This retro music streamer and speaker combo is a stylish, modern take on a classic hi-fi look
It’s not every day that an audio legend brings back one of its most iconic names while also venturing into entirely new territory. But that’s what Ruark Audio does with its R610 Music Console and Sabre-R bookshelf speakers. And while the speakers’ looks and names may hark back to Ruark’s greatest hits, and the music player’s design harks back to the stereo music centers of the ’70s, this new system and speakers are anything but outdated.
Let’s start with the speakers. The original Sabre speakers were introduced all the way back in 1985 with a combination of clever drive units and beautiful cabinetry, and these new Sabre-Rs follow in that tradition. They come with 26mm silk dome tweeters with neodymium motors, 14cm natural fibre cone woofers with 30mm 4-layer voice coils and long throw motors, and you can choose between Fused Walnut and Satin Charcoal finishes. They’ll cost £599 (around $800 / AU$1,170) for the pair.
An all-in-one streamer
The R610 Music Console is a first for the brand, an all-in-one music streamer with dual 75W Class D amplifiers and all the connectivity you could wish for: Spotify Connect, TIDAL Connect, AirPlay 2 and Google Cast; DAB/DAB+/FM and internet radio; Hi-Res Audio support up to 32-bit/384kHz; HDMI with eARC; a moving magnet RIAA phono input; aptX HD via Bluetooth; and a TOSLINK optical digital input. A matching CD drive is launching soon.
The player is driven by a modern switching power supply that supplies dedicated and optimized power lines to the motherboard and amplifiers. Audiophile-grade components are used throughout, including Burr-Brown DACs, and according to Ruark, it’s “controlled and dynamic – but most importantly, it delivers a wonderfully natural sound that makes music even more enjoyable.” The Ruark Audio R610 has a recommended retail price of £1,200 (around $1,600 / AU$2,340) in the UK and is again available in either Fused Walnut or Satin Charcoal finishes.
According to Ruark MD Alan O’Rourke, “Early in 1984, my father and I laid the foundations for Ruark, launching our first Sabre loudspeakers to great acclaim in 1985. Forty years on, the resurgence of analogue formats and an ever-expanding world of music streaming means the time is right for Ruark to return to its roots with the Sabre-R. What’s more, our new R610 Music Console empowers music lovers to build a complete system that looks as beautiful as it sounds.”
We’re inclined to agree on the looks, although the sound will have to wait to be judged. We saw this in person at the Munich High-End show ahead of its official unveiling, and it’s a beautiful thing (although the dull lighting of a trade show floor may not do it justice in the image at the top of this article). But with those sleek, clean lines, and especially in the two-tone wood of the darker finish, it’s very retro-chic. And yes, you can opt to buy just the streamer/amp and pair it with some of the best stereo speakers around, but… you want the combo package, right? Of course you do.
No release date has been announced yet and we don’t know if they will be released outside of the UK.