Time For Evolution, The New Project Debut Carbon Evo Turntable

THE project debut carbon evo in satin steel blue

The Project Debut Carbon has been around for a few years now, yet is still one of our best selling turntables. Like many, I was interested when I heard that an ‘Evo’ version had been released. What would the difference be between the two? Well, looking at the two side by side I must say they look identical (apart from the finish of course!)

the proven 8,6‘‘ one piece Carbon tonearm design. The super stiff, but lightweight tonearm delivers an insane sound quality with a convincing sound stage.

The signature, high quality carbon arm, factory fitted with the excellent Ortofon 2M Red cartridge. The connecting cable included with both models is the well respected, semi-balanced Connect-it E. And whilst it would appear to be the same looking platter, the Evo boasts a newly designed platter which we will discuss a little later. As well as this, there are now nine elegant finishes available, including Satin Steel Blue - A touch of class indeed!

So what else are we getting for the £80 premium?

To find this out we must look a bit deeper. First of all, the “Evo” has an electronic speed change. The simple on/off switch on the original has been replaced with a three position switch, flick to the left for 33 and to the right for 45. No need to remove the platter to change speed.

Whilst we’re talking about speed; this deck is also capable of playing 78’s with a special belt that is supplied. Just simply place it on the larger pulley and away you go. Just make sure you change your stylus to play your old shellacs - Ortofon manufacture an easily replaceable stylus for this very purpose.

While looking underneath the deck I also noticed that the feet were different. It now sits on three height adjustable aluminium feet which are further dampened with TPE (Thermo-Plastic Elastomer). This will ensure an absolutely stable platform, with good isolation from the shelf it is placed on.

So what’s new under the bonnet so to speak? On removing the platter we can see two noticeable improvements. The first is the in house designed motor and the way it is mounted. It is now decoupled from the chassis using a new mounting plate. This is again dampened with TPE, which isolates the motor whilst keeping it perfectly level with the sub-platter drive system.

As mentioned before, the Evo’s platter also features all new TPE (thermoplastic elastomer) technology which helps to damp the resonance completely and also increases the weight to 1.7 kg. Also, because the TPE is mounted to the inside of the platter‘s rim, the extra mass there will also create a flywheel effect. The result is an even quieter and noiseless operation, with less wow and flutter.

So, all-in-all, some worthwhile improvements for a megre £80. However the proof is in the listening…

Let the shoot-out begin!

I set both turntables up with a system that they are likely to be partnered with, consisting of the excellent Rega Brio amp and Dali Oberon 5 loudspeakers. I set them both to play for a couple of hours to make sure the system was fully warmed up. I randomly selected some vinyl from my home collection, but ones that should show the difference between these two decks.

First for a spin was Karen Souza and her cover of Bruce Hornsby’s “The Way it Is.” Karen’s close mic’d vocals sounded good but with a very slight sibilance but this was not enough to spoil the performance. Imaging was good and the bass was slightly on the warm side.

So, over to the “Evo”

The first thing that was noticeable was the lower surface noise. The stereo image now was a lot wider, filling the space between the speakers nicely. Her voice was also slightly more forward in the mix, putting the band firmly behind her. In fact it was now a lot easier to individually follow the musicians. The bass was also tighter; no doubt a result of the extra damping. I didn’t seem to notice the slight sibilance.

Next, the Vivaldi. An early digital recording and not the best out there, however, with a performance amongst the top. This recording has a slightly shrill top end, and this was the case on the Debut Carbon. This was still the case with the “Evo”, however, the wider soundstage and greater bass weight made the performance much more enjoyable.

Again I had similar results with the Christine and the Queens LP. A wider soundstage with the heavy bass lines of the track “iT” much cleaner and more focused.

Last but not least was the John Mayer disc. This is a fine example of a well recorded and produced album, and both turntables shone here. The track “Gravity” is fairly narrowly mixed, and this was the case on both turntables. The biggest difference here was in the depth. The “Evo” bought Mayer’s vocals forward, and it was the same with the background vocals towards the end of the track. I imagine just as the engineer intended.

Funnily enough I was quite happy swapping from the Carbon to the EVO but not so much the other way. I just wanted to listen to the whole album. This for me would be well worth the extra £80 spend.

Project turntables are available from all Audio-T branches. Find you local store here.

Hefin, Nick & Kerrin - Audio T Cardiff

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Brighton's Linn Klinik featuring new Karousel bearing - 8th October 2020

We’re very excited for our upcoming Linn Klinik event showcasing their new LP12 bearing, the Karousel! John has been very busy the last couple of months fitting Karousels to many of our customer’s decks, and the orders are still flooding in. The great thing about the Linn Klinik is that it gives customers an opportunity to hear what the Karousel does with their own ears, instead of relying solely on reviews and recommendations. 

We thought we would take this opportunity to tell you what systems we will be playing on the day.

Our ‘Karouseled’ Majik LP12!

The first system we’ll be using will be a full Linn Majik system. Comprising of a Majik LP12 - with Karousel bearing - into either a new Majik DSM or a Selekt DSM (depending on availability), playing through Linn’s own Majik 140 floor-standing speakers. We’ve been running this one on and off for the last few weeks in preparation and it sounds excellent. It’s very sweet, detailed and clear, without being too aggressive. It’s very easy to listen to without fatiguing your ears. 

the klimax lp12, with radikal lurking in the background!

The next system we’ll be using is a higher end system. We built this system based on some of the most popular combinations our customers use with this level of LP12. This one is a Klimax LP12, it has a Karousel, an internal Urika phono stage and is being powered by the Linn Radikal (Klimax enclosure) which powers both the deck and the Urika - a ‘doubly impressive upgrade’ as Linn say! This then going through a Naim NAC552 & NAP300 combination and into a pair of ATC SCM50s. This is a very impressive sounding system and really makes the Karousel shine!

Linn are also running a promotional offer for the day, if you spend £3000 or more on any Linn product*, you get the Karousel bearing for free. So, if you’ve been thinking about finally going for that Radikal upgrade, now might be the time. 

*Excluding Kandid Cartridge

We do recommend that everyone who is coming to listen brings a selection of their own records, and advise that they be records you know well, so you can really hear the differences the Karousel makes. We do carry a selection of records for demo purposes, but as we all know, each pressing is different!

Each booked appointment will last around 45-60 minutes, and we will be able to answer any questions, as well as provide recommendations about upgrades to your own system. You can book your slot in Brighton by clicking here

Below is a list of the available dates for all other participating Audio-T stores. Contact your nearest branch to get more details about booking.

Bristol - Thursday 30th September 2020

Swindon - Wednesday 7th October 2020

Cheltenham - Saturday 10th October 2020

Manchester - Friday 16th October 2020

Portsmouth - Saturday 17th October 2020

Oxford - Saturday 23rd October 2020

We’ve enjoyed putting together these systems for people to hear, and we look forward to seeing a few of you on the day! 

John, Paul, and Chris - Audio-T Brighton

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What's new at Audio T Southampton?

We are delighted to say that we have been extremely busy since we reopened after lock down. A big thank you to all of our loyal customers for your continuing support.

Now that things have calmed down a bit we would like to update you with some of the new product arrivals in our store.

We are long term fans of B&W speakers here, with 700 series amongst our favourites, so we were very excited when 700 Signature arrived.

B&W 705 Signature

B&W 702 Signature

Both models look stunning in the exclusive Datuk Gloss finish and the crossover and drive unit improvements, derived from 800 series (also on demo here), have raised performance to even greater heights, with more detail but a much sweeter treble, better imagery and deeper and more articulate bass.

Listening to some of Acoustic Energy’s current models made us realise what we were missing so we now have a few AE speakers on demo.

Acoustic Energy AE109

The slimline AE109 floor stander is a remarkably refined speaker for a very reasonable £499 in walnut, £549 in satin black.

Acoustic Energy AE500 and Reference Stands

Moving up a bit in price, the AE500 is a very worthy successor to the iconic AE1. It’s a very articulate but relaxed performer, which is easy to drive and locate and the finish is very good on both the speakers (£1000) and the excellent matching Reference stands (£350). What’s not to like?!

Acoustic Energy AE509

For those with a larger room to fill with sound, the AE509 has the same refined open top end with a weightier, but very controlled, bottom end. The gloss black finish is every bit as good as the satin white or walnut options. It’s a lot of speaker for £2300.

Ruark R3

If your requirement is for a more compact solution, rather than a sizeable pair of floor standing speakers powered by hi-fi separates, the Ruark R3 ticks a lot of boxes. For £629 it provides DAB/DAB+/FM radio, CD playback, wi-fi streaming with support for Tidal amongst others, analogue and digital inputs, bluetooth, walnut (as above) or soft grey finish, and of course, it sounds great.

Rega IO

Staying small, the new baby amplifier from Rega is a stunner. It’s minimal in features, with just two line inputs plus MM for turntable, but we are yet to hear another amplifier to beat the Rega IO for sheer musical enjoyment at anything near the bargain asking price of £379 of this giant beater.

Chord Electronics Huei

Last but by no means least, our smallest newcomer is this wonderfully crafted piece of hi-fi jewellery. Polychromatic balls embellishing an ingot of aircraft grade aluminium leave no doubt that the manufacturer of the Huei MM/MC phono stage is Chord Electronics. The exquisite build quality is matched by exceptionally transparent audio and imperceptible noise floor, breathing new life into even the most familiar vinyl. £990 seems a very fair price to rejuvenate a record collection!

Please give us a call or email if you would like to demo or home trial one of these new products, or anything else we have in store. We are currently open to appointment for booked demonstrations 10am to 6pm Tuesday to Saturday.

We hope to see you soon,

Alan, John and Wayne

The Brand New Denon AVC-X 4700H - See What the latest AV Amplifier has to offer!

Here is the new Denon AVC-X 4700H, which offers a 9.2 200w per channel setup and gives you access to Dolby Atmos, DTS:X, IMAX Enhanced audio and 8K/60Hz 4K/120Hz visuals. HDMI 2.1 is also supported on one input. With a total of 7 hdmi inputs it is more than capable of supporting a larger setup of blu-ray players, games consoles and TV boxes. Dynamic HDR, HDR10+ and eArc mean you will get the excellent picture quality you want in order to enjoy the films you watch and the games you play. 

Accessibility from a phone or tablet is easy and vast, with the inbuilt HEOS allowing you to stream high quality audio from services like Tidal or Amazon Prime Music. Airplay2 is a welcome feature for any Apple user, plus the 4700H is Roon tested and is compatible with Bluetooth. For the analogue music lovers the Denon has a phono input, a tuner input and 5 other assignable analogue inputs. Audyssey, helpful if you have a room with a less than ideal arrangement, works well and can help improve the sound quality when used correctly. The 4700H is also voice assistant compatible with Alexa, Google Assistant and Siri, so no matter which one you use the Denon will have you covered.

The design of the front panel is sleek and minimalistic, with just the input selection, volume, power button and screen visible. There are some quick select options, including USB and a headphone jack, hidden behind a front panel for easy navigation, for those times when you can’t seem to find the remote. The unit itself is solid and feels well built, but is a little lighter compared to other AV amplifiers, making installation and any future rearrangement a bit easier on the lower back.    

Denon has a long history in Hi-fi dating back over a century, they pride themselves on the quality of their work, this shows in how their products improve year after year. They are usually among the first to implement new technology, as shown by the addition of 8k to their newest range of AV amplifiers, and having it work seamlessly straight out of the box. 

The setup step by step guide is very helpful and straight forward and walks you through every aspect, even including how to strip the speaker cable. This makes it accessible to newcomers starting their very first home cinema. Speaker configuration, distances and levels are quick and easy to set, so you can be sure you get the best sound from all your speakers. Pretty much everything is customisable, from how bright the front display is, the names of each of the inputs, to the EQ of the speakers. 

Listening to Tidal through the Heos app was not only simple but it also sounded really good. Without the need to drive a centre or surround speakers the 4700H becomes a very powerful stereo amp, capable of driving even some less than forgiving speakers. With a pair of Dynaudio Evoke 30’s attached, the price difference being a concern, I was expecting a sound that was lacking in cohesion and range, but I was delighted to hear that Solange’s ‘Don’t Touch My Hair’ had clear, melodic vocals and an impactful but controlled bass. The phono input is adequate, but add on an external phono-stage matched to your turntable and it will finish the package off beautifully. In terms of surround sound with movies, we set up a Monitor Audio Silver and Rel 5.1.4 system,and it sounded marvellous. Voices were clear, soundtracks weren’t overpowering and with the atmos speakers turned up slightly the overhead effects during action sequences were exciting and added so much to the overall experience. Finish it off with a good sub, or two, and you can have an excellent home cinema experience without breaking the bank or compromising on quality. 

The Denon AVC-X 4700h and the other’s in the range are available at all Audio-T branches. If you would like a demo of this or any other of our selected products make sure to drop us an email or give a ring to book your appointment.

Jon and Luke - Audio-T Oxford

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The Rega IO - Half A Brio

The Rega Brio has always upset the trend with it’s incredible price to performance, but they may have just stolen the market with the new Rega IO.

The Rega IO has a small footprint, punchy sound and plenty of volume for it’s size and while it may lack some of the trimmings of it’s larger sibling it makes up for it in sound quality and price, a trade I’m glad to make! With the vinyl resurgence still in full swing Rega have made a really compelling first buy for anyone wanting to join in.

The IO has a built in MM phono stage for a total of three phono inputs, remote with motorized volume control and 30w per channel of power.

Paired with a Planar 1 and a pair of Dali Oberon 1s we’ve put together a sub £1000 system that can complete with larger contenters but with a far smaller footprint in your home.

The results of this humble system are fantastic, with depth, warmth and character. This is a modern and minimalist approach to hifi without compromising sound quality.

If you’d like to have a listen to this or any other system please feel free to contact us at Cardiff Audio-T or your local Audio-T branch.

Need to replace your beloved Linn K9? Look no further!

If you've been in the turntable game for a long time, there can be no doubt that you have come across Linn and their K9 cartridge at some stage of the journey. Originally released in 1989 as Linn's base level moving-magnet cartridge, the K9 quickly became a firm favourite and certainly one of ours. But in 2020, what on earth can we use to replace the now discontinued K9?

A K9 cartridge. The earlier models sported this yellow, before changing to a mid-grey colour later on!

The K9 MM cartridge was widely used across many turntables and not just restriced to Linn's LP12s. It was one of those cartridges that just worked no matter what the set-up. Things sounded the way you expected them to. Sonically it was very natural, clean and detailed with a great bass response. This made it really easy to listen to and not at all too taxing for your ears. Cartridges like this make it easy to think “just one more record”... and five hours later, you realise you haven’t eaten dinner yet! While it was never really a ‘cheap’ cartridge at the time, it wasn't the high-end of the market either, so it made for a great mid-range cartridge - and for people who didn’t want to shell out for the real high-end stuff, they didn't have to ‘settle for a lower sound quality’. Of course, cartridges are a matter of taste and some weren't enamoured with the K9 and found themselves shopping elsewhere. 

For those loyal K9 fans out there, the news of its discontinuation in 2001 will have been a sad day indeed. I imagine the common thought was "well, what am I supposed to use now?". So we've been searching for another cartridge that fulfils the same expectations as the K9 yet remains in a similar price bracket...

Linn’s Adikt cartridge, fitted as standard to the base level Majik LP12 turntable.

Linn technically 'replaced' the K9 with the Adikt – which is now their base level cartridge and the only MM cartridge they offer. The only trouble is, it costs £400+. While the Adikt is a phenomenal MM cartridge, it no longer filled the space of the K9 because even taking inflation into account, it's just overall a more expensive cartridge. So, we turned to a familiar face… Audio-Technica.

There had always been a link between the K9 and the AT-95 cartridge, after all the K9 was manufactured for Linn by Audio-Technica. The AT-95 stylus was also regularly retro-fitted to the K9 cartridge; it fit, but it wasn't pretty! It is still a popular option today, and is still regularly suggested. Some people didn't approve of that replacement as the AT-95s had always been a cheaper cartridge than the K9, and some felt that even a brand-new AT-95 stylus was worse than a used K9 stylus, so why even bother? - One customer once commented “It’s like putting Volkswagen wheels on a Porsche”, and that always stuck with me.

When searching for K9 replacements, you will always see familiar cartridges such as the Ortofon 2M Red or Blue, various Audio-Technicas, the Dynavector 10x range at the higher end... the list goes on and on. But wait right there! We finally think we've found the perfect replacement…

AUDIO TECHNICA AT-VM95ML

As already mentioned, there has always been a strong affinity between the AT-95s and the K9, and this particular model fits the bill perfectly. The way the MicroLinear (ML) stylus is designed certainly has a part to play in why this particular model works so well. We recently replaced a customer’s beloved Linn K9 for the AT-VM95ML and we found the sound was very similar. Uncannily so, in fact. Much like the Linn K9, it has a very natural, detailed, open sound and is very very pleasant to listen to.

With the Audio-Technica priced at around £150, it is in the same price bracket as the K9 (at the time of release). In fact, using an inflation calculator, £60 in 1989 equates to almost exactly £150 in 2020, so theoretically it's exactly the same price!! It even has a familiar look – although we do miss the iconic bright yellow look of the earlier K9s.

We will certainly be recommending the AT-VM95ML in the future for K9 replacements, and we can confidently say it will perform equally as well as your K9.

Pop-in to any of our shops for cartridge advice at any time!

Chris, John & Paul – Audio-T Brighton

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Audio Technica products are available in all Audio T Stores.

Small Form Factor Gets a Big Boost from Arcam and Rega.

They say good things come in small packages, well, presented here are two new pieces of hifi amplification from Arcam and Rega that prove the point. The Rega is a pure analog beast with a cheeky little phono stage built into it, meanwhile the Arcam is a streaming amplifier and is purely in the digital domain, with Airplay and Chromecast being the priority connections. Read on for more info.

The Rega IO comes in at 18cm x 29cm and has a power rating of 30w per channel. It has the same sonic ablilities as it’s bigger bro…The Brio. So it’s open and punchy with depth to the soundstage, which is presented beautifully, albiet not quite as exciting as the Brio but really excellent for the price.

The Solo Uno comes in at an even smaller 14cm x 21cm. It has a power rating of 25w per channel. The Solo Uno is completely new in its design, and is an even “younger” brother of the original Solo Mini. It genuinely has a tiny foot print.

Around the back of the Solo Uno you have the wifi antenna for Airplay, Chromecast and an auxiliary input for any analogue devices you may have. The dedicated subwoofer output lets you add a little meat to smaller speakers you may have connected to the Solo Uno. The new T/Zero from REL would be a perfect choice.

Around the back of Rega IO we have two regular analogue inputs and a phono MM input and, with Rega’s penchant for making great phono stages, that’s a welcome bonus. There’s even a headphone jack on the front.

The build quality on both units is telling. The Solo Uno has great looking binding posts ready to accept a decent set of speaker cables. The Rega’s casework has quality all over it, even underneath, the fit and finish offered is exceptional.

Both units are available to demostrate at our Manchester store.

Come along to see us and we will be happy to help, but please remember it’s appointment only at the moment.

Quart* From a Pint Pot: The New Arcam Solo Uno.

Arcam Sales Manager: "We're bringing Solo back!"

Audio-T Swansea staff: “…?”

Arcam: "No, not *that* Solo - the little all-in-one stereo we used to do? We’re doing a new one."

Swansea: "Oh I seeeee.... OK.” “Tidy mun.” “Look forward to that."

*Cue our stores closing their doors and the staff placed on furlough.*

Three months later...

...we're no longer as furloughed as we once were** and we have our expectant palms on Arcam's new design of the Solo - the Solo Uno.

Not much bigger than a modern smartphone, it's a network audio player and stereo amplifier all in one curvy, dinky, shiny box, with a couple of pretty lights on the front (they tell you when it's powered up and connected to your network.) The two-tone, two texture metallic fascia is about as minimalist as I'd like it; just a solid power button, volume +/- and mute. Reassuringly weighty in the hand (the traditional indicator of quality gear) this is a remarkably small box.

Featured here with a Samsung S10 smartphone for scale. Small isn’t it?

It has one external input - a 3.5mm analogue socket (vinyl anyone?) Connection to the internet comes via Wi-Fi (hence the aerial) or ethernet cable. Speaker terminals are solid, quality units and you can connect a subwoofer via the RCA socket should you require it (and who doesn't?) it's that simple. Roon ready, but all you really need is an app to drive it (GoogleCast, AirPlay 2, UPnP Streamer) and broadband. And a pair of speakers.

It even decodes MQA files. Look.

We tried the charming and inexpensive Acoustic Energy AE100 loudspeakers (~£220) first and thought that it sounded just fine. We added the IsoAcoustic Aperta desktop stands (£199 - more about which in another blog) under the AE100s and thought that it sounded very credible indeed - quite lovely actually, with a “big” sound to it. About a grand for that level of performance? Yeah, we'll take that.

Nic suggested "What about KEF LS50s? People have got LS50s. People like LS50s".

With meaningful glances at each other and everyone else thinking "It'll never drive these", I hooked them up.

Good grief.

Norah Jones soared, Melody Gardot introspected, Alison Goldfrapp got up, got down and boogied. How on Earth is it doing that?

The Solo is never going to fill Madison Square Garden, but it'll fill a bijou lounge or your kitchen/diner with aural loveliness. Come on over and give it a try. Just give us a call first.

*a smidge over a litre for those of you under forty.

**at the time of publication we're in 4 days a week each. Happily, normal store opening hours still apply.

Stories from Lockdown - Five Wondrous Prog-Rock Albums that kept me sane!

It has been a bit of a while since my last blog, so for my first one back I thought I would try to entertain you with tales of the albums that kept me partially sane during the darkest days of the Covid Lockdown.

Now there were of course many varied albums spanning a myriad of weird and wonderful genres. Honourable mentions must go to (amongst others) The Grateful Dead, Ozric Tentacles, Led Zeppelin and Pere Ubu (I feel The Modern Dance is one of the most perfect things ever to be created by humanity and also happens to be a great recording to boot). But the top five groovy spiral slices of vinyl loveliness went to…

No. 5 - You by Gong

For the final instalment of the wonderfully named Radio Gnome Invisible trilogy, band leader Daevid Allen assembled an all star bunch of hippy virtuoso musicnauts, intent on crashing their spaceship in to the deepest inner space. With help from the main protagonist, Zero the Hero, along with assorted members of Pothead Pixies, Octave Doctors and Flying Teapots.

For me the standout track is the beautifully titled “A Sprinkling of Clouds”. The track starts off slowly with synthesiser and glissando guitar panning from speaker to speaker, taking on momentum and building to a breathtaking crescendo of guitar, saxophone, bass guitar and drums that really will put your hi-fi system to the test. Only the best will hold this together and keep the whole band tightly locked in their hash-haze freak out!

No. 4 - Brain Salad Surgery by Emerson, Lake and Palmer

The artwork of this album alone ascends it above most of its peers. The fact that the music happens to be one of Prog Rock’s highest watermarks pushes it even further into the realms of the stellar. Packed with Prog-Rock excess, this power trio took the cake and the serving platter: Keith Emerson's keyboard showroom; Carl Palmer's motorised, rotating behemoth drum kit; sports-arena gigs with full orchestra and choir, etc. But here, they masterfully balanced the bombast and brilliance. Opening in full-tilt, English-poetic-visionary style with a soaring arrangement of William Blake's Jerusalem. On to one of my all time favourite demonstration tracks Still…You Turn Me On, which is a real work out for your loudspeakers!. Next up is Emerson's virtuoso riff on a piano concerto Toccata by 20th Century Argentine composer, Alberto Ginastera. Finally we have the nearly 30 minute long and multi-part dystopian fantasy Karn Evil 9, in which intoxicating entertainments (a sideshow where a Gypsy queen/In a glaze of Vaseline/Will perform on a guillotine) distract us from evil computer intelligence and modern surveillance-era interweb. Prescient and pretty damn rocking. Totally essential listening.

No. 3 - The Snow Goose by Camel

This one is just so incredibly gorgeous that I almost don’t know have the words to describe it. Have you ever found yourself listening to a piece of music that you totally get lost in and float away with? That is what this is! Quite possibly some of the best keyboard playing you will ever hear. And if you ask me, definitely one of rock musics juiciest guitar solos can be found on Rhayader Goes to Town. It's like it takes a scoop of David Gilmour and adds a dash of Robin Trower for good measure. Not an overly long album but crammed full of inventive loveliness. It is also another great recording that on a great system will let you hear all around and even behind the instruments, almost like you've been transported right in to the recording studio.

No. 2 - Relayer by Yes

This one is a little more complicated. This is the sound of a band pulling out all the stops. Rick Wakeman has been replaced by Patrick Moraz which some feel gave them an extra jolt of power. This can really be laid bare on a system that has great separation and mid-range detail. The full on power moments are tempered by the more delicate songs such as Soon, which is served like some sort of sorbet palette cleanser after the wildness that is The Gates Of Delirium and To Be Over which does the same after Sound Chaser. With amazing Sci-Fi artwork courtesy of Roger Dean adding to the already powerful vibe. This one may not be their best high fidelity recording, but played on a nice system you will hear a band at the peak of their powers and some absolutely stunning lead guitar work by Steve Howe.

No. 1 - The Lamb Lies Down On Broadway by Genesis

This has to be my all favourite Prog-Rock album. It is one that reveals more and more every time I spin it. A surreal , beguiling, elaborate and strangely rewarding listening experience. It contains within its double vinyl grooves some of the most powerful Prog-Rock moments of all time ever. Fact! Just take in the moment on Fly on a Windshield, when the band all come in together just after Peter Gabriel has sung the line “And I’m hovering in the air waiting for the windshield on the freeway”. That is proper power and just about as dark, dirty and evil as genesis ever got. This stands alone in their canon of work head and shoulders above all the others. The lyrics are just poetry and at times the music is truly breathtaking. It's all killer and no filler. For proper full on power and bass slam just try the afore mentioned Fly on a Windshield. If you don’t get goosebumps, your Hi-Fi just ain’t up to the job I'm afraid, simple as that.

These were the albums that crept towards the front of my vinyl play pile during the strange days of the Covid Lockdown. I hope this little blog inspires you to try them out and if by some chance you would like to make them all sound even better perhaps we can help you with an upgrade of one sort or another to your Hi-Fi system. Feel free to bring in some of your own Lockdown favourites to play as well but please call us on 01242 583960 to make an appointment first.

Andy, Jon and Farid. Cheltenham.

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JERN SPEAKERS - WELCOME TO THE IRON AGE OF HI-FI!

In terms of brands and models available, speakers are arguably one of the most overly saturated fields in the world of Hi-Fi. So to come on to the scene as a relatively new name in the industry, you have to able to bring something revolutionary to the table... Are Jern the company to do just that?

Founded in 1975 by engineering graduate Holger Dissing, Dansk Skalform; the group behind Jern, is best known as a reputable casting company for the automobile and machinery industries, working with the likes of Rolls Royce, Porsche, McLaren, Audi and many more. So how did they find themselves in the Hi-Fi trade?

Today the company is run by Søren Dissing, son of founder Holger Dissing. One day he thought to himself, “What would happen if a loudspeaker was moulded out of one solid piece of iron?” From here, Søren and his team got to work to produce a loudspeaker prototype that comprised of the finest quality cast iron using skills laid out by his father decades before. And there you have it, Jern Speakers was born.

SO WHY GREY CAST IRON?

If we get in to the nitty-gritty of the physics behind speaker construction, it is a fact that all solid materials resonate when they are excited by vibrations. When a speaker cabinets resonates, it continues to “sing” each note long after the next note begins. Sonically it is very confusing to listen to and creates ghost frequencies that aren't actually on the original recording and are often out of tune with the source material. To counteract this, varying manufacturers adopt different methods. Some use elaborate internal bracing, even on those with inner aluminium shells; Others will use foam or inert filler within the cabinet to deaden the vibrations.

Did you know that “Jern” is Danish for “Iron”?

The truth of the matter is nothing will completely stop vibrations travelling through the cabinet, but grey cast iron can effortlessly and naturally do what the other materials strive towards. It has been proven to be ten times more effective than wooden cabinets and up to one hundred times better than aluminium in reducing vibrations. It is so effective as a dampening material that legendary grand piano manufacturers such as Bechstein, Steinway and Bösendorfer use grey cast iron for their piano frames as it doesn't add any resonant frequencies to the notes being played.

IT’S WHAT’S ON THE INSIDE THAT COUNTS

They look like something designed by H R Geiger for the film ' Aliens'.

Whilst the curved exterior of these cast iron speakers is smooth, some of the real magic happens internally. The inner walls of these loudspeakers are lined with hexagonal domes designed to break-up any internal standing waves that would otherwise compromise the performance of the drivers. This CDS (Cast Dome Structure) technology creates a completely neutral cabinet and is vital to the Jern Sound.

Now Some of you might be asking “Brad, what does a moulding company know about Hi-Fi?”... Well, let’s find out! Jern have sent me a pair of their Model 11 speakers to listen to and put through their paces...

On first inspection I didn't feel like I was just removing another pair of speaker from their boxes. Instead I felt like a curator removing a valuable piece of modern art for my galleries latest exhibition. These things look stylish and slick, but boy are they heavy! Although the Jern Model 11 have a flat base, the best option is to use the included ring to stand them on. This simplistic accessory not only creates isolation between the speaker cabinet and the surface it sits on, but it also allows it to be tilted backwards, forwards and side to side to truly manipulate the soundstage and pinpoint the sweet spot no matter where you are in the room. But there is no denying there is an artistic look to their shapely design.

Armed with my playlist of trusty “go-to” songs for such an occasion, I was able to really put the Model 11's through their paces. For a speaker of this size there is always the expectation that there will be a lack in bass response, but this was not the case. Every track I threw at them did not disappoint. Now I'm not saying they wouldn't benefit from a subwoofer in the long-run, but it certainly isn't an immediate requirement like some models out there. Equally, some speakers of this size can come across as being trebly or too pronounced in the mid-range, again this wasn't the case. The Jern Model 11's have impeccable separation and detail within the sound stage that it's almost like you're not listening to speakers at all, you're completely submerged in the music.

As a side note, if you want to really test the bass response of a pair of speakers, I would suggest Billie Eilish's “Bad Guy”. Although it's not everyone's cup of tea, it is undoubtably a well produced track with some truly unparalleled sub harmonic bass parts.

at one point a passing light meant that the SPEAKERS had this glow about them like a terrifying alien russian doll!

Whilst sat in our demo room listening away, the thing that really struck me is how effortlessly they make the whole listening experience have a more enjoyable feel about it. I find myself no longer analysing the response of the speaker, but instead I'm lost in the music and that is something I think is incredibly special about these particular loudspeakers. It's like they make you fall in love with music all over again. On several tracks I literally felt shivers down my spine!

There are so many factors that attribute to the outstanding performance of these speakers, so much so that I could probably write two or three blogs on the cabinets alone. But alas we must conclude. So heres a rundown of the Pros and Cons -

Pros -

• Compact size in relation to sound stage and bass response.

• No bass reflex ports mean you can place them pretty much anywhere.

• Grey cast iron cabinet means you hear only the sound waves from the loudspeaker driver

• Made from recycled materials.

• Compete far beyond their price point - Easily worth every penny.

• One of the best speakers I've ever heard!

• Dedicated, stylish tripod stands available in Oak or Walnut for an incredibly contemporary look. There is also a dedicated flood stand available.

Cons -

• At 12kg each, some might find them to be too heavy for wall mounting or putting them on shelves... And certainly don't drop them on your toes when setting up!

• Due to the materials used, the range is limited to four finishes – Polar White, Casting Grey, Nordic Black and Fine Red. (Personally, I'm a huge fan of 'Casting Grey', and as this is purely cosmetic, I'm not sure if it's fair to class it as a 'Con')

So, in summary, I absolutely love these speakers! The design, the sound, performance, Everything! I don't think I've ever heard a speaker perform with such conviction... So much so that I think I'll be ordering a pair for myself! But why take my word for it? Come in and have a listen for yourself!

Should you want to have a listen or want to discuss them further, be sure to drop us a line or pop in to your local Audio T store.

Brad, Nick and Joe - Audio T Portsmouth

Be sure to keep an eye on what’s happening in the Portsmouth store by following us on Instagram and Facebook.

JERN Loudspeakers can be found at the following Audio-T stores

• PORTSMOUTH

• ONLINE STORE

• SOUTHAMPTON

• OXFORD

• ENFIELD

• CHELTENHAM

• BRIGHTON

Chord Electronics HUEI - Lights, Turntable, Action.

Chord Huei Phono Stage - Front view with polychromatic controls spheres

Introducing the HUEI phono stage. Chords Electronics solution to a well priced, high performing moving magnet/moving coil phono stage that can integrate into a range of systems.

From first impressions it is very easy to tell this is a product designed by Rob Watts and his Engineering team in Kent, with its classic, well built housing and eye catching candy lights, that appear on many of their products. It was a no brainer that this was something we had to try, and we are glad we did.

Now looking at the specifications of the HUEI from the front panel, the first thing we notice is that you are easily able to switch between moving magnet and moving coil with the simple press of a button. This is very handy as this will allow all types of cartridges to be used with the Huei. The moving magnet is at 47,000Ω, whereas the moving coil has a 12 step user selectable impedance button, also located on the front of the unit. This ranges from 100Ω - 3700Ω, and can be set to match your cartridge easily from the top of the unit. 

As well as an impedance button, the HUEI also boasts a gain range selection button that is set at an 8 step user selection for both moving magnet and moving coil. Once again this will allow you to marry the phono stage to your cartridge, to get optimum sound quality and clarity in the music.

Chord Huei phono stage - Rear panel, 12v DC power, RCA inputs, RCA outputs and XLR Outputs

The unit has balanced XLR and unbalanced RCA stereo outputs, which is very useful, and one RCA input. With a phono stage at this price point, it is very creditable.

Listening to the HUEI, first impressions indicated that this unit will shine as the level of detail that came from the music once swapping it out for a phono stage at a similar price was phenomenal - which is what we have come to expect from any Chord Electronics product. We used this with the new REGA Planar 10, feeding into a line level input on the new highly regarded REGA integrated Aethos amplifier and finally ATC SCM19 speakers.

Chord Huei phono stage with sticker placed under unit - colour reference sticker with impedance, gain, MC & MM settings

What we did notice was that with music ranging from classical to progressive rock and even modern electronica, the HUEI phono stage didn’t trip up on itself at all and handled all genres very well. We find this throughout the Chord Electronics product range, the extraction of detail and clarity in music is very noticeable.

The surprising thing is that for the money, it sure packs a lot of detail as mentioned, as well as musicality (something we think that can be lost when a system is over clinical) therefore setting a nice well balanced sound.

We have tried the HUEI with a range of pre/power and integrated systems as well as other well known and loved turntables, such as Michell Gyro SE (Michell Tecnoarm A and Dynavector 20x2 cartridge) and a LINN Akurate LP12. The HUEI performed really well with all these highly regarded turntables. For us it is a serious contender for its price and performance. If you are looking to change your phono stage this is definitely one to consider. Get in contact with your local Audio T and we will be happy to show you!

Don’t forget you can book a demonstration to hear the comparisons for yourself.

Justin, James and Max - Audio T Bristol

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Chord Electronics products are available in all Audio T Stores.

Entering the ring, Rega Planar 1 vs Rega Planar 2 - Battle of Britain‘s Most Affordable Home Grown Turntables

If you’re just starting in the world of turntables, you might have done some research online or in-store and you’ll most likely come across the UK made Rega Planar 1 or Planar 2 turntables. These are both excellent entry-level turntables, but what are the real differences between these two models? We recently put them through their paces in-store with one of our customers and here’s what we found out.

For someone who is new to the world of Hi-Fi equipment, it may seem like a daunting mountain to start to climb. Rega, even at their entry-level, is a great starting point that easily sounds as though it should be double the price tag.

Rega as a company have always had great vision, and that is something they stick to across their entire range. From the humble Planar 1 at £249 all the way to the Planar 10 that goes beyond the £6k mark! As a result, Rega products have a unique signature sound and characteristic. Any time you upgrade to the next model up, you will hear that familiar sound, but noticeably improved - But who knows, maybe you prefer the sound of something like the Planar 2 over a Planar 3, and that’s definitely allowed.

The Rega Planar 1 (P1), pictured on THE DEDICATED Rega wall bracket.

Above you’ll see the Planar 1, a very respectable turntable. It adopts the timeless Rega design, dating back decades . While this is indeed a great sounding deck, especially for the modest price point, there is certainly a noticeable difference when you step up to the Planar 2.

The Planar 2 (P2), WE CHOSE THE WHITE VERSION FOR OUR DISPLAY MODEL, but IT is also available in BLACK AND RED.

Next, we have the Planar 2. Although our display model (pictured above) is the white version, it clearly has the same Rega design. You may spot one very obvious and crucial difference just from looking though… the platter! The P2 has a 10mm thick ‘Float Glass’ platter whereas the P1’s platter uses a ‘phenolic resin’ design. Whilst they have both been designed to minimise any vibrations that could interfere with the playback of a record, one does it better than the other… and how great does that glass platter look?! You always want to get the best possible sound from whatever record you’re spinning, and details like this certainly help in that department.

For the purpose of our test, the customer brought his own records. We always recommend that everyone does this because the music you know and love is going to really allow you to analyse any differences between whatever you’re comparing. Although it is still a good idea to listen to a wide variety of music whilst testing a system; if the sound of your favourite album captivates you through a new set-up, then you know you’re on to a winner!

We tried the P1 first, and it doesn’t disappoint at all. That classic Rega sound is very apparent, and the vinyl character shines straight through. We have the IO driving a pair of Rega RX1 speakers on floor stands; a great and affordable combination!

We Tried BOTH THE turntables through Rega’s newest power amp, the io. This is also an amazing sounding unit, THE MOST AFFORDABLE UK MADE AMPLIFIER ON THE MARKET, and we love it!

Rega rx1’s in cherry were used for the demonstration

When we move up to the P2, using the same amp and speakers, the difference is instantly noticeable! The sound is much more open and defined, the soundstage is bigger, individual instruments have more separation and are more defined in their ‘space’ within the recording. The frequency range is noticeably extended at both ends and overall there is more detail available from within the record compared with the P1.

As someone new to Hi-Fi like our customer, they didn’t immediately notice a difference. Their ears may not necessarily be tuned to what to listen out for. Often, the differences are much more apparent when you go back down to the lower model. Your ear quickly gets used to the extra detail you can hear and when those details are missing on the lower model, you’ll notice it straight away. We did this and almost instantly the customer noticed the quality of the sound was lower. It is important to jump between models whilst your ears are fresh and not fatigued, as the differences really stand out.

So what did the customer go for?

In this instance, the customer decided to purchase the Planar 2, even though prior to listening, they were pretty set on the Planar 1. They were also impressed with the IO amp and RX1 speakers and how everything worked together, so much so that they had to write down the models. We think they’ll be back for those soon as they were a significant improvement on their current system!

This has us thinking - If we’re hearing such a difference between the Planar 1 and a Planar 2, what would we start to hear if we compared to P3s, P6s, and beyond? Maybe that will be a blog for another day…

Don’t forget you can pop into any Audio T store to hear the comparisons for yourself.

Chris, Paul, and John - Audio T Brighton

Be sure to keep an eye on what’s happening in the Brighton store by following us on Instagram and Facebook!!

Rega products are available in all Audio T Stores.

The Rega IO, small but feisty.

When the IO came in I was excited, as a fan of pretty much every Rega product I’ve heard so far, I couldn't wait to hear what their newest toy could do. With a Planar 2, Apollo CD and a pair of Quad S1 speakers to complement it, I grabbed some of my favourite albums and made myself comfy. 

I thought that I should do a comparison with the Brio. I’ll be honest, this is where you can see why the Brio is more expensive, because just like Liam Hemsworth it just can’t quite compare with it’s older and bulkier brother.

The sound stage was smaller, bass notes were more muddy, harmonies blended together and the music overall just felt less alive. It had been a couple of hours by this point and after my fourth listen of Black Magic Woman by Fleetwood Mac I was ready to give up, was I just expecting too much? I left to have some food and after returning less hangry and fully hydrated, I had the bright idea to stop comparing it. 

This is when the IO truly came to life, now that I wasn’t swapping everything over every thirty seconds the minor grievances I was listening so hard for faded away. The pure joy that comes from listening to tracks, like Lazing on a Sunday Afternoon by Queen, as it’s allowed to flaunt it’s short but sweet bubbliness, had me tapping my feet and singing along. The IO may not sound technically perfect but it has plenty of character that shines through once you give it the opportunity, voices are clear and if you close your eyes you can pinpoint each individual aspect of most tracks. 

The explosion of colour and flavour that poured out of Michael Jackson’s P.Y.T caught me off guard, I couldn’t understand how such a small piece of hardware could produce such personality, reminds me of a joke relating to the importance of size, but it escapes me. With it being an analog amp there is no messing about with internet connections and apps. You simply put it down, plug it in and play until the cows come home, or at least until you get told to turn it down, it just works.

This diminutive, 3kg integrated amp has an output of 30 watts into 8 Ohms with 3 analogue inputs and a 3.5 mini jack for headphone users. The inputs include a MM phono, which is of great quality as per usual with other Rega amps, and two line level inputs. Build quality feels generally solid plus it’s small size and economical design means it will fit into any setup quite happily. Overall the IO will not disappoint and is well worth it’s £379 price point, if you are new to hi-fi and looking for an affordable entry point or looking for a smaller secondary system.      

A Naim to Remember - A Visit to the Naim Factory

On a cold, yet sunny morning in November of last year, I hit the road and embarked on a journey to the medieval city of Salisbury, Wiltshire. Situated a mere 9 miles south of the mystifying ancient circle of Stonehenge and home to the iconic 13th Century Cathedral and its 123m tall spire, Salisbury holds another wonder within its city limits... Naim Audio.

Founded in 1973 by British born engineer, Julian Vereker, Naim Audio have been an industry leader in high-end audio equipment for the past 47 years.

The Visionary – A Brief History of Julian Vereker

Julian Charles Prendergast Vereker, MBE (7 May 1945 – 14 January 2000)

Born in Oxford in 1945, Julian Vereker demonstrated a flare for engineering from an young age. Whilst his early ventures centred around the world of motorsports, and a brief albeit successful career as a race-car driver, it wasn't long until he focused his attentions towards audio. Through a personal passion for recording his friends bands, Vereker began to develop and design his own equipment as he was unhappy with the quality he was getting from the products available at the time.

Unknown to many, Vereker was instrumental in creating Brompton Bicycle, a start-up company credited as inventing the folding bicycles.

From here Vereker founded Naim Audio Visual in 1969. Its first product was a unit capable of switching 30kW of lighting on and off in time to music. The following year, he released his first professional audio product the M10.2 mixer. In 1971, Naim Audio Visual produced its very first amplifier, although initially it was made on demand for friends and acquaintances. Following on from this success, Vereker won a contract to supply Capital Radio with new amplification in 1973, thus Naim Audio was born. And the rest they say, is history...

Despite Naim's merger with French speaker company, Focal, in 2011 - the vast majority of their catalogue is still made in the UK, and I was fortunate enough to take a tour of the factory.

I couldn’t resist a stupid selfy…

The first thing that struck me about my visit to Naim was how fetching I looked in a light blue lab-coat...

No, but seriously, the first thing that hit me was that Naim's organisation isn't some lifeless conveyor belt of mass production like you'd expect to find in a factory.

The whole operation has more of a family business vibe to it, with a very relaxed and happy atmosphere throughout the building. Its obvious that all of the engineers love what they do and are truly passionate about their craft.

Our host for the factory tour, Mark Raggett, joined Naim at the age of 19 and has worked in most areas within the business. This was instantly apparent in his encyclopedic knowledge of the company and all of their products.

Mark Raggett, International Product Training Manager, Has over 25 years experience with naim

Mark shows us the inner workings of the flagship, naim statement system

Most of you will know that each Naim product is manufactured to extremely precise level, but what you may not know is in-depth this goes. Every cable within each product has been designed to such a level that the engineers have tested whether or not the sound benefits a cable being straight, coiled or bending around the chassis. This is then replicated in every finished product.

Every product made in the naim factory has a master model which each engineer must replicate every single time.

Newly built products ready to hit the QC area of the factory

Unlike a lot of manufacturers, Naim make their products to order. You won't find shelves of boxed stock sat there waiting for someone to buy one. I think this really emphasises the level of quality you are purchasing when you invest in a Naim product.

The legendary naim “snake shaker” - This machine puts every naim DINN cable through its paces before it leaves the factory.

The tour was concluded in the newly refurbished demonstration room.

Here we were able to listen to the full range of naim products and the difference between models.

I genuinely found the whole tour to be fascinating! Every part of the operation is meticulously run, and the same care and precision is present throughout each step of the manufacturing and quality control process. If you ever get the opportunity to go to this Willy Wonka's factory of audio delight, then do it!

Should you want to discuss Naim or demo any of their products, be sure to get in touch with us.

Brad, Nick and Joe - Audio T Portsmouth

Be sure to keep an eye on whats happening in the Portsmouth store by following our Instagram and Facebook

Naim is available in all Audio T Stores.

New Russell K Red 50: Better Value Than Ever!

Many of you I’m sure will be aware we are great fans of Russell K loudspeakers: for those that may have forgotten what been said here about them can read previous posts here & here.

Well, you may ask, what’s new about these? Haven’t they been available for quite some time now? And the answer to that is yes but now they represent even greater value than ever in the form of a new variant.

Russell K Red 50

Just to recap; what makes Russell loudspeakers stand out from the crowd is the blend of old and new thinking; not everything that is old is redundant; not everything new is better.

Rather than just following the herd, Russell designs his speakers to get to the core of the music whilst offering a larger than expected presentation in a modern and compact enclosure finished in high quality real wood veneers.

Russell K Red 50

With this new offering he has eschewed the wood veneers for an elegant, more industrial finish in the form of a textured black powder coat; this is deliberately echoing the look pro monitors used in studios rather than the more common flat or satin finishes and with probably be more robust in use.

Russell Red 50

It must be said that absolutely none of the fantastic sound quality has been sacrificed along the way making them outstanding value for money.

But it doesn’t end there. We thought, in these very troubled times, that we would offer a very limited quantity at a special introductory price available exclusively through our online store here.

Red 50 Textured Matt Black Fleck £899.99 Special price £749.00

Also available;

Red 50 Oak or Walnut wood veneer £1099.99

Spendor Classic 2/3 And 4/5 Standmount Loudspeakers For The Audio Connoisseur

At Audio T, we test everything in the shop and that means listening... a lot of listening!  Then mixing and matching components to bring synergies out in the whole system.  Loudspeakers are the final piece of this puzzle and arguably the one that can make the biggest difference.

Spendor was founded in the 1960s by Spencer & Dorothy Hughes, hence Spen-Dor.  Spencer’s applied knowledge and expertise came from many years as an engineer in the BBC sound department.  The iconic BC-1 he created went on to become one of the most iconic speakers of our time. 50 years on and the range of Spendor from the A-line, D line and Classic all have design cues, sound profile and performance that is unmistakably Spendor. The Classic range are styled and have a sound profile from the days of the BC-1, but have evolved into a very special sound.

It’s all about presentation in the end. The loudspeaker, with its crossover, bit of wiring, cabinet and drive units are going to fill your room with the illusion of a full London Symphony Orchestra, thumping Hendrix live a Woodstock or Norah Jones, whispering in your ear. 

Broadly speaking, and I’m generalising, there are 3 basic “ speaker presentations”; forward, neutral or back.  The trend today is forward, the Spendors are an involving listen,  back presentation and a sound that you listen into.  The detail in the treble is silky, gentle, direct and not at all metallic or edgy.  The bass rhythmic, supportive and precise.  Where these excel is in the mid-range.

J Gordon Holt, founder of Stereophile magazine and the father of subjective audio-equipment evaluation once wrote “if the midrange isn’t right, nothing else matters”. 

So, naturally it was straight to Metallica! Taking a Classic speaker and chucking rock at it is a bit uncouth, we’ll admit. But our job is to help you decide upon a system that will exceed your expectations not just for now, but for the long-term and assisting with critical listening is one way we can help you to enjoy your music selection even more.  There is a place for audiophile music with perfect recording settings, mastering notes and all the rest and we love helping those customers too and more often than not, their decades of high-end audio experience is a personal journey that we also learn from.

The Classic range all have the same form factor and to the eye are dimensionally very similar.  This allows for selection of the best size for room and acoustic properties for positioning.  We found the larger Classic 2/3 sounded best when placed about 1m from the front wall, 2.5m apart with a smaller toe in than most speakers.  The Classic 4/5, 1.7m apart and 50cm from the wall for better bass presentation. We suspect in both cases this is due to the cabinet design being thin walled and flexible, allowing the speaker to interact more with the room.

What is really moving about these Spendors is the way they present the music. 

The perspective, depth of sound stage and elegance of timbre; richness and warmth have become expletives in this modern age. As irrelevant as pipe and slippers, smoking jacket and cravat. But to call these speakers irrelevant nostalgia would be to miss point.  Classic does not do fashion — it’s timeless and engaging in a magnolia world.

The Spendor Classic 2/3 at £3,600 & The Spendor Classic 4/5 £1,600 are available for audition at Audio T Bristol.  

Components used to audition the Spendor Classic 2/3 & 4/5:

Accessories: 
Power cables; ISOL-8 Isolink Wave, Naim Powerline Lite  Interconnects; - Chord Shawline Analogue RCA Interconnect ,  Naim Hi-line Interconnect DIN to RCA Cable; Naim NACA5 speaker cable , stands Solidsteel SS-6&5 Speaker Stands

Sources:
CD Player Rega Saturn R, 
Streamer Naim NDX 2
Turntable Rega Planar 3 with Elys cartridge 

Amplifiers:
Naim Supernait 3 
Rega Aethos 

Music used in all the tests can be found at Audio T Bristol playlist on Qobuz : http://open.qobuz.com/playlist/2438053

Spendor Loudspeakers are available from the following branches of Audio T: Bristol, Cardiff, Cheltenham, Portsmouth, Swindon

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

Ex-Streaming-ly Good Entertainment! An Overview Of Video Streaming Services

Being in my early thirties, I remember a time when the only choice of viewing in our household was the four main terrestrial channels or a good old VHS that had to be rewound just enough to ensure you get to the start of the film, but not so far that you hit the beginning of the tape and had to endure the same four trailers for the tenth millionth time... It became a subtle art! Or, and this was a very special occasion, we would take a trip to Blockbusters to pick up the latest release. 

Fast forward to twenty years (see what I did there?) and the world would never be the same again...

Netflix, originally founded in 1997 as a mail order DVD rental service, are attributed as being the driving force behind the streaming movement from 2010, although they weren't the first service available...

AMAZON PRIME

First released in the US as Amazon Unbox in 2006, the now household name, Amazon Prime, started its journey as an ever expanding and evolving video streaming service that as of January 2020 boasts over 105 million users worldwide. It wasn't until 2011, when Amazon acquired Love Film that it brought its streaming services to the UK and Ireland.

MR Robot - courtesy of amazon prime

I think it's safe to say that Prime was very much playing second fiddle to its competitors until at least 2015 when the company started producing critically acclaimed shows such as Sneaky Pete, The Man in the High Castle and Mr Robot – From here on out, the general public started taking more stock in this late-bloomer of a brand.

The boys - courtesy of amazon prime

FLEABAG - COURTESY OF AMAZON PRIME

Over the past few years, Amazon Prime has brought some truly incredible shows to our screens with the likes of The Boys - A dark and witty take on the superhero genre. Good Omens starring David Tennant and Michael Sheen and created by the indomitable forces of fantasy writing, Neil Gaiman and Terry Pratchett.

Fleabag - Phoebe Waller Bridge's hilarious and wicked crowning glory, based on her 2013 one-woman stage show. The Grand Tour saw fan's of the infamous presenting trio of BBC's Top Gear return to their usual car-fuelled hijinks. And a surprising personal favourite of mine, Tom Clancy's Jack Ryan with its title character being portrayed by the always excellent, John Krasinski, best known for his role as Jim in the American take on The Office.

With a full roster of original material, not to mention a whole host of new releases as well as classic content, most of which is a available in 4K Ultra HD with Dolby Atmos – Oh, and did I mention a access to a high-definition music streaming service (which we will cover another time) and a preferential delivery system on purchases made through Amazon. It's no surprise that this streaming service has quickly become a force to be reckoned with. Amazon Prime is available on smart TV, PC, Mac, iOS and Android.

DISNEY+

Mickey, working hard…

The newest and probably most anticipated edition to the streaming community is Disney+.

As the Magical Kingdom expands in to a formidable Media Empire with its acquisitions of Marvel, the Star Wars Universe and most recently - Fox Entertainment, it's no surprise that people have been eagerly awaiting its arrival.

Star Wars - The Mandalorian - courtesy of Disney+

He is bloody cute though! Star Wars - The Mandalorian - Courtesy of Disney+

The service, currently priced at £5.99 per month, or an annual subscription of £59.99 (Prices correct at the time of writing), is streaming all previous releases from Disney's current back-catalogue including Pixar, National Geographic plus its other properties mentioned earlier. The service has already started to dazzle its customers with new content with shows such as Star Wars - The Mandalorian. You only have to be on the internet for 30 seconds before you see a picture of Baby Yoda...

So if you’re a subscriber of other streaming platforms, expect to see fewer Disney releases as they'll be making new residence over at Disney+. But at a fairly competitive price point, 4K HD Ultra & Dolby Atmos ready, AND playback available on Android & iOS, I think it’s safe to say that this will become a quick family favourite... As a huge Marvel nerd, I might just go register myself!

NOW TV

AMC’s the walking dead

Some of you out there might question the validity of Now TV's streaming service status due to the fact that it is merely a subsidiary of the Sky Group. Well to those naysayers I say, “Nay”! Founded in 2012, Now TV was widely accepted as a successful alternative to Netflix, probably because if you're anything like me and you don't want to be locked in to a lengthy contract on Sky but be able to gain access to some top quality shows and films, then it works pretty well!

Unlike the other services on this list, Now TV technically doesn't make its own content as it drip-feeds through from Sky TV, HBO, AMC, MTV and Comedy Central to name but a few.

For many people, Now TV (or Sky) is the only way to access favourite shows such as AMC's The Walking Dead, which is now set to conclude its 10th series with season 11 due next year... (I think I gave up half way through season 8...)

It’s sad to say goodbye… Modern Family - courtesy of abc

On reflection, I think one of my all time favourite shows to grace Now TV would have to be ABC's hilarious sitcom, Modern Family, which is soon to comes to its end after 11 hilarious years of relatable comedy… I may have just binged the last 10 season in two weeks… *looks awkwardly around the room*

Although Now TV is available on iOS, Android, through games consoles and the Smart Stick on HD, should you want the 4K Ultra HD experience, you need to purchase the additional Smart Box.

APPLE TV+

Being the brainchild of of the tech giant Apple and having only debuted in November 2019, I find it personally surprising to find that this is probably the least coveted subscription package on this list.

Apple TV+ and its original content is available through Apple's website as well as their own TV app, which as of last year expanded its availability to compatible smart TVs and Amazon Fire TV devices, with further plans to expand availability again in the near future.

Now as I mentioned before, Apple TV+ is yet to find its foothold in the market, which is unexpected given the acting calibre that graces their original material – Take The Morning Show starring Jennifer Aniston and Reese Witherspoon for example, not to mention the likes of Samuel L. Jackson and Anthony Mackie in The Banker. Perhaps it's just early days for Apple and they'll find their niche. Let’s just say that they are one to watch.

NETFLIX

As the only streaming service on this list to have spawned a popular colloquial saying for promiscuous relationships among millennials, I think it's safe to say it needs no further introduction...

With over 167 million subscribers worldwide, a wide range of your favourite films & series and arguably some of the best and most critically acclaimed originally produced content available, Netflix is a solid choice for anyone looking for the best subscription offer for them.

With an ever-growing selection of 4K Ultra HD and Dolby Atmos enabled programming, iOS & Android playback, and access through most games consoles and smart TVs and subscriptions starting from £5.99 a month, it's not really surprising that it's considered to be one of the most popular choices from this list.

A little known fact…

In 2000, Netflix approached Blockbuster and offered them a partnership that would see Netflix rebranded as Blockbuster.com and deal with the online side of the once proud rental giant. This $50m dollar was declined, and today the company has a net value of $20 billion... I bet someone is kicking themselves over that decision!

Stranger things - season 3 - courtesy of netflix

If there was one show that I would use as a reason to subscribe to Netflix, we would have to travel back to the 1980s to the fictional town of Hawkins, Indiana... Stranger Things, a Netflix original science fiction/horror, is by far one of the best shows to grace the screen in the past 10 years. Created and directed by the Duffer Brothers, it is a perfect homage to the likes of Steven Spielberg, Stephen King and John Carpenter. The production values are faultless. With authentic props and a soundtrack that teleports you back 40 years. Accompany this with a solid cast of exceptionally talented child actors, some now famous names such as David Harbour, plus a career revving performance from veteran child star, Winona Ryder – I urge you, if you haven't already watched this show, go binge it right now!

So there we have it. Which of these services do you use? Are there any we've missed that are worth checking out? Leave your comments below or contact us directly.

Should you want to upgrade your home cinema system and get the most out of your streaming service; whether it be a new TV, a projector, a soundbar or a 5.1 surround sound system, be sure to get in touch with us -

Brad, Nick and Joe - Audio T Portsmouth

Be sure to keep an eye on what’s happening in the Portsmouth store by following us on Instagram and Facebook.

We stock a wide range of Home Cinema & Audio Visual Systems at all Audio T Stores.

HEOS by Denon & Marantz – The Home of the Future, Today!

If you were to believe science fiction films and TV from the 60's through to the 90's; here in 2020 we should by now all be commuting to work in flying cars and enjoying our meals in pill-form as well as a plethora of other laughable and inaccurate predictions. But let’s just step back and take a second to think about the ones that did come true...

Back in 1966 Star Trek gave us a glimpse into the future with mobile communication devices that neatly fit in to our pockets as well as the humble yet futuristic automatic doors that graced the starship Enterprise. In 1968, 2001: A Space Odyssey, wowed us with a type of video communication which is akin to Skype and Facetime. And even in James Cameron's 1984 classic, Terminator, he terrified us with faceless military drones that are now commonplace on the modern battlefield. But let’s focus on Star Trek – The Next Generation for a moment. First aired in 1987, it was a regular occurrence within every episode to see the crew asking the ever-present computer for answers to questions or requesting that it turn on the lights, or even play a piece of their favourite music... Today, we just call that computer Alexa, Siri or Google Assistant! So it comes as no surprise that the world of home entertainment has been swept-up in the latest of these eerie predictions from pop-culture of yesteryear, and what better way to get involved than with HEOS from Denon & Marantz.

HEOS, (Home Entertainment Operating System), is a wireless music system that allows you to effortlessly control all of your music throughout your home with the free app on your smartphone, tablet or even your voice when used with Amazon Alexa... That's right, YOU can be the Captain! Let’s have a look at how this all works…

HEOS – The App

Available for free on iOS, Android and Kindle, HEOS gives you all the options you'd want and all the access you'd need to wirelessly stream from your favourite cloud-based sources such as Spotify, TIDAL, SoundCloud and Amazon Music to name but a few. You can also listen to tracks directly from your smartphone, tablet or USB drive. All of this is possible by connecting your HEOS app and applicable products to your home network.

So let’s take a look at a few of the products that will allow you to access this remarkable system in your home…

Denon Home Series Speakers

Possibly the easiest and most affordable way to turn your house in to the home of the future is with the Denon Home series. Available in three models, these fairly new arrivals to the scene were a very popular choice at the Bristol Hi-Fi show. With their sleek and stylish design, available in either black or white, these speakers offer a powerful and detailed soundstage. Let me introduce you to the range -

Denon Home 150 

The younger sibling of the current trio offers a 3.5” woofer and 1” tweeter combo, making it small but mighty. This little speaker is perfect for your living room, but will equally look great in your kitchen or bedroom!

Denon Home 250

Working on the same speaker configuration but double the speaker count (plus a passive bass port), The Home 250 offers quad amplification giving the optimum amount of power so you get the best sound quality available from such a compact unit.

Denon Home 350

This exploded view shows off the home 350 in all of its glory

The Home 350 is the flagship model of this family and truly brings the performance to another level. Boasting six channels of amplification, powering two 6.5” woofers, two 2” mid-range drivers and two 1” tweeters.

This amazing speaker would take pride of place in any lounge or living room.

Each of these fantastic speakers feature three quick select buttons for your favourite stations, have 3.5mm auxiliary inputs for direct connectivity, work with Amazon Alexa, Google Assistant, Bluetooth and AirPlay 2.

As it stands, voice control is available with use of a third-party device enabled with Siri, Google Assistant and Alexa. Each of the Home series has an integrated microphone, with voice assistant to be added later this year via a firmware update, making it a very attractive alternative to Sonos.

To sum things up on the Home Series, I think the thing that I love about these speakers, aside from the excellent sound quality, is that they can be used as a single stand alone option or added to an existing HEOS enabled system.

Denon AVR-X3600H AV Receiver and Streamer

Now for those of you that love your films and are looking to turn your living room in to your very own cinema whilst taking advantage of the full capabilities of streaming your music at home, the Denon AVR-X3600H AV Receiver is the one for you! Providing a hefty 9.2 surround sound option, you will find yourself fully immersed in whatever you're watching.

Not only is this AV Receiver impressive sonically, it also hosts a multitude of inputs, making it the central hub of your home entertainment system. With enough HDMI inputs for cable TV, games consoles, DVD and Blu-ray players as well as 4K and eARC – This Enhanced Audio Return Channel (or eARC as it is known) is a feature found in most HDMI 2.1 connections. But what does it mean for you? Well, the biggest advantage of eARC is a huge boost in bandwidth and speed of data transfer. This allows you to send higher-quality audio and picture from your TV to the receiver.

You don't have to go full 7.2 with your set-up. This will work work perfectly in a 5.1 or even 2.1 should you want to start out slow. And if you find the prospect of setting up that many speakers a bit daunting, Denon include a microphone to use with their Audyssey room calibration tool to ensure you get the best sound out of the system for your listening space.

On top of all this; thanks to a recent firmware update, you can even transmit the sound to your Bluetooth headphones. Giving you the option to utilise the AVR's capabilities without disturbing the rest of the family. This update is available on Support for selected Denon AVR´s (AVR-X1600H, AVR-X2600H, AVR-X2600HDAB, AVR-X3600H, DRA-800H) and Marantz AVR´s (SR5014, SR6014, NR1510, NR1710, NR1200).

Marantz PM7000N Integrated Network Amplifier

OK, so wireless speakers and AV receivers aren't your bag. You like simplicity, but you also crave quality... No problem. We've got you covered!

The award winning Marantz PM7000N is considered to be one of the best integrated amplifiers in its price bracket, and that's without even mentioning its streaming capability. Listening to this model, it is as though Marantz have poured their 65 years of hifi experience directly in to this powerhouse of audio giving it the most musical sound. The PM7000N is certainly not short of connectivity. Equipped with four analogue inputs as well one analogue output, plus a high quality MM phono stage which allows you to connect your turntable directly without the need of additional boxes. You'll also notice it features a USB-A input for high resolution audio files, one coaxial and two optical digital inputs should you want to connect your TV. The digital boards are shielded and can also be completely switched off independently using “Pure Modes” to avoid any interferences that might hinder the listening experience of you audiophiles out there.

This extremely well built unit is an excellent choice of amplifier to take centre-stage in your home set-up. Throw in the HEOS capability and you have yourself a formidable audio system. There’s a reason this thing won best Hi-Fi under £1000 during the last What Hi-Fi? Awards.

So what are you waiting for? Get out there and live that Jetson's lifestyle!

Should you want to see any of these products in the flesh, or want to discuss them further, be sure to give us a shout or pop in to the shop.

Brad, Nick and Joe - Audio T Portsmouth

Be sure to keep an eye on what’s happening in the Portsmouth store by following us on Instagram and Facebook.

All of these Denon & Marantz products are available in all Audio T Stores.

Audio T Oxford Customer Naim Factory Visit

Naim welcomed a number of our Naim owning customers to their factory on Friday 13 March. The tour was presented by the ever brilliant Jason Gould, a man with endless enthusiasm, belief and a true passion, for this most prestigious brand.

It was a great opportunity for our Naim customers to see how their products are designed and built. 
I think it is safe to say that they were all most impressed with the obsessive care and attention taken by Naim, to ensure that all of their products sound as good as they possibly can, and are built to the highest quality.

The legendary Snaic shaker!

The day finished with a demonstration of the ND555 Network Player, playing through their flagship Statement amplifier, driving a pair of Focal Scala Utopia speakers.....Wonderful!

A full Statement system

Audio bliss!

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

Linn Sondek LP12 New Karousel Main Bearing Upgrade

With over 100,000 Sondek LP12 turntables sold in almost 50 years Linn are introducing the Karousel, a new precision engineered single point bearing, offering smoother rotation and greater stability for even better sound from the Sondek LP12.

The Karousel is available on all new LP12’s from 23rd March and as an upgrade kit (in the photo below) for earlier LP12’s, in keeping with the modular nature of this great record player.

LP12 Upgrade Promotion

From 23rd March until 22nd May 2020, customers upgrading their LP12 with the new Karousel bearing will receive this free of charge when spending £3,000 or more on any Linn products*. (T&Cs apply)

That vital union between the platter, spindle, bearing and sub-chassis is now the strongest they’ve ever achieved, thanks to the innovative new design and material choice. All of this combined leads to the reduction of noise for more accurate vinyl reproduction. In short, the addition of Karousel will elevate the performance of every LP12 ever made.

Adding the personal touch. High gloss plinth finishes.

And…available for the Keel, choose up to 4 letters to be precision laser-etched onto the armboard, to make it truly yours forever.

Join us in Brighton and take your LP12 to the next level.

Linn Hi-Fi products are available from the following branches of Audio T:
Brighton, Bristol, Manchester, Oxford, Swindon