Innholdsfortegnelse for June 2022 i What Hi-Fi?

The variety and choice we all have – now well into the third decade of an utterly bewildering century – when it comes to methods of accessing our music is quite simply remarkable. The old formats of vinyl and compact disc are still very much part of the musical makeup of many consumers’ systems – as evidenced by our turntable special last month, and a forthcoming look at our favourite CD players (see our next issue, out on 25th May). Rather than throw the baby out with the bath water, then, it could well be best to add a streamer to the equipment you are already enjoying. There’s no need at all to restrict your options as far as music is concerned. In this issue, we look at hi-fi streamers…

View offers Standmount speakers | £899 | whf.cm/Concept30 At this point, Q Acoustics’ Concept speakers aren’t so much an abstract idea as a fully established and successful reality – a product line that has existed for close to a decade and barely put a foot wrong. The British brand’s first Concept model, the Concept 20 standmounters, arrived in 2013 as more ambitious designs than the entry-level efforts that had set the company in motion some years before. It would be far from the only Concept model to walk away from our test rooms with a five-star review (and a What Hi-Fi? Award, come to that). In fact, the only slight hiccup in the Concept lineage in our minds has been the more recent high-end Concept 300, which we considered a…

1 Mission 770 £3500 Over 40 years since its debut, this British classic is back in rejuvenated form. Every part of the new Mission 770 has been upgraded, from the drive units to the crossover to the cabinet. A new polypropylene driver is built onto a die-cast chassis with large rear ‘windows’ designed to reduce reflections, while the cone has also been made stiffer for improved bass response. The microfibre dome tweeter has been carefully matched, and the newly constructed cabinet echoes the original’s wood veneer and white laminated front baffle. whf.cm/Mission_770 2 Q Acoustics E120 wireless system £429 The E120 wireless system marks Q Acoustics’ debut in the custom install audio market and is designed to feed two or four in-ceiling or in-wall speakers (whether that be from the brand’s new…

The hi-res audio state of play has never looked so positive. It wasn’t that long ago that we could spell out several problems with high-resolution audio, from its unclear definition and lack of mainstream awareness to its expensive and inaccessible nature. Now, however, its definition is widely accepted to be ‘higher than CD quality’ (CD quality being tied to definitions of ‘lossless’), with it predominantly available in 24-bit form. The term ‘hi-res’ is now being bandied about by some of the biggest tech companies in the world. And music streaming services Apple Music and Amazon Music are offering playback of hundreds of thousands of albums in varying hi-res quality for the basic monthly fee, with the availability of hi-res no longer limited to the odd niche, higher-priced service or websites…

A comprehensive and well-connected service SPECS Cost Free, £10/mth, £11.99/mth (Premium) £17.99/mth (Family tier) Quality 128kbps, 320kbps, 16-bit Files MP3, FLAC Library size 56 million+ Platforms iOS and Android apps, desktop Windows and Mac apps, Sonos, Yamaha MusicCast, Bang & Olufsen speakers, MOON by Simaudio network audio system FOR Vast catalogue and device support; CD-quality HiFi tier; envelope-pushing 3D audio AGAINST No hi-res streaming; Spotify does discovery better; Tidal does hi-fi better Back in 2017, Deezer became the first music streaming service to celebrate its 10th birthday. As with any significant coming of age, the French company celebrated by making 2017 a year of big change. It rebranded its CD-quality tier, giving it a new name and price, and making it accessible on more apps and platforms. Fast forward to 2022, and…

View online review whf.cm/AudioQuestChicago We don’t mean to be antagonistic in saying that cables aren’t the most interesting hi-fi products out there, despite their quality being as important to a hi-fi system as they are necessary in the first place. But to its credit, AudioQuest has done its best to create a narrative around its cables, naming them after geographical elements – and we think the company’s inspiration behind choosing Chicago as a name and emerald as a colour for this budget interconnect is worth closer examination. The psychology of colour would tell you emerald green (and green in general, really) has positive connotations – growth, rebirth, nature etc – and that shines through the Chicago’s sonic character. It’s likeably punchy, full-bodied and smooth – good traits generally suited to the…

View online review whf.cm/AtlasElementAchromatic Atlas’s entry-level Element interconnect has long been a favourite of ours. It has gone through numerous iterations over the years and never failed to impress. This Achromatic version continues the fine tradition of its predecessors. The most obvious change over previous generations is in the RCA connector, which is now a low-mass, non-magnetic design that is solder-free and cold-welded to the conductor. Atlas feels that this type of air-tight connection is better at maintaining signal integrity than the more traditional soldering method of joining plug and conductor. The conductor material isn’t typical either, being OCC (Ohno Continuous Casting) copper that stands out for minimising the number of grain boundaries. The thinking goes that the fewer crystal boundaries that the music signal has to pass through, the purer…

DAC £4999 “The stereo imaging is wide and airy, laying the orchestra out in front of us with a pleasing sense of scale” Despite the hefty price tag, the M3 digital-to-analogue converter lands on the more affordable side of the Bricasti range. Reflecting the Massachusetts company’s work in the pro sector, this unit comes across more as a working tool than a statement of luxury. This is a real point of distinction from most rivals, which tend to put more emphasis on extravagant styling or flamboyant build. Bricasti hasn’t taken any shortcuts when it comes to construction and materials, though. The sturdy M3 DAC’s casework uses thick, precision-machined aluminium panels, right down to the bottom plate. A careful look around the product confirms that fit and finish are straight out…

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

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

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

View offers whf.cm/BBWirelessSpeakers Up to £100 Ultimate Ears Wonderboom 2 £90 Best portable wireless speaker under £100, Awards 2019 If you want a travelling companion you can rely on, this portable, rugged and durable speaker is a great-sounding option. Size (hw) 10.5 x 9.5cm Battery 13 hours Apple HomePod Mini £99 Best home wireless speaker under £100, Awards 2021 It’s much smaller and more affordable than expected, but the most surprising thing about the HomePod Mini is its superb sound. Size (hw) 4 x 14cm Battery No £100 to £250 JBL Flip 6 £1320 May 2022 Another resoundingly five-star product, with sonic upgrades in terms of clarity and breadth across the frequencies over its Award-winning forebear. Size (hwd) 17.8 x 6.8 x 7.2cm Battery 12 hours Sonos One SL £149…

View offers whf.cm/BBProjectors Up to £2000 Optoma UHD40 £1199 Best projector under £1500, Awards 2019 A ‘4K’ projector that brings top-tier technology to a budget price point, this device boasts punchy colours and insightful detail. Throw ratio 1.21:1-1.59:1 Inputs HDMI x2, VGA, 3.5mm Speakers Yes Epson EH-TW7100 £1599 Best projector under £2000, Awards 2021 The Epson EH-TW7100 stretches the limit of what can be considered a budget big screen device, but it more than justifies its price. Throw ratio 1.32-2.15:1 Inputs HDMI x2, USB 2.0 x2 Speakers Yes LG CineBeam HU80KSW £1967 December 2019 An all-in-one, do-it-all 4K portable projector that does its thing with aplomb. You can have the CineBeam up and running in a matter of minutes. Throw ratio 1.3:1 Inputs HDMI x2 Speakers Yes £1000 and above…

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

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

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

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

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

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

A documentary can be many things: educational, thought-provoking, enlightening on the human condition, even scary. Here we bring you a selection of the What Hi-Fi? team’s varied favourites which are, above all else, hugely entertaining. THE DEFIANT ONES Charting the partnership between Interscope Records co-founder Jimmy Iovine and rapper/record producer Dr. Dre. These two masters of music are utterly driven to be successful, yet both make for interesting, articulate interviewees who come over as modest and self-aware. They also have enough crazy tales to have filled many, many documentaries. THE TINDER SWINDLER A true story as told by the victims of a dating app scam. ‘Diamond dealer’ Simon Leviev’s story is so water-tight, expertly honed and aided by a dedicated cast of cohorts that even the most experienced and cynical of…

Low impedance, so they sound great even when connected to low-power outputs such as mobile devices Soft memory-foam earpads to keep you comfortable during the longest listening sessions Foldable construction for easy storage – uncommon in this price range Exceptionally high quality-to-price ratio TO SUBSCRIBE GO TO: www.magazinesdirect.com/whi/A33X or call 0330 333 1113 and quote A33X SUBSCRIBE TO WHAT HI-FI? Our subscription offers deliver 13 issues of What Hi-Fi? a year to you, giving you big savings on the cover price! Get our digital-only offer and save up to 44 per cent on the normal price ANNUAL PRINT EDITION 13 issues of What Hi-Fi? print over 12 months and save 27% £48.99 a year ANNUAL PRINT + DIGITAL EDITION 13 issues of What Hi-Fi? over 12 months in print and digital,…

Streaming services have transformed the way we consume music, and even audiophiles with a stubborn fondness for physical formats have to admit that it’s hard to fully resist the allure of online platforms when it comes to getting your music fix. With the entire history of music collapsed into the modern streaming era and access to tens of millions of tracks at the tap of a touchscreen, it has never been easier to hunt down old favourites or discover brand new bands and artists. There is a wide range of streaming services to choose from, offering unlimited access to vast catalogues of music, which can be streamed over a home or mobile network or downloaded directly to your device for offline listening. So how much can you expect to pay?…

For those for whom space is at a premium, or who just want the simplest way to enjoy quality streamed music, a streaming system could be the answer. Such products combine the separate roles of a music streamer and an amplifier into a single, do-it-all unit, typically controlled by means of a smartphone- or tablet-operated app. All today’s music lover need do is add a pair of passive speakers and a network connection (via ethernet or wi-fi) to these neat little boxes to enjoy all the music listening they could ever need. In tandem with the surge in popularity of streaming services and quality of digital music streams in the last few years, streaming systems have also taken great strides forward in terms of quality and functionality. Compatibility, too, has…

View online review whf.cm/WireworldLuna8 It’s a good job for Wireworld that the Victorian attitude towards children – that they should be seen and not heard – doesn’t apply to interconnects today. Going solely on looks, you wouldn’t pick the Luna 8 out of a lineup that also comprises, say, the QED Reference Audio 40 or AudioQuest Chicago (see left) competitors at this price. But what it lacks in the aesthetics department it makes up for in its performance – which, considering interconnects are generally tucked away out of sight, is a somewhat skewed balance that no other product type could get away with quite as easily. The Luna 8 continues Wireworld’s long-standing, near-entry-level interconnect series, following directly on from the Luna 7 that we called “a great option at the money”…

View offers whf.cm/BBDACs Up to £300 Zorloo Ztella $99 August 2020 (issue 437) If you want to improve your smartphone sound, but don’t want a USB stick hanging off the end of it, this is a bit of a no brainer. Online only for now. Size 11cm long Resolution PCM (up to 384kHz), DSD (up to 5.6MHz), MQA Cyrus soundKey £99 Best DAC under £100, Awards 2020 An affordable, compact DAC that turns mobile listening into an authentic high-fidelity experience. iOS users may find connectivity a little inelegant. Size 2 x 5 x 1cm Resolution 24-bit/96kHz iFi Zen DAC V2 £159 Best DAC under £200, Awards 2021 A good jump in quality over the Award-winning original, to keep features and performance best in class – and for not much extra…

View offers whf.cm/BBInternetRadios View offers whf.cm/BBDABRadios Up to £200 Roberts Revival Petite £99 March 2022 Anyone yet to invite the joys of the original wireless into their lives will find this device a compelling gateway product. It’s also a decent Bluetooth speaker. Battery Yes Size (hwd) 8 x 12.5 x 7.5cm Inputs 3.5mm, Bluetooth Roberts Stream 94i £189 Best radio under £200, Awards 2021 Sets the bar even higher than its predecessor, adding Bluetooth without compromising its sound and offering plenty of features. Battery Optional Size (hwd) 26 x 17 x 13cm Inputs 3.5mm, USB, BT, wi-fi £200 and above Tivoli Model One Digital Generation 2 £299 Best radio over £200, Awards 2021 We really enjoy Tivoli’s winning little box of tricks. Old-school radio feels and modern AirPlay 2 and…

View offers whf.cm/BBHifiSystems Up to £500 Pro-Ject Juke Box E £369 Best turntable system, Awards 2019 An impressive all-in-one system with a level of functionality that’s difficult to replicate in individual separates for a similar price. Speed 33⅓, 45rpm Inputs Line-in, BT Outputs Line-out Denon D-M41DAB £329 Best microsystem, Awards 2021 Denon hasn’t rested on its laurels. It’s managed to better the M40, delivering improved sound and functionality. The best just got better. Inputs CD, line-in, optical x2, BT, DAB/FM Outputs Subwoofer £500 to £1000 KEF LSX £999 Best all-in-one system under £1000, Awards 2021 KEF has shrunk its excellent LS50 Wirelesses to create a wonderfully insightful and flexible pair of speakers with a neat, colourful design. Inputs 3.5mm, optical, BT, AirPlay 2, wi-fi Outputs Subwoofer Marantz PM7000N £999 Best…

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

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

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

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

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

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

A music service for fans of music video SPECS Cost Free, £9.99/mth, £14.99/mth (Family), £4.99 (Student) Quality 256kbps Library size 40 million+ Files AAC Platforms iOS and Android apps FOR Brilliant search feature; adds YouTube’s music videos; lots of live recordings AGAINST Underwhelming music discovery; audio lacks real detail; streams too compressed; catalogue needs improving The service rather underwhelmed us at launch, but YouTube Music is now starting to look as if it is ready for the challenge. The user interface is solid, and the search function is terrific, turning up long-lost musical gems through its video vaults. The problem is that the competition’s quality remains an issue: Spotify and Apple Music are the mass market titans to tackle, and both already offer five-star services. There are a few good reasons to…

View online review whf.cm/LS50WirelessII And now for something a little different. The KEF LS50 Wireless II is an all-in-one speaker system with streaming smarts and built-in amplification which requires no other boxes than the two familiar KEF LS50 stereo speakers you see here. The LS50 Wireless launched in 2016 as an active speaker system take on KEF’s legendary passive LS50 speakers – a pair of wireless stereo speakers packed with built-in amplification and streaming smarts – and their impressive execution of this appealing concept earned them a five-star review and a What Hi-Fi? Award. They weren’t perfect: they came with some control app hiccups; and the need for a cable to connect the two speakers was a small blip in an otherwise neat package. But not only are the new…

View online review whf.cm/KimberTonik The Tonik sits on the first rung of Kimber’s analogue interconnects ladder; but that doesn’t stop it from showcasing many of the company’s trademark design touches. The most obvious of these is the use of braided conductors. This is a type of conductor construction that is especially good at rejecting electrical noise and interference. You will also find that the conductors differ in terms of thickness, something that is claimed to cover the frequency range better than just a single size would. There are three conductors in the Tonik, all made of high-purity copper and coated in a polyethylene dielectric. “IF YOU FEEL YOUR SYSTEM’S PRESENTATION COULD DO WITH AN INJECTION OF ENERGY, THIS IS CERTAINLY A GOOD OPTION” The Tonik also comes with a choice of…

Integrated amplifier £4700 Back in the early ’90s, Rotel was best known as a producer of excellent value, affordable hi-fi. Its budget amplifiers, CD players and turntables were usually considered front runners, and rightly so. So the introduction of the high-end Michi sub-brand at that time was somewhat of a surprise, and an extremely pleasant one at that, considering the exquisite build quality and remarkable sonic talents of that original range. The reviews were raves and a hi-fi legend was born; but, remarkably, those fine products didn’t go on to develop into a Rotel mainstay range. It wasn’t long before many of the engineering ideas from those Michi products found their way into Rotel’s more mainstream offerings, to a point where the company didn’t feel the need to keep this…

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

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

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

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

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

View offers whf.cm/BBTelevisions Up to 43in Samsung UE43AU7100 £449 Best 40-43in TV, Awards 2021 Samsung’s miniature hero proves you don’t need a bottomless bank account or a cavernous room to enjoy great picture quality. Type LCD/LED HDMI 3 Resolution 4K ARC/eARC eARC 48in to 50in Hisense Roku R50A7200GTU £399 Best 48-50in TV under £1000, Awards 2021 With an excellent operating system and solid all-round performance, this is a complete package for a decent price. Type LCD/LED HDMI 3 Resolution 4K Tuner Freeview HD Sony KD-49XH9505 £1000 August 2020 (issue 437) Features a number of upgrades that make it a better TV than the Award-winner it replaces. This is an all-round cracker. Type LCD/LED HDMI 4 Resolution 4K Tuner Freeview HD/YouView Philips 48OLED806 £1199 Best 48-50in TV over £1000, Awards 2021…

Read more at… www.whathifi.com/advice What is DSD? How is it different from other music files and how can you listen to it? DSD and SACD DSD (Direct Stream Digital) was conceived as a way of archiving old analogue recordings, it was designed to be a simpler, more space efficient way of storing digital music data. How does DSD work? DSD uses a single bit of information that tells us is whether the current sample of the analogue waveform is higher or lower than before. Compared with over 65,000 different values 16-bit PCM has, the two values (0 if the new sample of the signal is lower, 1 if it’s higher) of DSD appear limiting. That resolution shortfall is made up by the very high sampling rate of over 2.8 million…

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

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

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

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