Innholdsfortegnelse for October 2019 i What Hi-Fi?

There is one enduring story for which 2019 will be forever remembered. For many, it is an era-defining change that has been a long time coming; the severing of ties to one of the great menaces of our time. Others have protested, prophesising an apocalyptic vision of the world should the decision not be overturned post-haste. But McDonald’s is not the only company to have made a point of ditching plastic: you’ll find none in the plinth, platter or tonearm of Pro-Ject’s new T1 turntable, either. This is for differing reasons, of course, as you’ll understand if you give this deck an audition. Few will be compelled to throw it to the depths of the ocean, instead, this is part of Pro-Ject’s aim to construct a well built and sonically…

“Sometimes you gotta run before you can walk,” Tony Stark tells his virtual assistant in Iron Man, as he tries out his new MkII suit for the first time. But what may be sound logic for a Marvel superhero character doesn’t transfer to a cutting-edge soundbar, where nailing the basics is crucial. And it seems LG could do with a little reminder of that. The LG SL9YG is a Dolby Atmos 4.1.2-channel soundbar comprising four 2cm drive units (the ‘4’) firing outwards, two 6cm upward-firing drivers (‘2’) and a wireless subwoofer (‘1’). Those upward-firing drivers aim to make the most of Atmos soundtracks by increasing the height of the soundfield, which they do very well indeed. We stream Mowgli: Legend Of The Jungle on Netflix in Atmos, and the jungle…

The idea of the smart home was arguably born at the CEDIA Expo. Years before voice assistants, flatscreens and the proliferation of ‘smart’ products in the wider tech industry, the Custom Electronic Design & Installation Association (CEDIA) was working together to build the future of the smart, connected home. Formed 30 years ago this year, CEDIA held its first Expo the following year. That event brought together hundreds of tech professionals to share ideas and showcase new products as the fledgling world of custom installation took wings. From niche beginnings centering on expensive, complete home installations, the idea of the smart home has slowly become ubiquitous, and far more accessible. Now, with small, affordable devices capable of adding a degree of smart to any system, anyone can dip a toe…

View online review whf.cm/AT-LP60XBT £179 There was a moment that it struck us when walking round the What Hi-Fi? testing room with our wireless headphones on–this is all we need for a fully fledged vinyl system–no wires to be seen. That simplicity can only work in the Audio Technica AT-LP60XBT’s favour. For just 179, this deck offers a built-in, switchable phono stage as well as wireless connectivity, and do pretty much anything at the switch of a button. With the size and rotation speed of the record set, all you need do is place it on the platter and press the start button. The Audio Technica takes care of the rest–including returning the tone arm to its original position at the end. It spins at 33? or 45rpm, but this…

£499 View online review whf.cm/Omega100RIAABT While much of the world appears to be regressing in attitudes towards others, it is refreshing to see Elipson acting more progressively by nudging the turntable towards the 21st century. The Omega 100 RIAA BT, which sounds like something a dentist might ask an assistant as they rummage around in your mouth, adds a phono stage, USB output and Bluetooth to your trusty record player without dispensing with the company’s traditional aesthetic chic. Essential extras It wouldn’t be the first time a hi-fi manufacturer has tacked on unnecessary extras to its product in lieu of bettering its sonic performance. But these Elipson add ons are entirely relevant to a new epoch of vinyl junkies. As well as giving you the ability to archive all your…

£140 View online review whf.cm/SoundSportWireless The Bose SoundSport Wirelesses are perhaps a more 'traditional' pair of wireless in-ear headphones–if such a thing yet exists–with a neckband cable incorporating a remote housing part-way down rather than the earpieces being untethered, or 'truly wireless'. They are sweat-resistant and certified to IPX4, so they can’t be submerged, but will handle sweat and splashes better than normal earphones. The Bose sound is perfect for this kind of earphone too–the kind of powerful, punchy bass that might get you running that bit faster. It doesn't have the kind of soupy, sloppy bass that spoils the rhythmic impact of a track either. For listening in a quiet room it may seem a touch aggressive, but that’s not really what the Bose SoundSport Wirelesses are for. These…

£220 View online review whf.cm/WF-1000XM3 You can see a strand of DNA from the original WF-1000Xs, but to all intents and purposes, the WF-1000XM3s are a brand new design. Not as bulky as the Bose Soundsport Free buds, but not quite as petite as the Cambridge Audio Melomania 1s, the Sonys lie somewhere in between. Sony has made big strides with the battery life in particular. They come with six hours’ playback as standard, while the case has enough power for an extra three charges, giving a total of 24 hours when using Bluetooth and noise-cancelling together. If you happen to get caught short, just 10 minutes of charging time is enough to breathe 90 minutes of life into them. Sony has really pulled something special out of the bag…

Chord's domination of the premium digital-to-analogue converter market has been spectacular. But while the likes of the Mojo, Qutest, Hugo and DAVE are rightly considered all-conquering superstars at their respective price points, the original TT was merely very good. The new Mk 2 version seeks to put that right and move the TT out of the shadows of its ridiculously talented family. The TT2 sticks firmly to the squarish template set by its predecessor, with the Mojo’s stylistic influence felt strongly here. Build quality is excellent, with the unit feeling solid and luxuriously finished–and like a premium item. The TT2’s processing power is twice that of the standard Hugo 2–thanks to the use of a more advanced FPGA–and it has a far more generous power supply arrangement to boost performance…

It feels as though we’ve now accepted streaming and welcomed it into the hi-fi community. Fears were real, and often founded, that it would replace physical media to detrimental effect, offering up inferior performance in return for perceived convenience. In many ways, though, it has helped us fall in love again with those cumbersome old discs; being able to throw music from your palm to your speakers can be wonderful, but our desire to fall for an album’s cover and actually hold our music has far from been quelled. That speaks for vinyl more than CD, of course, with the latter’s sales dropping dramatically for the first time in the past year or so. But that doesn’t have to make for wholly miserable reading: more likely it is the rise…

£89 View online review whf.cm/Wonderboom2 Just over six months ago, we gave five stars to the Ultimate Ears Wonderboom, a robust, decent-sounding portable Bluetooth speaker. Despite its success, the Californian firm clearly isn’t one for kicking back, because the second-generation version has landed, promising a whole new range of features and improved bass. Inside, a new chipset promises a crisper sound, longer battery life and, most notably, 10 per cent more bass than the original. There’s also a new ‘boost’ button on the underside of the unit for using the Wonderboom 2 outdoors. When pressed, this restricts the bass frequencies, allowing the UE to play louder through the midrange and upwards. This is claimed to make the sound easier to hear when the unit is used outdoors. Battery life has…

£199 View online review whf.cm/Xtreme2 On first sight, the JBL Xtreme 2 seems a little brash and out of place–an unashamed boombox in an era of reserved smart speakers. But this bold, aggressive look is matched by some of the sweetest sound you’ll hear from a portable speaker. The JBL Xtreme 2 is a big boombox wireless speaker. It’s slightly larger than the original Xtreme, but you’d have to put the two models side-by-side to notice the difference. Its functional focus is as specific as the visual design, though. The JBL Xtreme 2 is a large portable speaker, and it does that job perfectly. Its fabric grille and chunky rubber port cover on the back provide IPX7 water resistance, enough to survive a dip in 1.5m depth of water. The…

£330 View online review whf.cm/Homepod That Apple does things in its own sweet time is not news but, even by its own standards, the company arrived late to the wireless-speaker party. But being late is acceptable if you’re the life and soul when you arrive–and that’s pretty much the story with the HomePod. It comes as no surprise that the HomePod is beautifully made. It’s a bit smaller and much heavier than you might imagine. It’s also a subtly styled device and one in which Siri works particularly well. After years of development work, Apple eventually settled on having the tweeters at the bottom and the woofer at the top. There are seven tweeters in total, evenly spaced around the base of the unit. The woofer is close to the…

£200 View online review whf.cm/TouringSPlus The Geneva Touring S+, a combined DAB radio and Bluetooth speaker, could have been lifted out of a design museum, such is its retro look. Even without a handle, this unit is easy to carry around. The buttons and volume dial feel great, but treat it nicely–the aluminium top is easy to scratch and the metal grille dents readily. The Touring S+ is mostly a joy to live with but, with only a few characters on the display, you have to wait for them to scroll before you can see what station you’re listening to. It sounds much more powerful than a traditional DAB radio, and is on a par with a similar-sized modern wireless speaker. Kick drums and bass lines have the correct weight…

FOR • Composed, balanced and insightful sound • Fluid dynamics • Features • Build quality AGAINST • It’s a big unit • Needs care in speaker matching VERDICT The CTA408 is well equipped and gives little away to the best integrated and pre/power solutions at this price “This small Danish specialist typically releases a new product once every few years, so this is something of an event” Copland has never been the most prolific of manufacturers. This small Danish specialist typically releases a new product once every few years, so the arrival of the new CTA408 integrated amp is something of an event. It joins a tiny range made up of a cheaper integrated amp, a pre/power combination and a DAC–all of which make use of valve circuitry in some…

View offers whf.cm/BBDACs Up to £200 Cyrus soundKey £99 Best DAC under £150, Awards 2018 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 August 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 strong case. Inputs Bluetooth 4.2 Size 44 x 44 x 14mm Res 32-bit/384kHz Audioquest DragonFly Red £169 Best DAC £150-£300, Awards 2018 A more expensive alternative to the DragonFly Black, this is a marked improvement over the original, sounding more sophisticated and subtler. Size 6 x 2 x 1cm Resolution 24-bit/96kHz £200 to £500 Chord…

View offers whf.cm/BBInternetRadios View offers whf.cm/BBDABRadios Up to £200 “There’s no doubt the Pure Evoke H2 is an upgrade over the D2” Pure Evoke H2 £89 Best radio under £100, Awards 2018 Pure’s latest radio is similar to its previous incarnation, but more refined. The H2 improves on the D2’s already-sophisticated sound. Battery Optional Size (hwd) 18 x 12 x 12cm Inputs 3.5mm “Its ability to fill a medium-sized room is not to be understated” Revo SuperSignal £179 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, Bluetooth “The Stream 94i is the complete package, making it the best radio at this…

View offers whf.cm/BBTurntables £150 to £300 Pro-Ject Primary E £149 Best turntable under £200, Awards 2018 Pro-Ject has revised a budget deck to nail the £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 £249 Best turntable £200-£500, Awards 2018 This…

View offers whf.cm/BBHomeCinemaAmps Up to £500 Sony STR-DN1080 £429 Best home cinema amplifier under £500, Awards 2018 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 £500 to £1000 Denon AVR-X2600H £599 October 2019 Denon has done it again. If you have the budget and desire for a serious home cinema, this receiver demands your attention. Power 7 x 150W Dolby Atmos Yes HDMI in/out 8/2 Denon AVR-X3500H £899 Best home cinema amplifier £500-£1000, Awards 2018 A mid-priced amp that adds authority and scale alongside detail, clarity and composure. This feature-packed AVR is easy on the ears and your wallet. Power 7 x 180W…

View offers whf.cm/BBPortableMusicPlayers Up to £300 “Compared with the sound quality from even the best smartphones, there’s more detail and nuance” Cowon Plenue D £199 Best portable music player under £250, Awards 2018 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 24-bit/192kHz Weight 94g Storage 32GB “Cowon justifies the price hike with a performance that takes transparency and entertainment to the next level” Cowon Plenue D2 £259 June 2019 The PD2 manages to justify the premium over its predecessor. We haven’t heard a better-sounding budget portable music player. Hi-res 24-bit/192kHz, DSD 128 Storage 64GB £300 to £700 “The A&norma has as much sonic aspiration as design ambition” Astell & Kern…

View offers whf.cm/BBMobilePhones iOS “The iPhone XS Max is simply the best smartphone for movies and music” Apple iPhone XS Max Best smartphone, Awards 2018 Apple may have pushed price points sky-high, but this flagship is the finest smartphone around when it comes to video and music replay. OS iOS Size (hwd) 158 x 77 x 8mm Storage 64GB, 256GB, 512GB Android “Samsung’s careful refinements make the S9 a pretty impressive package” 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 “The S9+ is as polished and refined as Android phones currently get” Samsung Galaxy S9+ May 2018 It’s…

View offers whf.cm/BBPortableMusicPlayers Up to £200 Amazon Fire HD 10 £150 Best tablet under £200, Awards 2018 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 (2018) from £319 Best tablet over £200, Awards 2018 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 Mini (2019) £399 July 2019 The looks haven’t changed, but under the skin improvements make the latest iPad Mini even better than before OS iOS Size (hwd) 204…

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. HOW WE SCORE All review verdicts are agreed upon by the team as a whole–not an individual reviewer. Each product will be listened to and/or viewed by several members of the test team, who will then discuss the final verdict before it appears in the magazine or on the website. This avoids any…

Since designing its first moving coil cartridge in 1948, Ortofon has made more than 100 different models over the intervening years. This experience shines through in the Quintet Blue, one of five models in the new range. It’s the step-up option in a family that is topped off by the Black (£679), with its fancy Nude Shibata stylus tip and sapphire cantilever. At around half that money, the Quintet Blue makes do with an elliptical tip and aluminium cantilever, but beyond that it shares much with its pricier sibling. Both use a conveniently squared-off ABS/body with captive threads that makes mounting the cartridge on an arm and subsequent alignment a breeze. Weighing just 9g, the Blue isn’t particularly heavy and so shouldn’t present any difficulty for most arms to balance…

Where HDR and 4K were once the sole preserve of high-end projectors, it’s now possible to pick up these top-notch technologies for little over £1000. The BenQ W2700 is one such 4K HDR projector, sitting in the middle of the company’s CinePrime Series devices. Its CinematicColor technology supports DCI-P3, the US movie industry colour standard, with BenQ claiming the images produced better reflect the colours intended by the film’s director. With a short-throw lens, built-in speakers and a relatively small footprint, the BenQ W2700 is portable and flexible enough to keep in the cupboard and bring out for movie night or a session on the games console. But priced just above the Award-winning Optoma UHD40, it’s up against some tough competition. BenQ claims the W2700 is a projector for any…

Few pairs of headphones have been as eagerly anticipated as the Sony WF-1000XM3 true wireless earbuds. Their predecessors, the WF-1000Xs, were a superior-sounding alternative to the distinctly average Apple AirPods of the time, when they launched in 2017. But two years is a long time, and now there’s no shortage of true wireless in-ear options. Not only has Apple upped its game with new AirPods, it seems every manufacturer wants a piece of the action. That’s great news for the consumer–features, sound quality and expectations are increasing and manufacturers have to work to stand out from the crowd. Thankfully, the Sony WF-1000XM3s do just that, and for all the right reasons. Brand new design Sony has shied away from the hanging down teardrop designs favoured by the Apple AirPods and…

1 AudioQuest DragonFly Cobalt £269 • whf.cm/DragonFlyCobalt The multi-Award-winning DAC line has a new flagship ‘Fly! Promising an enhanced performance over its Red and Black siblings thanks to a number of advanced components, the Cobalt has a new DAC chip and power-saving microprocessor, and supports MQA and 24-bit/96kHz files. It comes with a USB-A-to-USB-C adaptor to cater for the increasing number of Android smartphones with the USB-C connection, too. 2 Audio Pro BT5 £150 • whf.cm/AudioProBT5t Audio Pro, which has become a real Sonos challenger in recent years with its Award-winning multi-room speakers, says it’s adamant not to leave the inherently more affordable Bluetooth-only sector behind. And to prove it, its latest speaker is–you guessed it–Bluetooth only. It joins Audio Pro’s existing wi-fi-less Addon T speaker line, and simply connects…

£195 View online review whf.cm/PS-LX310BT Setting up a hi-fi system can be daunting technological assault course. Yet, having done little more than plug Sony's PS-LX310BT turntable into the wall socket, we are listening to Bruce Springsteen’s Born To Run through Bluetooth headphones as it spins in front of us. The set-up process takes as long as making a pot of coffee; from box to The Boss in less than five minutes. The PS-LX310BT is a no-nonsense design. It feels lightweight, considering all the extras going on under the black plastic casework and the build is perfectly acceptable for the price. And it is user-friendly–you can forget scouring YouTube tutorials to work out how to calibrate the tonearm; there is nothing to preset there. The buttons that operate the fully automatic…

£1499 View online review whf.cm/AlvaTT The Cambridge Audio Alva TT is no ordinary turntable, offering functionality and features that we don’t tend to see at this price point, including a built-in phono stage, direct drive and Bluetooth connectivity. The Alva TT is the first deck to offer aptX HD Bluetooth support, that means you can stream your vinyl to compatible wireless products in hi-res 24-bit/48kHz. The Alva TT certainly has the looks of a £1500 record player. Named after Thomas Alva Edison, inventor of the phonograph, the deck has a solid piece of aluminium as its top plate. We’re big fans of the gun metal and smoky grey finish, which gives it an elegant appearance. Although the Alva TT isn’t strictly part of Cambridge’s Edge range of high-end hi-fi electronics,…

£150 View online review whf.cm/TrueConnect The RHA TrueConnects have a decent five hours of battery life between charges, they sound good and cost roughly the same as a pair of Apple AirPods. And they are clearly inspired by the AirPods, with a soft-touch plastic stem with a little pinhole mic at the bottom pointing down when in your ear. Connectivity is the RHA TrueConnects’ one major issue, with some owners highlighting a lack of Bluetooth stability. In our experience, they’re not that bad, but also not quite at the level we'd expect from a pair of headphones costing £150. They are, though, some of the better-sounding true wireless earphones we’ve heard in this price category. The TrueConnects angle towards a neutral tonal balance, but the bass filler injection has been…

£250 View online review whf.cm/TrueWireless If there’s a feature you'd want to see on a pair of wireless buds, the Momentum True Wireless probably have it. There isn't a single button in sight, meaning these Momentums boast a clean, uncluttered look–the metallic rings on the exterior surface of the buds are, in fact, touch-sensitive buttons. And, on the whole, these Sennheiser headphones don’t disappoint. Compared with the wired Momentum in-ears and Bluetooth Momentum Frees, they are a little calmer and leaner in the bass, but what the sound loses in weight it gains in balance and poise. Harsher recordings are treated fairly; they’re not glossed over, but nor do they sound overly bright or uncomfortable. The range and stability of the Bluetooth signal is also impressive. Indeed, in many ways,…

While most of the digital-to-analogue converters we encounter are inside hi-fi systems and components, they also exist in a portable form that can enhance your smartphone sound when you’re out and about, or boost your laptop’s performance. iFi has a number of such devices in its arsenal, including the xDSD–but portability is just one of its selling points. The xDSD’s file support goes beyond what most will need–via its USB input, it can play PCM files up to 768kHz, and support for DSD goes all the way up to DSD512. Through its 3.5mm coaxial/optical combination input, the ceiling is 192kHz. There’s also aptX Bluetooth for wirelessly sending music to the xDSD from a smartphone or laptop. The iFi xDSD is about the size of a pack of cards, and while…

Rivals to our reigning champion of mid-priced stereo amplifiers, Rega's excellent Brio, are few and far between–but this amp isn’t afraid to lay down the gauntlet. This is the most affordable amplifier Audiolab has produced in recent years, and also one of its most capable, confident and competitive efforts. It uses Class A/B amplification, with a claimed power of 50W per channel into 8 ohms. The pre-amplifier section is kept as simple as possible to maintain signal integrity. The layout aims to keep noise interference and distortion down to a minimum. There are also independent power supplies for critical stages of the circuit, and a dedicated headphone amp. Audiolab has paid special attention to the digital circuitry of the amplifier, the 6000A using technology derived from the top-range 8300A series.…

£200 View online review whf.cm/One Rather than scour the market for so-called smart speakers, most hi-fi fans after a device with voice-assistant capability will be more interested in the output of audio companies that licence smart technology for their kit. And that includes the Sonos One–essentially a Sonos Play:1 with Amazon Alexa and Google Assistant built-in. Unlike the Play:1, the One gets a dedicated Pairing button, just above the ethernet socket. Sonos’s wireless network is one of the best around, so you are unlikely to encounter too many issues if you go down the wi-fi route. Thanks to something called “smart voice capture”, Alexa’s and Google Assistant’s hearing is also very good in this application. We had loud music playing from the One in the kitchen and could still make…

£250 View online review whf.cm/SuperConnect The Revo SuperConnect shows how the radio has evolved, having lots of extra features and functionality. Hook the Revo up to wi-fi and you can access internet radio. DLNA certification and aptX Bluetooth mean you can play music stored on a Mac, PC or NAS device or on a smartphone or tablet, while Spotify Connect is also available. The Revo looks modern with a dash of retro, the display screen and aluminium front panel contrasting nicely with the cabinet’s walnut veneer. It has a solid build and sports a large volume dial on the right-hand side. Menus and track information are shown on the SuperConnect’s easy-toread display, with a small joystick controller or remote used to navigate, access preset stations and control Spotify Connect playback.…

Read more at… www.whathifi.com/features What do you need? The basic building blocks are: a turntable, a phono stage, an analogue-to-digital converter with USB output, and a computer with suitable recording software. There are turntables that come with a phono stage, analogue-to-digital converter and USB output built in. However, most are at the budget end and focus on getting the job done rather than doing it particularly well. Your recordings won’t necessarily reflect the quality of sound possible from your records, though Audio Technica’s AT-LP5 and Sony PS-HX500 vinyl-ripping decks do their best to buck that trend. If you already have a turntable, the best option is to buy a decent USB phono stage. We like the £90 Rega Fono Mini A2D and Pro-Ject also produce decent affordable alternatives. Recording software…

View offers whf.cm/BBHifiSpeakers Standmounts up to £200 “Partner these Missions with care and they’re as entertaining a budget box as we’ve heard in years” Mission LX-2 £149 Best standmount speaker under £200, Awards 2016 Mission’s most convincing budget speaker in quite some time, the LX-2s are one of the best speakers under £200 you can buy. Size (hwd) 31 x 19 x 25cm Bi-wire No Finishes 1 “If you’re looking for really small budget speakers, buy these” Dali Spektor 1 £159 March 2018 A small speaker that inherits all the Spektor 2’s good traits, pumping out an energetic and entertaining sound for an affordable price. Size (hwd) 24 x 14 x 20cm Bi-wire No Finishes 2 “The way these speakers handle dynamics is impressive” Dali Spektor 2 £199 Best standmount…

View offers whf.cm/BBWirelessSpeakers Up to £100 “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 wireless speaker under £100, Awards 2018 The Roll 2 has a sound that’s more open, more dynamic and goes louder than that of its predecessor. The drop in price makes this a bargain. Size (hw) 4 x 14cm Battery 9 hours £100 to £200 “It might be about as big as a coffee mug, but it certainly won’t break quite so easily” Ultimate Ears Wonderboom £80 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 x 9cm Battery 10 hours “It is more…

View offers whf.cm/BBProjectors Up to £2000 Optoma UHD40 £1199 Best projector under £1500, Awards 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 x2, VGA, 3.5mm Speakers Yes £2000 to £10,000 Optoma UHD65 £2999 Best projector £1500+, Awards 2018 It may not have the bells and whistles of a high-end 4K projector, but it puts in a sophisticated performance, is future-proof and well priced. Throw ratio 1.39-2.22:1 Inputs HDMI x2, PC x2, Phono Speakers No Epson EH-TW7400 £1900 Reviewed online, 2018 The perfect compromise if you want a super-sized faux-4K picture on a budget. The Epson’s rich palette and upscaling skills will delight. Throw ratio 1.35-2.84:1 Inputs HDMI x2, USB, VGA, Speakers No…

View offers whf.cm/BBSpeakerPackages Up to £1000 “It has all the detail, attack and deftness to deliver exhilaration in spades” Wharfedale DX-2 £399 Best speaker package under £500, Awards 2018 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 “This compact set really hits the spot with its great clarity, integration, expression and ample bass weight” Q Acoustics 3010i 5.1 Cinema Pack £895 Best speaker package £500-£1000, Awards 2018 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 “It’s a fluid, dynamic performance that soars…

Read more at… www.whathifi.com/advice What is 8K? 8K refers to resolution–the number of horizontal and vertical pixels in an image. Pixels equals information, so more pixels should, in theory, make for a better quality image. 8K, has a horizontal resolution of 7680 pixels and a vertical resolution of 4320 pixels. 4K has half the number of horizontal and vertical lines (3840 x 2160) and Full HD is 1920 x 1080. Count the pixels up and 8K has four times as many as 4K and 16 times more than Full HD. Who is making 8K content? Filmmakers use cameras with sensors that range from 4K to 8K, though films will be finished at either 2K or 4K. The Japanese Broadcasting Corporation, NHK, ran a series of 8K trials in 2015 and…

Read more at… www.whathifi.com/advice Setting up a ‘Household’ account Amazon Prime Video will recommend content based on your viewing history - but what if you’re really into crime thrillers, your other half loves romantic comedies and the kids love cartoons? The answer is by linking together two Amazon accounts that will both have access to Prime Video. Go to Your Account > Shopping Programmes > Amazon Household. There you can add another adult or profiles for children, and then click ‘Create Household’. Parental Controls You can set up a four-digit PIN on the web by going into the ‘Settings’ of the Prime Video section and also in the mobile app’s settings. Streaming Ultra HD video On Amazon’s TV app there’s a category populated with Ultra HD content. You can also…

The only products worth considering View offers whf.cm/BBAudioCables Up to £50 Chord Company C-Line £40/m Best analogue interconnect under £50, Awards 2018 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 £50+, Awards 2018 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/BBCartridges Cartridges “The sound it delivers is clear, informative and fun. We can’t ask much more than that” Goldring E3 £90 Best cartridge, Awards 2018 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 “There’s plenty of attack here as basslines are punched out with glee and no shortage of passion” Ortofon Quintet Blue £349 October 2019 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…

“Like its predecessors, the AVR-X2600H pulls you in with an exhaustive feature list, and keeps you there with an equally compelling performance” There are few annual events we look forward to as much as Christmas–birthdays and National Doughnut Day, perhaps–but the yearly launch of a new Denon midrange AV amplifier can be added to that list too. The Denon AVR-X2600H (£599) is the 2019 successor to last year’s AVRX2500H, which received a five-star review from What Hi-Fi?, as did the AVR-X2400H before it and the AVRX2300W before that. Like its predecessors, the AVR-X2600H pulls you in with an exhaustive feature list, and keeps you there with an equally compelling performance. The Sony STR-N1080 (£429) remains a rival to the AVR-X2600H, as it was to the AVR-X2500H. We play Elton John’s…

Outstanding performers don’t always combine to best effect. Take the star-studded England midfield of the mid-2000s, for example; world-class individual footballers whose group achievements amounted to far less than the sum of their parts. In hi-fi terms, it’s especially true of home cinema packages, where the individual speaker elements can be impressive in their own right, but simply don't gel together. The Elac Debut 2.0 5.1 Home Theatre System has at least four such elements–the Elac Debut 2.0 F5.2 floorstanding front stereo pair and the Elac Debut 2.0 B5.2 standmounter surrounds of this set are both five-star rated, but with a centre and a sub thrown in, does the whole package come together to produce a class-leading performance? The Elac Debut 2.0 speakers have been redesigned from the original Debut…

TWO WAYS TO SUBSCRIBE: www.myfavouritemagazines.co.uk/whi/eclipse19/ Order hotline 0344 848 2852 Please quote eclipse19 when ordering by phone overseas +44(0) 344 848 2852 Lines open Monday to Friday 8am-7pm and Saturday 10am-2pm (GMT) *Terms and conditions: This offer is available for new UK subscribers only. Gift is subject to availability. Product pricing stated is RRP at original print date. Please allow up to 60 days for the delivery of your gift. In the event of stocks being exhausted we reserve the right to replace with items of similar value. Prices and savings quoted are compared to buying full-priced print issues. You will receive 13 issues in a year. You can write to us or call us to cancel your subscription within 14 days of purchase. Payment is non-refundable after the 14-day…

View online review whf.cm/LSX View online review whf.cm/KinPlay View online review whf.cm/PremiumWireless301 View online review whf.cm/FormationDuo View online review whf.cm/LS50Wireless Totem Acoustic KIN Play You can remove the cables from just about any audio component these days, as this issue of What Hi-Fi? proves. But there is still something mightily impressive about a pair of stereo speakers that are not only wireless, but have everything you need built right into the cabinets. This quintet of two-box wireless systems has various feature sets, and while you can still connect them to traditional components, such as a turntable or CD player, you can now stream directly to their speakers and still expect true hi-fi sound. They don’t come particularly cheap–you’ll need a grand spare in your bank account to take home even…

While it's often said that opposites attract, we can’t blame you if you’d written off the marriage of technologies in a Bluetooth turntable–this is a relationship with an age gap of more than 100 years, after all. But in many ways, it makes complete sense. As vinyl sales continue to dwarf other physical media, your deck should represent this brave new world. There are numerous ways to listen to music in 2019, so that should be reflected in the ways your source can communicate. These five record players possess a range of talents, from the entry-level Audio Technica AT-LP60XBT, whose fuss-free nature and fully automatic functionality facilitates an almost plug-in-and-play wireless system, to the world’s first aptX HD Bluetooth deck in Cambridge Audio’s premium Alva TT. It isn’t all a…

£369 View online review whf.cm/JukeBoxE View online review whf.cm/AT-LP60XBT The Juke Box E stands apart somewhat from the other turntables in this test. Here, the wireless Bluetooth signal, rather than being sent out to a pair of headphones or a speaker, is being received by what is, at first sight, a bit of a music centre throwback. Of course, this isn’t a music centre in the mid-to-late 20th century sense. What Pro-Ject has done with the Juke Box E is to have one of those ideas that is so simple and obvious once someone else has had it. Here’s a record player–based on Pro-Ject’s well-regarded Primary turntable–that’s also tricked out with an Ortofon OM 5E cartridge, amplification (25W per channel into 8 ohms) and Bluetooth receiver. It’s an idea Pro-Ject…

£120 View online review whf.cm/Melomania1 Cambridge Audio’s focus has long been on sonic deliverance over appearance, and so ‘functional’ is perhaps the best that can be said about the aesthetic of its latest wireless in-ears, the Melomania 1s. Still, with nine hours’ battery life in the buds–plus the four additional charges from the case making a total of 45 hours’ continual use–they will be functional for a while. We find the claimed 30m Bluetooth 5.0 connection and pairing between the two monitors extremely reliable, even when we leave our source on the table and walk outside wearing them. Cambridge Audio has taken great pains to emphasise its focus on quality sound. Everything is present, everything has space, everything works harmoniously, and with room to offer its sonic service to the…

£150 View online review whf.cm/WF-1000X These Sonys were the first true-wireless in-ear headphones to earn a five-star review from What Hi-Fi?. If you’ve owned a pair of premium Sony headphones, you probably won’t be surprised by the WF-1000Xs’ impressive levels of detail and clarity. The noise cancelling works well enough for a pair of in-ears, but it can't quite match the quality of its over-ear brethren. Sound-wise, they are a winner. Brushed snares, overdriven guitars and sprawling saxophone lines are offered great insight and a decent amount of texture. There isn’t a huge amount of space, but it’s still respectable. There’s a decent amount of bass weight to the mix without it becoming too heavy. Sony has rarely struggled when judging tonal balance in its headphones, but a pair of…

£180 View online review whf.cm/SoundsportFree Built with sporty types in mind, the SoundSport Free in-ears are both sweat-and water-resistant, and have a suitably rugged feel to them. They are neatly held in place by Bose’s StayHear tips, which feature little wings that rest against the inside of your ear for extra stability. They boast five hours of battery life, which should be enough to get you through the daily commute and still leave enough in the tank for a session at the gym afterwards. The carry case gives you an extra ten hours of power. The SoundSport Frees deliver a bold but balanced sound with rich and weighty bass–a solid and unwavering presentation that works well across a wide range of music genres. Highs aren’t wrapped in cotton wool, nor…

View online review whf.cm/M-DACnano View online review whf.cm/xDSD View online review whf.cm/Hugo2 View online review whf.cm/HugoTT2 You don't spend money on an outboard digital-to-analogue converter if sonic performance is not your primary concern. But that needn’t mean convenience is ignored, nor that it is only wired sources deserving of that acoustic polish. The four we’ve picked here offer a range of solutions at varying price points. There’s the truly portable Audiolab M-DAC Nano, the palm-sized dimensions of which make it ideal for those wishing to boost the sound of their phone or laptop, with a tempting price tag that is somewhat at odds with its sonic prowess. The iFi xDSD is not quite so diminutive, resembling a corrugated hip flask, but makes the step up in terms of performance and…

Our infatuation with Chord’s remarkable Hugo DAC is as strong as ever. We love its thrillingly detailed, effortlessly dynamic and neatly organised sound as much now as we did the first time we heard it. But Chord is a restless company, and Hugo is no more. Instead, please welcome the Hugo 2. It’s a little smaller, a little sharper around the edges, and significantly more expensive than the original. And, unlikely though it seems, slightly quirkier than before. The casework is gratifyingly smooth and crisp-edged, the quality of construction is unarguable, and the laser-cut brand and model logos are particularly pleasing. The Hugo 2 is a touch more compact than its predecessor, but we struggle to agree fully with Chord’s suggestion that the Hugo 2 displays ‘obvious portability’. It’s portable…

For a while, we’ve struggled for any great wealth of budget stereo amplifiers we can wholeheartedly recommend. Yamaha appears to have taken it upon itself to expand that list in recent months, and its latest integrated amplifier, the R-S202D, is another welcome example. In other situations the term ‘budget’ might signify a stripping back of features or a scaling down of the attention to detail, but the R-S202D is budget only in terms of its price tag. Yamaha has taken the same care building this amp as it would any more expensive component. There are signs in the weight of its volume dial and sheen of its brushed aluminium fascia that this has not been cobbled together to cater for the mass market. Where the R-S202D does have mass-market appeal,…

Roksan has decided against the minimalist approach with this design. If you want just a premium line-level analogue integrated we would point you towards the company’s still excellent Caspian M2 (£2000). But, if you need a fully equipped unit that can connect to your computer, smartphone, turntable and headphones, the Blak makes a mighty strong case for itself. Particularly when you consider its impressive muscularity; a rated 150W per channel into an eight-ohm load that rises to 230W as impedance halves. This is a hefty amplifier all-round, weighing in at 14kg. It runs a little warm too, so make sure there’s enough space around it to ensure good ventilation. The Blak feels well built; it’s solid, nicely finished and a pleasure to use. Most accommodating Get past one or two…

£50 View online review whf.cm/EchoDot3G If Jeff Bezos, Amazon’s CEO, does take over the world, he might just have the Amazon Echo Dot to thank. As Amazon does its level best to infiltrate every possible product market, every possible home and every possible room, the new Echo Dot 3rd generation is perhaps the most enticing way to bring Amazon’s Alexa voice assistant into your home. But if you like the idea of a smart assistant combined with a simple music speaker, it’s hard to argue against the Echo Dot. The small, puck-shaped design remains but it has been jazzed-up and improved on this 3rd-gen Dot. Fabric replaces the hard exterior of the previous model and the controls on the top have had a makeover, too. We see it as a…

£199 View online review whf.cm/Andiamo At its heart, the Andiamo is a basic Bluetooth speaker, with no frills or added extras, but one that’s well made from lightweight but tough aluminium with leather trimmings. It’s a reasonably small metal puck–135mm in diameter and 55mm high. There is a 3.5mm aux-in socket for hard-wiring external sources, and the power socket for the battery–which is good for a claimed 20 hours of playback. Your main means of access to the Andiamo, though, will be via Bluetooth–it uses Bluetooth 3.0, which picks up your source promptly. Control buttons are hidden neatly beneath the tooled leather strap–just push on the strap at the various marked points. Set-up is simple and, though this speaker is for carrying around, it is also designed to be right…

£300 View online review whf.cm/AddonC10 This is another barnstormer of a wireless speaker from a company that can seemingly do no wrong just now. That familiar Audio Pro driver configuration, featuring the koala design that has become these speakers’ distinguishing feature, is present once again, here coupled with a reflex port to the rear and an 80W digital class D amplifier. The Addon C10’s connectivity diet is the same as the rest of Audio Pro’s multi-room family. You can feed it via wi-fi, Bluetooth 4.0 and Airplay, as well as through its physical inputs for aux and RCA. There’s also the benefit of Spotify Connect, but we’d be more inclined to use the Audio Pro control app, where you’ll be able to set up multi-room facilities for all the C-series…

£1299 View online review whf.cm/Mu-so2 Put the Mu-so 2–a unique one-box offering of wireless network, multi-room streaming, physical connectivity, amplification and speakers–side by side with the original, and the two near-identical aluminium boxes may lead you to initially dismiss this as a soft update. But that would be unfair. According to Naim, 95 per cent of the Mu-so 2 is new: drive units, digital signal processing, connectivity and cabinet. And it makes a difference. Naim has naturally carried its new comprehensive streaming platform into the Mu-so 2. This gives it UPnP streaming of hi-res music to PCM 32-bit/384kHz, direct streaming from Spotify Connect and Tidal, Apple AirPlay 2, internet radio and Google Chromecast, which brings Deezer, Qobuz and Google Play Music to the table. As with the original, offline streaming…

£100 View online review whf.cm/PureMoveT4 The Move T4 is a pocket-sized radio that embraces the term ‘wireless’ in a modern way, with the inclusion of Bluetooth streaming. It is powered by a rechargeable battery, good for a claimed 15 hours of life. There’s a telescopic aerial on the top, and a pull-out foot at the bottom. Controls for mode selection are above the screen, while volume controls and the on/off button are down the right-hand side. This is a small unit, so it won’t belt out a massive sound. It does ring true, though, with the midrange to the fore. There are tone controls so you can adjust the treble and bass, along with some equalisation presets, including ‘tabletop’ and ‘outside’. The overall sound is perfectly listenable–just what you’d expect…

£200 View online review whf.cm/RevivaliStream3 It’s over 60 years since Harry Roberts designed a radio to look like his wife’s handbag. The Revival iStream 3 continues in that tradition, but now caters for the modern pastime of streaming music too. The design is a combination of chic elegance and nostalgia, the top of the iStream 3 dominated by a full-colour screen. There’s also a volume dial, a 3.5mm output and aux line-in, USB input and pairing/mode, menu and info buttons. It also has buttons for presets, playback and alarm, a tuning dial and a telescopic aerial. The sonic presentation makes the iStream 3 an obvious choice at this budget. It has a warm, rich midrange and doesn’t roll off the treble or pack in more bass weight than a cabinet…

“This is a great wireless product and nothing comes close to it right now. The Duos are deadly precise…” We’ve joined forces with our friends at Bowers and Wilkins to give you the fantastic opportunity to win one of the most impressive all-in-one systems we have heard in a very long time. These wireless active speakers are the pinnacle of B&W’s Formation family of multi-room products, which includes a soundbar, a subwoofer and the Wedge, the spiritual successor to the legendary Zeppelin wireless speaker. As we say of the Formation Duo in our review: “For their class, for their features and functionality, for their delivery of stylish, convenient, wireless, multi-room mastery, the Duos are peerless.” To enter our competition for this fantastic prize, simply go online, enter your details and…

View offers whf.cm/BBHifiSystems Up to £500 Pro-Ject Juke Box E £349 Best turntable system, Awards 2018 An impressive all-in-one system with a level of functionality that’s difficult to replicate in individual separates for a similar price. Speed 33⅓, 45rpm Inputs Line-in, BT Outputs Line-out Denon D-M41DAB £379 Best microsystem, Awards 2018 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 Revo SuperSystem £549 Best all-in-one system under £1000, Awards 2017 An all-in-one system that exudes quality, this Revo features great sonic performance and terrific retro looks. It’s a talented system. Inputs 3.5mm, opt, BT, DAB/FM, wi-fi Outputs Line-out, opt, headphone £500 to £1000 KEF LSX…

View offers whf.cm/BBBlurayPlayers The only products worth considering Up to £500 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 HDMI out 1 Sony UBP-X700 £185 Best Blu-ray player under £500, Awards 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, SACD, CD HDMI out 2 £500 and above Cambridge CXUHD £699 February 2018 One of the best 4K players available, this delivers an accurate and understated performance that’s one of the best we’ve seen and heard. Compatibility 4K Blu-ray, Blu-ray, DVD, SACD,…

View offers whf.cm/BBSetTopBoxes PVRs Humax FVP-5000T from £199 Best PVR, Awards 2018 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 2018 Sky has overhauled its TV package with Q and made it more enticing and versatile thanks to 4K support, but it does come 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 Reviewed online, 2018 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 £100 and above Apple TV 4K £179 Best video streamer, Awards 2018 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, 1080p, 720p Storage 8GB 4K Yes Games consoles Sony PS4 Pro £350 February 2017 The Pro offers a solid, relatively affordable upgrade over the base PS4, but still needs work to be an all-in-one 4K streamer and player. Resolution 2160p, 1080p, 1080i, 720p Storage 1TB…

The only products worth considering View offers whf.cm/BBHeadphones In-ears up to £100 Beyerdynamic Byron £39 Best in-ears under £50, Awards 2018 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 E11C £50 January 2019 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 £80.…