Ruark unveils the gorgeously stylish R610 stereo system

Has there been a Ruark Audio product that doesn’t look great? The latest to join the long line of products is the announcement of the R610 music console.

This music system is made up of the R610 and the Sabre-R loudspeakers, which serves as an update of the original Sabre speakers that launched many moons ago.

The appearance is meant to evoke the stylings of 1970s music consoles (which it seems to have done very successfully), the hand-crafted cabinets are finished in a choice of fused walnut or satin charcoal lacquer. There’s a high-resolution 5-inch screen on the front, as well as Ruark’s trademark RotoDial controlller that slots into the top of the console.

The R610 has been designed to be a versatile pieces of kit. Inside is a phono pre-amp for conenction to a turntable, while those still holding on to their silver CD discs will be able to connect the incoming Ruark CD Drive via USB (the drive is also compatible with the R410 and R810). A HDMI ARC/eARC connection allows for the console to be connected to a TV to act as a sound system.

Wirelessly there’s a selection of services and sources, with support for Internet Radio, Spotify Connect, Tidal Connect, Google Cast, and AirPlay 2.

The sound heard from the R610 is passed through Burr-Brown DACs, with a “nominal output” of 75 watts per channel. Ruark says these specs help to make the R610 a controlled, dynamic, and natural-sounding performer.

The Sabre R bookshelf speakers are compact in terms of size and share the same aesthetic as the main console. You can purchase them in a package with the R610 or buy them separately.

The price you’ll have to pay for the R610 is £1200 for the complete system. Or if you want the speakers, they’re available as £699 per pair.