Other devices — Ruark R810 MiE

The R810 MiE is a limited anniversary edition of the R810 radiogram from Ruark Audio, the British company, made to mark its 40th anniversary. MiE stands for Made in England, and the cabinet is built with British artisan manufacturer Storm Furniture using traditional marquetry. Production is limited to 100 units worldwide, 50 in each of two finishes, with a UK price of GBP 6,495 to GBP 6,499.

Key specs that matter

Electronics match the standard R810. Drivers are two 27 mm silk dome tweeters, two 100 mm NS+ bass-mid units and one 200 mm long-throw subwoofer. Amplification is 180 W RMS from a discrete five-channel Class A/B design. Frequency response is 30 Hz to 22 kHz. Streaming covers AirPlay 2, Google Cast, Spotify Connect, TIDAL Connect and Qobuz, with high-resolution files up to 32-bit/384 kHz, and Bluetooth with aptX HD. Inputs include HDMI eARC, optical, analogue and a moving-magnet phono stage. Tuners cover internet radio, DAB/DAB+ and FM. The display is a 4 in colour TFT.

Engineering and use context

The R810 is a modern reinterpretation of the mid-century radiogram, a piece of furniture that combines a complete music system with a cabinet designed to be seen. The stereo drivers sit in tuned reflex enclosures, while the subwoofer has its own sealed enclosure and dedicated amplifier channel, one of the five. Adjustable treble, bass and subwoofer settings, Stereo+ processing and adaptive EQ, which adjusts equalisation with volume, shape the output. HDMI eARC connects a television, so the R810 can serve as the TV's sound system. The phono stage accepts a turntable directly. Control is through Ruark's RotoDial on top of the unit and a rechargeable Bluetooth LE RotoDial remote, with 20 presets. For the MiE, Storm Furniture hand-cuts and inlays thin veneers into patterns and applies several layers of hand-finished lacquer. The two finishes are leaf-line oak with sycamore detailing and penta-chord walnut with ebony detailing. Each unit carries an engraved plaque with its serial number on the rear panel. Ruark describes the Made in England programme as a way to preserve specialist skills. Ruark adds that the edition is aimed at products that last decades rather than product cycles.

Pairing

The R810 MiE accepts a turntable on its MM input and a TV over eARC. Streaming and radio are built in.

Alternatives

Ruark's R810 is the standard radiogram with identical electronics in production finishes.