Innholdsfortegnelse for February 2022 i What Hi-Fi?

It’s easy to think that, in order to get a good hi-fi system, all one needs to do is to look at What Hi-Fi?’s recent Award winners, choose the price appropriate product in each category, and bung them together. And you might well strike lucky. Regular readers, though, will know that it doesn’t necessarily work that way. It is imperative to match products carefully so that you can get the most out of them and allow them to benefit from a synergy that will make your music truly sublime. In this issue, then, we do that hard work for you, and present seven superb Stereo Systems (p32), that will bring you and your loved ones (please do share the joy…) many years of pleasure. Whether you want to enjoy your…

View offers Stereo speakers | £999 | whf.cm/L52Classic JBL’s L52 Classic standmounters are the entry-level model in the company’s three-strong Classic series of speakers. This range is built on the foundations laid by the huge success of the retro-themed L100 Classic, with subsequent introductions echoing the appealing 1970s styling but packaging it in smaller, ever more affordable portions. The success of the L100 Classic isn’t just down to nostalgia though, as there’s real substance provided by thoroughly modern engineering that delivers the sound quality to match. It’s with this in mind that we unbox the L52 Classic. Small in stature These speakers are small, standing just 33cm tall. The walnut veneer-covered box is decently made, and solid with it, though it lacks the aesthetic class and outright quality of something…

View offers Speakers | £1799 | whf.cm/JBL4309 We freely admit that JBL’s 4309 standmounters aren’t going to appeal to everybody. How could they with a distinctive face like that? But as divisive as these speakers look, there’s no denying that little else at this level comes close to their sound if you prioritise excitement and drama above all else. In many ways, these look like they’re just scaled-down versions of the £6995 JBL 4349 we tested in early 2021. And that’s no bad thing, given just how talented those high-end standmounters are. It’s the use of a horn-loaded tweeter that sets both of these speakers apart from their more conventional rivals. The high-frequency compression driver used in the 4309 is less elaborate, using a single, smaller diaphragm of 25mm rather…

With video-streaming services now popping up more often than adverts on your web browser, it’s never been easier to access a wide variety of quality movies in your own home. All the more reason, then, to invest in a proper home cinema system with surround sound so you can make the most of all that luscious content and really bring your films to life. Yes, a decent soundbar will lift audio quality above the meagre level offered by the average flatscreen TV, but even the most sophisticated ’bars struggle to mimic genuine surround sound. And they are invariably no substitute for a speaker package if you are looking to bring the full multiplex experience into your living room. With even a basic 5.1 system – that’s left and right front…

View offers whf.cm/BBDACs Up to £300 Zorloo Ztella $99 August 2020 (issue 437) If you want to improve your smartphone sound, but don’t want a USB stick hanging off the end of it, this is a bit of a no brainer. Online only for now. Size 11cm long Resolution PCM (up to 384kHz), DSD (up to 5.6MHz), MQA Cyrus soundKey £99 Best DAC under £100, Awards 2020 An affordable, compact DAC that turns mobile listening into an authentic high-fidelity experience. iOS users may find connectivity a little inelegant. Size 2 x 5 x 1cm Resolution 24-bit/96kHz Audiolab M-DAC nano £149 Best DAC £100-£200, Awards 2019 If you’ve got a good pair of wired headphones and want to improve your sound on the move, the Audiolab M-DAC nano makes a mighty…

View offers whf.cm/BBInternetRadios View offers whf.cm/BBDABRadios Up to £200 Roberts Stream 94i £189 Best radio under £200, Awards 2021 Sets the bar even higher than its predecessor, adding Bluetooth without compromising its sound and offering plenty of features. Battery Optional Size (hwd) 26 x 17 x 13cm Inputs 3.5mm, USB, BT, wi-fi £200 and above Tivoli Model One Digital Generation 2 £299 Best radio over £200, Awards 2021 We really enjoy Tivoli’s winning little box of tricks. Old-school radio feels and modern AirPlay 2 and Chromecast; it scores consistently high marks. Battery No Size (hwd) 11.5 x 22.2 x 14cm Inputs Aux in, BT, Apple AirPlay Revo SuperConnect £300 Best radio £200+, Awards 2017 Not just a radio, this feature-packed Revo is a streaming music player that will play just…

View offers whf.cm/BBHifiSystems Up to £500 Pro-Ject Juke Box E £369 Best turntable system, Awards 2019 An impressive all-in-one system with a level of functionality that’s difficult to replicate in individual separates for a similar price. Speed 33?, 45rpm Inputs Line-in, BT Outputs Line-out Denon D-M41DAB £329 Best microsystem, Awards 2021 Denon hasn’t rested on its laurels. It’s managed to better the M40, delivering improved sound and functionality. The best just got better. Inputs CD, line-in, optical x2, BT, DAB/FM Outputs Subwoofer £500 to £1000 KEF LSX £999 Best all-in-one system under £1000, Awards 2021 KEF has shrunk its excellent LS50 Wirelesses to create a wonderfully insightful and flexible pair of speakers with a neat, colourful design. Inputs 3.5mm, optical, BT, AirPlay 2, wi-fi Outputs Subwoofer Marantz PM7000N £999 Best…

View offers whf.cm/BBBlurayPlayers Up to £500 Panasonic DP-UB150EB £129 March 2020 A highly competent machine at an impressively low price, this 4K Blu-ray player represents a big step up from streaming your UHD content. Compatibility 4K Blu-ray, Blu-ray, DVD, CD HDMI out 1 Sony UBP-X700 £199 Best 4K Blu-ray player under £250, Awards 2021 This 4K player delivers a stunningly natural picture for an affordable price. It’ll be tough to knock this Sony off its perch. Compatibility 4K Blu-ray, Blu-ray, DVD, SACD, CD HDMI out 2 Panasonic DP-UB820EB £299 Best 4K Blu-ray player over £250, Awards 2021 Delivers on multiple fronts, supporting all major HDR formats, delivering a hugely immersive and impactful picture, and all backed up by strong audio. Compatibility 4K Blu-ray, Blu-ray, DVD, CD HDMI out 2 £500…

View offers whf.cm/BBSetTopBoxes PVRs Humax FVP-5000T from £179 Best PVR, Awards 2021 If you need a Full HD box to give your older TV some more sparkle, Humax’s digital box should absolutely be something to consider. Tuners 3 Storage 500GB Ultra HD No Subscription boxes Sky Q 2TB from £199 Best subscription box, Awards 2021 Sky has overhauled its TV package with Q and made it more enticing and versatile thanks to 4K support, but it comes with a high price tag. Tuners 4 Storage 2TB Ultra HD Yes…

View offers whf.cm/BBVideoStreamers Up to £100 Amazon Fire TV Stick 4K £50 Best video streamer under £100, Awards 2020 Despite some caveats, this 4K device supports all HDR formats and delivers excellent picture quality for a very affordable price. Resolution 2160p, 1080p, 720p Storage 8GB 4K Yes Google Chromecast with Google TV £60 Best video streamer under £100, Awards 2021 With a new remote and super-smart UI, Google’s latest Chromecast video streamer is the complete package. Resolution Up to 4K HDR, 60fps Storage n/a 4K Yes £100 and above Apple TV 4K £169 Best video streamer over £100, Awards 2021 It has a fantastic UI and design, a huge library of 4K HDR content, and the best picture and sound performance at any price. Siri is useful, too. Resolution 2160p,…

View offers whf.cm/BBPortableMusicPlayers Up to £1000 Sony NW-A55L £160 Best portable music player under £250, Awards 2020 Sony hasn’t carried out an update for the sake of it; the refresh is justified by squeezing more performance into a budget price than ever before. Hi-res 32-bit/384kHz, DSD Weight 99g Storage 16GB (plus microSD) Cowon Plenue D3 £279 Best portable music player under £500, Awards 2021 This is a talented player that betters its previous generation counterpart for detail, separation and transparency. An impressive, tiny box of tricks… Hi-res 24-bit/192kHz, DSD 128 Weight 103g Storage 64GB Astell & Kern A&norma SR25 £599 Best portable music player £500-£1000, Awards 2021 More expressive and eloquent than any other portable music player we’ve encountered at this price – far beyond anything smartphones are capable of.…

Music apps Spotify from free December 2016 Its accessibility, ease of use, huge catalogue and more mature music discovery are reasons why Spotify remains at the top of the pile. Sound quality Up to 320kbps Ogg Vorbis Offline playback Yes Tidal from £10/month Best music streaming service, Awards 2021 One of the few streaming services to offer lossless audio, Tidal’s exclusive content and curated playlists make it stand out. Sound quality Up to 1411kbps lossless Offline playback Yes Video apps Disney Plus from £7.99/month Best video streaming service, Awards 2021 This is a polished and personal streaming service that fans of Disney’s output, both children and adults, are bound to enjoy. Resolution Up to Ultra HD Offline playback Yes Amazon Prime Instant Video from £5.99/month Best video streaming service, Awards…

View offers whf.cm/BBAVHifiRacks Up to £500 Atacama Apollo Storm 6 £390 February 2018 Another class-leading support from Atacama that’s cheaper than its Award-winning sibling. It lets your kit perform at its best. Width 590mm Modular Yes Cable management No Hi-Fi Racks Omnium8 £478 Reviewed online, 2018 Hi-Fi Racks has made the Ominium8 about as flexible as possible. You can specify everything from finish to shelf spacing and upright shape. Width 57cm Modular Yes Cable management Yes £500 and above Atacama Elite Eco 12.0 £598 March 2013 Those looking for a strong support for AV and hi-fi that enables a fluid, authoritative presentation will like the performance this rack can offer. Width 1157mm Modular Yes Cable management Yes Atacama Evoque Eco 60-40 SE £600 Best equipment rack, Awards 2021 The SE…

View offers whf.cm/BBPhonoAmps Up to £200 Edwards Audio Apprentice MM £90 Awards 2017 A fine entry-level phono stage that will deliver a crisp and exciting sound from any good price-compatible moving magnet cartridge. Type MM Dimensions (hwd) 5 x 16 x 11cm Graham Slee Gram Amp 2 Communicator £180 July 2018 A gem of a phono amplifier that has stood the test of time. It offers class-leading levels of detail, brilliant timing and a sweet sound. Type MM Dimensions (hwd) 5 x 12 x 19cm Rega Fono MM MK3 £199 Best phono stage under £100-£300, Awards 2021 Rega has managed to take a near-perfect product and squeeze more improvements from it. It’s a class-leading performer. Type MM Dimensions (hwd) 5 x 18 x 14cm Musical Fidelity LX2-LPS £199 April 2018…

View offers True wireless earbuds | £199 | whf.cm/EAH-AZ60 Whereas the first true wireless earbuds on the market were, out of necessity, relatively bulky compared with the wired earbuds we had been accustomed to, manufacturers’ latest efforts have managed to pack mics, chips and drivers into more discreet housings. Following this trend, having launched its first-ever pair in 2020, Technics has honed that debut design for its second and third models, the EAH-AZ60 we have here and lower-specced EAH-AZ40, to make them more slimline and comfortable. The AZ60’s oval-shaped, slim-profiled charging case is considerably smaller than that of the debut EAH-AZ70W, and the earbuds themselves have shed millimetres in thickness and are now more drop-shaped than spherical. That’s an ergonomic evolution, with the new buds’ smaller size (roughly 25mm deep)…

View offers Wireless headphones | £50 | whf.cm/HD250BT “We didn’t underestimate them, they were just a lot better than we thought.” So said England manager Bobby Robson after the Three Lions laboured to a 3-2 victory in extra time against Cameroon at the 1990 World Cup. To see Sennheiser playing in the ultra-affordable wireless headphone league with an on-ear pair is no less of a surprise, but it would be just as wrong of us to dismiss the Sennheiser HD 250BT as no-hopers. Still, this is Sennheiser, and you would be forgiven for thinking that the price quoted at the top of this review was missing a ‘1’, ‘2’ or even a ‘3’ on the front, given the firm’s selection of excellent true-wireless earbuds and over-ears alike sitting pretty at…

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You can’t play a symphony alone, as they say. Without the different parts of an orchestra, working perfectly together to produce the music, its effect would be somewhat less impressive. When it comes to putting together a hi-fi system, then, it pays to take some cues from the music itself. Your favourite tunes (the reason you need a hi-fi system) have themselves been carefully thought-out in terms of arrangement and orchestration. All of the discrete instruments involved work together in literal harmony, with the talents of each musician and the sweet music they create individually woven together in a wonderful and cohesive whole. So when it comes to putting together the components of a hi-fi system, you’ll want to do justice to that creative process with a carefully curated series…

SHOPPING LIST: CYRUS CDi £1195 NAIM NAIT XS3 £2499 REGA PLANAR 6/EXACT MM £1259 TRIANGLE BOREA BR08 £899 SYSTEM COST £5852 This good old-fashioned turntable and CD player set-up is a real thriller. It will transport you to a better place with the stunning sound it produces. We kick things off with a five-time Award-winning turntable that doesn’t seem to feel the need to go for immediacy to grab your attention. Boldness isn’t at the forefront with the Rega Planar 6. Instead, its party-piece is its unnerving ability to juggle balance, subtlety and timing in the most understated way. It produces a frankly astonishing refined and mature sound. We usually feature the Planar 6 with the rather cultured Ania moving coil cartridge, but here we’ve decided to swap that out…

Legend has it that Moses brought two tablets down from Mount Sinai, which, between them, contained the secrets to living a good and happy life. Many of today’s tablet users, however, might conceivably conclude that one is all you really need to achieve much the same effect. Of course, we’re all aware – or at least we should be – of the dangers of placing too much store by our devices, as though they were some sort of God-given panacea for the challenges of life. But the fact remains that today’s tablets are little wonders that can serve us in countless useful and life-enhancing ways. Their value as tools of communication or information-gathering is beyond dispute, but here at What Hi-Fi? we’re much more interested in their ability to entertain.…

■ Standmount speakers ■ £9000 When a company as serious as Dynaudio claims that the new Confidence 20 are the best standmounters it can make, we can’t help but take notice. Given the general excellence of the brand’s efforts, that’s quite some statement. But then again, these Confidence 20 are quite some speakers. They are a ground-up new design with cutting-edge drive units, a clever composite front baffle and a smart integrated stand that comes as part of the package. They certainly look like a carefully considered proposition. These are the smallest model in the company’s flagship Confidence range, which also includes three pricier floorstanders topping out at £35,000 for the imposing Confidence 60 towers. FINE ENGINEERING As would be expected at this level, Dynaudio hasn’t held back when it…

View offers whf.cm/BBStereoAmps Stereo amps up to £500 Rega io £379 Best stereo amplifier under £400, Awards 2021 Those who are happy with a no-fuss, purely analogue amp and who prioritise entertainment should arguably consider the io their number one choice. Power 30W Inputs Line-in x2, MM Outputs Headphone NAD D 3020 V2 £399 September 2018 A likeable effort that features a full-bodied sonic performance with fine timing and dynamics and lots of useful features. Power 30W Inputs Line-in, MM, optical, coaxial, BT Outputs Headphone Marantz PM6007 £499 Best stereo amplifier £400-£600, Awards 2021 Clearer and punchier than its Award-winning predecessor, Marantz’s latest entry-level amplifier never puts the formidable 6000 Series dynasty in doubt. Power 45W Inputs Line-in x4, MM, coax, optical Outputs 6.3mm h’phone £500 to £1000 Rega Brio…

View offers whf.cm/BBHifiSpeakers Standmounts up to £200 Dali Spektor 2 £199 Best standmount speaker under £200, Awards 2020 The 2s combine Dali’s traditional strengths with a generous dose of entertainment that even Mission and Q Acoustics struggle to match. Size (hwd) 17 x 28 x 28cm Bi-wire No Finishes 2 Standmounters from £200 to £500 Elac Debut B5.2 £250 Best standmount speaker under £300, Awards 2021 ELAC’s latest budget standmounter is talented enough to worry the established competition. Size (hwd) 34 x 18 x 23cm Bi-wire No Finishes 1 Dali Oberon 1 £349 February 2019 About the size of a shoe, these articulate and bold-sounding speakers have a wonderfully unfussy nature and are a joy to listen to. Size (hwd) 27 x 16 x 23cm Bi-wire No Finishes 4 Mission…

View offers whf.cm/BBTurntables £150 to £300 Pro-Ject Primary E £159 Best turntable under £200, Awards 2021 Pro-Ject has revised a budget deck to nail the under £150 market – and has succeeded on every front. Speed 33⅓, 45rpm Size (hwd) 11 x 42 x 33cm £150 to £300 Audio Technica AT-LP3 £199 Best turntable under £200, Awards 2017 A fully automatic turntable that doesn’t scrimp on performance, this is the ideal entry-level deck for those looking to dip their ‘vinyl toes’ in. Speed 33⅓, 45rpm Size (hwd) 13 x 44 x 35cm Sony PS-LX310BT £200 August 2019 A no-nonsense, fully automatic turntable with built-in phono stage and Bluetooth, offering a surprisingly musical sound. Speed 33⅓, 45rpm Size (hwd) 11 x 43 x 37cm Rega Planar 1 £275 Best turntable £200-£500,…

View offers whf.cm/BBHomeCinemaAmps £500 to £1000 AVR-X2700H £599 December 2020 Sonic improvements over its predecessor are marked, even if it’s the 8K passthrough and next-gen gaming tech that steal the headlines. Power 7 x 150W Dolby Atmos Yes HDMI in/out 6/2 £1000 and above Denon AVC-X3700H £1149 Best home cinema amplifier under £1500, Awards 2021 The best unit we’ve heard with a three-figure price tag. A surprisingly big improvement on its already excellent predecessor; sets a new standard. Power 9 x 180W Dolby Atmos Yes HDMI in/out 8/3 Denon AVC-X6700H £2299 Best home cinema amplifier £1500-£3000, Awards 2021 Want to future-proof your set-up for the 8K content due to arrive within the five or ten year lifespan of your next amp? This Denon is a winner. Power 11 x 140W…

View offers whf.cm/BBSoundbars Up to £500 Yamaha YAS-207 £249 Best soundbar under £300, Awards 2020 The latest in a series of fine Yamaha soundbars, this is a compelling, class-leading performer in a practical, easy-to-use package. Size (hwd) 6 x 93 x 11cm Inputs Opt, HDMI, 3.5mm, BT Sub Yes Sonos Beam (Gen 2) £449 Best soundbar under £500, Awards 2021 A compact soundbar that pumps out an exceptional sound for its size and price. Now with Dolby Atmos capabilities. Impressive. Size (hwd) 7 x 65 x 10cm Inputs Optical, HDMI ARC, AirPlay Sub No £500 to £1000 Sonos Playbar £699 August 2017 It’s not perfect, but it still has the sonic heft and all-round quality to edge out its Sonos Playbase stablemate. Size 9 x 90 x 14cm Inputs Optical,…

View offers whf.cm/BBTelevisions Up to 43in Samsung UE43AU7100 £449 Best 40-43in TV, Awards 2021 Samsung’s miniature hero proves you don’t need a bottomless bank account or a cavernous room to enjoy great picture quality. Type LCD/LED HDMI 3 Resolution 4K ARC/eARC eARC 48in to 50in Hisense Roku R50A7200GTU £399 Best 48-50in TV under £1000, Awards 2021 With an excellent operating system and solid all-round performance, this is a complete package for a decent price. Type LCD/LED HDMI 3 Resolution 4K Tuner Freeview HD Samsung UE50TU8500 £499 Best 48-50in TV under £1000, Awards 2020 “What’s the best TV I can buy for £500?” It’s a question to which there’s a new answer: the best TV you can buy for £500 is the Samsung UE50TU8500. Type LCD/LED HDMI 3 Resolution 4K Tuner…

View offers whf.cm/BBMobilePhones iOS Apple iPhone 13 Best smartphone under £1000, Awards 2021 A sprinkling of improvements combined with excellent picture and sound quality make the standard iPhone 13 a top smartphone at the money. OS iOS Size (hwd) 147 x 72 x 8mm Storage 128GB, 256GB, 512GB Android Samsung Galaxy S9 Reviewed online, 2018 A polished successor to the S8 that, due to a number of carefully considered tweaks, is one of the best Android phones available. OS Android Size (hwd) 148 x 69 x 9mm Storage 64GB/microSD Sony Xperia 1 III Best smartphone over £1000, Awards 2021 Sony’s latest flagship phone is well worth considering if audio and video performance are key factors for you when choosing a mobile handset. OS Android 10 Size (hwd) 165 x 71…

View offers whf.cm/BBPortableMusicPlayers Up to £200 Amazon Fire HD 10 £150 Best tablet under £250, Awards 2021 A cheap and cheerful tablet that’s good for the money and has a lot of the functionality you’d find in more expensive efforts. OS Android Size (hwd) 114 x 190 x 10mm Storage 8GB £200 and above Apple iPad Air (2020) £579 Best tablet £250-£750, Awards 2021 All the iPad most people will ever need. It’s such a solid and capable allrounder, that very few will feel the need to spend the extra for the iPad Pro. OS iOS Size (hwd) 248 x 179 x 6mm Storage 64GB, 256GB Apple iPad Pro 12.9 £999 Best tablet over £750, Awards 2021 It might be aimed primarily at creative types, but the new iPad Pro…

View offers whf.cm/BBCartridges Cartridges Goldring E3 £90 Best cartridge under £150, Awards 2021 This is a wonderfully balanced and entertaining moving magnet cartridge that will work well with a wide range of record players. Type MM Tracking weight 2.0g Ortofon Quintet Blue £359 Best cartridge over £150, Awards 2021 Given a suitably capable system we have no doubt the Ortofon Quintet Blue will impress. It’s a well-balanced design with no obvious weaknesses. Type MC Tracking weight 2.3g…

View offers whf.cm/BBSpeakerCables Up to £10/m Chord Company C-Screen £5/m June 2018 The C-Screen possesses the fantastic ability to mirror a system’s punch and drive. What it does, it does better than anything else at the price. Single or Bi-wire Single QED XT25 £6/m May 2018 Features the same characteristics as the more expensive XT40, displaying the kind of transparency that’s difficult for its rivals to match. Single or Bi-wire Single Atlas Equator 2.0 (2018) £7.25/m Reviewed online, 2018 A nicely built speaker cable that promotes a wonderfully clean and detailed delivery – it’s an affordable and easy way to spruce up your system. Single or Bi-wire Single £10/m and above Chord Company Clearway £10/m Best speaker cable, Awards 2017 Not the flashiest cable, its strength is aiding dynamics and…

Lossless audio is generally defined as CD (and above) quality music that’s compressed in a way that it doesn’t lose quality (is ‘lossy’). And to enjoy such tracks on Apple Music, you will need an Apple Music subscription, an Android or iOS device, any wired headphones or 15.1-updated HomePod. In the Apple Music app in your phone’s settings, you can choose the audio quality for streaming and downloading audio – ‘Lossless’ for a maximum resolution of 24-bit/48kHz, or ‘Hi-Res Lossless’ for a maximum resolution of 24-bit/192kHz. The latter requires extra hardware in the shape of an external DAC, and partly because of this, we are concentrating on Apple Music’s ‘Lossless’ files for our recommendations. LES GORDON FLIRTING WITH JUNE Get this eye-opening vocal electronica going through Apple’s Airpods Max and…

SHOPPING LIST SONY XPERIA 1 III £1199 AUDIOQUEST DRAGONFLY COBALT £269 AUSTRIAN AUDIO HI-X50 £199 SYSTEM COST £1667 Don’t make the mistake of thinking you can’t get top quality sound from a smartphone. Get the components right, and there is a decent case to be made for a phone and a pair of headphones standing up very well as a hi-fi system. Give those two a bit of a polish with a thumb-drive sized DAC, though, and you’re in for a real treat. It’s clear that a decent standalone personal music player from the likes of Astell & Kern or Cowon, say, will perform a bit better – but having one of those means carrying an extra, relatively bulky, handset; and this combination will provide most of a standalone player’s…

SHOPPING LIST CAMBRIDGE AUDIO EVO 75 £1799 DALI OBERON 5 £749 SYSTEM COST £2548 Where system three was a little retro in outlook – or at least turn of the century – here we have the thoroughly modern hi-fi system for the newish millennium; no old-school separates here. It has pretty much always been the accepted case that you can get far better sound from a carefully chosen system of individual specialist components than by buying an all-in-one ‘solution’. While that very often still holds true, it’s not without exception – especially if you don’t want loads of units taking up more space than you deem necessary. This system, with the Cambridge Audio Evo 75 taking the place of the Marantz amplifier and the Bluesound streamer, will give you the…

View online review whf.cm/3050i51 You have only to take a look at the divorce statistics to know there’s no guarantee that any coupling will go to plan, no matter how well intentioned. So even though we adored both Q Acoustics’ 3050i floorstanders and its 3010i 5.1 Cinema Pack, we are still taken aback by how exceptionally they complement one another in practice. The 3050i 5.1 speaker system is essentially the same as the 3010i, only with a pair of Q Acoustics’ brilliant floorstanders swapped in for the front channels. Those speakers haven’t undergone a massive change since the 3050s – outwardly the only noticeable difference is the addition of a fourth colour finish (now grey, walnut, white or black finishes are available) and a chrome bezel around each driver. Benefits…

■ Integrated amplifier ■ £5649 “It kicks hard when the music demands, but just as pleasingly delivers the notes with agility rather than droning on” Musical Fidelity’s M8xi is something of a monster. The integrated amplifier dwarfs most rivals when it comes to size, and weighs in at a vertebrae-crushing 46kg. Perhaps the most impressive number is that it has a huge claimed power output of 550 watts per channel at 8 ohms, which then rises to a dizzying 870 watts as the speaker impedance halves. The M8xi is a poke in the eye for anyone who considers an integrated amplifier a compromised alternative to a pre/power combination. Inside the M8xi’s huge 16 x 44 x 40cm frame is a modular design with DAC, preamp and two monobloc power amps…

View offers whf.cm/BBCDPlayers Up to £1000 Cambridge CXC £299 Awards 2015 If you already have a DAC (the CXC is useless without one) we wouldn’t hesitate in recommending this transport over a standalone CD player. Type CD transport Outputs Coaxial, optical Marantz CD6007 £399 Best CD player under £500, Awards 2021 No one can accuse Marantz of pushing the boundaries on the CD6007, but it has taken an already excellent CD player and made it a bit better. Type CD transport Outputs Coaxial, optical Musical Fidelity M2sCD £699 June 2020 Musical Fidelity’s CD player sounds expansive, detailed and delicately layered - a resoundingly listenable proposition. Type CD player Outputs Coaxial, optical £1000 to £6000 Naim CD5si £1149 October 2014 The CD5si boasts a full-bodied, winningly enthusiastic approach to music. The…

View offers whf.cm/BBMusicStreamers Up to £500 Audiolab 6000N Play £449 Best music streamer under £500, Awards 2020 A great, affordable way to implement streaming into your system without compromising sonic quality. The best budget solution we’ve seen… Outputs Line-in, coaxial, optical, subwoofer Chord 2yu £449 November 2021 Partnered with a suitably capable digital-to-analogue converter, this could be all the digital source you’ll ever need. Outputs USB, coaxial, optical, BNC £500 to £1000 Bluesound Node (2021) £549 Best music streamer under £750, Awards 2021 For this outlay the Node 2021 represents one of the most entertaining and comprehensive ways of adding music streaming to your hi-fi system. Outputs RCA, coaxial, optical, subwoofer, 3.5mm Cambridge CXN V2 £799 Best music streamer £750-£1000, Awards 2021 All the success of the classy CXN streamer,…

Read more at… www.whathifi.com/features It’s no good spending hundreds of pounds on your new speakers if you then don’t allow them to perform properly. Take care with positioning to get them to sing. Wall or in the open? Where’s the best place to position a speaker? Some speakers might sound better against a wall, while others prefer to be out in the open. Whatever your specific requirements, your speaker choice should primarily take into account how much space you have to house them. Use a stand Speaker stands keep the speaker cabinet rigid. This allows for more of the drivers’ movement to be translated into sound and not wasted through vibrations. If your stands are on a carpet, make sure you have spikes to ensure stability. Tweeter height The higher-frequency…

View offers whf.cm/BBWirelessSpeakers Up to £100 Ultimate Ears Wonderboom 2 £90 Best portable wireless speaker under £100, Awards 2019 If you want a travelling companion you can rely on, this portable, rugged and durable speaker is a great-sounding option. Size (hw) 10.5 x 9.5cm Battery 13 hours Apple HomePod Mini £99 Best home wireless speaker under £100, Awards 2021 It’s much smaller and more affordable than expected, but the most surprising thing about the HomePod Mini is its superb sound. Size (hw) 4 x 14cm Battery No £100 to £250 JBL Flip 5 £120 Best portable wireless speaker under £150, Awards 2020 A simple, portable Bluetooth speaker that sounds as good as £120 can buy. An impressively weighty performance, and overall solid sonic chops. Size (hwd) 8.4 x 9.8 x…

View offers whf.cm/BBProjectors Up to £2000 Optoma UHD40 £1199 Best projector under £1500, Awards 2019 A ‘4K’ projector that brings top-tier technology to a budget price point, this device boasts punchy colours and insightful detail. Throw ratio 1.21:1-1.59:1 Inputs HDMI x2, VGA, 3.5mm Speakers Yes Epson EH-TW7100 £1599 Best projector under £2000, Awards 2021 The Epson EH-TW7100 stretches the limit of what can be considered a budget big screen device, but it more than justifies its price. Throw ratio 1.32-2.15:1 Inputs HDMI x2, USB 2.0 x2 Speakers Yes LG CineBeam HU80KSW £1967 December 2019 An all-in-one, do-it-all 4K portable projector that does its thing with aplomb. You can have the CineBeam up and running in a matter of minutes. Throw ratio 1.3:1 Inputs HDMI x2 Speakers Yes £2000 to £10,000…

View offers whf.cm/BBSpeakerPackages Up to £1000 Wharfedale DX-2 £399 Best speaker package under £500, Awards 2021 Wharfedale delivers movie magic on a small scale with this enjoyable, well integrated package that’s perfect for smaller rooms and budgets. Size (hwd) Centre speaker 12 x 31 x 12cm Finishes 2 Q Acoustics 3010i 5.1 Cinema Pack £895 Best speaker package £500-£1000, Awards 2020 The subwoofer needs a bit more kick, but this fantastic sub-£1000 5.1 package delivers a clear, well-balanced and expressive performance. Size (hwd) Centre speaker 15 x 43 x 22 cm Finishes 4 Wharfedale Diamond 12.1 HCP £999 Best speaker package £500-£1000, Awards 2021 Large enough to provide cinematic scale with a wide soundfield, but affordable enough to be accessible, this is a fine choice for music and film. Size…

View offers whf.cm/BBHeadphones In-ears up to £250 SoundMagic E11C £40 Best wired in-ear headphones under £50, Awards 2021 The latest version of Soundmagic’s budget in-ears continues to impress with a full-bodied, energetic and informative sound. In-line controls Yes Cable length 1.2m Beyerdynamic Soul Byrd £69 April 2019 You’ll struggle to find a better pair of in-ear headphones costing less than £70 than these Beyerdynamics. In-line controls Yes Cable length 1.2m Sennheiser Momentum M2 IEi £70 Best in-ears £50-£100, Awards 2017 You wouldn’t think anything so small could sound quite so good – not for just £70. But they are wonderfully smooth, expressive and balanced. In-line controls Yes Cable length 1.3m Klipsch T5M Wired £70 Best wired in-ear headphones £50-£100, Awards 2021 Not only do they have some of the most…

View offers whf.cm/BBAudioCables Up to £50 Chord Company C-Line £40/m Best analogue interconnect under £50, Awards 2021 Few entry-level interconnects at the price come close to offering the sonic enjoyment that Chord has produced with this cable. Balanced/Single-ended Single QED Performance Audio 40 £40/m Best analogue interconnect under £50, Awards 2017 Few rival interconnects are as good as this QED when it comes to detail resolution and precision. It’s nicely made too. Balanced/Single-ended Single £50 and above Chord Clearway Analogue RCA £90/m Best analogue interconnect over £50, Awards 2021 If you’re spending cash on hi-fi components and you want cabling that doesn’t inhibit performance, the Clearway may be the ideal pick. Balanced/Single-ended Single…

View offers whf.cm/BBMainsProducts Mains products Tacima CS947 £35 September 2015 Great value, the highlight being how well it allows for greater detail, attack and dynamics. For the price, it’s a brilliant entry-level purchase. Type Block Mains filter Yes No. of plugs 6 Mains products Russ Andrews X6 £381 September 2015 No matter what the source material, the X6 helps unearth a revealing well-integrated listen, allowing your kit to be as explicit as it can be. Type Block Mains filter Yes No. of plugs 6…

View offers whf.cm/BBSpeakerStands Speaker stands Atacama Moseco 6 £120 Best speaker stand, Awards 2021 A speaker stand that impresses with how weighty and dynamic it allows systems to sound. Considering the price, it’s something of a steal. Height 60cm Fillable Yes Finishes 4 (pole), 3 (base panel) Q Acoustics 20 speaker stands £200 September 2014 Designed with QAs’ Concept 20 speakers in mind, the clever construction and elegant design ensures other speakers give their best too. Height 66.5cm Fillable No Finishes 2…