Innholdsfortegnelse for November 2019 i What Hi-Fi?

It has been more than a year since we were first introduced to Fyne Audio, but we remain impressed by this British speaker manufacturer’s output. Few have scored fours and fives this consistently since Ann Widdecombe was on Strictly Come Dancing, and the latest pair of Fyne Audio speakers to pass through our test rooms, the F500 standmounters, do not let the family down. In many ways, the F500s look familiar. In effect, they are truncated versions of the first Fyne Audio speakers we tested, the F501 towers, which were named our favourite floorstanders below £1500 at the 2018 What Hi-Fi? Awards. Scaled down Fyne Audio has deleted the second woofer from those F501 towers to fit these bookshelf dimensions, but it retains the driver technology it integrated so well…

TELEVISION Sony KD-65XF9005 £1500 BLU-RAY PLAYER Sony UBP-X700 £185 AV AMPLIFIER Sony STR-DN1080 £397 SPEAKER PACKAGE Q Acoustics 3010i 5.1 £790 SYSTEM TOTAL £2872 When we first tested Sony’s mid-range 65in set less than a year ago, it would have set you back £2300. And, at that price, it comfortably won a five-star review and, far more importantly, went on to take a What Hi-Fi? Award. That you can now pick up this beast of a television for £1500 is serious cause for, if not celebration perhaps, at least a double take – and with it, consideration. As we said in our review, this is a television that combines some of the best features of the top end with a price that’s affordable to more people. Well, those top-end features…

TELEVISION Panasonic TX-50GX800B £699 SOURCE Apple TV 4K £179 SOUNDBAR Q Acoustics M2 £169 SYSTEM TOTAL £1047 When we first put this system together we had to redo the sums a few times. We couldn’t quite believe that a system so accomplished, and so well equipped for the 21st century living room could come in at just over £1000. This set-up is, simply, remarkable value for money. Let’s start with the 50in television. We first reviewed the Panasonic TX-50GX800B in July. And already we are seeing it available to buy at £100 less than the original £799. It is the first TV we’ve tested that supports both of the two competing dynamic metadata-based HDR formats, Dolby Vision and HDR10+. But is the GX800 all it’s cracked up to be? Broadly…

TELEVISION LG OLED65C9PLA £2999 SOURCE Sky Q £varies BLU-RAY PLAYER Sony UBP-X1100ES £749 SOUNDBAR Sennheiser Ambeo Soundbar £2199 SYSTEM TOTAL £5947, plus Sky Q Now this is a soundbar system; a simply stunning television with the best soundbar we’ve heard, both fed by some of the best 4K content you could hope to find. As was the case last year, the C-class OLED gets you all of LG’s most advanced picture and processing tech in the most affordable package. Which is an excellent reason for choosing it. There is a cheaper 2019 LG OLED, the B9, but it has a less sophisticated processor and doesn’t have the new AI features. You can go more expensive, too, with the E9, W9 or R9, but while each offers a different design and…

When you make the leap from a budget 4K Blu-ray player to a more premium model, a couple of things tend to happen: build quality normally goes up a notch, as does the level of engineering inside the player. The hope is that the improvements and upgrades will help achieve the desired jump in performance. On many of these fronts, the Sony UBP-X1100ES delivers, although our first meeting with the player leaves us feeling a little disappointed. The player feels substantial and weighty, but it doesn’t particularly look like £750 worth of kit. Anything audio or video covered When it comes to features, though, there are plenty on the Sony’s menu. The UBP-X1100ES is a proper universal disc player, so its compatibility extends all the way to SACD and DVD-Audio…

Making its way from film sets and post-production suites all the way into living rooms, Dolby’s Atmos technology has become one of the most important and impressive home cinema technologies. Over the past few years, Dolby Atmos has firmly transitioned from the ‘future of home cinema audio’ to very much the here and now. The good news is you can now have the Atmos experience at home, either through an Atmos-enabled AV receiver and speaker package, or through an Atmos soundbar. But what exactly is Dolby Atmos? And what do you need to get involved? Let us explain… What is Dolby Atmos? A surround sound technology developed in 2012, Atmos expands upon the current 5.1 and 7.1 surround-sound set-ups with surround channels coming from overhead. Speakers have been placed along…

The majority of Q Acoustics’ 3010i 5.1 Cinema Pack is made up of two pairs of the company’s five-star 3010i standmounts. The centre speaker features the same 10cm mid/bass driver as the 3010i, while the unit in the 150W active subwoofer – the slimmest sub the company has made – is larger at 20cm. If you can extend your budget, the front 3010i pair could be swapped out for two 3050is floorstanders, bringing the cost to £1345. For those wanting Dolby Atmos and DTS:X set-ups, you could buy Q Acoustics’ matching installation speakers (£159 each, plus installation costs) – though this option isn’t reviewed here. A huge amount of fun With the five speakers and the sub, the package provides a convincing surround sound presentation that, like its predecessor, is…

We sit down with Martin Scorcese’s boxing opera Raging Bull. From the off, this package feels like a knockout. Intermezzo from Mascagni’s Cavalleria Rusticana pours through the front speakers. The orchestral strings soar through the room, making the hairs on the backs of our necks stand up. Remastered or not, this is not an easy score to do well – but this package gets it right. As the action switches to LaMotta’s fight with Jimmy Reeves, the full suite of speakers kicks in. Punches thump on contact or swing and miss with threatening weight. The soundstage of the front three is polished and flawlessly joined up. The calls from the crowd come from all around as the boxers turn. There’s no doubt we’re standing in the ring amongst it all,…

From 65in 4K TVs to turntables, and from portable Bluetooth speakers to Dolby Atmos surround sound packages, here’s where you’ll find the perfect hi-fi and AV product, fast. NEW ENTRIES THIS MONTH Some cracking new kit comes into the Buyer’s Guide this month, including Bowers and Wilkins’ amazing Formation Wedge wireless speaker, a 55in OLED television from Panasonic that hits all the right HDR buttons, and a fine 4K Blu-ray player from Sony. WHAT IS 8K? Everything you need to know, and some things that are simply interesting, about the latest TV technology: 8K. Turn to p110. AMAZON PRIME TIPS Amazon Prime is one of the big hitters of the video-streaming world – and getting bigger day by day. It’s worth picking up some navigational tips and tricks; so we…

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…

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…

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…

Read more at… www.whathifi.com/advice Whether you’re a Prime professional or just thinking of signing up, you’ll want to get the most out of the service. Here are a few tips and tricks on how to do exactly that. 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…

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

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…

JBL has had a spring clean of its audio range – and that’s good news for those who value sound quality. It cleaned up the sound of its big Bluetooth speaker with the excellent JBL Xtreme 2, and has now done the same for the Charge range. Looking at the JBL Charge 4, you might not guess it, but this is now one of the sweetest-sounding sub-£200 Bluetooth speakers around. It looks similar to the Charge 3 – a mid-size portable speaker with styling similar to Ultimate Ears’ Boom range. But unlike the Boom 3, this speaker sits on its side. Whereas Ultimate Ears has simplified its designs, JBL has kept the Charge 4’s chunky passive radiator at each end. The good news is that it doesn’t matter. These aren’t…

Pro-Ject has been a dominant force in the record-player market for decades, and over that time it has usually partnered with Ortofon cartridges to complete the package. So the arrival of its own-brand cartridges comes as less of a surprise and more a case of wondering what took the company so long. The DS2 moving-coil cartridge is built by Ortofon – and loosely based on its Quintet series – but it is notably different, being specified and voiced by Pro-Ject. The most obvious difference is the body. Rather than the ABS/aluminium of the Quintet, the DS2’s housing is made from polyamide (a synthetic polymer) and shaped by laser. The idea is to create a low-resonance base for the internal coil/magnet assembly to work from, so helping performance. A threaded metal…

The Echo Show 5 is the latest in a long line of Amazon products intended to get us all invested in its virtual assistant, Alexa. This voice-activated software will listen to your commands and (most of the time) come up with appropriate responses to get the job done. That job might be reading the weather forecast, turning the lights off and the heating down in the front room, finding a recipe and reading out step-by-step instructions, playing music from your personal playlists on Spotify or Amazon Music and, of course, much more. The technology has been around for a few years and the abilities of the magical assistant inside your wireless devices are getting more impressive. Likewise, Alexa is more likely to understand precisely what it is that you are…

HDMI ARC (Audio Return Channel) is a clever protocol that sits within the HDMI standard and, in theory, it can help simplify a complicated AV set-up and reduce the number of cables you need. But what’s the point of it? Should you be concerned about the emergence of eARC? Read on for all the info you need… What are HDMI and HDMI ARC? HDMI (High-Definition Multimedia Interface) was launched way back in 2002, and the first consumer kit to feature this high-tech connector hit the shops in 2004. It was initially billed as a convenient way to send high-quality digital picture and sound data ‘upstream’ from a source to a TV, amplifier or soundbar. As HDMI has become the de facto AV connection, traditional analogue sockets, such as SCART and…

PROJECTOR Epson EH-TW7400 £1799 4K BLU-RAY PLAYER Sony UBP-X700 £185 AV AMPLIFIER Denon AVR-X3600H £999 SPEAKER PACKAGE Monitor Audio Silver 200 AV12 £2865 SYSTEM TOTAL £5848 While ginormo-screened televisions are no longer the preserve of millionaire footballers and hedgefund managers, they are still of (relatively) limited size. For the true 100-inch-plus home cinema experience, there’s still nothing to beat a decent projector. And, happily, a fine example of a 4K and HDR supporting projector can now be yours for the same price as a decent large-screen TV. The Epson EH-TW7400 is a terrific example, and takes on the picture-providing duties in our second full home cinema system. Epson may have declared its latest projector a 4K supporter with its ‘PRO-UHD’ labelling but, on the spectrum between ‘definitely 4K’ and ‘definitely…

TELEVISION Samsung QE49Q70R £1099 SOUNDBAR Sonos Beam £399 SYSTEM TOTAL £1498 You can’t really get a more simple home cinema system than this – it comprises just a TV and a soundbar. But this system is also remarkably effective at drawing you in to the home cinema experience – especially for those with a room that errs towards the diminutive. The trend for television screen sizes over the past few years has been rising ever larger – to the extent that we at What Hi-Fi? sometimes struggle to find any ‘smaller’ sets to review. The very fact that we’re entertaining a 49in TV as a relatively small screen speaks for that fact. This screen acreage would have been considered positively outré a decade or so ago. No longer. That’s got…

Nobody buys discs any more, do they? Wrong, actually. True, the emergence and growth of streaming services has meant the end of the days when every home had a small black or silver box beneath their TV, and a bookcase full of once-watched movies gathering dust. Instead, what was once commonplace has become the preserve of the connoisseur. That’s because physical media, and in this case we’re talking about 4K Blu-ray, remain the only way to ensure optimum picture performance. It’s your only route to ensuring a stable and full Ultra HD picture – streaming services and live broadcasts can’t offer you that certainty – not to mention the freedom to watch whatever you might like, whenever you like. Over the following four pages, we’re allowing a quartet of our…

The build quality of the DB-UP9000 is best described as bomb-proof. It feels as if no expense has been spared on the UB9000’s design, whether it’s the chunky aluminium body or the components found inside. This makes Panasonic’s previous flagship player, the DMP-UB900 (£600) and even our reference Cambridge Audio CXUHD (£700), look and feel a little budget in comparison. Where the UB900 had one power supply which fed both its digital and audio sections, the UB9000’s audio circuit gets its own dedicated power supply to help maximise sound quality. There’s even a special circuit board for the player’s analogue output. At the heart of the DP-UB9000 is its second-generation HCX (Hollywood Cinema Experience) picture processing engine. Part of this package is the new HDR Optimiser, which Panasonic claims to…

The Dali Zensor 1 5.1 package is our reigning champion. Not only has it won Awards in the £700-£1500 arena, it has also been our speaker package Product of the Year for two years in a row. This package has two pairs of Award-winning Dali Zensor 1 standmount speakers. With them are the Zensor Vokal centre and the E-9F subwoofer. And this is arguably the most stunningly entertaining sound this money can buy. Excitement – and calm It’s a fluid, dynamic performance that soars with excitement before easily dropping right down for a bit of hush-hush. We put on a Blu-ray of Whiplash to watch JK Simmons torment a drumming Miles Teller. The Dalis have no problem shifting up from Teller’s tearful sniffing to Simmons’ seething barks. It’s 0-60 in…

This package is essentially the same as the 3010i, only with a pair of Q Acoustics’ brilliant floorstanders swapped in for the front channels. The centre speaker features the same 20mm soft-dome tweeter 10cm mid/bass driver as the 3010i, while the unit in the 150W active subwoofer – the slimmest sub the company has made – is, unsurprisingly, the largest of the set at 20cm. The sub can be tucked away on the floor, ideally close to the front speakers for optimum integration. Q Acoustics also offers matching Dolby Atmos and DTS:X installation speakers (£159 each, plus installation costs) – though this option isn’t reviewed here. Energy and exuberance We’d defy anybody not to enjoy an evening spent with this speaker package. Their energy and exuberance is infectious, without being…

Read more at… www.whathifi.com/features Turntables might not be cutting-edge tech, but for their look and feel – not to mention thrillingly articulate analogue sound – you can’t beat them. The only thing your record collection lacks is portability, but there is a way to take those LPs with you wherever you go… 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…

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 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 communicative than your average budget wireless speaker” Audio Pro Addon T3 £149 Best portable wireless speaker £100-£250, Awards 2017…

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 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 Sony VPL-VW260ES £4799 June 2018 This projector brings Sony’s 4K expertise to a more affordable price point with an excellent performance that’s both sharp and colourful. Throw ratio 1.38-2.83:1 Inputs HDMI x2, ethernet, USB Speakers No…

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 “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 with excitement before dropping…

Read more at… www.whathifi.com/advice As ever in consumer electronics, there is always something new on the horizon and that new thing is 8K. So here’s what we know about the latest format to trouble the TV market. 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?…

View offers whf.cm/BBPhonoAmps Up to £200 Edwards Audio Apprentice MM £90 Best phono stage under £250, Awards 2017 A fine entry-level phono stage that will deliver a crisp and exciting sound from any good price-compatible moving magnet cartridge. Type MM Dimensions (hwd) 5 x 16 x 11cm Graham Slee Gram Amp 2 Communicator £180 July 2018 A gem of a phono amplifier that has stood the test of time. It offers class-leading levels of detail, brilliant timing and a sweet sound. Type MM Dimensions (hwd) 5 x 12 x 19cm Rega Fono MM MK3 £199 Best phono stage under £250, Awards 2018 Rega has managed to take a near-perfect product and squeeze more improvements from it. It’s a class-leading performer. Type MM Dimensions (hwd) 5 x 18 x 14cm Musical…

View offers whf.cm/BBSpeakerStands Speaker stands “The Mosecos may just be our new favourite affordable speaker stands” Atacama Moseco 6 £120 Best speaker stand, Awards 2018 A speaker stand that impresses with how weighty and dynamic it allows systems to sound. Considering the price, it’s something of a steal. Height 60cm Fillable Yes Finishes 4 (pole), 3 (base panel) “£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’ Concept 20 speakers in mind, the clever construction and elegant design ensures other speakers give their best too. Height 66.5cm Fillable No Finishes 2…

FIRST TESTS EXCLUSIVE, IN-DEPTH VERDICTS ON THE LATEST KIT To say that B&W’s Formation Wedge is simply a much-needed update of the company’s highly successful Zeppelin is to do it a disservice. It is, however, a roughly elliptical, multi-driver wireless speaker featuring reworked versions of the amplifiers used in the Zeppelin. With that pedigree, it has the potential to be as popular as its older sibling, but wireless audio has come a long way since the Zeppelin made its debut in 2011 – a time when the premium wire-free speaker market was in its infancy. The Formation series is a collection of complementary wireless speakers within B&W’s range, each able to work in a multi-room context with one or more others, such as the excellent B&W Formation Duo active stereo…

In recent years, Denon has followed a pattern of minor tweaks to its line-up of AV receivers every year or two, adding relevant technologies and conducting a little sonic fine-tuning. ometimes the differences between generations can appear minor. But that’s not the case with the AVR-X3600H. The changes to this unit amount to more than a new model number on the same chassis: there are now four extra channels at your disposal, up from seven to 11. Those are driven by nine power amplifiers, giving the AVR-X3600H a claimed 180W of power per channel. In practice, that means you can set this new Denon up in a 5.2.4 or 7.2.2 Dolby Atmos configuration, or add an extra twochannel amp to make use of the processing power with a 7.2.4 set-up.…

These are tough times for TV manufacturers that aren’t LG. This is the age of OLED and, while almost every company sells OLED TVs, LG makes the panels for them all. So, how do you produce an OLED TV to rival those from the company that makes the OLED tech? But the panel is only one part of the equation. Picture processing plays a huge part in the overall performance, while there are also aesthetics and audio quality, not to mention the price, to consider. These are all areas upon which a manufacturer can sprinkle its own magic, and Panasonic has done just that with the GZ950, here in 55in form. It may not be flashy, but by offering a natural picture performance and great sound at a lower price…

1 Denon PMA-600NE £349 Denon has launched two new products in its 600 Series, this integrated amplifier and a CD player (the DCD-600NE). The PMA-600NE uses Denon’s Advanced High Current (AHC) power amplification technology and also sports an Analogue Mode that disables the digital inputs and Bluetooth (and thereby the interference they can cause), so the unit can work as a purely analogue amplifier. whf.cm/600Series 2 Bose Portable Home Speaker £329 In keeping with the company’s recent products, the Bose Portable Home Speaker sticks with a does-what-it-says-on-the-tin approach to naming. It’s portable, with a 12-hour battery life and a 360-degree sound. Spotify Connect, Bluetooth, AirPlay 2 and both Amazon Alexa and Google Assistant complete the rather impressive spec sheet. whf.cm/BoseHomeSpeaker 3 Marantz NR1200 £599 A 75W-per-channel stereo network receiver with…

There hasn’t been a better time to enjoy a top-notch home cinema. The advent of 4K content, viewed via a physical disc or the magic of streaming, means the video experience you can enjoy at home really can be on a par with going to the cinema. With that amazing picture, though, it’s clear that you really need superb sound to complete the proper cinema experience. Over the next 14 pages, we suggest a number of ways you could achieve that magical combination of excellent pictures and sound to create a wonderful home cinema to suit you. That may be a full-on £12,000 system with AV amplifier and surround speaker package, or it might be simply a great TV with a source for some extra content and a soundbar to…

PROJECTOR Sony VPL-VW270ES £5000 4K BLU-RAY PLAYER Pioneer UDP-LX500 £899 AV AMPLIFIER Denon AVC-X6500H £1739 SPEAKER PACKAGE ATC C1 5.1 £3595 SYSTEM TOTAL £11,233 As you will no doubt have concluded from its not-inconsiderable cost, this is a serious home cinema system. Which doesn’t mean, of course, that you can’t go far more expensive than this – Sony’s top-of-the-line projector would set you back 25 grand on its own, for example. No, this system is a bit more ‘real world’ even if still at the premium end of the market. As with any system, you’ll need to take care with set-up to get the best results. We kick things off with Sony’s native 4K VPL-VW270ES projector. Though you can get ‘4K’ projectors for less money, none does the resolution quite…

TELEVISION Sony KD-65XG9505 £1799 SOURCE Xbox One X £350 SOUNDBAR Sony HT-ST5000 £1200 SYSTEM TOTAL £3349 This third soundbar system takes a (very) large-screen television and pairs it with a 4K games console to help provide the most 4K content available. As well as being a top gaming machine, the Xbox will also do a superb job with Blu-ray discs. And it will supply a Dolby Atmos signal, too, to the fine Sony soundbar. An ideal all-round system, then. Such is the competitiveness of the TV market, the Sony KD-65XG9505, which has been available for barely three months, has already dropped from £2199 to £1799. This is Sony’s top 2019 model below its Master Series ZG9 8K LCD and AG9 OLED, and it’s intended to bring the Master Series’ authentic…

From the outside the CXUHD looks a lot like Cambridge’s older CXU player, but the company has redesigned the circuitry and removed the audio DACs, with the aim of improving performance. That does mean that there aren’t any analogue audio outputs, which may be an issue for some people — those with older AV amplifiers, for example. The CXUHD supports all popular hi-res file formats from your NAS drive or server, up to a 7.1 channel, 192kHz resolution. Support for Dolby Vision – Dolby’s form of Dynamic HDR – means this Ultra HD player can optimise the picture on a frame-by-frame basis. Setting up the CXUHD is straightforward. The remote, unchanged from the CXU, feels nice to hold and the buttons are pleasingly tactile. There’s a backlight button for use…

When making the leap from budget to premium 4K Blu-ray player, you should expect the build quality to go up a notch and the Pioneer UDP-LX500 doesn’t disappoint. It’s stable and sturdy, and designed to help reduce unwanted vibrations and outside interference. The UDP-LX500 comes with a streamlined rectangular remote, which will be familiar to anyone who has previously owned a Pioneer player or AV receiver. The presence of a backlight is a bonus in darkened rooms and there are quick buttons to all relevant features such as picture and audio settings, HDR and picture resolution. It is definitely worth setting the Pioneer up for the display you’re using. You are given the option of LCD TV, OLED TV or projector. It’s straightforward and ensures the player is outputting the…

It’s easy to baulk at the thought of introducing a full 5.1 surround sound package in your home when you have limited space – but, here, Wharfedale has just the solution. A follow up to the excellent DX-1HCP and DX-1SE speaker packages, the Wharfedale DX-2 is a tiny and extremely capable 5.1 surround speaker package. Standing just 19cm tall – they’re roughly the same dimensions as the Sonos One – the four satellite speakers are small enough to fit almost anywhere. Big sound for their size Speakers this size shouldn’t be able to handle Hans Zimmer’s epic score for Inception, but this package delivers a respectable scale of sound – far larger and with more heft than its diminutive stature would suggest. It sounds punchy, detailed and surprisingly expansive. It…

As a package, the F302 AV is made more enticing by being so easily accommodated – but don’t assume that has come at the price of sound quality. While this package doesn’t quite manage to get the full five stars, that’s more to do with the strength of its opposition than anything else. This is still an engaging listen for the money. When we first heard the 302s, we praised a presentation that avoids the pitfalls of many entry-level floorstanders, which sacrifice texture, spaciousness and timing for a bass-heavy performance – and it’s pleasing to hear Fyne’s attention again being paid to sophistication ahead of sensationalism. A fleet-footed sound As a whole, the package is as swift and agile as its illustrious front channels, wrapping us in a tonally balanced…

The B5 AV system comprises the Bronze Centre, two Bronze FX surround speakers, Bronze W10 subwoofer and a pair of Bronze 5 floorstanding speakers for front channels. The technology upgrade centres on new C-CAM drivers (made of Ceramic-Coated Aluminium/Magnesium, a material originally developed for jet engine components). For the midrange and bass drivers, the stiffness and damping quality of that dished cone aids control and reduction in break-up. The drivers are also an inch smaller in diameter than previous models, helping reduce the speaker’s overall footprint. Superbly organised sound We play Taxi Driver on Blu-ray and are immediately struck by the film’s jazz accompaniment. Instruments are brilliantly organised and offered a generous amount of space in which to breathe, but most of all they are expressive and terrifically rhythmic. This…

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 33?, 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…

The only products worth considering View offers whf.cm/BBBlurayPlayers Up to £500 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 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, CD HDMI in/out ½ £500 and above Sony UBP-X1000ES £725 Reviewed online, 2017 A superb premium 4K player with an impressive picture, great sound and a decent array of streaming services. No Dolby Vision, though. Compatibility 4K Blu-ray, Blu-ray, DVD, SACD, CD HDMI…

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…

View offers whf.cm/BBHeadphones The only products worth considering 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…

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 offerswhf.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 x…