Gadhouse Duke & Roy: Two-minute assessment
Bangkok-based audio firm Gadhouse (which is simply barely quick for ‘Gadget Home’) enjoys a little bit of anthropomorphism – simply have a look at the mannequin names in its product line-up. Two of those merchandise – the Duke wi-fi turntable and the Roy powered audio system – can be found, at a modest saving, as a system. Introducing, then, the Gadhouse Duke & Roy.
There’s no arguing with the breadth of performance your cash buys. The Duke turntable has an built-in, defeatable phono stage, a USB-B output in entrance of an A-to-D converter to be used with a pc, and may stream wirelessly. The Roy audio system are pushed by 30 watts of energy every, have Bluetooth connectivity and a fistful of bodily connection choices, too. A little bit distant management handset places you in cost.
The place audio efficiency is anxious, although, Duke & Roy fail to make good on the guarantees of specification and end. At its finest, the sound the system makes is lifeless and consequently tedious – that is, I feel we will all agree, lower than ultimate. There’s no vitality to its replica, no sense of pleasure, so the truth that the sound is definitely fairly detailed and confidently staged turns into neither right here nor there.
Consequently, they cannot be positioned on a par with the best turntables or stereo speakers in the marketplace.
Gadhouse Duke & Roy assessment: Value and launch date
- $999 / £779 / (approx.) AU$1499
- Launched in November, 2024
The Gadhouse Duke & Roy powered-speakers-plus-wireless-turntable system has been on sale since mid-November 2024, and in the US it sells for $999. In the UK it is round £779. The Australian pricing is but to be confirmed, however at right this moment’s alternate charges you’re AU$1499 or one thing fairly prefer it.
Like-for-like comparisons are, after all, pretty skinny on the bottom, however everybody from ELAC by way of Kanto to Q Acoustics will promote you a pair of aggressively priced powered bookshelf audio system, whereas turntables equipped with Bluetooth streaming smarts aren’t onerous to return by both. Off the highest of my head, although, I can’t consider any with such snappy mannequin names…
Gadhouse Duke & Roy turntable assessment: Options
- Belt-driven turntable with 33.3 and 45rpm settings
- Wired and wi-fi connectivity choices
- Ortofon 2M Crimson cartridge prefitted to Duke’s tonearm
If you happen to decide a system on a ‘variety of options per pound’ type of foundation, you’re going to seek out so much to love – admire, even – with the Gadhouse Duke & Roy.
Duke is a belt-driven turntable that operates at 33.3 and 45rpm, with pace choice computerized, by way of a chunky toggle-switch on the plinth. It comes full with a straight static-balanced 219mm tonearm that’s pre-fitted with a really acceptable Ortofon 2M Crimson shifting magnet cartridge and has a removable headshell. There’s a metallic platter and a textured faux-leather slipmat, which bears the truism ‘the place phrases fail, music speaks’, simply one of many little ‘stay chuckle love’-isms that Gadhouse appears so keen on. An adjustable counterweight, a traditional anti-skate weight connected by way of fishing line, and a transparent dust-cover full the seen feature-set.
Have a look at the rear of the turntable, although, and it quickly turns into obvious there’s a good bit extra to it. In addition to a connection for mains energy, stereo RCA sockets and a publish for a grounding cable, there’s a swap to show the built-in phono stage on or off, a USB-B output for connection to a pc (as an illustration) and a light-weight to point a Bluetooth connection has been made. The Duke can wirelessly connect with applicable audio system or headphones by way of Bluetooth 5.2 utilizing the SBC codec.
The Roy loudspeakers, in the meantime, have a equally in depth number of options. As with most moderately inexpensive powered audio system, one Roy does the heavy lifting and the opposite Roy does because it’s instructed. The secondary speaker simply has a pair of speaker cable binding posts (for connection to its boss) on the rear, beneath a bass reflex slot on the prime of the cupboard. The first speaker has each of these options, however provides a complete of 60 watts of Class D amplification (30 per speaker, after all), a socket for mains energy and an ‘on/off’ swap, a pre-out for a subwoofer and a few bodily and wi-fi inputs. The bodily stuff consists of line-level stereo RCAs, an analogue 3.5mm enter, a digital optical connection and a USB-B socket, whereas wirelessness is dealt with by Bluetooth 5.1 with aptX HD codec compatibility.
Up entrance, every speaker has a 25mm soft-dome tweeter above an 89mm mid/bass driver. Gadhouse reckons this association is sweet for a frequency response of 80Hz – 20kHz.
Gadhouse Duke & Roy assessment: Sound high quality
- Fairly detailed and full replica
- Undemonstrative and fully undynamic
- Wi-fi connection between Duke & Roy will not be suggested
To listen to the Duke & Roy at its finest, you’ll must a) hard-wire the turntable to the audio system utilizing the equipped RCA cable, and b) bin off the equipped speaker cable in an effort to put the audio system a practical distance aside. Thoughts you, there’s each likelihood chances are you’ll surprise why you bothered.
The Duke & Roy, I feel it’s honest to say, seems like lower than the sum of its elements, particularly as a type of elements is the Ortofon 2M Crimson cartridge. With a good urgent of Cypress Hill’s eponymous debut album enjoying, the sound is kind of detailed and Gadhouse’s claims for an 80Hz – 20kHz frequency response appear honest sufficient. After ‘fairly detailed’, although, I’m struggling to seek out too many positives.
As a result of whereas low frequencies are moderately stable and nicely managed, the mid-range is kind of poised and open, and the system has a good stab at making a coherent soundstage, it’s so devoid of vitality or engagement that every part is rendered ‘background music’ irrespective of how intently you may resolve to hear. The shortage of drive and dynamism to the replica is deadly – the tasteless and matter-of-fact nature of the sound high quality out there right here make the concept of ‘leisure’, not to mention ‘pleasure’ appear fully fanciful. It takes a specific type of system to leech the entire angle and aggression from a Cypress Hill recording – and the Duke & Roy is one such system. Even the onerous and edgy treble replica right here fails to inject any vitality into the sound.
That is about nearly as good because it will get. Swap to a wi-fi connection between turntable and audio system, and never solely does the system sound barely smaller scale and extra inhibited than earlier than, however it offers away a few of the finer particulars that have been beforehand obvious. Streaming from a smartphone by way of Bluetooth does nothing to assist issues, both – the ever-present lack of positivity or obvious engagement is the defining attribute of the Gadhouse set-up.
Switching off its built-in phono stage and enjoying the Duke right into a reasonably priced preamp earlier than sending the sign on to the Roy audio system reveals the phono stage in query to be atypical at finest. Making digital copies of vinyl by way of the Duke’s USB-B output utilizing Audacity software program reveals there’s nothing particular in regards to the deck’s A-to-D converter.
At each flip, in actual fact, the Duke & Roy is an underwhelming performer and, for some motive, after a interval of listening I start to seek out ‘underwhelming’ even much less interesting than ‘unhealthy’.
- Sound high quality rating: 2.5/5
Gadhouse Duke & Roy assessment: Design
- Oak-finished turntable
- 125 x 415 x 372mm (HxWxD) (Duke)
- 180 x 125 x 170mm (HxWxD) (every Roy)
The design of loudspeakers is sort of as established and unbending because the design of turntables, particularly whenever you’re speaking about merchandise competing within the mainstream. So it follows that neither the Duke turntable nor the Roy loudspeakers look something apart from precisely as you’d count on.
There are worthwhile points to the design of every, although. The Roy audio system are a really manageable 180 x 125 x 170mm (HxWxD) every, which suggests they’re genuine candidates for positioning on a shelf or a desktop – so long as they are often linked to one another and to mains energy, no less than. The usual of construct and end may be very acceptable, and the crisp edges of the matte-black cupboards of my assessment pattern make for a clear look.
The Duke turntable appears equally nicely made and simply as rigorously completed. You’ll make your individual thoughts up in regards to the oak veneer – it jogs my memory of floorboards and appears gratuitous – however there’s no denying it’s a degree of distinction. The turntable’s 6.3kg weight (of which very almost 2kg is contributed by its metallic platter) is supported, no less than on the entrance, by a few pliant, vibration-absorbing toes. The truth that the rear of the plinth is supported by a field with no vibration-absorbing properties and wherein the Duke retains all its electronics does undermine the purpose of the toes considerably, thoughts you.
Gadhouse Duke & Roy assessment: Usability and setup
- Duke and one half of Roy require mains energy
- Audio system have to be wired collectively
- The smallest, skinniest distant management handset I’ve seen shortly
There’s actually not a lot to do in an effort to rise up and operating right here. The Duke’s tonearm wants its anti-skate weight becoming and its counterweight wants adjusting to the 1.6 – 2.0g advisable by Ortofon for its 2M Crimson cartridge, after which it’s good to go. Or, no less than, it’s when you’ve made a connection to mains energy.
The Roy audio system have to be linked collectively and Gadhouse provides a brief size of detached speaker cable to do the job. The first speaker must be linked to the mains. Then make any bodily connections you need – chances are you’ll resolve to attach the Duke utilizing the equipped RCA cables somewhat than wirelessly, as an illustration, wherein case you’ll want to show its built-in phono stage on.
Management of the system is obtainable by a small, slim distant management handset that’s not overburdened with buttons. Energy, enter choice, play/pause and quantity up/down can be found, and there’s a little bit LED embedded within the major speaker’s IR receptor to let you realize what’s occurring.
Gadhouse Duke & Roy assessment: Worth
- A lot of equipment for beneath $1000 is sweet
- The stodgy sound actually is not…
- … and renders the value moot
An entire wi-fi audio system, with vinyl as one of many sources, for beneath $1000? A well-made, properly completed system at that? When it comes to the performance and the straightforward quantity of stuff your cash buys right here, it’s tough to be too crucial of the Gadhouse Duke & Roy.
On the subject of audio constancy this outlay will get you, although, the value-for-money proposition takes fairly a success. It’s not a lot that the sound is unhealthy per se, it’s extra that it’s as bland as heat milk.
Do you have to purchase the Gadhouse Duke & Roy?
| Attributes | Notes | Score |
|---|---|---|
| Options | The Duke & Roy offers you a turntable, powered audio system and Bluetooth 5.2 connectivity with a SBC codec. That is plenty of equipment. | 5/5 |
| Sound high quality | Undynamic sound irrespective of the supply. | 2.5/5 |
| Design | The oak end might not be for all, however the Duke & Roy’s crisp edges and customary of end are very acceptable. | 4/5 |
| Usability and setup | Simply achieved, with a slim distant management impressively devoid of buttons. | 4/5 |
| Worth | Below $1000 for all this equipment is nice, however the sound high quality would not again it up. | 3.5/5 |
Purchase it if…
Do not buy it if…
Gadhouse Duke & Roy: Additionally contemplate
For wi-fi powered audio system with just a few connectivity choices, contemplate ELAC’s Debut Connex, Kanto’s Ren and the M20 by Q Acoustics specifically. Keep in mind even the smallest of those is bigger than the Roy, although, and none are something like as applicable for desktop use.
For a turntable with Bluetooth smarts, it’s onerous to see past the LP60XBT by Audio Technica and the Sony PS-LX310BT (reviewed here by our sister site, then come again). Neither look as good because the Duke however each have a bonus the place efficiency is anxious – and never in a gentle manner, both.
Any mixture of those merchandise will are available at Duke & Roy-adjacent cash, and any mixture will show extra sonically satisfying, too.
How I examined the Gadhouse Duke & Roy
- Examined for over per week on my common dwelling setup
- Examined with a Rega CD participant and streaming companies by way of Apple iPhone 14 Professional
I made house on my Blok tools and my Soundstyle speaker stands, obtained every part properly positioned after which listened for a number of hours a day for fairly just a few days. I linked the Duke turntable to the Roy loudspeakers utilizing each wired and wi-fi connections, and used it with and with out its built-in phono stage.
I used my Rega CD participant by way of the optical enter. Naturally, I listened to my favorite streaming companies too, utilizing an Apple iPhone 14 Professional.
- First reviewed: January 2025