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Ruark Icon speakers

say it as it is

pfm Member
Anyone any experience of these speakers seen a pair recently far from mint but was told years ago ruark and Naim go well together?

Am using floorstanders Tannoy DC6T'S so a small stand mount looks very different but worth a listen or not?
 
These are classic Ruark design from the nineties I believe. They only made quality speakers. The cabinets were top quality and it's difficult to get this quality of craftsmanship today.
If everything is in working order I don't think you will be dissapointed. I have owned Ruark Equinox, which was their premium range since 1998.
They are massive stand mounts and honestly I haven't got a room big enough for the soundstage they are capable of.
I will not get rid of them as they do things I know I would miss.
I notice Audio Emotion Have a good looking pair of Icons for £85 which I fancy myself, except I don't have enough storage space.
 
I am using the Ruark Icon with Naim NAC62/NAP160BD & HiCap. The source is a ipod and it's sounds really good for the combination. It is not my main system and it is used in the gym for training to. Naim and Ruark sound great together. Enjoy
I am new to this forum.
 
I am using the Ruark Icon with Naim NAC62/NAP160BD & HiCap. The source is a ipod and it's sounds really good for the combination. It is not my main system and it is used in the gym for training to. Naim and Ruark sound great together. Enjoy
I am new to this forum.

I owned a pair of Icons in cherry for about 13 years . Front port made versatile with placement. . I used to bi amp them with Arcam Alpha 9 s. I would say the mellower nature of those amps suited them. I tried other speakers but always stuck with the Icons. Finally replaced them with Neat Motive 3
 
I owned a pair of Icons in cherry for about 13 years . Front port made versatile with placement. . I used to bi amp them with Arcam Alpha 9 s. I would say the mellower nature of those amps suited them. I tried other speakers but always stuck with the Icons. Finally replaced them with Neat Motive 3
how do they compare with the motive 3?
 
I have never heard the Icon, but it was the replacement for the Sabre which is almost a legend. I believe the Sceptre was the replacement for the Broadsword and when I auditioned the Sabre in 86, cost was £300 and I believe the Broadsword was £650.
I can well imagine all four of these speakers would work well with Naim.
 
I knew Brain O'Rouke very well his workshop was next to mine when I stated Inca Tech in the late 1970.s.
His craftmanship was amazing and exchanged a Claymore for a pair of Sabre Speaker, which I still use, now in my Workpit. Not perfect speaker but bloody good and the cabinet work is still second to none and now would cost thousands to produce.
I miss my long chat with him and Auntie Jean.
I first met Brian outside his shop where he made Diesis Speakers I had just been to Maplins in S.O.S, and was looking for a loo.
I used his and bought a pair of Diesis 3 , they pissed over the National Panasonic top range speaker I had at the time.
His Sons and Daughter now run the company, I watched them grow up and went to there weddings , I was blessed when I met Brian my friend. R.I.P.
 
I’ve had a pair of Ruarks all my hifi life. Started out with a Nait 2 & a pair of Swordsman for a few years before trading those in for some Sabres which I kept for about 20 years. Drove those with the Nait 2 all the way up to 82/2*hicap/135s and they sang beautifully. Only replaced the Sabres when I spotted a mint pair of Broadswords (which are super rare these days) - I’ll never sell them!
 
I demo'ed ES14's and Sabre's when I had my Claymore, I chose Epos and later moved on to Naim (a mistake I would not make today) and moved all the way up to 135's, it was at that stage I purchased Obelisk's, but until then the Epos did a rely great job, never letting the side down even though I only paid £295 for them. It's nice to know the Sabre's did a similar thing for you Stevied, it was really a toss up which ones I went with at the time, in fact I have been looking at Sabre's on ebay, shouldn't really, they're always tempting.
 
I still use Sabres in my office, I have another pair in the foundry with a blown bass unit ( my fault) I have my old Talismans in my studio. I nearly purchased a beautiful pair of Solstice's that totally blew my mind when I heard them. I was swindled out of the auction after winning it by the shop selling them. Probably just as well as my room was far too small to work with them.
 
Artisan cabinet work, not in the way of fine furniture ala Van Risenburgh but lovely for loudspeakers. Then members of the guild of master craftsmen I believe. There was a little plate on the back of my Sabres stating so.

Not sure the speakers would fit in many modern living rooms anymore but for anything more traditional some models would probably still cut it today.

Unfortunately I haven't heard a Ruark for decades since selling the above.
 
I still use Sabres in my office, I have another pair in the foundry with a blown bass unit ( my fault) I have my old Talismans in my studio. I nearly purchased a beautiful pair of Solstice's that totally blew my mind when I heard them. I was swindled out of the auction after winning it by the shop selling them. Probably just as well as my room was far too small to work with them.

Yep I killed the BASS unit at least 4 times, getting the right drive was a pain then on CPC I found one rated and with a sound so close to the original it was a no brainer, the I fitted a internal relay protection unit that stop me pumping music over 100W into them, and hey ho they have survived a year already, whoops Sorry Brian.

P.S. I dig out the part number if you like.
 
I’ve had a pair of Ruarks all my hifi life. Started out with a Nait 2 & a pair of Swordsman for a few years before trading those in for some Sabres which I kept for about 20 years. Drove those with the Nait 2 all the way up to 82/2*hicap/135s and they sang beautifully. Only replaced the Sabres when I spotted a mint pair of Broadswords (which are super rare these days) - I’ll never sell them!

Silly I was offered as a gift a pair of Broadsword for free, but the room in the flat I was in after being made homeless by my last voyage into business with idiots, was far to small shame.
 
I’m still using a pair of sabre 3’s ( I used to have a pair of talismans, gorgeous, but a little big for my room). Mine are light oak and look beautiful with curved edges. Properly made!
 


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