Ruark Introduces Made In England Series with Special R5
As anyone who visits hi-fi forums or interest groups can attest, where kit is made has the power to alter people's perceptions. So, British audio brand Ruark has unveiled the first product in its new 'Made in England' (MiE) range, celebrating "bespoke hand-built products" using traditional crafts, albeit at a premium price-point.
Thirty-five Ruark R5 MiE all-in-one systems will be available from November, each "individually hand-assembled and tested" at Ruark's headquarters in Southend on Sea, England.
Naturally, these exclusive models wear a special 'MiE' badge alongside a slatted wood grille crafted from multiple layers of FSC-approved walnut veneer over a black substrate. This process apparently has very fine tolerances and so a bit of a faff, to use the technical term. Then multiple layers of lacquer are applied with hand sanding between coats. Skilled British craftspeople plus time generally equates to expensive. However, the results do look pretty good.
The R5 MiE matches the R5 Signature model released earlier this year, with revised signal paths and upgraded cabling promising to deliver a cleaner sound than the standard R5. But, of course, that's on top of all the feature set of the standard R5, which includes a CD player, DAB radio, Bluetooth, DLNA streaming and multi-room functionality. You also get Spotify Connect and access to music services such as Amazon Music, Deezer and Tidal.
The Ruark R5 MiE costs £2,000 and is a John Lewis exclusive. The standard model costs £995 and the Signature version £1,250.
Visit Ruark for more information
Jay Garrett
StereoNET’s resident rock star, bass player, and gadget junkie. Jay heads up StereoNET as Editor for the United Kingdom and Europe regions. His passion for gadgets and Hi-Fi is second only to being a touring musician.
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