UK-based Ruark Audio makes some great audio products that don’t get a lot of attention in the U.S. Although in 2021, the Ruark R5 Signature wireless speaker caught our attention with its distinguished design and feature profile.
Ruark is certainly not the first high-end audio manufacturer to offer a modern stereo console over the past decade; the Symbol Audio Record Console has been around for more than a decade and EIC Ian White was one of the first to review it when it was introduced.
The issue with the Symbol unit has always been the $30,000 asking price which turned off a lot of high-end consumers who were hopeful that it would be closer to $10,000; something that was not very realistic when you factored in the custom tube amplifier, turntable, hemp coaxial loudspeakers, subwoofer, and cabinet which is nearly 300 pounds (including the electronics and base).
The integration of high-end audio and mid-century modern furniture has an enormous level of appeal and we think other brands need to take a closer look at this for the simple reason that mainstream consumers with larger budgets interested in better sound quality would consider these types of solutions rather seriously.
Earlier in 2023, Ruark introduced the R410 Integrated Music System and has now followed that with its flagship R810 High Fidelity Radiogram.
Ruark R810
Building on Ruark’s past Radiogram concept, which combines an audio system within a furniture-style cabinet (remember those big console Hi-Fi stereo systems of the ’50s and ’60s that had a record changer, radio with a built-in speaker system), the R810 continues that concept in a more modern form-factor that supports both streaming and record playback.
According to Ruark, special materials have been selected and incorporated into its handcrafted grille and veneered cabinet. Sustainable woods have been spliced and reconstituted so that the grain patterns resemble slow-growing hardwoods but without the ecological impact.
Combined with precision-formed trims and a polished chrome stand, the R810 is a piece of furniture that can be integrated into almost any home decor.
Easy Control
The Ruark R180 is also designed to be easy to use; In addition to a wireless bluetooth remote and app control options, the onboard Ruark RotoDial also makes hands-on operation easy.
The Control dial works in conjunction with a 4-inch color LCD status display for easy navigation of system features and content options.
Tip: The provided Bluetooth remote has the same physical design as the RotoDial onboard control.
Speakers & Amps
Of course, the heart of the system is its ability to reproduce great sound. Inside its stylish exterior, the cabinet houses twin bass reflex compartments that house Ruark’s NS+ bass-midrange units and silk dome tweeters, and the long throw subwoofer is housed beneath, in an infinite baffle enclosure for controlled and extended bass.
To support the speakers, the system includes a five-channel Class A/B discrete component amplifier. With five channels to work with the response of each drive unit can be controlled via several sound processing technologies, which can optimize the system for music or movie listening.
Connectivity
Although access to streaming is the main focus, you can also play records and CDs, by connecting a turntable to the phono inputs or a CD-ROM drive to the USB-C socket. Additionally, with its HDMI ARC/eARC input, you can connect R810 to most TVs, boosting the sound of the TV viewing experience.
For streaming, Spotify Connect and TIDAL Connect are built-in and with the addition of Apple AirPlay and Chromecast built-in, you can stream and control directly from apps such as Apple Music, BBC Sounds, Amazon Music, Qobuz, and many more.
In addition, you can also build a flexible multi-room system, linking R810 with other AirPlay and Chromecast-compatible devices, including such as Ruark’s R410.
Specifications
- Cabinet Type: Tuned reflex stereo enclosures and sealed subwoofer enclosure
- Frequency Response: 30Hz – 22kHz
- Speaker Complement:
- 2 × Ruark 27mm silk dome tweeters,
- 2 × Ruark 100mm NS+ bass-mid units,
- 1 × Ruark 200mm long throw subwoofer
- Amplifier: Class A/B with 180W RMS Discrete 5-channel output
- Audio Setting Enhancements: Adjustable treble, bass and sub-settings, Stereo+ audio enhancement, Adaptive EQ
- Tuner Presets: 20 Global
- App Control: Via Spotify, BBC Sounds and more
- Auto-Standby: Adjustable power-saving mode
- Adjustable Input Levels: Line-in and optical
- USB Charge Port: USB-C 5V 1A (5W)
- Software Updates: Over-the-air and USB
- Radio: DAB/DAB+ (Europe), FM with RDS (87.5-108MHz), and Internet Radio
- Multiroom Capable: Via Apple AirPlay and Chromecast built-in
- Streaming: Apple AirPlay and Google Chromecast built-in
- Built-in Music Services: Spotify Connect and TIDAL Connect
- Supported Music Services Via Apps: Amazon Music, BBC Sounds, Deezer, Qobuz and many more
- Bluetooth: 5.1, aptX HD, SBC, AAC, BLE, A2DP
- Wi-Fi: 802.11 a/b/g/n/ac/ax, WPS2, WEP, WPA, WPA2
- Ethernet: RJ45 connector 10/100 Mbps
- DLNA: UPnP™/DLNA media server compatible
- CD player: CD playback via external USB CD drive (optional)
- HDMI: ARC and eARC
- Analog Input: Stereo RCA input (up to 2.3Vrms)
- Turntable Input: Stereo RCA input with RIAA MM phono gain stage
- Optical Input: Toslink digital input up to 24-bit/192kHz
- USB-C: playback port
- Supported Audio Formats
- MP3: up to 48kHz 320kbps
- AAC: up to 96kHz 320kbps
- FLAC, ALAC and WAV: up to 32-bit 384kHz
- WMA: up to 48kHz 320kbps
- WMA 9: up to 48kHz 256kbps
- Standard Finishes: Fused Walnut Veneer or Soft Grey Lacquer
- Included Accessories
- 2m mains power cable
- 1 × polished chrome frame stand
- 2 × polished chrome bar legs for mounting the R810
- Quick start guide
- RotoDial BT LE rechargeable remote
- Telescopic aerial and spanner
- Cabinet Dimensions (HxWxD):
- 152 × 1000 × 400mm
- (5.98 x 40 x 16 inches)
- Cabinet with Stand Dimensions (HxWxD):
- 650 × 1000 × 435mm
- (25.6 x 40 x 17.13 inches)
- Product Weight:
- 27kg (30.7kg inc. tabletop stand)
- 59.5 lbs (67.75 lbs inc. floor stand)
Price and Availability
The Ruark R810 will be available mid-December 2023 for £3,000 at ruarkaudio.com (US $4,499 / AU $6,000) and via Authorized Dealers in the UK and Ireland as well as select Distributors worldwide.
For more information: ruarkaudio.com
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