While much of modern audio gear is working to become smaller and more portable, that isn’t always the case. As the resurgence in vinyl sales has shown, just because an idea is from the past, that doesn’t mean people aren’t interested. That is the idea behind Wrensilva’s Standard One, which aims to resurrect the record console of old, while throwing in a pinch of modern tech in the process.
This isn’t the first time Wrensilva — formerly Wren HiFi — has created this type of product. The Standard One is described by the company as a simplified version of its M1, a similar but larger product released last year. The Standard One is built with hand-selected woods, and is available in walnut or rift white oak finishes, and as they are built in-house, each model will be slightly different, making it as unique as hand-built furniture. The console even features a built-in storage compartment for your favorite vinyl records.
Looking at the actual sound, the Standard One features a fully decoupled belt-driven turntable. This is run through a pair of 8-inch Wrensilva C80M 2-way speakers, with the company claiming up to 300 watts per channel of power. That might be impressive on its own, but it’s also comparatively older technology, and the Standard One can do much more.
In addition to the analog tech, the Standard One features extended-range Bluetooth connectivity with aptX. This is joined by a 3.5mm audio in jack and three additional inputs to connect your favorite audio gear, whether analog or digital. If you like the look of the console, but would rather use your own high-end stereo gear, line-out jacks set before the pre-amp in the signal chain allow you to route the audio signal from the turntable anywhere you want.
This is a fairly unique product category, but Wrensilva doesn’t have the market all to itself. Earlier this year, we reported on the Luno EGB2, which served as a combination minibar and console stereo. That model is fairly rare, and the company won’t even talk pricing unless you ask by email.
At $6,900, the Wrensilva Standard One isn’t exactly an impulse purchase. It also isn’t something you can pick up at your local electronics retailer. All Wrensilva stereo consoles are built to order, with a lead time of 8 to 10 weeks, plus freight time for shipping. For more information, see the Wrensilva website.
