If the thought of all the things we might not see this side of the Atlantic once Britain leaves the European Union makes you quake in your George Cox monkey boots, don’t fret. Grab a mug of Yorkshire Tea – or maybe a jigger of Bombay Sapphire Gin if it’s that time – shrug off your Barbour jacket, dim your lava lamp, unwrap that Wagon Wheel, and relax.
British manufacturers Mitchell & Johnson won’t see you going without a CD player. The new S800, first unveiled in prototype form at February’s Bristol Hi-Fi Show, is now on sale for £1,299.
With headquarters in London, Mitchell & Johnson says the S800 is a “disc-spinner that flies the flag for specialist UK manufacturing in the Brexit era”, adding: “Handmade in the Midlands, the new S800 CD player is one of only a handful of British-made CD players and offers the myriad benefits of homegrown production.”
Those myriad homegrown benefits include the famous Eastenders duff-duffs, the theme tune for Corrie and God Save the Queen, which are all on board as standard. (Sorry. We jest.)
Engineered in the UK, the new S800 CD player features an ESS Sabre DAC chip, plus dual stereo RCA and balanced XLR outputs. There’s also a linear power supply with a Noratel Xtraquiet transformer and it's all within an entirely UK-produced case.
Mitchell & Johnson’s 12-volt Power Link provides synchronised power on or off when used with compatible equipment. So if, for example, you used Mitchell & Johnson’s S800 preamp and S815 stereo power amp (both £1,299 each) you’d have a trio as British as scones, jam and clotted cream, ready for connection to your chosen loudspeakers. The S800 CD player does however contain a European-sourced CD drive. Ah... Oh well.
The S800 CD player and accompanying 800 Series represents a major milestone for Mitchell & Johnson; these are the first products the company has debuted following a significant brand repositioning and a transition to UK-based design and manufacture. The sign of things to come? We shall see.
We’re off to put Oasis in our ears, cut ourselves a wedge of Stilton, take a swig of our Robinsons squash, and think on. Actually, maybe we need something stronger...
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Mitchell & Johnson launches new flagship 800 Series of hi-fi products
