Ruark 2 Mk3 Music System, an All-round Masterpiece
Today, we look at the market-leading Ruark 2 Mark 3 (R2) music system and its raft of features and benefits.
To call the R2 a great all-round music system would be to undersell it somewhat. In audio terms, it is the swiss-army knife of sound systems. Allowing you to connect to it’s rich and detailed sound reproduction in a whole array of different ways.
- A handy USB connection allows you to play memory stick-stored files or charge your smartphone. A lifesaver, for anyone who has one and continually loses their charger for it.
- In-built Wifi provides access to your home network for such sources as internet radio. Literally, hundreds of mainstream and specialist stations for you to choose from. Streaming platforms such as Spotify connect have immense libraries of music for you to listen to from for a small monthly subscription.
- This functionality also gives the R2 the ability to recognize any music files on the devices on the same network, such as tablets and laptops.
- FM & DAB receivers give yet more access to music stations that deliver songs with an ‘oomph’ and fantastically intimate voice reproduction through the R2’s two front-facing speakers.
- New and improved Bluetooth APTX delivers CD-like audio quality like never before.
- Last, but not least 2 analog inputs for those of us old enough to appreciate ‘old-school’ sources of music like vinyl.
Satisfyingly ‘bassy’ yet Crisp Tones
This device is also a bit of a star in terms of sound quality, with equally impressive bass, midrange and sharp top end tone output.
Even when not in ‘3D mode’ (which once tried, you may find hard not to leave on) this third incarnation R2 series carries on the series tradition by delivering booming audio with no degradation in tone separation. You will feel each and every strum of a guitar and minute detail of plain voice, as if the person were in the room with you.
Retro-Chic Elegance
The stylings of the R2 borrow a little from the past and mix it with a good dose of modern flair. Round-edged and looking a little like a futuristic boogie-box, the R2’s size, design and availability in soft white, soft black and rich walnut finishes, make it perfect for any room.
An instantly visible OLED display shows the time, date and music source or radio station clearly and with more than a little style.
Ergonomic and Intuitive Controls
The R2 boasts a responsive and completely intuitive ‘rotodial’ control, which is so easy to work out how to use, you won’t need to be reaching for the manual any time soon.
The Simply Verdict
At around £400, the Ruark 2 Mark 3 is worth every single hard-earned penny of it. It is, we think, the best all-round audio device on the market right now, so versatile, high performing and stylish is it.
Add into the mix the fact that the newly released software update allows multi-room use with multiple R2’s, you have a quite unbelievably versatile device. We’d love to give you a demonstration to see one of these bad boys in action.