March 11, 2022

Looking back on the Naim & ATC Show Weekend Takeover at Audio T Brighton

March 11, 2022/ Brighton

As we firmly head into March, I thought it would be a good time to look back on our recent February Show Weekend Takeover days. Audio T Brighton was rockin’ for a lot of the time. With DJ Killick at the helm, heads were nodding, feet tappin’ and feedback levels were almost reached! Let’s just say that answering the phone was a bit more difficult than usual.

audio t in brighton showing off their naim and atc product range

It's all in the preparation. . .

I must admit, I may have gotten a little carried away with the adverts for the weekend, but I had a lot of fun with this. Who would have thought that my many years as a hobby photographer and playing with Photoshop would have come to so much use. What did you think of them? -

Don’t get shirty with me . . . .

One can’t talk about the weekend takeover without mentioning John’s, and to a lesser extent, my shirts. It was a silly idea that had a thread running through it (pun intended) of welcoming customers to our Show Weekend event. We certainly had some fun doing this, although Paul was a little nonplussed at his shirts being excluded. Oh well, someone had to take the photos and what a good job he did!

Busy, busy, busy . . . .

As mentioned before, Audio T Brighton was busy throughout both days, with some old and new faces venturing in to hear our top Naim 500 system comprising of a Naim Solstice turntable, ND555 streamer with 555PS power supply, NAC552 preamp with 552DRPS and NAP500DR power amp with 500DRPS. Speakers comprised of passive ATC SCM50’s and Naim Super Lumina speaker cable.

It almost goes without saying, but what a sound!

naim 500 system with atc scm50 passive speakers

System 2 . . . .

Onward to our second system in the other dem area at Audio T in Brighton.

A Naim NDX2 streamer used as a digital source into an ATC CDA2 preamp/CD player and some active ATC SCM40A speakers. A totally different sound, but interestingly preferred by some over the main system. I feel an active v passive discussion coming on!

Horses for courses!

It’s all about the music . . . .

naim solstice playing johnny guitar watson from the album -jazz dispensary “the dank d-funk blend vol.2'“

Audio T Brighton show music playlist courtesy of DJ killick - click to view full playlist
If you like any of the albums shown here you’ll like the rest of our playlist

We can’t end this blog without mentioning what these days are really all about and, if it didn’t exist, then none of this would matter . . . . MUSIC, MUSIC and more MUSIC.

On this note (another pun intended), I have to applaud our resident musical guru and DJ for the weekend, Mr John Killick, whose encyclopaedic musical knowledge would definitely include him on my “phone a friend” list for Who wants to be a millionaire.

Here at Audio T in Brighton, we would like to take the opportunity to thank Dave and Ben from ATC and Jason from Naim, for their valuable time attending our Show Weekend Takeover event. They were great company and provided invaluable knowledge and product support.

In recognition of JK’s efforts and the musical enjoyment brought to all of our lovely visitors over the weekend of Feb 25th and 26th, we have put together the playlist to bring a smile back on your faces and remind you of the weekend.

VIEW THE FULL PLAYLIST HERE

Contact us if you have any questions or wish to demo any of the products mentioned.

Thanks for reading - Ade, John and Paul - 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 -

ATC can be found at the following Audio T stores -

March 11, 2022

First look at DALI Active Oberon C Series - Wireless Music and Home Cinema

March 11, 2022/ Audio T Swindon/ Swindon

Today we take a look at the new Oberon C Series, one of DALI’s wireless active loudspeaker ranges. Whilst the active version of the speakers are physically the same size as the passive ones, the amplifiers are built in to the cabinets and the musIc is transmitted wirelessly, without loss of quality from a system HUB. This means that no speaker cables run across the floor and the speakers can be positioned almost anywhere in the room (within 10 metres of the HUB and ideally within the same room).

The DALI Oberon C Series comprises of four active speakers : The Oberon 1 C book shelf, the Oberon 7 C floorstander, the On-Wall C wall mounted speakers and the Vokal C centre speaker. The quartet of speakers are available in white, black ash, light oak and walnut finishes.

Oberon 7 C, Oberon1 C and Oberon Vokal C

NO SPEAKER CABLE, MORE FLEXIBILITY - HOW DOES IT WORK ?

Choose a pair of Oberon 1 C, Oberon 7 C or Oberon On-Wall C as your front left & right loudspeakers. Position them in the room, then add one of the two sound hub options. The SOUND HUB COMPACT (for a stereo speaker setup) has one HDMI ARC input, two optical inputs, a set of phono inputs and Bluetooth. You can also add a subwoofer as well.

The second HUB, the SOUND HUB (for a system with up to seven speakers) offers an upgrade path. On board are two digital optical inputs, one digital coax, two analogue inputs and Bluetooth. Pre-out sockets allow you to connect the Sound HUB to an external power amplifier with passive speakers, and a subwoofer can be connected as well.

UPGRADE OPTIONS

Two easy-to-install modules can be added. One is an HDMi ARC/eARC module for Dolby or DTS up to 7.1 surround sound.

The other one is a BluOS NPM-2i module. BluOS is an advanced multi-room audio technology that lets you stream music from all your favourite streaming services, radio stations, and digital sources to any BluOS enabled stereo system or speaker, using the BluOS app.

EASY TO SET UP

The speakers are added wirelessly via link-connect buttons on the back of the speakers and the HUB. Start the pairing and set each speaker to the correct position. On the back of each speaker is a diagram with 7 led’s and what looks like a little figure sitting on a chair facing a line (which is supposed to be the screen/tv) helps to assign the correct position of the speaker and you’re done. It is really that easy.

Good news for all people with existing subwoofers - The DALI WSR (Wireless Subwoofer Receiver) can be added to turn any subwoofer into a wireless subwoofer - Clever.

SOUND QUALITY

The Dali Oberon C system sounds fast, fresh and open and this is because of the short signal path between the DAC (digital-to-analogue converter), the built-in amplifiers (2x 50 Watts per speaker) and the speaker drive units. The way the speakers respond to even small adjustments in volume via the Sound HUB is fantastic.

Play music via Wifi or Bluetooth, you can access and share music from a computer, phone, tablet or network-attached storage drive (NAS) or listen to music from one of the many streaming services and internet radio apps built right into the BluOS NPM-2i module.

CAN A TURNTABLE BE CONNECTED ?

Yes, either via a phono amplifier that sits between the turntable and the SOUND HUB or plug it in straight away if the phono amplifier is built into the turntable.

HOME CINEMA SOUND

We have set up a 5.1 Oberon C home cinema system that comprises of a pair of Oberon 7 C ( front left & right channels ) , Vokal C centre speaker, a pair of Oberon 1 C ( rear surround channels ) and the WSR ( Wireless subwoofer receiver ) that connects to the subwoofer. The final steps are connecting a Blu-Ray player to our tv and running an HDMI cable from the screen’s ARC/eARC socket to the Sound HUB.

There are too many great movie scenes to choose from and to talk about but we can tell you this - It sounds very cinematic with all the punch, attack and finesse that we have heard from passive speaker packages before and thanks to speaker level adjustment it is very easy to fine tune the speakers to any room.

DALI wireless technology definitely offers more flexibility for those of us with wooden or tiled floors and more importantly, without compromises on sound quality.

We hope that you have enjoyed this blog. If you are interested in an DALI 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.

DALI products are available from the following Audio T stores -

February 21, 2022

PMC, Arcam & JVC Take-Over Weekend

February 21, 2022/ Audio T Enfield/ Enfield

Well, we have some new dates for your diary! Sadly, due to Covid (again), the Bristol Hi-Fi show has been cancelled. However, no need to fret! Over the weekend of 25th & 26th February, the Enfield store will be host to Hi-Fi and AV icons – PMC, JVC & Arcam! Tom Barron from PMC, James Buckle from Arcam/Harman and Larry Sadoo from JVC will kindly be joining us for the event, showcasing some of their top of the range equipment. As with our recent Cyrus Experience Tour, we will be booking one hour time-slots for our lovely customers to have a safe one-to-one experience. We have limited spaces available, so if you don’t want to miss the chance, give us a call or drop us an email to secure your spot!

PMC

The Professional Monitoring Company, better known as PMC, was founded in 1991 by Peter Thomas (previously of the BBC) and Adrian Loader (previously of FWO Bauch, an audio distributor). The products are widely used in domestic and professional settings, as well as other hi-fi applications. Notably, their very first speaker, the BB5A, has been used in recording studios by legendary artists such as Prince and Stevie Wonder, subsequently winning an Emmy Award in recognition of its “contribution to recording excellence”.

All of PMC's loudspeakers feature "Advanced Transmission Line" technology. This is a method of loading a drive unit in a cabinet such that undesirable frequencies radiating from the rear of the speaker driver are absorbed. Within the cabinet, the speaker is positioned at the end of a folded line lined with foam of varied absorbency. Low frequencies are permitted to flow through the line and emerge in phase from a vent on the cabinet's front or back face, therefore functioning as a second bass driver. The higher bass and midrange are not masked by harmonic distortion because the undesired bass frequencies are absorbed.

The PMC Twenty5 24i floor-standers in walnut

Arcam

A&R Cambridge, more commonly known as Arcam, was founded in 1976 by University of Cambridge science and engineering students Chris Evans and John Dawson. Through its American subsidiary Harman International Industries, it has been a part of the South Korean firm Samsung Electronics since July 2017. The earliest activities of its founders, were represented in the name 'Amplification & Recording, Cambridge,' which was later simplified to 'A&R Cambridge.' Its products include anything from integrated stereo amplifiers to high-performance AV processors, music players, and a variety of other small lifestyle items.

Learn more about their engineering and timeline of products here.

From top: the Arcam CDS50 CD player and Streamer, SA20 amplifier, SA30 streaming amplifier and ST60 music streamer.

JVC

JVC (short for Japan Victor Company) is a Japanese brand owned by JVCKenwood corporation and previously by the Victor Company of Japan Limited. In 1927 the company was founded and is now best known for introducing Japan's first televisions, and (a treat for you 80s and 90s babies) developing the Video Home System (VHS) video recorder.

JVC are also known for co-developing the KS2 information processing technology, alongside Victor Entertainment (formerly known as Victor Studio of Victor Music Industries). The KS2 technology enhances sound quality of digital sound sources, and includes a variety of unique technologies, including waveform data analysis technology that varies from moment to moment in the data space. The technique was created through several rounds of testing and auditioning by Victor Studio engineers, who are professionals in music and sound production.

The Take-Over

Tom will be here on both the Friday 25th and Saturday 26th, ready to show off some great PMC products. Particularly within the Twenty5 range, we will have a variety of speakers set up ready for demonstration, including a pair Twenty5 26is, and no doubt that Tom will deliver some great talk-throughs considering his level of expertise within PMC!

James will be in attendance on Friday 25th February showcasing some of Arcam’s most well-known products. The AVR30 will be set up with Dirac live, including the multiple subs bass management module. As with Tom, James’ knowledge of Arcam will definitely ensure customers make informed decisions relative to their existing systems.

Larry is joining us on Friday 25th February and will be offering his expertise to deliver some great demonstrations and answer any questions you may have. Currently, we have the DLA-N5BE projector set up in our big demonstration room, ready for home-cinema enthusiasts to take a seat and enjoy what they see & hear.. We have a great selection of Blu-ray movies, so you can choose your favourite genre and see it brought to life on this amazing piece of equipment!

Don’t miss your chance to be here in person! There are 2 days to choose from so give us a call or drop us an email to book yourself in!

Thanks for reading!

Elena, John & Jason – Enfield branch

Be sure to follow us on Instagram, Twitter and Facebook to keep up with the latest news and offers!

PMC is available at the following stores:

Arcam is available at the following stores:

JVC is available at the following stores:

ENFIELD

PORTSMOUTH

SOUTHAMPTON

February 18, 2022

The Artisans meet the Legends of HiFi Sound - Sonus faber & McIntosh Weekend at Audio T Bristol

February 18, 2022/ Bristol

With the return of the Bristol HiFi Show postponed - Audio T Bristol welcomes Sonus Faber and McIntosh to the HiFi Show takeover over of our Audition Rooms.

Every year for the last 35 years the Bristol HiFi show, the largest and longest running HiFi & home cinema show in the UK, has welcomed over a million visitors and played host to the world's best HiFi manufacturers.

Music is the soundtrack to our lives and High Fidelity means better sound reproduction of your favourite music - transporting you emotionally and connecting you with the worlds finest songwriters, composers and musicians.

The FREE Event is on the 25th & 26th Feb at the Audio T Bristol Shop on Park Street. Joe Gormley & Matt Peddle, from Finesounds UK (distributor of Sonus faber & McIntosh) will be on hand to introduce this very special showcase we have for you and to answer your questions.

Here is a little history of Sonus faber and McIntosh and a breakdown of what will be in our rooms:

Sonus faber

From the Latin meaning "Artisan of Sound" Sonus faber was founded by the legendary Franco Serlin in 1983, headquarters in a small laboratory in Monteviale, on the hills of Vicenza.

Sonus faber has spent over 35 years refining old-world techniques and incorporating cutting-edge technology into their loudspeaker designs. Focusing on a core philosophy of creating an experience which is emotional, natural and free of listener's fatigue, Sonus faber loudspeakers have become known throughout the world for their physical and sonic beauty.

McIntosh

Founded in 1949, McIntosh is known for offering distinguished home audio systems that deliver the ultimate experience in music and film. McIntosh continues to define the ultimate home audio entertainment experience for discriminating listeners around the world. With a McIntosh home stereo system or home cinema , listeners have the ability to create their own luxury audio experience – and truly live their music.

What’s in Store?

Large Dem Room

Sonus faber Amati Homage
McIntosh C53 Pre Amp
McIntosh MC462 Power Amp

Small Dem Room

Sonus faber Sonetto/Lumina
McIntosh MA252

Shop Floor

Did we mention? - IT’S FREE!

Come and experience great HiFi over a two day event - call or email the shop to book your slot. We look forward to seeing you.

February 17, 2022

“Music’s Finest Conductor” – Audio Note (UK) take over at Audio T Reading

February 17, 2022/ Audio T Reading/ Reading

As we have all come to know over the years, February is an exciting time in the Hi-Fi event calendar, we have the Bristol show organised by Audio T where we get to see and more importantly, hear the best, brightest and newest gear from the classic brands we love as well as any new brands on the block. Last year the show made the difficult decision to cancel due to COVID-19 and sadly the same for this year, but fear not! Audio T have come up with the solution. Each of our branches will be hosting a mini show over two days of Friday 25th and Saturday 26th of February.

Each of our stores have chosen some of our favourite brands which we carry in our inventory to showcase. You can see what all the other stores are up to Here.

The Reading offering

At Audio T Reading, we have chosen one of our premium brands – Audio Note (UK).

You may remember that an Audio T team visited the Audio Note factory way back in August 2021 (You can read the blog here). Well, some of the Audio Note team will now be visiting us here in Reading! You will have the opportunity to ask them first about the Audio Note engineering and design philosophy and a chance to hear the stunning music making that their bespoke systems are capable of.

Specifically, the Audio Note team will be headed by Micky Seaton.

Micky will be demonstrating one of their high-end bespoke systems in our exclusive Audio Note demonstration room (maximum 2-3 people at any one time). The Audio Note demo room will be on an appointment only basis so please contact us at our Reading shop for your slot, either ring us on 0118 958 5463 or email us at reading@audio-t.co.uk to book your place!

We will also have a more entry level, but still superb, Audio Note systems set up on our front of shop playing consistently, and not subject to appointment

Both systems will remain in place for a further 14 days, in case you cannot make it on 25th or 26th February

We will be demonstrating

The AN Demo room kit:

A view of our Audio note demo room showing the TT3 and power supply, cd3.1 Mkii, and Meishu tonmeister & AN e ‘speakers

TT3 turntable
CD player
Meishu Tonmeister or M3 preamplifier/Conquest mono blocks
AN-E speakers
Audio Note cables & interconnects

The Front of Shop kit:

The audio note Cobra integrated amplifier and Dac

CD Player
Cobra Integrated amplifier
AN-K speakers
Audio Note cables & interconnects

Audio Note background and philosophy

Audio Note’s tagline is “Music’s Finest Conductor”.

Founded in 1989 by Peter Qvortrup, Audio Note (UK)’s primary focus has always been on crafting equipment that faithfully reproduces the uniqueness of any recording, while retaining the music’s emotional engagement and impact, regardless of the quality, style, and era of the recording. This desire stems from Peter’s profound love of music and record collecting and has been informed by his deep knowledge of audio history, and keen interest in science and philosophy.

This is what Audio Note (UK) say about themselves and their philosophy:

“Pursuing this has lead Audio Note (UK) to become something of a maverick in the audio industry. Early on, we realised that the only way to truly achieve the best possible audio quality was to insist on making everything ourselves. This led to the development of a full range of products, from valve amplifiers to high efficiency speakers, turntables to DACS, MC Cartridges to CD players, all hand assembled using in house and custom-made components of our own design and specification

Through our own research and development, we have investigated and implemented many unorthodox design choices in our product range, from single ended, class A Zero-Feedback circuits, to removing the digital filtering and data in our CD players and DACS, to our wideband ‘speakers, that are designed to work in the room rather than against it. Preferring to trust our own ears and Peter’s “comparison by contrast” method for evaluating audio quality, rather than relying on conventional ‘Hi-Fi’ measuring criteria, every Audio Note (UK) product is carefully listened to and voiced and has been specifically engineered for sonic performance rather than technical specification.

Through this painstaking and rigorous work and our commitment to honour the recorded musical heritage of mankind, Audio Note (UK) has created equipment that offers unparalleled, insightful, and more meaningful home listening experience, be it Classical, Jazz, Jamaican Dancehall, Japanese Noise Rock, or 78rpm transfers. We commend our philosophy to the future...”

Invitation

Come and be amazed by the Audio Note (UK) experience. You will be entranced by the quality, dynamics and reality of the music conveyed through these astounding systems.

Thanks for reading

Rob & Gareth - Audio T Reading

Be sure to follow us on Facebook to stay up to date with what’s going on in store.

Audio Note can be found at the following Audio T stores:

February 16, 2022

Dynaudio, Marantz and Bluesound take over Audio T Oxford

February 16, 2022/ Audio T Oxford/ Oxford

Sadly, due to the Omicron variant, there will be no Bristol Hi-Fi show this year. Instead, Audio T will be running a series of branch based shows hosting some of our favourite brands.

Here at Audio T Oxford, we will have offerings from Marantz, Dynaudio and Bluesound. These will be shown in our demonstration room and on the shop floor; over both the 25th and 26th February.

What you can expect here in Oxford

Firstly, one lucky visitor will receive an amazing prize of a Bowers and Wilkins Zeppelin Wireless speaker, worth £699! So how you do you win? Simply come along and join us! We’ll also have a host of exclusive promotions and discounts on almost all products in store.

Demonstration room

Marantz flagship SACD player, and arguably the best one box CD player money can buy; the SA10.

Marantz Model 30 amplifier. This gorgeous integrated amplifier sits near the summit of what Marantz can offer.

Dynaudio Contour 30i speakers. Reassuringly expensive and absolutely fabulous sounding loudspeakers, that are of a manageable size for most UK rooms.

Shop floor

Marantz SACD 30 SACD player: Using trickle down technology from Marantz’s flagship SA10. This state of the art SACD player also allows for streaming connectivity.

Following on, from the luxurious Model 30; we will have the first public viewing of the Marantz Model 40n streaming amplifier. This brand new, just attach speakers amplifier has all the connectivity that you could possibly wish for, including multiple streaming sources, Bluetooth, AirPlay 2, ARC and a moving magnet phono stage.

Dynaudio Contour 20i speakers. Everything that you could possibly hope to expect from a premium loudspeaker, in a compact box.

Also on the shop floor, we will have the versatile range of streaming products from Bluesound:

Bluesound streaming products are easy to use, have a great App, but most importantly, sound fantastic!

Bluesound Node streamer.
Bluesound Powernode streaming amplifier.
Bluesound Vault 2i ripper/ streamer.
Dynaudio Emit 10 speakers

Be sure to Contact us to book your FREE appointment. We look forward to seeing you in store.

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.

Dynaudio can be found at the following Audio T stores -

Marantz and Bluesound can be found at the following Audio T stores -

February 16, 2022

MONITOR AUDIO & ROKSAN TAKEOVER AUDIO T ON BRISTOL SHOW WEEKEND

February 16, 2022/ Audio T Swansea/ Swansea

Sadly, with the Bristol Hi-Fi Show has had to be cancelled for the second year running. But the great news is that Audio T has invited a selection of the best manufacturers of Hi-Fi and Home Cinema to takeover our stores and showcase the latest and greatest from the industry. Here at Swansea we are very pleased to be welcoming Monitor Audio and Roksan to showcase their wonderful range of loudspeakers and electronics.

Friday 25th & Saturday 26th February we will be showcasing a wide range of products from both manufacturers. We are offering personal thirty minute auditions throughout the weekend where you will have either one of our demo rooms to yourself to listen to your own CDs or LPs (we will have network players as well). We’ll also have a whole host of promotions and exclusive discounts on countless products in store.

Jon Bennet - Business Development Manager of Monitor Audio will be on hand all weekend to answer any questions and give you a guided tour of their product line up.

So…… what are you going to be able to hear?

Let’s start with the reference system that will be playing in our newly refurbished ground floor demo room:

Starting with the stunning Roksan Xerxes 20 plus turntable and Caspian CD as our main source components, they will be going through the Caspian integrated amplifier as well as the Caspian Power amplifier. This will be an opportunity to hear the difference between a single and a bi-amped system.

The loudspeakers will be the incredible Monitor Audio Gold 300 floorstanders, which as many of you will already know are one of Nic’s favourite range of speakers. The Gold series have always had a reputation for their flawless construction and finish. You can see from some of the images of the Monitor Audio range that the fit and finish really is industry leading.

RS_Xerxes-20-Plus_Lifestyle_2_RGB(1).jpg

In the upstairs demo room we will be playing the Roksan Blak CD and amplifier with the Silver and Gold loudspeakers. We will have the Silver 100 7G stand mount and Silver 2007G floordstanders as well as the Gold 100 stand mount and Gold 200 floorstander. We are often asked what improvements you hear between the same model but in the next range up, so this will be another great opportunity to hear it for yourself with either models.

On the ground floor we will be playing the all new Attessa Turntable and Streaming amplifier. The Attessa Streaming amplifier features the BluOS streaming system making it completely controllable from your smartphone. The Turntable is an all in one plug and play package including tonearm, cartridge and built-in phono stage. The Attessa is a beautifully designed system with very simple controls making it very easy to use. Some design features, like the turntable and amplifer having exactly the same size footprint also make the products look very elegant along side each other, so getting away from the “pile of black boxes” for the more contemporary look.

How to book your appointment…

You can call the shop on 01792474608 or email us at swansea@audio-t.co.uk or call in to book your appointment.

30 minute slots available in either demo room from 10am through to 4pm each day. (We would ask for two people maximum in each demo room if you were thinking of coming with friends at the same time.)

We already have a few appointments booked so don’t delay and get in touch as soon as possible.

For details on what our other branches are showing click here.

We look forward to seeing you for this special event.

Thanks for reading.

Nic - Audio T Swansea

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

Monitor Audio can be found at the following Audio T stores -

Roksan can be found at the following Audio T stores -

February 15, 2022

Chord Electronics and Bowers & Wilkins 800 Series take over Audio T Southampton

February 15, 2022/ Audio T Southampton/ Southampton

There’s no Bristol Show this year so we are delighted to announce that we will be hosting our own mini Hi-Fi show at Audio T in Southampton. Our store may be mini sized but that won’t stop us from showcasing some really big performers from Chord Electronics and Bowers & Wilkins 800 series! These two premium brands will be taking over our store on Friday 25th and Saturday 26th February. We’ll also have a giveaway and exclusive offers and deals!

We will have a number of audio solutions from Chord Electronics in store for your listening pleasure, including the compact but highly capable table top Hugo TT2, M-scaler and TToby pictured above.

We are very excited that we will have the brand new Mojo 2 here with some high quality headphones for you to listen to! The original Mojo was a great portable DAC and headphone amp but Mojo 2 is truly amazing! This will be the first chance for many people to hear this world class product!

Chord electronics DAVE DAC/HEadphone amp

Our resident DAVE, Chord Electronics’ high end DAC and headphone amplifier will definitely be on demonstration, with a range of power amplifiers including Etude, Ultima 6 and Ultima 5.

Chord Electronics Ultima 6 power amplifier

As well as all of these power amplifiers and DACs, we are delighted to welcome Maurice Tryner from Chord Electronics, who will be joining us for both days to present their impressive and extensive product range and… He will be bringing along a pair of mighty Ultima 3 mono power amplifiers! These 480 watt powerhouses will be the ideal match for the flagship Bowers & Wilkins 800 series speakers, the awesome 801 D4!

Bowers & wilkins 801 D4 accompanied by the Chord Electronics Ultima 6 power amplifier

If 801 D4 are just a little too big or a tad too expensive, we also have B&W 805 D4 and 804 D4 in store to pair up with the various Chord digital and analogue electronics solutions we will be showcasing.

As if all this isn’t enough, Chord Electronics have generously agreed to offer a Huei MM/MC phono stage as the prize in a draw for attendees! It’s a stunning, and very versatile phono preamp worth £995 so a great prize for the lucky winner!

As our store is so compact and bijou, we are booking hourly time slots for our customers. It avoids overcrowding, ensures that you get to see and hear the products which most interest you, and gives you the best one to one experience with Maurice’s undivided attention.

This event has already attracted a lot of attention and is booking up quickly so please email or call us soon.

Thanks for reading

Alan and Wayne - Audio T Southampton

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

Chord Electronics can be found at the following Audio T stores

Bowers & Wilkins can be found at the following Audio T stores

February 14, 2022

Rega & Acoustic Energy Take Over Cheltenham Store!

February 14, 2022/ Audio T Cheltenham/ Cheltenham

Well, sadly the tech fest that is the annual Bristol Hi-Fi Show has once again succumbed to the effects of Covid-19 and has been cancelled. To help soften the blow, here in Cheltenham we are playing host to UK Hi-Fi legends Rega and Acoustic Energy who will, with a little support from SolidSteel (see what I did there?) be showcasing some of the best sounding and best value for money gear that the Hi-Fi world has to offer. So put the dates of Friday 25th and Saturday 26th of February in your diary and bring along some music, have some fun and take advantage of some special “Show” prices!

Stars of the show will be top of the range Rega Isis CD and Osiris Amplifier.

Rega Osiris Amplifier….This one is a beast!

Completing the stellar line-up will be Acoustic Energy’s wonderful Flagship floorstanders the AE520’s. And on hand to be interesting and answer questions will be James Luce, who is the Creative Director at Acoustic Energy.

AE 520 Showing Off All That Carbon Fibre!

Support for the Rega combo will be ably supplied by Italian brand SolidSteel, purveyors of some rather lovely loudspeaker stands and system shelving to squeeze out the ultimate performance from the Rega system.

Suitable vinyl replay on this system will be courtesy of the range topping Rega Planar 10 turntable complete with Aphelion 2 cartridge so bring along some of those favourite albums on vinyl to hear how good they can sound when played through this wonderful set up!

We will also have another room set up with the amazing Rega System 1 up and running. This consists of the P1 turntable, the Io amp and the Kyte loudspeakers and is truly fab value for money! Another room will house the Planar 8 with Elex R and/or the beast that is the Aethos amps powering the Acoustic Energy AE320. So much to see and listen too. It’s not often that you will get this much Rega and Acoustic Energy all in the same place at the same time

If you would like any more information or you wish to make a booking please call us on 01242 583960 or email us at cheltenham@audio-t.co.uk

So come and join us in store at Audio T Cheltenham for our Show Weekend Events. You can also see what’s happening in our other stores during that weekend Here.

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.

Rega can be found at the following Audio T stores

Acoustic Energy can be found at the following Audio T stores

February 11, 2022

ATC and Naim takeover at Audio T Brighton!

February 11, 2022/ Audio T Brighton/ Brighton

“This could be the beginning of a beautiful friendship”

— Humphrey Bogart

One of my lasting early childhood film memories came from the 1942 black & white classic film, “Casablanca”. When Humphrey Bogart made his memorable quote to Claude Rains, “Louis, I think this is the beginning of a beautiful friendship.” as Ingrid Bergman took to the safety of the skies, I could never have foreseen writing about this in conjunction with the companies that form the discussion of today’s blog article.

Did you know that “Casablanca” is loosely based on Murray Burnett and Joan Alison's unproduced play “Everybody Comes to Rick's”?

Now, on the subject of beautiful friendships, on to this months blog… Let’s see if we can rename that Hollywood play to, “Everybody comes to Audio T’s”, or more specifically, Audio T Brighton, .

Naim Audio

Naim Audio are a Salisbury based UK company set-up by Julian Vereker back in 1973.

Specialising in amplification and embracing digital playback with their fine CD players and streamers, they have led the field in quality audio playback for almost 50 years.

Audio T are proud to have been associated with Naim Audio over the years and we are delighted to use their equipment to enhance audio lovers enjoyment of music.

On demonstration will be an extensive collection of Naim gear, including; Naim Solstice turntable, Naim NDX2 streamer with 555PS power supply , Naim NAC 552 preamp inc 552PS DR, Naim 252 preamp, Naim Supernait 3, Naim XS3, Naim Nait 5SI, Naim CD5SI, Naim HiCapDR, Naim XPS PS.

The ever popular Naim Uniti range will also be on demonstration, including; Naim Qb2, Naim Muso2, Naim Uniti Atom, Naim Uniti Star and range topping Naim Uniti Nova.

ATC loudspeakers

Acoustic Transducer Company, better known as ATC loudspeakers have been a favourite of ours here at Audio T in Brighton for many years. Formed in 1974 by Billy Woodman to construct drivers for the professional sound industry, they offer a quality choice for audiophiles. Nicely constructed with high quality parts and excellent fidelity that has made them a stalwart brand for us here at Audio T in Brighton and they pair very well with Naim amplification.

On display on our Weekend Takeover Days will be an extensive range of ATC loudspeakers, including; ATC SCM50 passives, ATC SCM40 passives and ATC SCM40A actives, all in their floor stander range.

Passive bookshelf speakers in the ATC range will include; ATC SCM19, ATC SCM11 and the babies of the range, the ATC SCM7’s.

In addition to loudspeakers, ATC also do a fine range of electronics to drive their range of speakers. As shown below, we will also have access to their ATC CD2 CD/preamplifier to dem over the weekend mentioned.

ATC SCM 40 speakers with an ATC cda2 mk CD preamplifier

Please ring us on 01273 609431 or email brighton@audio-t.co.uk to book your place at our Show Weekend Events on Friday 25th and Saturday 26th February between 9.30am and 5.30pm. We’ll have a selection of “Show” discounts, so be sure to head on down.

Click Here if you want to see what other stores our doing for their Show Weekend Events.

Contact us if you have any questions or wish to demo any of the products mentioned.

Thanks for reading - Ade, John and Paul - 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 -

ATC can be found at the following Audio T stores -

February 10, 2022

The Bristol Show may be cancelled, but we've got you sorted with Cyrus, Spendor and REL!

February 10, 2022/ Audio T Cardiff/ Cardiff

As we have all come to know over the years February is an exciting time in the Hi-Fi event calendar, we have the Bristol show organised by Audio T where we get to see and more importantly, hear the best, brightest and newest gear from the classic brands we love to new brands on the block. Last year the show made the difficult decision to cancel due to COVID-19 and sadly the same for this year but fear not, Audio T have come up with the solution. Each of our branches will be hosting a mini show over two days of Friday 25th and Saturday 26th of February.

Each of our store’s have chosen some of our favourite brands we carry in our inventory to showcase. You can see what all the other stores are up to Here.

At Audio T Cardiff we have chosen a few of our favourite brands Cyrus audio, REL acoustics and last but not least I’ll give you a clue D7, yes you guessed it one of our favourite loudspeaker brands Spendor.

System T7x subwoofer Spendor A4 Cyrus XR range demonstration prepared

We will have two dedicated demo rooms for you to listen to these fantastic products. But remember that we’re working via appointment, so be sure to Contact Us to book your place! We will also have systems set up on our shop floor where we have seating areas for you to listen to equipment of your choice in comfort. There will be representative’s from Cyrus Audio and REL Acoustics to show you what the equipment can do as well as giving you great set up tips on how to get the best sound possible out of your Hi-Fi or AV system. As we know, REL make fantastic subwoofers which make a great edition to your cinema experience as well as your Hi-Fi. A REL subwoofer can give your music experience more depth and dynamics and not forgetting our range of Spendor loudspeakers , from book shelf to stand mount right up to floorstanders we have a good spread to choose from. Also, the three of us will be on hand to welcome you and help with all of your Hi-Fi and AV needs offering solid advice or if you’d like just pop in for a chat because as you know with Audio T Hi-Fi, music and film is our passion.

So now for a little bit of history into the brands we will be showcasing at our mini show event.

Cyrus Audio

Starting with Cyrus Audio we know they have played a big part in the British Hifi industry. Going back to the start, Cyrus was part of the Mission speaker brand which was founded by Farad Azima. Moving forward through the early 80s came the birth of the first Cyrus one amplifier which took the industry by storm. By 2005 the Mission speaker company and Cyrus parted ways and Cyrus Audio was born. Now nearly a century later we have the amazing XR range which we will have at our event.

REL Acoustics

Now on to REL acoustics. REL was founded in 1990 by Richard Edmund Lord however the company we know today was born in 2005 with John Hunter and Donald Brody heading it up. Since 1990 one of the keys to the evolution of their subwoofer design has been the high level input, which is still seen today in their subwoofers. Moving forward to 2005 onwards, the new ownership came with fresh ideas from Silicon Valley engineering, producing more power and better performance with natural sound filtering, but it doesn’t stop at the electronics level. REL use musical instrument grade bracing on their cabinets giving you that controlled bass and detail we all desire. So, whether you're looking at the HT series or right up to the reference series you’ll have great performance detail and bass. We will have a selection of REL subwoofers on show and on demonstration at our event.

Spendor Loudspeakers

Last but not least of course SPENDOR Audio. So, what do we know about Spendor. Spendor was founded in the late 1960s by Spencer and Dorothy Hughes (Not just a clever anagram in the company name) working in BBC’s engineering department they came up with the iconic BC1 which was a big game changer, not only in the studio but in the Hifi community. Almost 50 years later the BC1 and its successors have been heard with their distinctive sound that truly captivates you. The same can be applied for their modern ranges from the classic series to A series right through to D series they still maintain that amazing sound we love. We will have a great selection of Spendor speakers on demonstration at our show, so you will have the chance to see and hear why we love them.

Join us for our Show Weekend Event…

So on both the Friday the 25th and Saturday 26th February the main demo room will be home to the following system for timed demonstrations by Cyrus Audio and REL. The New Cyrus XR range including the CDT XR, PRE XR and MONO X300 power amplifiers driving Spendor D9.2 all underpinned by 2 REL Carbon Special subwoofers as a stereo pair. This reference level setup will blow your socks off.

In our second smaller demo room we will have all the 7s. A more affordable system on show here that will include Cyrus CDi XR, Cyrus i7 XR teamed with Spendor A7 loudspeakers and a single REL T7X.

As we usually do at the Bristol show there will be show discounts on selected products. We will also be running a prize draw with the chance to win a pair of Cyrus Soundbuds 2 wireless earbuds.

The demo rooms will be on an appointment basis so please contact us at our Cardiff shop for your slot either ring us on 02920 228565 or email us at cardiff@audio-t.co.uk for more details.

We look forward to seeing you all here

Thanks for reading.

Matt, Nick & Kerrin - 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 -

Spendor can be found at the following Audio T stores -

REL can be found at the following Audio T stores -

February 10, 2022

Roksan puts on the red light for streaming.....Introducing the Attessa Streaming Amplifier

February 10, 2022/ Manchester

Roksan have been a stalwart of the Hi-Fi industry for the last 30 plus years. Making their introduction with the now legendary Xerxes turntable in 1985 and then continuing in ‘86 with the Darius loudspeaker and the spectacular Artemiz arm in ‘87.

Roksan continued to bring out new products over the next few years, and in 1990, launched their first range of electronics which consisted of the ROK S1 stereo amplifier and the M1 mono amplifier with matching preamps and power supplies. The release of new products from Roksan has continued unabated since and seen numerous industry awards from Hi-Fi publications from all across Europe and the US.

This brings us to the new Attessa Streaming amp from Roksan. Sitting around the £1500 price mark, it seemed like a no brainer to give this a go in store.

Chromey getting up close and personal with the attessa streaming amplifier

The new Attessa range from Roksan, is comprised of a CD transport, integrated amplifier, streaming amplifier and turntable. Today we're going to have a quick look at the streaming amplifier.

As implied by the name, this is an integrated amp with the capability to stream music. It also has a built-in DAC as well as a moving magnet phono stage.

The amplifier has been based on the successful Caspian range, that dates back to '98, as well as taking its name from the Attessa 3 box CD player from '92. Having been based on the Caspian, the construction of the unit is impressive, utilizing plated steel along with an anodized aluminium fascia.

Analogue Incorporated.

The analogue side of the amp has everything you would need in a standard 2 channel system. Two line level inputs, a phono stage for your turntable, pre outs for those of you with a power amp, a headphone amp and most importantly the amplifier itself. This boasts an output of 80w per channel into 8 ohms and sounds as good as you would expect from well established brand such as Roksan.

DAC & Chips please.

The DAC has 2 optical, 2 coaxial and bluetooth inputs. Plenty of options to connect your CD player or transport, television, mini-disc, DAT etc.

The coax inputs will decode all the usual signals as well as MQA, even decoding MQA CDs played on the Attessa transport.

The bluetooth input has all the latest standards (A2DP, SBC, aptX & AAC) and will accept signals up to and including 16/48.

Streaming – BluOS

For the streaming side of things, Roksan have utilised the very popular Bluesound BluOS platform. This gives them access to an already stable application, which means the end user gets a great experience and bypasses all those teething problems Hi-Fi manufacturers can have when they build a streamer and try to write an app that doesn’t behave. Not to mention the added option of connecting to other products that utilise the same BluOS capability.

So THAT'S , streaming, Bluetooth,Cd and vinyl, once again streaming, Bluetooth, Cd and vinyl. Ah Thank you

The Streaming Attessa amp really is the perfect hub for a modern system. Stream to it, play your records, plug in your TV, everything you need and more in one well built and excellent sounding box.

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.

Roksan can be found at the following Audio T stores -

February 09, 2022

Linn and Dynaudio Takeover at Audio T Manchester - 25th & 26th February 2022

February 09, 2022/ Audio T Manchester/ Manchester

As you’ve all probably heard by now, sadly, The Bristol Show isn’t happening this year. Being the second year in a row it’s been cancelled due to the global pandemic, withdrawal symptoms are kicking in for us at Audio T. So to fix it we have let select brands take over our stores for what would’ve been the weekend of the show.

To see what’s happening at our shops over the Store Weekend Event Click Here.

Here at Audio T Manchester we are going to let Linn and Dynaudio take over for the 25th and 26th of February.

We will have products from Linn's Majik, Akurate, Selekt and Klimax ranges, covering both vinyl and streaming sources. These will make up at least three separate systems throughout the store and will be powering Dynaudio speakers.

From Dynaudio we will be using speakers from the Emit range right up to the Confidence, with something from all the ranges in between.

If you are planning on attending, please see our contact details below to book a slot for a demo or if you just plan to come along to have a browse.

If you would to like to visit the Show Weekend Take Event at our Manchester store, you can contact us via email and phone.

Email - manchester@audio-t.co.uk

Phone - 0161 8398869

We look forward to seeing in store!

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.

Linn can be found at the following Audio T stores

Dynaudio can be found at the following Audio T stores

February 08, 2022

A recap on the "Cyrus Experience Tour" at Audio T Enfield

February 08, 2022/ Audio T Enfield/ Enfield

First and foremost, we would like to say a big thank you to our lovely customers who came to the event – we hope you had a great a day as we did! Secondly, we would like to also say thank you to Jason Saxon, our Field Sales & Training Representative from Cyrus, for taking the time to come down to London and host the event for us and some of our other branches. It’s been a great experience for all of us learning about the new Cyrus XR series, (especially for myself still being somewhat of a newbie), which really is a work of art in itself.

What is the '“Cyrus Experience Tour”?

The ‘Experience Tour’ is a chance for Cyrus to share with you some of their passion and enthusiasm for music; to share some of their knowledge and decades of experience to help you make better and more informed decisions about Hi-Fi.

The programme has been developed to help enthusiasts of all backgrounds to learn more about good reproduction and the difference it can make to your enjoyment of music.

On to our Event…

For us in store, the event started the day before we opened to the public. It was my first time meeting Jason; he arrived in the afternoon and after exchanging pleasantries, we unloaded the equipment and he began setting up. During this time, I sparked some general chit chat about Cyrus. Whenever I meet someone from a manufacturer I like to ask about their product USPs (Unique Selling Points), which helps me learn about each product and the manufacturer’s individual merits.

Whilst talking about the individual products we were setting-up, Jason kept referring back to the history of Cyrus, where & how they started off, how they came to be as popular as they are now and what makes their products unique.

Our demonstration room set-up for the Cyrus XR series

For those of you that aren’t aware, Cyrus started off under another name, Mission Electronics in the early 80s and was founded by Farad Azima, with the assistance of his brother Henry Azima as the developer, and Stan Curtis. They released their first products under the name Cyrus in 1984 - amplifiers Cyrus One and Cyrus Two. And the rest is history! As many of you will know, Cyrus has become one of the most well-known Hi-Fi manufacturer in the UK ever since. One of Cyrus’ most popular features and selling points is it’s signature compact design, be it an amplifier, CD player or streamer. It’s smaller size allows these products to fit into a modest space and look aesthetically pleasing wherever it’s placed, without compromising on sound quality. It’s ease of use never falls short either! The products are only available in black, however they come in different finishes – brushed black and phantom black, which provides variety in textures rather than colours, and let’s face it, sometimes black has the upper hand in creating that little bit more elegant and sophisticated look. The XR series however, are sold exclusively in phantom black, which is the smoother texture of the two.

Jason brought along two Mono X300 Signature Power Amps and a Stereo 200; in-store we already had the i7-XR, i9-XR, Cdt-XR, Cdi-XR and the Pre-XR out as demonstration units. We created a nice little set-up using the Cyrus Hark III shelf-rack, as well as having an appealing layout across other units in the demo room. After listening to a few different configurations, I had come to the conclusion that the XR series is nothing less than a revolution in audio quality. It represents the best-in-class application of new DAC technologies, Power supply Design, Circuit topology, User Interface and it is built solely in the UK using components of the highest specification. In layman’s terms, it sounds bloomin’ brilliant! Providing some of the cleanest and most detailed audio quality I’ve heard in awhile, it’s compact size has no relevance in its ability to fill a room with musical magic. The details are crisp without being harsh, giving audiophiles the joy in being able to hear every detail without taking away the bigger picture of the song as a whole.

From left: the *CDt-XR*, the *Stereo 200* and the *CDi-XR*

From top: The *Pre-XR*, *CDi-XR* and two *Mono X300 Signature Amps* on the *Hark III shelf rack*

Let the public in…

As with most of our in-store events, we felt the day would work best if we were to assign customers their own time slot, ensuring they had one-to-one time with Jason and be able to ask questions, along with a demo of the XR series. The customers were really pleased with the fact they had the opportunity to delve in at this depth and get to know the products. The first customers of the day were a couple looking to upgrade their existing Cyrus 8 equipment, which was great as they already had an in depth knowledge of the brand, plus they had an idea of what they were looking for which always makes the demonstration process much more easy going. The gentleman in particular really became engrossed in the listening experience. He showed us this by leaning forward attentively, catching every detail of the music. The customers left with big smiles on their faces, which we can only assume meant they left very happy!

The next customer was also looking to upgrade some existing Cyrus equipment. I sat in for this particular demonstration and Jason gave a great talk-through of the new products. He provided lots of detailed information for the customer and was very engaging. In turn, the customer asked lots of questions which Jason answered thoroughly but simply enough that you don’t need a degree in engineering to understand. As we listened along to the music, our customer was keen on listening to both the i7 & i9 in comparison to one another, ensuring he was making the best decision relative to his system at home. He too was very happy and had great chat, leaving with a smile on his face. To be honest, this was a similar vibe for everyone that attended the days event.

Overall, we had a very successful day! The customers that came in were friendly, attentive and passionate, enabling Jason to provide the best demonstrations possible. They were enthusiastic to learn about the XR series and were all really keen on getting the best equipment for their systems. Additionally, having great conversations and banter with the customers really makes it all worthwhile, if they’re happy then we’re even happier!

Missed the Cyrus Experience Tour? Want to see for yourself and take a listen? Give us a call or drop us an email to book a free demonstration!

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.

Cyrus can be found at the following Audio T stores

February 03, 2022

Audiolab Omnia - A Multi-Talented Performer

February 03, 2022/ Audio T Swindon/ Swindon

With our upcoming Audiolab/DALI event here at Audio T Swindon on the 25th & 26th of February 2022 we would like to introduce our latest arrival - The new Audiolab Omnia ALL-IN-ONE music system.

We have seen and listened to quite a few space saving and nice sounding stand-alone systems and we couldn’t wait to get our hands on this promising box of tricks from Audiolab.

What’s in the box?

The Audiolab Omnia, available in black or silver, is a CD player, integrated ampliﬁer, wireless streaming player, DAC, headphone ampliﬁer, and pre-amp – in one single unit!.

The 4.3inch full colour screen looks great and everything displayed on it looks crystal clear. The CD player is a tray loading design and we think it’s great addition to have on board as many people still have a collection of CDs at home.

Audiolab have included a lot of connectivity options. Three analogue inputs, plus a MM phono stage for a turntable, a USB-HDD input for a flash drive or portable hard drive, one USB-B input for a pc or music server (like the ones from Innuos), two optical and two coaxial inputs plus both digital output options for those of you who want to use your own DAC. The three aerials are for Wi-Fi and Bluetooth connection - We can’t ask for more.

Music Streaming with DTS Play-Fi - Let’s set it up

DTS Play-Fi opens the door to a number of music streaming services like Spotify, Amazon Music, Qobuz and Tidal to name the most popular. Access to internet radio and even the option to play music stored on a network attached storage drive (aka NAS) is fantastic. Let’s set it up; the easiest option is to run an ethernet/network cable from your broadband router into the ethernet port on the back of the Omnia - done. For ease of use the Omnia can be set up wirelessly if the router is not close enough to the unit. We download the DTS Play-Fi app (available for Android, Apple iOS, Kindle Fire and Window PC), rename the Unit into Family Room and we are ready to take a look at the choice of streaming services and options.

Audiolab Omnia Music System and DALI Oberon 5 Loudspeakers

With a powerful 50w per channel into 8Ohm we connected a pair of DALI Oberon 5 and start streaming music in CD quality and higher from Qobuz, we listen to internet radio and play music from YouTube via Bluetooth, and the Ominia brings our demonstration room to life. Good news for those with a Roon account, Omnia is Roon ready - perfect.

Digital and Analogue VU meters? Why not !

We think someone at Audiolab, who has worked a long time in the Hi-Fi industry, must have thought - “Hey, why don’t we add a little bit of Hi-Fi nostalgia to the Omnia by adding digital and analogue VU meters?” We have to say that it looks very nice with the room light dimmed and there are four display modes to choose from (digital & analogue VU meter, source display mode or off).

What do we think about the Audiolab Omnia ?

Audiolab haven’t promised too much. The Omnia sounds excellent, it looks modern and it is easy to use. Believe it or not, there is so much more and if you are curious to find out more about the Audiolab Omnia then please don’t hesitate to get in touch with us.

We hope that you have enjoyed this blog. All mentioned products are available to listen to at Audio T Swindon and if you are interested in an Audiolab 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.

Audiolab products are available from the following Audio T stores -

February 01, 2022

Spinning Platters of Lacquers that Matter - Michell Gyro SE Turntable

February 01, 2022/ Audio T Bristol/ Bristol

Vinyl, records, phonograph plates of pleasure are riding a wave of revival that show no signs of slowing down - and with good reason. Let's not dwell on the format wars of quality and purity, but instead, acknowledge the ritual.

Deciding on the mood, thumbing the vinyl collection, pulling out that favourite album of the moment, carefully removing the sleeve. A glance or a detailed read of the sleeve notes with the emotional nostalgic memory of when/where it was bought or where it was first heard. A close inspection of the record condition, squinting at the track listings (that seem to get ever smaller). Then firing up the turntable, the gentle caress of a record brush and finally, the needle drops and listening begins. The Michell Gyro SE takes the vinyl ritual to histrionic proportions - spinning bling of beautiful industrial design.

History

Michell Engineering was first founded by the late John Michell, who had been a prominent figure in the audio world for over 50 years. He was also well known for making scale models during the 1960s and it was during this time that he met Stanley Kubrick and built the spaceship ‘Discovery’ for the film 2001 – Space Odyssey, later to become the inspiration for the revered GyroDec.

Since the early 1980's, when the Michell Gyrodec first burst on the scene, it still remains one of the most desirable, iconic turntable designs of all time. The Gyro SE is a variation of the GyroDec design. Doing away with the full size acrylic plinth and hinged lid of the Gyrodec and replacing them with a single acrylic spider to support the turntable. This was done to reduce the overall size of the GyroDec and create a smaller more compact turntable.

Design Features of the Michell Gyro SE

The low contact area feet of solid aluminium are shaped so the area in contact with the supporting surface is very small, this is done to minimise the transfer of vibrations from the supporting furniture into the turntable.

The spring suspension system The three towers are fixed to the acrylic base to hold the suspension springs in place and provide height adjustment for the sub chassis.

The weighted pendulum style sub chassis hangs on these three suspension springs, this provides a rigid dense platform to mount the main bearing, platter and tonearm assembly, ensuring there is no movement between them, while also acting as a ‘resonance / vibration sink’ drawing away unwanted vibrations from the sensitive elements of the turntable. Thus, unlike the Linn LP12 where the suspension system springs are in compression , the Gyro’s springs are in tension.

The inverted oil circulating main bearing. Contrary to traditional designs, the main bearing has the point of rotation at the top of the assembly, not at the bottom. This orientation allows for full lubrication of the inside of the entire bearing while the platter is turning. This is achieved by way of a modified Archimedean screw that is machined into the inside bore of the bearing. The oil is drawn from a reservoir at the base of the main bearing up to the thrust ball at the top, fully lubricating as it goes, it then returns to the reservoir via a waste hole drilled into the bearing spindle. Lubricating the precision parts of the main bearing in this way means that any potential for noise or vibration created by the rotation of the platter is avoided.

The Michell Gyro SE in our bristol shop demo room

The impedance-matched platter with solid brass weights: The platter material was chosen for its vibration dampening characteristics and because sonically it is a very similar material to vinyl, so it has a very neutral sound characteristic. The brass weights are added to give the platter extra mass and subsequently more momentum when spinning. This greatly improves speed stability and helps keep wow and flutter to a minimum.

The free standing motor unit: The motor unit used to drive the turntable is completely separate to the turntable, meaning it doesn’t touch the turntable in anyway. The only connection between the motor and the turntable is the drive belt that drives the platter. This greatly reduces any noise or vibration created when the motor is running getting through to the sensitive parts of the turntable.

The TechnoArm 2 is a custom one piece arm tube with 22 drilled holes on the underside to reduce mass. The tonearm is assembled using ultra-low friction polymer bearings. The wiring loom is 99.9999% pure silver litz wire from the cartridge tags to the phono plugs with no internal wiring joints.

Cartridge Matching

Here at Audio T Bristol, we have experimented with various cartridges on the Michell Gyrodec SE. What is apparent is the manual VTA adjuster allows greater flexibility in cartridge selection. The Rega MC cartridges are an excellent fit, the Hana SH Shibata High output MC is just fantastic and close run with the Dynavector 20x2. We pushed the boat out for this setup - mounting the Dynavector XX2. According to Dynavector, the DV XX-2 MKII retains the benefit of the flux damper, but features the Alnico-5 magnet and the similar rigid construction to the Te Kaitora Rua. Alnico magnets exhibit high magnetic flux density combining with a low coercivity, therefore magnetic resistance is lower than other magnetic types such as rare earth and ferrite, providing the exceptional stability of the XX-2 MKII output voltage. There is also the additional advantage of low magnetic and electrical resistance contributing to a discernible improvement in sound quality.

The XX-2MKII also exhibits deep powerful bass, treble is both clear and lively possessing none of the hardness found in many moving coil designs, and this compliments the punch of the Gyro SE Turntable, rhythm and excitement.

Setup

Source: Michell Gyro SE
Phono Stages: Rega Aura, Rega Aria MkIII
Amplifiers: Rega Osiris, Naim NAP 300 DR
Preamplifiers: Naim NAC 252
All-in-One: Naim Uniti Nova

Listening

Christmas came and went, but left behind a lovely selection of fresh records to spin, among them Bonny Light Horseman, self titled album, which sees Fruit Bats singer Eric D. Johnson join veteran multi-instrumentalist Josh Kaufman and singer-songwriter Anaïs Mitchell to revisit ancient folk songs presented beautifully. The Gyro SE shines with this multi- layered acoustic tapestry and live recording feel. The sense of space and timing is excellent. Equally, vinyl recordings by Stereophonics, You gotta go there to come back, Amy Winehouse, Back to Black and Portishead, Dummy are all played with such gusto, elegance and fun that the Gyro SE just leaves you wanting to listen more. There is a molasses thickness to the bass and lower mids giving great punch and weight to the sound stage. It never shows up a bad recording or struggles with different genres, but seems to get to the heart and the drama of everything that is spun.

Comparatively, the Michell Gyro SE with the Dynavector XX2 II MC Cartridge comes in around £4,500. This puts the deck between the Rega Planar 10 with Apheta or Linn’s entry level Linn Majik. Either of these decks are a great vinyl experience. Effortless, textured, great imaging and depth of sound stage. Each have their unique characteristics, design philosophies and ,as a result, quite different presentations that are well worth an audition side by side to establish your preference.

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 on Instagram & Facebook

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

Contact Us to book an audition to hear the Michell Gyro SE for yourselves at Audio T Bristol.

Michell Engineering can be found at the following Audio T stores

February 01, 2022

So CD is dead? Nobody told Rega! - The Valve Isis

February 01, 2022/ Audio T Reading/ Reading

The Isis CD/DAC is part of Rega’s flagship Reference range (which comprises of the iconic Planar 10 record player, Aura MC phono stage and the Osiris integrated amplifier). It is the pinnacle of what Rega can achieve from CD replay. As well as operating as a CD player, the DAC can be separately accessed. The level of engineering is stunning and build quality is such that it comes with a lifetime guarantee against manufacturing defects. It comes in two flavours – the Solid State Isis and the intriguing Valve version. For this article, we’ll be concentrating on the latter. The specs for the solid-state version can be found here.

So what is the Isis CD Player/DAC?

The mighty Valve Isis. The four output valve pots are on the top right

The Valve Isis is the outcome of 10 years of research by legendary head electronics engineer, Terry Bateman, addressing the concept of a CD player using valves in the output amplification stage. Valves have been widely used in musical instrument amplification and recording equipment from the 1930s to the present day, therefore it made great sense to develop a valve-based CD player to match that of the signal chain found in such applications. Musicians such as guitarists prefer valve amplification for its tonal qualities. The Valve Isis shares the same digital and USB sections as found in the solid-state version; however, the analogue stage is valve based with passive filtering. This stage uses two military grade triple mica 5814A (ECC82/12AU7) triodes being driven by the revolutionary Wolfson WM8741 ultra high-performance digital to analogue converter.

Listening and Validation

First, a little background to this article…

Very recently we had the good fortune to have the Valve Isis in residence. We had a customer who wanted to hear the solid-state Isis and, thanks to Rob Noble, Rega Sales Co-Coordinator, we were able to pair it with the Valve Isis for a comparative demo. Long story short, the customer expressed a personal preference for the valve model in the demo and put in an order straight away.

The demo remained in my mind for some time as, somewhat counter intuitively, the Valve Isis seemed to me to be more dynamic, detailed and “real” compared to its solid state sibling, which was also astoundingly good, but in a different way. Was it down to the music we played during the demo which was mainly classical? Was I just imagining it all?

Before we returned the unit back to Rega I decided to validate my memories (or otherwise) and put the Valve Isis into a system that would show its true colours and see how well it coped with a range of music genres. I chose the accomplished Rega Aethos amplifier paired with the highly capable Spendor D7.2 speakers. We used the following CD’s for evaluation:

*Telemann’s Tafelmusik – Musica Antiqua Koln (Reinhard Goebel)*

I chose Miles Davis’ - “Kind of Blue” because it is a well-known and much-loved standard, and I wanted to know what the Valve Isis would bring to the party? Well, I might as well have invited the musicians into the room! It sounded so real, and I was hearing phrasing and interplay between the musicians that had not been immediately obvious via other CD players. The instruments had shape, definition, as well as tone.

So, what about original instruments late Baroque Telemann? For some, this can sound somewhat “astringent” on CD. Not here! The shape, dynamics and reality remained intact, producing a delightful and mesmerising performance.

Lets go to the opposite end of the music spectrum with The Orb. What I heard was a big spacious sound. Lots of detail, excellent tone and a bass depth that on occasions made me jump!

It appears that the Valve Isis delivers, whatever the musical genre. But one more validation to go. We put the system front of shop and left it playing, to see if we could gauge customer reaction. The feedback we got was that people were entranced by the delivery of the Valve Isis, a prevailing disbelief that they were listening to CD and general wonder at the quality of the music.

Our set-up of Spendor D7.2’s, Rega Aethos Amp and centre stage the Valve Isis, under the watchful eye of Mr Hendrix

Conclusion

Yes, the Valve Isis is high-end but if you get the chance, you owe it to yourself to hear it, to understand that CD is still a viable format, and that through the Valve Isis it produces a mesmerising experience. It will capture your complete attention.

No matter what, the Valve Isis shone through, sounding dynamic, with large and detailed imaging qualities stretching way outside the box. It seems to offer considerable tonal depth, with access to the body, shape and timbre of the music, making it seem hyper-real and “in the room”. Isn’t that what we are all seeking from our music systems?

Many thanks for reading.

Rob & Gareth - Audio T Reading

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Rega can be found at the following Audio T stores -

January 29, 2022

HI-FI HEAVEN - MCINTOSH LUXURY C8 PRE, MC830 POWER AMPS & MCD85 CD PLAYER

January 29, 2022/ Swindon

We are very excited to show you our new arrivals from McIntosh Laboratory, Inc, who we started our Hi-Fi journey with in the summer of 2021 and we have enjoyed listening to quite a few of their products since then.

The three new arrivals are the C8 2-Channel Vacuum Tube Preamplifier, the MC830 1-Channel (Mono block) Solid State Amplifier and the MCD85 2-Channel SACD/CD Player.

C8 Vacuum Tube Preamplifier - The Control Centre

The very stylish and compact C8 pre amplifier stands out with the iconic McIntosh green glow of the four 12AX7a valves, sitting inside their gorgeous looking cages.

McIntosh C8 Vacuum Tube Pre Amplifier - Polished to a mirror finish

To connect your equipment there are two sets of phono sockets, one set of balanced XLR plus an MM and MC phono stage if you wish to connect a turntable. McIntosh's optional DA2 Digital Audio Module is available as an upgrade and this ads digital inputs like optical, coax, 1 USB-B and HDMI (ARC).

On the front panel you find a headphone socket and McIntosh's built in High Drive Headphone Amplifier makes sure that you can enjoy your music at every time of the day.

Tone controls like bass, treble and balance are available from the front panel buttons or via the remote control. For the purest experience you can choose tone control bypass.

MC830 Solid State Mono Block - The Power House

The MC830 is a 1-channel amplifier , also known as mono block or mono amplifier, is a true power house that matches the open chassis design of the C8 pre amplifier. The output is a hefty 300W into 8Ohm and it will get warm but the two massive heatsinks will deal with it, so don’t worry.

Balanced and unbalanced inputs and gold-plated solid cinch speaker binding posts

For more piece of mind - Power Guard and Sentry Monitor

The patented Power Guard® technology monitors the amplifier's output signal to protect the speakers against being over driven; if necessary, it makes real time micro adjustments to the input signal to prevent clipping that could damage your speakers.

Another level of protection is Sentry Monitor™, the fuse-less short-circuit protection circuit that will disengage the MC830's output stage before current exceeds safe operating levels, and then will reset automatically when operating conditions return to normal.

MCD85 2-Channel SACD/CD Player and Digital Hub

The MCD85 is multi-talented. Not only does it play CDs and SACDs, it also offers 5 digital inputs. Two optical, two coaxial and one USB-B input allow music playback higher than CD quality via a pc or digital music servers like the ones from Innuos.

Balanced and unbalanced outputs are standard

Sound Quality

Incredible is how we would describe it in one word, but that wouldn’t be enough to point out how good it sounds. We connected the system to our pair of Sonus Faber Lumina 3 and started with ‘No Love Dying’ from Gregory Porter’s album ‘Liquid Spirit’ and it is the warmth and richness we feel, while the image of Gregory’s big voice is placed right in the middle between the speakers.

We change from Gregory Porter to Muse. The track ‘Uprising’ from the album ‘The Resistance’ is different, louder and a good test to hear how it deals with busier tracks. The instruments are well separated from the vocals and that doesn’t change when we turn up the volume. Everything sounds well organized and makes you want to listen to more music.

We play a SACD and we choose two tracks, ‘LINE ‘EM UP’, sung by James Taylor and ‘GRATITUDE’ by Earth, Wind and Fire. We are blown away and we think that you will be too.

This system sounds fantastic and we feel privileged that this McIntosh equipment is here in our store for our customers to listen to.

We hope that you have enjoyed this blog. All mentioned products are available to listen to at Audio T Swindon and if you are interested in an McIntosh 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.

McIntosh products can be found at Audio T Swindon with more stores set to take on the brand.

January 29, 2022

Extra Energy .... Big Difference - The All New AE100² from Acoustic Energy

January 29, 2022/ Audio T Cheltenham/ Cheltenham

The very new, very beautiful Acoustic Energy AE100² is a radical re-working of what was already one of our favourite little entry-level bookshelf loudspeaker. When the folks at Acoustic Energy told us their plans, we didn’t quite believe them. But guess what? They’ve only gone and done it!

Acoustic Energy AE100²

The AE100² has been designed with a view to achieving high sound pressure levels from a small enclosure. This is obtained principally through the use of a 130mm paper mid-bass drive unit built around an ultra-high force, long throw motor system. Bass performance is augmented by a slot shaped duct allowing for a considerable cross-sectional area while negating the issues of air turbulence, chuffing and distortion.

A 25mm soft dome tweeter featuring Acoustic Energy’s Wide Dispersion Technology completes the driver compliment and is housed within a 15mm HDF cabinet. Taking design cues from the award-winning 500 Series and finished in a choice of satin white, satin black or walnut vinyl veneer finishes. The AE100² looks great and performs really well placed on speaker stands or bookshelves.

The rear also sports a set of nice chunky, gold plated 4mm banana sockets that will accept a plug a spade or even (god forbid) a bare wire speaker cable. As we know, the plugs are normally the better way to connect them as you tend to get more of a metal to metal surface area contact than any other method, but why not contact us if you want to discuss this more.

**Nice chunky holes to stick plugs ‘n’ things in!**

Let’s get to listening

On to the fun bit then! To put them to the test I played a selection of tracks from the brand new and totally excellent album that goes under the intriguing title of ‘As Long As The Light’ from Michael Rother and Vittoria Maccabruni. Now any of you familiar with your Krautrock will recognise this man who is among the most influential artists in rock, experimental, and electronic music. He has a long and illustrious history with a long list of great bands and artists including Kraftwerk, Neu, Harmonia and Brian Eno.

The interplay between Rother’s electronics, psychedelic guitar melodies and harmonies and Maccabruni’s gloomy skittering loops, soundscapes and breathy ethereal vocals over these eight tracks is mind boggling to behold. Indeed there are times when you can hear elements of all those legendary bands that Rother has been a part of. The pair make interesting, challenging, and occasionally beautiful music together. If you are a fan of electronica of the gorgeous variety then this is for you. As Long As The Light is nailed on to be one of the albums of the year. It also happens to be a very lovely recording too. Out now to Stream and buy on CD but for vinyl copies, we have to wait until Record Store Day 2022! Oh well, whatever, never mind.

The little AE100² portrayed the soundstage as being big, open and detailed, to an extent not normally associated with a loudspeaker of this size and at this price! The sense of space around all the instruments and voices was such that if you close your eyes the speakers will simply disappear and the music is left hanging in the air in front of you…..I even got goosebumps!

To wrap things up…

So, all in all a great looking and fine sounding little design, small but perfectly formed. Who said you have to spend lots of money to get a big sound from small boxes?

But why take my word for it? Contact your local store to arrange a demonstration today.

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

Acoustic Energy can be found at the following Audio T stores

January 27, 2022

'Is that a special track?' - Why we choose the music that we do

January 27, 2022/ Audio T Swansea/ Swansea

A question we’re often asked at Audio T Swansea is if the music we play when we demonstrate equipment is "special". The undisguised notion being; "Are you using some trick, extra-high fidelity recording to show off your gear that I can't access?" The answer is both yes and no. Yes – these are recordings with high production values, and no – it's all commercially available music you can buy or rent via streaming services a la Tidal/Amazon Music/etc.

We have our favourites of course, old reliables that sound decent on just about anything – that killer Seasick Steve LP, or Melody Gardot if I'm showing off a turntable. Royal Blood's eponymous first album, is a recording that has oodles of weight and power; it sounds better and better the more we move up the ranges of any quality turntable manufacturer.

Melody Gardot - My One and Only Thrill - Next to the Linn LP12 Turntable

If it's an amplifier demonstration I'm conducting, Royal Blood will serve us well again, as will AC/DC's 'Thunderstruck', although a cut of some complex jazz piano in full flight will shine a spotlight, if rock isn't your thing. The massed vocals of a choir will give you a large dose of the chills, if I'm doing my job properly.

Foy Vance - “Signs of Life”, spinning on the iconic Linn LP12 turntable

If it's digital electronics under review, expect something warm and organic from me. A female singer/songwriter playing an acoustic instrument will illustrate how this particular CD player isn't clinical and cold at all (honest 'gov). Expect some electronica like Goldfrapp or Yello too; crisp, rapid, multi-layered, textured soundscapes with lots of space between samples, does lend itself to making digital electronics sound impressive, after all.

For the most part, smaller speakers generally sound faster and more accurate than their floorstanding brethren, so expect me to play smaller scale works on them. Breathy vocals from Diana Krall, cheeky, clever folk from Kate Rusby and the soaring soprano of Kate Bush should elicit gasps of delight. The pipe organ from Birmingham Symphony Hall during Wagner's Ring Cycle or the improbable bass guitar of Bootsy Collins, will illustrate exactly why you should buy these particular floorstanders Madam, with maybe a side order of subwoofer, if you'll indulge me for a moment whilst I power it up...

Acoustic Energy and REL - Two favourites at Audio T Swansea

I must stress that customers are always encouraged to bring their own music with them. Something they know, enjoy and are expecting to be thrilled by, but also an album that has always left them feeling a bit short-changed. When I can make 'that' CD sound good....

One of the joys of this job is experiencing new music and revisiting forgotten glories. This was amply demonstrated last Friday afternoon, when the gent who was evaluating a new streamer/amp/speakers/large subwoofer system for his very large kitchen/diner/family room, asked me to play Lorde "Royals", a favourite of his. Fans of this store will recall we played this track a lot when it first appeared in '06, but over the years other tracks have sidled into our orbit. How did that work out for me? Amazingly well. Shattering bass that can only be described as like standing in a warm river of moving air, the room pressurising and decompressing with each change of note. It’s a wonder our ears didn’t pop (Thank you REL S/510).

What my customer immediately exclaimed won't be repeated here (this is a family show after all), but he did ask "Does it all come in gloss black? (Yes it does) and "Do you take Mastercard?" (Yes we do) "Can you install it for me?" (It will be my pleasure Sir.)

My colleagues have their own favourite recordings, but you'll have to ask them about that...

Thanks for reading.

Adrian - Audio T Swansea

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Linn can be found at the following Audio T stores

Acoustic Energy can be found at the following Audio T stores

REL can be found at the following Audio T stores

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So what is the Isis CD Player/DAC?

Listening and Validation

Conclusion

C8 Vacuum Tube Preamplifier - The Control Centre

MC830 Solid State Mono Block - The Power House

For more piece of mind - Power Guard and Sentry Monitor

MCD85 2-Channel SACD/CD Player and Digital Hub

Sound Quality

Acoustic Energy AE100²

Let’s get to listening

To wrap things up…

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