Rediscovering Music with the Amphion Argon7LS Inside Lymm Water Tower
During a renovation of the historic landmark, long-time audiophile Russell Harris purchased a pair of beautifully minimal speakers from Finnish loudspeaker maker
Lymm, England, May 23, 2024— When Russel Harris ran through his hometown of Lymm, in the historic England County of Cheshire, he used the old Water Tower as a point of reference. The Victorian tower was derelict, full of pigeons, rotting floors and had no roof. For years, Harris tried to purchase the building from local authorities to no avail. But two years later in 1997, when a ‘For Sale’ sign was posted, Harris became the rightful owner with big renovation plans. “I got this mad idea that we should buy it and renovate it into a house. I’m not an architect. If I knew it would take seven years to complete, I might’ve chosen otherwise,” Harris joked.
Beautiful Simplicity
Due to the historic nature of the Water Tower, Harris realized renovating this landmark was quite special. “Because it’s such a public building we had a lot of people photographing it.” After hiring Ellis Williams Architects, the Victorian tower was restored and juxtaposed by the wrap-around contemporary extension built around the octagonal base. Harris was inspired by British architect John Pawson, to work with a small pallet of materials to create a simple, but serene space. “Everything is white. We used white resin, English oak and limestone. Since we have so much glass on the ground floor, color comes in from the garden, furniture accents and the sky,” Harris shared. “That’s one of the reasons I love the Amphion speakers. Because they’re beautifully simple and minimal.”
All of the hard work, frustration and time paid off in several renovation design awards including the RIBA Awards for Architecture, British Lighting Design Awards, LABC, INCA, Manchester Evening News and The Daily Telegraph Homebuilding & Renovating Awards. Lymm Water Tower was even chosen by Kevin McCloud, famed British designer featured on Channel4 as one of his 100 favorite Grand Designs.
An Audiophile’s Journey
After the renovation had finished, Harris visited an audiophile friend with an expensive system, Harris felt a bit embarrassed about lacking a hi-fi system. Initially, he had installed an entire audio system throughout the house, but with technology changing so quickly the system was limited. Instead, he wanted to echo the same design sensibilities in his home and invest in a system that punched well above its weight. “I kept hearing about Amphion through reviews,” Harris continued. Soon after, Harris purchased the Argon7LS and the Hegel H390 amplifier. “I chose them because they blew me away and I trusted the reviews. I’m a testament to the fact that those reviews are genuine.”
Russell Harris’ journey into high fidelity began at a young age. “As a child, I built my own amplifier and speakers. I’d go speaker scrumping in local waste yards scavenging for parts,” he reminisced. “I remember the first time I finished a whole system. The only part I had to buy was the record deck. I’d go over to the neighbors and ask to borrow their White Album.” Music became a fixture in Harris’ life. He went on to become a club DJ before working in radio and then in television. “I hadn’t realized how much I missed music,” Harris continued. “I played ‘I’m coming out’ by Diana Ross. The drums at the beginning send shivers up my sides,” Harris smiled. “I hear stuff that I’ve never heard in the track before and I’ve played it a lot. It just brings the music to life in a way that I didn’t think was possible.” Though he plays music all day whether he is in the car, running or for general ambience. Nothing compares to the sound coming from the Argon7LS. “Because the building is octagonal there are no echoes. I’m very fortunate that the space lends itself to great, great sound. I also use Tidal so I’m getting the source delivery in the way that I expect. It’s joyful. I sit there and really love it. I really don’t think I’ll ever change the system.”
Harris invited his audiophile friend over for dinner soon after, eager to show off the Amphions with a blind listening test. “I hadn’t told him I had purchased a new system. So, I put sheets over the Argon7LS, blindfolded him and sat him down in front of the Argon7LS to play his reference song by the Foo Fighters. He was absolutely blown away.” Ultimately, the investment he made with Amphion is the gift that keeps on giving. Not only do the sleek white towers with black grills blend inconspicuously into the contemporary living room, but they bring life to Harris’ favorite music. “Twice a week I sit down on the beanbag in front of the speakers,” Harris continues. “I light the fire and get lost in my music. I haven’t done this in thirty, forty years. I had a great system before, but I hadn’t enjoyed music in the way I do with the Amphion’s. I love them.”
To learn more about Amphion Loudspeakers, please visit https://amphion.fi/.
About Amphion
Amphion Loudspeakers Ltd. was established in 1998. We design and build loudspeakers that are characterized by honest and accurate sound reproduction. Precise driver integration ensures world-class imaging and phase coherency. Controlled dispersion technology helps achieve more stable results in a variety of room acoustics. All products are handmade in Finland (and the Amphion amplifiers are assembled in Finland) to ensure enduring listening quality.
