January 20, 2022

Bass Culture - REL’s formidable S/510 S Series Subwoofer

January 20, 2022/ Audio T Oxford / Oxford

Many a Home Cinema fan will remember adding a first subwoofer to their burgeoning system to discover that even a first-step, wallet-friendly subwoofer, surprises it's new owner; bringing so much of the presence, attack, and drama, that the full range of surrounds, couldn't quite achieve on their own. A subwoofer is key to experiencing the depth and the impact, inherent in any good movie soundtrack and essential if you're watching the next all-conquering blockbuster. While we all naturally assume the primary role of a sub’ is as a home cinema essential, what never ceases to surprise are the benefits that the right subwoofer can bring in transforming a two channel system, and when we say the right sub', we don't just mean a REL, but a REL equipped with the Hi-Level connection.

Originally designed by Richard E Lord (hence REL) for two channel application, in order to improve the frequency response, which even the largest floor-standing speakers couldn’t quite manage. The use of a subwoofer equipped with a Hi-Level connection delivers benefits for both music and movies, delving deeper into the bass frequencies that the main speakers cannot resolve, but just as importantly drawing out fine detail, buried in the mix and smoothing the upper frequencies too. The right REL sub really does bring tangible benefits.

If you are an avid reader of our Blogs, the subject of REL subwoofers are a familiar topic. If you would like a clearer understanding of the concept of REL's Hi-Level, then my colleague Stefan's (Audio T Swindon) T-Series blog is valuable additional reading - Read it Here

Whilst Stefan's previous Blog post was focused on the T-Series range, our focus is on a range above and specifically the Rel S/510. This was used to fantastic effect when Rob Hunt, REL's Managing Director, paid us a visit for a superb event just before Christmas. We focused on the benefits to be brought to a two channel system. We demonstrated the S/510 in conjunction with the Carbon Special, ostensibly to illustrate the benefits that pressurising a room with two subwoofers can have, but also because Rob brought it with him and it is a true beast of sub'!

For the event we generously partnered the S/510 with the Naim's ND 555 (with just the one 555 PS)! An evergreen favourite, the Naim Supernait 3 and a recent addition to Oxford profile, Spendor's superb Classic 2/3. This is very much in the mould of the BBC monitors of old, but with recently developed and improved drive-unit materials, coupled with a traditionally thin-walled cabinet. These carefully developed improvements have proved to make a classic, that is in every sense, even more accomplished. There is pace and delicacy in equal measure, holographic soundstage and fine detail is clearly presented, without ever sounding bright. The 2/3’s quoted frequency range is 35hz to 25khz. Yet even with such comprehensive specifications, the benefits of adding the S/510 are obvious.

The S-510 was launched almost two years ago and has been a favourite of ours at Audio T Oxford since it arrived with us. A big step forward over the previous iteration, the S/510 is powered by a 500 watt amplifier, driving a 10" active driver, which in turn is partnered with a 12" passive radiator. The brief, Rob explained, was simple; a stronger bass output between 20 - 35hz. There is no question, that this design goal has been met and that the Rel S/510 delivers!

I have included a screen-capture above of Rob's carefully selected playlist, covered are a wide range of genres; from perennial favourites, Simon and Garfunkel's “The Sound of Silence”, to a gravel-toned cover of the same. Some beat heavy and some more esoteric electronica were also added to the mix, forging through to some beautifully composed and recorded piano music. Even Brit Pop stalwart Noel Gallagher made an appearance with some rock tinged throaty singing.

With every track the S/510 delivered the bass extension that you would expect, coupled with greater separation, clean and clear treble and a richer mid-range. Adding the S/510 confers a genuine refinement to the sound that your speakers can deliver. Nils Frahm's piano appeared to have been struck with a greater force and intensity and the decay was much more natural. The harmonies on the “Sound of Silence” were more distinct, seemingly sweeter, with the vocal pushed further forward into the mix, allowing you to listen with greater focus on the voices. The complexities within a track’s composition where more clearly exposed and, as you would expect, the bass was sumptuous.

It never ceases to amaze how much of an improvement a REL can make and with the enormous benefits that Hi-Level brings, a REL S, or T Series subwoofer is a fantastic way to improve your whole system.

We have the outstanding S/510 available for demonstration (along with the T series range) at the Oxford store and we would be very pleased to show you what adding a REL with Hi-Level can do for your Hi-Fi or Home Cinema.

Thank you for reading.

Andrew and Jon - Audio T Oxford.

Be sure to keep up with all that is going on at Audio T Oxford by following us on Facebook and Instagram.

REL can be found at the following Audio T stores

January 18, 2022

Don't let looks fool you – Taking a deeper look at Jern Speakers

January 18, 2022/ Audio T Portsmouth/ Portsmouth

So, Jern speakers. At first glance, I thought I was looking at a pair of outdated computer speakers. You know the sort. The ones that came out in the early 00’s in your average chain of appliance stores and were completely style over substance. The ones that some of us would purchase only for a couple of years later to think ‘’What on earth was I thinking?’’… Then I remembered, “This is Audio T. We don’t stock that sort of thing” and decided to look a little deeper.

I recently had a customer who was looking to acquire a new set of speakers with a budget around £2000. The brief seemed simple enough. Since he had to get rid of his old floor standing Mission speakers, he wanted something discrete, in the likes of a bookshelf speaker. But suddenly the requirements took a more specific shift. The customer was moving his equipment to a much smaller listening space and needed something that he could place right next to walls. This takes what started out as a very wide selection, down to a handful…

We arranged an appointment for a demonstration, and in the meantime, I would try to find a selection of speakers that would meet his requirements. So, I started my search and came up with the usual offering from the likes of Dali, Bowers & Wilkins, PMC etc. I also decided to give the Jern Model 12WS a go. A speaker, at the time, I had not really given much thought to. In fact, it is worth pointing out that I’d never actually listened to the Jern speakers. So, I wasn’t sure of what the outcome would be. Not to mention, I was slightly hesitant since their size and shape was unconvincing to me.

As I said in my opening statement, I wasn’t overly impressed with their aesthetics. Well, my back wasn’t all to impressed when I tried to lift one to place it in our demo room. Despite their small size, they weigh well over 12kg as they are made out of cast iron. Well, I wish I knew that beforehand!

The setup was extremely straightforward. As best to replicate the customer’s setup, we used a Naim Uniti Star as our main amplifier/streamer combo to power the speakers.

I welcomed the customer in to the shop and ushered him to the all-important listening seat so that we could start our demonstration. Before I could talk through the selection of products on offer, the customer, with a disgruntled look on his face, pointed to the Jern Model 12WS and asked, ‘’What are those?’’.

I explained that these unusually shaped offerings were a relatively new arrival from Denmark, and unlike the majority of speakers available in the Hi-Fi industry, were made from cast iron. I was very forthcoming and clarified I hadn’t listened them to myself and was curious to have a listen and see what they could do and how they would perform.

I handed over the shop’s iPad, preloaded with Tidal via the Naim app, and advised the customer to go crazy and play whatever he may wanted. First up were the Jern 12WS…

The first track he played was Pink Floyd’s “Comfortably Numb”. A rather fitting song title as that’s exactly how I felt while listening to the opening vocal lines from Roger Waters. But the moment I heard ‘’Hello, is there anybody in there’’, I felt as if I was listening to this song for the very first time. Parts of instrumentation that I’d never heard before became apparent. The detail was shocking...the clarity and the soundstage was so immersive that I had to double check if I connected the right speakers or if a subwoofer was accidentally connected to our system. No, nothing was there other than the Uniti Star and the Jern. The room was filled with colour created by the string ensemble and several other instruments I never noticed before. I remember the customer lowered the volume quite a bit to say something and it was then when I realised the most incredible asset of the Jern. Their ability to ‘’sing’’ and perform at low volumes was out of this world. You could hear every single detail coming out of the speakers at such low volume, so close to the wall. I was indeed comfortably numb.

We streamed several other tracks in the likes of Deep Purple, Led Zeppelin and Dire Straits. A music genre I’m well accustomed to, yet on every single track I would discover bits unheard before on any other bookshelf speakers I’ve used in the past. It was extraordinary. A sound so full and balanced that could make me stay in our demo room for hours without wearing out my ears.

On every track’s ending we would exchange a look and I was able to see how impressed he was. I couldn’t blame him as it was mutual. Words can’t describe the Jern speakers’ ability to perform. Goosebumps after goosebumps and track after track, we’ve filled the room with at least 10-12 rock and acoustic tracks. If you could close your eyes on Johnny Cash’s cover ‘’Hurt’’, you’d be under the impression he was there in the room with his acoustic guitar.

The customer was so impressed with the Danish loudspeakers that we almost forgot to try out the rest of the speakers. Once we had gone through and tried the same selection on the other speakers, the verdict was made. Nothing could match the tonality of the Jern for the customer or myself, the musicians and bands we were listening to and their unconventional positioning close to the wall.

And with that, a brand-new pair of white Jern Model 12WS found a new home, accompanied by a set of stands and the Jern mounting rings which make all the difference as you can angle the speakers in a variety of ways due to their rounded bottoms. This opens up the possibilities of moving the sweet spot depending on the room and the listener.

So yes, I appreciate that looks can be deceiving, especially in our Hi-Fi community. However, if you are reading this blog and you’re after some high end, bookshelf speakers, give them a go. Ever since I heard them perform, they’ve had a sudden ‘’glow up’’ in my eyes and aesthetics. I love the way they look now, for they look different, sound different and hit different!

Should you be interested in the Jern origins as well as more technical information, please take a look at this more in depth blog here.

Thanks for reading

Agamemnon - Audio T Online Store

JERN Loudspeakers can be found at the following Audio T stores

January 18, 2022

Spending time with Cyrus XR over the Christmas period

January 18, 2022/ Audio T Cardiff/ Cardiff

As a member of the Audio T family, we are often encouraged to take equipment home to get some real world, hands-on experience. I saw this as my chance to get up close and personal with the Cyrus XR range. So, over the Christmas period I was lucky enough to be able to take home, what I consider to be my ideal Hi-Fi setup from the many systems we stock here at Audio T Cardiff.

The Setup

The system consisted of -

Rega planar 6 turntable with Ania pro cartridge

Trichord Dino phono stage

Cyrus CDI XR cd player

Cyrus i7 integrated amplifier

PMC Twenty5 21 stand mount speakers

Chord cable shawline rca interconnects

Chord cable shawline X speaker cable with Ohmic banana plugs

All this makes for one amazing system, and in my eyes, a perfect setup. But, after listening to them in the shop and demonstrating them to customers, my main focus was on Cyrus. It’s nice to be able to put my ears to use and listen in the comfort of my own home. As we know, every room sounds different.

It’s probably worth noting that most of the photos you see here are in our demo room at our Cardiff shop, just in case you thought I had a weird living room…

Cyrus Audio

So, casting our minds back in to the history of Cyrus, the brand was founded in the early 80s in Cambridgeshire. Originally formed as part of the Mission Speaker Company, then called Mission Cyrus, their debut amplifiers took the industry by storm. Parting ways with Mission Speakers in 2005, Cyrus came back on to the scene as the Cyrus Audio we know today. Fast forward nearly two decades, and they’re still innovating, releasing new products whilst retaining their classic, sleek look, and always featuring their great sound which Cyrus are known for. Now, with the latest in Cyrus technology, here we have the XR range.

i7-XR rear panel including Chord co. Shawline Analogue

Cyrus i7-XR Amplifier

So, first onto the amplifier. The Cyrus i7-XR. I thought I’d start with this unit even though it has a more powerful sibling, the Cyrus i9-XR. So let’s get into it!

Pre and power amplification all in one box. Power aside, the i7-XR responds from DC to beyond 100KHZ ensuring ruler flat frequency response, keeping those unwanted phase shifts out of earshot. It also has a very generous, over-specified, power supply delivering 52w. On the preamp side the i7-XR has a true analogue preamp at its soul, featuring a high performance gain stage that makes this preamplifier extremely transparent. Connectivity wise, you have plenty of analogue and digital connections on the back to choose from, as well as a built in moving magnet phono stage. Also, not forgetting the amazing award winning QXR DAC on board, which has seven digital alignment options to suit the listeners taste.

Cyrus CDi-XR

Now onto the CD player. The CDi-XR is designed as Cyrus’ reference CD player, forged from evolution of its predecessors and years of research. Cyrus has developed their own servos for this new model, which are designed to read as much information on the disc first time around without re-reading the disc. This type of technology results in a better conversion of digital information for a pristine audio experience.

With all the precision engineering and research that has gone into building this amazing CD player, I would say the CDi-XR is almost perfect in every way. From the way they’ve shielded the components inside the chassis, right down to how they contain the noise in the circuitry. Much like the 7i-XR, the CDi-XR again features Cyrus’ award winning QXR DAC on board.

Cyrus CDi XR rear panel including Chord co. Shawline Digital

The listening…

Now to the important bit… How does this fantastic equipment sound?

Starting with vinyl running through the Rega Planar 6, via the Trichord Dino phono stage, into the i7-XR and then on to the fantastic PMC Twenty5 21.

Rega Planar 6 with ANIA PRO cartridge & Trichord Dino phonostage

First up, Bruce Springsteen’s live album from the 1979 concert, “No nukes” The track “Badlands” sounded big and warm with a lot of detail, especially when the amp warmed up to its potential, giving you that feel of a true live performance.

Second album to spin on the Rega Planar 6 was Black Label Society’s, “Doom Crew inc”. Special attention was paid to a favourite track of mine, “End of days” which I found to be tight with a lot of punch, which is a tone we’ve come to expect from American guitar God, Zakk Wylde, who a lot of you would know as Ozzy Osbourne’s guitarist over the years.

Finally, an undisputed classic… Pink Floyd’s “Dark side of the moon”. “Breathe”, sounded mesmerising, really big and warm but with a lot of clarity. Everything right down to the iconic “Uni-Vibe” guitar FX pedal that Dave Gilmour used in his rig when this album was recorded in 1973.

From Analogue to Digital…

Now onto the awesome CDi-XR. I was eager to find out how it sounded connected via the coax and using the onboard XR DAC of the Cyrus i7-XR amplifier.

PMC Twenty5 21i rear panel including Chord co. Shawline X speaker cable and Ohmic plugs

Albums and tracks I listened to that stuck out for me included the following:

First up we have “The Devil put Dinosaurs Here” by 90s grunge band, Alice in chains. The track, “Low Ceiling”, had an amazing amount of detail and presence, most certainly aided by the way it had been beautifully recorded. I found a great trick up the sleeve of the i7-XR. A selection of different filters that can be used, depending on how the album was recorded and mastered, to bring out the best of the tonal attributes.

Second album by Massive Attack, “Protection”, features the track “Karmacoma”, which was recorded in the late 90s. For anybody who knows the track, the bass is a key feature that some might say is a little overbearing. The performance through the CDi-XR had an overall clarity and balance that made the track truly enjoyable to listen to. Playing with the filters really came in handy in bringing out the best of Massive Attack’s iconic sound.

Finally on to “Beyond the veil”, a track from the album “Cautionary Tale” by Dylan Leblanc, which sounded absolutely perfect straight from the moment of hitting play. A really well recorded track that I thought brought out the best in the CD player, with really good production and plenty of detail.

On a side note: Dylan Leblanc is an amazing newcomer to the country scene hailing from Shreveport, Louisiana. With four albums under his belt and another one on the way, He’s definitely worth checking out.

In Summary…

As I said at the start of the blog, I feel that Cyrus XR series truly shows off the decades of research and design that brings this range to life, and more importantly to our ears. My listening experience went from strength to strength not just the clarity, warmth and presence from the Cyrus system, the ease of use and how everything complemented in the signal chain.

But why take my word for it? Why not have a listen for yourself.

Thanks for reading.

Matt, Nick & Kerrin - Audio T Cardiff

If you are curious about how the new Cyrus XR range we have teamed up with Cyrus Audio to bring you the Cyrus Experience Tour on Saturday 22nd January 2022 at Audio T Cardiff.

Keep up to date with everything going on at Audio T Cardiff by following us on Facebook and Instagram

Cyrus can be found at the following Audio T stores

Rega can be found at the following Audio T stores

January 17, 2022

FROM GREAT PAIRINGS TO A MARRIAGE MADE IN HEAVEN - NAIM UNITI NOVA & DYNAUDIO CONTOUR 20i

January 17, 2022/ Audio T brighton/ Brighton

So here we are, we finally made it to 2022. No doubt with many a New Year’s resolution to try and uphold, the New Year heralds a time of new beginnings and fresh starts. Sadly, it is an unfortunate statistic that January is often a prevalent month for breakups and divorce. This doesn’t have to be limited to relationships between humans…

Perhaps you’ve fallen out of love with your existing Hi-Fi? Time has taken its toll. You’ve grown apart. Circumstances have changed. It’s not them, it’s you… Whatever the reasoning, perhaps it’s time to clear out the old gear and upgrade. What we have for you this month could have the potential to buck the trend and end up as true “soul mates”.

Here at Audio T, we like to think of our Hi-Fi and service as a lifelong love. We certainly don’t condone marriage/divorce as often as Richard Burton and Elizabeth Taylor and you certainly shouldn’t be swapping your Hi-Fi out that often, you’ll barely have time to hear how good it is, to paraphrase a quote from the great Ivor Tiefenbrun, founder of Linn and the brainchild of the great Linn LP12 turntable.

All will be revealed as I launch into this months blog about the latest “Hollywood couple” of Hi-Fi. The Naim Uniti Nova streaming amplifier/DAC and Dynaudio Contour 20i stereo standmount speakers.

I have written several blogs on specific brands and models as well as my Facebook Vlog series “Great Pairings”, so I thought adding a little glamour might be a nice way to start 2022.

Fidelity takes on a new meaning . . . .

First up is the Naim Uniti Nova, a member of the Naim Uniti range comprising of the Atom, Atom HE, Star and Nova plus the Naim Core, which can act as server/storage and finally, the Naim Muso Qb2 and Muso 2, which are all-in-ones that are proving to be very popular at the moment.

The Naim Uniti Nova came out in 2017 and has many advancements in streaming technologies over the previous models, the Unitiqute and Superuniti range, with a ground-up development programme that has many years of future-proofness (not sure that’s a word, but if not, I just invented it!) built in, to such an extent, one can safely say that it is still at the head of the pack in 2022.

As with all of Naim products, there is upgradability built-in. A power amp can be added, such as the Naim NAP250DR and the Naim Powerline, about which I’ve blogged before here.

Contours that your Geography teacher never taught you about . . . .

Going back to my student years, I was a big fan of Blackadder. In Series 3, one of my favourite quotes, was from an episode with the Prime Minister of the time, William Pitt, declaring, “Tougher sentences for Geography teachers.” I don’t remember being taught in school about contours of the type I’m writing about in this blog, so I wholeheartedly agree.

Joking aside, not wishing to put off any potential Audio T customers who teach Humanities, the smooth lines of these Dynaudio Contour 20i allow Hi-Fi listeners to reach new levels of audio fidelity and enjoyment.

Listening taken to new heights . . . .

The sheer transparency, imagery and musicality of the Dynaudio Contour 20i take your breath away, to the same degree as a mountaineer might experience when the aforementioned contour lines on a map narrow as they approach the summit of the world’s second highest mountain in the Himalayas, Mount K2.

Imagery and lifelike spatial cues the Dynaudio Contour 20i conjure up on the live recordings of Neil Young, Bob Dylan and David Bowie albums leave you gasping for air. There really is a reach out and touch quality to the sound of this system and it does amplify the fact, pun intended, that the Naim Uniti Nova is a quality source and great match for the Dynaudio Contour 20i’s.

Even though the Dynaudio Contour 20i’s had effectively arrived from the mountaintops and were cold, straight out of the box, the sound enveloped you in a richly detailed and warm, yet dynamic sound. Heaven knows what they will sound like with a few hundred hours on the clock, roughly how long it will take for my jaw to remove itself from the floor of the listening room here at Audio T in Brighton. Sadly, Bill Livingstone, our man from Dynaudio, had to take them back home to run in, although I did volunteer our facilities to do the same, if he wished.

Back down to earth . . . .

Listening to this combination of quality components has emphasised, to me at least, the importance of symbiosis. A marriage made in heaven really does require more than one component and it certainly helps if they have the looks of Brad Pitt and Angelina Jolie thrown in. The Naim Uniti Nova and Dynaudio Contour 20i’s not only have that, they certainly win on the fidelity front!

All of this also begs the question, just how good would the Dynaudio Confidence 20 sound on the end of the setup? Not wishing to encourage the divorce of the components mentioned in this blog, I guess you’d have to climb Mount Everest to find that one out!

Thanks for reading - Ade - Audio T Brighton

Keep up to date with everything that’s happening at Audio T Brighton by following us on Facebook and Instagram

Naim can be found at the following Audio T stores -

Dynaudio can be found at the following Audio T stores

December 21, 2021

A LEGEND IS REBORN… NEAT PETITE

December 21, 2021/ Audio T Cheltenham/ Cheltenham

To celebrate the 30th anniversary of the original Neat Petite, the very first loudspeaker released by the Teesdale based manufacturer, Neat Acoustics have released a brand new version of this legendary bookshelf design.

Front view of Neat Petite 30th Anniversary Edition. No grilles are supplied with them as this will adversely AFFECT sound quality!

The Neat Petite always had a reputation of being one of the best loudspeakers of its kind. This new version is a complete redesign of this classic little gem. Whilst broadly retaining the outer dimensions of the original model, the Petite 30 is otherwise a ground-up redesign with a new 15cm bass-mid driver with a mineral loaded polypropylene cone and Neat’s stunning Air Motion Transformer tweeter.

In common with all Neat speakers, all the crossover components have been chosen with care, and each pair will have been hand-assembled by just one person from start to finish.

The new Petite 30 has been designed to bring all the virtues of the previous incarnations, with additional refinement and even greater musical coherence.

Connections on the rear are nice chunky bi-wire or bi-amp gold plated 4mm banana or spade terminals. also on the rear are not one, but two bass ports. The larger of the two ports has a foam bung inserted whilst the smaller port is left open. This is the optimal way to use them (as recommended by Neat themselves) and gets the signature sound close to the original model. It is of course possible to experiment by removing said bung which will not give more bass but will increase the presence of the bass! I tried both and preferred the former arrangement with the one bung in.

Nice chunky gold plated terminals can accept banana plugs, spades or bare cables. Can also be bi-wired or bi-amped!

The larger of the two ports with supplied foam bung inserted as recommended.

Now of course the most exciting bit about a new pair of loudspeakers is how they sound and the new Petite 30s do not disappoint. Even straight out of the box and with no running in period to help them out, they sound amazingly agile and musically cohesive with an uncanny ability to image way outside of the boxes. The Air Motion Transformer tweeter is a real treat for the ears never once sounding shrill or sharp. Top end detail was delivered sweetly and emotively up there with the very best that I have heard.

The one thing that consistently springs to mind when listening to these new Neats is that of a Rogers LS35A with knobs on. Great imaging, not only left to right but also up and down and front to back. A really wonderful trick for a speaker to have up its sleeve. I played a variety of my favourite albums from the past year (perhaps more of which in my next blog) and just fell in love with these petite gems!

I have now played with these on a variety of systems at a wide range of prices and they consistently sound amazing. Possibly the only downside to them is the fact that there will only ever be a strictly limited edition of one hundred pairs! Available in gloss black or gloss white, each one sporting a plate on the rear with the signature of the designer Bob Surgeoner on it, just so you don’t forget who to thank for those gorgeous little boxes that give you all that top quality musical enjoyment!

Signature plate on the rear of each speaker….just so you don’t forget who to thank for all the fun!

Oh… I almost forgot to say, you also get a goodie bag! A book detailing the history of the Neat Petite since the very beginning, which I thought was a lovely touch. You’ll also get a USB stick containing examples of Bob’s own musical adventures, which date back to 1967 when he started playing. Rumour has it there will even be some Prog Rock on there!

So….book your demo quick or they will be gone and you will miss out!!

Thanks for reading.

Andy, Jon and Farid - Audio T Cheltenham Store.

If you’ve enjoyed this, why not go ahead and read some more of our other blogs, and be sure to follow us on Facebook to keep an eye on what’s happening in store

The Neat Petite 30’s are currently only available for demonstration at our Cheltenham store call them on 01242 583960 for a chat.

Neat Acoustics can be found at the following Audio-T stores

December 20, 2021

Analogue Vs Digital? Why not have both? - Linn Majik LP12 and Majik 140 DSM System

December 20, 2021/ Audio T / Reading

So I think we all know that vinyl has had a pretty successful resurgence, but there are also those out there who are firmly set in their streaming ways. Well, who said the two are mutually exclusive? Why not combine the two?

Join me now as I take a look at the superb combination of the Linn Majik 140 amp/streamer and the Majik LP12 record deck. Could this be a marriage made in heaven? Let’s take a peak…

Linn Majik 140 DSM Streaming Amplifier

Like a proverbial Swiss Army knife, the Linn Majik 140 DSM Streamer Amplifier is a one-stop box of tricks. From here you can stream all your online music, plug in your turntable, listen to Internet radio or even connect your TV to make it the center of your home entertainment system. Whatever you're listening to, Majik DSM gives you access to it all in one place, and all with a premium sound quality.

As previously mentioned, you can stream and connect from a wide variety of sources, wired or wirelessly, via WiFi, Apple’s Airplay 2, Bluetooth and so forth.

Linn’s dedicated app allows you to stream hi-res services such TIDAL, Qobuz, Amazon Music as well as the standard Spotify, Apple Music or even your own music collection stored on an external hard drive via USB. You’ll also find several HDMI inputs to plug in your TV, Sky, Virgin or BT topset box, Apple TV, games consoles etc.

With the built-in MM configurable phono stage, the Majik DSM also allows you to add a turntable, making it the hub and beating heart of all your home entertainment.

The back of the Majik 140 showing multiple inputs

As an all-in-one network music player, it has built in preamp and power amps. Like all Linn's network music players, it has a built-in feature called Space Optimisation which allows you to tailor the performance to your room's unique characteristics. Linn has already dialled-in a whole host of presets for some of the most popular high-quality speakers. You may want your local store to help you set this up to ensure you’re getting the most out of Space Optimisation.

If like us, you are planning on pairing the Majik DSM with a Majik LP12 turntable, you will need to configure the phono stage from the Linn app, which is easy enough to do. this clever system will digitise the signal through the analogue to digital converter, and then you will then be introduced to the world of high-performance vinyl replay.

Linn Majik LP12

So, let’s take a look at the LP12 itself.

The Majik LP12 is a fantastic turntable to leap in to the world of Linn and high performance vinyl playback. Using carefully selected Linn-engineered components to let you experience the iconic and timeless aesthetic of the LP12, with all the advantages of modern manufacturing and engineering under the lid. This is a high-quality way to rediscover your vinyl or hear what high performance vinyl playback can do for you. In itself it can be upgraded by your local store, but that is another story…

You can have a read of what goes in to the maintenance and upgrade of an LP12 over at Audio T Brighton’s blog Here.

But for now we will concentrate on the gateway turntable, the Majik LP12. It includes the latest sandwich-construction aluminium sub-chassis, patented single point Karousel bearing, and internal low noise power supply and Linn’s Krane tonearm and Adikt moving magnet cartridge complete the deck. All you need to do is to plug it into the built-in phono stage at the back of the Majik 140 DSM, or it works equally well if you introduce it to any high-performance phono stage as a bridge to your existing hi-fi or an alternative amp. It is a fantastic addition to any set up to bring that musical, dynamic and rich trademark Linn sound.

How does the combo sound?

Firstly, I set up the system with a pair of Spendor A2’s to provide a compact high-quality system. Streaming from Tidal and Qobuz it provided a rich, detailed, and dynamic soundscape. Listening to the Orb (Orbus Terrarum) all the atmospherics and deep dub bass came across in startlingly good fashion. So good that I thought it time to try a larger set of speakers for a bigger room scenario, so I wheeled in the Spendor A4’s to see how the Majik 140 would cope. The Majik DSM gripped and controlled these speakers providing a large, deep, and insightful soundstage. Of course, other speakers than Spendor are available to suit a variety of tastes.

Our vinyl and streaming choices - The Orb (Orbus Terrarum) and Eno/Wobble (Spinner)

Next up I plugged in the LP12 and configured the phono stage from the Linn app (easy from an iPhone or Android phone or tablet). I then listened to the excellent Brian Eno/Jah Wobble album “Spinner,” chosen for its exceptional sonics. Through the Linn Majik LP12 the result was wonderful. The iconic reputation of the LP12 is well deserved, and it sounds surprisingly modern, not at all soft and rounded but full of charm. It sounded big, confident, and enjoyable, slightly on the warm side of neutral with natural spatial placement, which gets to the emotional heart of the music and enhances the mood.

In conclusion

What a great way to have the best of both worlds from vinyl and streaming in a compact system! Just add the speakers of your choice to explore and refresh your musical heritage and memories in high quality sound, as well as discovering new treasures.

But why just take our word for it? Come and experience it for yourself in a well curated system built around your needs. Contact us to book a demonstration.

Thanks for reading.

Rob & Gareth – Audio T Reading

Be sure to keep an eye out on what’s happening at the Reading store by following us on Facebook.

Linn can be found at the following Audio T stores

December 17, 2021

SURROUND YOURSELF WITH SONOS - THE INEXPENSIVE SURROUND SOUND SOLUTION

December 17, 2021/ Audio T Enfield/ Enfield

I’ve been working at Audio T for just over two months now and I’m really getting to know all the different systems. One brand in particular that has captured my interest is Sonos.

Unsurprisingly, I had heard of Sonos years before starting my employment in the world of Hi-Fi and Home Cinema; admittedly my view of it was an overpriced Bluetooth sound system. I now know that was completely inaccurate. Firstly, with the exception of two speakers in the range (the Roam and the Move), Sonos works on a network basis, not Bluetooth. On our shop floor, we’ll often use a Sonos One SL to play background music or digital radio and have some of those “good vibe” tunes on for when you, the customers, come in. From this passing day-to-day interaction, I had a pretty good idea of how it sounds. That being said, I’m not really able to crank the volume to full blast due to it being on the shop floor, but I can still gauge how good the quality of that little speaker is, which has now heightened my curiosity with other Sonos products.

A few weeks into working here, a customer enquiry introduced me to the world of Dolby Atmos – something I was previously oblivious to being somewhat of a Home Cinema novice. For those who aren’t familiar with Dolby Atmos, essentially it’s a type of surround sound technology that aims to fully immerse you in whatever you are watching/listening to by directing the sound waves directly to where you’re sitting. It’s not like your usual surround sound – I describe it in my own terms as “5D Surround Sound”. Why mention this you say? Well, as I started to research more and more into Dolby Atmos, I discovered that many Sonos products now support the format, which enticed me even more. I’ve wanted a surround sound system of my own for as long as I can remember, so I dug deeper and learnt that the Sonos Arc and a couple of Sonos One or One SLs can create a great Home Cinema system in a limited space.

A huge benefit of working for Audio T is being able take products home to try for ourselves in our own space to really get to grips with them and make our own, unbiased opinions. So I took full advantage of this and brought home the Sonos Arc and One SL to try.

The Set-up

*The Sonos App (top row, second from left)*

Although not as straightforward as simply connecting the speakers to the network, the set-up was not too difficult. I had already downloaded the Sonos app to my phone to use in the shop, which otherwise would’ve been the first step of set-up. So, as these units were already in use in the shop, the first thing I had to do was to factory reset both products. This is far more simple than it sounds. Simply plug them in and hold down the “Join” button on the back until the LED flashes amber.

The reason for doing this is so that I can give it a fresh start and forget any previous network settings or user profiles. Don’t worry, you won’t have to do this with a fresh new one out of the box.

Next, I made sure my phone was connected to Wifi and opened the Sonos app, where it automatically searched for products. At this stage, once it had picked up on the products, I had to scan them in so to speak, so I held my phone over the now green light on the Sonos Arc and I was connected. I started off using only the Arc and I was majorly impressed - the room filled-out with the most brilliant spatial audio, allowing me to experience my favourite songs in a new way (I know what you’re thinking, yes I did listen to Spice by Spice Girls… shamelessly).

After a while of enjoying the Arc, I then turned my attention to creating surround sound within the room. To do this you simply open the the Sonos app, click “system”, then “add new product”, and repeat the same steps as I did with the Arc to connect the One SL. I then grouped them together and played the same songs so I could hear the difference.

You can actually add up to 32 speakers for one system - imagine that!

*Now that you’ve added both products to your system, you can now group the speakers. To do this, tap the “now playing” tab in your Sonos app.*

*Next, tap the icon on the right hand side of the volume control (looks like a triangle within a square).*

*It will bring up this mini menu, where you can now choose which speaker you want to stream from.*

*Simply select both speakers and now they are grouped for multi-speaker playback. You can choose up to 32 products for a single system.*

A great advantage of grouping the speakers together is that you can control each one’s volume separately. So, depending on where I sat in the room, I could tweak the volume on each speaker to create a more even surround sound experience.

Simply swipe down on your phone screen and the playback options will appear. Now that the Arc and the One SL are grouped, they appear as one playback speaker. Tap on the speaker icon that appears on the left hand side of “Arc+One SL”

*It will then show the speakers separately, allowing you to toggle the volume control of each individual speaker so that you can create the perfect surround sound for your room.*

The Listening

At this point, even though both products sounded amazing together and they did in fact create a surround sound, I came to the conclusion that I needed more than one One SL to fill out the room in the way I wanted, and these would most probably need to be mounted on the wall. Nonetheless, this minor issue did not take away from how impressed I was!

After about an hour of experimenting with the sound, and some questionable dancing, I turned my attention to using the Arc’s Dolby Atmos feature. Although Dolby Atmos is primarily used for Home Cinema, personally I would prefer to use it for music. As I mentioned in my previous blog, I’m someone who appreciates every detail of a song and wanted to be able to hear these nuances in a whole new way. Not to mention that some of my favourite albums of all time have recently been re-mastered in Dolby Atmos, so I was keen to listen and hear the differences which, according to my research, are very apparent.

To listen to the Dolby Atmos mastered albums, I had subscribed to Apple Music (which was a pain because I already have Spotify, but at this moment the platform doesn’t support Dolby Atmos). I did a quick Google search into how to connect the Sonos Arc to my TV - all I needed was the HDMI cable that came in the box, so I plugged it into the HDMI-Arc input on the back of my TV.

The sound from the TV sounded awesome as expected, but I couldn’t hear significant difference to make me think it was playing in Dolby Atmos. I checked the Sonos app, which told me in the “now playing” section that the Arc was playing in Stereo. After going into my TV’s settings, it told me that the TV itself does not support Dolby Atmos, which I was gutted about. So now I have to get a new TV! Maybe one for you all to watch out for.

Conclusion

Overall, the experience I had with these two products definitely made me realise that if I wanted a surround sound system with minimal wiring and easy set-up, then Sonos is the way to go.

The next day…

In perfect, impeccable timing, the very next day a young couple who had just bought their first home together came in looking for a surround sound system for their living room. Of course, I straight away recommended Sonos given my new found appreciation of the brand. I told them about my experience and they seemed impressed; they had previously researched Sonos and my input confirmed their findings. We booked them in for a demo and I showed them the products – I recommended the Arc and One SL combo to fill out their living area (this particular room is “L-shaped”, so their concern was to fill out the corner that the sound may not have reached so well). I showed them how to tweak the volume to get the perfect surround sound of their choice, all while they both led the way in telling me what they wanted. Essentially, my fresh experience enabled me to recommend these products whilst not overtaking the demo with my suggestions – they asked me questions, I showed them how to do it. It’s safe to say I think we have a sale on our hands!

But why take my word for it? Why not book a demonstration today at your local store.

Thanks for reading.

Elena, Jason & John - Audio T Enfield

Keep up to date with everything that’s happening at Audio T by following us on Facebook, Instagram & Twitter.

Sonos can be found at the following Audio T stores

December 17, 2021

From Italy Sonus Faber to Fine Sounds UK - Sonetto I Speakers

December 17, 2021/ Cardiff

A few months back we wrote a blog to introduce the new Sonus Faber ranges, distributed by Fine Sounds UK. This month we thought we would delve a little deeper into Sonus Faber, and take a closer look at the the Sonetto I bookshelf speakers.

The Sonus Faber Sonetto 1 is a very pretty loudspeaker with some some fantastic finishes available to compliment your home décor. Gloss Black, Wenge, Wood or Satin White as featured here are the available finishes. These slick cabinet colours are teamed with a hand-sewn leather top, a designed feature filtered down form the Olympica range.

All of the Sonetto range incorporates the Lute shaped cabinet that is not only pleasing to the eye but sonically important. This shape ensures that there are no parallel surfaces in the internal construction, offering perfect control over the internal resonances.

Bespoke Accessories

To complete the stylish look of the Sonetto I, Sonus Faber have created a bespoke pair of Sonetto Stands, manufactured from extruded aluminium to give it the rigidity needed for the performance expected from such a standmount loudspeaker. A nice touch to give piece of mind is the bolt on system for the top plate to the base of the speaker. The Soft velour on the base of the speaker and the top of the stand give a perfect seat for placement before bolting down. A nice extra is the cut out in the back of the stand upright for cable management.

Performance

Now let’s take a look at the sonic performance of the Sonetto I. Sonus Faber talk of the "voice" of its loudspeaker ranges and this voice is provided by the combination of cabinet construction, silk dome tweeter and natural fibre midwoofer and the front reflex port.

The silk dome tweeter is constructed with D.A.D (damped apex dome) technology and the mid-woofer with its natural fibre air dried diaphragm delivers high end performance at an affordable price. This technology has filtered down from their flagship Reference and Olympica ranges to achieve such high sonic presentation.

If asked, we would describe the Sonetto range as incredibly smooth without lacking punch or detail. The bass is defined, tight and tuneful and the treble is smooth, sweet and not fatiguing. The midrange offers detail in vocals that other loudspeakers at this price struggle to achieve. I think I could put my feet up and listen to these speakers all day and I wouldn’t get tired.

We have found the Sonetto I easy to place in most rooms. If space is tight it is surprising how well they perform close to the wall due to the shape of cabinet and the front mounted bass reflex port .

The System

For the purpose of this demonstration we used a system consisting of -

Leema Acoustics Elements amplifier - (Soon to be a permanent fixture at Audio T Cardiff, so watch this space for a future blog)
Bluesound Node 3 Wireless Network Music Streamer
Rega Planar 8 fitted with a Dynavector 20x cartridge
Trichord Dino Mk3 phono stage
All hooked up with Chord Company Epic X speaker cable and Shawline interconnects.

Demo tracks we've enjoyed on the Sonetto 1 include

Pearl Jam - Yield - Vinyl
Jessie Ware - Mirage (Don't Stop) - Tidal Streaming
Little Simz - Point and Kill - Qobuz Hi-Res Audio

Pearl Jam’s , Yield, is an album recorded in the 90s and when played on vinyl can be a little on the loose side in the bass, but the Sonetto I has no problem in controlling this and offers an immersive experience. Jessie Ware - Mirage offers a disco style with some pace. The vocal reproduction on these speakers is superb, along with the presence and timing of the modulated rhythm guitar. If you are looking to improve your stereo hi-fi or expand on your home cinema the Sonus Faber Sonetto I is a must to audition and are exceptional contenders in their price range.

Thanks for reading.

Nick, Kerrin & Matt - Audio T Cardiff

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Sonus faber can be found at the following Audio-T stores

December 17, 2021

A THREESOME YOU MAY NEVER HAVE CONSIDERED

December 17, 2021/ Brighton

So here we have it . . . a three move checkmate! “What do you mean? Is that even possible?” I hear you say! All will be explained forthwith.

In an attempt to be topical ,with the world chess championships just having taken place and frankly because I have an interest in playing the great game myself, I will attempt to use this chess metaphor in my Hi-Fi ramblings and not be too “en passant” in the process.

Having written several blogs on specific brands and models as well as my Facebook Vlog series “Great Pairings”, I thought that it might be wise to mix it up and take a look at even more components.

In no particular order, other than the “Source first” premise; Auralic Altair G2.1 into a Quad Artera stereo power amplifier followed by Proac Response DB1 speakers.

Our opening gambit - the Auralic Altair G2.1

Let’s start with the front end first. The Auralic Altair G2.1 is a fully featured source component, offering extreme flexibility for inputs as well as lots of inbuilt goodies as well.

Now if you are a chess player, you will know about openings, middle game and end game strategies. If you will excuse the metaphor, the Auralic Altair G2.1 demonstrates an abundance of opening options, with an excellent phono stage built-in, a wealth of of digital inputs and replay through an excellent built in DAC and a high quality preamp stage.

Some people would call the Auralic Altair G2.1 an “endgame” product, which is where the chess analogy falls a bit short really, given that there are no speakers involved at this stage, although one can certainly see audiophiles being happy enough with the sound quality to go no further up the audiophile tree than this, but more on sound quality later.

auralic altair g2.1 front panel - understated quality

Auralic altair g2.1 inputs/outputs - a plethora of choice

You can see the streamer input options above, with multiple inputs for network/hard drive playback, both balanced and unbalanced analogue line inputs, the usual digital coaxial and optical inputs and on the right, the preamp outputs to feed the power amp, which in this case was the Quad Artera stereo power amp…

Middle game authority - the Quad Artera stereo power amp

Continuing with my chess analogy, the middle game comes from the Quad Artera stereo power amplifier. The Quad 405 amplifier was world renowned and this is a modern update of that very same design, with an output of 140W per channel and the warm, mellifluous sound that continues the Quad heritage of high quality music reproduction.

I have spoken about the quality of the Quad Artera amp in combination with another Auralic product, the Altair G1, in an earlier Facebook vlog, which you can view Here.

Endgamers - The Proac Response DB1

For anyone else familiar with the glorious game of chess, these might be considered the knights in the range of Proac speakers. The Proac Response DB1 is a magnificent beast, here donning a beautiful walnut finish. These are a 2-way ported bookshelf design with an 8 ohm impedance and a recommended 20 - 100 Watts for driving amplification.

Here at Audio T in Brighton we are very fond of the Proac range of speakers, with everything from the foals in their range, the Proac Tablette 10 Signatures, to their stallion siblings, the D20R and DT8 floorstanders.

Checkmate . . . A Victorious sound

Worthy of the great chess players, Garry Kasparov or Magnus Carlsen, and providing a sound quality and synergy as rare as a three move checkmate, this threesome really jelled in our listening room.

So my initial listening was done with vinyl with a Linn LP12. Perhaps not the most usual means of playback for a system like this, especially with a digital streaming DAC/preamp like the Auralic Altair G2.1 that has so many inputs for modern music listening tastes. However, the phono input on the Altair G2.1 was a revelation, helped somewhat with a quality turntable like the Linn LP12 combination.

Gling-Glo with Bjork on vocals sounded magnificent. The level of detail and tonal quality on Kind of Blue by Miles Davis was mesmerising. In fact, the sound of this threesome of Auralic Altair G2.1, Quad Artera and Proac Response DB1’s, whilst listening to Stevie Ray Vaughan’s posthumous album, The Sky is Crying, was so captivating, I’d gone into a bit of a trance and failed to hear our front doorbell go a couple of times.

Moving onto the streamer section of the Altair G2.1 proved no less rewarding. My usual menu of the Oscar Peterson Trio album We Get Requests and Gerry Mulligan meets Ben Webster, provided a level of musical insight and clarity a cut above most of the competition and certainly worthy of the price increase between the Altair G1 and the Altair G2.1. Now bearing in mind the fact that the Altair G2.1 composes of a quality phono stage, headphone amp, separate streamer, DAC and preamp plus a reliable app to service its functionality, it seems a veritable bargain.

Post Game review

The three musketeers discussed; Auralic Altair G2.1, Quad Artera and Proac Response DB1’s should really include D’Artagnan as well, in the form of the Linn LP12, given its significant contribution to the sound via the Auralic’s phono input. This system proved to be a sonic “coup de gras”, providing great flexibility and fine synergy in its sonic prowess. This isn’t always a given in the hifi world and returning to my chess analogy, similar to many games of chess that I’ve played, where pieces just seem to get in the way of each other and the ensuing stalemate that arises, this is one of those rare occasions where this doesn’t happen, cutting through to the core of musical pleasure just like Magnus Carlsen would if he played chess against me.

A quick addendum to this will be that we’ve added the Proac Response DB1’s to our demo range of speakers, such was the enjoyment they provided during the course of our audition of this system.

Thanks for reading - Ade - Audio T Brighton

Keep up to date with everything that’s happening at Audio T Brighton by following us on Facebook and Instagram

Auralic can be found at the following Audio T stores -

Quad can be found at the following Audio T stores -

Proac can be found at the following Audio T stores -

BRIGHTON

Linn can be found at the following Audio T stores -

AUDIO T - THE UK's OLDEST INDEPENDENT SPECIALIST HI-FI RETAILER

December 15, 2021

The Fabled Faber's Fascinating Fine Sound - Olympica Nova I

December 15, 2021/ Audio T Bristol/ Bristol

Italian manufacturers have always been famous for their iconic designs. A visit to the Haynes International Motor Museum proves this. Exemplified by many, all time classics; the Bristol 401, Alfa Romeo 2000, Aston Martin DB6, Jenson Interceptor, Bentley Continental & far too many Ferraris to mention - all penned at Carrozzeria Touring Superleggera in Milan. But this Italian excellence isn’t unique to the automotive world…

Sonus Faber represent classic craftsmanship.

Here we have Italian flair - like a classic Riva Aquarama Motoscafi cruising the canals of Venice. Handmade works of art steeped in traditional virtues with modern technologies used to enhance creations. Their speaker ranges are referred to as collections, with the Olympica Nova coming in line after the Reference and Homage ranges. There is an essence of luxury boutique that exudes Italian quality, with the philosophy of Sonus Faber founder, Franco Serblin, clearly still bursting through. And beneath the veneer are solid foundations of exquisite sound.

These speakers have been brought to us by the UK distributor, Fine Sounds.

The cabinet's asymmetrical lute shape is an original design concept that allows versatile positioning of the speakers to tune the bass response in any room. Inspired by nature, the lines follow the flow of a circular spiral motion, achieving a more organic cabinet structure.

There are a number of Sonus Faber core technologies that permeate the ranges and are intrinsic to the vocalisation of their creations.

Sonus Faber’s very own D.A.D (damped apex dome) technology is a localised dampening of the tweeter. In a standard soft dome tweeter, apex anti-phase behaviour is responsible for the high frequency early roll-off. D.A.D tweeter technology allows better reproduction of high frequencies.

The “Stealth Reflex” system, is an innovative “para-aperiodic” interpretation of the tuned loudspeaker. It allows reduction of acoustic volume dimensions, providing greater extension in low frequencies response and reduction of distortions, it also eliminates spurious wind noises, typical of traditional reflex systems.

The most significant peculiarity of the Olympica Nova range regarding positioning in the environment, is that the side reflex channel is handed. This means there is a choice to position the speakers with the reflex channel outlet facing internally or externally, according to the acoustic conditions of the room used or personal taste.

Test System

Sources:
Linn Klimax DSM - Qobuz Streaming, Rega Planar 8, Audio Note CD2.1X/II CD Player

Amplifiers:
Rega Aethos, ATC SIA2 150, Rega Osiris, Naim NAP 250, NAC 282

All-In-One:
Naim Uniti Star

Accessories:
Rega Aria Mk III Phono stage, Chord Odyssey X - Speaker cable, Naim NACA5 - Speaker cable, Audioquest Cinnamon Ethernet, Audioquest Vodka RCA Interconnects, AudioQuest NRG-Z3 IEC Mains Cables

Setup & Listening

The Sonus Faber Olympica Nova I do seem to offer a wider stereo image and larger sound stage than expected. System wise - they were well handled by the Naim or Rega setups above. Personally, I found the Rega and Sonus Faber combination had a magical synergy. This could be because of their 4 Ohm rating better utilises the Rega power. However, the Naim amplification with Linn streaming brought forth a clarity and control that really is astounding.

Hifi+ writer Alan Sircom dropped a reference track in a review that runs counter to the ideals of Hi-Fi sound. His argument is best read Here, but in summary - using Electronic music to evaluate a systems performance is counter intuitive, since the synthesised instruments created have no real world equivalents and most reviews focus on 'real' world reproduction of real instruments. Trentemøller’s Chameleon on the album Last Resort, has a square wave bass that has transients impossible to create in the 'real' world. I have tried this track with a number of speakers, and whilst it is unrealistic to expect speakers to reach 20Hz (or even hear that frequency), what does materialise in ported speakers is a chuffing sound in the bass that blurs these transients - some more than others. One of two things happen with this track - the speakers give way to chuffing or the room gives up to rattling and annoying resonances. The bass speed of the Nova Olympica I is full, no port noise with complete room control. And whilst a standmount speaker, it can't reach Mariana Trench like bass - it degrades so gracefully as to not matter.

It's rare that we use a CD Player as a source for reviewing speakers, but a recent expedition to the shops meant that I had a new selection that I was eager to explore. Every Kingdom, the debut studio album from British singer songwriter, Ben Howard, features the track Old Pine. The sparse opening yielded a beautiful separation, solid deep sound stage. The transients of the acoustic guitar superbly handled. Ibrahim Ferrer, Buena Vista Social Club, Marieta- Ry Cooder's production feels alive with a real sense of the live recording space. The voice of Ferrer soaring with Hemingway’s Old Man and the Sea gravitas. Moving through Moby Play, Sir George Solti Mozart Symphony 40, Bert Jansch Black Swan - no matter what the genre - the Sonus Faber Olympica Nova I show their speed and versatility to open up the emotion of the music without any colouration, but a vocalisation that is unique, rare to find and extremely accessible - there is always a great feel of grip, smoothness, relaxed, yet with great detail.

In summary

Like the inescapable magnetic draw of Italian taste, flair, design and shear drooling excitement. This is a sumptuous loudspeaker - think Italian Truffles with a full bodied red - Fettuccine al tartufo served with a smoldering Brunello di Montalcino 2007.

Thanks for reading.

Justin, Max & James - Audio T Bristol

Be sure to keep up to date with what’s going on in store by following us Facebook and Instagram.

You can have a listen to the music we used in all our demonstrations, and test systems in our listening rooms with the constantly evolving Audio-T Bristol Qobuz Playlist - Here.

Sonus faber can be found at the following Audio-T stores

December 15, 2021

FROM PORTSMOUTH TO GLASGOW - A LINN FACTORY TOUR

December 15, 2021/ Portsmouth

When you think of Scottish musicians, you may conjure up such artists as Annie Lennox, Simple Minds or even Franz Ferdinand. But whether you intended to or not, it’s more than likely that your mind has already been invaded by those sulky twins, Craig and Charlie Reid, better known as The Proclaimers. The earworm has already been planted and your belting out lyrics from their best known number “I’m Gonna Be (500 Miles)”… Don’t worry. You’re not alone. Ironically though, 500 miles is roughly the distance from Portsmouth to Glasgow. The very same trip that we took whilst on a golden opportunity to visit Linn…

Once we arrived at the factory, it was straight to business, lunch orders. The most important part of any event. Once those lunch orders were placed, and the hungry stomachs were addressed, it was time to delve into the beating heart of Linn.

Linn was founded when Ivor Tiefenbrun went into his local audio shop to buy himself the best home music. When he got home however, he wasn’t satisfied with the quality. The music wasn’t toe tapping and the soul was lacking. So he boxed up his newly purchased equipment, took it back to the audio shop, and was told he needed bigger speakers. He got home with these bigger speakers, to find the sound was better, but not better enough. After a few rounds of this he had the best system that the shop could provide, and still wasn’t finding the music engaging enough - It still wasn’t moving his feet!

So, being an engineer by trade, Ivor decided to start experimenting with his equipment for the best sound. Rotating speakers, moving the amp and other equipment around the room. Finally he found the sound he was after by placing the turntable outside the listening space and in his hallway. He found that this meant he could isolate any external vibrations the speakers cause that would interfere with the turntable. This gave him the quality in the music source he was looking for.

This was against the thinking of the time. Surely with a system the speakers produce the sound, thus are the most important component? Ivor may have very well struck gold with this concept. The source is arguably the most important part of the signal chain. If something is bad going in, it will inevitably be bad coming out.

This started a thesis in his head, an idea to design his own turntable from what he had learned. The aim was to improve the turntable to be as perfect a source as possible.

Thus the creation of Linn Audio and their LP12 Turntable.

The Linn LP12

The LP12, now being a turntable with over 40 years of design behind it, allowing the model to be the near pinnacle of turntable engineering. Streamlined through the years to include only what it needs to sound the best to your ears, all stemming from that concept that inspired Ivor originally, “rubbish in, rubbish out”.

But wait, the turntable isn’t the true source? The record you place on the turntable is the true source? So to support his new turntable design, Linn Records breathed its first breath.

These roots still hold strong today. There is a sense of quality in even their simplest ideas which brings so much life to not only their products but the atmosphere they choose to create.

The Factory

me and agamemnon (From the online store) styling the latest linn fashion

The idea of bringing us up to Scotland was to open the curtain on their company, to show why they have been successful in the Hi-fi industry for so long. So once we don our fabulous Linn lab coats, it was time to explore.

The factory itself was originally designed in the 1980s by The Richard Rogers Partnership (of Millennium Dome fame) to stand as a state of the art modern facility. Since the 1980s it has gone through a range of additions to bring it into the modern day, but still with the original design at its heart, much like the company itself.

We were shown through the whole process of manufacturing their products, from the humble beginnings of machining sheet metal, the circuitry, the final assembly, to the export of the products. This detail walkthrough enabled us to see the energy that is poured into each step of the process to enable you to bring a little bit of Hi-fi history into your everyday enjoyment of music. Not only that, they rigorously test the products throughout with different aspects of quality control and measuring. Ultimately meaning the product you receive is one they know you will love, one they are proud to put their names on.

Linn Service reference units to compare any repairs to to ensure your product works as intented

When it comes to servicing their products, the data they collect during the manufacturing process gives them a unique insight in the unlikely event that a problem arises. So when it comes to supporting their products, Linn have your back.

And all in all that is the recurring theme around the Linn factory, a very welcoming magical place where the focus is on the people. This is the way all Hi-Fi brands ought to be, music and music systems are a very personal thing, so it made sense to me that at Linn I had the feeling of a chocolate factory or a village in the North Pole.

Talking about the mythical feeling feels suitable as with Linn comes a whole history, with both customers and those who work there. It was mentioned how tone arms made by certain employees at the factory have ascended to legend as they are said to have a superior sound to them, a love letter to the hand made nature of the products.

Furthermore we discussed the heritage that can come with a Linn turntable. The LP12 design has been adjusted and changed in a way that allows any LP12 to be updated to current specification, meaning there are some cases of turntables being passed down a generation or two while still being upgraded to the standard of the modern Klimax LP12.

So all in all, we got a lucky chance to have a look around the heart of Linn and talk to some of the people in charge who keep it beating for the love of music and the goal to pass that down and share it.

Thanks for reading

Jake, Nick and Luke at - Audio T Portsmouth

Linn can be found at the following Audio-T stores

December 10, 2021

ARCAM HI-FI - HIGH PERFORMANCE STREAMING AND AMPLIFICATION

December 10, 2021/ Swindon

Arcam, a renowned manufacturer of H-Fi and AV equipment, based in Cambridge, have mad a very successful career of creating Hi-Fi components for more than 40 years and home cinema electronics for more than 20 years. Here at Audio-T Swindon, we like them so much that we thought that it would be a good idea to show you a selection of the Arcam Hi-Fi we have in store.

Amps, CDs and Streamers… Oh My!

In store, you will find a whole host of Arcam goodies. On the top and middle shelf of our lovely Hi-Fi Racks Podium XL, we have three integrated amplifiers, the SA10, SA20 and the SA30. On the bottom shelf you see the network music streamer ST60 and the CDS50, a CD/Network streaming player.

SA10 Class A/B Amplifier

The tour starts with the SA10. This is Arcam’s most affordable of the three amplifiers. It offers a healthy 50w per channel, 5 analogue inputs including a built-in moving magnet phono stage for a turntable, and three digital inputs (to connect the TV or set-top box to the amplifier). The Pre-Out sockets on the back allow you to connect the SA10 to a power amplifier for any possible upgrade you may want in the future.

The SA10 can be integrated into a home cinema system via processor mode. This option is also available on the SA20 & SA30.

The USB socket is used for software updates and the network socket for IP control in multi-room/ custom installations.

SA20 Class G Amplifier - What does “G” mean?

The SA20 looks very similar to the SA10 but the amplifier offers a powerful 90w per channel rather than the 50w per channel of the SA10. It is a Class G hybrid power amp which operates in Class A up to 12 Watts then switches in an additional power supply that produces Class B for situations that require greater power. The difference between this and a classic Class A/B design is that there is a transition area where both power supplies are operating which is claimed to eliminate crossover distortion.

The SA20 with upgraded speaker terminals and built-in MM phono stage

SA30 Class G - A Full Streaming System

The SA30 is the flagship of the three amplifiers and this time Arcam have added a lot of extra features - First of all it is a full UPNP streaming system, supporting Google Cast and AirPlay2 and all you have to add is a pair of speakers. The Class G amplifier is powerful at 120w per channel and it will drive most speakers without any problem. It is Roon Ready and supports MQA (Master Quality Authenticated - available from Tidal Hi-Fi streaming service).

An ARC socket for the tv and a built-in phonostage for MM and MC cartridges

The TV can be connected via an optical cable or via an HDMI cable into the ARC socket (Audio Return Channel). The aerials for a wireless connection to the home network are supplied and you can connect it directly to the network router.

What music to stream? Stream music from a NAS drive, or a music streaming services like Tidal, Qobuz, Deezer, Napster, Hi-Res audio or internet radio. Spotify is not mentioned in the free Arcam control app, MusicLife, but it works. Simply open the Spotify app, play a song , select the Arcam SA30 - done. Enjoy your music.

What about turntables ? No problem, on board is a turntable phono stage that supports both cartridge types, moving magnet and moving coil.

Dirac Live Room Correction

The built-in Dirac Live room correction technology is there to help reduce unwanted resonant frequencies caused by the room. Download Dirac Live to your laptop (Windows or Mac), measure 13 positions around your room and the software calculates and corrects the colourations.

Two source components - ST60 Music Streamer & CDS50 CD Player/Network Streamer

The ST60 music streamer is the latest edition to the range of Arcam two channel products. This UPNP streamer plays music from services like Tidal (including MQA support ), Qobuz , Deezer, Napster , Spotify and internet radio. It supports Google ChromeCast and Airplay2 and it is Roon Ready.

On the back are four digital inputs (2 optical and 2 coaxial) and a USB socket if you wish to connect a USB hard drive to play all your ripped music files . The default for the output level is set to fixed when connected to a pre-amplifier or integrated amplifier but it can be changed to variable output if you decide to use the ST60 as a pre-amplifier, connected to a power amplifier.

The CDS50 is CD player and a network streamer in one box. and it can be set-up wirelessly or connected to your router via a network cable. The CD player plays CD’s and SACD’s (Super Audio CD), the network streamer streams music from Tidal, Qobuz, Napster, Deezer, CDs ripped to a NAS (Network hard drive) and even from a USB stick.

Arcam CDS50 cd player and network streamer in one box

We hope that you have enjoyed the tour. All mentioned products are available to listen to at Audio T Swindon and if you are interested in an Arcam product that isn’t mentioned in this blog, please give us a call on 01793 538222 or send us an email to swindon@audio-t.co.uk.

Thanks for reading - Stefan & Andy - Audio T Swindon

If you’ve enjoyed this, why not go ahead and read some more of our other blogs, and be sure to follow us on Facebook to keep an eye on what’s happening in store.

Arcam products can be found at the following Audio T Stores

December 02, 2021

ISOTEK V5 AQUARIUS CLEANS UP AT AUDIO T SOUTHAMPTON!

December 02, 2021/ Southampton

Here at Audio T Southampton, we are longtime fans of IsoTek and their range of power optimisation solutions. We have many long standing customers whose Hi-Fi and Home Cinema systems have been dramatically improved with the addition of IsoTek products. So when we were given the opportunity to try the brand new V5 Aquarius, we jumped at the chance…

IsoTek V5 Aquarius is available in black or silver

Just another mains box?

The original IsoTek Aquarius was arguably one of the most cost-effective power cleaning upgrades money could buy. The new V5 model builds on the Aquarius concept and takes it to a higher level.

This all new design is presented in a stylish, smooth, solid casework with no visible fasteners. A simple, yet effective style choice that looks very classy indeed. Hewn from a single block of aluminum and measuring 450mm in width, 350mm deep and 110mm high.

The V5 Aquarius isn’t packaged with your standard, cheap and cheerful IEC lead. IsoTek also include their award winning Evo3 Premier mains cable in the box as standard.

The Design

The V5 features a new circuit that offers twice the inductance, with a 40% increase in current leading to a more open sound stage, micro dynamics and detail with more immediate timing. Improved Direct Current Resistance (DCR) has been applied throughout the design. Part of the IsoTek goal being to reduce DCR bringing performance closer to the zero Ohms ideal, V5 Aquarius is at least 25% improved compared to its predecessor. Surge protection has been raised to an instantaneous 81,000A, offering the ultimate insurance of your cherished Hi-Fi or Home Cinema. This six-way mains power-cleaning unit sits far above the specifications of the market standard. Offering two high-current outlets that are dedicated for use with amplifiers, subwoofers and so on, with four medium-current sockets for other components such as streamers, record players and CD players. Each outlet of the V5 Aquarius has its own dedicated power-cleaning network, thus six power cleaners in one box!

Using the V5 Aquarius, you’ll find that both Differential Mode (a noise current loop) and Common Mode (a leaked signal) noise are dramatically reduced. Cross contamination of connected components is also kept to a minimum due to the multiple power cleaning stages for each output socket. Most power filters join output sockets together, running each in series. This is an error as Differential Mode Noise created by your connected electronics will cross contaminate from one output socket to the next.

The proof is in the listening…

It was fantastic to be given the opportunity to try the new Isotek V5 Aquarius in store. Opening the box revealed how well packaged this new mains conditioner is. If IsoTek put so much care in to the cardboard box, I can only imagine what wonders hide inside the chassis…

We were keen to hear V5 Aquarius in action, so without haste we built a high resolution system consisting of Auralic Aries G1 streamer as our source, a Chord Electronics M-Scaler, DAVE DAC/Pre-Amp and Ultima 6 Power Amp driving a pair of the brand new B&W 804 D4s.

It’s no surprise that this setup already sounded superb without the addition of any other peripherals, but the moment we connected the V5 Aquarius, was a game changer. The removal of mains noise and artifacts achieved by this wonderous little box can almost be likened to a window opening wider to allow more of the outside world in. the music to flow and fill the room even more effortlessly.

Over twenty years of developing clean power technology has definitely paid off with V5 Aquarius. As previously mentioned, removing differential mode noise, exacerbated by widespread use of switch-mode power supplies, and common mode noise, ever worsening due to the proliferation of RFI, has clear audio benefits, as does the sine wave correction and multiple filters. Adaptive gating ensures each connected product receives the correct level of differential filtration with no cross contamination between sockets. Two sockets are high current, designed for power amplifiers, with another four for source components and pre-amplifier.

Conclusion

In short it works amazingly well, sounds great, and looks superb too!

The V5 Aquarius is high quality design, yet highly functional and is an excellent upgrade for a complete audio or cinema system.

Should you have any questions regarding the IsoTek Aquarius V5 please contact us

Alan and Wayne - Audio T Southampton

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IsoTek can be found at the following Audio-T stores

Don’t see your local store, but would like to discuss IsoTek? Contact Us.

November 25, 2021

THE YEAR OF THE THIRD SOLSTICE

November 25, 2021/ Brighton

Traditionally, there only two solstices in a calendar year. As 2021 draws to a close, the 21st December 2021 will see the convergence of, or even union of another solstice. Welcome the Naim Solstice turntable!

As the winter solstice approaches, this turntable shines as brightly as its summer namesake . . .

So the wait is finally over and boy . . . . . . .was it worth the wait!

As rare as a Hawkwind fan at Stonehenge, or to put it another way, rarer than a real druid on the island of Anglesey on a Summer Solstice, Naim have finally produced the turntable to follow on from their highly regarded unipivot arm, the Aro.

Unlike your average hippy druid, this turntable is a thing of beauty indeed, donning a gown worthy of a king. As you can already see from the picture above, the design and construction have been implemented to a high standard that fits in with the Naim aesthetic.

During this blog you will have the opportunity to see the Naim Solstice both inside and out, not an opportunity you will get in many places, unless you happen to be on the assembly team…

Beauty is more than skin deep

The construction and bracing of the Naim Solstice are first class with a very heavy and solid feel to it when held and inspected. Once lubricated the inverted ceramic bearing was ready to receive the precisely machined spindle. After the belt is fitted, the monstrously weighty platter is carefully lowered into position.

belt and spindle attached ready for the monster of a platter

Attach the counterweight and check the tracking weight is the exact 2.34g. “Why so precise?”, I hear you say…

Jason Gould, from Naim, went to great lengths to explain how long it took via auditioning before the decision was made on this particular tracking force and it was evident in listening that they got it spot on.

tracking weight of 2.34 grams ready to be applied

The other members of the Naim Solstice triage

NAIM SOLSTICE PHONO STAGE(LEFT) AND MATCHING POWER SUPPLY(RIGHT)

On the left we have the Naim Solstice phono stage and its separate power supply on the right. In the image below, one can see the flexibility the Naim phono stage offers with different cartridge manufacturers to fine-tune the resistance and capacitance of their particular model for maximum performance.

Naim Solstice phono stage - resistance and capacitance adjustments aplenty

All ready to Rock’n’Roll!

They say that, “The proof of the pudding is in the eating”, or in the case, the listening. This certainly proved to be the case in the couple of hours we had with the Naim Solstice and we certainly felt well-nourished afterwards.

Playing Miles Davis, “Kind of Blue” and the track So What?, we certainly didn’t come away with that kind of feeling. On the contrary, the sound was very well balanced through the ATC SCM50’s and had the characteristic Naim house sound, with a good uniform tonal balance from top to bottom and a groove, dare I say, P.R.A.T.

John Coltrane’s sax on this classic track was exemplary, with an in the room, live sound, perfectly replicating the fidelity this recording purveys, in an era where recordings were un-edited and which makes them a sheer joy to listen to.

The Naim Solstice proved incredibly transparent and faithful to the recording, allowing a deep, musical insight into the minutiae contained in the grooves. It is evident with vinyl reproduction at this high a quality level of playback, why playing records keep the analogue enthusiasts away from digital playback altogether.

Other albums we tried included; Stevie Ray Vaughan’s “The Sky is Crying”, Bob Dylan’s “Highway 61 revisited” and Roy Buchanan’s “That’s what I am here for”.

In each case, the Naim Solstice proved consistently faithful to the recordings, with soaring dynamics and an emotional attachment that pulls you in and keeps you on the sofa listening, except for the necessary changeover after each side of the record. Don’t worry, doctors say getting up off the sofa every twenty minutes or so is good for you and I would agree with them, but not necessarily for the same reasons as they might suggest, the desire to play just one more record is enough of a reason in itself.

Wrapping up . . .

Even though there are only two solstices in a calendar year, I can safely predict that we’ll be seeing more from the Naim Solstice over the coming year, especially as one can see and hear one of these whenever you like, assuming the £16,000 is within your means, of course. Chances are, if you own a Naim Solstice, you’ll be playing it on the equinoxes as well.

Naim Solstice with Naim ND555/PS + NAC552/PS + NAP500/PS

Thanks for reading - Ade - Audio T Brighton

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Naim can be found at the following Audio T stores -

AUDIO T - THE UK's OLDEST INDEPENDENT SPECIALIST HI-FI RETAILER

November 17, 2021

WHAT CHANGES NOTHING IN YOUR HIFI BUT MAKES EVERYTHING BETTER?

November 17, 2021/ Cheltenham

The Cheltenham shop proudly announce two special days of REL subwoofer demonstrations, to show how the integration of bass via the perfect subwoofer can make everything else better and transform your system.

Save the dates of Friday 10th and Saturday 11th of December and book your free appointment in plenty of time, as these demonstrations are always popular.

The new TX series from REL both sound and look great.

For REL this quest has been a labour of love, born from a desire for a more perfect sound experience. It began with one man’s dissatisfaction with the performance of subwoofers available at the time. That search for better, that pursuit of perfect sound remains the driving force behind REL. It has persisted through changes in ownership, it has driven massive advancements in technology and innovations in designs. Turning loose the power, the drama and the fun that lies within great music and movies.

For our demonstrations we will be concentrating on the merits of subwoofers in stereo systems.

Rob Hunt from REL will be in attendance to spout forth words of wisdom and wit, and will answer any questions that might pop up regarding set -up, matching subs to systems/rooms, room pressurisation and the benefits of double subs. We will be using some nice gear from Linn eg an Akurate DSM, Akurate 2200 power amp, and Akurate LP12 turntable. There will also be speakers from Acoustic Energy and Neat Acoustics too. There will be demonstrations of the benefits of two subs in the same system with a stereo pair of T9/x and also in attendance…the mighty monster that goes under the name of The Carbon Special! The small but perfectly formed T Zero Mk3, T5/x and T7/x won’t be too far away either.

Book your session by calling the Cheltenham shop on 01242 583960 and speak to Jon, Farid or Andy.

If you’ve enjoyed this, why not go ahead and read some more of our other blogs, and be sure to follow us on Facebook or Instagram to keep an eye on what’s happening in store.

REL can be found at the following Audio-T stores

November 15, 2021

WE ARE LIVING IN A HI-FI WORLD AND I AM A NOW A HI-FI GIRL

November 15, 2021/ Enfield

Ever feel like you’ve been both in and out of your comfort zone at the same time? Where you have a tonne of knowledge in one area and virtually none in another? Almost like you know exactly what you're talking about but at the same time you don't have all the answers? Well, if that’s the case, you’re not alone. As the newest member of staff at Audio T Enfield, I invite you on my journey of discovery in to the world of Hi-Fi.

As a lover of music, my world wouldn't be right without hearing my favourite songs throughout the day. Having an ear for hearing almost every instrument in a song and being aware of every single detail throughout is something I consider a blessing - something only like-minded people will understand. Being possibly the biggest Spice Girls fan (literally an out-of-control fanatic with zero shame) threw me in the deep end of the world of music as a toddler, which in turn enabled me to be the musically minded person I am today.

Spice up your life

You see, although they come under the very broad, and sometimes unfair, umbrella of “pop music”, almost each Spice Girls song is a different genre in itself. Their debut album, Spice (released in 1996) is a mixture of conventional pop, acoustic, funk and Urban RnB, with favourites such as safe-sex anthem, “2 Become 1”, and bass heavy hit “Who Do You Think You Are”. Whereas their second album Spiceworld (released in 1997) consists very much of that era-defining “Bubble-Gum Pop” sound. Some tracks even mixed a bit of a Latin influence that was popularised at the time by the likes of Shakira and Enrique Iglesias. Fast-forward a few years, and their third album, Forever, truly embraces the ever-popular R’n’B vibe of the early 2000’s.

Despite being Spice Girls mad, or as I was recently called, a “Pop Princess” it's not difficult to gauge why I can happily listen to many different genres of music. My favourites have to be old school R’n’B, Hip Hop and UK Garage. Aside from the fact that the songs are blooming brilliant, they bring a whole feeling of nostalgia for me, as that's the just some of music I was raised on. As you can imagine I listen to a lot of digital radio stations such as Kisstory.

Where music meets Hi-Fi

So, with this burning passion for music just sitting there, I didn’t know where to take it - I came across a job opening at Audio T Enfield. I couldn’t help but think to myself, "my love of music would be so beneficial for this job". This is where we come back to our opening statement – I find music is my biggest comfort, I know it all so well; the systems we play them on however... let's just say I didn't have that much experience. So, at this point I feel like I'm already halfway there – I know what makes a good composition (to my ears at least)... But which systems would get the best out of my beloved music?

Now, from here I guess it's all about navigating the Hi-Fi world, getting to know the systems and their best qualities. But where to start? As I’m sure we all know, when it comes to Hi-Fi, your overall system is as strong as the weakest link. Each component is arguably as important as the next. But as far as I’m concerned, we should start with the source. And just as an excuse to show off my coveted Spice Girls vinyl, let’s start with turntables –

A first look at entry-level turntables

Project Primary E Phono

The Project Primary E is the most affordable turntable we stock at Audio T. It comes in two variates - The standard version and the Primary E Phono. The difference? Well, it’s all in the name. The latter has a built-in phono stage for those amplifiers that do not have one built-in. It also allows you to plug straight in to an active speaker.

This turntable was described to me as a “plug and play”, which fundamentally means it’s ready to go straight out of the box. So for a novice such as myself, it should have been a doddle. However, I found the built-in cables were a little bit fiddly and delicate with this turntable, especially the ground wire (not ideal for a clumsy person like myself). Nonetheless, the set-up was fairly straight forward (minus the fiddly cables). In this set-up I used the Rega IO Amp and B&W 607 S2 speakers.

Once more, the sound of a record I’ve heard time and time again surrounded me in it’s mist-like fashion and I sat, gathering every detail I could hear. There is a particular album track, “Last Time Lover”, which has many hidden instruments in the background that aren’t too prominent. This turntable, like the others, had made these background instruments come to the forefront with the rest of the track. The plucking of guitar strings sound sharp and the subtle trumpet smooth playing through the Primary E Phono.

Rega Planar 1

I hooked up the turntable with a Rega IO Amp and Dynaudio Emit 10 speakers – this was all pretty straightforward to set up, a few cables plugged into their correct places and Bob’s your uncle! Moving on from the technical perspective, I put the needle on the record and gave it a listen, with admittedly high expectations, and I was not disappointed at all.

The quality of sound that penetrated my ears was amazing! I could hear every part of each song so clearly – particularly on “2 Become 1”, where I’ve never been able to hear a consistent bassline, but this turntable proved to me it does indeed have a consistent and prominent bassline! Without popping this record onto the Rega Planar 1, I would never have heard it.

After inspecting the turntable more thoroughly, I was a little confused as to how you change the speed on the Planar 1. One of my colleagues informed me of the manual belt change required to move from 33rpm to 45rpm. As I didn’t have any 7” singles or 33rpm 12” I couldn’t help but try the album… Instantly, the Spice Girls turned in to Alvin and the Chipmunks, which was highly amusing.

Having listened to this album hundreds of times in standard CD or streaming quality, it was beautifully refreshing to hear it sound so much clearer and smoother – the music felt as though it was a light mist surrounding me completely. Overall, The Rega Planar 1 is a great turntable for those who aren’t looking to spend too much, but still want a record player that offers a high quality of sound. Especially when you consider that this is handmade in the UK, you get a lot of bang for your buck!

Rega Planar 2

On this occasion, I managed to set up the Rega Planar 2 alone; once again it was fairly simple, ensuring the cables are in the right place, using the same amp and speakers.

To offer the fairest comparison, I started the record from the beginning, listening extra carefully for any changes. Admittedly, I didn’t instantly appreciate the differences…

At a first glance, the Planar 1 and 2 look incredibly similar. If it wasn’t for the difference in the P1’s matte finish to the P2’s gloss finish, you would be forgiven for thinking they were the same product. But on closer inspection you’ll see there is much more to separate these two models…

So what’s the difference in the Planar models?

The Plinth

Let’s start with the plinth. This is the main platform (or deck) on which the turntable is built. These plinths are designed to be rigid to prevent unwanted resonance or vibrations being transferred from the motor, which can have a negative affect the music and even be heard through your loudspeakers.

Whilst they may look the same with the exception of their finishes, the Planar 1 plinth is made from a composite material and covered with a really hard resin material called thermoset laminate. The Planar 2 plinth is an MDF core coated in a high-gloss acrylic laminate. I’m sure there is some sort of reason behind this, but it has been decided by greater minds than my own.

Both Planar models use the same, low noise, 24v motor, but there is more to these two models.

The Platter

The platter is that spinning circular disc that you sit your records on. Whilst different manufacturers use varying designs and materials for their platters, they are important as they are crucial for consistent speed and good musical reproduction.

The platter needs to weigh enough to deliver a constant rotational speed but must not be so heavy that it will put the drive motor under unnecessary strain or potentially stretch the drive belt on start up.

The Planar 1 uses a resin platter that is heavier on the outside edge to help it run consistently The Planar 2 uses an extremely high quality 10mm float glass platter that not only performs better, but looks great too. Both come with a felt mat which sits on top of the platter to improve grip.

Tonearm

If, like me, you’re new to Hi-Fi, you probably thought that all tonearms were the same… Oh how wrong I was! The tonearm is a seriously important part of the turntable.

The RB110 on the Planar 1, uses a single piece aluminium tube with a rigid headshell. It’s a proper “plug and play” design.

The Planar 2 uses the upgraded RB220 arm. It is more adjustable which means you can use a wide range of cartridges other than the Rega Carbon that is fitted as standard.

If I’m being completely honest, unless you are a hardcore Hi-Fi enthusiast, you probably wouldn’t know what advantages the upgraded components give. However, there is definitely an improvement to the sound and detail you get from your records. I noticed this particularly during “Say You’ll Be There”, where there was an extra set of percussion during Mel B’s verse – the Rega Planar 2 made the presence of this particular sound very evident where I hadn’t heard it on the Planar 1 or Primary E. I do recommend playing an album that is familiar to you so that you can listen out for tiny details you wouldn’t normally hear. As for my experience, overall I did notice the quality improvement – the music sounded that little bit smoother, that little bit tighter, that little bit more prominent. I think it’s safe to say that the price difference is warranted in the improvement of sound.

The final thoughts…

To conclude. After careful comparison and analysis, I found that, whilst the Project Primary E Phono turntable gave an impressive performance for its price, there is a marked improvement in moving over to the Planar 1 or better still, the Planar 2. There is a noticeable improvement in quality when you switch over to the British made Rega turntables.

But why take my word for it? Why not book a demonstration today at your local store.

Thanks for reading.

Elena, Jason & John - Audio T Enfield

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Rega can be found at the following Audio-T stores

Project can be found at the following Audio-T stores

November 13, 2021

HELLO HALO - THE GREAT BRITISH ICON EVOLVED - B&W 800 SERIES

November 13, 2021/ Bristol

All great manufacturers will have a product in their line up that takes the mantle of figurehead. Typically, these are built by dedicated teams and represent the brand's pinnacle in both engineering and manufacturing. The automotive world calls them 'Halo' cars - think of the BMW M3, Mercedes McLaren SLR & Audi R8. They define a brand's "this is what we are about" ethos, instantly recognisable, scream character and most of all capture the imagination. Revered & anticipated, Bowers & Wilkins statement of accomplishment - Audio T welcomes the new flagship B&W 800 series.

From their inception, back in 1979 with the model 801, the focus and constant evolution has been to engineer a loudspeaker with as little resonance as possible. Both the speaker shape and the materials it's made from exert a huge influence on how effective it is at controlling these unwanted resonances. Solving these limitations, as opposed to tuning them out, becomes more viable when higher prices supports the use of more exotic materials, the engineering and complex tooling required to form those theoretical designs to final production define that effectiveness - function follows form. As these rarefied technologies mature they trickle down to the more affordable ranges (as can be seen with the Continuum™ mid-bass driver in Bowers & Wilkins entry level 606 S2.

The Little Diamond

6 Years after the release of the third generation model, the new 805 D4 evolves from their 2015 D3 predecessor in a number of key areas. Most visibly the tweeter housing - now 35cm in length - twin decoupled from the enclosure below, aluminium top-plate with leather cover and Reverse Wrap cabinet manufacturing process. This cabinet improvement has allowed the sensitive crossover components to be housed separately on the back plate.

The drivers are the new 165mm (6.5in) Continuum™ mid-bass cone with stiff aluminium bass pods that afford exceptional bass extension and scale for a relatively compact speaker. The higher frequencies are handled by a 25mm diamond dome tweeter. A tweeter dome formed by chemical deposition of diamond material. The original Steyning Research Establishment (SRE) team having identified this as the optimum tweeter material for rigidity and lightness back in 2010, is further refined in clarity and great top end resolution. Typically a tweeter frequency response breaks at around 25KHz. B&W push this limit to 35KHz thus moving harmonic distortion out of hearing range.

Test System

Sources: Linn Selekt DSM - Qobuz Streaming, Rega Planar 10

Pre-Amplifiers: NAC 252, Rega Aura - Phono Stage

Amplifiers: NAP 300DR, Rega Osiris

Accessories: NACA5 Speaker cable, Audioquest Cinnamon Ethernet,
Chord Shawline Interconnects

Setup & Listening

The speakers require careful positioning, but because of the front port design, they can be placed fairly close to the wall. System wise - they are handled equally well by the Naim or Rega setups above.

Recently we discovered Kenny Burrell’s, Midnight Blue 2012 remaster - classic Blue Note sound an essential listen. The album opens with “Chitlins con Carne". Kenny's guitar bursts into frame on the left channel with a searing precision that sounds like the vinyl lathe operator jumped in on the gain controls just in time. Throughout this 1960s recording, those transients and initial attack of instruments are controlled well by the 805s. Depending on your preferred audio flavour, that transparency can feel dry, bright, a little hard and sharp, but never overly so or crass. That clean hard detail is well supported by a punchy mid range and bass performance that charms.

The opening huge kick drum on Semper Femina’s, Soothing, Laura Marling has a clean resonance, where you can hear the skin of the drum flexing - giving the illusion of a large room with the vocals soaring over a deep bass. The precision of the B&W impresses with speed and dynamic control.

Moving onto classical - Beethoven: The Piano Concertos, Piano concerto No.5 in E-flat Major, Op. 73 "Emperor":2. Adagio un poco mosso, Alfred Brendel, Simon Rattle, Vienna Philharmonic Orchestra, Philips. This beautifully recorded classical piece is a huge challenge. It begins very quietly and grows. The Piano is central and all the instruments easily identified and spot positioned with a nice rake, the flute and woodwind sections float over the piano. The 805's come into their own - impeccable at performing the detail. The execution, character and vocalisation of B&W philosophy is astounding. Reviewers have sometimes questioned the B&W sound as dry, over clean, too bright, but not here. With the right component & setup up the new 805 D4 is in a class of it's own.

Summing up, the new 805 D4 is a triumph. A great evolution from the D3. Incredibly well built, accurate, revealing with an immense sense of entertainment and a thrilling listen. In the words of Pink Floyd - Shine on you Crazy Diamond!

Thanks for reading.

Max, James & Justin - Audio T Bristol

Be sure to keep up to date with what’s going on in store by following us Facebook and Instagram.

B&W 800 series can be found at the following Audio-T stores

November 10, 2021

REQUIRE MORE GRAVITAS TO YOUR SOUND? YOU PROBABLY NEED A NAIM POWERLIN

November 10, 2021/ Audio T

So, what's in a mains power cable? After-all, it’s just that black “kettle” lead you need to plug the thing into the wall, isn’t it?

I beg to differ! Hopefully, I can convince you otherwise over the course of the next few paragraphs...

What follows is a quick review of the Naim Powerline mains cable, which I brought home from our Audio T Brighton store with me this weekend to audition and check out any improvements that may come my way.
So what are my conclusions after a short listening session, having wrestled the remote away from my children? Read-on to find out.

Out with the Lite and in with the “Full-fat” Powerline . . .

Currently, I have the Naim Powerline Lite that came in the box with my Naim Uniti Nova. Plugging in the “full-fat” Naim Powerline brought some subtle, but significant changes. What I will mention before going into sonics, is the connection to your socket on the amp requires some care because of the stiffness of the fitting. No biggy, just it is easy not to get the full electrical contact of the plugs if it isn't inserted all the way in. I suspect that the firmness of the fitting and tight contact may explain some of the sonic differences I will describe forthwith.

All cables sound the same, don’t they?

So, the first thing to note, is the additional body that the sound gains once the Naim Powerline cable was introduced. Now I would never describe the sound of the Nova as thin because it certainly isn't, but when you plug in the Powerline, instruments do seem to fill out. They get meat on the bone! There's an added layer of subtlety to the way detail is presented. It's not that there is more detail, it's just the way the micro-dynamics are portrayed, and the tonal characteristics seem to be more “real” than before.

Jazz gets more real . . .

This is especially noticeable in the jazz pieces that I listened to for this session.

I am particularly partial to the wonderful 1959 recording, Gerry Mulligan meets Ben Webster, which I highly recommend. Recordings from this era of jazz have a beautiful air of nostalgia and are often unedited in sound. You can almost smell the cigarette smoke when playing them!

From the aforementioned recording, on both, “The Catwalk” and “Who’s Got Rhythm?”, the Powerline added some additional nourishment to the sound of their instruments; Ed Thigpen’s cymbals and brush sounds gained an additional layer of detail and became more fully fleshed out and lifelike, sounding less like crumpled paper, which was unexpected and a pleasant surprise.

the oscar peterson trio - “we get requests”

Listening to Oscar Peterson's, “You look good to me”, and “D and E”, from the album We Get Requests, his piano was less jangly and warmer in texture. Bass-lines became tauter and with more apparent extension than before.

To my ears, this does seem to be a consistent sonic feature of the Powerline, in that the sound gains some fullness of tone. Swapping back the Powerline Lite made the differences all the more obvious - this is often a recommended technique because you often appear to “lose” more quality of sound than one “gains” the other way around.

A surprisingly significant upgrade to sound . . .

In summary, the Naim Powerline seems a worthwhile upgrade to the sound of a system, not in an “in-your-face” way, but with finesse and long-term benefits that will become evident as one listens more often.
Albeit not cheap, certainly for the Uniti Nova I own, I would still suggest that this is a valuable upgrade to add to your system.

Contact your Audio T dealer for a home demo.

Thanks for reading - Ade - Audio T Brighton

Keep up to date with everything that’s happening at Audio T Brighton by following us on Facebook and Instagram

Naim can be found at the following Audio T stores

November 10, 2021

Pro-Ject X1 Turntable with Carbon-Aluminium Tonearm.

November 10, 2021/ Manchester

Here at Audio-T Manchester we have our regular turntable brand, Rega, that we turn to for all our vinyl needs.

However, we’ve always had a strong relationship with Pro-Ject, and over the last 20 years they’ve always had a presence at our store. So the arrival of the new X1 turntable from Pro-Ject piqued our interest once again.

Pro-Ject Audio were founded in 1991 and are headquartered in the northern part of Vienna. An Austrian company with it’s manufacturing based in the Czech Republic.

1991 was the era of compact disc and CD players, however, Pro-Ject stuck to it’s guns and kept it simple and along came the Pro-Ject Debut 1, which was a huge success and a great entry level introduction into vinyl.

Things have come a long way since then and Pro-Ject are probably one of the most prolific makers of turntables on the planet. We of course have chosen only a select few to stock at our stores.

Today’s blog will look at the Pro-Ject X1.

Our example of the X1 is in walnut and comes with a Pro-ject Pick It S2 cartridge, manufactured by Ortofon in Denmark. With a proper 1.5 kg frosted acrylic platter from Pro-ject, it’s perfectly weighted to nail those 33⅓ rotations.

The Walnut plinth has a nice chunky look and feel with a great finish and the adjustable feet help to keep everything on an even keel.

The 8.6” tonearm is a one piece affair with a built in headshell made from carbon and aluminium, and benefits from a built in VTA and azimuth adjustment. The Pro-ject Pick It S2 cartridge is moving magnet with an elliptical stylus. Pro-ject are aiming for a fast and dynamic performance, and with this configuration, we think they’re getting it!

The TPE- dampened counterweight bookends the arm nicely, to let you finely tune the tracking force.

Conveniently, Pro-Ject have added the option to change the speed electronically from 33⅓ rpm to 45 rpm with a simple press of a sensibly placed, integrated button; a welcome change from the add on box/belt changing shenanigans of previous Pro-ject decks at this price point. (78rpm is also available but will require a change of pickup cartridge).

So, how does it sound? The partnering of the carbon arm and the Pick It S2 gives the soundstage an open and lively feel. Lots of detail to be had from Goldfrapp’s ‘Seventh Tree’ album. Alison Goldfrapp’s voice portrays detail with depth, letting her hit the low notes while retaining the subtle highs she is capable of, certainly no flattening of the soundstage that some entry level to mid range cartridges can do.

Taking all that into account, keep in mind that after the Pick-It S2 has worn out it’s stylus, you can replace it with an even better cartridge that will potentially elevate the X1 to even greater heights; you can see why the Pro-ject X1 can quite easily be a long term investment in any set-up.

Our own X1 is on dem at the Manchester store, please feel free to call us and arrange a demonstration.

Thanks for reading.

Munir, Dave, James, Mike and Haden - Audio T Manchester

If you’ve enjoyed this, why not go ahead and read some more of our other blogs, and be sure to follow us on Facebook or Instagram to keep an eye on what’s happening in store.

Pro-ject can be found at the following Audio-T stores

October 22, 2021

STREAMING IS BELIEVING - THE BRAND NEW ROKSAN ATTESSA STREAMING AMP

October 22, 2021/ Brighton

Here at Audio T, we are excited to announce we have taken delivery of the latest products from the Roksan Attessa range, including a turntable, CD transport, integrated amplifier as well as a separate streaming amplifier full of bells and whistles.

For this blog, we shall be focussing our attention on a product I’m particularly excited by, the Attessa streaming amplifier. So, without further ado…

First off, a little history lesson…

Roksan was formed in 1985 by Tufan Hashemi & Touraj Moghaddam. The name “Roksan” itself is derived from the name Roxana, daughter of the Persian King Darius. This closely reflects the Persian heritage and roots of both Hashemi and Moghaddam. Unsurprisingly, many of their product names have references to cities, places and famous people of Persia.

The name Attessa is a modified version of the Ancient Greek word, “Atossa”, which for fairly understandable reasons, could be misconstrued in English. Literally, this name means “bestowing very richly”. This is certainly very apt, as we will discuss shortly…

To quote from the Roksan website;

“Designed to combine all the wonderfully complex sound of a class-leading Hi-Fi system with the simplicity most listeners crave - making it easier to connect with devices, and with the people around you.
A home audio product which is not intimidating for the first time Hi-Fi consumer.”

We couldn’t agree more.

Bells and whistles

Roksan attessa streaming amplifier connectivity

Features include:

The one-touch dial control user-interface is both simple and intuitive to use. A simple push and turn selects different input options.
There are a wide variety of digital and analogue connections, including Bluetooth® and AirPlay 2
The Attessa has a built-in Moving Magnet phono stage, which allows turntable connection to accommodate the resurgence in vinyl playback.
SPDIF inputs will decode MQA encoded PCM streams including MQA CDs played back by the Attessa CD Transport
The MaestroUnite app allows setup for over the air updates. More on this below.

The business end…

around the back of the attessa streaming amplifier

Taking a look around the back of the Attessa provides plenty of scope for connectivity, with plenty of optical, SPDIF and analogue phono inputs to satisfy the inclusion of the rest of the Attessa range, or if you wish, to mix and match with an existing system.

Set-up and use

This is the first time we at Audio T Brighton have had the opportunity to have a hands-on play with one of the new Roksan Attessa family of components. At a quick glance, it is clear that this range of products are designed with quality, convenience and style in mind.

First impressions are very good, with a weighty and quality feel when it is taken out of the box. The large volume knob has a lovely, smooth motion to it and exudes a feeling of confidence in construction quality.

Set-up was nice and easy using the dedicated MaestroUnite app, which is free to download on Android, iOS, Windows and Mac.

Input selection is easy, with a mere push and turn of the front control knob to select the plethora of inputs available.

Roksan have made a very wise choice in utilising one of the better, tried and tested apps already available on the market (the BluOS™ app) rather than trying to create their own. This Attessa Streaming amplifier works seamlessly with the Bluesound option. Quite frankly, if I owned this unit, I would probably leave it set this way most of the time due to the ease of access to music through either streaming services and/or music stored on a server/drive on your network.

The Attessa proved equally adept using the turntable and CD inputs when tested in store with our Rega RP3 with a Audio Technica AT95ML cartridge and a Rega Apollo CD player.

We’ve been big fans of the Bluesound range of products here at Audio T Brighton. Roksan’s use of the BluOS™ app is an exciting move as it allows for streaming connectivity between Roksan, Bluesound and any other manufacturers who utilise the BluOS™ app.

So what does it sound like?

After unpacking the Attessa, we left it running on repeat over the weekend to give the electronics a good warm-up and run in.

First impressions; listening to Kruder and Dorfmeister’s - DJ Kicks, the unit produced a nicely neutral and well controlled sound with plenty of sparkle at the top end and fluid bass. The detail through the, all important, midrange was on-point as well.

Listening to some 50’s and 60’s jazz, the Roksan Attessa continued to give a good impression of itself, with good tonality, soundstage and sufficient warmth to allow the analogue recordings of the day to create the live feel that they so often have.

Listening to Billy Gibbons F Gibbons’ new album “Hardware”, using MQA playback on Tidal’s Masters gave the expected boost in sound quality and should prove a real “feather in the cap” for those who use Tidal as their streaming service.

Let’s sum things up…

The Roksan Attessa is certainly a great all-rounder, especially considering its moderate price point. It gets a huge two-thumbs-up from myself, Paul and John. It will serve any Hi-Fi enthusiast very well as a multi-sourced system. To add to all of this, it has a sleek look without the possible clutter of multiple boxes and the potential spaghetti around the back of your system.

It would be hard to find another product in the current marketplace at this price point that sounds this good, offers this degree of flexibility and user friendliness, so it gets a hearty recommendation. But why take our word for it? Why not contact us to book a demonstration at your local store today.

Many thanks for reading - Ade, Paul & John - Audio T Brighton

If you’ve enjoyed this, why not go ahead and read some more of our other blogs, and be sure to follow us on Facebook to keep an eye on what’s happening in store.

Roksan can be found at the following Audio-T stores

If you can’t see your local Audio T on the list, be sure to contact them for a demonstration.

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