Innholdsfortegnelse for Awards 2018 i What Hi-Fi?

It never ceases to amaze me how fast things move. It doesn’t seem possible, and yet here we are once again: Awards time. For the past 12 months the dedicated reviewing team here at What Hi-Fi? have been beavering away in our brand new (or at least just a few months old now) test rooms, putting a huge variety of home entertainment equipment through our rigorous testing process. Now is the time for us to put our heads together and decide on our very favourites from all those products. Here, then, we present our pick of the kit at every price point. Every one of the products in our Awards 2018 (p27) is a winner at its own particular price – and one in each category is the Product of…

View offers Wharfedale D320 | Stereo speakers | £199 | whf.cm/D320 FOR Bold and well integrated; good level of detail AGAINST Not the most exciting listen Wharfedale's Diamond series has been the bedrock of its product output since introduced in the early 1980s, but the 11th generation, released last year, left a gap at entry-level price points. This is where the new D300 range comes in. It consists of two standmount pairs, of which the D320s are the larger and more costly. Though Wharfedale is adamant this series is not a new Diamond range, there's a close relationship between the two. Carefully engineered This is most evident in the D320’s drive units. The 25mm dome tweeter is pretty much unchanged from the Diamond 11.1 we reviewed last year, with its…

View offers Q Acoustics 3050i | Stereo speakers | £649 | whf.cm/3050i FOR Punchy and musical; spacious presentation AGAINST Nothing of note at this price If your love of bass and big sound is paramount in your search for new speakers, you may find yourself looking at pair of midrange floorstanders. Few pairs offer that kind of heft while matching the best comparable standmounters in every other regard, but there are some… such as these Q Acoustics 3050is, for instance. Regular readers of What Hi-Fi? won’t be surprised to see five stars next to Q Acoustics’ name – not only have both the 3010i and 3020i standmounters in the brand’s 3000i family already bagged maximum stars, their predecessors, the 3050s, also won an Award last year. Steadily evolving The 3050is…

View offers Sony KD-43XF8505 | 4K television | £699 | whf.cm/KD-43XF8505 FOR Lovely, vibrant but natural colours; detail; SD upscaling AGAINST Struggles to produce anything approaching black As manufacturers continue to push punters into super-sizing their lounge TVs, smaller models have been somewhat neglected. We’re not even talking about genuinely small TVs here. Depending on the manufacturer, getting flagship tech and features means buying at least a 49in or 55in model – and for some people that’s simply too big. With Sony, if 43in is your limit the most advanced model you can buy is the KD-43XF8505, which boasts features from the 49in-plus XF9005 but ditches the local-dimming, direct-LED backlight in favour of LED backlighting from the edges. This turns out to be a poor decision, because, while the XF8505…

Darkside Paper Trails A track with this level of moving bassline will either drive or confuse a performance, depending on the aptitude of your headphones. Darkside’s Paper Trails has the added benefit of testing a vocal line deep into the frequency range, which will really highlight the clarity of the bass – or lack thereof. Pharoah Sanders You’ve Got to Have Freedom Coarseness in treble frequencies is one of the first things you notice in headphones, because it hurts your ears. This track from Pharoah Sanders finds his saxophone in full-on attack mode. Without making your ears bleed, it should sound like a mother goose being prodded with a knitting needle – you should accept nothing less. John Martyn Small Hours Space may be an odd concept for sounds being…

View offers: whf.cm/BestTablets2018 Apple iPad £319 As night follows day, a new Apple iPad takes our Product of the Year tablet Award. This iPad looks identical to the one that won in 2017 – and uses the exact same chassis. There’s little difference in specs – dimensions, weight, placement of ports and buttons, the speakers, the camera – everything is the same. But unlike its predecessor, the new iPad supports the Apple Pencil (£89). The new iPad’s screen is almost identical to last year’s, however it now supports Dolby Vision HDR content on iTunes and Netflix, which is that bit brighter, punchier and more colourful. Colour balance remains the iPad’s strongest suit, balancing punch and realism in a way that means everything is vibrant but never unnatural. From Thor: Ragnarok…

View offers: whf.cm/BestCDplayers2018 Marantz CD6006 UK Edition £339 Continual, clever tweaks from Marantz have not only kept this remarkable CD player relevant, they’ve kept it top of the class too. And, although this UK Edition remains technically unchanged from the version that bagged our Product of the Year Award last year, a price drop of £110 assures it retains its crown. Those familiar with the standard CD6006 – also an Award-winner in its time – may well look at this player and wonder if anything at all has changed. But that’s no bad thing, as we’ve long praised the player’s solid build and smart finish. The controls work with precision and the transport is impressively quiet. There are machines that cost hundreds more that don’t feel this good to use.…

View offers: whf.cm/BestDACs2018 Chord Qutest £1195 Chord claims that its latest and most affordable mains-powered DAC is the ‘world’s most advanced’, and as it stands here as our DAC Product of the Year, it’s hard to argue with that statement. The Qutest’s name seems a natural one for a successor to the excellent 2Qute (which won the Award at this price point in 2015, 2016 and 2017), and it justifies it. That’s not wholly surprising considering it’s largely based on another 2018 Award winner, the Hugo 2. It uses the same DAC architecture, software coding and frequency-shaping filters, but ditches the headphone amplifier and rechargeable Li-on batteries that make the Hugo 2 portable. The Qutest’s sole purpose is to be the digital-to-analogue bridge between your digital source and amplifier, and…

Kate Bush Top Of The City One of Kate’s best vocal performances at her 2014 Before The Dawn London shows is also, not that surprisingly, one of the most accomplished executions she’s ever committed to tape. Her other-wordly ability to near-whisper one line into the mic and belt down the next is fully to the fore. Go for the original The Red Shoes album version rather than 2011’s Director’s Cut, as the latter features a tragically restrained vocal delivery. Nina Simone Strange Fruit While Simone’s dramatic cover of Abel Meeropol’s sobering protest poem (most famously performed by Billie Holiday) doesn’t perhaps show off her vocal dexterity as much as many of her numerous hits, it’s a triumph of low-level dynamic craft. The most insightful kit should reveal very few static…

View offers: whf.cm/BestMultiroom2018 Audio Pro £650 (Addon C3 £250; Addon C10 £300; Link £100) Swedish speaker manufacturer Audio Pro has thrown a spanner in the works. It has taken its business philosophy of creating the best-possible sound for the best-possible price and set up camp in the middle of multi-room land, where it has ruffled the feathers of that realm’s other residents. The company has a six-strong line-up of multi-room speakers (along with a handful of Bluetooth products which can be incorporated), but the triumvirate we’ve selected for this system comprises the Addon C3 speaker, its larger (and even more sonically talented) sibling the Addon C10 and the Link 1 – a system hub that connects existing hi-fi components or wireless speakers into the chain. The C3 and C10 create…

View offers: whf.cm/BestHomeCinemaAmps2018 Sony STR-DN1080 £429 If you’ve ever been in the market for a home cinema amp around £500, it’s likely you’ve heard of the Sony STRDN1080. Not only does it retain its Product of the Year title for at least another 12 months, it’s difficult to see anybody making a more entertaining receiver for this money any time soon. It only takes a couple of minutes of listening to Fantastic Beasts And Where To Find Them on 4K Blu-ray and we’re grinning. The Sony STR-DN1080 sounds fantastic (not beastly…), reaching deep into its reserves to deliver a performance packed with punch, dynamism and authority unheard of at this price. There’s an incredible amount of detail, from natural, expressive voices to layers of insight and depth surrounding each sound…

Eric Kingdon Senior European Technical Marketing Manager, Sony Introduced last year, this category is, uniquely, an Award for an individual rather than a product – designed to recognise a figure from the world of consumer electronics who has made an outstanding contribution. Whether it’s developing, designing or marketing specific products, being a visionary thinker who establishes a brand as a leader in its category, or having the passion and eloquence to explain the minutiae of equipment to retailers and consumers alike, anyone deserving of this auspicious Award will have worked hard to achieve it. The winner of our 2018 Outstanding Contribution Award is a man who has dedicated a huge part of his working life to ensuring that the products consumers buy are the best they can be. Since 1984,…

View offers whf.cm/BBCDPlayers Up to £500 Cambridge Audio CXC £350 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 CD6006 UK Edition £450 Best CD player under £1000, Awards 2017 The new king of the midrange market. The CD6006UK shows plenty of skill with detail, dynamics and clarity. A great player for the money. Type CD player Outputs Coaxial, optical, RCA, headphone, USB Onkyo C-N7050 £400 April 2015 A CD player or a hi-res music streamer? Whatever it is, the C-N7050 is a hugely appealing system that combines the best of both worlds. Type CD player/streamer Outputs Optical, coaxial, line level £500 to £1000 Cyrus CD…

View offers whf.cm/BBMusicStreamers Up to £100 Google Chromecast Audio £30 Best music streamer under £100, Awards 2017 Google turns its expertise to audio streaming to bring music from any Castcompatible app to your amps and speakers for a super-low price. DLNA Yes Inputs RCA, 3.5mm, optical Storage No £100 to £500 Arcam rPlay £380 Best music streamer £100-£500, Awards 2017 Another in a long line of useful and affordable add-ons from Arcam, the rPlay introduces a myriad of streaming solutions to a hi-fi system. DLNA Yes Outputs Coaxial, analogue x2 Storage No Pioneer N-50A £380 Awards 2016 The impressive N-50A offers an insightful performance, and can pluck music over DLNA and Internet radio, or via its many inputs. DLNA Yes Inputs Optical, coaxial, USB Storage No £500 to £1000 Cambridge…

View offers whf.cm/BBHifiSystems Multi-room Sonos System From £175 Best multi-room system under £500, Awards 2017 If you don’t need hi-res, Sonos is an obvious choice for multi-room. A great user experience alongside a full-bodied, insightful sound. Res 16-bit/44.1kHz App Mac, Android Formats MP3, iTunes Plus, WMA Audio Pro System From £630 April 2018 Audio Pro’s multi-room system is not the most advanced, but no other system makes more sound-per-pound sense than this one. Res 24-bit/192kHz App iOS, Android Formats MP3, AAC, WMA, FLAC, ALAC Stereo sytems up to £500 Denon D-M41DAB £400 Best microsystem, Awards 2017 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 Analogue & digital Sources B’tooth,CD, streaming, DAB, FM Tangent Ampster X4…

View offers whf.cm/BBBlurayPlayers Up to £100 Panasonic DMP-BDT180EB £80 Best Blu-ray player under £100, Awards 2017 A budget player that delivers a high-quality picture. Whether it’s Blu-ray, DVD or streaming this spinner handles them all with skill and flair. Compatibility Blu-ray, DVD, CD Sony BDP-S3700 £85 May 2017 A combination of impressive picture, smart functions and decent sound makes this a welcome, low-cost addition for any home cinema set-up. Compatibility Blu-ray, DVD, CD £100 to £500 Sony UBP-X700 £250 June 2018 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, CD Sony UBP-X800 £300 Best 4K Blu-ray player under £500, Awards 2017 Sony’s first 4K player astonishes with its colourful images and…

View offers whf.cm/BBSetTopBoxes PVRs Humax FVP-5000T £230 Best PVR, Awards 2017 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 Set-top BT Ultra HD YouView min £15/month + fees November 2015 The first 4K box to hit the market, this is the most accomplished live TV you can watch. Content is limited right now – so it’s one for sports fans. Tuners 2 Storage 1TB Ultra HD Yes Sky Q 2TB from £44/month + fees Best subscription box, Awards 2017 Sky has overhauled its TV package with Q and made it more enticing, versatile and contemporary, but it does come with a high price tag. Tuners 4 Storage…

View offers whf.cm/BBSpeakerPackages Style speaker packages “It has all the detail, attack and deftness to deliver exhilaration in spades” B&W MT-50 £1100 Awards 2015 These speakers sound crisp, clear and insightful, and the sub and satellites integrate so well. Value and versatility combined. Size (hwd) Centre speaker 25 x 11 x 16cm Finishes 2 “It’s adept at everything you’d want a 5.1-channel surround speaker package to do” B&W MT-60D £1950 May 2012 Compact and stylish (we love that sub), this package presents a dynamic, powerful sound that excels with surround sound and stereo music. Size (hwd) Centre speaker 25 x 11 x 16cm Finishes 2 “It’s a fluid, dynamic performance that soars with excitement before easily dropping right down for a bit of hush-hush” Dali Zensor 1 5.1 £980 Best…

What is 4K Ultra HD? Officially, 4K resolution is 4096 x 2160 pixels. However, in order to shoehorn this into a 16:9 format, it was altered to 3840 x 2160 – four times the number of pixels on a Full HD screen (1920 x 1080). There are lots of 4K TVs on the market, a few 4K projectors and even 4K phones. Amazon, Netflix and YouTube all offer streaming 4K content, including on boxes such as the Amazon Fire TV 4K and Google Chromecast Ultra. What is HDR? High Dynamic Range refers to a technique to heighten the contrast between the brightest whites and the darkest blacks. The higher the dynamic range, the closer an image gets to real life. As TVs have become more capable, they can go a…

View offers whf.cm/BBPortableMusicPlayers Up to £400 “Compared to the sound quality from even the best smartphones, there’s more detail and nuance” Cowon Plenue D £200 Best portable music player under £250, Awards 2017 The Plenue D is a player worth its salt. It can handle a range of files, has an open and insightful sound and is easy to use. Hi-res compatible Yes Weight 94g Storage 32GB £400 to £700 “The sonic improvements over the Jr are more evolutionary than revolutionary” Cowon Plenue D £200 Best portable music player under £250, Awards 2017 The Plenue D is a player worth its salt. It can handle a range of files, has an open and insightful sound and is easy to use. Hi-es compatible Yes Weight 94g Storage 32GB £700 and above…

View offers whf.cm/BBHiFiRacks Up to £500 “Want to give your system adequate support for a decent price? Atacama has you covered” 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 £500 and above “We were impressed by how our system performed when using this rack” Atacama Elite Eco 12.0 £500 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 “If you’re of the opinion all hi-fi racks are created more or less equal, think again” Atacama Evoque Eco 60-40 SE £600 Best…

View offers whf.cm/BBPhonoAmps Up to £200 Rega Fono Mini A2D £85 March 2012 There’s little fancy about the Fono Mini A2D, but that doesn’t matter when the presentation is this good. And it has a useful USB output. Type MM Dimensions (hwd) 6 x 18 x 25cm 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 £200 to £350 Musical Fidelity LX2-LPS £200 April 2018 Though it’s not as versatile as the Rega Mk3, the LX2 delivers a more engaging performance thanks to its open, full-bodied sound. Type MM, MC Dimensions (hwd) 4 x 17 x…

View offers whf.cm/BBSpeakerStands Speaker stands “Really good at letting your system do its job properly” Atacama Duo 6 £65 February 2013 Easy to assemble (we suggest you mass-load the stand), these Atacamas help produce a detailed, clear and energetic sound. Top plate size (wd) 130 x 170mm Height 60cm Fillable Yes “The Mosecos may just be our new favourite affordable speaker stands” Atacama Moseco 6 £120 Best speaker stand, Awards 2017 A speaker stand that impresses with how weighty and dynamic it allows systems to sound. Considering the price, it’s something of a steal. Top plate size (wd) 130 x 170mm Height 60cm Fillable Yes “£200 for a pair of speaker stands? When they’re this good, we don’t mind” Q Acoustics 20 speaker stands £200 September 2014 Designed with QAs’…

NEW ROOMS Experience. Heritage. We’ve been helping the world discover the best in hi-fi and home entertainment for more than 40 years, and have more than 100 years of reviewing experience under our collective belts – so you can count on our expert opinion. Dedicated test facilities We test every product against its peers in our brand new, bespoke reviewing facilities in London and Bath. We conduct all our tests as a team – our opinions and conclusions are always the result of collaboration. Reference kit Naim NDS/555 PS/Uniti Core; Clearaudio Innovation Wood; Cyrus Phono Signature/PSX-R2; GamuT D3i/D200i; ATC SCM50; Sony UBP-X700; Cambridge CXUHD; Denon AVC-X6400H; Optoma UHD40; PMC Twenty5.23 5.1; KEF R50; Sky Q…

View offers Epson EH-TW650 | Projector | £450 | whf.cm/EH-TW650 FOR Crisp and clear picture; brightness; rich, realistic colours AGAINST Slight image stability issue with SD material Though 4K home cinema projectors no longer exclusively carry eye-watering price tags – you can pick one up for around £1000 – it will be some time before they trickle down to the £500 mark currently occupied by budget Full HD projectors such as the Epson EH-TW650. But technological progression, such as that from Full HD to 4K, puts extra pressure on ‘last-generation’ kit to deliver even more for less. Which is exactly what this modest, yet accomplished, Epson does. Budget belter Apart from its 1080p resolution, nothing about this Epson is second-rate. For anyone looking for a display capable of up to…

View offers Sony WH-1000XM3 | Headphones | £330 | whf.cm/WH-1000XM3 FOR Superb sound quality; best noise-cancelling; comfort AGAINST Fiddly touch control; expose weaker recordings It’s hard to imagine now but, pre-summer 2016, Sony didn’t have a premium pair of noise-cancelling headphones in its arsenal. Then out of nowhere, the WH-1000X pair appeared, challenged noise-cancelling supremo Bose, and ran off with one of our coveted Awards. A year later, a second-generation model brought with it tweaks that solidified Sony’s new-found noise-cancelling reputation. But increased competition, notably from Bowers & Wilkins, meant it didn’t pick up an Award. Lengthy gestation But even at the time of the WH-1000XM2s’ release, their successor was already in development. The lengthy gestation period of the WH-1000XM3s is the result of a move to analogue amplification, resulting…

View offers Yamaha RX-A1080 | AV amplifier | £1299 | whf.cm/RX-A1080 FOR Huge sound; richness; plenty of detail; features AGAINST Loses out to main rivals on timing and expression Though we try not to make assumptions before reviewing a product, there are usually a number of safe bets when it comes to Yamaha’s premium AV receivers: the build will at least match the price tag; it’ll have a whopping great soundfield; and there’ll be more features than in a Sunday newspaper. And if the RX-A1080 is representative of the rest of the company’s new range of Aventage products, those returns are sure to continue rolling in. In the middle of the top end A 7.2-channel amp, with a claimed 110W of power behind each and kitted out with an ESS…

View offers: whf.cm/BestOnEars2018 AKG Y50 £60 Not again? The AKG Y50 headphones have now made it four years on the bounce as Award-winners and, just like last year, they are also our overall on-ear headphone Product of the Year. So next time you see a pair of these being worn on the train, we can’t help feeling more than a little responsible. There’s no denying AKG’s handiwork, which is so good the company prominently displays its name on the headphones’ housing. But don’t mistake it for misplaced confidence – these are exceptionally well made headphones. Their aluminium ear cups – which house 40mm drivers – have a smooth, glossy feel and feature fine cosmetic detail. Despite their size, portability isn’t an issue, thanks to a neat mechanism that lets them…

View offers: whf.cm/BestStereoAmps2018 Rega Brio £599 A 2016 redesign of the much-loved Rega Brio-R gave birth to this current Brio, and those improvements – along with the design’s innate brilliance – keep this exceptional amplifier not only at the top of its price bracket but also King Of All Stereo Amp-land. An analogue-only unit with a half-width design, the Brio sounds terrific. It displays an incredible sense of rhythm, punchy dynamics, instant agility and a fine sense of detail. Despite all that, it still manages to remember that listening to music is, much of the time, about having fun. One of the Brio-R’s few weak points was a sonic leanness that spawned a tendency to become a little overexcitable, meaning you had to be careful with your choice of speakers.…

View offers: whf.cm/BestSystems2018 KEF LS50 Wireless £1999 Is it any surprise seeing the KEF LS50 Wireless at the top of this category? Where most systems are one-box systems that fall into the “just-add-speakers” variety, KEF has incorporated all the box-bound features into the stereo speakers themselves. It is a genuinely all-in-one streaming system that gives us not a glimpse but a full look at the hi-fi of the future. Based on the Award-winning LS50, these wireless cousins are beautifully built and finished, with some clever technology packed into a convenient (yet stylish and modern) package. All in the box These are true active speakers – each drive unit has a dedicated power amplifier. A 30W Class A/B circuit feeds the tweeter, while a 200W Class D module powers the mid/bass…

View offers: whf.cm/BestSpeakerPackages2018 Q Acoustics 3050i 5.1 Cinema Pack £1349 What happens when you take the excellent 3010i 5.1 package, then swap in a pair of Q Acoustics’ brilliant 3050i floorstanders to replace the front channel boxes? You win a What Hi-Fi? Product of the Year Award, that’s what. In this context, the only noticeable difference to those floorstanders in the move to ‘i’ status is the addition of a fourth colour finish (now grey, walnut, white or black) and a chrome bezel around each driver. But this is no mere cosmetic revamp. Cabinet rigidity has been improved, the baffle is thicker to better support the tweeter and mid/bass driver and the traditional terminal panel cut-outs make way for sockets embedded in the cabinet. Unique to the 3050is in the range,…

View offers: whf.cm/ReadersAward2018 Monitor Audio Silver 100 £650 We were hugely impressed by the Monitor Audio Silver 100s when we reviewed them back in January. And, it seems they’ve also left quite an impression on our readers. The Silver 100s are one of the most popular products on whathifi.com, and they managed to fend off nine shortlisted contenders to secure this year’s Readers’ Award. The other nominations included a number of talented Award-winners including the Chord Qutest DAC, LG OLED55C8PLA OLED television and Sonos Beam soundbar. But it’s the Silver 100s that emerged victorious in the polls and it’s not hard to understand why. They’re the larger of two pairs of standmounters in the Silver series. They boast a modern and sophisticated look, enhanced by the impressive-looking 20cm C-CAM (ceramic-coated…

T his is the definitive guide to the best home-entertainment kit you can buy. From 75in TVs to smartphones, from portable Bluetooth speakers to Dolby Atmos surround sound packages, here’s where you’ll find the perfect product, fast. NEWENTRIES This month, ProAc’s hugely impressive Response DT8 floorstanding loudspeakers join some sub-£2000 rivals, and Naim’s Uniti Star streaming system proves a massive hit with our review team.…

View offers whf.cm/BBDACs Up to £200 Audioquest DragonFly Red £170 Best USB DAC £150+, Awards 2017 A more expensive alternative to the DragonFly Black, this is a marked improvement over the original, sounding more sophisticated and subtler. Inputs USB Size 6 x 2 x 1cm Resolution Up to 24-bit/96kHz Cyrus soundKey£100 Best USB DAC under £150, Awards 2017 An affordable, compact DAC that turns mobile listening into an authentic highfidelity experience. iOS users may find connectivity a little inelegant. Inputs micro-USB Size 2 x 5 x 1mm Resolution Up to 24-bit/96kHz £200 to £500 Chord Mojo £400 Best DAC under £500, Awards 2017 The majority of the £1400 Hugo’s performance for a fraction of the price. An enthusiastic performer that stays refined and superbly balanced. Inputs USB, opt, coax Size…

View offers whf.cm/BBInternetRadios View offers whf.cm/BBDABRadios Up to £200 “Once you’ve listened to it, there’s no doubt this Pure is an upgrade over the D2” Pure Evoke H2 £100 Best radio under £100, Awards 2017 Pure’s latest radio is similar to its previous incarnation, but more refined. The H2 improves on the D2’s already-sophisticated sound. Battery No Size (hwd) 18 x 12 x 12cm Inputs Mini-USB, 3.5mm “Its ability to fill a medium-sized room is not to be understated” Revo SuperSignal £180 August 2016 A stylish radio with plenty of features, it’s even more impressive on the audio front thanks to a large-scale sound that belies its appearance. Battery No Size (hwd) 21 x 14 x 14cm Inputs 3.5mm, AUX in, B’tooth “Design, ease of use, and sound quality –…

View offers whf.cm/BBTurntables Up to £300 Audio Technica AT-LP3 £200 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 331/3 & 45rpm Size (hwd) 13 x 44 x 35cm Pro-Ject Essential III £240 October 2017 Another excellent turntable from Pro-Ject. The Essential III is easy to set up and offers a detailed and musical performance. Speed 331/3 & 45rpm Size (hwd) 11 x 42 x 33cm Pro-Ject Primary E £150 November 2018 Pro-Ject has revised a budget deck to nail the £150 market – and has succeeded on every front. Speed 331/3 & 45rpm Size (hwd) 11 x 42 x 33cm Sony PS-HX500 £280 Best USB turntable, Awards…

View offers whf.cm/BBHomeCinemaAmps Up to £500 Denon AVR-X2500H £499 October 2018 Builds upon its predecessor’s all-round excellence, with plenty of extra muscle. This will be a strong draw for anyone with £500 to spend. Power 7 x 95W Dolby Atmos Yes HDMI in/out 8/2 £500 to £1000 Sony STR-DN1080 £525 Best home cinema amplifier under £1000, Awards 2017 Sony’s latest AV amp is a return to form, with cutting-edge features (inc. Dolby Atmos) and a compelling sound. It ticks all the right boxes. Power 7 x 100W Dolby Atmos Yes HDMI in/out 6/2 Denon AVR-X4400H £829 August 2018 A stonking amp that continues Denon’s excellent run of form with a solid feature set and a sound that combines muscle and musicality. Power 105W Dolby Atmos Yes HDMI in/out 8/3 £1000…

View offers whf.cm/BBSoundbars Up to £500 Q Acoustics Media 4 £330 Awards 2016 Q Acoustics’ debut soundbar is remarkable value – even more so at its reduced price – and more than worthy of its two-time PoY status. Size (hwd) 9 x 100 x 14cm Inputs Optical, RCA Subwoofer No Yamaha YAS-207 £350 Best soundbar under £500, Awards 2017 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, B’tooth Sub Yes Sonos Beam £399 September 2018 A compact soundbar that pumps out a rather exceptional sound for its size and price. It could potentially transform your listening experience. Size (hwd) 7 x 65 x 10cm Inputs Optical, HDMI…

View offers whf.cm/BBVideoStreamers Up to £50 Amazon Fire TV stick w/Alexa £40 June 2017 The core design remains similar while the low price and addition of Alexa make the Fire TV stick a cheap way of getting smart apps on your TV. Resolution 1080p, 720p Storage 8GB Ultra HD No Google Chromecast 2 £30 December 2015 The second-gen Chromecast still ‘casts’ content from a device to a TV over wi-fi, but now with speedier operation and a performance boost. Resolution 1080p, 720p Storage No Ultra HD No Up to £50 Now TV (2015) £15 February 2016 Now it outputs 1080p and passes through 7.1 surround sound, Now TV is a great way to open your doors to a plethora of Sky content. Resolution 1080p, 720p Storage n/a Ultra HD No…

View offers whf.cm/BBHeadphones In-ears up to £50 Beyerdynamic Byron £49 Best in-ears under £50, Awards 2017 A spectacular return to the budget earphone arena for Beyerdynamic, the Byron sets the standard at this price with a peerless performance. In-line controls Yes Cable length 1.2m SoundMagic E10C £40 Awards 2016 The C stands for compatibility but could stand for consistency too. Five years in and these in-ears are still as good as they’ve ever been. In-line controls Yes Cable length 1.2m £50 to £100 Sennheiser Momentum M2 IEi £80 Best in-ears £50-£100, Awards 2017 You wouldn’t think anything so small could sound quite so good – not for just £80. But they are wonderfully smooth, expressive and balanced. In-line controls Yes Cable length 1.3m £100 to £200 Bose SoundSport Pulse £170…

View offers whf.cm/BBMobilePhones Over 5in “Anyone upgrading from before the 7, or from the smaller design, will find a lot to love here” Apple iPhone 8 Plus Best smartphone, Awards 2017 It borrows several ideas from last year’s 7 Plus, but a few small upgrades make a big difference and Apple’s latest now leads the pack. OS iOS Size (hwd) 159 x 78 x 8mm Storage 64GB “There’s something effortless in the way the U11 goes about its business – there are very few missteps” HTC U11 August 2017 HTC’s latest is not the most innovative of efforts, but decent sound and terrific video mean it’s up there with the best 2017 has to offer. OS Android 7.1 Size (hwd) 154 x 76 x 8mm Storage 64GB/microSD “Samsung’s careful refinements…

View offers whf.cm/BBPortableMusicPlayers Under 8in Amazon Fire 7 (2017) £50 Best tablet under £200, Awards 2017 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 Over 8in Apple iPad (2017) from £340 Best tablet over £200, Awards 2017 The latest iPad receives a muted update, but it still continues to give you that elegant and intuitive experience we expect from Apple. OS iOS Size (hwd) 240 x 170 x 8mm Storage 32/128GB Apple iPad Pro 10.5in £1020 September 2017 The 10.5in Pro cements Apple’s position in the premium-tablet market, with faster performance, slicker design and fantastic image quality. OS iOS Size (hwd) 250 x 174…

View offers whf.cm/BBPhonoAmps Headphone amplifiers “This is a simple but effective, desktop friendly slice of hi-fi” Schiit Audio Magni 3 £110 July 2018 A headphone amp that’s better than the name implies, this elegant device is a simple, affordable and great-sounding piece of kit. Type MM Dimensions (hwd) 6 x 18 x 25cm “The sound is a wonderfully seductive combination of transparency and grip” Pathos Aurium £850 August 2013 A top-class choice for amplification, but you’ll need a source and a pair of headphones of similar quality if you want the best from it. Outputs 6.3mm, XRL, RCA Inputs XLR, 3 RCA “If you’re a headphone obsessive we can’t think of a better high-end alternative” Audio Technica AT-HA5050H £4500 July 2016 A headphone amp with a design harking back to…

View offers whf.cm/BBSpeakerCables Up to £10/m 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 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 Wireworld Luna 7 £6.50/m March 2014 A fine speaker cable, the Luna’s exciting presentation and all-round ability means it should sit well with a wide range of systems. 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 musicality, as well as knitting…

More than a collection of songs, the album is an arc, both musically and in terms of narrative, that elevates each track by virtue of those that surround it. Relaying those stories is a stern test for your system, so here are six records that will tell you all you need to know about your speakers, and prove that the album still remains the pinnacle of musical expression in 2018. NEW HYMN TO FREEDOM SZUN WAVES For Szun Waves’ improvised, unedited second album New Hymn To Freedom, the trio of saxophonist Jack Wyllie, electronic producer and experimental synth player Luke Abbot and drummer Laurence Pike craft a sonically dense and gloriously fluid psychedelic landscape. Though a distinctive sound, it requires the same of your speakers as any great jazz recording:…

Samsung QE85Q900R | Television | £14,999 FOR Native 8K is astonishing; upscales well; spot-on colours AGAINST Native 8K is years away; lacks black depth 8K TV is finally here and Samsung is quick off the mark. But the Q900R can't quite justify that enormous price tag. So why is Samsung pouncing now? Grabbing headlines certainly seems a big motivation, but the company also argues that the increased PPI (pixels-per-inch) combined with super-advanced, machine-based upscaling means the content you currently watch will look even better on its 8K TVs. That’s an enticing proposition, especially when blown up to a huge 85in, which is the size of the Q900R we’re reviewing (it’s also available in 75in and 65in versions). At £14,999, it needs to be the best TV in the world right…

View offers KEF R3 | Stereo speakers | £1,300 | whf.cm/R3 FOR Balanced, entertaining sound; good build and finish AGAINST Nothing at this price Earlier this year, we reviewed KEF’s mighty Reference 1 standmounters. These speakers delivered a performance so complete that even that hefty £5000 price tag started to look entirely reasonable. But no matter how great value it is, such a product will always be out of the reach of most people, so that’s where the new R3s come in. Part of the company’s recently introduced premium R series, the R3s offer a large chunk of the Reference 1’s engineering content and sonic performance at a fraction of the cost. Single drive unit KEF’s distinctive Uni-Q driver array is at the heart of these speakers. While it may…

View offers NAD C 538 | CD player | £249 | whf.cm/C538 FOR Balanced, informative, organised sound; easy to use AGAINST Sound lacks a bit of sparkle and sonic authority The arrival of a new CD player is no longer a regular occurrence at What Hi-Fi? towers. What was once a torrent of shiny new disc spinners has now slowed to a sporadic trickle, thanks firstly to download sites and then the subsequent rise of streaming services. The revival of interest in vinyl hasn’t helped either. NAD is no stranger to making CD players. The company’s history is littered with five-star products and Award winners, and this new one goes into a sparse sector where the shadow of Marantz’s pricier, but truly excellent, CD6006 UK Edition looms large. The launch…

View offers: whf.cm/BestRadios2018 Roberts Stream 94i £170 This radio’s predecessor, the Stream 93i, won a What Hi-Fi? Award for three years running, which should give you some idea as to the quality of the 94i. Roberts has only made a few small changes for the 94i, including the addition of Bluetooth – the only thing we felt was missing from its predecessor. With that and a snappier new design, the Roberts radio sets the bar even higher. It has access to FM, DAB and internet stations, so you should never be lacking for sounds – whether from your local radio or connected to the internet via the built-in wifi or ethernet port. Other physical connections include USB and 3.5mm inputs, while the Stream 94i can also access digital music over…

View offers: whf.cm/BestStereoSpeakers2018 KEF R3 £1300 What if you could capture the essence and brilliantly complete performance of KEF’s mighty Reference 1 standmounts, but at a fraction of their £5000 price? Enter the new R3s. Part of the company’s recently introduced premium R series, they offer a large chunk of the Reference 1s’ engineering content as well as sonic performance, but for almost a quarter of the price. A distinctive driver array KEF’s distinctive Uni-Q driver array is at the heart of these speakers, but here with a refined motor assembly, suspension and drive unit. While it may look like a single drive unit, it’s in fact a two-way arrangement where the 25mm aluminium-dome tweeter is positioned right in the throat of the 12.5cm midrange driver. The R3s are a…

BBC iPlayer 4K live streaming Though 4K TVs may have been around as long as internet memes, live 4K broadcasts are still comparatively novel. While UK pay-TV providers – Sky, BT and Eurosport – have been in the game for a few years, broadcasting Premier League matches, MotoGP, Formula 1, Aviva Premiership rugby and tennis between them via satellite, this year marks the first time the BBC has offered live free-to-air content in 4K and HLG HDR. Following its iPlayer-hosted Planet Earth II and Blue Planet II on-demand trials in 2016 and 2017, the BBC has live streamed the FA Cup final, a rugby league fixture, the 2018 Wimbledon tennis and the FIFA World Cup on its iPlayer platform. It also worked with Sky to broadcast the Royal Wedding in…

View offers: whf.cm/BestBlu-rayPlayers2018 Sony UBP-X700 £189 When the Sony UBP-X700 landed in our test rooms, we hadn’t encountered a budget 4K Blu-ray player capable of delivering a five-star performance. Rival machines from LG and Samsung had come close, but couldn’t quite make it over the finish line. It perhaps doesn’t come as a surprise it was Sony that produced the goods. After all, this machine is closely related to 2017’s Product of the Year, the UBP-X800. It boasts virtually identical features, the main difference being the 700’s support for Dolby Vision HDR – a big deal in today’s 4K climate. A wonder for picture and sound The UBP-X700 is a compact, light player, but it’s not an all-plastic affair. The thin metal panels around its angled body prevent the Sony…

View offers: whf.com/BestProjectors2018 Optoma UHD40 £1200 Optoma takes up this prestigious spot for a second year running, but not for the UHD65 model that was here in last year’s Awards (and also below). The UHD40 is the brand’s more affordable 4K sibling, and actually the most affordable beamer we’re decorating this year. It certainly looks the part – it’s small enough to fit on any table – and set-up is taken care of by top-panel zoom and focus controls, two HDMI ports, and a USB Type A connection so you can power streaming sticks. Giving this projector its 4K capabilities is a 12mm chip that, while not natively 4K, works in conjunction with two million microscopic mirrors to put the full 8.3 million pixels on screen – a technology that…

View offers whf.cm/BBStereoAmps Stereo amps up to £500 Marantz PM6006 UK Edition £349 September 2018 An already class-leading amplifier gets a few small, but telling, improvements that make it an even more compelling proposition. Power 45W Inputs 4 line-in, MM, coax, 2 opt Outputs headphone Onkyo A-9010 £200 Best stereo amplifier under £300, Awards 2017 Our favourite budget amplifier, this is arguably the most entertaining affordable amp around. It is agile and has a wicked sense of rhythm. Power 44W Inputs 5 line-in, MM Outputs speaker, headphone NAD D 3020 V2 £399 September 2018 A very likeable effort that features a full-bodied sonic performance with fine timing and dynamics and lots of useful features. Power 30W Inputs MM, Bluetooth, Opt, Coax Outputs headphone £500 to £1000 Cambridge Audio CXA60 £580…

What is a DAC? What does it do? Digital audio data can be stored in a variety of sample rates, bit depths, encoding and compression formats – and it is the DAC’s job to make sense of it all, translating it as accurately as possible from its binary format to return it as close to the original analogue recording. Why do I need a separate DAC? Not all DACs are created equal. They might not support all file data rates. Also, poor converters can introduce unwanted noise during playback, not to mention add extra distortion due to jitter. The rise of the asynchronous DAC has seen it take over timing duties from any computer for just this reason. The digital clocks found in dedicated hi-fi DACs tend to be more…

View offers whf.cm/BBHifiSpeakers Desktop speakers “Thankfully, sound quality is good whether you listen to them up close or from across the room” KEF Egg £350 Awards 2016 Our 2015 Best Desktop Speaker Over £200 have a distinctive design and flexible connectivity – and a stunning, consistent performance. Size (hwd) 27 x 13 x 17cm Powered Yes Finishes 3 “Quite simply, these are superb speakers of their type” Ruark Audio MR1 Mk2 £330 Best desktop speaker, Awards 2017 Gorgeous retro design and superb sound make the Mk2s an update that manages to be even more appealing than its predecessor. Size (hwd) 17 x 13 x 14cm Powered Yes Finishes 1 Floorstanders up to £1000 “The Threes turn in a musically engaging performance that compares to the best at this price” Tannoy…

View offers whf.cm/BBWirelessSpeakers Up to £100 “It has the same sense of fun as the previous model, but there’s a touch of maturity with the Roll 2” Ultimate Ears Roll 2 £60 Best portable wireless speaker under £100, Awards 2017 The Roll 2 has a sound that’s more open, more dynamic and goes louder than its predecessor. The drop in price makes this a bargain. Size (hw) 4 x 14cm Battery Yes, up to 9 hrs playback “It might be about as big as a coffee mug, but it certainly won’t break quite so easily” Ultimate Ears Wonderboom £90 June 2017 If you want a travelling companion you can rely on, this portable, rugged and durable speaker is a great-sounding option. Size (hw) 10.2 x 9.4cm Battery Yes, up to…

View offers whf.cm/BBProjectors Up to £1000 Epson EH-TW5350 £500 Best projector under £1000, Awards 2017 A talented budget effort that handles motion, contrast and colour balance with great skill. It’s a mature and enjoyable projector. Throw ratio 1.22-1.47:1 Inputs HDMI x 2, RCA, composite Spks Yes £1000 to £3000 Optoma UHD40 £1300 June 2018 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 x 2, VGA, 3.5mm Speakers Yes Sony VPL-HW45ES £2000 Best projector £1000-£2000, Awards 2017 Delivers a riveting picture that strikes the perfect balance between performance and price. Great for a first projector or an upgrade. Throw ratio n/a Inputs 2 x HDMI, USB Speakers No £3000 t0 £10,000 Optoma UHD65 £3000…

View offers whf.cm/BBSoundbases Up to £500 Canton DM55 £330 Awards 2016 Replacing the DM50, the cheaper DM55 is even more appealing – its meaty yet subtle sound is a huge audio upgrade for your TV. Size (hwd) 7 x 55 x 30cm Inputs Optical, coaxial Q Acoustics M2 £300 Best soundbase, Awards 2017 Q Acoustics can now ‘soundbase’ to its list of successes; the M2 is an expressive, easy-to-use and fuss-free way of boosting your TV sound. Size (hwd) 9 x 55 x 34cm Inputs Opt, HDMI, 3.5mm, RCA, B’tooth…

View offers whf.cm/BBTelevisions Up to 40in “Motion is impressive, arguably more so than on many larger 2017 Samsungs we’ve seen” Samsung UE32M5500 £320 Best 32-39in TV, Awards 2017 It’s not the most sophisticated TV, lacking 4K and HDR, but for a 32in screen it offers a picture and features that will leave you satisfied. Type LCD/LED HDMI 3 Resolution 1366 x 768 Tuner Freeview HD “Every source is delivered with an impressive amount of insight into those deep blacks” Samsung UE40MU6400 £500 Best 40-46in TV, Awards 2017 A 4K TV at a sensible size and a reasonable price that boasts deep, insightful blacks and nuanced colours. Not the best at HDR, though. Type LCD/LED HDMI 3 Resolution Ultra HD Tuner Freev’w/Freesat HD 40in to 50in “Only slight improvements on its…

1. First, the most popular headphone design: the over-the ear model, also called circumaural. These cup your ears completely, usually with semi-air-tight earcups that help minimise both sound leakage from your headphones into the outside world, and the intrusive effects of ambient noise. 2. Supra-aural or on-ear designs tend to be smaller and lighter than circumaural models, and as the name suggests, they sit on your ear rather than over it. Some listeners find them lighter and easier to wear for extended listening, but they do tend to allow in more sound from outside. 3. Available in both circumaural and supraaural types, closed-back headphones are are the optimum choice for cutting out external sounds altogether. They’ll also deliver more bass weight than other headphone types,because the closed ear cups prevent…

On demand video BBC iPlayer Free Awards 2015 Quality content, a great interface and free (for catch-up TV), BBC’s iPlayer is one of, if not the best, video on-demand platforms out there. Resolution up to 1080p Offline playback Yes Google Play Movies & TV Variable June 2014 Google’s venture into video streaming is a success, offering pretty much everything we could ask for from an on-demand video service. Resolution Up to 1080p Offline playback Yes On demand music Qobuz Sublime £220/pa May 2016 Qobuz Sublime is, well, sublime. Easy to use, with a diverse catalogue and competitive prices, this is a service that packs in a lot of value. Sound quality Up to 24-bit/192kHz Offline playback Yes Technics Tracks Variable January 2016 Offering a (very) similar experience to 7digital, the…

View offers whf.cm/BBAudioCables Up to £50 Chord Company C-Line £35 Best analogue interconnect under £50, Awards 2017 Few entry-level interconnects at the price come close to offering the sonic enjoyment that Chord has produced with this cable. Balanced/Single Single Chord Company C-Line £35 Best analogue interconnect under £50, Awards 2017 Few entry-level interconnects at the price come close to offering the sonic enjoyment that Chord has produced with this cable. Balanced/Single Single £50 and above Chord Clearway Analogue RCA £90 Best analogue interconnect £50+, Awards 2017 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 Single…

View offers whf.cm/BBMainsProducts Up to £200 Olson Sound Fantastic HF6 £135 September 2015 Grants a system far greater freedom of expression without sacrificing control or authority. If you can afford to, buy it without reservations. Type Block Mains filter Yes No. of plugs 6 Up to £200 Tacima CS947 £45 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 Up to £200 Audioquest JitterBug £40 April 2016 It might look insubstantial, but when plugged into a USB port it works wonders, filtering signal noise to allow a more solid and precise sound. Type USB Mains filter No No. of plugs n/a £200 and above Russ…