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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

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Audio Republic

Independent specialist hi‑fi shop in Gateshead for vinyl, CD and streaming systems in valve and solid‑state, with honest advice and proper listening demos

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.

29/05/2026

It’s not just temperatures that are reaching new heights in May……., sales of our best selling turntable brand, Rega are hotting up. The award winning Planar 3 RS Edition is literally walking out the door, a fantastic example of which was installed this morning along with a Brio mk7 amplifier and Kyte loudspeakers. This all fitted into a very small space and sounded superb, doing justice to a very special record collection with possibly the best LED Zeppelin collection I’ve ever seen. The sound was crystal clear but with genuine warmth and surprising punch. The customer was delighted with the result. The system was professionally installed, turntable speed calibrated using a KAB strobe and tracking force adjusted to exactly 1.75 gms which gave the best balance between openness and weight.

The same turntable made it into another system last week with similarly great results. The care and attention to detail in installation resulted in another great result. There is a real magic to the sound of an RS3 and it is undeniably the best record player available new for £1100. These are presently selling at the rate of 2-3 every week.

Another happy client took delivery of a stunning Planar 8 turntable in the relatively new white finish and I have to say, having seen a few of these in the flesh, I think it looks incredibly classy. Not applying the black paint band to the platter allows the light to hit it and create a stunning effect and this, combined with the minimalist skeletal plinth design, make it possibly the best looking Rega turntable out there. Again, once the speed had been adjusted this deck gave a very lifelike portrail of music, full of energy, speed and dynamics, mixed with true analogue warmth.

Rega turntables come with the same lifetime warranty that the rest of their products do, the best in the business, no question. From any aspect that you care to look at it from, their products significantly outperform their rivals, musicality, reliability, retained value, longevity etc. You work too hard for your money to spend it on half decent HiFi. Buying into this iconic brand is not particularly expensive. The Planar 3 R/S Edition at £1100 will quite happily mix it with other turntables in the £1500 to £1800 bracket.

If you wish to investigate the range of Rega record players we carry everything that they make and have over twenty five years experience with the brand. The Audio Republic in Gateshead has the widest range of quality turntables in the North East and also carries the most comprehensive range of cartridges, phono stages and related vinyl accessories. We also offer a record cleaning service, so if you buy secondhand LP’s that need a clean we can get the best out of them.

Playing vinyl records should be an incredibly rewarding, pleasurable and relaxing hobby. Rega’s products allow you to access this pastime without the trials and tribulations that owning less well made equipment can lead to. We would be delighted to help you assemble a system along the lines of the above.

06/05/2026

A great result for one of our clients today, who was seeking a pair of loudspeakers to go with his legacy Musical Fidelity A1000. This amplifier had been improved by the renown John Sampson into a very transparent, articulate fire breathing dragon !. Which loudspeakers would make the most of this talented beast ?.

Step forward the Audiovector QR5 SE. Initially we tried their smaller relations, which got a lot of things right. But in the quest for more weight, grip and better dynamics, a big one will always beat a little one and so it proved. Now music was more intoxicating, instrumental lines were easier to follow, and bass guitars had more extension and detailing. End game loudspeakers for £3950, we think so. This is a remarkable pair of loudspeakers full stop. They are flexible with regards to placement but reward time and effort with regards to placement. They work well with different types of amplifier, both the foot tapping brigade and something less outgoing. Easy to drive and available in three high quality finishes, gloss black, satin white and the customer’s choice, dark walnut.

Not an everyday loudspeaker and not one found in e very retail outlet, this brand is very well worth seeking out. They promise long term satisfaction and illuminate the music from within.

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01/05/2026

You may remember a while back when we said a fond farewell to our beloved Audio Technica ST33SA cartridge line, which we had sold very successfully for nine years. The top model had the excellent Shibata stylus profile which really helps with surface noise, and gave that lovely, colourful saturated sound consistent with AT cartridges.

Well, for the last couple of weeks we have been listening to its successor, the AT33 xMLB. It shares the boron cantilever with its predecessor, adds threaded mounting apertures for easy fitting and comes with a very secure stylus guard. The gold colour scheme is also very smart. The big news is that there is no Shibata profile in this range, instead it sports a n**e microlinear stylus, which should in theory be more tolerant of less than perfect alignment / VTA, suggesting its use in Regas and other decks with less than easy arm adjustment.

Initial impressions are very promising, it is presently gracing our Rega Planar Six R/S Edition turntable both looking and sounding great. Its character is evolving a bit but after a few more LP sides we’ll let you know our sample is working out. A truly a great cartridge for a less than exorbitant price from a perfectionist company. If you are looking to move up to a moving coil cartridge or have an old one that needs replacing, please check this out.

27/04/2026

🎵 New Video: How to Set Up a Rega Planar 3 Turntable

Getting the most from your turntable isn't just about the equipment—it's about precision setup.

In this video, I walk through the complete setup process for a Rega Planar 3, from cartridge alignment to tracking force adjustment. These are the same techniques I've used for 30+ years setting up turntables for customers across the North East.

Whether you've just bought a Rega or you're wondering if your current setup is as good as it could be, this guide shows you what makes the difference between a deck that sounds okay and one that sounds extraordinary.

https://youtu.be/dH6aKJByeIA

"Near is never good enough" when it comes to cartridge alignment—and this video shows you why.

Audio Republic | Rega Reference Dealer
9 Keel Row, Gateshead | 0191 406 7070

11/04/2026

Running in our Rega Mercury and Solis combination for next weekends event, along with the sublime Aura phono stage. This is really special. As some of you will know I tend to favour amplifiers with valves in them, or biased heavily into Class A. These have more than a trace of that sound signature, but coupled with piledriver grip and grunt. Apologies to anybody who was rowing on the Tyne past the old Vickers tank factory this afternoon and heard loud music, yes it was me.

Factor in Rega’s legendary reliability, a mature stable company kept in good ownership that makes competitive products at many price points and has a high degree of repeat custom and there is a lot to seriously like about this new amplifier.

It has formed a spectacular partnership with the Neat JS loudspeakers. Fascinatingly and endlessly musical and a real contender for your end game amplifier.

10/04/2026

Unpacking our demonstration Rega Planar 6 R/S Edition turntable in good time for our Rega event next week. This is a beautiful looking disc spinner, for those that prefer a traditional full plinth design. It utilises a twin belt drive pulley and RB880 tonearm, never before seen on a Six model. It also comes complete with the startlingly good ND9 cartridge. It will be interesting to compare it to its bigger brother, the Planar 8.

The Audio Republic is a Rega Reference retailer, we sell everything that they make. We are often asked why we do not sell alternative products to those made by Rega. A Rega product is an ever evolving miniature masterpiece, that although looking outwardly simple, is the result of countless hours of design and testing.

As we are blessed with our own service department, we regularly see alternative products, and when you start and poke around inside them you get a good idea as to what other manufacturers deem to be good enough.

A Rega product comes with a lifetime warranty to the original purchaser. In a world where some £2k turntables come with 12 months guarantee, this is just one aspect that makes Rega so different.

If you are considering purchasing a turntable or are simply curious as to how good your records can sound, please visit us next week to hear for yourself how good these world class products are. We would be delighted to see you. HiFi has a reputation (not entirely undeserved) of being very expensive. It does not have to be.

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07/04/2026

Running in our new Dali Sonik 5 loudspeakers, exceptional quality at this price. A lovely smooth top end (no milk bottle top tweeters here !), an open midrange and more bass than you would expect from such slim cabinets, plus classy finishes all for a very reasonable £899. This loudspeaker has real listenability, is completely non fatiguing and casts a huge soundstage. It is an exceptional partner for another favourite of ours, the Musical Fidelity A1 amplifier. Hook up your favourite turntable or streamer and kick back to some truly stunning sounds. On demonstration at the Audio Republic in Gateshead.

06/04/2026

🎵 North East Rega Fans — This One's For You!

We're hosting something rather special here at Audio Republic on Friday 17th April and we'd love you to join us.

Rob Noble from Rega Research is coming to Gateshead for an exclusive event — and you'll have the afternoon to get hands-on with some of Rega's finest, including the brand new Mercury Preamplifier and Solis Power Amplifier, straight from the factory.

What's on:
🎶 Rega Mercury Preamplifier (new!)
🎶 Rega Solis Power Amplifier (new!)
🎵 Rega Naia Turntable
💿 Rega Isis CD Player
🎚️ Rega Aura Phono Stage
🔉 NEAT J6 Loudspeakers

📅 Friday 17th April 2026
⏰ 12 Noon – 4pm
📍 Audio Republic, 9 Keel Row, Metro Riverside Park, Gateshead NE11 9SZ

Free refreshments ✅
Free parking ✅
Goody bags ✅
Prize draw ✅

This is a genuinely rare opportunity to spend an afternoon with people who love hi-fi as much as you do, with an expert on hand who can answer any question you throw at him.

Just drop us a message here, email [email protected] or call 0191 406 7070 to let us know you're coming — we'd love to see you there! 😊

Address

9 Keel Row, Riverside Business Park
Gateshead
NE119SZ

Opening Hours

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

Telephone

+441914067070

Website

http://audiorepublic.co.uk/

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