub-sat AV system should really consider these.

At first glance these look very similar to the old model but do not be fooled, on audition these are a massive audio ugrade. The sound is much sweeter with a greater bass extension and sweeter midrange.

At £149 per speaker, these are a steal!

 

Rotel RA-10 Integrated Stereo Amplifier

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It’s not often that a product comes along which creates such an appeal, let alone one that is destined to become a budget classic.

Enter the Rotel RA-10 integrated stereo amplifier.

This new product comes from a fine heritage that Rotel are rightly proud of. With products such as the RA-820 from a decade or so ago, the RA-10 continues the tradition.

The amp features most of the facilities that one would expect to find on a product at this price point. Tone controls are featured which can be defeated along with the ability to switch between two pairs of speakers. Vinyl LP fans are also catered for in the form of a very fine sounding on-board phonostage. Headphones can also be connected from the front panel and there is also a socket to run an MP3 player if you so desire.

 


So how does it sound?

Exciting, involving and truly musical! Thanks to a well designed power supply that was always a key factor in the formation of any Rotel amp.

It has also garnered excellent reviews in the press and was a What Hi-Fi award winning product in 2012.

http://www.whathifi.com/review/rotel-ra-10 

Available in either Black or Silver finish at £349.95.

Why not come along and have a listen.

Keith

Anthem MRX300. An instant winner!

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Without a doubt, our most successful AV product this season has been our latest addition to our line-up, the Anthem MRX300.

 

Designed in Canada, this awesome little receiver packs a mighty punch in a cinema set-up but also is a stonking 2 channel amplifier too , comfortably seeing off the competition at anything like its price point.

 

It features the most advanced roo EQ set-up software called ARC (Anthem Room Control) of any such product which is provided by a separate CD Rom disc for a PC and includes its own custom calibrated microphone and fully adjustable tripod.

 

 This software requires a minimum of 5 points of measurement (in each of the seating positions for you and your family) as apposed to the usual 1, allowing a far more accurate reading of the room’s tonal properties and the ARC software accurately configures the receiver to correct tonal anomalies. What’s more, the measurements are stored on a PC for easy re-uploading should someone mess with the settings.

 

The unit has full 6 channel discrete pre-amp outputs allowing it to be used in conjunction with an existing 2 channel system (as a 3 channel amp and processor) or as a powerful stand-alone processor

 

All of this for just £1099, we consider this something of a bargain.

 

Simon

SONOS PLAYBAR

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SONOS PLAYBAR Soundbar and Wireless Speaker

SONOS PLAYBAR Soundbar and Wireless Speaker

High Definition televisions offer an amazing picture but often lack the powerful, realistic sound that movie, music and game enthusiasts enjoy. The new SONOS PLAYBAR delivers sophisticated home cinema acoustics and wirelessly streams all the music on earth. And it all comes from one easy-to-use player that brings HiFi sound to HDTVs.

The 9-speaker design of the SONOS PLAYBAR wireless soundbar delivers room filling home theatre sound for your TV and wirelessly streams all the music on earth through one easy-to-use soundbar.

Sonos HiFi sound for your TV

Flood any room with epic, full-theatre HiFi sound. The PLAYBAR adjusts automatically to the differences between shoot ‘em up action flicks, Shakespearean dramas, and live concerts to deliver the sound as it was intended.

Wirelessly stream all the music on earth

Enjoy a universe of music in every room - your iTunes library, music services like Spotify and Napster, and more than 100,000 free Internet radio stations, podcasts and shows.

Easy to setup

PLAYBAR connects to your TV using a single optical cable and plays everything that’s connected to the TV, including satellite boxes and game consoles.

Control your way

Control PLAYBAR volume and mute using your existing TV, satellite or universal remote. And for streaming music you can download the free Sonos Controller Apps for your smartphone, tablet or computer.

Easy to expand wirelessly

Expand your Sonos system throughout the entire house, and play your music wirelessly in other rooms. Just add another Sonos player wherever you need music, for the ultimate music system.

The PLAYBAR will begin shipping on March 5, 2013, but you can pre-order your's now by visiting one of our stores or by clicking here.

A message to the customers of Movement Audio and Salisbury Hi-Fi

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We were very sad to hear that two long established Hi-Fi outlets, Movement Audio in Poole and Salisbury Hi-Fi, have recently ceased trading.  Real Hi-FI is a passion which is close to all of our hearts so the loss of two local specialist stores is bad news.  

Our Hi-Fi store here in Chandlers Ford first opened in 1969 and has been fully focused on great music reproduction ever since.  We are proud to stock the best of British product such as Arcam, B&W, Cyrus, PMC, Rega and our local world class Hi-Fi manufacturer Naim Audio, amongst many other UK and worldwide brands.

We are well positioned for easy access from all directions, via the A31 and M27 from Dorset and the A36 from Wiltshire, M3 and A34 from all points North and the M27 from the East.

John and I have almost 40 years HiFi and Home Cinema experience between us and would be very happy to welcome you in store and show you the fantastic products we stock and play you some great music in the comfort of our demonstration room, tea or coffee provided.  

The new Rega turntables are amazing if you want to bring in some of your favourite vinyl for a spin, especially the awesome RP8, and Naim's comprehensive range of music streaming products open up a whole new world of easily accessible audiophile sounds from sources ranging from iPad, USB memory stick, to network storage device and internet radio.

Please phone us for a chat about your current system and discuss your future requirements and we will be more than happy to pick up where Movement Audio and Salisbury Hi-Fi sadly had to finish.

As a thank you for travelling that bit further to see us please quote offer code MOSA0001 for 10% welcome discount on your first purchase from Audio T Southampton. (*Excludes existing clearance and special offers and installation products).

We look forward to speaking to you and seeing you soon,

Alan and John