First Look at the Brand New Cyrus PSU-XR

/ Audio T Enfield/

The long-awaited PSU-XR has landed at Audio T Enfield, and it was most certainly worth the wait! The flagship range from Cyrus continues to grow (not to mention the imminent release of something top secret), and this particular power supply certainly gives you bang for your buck in terms of upgrading your kit.

What did we see?

Cyrus have stuck to their signature, compact design, ensuring it will snuggly fit into any corner of your home or alongside its sibling components on the Hark 3 Modular Hi-Fi Shelf. The once green display has followed suit with the rest of the XR products and is now a lovely light blue colour. Of course the PSU-XR doesn’t have a display screen, instead the blue is used for the standby button when switched on. Like the other gear in the range, it is available in a simple Phantom Black finish.

The PSU-XR draws on their long history of power supply design. Cyrus has always been an industry leader in supplying clean, dependable, and 'stiff' external upgrade power supplies since the first PSX. 'Stiffness' is crucial, as the voltage must stay entirely steady even when huge loads are applied. To supply a startling amount of power, the PSU-XR features the biggest toroidal transformer Cyrus have ever utilised, together with some incredibly efficient load control circuits.

The PSU-XR is capable of delivering 'precise' power needs to three distinct circuits on the host device, considerably improving the performance of any XR product with which it is utilised. Advanced microprocessor controls, relay switching, entirely independent 'grounds' to reduce 'noise transmission,' and a future-proof architecture are just a few of the features.

What did we hear?

We listened to Seal’s classic track ‘Kiss From a Rose’ and I couldn’t think of a more perfect track for the demonstration. We listened on just the i9-XR and CDi-XR first and then again, this time with the PSU-XR. We all heard one major improvement as soon as the PSU-XR was switched on; the sound became more ‘spherical’, meaning along with the sound-stage having ‘width’, it now had plenty of ‘depth’ too. The vocals came forward, and everything just sounded more full.

What are the specs?

image taken from the official cyrus website

  • 1 x Output connector for compatible Cyrus XR products

  • Low voltage supply
    Standby mode +5V DC
    Operational +5V DC

  • Fixed voltage supply
    Standby mode 0V
    Operational ±24V DC

  • Variable supply
    Standby mode 0V
    Regulated ±10V to ±45V DC
    Unregulated ±45V or ±56V DC

  • Size (H x W x D)
    75 x 215 x 355 mm (2.95” x 8.46” x 13.98”)

  • Weight
    7.7kg (17lbs)

Say what?!

Whoever said you need to upgrade an entire component in a system isn’t entirely correct. Sure, it will definitely elevate your Hi-Fi to the next level, but what if you don’t want to get rid of a perfectly working amp or CD player? What if it simply needs a bit of a facelift? Well that’s exactly what adding the PSU-XR does. That added bit of power most certainly fills the gap in a soundstage you didn’t know was there, but once you’ve heard it, you can’t really ‘un-hear’ it…

But of course you’ll have to be the judge of that! Pop in for a demonstration and go with your ears instead of your head or heart, trust me - you won’t want to miss out on this one. Contact us to book yourself in!

Give your local Audio T store a call to find out more information about the products listed, and if you’re just passing by, why not pop in and take a look at them too?!

Thanks for reading!

Elena, John & Richard – Audio T Enfield

If you have any questions about any of the equipment featured in this article, or any other Hi-Fi or home cinema enquiries, be sure to Contact Us.

If you’ve enjoyed this, why not go ahead and read some more of our other blogs, and be sure to follow us on our social media channels below…

The Mastery of Meze Audio - Romanian Hi-Fi Headphone Connoisseurs

/ Audio T Reading/

Romania has not traditionally been a producer of interesting Hi-Fi, but that all changed in 2011 with the emergence of Meze Audio from the beautiful city of Baia Mare. The founder, Antonio Meze, was underwhelmed by a lot of the headphones available on the market at that time, so he decided to turn his attentions to producing a set of ‘phones’ which had a personality, in the same way that a quality musical instrument does.

ART, CRAFT, ENGINEERING, IMAGINATION - WELCOME TO MEZE AUDIO

By 2015, after a great deal of hard work, the Meze 99 Classics were released, which immediately put a cat among the pigeons. They were received enthusiastically by the Head-Fi community; their combination of build quality, sound quality and price made them an immediate hit. In a slightly unusual and bold move the company then followed up with what was at the time their top of the line model the Empyrean, which similarly was a highly regarded and serious rival to such big hitters as the Focal Utopia and Audeze LCD-4. The range now encompasses 3 in-ear models, which are not covered in this article, plus 6 over-ear full size models.

99 NEO – The Entertainer

99 NEO - BANG FOR YOUR BUCK

The 99 Neo is the entry point into the Meze soundworld. The construction is very similar to the 99 Classics but comprises of a composite material for the (closed back) ear cups instead of wood; they come with a very nice case and a removable cable plus a 6.3 mm adaptor. The sound of these is very much biased towards the low end - they are bassy. They are extremely comfortable and enjoyable to use, as well as being very slightly less demanding electrically than the 99 Classics, but will probably appeal more to listeners whose musical tastes encompass Hip Hop, R&B, Dance etc. as that bass is very pronounced. If your tastes are a little wider, then you may like to move up to the next cans in the hierarchy...

99 CLASSICS – The All-Rounder

99 CLASSICS - WHERE IT ALL BEGAN

This was the original Meze design, which carries on unchanged and for good reason - it’s a cracking headphone. The 99 Classics are nicely made from good quality materials which are assembled without the use of glue, so all the parts can be replaced if required. They are really comfortable (and they don’t creak! An undesired, mechanical, sonic infiltration) and of course the most important bit - they sound great. The sound signature is quite thick and hefty but with less of the bass bulk and a more forward midrange; the treble is relatively restrained but detailed, making the ‘phone overall quite smooth and without harshness. As they are closed back, they do isolate you from the horrors of the outside world, although they don’t isolate quite as well as some other designs. Nonetheless they are still usable either at home or on the road and, as they are easy to drive, you can plug them into a phone or DAP (such as the Chord Electronics Mojo 2 with Poly) and get excellent results. You also get a nice carrying case, a couple of different length cables (one with an in-line remote) and a couple of jack adaptors, making the whole package overall superb value. There is a fair bit of competition around this price point, but nothing I can think of combines all the virtues of the 99 Classics in a similarly desirable package. A classic indeed.

109 PRO – The New Open Classics

109 PRO - THE LATEST IN A GREAT MEZE LINEUP

Both the aforementioned units are closed back which has advantages but also a downside - the sound image is generally more ‘in the head’ and less spacious. Enter the 109 Pro - the first open back dynamic headphone from Meze. This is based on the overall design of the 99 Classics but with an enhanced design and open earcups, which make all the difference to the sound. Here we have the signature Meze warm but impactful low end with a punchy mid-bass, detailed and open midrange and a nicely extended treble range without grit or harshness. Very nice indeed! The 109 Pro are easy to drive - 40 ohm impedance and a 112 dB sensitivity - and the accessories package is also excellent. So all in all these are a really impressive first foray into open backed dynamic territory. 

LIRIC – Closed Back Kings

LIRIC - CLOSED BACK DESIGN, BUT FAR FROM CLOSED SOUND

The previous three models were all dynamic driver ‘phones, but part of the cutting edge design of the higher end Meze devices is the integration of really advanced planar magnetic drivers made (in Ukraine) by a company called Rinaro. These designs are incorporated into the more premium Meze headphones because they are stunning drivers which come close to redefining the state of the art.  They are quite complex in construction and function (if you are interested in the technical side of them then a well-known search engine will help you out), but in essence they work with the natural shape of the ear to focus the sound and boy do they work! The Liric is technically a portable headphone - it is easy to drive and the standard cable is terminated with a 3.5 mm jack, but don’t let that fool you - they are one of the best closed back ‘phones on the market (and one of the best headphones full stop). Beautifully made and finished, the Liric’s sound is rich, detailed and dynamic. It is a bit more lively and up front than the more expensive versions, but it excels in being as usable in a portable scenario (the passive isolation is excellent) as it is in a static one - like all the Rinaro equipped Mezes, it scales really well.

EMPYREAN – The High Life

EMPYREAN - THE VERY FIRST ISODYNAMIC HYBRID ARRAY HEADPHONE

Up until the emergence of the magnificent Elite, the Empyrean was the best headphone Meze made and it remains stunning in every way. A work of art in terms of its construction, fit and finish, it is also undoubtedly one of the most comfortable headphones ever made and the sound is jaw dropping. It is warm and engaging with endless detail and fantastic dynamics - truly a high end sound. They present music in that effortless easy flowing way that the best high end gear does; silky smooth yet full of life and nuance. If there is one criticism of the Empyrean it is that it is perhaps a little too relaxed and luscious, which means that some music can lose some of its excitement. Time for...

ELITE – The Higher Life

ELITE - MARVEL AT ITS MAGNIFICENCE

The best. My own personal reference and the most comfortable and engaging headphone I have ever used. Any small criticism of the Empyrean is completely dealt with to the extent it’s difficult to find any weakness with the Elite. They are designed and made to a stunningly high standard and the accessories are truly useful; 2 different earpads are provided (one alcantara set and one leather) and they have one of the easiest and most efficient pad removal systems ever designed, so you can tweak the sound signature to your own preference. Whichever pads you choose bass, mids and treble are all polished and presented to you in a supremely coherent and balanced fashion so you just relax into the music (often until very late at night!). They sound equally magnificent from a solid state or valve head amp, but are efficient enough to work most acceptably with a DAP or portable unit (such as the Chord Electronics Mojo 2 / Poly). I use mine variously with an Astell & Kern Kann Alpha (fantastic) Chord Electronics Hugo 2 / 2go (even more fantastic) and Naim Uniti Atom HE (sublime). If you’ve never heard headphones at this level you owe it to yourself to try them - it’s a very different way to enjoy your tunes and will give you a particular view on your favourites that you might just love. It’s also worth mentioning that Meze produce a range of very good quality upgraded cables (copper or silver) - I use the upgraded silver cable on mine and it takes the performance to the next level, particularly if you go for the balanced option which drops the noise floor and allows an even clearer view into that incredible midrange.

Each one of the above Meze headphones can be used balanced and come with a nicely made case and detachable cabling, both of which ascend in their quality to meet the level of craft of the particular headphone. We have demo units of these Meze x Rinaro creations available via the Reading store and we love to talk about and listen to great headphones. So feel free to call in and audition some of the magnificent products made by this exciting and focussed young company. Thank you for reading.

Gareth, Rishi and Rob – Audio T Reading

If you have any questions about any of the equipment featured in this article, or any other Hi-Fi or home cinema enquiries, be sure to Contact Us.

If you’ve enjoyed this, why not go ahead and read some more of our other blogs, and be sure to follow us on our social media channels below…

The incredible equipment in this blog can be found or enquired about at the following Audio T stores:

Linn adds a new Edition to it's DSM range... Chromey thinks it looks Organik.

/ Audio T Manchester/

Our Scottish friends in Glasgow have been keeping busy again, this time it's in the form of a luxurious case upgrade for the Selekt DSM Classic Hub, now know as the Edition Hub. But what is that you say - “How will this improve the overall sound quality of the Classic Hub?” - Well, in more ways than one. Read on…

One of the first things you notice is the beautifully realised control wheel/jog dial. It really does look the part. Made from cut and ground glass and an etched stainless steel surround.

You control the volume with a turn and press the cardinal points to scroll through inputs, settings and navigate the options. All very intuitive and slick.

The Edition Hub has a quality enclosure, featuring machined construction for improved rigidity and better interior isolation, it also looks amazing.

Internally, Linn like to use multi layered circuit boards, double sided to boot. These are of a very high quality and go up to 8 layers and help to keep the signal path nice and short.

Also lurking inside is the beating heart of this system, the Organik DAC. This is a fully programmable gate array (FPGA) multi-bit DAC.

Phil Budd, Senior Design Engineer at Linn explains it eloquently in this video.

Another thing that's very rare nowadays in Hi-Fi is the modular system. With the Selekt, it is a key part of the design. Inspired by very high-end PC motherboards, it has three cartridge slots plus optional HDMI switching, allowing the unit to be customized to the users needs. The Selekt DSM can be assembled as anything from a two channel music streamer with a line level out, up to a 5.1 AV system.

We have ours up and running on our shop floor and have it connected to the equally luxurious Linn Klimax 500 twin power amp. We have a pair of Dynaudio Confidence 50's hanging off it to round it off.

This system just sounds epic, and at higher volumes it just opens up and can fill a large space with ease if required. Depth and a sense of 3D soundstaging is all there.

Now, that is without the use of Linn's Space Optimisation system. Once you take the time to give the Linn the dimensions and features of your room, along with finding the perfect spot for your speakers, you can make even the most compromised of rooms sound like a custom built listening space.

We really are spoilt at Audio T, working hard all day with a backdrop of great sounding Hi-Fi systems to keep our feet tapping.

But you too can experience that, just pop over to the store and let the Organik Klimax Kombo shower you with audio.

Thanks for reading,

Mike & Munir - 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 our social media channels below…

Grand Systems - Hi-Fi from Rega and Triangle for £1000

/ Audio T Brighton/

With the cost of living crisis in full swing and the hi-fi loving public having to consider eating, heating as well as listening to music. Now, there is a difference between want and need and but I do want to listen to music replayed at a certain level of quality.

Rather than sacrifice your hi-fi system for food, fewer frappuccinos and mochas for a month or two will assist in planning for a future purchase, improve your health and reduce your dental bills to boot!

This month I’d like to look at “Grand Systems”, including a turntable, for around a £1000 from well established British company Rega, celebrating their 50th anniversary this year, and the French company Triangle, who in turn, have been around for over 40 years.

The two systems we are going to look at this month approach music playback from a different technological standpoint, offering traditionalists and newcomers alternative routes into music listening, albeit with some crossover in terms of source selection and hi-fi components.

Triangle AIO active wireless speaker system

Triangle aio partnering a rega planar 1 turntable on a quadraspire evo bamboo 4-tier rack

Quality systems under a grand are often more difficult to find than ships in the Bermuda Triangle. As a result, the Triangle AIO active wireless speaker system is a bit of a find, so to speak, and only recently taken on at our Brighton Audio T store. Keen to fill a gap in our speaker range, whilst offering improved flexibility to our customers, the Triangle AIO fits the bill beautifully.

Triangle’s funky colours...

The Triangle AIO is available in a range of fashionable colours, along with the more traditional. Fit and finish are exquisite at the price.

Triumphant Triangle...

When it comes to flexibility, functionality and form, the Triangle AIO’s really have got you covered. Not only do they look great, but they have a real trump card up their sleeve, several trump cards, in fact!

The Triangle AIO are simply a pair of speakers, one acting as the master speaker, providing all of the input choices and powering a connected passive speaker via some speaker cable provided in the box. No separate amplifier is needed, just a mains power outlet near your desired setup position.

triangle aio rear master speaker

One cannot often use the word plethora to describe input options on a unit of this size, but the Triangle AIO really has more options for playback than Pep Guardiola, and this on the back of one master active speaker is really quite remarkable.

triangle aio streaming options

As can be seen from the images above, not only can the Triangle AIO cater for multiple inputs, but it’s wired and wireless streaming options are plentiful, with most of the major streaming services available via the free Triangle AIO app, available to download via Apple IOS or Google Play stores. Although not shown on the graphic above, Apple music can be accessed via Airplay or Bluetooth.

The real coup-de-gras is the switchable phono stage for a moving magnet turntable. This will allow the comparison between the Triangle AIO and our Rega system later on in our blog discussion.

Here at the Brighton Audio T store we followed the simple connection instructions supplied in the box and after having downloaded the Triangle AIO app we were quickly up and running. Logging into our Qobuz account we were quickly bestowed with a quality sound.

Alongside the app control, Triangle also supply a simple, but effective, remote control. Personally, I am a fan of remotes because they allow quick muting of sound should the phone ring and in this case, they also have a set of useful treble/bass tone controls to equalise the sound to taste.

Rega Planar 1, Rega IO and Acoustic Energy AE100 Mk2...

rega planar 1 turntable, rega io amplifier and acoustic energy ae100 mk2 speakers

Our second system is a much more conventional affair, comprising: Rega Planar 1 turntable with a pre-fitted Rega Carbon cartridge, a Rega IO amplifier and Acoustic Energy AE100² Bookshelf speakers. Here the units are mounted on a Quadraspire EVO Bamboo 4-tier hi-fi rack and B&W Stav 24 speaker stands.

Analogue all the way...

Very much a traditional analogue hi-fi system, the Rega/Acoustic Energy system is loosely based around the Rega System One, a record players starter system minus the Rega Kyte speakers, to facilitate a more affordable starter system for the discerning vinyl listener, eschewing any digital or streaming options, unless additional components are purchased and added through the Rega IO’s analogue inputs.

acoustic energy ae100 mk2

The Acoustic Energy AE100² are a fine visual and acoustic match for the Rega Planar 1 and Rega IO. Internet outages will be no problem for this system and the sound it delivers for the money is extremely punchy and musical.

AIO v IO...

These two systems offer completely different use cases. If you’re after a purely vinyl playback option the Rega Planar 1/ Rega IO/Acoustic Energy AE100² system offers a more wholesome and beguiling, analogue sound in the long term when playing records.

However, for most people with access to streaming services, the Triangle AIO speakers offer a far more feature laden option. Music discovery and phone/tablet control are a big selling point and the option to just place the Triangle AIOs on a shelf or desktop makes them very adaptable for most users, whilst still allowing the user access to a phono stage for playing records when they have a desire to do so.

You pays your money and takes your choice, but in both cases you’ll end up with a fine sounding starter system, both systems offering high sound for pound value.

For those who feel a grand is far too much for a music system, I’d ask them to do some maths. Forty records at £25 a pop = £1000 and that would equate to approximately the cost of these systems and would allow the listener potentially far more listening pleasure because of the playback quality possible.

Alternatively, purchase a Crossley type player, buy a few more records and ruin them with a stylus that tracks the grooves like a farmer ploughing the fields.

For those who claim they can’t hear the difference, see you in the Bermuda Triangle!

If you are interested in auditioning any of the products mentioned in this blog or from our extensive range of quality gear, please get in touch.

Thanks for reading.

Ade, John and Paul - Audio T Brighton

If you have any questions about any of the equipment featured in this article, or any other Hi-Fi or home cinema enquiries, be sure to Contact Us.

If you’ve enjoyed this, why not go ahead and read some more of our other blogs, and be sure to follow us on our social media channels below…

Denon AV Receivers - For Gamers and Movie Lovers!

/ Audio T Swindon/

Watching movies and playing video games is a fun pastime, and with current TV/Projector technologies video looks sharp and crystal clear - But what about the cinema-quality sound? The soundtracks mixed into a movie or video game? The sound that brings the theatrical to life? The answer - A home cinema system. And at its heart sits an AV amplifier.

Denon have launched a new range of Dolby Atmos/DTS-X AV amplifiers and the first two new models have arrived with us at Audio T Swindon. The 7 channel Denon AVR-X2800H and the 9 channel Denon AVC-X3800H.

Two new AV amplifiers - Deneon’s AVR-X-2800H and AVR-X3800H

Denon AVR-X2800H

Let’s start with the first of our new arrivals, the Denon AVR-X2800H. It is a 7.2 channel power house that allows connectivity for games consoles, 4K Blu-Ray players, video servers and more. 6 HDMI sockets, with three of them ready for up to 8K video resolution, 2 optical inputs and a front USB socket for music stored on flash drives. Five analogue inputs including a Phono MM input for a turntable are on board, too.

The two surround back amplifier channels can be assigned to either connect to a pair of surround back speakers (2 surround speakers beside and the surround back speakers behind the listening position) or they can be used to drive a pair of “atmos-pheric” Atmos speakers (a pair of surround speakers behind the listening position and one pair of in-ceiling speakers). The choice is yours.

Can I connect it ? Yes you can

Denon AVC-X3800H

The Denon AVC-X3800H includes all the features of the Denon AVR-X2800H and allows to add two more speakers to the system. So for example you can connect an extra pair of surround back speakers and one pair of Atmos speakers to a 5.1 system or assign all four outputs to height speakers like overhead-speakers. It is all set-up here in the shop and we are happy to talk you through it.

Compared to the AVR-X2800H, the AVC-X3800H offers 20 watts more per channel and this really makes a difference to the sound. Generally speaking, speakers like power and control and a better output results in a more balanced sound. There is room for expansion as there are pre-out sockets for all channels should you want to power some of the channels/speakers with external power amplifiers or even take it up to an impressive 11 channel speaker system.

HEOS - Built-in music streaming technology

Both amplifiers can be set-up to use the HEOS platform, a free app that can control almost all Denon products. You can use it to play music from streaming services like Spotify, Tidal, Deezer or from a music server in the house - no problem. Bluetooth and Apple Airplay2? Certainly, on board.

You can find out more about the HEOS app in a blog from our Portsmouth store Here.

Another cool feature is the option to use the free Denon control app, available for Android and iOS. Denon AVR Control works really well and is fun to use. Very helpful if your new AV amplifier is inside a rack or cupboard, or you can not use the supplied remote control.

DENON AVR Remote app

Set Up and Sound Performance

The set-up process is very straightforward and everything is explained via a menu on the tv screen. Fresh out of the box an on-screen menu takes you through the initial set-up with the supplied room calibration microphone, and once that is done have a listen and tweak it to your liking.

We started with a 5.1.2 system and the Denon AVR-X2800H sounds fantastic and detailed, big sounding but not overblown. We added another pair of speakers (5.1.4) to the AVC-AVC-X3800H and we hear the extra control and improved timing. The 2022 blockbuster, Top Gun: Maverick is a great system tester with a nice mix of cinematic music and incredible surround effects. The sound quality is mind blowing, so much so that we had to keep watching as it sounded so good.

Our verdict is - Both amplifiers sound brilliant, are easy to use and in our opinion worth every penny!

Thanks for reading - Stefan & Andy - Audio T Swindon.

If you have any questions about any of the equipment featured in this article, or any other Hi-Fi or home cinema enquiries, be sure to Contact Us.

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Eager for Rega? The New Rega Elex MK4 Integrated Amplifier

/ Audio T Enfield/

The new and improved Rega Elex amplifier is now out there in the wild. Whilst its predecessor, the award winning Elex R, is still hugely popular within the Hi-Fi community, we have every reason to believe this new incarnation will take your system up a notch. Why’s that then? Well, let us tell you…

Same But Different

Sitting in the middle of the Rega range of amplifiers at around the £1200* mark, this beauty looks a little different to the Elex R in terms of aesthetics; firstly, the input button has noticeably moved from its more central position on the front panel to being on the left-hand side, with the word ‘input’ labelled underneath.

The input lights are now horizontal and central in comparison to them previously being vertical towards the right-hand side, next to the volume button (which remains in the same position).

The mute button has gone from being a single light with the word ‘mute’ underneath to now being a tiny graphic of a megaphone with a line across it (kind of like when we had our microphones on mute during a Zoom meeting!), again being placed in the middle of the panel with the input lights.

Some Specifications…

Now whilst this is a brand new product that is somewhat different, there are still some features that have been kept the same (otherwise it would have a different name, duh!). Built on the previous design, the amp has an A/B power amp circuit that delivers 72w (watts) into 8Ω (ohms), and has a moving magnet phono stage.

The Elex MK4 is capable of driving tough loudspeakers with ease and will seamlessly fit into any audio system thanks to a broader choice of connecting options. Aside from line level, digital inputs, and a high grade moving magnet phono stage, there is also Pre-out and Record Out capability. The selection of important audio components has been given special consideration. Throughout the design, discrete circuitry, high grade relays, polypropylene capacitors, and Sanken output transistors are employed.

The upgraded amp now includes a DAC (closely based on the very successful Rega DAC-R circuit) with two digital inputs and a high quality headphone input conveniently placed on the front panel. The speaker switching is accomplished by the output mute relay to avoid blocking the signal route and assuring no loss of performance while not in use.

The circuit incorporates a high-performance Rega-designed integrated moving magnet (MM) phono stage. To reduce interaction, the RIAA equalisation has been divided into two steps. Polyester capacitors were employed in the signal route, whereas polypropylene capacitors were used in RIAA equalisation circuits.

The new custom case design and construction brings the Elex MK4 inline with the rest of the Rega range and provides improved heat dissipation by using the entire case as an ultra efficient heat sink. It includes Thermal CUT-OUT, short circuit protection and DC protection to prevent the risk of damage from excess heat, excessive currents or short circuits.

Take a closer look by watching part one of our unboxing video below:

Have a listen!

If you’re not quite convinced that this will give your system the boost it may need, then we’d recommend booking a demonstration with us so you can take the time to listen and (hopefully) be persuaded by your own senses!

Give your local Audio T store a call to find out more information about the products listed, and if you’re just passing by, why not pop in and take a look at them too?!

Thanks for reading!

Elena, John & Richard – Audio T Enfield

If you have any questions about any of the equipment featured in this article, or any other Hi-Fi or home cinema enquiries, be sure to Contact Us.

If you’ve enjoyed this, why not go ahead and read some more of our other blogs, and be sure to follow us on our social media channels below…

*All prices, credit terms and interest rates quoted are correct at the time of going to press but may be subject to change. E&OE

Naim arrives at Five Zero with a New Classic...

/ Audio T Manchester/

Since 1973 Naim has embodied the best separate Hi-Fi elements we've come to love over the last fifty years. Designed and developed by Naim engineers in Salisbury these timeless products are still used in people’s homes today, maybe because of Naim's philosophy of servicing a vast majority of products ever manufactured by them is the reason why. Of course, the milestone of 50 years is a biggy, and Naim have developed a trifecta of pieces called the New Classic Range to celebrate this.

A Trilithon - Naim 200 Series

The capstone in this trilogy is the NSC 222 preamp, and it continues with Naim’s streaming skillset, which is respected industry wide. The Naim app lets you stream from Tidal, Qobuz, Spotify and Apple Music. It supports bitrates up to 32 bits/284 kHz and is Roon ready. It also notably comprises of the same headphone amplifier found in the Naim Uniti Atom headphone edition, again, really well received among the HiFi press. With the added bonus of a MM phono stage the NSC 222 is the “all rounder”streaming preamp we have been waiting for.

The Engine Room

There is also a new version of the NAP 250, now yielding a 100w dual-mono design powerhouse.

This iconic amplifier has been around since 1975 in one form or another and is basically a Naim stalwart that now has trickle-down technology from the Naim Statement series, adding to it’s lore even further.

A clever new heat sink adjusts to temperature fluctuations, thus keeping things in check during those extended listening sessions and true balanced XLR inputs for each channel are a step up from the single connection from the current NAP 250.

Icing on the Cake

The final embellishment of this threesome is the NPX 300 PSU. It's a completely redesigned power supply by Naim. It's different to the way the older power supplies work. It now feeds directly into the pre-amp, bypassing any route through a power amp. This again reduces the noise floor yet further. A pretty big change in our opinion.

It uses two internal power supplies, one of which completely disables the internal power supply in the NSC 222 and can also be used in multiples to really beef up a system. Another bonus here is that you can use the NPX 300 with legacy equipment such as NAC 272 and the NDX2.

New Look

One other thing of note with the Naim is the styling. The casework is stunning. A combination of the classic 500 series with a touch of Uniti and Statement, with a fit and finish that is impeccable, super clean lines and deep black brushed metal finish that oozes quality (yorkshire accent).

Listen Up

Now then, the sound quality.

In a nutshell, we're blown away. It's the Naim sound we know but not quite as we know it. There's a difference which is palpable, enjoyable, not fatiguing, foot tapping and fun.

To be honest, we are still going through our listening phase with the New Classic. It's being used with vinyl and streaming, our playlists include Electronic, acoustic, Jazz funk and punk, which included the Mad Caddies, Jimmy Smith, Nick Drake and some Moderat, and we had fun with all of them.

Something tells me the 200 Series is literally going to go down as a classic.

We have our New Classic on permanent display and demo at our Manchester store.

Thanks for reading,

Munir - Audio T Manchester

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Spot the difference! Taking a look at the Rega Planar 1 and Planar 2 Turntables

/ Audio T Cheltnham/

They may look the same on the surface, but what exactly is the difference between the Rega Planar 1 and Planar 2? This is quite probably the most often asked question that I get in the shop, here at Audio T Cheltenham. Well as the subject of this month’s article, I will explore the differences and hopefully answer this question for you in detail!

Rega planar 1

Rega Planar 1

Apart from banana plugs and loudspeaker cable, The Rega P1 is the single thing in the shop that we sell the most of. Although it is the entry level model in Rega’s range, it punches way above its weight in regards to price point. It is built like a tank and is designed to be a “plug and play” solution. Rega actually boast that it can be set up within 30 seconds. Super smooth tonearm bearings mean that the RB110 arm factory fitted with the Carbon Cartridge will track those record grooves with consummate ease for years and years. Latest drive belt technology with the EBLT belt delivers greater accuracy and improved speed performance. It boasts a hi-tech phenolic resin, flywheel effect platter which is powered by a high quality, 24V low noise synchronous motor.

RB110 arm ready for its close up.

The Planar 1 is available in matt black, matt white and now a stylish walnut finish that will complement most home furnishing styles. This model of turntable comes with a protective perspex lid to complete the look - Both the black and white finishes come with a clear lid, and the special edition walnut finish is supplied as standard with the premium smoked dust cover to set off the design.

I reckon that if you are a newcomer to the vinyl revolution, or if you are are looking to get back into vinyl, and want serious performance from a turntable that doesn’t cost the earth and will last you a lifetime, then look no further.

Rega Planar 2.

Rega Planar 2

The next model up the range is (surprise surprise) the Planar 2. As we’ve already said, you’d be forgiven for thinking it looked the same as the Planar 1, but if you look a tad closer you will see that this one has a whole host of features that the younger sibling lacks. Firstly, it has a heavier, float glass ‘Optiwhite’ 10 mm platter to improve tracking accuracy.

One of the biggest upgrade features between the two models is the improved RB220 tonearm with Rega designed ultra-low friction bearings housed within a brand new, stiffer and lightweight bearing housing. This was developed with a new updated adjustable bias mechanism allowing greater flexibility and compatibility with a wide range of cartridges should you feel the need to upgrade. This is not really possible on the P1 due to its fixed bias. On the P1 the headshell is glued onto the main arm tube. The arm on the P2 however has a continuous one-piece casting. This offers greater rigidity and better performance at the frequency extremes. Rigidity is massively important in a tonearm because the stylus is measuring minute movements. If there is any give or play in the tonearm then that will lose the valuable data recovered from the groove. Put simply; less music for your ears.

Under the rigid acrylic high gloss laminated plinth you will find a new 24V, low noise motor and a newly designed central bearing mean that this innovative new turntable is designed to extract the maximum amount of information and detail from your vinyl collection.

ajustable Bias housing on the RB220.

The proof is in the listening…

Right that’s all the nerdy stuff explained…now on to the fun bit, the listening. And as luck would have it, Riverside who are one of the most exciting producers of prog rock, have just released a rather fab new album which I will use to suss out the differences between these two decks!

Front cover of i d. entity the new album by riverside.

Along with Marillion and Porcupine Tree, Riverside, from Warsaw in Poland are one of the greatest Prog Rock bands of the last twenty years (Seriously… Look them up if you have never heard of them). This new album really shows off the band’s adventurous side, complete with energetic writing and a wonderfully immediate and enjoyable production. In particular, I love the throwbacks to the classic bands that peep through here—be that Camel, Rush, or the critically acclaimed, aforementioned Porcupine Tree - which give the album a timeless progginess.

It wouldn’t be prog without great art …. Inside the gatefold with lovely illustrations by Jarek Kubicki.

My reference system for this little escapade and the perfect partners for the Rega turntables consists of the newly reduced in price Rega Brio amplifier and the juicy little Acoustic Energy AE100² loudspeakers.

The sleek and minimal design of the Brio

This amp and speaker set up combines to produce a treble that is sweet and unfatiguing, the mid-band is lush but highly transparent and the bass has a glow and free-flowing, unforced quality, good eh?

Are Acoustic Energy the hifi worlds best kept secret?

I chose side three track two… “Self Aware” for the business of comparing the P1 and the P2, and the differences are immediately apparent. The P2 gets much more information from the grooves. The music is easier to follow the dynamic range is better. The bass goes down quite a lot deeper too and is firmer and better defined. What impressed me the most was how the P2 made the vocals sound like they were being sung with more passion and were more emotionally charged. The juxtaposition of the lead guitar and the “Tangerine Dreaminess” of the synthesiser becomes more deeply hypnotic. Then at around the five and a half minute mark when you think the band are winding down is when the track really takes off with throbby deep bass guitar and beautiful synth work that goes on for another glorious four minutes of prog rock heaven!

More of that gorgeous artwork from the lyric sheet.

I think most people will be rather pleasantly surprised by the gulf in the performance of these two vinyl spinners! The Planar 1 is arguably one of the best entry-level vinyl spinners for the money on the market, but the improvements in the quality of components of the Planar 2 really do raise the level of enjoyment quite significantly and make it well worth the extra investment! Oh….and don’t forget you can upgrade the cartridge on the Planar 2 thanks to the advanced RB220 tonearm, meaning you can improve on the sound even further should you so wish.

As usual, you are welcome to give us a call on 01242 583960 to arrange a demonstration for you to make your own comparison between the two. And if you’re just passing by, why not pop in and take a look?

Many thanks for reading!

Andy, Jon and Farid - Audio T Cheltenham.

If you have any questions about any of the items featured in this article, and would like to hear how good your favourite albums can sound on some of our finest systems, or if you have any other Hi-Fi or home cinema enquiries, be sure to Contact Us.

If you’ve enjoyed reading this, why not go ahead and read some more of our other blogs, and be sure to follow us on our social media channels below…

Into the groove with the Degritter Mark II Ultrasonic Record Cleaner

/ Audio T Brighton/

It’s winter, it’s cold and the trucks are out salting and gritting the roads.

Imagine that annoying bit of grit that makes its way inside your shoe, getting into your house and magically making its way into the grooves of your precious record collection. Too far fetched . . . maybe?

Now, Madonna is hardly a role-model I would normally turn to for quotes, but in this case she has a point when she says, “Let’s get into the groove...” and in the context of this months blog we would agree and that is why we are talking about the product referenced in the title, the Degritter Mark II.

Degritter Mark II

Degritter Mark II

I can personally vouch for the need to clean your records, especially if they’re mine!

You don’t have to be playing an album by ZZ Top to have Billy Gibbons beard make a guest appearance on the end of your stylus! We’ve all been there and exclaimed, “Where on earth did that fluff come from?”.

Whether you own pets or not, an unfortunate fact of life is that we all shed skin and dandruff that forms house dust and this settles on surfaces. Records have an uncanny knack of acquiring electrostatic charge, especially when you take records in or out of a sleeve, whether they be albums by Van de Graaf Generator or not, so it’s not surprising that dust, fluff and grit find their way into places one might not consider being at risk of contamination.

So how to deal with this frequent occurrence for record collectors?

True Grit...

I’m sure John Wayne had a record collection and a turntable and wished he’d been able to purchase a Degritter Mark II back in the day. He may have avoided the eye injury necessitating an eye patch after a piece of grit spun off his 78’s ;)

But seriously...

Jesting aside, let’s get into the Degritter Mark II in some more detail. Designed and manufactured in Estonia, the Degritter Mark II has been making waves (pun intended) in the record playing community as an excellent cleaner, with some astounding sonic benefits, which we’ll discuss later.

Degritter Mark II in drying mode

Ultrasonic cleaning architecture...

Degritter Mark II

The ultrasonic cleaning tank that’s in the Degritter Mark II is purpose built for vinyl records. The tank has two ultrasonic transducers on either side emitting 120kHz ultrasonic vibrations, evenly distributing the cleaning energy across the record’s surface.

The driving frequency of the Power Drive ultrasonic generator sweeps between 120-125kHz. This evens the cavitation energy distribution in the water, minimising losses and giving a uniform cleaning action.

ultrasonic motors on the Degritter Mark II

Clever features and simple operation...

Amongst the features the Degritter Mark II has are: Active filtering, record safe temperature control, smart drying and a post wash rinse option using a separate water tank.

No salt required - Degritter Mark II in use...

We’ve been keen to get the Degritter Mark II into action here at Audio T Brighton.

Your first requirement will be to obtain some distilled/deionised water to fill the tank. This is relatively inexpensive and available in the major supermarkets. Failing that, it is available for online purchase and a 5 litre bottle would be a good starting quantity, especially given the enthusiasm you’re likely acquire once the listening starts, post-washing.

Degritter Mark II cleaning fluid

I’m not going to go into every last operational detail in this blog because there is an extensive instruction booklet. However, the operation is very intuitive using the buttons on the front, which have a nicely damped and quality feel. The Degritter Mark II exudes quality and has the nicest feel of any record cleaner we’ve used in store here at Audio T Brighton.

Once the tank has been filled and the small, pipette amount of supplied cleaning fluid added and mixed, we were off...

Degas...

First step is to Degas the water, which uses the ultrasonic motors to remove small bubbles that may be in the water and hinder the cleaning process.

degas the water in step 1

Quick, Medium and Heavy cleaning...

There are 3 levels of cleaning for the Degritter Mark II; Quick, Medium and Heavy lasting for times shown in the images below - we opted for Medium, which takes 8min 45secs(ish).

Degritter Mark II cleaning process...

As is shown in the sequence above, the Degritter Mark II has several distinct cleaning phases. The washing phase involves a slow rotation of the record with a small bi-directional oscillation thrown in for good measure. There are some “suds” from the cleaning surfactant as the process continues, but these are not excessive and water doesn’t cross the record surface to affect the record label when in use and it appears that the oscillation helps with the prevention of this.

Noise levels are quite reasonable compared to the pneumatic drill sound levels I’ve experienced on some record cleaning machines.

The drying phase is noisier, as one might expect, and similar to the sound of a hair dryer, but never excessive and dries the records very well, with no residue left on the surface of the record.

And that’s it! All that remains is to remove the record and start cleaning another, which you will want to do after listening to your shiny, spick and span record.

Where the rubber meets the road...

Or should I say, “Where the needle meets the groove.”? Madonna, eat your heart out!

I have to say that I was somewhat skeptical about the sort of enhancements to sound that the Degritter Mark II might bring.

It didn’t take long for my jaw to hit the floor . . . let’s say it took 8mins 45secs of the medium cleaning cycle plus the time it takes to cue a record and listen for few seconds. I mean literally a few seconds!

Noise levels are substantially reduced. Many folks talk about sounds emanating from a “black background”, but the way low level detail and dynamics are enhanced is quite remarkable.

Vocals are purer and silky smooth. Bass gets deeper and the decay length and detail in cymbal hits are much enhanced. It really needs to be heard to be believed!

Some users have claimed of further enhancements with additional washes and I have no reason to disbelieve them. I guess a heavy wash may have additional benefits.

Like a good fillet steak, whether you like your records rare, medium or well done, pleasure will abound after cleaning with the Degritter Mark II.

If you are interested in auditioning any of the products mentioned in this blog or from our extensive range of quality gear, please get in touch.

Thanks for reading.

Ade, John and Paul - Audio T Brighton

If you have any questions about any of the equipment featured in this article, or any other Hi-Fi or home cinema enquiries, be sure to Contact Us.

If you’ve enjoyed this, why not go ahead and read some more of our other blogs, and be sure to follow us on our social media channels below…

Degritter can be found at the following Audio-T stores

Dynaudio Focus - A New Take on High End Sound

/ Audio T Oxford/

Where is hi-fi and music going in the future? Will it continue to pivot around sound quality, realism and dynamics, emotional content etc or, at its expense, will the centre of gravity shift towards convenience, new technology and fewer boxes? Dynaudio have clearly been giving some serious thought to this issue and applied their considerable audio engineering expertise to it.

Their answer is nothing need be sacrificed, it can be all these great things and more! So here we have true wireless hi-fi and the high-level audio performance you deserve, courtesy of future proofed and award-winning acoustic technology 

The Dynaudio Focus Family

Let us introduce the Dynaudio Focus range - Dynaudio’s latest addition to their fantastic portfolio of active loudspeaker models. The Focus range comprises (right to left) the stand mount Focus 10, and the floor standing Focus 30 and 50 models. Four finishes are available - Gloss Black, Gloss White, Blonde Wood and Walnut. For this blog we are concentrating on the Focus 50, the flagship model of the range and suitable for larger rooms.  

So, what does the Focus do?  

Well, the list is considerable: 

  • Streaming via Spotify Connect, Tidal Connect, Qobuz Connect (when available), Apple Airplay 2, Google Chromecast, Roon, Bluetooth and any local networked UPNP capabilities, or via a networked hard drive at home

  • Other digital sources can be connected via co-axial and optical inputs,

  • There is even an analogue input for say your turntable/phono stage etc.

  • The speakers “talk” to each other via WiSA technology and also to televisions and other audio gear, that are increasingly becoming WiSA equipped ( WiSA certified sound systems allow high definition audio to be transmitted and received wirelessly in a totally synchronised manner)

So, pretty much a hub for everything. The only connections the Focus actives require are a network (you can go wired or wireless), and one mains socket each.

The

The physical Power socket, ANALOGUE and Digital Ins & outs at the back of the Primary speaker. Everything else is wireless or wisa.

What is in the speaker box? 

Being an active loudspeaker, each Focus 50 has three class-D amplifiers on board, one 110W unit for the 28mm soft-dome tweeter: a 280W amp for the for the midrange driver and one 280W amp for the twin bass drivers (working in parallel). Each amp is matched for performance to its tweeter, mid-range unit or woofer. The amplifiers are made for Dynaudio by Pascal, the same used in Dynaudio’s flagship professional studio speakers. One speaker is the Primary (with inputs and controls) and the other is the Client connected via WiSA.

All amplifier and speaker units are calibrated to work together to provide full range fatigue free sound. One great feature of the DSP package is a built-in failsafe system preventing overdriving and damaging the drive units, that is if you are in party mode and have informed the neighbours first! 

App & Tech Driven 

Set up and adjustment for the speakers is done via two free IOS and Android Dynaudio Apps:

  • Dynaudio Set-up - to get the speakers configured and online etc

  • Dynaudio Control - to set or change the parameters and sound profiles in the speaker settings

  • Bluetooth - a good old-fashioned remote supplied for the times when you can’t find your tablet or phone!

  • Updates - are periodically available for firmware and software as an automatic download. 

Dynaudio Control app - entry to speaker control parameters

dynaudio control app - access tidal or spotify connect etc, or radio via Ipad

dynaudio Control app - play music from UPNP or access settings

Digital System Processing (DSP) and Switching

As well as the high level of speaker calibration of amplifiers to drive units, a range of DSP options is available to optimise each speaker for their position within your room (near wall, corner or open space) and an option to drive an external subwoofer if desired (especially useful for large high ceiling rooms). You can also change the speaker’s sound profile from Neutral to Bright or Dark.

dynaudio control app - source selection

dynaudio control app : DSP and configuration settings

dynaudio control app - advanced settings

If you have a DIRAC licence (purchased and installed separately) you can use DIRAC Live to optimise the speakers to your room.

Our System 

With so many options we thought, as a starting point, it would be fun to build the most minimalist but potent streaming system we could, with as few leads as possible. This is what we came up with: 

  • Innuos Zen Mini acting as a UPNP source

  • Control from Roon Core and software for the most expansive musical experience

  • The Dynaudio Focus 50’s acting as Roon Endpoints

  • A tablet with the Roon App, to control volume and UPNP sources/ endpoints and navigate the music. 

In this instance you would need a Roon licence with the expense of the annual or lifetime subscription, but Roon does provide a rich and rewarding musical experience and it will also distribute music to any network connected device that is “Roon Ready”. In this respect it is a more or less universal application. To set all this up, there was some swapping around between the Innuos Sense App, the Dynaudio Control App and Roon itself, to get everything going, but it was intuitive if you are even only a little tech savvy. If not, it would be a reasonable expectation for your dealer to set this up for you. 

So how does it sound? 

The Focus 50’s are very impressive indeed at the end of this digital system!  

Whilst it is tempting to play loud and low (because they do both of these very well), they will also do subtle and sublime. Music is insightful, dynamic, moving and fatigue free and very well voiced. Indeed one of the very best features of the Focus range, is the ability to play deep, extended bass whilst maintaining the treble and all-important midrange at low listening levels, something we have never heard done so well on a passive speaker. So, kudos to some very clever Dynaudio DSP wizardry. 

Most of all they are highly satisfying to listen to, and with Roon you will soon find yourself “going down the rabbit hole” into an expansive voyage of discovery of new music. So, the Innuos and Roon showed us just how fantastically capable the Focus actives are with networked music. Of course, if Roon is not for you, then Tidal Connect also works very well.

But the Focus 50s are versatile and we like vinyl, so we thought why not try the analogue inputs? Out came the excellent Rega Planar 10/ Apheta and Aria phono stage. We set the Focus 50s to their analogue input and we had our vinyl collection available! Great excitement and dynamics again. Vinyl purists may argue that the signal is being converted to digital, but in our view the Focus 50s maintained and discriminated the excellence of the Rega pairing. To prove this, we substituted the P10 combo for a lesser but good calibre deck and the difference in quality was clear. So, the Focus 50s recognise and distinguish between the quality of any analogue input

The focus 50’s with the rega p10 analogue combo

The Test Music

  • Burnt Friedman and the New Dub Players - Just Landed (Jazz & Dub)

  • Floating Points/ Pharaoh Sanders - Promises (Jazz, Electronic & Symphony Orchestra)

  • Porcupine Tree - Fear of a Blank Planet (Rock)

  • Raising Sand - Robert Plant and Alison Kraus (Americana)

  • Yello - One Second (Dance/Vinyl)

Summary

Here we have a speaker that is unflustered, powerful, and insightful, no matter what you throw at it. It plays music in a coherent and satisfying way. It is a different non-traditional way of presenting high quality music, that permits you to keep and enjoy your existing or legacy formats, yet also allows you to take a deep dive into the world of streaming. They sound just great with all the genres of music that we played.

So why not try the Focus range with your musical collection? You will enjoy every minute of it.    

If you would like to listen to any of these models, please do not hesitate to get in touch. Currently in residence at our Oxford and Reading stores.

Thanks for reading.

Rob and Jon - Audio T Oxford. 

If you have any questions about any of the equipment featured in this article, or any other Hi-Fi or home cinema enquiries, be sure to Contact Us.

If you’ve enjoyed this, why not go ahead and read some more of our other blogs, and be sure to follow us on our social media channels below…

 

Untangle Your Music… Are Power Cable upgrades just snake oil?

/ Audio T Enfield/

Before joining Audio T I wasn’t entirely convinced of the importance of cables in a low or even mid level hi-fi system. Interconnects and speaker cable…. sure. But mains cables? No way! power is power, surely?

So how did it start?

Things first started to change for me when I heard what a difference upgrading an interconnect made to my turntable, so I looked at the mess of mains cables behind my home cinema system and decided I could do better.

£45 and a few mouse clicks later, I had bought some used, short audiophile shielded mains cables (I thoroughly checked the connections before using them). I plugged them in, sat back and listened to some music and…. not much had changed. Maybe it sounded better? Or was it just wishful thinking? Eventually I came the conclusion it possibly sounded very slightly clearer but probably not worth the money in terms of sound quality. It did however tidy up the back of my system considerably, that alone may be reason it sounded slightly better? The jury was out on that one.

Good luck keeping this tidy!

Good luck keeping this tidy!

I gave up, switched on the telly to look at the TV guide and was astonished at the picture quality. There had always been a slight shimmer which I had put down to the limitations of plasma screens, but from my viewing position the picture was now flawless, it was only when I got right up close to the screen that I could see any shimmering at all. So, money well spent then!

Now, a few years later, I’m working at Audio T where we have a selection of audiophile mains cables to choose from, plugging a £250 mains cable into an expensive system doesn’t seem such an extravagance and sounds infinitely better, but would they make a difference to my humble Denon AVR at home?

The Test

To put it to the test, I took home three different models of mains cables to compare with my existing shielded cable. The first two made only a slight improvement on my current setup, but the third, a Chord Shawline immediately increased detail and clarity, and also improved soundstage. It was a clear change to older, well mastered music, but particularly noticeable with some of the less well produced music that has been released in more recent years. A lot of my favourite music from the 90s and 00s came alive and no longer sounded muddled or dull, very surprising!

Chord Shawline mains cable

So what’s going on here?

The Chord Shawline mains cable uses high purity, thicker stranded conductor and double shielding - a foil wrap to catch the high frequency interference and a wire braid to catch the lower frequency stuff. The cable also has a tough outer jacket that helps to damp any vibrations. All a significant upgrade over my existing foil shielded cable.

But the rest of my house isn’t wired with this stuff, so why does replacing the final couple of metres make such a difference?

It’s the last bit next to the AV equipment that is the noisiest part, with every unit and its cables putting out some kind of interference, so shielding in this area is very important.

Where to use shielded mains cables?

Basically everywhere if you can, some recommend you start with CD, Blu Ray, Network streamers and other sources first as these are more likely to be affected by noise.

All Chord power cables are available with a selection of connectors including IEC and figure 8 to suit most equipment. Standard lengths are: 1m, 1.5m and 2m although other lengths can be ordered to suit.

In conclusion, although you would probably think twice about spending £250 on a mains cable for a £300 AVR, I just couldn’t go back to the old sound and give up the extra detail and depth. I’ve spent the last few weeks enjoying music that previously I couldn’t listen to, so for me it was money well spent!

Don’t believe me? Why not try it for yourself. Give your local Audio T store a call to find out more information about the products listed, and if you’re just passing by, why not pop in and take a look at them too?!

Thanks for reading!

Richard, Elena & John – Audio T Enfield

If you have any questions about any of the equipment featured in this article, or any other Hi-Fi or home cinema enquiries, be sure to Contact Us.

If you’ve enjoyed this, why not go ahead and read some more of our other blogs, and be sure to follow us on our social media channels below…


Chord Company can be found at the following Audio T stores

*All prices, credit terms and interest rates quoted are correct at the time of going to press but may be subject to change. E&OE

Albums Of The Year 2022 at Audio T Cheltenham!

/ Audio T Cheltenham/

Mince Pies And Twiglets!

This blog is going to be a little self indulgent I’m afraid, but bear with me! Basically it is a big shout out for some of my favourite music of the year just gone (2022 in case you’d forgotten in a haze of football and reality TV mediocrity). I am always on the lookout for new pieces of music that are a little off the beaten track but are a dead cert to make your hifi system sound amazing. 2022 has been a year that has seen so many stunning new albums from a plethora of stupendous bands and artists

Mistletoe and Wine!

First on the list (but in no particular order) comes this juicy little improv spiritual jazz thing from Flock.

Beutiful Artwork by Muhammed Fatchurofi sets the scene for some sublime music

Flock consist of and all music is improvised by….

  • Bex Burch: gyil, vibraphone, bass drum, shakers, bells, gong, snake drum, electronics

  • Sarathy Korwar: drums, tabla

  • Danalogue: fender rhodes, roland juno-60, upright piano, roland SH-09 bass synth

  • Al MacSween: prepared piano, piano, Moog Sub37

  • Tamar Osborn: bass clarinet, flute, soprano sax, EHX deluxe memory boy

All the pieces were recorded in one day with the emphasis on breathing and listening to one other,” explains Bex Burch. “Improvisation is composition in itself, so although the music was freely improvised, we sometimes chose to stay on form and rhythm, repeating melodies and groove.” As Dan commented on the day, we “murmurated”.

For me the standout track is the expansive 13-minute piece ‘How Many Are One’. This is the perfect example of a collective following and leading as the music and rhythms shift and fold into each other as they develop. And the bass on this track will really test out your speakers. Just as you think the bottom end goes down low it gets even deeper……Nice!!

Figgy Pud

Next on the ( in no particular order ) list is the very wonderful album By Fenella that goes by the title “The Metallic Index”.

Me and fenella

Fenella is Jane Weavers experimental ensemble in collaboration with Peter Philipson and Raz Ullah, They return with a hallucinogenic excursion into ambient textures and hypnagogic drones on new album ‘The Metallic Index’. Taking further steps into their combined compositional universe with this follow-up to 2019’s acclaimed Fehérlófia album.

Loosely based on a genuine story recounting the short-lived abilities of a young psychic nurse in 1920s London, Fenella’s niche muse Jane Weaver justifies this celebratory return to vinyl, as she says “not once does it fall into the supposed tropes of staid hauntological-plunderphonics which repeatedly come to muddy our thirsty streams”. Fenella make spirited melodic progressive pop music that pulsates with the same magnetism that fans of Jane Weaver's own The Silver Globe and Modern Kosmology have come to respect and hold closely.

Handcrafted using a generous archive of some of the best vintage equipment in the country, the sound structures you hear at the heart of this album form the basis for Fenella's best work yet, while the individual spectral vocalisations and ethereal electronics that circle the room capture this trio's return, as peripheral visions, in full. The result is truly breathtakingly gorgeous and wonkily weird. Stand out track is “Telekinetoscopes” The soundstage is huge with sounds appearing and disappearing way outside the plane of the loudspeakers. See how good your hifi system is at revealing the beauty from within the glitchiness and the power from the propulsive deep bass. Go on try it, you never know you might just fall in love! Oh, the movie is a real corker too!

Crackers and Cheese

My final choice is “Solace” by Held By Trees.

The Beautiful cover painting is by nicola stockley

Held By Trees is an instrumental prog rock/post-rock collaboration of musicians heavily inspired by Talk Talk/Mark Hollis, consisting of musicians that took part in the infamous sessions for Spirit of Eden (1988), Laughing Stock (1991) and Mark Hollis' solo album (1998). Other inspirations include the minimal piano work of Ryuichi Sakamoto, and early 70's Pink Floyd. Not a bad little list of influences then eh?

Musically there is more than a hint of Talk Talk and any one who is a fan of theirs will really enjoy this. Legendary guitar player Eric Bibb guests on a couple of tracks too! Stand out track is definitely the six minute long “In The Trees”. The moment when the acoustic bass comes in is drop dead gorgeous.

Don’t Let The Bells End

These are just a few of the great albums from 2022 and I believe are much more fun than your run-of-the-mill hifi show demo smooth jazz, Nightfly by Donald Fagan anyone? Or any one of the awfully recorded Oasis albums? Play these and I guarantee that you will be more than pleasantly surprised at how good your hifi can sound when it is fed with top quality music that is well produced and recorded. And strictly speaking ( well writing actually ) all the greatest hifi equipment in the world would be totally useless if the music we played on it wasn’t up to snuff wouldn’t it?

Right ….now I am off to scoff mince pies and stollen….see you all on the other side!

Many thanks for reading, hope you have a great Christmas.

Andy, Jon and Farid - Audio T Cheltenham.

If you have any questions about any of the music featured in this article, and would like to hear how good your favourite albums can sound on some of our finest systems, or if you have any other Hi-Fi or home cinema enquiries, be sure to Contact Us.

If you’ve enjoyed reading this, why not go ahead and read some more of our other blogs, and be sure to follow us on our social media channels below…

Valve Power & Vintage Inspired Speakers - A look at Audio Note

/ Audio T Cardiff/

Are valve amplifiers and vintage inspired speakers the ultimate combination? A study and review of Audio Notes Cobra integrated amplifier and Audio Note AN-K loudspeakers. Matt from our Cardiff shop takes a deeper look into the Audio Note brand and talks about his passion for all things valve.

audio note cobra vlaves in the dark

Being a guitarist, I have always loved the sound of a valve amplifier. They have a certain tonality and warmth to them. Different combinations of valves (or tubes) offer different tones which we can identify with different brands of amplifier as well as different tone circuits in each brand giving us that “Holy Grail” of tone that myself and other guitarists continually chase.

Over the years I have come to be able to distinguish the difference between classic guitar amplifiers. An example of this is the Marshall Bluesbreaker, which immediately makes me think of Eric Clapton and John Mayall as this was the amplifier used in the recording of the album, “Blues Breakers”. Another unmistakable classic is the Vox AC30. The band that comes straight to mind is The Beatles. Both John Lennon and George Harrison used the iconic AC30 on many occasions whilst recording.

Mullard factory - Hammersmith, London

Guitar amplifiers are not the only ones to incorporate valve technology. The world of Hi-Fi has had its fair share of valve amplifiers from the very beginning. Valve technology goes back further in time before the modern days of solid state and digital amplification were ever a thought. I'm talking war time Britain when our only entertainment was radio, and yes you guessed it they had valve power sections in some models, they even had a valve rectified section if you look back to the original His Master’s Voice (HMV) radios and other brands like Bush. Most of the radios from this time period were valve based. In fact, once upon a time, Britain had one of the biggest valve production factories in the world, the Mullard Vacuum tube factory based in Hammersmith, London. Even though Mullard stopped manufacturing in 1982, their valves are still highly sought after today, with many enthusiasts hunting them out to use in their recording equipment, guitar amplifiers and even Hi-Fi systems.

Whilst many Hi-Fi manufacturers moved to solid state technology during the 70s and 80s, some continued to champion the alluring glow of the valve. One such contemporary Hi-Fi brand utilising valves in their equipment is Audio Note, who have made some groundbreaking amplifiers, speakers, DACs, phono stages and CD players. The Audio note CD 3.1 uses a pair of ECC88 dual triode valves on the output stage, so valves are not just about amplification.

A Little History behind Audio Note…

Audio Note Founder, Peter Qvortup

Audio Note LISTENING lounge (brighton)

Peter Qvortup founded the company back in 1989. His love of music and relentless pursuit of perfect tone brought him to building and perfecting his first production all valve integrated amplifier in 1991, the OTO PP. As an amplifier the OTO has certainly stood the test of time as it is still in production today. You can read a more in depth look at the current OTO amplifier in our Bristol stores blog. Peter’s vision with turntables, CD players, amplification and loudspeakers is to listen to music as it should be heard, perfectly balanced with every nuance and detail we want to hear. Perfect synergy between the equipment, from the source to the speakers is the end goal.

Reading Store Manager, Gareth, in Peter’s home listening room.

Peter has an incredible collection of music and a very eclectic taste, ranging from Classical to Drum & Bass and everything in between so that he can put his equipment through its paces.

Also, one other little known fact, which I think is rather awesome, is that he has hand selected and stockpiled the valves he uses… His secret? Whilst many manufacturers were moving to solid state technology, Peter was travelling the world and purchasing valves, but not just from musical sources… Under lock and key in the Horsham factory, You’ll find a large selection of small brown boxes, stamped with “Property of the US Government”, all of which contain valves (Or tubes as our American brethren will say)!

Many years down the line from the birth of Audio Note, Peter has come up with yet another great all valve beauty; The Cobra…

Has the Cobra got any bite?

The audio note cobra - a classic sound for a modern age

This little giant of a valve amplifier puts out a hefty 28 watts per channel, thanks to a quad set of Electro Harmonix EL34 power valves operating in class A (for the guitarists out there we all know Electro Harmonix as a quality valve brand). 28 watts may not sound much but in the language of valve that is pretty powerful. In the preamp section it’s running 2 x 6AU6 and 2 x 5670 Electro Harmonix preamp tubes.

This amplifier is capable of running a wide range of speakers not just Audio Note (although it is highly recommend that their is an obvious synergy between a pair of Audio Note speakers will have with an Audio Note amp). We have also tried this amp out on one of my favourite loudspeakers the Spendor D7.2s, let’s just say this was a great match.

The Cobra is equipped with three analogue stereo inputs and it also boasts a rather good DAC, which has a Philips TDA1543 D/A chip. The DAC can connect to source components via optical input up to 24Bit native or digital coax. You can even connect your computer or tablet via USB!

audio note cobra rear panel inc. dac inputs

The Audio Note AN-K - New speakers with an old soul

Audio Note AN-K speaker Poplar burl

The AN-K is classed as a compact bookshelf designed speaker, but I would say a good mid sized stand mounted speaker, which are also a great speaker to look at. In the Cardiff store we currently have them on demonstration in Poplar Burl, these speakers certainly pack a punch in a good way. The design of these speakers is inspired by classic Snell closed cabinet design speakers. The AN-K is a relatively easy speaker to drive so this does make these speakers a great pairing with any lower powered valve amplifier. The cabinet construction feels very solid. The birch ply construction can be seen at the rear of the speaker next to the binding posts. They are available in several different veneers. These speakers are 6ohm, which is a very happy medium, with a sensitivity of 90 db. The specially designed simple cross over incorporates air-cored chokes and hand selected capacitors, going from polypropylene up to river foil depending on the model of speaker. They have a specially designed 3/4 inch soft dome tweeter, and the bass driver is a specially designed by Audio Note 8 inch paper cone with copper voice coils, very much a classic combination in speaker design.

audio note ank speaker rear panel terminals

Setup

Interconnects and speaker cables:

Artists tracks and albums used in the audition:

Vinyl

Tom Petty and the Heartbreakers - Greatest Hits 1993 - “Mary Jane’s last dance”

Def Leppard - Hysteria 1987 - “Hysteria”

CD

Red Dragon Cartel - Patina 2018 - “Ghosts”

The Listening

Before I sit down and settle into this listening session as we know speaker placement is key especially with the AN-K’s most speakers need to be brought out from the wall to get the best out of them. In this case with the Audio Note speakers due to their classic closed cabinet design they need to be closer to the wall to work with the room bringing them closer to the wall controls the bass and the speakers become more alive then, everything comes together.

Now I have the speakers placed and the valve amp is nice and warm I can drop the needle and start the listening process.

Linn majik lp12 with nytech cdp122

Starting with the Tom Petty track Mary Jane’s Last Dance, from the start the combination of Linn and Audio Note had me engaged straight away. I can hear the Hammond organ used on this track clearer than I have ever heard it before and the bridge pickup tone on Tom Petty’s Gretsch sounds bright but tone full. I feel this is down to the nature of the EL34 power valves and the tonal character they have making guitars sound more real and alive to me.

Next up, Def Leppard - Hysteria. This track had me locked in from the start as it is incredibly well recorded and this particular pressing is rather good. Right from the start I was mesmerised by everything going on, from the chorus effect on the guitars, Rick Allen’s drums sound tight and not loose at all and Phil Collen’s guitar solo cuts through effortlessly. As I said before the valve amp making guitars sound more alive. I also feel the speakers are a perfect match for this amplifier, perfect system synergy going back to Peter’s vision of how music should sound. I’d say he has achieved perfection with the Cobra and AN-K combination.

Last but not least, Red Dragon Cartel. If you don’t know these guys you may have heard of the guitarist in the band, Jake E Lee, formerly with Ozzy Osbourne. Many years ago, he wrote the guitar parts to such tracks as Bark At The Moon, in my opinion one of the best riffs in existence. Now, many years later Jake came out of retirement to form Red Dragon Cartel. Enough of the band history let’s talk about how this sounds…

In this instance I’m using the Audio Note CD 2.1 CD player using digital coax into the Cobra’s DAC. Right from the off the bass riff on this track hit me in a good way powerful yet well controlled. Drums tight and precise, then Jake’s opening riff kicks in and I can almost hear the pick strike as he plays behind the bridge on his late 60s Gibson ES 335 TD, this is a very unusual but a really cool effect. Then the rest of the track comes together getting ahead nodding and feet tapping which is what we all want from a listening experience to get lost in the music. In short the Cobra’s DAC works really well with the all valve nature of the Cobra amplifier, detailed and warm.

Conclusion

I feel that Audio Note have certainly brought a few surprises to my ears. Things I have not heard before in the music I have been listening to today. This whole listening session today has kept me firmly glued to my seat from hearing what the Cobra can do and the tonal characteristics of the valves right through to how efficient the AN-K speakers are bringing every detail to my ears. Considering this is the tip of the iceberg for Audio Note what a great place to start.

When we talk about system synergy and every component of a Hi-Fi system working well together. We all want the listen experience to be seamless and effortless, just plug in and play and enjoy the music and not analyse everything that’s going on just to sit back and enjoy an album in its entirety. Peter has got this experience down to a T again, just listen to the music.

Why not pop in and have a listen to this fantastic system for yourself and tell me what you think. Even explore more of Audio Note’s range we can organise demonstrations with any of their fantastic equipment. You can contact us to organise a demonstration on Tel 02920 228565 or Email us at cardiff@audio-t.co.uk we’d love to hear from you.

Thank you for reading

Matt, Nick and Kerrin - Audio T Cardiff

If you have any questions about any of the equipment featured in this article, or any other Hi-Fi or home cinema enquiries, be sure to Contact Us.

If you’ve enjoyed this, why not go ahead and read some more of our other blogs, and be sure to follow us on our social media channels below…

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

In Review: Linn Sondek LP12 Week at Audio T Brighton

/ Audio T Brighton/

Audio T in Brighton is proud to present a summary of our LINN SONDEK LP12 week, where customers had the opportunity to see and hear the quality triumvirate of turntables offered under the Linn moniker; namely the LP12 Majik, LP12 Selekt and LP12 Klimax turntables with their respective power supplies, phono stages, arms and cartridges.

Every year, Audio T runs a series of store events to make our customers aware of upgrades and new products available.

This year, one year before Linn’s 50th year in business, the time seemed right to highlight the sonic benefits of going Linn.

Linn... We’re all in!

linn lp12 majik turntable, linn majik dsm streamer/amp and linn majik 140 floor standing speakers

Almost 50 years since Ivor Tiefenbrun started Linn and conceived the now famous Linn Sondek LP12 turntable, changing the sonic landscape for vinyl playback and the record playing public, it seems appropriate to present the improved current range.

Re-defining the meaning of magic...

The Linn Majik combination shown above, really highlights the all-round flexibility of the latest Linn system, comprising of: Linn Majik LP12/Krane/Adikt turntable combo, Linn Majik DSM streamer/amp, Linn Majik 140 floor standing speakers shown here displayed on a Quadraspire Evo bamboo rack, allowing vinyl playback, streaming services and internet radio playback for quality audio enjoyment.

The Linn Majik system really kicks things off with a sonic bang for the buck, displaying a sonic prowess and style that anyone with taste will appreciate.

Readers may also like to know that the Linn Majik LP12/Krane/Koil MC cartridge is also available as an option.

Linn LP12 Selekt/Arko/Kendo...

linn lp12 selekt with arko arm and kendo mc cartridge

It has been a real treat to have the Linn LP12 Selekt with Arko arm and Kendo MC cartridge this week. This is a first for us here at Audio T in Brighton, partly because the Arko arm and Kendo MC cartridge are brand-new products from the Linn stable.

Sounding sweet, refined and smooth, the Linn Selekt LP12 is a definite step up from the Linn MajikLP12. Much of this improvement is down to the Kore subchassis upgrade, along with the Linn Lingo 4 power supply and Linn Uphorik phono stage. Good power supplies support stable speed and reduce the noise floor, allowing the Linn Arko arm and Kendo MC cartridge to extract more information from the record grooves. Groove it certainly does, especially when played through our Naim NAP500DR power amp and 500PS power supply. into some ATC SCM50 passive speakers.

linn lp12 selekt with uphorik and lingo 4 plus linn majik dsm streamer below

Linn LP12 Klimax/Ekos SE/Ekstatik/Urika/Radikal…

linn lp12 klimax with Ekos SE arm, ekstatik cartridge

So, onto our top Linn LP12 deck - the Linn Klimax LP12.

This is a thing of beauty, in design, in looks and in sound. Armed with; a Keel subchassis, Urika phono stage, Ekos SE tonearm, Ekstatik cartridge and Radikal 2 power supply, the Linn LP12 Klimax sounds wonderful. A clear step-up from the Linn Selekt LP12, as it should be for the extra expense, the Linn LP12 Klimax offers a “reach out and touch” quality, brimming with detail, sparkling dynamics and authenticity whatever genre of music one decides to play. Again, playing through our top, in store, Naim NAP500DR power amp and 500PS power supply, a quality source like our Linn LP12 Klimax really has a chance to shine.

linn lp12 klimax and selekt on our naim 500 system here at audio t in brighton

2023 will be Linn’s 50th anniversary and some things never change. Ivor Tiefenbrun’s source first philosophy, often in conjunction with Naim Audio’s amplifiers, really highlights the importance of spending a fair proportion of the system budget on the turntable to maximise sound quality.

Quality engineering and half a century of experience in making record players speaks volumes and you’ll certainly want to turn up the volume when playing a Linn LP12, whichever variant you decide to go for.

The Linn Majik LP12/Krane/Adikt and Linn LP12 Klimax/EkosSE/Ekstatik are on permanent show here at Audio T in Brighton, so if you’d like to bring in some records and have a listen, give us a bell on 01273 609431 or email: brighton@audio-t.co.uk

We hope you enjoyed the read and whilst you’re here, let us take the opportunity to wish everyone a Happy Christmas and New Year.

Thanks for reading.

Ade, John and Paul - Audio T Brighton

If you have any questions about any of the equipment featured in this article, or any other Hi-Fi or home cinema enquiries, be sure to Contact Us.

If you’ve enjoyed this, why not go ahead and read some more of our other blogs, and be sure to follow us on our social media channels below…

音 OTO, The Japanese for “Sound” - Introducing Audio Note's Modern Day Classic - The OTO Phono SE Signature Amplifier.

/ Audio T Bristol /

The common misconception with valve amplifiers is that they measure badly in signal to noise ratio, distort, lack drive, resulting in poor bass extension and poor treble detail. This could be applied to any amp regardless of technology used, but it isn't. How does the Audio Note OTO sound? Why might it be right for you?

Justus von Liebig, the founding father of organic chemistry, somewhere in the mid 19th century turned his attention to food - how to make bread lighter, the chemistry of coffee making and, most notably, found a method of applying heat-autolysis to a sticky tar black residue created when brewing beer to create a yeast extract - add some salt and veggie flavouring and you get something vaguely edible - Marmite - a British cuisine icon.

Researching for this article throws up forums bursting at the seams with raging audiophile culture wars arguing for and against valves for all the reasons mentioned above. I'm going to be contentious here and summarise this as a Marmite argument. Because until you’ve tried it - How do you know if you Love it or Hate it?

UK Brighton based manufacturer, Audio Note are viewed by many as the mavericks of Hi-Fi. Free thinkers, eccentric,bold and quirky. But, this allows them to do things very differently. Unlike most manufacturers Audio Note have huge control over their components and materials - home folded capacitors, resistors, even the quality of steel/iron used in the windings of their own transformers. No detail is overlooked to produce products for Music's Finest conductor. Indeed, the detail results in no less than 8 variations of this integrated amplifier.

The Single Ended Triode (SET) is an exotic species amongst the Asian carp of modern solid state transistor amps. The OTO's first incarnation was over 25 years ago, The countless improvements and iterations have lead to a design that is well honed. The OTO is available in a variety of Push-Pull (Level 1) and Single Ended (SE Level 2) versions. The OTO PP models have been specifically engineered for sonic performance rather than technical specification, and fulfil all Audio Note (UK) Level 1 criteria:. The OTO SE models fulfil all Audio Note (UK) Level 2 criteria: - Pure Class A Push-Pull Pentode operation, topping out with the OTO Phone SE Signature featuring in house Audio Note Copper foil capacitors,, 1 Watt Ni-Chrome resistors used in the most critical areas, Audio Note (UK) KAISEI NP and KAISEI standard electrolytic capacitors. SHiB copper / copper c-core output transformers,

The model we have is the OTO Phono SE. This is single ended with a valve complement of 1 x ECC82, 2 x ECC83, 1 x 6DJ8 (phono stage), 1 x ECC83 (Phono stage) and 4 x EL84 producing 10W. Speaker selection is crucial when dealing with low output valves amplifiers, but this is something of a fallacy. Some talk is of minimum 100dB/2,83Vrms to really get the best out of valves. But, this seems to be aimed at badly designed valve amps, since the OTO is happy driving an 89 db speaker with no issues.

Setup

We setup the OTO within its own family of Audio Note components and with a few different source and speaker options:

Full Audio Note System
Audio Note CD 2.1x CD Player
Audio Note TT3 with IQIII Stylus Turntable
Audio Note An-K Speakers
Audio Note Lexus interconnects
Audio Note Lexus speaker cables

Components tested with the OTO:
Chord Odyssey speaker cable
Rega Saturn Mk3 CD player
Rega Planar 8 Ania Turntable
Harbeth C7ES-3 XD speakers
Harbeth M30.2 XD speakers
B&W 704 S3

Listening

The OTO plays well with other components particularly with the Saturn and Planar 8 options from Rega. It also seems really well suited to Harbeth speakers. There is no denying though, the Audio Note AN-K speakers with the TT3 turntable and CD 2.1 CD Player complement the OTO a little better, though the difference is not night and day.

Hi-Fi is ultimately about tuned electrical circuits refined to create the best possible music reproduction. Anyone who likes music can immediately appreciate the value of High-quality sound reproduction;

"It doesn't take a "golden ear" to know what sounds good", Robert Hartley, high Performance Audio Systems.

The Audio Note high-fidelity music system focuses on all the great music recordings produced through the ages, and their philosophy is that a great system should be able to play music across a spectrum of recording quality from poor to exceptional, and in an engaging and convincing musical fashion that rewards the listener regardless of what they want to listen to at any given moment. So, with this philosophy in mind we fired up the OTO and cranked through some albums.

Talk, Talk, The Colour of Spring rich instrumental textures with Hollis's melancholy voice soaring over the rich layers makes this pop, synth album a challenge for any system. The OTO presents a rich tapestry that doesn't flatten the textures that seems to happen with 80s thin recordings. The White Stripes, Elephant, no surprise how great this sounds. White's fastidious recording technique using eight tracks and pre-1960s gear needs to be heard on a valve amp.

Moving to a classical selection - Karl Bohm and the Berliner Philharmoniker Mozart Symphonien Nos 35-41 are clear with great stereo imaging , positioning of instruments and a texture that feels just right. Jonathan Sheffer, EOS Orchestra, Gershwin Rhapsody in Blue presented lovely detail in the opening clarinet solo, with the huge dynamics being handled perfectly. Doors, L.A. Woman, again presents sharply defined, oozing all the drama of the musical intention. This is sometimes lost, messy and tangled in sum systems, but not with the OTO. BB King, The Collection 20 Master recordings is quite a hard live feel. It has a nice spacious soundstage. BB’s vocals are strong and clear and along with his guitar sit front and centre. All other instruments spread out nicely.

Conclusion

The OTO excels at superb presentation of instrumental timbre, a sweet mid range and a clear detailed transparent treble that is never edgy, brittle or overly forward. The immediate effect is beguiling, culminating in what any great Hi-Fi should make you feel - the urge to indulge our passion and play more music.

Let's remember it took the work of two marketing geniuses to come up with the Marmite Love it/Hate it campaigns and create a modern day culture war around yeast extract. The Audio Note OTO is the growing up HI-FI “you never grow out of”.

No one but you can decide if a tube amplifier is ideal for your system and, as we always suggest, an audition of the OTO should be on your list - You may love it!

Thanks for reading.

Max, James & Justin - Audio T Bristol

If you have any questions about any of the equipment featured in this article, or any other Hi-Fi or home cinema enquiries, be sure to Contact Us.

If you’ve enjoyed this, why not go ahead and read some more of our other blogs, and be sure to follow us on our social media channels below…

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

Chromey investigates the Linn LP12 Selekt and Arko Tonearm at Audio T Manchester

/ Audio T Manchester/

The Scottish turntable manufacturer

Anyone visiting our website knows that quality and craftsmanship are synonymous with the company Linn, from Glasgow.

The Linn Sondek is a prime example of not only those attributes but the skilled engineering, with an eye for detail, that’s the envy of the Hi-fi industry.

So here at Audio T Manchester we are proud to now have the Linn Selekt LP12 on demonstration.

The New Bits

The Selekt LP12 comes into being thanks to two brand new components that elevate it from its predecessor, the Akurate LP12.

The first of these is the Arko tonearm.

With its silver finish and black base, the Arko is visually reminiscent of the old Ittok arm that impressed so many back in the 80s. The performance, however, has moved on.

The Material

Built on a gimbal base that allows for impeccable bearing tolerances, the 7075 aluminium arm is able to float delicately above the record with as near as possible to no resistance.

The 7075 grade aluminium has been used from the gimbal base all the way through to the headshell. This helps filter unwanted resonance away from the cartridge and down through the sub chassis.

The synergy of the 7075 grade aluminium continues into the other brand new component, the Kendo moving coil cartridge.

Delicate Intricacies

The Kendo houses its generator in a nickel-coated, aluminium chassis. The cantilever is boron, and has a super fine line diamond mounted at the end.

The Arko and the Kendo are mounted on to the now familiar Kore sub chassis, which provides excellent rigidity and stability.

Get the right bearing

Just like on the Akurate LP12 the bearing is the current Karousel single point bearing, which is somehow smoother and more consistent than the Cirkus that made way for it.

The whole thing is then kept moving by the unerringly Akurate (I made a Linn joke! Or pun, maybe it’s a pun?) Lingo 4 power supply.

Where there’s a will…

…theres a reason why Linn have been able to get away with selling the same turntable for nearly 50 years. It’s bloody good and every so often they work out how to make it better.

How much better?

Well having listened to it in our demo room we can safely say that Linn have done it again.

The Arko/Kendo combination work beautifully, the Kore then stiffens the chassis to keep things tight and pacey, the overall result is a fast and detailed sound that’s not fatiguing, with a smooth warmth that washes over you.

The Soro (Afrika) from Snarky Puppy sounds overwhelmingly huge and all encompassing, Salif Keita and his backing singers perfectly positioned in the sound stage, and flutes, wow!!, how such a small wind instrument can sound so big is a testament to the recording and the Linn been able to pluck all that detail out for you.

Alpha Blondy's Kalachnikov Love is another track that sounds massive, go figure, it was mixed at Tuff Gong studio, Kingston, Jamaica in 1986. Again the bass, played by Aston "Family Man" Barrett is tight yet lush, while Alpha's vocals fill the soundstage without harshness, and the synth sounds epic considering when it was recorded.

In a nutshell, the LP12 Selekt makes you want to play records, you could quite easily spend most of your evenings with many of your records spread across your living room floor as you decide what to play next.

We'd say that's not a bad place to be.

Need convincing? Interested in the Linn LP12 Selekt?

You can arrange a demonstration with us at the Manchester store, email or call us.

Thanks for reading.

Mike and Munir - 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 our social media channels below…

Linn can be found at the following Audio T stores

At Last, We Have A Good Soundbar! - The Sennheiser Ambeo Family

/ Audio T Cheltenham/

Having never been fans of the whole soundbar genre we were of course a tad sceptical of the boast from Sennheiser that the Ambeo Plus coupled with its partnering Ambeo Subwoofer would make us change our minds! Normally of course Sennheiser are more famous for a wonderful range of top quality headphones…not so much the soundbar thing but all that has changed with the Ambeo models and here we are putting the Ambeo Plus Soundbar and Ambeo Subwoofer through their paces.

ambeo plus with blurays for scale!

Set Up Is A Breeze

First of all set up of the Sennheiser Ambeo Plus was so simple. Just a quick download of the Sennheiser Smart Control app which talks you through the set up procedure step by step and will also very cleverly calibrate the soundbar and Ambeo Subwoofer to your room for optimum surround sound. It gets the bar connected to your Wi-Fi (or you can use Ethernet if you happen to have a cable near your TV), and then guides you through the optional steps for using Alexa as a voice assistant and using Google’s Chromecast built-in.

Set up screen that greets you when you open the app

Classic Movies

Once set up and working with an HDMI connection from our Bluray player I Played a couple of my favourite movie demonstration clips. First I played the beautifully filmed and choreographed Echo Game scene from House Of Flying Daggers with blind dancer Mei played by Zhang Ziyi, in which the floor is surrounded by drums on poles. Her nemesis throws a bean at one of the drums. She is to hit the same drum with the weighted end of her long sleeve. First one bean, then three, then countless beans are thrown, as Mei whirls in mid air to follow the sounds, hitting the drums with beats of her own. This becomes a ballet of movement and percussion with an amazing almost Kodo like drum sound that is a real test for the Ambeo subwoofer, which needless to say it passes with much aplomb. A simply stunning rendition of one of cinemas great scenes!

One of the best scenes in the history of movies!

Secondly I chose the brilliant final showdown gun fight scene from Kevin Costner’s 2003 American Revisionist movie Open Range. The gun fighting scenes in this film were intentionally filmed in giant wide shots and were praised for their intense realism. More importantly the gun fire sound is truly visceral and the Ambeo Soundbar Plus with its partnering Ambeo Subwoofer even make it sound like the echoes from the bullets are totally real as they fade away! This has to be the best gun fight in a movie ever!

You just know this isn’t going to end well!

Don’t Forget The Subwoofer

Although the Sennheiser Ambeo sub works really well it is possible to hook up any sub of your choice, not something that can be done with the majority of the competion. If your TV is wall mounted there is an optional wall bracket that can be had for an extra £50.

That’ll be the subwoofer then! It is possible to use up to four of these!!

A Bit More Info…

With the exception of the Ambeo Soundbar Max, I don’t think you can get a more immersive audio experience from a single speaker than the Ambeo Soundbar Plus. That is most certainly true when you feed it multi channel surround sound formats like Dolby Atmos or DTS:X, but it can be just as thrilling when listening to 5.1, 7.1, or even good old two-channel stereo.

The ambeo plus is a super slim 5.3 inches tall

Musically there is connectivity via Bluetooth, Apple AirPlay 2, Spotify Connect, TIDAL Connect with Dolby Atmos and Google Chromecast built-in too for good measure.

remote control too

Voice Enhancement allows for better speech clarity while Night Mode offers improved listening at lower volume levels, if the rest of the family are in bed and you don’t want to disturb them.

this is why it sounds so good

The Bit At The End…

Ok so this won’t replace a dedicated set of stereo or surround speakers but it is a great way to experience two channel sound in a truly immersive 3D presentation. If you want a single speaker solution with great sound and great looks this may well be for you.

As usual if you are even vaguely interested then you are welcome to give us a call on 01242 583960 to arrange a demo or pop in to the Cheltenham store where the Sennheiser Ambeo Plus is on (fairly) permanent demo. And if you’re just passing by, why not pop in and take a look at it too?

Many thanks for reading,

Andy, Jon and Farid - Audio T Cheltenham.

If you have any questions about any of the equipment featured in this article, or any other Hi-Fi or home cinema enquiries, be sure to Contact Us.

If you’ve enjoyed this, why not go ahead and read some more of our other blogs, and be sure to follow us on our social media channels below…

Accessorize your Christmas with Hi-Fi add-ons you never knew you needed!

/ Audio T Enfield/

When you hear the word ‘Hi-Fi’, you might often think of big, elaborate systems. But what if we told you that there could be some smaller, essential accessories missing from or could be added to your set-up? Or maybe you just fancy sprucin’ it up a bit? Either way, in this article we’ve listed 5 great items that you can add to your system right here at Audio T Enfield this Christmas, with some of those being on attractive Black Friday deals. Grab it while you can!

  1. Chord Electronics Mojo/Poly Premium Leather Case or Polycarbonate Hard Case - *BLACK FRIDAY OFFER*

Please Note: this is for the version one Mojo and will not fit the Mojo 2

‘Butter fingers’ is the expression that comes to mind… Has anyone ever described you in this way? Are you a little bit on the clumsy side and seem to drop everything? While we can’t always control these accidents, we can certainly add a layer of protection.

When we’ve invested our hard earned money into building your perfect system, it goes without saying that we want to keep it out of harm’s way as much as possible, after all, it would be a huge shame to spend a lump sum on something just for it to get damaged or break down the line, all because of those butter fingers!

Chord Electronics are here to help with the Premium Leather and Polycarbonate cases. They’re suitable for both Mojo version one and Poly, so why not add some extra protection for your DAC and grab a great deal all at once? You can save over £50* on the Premium Leather case as it is currently on a Black Friday offer for a very generous £69.00*! The Polycarbonate Hard Case is also up for grabs for £59*, saving you more than £20*.

Cases for the Mojo 2 are also available at their standard price, click here to view options.

2. Audioquest Super-Conductive Anti-Static Record Brush

Those small specks of dust on your record can be a right nuisance, especially when you hear those crackling sounds, knowing the stylus just did a hit and run on a bit of fluff. Many vinyl novices have probably tried a few tricks to get it clean; the good old ‘huff and puff and blow onto the vinyl’ (spoiler: it doesn’t work!), the overused ‘pull your sleeve down and wipe around in circular motion’ (spoiler: it really doesn’t work!), and the infamous ‘physically wiping off each individual particle with your fingertips (spoiler: it definitely DOES NOT work!).

“So what can I use to clean my records then?!” I hear you exclaim. The answer to your question: the Audioquest Super-Conductive Anti-Static Record Brush. Featuring 1,248,000 super-conductive carbon fibres, this record brush gently reaches into the groove, pulling out dust and dirt that would otherwise snap, crackle, and pop through your speakers. If you’re unsure of how to use the brush, click here to watch a short tutorial.

Retailing at just £24.95*, it’s not a hefty price to pay if you want to keep your extremely valuable and sentimental vinyl collection clean and listenable.

3. Pro-ject Clamp-It Record Clamp

Keeping to the subject of vinyl, here we have something that will allow your records to play at reduced resonance levels. Placing the Pro-ject Clamp-it on top of your record while it’s playing does not add weight, and you can fine-adjust the pressure according to the condition of your records.

Record Puck Issues

The Clamp-It weight is more effective than "standard" record pucks, which generally have two disadvantages that affect the sound negatively:

1) The weight can induce higher levels of rumble, when used with lower cost turntables which have less massive main bearings

2) Instead of tightening the records surface to the platter, heavyweight record pucks can cause the opposite: Vinyl will get shaped like a bowl with no contact of the outer edges of the record to the platter.

Why use Clamp It?

the clamp-it in action

In contrast, Clamp-It is a real solution, with a clamp mechanism around the centre spindle that will not add weight, which would induce rumble. You can fine-adjust pressure according condition of your warped records. Fitting of Clamp-It is easily done within seconds. This accessory will not only please your ears, its beautifully machined diamond-cut edges will also look extremely cool on any turntable!

At it’s modest price point of £79*, this would make a great stocking filler for vinyl lovers this Christmas.

4. Sennheiser CX True Wireless Earphones - *BLACK FRIDAY OFFER*

These noise-cancelling* beauties are perfect for someone who enjoys being in their own solitude. Whether it be on the work commute, at the gym, or even in the comfort of your own home, if you want to cut out the noise, these will do it for you! Alongside N.C*, features include Customizable Touch Controls, Bass Boost, IPX4 and 27-hour Battery Life, so you’ll never be without your playlists at a high-end quality.

What's in the box?

  • CX True Wireless Earbuds

  • Silicone ear adapter sets (XS, S, M, L)

  • Charging Case

  • USB-C Cable

  • Quick Guide & Safety Guide

Again, this would be a hugely apt stocking filler for just about anybody that enjoys their music. Save £50* this Black Friday on the Sennheiser CX True Wireless Earphones, now priced at £69.99*! Grab the deal while you can - surely it’s a no-brainer?!

5. Audioquest JitterBug USB Filter

Upgrading speaker or interconnect cables isn’t unusual for a traditional Hi-Fi system, but what if you wanted to upgrade your desktop audio system? This is where the JitterBug comes in.

Slightly smaller and chunkier than the DragonFly USB DAC (also currently on a Black Friday offer), it plugs straight into your computer’s USB input, where its job is to act as a passive filter and dissipate any noise before the signal enters your DAC. The main source of noise is actually your computer’s power supply - oh the irony! Nevertheless, the JitterBug saves the day by reducing this as much as possible.

So the bottom line is, if you own a desktop audio system then you should surely be equipping yourself with a JitterBug?! And if you’re not, then it’s never too late!

£59* is the current price for one of these, which I personally believe is practically daylight robbery for the job it does. Do yourself a quick favour and purchase one whilst they’re in stock!

Give your local Audio T store a call to find out more information about the products listed, and if you’re just passing by, why not pop in and take a look at them too?!

Thanks for reading!

Elena, John & Richard – Audio T Enfield

If you have any questions about any of the equipment featured in this article, or any other Hi-Fi or home cinema enquiries, be sure to Contact Us.

If you’ve enjoyed this, why not go ahead and read some more of our other blogs, and be sure to follow us on our social media channels below…

*All prices, credit terms and interest rates quoted are correct at the time of going to press but may be subject to change. E&OE

“For those about to Rock, We Salute You” - AC/DC Mains Regeneration from PS Audio

/ Audio T Oxford/

Here are Audio T, we have a long history of offering high quality mains filtration devices, but mains regeneration is a relatively new thing to us and one that is exciting!

Most of us are fortunate enough to experience a Hi-Fi that sings along beautifully without any problems. Unfortunately, there are those times when it just isn’t quite performing at its peak. The culprit can often be the variable quality of mains power coming into the house. Sadly, this is rarely as advertised, with a clean and consistent 230V being a distant dream, whilst distortion through the mains is always present, to a greater or lesser extent.

PS Audio is an American manufacturer that specializes in high-fidelity audio components, equipment for audiophiles and the sound recording industry. They currently produce audio amplifiers, preamplifiers, digital-to-analog converters and audio streaming solutions. But the purpose of this article is to discuss their power related products, more specifically their mid-priced Power Plant 12, which is currently in use in our demonstration room at Audio T Oxford.

How does it work?

Using an ultra-low impedance analogue power amplifier and a proprietary DSD sine wave generator; incoming AC is converted to DC and then back to form a perfect AC sine wave.

The Power Plant is not a mains conditioner. Instead, the Power Plant actually rebuilds the mains, delivering clean, distortion and noise free voltage, providing a properly regulated 230V supply to your equipment. It also reduces radio, mobile and computer interference to a massive degree. In a nutshell, you will be getting the mains supply that your equipment was designed for. It will improve the performance of any item of equipment attached to it, making for an overall system upgrade.

Features

Up to four zones and a total of 1250W are available, so the Power Plant can power most systems, allowing you to build a great foundational improvement for your Hi-Fi for many years to come. A colour touchscreen makes set up and monitoring easy and also conveniently shows the “before and after” improvement.

Original Mains distortion

distortion Free output from the Power Plant

improvement Factor

ready to go………

So, how does it sound?

The Power Plant 12 gives a system a truly astonishing deep black background, the noise floor having plummeted. As a result, the timbre and layering of both vocals and instruments improves greatly, as do the all-important micro dynamics. A greater dynamic range also seems apparent. If there is a downside (and in our opinion there isn’t), the level of insight can occasionally expose poor recordings, warts, and all.

Conclusion

If you love your music and you want to improve your whole system, both now and for any future changes, then you owe it to yourself to try a PS Audio Power Plant!

Join us for a forthcoming event…

We will be joined by PS Audio on Thursday 24th November, where you can experience first hand the affects these products have, as well as have a chat with the UK distributor. Please find out more Here.

Thanks for reading.

Rob and Jon - Audio T Oxford. 

If you have any questions about any of the equipment featured in this article, or any other Hi-Fi or home cinema enquiries, be sure to Contact Us.

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

Stand By Me - Incredible Stand Mount Speakers from Bowers & Wilkins

/ Audio T Swindon/

British loudspeaker manufacturer, Bowers & Wilkins have launched the latest generation of their successful 700 series, now called the 700 S3. The range comprises three floorstanders, three stand mounted speakers, two centre channels and a matching subwoofer.

The former CM range joined the 700 Series some time ago but every time a replacement or upgrade was launched the results were absolutely spectacular. It’s safe to say that we can’t wait to hear the next instalment when they arrive.

B&W 706 S3 in gloss black and 707 S3 in mocha

But for the time being, here at Audio T Swindon we have two of the stand mounted speakers of the new 700 S3 range, the 707 S3 and the 706 S3….

Blown away by walking into our demonstration room

I was about to walk into our demonstration room because I heard some good music playing in there. The music wasn’t overly loud, more at a reasonable volume level but something got my feet tapping (you know what I mean). What happened to me can only be described as one of these jaw-dropping moments when I opened the door and realised that it was a pair of B&W 707 S3, connected to a Rega system (Rega Aethos, Rega Saturn MK3 and a Rega Planar 6). Wow, it sounded big, and the bass was tight but not overblown and the midrange and treble blended in nicely. It just makes you want to sit down and listen to more music,

B&W 706 S3 and 707 S3 now ready for demonstration

B&W 707 S3 - A devil in disguise

The B&W 707 S3 are the smallest pair of new 700 S3 series. They are available in gloss black, satin white and a new finish, mocha. The 707 S3 feel very solid with each of them weighing over 6kg. This is due to the quality cabinet, the internal bracing that reduces unwanted vibrations and of course the high-quality drive units.

This speaker is like a devil in disguise, and it will stand its ground without problems if you play some tight bass through them. At the same time the bass doesn’t dominate the midrange or treble. What leaves us speechless is how room filling they sound for their size. A great song that I love to demonstrate speakers with is Homeless from Paul Simon’s album, Graceland. It’s this big and spacious sound that gives us goosebumps all the way.

As this is a standmount speaker, we found it works best on a solid stand to bring the tweeter up to ear level. The FS-700 S3 stands featured in one of the photos above, are the perfect companion and can also be filled with sand or an inert filler for a better performance.

Bowers & Wilkins 706 S3 - “Truly amazing with punch and finesse”…

The Bowers & Wilkins 706 S3 are the next model above the 707 S3. They are larger in size and that is exactly how they sound. A larger cabinet and a higher sensitivity, two reasons why the 706 S3 are ideal for people who like the 707 S3 but want more of that big, lush sound.

There are many good guidelines as to how to buy a pair of loudspeakers. Our best advice is to give us some time, bring some CDs or records and book a demonstration here with us. Here at Audio T Swindon, our two different sized demonstration rooms will help you find the speaker that works for you.

For more information please feel free to call us on 01793 538222 or send an email to swindon@audio-t.co.uk.

Thanks for reading - Stefan & Andy - Audio T Swindon.

If you have any questions about any of the equipment featured in this article, or any other Hi-Fi or home cinema enquiries, be sure to Contact Us.

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