There’s something beautifully nostalgic about the radiogram. You know, those elegant wooden cabinets from the mid-century that housed radio, turntable, and speakers all in one piece of furniture that looked good enough to anchor your living room. Ruark Audio clearly remembers, and they’re marking their 40th anniversary by bringing that concept into 2026 with the R810 MiE (Made in England edition), a stunning collaboration with Storm Furniture that proves technology can be just as much art as function.
This isn’t just a speaker in a nice box. The R810 MiE is part of Ruark’s Made in England project, which focuses on limited production, hand-built products using traditional craftsmanship. Only 100 units will ever exist, split evenly between two exquisite finishes: Penta-Chord Walnut with ebony detailing and Leaf-Line Oak with sycamore accents. Each piece is truly unique, bearing patterns that resemble fingerprints, no two exactly alike.
Designers: Ruark Audio and Storm Furniture
What makes these so special is the centuries-old art of marquetry that decorates the cabinet tops. If you’re not familiar, marquetry involves meticulously cutting selected veneers and arranging them into intricate patterns before bonding them to the cabinet. It demands precision and patience, the kind that only artisan makers possess. Storm Furniture, based in Norfolk and a proud member of the Guild of Master Craftsmen, hand-builds each cabinet and grille component before carefully transporting them to Ruark’s headquarters in Southend, where each R810 MiE is individually assembled, tested, and signed off.
The patterns themselves are designed to reflect modern life while honoring traditional techniques. Multiple layers of lacquer are then applied to create that lustrous finish that makes you want to run your hand across the surface (though you’ll probably resist once you see the price tag). Combined with precision-formed trims and a polished chrome stand, the result radiates the kind of sophistication you’d expect from fine furniture.
But let’s talk about what this thing actually does, because looks alone don’t justify nearly $9,000. The R810 MiE packs the same technological prowess as its standard R810 sibling, which retails for around $5,000. You get a 4.1 speaker system powered by 180 watts of Class A/B amplification, with a frequency response that dips down to 30Hz. It supports hi-res music files up to 32-bit/192kHz, has built-in Spotify Connect, TIDAL Connect, and Qobuz Connect, works with Apple Music and BBC Sounds, and includes AirPlay and Google Cast.
There’s also HDMI ARC/eARC connection for your TV, plus Internet, DAB, DAB+, and FM tuners because sometimes you just want to flip through actual radio stations. It’s essentially a complete home audio hub disguised as an heirloom-quality piece of furniture. Like the iconic radiograms it takes inspiration from, the R810 is designed to be seen, to be a focal point rather than something you hide in a cabinet or tuck into a corner.
What strikes me most about this release is the timing. We’re living through an era where so much technology feels disposable, designed to be replaced in a few years when the next model drops. The R810 MiE pushes back against that entire philosophy. This is a piece you’re meant to keep, to pass down, to let age gracefully in your home. That marquetry top isn’t going out of style, and that hand-built cabinet isn’t falling apart after a couple of years.
Each unit comes with an engraved plaque as proof of authenticity, which feels appropriate for something this exclusive. At £6,495 (roughly $8,955), it’s absolutely a luxury item. But when you consider that only 50 of each finish will ever be produced, and that each one is genuinely handcrafted using techniques that have been around for centuries, that price starts to make sense for collectors and audiophiles who want something genuinely special.
The R810 MiE represents what happens when a 40-year-old British audio company decides to celebrate not by churning out another limited colorway, but by going all-in on craftsmanship and exclusivity. It’s a statement piece that happens to deliver exceptional sound, or maybe it’s an exceptional sound system that happens to be a statement piece. Either way, it’s proof that furniture really can sound this good.
