Ruark Audio R710 & Talisman-R

Ruark Audio is a family-owned British company founded in the mid-1980s by Alan O'Rourke and his son Brian. Originally operating as Ruark Acoustics, the brand first became known for conventional loudspeakers before gradually moving toward elegant music systems, radios, compact network products and all-in-one solutions in which sound quality was meant to sit alongside refined industrial design and straightforward everyday operation. The latest launches therefore represent more than a simple expansion of the catalog. The R710 develops the idea of a modern music console, while the Talisman-R reaches back to Ruark's loudspeaker heritage and reminds us that this is where the company's story began.

The R710 Music Console has been designed as the most advanced model in Ruark's 100 Series. Rather than being a conventional amplifier with a streamer added on, it is intended as a complete hub for a home audio system. Inside one enclosure, Ruark has placed a Class D amplifier rated at 2 x 200 W into 4 ohms with THD of 0.01%, a slot-loading CD player, a network audio platform, a 32-bit/192-kHz Burr-Brown digital-to-analog converter, analog and digital inputs, turntable support and an HDMI ARC/eARC connection, allowing the unit to work with a television as well. In practical terms, one elegant component can replace an amplifier, streamer, CD player, phono stage and, at least in stereo-focused systems, part of the role usually assigned to a soundbar.

The list of supported sources is broad, but also sensibly chosen. The R710 supports Apple AirPlay 2 and Google Cast, and includes Spotify Connect, TIDAL Connect, Qobuz Connect, internet radio, Bluetooth with aptX HD, USB, an optical input, a line input and UPnP server playback. Ruark also specifies hi-res file support up to 32-bit/192 kHz. The built-in CD mechanism is particularly important, as it separates the new console from many modern streaming amplifiers. The market has repeatedly declared the compact disc to be finished, yet recent years have shown that many listeners do not want to rely on streaming alone. The R710 answers that need in a practical way, without requiring a separate transport, digital cable and another power supply.

From a usability perspective, Ruark remains faithful to its own design language. The front panel is dominated by a 6.8-inch color TFT display with automatic dimming, while everyday control is handled partly through the company's familiar RotoDial interface, one of the most recognizable features of Ruark products. The R710 also offers bass and treble adjustment within a +/-6-dB range, a switchable Loudness EQ function, Stereo+ mode and support for both wired and wireless headphones. These features may not be the first things an audio purist looks for, but in a system designed for the living room, where the same product may be used for records, CDs, streaming, TV sound and late-night listening, they can make a real difference.

The second new product is the Talisman-R, a contemporary interpretation of the Talisman loudspeakers that first appeared in Ruark's catalog in 1990. The original Talisman 1 was one of the models that helped the young company establish its reputation in hi-fi. The new version preserves the slim silhouette and the distinctive sloped front baffle, but technically it is a fresh design. Ruark describes the Talisman-R as a two-way floorstanding speaker in a bass-reflex enclosure with a dual-flared port. The driver complement includes a 27-mm silk-dome tweeter with a neodymium magnet system and a 165-mm NS+ mid/bass driver with a treated natural-fiber cone, a 35-mm two-layer copper voice coil and a strontium-ferrite magnet.

The most interesting part of the Talisman-R design, however, may not be the driver set itself, but the way Ruark has approached the cabinet. The visible bolts on the front panel are not decorative. They form part of a decoupled baffle system in which the front plate is mounted through elastomer bushings and additional damping elements, with the aim of reducing energy transfer from the drivers into the main cabinet structure. Internal bracing and damping are used to control resonances and standing waves, while the crossover has been developed with a focus on phase integration and uses low-loss capacitors, resistors and inductors. Ruark specifies a frequency response of 40 Hz - 22 kHz in typical room conditions, a nominal impedance of 6 ohms, a minimum impedance of 3.8 ohms at 5 kHz and a crossover frequency of 2.2 kHz.

The Talisman-R is also a relatively slim floorstander. Each speaker measures 850 mm high, 210 mm wide and 250 mm deep, and weighs 17.6 kg. Ruark has fitted a steel plinth with adjustable rubber feet and carpet spikes, intended to improve stability, lower the center of gravity and give the cabinet a slightly floating visual effect. In practice, the Talisman-R is meant to be not only a technical partner for the R710, but also a furniture-like part of the system - something that can be placed in a living space without making the room feel dominated by audio equipment.

Both new products will be available in Fused Walnut and Satin Charcoal finishes, matching the visual language of other models in the 100 Series. This is significant, because Ruark has been building its range around products that can be combined not only functionally, but also aesthetically. The R710 can of course be used with other loudspeakers, and the Talisman-R can be connected to a conventional amplifier, but as a pair they form a system aimed at listeners who want proper stereo without having to assemble a stack of separate components.

The R710 Music Console is priced at €2699/£2199, while the Talisman-R is priced at €1799/£1499 per pair. According to the press material, availability is scheduled for the fourth quarter of 2026, although Ruark's product information for the Talisman-R indicates September as the planned start of sales. Together, the two products show where Ruark is positioning itself after four decades in business - between traditional hi-fi, lifestyle audio and modern networked listening, but without abandoning the physical formats and loudspeaker know-how on which the company was built. Info and photos by Ruark Audio.