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Tuesday 9:30am - 5pm Wednesday 9:30am - 5pm Thursday 9:30am - 5pm Friday 9:30am - 5pm Saturday 9:30am - 4:30pm

Audio Republic, 9 Keel Row, Riverside Business Park, Gateshead (2026)

01/08/2026

Despite the temperatures we have been busy at The Audio Republic North, however having just come back from a two day ‘road trip’ to Leeds to deliver some HiFi goodies, I was greeted by this wonderful sight in our store. Today was therefore going to be a WBD !.

A White Box Day is the sort of day you associate with Christmas, Birthdays etc, in other words it’s a special day. However, the ‘specialness’ here is provided by a delivery from one of America’s foremost HiFi companies, Audio Research. This company have been making exceptional audio equipment for a very very long time. And it shows.

Audio Research and I first crossed paths in the late 1980’s when I worked at Steve Boxshall Audio’s audio emporium on Victoria Road in Cambridge. He had such esoteric items as the SP11 preamp and D125 power amp. These were kept in the ‘big boys’ dem room (not for pesky student employees) alongside Krell, Magnaplanar, Roksan, Wadia and other products that made Steve the retailer that he was. I was besotted by the big silver faceplates, black grab handles and green led’s on the front panel. Oh, and the flick switches. So decadent. But it was the sound, fluid, transparent and big b***d. Steve’s favourite songstress at the time was Lisa Stansfield and I’ll never forget the time we drove a pair of Acoustic Energy AE1’s with a four box (!) Wadia cd player, SP11, Krell KSA 150 and reams of Magnum loudspeaker cable. The whole system just disappeared with Ms Stansfield singing for our pleasure at the other end of the room. Magic, pure magic.

Since then other components have come and gone but I have always had a few pieces in my system. Unboxing these gems has always been a pleasure and although prices have continued to rise, so has the performance. We have always had a commitment to the brand in the shop but at prices not necessarily for the faint hearted.

There is also the increasing cost of valves and their availability. Whist replacements are readily available they have increased markedly in cost due to the Ukrainian conflict.

Fast forward to today and here we have the latest results of the new ownership of this storied company. The LS-2 preamplifier (valve, but not many of them) and S-200 power amplifier (solid state) are the new kids on the block having been released in the first quarter of 2026. Patience is a virtue, seldom in a woman, never in a HiFi dealer.

We will be unboxing these and starting the onerous task of running them in and we will report back on our findings but we are truly delighted to have these available to demonstrate. Amplification that delivers absolutely.

The Audio Republic North is an independently owned stereo HiFi dealership based in Gateshead, Tyne and Wear. We sell a range of wonderful equipment designed to enhance the results and increase your enjoyment of music at home. We also have over fifty years experience of installing and repairing HiFi. We would be delighted to hear from you.

15/07/2026

Just a quick reminder that the Audio Republic North are the area’s authorised retailer for Stax headphones, the leaders in electrostatic ear speaker technology. This wonderful pairing will soon be on its way to one of our valued clients who has been a Stax user for many years. We stock a select range from this manufacturer but most models are available to audition by arrangement.

14/07/2026

If you are in the market for a good phono stage then we have some great news for you. One of our favourite designs over the years has been the Vertere Phono 1 L, a beautifully built and very versatile mm/ mc compatible device which has found its way into some seriously good HiFi systems. It is not a romantic sounding device, rather it is a detail excavator par excellence which it combines with a vanishingly low noise floor. In a far from crowded market place it has always stood out as offering great performance at a sane price as prices have continued to rise. Its excellence has been recognised by the many awards that it has won over the years.

Some time ago Mike Burn from Vertere mentioned that some design improvements from the Reference Calon phono stage (£15k) were being implemented into the Phono 1 and would we like to hear the improvements for ourselves ?.

Cosmetically the only changes made are a move away from the orange led of yore (hurrah) to a much more soothing green / blue one, and a sturdier feeling cover. The colour options are the same as before, black, silver, orange front / silver case and the DG-X matching style. The full title of the new product is the Phono 1 LX and it retails for £1650 as opposed to the previous price of £1500.

The internal changes made are retrofittable to most earlier Phono 1’s (those after serial number 1224) for a modest sum (£150 - £250) so to be fair I was not expecting to hear a great deal of difference.

We still have our demo Phono 1 L on hand for comparison although it will soon be converted to X spec so a shootout was the order of the day.

Onto our resident SME Model 15 with IV arm and Sumiko Songbird low output cartridge with its .5 millivolt output went Nightmares on Wax’s Smokers Delight, a lovely trippy album full of wandering bass lines and intricate percussion. The differences between the old and new are staggering, transformational even. The soundstage is vast, CinemaScope vast, with a level of transparency unheard of for the money. The noise floor has been lowered even further resulting in a new found level of definition and dynamics. Music has developed into an almost 3-D entity where you can see around the performers and instruments.This is an incredible result for £1650 and I would estimate that you would have to spend at least double that to better it. But would you need to ?. It’s that good.

I often think of phono stages as microscopes, the best ones let you dial in to tiny details not normally heard / seen. The very best ones continually surprise you with new information from albums you thought that you knew well.

To cut to the chase, the improvements made to an already impressive product here are huge. How this has happened is beyond me, but what we have here is a truly phenomenal product which rewrites rule books. This is an endgame product. Most low to medium priced phono stages end up being a bottleneck in an aspirational system. Not here. The king is dead, long live the king !.

The Audio Republic North is an independent HiFi specialist in Gateshead, Tyne and Wear, that sells a range of wonderful equipment for enjoying records, CD’s and music streams on.
Our stock is hand picked to be the best in its respective marketplace. Retailers of Rega Research, Vertere Ltd, Linn Products, Simaudio, Sugden, Naim Audio and many others.

07/07/2026

A customer enquiry led to the demonstration and sale of a rather superb Sumiko Songbird low output moving coil cartridge this morning. Fitted to our resident SME Model 15 turntable and set up with the tonearm slightly up at the rear, this cartridge lives up to its reputation as a ‘mini Koetsu’ giving a very sweet, colourful sound. Definately not the last word in dynamics, it compensates by providing a huge soundstage populated by big rich slabs of music. The Cure’s Mixed Up is a case in point, a literal wall of music with deep bass lines punctuated by a cowbell (?), guitars and voice. It’s real, organic and a valid contrast to ‘speed merchant’ cartridges which can be very articulate, fast, clean and clear but which somehow sometimes miss the point. These Japanese built wonders are all about colour, texture and tone. They have real personalities and are available in both high and low output. The H/O version, if you need the extra output, is particularly good into quality mm phono stages and indeed one of our customers has one running into an old but wonderful EAR 834p valve phono stage where it sounds tremendous.

If you like steak instead of mince, full fat milk instead of skimmed and Rioja instead of Gewurtztraminer, the next time you change your cartridge these are deserving of your attention and we would be delighted to demonstrate them to you.

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04/07/2026

Two sales this week that have demonstrated the breadth of equipment available at the Audio Republic in Gateshead. The first was a perennial favourite of ours, a Sugden A21a amplifier with onboard phono stage. Although ‘only’ rated at 25 watts output power, this has always been enough to drive many very worthy loudspeakers in normal rooms. It will partner a Linn LP12 turntable and Cyrus CD player. On demonstration it impressed with its fluid, tonally lifelike sound that makes many other amplifiers sound flat and expressionless. It has always sounded fabulous with vinyl but feed it a good digital signal and it will amaze you, no harshness, thinness or listening fatigue. This is where the real magic in audio starts. Hard to believe that this amplifier can trace its roots back to the 1960’s and is based on 50-60 year old technology. Pure audio gold !.

Our second notable event was the installation of a wonderful, very modern and up to date system for a lovely client in Northumberland. It comprised of the futuristic looking Vertere DG-X turntable with Sabre moving magnet cartridge, the ever popular Moon 260T cd transport, the phenomenal Moon 371 streaming amplifier and the unassailable Audiovector QR5SE loudspeakers.

This is a system that truly has no weaknesses. The DG-X has matured into the consummate mid priced super deck, capable of taking on established favourites sonically in a fuss free low maintenance package for those who would rather simply play records. Its performance has recently been boosted by the availability of the Lunar dc power supply which adds a solidity and ability to unravel complex vocal and instrumentation passages. This is a simple bolt on upgrade to all DG turntables.

The two Moon products showcase the brand’s expertise and product longevity. The 260T transport has been available in this guise for over a decade and still sells well. As the transport is a bespoke unit made specifically for this unit, Moon are not at the mercy of a supplier who will discontinue it. Its performance is superb whether purchased as a transport or a full cd player. We have clients using this unit into DCS level digital converters such is its quality.

Perhaps the star of a very star studded system is the new(ish) 371 streaming integrated amplifier, showcasing many of the technologies that have made Moon a serious player in high end audio. Hardware upgradable streaming boards, new power supply technologies but most of all a sound of incredible refinement and subtlety / delicacy that you could almost believe that there were valves in the signal path. This amp breaks new ground for how texturally rich solid state can sound and represents all the amp many of us will ever need, although it’s dearer cousins, the 491 and 461 are soon to be with us and will possibly disprove the above statement. This is truly technology in the service of music.

Lastly the system is rounded off by our very capable favourite loudspeakers, the QR5SE’s. It is fair to say that most people would have high expectations of a pair of £4k loudspeakers and we would include ourselves in this. The thing is, every time we wire these up to a good system they keep surprising us with a level of sophistication previously unattainable at the price. The frequency extremes are the standout areas, solid, weighty articulate bass that punches fast then stops, no overhang here !. This is coupled to a seamless high frequency unit which has banished listener fatigue.

Stick it all together and you have a delightful Time Machine that will transport performers to your front room. We played some Nina Simone and our client commented that she was indeed ‘just over there’.

The Audio Republic North is a specialist HiFi shop based in Gateshead, Tyne and Wear. We offer a continually evolving selection of wonderful audio equipment backed up by real expertise gained over many years. We have a workshop facility for repairs and specialise in high end turntable and streaming based systems. We are friendly, approachable and will always do our best to help where possible.

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27/06/2026

We took a call from a customer who had recently purchased a new system which included a pair of the (very fine) Acoustic Energy AE1 40th Anniversary loudspeakers. It was bought online without audition but was comprised of worthy enough components. Would we come and have a listen to it as it was a bit hard and bright and despite running it in for a couple of weeks its character had not changed ?.

We took along various items to improve the sound, however by far the biggest improvement was gained by substituting our favourite Cardas Parsec interconnect and loudspeaker cables into the system. These removed the harsh and brittle top edge and added tonal colour, texture and richness, bass solidity and weight. There was also an almost 3-D sense of depth emanating from these diminutive loudspeakers. Quite a transformation !.

We have had a long and fruitful history with Cardas cables. Despite suffering from less than ideal distribution in the past, they have always been the first port of call for natural sounding harmonically sweet cables that prioritise listenability over hyped up levels of detail that ultimately become tiring. For almost two decades their Golden Reference and Golden Cross mains, interconnect and speaker cables helped music lovers access the best from their systems. The Holy Trinity of Conrad Johnson electronics, Avalon Loudspeakers and Cardas cables formed the basis of many a superb system. Part of the problem however was the cost of these cables due to the complexity of construction.
Even today, on second hand and auction sites these cables still command decent money.

Progress and time wait for no one however and Cardas started to restructure their range in the early 2000’s. Out went the old guard to be replaced by the new. There was no fanfare, yet something had changed. A new sound direction and new names heralded a move to a different direction with cables universally more open and clearer, dropping the rich hues of earlier models for greater consistency. The best Cardas cables are undoubtedly the most expensive, but the results are undeniable.

But there, second from bottom in the Cardas lineup is the Parsec range. This range of dark olive coloured wires is an unsung star. It combines the transparency of the newer ranges with much of the sweetness of the Golden Reference wires but it does so at prices nearly half of those previously asked for. The £670 1m RCA or XLR analogue interconnect supersedes the £1100 Golden Reference equivalent. That is a phenomenal result.

Better still, the brand is now distributed by the ever helpful Cambridge Acoustic Sciences, who have made these wonderful cables more widely available. For anyone wishing to add a large dose of believability, realism, texture or plain listenability to their system, these cables will weave their magic. Yes, there are better cables available, but these can be a stopping point or an endgame, such is their quality.

The Audio Republic North Ltd is a two channel specialist HiFi shop based in Gateshead, Newcastle Upon Tyne. We sell award winning HiFi backed up by over fifty years worth of experience. We undertake repairs to most brands and specialise in all things turntable related.

25/06/2026

Soon to be fitted to one of our demonstration LP12’s for an audition next week, our stunning Audio Origami PU7 GTS tonearm with internal Cardas wiring. This product has evolved to a point where it represents a mandatory audition for anyone considering a ‘super arm’ for an LP12 level deck. Everything about it displays the utmost precision with which it has been manufactured, from the threaded counterweight stub to allow for fractions of downforce to be added or subtracted, to the highly polished titanium armtube that will hold any cartridge in a vice like grip. This is a weapons grade device that means business.

Each bespoke device, (as there are armtube materials, colour and cabling options available to specify depending on individual requirements), is a perfect example of the evolution of an already great product to one that challenges the best already available. It sounds different to its competitors but whilst rivalling them in dynamic energy it has to be the most transparent arm at its price point within the market place. This gives a different but ultimately very rewarding interpretation of any music that you care to play on a deck equipped with this arm.

We are delighted to be able to offer this option for individuals looking to maximise their experience when playing LP’s on a quality turntable. You really need to experience the difference that a cutting edge product like this can make, the amount of resolution that even a modest cartridge can generate when it is optimally aligned in this arm is quite staggering.

Available from the Audio Republic North Ltd, your local specialist HiFi dealer. Presenting the largest selection of analogue equipment in the North East including but not limited to Audio Origami, Linn Products inc Klimax level LP12, Rega Research, Vertere Ltd, VPI, Nottingham Analogue, cartridges from Lyra, Ortofon, Sumiko, Vertere, Dynavector, Nagaoka, Hana, Audio Technica, Luxman, Linn and Shelter.

Full workshop facilities on site, cartridge fitting service free if cartridge purchased from us.

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10/06/2026

Another excellent result yesterday for one of our clients who opted for a Rega Planar 6 when upgrading his turntable. This stylish disc spinner, chosen on the basis of sound quality and as a visual match to his Monitor Audio loudspeakers, was set up and calibrated to give superb speed stability. And it showed !. Our client has a fantastic collection of Rolling Stones LP’s so on went Sticky Fingers. Every inflection of Mick Jagger’s voice could be heard. Cymbals sounded crisp and possessed a lovely metallic shimmer to them.

This gent had asked to compare a Rega MK5 phono stage to the one in his Arcam amp. The difference was quite substantial, a listen to a couple of Depeche Mode tracks bore this out.

We had a great time and I know that this client will thoroughly enjoy his new purchases for many years to come.

And to round off the day we delivered another Rega turntable, a Planar 3, to a customer on the Quayside.

If you would like to experience the exceptional sound of a Rega record player please give us a call. We’d be delighted to help.

06/06/2026

A fantastic result for our clients yesterday as we installed another wonderful vinyl playing system in Newcastle. Although it has been some time since they owned a record player, this has been put right with the purchase of the ever impressive Rega 3 R/S Edition turntable. This feeds a Rega Elex R amplifier into the incredibly capable Dali Sonik 5 loudspeakers. An Italian Solidsteel rack and Rega Duet loudspeaker cable rounded things off.

From both a visual and sonic standpoint, this system is superb. The integrity of the signal generated by the properly calibrated RS3 gives every track a rock like speed stability over which rhythms develop and involve the listener. The Elex R adds effortless control and grip. The Sonik 5’s are, in many ways, the star of the show, with a sound that belies the modest cabinet size both in treble finesse and bass depth. This is a system that can be cranked up for ‘The Who, Live at Leeds’ or at a lower volume level, do justice to the subtlety of Eric Clapton’s Unplugged. Future developments will include the possibility of a new Rega CD player and playing the TV through the system for better sound quality.

A new pastime beckons this very deserving customer which she will enjoy for many years. If you wish to experience the wonderful sound of music on a top class system, Rega should be your first port of call. The sound quality of this system is unassailable at the price. Throw in unmatched reliability and the best warranty in the business and you have an unequalled proposition.

The Audio Republic is your exclusive tier 1 Reference Rega dealer for the North East of England. We have an unmatched range of vinyl solutions for music lovers and HiFi enthusiasts. We would be delighted to help you choose a system similar to the above.

30/05/2026

Also sold this week was a very nice pair of what are becoming almost our go to loudspeakers, the very impressive Audiovector QR5 SE’s. I’ve spoken in the past about these incredibly talented loudspeakers, but during the demonstration they proved the ideal transducers for our client. They possess sufficient bass to do justice to most forms of music and the (very special) high frequency unit tracks instruments without ever veering into shrillness or harshness in a very articulate manner. So on goes ‘Living out of touch’ by Kingdom Come and the drums catapult out of the cabinets. Add Lenny Wolf’s high pitched Plant-esque vocals and there’s an incredible balancing act going on. Rock such as this can often sound disappointing on anything that doesn’t have JBL in the title but not here. It’s a full fat , high calorie experience that takes you back to a better time. As the song builds in stature and complexity, the QR5’s hold it all together in style.

That you can then switch to ‘Still in love with you’ from the Thin Lizzy Live album, for a (largely) down tempo mood switch and experience a different kind of majestic musical beauty that is a testament to how really versatile these transducers are. That ribbon tweeter is incredibly subtle capturing the overtones of the guitar yet letting Lynott’s rich, saturated voice come through with plenty of separation.

These loudspeakers may not be the first names on a list, but that would be a mistake. They have real ability and compete against some of the best that there is. They pull you in, involve you and when you next look at your watch you realise that you have been on a journey of discovery in which you have been fantastically entertained. I’m off for another listen.

Available to buy from the Audio Republic North, Keel Row, Gateshead, true HiFi specialists where the customer service experience matters.

Audio Republic

01/08/2026

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14/07/2026

07/07/2026

04/07/2026

27/06/2026

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30/05/2026

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Tuesday	9:30am - 5pm
Wednesday	9:30am - 5pm
Thursday	9:30am - 5pm
Friday	9:30am - 5pm
Saturday	9:30am - 4:30pm