Ruark Audio doesn’t reach a 40-year milestone by looking backward or cutting corners. The British company marks the occasion with the R810 MiE (Made in England) 40th Anniversary Radiogram, a strictly limited production of just 100 units worldwide that reflects how seriously Ruark still takes design, materials, and long-term value. This is not a commemorative badge slapped onto an existing product—it’s a carefully executed statement about where Ruark comes from and why it still matters.
That philosophy was already on full display in our 2025 Editors’ Choice Awards, where Ruark earned two wins for the R1 Bluetooth Radio and the R610 Music Console—products that succeeded because they balanced sound quality, industrial design, and usability without chasing trends. The R810 MiE Radiogram builds on that foundation, elevating it through craftsmanship that is rarely seen in modern audio manufacturing.
At the center of the R810 MiE is traditional marquetry, a painstaking woodworking technique in which thin veneers of contrasting woods are hand-cut and inlaid to create complex patterns and textures. Unlike decorative laminates or printed finishes, marquetry is structural, permanent, and time-intensive, requiring skilled artisans rather than automated processes. In the context of today’s audio market—where efficiency usually wins over artistry—the R810 MiE stands as a reminder that some things are still worth doing the slow, difficult way.
Ruark Revives Its Made in England Project for the R810 MiE
In October 2021, Ruark introduced the R5 MiE, the first product in its Made in England initiative, created in partnership with skilled British craftspeople to deliver a higher standard of finish and build quality than mass production allows. That effort was put on hold as COVID-related disruptions and global component shortages made small-batch manufacturing impractical. Now, as part of its 40th Anniversary, Ruark is relaunching the program with the R810 MiE Radiogram, bringing the concept back in a more ambitious and clearly defined form.
Priced at £6,499, the R810 MiE is offered in two finishes—Leaf-Line Oak with Sycamore detailing and Penta-Chord Walnut with Ebony detailing—with only 50 units of each produced. These are crafted to order in small batches, reinforcing the point that this is not a volume product or a cosmetic variant. The R810 MiE is, at its core, Ruark’s modern take on the radiogram: a fully integrated music system housed in a furniture-grade cabinet, combining contemporary streaming and amplification with traditional British woodworking techniques. It’s designed to be used daily, not displayed behind glass, and it reflects Ruark’s long-standing view that sound quality, design, and craftsmanship should carry equal weight.
Ruark R810 MiE Radiogram Overview
The Ruark R810 MiE is a fully integrated, all-in-one music system housed in a furniture-grade cabinet. It combines speakers, amplification, DAC, streaming platform, radio tuners, TV connectivity, and a built-in phono stage into a single enclosure. There’s no need for external components beyond source devices and a network connection. Ruark’s intent is straightforward: deliver a complete hi-fi system that replaces a traditional stack of separates while still offering meaningful performance and flexibility.
Amplification & Speaker System
At the core of the R810 MiE is a fully active Class A/B amplification system rated at 180 watts total, with each driver individually powered and controlled. The speaker array consists of two 28mm silk-dome tweeters, two 100mm NS+ mid/bass drivers, and a 200mm long-throw subwoofer built directly into the cabinet. The enclosure uses a twin bass-reflex design alongside an infinite-baffle subwoofer, allowing the system to produce substantial low-frequency output without an external subwoofer. Ruark rates the in-room frequency response at 30Hz to 22kHz, which is ambitious but plausible given the cabinet volume and driver configuration.
Sound Shaping & System Control
The R810 MiE offers practical system adjustments rather than fixed voicing. Bass, treble, and subwoofer output can be adjusted from –6dB to +6dB, allowing the system to be tuned for room placement and listener preference. A Stereo+ mode is included to widen the soundstage when desired, particularly useful in larger rooms or open living spaces.
Digital & Analog Architecture
Digital and analog conversion is handled by Burr-Brown 32-bit/192kHz DAC and ADC stages, supporting high-resolution playback while maintaining compatibility with traditional analog sources. The system supports a wide range of audio formats, including FLAC, AIFF, ALAC, and WAV up to 32-bit/192kHz, along with MP3 and AAC files. This allows the R810 MiE to function equally well as a high-resolution streamer or a hub for legacy sources.
Connectivity & Source Support
Connectivity is one of the R810 MiE’s strengths. Wireless options include Apple AirPlay 2, Google Cast, and Bluetooth 5.1 with support for aptX HD, AAC, and SBC codecs. Built-in streaming services include Spotify Connect, TIDAL Connect, and Qobuz Connect, with multiroom capability through AirPlay 2 and Google Cast. Wired connections include HDMI ARC/eARC for TV audio, optical digital input, stereo RCA line input, Ethernet, and a moving-magnet phono input with adjustable gain from 2 to 7mV. USB-C support allows for storage playback and device charging, and an optional external Ruark R-CD100 CD player adds disc playback for those who still value physical media.
Display, Control & Software
User interaction is handled through a 4-inch high-contrast color TFT display with automatic dimming, paired with a rechargeable wireless remote control. The system supports 20 global presets, automatic daylight saving time adjustment, and over-the-air software updates via LAN or USB. Additional features, including Bluetooth headphone support and expanded alarm scheduling, are scheduled to arrive via OTA updates in early 2026.
Size, Weight & Physical Presence
The R810 MiE is a substantial piece of equipment, both visually and physically. The cabinet itself measures 150 x 1000 x 400 mm (5.9 x 39.4 x 15.7 inches). When mounted on the included chrome stand, overall dimensions increase to 660 × 1000 × 435 mm (26 x 39.4 x 17.1 inches). The unit weighs 27 kg (59.5 lbs), while the packaged weight with stand reaches 41 kg (90.4 lbs). This is not a compact system, and it’s clearly intended to function as a room’s focal point rather than disappear into the background.
The Bottom Line
The R810 MiE Radiogram is not a lifestyle accessory pretending to be hi-fi. It’s a serious, overbuilt, all-in-one system that sounds far larger than its 40-inch-wide cabinet suggests—something I was reminded of the first time I heard the standard R810 and walked away mildly depressed that I couldn’t afford buying one. The photos don’t quite tell the story; this thing moves air, fills a room with ease, and feels engineered to last decades, not product cycles.
There are limits, and they’re worth stating clearly. The built-in phono stage is MM only with adjustable gain but no loading options, so low-output moving coils are off the table. High-output MCs may work, but this is not a cartridge-tweaker’s platform. There’s no DSD support, no LDAC, and no aptX Lossless, though that’s missing the point. This system is aimed at people who want something that sounds dramatically better than most wireless speakers or soundbars, supports a turntable, TV, and a proper CD transport, and doesn’t ask them to build a rack of boxes. It won’t do surround formats, but it will embarrass most soundbars on clarity, scale, and tonal weight.
The MiE premium is real, and so is the value behind it. It’s built like a tank, the rechargeable remote is excellent, and the optional R-CD100 CD player is absolutely worth adding if discs are part of your life. Just be aware of placement: at 40 inches wide, it can look a little undersized beneath TVs larger than 65 inches.
Where to buy: £6,499 at Ruark Audio (U.S. Price TBD)
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