On trial: Ruark R610 Music Console and Sabre-R Bookshelf Speakers

Ruark has been one of the top audio brands since it was founded back in 1985. Today, the Essex-based company is still family-owned and run, continuing to put music and design at the centre of everything it does. I’d first heard about Ruark because of its excellent compact radios but, in a return to its roots, the brand has just relaunched its very first speaker – the Sabre-R – updated for a modern audience.

You can buy the speakears as a standalone set, or combine them with the R610 Music Console for a complete music system. I won’t lie, I was delighted to be asked to put them both to the test but it was my music-loving husband who was literally over the moon, unboxing them within minutes of their arrival. Would they live up to his expectations…

Firstly, the R610 has been designed to look effortlessly stylish, with a timeless retro feel that’s incredibly pleasing to the eye. The tactile buttons are super soft, the control dial is weighted so it feels solid and the crisp colour display shows either the time – when not in use – or the album or station artwork to match whatever you’re listening to. 

Secondly, it’s really easy to set up and use, even for a confessed technophobe like me (give me a CD player any day – wait, we’re coming to that). Crafted with sound purity at its core, the R610 is powered with a modern switch mode power supply, which provides dedicated and optimised powerlines to the system’s motherboard and latest generation digital stereo amplifiers. 

Audio grade components have been used throughout, including Burr-Brown DACs and a nominal output of 75 Watts per channel. Thanks to something called a CPU, the console easily picks up the best-quality audio streams with everything from Internet Radio, Spotify Connect, Tidal Connect, Apple AirPlay and Google Cast all built in.

But that’s not all, it’s also versatile enough to plug in to your turntable, thanks to a phono pre-amp; listening to our War on Drugs vinyl through the music console and the speakers was like being back at one of their gigs. CD fans will be able to integrate Ruark’s brand new CD Drive, which can connect via the USB socket on the rear of R610. 

Last but not least, R610’s HDMI ARC/eARC connection provides a great sound solution for those seeking a system that elevates both music and film.

For Ruark fans, the return of the brand’s original loudspeaker has been an utter joy; many customers still have their original Sabre speakers. Like their forebear, the Sabre-Rs have also been designed to last a lifetime and, simultaneously, appeal to new generations of music lovers. 

Crafted with over 40 years of audio heritage, they have the ability to breathe new life into even your oldest favourite piece of music. Not only that, they look incredible wherever you put them, be it your book shelf, desk or speaker stand (if you’re a true aficionado). Part of their charm is the retro design, and the wooden cabinets that house each speaker are handmade from real wood. The grills are fully detachable thanks to magnets and the speakers look equally chic with or without them (without for me, with for my husband).

If you decide after a few months you want them in a different room, they are lightweight enough to set up easily and change location, yet sturdy enough to not move or rattle around when a stampede of small children rushes past. 

The Sabre-Rs really are a true return to Ruark's roots and playing music through them was fantastic; in comparison to how we're used to hearing our music their clarity and powerful sound was really noticeable. 

Simply put, if you're into music and you love good quality and design (that's most of us then) this music system is for you. Yes it comes with a hefty price tag but it's worth the investment – the speakers breathe life into whatever music you play through them and the R610 is so versatile and easy to use.

I do also think that, if you already have a good console or decent speakers, you could easily purchase each product on their own and you'd still benefit from an incredible sound.   

I fell in love with how asthetically pleasing they looked on the bookshelf and my husband said 'music has never sounded this clear'. (I thought he was going to wrestle the DPD driver who came to take them back to their Essex home, so I know what I'll be buying him for Christmas.)

A resounding five stars.

★★★★★