Do you remember the compact stereo systems of the late 1970s and early 1980s? Among audiophiles they had a reputation of being jacks of all trades, but masters of none. The T+A R 2500 R is compact, can do everything, and does everything right. Impressively right.
It’s Saturday, June 21, 2025. I’m listening to WDR 3 on the T+A R 2500 R via DAB+, where the first movement of Bruckner’s Ninth Symphony with the Munich Philharmonic under Sergiu Celibidache is currently being broadcast. While I’m listening, I’m writing this article about the “Multi Source Receiver” from the long-established Herford-based manufacturer. The T+A (the initials stand for “Theory and Application”) performs admirably and delivers what I would call a beautiful sound. Nevertheless, you can’t help but notice that the radio broadcast lacks the dynamic impact of the CD, which is also on hand. But that’s not the R 2500 R’s fault – no more than the very limited FM reception at my home is. Even top-tier tuners from the past struggled here. Still, thanks to its balanced and neutral tonal character, the T+A manages to shine even under these conditions.
Realistically, though, potential buyers aren’t considering the T+A R 2500 R primarily for its radio reception. Instead, it’s aimed at people who want to enjoy digital and analog sources at the highest level without stacking their room full of separate components. For this reason, the R 2500 R includes a CD player that operates with impressively low mechanical noise and accesses tracks with lightning speed. The fact that listening to the above-mentioned Bruckner CD is far more satisfying than the radio broadcast isn’t just due to the drive. It’s primarily the receiver’s extremely sophisticated digital-to-analog conversion section – its heart – that’s responsible for the excellent sound. I could write pages about it, quickly getting lost in the technical details. Still, it’s worth emphasizing that files in the DSD (Direct Stream Digital) format – as used by SACDs and other high-resolution formats – receive especially careful treatment. According to T+A, the signal is output as a true 1-bit stream by means of a so-called True 1-Bit Converter, which passes DSD data through without any prior conversion.
PCM signals – such as those from the CD transport – are processed using T+A’s proprietary quadruple-converter technology, which uses four 32-bit Burr-Brown converters per channel in a dual-differential configuration to significantly compensate for nonlinearities. Numerous digital inputs, mainly on the rear panel, allow USB sticks, hard drives, computers, SACD players, and Blu-ray players to take advantage of this converter section in all common formats. The R 2500 R also supports all major streaming platforms – Spotify, Qobuz, Tidal, Amazon, and Apple Music – and is, of course, “Roon Ready.”
Speaking of the rear panel: it doesn’t cater only to digital sources. There are also three analog inputs, one of which is equipped with XLR jacks for fully balanced operation. And whether analog or digital, all connectors are of excellent quality, with enough space to accommodate large-diameter cables and plugs.
The same applies to the sturdy speaker terminals, which accept banana plugs, spades, or bare wire. They’re fed by a power amplifier whose input stage is based on a cascode differential amplifier. The circuit is built discreetely with JFET transistors and avoids integrated op-amps altogether. Available power is an impressive 140 watts into 8 ohms and 250 watts into 4 ohms – numbers that suggest the amp can take command of virtually any loudspeaker. The near-doubling of output power when impedance is halved indicates an extremely robust power supply. T+A is particularly proud of its self-developed high-frequency sine-wave power supply, which reportedly combines the sonic advantages of transformer-based supplies with the stability of switching designs. Finally, to prevent heat buildup – especially during increasingly frequent hot weather – the T+A R 2500 R includes a fan. It isn’t completely silent, but it’s inaudible from the listening position.
The T+A R 2500 R isn’t just universally capable on the digital side. For a modest €650 upcharge, it can also be equipped – either at purchase or later – with an optional Moving Magnet (MM) or Moving Coil (MC) phono preamp module. It occupies Analog Input 2, which is then labeled “Phono” on the display. Remarkably, the internal phono stage provides an unusually large number of adjustment options to match different cartridges. For MM systems, input sensitivity can be set from 1 to 10 millivolts and load capacitance from 70 to 460 picofarads (plus cable capacitance). For MC cartridges, sensitivity settings from 0.1 to 1.2 millivolts and load impedances from 55 to 1000 ohms are available. This should allow nearly any cartridge to be matched successfully. Of course, such an internal phono stage is not ideal for analog enthusiasts who swap cartridges weekly, since fine-tuning must be done inside the R 2500 R.
Regardless of the chosen settings, the listener is rewarded with an exceptionally fine phono preamp. It boasts extremely low noise and hum and offers sound quality that will impress even the most demanding ears. For example: after many years, I revisited Kate Bush’s live album Before The Dawn. Back then, I was furious with myself for missing one of her extremely rare live performances. The well-recorded album – also available on LP – helps ease the pain. When tracked with my Ortofon Jubilee (comparable to today’s Cadenza Black) and amplified by the T+A, an immense soundstage opens up, authentically recreating the theatrical spectacle. One cannot help attributing to the R 2500 R a characteristic often associated with British amplifiers: an exceptional sense of rhythmic structure, commonly described by the acronym “PRaT” (Pace, Rhythm, and Timing), which many consider essential for those goosebump-inducing moments. And the T+A delivers exactly that.
Like all T+A components, the R 2500 R features an impeccably crafted brushed-aluminum chassis in either silver or black, which visually reinforces the musical experience. Earlier members of the series, established in 1992, were known for their slim design, but the R 2500 R – at fourteen kilograms – is a substantial piece of equipment. The front panel houses eleven clearly labeled buttons, accompanied by two rotary controls and two analog VU-style meters that show approximate output power. The two large metal knobs feel solid and refined. The right one controls the volume, accompanied inside the device by quiet relay clicks. Instead of a conventional potentiometer, the R 2500 R uses a resistor-ladder network of countless relays and individual resistors, providing extremely fine, long-term wear-free level control.
Most owners will probably control the R 2500 R not from the front panel but via the high-quality, logically arranged remote control or the well-structured smartphone app. The large front display provides easily readable information even from a distance.
Thanks to the app’s intuitive navigation, it’s easy to locate music files stored on a connected SSD. On mine, for instance, I’ve archived the Royal Concertgebouw Orchestra’s recording of Mahler’s Second Symphony under Daniele Gatti. This late-Romantic powerhouse is streamed here in DSD at 24-bit/196 kHz – and is rendered so magnificently that even an incorrigible analog devotee like myself is left speechless. The T+A R 2500 R paints an enormous soundstage and misses not the slightest nuance. And it does all of this with an unobtrusive, effortless demeanor that you can’t help but appreciate. Thanks to its outstanding engineering and refined sound, the T+A R 2500 R has more than earned a strong recommendation for anyone seeking an all-in-one solution without sacrificing top-tier quality.
Accompanying Equipment
Turntables: Technics SL-1200MK2 | Transports: Dr. Feickert Analogue Woodpecker, Linn Sondek LP12 | Tonearms: Linn Ittok LV II/2, Linn Ittok LV III | Headshells: Audio-Technica MS-8, Ortofon LH-6000, Technics | Cartridges: Denon DL-103, Linn Adikt, Ortofon Concorde R, Ortofon Jubilee, Ortofon Vero Special, Transrotor Uccello | Phono preamp: Lehmannaudio Decade | Network tuner: Onkyo NS-6170 | Preamplifier: Bryston BPS-25MC | Power amp: Linn LK100 | Headphones: Sony MDR-1 RNC | Passive loudspeakers: Naim Credo | Active loudspeakers: Neumann KH 310 A | Speaker stands: Millenium BS-1100 | Rack: DIY | Cables: Sommer Cable | Accessories: Clearaudio Professional Analogue Toolkit
Multisource Receiver T+A R 2500 R
Concept: Network CD receiver | Sources: CD transport, FM and DAB+ tuner, Bluetooth streaming, Digital Connecting Board | DAC: PCM (“Double Differential Quadruple Converter” with four 32-bit converters per channel up to 768 kbps), DSD (T+A True 1-Bit Converter, “direct DSD signal path” up to DSD512) | Digital inputs: S/PDIF (1× coax, 2× Toslink), LAN, 2× Wi-Fi, HDMI (2× In, 1× ARC), USB DAC, USB Host | Analog inputs: 1× XLR, 2× RCA
Pre-Out: 1× RCA | Power amplifier output (4 Ω/8 Ω): 250 W / 180 W | Speaker outputs: 2× (banana, bare wire, spade) | Features: Path Separation Technology for independent PCM and DSD processing | Finish: Silver or black aluminum | Dimensions (W/H/D): 46/17/41 cm | Weight: 14 kg | Warranty: 3 years (with registration) | Price: approx. €14,500 (Phono module +€650)
T+A elektroakustik
Planckstraße 9–11
32052 Herford
Tel. +49 5221 7676-0
info@ta-hifi.com