Looks good, doesn't it? We've seen one of these in the flesh and let us tell you - the 'soft grey' lacquer is rather smart and slots in alongside the existing rich walnut.
The £2,300 R7 Mk 3 won't be for everybody; after all a lot of people don't have space for a metre-long piece of audio-cum-furniture, but it is a thing of beauty.
The new model - the third in the R7 series since 2013 - sits atop pine legs with a slimmer profile than its predecessor and a new design British-milled fabric grille surrounding the display and CD slot at the front. While the Mk2 was an internal refresh, this time it's mostly about the design.
British firm Ruark has also added a much brighter and clearer display, 'improved analogue circuitry' (that should mean better sound) and Spotify Connect support - naturally there's Wi-Fi, but you can also wire it into a network should you wish.
Of course, being the demanding people we are here at T3.com, we wish it had AirPlay, Google Chromecast and Tidal support, too. You can, however, stream from PCs and network storage devices thanks to DLNA compatibility and there's an aptX HD Bluetooth receiver to connect up all your devices, anyway.
The RotoDial controller atop the unit is now mirrored with a matching remote which doesn't require line-of-sight so can be sited in another roo. There's also forthcoming compatibility with the LINK control app available for iOS or Android devices.
Elswehere the R7 Mk3 boasts a multi-format CD player (it can read MP3/WAV/AAC discs as well as standard ones), DAB, DAB+, FM and Internet tuners - all with presets - switchable analogue and digital inputs and the option to wirelessly sync with the Ruark R2 and forthcoming MRx in multi-room mode. There's now a built-in phono stage so you can direct-connect a turntable.
When we heard it we were underground in a busy environment, so we can't wait to find out what it sounds like when we get hold of one ourselves - as with the outgoing model the class A/B amplifier has a nominal rating of 160 watts and powers two dual-concentric 14cm drivers and a 20cm sub. The Ruark R7 Mk3 is £2,300 and is available from October.
Read more about the Ruark Audio R7 Mk3
