Welcome to another of our from the heart news-bursts. Brace yourselves, this could be a long one! You might want to steady your nerves for the fact that not all the news is good!

The last few weeks have rather underlined the unpredictable nature of our business. After months of not selling the Naim Uniti products that we have in stock, we’ve suddenly had a run on them and have almost extinguished supply. With replenishment not due until February next year, it’s sobering to see the stock room emptying out.

For these ‘sensible shoes’ systems, partnering speakers of the moment have been drawn almost exclusively from the Dynaudio stable with Emit 20 and 30 and Evoke 50 being the star performers.

Linn now with added Ekstacy!

We have our new Radikal II transformed LP12 turntable up and running. The plinth is ribbed for additional, erm, tactility and looks great in the light oak. It’s equipped with Linns new and seriously high end Ekstatik cartridge and, oh my word, this thing is good. It’s not fully run-in but, already, customers (kustomers?) have been blown away.

Even if it’s just to establish your ultimate goal on the development road map or put that pesky Crossley in its place, the new Linn LP12 Klimax surely needs to be heard. Something aspirational, at least. Customer upgrades are underway. Satisfaction is high.
The ADOT fibre ethernet mentioned in last month’s emotional outpouring has caused something of a stir. Several sets have been sold and demonstrations of our, suddenly unfamiliarly brilliant, Naim ND 555 / 552 / 500 / Kudos Titan 808 system have allowed buyers to hear what reduced network noise actually sounds like. Selling a negative shouldn’t be this easy!

Spookily, the Radikal II improvements on the Linn lie in similar areas. Expect more clarity, colour, involvement and spirit. In the scheme of things, it’s not scarily expensive either.

New Accuphase arrivals

Due to arrive early in 2022 is the new seriously chunky £12k ish E-5000 flagship high-power Class AB integrated amplifier developed to mark Accuphase’s 50-year anniversary. To prove how resolutely off-message I am, I’m even more excited about the arrival of the £21k C-2900 preamp. It could free up a pre-power for me to borrow!

Beyond E-380, 480 and 650 integrated amplifiers, we now have both A-48 and P-4500 power amplifiers and C-2150 preamplifier on demonstration. The C-2150 / A48 combo has been very successful for us and it’ll be interesting to hear the semi-affordable higher end new generation pre-amps. When it arrived, the C-2150 put the higher end offerings (bar the similarly new but £29k C-3900) in an uncomfortable place.

On dem, we have three models of the current CD players along with the DC-37 DAC. The whole place is developing a golden glow. Accuphase prices are on application.
New from Audiolab is the Omnia system-in-a-box. Just add speakers. Oh, and cables. Priced at just under £1600, this offers the usual mix of on-line services and local network access plus CD replay along with a decent, punchy amplifier. Unusually, the CD player is claimed to have a substantial data buffer and to be able to handle damaged discs.

Due with us this side of Christmas.

Also due before Christmas are more price rises. Quad and Audiolab have advised that their new prices apply from 1st December, 2021. Remember, too, that Naim’s prices are rising, some quite substantially, on 6th December. The current and proposed prices for all three brands are in the downloads section on our web site.

Adding to this devilish version of seasonal cheer, Linn will be issuing new prices in January. Actual figures are still being worked out. Did I mention back there that not all news is good . . . ?

Have we got deals for you!

A week or two ago, Rega advised us of some graded stock of turntables. We pitched in for some and the Grade B Planar 2 and Planar 3 decks are in stock. We mainly have black. The Planar 2s have the Carbon cartridge pre-fitted and the Planar 3s are ready for the cartridge of your choice.

All include covers and the condition is very good indeed. The grading is for the tiniest of marks. Prices are £299 instead of £429 for the Planar 2 and £449 instead of £599 for the Planar 3.

Other news from Rega is revised new FONO MM MK5*, FONO MC MK4 and NEO PSU MK2. These three new products have been facelifted to bring them into line with the rest of the Rega electronic range.

There are no performance enhancements to these already high performing products, this is purely a cosmetic re-design.

Honey, I’ve shrunk the hi-fi

Finally, we have Chord’s Anni, a volumetrically challenged headphone and near field studio amplifier. It shares the same casework dimensions as Qutest and Huei and maintains their nuggety build. These components can be stacked together in the inevitable Chord mini rack.

We’ve just had our first play with it this afternoon. As an amplifier, it’s pretty good with a relaxed but open and very civilised nature. Ideal for its intended desktop environment driving compact loudspeakers. Unsurprisingly, it’s dynamically restricted when driving Kudos Titan 808s (but far better than you’d think).

As a headphone amp, though, Anni really comes into its own and it’s quite special.

With quality ‘phones, even ’just’ the Meze 99 classics or Quad ERA 1s, it’s magnificent. What a cracking little device this is!