Aura Note Premier

Aura Note Premier review

Just a couple of issues ago, we reviewed a group of one-box hi-fi systems, concluding that the best of the breed can give performance worthy of the 'hi-fi' tag. And still they come: here's another such unit, the Note Premier, bearing the brand name Aura, but made in Korea by April Music. Aura may ring bells if you've a good memory: it was a UK brand some 15 or so years ago and the name has been bought-up by a Japanese concern which passed manufacturing to April, but brought back British industrial designer Kenneth Grange to provide a certain look to the kit. Smart and compact And the looks are certainly striking. The front panel is dominated by a mirror-finish stainless steel panel with a simple display and what looks like a black grille sitting beneath – it's actually the heatsink for the power amplifier stage. The top has more stainless steel and a thick sliding-glass door over the top-loading transport. Top-loaders are rather deluxe, we reckon. Yes, there's the puck to put in place, but that becomes second nature after one's played a couple of discs, and frankly it's all a much nicer experience than trays or slot-loaders, and quicker, too. Feature-packed And just as much to the point, this transport saves quite a lot of internal space.