Nagra Exclusively Distributed by Absolute Sounds in the UK and Ireland

Founded in 1951 by Stefan Kudelski in Switzerland, Nagra began with the Nagra I, the world's first professional-quality portable sound recorder. This innovative device transformed radio broadcasting, cinema, and music recording with its compact size, reliability, and superior audio quality. The name "Nagra," derived from a Polish verb meaning "to record," reflects Kudelski's roots.

Nagra quickly became the gold standard in portable audio recorders, excelling in both the analogue and digital eras, earning numerous Oscars and Emmys for its technical achievements. Nagra IV-S recorders played a pivotal role in creating iconic albums and films, including Let It Be, Dark Side of the Moon, The Exorcist, and The English Patient.

Through producing SN miniature reel-to-reel recorders for the CIA in the 1960s, which went on to play vital roles during the Cold War and in significant expeditions, including NASA's Apollo missions, to Nagra's first foray in to domestic hi-fi with 1997's PL-P preamplifier, Nagra remains a key player in high-end audio, serving prestigious clients such as the BBC, NBC, and NASA while maintaining a partnership with the Montreux Jazz Festival.

Nagra sources the finest circuit components from around the world, many of which are custom-made to its own unique specifications. Its products are designed, assembled and tested to the very highest standard at its facility in Romanel-sur-Lausanne,

Producing a Nagra device is as much an art as it is a science; as Nagra says, "unique craftsmanship leads to unique performance". 

Nagra x Absolute Sounds

Effective immediately, Nagra is distributed exclusively in the UK and Ireland by Absolute Sounds, joining its enviable roster of high-end hi-fi brands.

Matthieu Latour, sales and marketing director at Audio Technology Switzerland, told StereoNET:

Absolute Sounds is among the most prestigious high-end audio distributors in the world, with an expert team led by Ricardo Franassovici – a man whose experience and influence in the field is unrivalled. The company has long-standing relationships with some of the finest audio brands on the planet, many of which have excellent synergy with Nagra components... Through Absolute Sounds' unrivalled network, we can access the finest specialist retailers in the UK and Ireland to ensure Nagra customers receive the exceptional service they deserve.  

Ricardo Franassovici, Absolute Sounds' founder and managing director, added: 

As the UK's foremost high-end audio distributor, we're regularly approached by brands from around the world who seek our expertise. We're fortunate to already work with many of the sector's most revered and influential manufacturers; few others measure up to the standard required to add something unique to our portfolio. Nagra, however, is truly special – the original Swiss innovator in high-performance audio electronics whose products I've admired since my days in the rock music industry in the 1970s. I've waited patiently for the opportunity to work with the company and, when it came, I instantly embraced it.

StereoNET congratulates Ricardo and Absolute Sounds on this latest partnership, and we are sure that Nagra will find a welcome home there.

If you are a discerning audio fan based in the UK or Ireland, contact Absolute Sounds regarding auditioning or purchasing Nagra components.

For more information visit Nagra