Neat Petite - The finest little speaker Chromey wants to meet!

/ Audio T Manchester/

Neat Acoustics speakers have been a regular feature at Audio T over the years, supplying us with various diminutive and distinctive loudspeakers for the last 30 years, offering up cutting-edge technology such as isobaric bass cabinets and supremely smooth ribbon tweeters.

Today, we’ll look at the latest version of the Neat Petite Classic. Featuring a compact 2 way design with the Air Motion Transformer (AMT) ribbon tweeter taking care of the higher frequencies and a mineral filled polypropylene cone on mid/bass duties.

A Little History

In 2021, with the blessing of founder Bob Surgeoner, Neat Acoustics launched a special edition, 30th Anniversary version of the Neat Petite. Limited to just 100 pairs worldwide, the Petite 30 was an all-new model that echoed design cues from previous incarnations. Moreover, each pair was tested personally by Bob and came with a gift pack containing a Neat branded pen, tote bag, dedicated commemorative booklet and a USB containing a unique collection of Bob’s music dating from the 1970s to the present day.

The design proved so successful that Neat have now committed to a new range called the Petite Classic…

Now for the technical bit…

The AMT tweeter, also known as Air Motion Transformer. Invented by an interesting chap called Oskar Heil, the AMT operates on a different transduction principle from other loudspeaker designs, such as moving coil, planar magnetic or electrostatically-driven loudspeakers, and should not be confused with planar or true ribbon loudspeakers.

In fact, the diaphragm pushes back and forward from itself in a physical motion similar to that observed when an accordion is pushed in and pulled out to pump air though the reed chambers, albeit over an exceedingly smaller motion range. This all ties together nicely with the fact that Oskar Heil studied music at the Georg-August University of Göttingen in 1933, very clever.

Bass Bump!

Another interesting design feature to note is that there are two tuning ports on the rear panel. Straight out of the box, the larger diameter port is blocked with a foam tube. This gives the optimal tuning for most rooms. In some larger spaces however, the foam tube can be removed, changing the bass emphasis. We’d recommend that you listen to the bass and see how it interacts with your room, if the bass performance has been improved, leave the foam tube out.

The listening room

It’s safe to say that we love them. The bass tuning port with the foam bung can actually make a huge difference in the way the Neat Petites behave in your room, which is a welcome addition because most speaker manufacturers won't offer a twin tuning port for adjustments, and the AMT tweeter helps to provide nice wide and open soundstage.

In general, they sound much bigger than their comparatively small footprint, they can fill our demo room convincingly with even a modest amplifier.

An enjoyable listen.

Come along and join us at Audio T Manchester and ask for a demo of the Petite Classics and see what you think.

Thanks for reading,

Munir, James, Mike & David - Audio T Manchester

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

Retro Hi-Fi Speakers brought bang up-to-date with the Wharfedale Heritage range

/ Audio T Brighton/

Much like mid-century furniture, retro hi-fi equipment is currently all the rage! With records in renaissance as the “cool” way to playback your home music collection, the knock-on desire for other retro-components such as; amplifiers (both valve and solid state), tuners, cassette decks (which are rather difficult to come across these days) and loudspeakers.

Now, whilst second hand retro hi-fi may look great, I’m reminded of the phrase “Caveat emptor”, which is a Latin saying that means "let the buyer beware". You never know what’s really going on under the hood of these products, not to mention the fact that materials and manufacturing processes have come on leaps and bounds, especially when it comes to hi-fi speakers. After all, if you’re after retro hi-fi, surely it’s about it looking good and not sounding old?

Lamb dressed as mutton…

Wharfedale are a speaker manufacturer who have been around since 1932 and been at the forefront of the retro speaker revival. This month we're going to take a look at one of the newly revamped Wharfedale ranges, the Wharfedale Linton Heritage, which has embraced the “old school vibe” but with modern driver and crossover design technologies.

Wharfedale Linton Heritage...

Wharfedale linton heritage

The Wharfedale Linton Heritage are a large 3-way, standmount speaker which have the option of a dedicated pair of stylish but heavyweight stands that double-up as speaker storage. If bought together as a bundle, the stands are heavily discounted. To be honest, the speakers not only really look the part with the bespoke stands but sonically it also makes sense, as we’ll discuss later in the article.

Redesigned from the ground up by Peter Comeau, Director of Acoustic Design at IAG, the new Wharfedale Linton Heritage embraces the style of the original with all the advantages of modern computer aided design and anechoic chamber resources. The results speak for themselves (pun intended), with a musical sound that original owners will recognise, but with a noticeable enhancement to clarity thrown-in.

wharfedale linton heritage with matching stands doubling as a record storage.

The real McCoy...

wharfedale linton heritage real wood veneer finishes

The Wharfedale Linton Heritage have a real, luxurious feel to them with sumptuous wooden finishes... I personally am particularly fond of the walnut finish, which is available for all to see and hear at our Brighton store. So feel free to come in and witness it for yourselves.

wharfedale linton heritage in walnut on dem at our brighton audio t store

Keeping up appearances...

The Wharfedale Linton Heritage speakers certainly are “lookers” but are they up to snuff sonically?

At their price point, competition is relatively scarce, certainly in the large standmount category. It is nigh on impossible to find a floorstanding loudspeaker to compete with a good quality, small bookshelf in that price range and the Wharfedale Linton Heritage, albeit not strictly a floorstander, fits the bill, as a nice looking and sounding alternative.

Competitors may include the Dynaudio Evoke 10s and the ATC SCM7s, both of which we recommend highly, however these two are much smaller bookshelf designs offering a very different look and sonic palette and if you’re after something like the Lintons, you’d probably not even give them a thought. On the face of it, the Wharfedale Linton Heritage seem to offer a lot more for the money!

wharfedale linton heritage v dynaudio evoke 10

A lot of sound for the pound...

Since the Wharfedale Linton Heritage arrived in store, we’ve listened to them with a range of different sources and amplification, from the more intermediate level Rega Brio through to more prestigious designs like the Naim NSC 222, NPX 300, NAP 250 combination.

naim 200 series proved an excellent match for the lintons

In all cases we’ve used them in the Wharfedale Linton Heritage delivers a sound that is both wholesome and detailed, without being overly analytical. They are very easy to listen to, being musical and sufficiently dynamic to do justice to good recordings, without making poor recordings unpleasant to listen to. The only use case where I’d point a customer in a different direction would be intensely dynamic and complex orchestral pieces, where its big brother, the Wharfedale Dovedale Heritage, might be a wiser choice, albeit at a significant premium.

Somewhat of a surprise to us was how easy the Linton Heritage were to position and get good results out of. Although we’d not recommend placing them in a corner or right up against a wall, where the twin bass ports may allow the bass to become too “fruity”, 20 inches or so out into the open produced nicely balanced results, with good bass extension and timing.

Wharfedale Linton Heritage specs can be found here but needless to say they are fairly easy to drive and any modern, competent amplifier should get them going nicely.

wharfedale linton heritage twin rear bass ports

A retrospective view of the Lintons...

The Wharfedale Linton Heritage standmount speakers are an excellent addition to the Audio T Brighton repertoire. They fill a void in our price range and are very enjoyable and easy to recommend to our customers, because not only do they look and sound the biz they also offer a lot of speaker for the money. Highly recommended from myself and the team.

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…

Wharfedale can be found at the following Audio T stores

Naim can be found at the following Audio T stores

Dynaudio can be found at the following Audio T stores

Linn Selekt DSM - The Swiss Army knife of HiFi

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Stream everything. Connect anything. Linn's network music players are flexible and future-proof. From high-res albums to movie soundtracks: it's all at your fingertips. Welcome to high-performance music streaming.

Linn

Founded by Ivor Tiefenbrun in 1973, Linn was born from one man’s belief that he could vastly improve the sound quality of his music system, using precision-engineering and determined experimentation. The central philosophy to this is the source first approach.

Picture this charismatic Scot turning up at HiFi dealers, LP12 for dem showing up the more established brands of the time - pulling more information off a vinyl record than was thought possible. Information lost at the source is lost forever. No matter how good the amplifiers or loudspeakers that follow, you can't get back what has already been lost, so it’s essential you put the best source possible at the front of your system.

The Linn DSM first appeared in 2011, 2 years before this they had declared that the CD was dead and controversially no longer made a CD player. Streaming services were in their infancy and the average broadband speed in the UK was 14Mbps - there was no Spotify! The current incarnation of Selekt was launched in 2018 as - The world’s most configurable digital music player, to critical acclaim.

The Linn Selekt DSM is probably the most versatile high end HiFi component with a single unit that can turn its hand to pretty much any setup you care to imagine, exemplifying the single vision for Linn over their 50 year history that - source is king.

The Swiss army knife of Hifi with precision & finish of Swiss watchmakers

The standard Selekt, as of late 2022, comes in 2 case options - the Classik and Edition hub. The Edition Hub is a superior-quality enclosure, featuring an all-machined construction for improved rigidity, interior isolation, and elevated aesthetic appeal – with sleek sight lines, concealed joins and a lovely wave form CNC’d into the vents. Also of note, it comes with left and right sub outs and a headphone jack on the side of the unit - this is not on the Selekt Classic.

the modular nature of the linn selekt: From left to right: dac module, line out or amplifier cartridge, chassis

Both versions have; internet connection via Wifi or wired, digital inputs via Bluetooth, HDMI ARC, USB, TOSLINK x2, COAX x2 (note that this can be configured as a digital line output), or Linn’s own Exact link. Moving to the analogue duties, we have 1 pair of RCA in, an MM and MC phonostage, That blank plate next to the analogue stages can be configured to hold a five input HDMI input when the surround module is configured.

Next we choose the DAC performance level; Standard, Katylst or Organik. The entry level DAC is still capable of 24/192, The Katalyst uses it own stabilised power supplies and voltage reference point. This mean that any "crosstalk" from other audio channels and circuitry are isolated and give a cleaner/purer music.

With Organik we enter a world where Linn has designed their own in house DAC. Most manufacturers take off-the-shelf chips, compliance check, programme and tweak to get the best out of them. The extreme would be to bake your own circuits in silicon, if you have some sand and a billion or so lying around. Linn have chosen the middle still expensive route of FPGA (Field Programmable Gate Array) - deep programmable logic far more efficient in terms of processing time as well as offering very tight timing when compared with optimsed code running on 3rd party chips. Organik uses an 8-layer circuit board, facilitating optimal delivery of power and clocks to the DAC. Power for the conversion stage is generated by a discrete regulator, and delivered using multiple internal power planes.

Lastly, amplification. This is where things get mightily modular. I worked out there are 8 configurations across 2 case options with 2 case colours with 3 levels of DAC.. The 3 cartridge slots can be configured as a single line out or as complex as a HDMI card, surround module 5.2 50W Class D amplification per pair of speakers.

Setup

Linn’s documentation is extremely good, with community help over at LinnDocs, a thorough read is a must. As a line level source, it slots into any system and is configurable through Linn’s Manage systems/Kloud Konfig, which will allow you to set up from a webpage.

Another great setup tool is Linn’s Space Optimisation, which uses acoustic modelling to build up a complete picture of how your speakers, their placement, and the unique characteristics of your room interact to affect the sound you hear. It’s a free software upgrade to all existing owners.

In Summary - The King of Source

We have many hours of listening to the Linn Selekt with standard DAC, Katalyst, Organik stereo and Organik Dual mono DACs - each level a leap in performance.

The Organik occupies the stratospheric rarefied air of top performing streamers. The strength is clarity and engaging with emotional depth of performance that is so difficult in the digital realm.

What Linn has achieved is remarkable, uniquely sticking to a philosophy for 50 years that source is king and providing the HiFi world with a product that is modular, future proof and upgradable as Trigger’s broom, like the first LP12.

Conceivably you could take an entry level £4,900 Selekt Classic edition with line out and standard DAC and upgrade all the way to a performance close to the £35,500 Klimax, by way of the Edition mono line out Organik DAC variant.

Book an audition and sample a wee dram of Scotch, In the words of Linn’s Ivor “…Play it for the people and let them hear for themselves what it does, and let them decide if it's worth it to them. Let them decide whether we deliver the performance." - - John Atkinson interview with Ivor Tiefenbrun

Thanks for reading.

Justin, Max & James - 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…

Linn can be found at the following Audio T stores

And now for something a bit different... Introducing SPL Audio

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Every now and then we get the opportunity to get a hands on experience and listen to some audio equipment that is a bit out of the ordinary. Here at Audio T Oxford we recently had this opportunity via the fine folk at SCV Distribution.

They asked us if we could arrange a demonstration for a local customer who was interested in putting some SPL Audio equipment into his domestic hi-fi, to drive his existing active speakers. We agreed happily.

For those of you not in the know, SPL Audio is a well known brand in the pro audio world. Also known as Sound Performance Lab, they are a prestigious manufacturer of studio equipment and hi-fi, founded in Germany in 1983.

What do we have here?

SPL Elector Pure Analogue Preamplifier

Lovely VU meters on the Elector!

The SPL Elector Pure Analogue Preamplifier features 6 analogue inputs, three of which are balanced with 3-pin XLR connectors and marker LED indicators. On the reverse of the unit are two sets of outputs, one set direct and one dedicated for preamp routing, again via balanced XLRs. The Elector is also furnished with two exceptionally cool mechanical VU meters at the front!

SPL Performer s1200 Stereo Power Amplifier

the POWERFUL yet compact Performer Power Amp

SPL Performer s1200 Stereo Power Amplifier – a pure analogue power amp offering a clean 520 watts per side at 4 ohms (550W at 2 ohms), with 6 cooling fans! Although the customer is using active speakers at home, the power amp was required for this demonstration as we didn’t have any active speakers at the time.

 SPL Phonos RIAA Phono Preamplifier

the phonos MM/mc pre-amp

SPL Phonos RIAA Phono Preamplifier - catering for both MM and MC cartridges and a variety of loadings. All the equipment features SPL’s 120 Volt technology to deliver a wide dynamic range.

Our Impressions

Not only is this stuff built to practical pro-audio standards, it is also well made, beautifully designed and would grace any home listening room. Available in red, black, and silver finishes, with a mix and match faceplate on the power amp. You can also adapt the Elector to operate with a “One for All” programmable remote! No superfluous features, everything counts.

When we set up the system for the demo we were pleasantly surprised by a number of things: 

  • How cool it all looked (those colours and VU meters again!)

  • How quiet it runs.

  • How well the small form factor and design fitted into a domestic situation.

Listening

This kit cuts the sonic mustard in a domestic environment, being exceptionally dynamic and insightful, with a delivery that is realistically weighty and powerful. You could spend a lot of time exploring music with this system and that is a good sign

We listened to some testing and dynamic music including Charles Mingus, London Grammar and Burnt Friedman.

The Demonstration

Our customer Mike demonstrated this system with an analogue front end, as he has a large vinyl collection, as well as a few digital tunes for good measure. This was followed up by a home loan, after which Mike decided to purchase both the Elector Preamplifier and RIAA Phono, which fitted into his system like a glove.

The demo SPL system - COMPLIMENTED by the Planar 6 and Dali epicon 6 speakers

Conclusion

So, thanks again to SCV for giving us the opportunity to try out something different. We remain very impressed by the SPL kit we heard and, best of all, we have another satisfied customer! 

What do you think of this kit? Would you like to listen to it? 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.

Thanks for reading.

Rob & Jon - Audio T Oxford. 

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…

 

How Do I connect Naim New Classic Range 200 Series to Legacy Products?

/ Audio T Portsmouth/

Naim have built a solid reputation for their unique approach to how they connect their hardware together, allowing old and new ranges to work seamlessly. You may even have heard the term “Hi-Fi Lego” used in the past to describe how easily their systems can be built and improved with simple add-ons. The New Classic Range is no different, in spite of the fact they have mostly moved away from their famed composite DIN connections to XLR.

Whilst die hard Naim users have celebrated the exclusivity of the “all Naim eco-system” for decades, it has meant that other Hi-Fi enthusiasts and Audiophiles who like to cherry-pick their components have been somewhat left out of the equation. But this doesn’t mean that Naim aficionados have to worry…

What is XLR?

To the everyday Hi-Fi admirer, XLR isn’t a connection that you often come across, so it is understandable if you’ve not used one before.

XLR is a three-pin connection electrical connector, More often found in professional audio, video and stage lighting equipment. In audio, it is a balanced connection which three pins utilise a positive, negative and ground/shield.

As with most types of audio connection, there are two types of XLR, Male and Female. Male gives the sound and the Female receives it.

FEmale XLR and male XLR (Female with three sockets and male with three pins)

How to connect the new NSC 222 Streaming Preamplifier Series to the Legacy Naim Products

Let’s say you are looking to upgrade your existing Naim 200 series Streamer and/or Preamplifier but don’t wish to upgrade your current Power Amplifier. Then you will need a specific cable or cable assembly depending on your current power amplifier to integrate the NSC 222 into your system.

NAP 200

If you’re looking to connect the new NSC 222 to a power amplifier such as the NAP 200, you will need a cable that goes from the two Male XLR outputs of the Streaming Preamplifier to the 4-pin DIN input of the Power Amplifier (as below) -

Naim NSC 222 StreamING PREAMPLIFIER to NAP 200 POWER amplifier

The Lead Assembly you will need is the Naim Signal Interconnect NSC 222 - NAP 200 (2XLR - 4 Pin DIN).

NAP 250

Connecting the NSC 222 to the NAP 250 power amplifier is slightly different and will require a cable that goes from the two Male XLR outputs of the NSC 222 to a single female XLR input on the NAP 250 (as below) -

Naim NSC 222 StreameING PREAMPLIFIER to NAP 250 POWER amplifier

This this connection you’ll need the Naim Signal Interconnect Naim NSC 222 - NAP 250 (2XLR - 1XLR).

NAP 300

Connecting the NSC 222 to the NAP 300 Power Amplifier, will require two cables, that go from the two male XLR outputs of the NSC 222 to the two Female XLR inputs (Left and Right Channels) on the NAP 300 (as below) -

Naim NSC 222 Streamer to NAP 300 amplifier

For this connection you’ll need the Naim Signal Interconnect Naim NSC 222 - Naim NAP 300 (XLR - XLR) - These are sold individually, so you’ll need the specially tuned Left & Right channel cables.

If you want to use something other than Naim, you could check out the Chord Company ChordMusic, Clearway or Shawline XLR interconnects.

The NSC 222 would make the perfect replacement for the NAC-N272. With its increased bitrate for streaming and digital inputs from 24bit/192kHz to 32bit/284kHz as well as an MM phono stage and impressive headphone amplifier inherited from the Uniti Atom headphone edition. The NSC 222 is also equipped with an 8 pin DIN (5 pin compatible) for use with external phono stages such as the NVC TT for any of the Naim Solstice owners.

XPS/DR

The NSC 222 is also compatible with the older Naim XPS/DR Power Supply upgrade using a 19 way single Burndy Cable from the Naim XPS/DR power output to a 12 and 23 way Burndy cable to the power input of the NSC 222 (See below).

Naim NSC 222 Streamer with external xps power supply

For this connection you’ll need the Naim Burndy XPS - New Classic.

And there we have it! If you have older Naim Classic 200 Series & want to experience the improved sound quality the new 200 Classic Series brings, or 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.

Thanks for reading.

Luke, Nick and Stephen - Audio T Portsmouth

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…

Naim can also be found at the following Audio T stores -

  • BRIGHTON

  • BRISTOL

  • CARDIFF

  • CHELTENHAM

  • ENFIELD

  • MANCHESTER

  • OXFORD

  • PORTSMOUTH

  • READING

  • SOUTHAMPTON

  • SWANSEA

  • SWINDON

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“Don’t Fight It Love, Don’t Fight It.” - A look at the Chord Electronics Ultima and Dynaudio Contour Loudspeakers

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Sometimes when a customer wants a demonstration of a hi-fi component we don’t normally stock, it can create a disturbance in our store equilibrium. Regular visitors will be well aware that our ground floor demo suite has an all but permanent Rega and Audio Note system installed within. A Rega Planar 10/Apheta3 turntable, the Aura phono stage, Audio Note CD3.1X/ii CD player, Meishu Phono Tonmeister amplifier and AN-E SPE HE loudspeakers.

We’ve got it set up exactly how we like it, it took us some time to get there, the gods are in Valhalla and all’s right with the world.

Our customer wanted to hear the very lovely, but altogether very-different-to-AudioNote Dynaudio Contour 20i speakers, “in a smaller room than your 1st floor suite” and “can I hear them with the Chord Ultimas?” We had some changes to make.

We marked the floor with masking tape so Nic didn’t have to repeat the three-hour(!) speaker position setup when normal service is resumed and humped the Audio Note gear off the Italian-chic, SolidSteel HY4L rack, and onto the shop floor IKEA Lack table. I’m almost positive the Tonmeister gave us the side-eye; the IKEA table certainly groaned.

Connecting up the Chord Electronics Dave DAC, Ultima Pre3 and Ultima 5 Power with our favourite Black Rhodium Concerto XLR interconnects and Quickstep S speaker cables is always a clicky, snicky pleasure.

No, I never pretend to be Angus Young plugging in to an enormous amp stack at Stadio River Plate on a warm Argentinian evening. That would be juvenile.

Firing up the Chords and watching them settle into their reassuring teal green gleam is always an event, the punched steel grilles allowing a view of the perfectly populated circuit boards mounted inside. Is it at once a nod to valve amplifiers with their orange glowing tubes and a deliberate contrast to have the Ultimas glitter a cool water-green?

The difference in audio presentation is as stark. The full-bodied, lush, Phil Spector-esque wall of sound we’re used to from the AudioNote, has been replaced with an open, airy soundstage with instruments etched exactly in a 3D space. A drier style, with the emphasis on accuracy, speed and a spotlighting of the performers.

That’s not to say the AudioNote is sluggish, vague or is attuned to a particular style of music – electronica and rock are thoroughly enjoyable, the huge scale of a live Metallica performance is reproduced to jaw-dropping effect, the giant slabs of bass on the American Beauty soundtrack pressurise the room and frequently have customers asking where we’ve hidden the subwoofers.

The Ultima and Contour system is equally capable and thoroughly enjoyable, but sounds very different. A forensic rendition that allows the listener to see directly into the recording and what each artist brings to the performance.

A good recording sounds amazing; the vocal track on Dominique Fils-Aime’s ‘Birds’ from her album ‘Nameless’ stands out. Not only can we hear Dominique’s vox, but also all the other sounds that she makes at the same time; the involuntary sounds of her chest, tongue, lips and teeth. We hear the human making the sound, it’s a person inhabiting the space. We hear far more than simply air over vocal chords.

Less well-produced audio sounds great but a not-so-well engineered one will be shown up for what it is. This is not a fault of the system, but of the recording. The AudioNote glosses over such foibles to a certain extent, adding some much-needed colour to a poor recording. You may prefer this sympathetic treatment, or you may prefer the honesty of the Chord and Dynaudio.

Rock music fizzes out of the Contour 20i’s, full of attack and vigour. Jane’s Addiction ‘Just Because’ off the 2003 album ‘Strays’ is taut with excitement and hard charging guitar riffs that never seem to stray (sorry) into harshness, even at quite inadvisable volumes.

It’s with acoustic instruments and vocals in particular, that the Chord Electronics show their mettle. The very finest detail of and around a plucked string, the resonance of an instrument body and the decay of notes. Micro-dynamics are revealed, from the different weight a pianist might put into their key strikes, through the variable textures of drum skin available to a percussionist, to the visceral sensation of fresh rosin on a cellist’s bow. It’s impressive and very, very pretty stuff.

What of the A-N system? We’ve set it up on the shop floor so we (and you) can enjoy it in a really big room. We’re not sulking about it. Why don’t you pop on over and see?

Damn but Miles Davis’ trumpet sounds mighty fine….

Thanks for reading

Ade, Andy & Nic – Audio T Swansea

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

Chord Electronics can be found at the following Audio T stores

Dynaudio can be found at the following Audio T stores

Music from the heart of the valleys… A tale of a happy customer.

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In this months article, Matt from Audio T Cardiff talks to one of their favourite local customers, Mr Allan Williams, about his passion for music and all things Hi-Fi, and his journey from Audio Excellence to Audio T and building the perfect system.

allan and matt

I first met Allan not long after I started at Audio T, almost two years ago (how time flies). I was out on an installation with our manager Nick to install a rather stunning pair of Spendor D7.2 speakers at Allan’s house in Merthyr Tydfil. It was here that I first got to know Allan and his fantastically eclectic taste in music, which not only aligned with my own, but we also shared a common pursuit of finding the perfect sound.

Now, these days I feel we are both at the end goal, or at least at systems that meet our current needs. But as any Hi-Fi enthusiast will tell you, there’s always room for change and you can always improve your sound. Sometimes it feels endless but once you have got to that end goal the work is done, as we say “sit back and enjoy the music.”

The Journey Begins

Before we talk about where we are with Allan’s system, let’s go back to where it all started…

Allan’s original copy of Dr.hook - sylvia’s mother LP

Growing up, Allan always had a passion for music. In-fact, he was telling me he got his passion for music from his Mum, who was very much a music fan. He explained his fond memories of growing up, and listening to tunes which gave him a good ear, knowing what sounds right.

One of Allan’s most treasured records is Dr Hook and the Medicine Show album “Sylvia’s Mother”, which is in fantastic condition for its age. Some of his other musical influences at the time were bands like Fairport Convention, Jethro Tull, Bruce Springsteen, The Eagles, The Allman Brothers Band and of course The Rolling Stones. There are also classical composers such as Tchaikovsky, but this is just the tip when it comes to Allan’s music taste. There’s so much more in his collection between vinyl and CD format, not to mention the other music he listens to on streaming services such as Qobuz.

Allan’s Hi-Fi history.

The first system Allan ever bought back in the day was from Comet. The system consisted of a Trio turntable, Pioneer amplifier and a pair of Wharfedale speakers. For the time, I’d say that’s not a bad system.

Fast forward to 1982: Allan was reading Hi-Fi Answers magazine and noticed there was a new Hi-Fi shop on Kings Road in Canton Cardiff called Audio Excellence, owned and operated by our operations director, Mr Tony Revelle.

The Kings Road Audio Excellence shop quickly outgrew its premises and between 1982 and 1983, Tony felt there wasn't quite enough room in the old Canton shop for all the fantastic equipment he wanted to stock. That’s when he found our current home know now at 134 to 136 Crwys Road, Cardiff in the summer of 1983 and where we have been happily ever since.

an original nytech CTA 252 tabletop amplifier

After reading about Audio Excellence in Hi-Fi Answers magazine, Allan thought he’d pop into the store and see what it was all about, which is where he met Tony for the first time and bought his first Hi-Fi from Audio Excellence. His first purchase was a bit of a classic setup in our eyes, a Linn LP12 Sondek fitted with an Ittok arm and a Linn Asak moving coil cartridge. The amplification was a Nytech CTA 252 with built-in tuner (Allan has revisited Nytech once again which I will tell you all about shortly). His speakers were a pair of Mission stand mount speakers which Tony came out and installed along with the rest of the system. He also setup the LP12 to perfection!

Not long after having this system installed, Allan decided to go for a much bigger amplification and speaker setup which I would consider at the time to be the Rolls Royce of all Hi-Fi. He decided to go pre-power which consisted of a Naim NAC preamp and a Krell power amplifier, driving a pair of Shahinian Arc floor standing speakers. Much later on when CD players first came into action, Allan even owned a Meridian CD player. All this would have been the perfect system at the time. I would have certainly loved to have listened to that, I bet it would have sounded massive and tone full.

Present Day

In 2019, Allan revisited us at Audio T and went for a fantastic system again, not too dissimilar to mine in some ways. Like me, he went for a Rega Planar 6 turntable originally fitted with a Rega Ania moving coil cartridge, but it was not long before he changed the cartridge (man after my own heart on this one) for a Dynavector 10X5, the same you’ll find on my P6. We both agree how awesome they sound. Anyway, I digress, back to the set up… Allan opted for a Naim Nait 5Si integrated amplifier and a pair of Spendor A4 floor standing speakers, a great little setup indeed.

rega p10 and benz micro ebony l

Moving forward Allan wanted to experiment further with his system. He was happy with his setup but he thought “How can I make this sound even better?”. In July 2021 Allan decided to part exchange his previous system and started on the journey to building his “ultimate system”, and this is where I joined his story.

The system as follows at the time:

As I mentioned before, Allan owned one of the original Nytech integrated amplifiers and had fond memories of its sound, so much so that he wanted to revisit the brand. Nytech does offer a blend of vintage and modern Hi-Fi sound which I think suited Allan’s set up perfectly.

On the digital side of things, Allan had an introduction to a great Welsh brand and his first dabble at streaming music. The digital part of the system was a Leema Acoustics Elements Streamer which works well and sounds phenomenal.

Last but not least the speakers, the Spendor A4 loudspeakers were swapped out for the Spendor D7.2 in one of my favourite finishes, walnut!

Of course, the system would not be complete without some cables and furniture to get the best performance. At the time he opted for Chord Company, with a mix of Shawline and Epic. As for furniture, he decided on the lovely Hi-Fi Racks Podium Slimline rack finished in Walnut to match the colour of the Spendor D7.2

“The times they are a changin”

As Bob Dylan once sang, “the times they are a changin” or in this case you guessed it was time for the system to change and evolve yet again…

Planar 10 - isoacoustics dleios - benz micro wood cartridge

Sticking with the Rega planar 10 and Benz Micro combination as the main source, we added a IsoAcoustics Delos isolation plinth which tightened things up sonically and presented even more transparency in the music.

At this point, Allan also upgraded his phono stage from the Trichord to a Rega Aura MC phono stage. He also took the opportunity to upgrade the main preamplifier and decided to go with another favourite of ours, the Leema Acoustics Pyxis.

Of course, we can’t have a preamplifier without talking about power, and in this case a pair of monoblock power amplifiers. A pair of Cyrus MONO X300 signature power amplifiers to drive Allan’s speakers.

Now onto speakers. Allan loved the Spendor D7.2s but curiosity got the better of him and he wanted to try a pair of Spendor D9.2. To look at his room you’d think they would be overkill but believe you me they sound perfect, especially since we added IsoAcoustics Gaia feet.

isoacoustic gaia ii isolation feet

The Digital Source Components

Over time, Allan felt he was missing something when listening to his CD collection, so in 2022 he decided to upgrade from the Leema Elements CD player. We talked about what he felt he was missing with the presentation from the CD player and we came to the conclusion that the Audio Note 3.1 X ll CD player with its valve rectifier circuit would be the perfect balance of analogue and digital. Whoever thought a CD player could sound so warm and natural?

As mentioned previously, Allan had the Leema Acoustics Elements Streamer and he enquired how could he improve on the streaming side of things, so we arranged for him have a home demonstration of the Naim NDX2 streamer. He found this gave a huge uplift in quality when streaming from Qobuz and not only that, we also added one of Naim’s outboard power supplies, specifically the Naim 555ps DR. People ask “Do power supplies really make a difference?” I’d say in this case, it’s one of the biggest changes in sound I have ever heard on a streamer, everything sounded clearer with a lot more detail and control.

Naim ndx2 and Naim 555psdr

Ricable sticker

The most recent modification we made to Allan’s system was changing out the speaker cable. Some say that cables don’t make much of a difference… The simple fact is, they do. I suggested going with a brand we have recently taken on, a fantastic cable company from Italy, Ricable. I personally own some of their Magnus speaker cables myself and I can happily say it does make the right sort of difference. Allan went for the Invictus speaker cable and wow, it transformed the sound of Allan’s system from great to awesome! This really is the cherry on top! More clarity and separation in the musical instruments and even bass sounded more controlled. The couple of tracks we played while I was there were:

  • Bruce Springsteen - The Ghost of Tom Joad

  • Bob Seger and the Silver Bullet Band - Against the Wind

The tracks used were “Betty Lou’s gettin out tonight” and “Fire Lake”. The piano on Fire Lake sounded full with control and detail. In short, yes this cable made one hell of a difference.

System Synergy

You’re maybe thinking there’s quite a mixture of different brands going on here, but when I think of system synergy I feel we have achieved near perfection. I don’t think I’ve ever heard a Hi-Fi system sounding better than this. It has the perfect combination of all the right things -

  • Low noise floor - The turntable is virtually silent as Allan says it almost CD quality.

  • Clarity and detail - This system definitely has it this and can be heard with every genre of music from classical to folk country and rock. Believe it when I say this Allan listens to all of it.

  • All about that bass - As we know, bass can be a bit of a problem and can be unruly at times, going back to the size of the Spendor D9, the amplification in this instance keeps them perfectly under control such a great combination of Cyrus and Leema who would have thought the two would work so perfectly together.

Lastly, and some would argue the most important, timing. This system has superb timing, you can hear perfect separation between the instruments, especially when there’s a lot going on in a piece of music, such as Bob Seger’s “Betty Lou’s Coming out tonight”. From the guitars, to the vocals, drums and keys I could hear the space between them all, allowing your mind to place the sound stage with ease.

We have certainly had a lot of fun building this system with Allan, but more importantly Allan’s not just a good customer but also a good friend. I always look forward to going up to see him and help him with his system and talk about music and other subjects such as Lord of the Rings, another favourite of Allan’s. Will there be more changes to Allan’s system? Maybe, but until then I’d say this system is perfect.

Thank you Allan for giving us the opportunity to guide you once again on your hi-fi journey.

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 streaming - What’s it all about?

/ Audio T Southampton/

Where do we start? Well, audio streaming is commonly misunderstood, as the terminology is misused and incorrect assumptions are made, leading to confusion and propagation of misinformation. We’re here to break it down and make it simpler to understand by outlining:

  • What is audio streaming?

  • What are the types of audio streaming?

  • Systems applications

  • Streaming services

  • Types of Music files

  • System elements of a streamer

  • What do I need

  • What is audio streaming

So, without further ado, let’s get started…

What is audio streaming?

Audio streaming is the ability to digitally transfer audio data between the place it is stored to a place where it can be heard. A common example of this would be playing music files from a smartphone to a wireless speaker. But how does it work? What method is used to transfer this data?…

What are the types of Audio streaming?

Bluetooth - Bluetooth is a short range wireless technology that is commonly used in phones and headphones. There are many variants of the protocol and you will need the transmitter and receiver to be capable of the latest protocol to get the highest quality. Bluetooth in general is a lossy protocol, which means the quality is less than CD and subject to higher degrees of compression. Not to mention it is occasionally prone to dropouts and interference.

AirPlay - AirPlay is a proprietary wireless communication protocol developed by Apple that allows streaming of audio & video between devices over a Local Area Network abbreviated to LAN (Wifi and Ethernet). Originally implemented only in Apple's software and devices, it was called AirTunes and used for audio only.

Apple AirPlay icons found on apps that support the protocol

Although a convenient and easy protocol, it has limitations on the quality of the audio it uses. AirPlay 2 is able to support a multiroom and there are many devices that support AirPlay such as Sonos, Naim and Bluesound.

Chromecast - This was developed by Google as an answer to Apple’s AirPlay and works over a LAN. The latest version supports audio files of 24bit 96kHz.

Google Cast is a proprietary protocol developed by Google for playing Internet-streamed audio/video content on a compatible consumer device

Some systems have Chromecast support built-in, such as Cyrus ONE Cast and Arcam ST60 to name but a few.

Cyrus one cast streaming amplifier

uPnP Streaming - Universal Plug and Play (UPnP) allows for files to be passed between a storage device and a compatible player. Smartphone apps such as Bubble allow for the control of media being played.

Spotify Connect and Tidal Connect allow you to stream your music to any Connect-enabled device over WiFi and directly from the streaming services servers to your audio device.

System applications

To enable control over your selection of music sources such as streaming services or playback devices, manufacturers utilise interactive applications that run on smartphones, tablets and computers.

Common System platforms:

HEOS - HEOS is a wireless multi-room sound system from Denon & Marantz that allows users to play their favorite music using a home Wifi network. The audio platform is available through receivers, select wireless speakers, and soundbars from the two brands.

Bluesound BluOS - Although originally designed specifically for use with Bluesound products, BluOS has become integrated with many hi-res wireless music systems from the likes of Roksan, Cyrus, DALI and Monitor Audio. This provides a unique opportunity to connect multiple BluOS-enabled systems from different manufacturers together to enjoy your music in perfect sync in every room of your home.

Bluesound bluos app

Manufacturers such as Arcam, AURALiC, Naim, Linn, Innuos, Sonos all use their own specifically developed applications that are unique to their own products.

Roon Labs - Roon brings all your music together, so you don't have to worry about where it's stored, what format it's in, or where you stream it from. Roon supports music files stored on internal and external hard drives and NAS, your iTunes library, live radio stations, and streamed content from the likes of TIDAL and Qobuz.

Steaming services

There are numerous internet streaming services that have different catalogues, types of music file (quality) and subscription plans. Some of the most popular are -

  • Spotify (Try Premium for 90 days Free Here)

  • Apple Music

  • Amazon Music (Try for 90 days Free Here)

  • Tidal (Try for 30 days Free Here)

  • Qobuz (Try for 90 days Free Here)

  • Deezer (Try for 30 days Free Here)

  • TuneIn (used for internet radio on a multitude of systems)

Types of Music file

When storing files there a lots of different formats. Lossless audio is assumed to be the same quality as CD.

  • Uncompressed audio formats e.g: WAV and AIFF

  • Formats with lossless compression e.g: FLAC, ALAC, WMA LOSSLESS

  • Formats with lossy compression e.g: MP3, AAC, WMA

Hi-Res Music - High-Resolution Audio is audio that uses a higher sampling rate than in CDs. Higher sampling rates mean that more samples per second were taken when the original analog sound was converted into digital which in turn gives a more accurate reproduction of the analogue signal.

System elements for streaming

Storage - Audio files can be stored in a number of ways. These include:

“Ripping” is a term for taking the content of a CD and storing it on a digital storage device. This allows for people to store their entire CD collection on a small device. There are many devices that allow for combined ripping and storage solution such as the Naim Uniti Star, Bluesound Vault 2i, Innuos Zen range and products from Melco.

Streaming Transport - A streaming transport allows for locally stored files and internet streaming services to be used. The transport only deals with digital audio and does not have any analogue output.

DAC - A DAC (Digital Analogue Converter) converts a digital signal to analogue audio. These can be built in to components or bought as dedicated units that come in all shapes and sizes, from the small and portable EarMen Sparrow Pocket DAC all the way up to the AURALiC Vega G2.1 Streaming DAC and even further beyond. You can see a full range of DACs on our website here.

External Clock - An external clock usually connects to your equipment using word clock connections, typically using BNC cables, and provides a more stable and accurate clock to improve the sound of DACs. There are exceptions to this, like the award winning Innuos PhoenixUSB Clocker, which as its name suggests connects via USB.

Upscaler - Upscaling (or upsampling) is a process which increases the resolution and quality of a digital file. Examples of these products are the Chord Electronics M Scaler and the AURALiC Sirius.

What do I need?

The answer to this question needs an understanding of what is required. This could be from wirelessly playing music from your phone to a speaker, or the best way to reproduce digital music from your audio streaming provider.

At Audio T we can guide you through the process so you find a solution that meets your needs and gets the most of your system. There is no such thing as a stupid question so ask away and we will be happy to take you through the world of digital audio.

Thanks for reading,

Nick, John and Wayne - Audio T Southampton.

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.

You can find out more about Lyngdorf and their history by reading a full article in Music at Home+ Spring 2023.

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…

Rejoice with Ruark Audio - Radios for Hi-Fi Lovers

/ Audio T Brighton/

Listening to radio has been a staple source of entertainment since its invention in 1895 by Italian inventor, Guglielmo Marconi. Since the early 1900’s, radio has developed from a simple Morse Code messaging system, effective over a short range, to being the truly worldwide phenomenon it is today. In fact, it’s hard to imagine how the world would have developed to the extent it has today without it!

This month we're going to take a look at the British company Ruark Audio. First starting operations as a speaker manufacturer, Ruark Audio moved onto portable radio devices and utilising their extensive experience in making speakers to sound advantage, pun intended!

I’ve always felt that musicians have an advantage over most listeners when it comes to judging the quality of music playback. So long as the years of practice and live gigs haven’t taken too much toll on their hearing, the intrinsic understanding and connection with the sound of live music should intensify musicality and the appreciation of dynamics or tone of instrumental playback, especially when designing electronics and speaker equipment.

As a live musician and music lover, Alan O’Rourke (co-founder of Ruark) has certainly done this, producing many fine audio solutions over the years…

First... A little bit of Ruark history

Beginning in 1985, Alan and his father, Brian, set up a small workshop in Rayleigh, Essex, to develop and manufacture loudspeakers. In 1986, they released their Sabre and Broadsword designs. Beautiful cabinet design and the use of quality drive units brought Ruark speakers to the attention of the public and the world’s hi-fi press.

(A more extensive history of Ruark speakers can be found on here.)

ruark Co founder, alan o’rourke

Music lovers and audiophiles alike (not necessarily the same thing!) will be familiar with the names; Sabre, Talisman, Templar, Crusader, Equinox, to name a few and many folks will still have these in their hi-fi systems doing sterling work to this day.

In 2004, Ruark changed direction and decided to concentrate manufacturing into their radio speaker range, releasing the DAB radio, Ruark R1 in 2006, to much critical acclaim. Ruark have continued to expand their lifestyle range of quality sounding radios and music players.

The current Ruark range...

brighton audio t ruark display

Ruark R1 and now... The R1S

The baby in the range, the Ruark R1, still packs a punch. Available in Espresso & Light Cream (Also a limited edition Beach Hut Blue) and with a Backpack 3 which is purchasable as an extra to endow the Ruark R1 with portability.

There is a newer version of the Ruark R1 to become available shortly, unsurprisingly called the Ruark R1S, essentially a better connected version of the R1, which can be seen on Ruark’s website here.

Ruark R2 Mk4 Smart Music System...

The Ruark R2 Mk4 is a “souped-up” version of the R1 with a more expansive sound. Flexibility is excellent, with wifi network access allowing Internet radio, DAB radio, FM radio, Spotify, Deezer, Amazon music, plus the usual Bluetooth aptX codec for better sound. Headphone listeners are also catered for, alongside those who wish to plugin devices using a 3.5mm aux input. Pretty much all the bases really!

For a full list of features look at the list featured below in the Ruark R3S, minus the CD player of course.

Ruark R3S...

ruark r3s

Moving up the range, we get to the CD version of Ruark’s R3S.

A significantly larger and more powerful unit, the R3S includes a slot loading CD player. The expansive sound via its wireless/Bluetooth streaming capability, or through its silver disc spinner, is something to behold. The R3S sounds and looks great wherever you place it, thanks to its clever adaptive equalisation feature or via its bass/treble controls. The Ruark R3S looks sumptuous and is available in Rich Walnut or Soft Grey finishes.

Some key features of the Ruark R3S

  • Multi-format slot-loading CD player

  • Spotify Connect*, Deezer and Amazon Music

  • Smart Radio with Internet/DAB/DAB+/FM tuners

  • New generation Bluetooth 5 receiver

  • Comprehensive dual alarms and sleep timer

  • Dedicated podcast source

  • Class leading audio with enhanced Stereo+ sound

  • Adaptive EQ provides ideal sound at all volumes

This really is the tip of the iceberg, so if you want to see everything this little beauty can do, visit the Ruark website here.

ruark R3S in soft grey

Ruark MR1...

The Ruark MR1s are a small pair of Bluetooth loudspeakers. Connecting between the pair via 3.5mm jacks (supplied) allows for wireless Bluetooth via aptX codecs to produce a high quality sound in a small package.

The sound emanating from these MR1s is quite phenomenal considering their diminutive size - small speakers but no small sound here! One can appreciate the heritage of Ruark loudspeakers when you play these, as they clearly demonstrate the years of experience in producing their “quart from a pint pot” quality.

I would imagine these Ruark MR1s would make an excellent choice for those students wanting proper stereo sound whilst away at university or a TV listener who wants a simple way to expand their TV’s sound, where the traditional sound bar may not meet their requirements.

Don’t let the baby of the range fool, these Ruark MR1s pack quite a punch!

Ruark MRx Streaming Wireless Speaker...

ruark mrx wireless streaming speaker

Last but certainly not least comes the Ruark MRx wireless streaming speaker.

Offering the ultimate in flexibility, the Ruark MRx is available as a single mono speaker or can be linked to several other MRxs to provide a connected wireless speaker system across several areas or rooms in your house, if necessary. These can be seated in landscape or portrait orientation should they need to be squeezed onto a shelf somewhere.

Ruark accessories...

Ruark offer a variety of supporting products for their range: a remote, the Undok app and the R1 backpack, should you wish to go portable.

A summary of the Ruark range...

Ruark have a long history of producing fine audio products, starting with their hi-fi speaker range before moving into the lifestyle radio market. They have produced a stunning range of products that are easy to use, flexible and sound as good as they look. We’re certainly impressed at the Brighton Audio T store, so we’d recommend you contact us on 01273 609431 or email: brighton@audio-t.co.uk and organise a listen.

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…

Are Bluetooth Headphones about to steal the show? The all-new Focal Bathys

/ Audio T Reading/

Here at Audio T Reading we’re still buzzing from the successful return of the Bristol Hi-Fi Show, Britain’s biggest and best home and portable audio extravaganza. We loved our time at the show, and in a desperate ‘just one more’ moment to continue playing with alluring audio goodies, we decided to grab a clutch of Bluetooth headphones from the show for further amusement in our Reading shop. But, why Bluetooth headphones? Simple… it was easier to sneak out larger numbers of these than, say, bigger and bulkier amplifiers (erm, we snuck a couple of these out too, but it’d be rude not too hey?). Among our Brizzle (Bristol) headphone heist, there is one particular set of Bluetooth cans that has ironically stolen from us, stealing first our ears and then our hearts… So please make yourself comfy, we need to tell you more about the Focal Bathys…

Behold… THE BATHYS

 BUT WAIT… ‘HI-FI’ BLUETOOTH HEADPHONES?

So why the excitement about a set of Bluetooth headphones? We all know that Bluetooth isn’t proper hi-fi don’t we (arms folded, take those things away)? Well, allow me (Rishi) to share a personal journey… Over the years I’ve owned a number of wired headphones, mostly Sennheiser’s, from the DJ’s favourite HD 25 (couldn’t resist the aluminium 25th year anniversary edition), to the HD 560S (perhaps the most transparent ‘phones at the price) as well as the largely coveted HD 660S (we now have the version two HD 660S2 in-store and they’re even better). But back in 2020, a year that certainly brought me perfect vision, I wanted to join the growing hordes of listeners experiencing sound without wires.

I had just downloaded the Tidal music streaming app to my phone, and I needed a simple, convenient, way to connect to my phone and listen both wirelessly AND in high-quality… surely a contradiction. Going on sound quality alone, everything I’d read at the time (and still read now) suggested that ditching the wires wasn’t the way to go. Fearing the worst, I researched endlessly into the somewhat limited wireless options available, and eventually I went for an unpopular Bluetooth headphone offering at the time, the Beyerdynamic Lagoon. Why the Lagoon? Firstly because of Beyer’s renowned sonic pedigree, and then because of the Lagoon’s promise to connect using Bluetooth codecs, such as AptX HD, that were among the highest-quality available at the time. Although I could only connect to my iPhone via the (supposedly) lesser quality AAC codec, my talented Bluesound Node 2i (the Swiss army knife of streamers) was packing AptX HD and had a rare ability to stream music to other devices, such as Bluetooth headphones, as well as receive Bluetooth streams from other devices, such as smartphones and laptops. So, what’s the point of this trip down memory lane? Well, the Beyerdynamic Lagoon did something quite unexpected… it impressed me with its seemingly high-fidelity sound! Even connecting via AAC to my iPhone, I couldn’t stop listening to music through them. In fact, I used them so much that they literally started to fall apart! I blame it on their extended battery life - this paved the way for longer back-to-back listening sessions without having to constantly reach for the charger.

EXUDING QUALITY - CHECK OUT THOSE YOKES, FOLKS

 GETTING AU FAIT WITH THE FOCAL BATHYS

Back to 2023 and enter the Focal Bathys (all together now, bat-tees). It was mentioned before about the sonic pedigree of Beyerdynamic… well French outfit Focal are seasoned high-fidelity thoroughbreds in their own right. They know more than a thing or two about making highly accomplished, multiple award-winning, hi-fi headphones. With the Bathys, Focal have taken on a challenge that at best may be deemed audacious, but at worst will likely be dismissed as foolhardy – they have dared to release a set of premium, active noise cancelling (ANC), hi-fi quality, Bluetooth (surely not hi-fi?) headphones. The Brits will tell you, tongue-in-cheek of course, that their French neighbours are a bit mad. But in the case of our demo Focal Bathys, and while getting more au fait with them, there were attributes revealing themselves as much more mad-genius!

First of all, build quality on the Bathys is phenomenal, especially in the domain of currently available Bluetooth headphones. The yokes that attach each earcup to the headband are metal and incorporate magnesium, giving strength and lightness, and the design allows for the earcups to move freely in all planes. This bodes well for a comfortable fit on various different head shapes. Back into first-person for a moment… the reason I’m so drawn to this exemplary aspect of build-quality is because the yokes on many headphones that I’ve owned have been made from plastic, and with heavy-duty use (repeatedly putting the cans on and taking them off, throwing them on the table, dropping them on the floor, squeezing them into my jam-packed travel bag, etc.) some of those headphones have eventually ended-up breaking at one of their yokes. And when your ‘phones break there, no amount of DIY Sellotape repairs will make them feel great again.

BREATHTAKING DESIGN, FABULOUS FINISH - THE BATHYS

It's also hard not to notice the familiar Focal design cue of numerous circular holes punched into the ear cup covers, which surround the tornado looking Focal logo. This logo illuminates by the way, but can be unlit using the Focal & Naim app. And the way the logo is offset to the front of the earcups, a sweet design tweak by Focal, makes for a striking visual pattern of radiating concentric orbs that are smaller at the front and larger at the back. The Bathys could well be Focal’s prettiest headphones yet.

MARVEL AT THOSE ANGLED MAGNESIUM-ALUMINIUM DRIVERS

 BUT HOW DO THE BEAUTIFUL BATHYS SOUND?

This brings us to the most exciting part and a big inspiration for this blog – How do the Bluetooth Bathys sound? Have Focal managed to pull off the unthinkable and produce, at their very first attempt, an audiophile grade set of Bluetooth headphones?

Through the most grit of teeth, even the most ardent of “wire-philes” may do well to concede that they’ve done just that. At this time of writing, compared to the vast majority of other wireless Bluetooth headphones out there, the Bathys are a noticeable step up in sonic performance. While many of the others can sound mid-to-hi-fi at best, these Bathys are genuinely hi-fi sounding, showing the virtues of being detailed throughout the entire frequency range, having the ability to clearly dissect and present the individual layers in the most complicated of tracks, and demonstrating a wide dynamic range that makes listening to many musical genres a joyful experience. Straight out of the box, our demo Bathys sounded bright and a tad tight, but after a week or two of regular play the hybrid magnesium-aluminium drivers opened up a treat, and for a closed-back pair of headphones the Bathys impress with a spacious presentation.

Via the Focal & Naim app, it’s possible to tweak the stock tuning of the Bathys via a 5-band equaliser. This adjustment is great if, say, you find the stock tuning leaning a bit bright, or perhaps want to eek out more sparkle for low level listening, etc. The Bathys’ high-quality drivers love to play loud too, showing great cleanliness at those higher decibels with little-to-no compression.

It’s worth noting that the ANC remains permanently engaged on the Bathys, which does a great job of creating a silent cocoon for listeners to enjoy their tunes even in the noisiest of environments. The ANC can also be switched to a lower strength setting, which works a treat if a lesser amount of ANC feels more suitable or comfortable.

CONNECT VIA THE DAC FOR HIGH RESOLUTION UP TO 24 BITs / 192 KHZ

LASTING IMPRESSIONS - THE FUTURE OF HIGH-END BLUETOOTH CANS 

Given the strong showing of the Focal Bathys, the future of premium, truly hi-fi, wireless Bluetooth headphones is looking increasingly more exciting, and it’s clear that the Bathys has significantly raised the performance bar and may well have kicked-off a trend towards higher quality, perhaps even reference grade, Bluetooth headphones from a whole host of aspiring audio equipment manufacturers. For anyone thinking that wired headphones are still the holy grail for the best possible audio quality, well that still more-or-less holds true, and that very case is made here given that the performance of the Focal Bathys itself can be improved further by attaching a USB cable between it and a digital music source, courtesy of the Bathys’ inbuilt DAC mode. But the key takeaway here is that the difference between using the Bathys in wireless and wired mode isn’t cavernously huge. The gap between wired and wireless audio quality is closing all the time, and the Bathys in their Bluetooth mode are so admirably proficient that they could genuinely be preferred over a number of similarly priced wired designs. Throw in the Bathys’ stated 30 hours battery life, their grab-and-go convenience, and their ability to connect wirelessly to your mobile phone (most of which don’t sport a headphone jack anymore) all while sacrificing so little in the all-important sound quality department, and perhaps it won’t be all that long before the Focal Bathys’ chic charms steal your ears and heart too.

Rishi and Gareth – Audio T Reading – Thank you for 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.

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

Stunning Lyngdorf, now at Audio T Cheltenham

/ Audio T Cheltenham/

Here at Audio T Cheltenham we have newly taken in the rather wonderful Lyngdorf range of streaming amplifiers and the totally amazing CD2 compact disc player, as a bit of competition to the other brands we stock!

Lyngdorf Audio is a pioneer in digital audio. They created the world’s first fully digital amplifier, the iconic Millennium, and the most sophisticated digital room correction technology, RoomPerfect™. Lyngdorf also happens to be the audio component arm of Steinway Pianos and the passion and desire to be the very best is evident in the Lyngdorf Audio brand.

Red Book Optimised CD2

Lyngdorf CD2 Compact Disc Player

This is the bit that we are most excited about. Developed with the experience gained from multiple-award-winning Lyngdorf Audio digital amplifiers and CD players, this player is one of the best sounding pure audio CD players on the market. The Lyngdorf CD-2 is designed for audio only, using a pure audio drive which is both simpler and better than multi-format drives, which are always based on video designs and clocks where the audio output is then re-sampled to audio output clocks, and that never sounds as good. This player is slim and extremely well built and in the metal looks lovely. Oh, and it punches way above its weight too. In an age where decent CD players have become a bit of a rarity, this is a welcome addition to the shelves here in the Cheltenham store.

Streaming Amplifier TDAI-1120

The TDAI-1120 streaming Amplifier

The Lyngdorf TDAI-1120 is a small footprint streaming amplifier offering 2 x 60 watts RMS into 8 ohm loudspeakers. Connect it up to your WiFi and enjoy all the integrated streaming services.

  • Chromecast built-in

  • Spotify® Connect

  • TIDAL Connect including MQA decoding

  • Roon Ready

  • AirPlay2

  • Bluetooth connectivity

  • Internet Radio (vTuner)

  • Network/local file playback

With Lyngdorf Audio’s world-famous digital amplification technology and patented RoomPerfect™ room correction the TDAI-1120 delivers a perfect musical experience in all living rooms. Without the need for extensive acoustic treatment, you get a sound system with optimal frequency response, seamless level alignment, and bass management that perfectly integrates the speakers and subwoofers. What’s not to like!

The TDAI-3400 Stereo Amplifier

TDAI-3400 Stereo Amplifier

Extreme audio processing options combined with the most powerful and advanced digital amplifier technology, makes the Lyngdorf TDAI-3400 the most powerful and versatile product that Lyngdorf Audio have ever made. A variety of inputs and outputs provide plenty of options to connect your audio and video sources: Seven digital inputs including optical, coax, AES/EBU, USB-B, USB-A, two RCA analogue inputs for analogue music sources, one optional analogue module for more analogue inputs including XLR and phono MM, and one optional HDMI 2.1 module with two inputs and one ARC / eARC output.

The TDAI-3400 accepts all media interfaces and features a built-in media player with the highest playback quality. Through your local network or via the USB connectors, you can access your entire library of music through the DLNA/UPnP enabled player. This media player also allows music streaming using Roon Ready, Spotify Connect, and AirPlay 2 as well as internet radio. The TDAI-3400 also supports TIDAL Connect which allows lossless audio quality with the TIDAL app as the controller.

The result is a fully customisable giant of high quality sound, packaged in a sleek, minimalistic chassis that radiates Danish design at its best.

We have been very impressed with these amps and CD player and we think that you will be too. So if I have whetted your appetite even a little please feel free to give us a call and bring in a pile of your favourite music and have some fun… We do! We also make a great cup of tea or coffee and have some nice biscuits too.

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.

You can find out more about Lyngdorf and their history by reading a full article in Music at Home+ Spring 2023.

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…

Lyngdorf can be found at the following Audio T stores…

The most important Surround Sound Speaker is...

/ Audio T Enfield/

…right in front of you

Sounds from the back may be immersive, rumbles from the subwoofer may add drama, ATMOS and ceiling speakers may add ambience. But a large percentage of your movie sound is dialogue from your centre channel so it had better be good… But what makes a great centre speaker?

Clarity and Naturalness

Remember the controversy a few years ago surrounding the Poldark series on TV? Actors were accused of mumbling and making the plot hard to follow. Clarity is super important and if you’re struggling to understand what is being said you’re not going to relax and enjoy what you’re watching. Conversely, a small centre channel may fit into most TV cabinets but will often sound boxy and thin, this can also become tiring after a while.

Integration with the other speakers

It’s also important that the timbre is consistent across the stereo field. For example, footsteps walking from left to right should probably all sound the same, or maybe a plane whooshing across the screen.

In some bigger setups, the same model speaker is used for fronts, rears and centre channel, but few people have the space for such a setup at home.

Frequency Response

It’s tempting to think that frequency response isn’t too important in a centre channel, but a smaller speaker will struggle to reproduce deeper male voices with authority, and it’s difficult to take Darth Vader seriously if he sounds like he’s four feet tall.

While you can set a subwoofer to add low frequency oomph this can be difficult to integrate seamlessly. Some people even add a sub to each channel including centre, it’s maybe easier to use a larger speaker where possible.

Size and Layout

A large speaker may sound great but can be difficult to place under most people’s TVs, especially since many mainstream TV cabinets don’t allow a lot of space for a centre speaker.

In order to get the speaker under your TV most centre speakers use a D’Appolito layout: Two mid drivers with a tweeter in the middle, although often one of the mid drivers will be crossed over at a lower frequency to deliver bass. This results in a smaller unit but it can sometimes lead to dispersion problems for viewers sitting off centre.

The Monitor Audio 250 centre channels use a tweeter and small midrange arranged vertically to help alleviate dispersion problems for listeners not sitting directly in front of the screen. They have two larger drivers to fill out the lower midrange and bass, these frequencies are generally less sensitive off axis.

While many centre channels are ported at the back, Sonus Faber’s Lumina Centre i has ports at the bottom in common with their other Lumina bookshelf speakers. PMC’s Twenty5 C1 on the other hand have Transmission Line ports on the front in common with their other speakers. In theory at least, port position shouldn’t matter as low frequencies come from the port as a spherical pressure wave, but if your port is obstructed by your TV cabinet the speaker won’t sound as intended.

Aesthetics

In terms of looks, many people choose a centre channel with a finish that matches their main speakers, but maybe you’d prefer a black centre channel that doesn’t draw the eye away from the screen and stand out?

However, a possible downside of a non-matching colour speaker is that it may affect the resale value if you ever want to sell all the speakers as a set.

Some ideas to adjust the sound

Once placed in a TV cabinet some centre speakers can sound boxy and too bass heavy. Ideally you would want the speaker on a stand with no other objects nearby while keeping it as close to the screen as possible. Much easier if you are using a projector.

A larger more open hifi rack such as HiFi Racks 3 Tier Podium maybe the answer, or a dedicated centre speaker stand if you can mount your TV on the wall. Another alternative could be a wall mounted speaker such as Acoustic Energy AE105.

Many speakers are ported, so you could experiment with foam bungs to tune the bass.

Maybe try an isolation product like Sorbothane feet or isolation pucks from Iso Acoustics, this will help stop the TV stand acting as a sounding board.

To get more treble or clarity you could experiment with the angle of speaker. The tweeter is often lower than ear level, so tilting the speaker upwards slightly can help high frequencies reach your ears instead of your knees.

Many AV amplifiers allow you to EQ individual speakers to compensate for room acoustics and placement. Using room correction software such as Audyssey or Dirac will calculate the curves based on measurements taken with a microphone, and often allow you to tailor them to your tastes.

Finally, a different cable will change the sound, but often the centre channel is the shortest cable run of an AV system so don’t expect big changes.

In conclusion

It may be worth spending a bit more time listening and tweaking your centre channel, you might be surprised at the improvement in your movie enjoyment. If you’re considering a full set of surround sound speakers, maybe the quality of the centre channel should be a higher priority and not just an afterthought.

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 & 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…

PMC can be found at the following Audio T stores

Monitor Audio can be found at the following Audio T stores


Hi-Fi Racks can be found at the following Audio T stores


Sonus faber can be found at the following Audio T stores

Acoustic Energy 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

Focal Bathys, Chromey takes a plunge into sound.

/ Audio T Manchester/

Bathys (pronounced, batis) comes from the word “bathyscaphe”, the first submarine exploration vehicle. The embodiment of calm, depth and absolute silence, this vessel is the inspiration behind the name of Focal's very first headphones with active noise reduction.

A Potted History, just a quick one.

The FNRS-2 was the first bathyscaphe, a free-diving, self-propelled deep-sea submersible and was conceived by Auguste Piccard in 1937 and was finally finished in 1948, after a brief interruption by World War II. Auguste Piccard, inventor of the bathyscaphe, composed the name using the Ancient Greek words βαθύς (bathús), meaning "deep", and σκάφος (skáphos), meaning "vessel, ship").

Introducing the new Focal Bathys headphones…

Making all the right connections.

Right then, joining the dots, this can be done in one of 2 ways, the most common will be the wireless bluetooth connection. This is the latest 5.1 version of this (nothing to do with home cinema btw). It's a marked improvement over previous versions and offers better sound quality.

The other way and some would say , "the hi-fi way" is the wired USB DAC method, which uses the built in DAC with a resolution of up to 24 bit 192khz.

Built like a ship, a submersible one.

The Bathys use a aluminium/magnesium in the drive units which are assembled in France, the headband cushion is made from leather for comfort and the yoke that holds the headphones is made from aluminium/magnesium. This all results in a headphone that feels and sounds like a premium, high end headphone, and yet is priced at a fair £699*.

Sealed in and shut tight.

Noise!!! Yes, that stuff that gets in the way of your quiet listening moments or even an important phone call while out and about, whether it's land or air, Focal's proprietary active noise cancellation does a grand job of cocooning you from the outside world.

We love the sound it makes when switching between on and off, a very positive kahthlunk is the only way to describe it, and it offers three noise cancellation modes, ‘Silent’, ‘Soft’ or ‘Transparency’ & an adjustable EQ, all accessed from the Naim Focal app.

“This is the way”, well Chromey we thought it was “the Hifi way”, but if you insist.

The depth of quality! (I know I can't help it)

Brilliant. Simples.

With or without the noise cancellation applied in bluetooth mode the Bathys sound full and rounded, bass notes don't boom for no reason at all, like a lot of "outdoor, on the go headphones tend to do"; plus a sweet treble that doesn't scream at you.

Use the "the hi-fi way" which is the use of the internal DAC with a USB cable, you are upping the ante with the quality of your music. Quieter backgrounds, with space between the instruments, an instant upgrade from the wireless option, giving you a truly hi-fi experience akin to high end headphones we know and love at Audio T, like the Focal Utopias or the ever popular Sennheiser HD800.

What’s in the box?

Although being the first Focal headphone to boast bluetooth, included in the box is a 1.2m 3.5mm to 3.5mm jack cable, so headphone enthusiasts can still wire up to their amplifier of choice and enjoy the Bathys with no wireless compression. Also included is USB-C Cable for use of the onboard DAC (also 1.2m), and a luxurious carry case for keeping your headphones safe when not in use.

On a final note, our version of the bathyscaphes potted history isn’t a long one but boy, is it steeped in history, adventure and romance, so why wouldn’t Focal use it as an inspiration and design for the Bathys headphones.

Want to experience a pair of Focal Bathys headphones? Head over to our store on Bridge Street in Manchester and we will be glad to submerge you in sound (I really can't help myself).

Disclaimer: In spite of their namesake, The Bathys headphones are not to be used under water! 😉

Thanks for reading,

Munir, James, Mike & David - 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…

Focal Bathys 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

It's Showtime! A first time at the Bristol Hi-Fi Show…

/ Audio T Cardiff/

This year saw the triumphant return of our Bristol Hi-Fi Show. Matt, our newest member of our Cardiff store was able to make his first attendance, working the whole weekend. This months article takes a look at his experience of the show through fresh eyes…

Now the dust has settled after the Bristol Hi-Fi Show I thought it was time to talk about my experience of my first time at this iconic event and how much I enjoyed it.

Over my years in retail, especially working in the music industry in the past, I have always classed myself as being a bit of a music show veteran working as a buyer at shows such as the Namm Show in Los Angeles and the Dallas International Guitar Show in Texas but as far as Hi-Fi shows go I’m a total newbie.

Now that I proudly work as a sales consultant for, in my humble opinion, one of the best Hi-Fi shops in the country, being part of the Audio T family and what a great family it is. When I was offered the chance to work at the Bristol Hi-Fi Show I jumped at the chance, as I said to my colleagues, “time to get my show feet back on and ready to rock!”

Before I talk more about my experience at the show and go on about all the fantastic gear I saw and listened to, let’s talk about a little history behind the show…

Believe it or not, the Bristol Hi-Fi Show turned 36 this year with the first one being held back in 1987, started by one of our directors, Tony Revelle. With his passion for all things Hi-Fi, Tony’s vision was to bring brands old and new together under one roof to showcase their new forthcoming equipment to give customers a chance to see and listen to all of this fantastic equipment before it hit the shops. I Feel we’re lucky to have a great show like this, especially since this is the first one in three years, as we know COVID put everything on hold, as we say we’re back and better than ever.

My Show Experience

If you visited the show, you may have met me first thing in the morning on all three days, scanning tickets and welcoming all. I was the chap in the blue suit jacket. If you didn’t meet me on the door you may have met me in sales room 211. I have to say, it was great to see and meet you all on the door and seeing such an awesome turnout for the show. As well as meeting new and some old customers coming up from Wales to see us, as well as people from all over the country as well. Being at the show gave me a great chance to get to know staff from our other branches, as there’s nothing like being in a room full of like-minded people passionate about music and talking about each other’s systems; whether it’s vinyl, CD or streaming we’re all part of the Audio T family and I feel lucky to be part of it.

Myself and the audio t team (i’m the one in the back with glasses on)

The show gave me a good opportunity to catch up with representatives from countless companies exhibiting at the show, to talk about new and exciting equipment to follow throughout the year. People that know me well know I'm a bit of a gear head, so the Bristol Show is the perfect place for me to see and hear Hi-Fi equipment we don't often get to see every day in the Cardiff shop. The show allows us to get an idea of what we would like to carry in the shop and most importantly, for you the customer, to see and hear exciting products.

So, what great gear did I get to see and hear and what can I recommend for you guys to check out.

Each day I took the opportunity to take a wander around the show and listen and take the odd picture or two for you guys to see.

First up, Rega…

The new rega naia turntable

NREW rega naia front

Rega are celebrating their 50th anniversary this year and Roy Gandy himself was at the show, sadly I didn't get to meet him but it’s amazing to know he was there. In fact, my colleague Brad did get a chance to interview him which you can watch below…

Anyway, I digress. Back to talking about Rega’s awesome new editions, starting with the all-new NAIA. For me just the look of this in the Rega room stole the show! Sadly I didn't get to hear it as it was the prototype. I got to check out the new bearing and part of the new arm mechanism let’s just say, think of a formula one racing car then think of a turntable and combine the technology such as carbon fibre. I can’t wait to hear this turntable and hear what it can do. Also, in the Rega room they have come up with white versions on the P6, P8 and P10, which look fantastic in the new colour option. My self being a very proud owner of a Rega planar 6 it was nice to see it in white.

White rega p8

Our old friends, Leema Acoustics…

the leema acoustics room

I say old friends because ever since I first listened to the Tucana ll Anniversary almost two years ago now, they had me hooked and I have used this amp in our shop as a reference point ever since. I knew these guys were at the show so I couldn't resist popping in to say hi and have a listen. Also to add, Leema are celebrating their 25th anniversary this year. Aside from the Tucana they had the Pyxis and the Hydra combo, together with the one I've been waiting for, which I had a bit of Wayne’s World moment with (Oh yes it will be mine), the all new Quantum range and especially Neutron and Graviton pre-amplifier and power amplifier combination, which I am very much looking forward to seeing in our store. If you haven't listened to Leema before I highly recommend checking them out.

On to Audio Note…

AUdio note room

You may remember I wrote a blog about Audio Note a little while back on the Cobra and the AN-K speaker and about my passion for all things valve. With Audio Note being at the show I thought now is a great chance to check out some more of their range and more importantly sit down and listen to their fantastic equipment they had on display such as the small but mighty P1 power amplifier and also gave me a great chance to look and an Audio Note turntable as I had never seen one up close before, I have to say it looks and sounds fantastic. Also, their new range of bookshelf speakers the AX range, I can’t wait to hear these as they look fantastic. Chatting with Micky Seaton from Audio Note about their equipment and arranging for me to take a tour around the factory… Could be another Audio Note blog in the wings, so watch this space.

audio note tt

More Gear

On my walk around the show, I did see many other things such as the fantastic new range from Audiolab the new 9000 and 7000 range. Also, the AURALiC, Cyrus and Spendor room made my ears prick including the Dynaudio demonstrations. Sadly I didn't have time to listen to everything but from what I did get a chance to hear, most sounded awesome!

Auralic cyrus and spendor room

One of the highlights of the show was getting to check out the Wireworld range of cables, where I had the unique chance to meet company president, David Salz, who talked through their range. I myself proudly own a Wireworld Matrix which sits in my system.

In conclusion

The Bristol show was a thoroughly amazing experience and there is so much to see. I would say you need a couple of days there to see everything, or maybe all three. What was pleasing to see was everybody enjoying themselves and the atmosphere at the show… (pardon the pun) was electric. In short, the show has something for everybody and yes, I have signed myself up to work the show next year, as I can’t wait to see you all again.

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…

Although the Bristol show is over for the year the excitement never stops. New gear and events are ahead - we have a vinyl evening on the 21st of April at our local coffee shop, Mec Coffee, which we’re very much looking forward to plus many more events to come throughout the year.

If you would like to know more about any upcoming events, or you feel inspired by what you have seen and heard at the Bristol show and you would like to have a listen in the comfort of one of our demo rooms, or even have a home demonstration, why not give us a call on 02920 228565 or Email us at cardiff@audio-t.co.uk , or pop in and see us. We look forward to hearing from you.

An in-depth look at the New Naim Classic 200 Series

/ Audio T Bristol/

Naim, vanguards of Hi-Fi - the High Priests of High Fidelity, the P.R.A.Ts (Pace, Rhythm And Timing) with a prowess for clarity and the one of the final words in audio engineering excellence. How does the New Classic 200 Series shape up?

This year is a big year for the Salisbury outfit - celebrating 50 years of audio reproduction mastery and the 30 year anniversary for Naim Records. Those early adolescent years, under the charismatic Julian Vereker, were confident, unorthodox, quirky, with tongue-in-cheek advertising and a freshness of vision that captivated the Hi-Fi world. As Naim grew up, so did their reputation - making their mark on the world with the 2011 Statement Edition.

Gone is the Green - 200 SERIES: Welcome to a new era in sound

The new 200 Series line includes the NSC 222 preamplifier and streamer, the NAP 250 power amplifier, as well as the uncompromising NPX 300 power supply.

With obvious design cues from the Uniti range, this is the future of the Naim Classic series. The front panels are treated with solid 20mm-thick aluminium billets; heat sinks frame the side panels (careful these are a little sharp) and 5mm plates cover the top and bottom surfaces of the products. The aluminium is brushed, sandblasted and anodised to guarantee unalterable beauty throughout the product's life. Gone is the classic tuned ringing of casework, replaced by a solid inert thud.

The NSC 222

Naim have not had an integrated preamplifier and streamer in the line up for a number of years. The last one launched was in 2015 the NAC N 272 and this is a completely new ground up design.

The versatility of the NSC 222 cannot be underestimated. It fills a very important gap in Naim's range between All-In-One, to full separates system. It is as close as you can get to a full separates sound without the box count. The 222 has 2 USB Type A socket, 4 digital inputs comprising of 2 Optical TOSLINK (up to 24bit/96kHz), a coaxial RCA (up to 24bit/192kHz, DoP 64Fs) and a coaxial BNC (up to 24bit 192kHz, DoP 64Fs). On the analogue side there is a handy moving magnet phono stage and 8-pin DIN (compatible with 5-pin DIN cables) and a pair of RCA stereo Line level inputs (RCA/DIN): Impedance 47k, 2.2V typical, 7.5Vrms Max 8 pin DIN has +/-18V for compatible external phono stages such as Solstice NVC TT.

On the streaming side, all the usual suspects are handled - play all your favourite radio stations non-stop, as well as any music you choose from Spotify Connect, Apple Music, TIDAL, TIDAL Connect, Qobuz, AirPlay 2, Chromecast, UPnP™ servers, USB key, Roon Ready, and more. handling bit rates of up to 32bit/284kHz.

The headphone socket is not an add on. Full Naim technology for headphone listening is inherited from the Uniti Atom Headphone Edition.

The NPX 300

This optional separate power supply incorporates a new transformer, which works with six exclusive Naim power regulators (using DR technology - Discrete Regulator), providing a cleaner power to your system. Less “noise” means a better sound. It works perfectly with the 200 Series products, and is also compatible with the NDX2 or even the NAC-N 272 – you just need the specific cables.

The NAP 250

First appeared nearly 50 years ago and recent incarnations have featured trickle down from the Naim Statement. Today, it delivers more power than ever and offers more flexibility within a complete system. The cutting-edge engineering work involved in the NAP 250 results in unrivalled performance. It delivers 100 watts of A/B class power per channel, fully adjustable to set your music free in the most remarkable way.

The addition of symmetrical XLR connections (yes, you read that right) and a series of technologies derived from Naim's iconic Statement amplifier, including a eddy current separator available between the loudspeaker outputs. It also incorporates the Naim Audio DR (Discrete Regulator) technology found in the Statement.

A note on connectivity, after years of making a din about din - Naim seems to be being a little hushed now, which makes for a lot less of a headache when connecting up different bits of kit. The NSC 222 still has an 8-pin DIN (compatible with 5-pin DIN cables) - useful for older sources compatibility.

Setup and listening

Sources used:

Linn LP12; Majik Edition with Adikt Cart
Linn Selekt DSM - Standard DAC
Innuos Zen Mini
Audio Note TT Three - with IQ III cart

‌Speakers

Harbeth SHL5
Bowers & Wilkins 702 S3
Bowers & Wilkins 804 D4
ATC SCM 19
Sonus Faber Olympica Nova III‌
ATC Active 50ASLT

This has been a full on at least 8 hours a day for the last 4 weeks of constant playback on the shop floor. And yes we are floored. This is Naim. Do I need to elaborate (maybe for the word count) .

Straight out the box the system needed about a week to settle down - mid range seemed a little strained and grip and drive a little hard. Since then just on keeps getting better. Mid range is now beautiful, texture of treble and bass are absolutely superb. The power and grunt is there and will happily drive the Bowers & Wilkins 804.

Firing up GoGo Penguin’s “A Humdrum Star” album - the separation pace and precision is excellent. The Manchester based trio - aka “the Radiohead of British Jazz” , the most notable is the separation between the instruments - double bass and kick drum remain clearly distinguishable even when the going gets very busy. The match with the Bowers & Wilkins 702 S3 really gave a sense of attack and urgency without sounding forced and confused - plenty of vigour and life.

Moving to Classical and Murray Perahia, “Bach: Goldberg Variations”, BMV 988, released in 2000 on Sony Classical - the delicacy and virtuoso performance of Perahia is excellently handled. Certainly with the Harbeth’s that natural tone and fleshy emotions all bear fruit in an exquisite synergy. Perahia precision, linearity are all etched with an emotional clarity that is sublime.

I will make a note that the NSC 222 with the ATC SCM50 Active Towers is an extremely accomplished system and if you want to limit the box count, but still have huge grunt and input flexibility, then the 222 is the way to go. A dedicated preamp of around £2,000* is still not as good as the NSC 222, and yet it has the sources…

Turning to phono stage performance - The on-board phono stage is a delight, not just a convenience and sounded excellent with the Linn Majik. The more exotic Audio Note TT Three - with IQ III cart improved performance vastly and showed just how good the onboard phono stage is.

Compared to Older Naim

Looking at the pricing points the new Naim 200 series system with the power supply comes in at just over £17K. The legacy equivalent would be the Naim ND5 XS 2 - £2,500*, Naim 282 - £4,800, Naim Hi Cap - £1,699, Naim 250DR £4,499 - that system comes in at £13k.

But, then we have just switch the system over to the Naim NDX2 £6,000* Naim 252 £7,700, Naim SuperCap £5,300 , Naim NAP 300 with PSU 300 - £8,600 - that’s a £28,000 Naim system and we can attest that there is not a lot in it. I would argue that the new Naim 200 classic is closer to a 300 system than an old 250!

Naim have seriously excelled with the new 200 series. Certainly, putting the Naim NDX2 into the NSC222, reducing it’s duties to just pre amp, provided insightful - a firming of transients and clarity that, from the outset you would not know you were missing - such is the balance of the 222.

In Summary

If you have a NAC N-272 the upgrade to the NSC 222 is without question a huge step up in performance. Reducing your box count from ND5/282 to the 222 is another worthy upgrade. The tantalising nomenclature of the NPX 300 points to further products in the pipeline.

The green may have gone from Naim, but their competitors will be green with envy at such an accomplished system. Call us or book a dem to experience the all new Naim 200 series

Thanks for reading.

Justin, Max & James - 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…

*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

It’s all about the customer service… A tale from Audio T and Dynaudio.

/ Audio T Oxford/

In our almost 60 year history, Audio T has prided itself on exceptional customer service, both during and after the sale. This is often made easier by the quality of the products we sell and the manufacturers we choose to operate with. Here is a tale of one such example of how a premium manufacturer deals with aftercare, alongside an authorised dealer such as ourselves…

Here at Audio T Oxford, we recently had an enquiry from a gentleman whose father had bought a system from us back in 2003 compromising of a pair of Dynaudio Special 25 Speakers, Cyrus 8/ PSXR amplification, an Arcam CD93 Player, an Arcam tuner and a Denon cassette deck - Remember those?

Now, whilst Dynaudio products have a well founded reputation for being bulletproof, after 20 years of faithful service one of the mid/bass drive units had failed. Our customer, Jimmy, is now 99 years young and still loves his music and in particular, loves these speakers.

Dynaudio Special 25

Jimmy had asked his son Steve to see if he could help get the speaker looked at. Given that the speaker was purchased twenty years ago, Steve thought it best to contact Dynaudio directly. As the original purchase location and authorised dealer, Dynaudio put Steve in touch with ourselves.

So, Steve got in touch to see if we could, if at all possible, get the speaker fixed in time for his father’s 100th birthday! As luck would have it, the Special 25 speakers came with a 25 year warranty, personally signed by the long serving then President of Dynaudio, Wilfried Ehrenholz.

The original certificate of warranty from dynaudio

Steve duly dropped the speaker off for us to test and we confirmed that it was indeed the driver that was fault. 

We contacted Bill Livingston, the head of Dynaudio UK about obtaining spares, only to be told that none were left at the factory, but as a manufacturer that are serious about honouring their warranties and given the fact that they build all their own drive units in-house; the conversation went along the lines of “No problem, we can build you new drive units, we keep all the original design drawings and specifications, just give us a couple of weeks and we will make a new pair!”

We felt that this was outstanding customer service and a testament to Dynaudio.

Sure enough, two weeks later the brand new mid/bass drivers arrived…

After some careful servicing from yours truly, the driver has now been replaced and the loudspeaker thoroughly soak tested. And it is sounding fantastic, if we do say so ourselves!

Because Steve isn’t local, and only one speaker was brought in to us, we have given him the option of keeping hold of the other drive unit as a spare or we’ll happily fit it in the other speaker, whichever he, or his father prefers.

The story continues…

This is Jimmy (and his son Steve), collecting his Special Forty’s from audio t oxford

Following on from our initial blog, we have since replaced the other drive unit so that both match. While they were here, we took the opportunity to sit and have a play with the speakers and got to chat to Jimmy…

It turns out that Jimmy was an RAF pilot that fought in the Second World War! He flew Spitfires and even survived a crash landing. In 1944, he had to bale out of a burning P40 Kittyhawk. He reagailed that the metal was so hot that he couldn’t move the canopy (the transparent enclosure over the cockpit). He thought he was a goner and prayed for help only to suddenly find himself out of the aeroplane (landing covered in molten metal) and became a POW for the remainder of the war. 

He had amazing anecdotes, like a German soldier repairing his clothes for him; which he described as “…a real Christian act when you consider that 45 minutes beforehand he had been strafing them”. Being a prisoner he suffered some real hardships of cold and hunger but some of the guards showed real kindness.

He ended his career flying the interceptor aircraft, English Electric Lightning. Being somewhat of an military aviation geek myself, I could literally have talked to him for hours. Jimmy has a short book written about his exploits. I might just have to track it down for myself.

We would like to take this opportunity to wish Jimmy a very happy 100th birthday!

Thanks for reading.

Jon & Rob - 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…

Spendor Classic 3/1 - Small Speaker with a Big Big Sound

/ Audio T Cheltenham/

Here at Audio T Cheltenham we have an unwavering love for the classic looking Hi-Fi, which some would arguably now call “retro” or “vintage” in its design.

This month we’re looking at the rather cute Spendor Classic 3/1. A 2 way reflex ported stand mount speaker that encompasses that “retro” look…

Classic 3/1 sat on top of its own dedicated stand.

The Science Bit

Weighing in at a fairly hefty 9.9kg each and measuring 39.5cm tall by 22cm wide and 28.5cm deep the build quality is truly exemplary, but then Spendor do have their own cabinet making facility so you would expect nothing less really.

Sporting a very high quality 18cm EP77 polymer cone bass/mid driver supported by a cast magnesium alloy chassis. Available in cherry and walnut real wood finishes and they come supplied with grilles that attach to the solid front baffle by means of magnets, so there are no unsightly fixing holes if you are going to use them with grilles removed.

Sensitivity is a generous 88db for 1 watt at 1 metre, so a good match for either valve amps or solid state electronics. They have a typical in-room frequency response of 40hz at the bottom to 25 khz at the top (if you can hear that far up). Impedance is rated at a very amp friendly 8 ohms.

No Grilles for an arguably improved sound quality.

Spendor’s Obsession

All the design, engineering and manufacture work is based in Spendor’s East Sussex production facility where the distinctive Classic sound is honed to near perfection, thanks to their obsession for capturing the spirit of the musical performance.

Rear view showing chunky gold plated speaker plugs.

The rear of the speaker is where you will find a set of nice solid gold plated speaker sockets designed to facilitate bi-wiring or to bi-amp the speakers. Also round the back is where you will find the reflex port, which gives the speaker deeper bass extension.

The Importance of Good Support

The stands are important to mention here too as they are an integral part of the loudspeaker design. They support the speaker cabinet in each of the corners on four slim solid alloy pillars. The pillars are rigidly tied together via two independent machined solid alloy hubs. The result of this is a completely stable ultra-rigid lightweight non-resonant structure, that results in no spurious noise or vibration to detract from the natural dynamics, transparency, soundstage and detail of your music.

Sorrows Away

folky Goosebump time courtesy of The unthanks

Now onto the fun bit where I get to put the Spendors through their paces with some juicy music. First up I pulled out a copy of the latest LP from “The Unthanks”. “Sorrows Away” contains pretty much everything that makes the band great: impossibly luminous harmonies, great arrangements, sinuous ensemble work and a symphonic sense of scale. Wonderful artwork too which is inspired by a collection of beautiful nineteenth century Japanese firework illustrations. I chose the first track “The Great Silkie Of Sule Skerry” and was immediately transported by the delicate ethereal beauty of the voices with the gradually growing intensity of the music behind them. All made wonderfully real by the huge soundstage projected by the Spendor. Imaging from the Classic 3/1 is amongst the very best that you will hear from a loudspeaker of this size and price anywhere in the Hi-Fi world. The themes of this album of emergence from the dark and into the light, reaching from bleak times towards something warmer and brighter and driving “Sorrows Away” are really laid bare by the Spendor Classic 3/1’s… a truly moving listen.

Slip Into The Vortex

Spacerock improv lunacy from The Oresund space collective

The Spendor Classic 3/1’s were soooo good with “The Unthanks” album that I thought I would see how they coped with the album “Into The Vortex” by “Oresund Space Collective” who are a music collective from Denmark and Sweden that play totally improvised space rock music. They have released 38 records since 2006. Music for your mind to escape the Matrix...This was album number six and is still my favourite of theirs.

Now this can be a difficult listen if played through speakers that are not up to snuff, but on the Spendor, the immense eighteen minute long title track was revealed in absolutely all of its wonderfully blissed out psychedelic beauty. The interplay between the various band members sets up something truly hypnotic and mind bending, that comes across so well on the Spendor that you would swear you can follow everything at the same time without the music ever sounding over busy or confused at all.

Real Wood Veneers

Available in Walnut (top) or cherry real wood veneers for extra gorgeousness.

A Spine Tingling Conclusion

To sum up then, here we have a loudspeaker that is assured and powerful and will take you to the very heart of the performance. They have warmth and richness combined with clarity and transparency, which brings out all the colours and textures in your music, creating an immersive and comforting soundscape that many listeners may find missing in other loudspeakers. They will send shivers down your spine and encourage you to rediscover the music you love. Above all else, they capture the real soul of the recording bringing a new intimacy and intensity to your listening experience.

If I have whetted your appetite even a little please feel free to give us a call and bring in a pile of your favourite music and have some fun… We do! We also make a great cup of tea or coffee and have some nice biscuits too.

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…

Thoughts and Streams - What is the best Music Streaming Service?

/ Audio T Brighton/

With Spring just around the corner, the days are remaining lighter for longer and the urge for many to get outside and enjoy some nature is ever increasing, meaning that the most hardened vinyl enthusiast is reliant on streaming services for their musical listening pleasure whilst out and about. Or, perhaps you’re one of our customers who utilises the convenience and ease of streaming playback everyday on a multi-room or two channel hi-fi at home?

Regardless of your prefered form of media playback, I thought it may prove useful to review some of the more common music streaming services from a personal perspective. I do actually use all of the services mentioned in this blog at various times and in differing use cases depending on my needs at the time. I have my personal favourites for different reasons and not all at the same time. Please remember that ratings are very subjective and your mileage may vary, so to speak.

Qobuz

Qobuz streaming service

Putting the cat amongst the pigeons, I’ll come straight out and say it - Here at Audio T Brighton, it is our humble opinion that Qobuz is the best sounding streaming service. The hi-fi equipment on sale in our store offers playback options on many of the competitors to be mentioned in this blog and our ears tell us that Qobuz is the way to go when we want the best performance from a streaming source.

Qobuz offers an extensive, if not exhaustive, music library and despite probably losing out to Apple Music and Spotify in terms of library size, sounds so much better through a quality sound system. It’s worth it when you are listening seriously and value those sonic qualities. However, don’t just take my word for it, below is a review written by one of our very own customers:

“I purchased a Powerline recently from the ever helpful and good people at Audio T in Brighton and mentioned to John that as this is the only upgrade available for my Naim Uniti Atom, had I obtained the best sound possible for my headphone listening? I mentioned that my source was Apple Music being streamed losslessly over Airplay 2 via my Macbook when John suggested that I might like to try a different platform and that my Atom has built in native support for Qobuz and as the quality is very good indeed, I might find it a better option. I appreciated the thought as Audio T have absolutely nothing to gain by making such a recommendation, other than better sounding music for me and to get the best out of my equipment. Having conducted an AB test between Apple Music and Qobuz, I can honestly say the difference was incredible! So much so, that my Beyerdynamics now sound much cleaner and smoother (and I really do mean a lot more cleaner and smoother!) taking my listening experience to the next level. In short, it has been a game changer and I am really very grateful indeed to John for his recommendation as otherwise I suspect I would have simply carried on with Apple Music completely unaware of a hugely significant upgrade at very little cost and thereby missing out on an awful lot!”

Advantages and disadvantages:

  1. Qobuz serves up lossless files in a bit perfect range of formats.

  2. Offers Roon and Audirvana support.

  3. Supports bit perfect on Android(with a plugin)

  4. App isn’t the most intuitive to use.

  5. Qobuz store offers CD/HiRes downloads.

  6. No official Qobuz Connect option just yet, requiring Chromecast to playback through the Qobuz app. However, some manufacturers, Naim and Auralic spring to mind, do allow member login from within the device app with the attached functionality of playback that may offer.

Sound quality rating: 9/10

qobuz services

This year, Qobuz became The Official Streaming Service of The Bristol Hi-Fi Show, and as such, we’re able to offer all of our customers a free 90 trial. Sign up Now!

Tidal

Tidal music services are big proponents of MQA playback, with many suggesting it is the best thing since sliced bread. Undoubtedly, many pieces of music sound great on Tidal and its catalogue is extensive but not all DACs offer an MQA playback option. This can be remedied to an extent by software solutions, such as ROON. The Tidal Connect option is a fine competitor to the ubiquitous Spotify Connect. Unless you have an affinity for rap/hip-hop and require MQA playback, then I would personally choose Qobuz over Tidal for sound quality, although the Tidal app may be a bit more slick in operation. Not a dealbreaker or clincher though.

tidal streaming service

Advantages/Disadvantages:

  1. MQA playback with encoded MQA digital to analogue converters. Remember that MQA is a “lossy” format despite the hype.

  2. Bit perfect playback on all platforms.

  3. Tidal Connect is a useful feature if your playback device offers it. Fortunately, more companies are building this into their playback devices.

  4. Lossless files only if not in “Master”.

  5. All “Master” tracks don’t have a lossless copy.

  6. TIDAL app tends to favour Hip-hop/Rap genres by default. Depending on your personal preferences, this could fall into either category.

Sound quality rating: 8/10

You can try Tidal for yourself for 30 days free Here.

Apple Music

If you’re an Apple device user and live in the Apple ecosystem, then the extensive library and inter-device flexibility of Apple music may well just be your cup of tea. Within Apple’s “straight-jacket” philosophy there is plenty to offer and it offers fine audio playback providing you’re happy to use Airplay as your playback wireless option. This does mean that your iPad or iPhone are “tied” to playback duties, draining your device battery whilst remaining coupled to your network, when you may wish to use it for some other purpose. Not an insurmountable problem but one to consider before making your choice.

Advantages/Disadvantages:

  1. Lossless files available up to 24bit 96Khz, although these may have to set independently in your system preferences if you’re not on an iOS device.

  2. Spatial surround sound audio on some music.

  3. Bitperfect on Apple devices

  4. No lossless on Windows

  5. Only Bit Perfect on Android with some songs

  6. No exclusive mode(on desktop) plugin fix

  7. Requires the use of Airplay 2 to stream music in your home.

Sound quality rating: 8/10

Spotify

With good reason the most popular music streaming service in the world. Spotify offers an extensive library and its “coup-de-gras”, in my opinion, are it’s fantastic music suggestions based on your listening habits, sending you to music you’ve never heard before with a fantastically high hit rate. Of course, your mileage may vary in this regard, but there is a reason why Spotify is so popular and this is the main one. On sound quality grounds it cannot really win out over its competitors but it’s still plenty good enough for most commercially available wired or bluetooth headphones.

spotify streaming services

Advantages/Disadvantages:

  1. Probably the most user-friendly streaming service, with Spotify Connect allowing independent of device streaming via the Spotify app.

  2. Very intuitive app with a music A.I. suggestion service that is far superior to its competitors at the time of publishing this blog.

  3. Great connectivity with manufacturer devices and Internet streaming or radio services.

  4. No lossless streaming service yet and there maybe a premium to pay when it does. This may be an advantage if your data allowance on your mobile service is a bit stingy. Standard bit rates are 160kbs or 320kbs using an Ogg Vorbis mp3 codec depending on how it is set on your account.

  5. Can be glitchy.

Sound quality rating: 7/10

Alternatives to streaming...

This blog wouldn’t be complete without mentioning the alternatives to streaming music, which have advantages for most people, in convenience, music access and portability/storage.

If we go “old school” for a moment, don’t forget about records and CDs... Even cassettes! I know these lose out on convenience, portability and storage in the strictest sense, but there are other reasons why you may stick to these over streaming services.

Here at Audio T in Brighton, we have many pieces of hi-fi equipment, from the more modest to really serious. I have written a previous blog to compare vinyl versus streaming system options at the more budget end of the market and that blog can be found here.

Advantages/Disadvantages:

  1. When the internet goes down . . . what then? We’ve all been in that situation from time to time, the irritating outage by your ISP for “maintenance”.

  2. Records have been back in fashion for a number of years and some may say that they never went out of fashion. There is nothing that can match the musical sound of vinyl playback, or the tactile quality and legibility of the text on a vinyl album cover. That lovely artwork, lyrics and the interaction every 20 mins or so. Downsides are the increasing cost of vinyl purchase and possible bent cantilevers on your pickup cartridge, especially during the Christmas period.

  3. CD’s are generally cheaper than LP’s, offering a somewhat watered-down version of the tactile experience of LP’s and can be ripped onto a hard-drive for playback on modern devices, offering better than streaming quality in many cases but with equivalent ease of use with an app based functionality. Especially useful when your internet goes off.

  4. Sound quality is often better from local devices because you have ultimate knowledge and control of where the data comes from and how you choose to play it back over your hifi system. Many of the streaming services have several versions of the same recording with massively variable playback quality. I know because I have experienced this for myself, often in total disbelief at the differences between what is, essentially, the same recording session.

  5. You own the music you’ve bought and are not subject to the frivolity of artists and streaming service licences, where tracks and albums you like are suddenly unavailable for streaming. Annoying!

  6. Buying records and cd’s or downloading paid for new music content contributes far more to the pockets of the artists who composed and recorded the music. The paltry sums offered by some streaming services are reason itself for the periodic unavailability of music online - refer to point number 5. Services like Bandcamp offer better ways to get money into the pockets of the artists.

  7. Go and see live music as often as you can. Tickets are expensive for the big venues, so try and get out to support local artists as much as you can. The performing artist industry needs a big shot in the arm post COVID, so be part of the revival whenever you can.

  8. Failing all of the above, get that guitar out of the bag, tune it and burst into song.

Sound quality rating: 9.5/10

Recommended vinyl/cd playback systems...

Here are a few vinyl playback systems we recommend at Audio T in Brighton. The list certainly isn’t exhaustive but it is what we have on demo at our Brighton store.

Starter system: Rega System One consisting Rega Planar 1, Rega IO amp and Rega Kyte speakers.

Enthusiasts system: Rega Planar 3 with Audio Technica AT95ML, Naim XS3 amplifier, Audiolab 6000CDT transport with Proac DB1 bookshelf speakers on Linn Majik speaker stands.

Next level: Rega Planar 8 with Apheta 3 cartridge, Rega Aria phono stage, Rega Aethos amplifier, Rega Saturn CD player/DAC with Proac D20 floor standing speakers.

End game: Linn LP12 Klimax turntable, Naim NAC552 preamp, Naim NAP500DR power amplifier, ATC SCM50 speakers.

Recommended streaming systems...

Here are a few streaming playback systems we recommend at Audio T in Brighton. The list certainly isn’t exhaustive but it is what we have on demo at our Brighton store.

Starter system: Triangle AIO active speakers.

Enthusiasts system: Naim Uniti Atom with Dynaudio Evoke 10 speakers on Linn Majik stands.

Next level: Naim NSC222 streaming preamp with Naim NAP250 power amp and Naim NPX300 power supply into ATC SCM40 floor standing speakers.

End game: Naim ND555/555PS streamer, Naim NAC552 preamp, Naim NAP500DR power amp into ATC SCM50 speakers.

Final thoughts...

I’d just like to reiterate that this blog are of my own personal thoughts on the advantages/disadvantages of streaming or not, so whenever possible use your own ears to decide.

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…

Naim can be found at the following Audio T stores

Rega can be found at the following Audio T stores

Dynaudio can be found at the following Audio T stores

ATC Loudspeakers can be found at the following Audio T stores

ProAc can be found at the following Audio T stores

Linn can be found at the following Audio T stores

TRIANGLE can be found at the following Audio T stores

High Quality Loudspeakers from Italy - Sonus Faber - Sonetto Range

/ Audio T Swindon/

On the subject of this month’s blog, we would like to discuss the very popular Sonetto range from Sonus Faber, designed and handcrafted in Italy. They're physically beautiful, compact, easy to set up and place and, most importantly, they sound fantastic. Anyone looking for speakers in this price range, for whom looks, size and sound quality are important, should check them out.

There are eight different models in the Sonetto range - two pairs of stand mounts and three pairs of floor standing speakers, two centre channels and a pair of on-wall speakers. All of them are available in walnut, wenge, white and gloss black.

Sonetto 1 & 2 - Compact but elegant

The Sonetto 1 & the Sonetto 2 are the entry-level stand-mounted speakers within the Sonetto range. Designed to be both compact and elegant at the same time, they offer a very refined and detailed sound. The speakers are front ported, which allows close-to-the-wall room placement, making them perfect for those who lack space.

 

Sonetto 3 & 5 - Sublime design and engineering

There are three floor standing models in the Sonetto range, Sonetto 3, Sonetto 5 and the Sonetto 8. The Sonetto 8 are the largest of the three, (although we currently don’t hold demonstration stock).

Someone once said “ Thanks to its terrific design and sublime engineering, the Sonus Faber Sonetto 3 produce a much bigger sound than a speaker its size has a right to “

We can’t agree more with this. The Sonetto 3 are the smallest of the three pairs of floorstanders but they are surprisingly room filling.

If you like the Sonetto sound and you want more of it, the Sonetto 5 and Sonetto 8 will take it to the next level.

Sonetto Centre 1 & 2 - Home Cinema Speakers

The centre loudspeaker locks the sound onto the screen and it is a very important part in a home cinema system. Sonus Faber offers two Sonetto centre speaker models, the Centre 1 and the Centre 2.

The smaller Centre 1 is a perfect match for the Sonetto 1, Sonetto 2 and Sonetto 3. A very useful accessory is the supplied table support stand. Position the centre speaker onto the stand, then turn the centre speaker up or down to set up the angle for the best performance.

The Sonetto Center 2 is the larger of the two, a true 3-way design to go with Sonetto 5 or Sonetto 8.

Sonetto Wall - Discreet physical presence

Sonetto Wall, a very elegant 2-way on-wall speaker can be added to a home cinema, a two-channel system or as a stand-alone pair in a room as part of a multi-room system. The Sonetto Wall is available in the four Sonetto finishes.

Our verdict is - Sonus Faber Sonetto loudspeakers sound brilliant, are easy to set up 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.

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…

Sonus Faber products can be found in the following Audio T stores -

The Bristol Hi-Fi Show 2023 - Back with a bang!

/ Audio T Swansea/

Writing this on the morning of Friday 3rd March and thinking back to exactly one week ago as the doors opened for the Bristol Hi-Fi Show. Who knew that it was going to turn out to be one of the best attended shows for many many years, possibly in the history of the show.

This was about the twenty-somethingth show that I was working, yes it is officially classed as “work!”. Many years ago when I was still wet behind the ears in the industry, I would usually be found working at one of the quieter sales and advice rooms on the 2nd or 3rd floors, but as the years rolled on I found myself working at the Ground Floor sales desk, which was a heck of a lot busier than the upper floors in those days, (although recently the upper floors have experienced some seriously busy years with some new manufacturers being very successful selling their products from amazing demonstrations). Roll on twenty odd years later and I started to head up the sales team and Managing the Ground Floor sales and advice desk (or as the Boss called me - “the elder statesman”….. thanks!)

Myself and my wonderful partners in crime

So…. as usual my show week starts on the Thursday, heading up to the Hotel to help get the sales desks all kitted up, help our fabulous IT team get all the tills and card machines etc up and running (which in truth is me not touching anything that I shouldn’t and not pressing anything until I’m told) and making sure the Sales desk has all the relevant show posters and information displayed. Whilst my work only starts the day before the show, upon arrival and working through the day it is clear to see what an incredible amount of work goes into getting the show off the ground from everyone involved, the amount of work our fabulous management team does to the logistics of getting all of the exhibitors in and out of the Hotel in military fashion is truly incredible, not to mention the months and months of organisation before we even get to the Hotel!.

Friday morning arrives… early breakfast and have a quick peak outside on the way back upstairs to see if the queue has started. Bearing in mind it was only a few minutes past nine, there was already a queue forming. In the lead up to the show there were discussions of what we could expect considering there had been such a long break between shows, upon seeing the queue it was clear we were in for a very busy day.

Back downstairs for a 9.30 briefing from our Sales Director, and we were amazed to see the queue literally around the block. “Ooooooh my God!” was the reaction from those of us that have worked previous shows - we had never seen anything like it. 10am, the doors opened and off we went, suddenly we were back into the swing of things and it seemed as those three years had gone by in a flash!

One of the only drawbacks of working on the Sales Team is that we often don’t get to see a lot of the show, which is a shame, and especially this year with the Friday and Saturday being busy with visitors. I kept my fingers crossed that I could find a quiet hour or so to have a dash around and have a look at some of the show on Sunday.

All through the Friday and Saturday visitors were telling me about the rooms that they had been in, which they liked the best and so on, so I had a few things that I really wanted to see and hear for myself. My only chance was to get to some rooms really early before the show opened to the public to get a close up look.

So here are some photos I took of some things that really stood out for me…

Firstly, (and I will make no excuses) is the Rega Naia Turntable. As many of you know, I am the proud owner of the Rega Planar 10 turntable which I absolutely love, and of course hearing through the grapevine that the new turntable was going to be at the show my first stop had to be the Rega room. I just can’t wait until I can hear it in action.

Secondly, the REL room. I was lucky enough to be given a blast of this system before many other exhibitors had opened their room. Uuuuuuh….. “Bonkers” is the only word I can use to describe the performance of these Reference series subwoofers! Understandably REL could not play them at these levels as there would surely be a lot of complaints from other exhibitors floors away let alone rooms away!

The new Focal Bathys Bluetooth Headphones were causing quite a stir all weekend, and even with the very quick listen I had I could tell why they were so popular. They really did sound far far more expensive than their £699* price tag. I’m looking forward to having these in the shop as I’m sure they will prove to be very popular.

And of course the New Classic 200 Series from Naim. I failed to get into the Naim room on Friday as it was so busy, so tried again on Saturday. Lucky me, as I walked in one of my favourite tracks was playing - Stevie Ray Vaughan - Tin Pan Alley… Fantastic!! A wonderful sounding system, but also a great display of the electronics without their top plates so you could see the incredible work that goes into building these products.

That’s just a few of my standouts from the show, and below you will see more images I took of some of my favourite products and some of our good friends at the show.

If you are reading this and had attended the show, I hope it reminds you of what a great occasion it was to be back at the Delta Marriott once again. If there is anything that you saw at the show and would like to investigate further, then please get in touch with your local branch of Audio T.

But if you haven’t ever been to our Bristol Hi-Fi Show then I hope it inspires you to visit us next year. I strongly recommend making it at least a two-day trip as it is so difficult to see everything in just one day.

Nic – Audio T Swansea

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