Latest news
Christmas and New Year Opening Hours
It’s been a busy year. so we’re having a few extra days holiday this Christmas.
Our Christmas and New Year opening hours are:
Saturday 21st December – 10am – 5pm
Sunday 22nd December – CLOSED
Monday 23rd December – CLOSED
Tuesday 24th December – CLOSED
Wednesday 25th December – CLOSED
Thursday 26th December – CLOSED
Friday 27th December – 10am – 5pm
Saturday 28th December – 10am – 5pm
Sunday 29th December – CLOSED
Monday 30th December – CLOSED
Tuesday 31st December – CLOSED
Wednesday 1st January – CLOSED
Thursday 2nd January – CLOSED
Friday 3rd January – 10am – 6pm – back to normal thereafter
Thanks to all our lovely customers, suppliers and friends for making it another belter. Wishing you all a very Merry Christmas and a spectacular 2020!
✨ That’s all for 2019 folks ✨
Save on Sonos
Save on Sonos this Black Friday – but you’ll need to be quick!
For five days only, Sonos are offering this Black Friday/Cyber Monday promotion:
£30 off Sonos One SL: promotional price £149
£40 off Sonos One: promotional price £159
£70 off Beam: promotional price £329
£100 off SUB: promotional price £599
From November 28th – December 2nd inclusive, all in stock now.
Welcome Bowers & Wilkins
We are absolutely thrilled to announce that Loud & Clear are now authorised retailers of Bowers & Wilkins flagship 800 Diamond Series loudspeakers. And alongside 800 range: 700 Series, 600 Series, new Formation wireless and B&W headphones.
Bowers & Wilkins have been manufacturing exceptional loudspeakers in the UK since 1966. That’s over 50 years of audio excellence. The final piece of the Loud & Clear musical jigsaw? Unlikely, but B&W is certainly a pivotal string to our bow, and one which we are VERY excited about.
Ranging from £399 to £25,000, our comprehensive B&W loudspeaker range extends across 600, 700 and 800 Diamond Series. Formation Suite is B&W’s range of wireless, audiophile speaker systems and of course B&W headphones – wired, wireless and earbuds have long been acclaimed in the competitive ‘can’ market.
Our B&Ws are here, running in and already sparkling in our demo rooms. And to celebrate our new partnership, we are hosting a rather special launch evening on Thursday 7th November at Hotel Du Vin, Glasgow. Details in our Events section, here.
Pop in for a listen, register for Hotel Du Vin, or email/call for details or to book a demo (0141 221 0221). You’ll be glad you did.
New Naim SUPERNAIT3 and NAIT XS3 integrated amplifiers
It is six years since the last NAIT integrated amplifiers were released, but Naim Audio’s R&D team have been spending that time wisely, working on a range of amplifier improvements. The result is SUPERNAIT3 and NAIT XS3.
SUPERNAIT 3 has received significant performance upgrades, including upgraded power amplifier sections, delivering greater pace and intimacy to their musical delivery – whether it’s driving a pair of loudspeakers or your favourite pair of headphones.
SUPERNAIT3 also now benefits from a built-in phono stage, making it a perfect partner for turntables as well as streamers, CD players or any other music source you want to enjoy with the signature Naim sound.
The new NAIT XS 3 also gets improved power sections and a new built-in phono stage, offering much of the performance of the reference quality SUPERNAIT 3 in a simpler, slimmer package.
NAIT XS3 combines a 70W power amplifier with five analogue inputs (in addition to the phono stage) and shares the single-ended class-A headphone output of its larger sibling; a high-performance preamplifier that is as transparent as you would expect from Naim Audio.
Both SUPERNAIT 3 and NAIT XS 3 benefit from the following features:
- Class A headphone amplification
- Alps Blue Velvet volume control
- Reed relay input selection
- Ceramic insulators for the power transistors
- Galvanically isolated microprocessor control section
- Microphonic-isolating PCB mounts
And both are available for demonstration in the shop. Call us on 0141 221 0221 or email to book a demo.
10% off Linn DSM this summer
Save 10% on a new generation Linn DSM network music player this summer with Linn’s famed ‘Summer Promo’.
Trade in any old music player – and we mean anything, working or not – to receive 10% off the cost of a new Linn DSM – Majik, Akurate, Klimax or the all-new Selekt DSM. Save up to £1,580 – and that’s on top of any trade-in £ we give you. Plus, you’ll get a free 90-day subscription to TIDAL and Roon with your shiny new music player.
With a Linn DSM you can stream everything – your CD collection, HD Studio Master music files, Internet Radio et al; connect anything – record player, iPhone, h , and hear it all in the highest quality available: that’s the power of a network music player.
We have every Linn DSM in the shop – pop in, call (0414 221 0221) or email us to arrange a listen.
DSM offer – full details and T&Cs
And if you’re already the proud owner of a Linn system, don’t forget part 1 of the summer promo – 10% off an Exakt or Katalsyt upgrade
Both of these upgrades will transform the performance of your music system. They are the proverbial no-brainer. If you have a Linn product for which an Exakt or Katalyst upgrade is available, you will receive 10% off the price of the upgrade to the latest specification of your product.
In addition, Linn Aktiv Systems owners can upgrade their system to Exakt by replacing the Aktiv cards or the Linn Tuneboxes with the required number of Exaktbox products and be eligible for 10% off the price of the Exaktboxes.
Both offers run until 26th August.
Katalyst/Exakt offer – full details and T&Cs
Linn – Selekt DSM Surround and Katalyst Exaktbox-I now available
Modularity, upgradeability and flexibility – three cornerstones of Linn’s ethos for almost half a century now and still going strong. Here’s the latest two examples: Selekt DSM Surround and Katalyst for Exaktbox-I.
Selekt DSM Surround
Six months on from the launch of Selekt DSM Linn has announced four more configurations – to appeal to any movie-lovers out there. Selekt DSM Surround with integrated amplification is a single box surround source of the highest performance delivering a simple yet striking and immersive cinematic experience. Or if you already a Selekt DSM owner, there is a corresponding Surround option for each of the four original Selekt DSM configurations.
Selekt DSM Surround comprises a Surround Sound Processing module, HDMI Switching module and three cartridges housing the DACs – either three line out or two power amplification plus a new combined power amp / subwoofer line out (depending on the model) – all uniquely packaged as modules and cartridges to fit efficiently into a compact space.
Upgrades available now…
For existing Selekt DSM owners ready to make a change, the upgrade opportunities are extensive…
• Increase performance with Katalyst
• Simplify your system with on-board amplification
• Expand your system to Surround (up to 5.1)
• Move from HDMI ARC to HDMI Switching (4 inputs / 1 output)
Katalyst for Exaktbox-I
Katalyst DAC architecture has now been added to Akurate Exaktbox-I, applicable to all new orders or available as an upgrade for existing owners.
Akurate Exaktbox-I Katalyst upgrade – £2250, also available for Majik Exaktbox-I.
15% off Linn LP12 Upgrades
If you’ve been thinking of investing in a couple of upgrades for your LP12 turntable, now could well be the time to act – with Linn’s Spring LP12 upgrade promotion, you could transform the sound of your turnrable, and save yourself up to £600. Win win!
From today, 5th March until 30th April inclusive, buy any LP12 upgrade and receive a substantial 15% off a second LP12 upgrade.
Whether you are taking the final steps to creating the ultimate Klimax level deck or replacing a Majik internal power supply with a Lingo – there’s something for everyone. Plus, the new all-Linn Majik tonearm is now available to purchase separately (£600) and is included in the promotion.
Upgrades Included:
– Sondek LP12 (deck only)
– LP12 Plinth
– Cirkus Kit
– Trampolin
– Keel
– Kore
– Standard sub-chassis
– Radikal (standard or machined)
– Lingo
– Majik PSU
– T-Kable
– Ekos SE
– Akito
– Majik tonearm
– Urika & Urika II
– Uphorik
– Internal MM/MC module
15% discount applies to the cheaper of the two upgrades and a maximum of four upgrades per customer (two receive 15% off).
Exclusions:
• Klimax LP12
• Akurate LP12
• Majik LP12
• Radikal & Urika package (both standard and machined)
• Kandid
• Krystal
• Adikt
• Adikt Stylus
Seán Kerr Photography pop-up exhibition and shop
We’re delighted to have a pop-up exhibition from Seán Kerr Photography here in the Glasgow store until the end of March – ‘The Wonder of Harris’
Seán is a Scottish landscape photographer from Dunblane with a passion for the natural world, particularly the Highlands and Islands of Scotland, and for representing that world in context and with the utmost respect and integrity. His portfolio covers a wide range of Scotland’s most stunning locations but the Isle of Harris is where he feels most at home and inspired.
“The natural beauty of Harris is breathtaking and, when combined with the ever-changing weather and the remarkable purity of light, is an artist’s dreamland. When I’m here, I just feel right”.
Seán has been kind enough to let us show off a range of images from “The Wonder of Harris” – with both prints and panels available to purchase, from £40.
Do pop in for a browse.
Seán Kerr Photography
Under the Skin of Rega Planar 8
A fascinating insight into the design and build of Rega Research’s new Planar 8 turntable…
Christmas Opening Hours
We’re having a few days rest over the festive period – to enjoy our own music at home!
Wishing you all a wonderful Christmas and a splendid New Year.
See you on the other side😉.
Do You Believe in Majik?
Linn’s winter promotion gives you everything you need for stunning analogue and digital music; the best of both worlds:
Majik LP12 + Majik DSM winter promotion package = £5000
Experience the warmth of vinyl playing on this iconic turntable design, now upgraded with Linn’s very own Majik tonearm. Connect it directly to Majik DSM with built in phono preamplifier and you have a complete audiophile analogue and digital music system; just add speakers.
Source first (or rubbish in, rubbish out); Linn’s established philosophy for 45 years. The more information that can be extracted from a musical recording at the source (turntable, streamer, tape or CD) the more accurately the music will be reproduced at the end of the chain (speakers). The best speakers in the world can’t make poor audio data sound good. But even mediocre speakers will sound remarkably good when presented with accurate music from a high quality source. With Majik LP12 and DSM, you have two exceptional sources for the best of both worlds – whether cherished vinyl LPs or studio master 24 bit digital recordings, exactly as the artist performed in the studio.
This special offer from Linn runs from today (4th December) until Tuesday 29th January inclusive. It might be the only hi-fi you ever buy or need, but both also leave an almost limitless upgrade path open. Win win😉.
Linn DS to DSM upgrade available for limited time
Linn has announced it will re-introduce DS to DSM upgrades for Akurate and Klimax products from today, Monday 3rd December, until February 28th 2019.
This upgrade – withdrawn alongside the discontinuation of Linn DS products in September – converts an Akurate DS to a full and current Akurate DSM, or Klimax DS to a Klimax DSM, complete with a new 5 year Linn warranty.
Upgrade prices:
Akurate DS to DSM – £3,000
Akurate DSM retail price £7,500
Klimax DS to DSM – £8,800
Klimax DSM retail price £15,800
Black Friday SONOS deals – be quick!
Four four days only, we have three cracking SONOS Black Friday deals.
From today, Thursday 22nd November until Monday 26th November inclusive:
- Save £25 on Sonos One – £174 (RRP £199)
- Save £50 on Sonos Beam – £349 (RRP £399)
- Save £100 on Sonos Sub – £599 (RRP £699)
All available in black or white finish and in stock now.
Double award win for MOON by Simaudio
Some well-deserved recognition for two of our faves at Loud & Clear. MOON’s 240i integrated amplifier and Neo MiND streamer have both received What Hi-Fi 2018 Winner Awards.
240i won best stereo amplifier in the £1500-£2500 category: “Its sophisticated performance puts the 240i in a class of its own”
Read the full 240i review here
And Neo MiND won best music streamer over £1500: “An all-round musical maestro. Far from flashy, but the Moon Neo MiND delivers the kind of musical performance we rarely hear from streamers anywhere near this price”
Read the full MiND review here
And that’s without the MiND2 upgrade. Well done MOON!
ND555 takes the stage!
Our downstairs demo room has been a very busy place of late. Competition for air time is fierce but we’re thrilled to say that this week’s ‘System of the Week’ is Naim Audio’s reference 500 series:
- NEW ND555 network music player
- NAC552 pre-amplifier
- NAP500 power amplifier
All of course powered by their own 555PS. This is the crème de la crème of Naim electronics and will be playing until close of play on Saturday (at least!).
Loudspeakers are interchangeable; playing now are our Sonus Faber Guarneri Tradition but we’ll be putting a selection of the finest speakers through their paces on the end of this mighty system, including:
The new NDX2 and ND5 XS2 are limbering up alongside, patiently awaiting their moment to shine. And there’s the chance to compare Chord Company Sarum T cables with the flagship ChordMusic. It is a dem-fest!!
If you couldn’t make it along to our Hotel Du Vin ND555 launch evening in August (or if you did and would like another listen) pop along anytime this week. Special appointments (or loudspeaker requests) by request – call on 0141 221 0221 or email us.
New Linn Selekt DSM: Hi-Fi With The Human Touch
‘Digital streaming reborn’ according to Hi-Fi+ magazine. Loud & Clear welcomes the new Linn Selekt DSM.
Selekt DSM is a new look for Linn in a new, flexible direction. It is as stunning to look at as it is to listen to. Every element is precision engineered for the most authentic musical performance possible.
A sleek, elegant and tactile design incorporates a top-mounted jewel-like dial and smart buttons, both ready to be personalised, giving you immediate access to the music you want to hear, no matter the source. And bringing back perhaps some of the human interaction with your hi-fi that has been lost with the evolution of digital music.
Customers can choose their own configuration – Selekt DSM with or without Katalyst performance level and with or without integrated power amplifier – to suit their existing needs and system; a flexibility and willingness to integrate with other manufacturers’ products that historically Linn have been criticised for not offering.
Selekt includes new, improved Space Optimisation*, minimising the impact on sound quality of room ‘quirkiness’ and speaker positioning by removing the distorting effects of your environment, revealing the true sound of your music.
Control with anything: every Linn network music player can be controlled by the things you already own. Mix and match iPad or tablet, smartphone or laptop, even the humble remote control.
Stream anything: no matter how you enjoy your music, Linn have it covered. From the convenience of Spotify and TuneIn to lossless streaming services such as TIDAL and Qobuz; whether you Airplay from your iPad or you’ve ripped your CDs to a hard drive.
Models in the Selekt range are as follows:
- Selekt DSM: dedicated streaming source and preamplifier
- Selekt DSM with Katalyst: dedicated streaming source and preamplifier with dramatically improved performance
- Selekt DSM with integrated power amplifier: simplified streaming, just add speakers
- Selekt DSM with Katalyst and integrated power amplifier: simplified streaming, dramatically improved performance, just add speakers
Digital inputs: SPDIF x2, Toslink x2, HDMI ARC x1, USB (Audio Class 2 endpoint) x 1
Analogue inputs: Line-In (RCA) x 1, MM Phono (RCA) x 1, MC Phono (RCA) x 1
Outputs: Balanced XLR* x 1, RCA Phono* x 1, Speaker Out** x 2 pairs, Exakt Links x 2
* New Space Optimisation delivers a breakthrough in bass performance and a more coherent overall sound, no matter the shape of your listening room and without the need for custom filters. The latest version offers the following new features:
- models non-rectangular rooms
- accounts for the pressure changes in a room over time
Click here for a list of speakers measured for Linn Space Optimisation+
Selekt comes in black finish only.
Selekt will be here this week, email or call to register your interest. And our launch event will be here in the shop on Tuesday 23rd October, details on our Events page soon.
Loud & Clear with Nordoff Robbins present…
Loud & Clear to Everyone,
Take your protein pills and put your helmet on…
Commencing countdown, engines on,
Check ignition and may God’s love be with you!
Join us at Knockhill Racing Circuit on Sunday 14th October for ‘A Day at The Races’ with Nordoff Robbins.
Spectate, sponsor or participate, the choice is yours. Participation involves a four lap passenger ride around this iconic motor racing circuit – Scotland’s only FIA and MSA accredited racetrack – in one of fourteen track-prepared cars.
The price? A donation of your choice to Nordoff Robbins, independent music therapy charity for children. Pledges so far include passengers’ weight (kg) in £s, and the equivalent horsepower of the track car in £s, but really it is whatever you feel comfortable with.
Our exclusive track access is scheduled for lunchtime and all passengers will be fully briefed beforehand. After that, the process is simple:
Donate – don helmet – take your seat – buckle up – relax.
You are in control of the thrill of your session and, should you wish, your driver will return you to the pit area at any time. Afterwards you will be welcome to join the Loud & Clear and Nordoff Robbins teams for refreshments and our usual brand of camaraderie.
Interested? Please email george.c@loud-clear.co.uk or call him on 0141 221 0221.
The whole adventure has been made possible with the help of our incredibly generous co-sponsors: Fyne Audio, Synergy Cycles, The Chord Company, Fueltone.pro, Steven Allan Images, Netherton Coachworks and of course Knockhill Racing Circuit itself.
If you’d rather spectate there will be a full roster of track action from 9am to 5pm plus around 200 static, contemporary displays courtesy of Knockhill’s season finale “Six Flags” event – the best of British, American, German, French, Italian and Japanese sports and racing cars. And our sponsor, Synergy Cycles will be bringing along some nice toys to play with too – electric bike anyone?!
If you can’t make it along but would like to donate to Nordoff Robbins, thank you and please do so at their Just Giving page here:
We have scheduled a dry and sunny day, but on the off-chance that our request is not honoured, some of the finest chips and ice-cream in Fife are available in the sanctuary (and shelter) of the famous Kinnaird’s café. See you there!
New from MOON: 390 streaming pre-amp and MiND2 app
Watch out for two sizzling new releases from MOON by SimAudio this summer.
MOON 390 is kind of hard to classify. It’s a new kind of integrated product – all-in-one streaming DAC, pre-amplifier, network player, phono stage and much more!
The MOON 390 offers a complete high-end listening solution. Featuring a DAC, pre-amplifier, headphone amplifier, phono stage and network streaming capability the MOON 390 is a truly flexible music system. Simply connect it to a power amplifier or active loudspeakers for an exceptional audio performance.
The 390 features MOON’s other summer release – MiND2 streaming module. MiND2 (MOON intelligent Network Device) is a great way of organising, streaming and listening to your music. It allows playback of all the most common file formats, including DSD and MQA (via local files and TIDAL Master files) and also boasts a USB host port, permitting access to music on USB thumb drives. And, MiND2 will also stream any digital input of the 390 to other MiND zones on the same network.
Most current MiND products can benefit from this upgrade, which consists of a totally new streaming board and some sophisticated new firmware and software. Get in touch to find out more.
Ongoing, the cost of this upgrade will be £800 including fitting (by us). And now the great news…
Until the end of August 2018 you can have your MOON MiND streamer updated for £455 including fitting!
Just book your unit in to have the work done before the 31st of August to qualify.
Both MiND2 upgrade kits and MOON 390 start shipping on the 14th of July 2018.
Complimentary Sonos or Chord with Linn Katalyst upgrade
An exclusive Loud & Clear offer for our Linn Akurate and Linn Akudorik/Akubarik customers, as well as Klimax DS/DSM and Klimax Exakt loudspeaker owners.
From Saturday 19th May until Saturday 30th June get more than you bargained for when you upgrade your Linn product to their latest Katalyst DAC architecture. Your choice: a FREE Sonos One to stream your music to an additional room (and keep the kids occupied) or a FREE Chord Company Shawline Ethernet cable, to further boost your DS/DSM audio performance.
Katalyst is only Linn’s fourth DAC platform since they launched their (now extinct) CD playback range. It is a revelation in digital audio performance and the upgrade involves replacing the entire audio board from your streamer or loudspeakers. The end result is akin to taking a blanket off your speakers.
With both Linn and Sonos now supporting the Roon user interface, this is a wonderful opportunity to rediscover your music collection with Roon’s rich metadata and insightful library management features.
As always, we’re quite flexible, so if a Sonos One or Shawline doesn’t float your boat, we’re open to offers;).
Email us to order your upgrade and claim your freebie.
Hello Hegel
And a very warm welcome to our newest member of the Loud & Clear family – Hegel.
Hegel’s story began back in 1988 in Trondheim, Norway, when Bent Holter – then student at the Technical University in Trondheim (NTNU), now Hegel founder and owner – undertook his thesis on the original design of the amplifier transistor that would cure the problems of classical systems.
Fast forward to 2018 and Hegel, under Holter’s direction, is one of the best established brands in Hi-Fi market, producing integrated, pre and power amplifiers as well as CD players and some of the most modern and sophisticated D/A converters.
We’ve had the pleasure of auditioning the Hegel H90, Röst and H190 integrated amplifiers for a few weeks now and we love them. These products do a whole lot more than the term integrated amplifier suggests – network streaming and Apple Airplay® for example – but as integrated amps they tick all the boxes. A host of digital and analogue connections, all of which (except streaming) are configurable to be fixed level inputs, allowing you to easily integrate in a home cinema system. Plus there’s a high quality headphone output and a sleek, informative, white OLED display.
All three of these amps easily drive loudspeakers way bigger than we would expect, with bass control is second to none. Well worth a listen.
Starting at £1500 for the H90, they’re affordable too.
Six months FREE music on TIDAL from Naim
If you’re looking for a simple and stylish yet high quality one-box music system, Naim Audio’s Mu-so and Mu-so Qb certainly fit the bill. Throw in six months of free music with a TIDAL subscription and you really are on to a winner.
From now until 16th April 2018, Naim are giving away a six month subscription to TIDAL (worth £120) with any Mu-so or Mu-so QB. That’s access to 48.5 million songs at CD sound quality; for nothing. Both Mu-so products can operate wirelessly as well as wired, so no need to hide or manage cables. All you need is internet access. Oh, and power 😉.
In stock now: Mu-so RRP £995, Qb £649.
Full Ts&Cs here.
KEF LS50 Wireless speakers
KEF’s LS50 Wireless loudspeakers have arrived in Glasgow and ooo, they are the lovely.
Available in three striking finishes – titanium grey/red; high gloss black/blue; and high gloss white/copper – the LS50 is a complete and fully active music system designed for modern high resolution music enjoyment, delivering the level of sound quality formerly only associated with high quality separate components.
LS50 Wireless feature KEF’s patented Uni-Q technology, placing the tweeter in the acoustic centre of the bass/midrange cone to achieve a beautifully integrated three-dimensional sound image wherever you sit in a room. Easy set-up, easy to use – simply plug in the LS50 Wireless speakers to power, connect your audio source and you are good to go.
Connectivity options include:
– 2.4GHz/5GHz Dual-band Wi-Fi
– Bluetooth 4.0 with the aptX codec
– Asynchronous USB Type B
– TOSLINK Optical
– RCA Analog
Connect up to twelve devices in total, including eight Bluetooth devices and switch between audio inputs conveniently.
RRP £2000
Linn Sondek LP12 at 45 years old – the birthday upgrades!
At 45 years, the Linn Sondek LP12 is older than most of us here at Loud & Clear 😉 and is celebrating in style with a some sensational birthday upgrades.
New Lingo power supply.
Neater. Smaller. Smarter; it makes your system sing like never before. Cutting-edge technology delivers more consistent, more accurate spin speeds for a better audio experience. Employing ground-breaking technology derived from the extraordinary Radikal power supply, new Lingo incorporates a motor speed management system and uses digital processing technology to make your platter spin more accurately and more consistently. It auto-calibrates the motor on each revolution to ensure this accuracy and consistency every time. That’s crucial for music of course: even the slightest speed variation affects pitch, and a turntable that isn’t accurate is like a musical instrument that hasn’t been tuned properly.
With on-board circuitry that fits inside the deck and a new external slimline power supply which can be easily concealed, the new model is neater, more compact and cleverer than ever. It might be little, but it makes a big difference.
Urika II digital phono stage.
Linn’s new phono stage gets more musical information from the vinyl groove than ever before. Using cutting-edge digital signal processing technology, Urika II now carries out the key process of implementing the RIAA curve in the digital domain. This brings you lower distortion, lower noise and more music.
Transported over Exakt Link, the musical information that Urika II delivers is perfectly preserved until the moment it reaches your ears, delivering a musical experience like never before and can be optimised to work with your preferred cartridge load values. Choose from a list of popular cartridges or enter your own.
Urika II is powered by the extraordinary Radikal power supply and is mounted on the integrated Trampolin base board within the plinth of your Sondek LP12 to maintain phono stage isolation and improve deck suspension.
Limited edition fluted plinth is back. Plus, 15% off an additional LP12 upgrade with Urika II or new Lingo.
Purchase Urika II or new Lingo by 30th March and you have an exclusive opportunity to purchase a limited edition fluted plinth (per original LP12 design). Plus, you will qualify for 15% off an additional LP12 upgrade. T&Cs here.
We’ll be hosting a special event where you can hear these upgrades soon. Watch our Events page for details.
Happy Birthday LP12: the best yet.
Merry Christmas from Loud & Clear!
Welcome to our Twelve Days of Christmas; twelve special treats for music lovers; twelve of our favourite things.
You may well have seen these on emails and social media but for any you missed, here’s the final countdown of our 12 Christmas Treats:
12. A Chord Ethernet Cable
Controversial? Good. Because we need your attention, this is relevant to everybody who has a music streamer; and that is most of our customers. Your Ethernet cable makes a difference; a huge difference. We know, we’ve done the dem. From Chord Company C-Stream through Shawline, Epic, Signature, Sarum T to the jaw-dropping ChordMusic, each step delivers a major performance leap. Connect a Chord Company Ethernet cable to your streamer and you will, quite possibly, fall off your seat at the improvement it makes. Don’t believe it? Pop into the shop, its 5 minutes that may well change your life 😃.
11. Technics Ottava SC-070 music system
When space is tight, an all-in-one music system is a great solution. The Technics Ottava SC-070 all-in-one combines CD playback with DAB radio, high-res audio support and Bluetooth streaming, It may be compact, but the Ottava is notable for its wide sound-stage and open, spacious presentation. At £799, it may be one of the cheapest one-box systems we have, but it certainly doesn’t sound it.
10. Rega Research Neo power supply
Neo PSU is a standalone advanced turntable power supply; a perfect upgrade for RP3, Planar 3, RP6 and older Rega turntable owners. Neo reduces noise, improves speed stability and rotational speed accuracy, allows user controllable fine speed adjustment previously seen only in Rega’s reference RP10 and the convenience of electronic speed change. Sonically, a big improvement on its predecessor, TTPSU, and only £27 more. £225
9. Innuos Zen Mini music server
Complete music library management; Innuos Zen servers are the easiest and one of the best ways we have found so far to rip, store, manage and play your music collection. No need for a PC, slip a CD into your Innuos and 5 minutes later, out it pops, perfectly copied and stored losslessly, with all cover-art, artist and track information beautifully displayed on your screen, tablet or smartphone. Stores up to 4000 CDs, from £699
8. Rega Research Planar 2 turntable
Want to get back into your vinyl? Or are you just discovering the charms of analogue? Then really your only question finish – gloss black, white or red? Relaunched last year by Rega, the Planar 2 ‘plug ‘n’ play’ turntable is a thing of beauty and considerable quality; there isn’t a deck to touch Planar 2 for sound quality at this price-point. And it looks pretty awesome too. £375
7. Can You Feel The Force? The John Luongo Disco Mixes CD
From our very own Groove Line Records, a quite stonking double CD disco delight to really get those Christmas parties started! John Luongo, having forged an unparalleled reputation in his native city of Boston as a DJ, promoter and mixer at the vanguard of the disco movement, went on to deliver an unprecedented number of classic disco mixes. This double CD showcases the finest productions created by this pioneering and hugely influential DJ and mixer and is the very first collection of its kind. £15.
6. RHA MA750 wireless in-ear headphones
Premium metal construction, noise isolating, Aerophonic™ sophisticated design and accurate and balanced audio are some of the added benefits of the MA750 wireless earbud from Glasgow-based headphone specialists RHA Audio. Complete freedom of movement with Bluetooth aptX™ connectivity to any compatible device (including socketless iPhones!). Just £150
5. ARCAM rPhono phono stage
A pocket dynamo, the diminuitive size of this fantastic MC/MM phono preamplifier belies its punchy output. Amplifying the tiny signal from a cartridge is no mean feat but the rPhono does it in style. Whether you are looking to upgrade performance of your inbuilt pre-amplifier phono stage or adding a turntable into your set-up, for sheer audio quality and bang-for-buck, rPhono is our choice. £399
4. MOON by Sim Audio 2401 integrated amplifier
Our go-to stereo integrated amplifier, this powerhouse from Canadian giants MOON ticks all boxes. Every input you could need, including a moving magnet phono stage and digital connectivity (up to 24-bit/352.8 kHz and DSD 256), two channels of conservatively-rated 50W amplification, the 240i delivers performance and finesse of something far pricier. £1990
3. Sondek LP12 Service Gift Voucher
Ivor Tiefenburn MBE, great inventor of the Linn Sondek LP12, built this wonderful turntable to last and 45 years on, it most certainly has. But every machine needs servicing for optimum performance and when it comes to LP12s, we’re the experts. An LP12 Service Gift Voucher entitles the bearer to a full strip-down and meticulous rebuild of their cherished deck, renewing all perishable parts (springs, grommets, nuts et al), replacement bearing oil, speed-check, cartridge alignment and tonearm balancing, leaving your LP12 singing, no matter how old! £100
2. Naim Audio Uniti Star
This one-box music streamer is aptly named, it may well be Naim Audio’s new shining star. Play, rip, store and serve your treasured CD collection, stream and download music in high-resolution, choose from the international world of internet radio stations or a host of streaming services; all in traditional Naim high quality audio performance. £3499
and a cartridge in a pear tree…
1. Dynavector 10X5 MC cartridge
The 10X5 will extract musical detail from your vinyl that you just didn’t know was there. A brilliant all-rounder, the benchmark for high output moving coils and a firm favourite at Loud & Clear, you can even use it with a moving magnet phono stage. Crystal clear tunes and perfect timing, this is the best value cartridge we know. £499
Wishing all our friends, customers and colleagues a wonderful Christmas and a happy and healthy New Year!
Christmas Opening Hours
Less than 2 weeks to go ’til the big day so we thought we’d let you know our opening times this Christmas:
Saturday 23rd December – 10am – 5pm
Sunday 24th December – Closed
Monday 25th December – Closed
Tuesday 26th December – Closed
Wednesday 27th December – Closed
Thursday 28th December – 10am – 6pm
Friday 29th December – 10am – 6pm
Saturday 30th December – 10am – 4pm
Sunday 31st December – Closed
Monday 1st January – Closed
Tuesday 2nd January – Closed
Wednesday 3rd January – back to normal, 10am – 6pm
© 2020 Loud & Clear Glasgow