These days, music comes at us from all directions. But there’s no point in pining for the simplicity of a CD when you have something that blends every conceivable format and service into a single stylish box.
The Ruark R3 is one such device, an audio ‘platform’ designed to accommodate streaming services, analogue, digital and internet radio, WiFi connectivity to modern TVs and Smart Home set-ups along with that increasingly rare beast, an integral CD player. You can also connect it up to any other traditional Hi-Fi equipment such as turntables, tape decks and DATs using the auxiliary connector.
The necessary cluster of connections at the rear of the R3 is countered by a minimalist front fascia, with a screen and CD slot set amidst a traditional fabric-covered front that conceals the device’s stereo speaker set. The British company’s ‘RotoDial’ is mounted on top and there’s also a remote control. All this is squeezed into a softly curved cabinet – either finished in grey lacquer or walnut veneer, small enough to be moved around without any hassle and powerful enough to fill a room.
As a box that ticks boxes, the R3 is unrivaled, and sounds pretty good to boot.
INFORMATION
Ruark R3, £629, ruarkaudio.com
-
How a bijou jewellery salon in Monaco set the jewellery trends for 2025Inside the inaugural edition of Joya, where jewellery is celebrated as miniature works of art
-
Step through Rubenshuis’ new architectural gateway to the world of the Flemish painterArchitects Robbrecht en Daem’s new building at Rubenshuis, Antwerp, frames Rubens’ private universe, weaving a modern library and offices into the master’s historic axis of art and nature
-
Find interior design inspiration at Eba’s new Marylebone showroomEba, a specialist in kitchen and living room design, brings its elevated interiors to London’s Marylebone
-
The Fender American Ultra II combine made-in-the-US quality with contemporary techA deluge of new products from Fender shows the iconic guitar manufacturer still knows how to innovate and entice
-
Moog’s mood-altering Labyrinth and five more new synthesizers and sound toolsExplore soundscapes and ambient realms with these new synthesizers and other desktop composition tools for shaping all forms of audio
-
From Tangerine Dream to cult PlayStation hits, eight books chronicling the art of noise and playWe explore eight titles that get under the skin of music history, technological evolution and the art and experience of digital culture
-
San Diego-based audio specialists Wrensilva update their elegant Record ConsolesWith new materials, upgraded electronics and input from three industry greats, the new Wrensilva Standard and M1 Record Consoles are the ultimate in audiophile furniture
-
A new limited-edition Rhodes piano and Gibson doubleneck guitar aim for the starsThe new Rhodes Mk8 Earth Edition piano and Gibson Jimmy Page EDS-1275 Doubleneck guitar revisit classic instruments at a price
-
20 of the best CD players as the compact disc comeback continuesWe expand our guide to the best compact disc players with a fresh selection of good looking and great sounding models
-
Six new ways of making music, from sonorous start-ups to note-perfect classicsOur music technology round-up showcases six new ways of making music, from a piano designed to blend into the modern home to sophisticated effects units and an all-in-one DJ system
-
Hands on with new Nothing Phone (1): a clearly different smartphoneNothing Phone (1) launches, hitting the sweet spot between price, performance, and efficiency, and promoting the simplification of your smartphone life
