Ruark R410 review

Ruark R410: Introduction

• Connectivity: Dual band Wi-Fi, Ethernet, Bluetooth, DLNA
• Ecosystems: AirPlay, Google Cast, Tidal Connect, Spotify Connect

At the end of last year Ruark Audio, the UK speaker specialist, introduced the Ruark R410 Integrated Music System, the first instalment of its new 100 Series line (which has now been joined by the 610 and the 810.)

With the R410 Ruark, once again, managed to meld timeless design with the latest music streaming technology, appealing to both music aficionados and design enthusiasts.

Essentially a modern twist on 1970s-inspired design, it packs in all of the streaming tech you’d expect from a music system half a century on from when its console cousin inspirations were the must have devices.

Is the Ruark R410 worthy of a hefty outlay and a place on your sideboard? Read on to find out.

Design and build

• Two styles to choose from
• No CD drive
• Improved RotoDial and remote control

Let’s start with the design and whether you go for the Fused Walnut Veneer or Soft Grey Lacquer, you’re getting an absolute gorgeous piece of kit, which has plenty of eco credentials.

Engineered from sustainable woods that are “expertly spliced and recomposed”, the resulting material seamlessly blends in with your furniture, as you can see from the image above on my hardwood dining room sideboard.

Measuring 150 × 560 × 290mm, it’s a bit chunkier than the (now-discontinued) R5, and weighing in at 9.5kg, it sits on some little metal legs and just looks superb. The walnut grille front somehow manages to invoke a nostalgic present feeling, more so than the cloth-mesh on the R5.

The RotoDial controller from previous Ruark speakers is still there but has been upgraded for enhanced usability and the remote control is essentially a portable version of this.

Both of which are super easy to use, although you’ll have to go through a pairing process with the Bluetooth-powered remote control, and you will need to charge it via USB-C every now and again.

However, as I mentioned, it’s not all slick aesthetics as the R410 signifies a convergence of Ruark’s storied heritage and forward-thinking creativity.

Gone is the CD loader of the R5 and in its place is a 4-inch TFT colour display. That doesn’t mean your analogue music isn’t supported, there’s a RIAA phono input stage built in to support external music players and a CD drive can be hooked up to the USB port, but more on that in a bit.

Ruark tells us that the portrait orientation of the display is designed it to resemble a smartphone, and it works well.

The full colour TFT display offers excellent visibility from various angles, making artwork look just as vibrant as it does on a modern mobile phone.

The initial setup is fairly straightforward, although typing in your Wi-Fi password using the RotoDial is a bit of a faff.

Features

• Extensive streaming support
• Multiple playback methods
• Can be a TV speaker thanks to HDMI

Even though there are a raft of line-in options on the R410 – including Stereo RCA input (up to 2.3Vrms) and turntable input with an MM phono gain stage- the real focus is the digital streaming smarts that, thanks to an internal Burr-Brown DAC, are capable of high-resolution audio files up to 32-bit/192kHz PCM.

Where you get your digital music piped into the R410 is up to you, but there’s an absolute plethora of options including Spotify, TIDAL, Amazon Music, BBC Sounds, Deezer, Qobuz and many more.

There’s also DAB/DAB+/FM & Internet radio plus aptX HD Bluetooth connectivity, as well as UPnP media server support for local digital file playback.

Unlike the Ruark R series, there’s no native multi-room but with Spotify Connect, Google Cast and AirPlay 2 on board, you can group with other speakers from multiple brands to your heart’s content.

If you want to manually hook up with other systems, or even your TV, then you can make use of the TOSLINK digital input, HDMI with eARC.

While this speaker is decent for TV use, it doesn’t quite measure up to being a brilliant TV speaker; nor should you expect it to be.

Just because it features an HDMI connection doesn’t mean it should be considered a replacement for a dedicated soundbar – there’s no Dolby Atmos or voice enhamcement tech, for example.

Although it delivers audio quality significantly better than most TV speakers and cheap soundbars, that’s not really the reason it exists.

It would have been nice to see Amazon Alexa or Google Assistant voice controls baked in, but you do have the option of adding in a smart speaker via the line-in on the back to add some voice controls (although you’ll obviously then be streaming at a much less quality.)

As mentioned, there’s no CD drive on the R410 itself but you can connect an external CD drive using the USB port and play your CDs through that; Ruark tells us that it will also be launching a native CD drive to accompany the R410 at some point too.

I tested it with an old CD drive I had from my Napster ripping days (Google it kids) and it worked just fine.

The USB drive can also serve for file playback of your locally stored files. The Ruark R410 supports AAC (320kbps/96kHz), WMA up to 48kHz/320kbps, WMA 9 up to 48kHz/256kbps, and it handles FLAC, ALAC (Apple Lossless), and WAV files at resolutions up to 32-bit/384kHz.

One drawback of the R410 is the absence of a companion app, which is a bit annoying.

Having a dedicated Ruark app, similar to what we’ve enjoyed with some of the brand’s previous speakers, would enhance the user experience significantly.

An app could provide greater control over settings, software updates, and perhaps even personalized sound profiles, making it easier to tailor the audio experience to individual preferences.

Without it, users miss out on the convenience and functionality that a companion app can offer, especially given the preset favourites option on using the RotoDial isn’t the most intuitive.

Performance

Audio quality is absolutely top-notch, which is hardly surprising given that this a high-end Ruark offering.

Powering the show is a pair of 20mm silk dome tweeters, alongside a pair of Ruark 100mm NS+ bass-mid units and a 120W RMS Class D amplifier.

The cabinet is a tuned dual bass enclosure and, even though the sound emits from a slim-ish rectangular shape, is incredibly bound and well rounded.

Testing with lossless 44.1 kHz m4a files, Amazon Music Ultra HD, and lossless Apple Music files (24-bit/192 kHz), I selected a range of tracks to push the speaker’s limits.

Backbone by Stormzy delivered deep, thumping bass that was both powerful and well-controlled, while Birds of a Feather by Billie Eilish showcased crisp highs, allowing her delicate vocals to shine without any harshness.

A Fragile Thing by The Cure revealed a rich soundstage, with each instrument beautifully separated, making it a pleasure to listen to.

The bass was superb, grounding the sound with warmth and depth, while the trebles were amazing, clear, and detailed.

I didn’t even bother adjusting the EQ settings at all, as the speaker’s adaptive EQ feature provided an ideal listening experience right out of the box. There’s also a Stereo+ 3D option, which makes the stereo effect even more pronounced.

Final thoughts

Ruark’s R410 isn’t just a speaker, it’s a crafted piece of audio furniture that marries retro aesthetics with modern tech capabilities.

From its rich soundstage and dynamic bass to the versatility in connectivity, it’s designed for the discerning listener who values both sound and style.

While a companion app and native multi-room capabilities would have rounded off the experience, these don’t really detract from the superb audio performance wrapped in that timeless aesthetic.

Put short, the Ruark R410 delights in both form and function.

How we test

When we publish our reviews, you can rest assured that they are the result of “living with” long term tests.

Smart speaker usually live within, or even control, a smart home ecosystem, or a range of products that – supposedly – all work in harmony. Therefore, it’s impossible to use a connected speaker for a week and deliver a verdict.

Because we’re testing smart home kit all day, everyday, we know what matters and how a particular smart speaker compares to alternatives that you might also be considering.

Our reviews are comprehensive, objective and fair and, of course, we are never paid directly to review a device.

Read our review process for smart speakers to learn more.

FAQs

Ruark R410: Specifications