Russell K Red 120 Loudspeakers

We have had the latest speakers from Russell K, the RED 120 for some months now and have proven such a hit that they have become our best selling model at any price at present.

Red 120 Walnut

So what makes them so successful? The answer is a combination of many things.

Firstly, in walnut in particular, they are visually striking but at the same time exceptionally compact. Indeed the pre-mounted plinth is smaller than that of a speaker stand for a bookshelf speaker, this and the fact they are absolutely not fussy about room placement and general set-up make they extremely room friendly.

Red 120 Walnut

Secondly, and most important really is their sound. What shocked us and floors all those that hear them is their sense of scale and amazing depth for such a small cabinet. These speakers throw a huge image in front of you with an uncanny sense of coherence top to bottom. Due to the compact nature of the enclosure and 6’’ drivers mean they are incredibly fast and time on point.

Red 120 Walnut

So what, one may ask is so new? Well, it’s a combination of both new and old design principles that are at work here. Although the cabinet measures just 20cm wide and 19 cm deep the sides are thin walled a la BBC monitor compared to the front baffle which means the ‘play’ along with music rather than damped. Indeed, there is also no damping material inside either but there’s not a trace of boxiness. The secret is the internal bracing which controls the resonances so they remain in time with the music rather than smear it, thus the cabinet is acting much like a musical instrument hence the large-scale presentation.

Red 120 Walnut

The other key design feature is the port tuning. Russell has not been tempted to implement the commonly used 40/80hz which is designed to excite the resonances of the average UK room with an 8’ ceiling. Instead the port is tuned to a low 24hz. Although there is little output at this frequency, the speakers in-room response is nothing short of remarkable and not a trace of that 80hz bloom.

Red 120 Walnut

But what sets this model apart for us is that they work exceptionally well within more modest systems but at the same time can deliver awesome results with better partnering equipment. Indeed they work wonders with a Naim Uniti Atom or even a Rega Elex-R.

Ultimately we feel there is nothing not to like about the RED 120 so we're not surprised by its immediate success.

Red 120 Walnut

Come on in and have a listen.

Russell K loudspeakers are available from the following branches of Audio T:
Enfield, Portsmouth, Reading

The Vinyl Countdown! Mike our Resident Punk from Audio T Manchester Delves into his Record Collection

In this months blog Mike Hennessey from Audio T Manchester gives the inside track on his vinyl collection. Be warned, some of the cover art may make you feel a bit queasy.

Rega Brio Rega RP8 Rega Ania

First Record I Ever Bought? NOFX - Pump Up the Valuum

Technics SL-1210GR

It’s pretty fitting that the first record I ever bought was a NOFX album. As you will see, I’ve bought a lot more since then but back when no one wanted records, this would have been purchased in 2000, it was easy enough to pick up the coloured first pressings from NOFX.

Oldest Record I Own? Mary Poppins soundtrack. 

Rega RP8 Quadraspire Soundstage

This one I inherited from my Grandad when he passed away. It came inside a Ferguson Stereogram, fortunately, not something I had to listen on. Unfortunately, at some point during a house move, I have managed to lose the bulk of the records I inherited, which was mainly Ella fitzgerald, Perry Como and The Seekers. Not exactly my taste in music but losing records is never a good thing, especially when they have sentimental value.
 
Most Interesting Record? Pizzatramp - Blowing Chunks.

This was released by TNS Records back at the end of 2016, the record was shipped in January 2017. Delivered in a hand painted and numbered pizza box, containing the album on green vinyl, a screen print of the album artwork and a slice of pizza. 

I varnished the pizza to preserve it. Here it is 1 year on.

Most Collected Band? NOFX

54 records, not including CDs or compilations.  36x7”, 2x10”, 16x12”. 12 Albums, 1 Bootleg, 2 splits, 8 EPs, 31 Singles including a 12 part set.

Most Valuable Record?
This one is tricky really. Not being the kind of person to part with records, any value attributed to them is purely academic. Unless of course there is something I need to buy! I’ve used the Discogs and Popsike websites to try and value what I have. I’ve included a selection as values vary depending on where you look and what extras you still have with the record et cetera. This just gives an idea of the records that have the highest priced sale on the two websites mentioned above.

Everything Everything - ARC Sold for £127 on DIscogs, £122 on Popsike
Me First and the Gimme Gimmes - Take a Break £147 DIscogs, £135 Popsike    
Mad Caddies - Just One More £295 Discogs, £151 Popsike
NOFX - HOFX £99 Discogs, £161 Popsike
NOFX - Liberal Animation £175 Discogs, £145 Popsike
NOFX - War on Errorism £101 Discogs, £135 Popsike
NOFX/Rancid Split £125 Discogs, £122 Popsike
The White Stripes - De Stijl £111 Discogs, £130 Popsike

Smallest Amount I’ve Paid? 29p. 

Rega Planar 6

Wild Cherry - Self Titled/Band Aid - Do they know it’s Christmas? 12” single. 
Both were bought on the same day from a charity shop on Hillgate in Stockport and both cost the same amount. Wild Cherry had no sleeve and has been sadly lost, which reminds me, I must keep an eye out for another copy.

Any Unusual Sized Records? - Dropkick murphys live on a five.

I’ve only ever encountered one unusually sized record. At the time I bought it, I don’t think I realised it was unusual. This is just two live tracks on one small record.

The Last Record I bought - Sonic Boom Six - Cardiac Address / Stand Out Riot - Gentlemen Bandits

Cardiac Address was a Pledge Music release from Sonic Boom Six, used to raise funds to get them to the Vans Warped Tour last year, it took a while but the 10” record finally arrived in January 2018.

Technics SL1210GR

Gentleman Bandits is a re-release from TNS Records, although it is the album’s first time on vinyl. This wasn’t bought by me but as a present from my wife for Christmas.

I also have at least 3 records currently on order that were purchased after Cardiac Address but I don’t have them yet, so they can’t count. They are, The Bennies - Natural Born Chillers, Harker - No Discordance, Marmozets - Knowing What You Know Now. 
Let’s face it, I’ll probably buy more before I finish this blog. 

Most Out of Place? Young Love.

Michell Gyro SE Ortofon 2M Blue

This is a compilation album of love songs. I bought it for a communal Valentine's dinner with friends at university. And that’s all I have to say about that.
 
Record I Should Own But Don't? Guns N’ Roses - Live Like A Suicide

Guns N’ Roses are probably my second most collected band, so it’s a surprise to me that they haven’t appeared in this until now. These are seemingly always available but I’ve never had the funds and the opportunity at the same time. The worst part is, my brother who doesn’t own a turntable, does have a copy. Framed on his wall. Sacrilege! Although, he did bring it in to the shop for its one and only play in his possession.

Thanks for reading! Rock on...vinyl!

Epson TW7300 Home Cinema Projector Brings The Big Screen To Your Living Room!

We have just taken delivery of the new Epson TW7300 Home Cinema projector. This fantastic projector has everything you need to enjoy movies and TV shows on a grand scale in your home.

Let's have a look at some of the features :

• The Epson TW7300 will accept 4K UHD movies from a UHD player or 4K Streaming services such as Netflix as well as provide enjoyment from your Blu Ray collection
• High Dynamic Range capability to bring out the best from UHD content
• 12v Trigger to enable automatic drop down of electric screens
• 3yr Warranty provided by Epson UK
• Back lit remote control for use in Cinema rooms
• 3D Playback from Blu Rays with optional glasses
• Motorised Lens Shift, Zoom and Focus to aid quick set up in any room
• Calibration controls for fine tuning of the picture in any given room
• Lens Memory function for 2.35:1 ratio cinemascope screens if you have one
• Available in White finish so you can even use this beauty in a living room environment
• Quiet operation of the fan in Eco mode so you hear the soundtrack and not the Projector when watching your favorite movies and TV shows

We have hooked up the Epson 7300 to our resident Oppo UDP 203 Ultra High Definition blu ray player. At first viewing our jaw was on the floor with the image we saw on screen - so much so that we had to double check we had not ordered a more expensive model by mistake! The image got even better after we had calibrated the projector to our 8ft wide 16:9 ratio screen and cinema room.

The Epson TW7300 projector comes in at a retail price of £2,200 and we feel that you will not get a better projector for the money. 

It has all the features of more expensive projectors such as motorised lens shift, zoom, focus and calibration controls. The high brightness of 2300 lumens helps provide an excellent image in either a living room or cinema room environment. To a certain extent you can enjoy this projector with ambient light however the best results will be displayed in darker environments.

The Epson 7300 is not a 'native 4K' projector, however Ultra HD Blu Ray content still be enjoyed as the unit will use its' own 4K enhancement to provide an image to 3840 x 2160 resolution.

So why would you want to have a look at the Epson?
Well, if you love watching movies and TV shows from Blu-ray, Netflix, Amazon or are starting to dip your toes into Ultra High Definition movies then one of the best ways to do this is to have a projector, or if you have a Sky Q package, the Epson will help you enjoy the subscription service even more.

We have our projector set up on a 106'' diagonal screen. Bear in mind you will not get a 106'' TV screen for less than £15,000 - which is why we feel that the Epson 7300 along with an 8ft Screen is a bargain of epic proportions. 

We are seeing many clients who are now looking to enhance their viewing enjoyment and choosing projectors by utilising spare bedrooms and converting garages into cinema rooms. You can also use the Epson in a living room environment as mentioned previously.  

The Epson 7300 has absolutely fantastic colours and when calibrated, a Ultra HD Blu-ray will really bring out the best from this projector - see the screenshots below.

Come in and we'll show you what the Epson TW7300 is capable of in our Dolby Atmos 5.1.4 demonstration suite. 

John, Keith, Claire and Mahmood - Audio T Enfield

Yes - this is from a Projector...

'Yes CAPTAIN, projectors are a very good way of enjoying movies'...

Epson Projectors are available from the following branches of Audio T: Cardiff, Enfield, Southampton, Swansea, Swindon

Project Continues the Vinyl Revival with the Juke Box E

Project have come up with a devilishly simple little all-in-one vinyl replay system. The Juke Box E is a fully featured Project turntable with all the technical know-how of that great company.

On the surface it looks like a traditional offering typical of Project. The turntable is nicely finished in a high gloss black with a clear acrylic lid and the pulley outside the platter to make speed changing simple.

Dig a little deeper however and you'll realise that this is, in fact, a turntable system!

In the Juke Box E we have a turntable with an integrated amplifier, so all you have to do is add some speakers to make music in any space and for relatively little outlay. The display shows source and volume, there is a remote control and a manual volume knob on the front of the unit.

Sources are line in and Bluetooth so a full mix of old and new technology!

All that is needed to complete the system is a pair of speakers. We've had great results with the Zensor range from Dali pictured here, but the little amp is well capable of driving bigger speakers with aplomb.

So all in all the Project Juke Box E is a stonking little hi-fi system, perfect for anyone with restricted space for components or on a limited budget and so much better than the many one box record players seen on the high street. Come and have a look and listen at Audio T Brentwood and we think you'll enjoy what you hear.

Pro-ject Hi-Fi products are available from the following branches of Audio T: 
Brentwood, Bristol, Cardiff, Cheltenham, Enfield, Manchester, Online, Oxford, Portsmouth, PrestonReading, Swansea, Swindon

New Ruark R7Mk3 High Fidelity Radiogram Re-Defined

This lovely all in one system from Ruark has been three years in development and is well worth the wait! Ruark made their name by making really high quality loudspeakers with a reputation second to none. Their passion for great looks, great build quality and great sound all gels together in the latest version of the R7.

We have always been big fans of the previous incarnations of Ruark's all in one music system and the new model does not disappoint.

It has built in CD player, streamer, DAB/DAB+/FM radio, Internet Radio, Bluetooth, Subwoofer, Phono input for vinyl, Headphone socket and sports two 140mm dual concentric drive units. All of this plus USB charge /  playback and plenty of analogue and digital inputs too! 

It is a great pleasure to be able to champion a UK design. The styling is gorgeous giving the new model a more sleek Scandinavian look compared to the older retro 60's and 70's look. Colours available are Walnut with black spindle legs or Soft Grey with pale pine legs. There is also a very clever TV mount available as an optional extra so it can be used as a sound bar! 

If you wish to you can also multi-room the R7 Mk3 by using the smaller Ruark R2 Mk3 radios enabling you to stream your music to other parts of the house, even vinyl! It helps that Spotify Connect is built in to the R7 Mk3 so if you have a Spotify Premium account you can select the R7 as your playback device and then control music using the R7's Roto Dial remote control.

The electronics inside the R7 have been specially designed to eke out the best possible sound for the size and the price. The two front firing speakers give a lush, clean and detailed sound which is all underpinned by the integrated subwoofer which adds scale and weight to the bass performance which makes all types of music more involving and realistic. Proper HiFi sound!

There are plenty of spare inputs available to cover all future eventualities and perhaps most important of all in these days of vinyl resurgence there is a phono input too!

The Ruark R7 Mk3 comes with the long spindle legs or little puck feet for mounting on an existing sideboard or AV cabinet. 

Available for demonstration in the Cheltenham store.

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

Dynaudio Celebrates their 40th Anniversary in Style!

Dynaudio had their 40th anniversary last year and they didn’t just celebrate by sitting around eating fastelavnsboller! (A Danish dessert so I’m told!) They carried on their tradition of releasing anniversary speakers with the Dynaudio Special 40.

Dynaudio have a history of making brilliant compact speakers but never a company to just look backwards, they have continued to innovate with their latest offering, bringing inspiration from their higher end Confidence and Evidence series drivers the new Special 40’s are some seriously impressive stand mounts.

A truly great set of speakers needs to both sound good and look good and the special 40s certainly grab your attention. The cabinet is a stunning high gloss birch in either grey or red and could easily fit into either a traditional or more modern styled room.

As is often said it’s what inside that counts! And there’s some very clever technology that has gone into the special 40s. The crossover incorporates Dynaudio’s unique Phase alignment and Impedance alignment technologies and is extremely accurate in ensuring the correct frequencies are going to the correct drivers, which themselves have extended frequency range and overlap to really give you that cohesive performance that is so important.

Dynaudio uses the same proprietary MSP (Magnesium Silicate Polymer) material that is in many other speakers they produce as they say that it has the best combination of rigidity, stability and damping resulting in what they say is the best driver they have made yet, which is quite the claim! They also claim that unlike other materials MSP never changes, so the driver will last an exceptionally long time without sounding tired. Like all other MSP cones it is a one piece design giving it a very strong connection to the voice-coil, and plenty of stability when you decide to turn it up a bit. Behind the driver there have been many changes to the voice coil, suspension and magnet to improve performance.

The new Esotar forty 28mm tweeter which has been made from scratch by Dynaudio is an intriguingly named DSR (Dynaudio secret recipe) precision-coated soft-dome. A lot of very clever engineering has gone behind it such as the new precision conduit which is shaped to allow more and better dampening it also reduces back pressure and its shape also significantly improves airflow.

In our demonstration room we found that the Special 40’s sounded best about a foot and a half from the wall and slightly angled in, this of course is very much room dependent but as the speakers are rear ported they do like space behind them to stop any bass boominess.

The speakers are pretty easy to drive at 6ohms and we found out even amps like the Rega Brio is capable of driving them although more power than that certainly doesn’t go amiss as we found when we went up to the over 100 watt per channel Rega Elicit-R. They also worked to stunning effect on the end of the Nytech CP202 and CPA402 pre and power amplifiers which we use for many of our speaker tests. We didn’t find the Special 40’s suited one genre over another in particular although some highlights from our listening included Audioslaves ’Like a Stone’ where the powerful voice of Chris Cornell (R.I.P) sounded huge and authoritative and Tom Morrelo’s guitar solo had an incredible 3D depth to it, sounding layered from the front to the back of the room. The John  Butler trio track ‘Ocean’ showed off the incredible subtlety of the speakers which managed to show off the intricate acoustic guitar work perfectly, managing to convey warmth and detail at the same time. All through our testing we were very impressed by the low end these relatively small speakers can put out, which is both impactful and musically pleasing, they image well with even orchestral pieces allowing you to easily pick out individual instruments whilst still retaining the sense of grandness and scale.

Overall the Dynaudio Special 40’s impress in both build and sound quality and will have you glued to your seat for a long time to come. They are available for demonstration in store right now so please get in touch to have a listen to these magnificent speakers.

Dynaudio Products are available in the following branches: Brentwood, Brighton, Bristol, Cardiff, Cheltenham, Enfield, Manchester, Oxford, Portsmouth, Preston, Reading, Southampton, Swansea, Swindon.

Rotel 15 Series RA-1592 & RCD-1572 with Bowers and Wilkins 703 S2

Last year in December we reviewed the Rotel 14 series and we were impressed by the build and sound quality. Now a year later we are happy to report that we could get our hands on the Rotel RA-1592 integrated amplifier and RCD-1572 cd player. Both are part of Rotels 15 Series.

Let's have look at the RA-1592 integrated amplifier.

Rotel RA-1592

Rorel RA-1592

The RA-1592 is an integrated amplifier with a dual-monoblock design that offers an output of 200 watts per channel and we can hear that controlled sound.

It is packed with many features and we like that. A moving magnet phono stage for a turntable; a headphone output, Bluetooth, optical (for a TV or set-top box) and coaxial inputs, a USB-B input to connect a PC or a Innuos music server, analog inputs including balanced XLR inputs (for use with the Rotel RCD-1572 if you like).

There is a set of subwoofer outputs and a RCA pre-output if you want to use the RA-1592 as a pre-amplifier. Two sets of speaker binding posts allow to connect 2 pairs of loudspeakers (for one set of speakers in the main listening room and perhaps another pair in the kitchen?).

The Rotel RCD-1572 is the flagship CD player in Rotel's 15 Series. It can connect to the RA-1592 via RCA (unbalanced), XLR (balanced) outputs and there is a digital output. The digital output allows you to connect to an external DAC (Digital to Analogue converter) if you have one.

Rotel RCD-1572

Rotel RCD-1572

B&W 703 S2

We partnered the Rotel combination with a pair of Bowers & Wilkins 703 S2, from the new Bowers & Wilkins 700 Series.

Rotel RA-1592, RCD-1572, B&W 703 S2

The new B&W 700 Series replaced the previous CM Series and it incorporates studio-grade technologies from the flagship 800 Diamond Series. The 703 S2 feature a new tweeter and a carbon dome tweeter. This new carbon dome tweeter delivers a cleaner and sweeter treble.

The dedicated midrange drive unit, the Continuum Cone, has been adopted from the 800 Diamond Series and is big step up from the Aramid Fibre drivers, used in the previous CM range. It is a de-coupled design that reduces cabinet colouration and improves midrange performance.

The two bass drivers are Aerofoil profil bass cones. They have a variable thickness and provide stiffness and rigidity for a deeper and more dynamic bass.

So much for the features, what does this system sound like?
We listened to Beck's Album Sea Change. It is a great sounding Album and the vocals and instruments are well presented in the room . It is stunning to hear this clarity and big sound stage. We then played James Taylor's Album "Before This World " and it is nice how much it draws us in. Just close your eyes,  sit back and enjoy.

The last Album we listened to was Yello's Album "Touch Yello". We put on "Till Tomorrow" or "Kiss in Blue " and we loved the controlled big bass we heard.

So what's not to like?
All in all we think this is a great sounding music system that makes us want to listen to more music. Please feel free to book a demonstration or just come in for a chat and a listen.

We are always happy to talk to you.

Thanks you very much for reading our blog and we hope to see you soon.

Stefan & Andy - Audio-T Swindon

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

Rotel Hi-Fi products are available from these branches of Audio T:
Brighton, Bristol, Cardiff, Manchester, Preston, Swindon

The Joy Of Music! The Naim Uniti Atom Music Player Revisited

Now this blog is not so much a review but a revisit and a quick look at how we are doing so far with this brilliant little Uniti Atom from Naim.

Where do we start?

Since taking delivery of our Naim Uniti Atom in late in July we have been nothing but totally blown away by what this little power house is capable of. 

Built to the usual high standards of one of our favourite Hi-Fi manufacturers, Naim Audio, the Atom is just a beautifully made piece of Hi-Fi. Taking design cues from their flagship Statement amplifier, the Uniti range including the Uniti Star, Uniti Nova and Uniti Core all look absolutely gorgeous and the Atom looks even sweeter because of its diminutive size.

Whats Up Doc?
40 watts per channel, “that's nothing” we hear you say, it's not enough, is it a valve amp!?
Calm down audiophiles, it's an integrated, and a good one at that. Atom out competes the competition with similar power, with drive, rhythm and timing. And to just emphasise that, we recently had a Naim event at Audio T Manchester and the Atom happily played
great music through a pair of £8000 Dynaudio Contour 60's. 

The Naim Uniti Atom uses the Naim App to help you control your music. With options for streaming from Tidal, Spotify and even Google Chromecast. The ability to play almost all Hi-Res files stored on your own music server is the icing on the cake.

Beam me up Scot.......ahem. Sorry to interrupt Chromey but that's from Star Trek. If it's the tractor beam you're after that'll be on the death star. Merry Christmas.

As demonstrated by Chromey below, you can play direct from a USB too.

Naim also use what we like to call "silent running" technology. Because all streamers use a mini or micro computer to control the app and Uniti, this naturally generates heat. And as we know things that get too hot don't quite run as smoothly as when kept cool or within operating temperature. Naim don't use fans in the Atom to dissipate the heat but heat sinks, and the heat sinks on the case work  just add to the overall look and style the unit. 

Brutalist architecture Chromey!!! No no... it's just the lovely naim case work..  

Come and hear this fantastic amplifier, streamer, music system sing. It really is musical, fun and a joy to listen to.

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

Naim Uniti Star Streaming System Offers Flexibility and Outstanding Performance

Just add a suitable pair of loudspeakers to the Naim Uniti Star for a comprehensive and rather beautiful modern music system, incorporating all the features below!

With control by the Naim iOS or Android app. your music will be at your fingertips.

Under the Skin of Uniti Star
This all-in-one player packs a heavy punch.  Uniti Star includes a CD player alongside streaming and amplification technology. The custom integrated CD drive also doubles as a ripper, making Uniti Star the most versatile all-in-one in the range. State of the Art digital technology comes together with the legendary Naim sound quality!

Suitable for use with a wide range of loudspeakers, but the Neat Iota Alpha is proving to be a popular choice with the Naim Uniti range.

As you would expect within the Uniti range there are clear performance differences between the models, and it really makes good sense to come along and hear for yourself what they are capable of. 

Julian, Paul & John look forward to seeing you in store, for a listen to some of the amazing equipment we keep on demonstration.

Naim Uniti products are stocked at all branches of Audio T.

Turn Heads and Enjoy the Music With the New Bowers and Wilkins PX Wireless Headphones

Introducing the Bowers and Wilkins PX wireless headphones, the feature rich wireless headphone offering a taste of the award winning sound that Bowers & Wilkins have delivered for 50 years.

Look, no wires! 

On first seeing and holding the PX's you can instantly tell this is a premium headphone. This feeling continues when you put them on your head as they are very comfortable. We think you could wear them continuously for the 22 hours the battery will last.

So how about this for minimum effort, you don't have to touch your phone/device or a button in order to stop them playing. Pull them away from your ear and they instantly stop playing, placing the headphones down will kick start a sleep mode to save your battery life, to continue with listening simply pick the headphones back up and put them on. These wireless headphones can also be used conventionally with the supplied cable although they will have to have charge to be able to use them like this.

Light comfortable and stylish

They have a clever three mode noise cancelling operation. The three modes are flight, city and office. This changes the way the noise cancelling works to suit the environment you are in.

The PX's support HD 24bit/48khz with the latest Bluetooth aptX HD supported devices such as various smartphones and digital audio players for example: Sony, LG & Astell & Kern.

The B&W PX's captivate with their control over the music. They give each instrument great separation and the bass is never overblown which lets the music shine.

Incorporating driver technology from the Bowers & Wilkins P9's, these lightweight well built headphones will also fold flat and they come with a handy travel case to protect them. The B&W PX also come with a traditional headphone cable as well as a micro usb and the volume can be adjusted easily using the controls on the side of the right ear phone. The middle button will allow you to pause, play, skip and go back.

Overall the Bowers & Wilkins PX wireless headphones have certainly ticked a lot of boxes for us: user functionality, build quality and audio quality, so come along and have a listen for yourself.

Bowers & Wilkins headphones and loudspeakers are available from the following branches of Audio T:  
Brentwood, Brighton, Bristol, Cardiff, Enfield, Manchester, Oxford, Portsmouth, Preston, Reading, Southampton, Swansea and Swindon. Bowers & Wilkins 800D3 series are only available from Audio T Cardiff.

The Stunning New Bowers and Wilkins 700 Series Loudspeakers

Any new speaker from B&W causes excitement and the new 700 series doesn't disappoint!

Shown here are the 702, 704, and 707

Although this range bears some visual similarity to the outgoing CM range they are in fact completely different speakers in almost every way. All the drive units are radically different to those in the CM range and utilise trickle down technology from the famous Diamond 800 range and also some tech unique to this range.

B&W 707 Standmount Speaker

Taking the wonderful little 707 as an example the first thing you'll notice is the old yellow Aramid Fibre cones, so long a trademark of B&W speakers, has been replaced by a shiny new silvery cone made from their new proprietary material Continuum™. Not only is this a sonically superior material it also looks really smart in the new 700 cabinet work.

Although you can't see it through the snazzy (and very protective) cover on this 702, the tweeter is also a completely new design using a carbon dome, which offers less break up in the higher frequencies than the previous aluminium tweeter. There have been other changes to the driver chassis and the new Aerofoil™ configuration of the bass cones.

All of this results in a very handsome range of speakers.

But enough techy stuff, these speakers really do sing! A newly established favourite combination with some of the shops is to partner the little 707 with the wonderful new Naim Uniti Atom. 

Our dem room favourite at the moment is the B&W 702 with the Quad Artera Play and Artera power amplifier. This system produces huge dynamic range and frequency response, we've been throwing all sorts of music at it from Outrospective by Faithless to Bjork's Utopia with a little country blues from Chris Jones Roadhouses and Automobiles and the speakers have just sailed through with grace and occasionally scary levels of dynamics.

So all in all a great success, A beautiful range of speakers with an exciting sound and a model to work in any room. There are six stereo pairs, two centre speakers and a sub. Come in, have a listen and sit back, relax and enjoy the music!

Boswell chilling to music on the 700 series

We also want to wish all of our customers and friends a very happy festive season.

Paul, Francis, Jason, and of course Boswell at Audio T Brentwood.

Bowers & Wilkins loudspeakers are also available from the following branches of Audio T:
Brentwood, Brighton, Bristol, Cardiff, Enfield, Manchester, Oxford, Portsmouth, Preston, Reading, Southampton, Swansea and Swindon. Bowers & Wilkins 800D3 series are only available from Audio T Cardiff.

We Get up Close and Personal With Bowers & Wilkins 805 D3, Stand Mount Loudspeaker

The Bowers and Wilkins 800 series has always been a leading light in high end speaker manufacture. In this month’s blog we thought we would whet your appetite for a high quality stand mount loudspeaker and take a closer look at entry point of their flagship 800 series, the B&W 805D3.

Let’s get stuck into the nitty gritty of what makes these small but impressive stand mount speakers sing! As the world’s only diamond equipped stand mount loudspeaker the 805D3 is packed with cutting-edge technology. The 2 way vented box design delivers phenomenal performance. The diamond dome tweeter is encased in a solid aluminium body and just like the predecessors to the 805D3 it has that unmistakable look with the tweeter separated and situated on top of the cabinet. This separates it from the main cabinet allowing for a spacious and lifelike reproduction of the music.

Diamond dome tweeter

The B&W 805D3 diamond dome tweeter is now complimented by the new Continuum cone bass midrange driver. Eight years down the line of research and we have a progression, or a “continuation” of the well known yellow woven Aramid Fibre drive unit found in the older 800 diamond series. The new Continuum cone delivers a pristine midrange and bass performance and the new technology has been designed to eliminate the break up behaviour that can really affect the response in this part of the frequency spectrum. We would like to elaborate more on the continuum technology but B&W are keeping their cards close to their chest on this one.

contimuum bass/midrange driver

The revised cabinet for these small but impressive loudspeakers are described as a metal-reinforced Matrix. This structure provides incredible internal bracing ensuring that the sound we hear is produced by the drivers and not influenced by the cabinet. The cabinet construction consists of layers of wood ply with metal reinforcement. This construction teamed with the curve of the cabinet makes for an incredibly rigid platform for the bass mid-range driver to operate. The 805D3 cabinets are available in three finishes, gloss black, satin white and rosenut, which are featured in these pictures.

Rosenut cabinet

What do they sound like I hear you cry! Well, we have been getting to grips with the 805D3 since they arrived at Audio T Cardiff this summer. They definitely need a good amplifier to keep control of them. The combinations we most like is on the end of a Naim NAP300DR which offers plenty of grunt and a smooth but upfront presentation. However, the NAP250DR and NAP200DR have what it takes to keep them under control.  The midrange frequency performance is stunning and you can kick back and listen to these loudspeakers all day long.  At this level of speaker things can sometimes sound too clinical and the detailed presentation can lack musicality. The 805D3 does not have this problem. The mid range and treble performance is spatial, transparent and full of the accurate details we have come to expect from Bowers and Wilkins 800 diamond series.

bass reflex port

Team the B&W 805D3 up with the FS-805 stand and you have the basis for a world leading stand mount loudspeaker. You have probably seen the recent release of the new Naim UNITI range, such as the ATOM, STAR and NOVA. Well, a demonstration of any of these streaming amplifiers is a must with the 805D3 before making your final decision on what to partner them with.

naim uniti star

In their own words, "B&W have been dedicated to helping listeners get closer to the music they love for 51 years." All of the 800D3 series are designed and hand built in the Bowers & Wilkins factory in Worthing in the UK. Bowers & Wilkins have kindly invited us to their factory in January 2018 so we can bring you first hand information on the design and manufacture of the 800D3 series.

We will be showcasing the 800D3 range at an event in Cardiff in early 2018, so keep your ear to our blog for details of the date and location for this event.

Bowers & Wilkins loudspeakers are available at the following branches of Audio T: 
Brentwood, Brighton, Bristol, Cardiff, Enfield, Manchester, Oxford, Portsmouth, Preston, Reading, Southampton, Swansea and Swindon. Bowers & Wilkins 800D3 series are only available from Audio T Cardiff.

Bowers & Wilkins 705 S2 Series Stand Mount Speaker Stunners!

When B&W announced that they were replacing their popular and classy CM range, we were pleased and intrigued as to how they would develop an already successful product.

B&W 705 S2

The more expensive CM models had the tweeter placed in a discrete housing on top of the cabinet, decoupling it from the main enclosure. This looks a bit odd, but has the happy effect of providing a much more open and airy soundstage by placing instruments firmly in a solid stereo image. This is direct trickle down technology from the imperious and top of the range B&W 800 Series. Curiously, we found them more difficult to drive than the non-discrete enclosure versions that required much more capable amplification. However the demanded increase in amplification (and source) quality was always rewarded well. 

Tweeter without the Monkey Man

The Bowers & Wilkins 700 range has strong echoes of this former glory, in that the top of the range floorstander the B&W 702 and standmount B&W 705 (picutred) have an advanced version of the trick tweeter housing on top of the cabinet, plus a whole host of developments, not the least of which is the ‘Carbon’ tweeter itself. Colour choice remains the same at Satin White, Gloss Black and a very handsome Rosenut.

With the need for quality amplification in mind, we thought we’d set Naim’s £2k Uniti Atom one-box media player/amp the job of driving our 705s. We were very pleasantly surprised. The music sprang rich, solid, full and remarkably clean from the speakers, with a much bigger soundstage than we were expecting. A bit easier to drive than the outgoing model, so it appears, plus sweeter sounding and better timing. Insightful with instruments and vocals locked in space, lets acoustic music wash over and melt you into the sofa. If you’re in the mood for something more aggressive, you’ll be leaping about the lounge like a crazy lounge leaping thing! They're a lot of fun too.

Would I have these in my home? Yes. In white please Father Christmas.

Bowers & Wilkins loudspeakers are available in the following branches of Audio T: shops, Brentwood, Brighton, Bristol, Cardiff, Enfield, Manchester, Oxford, Portsmouth, Preston, Reading, Southampton, Swansea and Swindon. Bowers & Wilkins 800D3 series are only available from Audio T Cardiff.

It's Beginning To Look A Lot Like Christmas at Audio T Preston

It's that time of year again when stress levels start to rise and we have to juggle our already busy lives with even more shopping. We are of course talking about the dreaded Christmas shopping and all that it entails. Who gets this, who gets that etc and did we remember Auntie Mildred?

But fear not as we at Audio T Preston have a few stocking filler suggestions for those of you who have loved ones who love vinyl.

A jealously guarded sanctuary to some and a mystery to others, the humble turntable or “record player” or 'record deck' as it is often called, has risen in prominence again and is once more a core feature in any respectable Hi-Fi system. No matter whether you are the proud owner of one of these disc spinning lovelies or know someone who is, we have got a whole load of great gift ideas to make the whole experience even more enjoyable.

The tonar Dustaway brush is a great little accessory for cleaning the the surface of your records and removing unwanted dust before playback. With soft carbon fibre brushes and a velvet pad it's a steal at only £17.

Another great vinyl cleaner is the new Project Vinyl Clean putty. A green gelatinous substance (think 80's slime) that you roll around the surface of the record as it picks up all the nasties and removes static. It can also be used to clean the stylus and for only £10.95 it would be rude not to.

For a deeper clean give your older records a good bath with the Knosti disco-antistat cleaner. £50

For the ultimate clean you could use the very effective Pro-ject VCS Vinyl Cleaning System. which will bring your old records back to life! Don't take our word for it. Why not bring a few of your older records and test its effectiveness for yourself.

Weight for it!
One of the most important factors in any turntable is getting the correct balance in the tonearm so as to provide the right amount of downforce for the cartridge. Most decent turntables give you the ability to do this in their setup but if you want to be super accurate you'll need one of these.

The mighty Rega Atlas, a digital weighing scale, which will tell you exactly how much downforce is being applied to your stylus.

Also for you consideration is the Pro-Ject Measure It Digital Stylus Force Gauge.

Can you hear me Mother?
If you are buying a turntable to give to someone this Christmas then make sure that they will be able to use it on the big day. You need to know if they have an input labelled “Phono” on the hi-fi / amplifier / sound system. If not then you will probably benefit from one of these:

The Project Phono Box MM is a phono pre-amplifier that boosts the signal from a turntable and makes it suitable to play on any other analogue line input. 

The Rega Fono A2D does the same job and also features a USB output so you can record any of your records onto your PC or Laptop.

These are just the entry level phono stages, we do carry a much wider range is store for newcomers or veterans who have more advanced record player based Hi-Fi systems.

We hope to see you in store before the big day, but if we if we don't we hope you have a great Christmas

Ian, Gavin & Andy

Pro-ject Hi-Fi products are available from the following branches of Audio T:
Brentwood, Bristol, Cardiff, Cheltenham, Enfield, Manchester, Online, Oxford, Portsmouth, PrestonReading, Swansea, Swindon

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

Naim Uniti Atom and Bowers & Wilkins 707 Combine For Sublime Sound

We have partnered two of the most respected brands in Hi-Fi together to create a fantastic sounding Hi-Fi system for under £3,000. We have paired the extremely well reviewed Naim Uniti Atom £1,999 all in one music streamer with the new released compact B&W 707 speakers £799.

B&W 707 in Rosenut

The Naim Uniti Atom is a compact, stylish, music streaming system in a single box. Amongst its features are UPNP streaming, Internet Radio, Spotify, Tidal and Chromecast, combined with a high quality amplifier, make it a remarkable sounding and versatile piece of hi-fi. 

Naim Uniti Atom

The B&W 707 standmount speakers are the smallest speakers in Bowers & Wilkins new 700 series range that recently replaced the popular CM range. The new 700 series employs trickle down technology from their flagship 800 series. They come in 3 attractive finishes, real wood rosenut veneer, gloss black and satin white. The range counts down to the biggest 702 model (£3299) which along with the 705 (£1799) have the distinctive tweeter on top, separated from the main cabinet.

B&W 702 in gloss black

When paired together the two make a very compact and capable music system, with a big presence. The combination offers plenty of insight into the music and a surprising amount of bass weight, and should work very well in a small or medium sized room.

Naim Atom and B&W 707 system

We have this set up on demonstration at Audio T Portsmouth, so why not pop in for a warm beverage and have a listen in our comfortable demonstration room.

Thanks for reading, Nick, Joe and James and we hope to see you in store soon.

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

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

Bowers & Wilkins Wireless Noise Cancelling Headphones PX Have Arrived

Bowers & Wilkins have launched a brand new pair of wireless noise cancelling headphones, called the PX. They are available in a space grey and a soft gold finish.

B&W PX

What's in the box? The Bowers & Wilkins PX come shipped with a nice case, a usb-cable for charging and a 3.5mm to 3.5mm cable so you can use them wired to your phone or tablet, just in case you run out of battery power. The 40mm full-range drivers are angled inwards for better sound performance and are hidden under the magnetic ear pads.

We charged them out of the box and not long after we are able to have a good listen. They are very light, comfortable and sound amazing.  

We paired the B&W PX via Bluetooth to an Android phone and later to an Apple iPad and it paired within seconds. Music from Tidal HiFi, a music streaming service, was the first we tried and wow, the PX’s soundstage is big and open and they can go fairly loud without any hint of distortion. 

Play "Till Tomorrow" of Yello's "Touch Yello" Album or "Hey Laura" of Gregory Porter's "Liquid Spirit" Album and you know what I mean. 

The built in proximity sensor called 'Wear Sensor', which stops playback as soon as one ear cap is lifted or when you take the headphones off. Put them back on and playback continues - it's a nice feature when someone wants to talk to you. This option can be switched on or off via the PX set up app if you prefer.

How well does the noise cancelling work?

Bowers & Wilkins have designed an app  (Bowers & Wilkins Headphones) available for the Android Play Store and Apple App Store to set up the noise cancelling for the PX. Open the app, touch the volume + button on the PX's and you are ready to go.

Now you see a button called environment filter, switch it on and this gives you the choice of 3 settings - Office, City, Flight and Voice Pass-through if you prefer to hear a bit more what is going on around you. 

The noise cancelling works really well and it is up to you if you use it with music or just to cancel off the noise around you whilst on a long-haul flight and you want to close your eyes for a while.

All in all we are very impressed with the build and sound quality of these stunning Bowers & Wilkins PX headphones.

Please feel free to come in for a listen. 

Thank you very much for reading our blog and we hope to see you soon.

Stefan & Andy - Audio T Swindon  

Bowers & Wilkins Hi-Fi products are available from the following branches of Audio T:

Brentwood, Brighton, Bristol, Cardiff, Enfield, Manchester, Oxford, Portsmouth, Preston, Reading, Southampton, Swansea, Swindon

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

REL 212SE Sub Bass System Unboxing and Demonstration at the Manchester Store

REL acoustics based in Bridgend in Wales, are renowned for producing the worlds best sub bass systems for the most demanding stereo and multichannel Hi-Fi systems. Recently, they went beyond the call of duty by personally bringing a 212SE subwoofer and demonstrating it for a customer in our Manchester store.

A very big box contains the REL 212SE

Unboxing the REL took us the best part of best part of 10 minutes, we were impressed with the welcome pack you receive and it felt more akin to unboxing military equipment with just the flight case missing.

Piano black finish is widely used in the Hi-Fi industry and varies from one manufacturer to the next. REL take considerable pride in their finishes and will go that extra mile to give them the edge over others. The 212SE simply looks stunning and the gloss black just looks deeper, akin to concours d'Elegance. 

Here comes the Mirror Man...

REL use Australian MDF for the cabinet. Speaking to a representative from REL, he explained that it was because they have found it to be flatter and smoother and the quality much higher than other suppliers. 

Shiny happy people..

The REL 212SE has two active 12inch drive units and a passive radiator keeps the design in a closed cabinet, meaning no restriction on where the REL can be positioned because of porting issues. The 3rd drive unit at the back of 212SE helps too.

REL's demonstration really revealed another depth of music unheard by many stereo loudspeakers due to the physical limitation of their cabinets. Obviously bass is far more prominent with the REL, not in the sense that you automatically assume; bigger is better comes to mind, however this could not be further from the truth! Agility, depth and subtlety are all expanded within the soundstage. The REL 212 SE revealed ambiance which was lost in translation before introducing the 212SE.

Chromey bling bling badda bling!

Customer Film and Music Heaven

And the end result is a triple sub set up using twin REL 212se's with a REL T7i enforcing the centre channel. All using REL longbow and Arrow wireless technology, which means no trailing cables.

The customer is over the moon.

REL subwoofers and sub bass systems are available from the following branches of Audio T:
Brentwood, Brighton, Bristol, Cheltenham, Enfield, Manchester, Oxford, Portsmouth, Reading, Southampton, Swansea, Swindon

Join The Queue And Hear the New KEF Q Series Speaker Range

Now in store is some of the new Q Series range from KEF. We have the new Q 150, Q 350, and Q 550 on display in the shop.

With their sleek new looks and colour coordinated drive units these speakers really do look very smart indeed. KEF have improved all aspects of the design over the older Q Series (which was a very well received range in its own right.

KEF's famous Uni-Q driver has been improved again as has the bass unit giving a better performance-for-price than ever before.

The sound is great too. The little Q 150 sounding like a younger brother to the famous LS50 with its small footprint it was pumping out Rag'n'Bone man like a floorstander!

The Q 350 was put through its paces with some female vocals courtesy of Bjork and the detail clarity and precision was astounding, the soundstage is huge with these speakers.

Yes the driver is dark blue!

For a relatively compact floorstander the Q 550 really does give that big room-filling sound, a little bit of classic Queen really made these speakers sing for their supper! We followed it with some Muse.......just to make sure, but they can also do delicacy, Sarah McLachlan's plaintive voice proved that they can.

It seems safe to say KEF have come up with a winner in the new Q Series. They have all the hallmarks of the KEF Uni-Q designs with great dispersion and imagery, and great dynamic range and presence for their price points. They will work equally well in two channel stereo or multi-channel home cinema systems, so come and have a listen.

On the subject of KEF we also have the magnificent Blade 2 speakers here for a short time so grab the chance to have a listen while you can!!

You can contact us to arrange a demonstration or just pop in for a listen at Audio T Brentwood.

Thanks for reading. Paul, Jason and Francis.

KEF Loudspeakers are also available from the following branches of Audio T:
Brentwood, Bristol, Cardiff, Enfield, Manchester, Online, Portsmouth, Preston, Southampton,
Swansea, Swindon

Linn Sondek LP12 Turntable Open Day At Audio T Brighton this Saturday 18th November

Join us between 10.00 am and 4.00 pm to explore the range of performance available from the legendary Linn Sondek LP12. We will have on demonstration the 3 main variants of this classic design; Klimax, Akurate and Majik.

First introduced over 40 years ago, it has been refined and developed and being a modular design, older LP12's can be upgraded with improved modern parts, including the motor and power supply, sub chassis, tonearm and cartridge, etc.

You are welcome to bring along your own LP12 for upgrading assessment, and to compare with the demonstration LP12's. Bring along some favourite records too.

Majik LP12 the first step on the LP12 ladder

Akurate LP12 external power supply, upgraded sub - chassis tonearm and cartridge

Klimax LP12 fully loaded LP12 with all the top upgrades.

Please call 01273 609431 to book a time.

We look forward to seeing you and talking Linn LP12 turntables!

Julian, Paul and John

Linn LP12 turntables are available from the following branches of Audio T:
Brighton, Bristol, Manchester