We may be many decades removed from the Roksan Xerxes turntable that put the brand on the audiophile map, but that same spirit runs deep with the new Roksan Attessa range that was unveiled this week.
The original story might raise a few eyebrows, but Roksan co-founder, Touraj Moghaddam, had a minor audiophile meltdown one night back in the day while watching a broadcast of Thelonious Monk on his television.
Apparently, Moghaddam was so incensed by the superior quality of the audio coming out of his television that he turned angrily to his Linn/Naim system in his living room and pretty much decided at that moment to design a turntable that was dramatically superior to the Linn Sondek LP 12.
The Roksan Xerxes was a huge success and put the brand on the map in the United Kingdom in a market dominated at that time by Naim and Linn. Electronics and speakers would follow but the Xerxes and other turntables were the main attraction.
Touraj Moghaddam moved on to create Vertere Acoustics, a new brand that is taking his philosophy about turntable design to another level. We’ve only briefly heard his first table and it’s definitely one of the more intriguing designs on the market.
Back to Roksan.
The new Roksan Attessa range of minimalist equipment includes a streaming amplifier, integrated amplifier, CD player, and a very interesting turntable.
One detail that really caught our attention was the integration of BluOS from Bluesound.
The built-in BluOS premium multi-room audio technology in the Attessa Streaming Amplifier supports 20+ streaming services and can stream up to 64 zones, all controllable via your smart phone.
The two most interesting components in the new Roksan Attessa range are the Attessa Streaming Amplifier and the Attessa Turntable.
The turntable is clearly a direct challenger to the Cambridge Audio Alva but without the wireless capabilities.
Attessa Streaming Amplifier
The Attessa Streaming Amplifier will deliver 80 watts/channel into 8 ohms (130 watts/channel into 4 ohms) and has 5 digital inputs; USB is not supported. The internal DAC will support 24-bit/192kHz PCM and DSD (through BluOS). Roksan has included support for both Spotify and Tidal Connect as well — hopefully they work without any hiccups.
The Attessa supports MQA, DSD, AirPlay 2 and Bluetooth aptX.
Update – August 2, 2024: A new firmware release (version 3.5) introduces long awaited Roon compatibility features, and fixes 35 bugs including one where the amp would turn on in some situations from a third party (TV or similar) remote.
All the power of our integrated amplifier, with all the control of BluOS multi-room audio technology. The Attessa Streaming Amplifier gives you easy, one-touch access to all your devices, from TVs to turntables, from consoles to CD transports.
Best of all, it gives you high-end audio capability with the kind of simple, smartphone-based control that we’ve come to expect in every area of our lives. The technology is complex, but using it couldn’t be simpler. So now, you can have hi-res audio in every room of your house – all at the touch of a button.
Key Features
- Hi-Res music streaming with BluOS™ Premium Multi-Room Audio Technology which supports 20+ streaming services and can stream up to 64 zones, all controllable via your smart phone
- The one touch dial control user-interface is both simple and intuitive to use. Select listening volume or source guided by a graphical interface incorporating haptic feedback to confirm your selection.
- Three self-allocated BluOS presets directly available from the inputs list for instant access
- Robust steel and aluminium construction with no visible aerials
- A wide variety of digital and analogue connections including Bluetooth® and AirPlay 2
- MaestroUnite setup for over the air updates and partnering of other devices to form a single Roksan system, a bespoke technology and app developed for Roksan
- An integrated Moving Magnet phono stage allows the connection to a turntable without the need for additional boxes and accessories
- A powerful amplifier capable of getting the most out of a variety of loudspeakers
- SPDIF inputs will decode MQA encoded PCM streams including MQA CD’s played back by the Attessa CD Transport
- Designed and developed in-house in the UK
Attessa Turntable
The Attessa turntable is a new spin on one of the oldest Hi-Fi technologies. The Unipivot tonearm is lighter and simpler to use, thanks to a composite construction and glass jewel pivot. With turntable speed controlled down to the microsecond by smart new technology, playback is true to the original.
The switchable phono stage lets you plug and play, whatever kit you have, while the isolated plinth design and decoupled feet protect against unwanted vibrations. All in a compact footprint that fits seamlessly with the rest of the Roksan Attessa range.
The table comes with a supplied MM cartridge and internal phono stage — which you can disable allowing you to use the one on the Attessa Streaming Amplifier or any 3rd party phono preamp.
The table looks super sleek and we find the tonearm design quite fascinating. Roksan is clearly aiming to create a series of components that can be used with Monitor Audio, Harbeth, KEF, Spendor, and Wharfedale speakers with very little fuss.
Key Features
- Designed, developed and assembled in the UK
- Brand new easy to set up Unipivot tonearm featuring a composite construction and glass jewel pivot for low effective weight
- Dana cartridge fitted as standard
- Digitally controlled electronic speed control
- Class leading factory calibrated speed accuracy with a microprocessor-controlled amplifier driving the turntable motor
- Built in Moving Magnet switchable phono stage (active/passive) designed in-house for no compromise plug and play
- Premium build quality featuring an isolated single plinth design with a high mass platter constructed from weighted glass and bonded aluminium edge dampener
- Xerxes inspired isolation feet and chassis design to ensure stable playback
- Compact footprint
Attessa Integrated Amp
Key Features
- A stereo amplifier which delivers 130W per channel (4 ohm)
- Built-in high performance DAC developed in-house
- The one touch dial control user-interface is both simple and intuitive to use. Select listening volume or source guided by a graphical interface incorporating haptic feedback to confirm your selection
- Robust steel and aluminium construction with no visible aerials
- A wide variety of digital and analogue connections including Bluetooth®
- Cast streaming services from your phone or other smart device via custom long range Bluetooth antenna
- MaestroUnite setup for over the air updates and partnering of other devices to form a single Roksan system, a bespoke technology and app developed for Roksan
- An integrated Moving Magnet phono stage allows the connection to a turntable without the need for additional boxes and accessories
- A powerful amplifier capable of getting the most out of a variety of loudspeakers
Attessa CD Player
Key Features
- Optimized to be the perfect partner for the Attessa Amplifiers
- MaestroUnite communication between CD Transport and Attessa Amplifiers means the two products combine into a single system after set up, a bespoke technology and app developed for Roksan
- CD playback controlled from the BluOS app when partnered with the Attessa Streaming Amplifier
- MQA playback support when combined with the Attessa Streaming Amplifier
All Roksan Attessa series components are designed and developed in the U.K. and come with a 5-year warranty; available in black or silver.
For more information: Roksan Audio
