Active speakers – speakers with built-in amplification directly powering the drive units – have become more and more popular these days. Their space-saving form negates the need for separate boxes for amplifiers and trailing cables, reducing clutter and making for neater systems.

Most active speakers these days also come with built-in DAC and digital inputs, sometimes a phono stage, and more often than not hi-res network streaming or at least Bluetooth included for ultimate all-in-one convenience. Acoustic Energy bucks this trend by keeping its new AE Active speakers purely analogue.

This new model builds on the five-star, Award-winning AE1 Active speakers we tested back in 2018 and have highly recommended since, and features updated acoustic technology and refined design for a new generation.

Build & design

The Acoustic Energy AE Active are a fully active two-way design, with 50W of Class A/B amplification powering each drive unit. That’s a total power output of 200W, with the amplifiers being refined in this new generation to improve dynamic capability. Each speaker has its own mains plug for power, with the revised amps fed by high-quality linear power supplies to ensure a consistent, low-noise performance throughout the frequency range.

The 40-year-old Acoustic Energy brand continues its tradition of using metal drivers in its new active speakers. The 27mm aluminium dome tweeter has a new rear chamber for reducing distortion at certain frequencies in the crossover region, and is combined with a dedicated waveguide to deliver a wide soundstage.

These speakers use the same 12.5cm mid/bass driver that was developed for the recent AE1 40th Anniversary passive speakers. This is a “pure-piston” ceramic/aluminium cone that is low in mass but very stiff, and has been engineered to minimise cone flex and distortion.

The analogue filters have been improved to minimise any phase disturbances. There is a rear-facing bass slot port that has also been updated, while internally the cabinet has had extensive bracing and internal damping panels to further improve performance.

The cabinets themselves have been subtly refined, with a neater trim around the drivers that overall looks rather smart and subtly elegant. The speakers are available in three finishes: high gloss black or white, and a new natural walnut wood veneer. Our sample’s wood veneer finish feels lovely to the touch, with a smooth texture and high quality finish throughout.

The standmounts have a fairly compact footprint and look most at home on dedicated speaker stands, although they could be placed on a large, sturdy desk if you are using them as nearfield monitors. You’ll just need to make sure both speakers are within reach of a mains power socket.

Features

The AE Active speakers eschew any digital or streaming elements entirely. Acoustic Energy says it experimented with modern features such as wireless streaming, switch mode power supplies, Class D amplification and DSP, but ultimately didn’t want to compromise the pure audio performance. The AE Active have a fully analogue signal path that avoids any digital processing entirely in the quest to preserve the original audio file’s integrity.

As such, you get two analogue inputs: a pair of balanced XLR inputs and a pair of stereo RCA inputs.

On one hand, this purist approach is commendable, but it’s a little old-fashioned and won’t appeal to everyone, particularly those looking for an easy solution. There’s a reason most active speakers these days – such as the KEF Coda W, Fyne Cubitt 5 and Cambridge Audio L/R S – come with Bluetooth and a variety of digital inputs to work with modern sources including TVs and laptops.

On the other hand, this pared-down approach does keep the Acoustic Energy rather flexible and future-proof. The speakers have integrated volume control, which means you can directly plug in a source such as a CD player or hi-res music streamer. You can also plug in a preamp or an external DAC to widen the connectivity, and it allows for a potential upgrade path down the line.

On the back panel on both units, you’ll find bass and treble controls to fine-tune the sound to the room they’re in, especially if dealing with less-than-ideal placements. One new feature is the auto on/off switch that lets you choose between leaving the speakers on permanently or activating standby mode after 15 minutes of inactivity.

That the active speakers come with built-in volume control is great news – this means they don’t require a separate preamp with volume control to function, such as the more premium ATC SCM20ASL active speakers do.

The only real complaint we have is with the placement and design of the volume controls. The dials are placed on the speakers’ back panel – this might be fine if the speakers are within reach on a desk, but it’s not practical if they’re on stands and you’re on your sofa. No, there is no remote control included here.

The bigger issue is that there are independent volume controls for each unit, with no clear markings on the dials. This means there is more chance of the volume not being perfectly level and balanced between the units, as you have to set them individually. We would much prefer it if there was one volume control that controlled both speakers’ levels.

A preamp or source with volume control comes in handy here, such as the Naim Uniti Atom Headphone Edition music streamer we used throughout testing, so you can take the guesswork out of it.

Sound

Placed on stands and with the Naim Uniti Atom HE streamer playing a variety of radio, WAV and hi-res FLAC songs, the AE Active don’t take long to show their talents.

The control they have over every note is astounding at this level. The piano notes in Alicia Keys’ Fallin’ sound tremendously composed and land with solidity and confidence. Each note starts and stops with unerring punctuality, with the rhythm of every song we play being marshalled with a kind of military precision that is hugely impressive.

The amount and quality of bass coming from these not-particularly-large cabinets is also impressive, and we had a blast playing tracks with intense basslines just to hear what these AE Actives can do. There is real muscle and impact to the basslines of Major Lazer’s Pon de Floor, but there’s agility and texture here too. It’s all pulled taut and has the immediacy that is inherent in active speaker designs.

The busy arrangement and high-octane energy of the track are handled with ease by the speakers, too, with every note sounding crisp and positioned accurately in the soundstage – but without ever losing the party vibe.

Dynamically, the AE Actives are fantastic. The snappy transient response of these active speakers means sudden shifts in quiet-to-loud moments are brilliantly and speedily communicated, while slow-burning moments – such as Clint Mansell’s instrumental Moon soundtrack – sound fluid and retain their sense of tension.

Play Kate Bush’s Watching You Without Me and the AE Active reveal high notes with the right mix of clarity, headroom and bite, but without any undue brightness or sharpness. The overall sound from these active speakers is rather clean and with low-distortion throughout the frequencies, which also means we can enjoy listening at high volumes without hardness or woolliness creeping in.

The stereo imaging is similarly focused and composed, with voices showing off just how well integrated the AE Actives' drivers are. The speakers have no problem revealing the different voices, intonations and personalities in Eminem’s Stan. From The Unthanks’ delicate, nuanced vocals on Mount The Air to Eminem’s rapid-fire, ferocious rapping on Godzilla, the AE Actives reveal the character and intensity of every song with a good amount of detail and nuance.

The Acoustic Energy speakers are just about transparent enough that you are aware of the distinct recording qualities of albums from different eras, but they don’t make too much of a fuss over the quality of each track. The overall sound could perhaps be a little more fluid and airy-sounding, and they may struggle to fill very large rooms. When listening in our larger 3m x 7m x 5m (hwd) test room, the AE Actives sound a touch dynamically restrained, but they come to life in our smaller 3m x 4m x 7m room, with a bit of breathing room from the back wall to balance the bass performance.

We swap to a price-equivalent separates amplifier and speaker pairing of the Arcam A5+ and Acoustic Energy AE300 Mk2 (both current Award-winners in their respective categories), and find this offers a more relaxed and wider soundstage. They sound rather soft in the bass, though, and don’t go as deep either. Overall, they can’t match the speed, precision and agility of the AE Active speaker.

Verdict

The Acoustic Energy AE Active are a niche product in today’s audio landscape, but they are a tremendously talented and capable pair of active speakers. They are a viable alternative to a traditional separates pairing at this price, and could well be the last chain in your hi-fi system you’ll have to update. Highly recommended.

Review published: 14th July 2026

SCORES

• Sound 5
• Build 5
• Features 3

MORE:

Read our review of the KEF Coda W

Also consider the ATC SCM20ASL

Best active speakers: our experts pick the top pairs with integrated amplifiers

We hold the original Acoustic Energy AE1 Active speakers – tested originally in 2018 for £1000 – in such high esteem that they have held a firm spot in our best active speakers guide even as newer models with fancy wireless features have come along in the intervening years.

And now, after eight long years, the "new and improved" Acoustic Energy AE Active speakers are finally here. These speakers have been updated and upgraded, both acoustically and aesthetically, and promise to deliver a "compact, self-powered speaker system" that builds on the brand's 40-year heritage of precision engineering.

As before, these are fully active, two-way speakers that feature updated built-in Class A/B amplification. There are dedicated 50W amplifiers for each drive unit, which Acoustic Energy says allows for precise driver control, dynamic headroom and delivering "exceptional clarity." High-quality linear power supplies are used to ensure a consistent, low-noise performance across the frequency range.

Unlike many modern active speakers, there is no network streaming or Bluetooth on board; there isn't even a DAC. The AE Active are "designed with purity in mind" and feature a fully analogue signal path, thus avoiding any digital processing to "preserve audio integrity."

The brand's design team did experiment with modern features such as wireless inputs, switch mode power supplies, Class D amplification and DSP, but says that "none delivered the audio performance befitting of a loudspeaker wearing the legendary AE1 badge."

One new feature is an auto on/off switch, which was included after feedback from customers of the original AE1 Active.

The two-way speakers continue Acoustic Energy's tradition of using all-metal drivers, with a new 5th generation 12.5cm pure-piston ceramic/aluminium mid/bass cone that offers "exceptional stiffness at low weight". This was originally developed for the very lovely AE1 40th Anniversary speakers, and aims to reduce distortion and minimise cone flex.

This is combined with a 27mm aluminium dome tweeter with the brand's proprietary Wide Dispersion Technology (WDT), which should result in a wide soundstage with "outstanding accuracy and detail."

The AE Active keeps connections simple with balanced XLR and RCA line level inputs, into which you can plug in a variety of components – including DACs, music streamers, preamps and more. Bass and treble controls return, which allow you to fine tune the speakers' performance to your room's acoustics.

The speakers continue to keep their compact footprint, while the cabinet has been wholly redesigned, with extensive bracing, internal damping panels and a brand-new slot reflex port. They will also be available in three premium finishes: Walnut Satin Wood Veneer, High Gloss Black, High Gloss White.

Acoustic Energy says the AE Active are suited to home audio systems as well as being used as studio monitors, promising to deliver a combination of "performance, versatility and simplicity".

Mat Spandl, Acoustic Energy's MD, says: “The AE Active represents our commitment to delivering true high-fidelity performance without unnecessary complexity. By focusing on analogue design principles and integrating amplification directly within the speaker, we’ve created an updated system that offers even better high-quality audio performance with modern convenience.”

The new Acoustic Energy AE Active speakers will be available from July 2026 for £1250 per pair.

We are huge fans of the original, Award-winning AE1 Active speakers, praising their ability to "do everything with a flourish", with superb clarity and balance going hand-in-hand with a rhythmically exciting and dynamic performance. We struggled to think of an external amplifiers/passive speaker pairing that could better the AE1 for the same price back then.

We hope the new, updated AE Active speakers continue that strong legacy – we can't to hear how they sound.

MORE:

Read our original Acoustic Energy AE1 Active review

Best active speakers 2026: our experts pick the top pairs with integrated amplifiers

All the latest news from High End Vienna 2026

When a hi-fi system is going to set you back more than £1000 per component (and four grand plus all in) you really ought to be looking at a set-up that will do everything well, of course.

That, however, is rather easier said than done. For a start, the sheer number of options out there for competent pieces of equipment is, at the very least, disconcerting – potentially even bewildering.

That number, admittedly, reduces when we restrict the search to individually brilliant products, but it’s still no easy task to match pieces that will perform perfectly together.

The system

• Arcam A15+ stereo amplifier: £1199
• Acoustic Energy AE309 Mk2 floorstanding speakers: £1199
• Bluesound Node Icon music streamer: £899
• Rega Planar 3 RS Edition turntable: £1099
• Total system price: £4396

Stereo amplifier: Arcam A15+

So when an amplifier as extraordinary for its price as the Arcam A15+ comes along, it merits a great deal of thought when it comes to partnering components.

Which, of course, is where we come in. Because here we have, we believe, a four-way set-up that is really tough to beat. It’s easy to live with, balanced, composed and sonically spot-on in every department. What’s more, as individually superb as they might be, put together, these four hi-fi components exemplify synergy in action.

The 2025 What Hi-Fi? Award winning Arcam A15+ amplifier does everything well – this is a truly great all-rounder. It retains all the smooth, even and authoritative character of the original A15, but takes small steps forward across the board – it's more detailed, cleaner and clearer.

We find it to be even more dynamically expressive than before, and "is more emphatic in the way it renders crescendos and shifts in musical intensity." Along with a surefooted sense of rhythm, the A15+ delivers satisfyingly punchy bass, and "it also retains a degree of tunefulness and agility that is rare to find at this level."

It has a healthy complement of analogue and digital inputs, including HDMI eARC, to plug all sorts of sources into it. The features that some (many…) amps at this level pay mere lipservice to – a Bluetooth connection, heaphone output and, importantly for this particular system, a moving magnet phono stage – are all right up there in terms of performance with the best at the price. This amp is a really accommodating and even-handed performer.

As our verdict on the A15+’s review concludes: “If you are looking for an amplifier that ticks all the boxes at this price, we haven’t come across a better one than the Arcam A15+.” Well, quite.

Floorstanders: Acoustic Energy AE309 Mk2

We are pairing the power in this four-way set-up with some equally accommodating floorstanding loudspeakers.

Acoustic Energy’s AE309 Mk2 may be floorstanders, but imposing they most certainly are not. Measuring 17cm wide and 90cm tall, these are compact enough to look and sound right at home in relatively small spaces, or equally for those who simply don’t want their hi-fi to dominate the room.

And it’s not simply in their size that these speakers stay out of the way. As we say in their review, “The hallmark of excellent speakers is that you don’t even realise they are there. Instead of being drawn to something they are or are not doing, you can close your eyes, and the music just washes over you. And that’s probably the biggest compliment we can pay the AE309 Mk2s – the seamless integration between drive units simply lets the music do the talking.”

If you were to continue to read the AE309 Mk2 review, you would come upon the following: “It’s at this point that we retrace our steps, listening to the same tracks using the Arcam A15+ for amplification. And we can report that the speakers feel completely at home. The AE309 Mk2 sound much more relaxed (in a good way) in the company of something more suited to their price level.

“They still deliver a natural, balanced and detailed performance, and it’s hard not to think that this pairing, driven by a Bluesound Node Icon music streamer, could make for quite a capable system.”

Music streamer: Bluesound Node Icon

And, wouldn’t you know it, we’ve gone and tried just that in this very set-up.

While we are certainly fans of Bluesound’s family of network audio streamers, it’s fair to say that the models further down the ladder, while very capable, sound just a little bit too relaxed to compete with the very best in their particular classes.

This is the exception. Indeed, the Bluesound Node Icon stands head and shoulders above its siblings in design, features and, most importantly, performance.

This is the flagship model in the Node range and, as such, Bluesound has gone to town with its build, audio technology and features.

The BluOS app is well organised and intuitive to use, especially with large digital music libraries stored on connected NAS drives or media servers. The connection is stable over both wi-fi and wired ethernet, and there are no issues for us when we play music from Tidal Connect, Qobuz Connect, Spotify Connect or BBC 6 Music.

And it’s a lively, engaging and dynamic performer that grabs our interest at the beginning and only continues to impress us the more we listen. “This isn’t an extroverted, look-at-me presentation,” we say in the review, “but the Icon’s sound has a glimmer to it – underpinned by stellar composure and well-judged ability over the frequency range – that is so appealing to listen to that we find ourselves playing song after song through the Node Icon and having a great time.”

Have you noticed the theme of this quartet yet? Everything here just gets out of the way and lets you, the listener, indulge in the whole raison d’etre of hi-fi: listen to the music without unnecessary distraction.

Turntable: Rega Planar 3 RS Edition

Which brings us to the final part of the puzzle, Rega’s phenomenal Planar 3 RS Edition turntable. This ‘Rega Special’ Edition of the iconic Planar 3 bridges the gap between the (we hesitate to use the phrase on such a legendary turntable, but…) vanilla Planar 3 and the step-up Planar 6. And, as such, this is really a superb value for money option.

It comes in a lovely brushed aluminium finish and, more importantly, an upgraded plinth with a high pressure laminate skin that we see in the more premium models. It also comes fitted with an Nd5 moving magnet cartridge, compared with the regular 3’s Nd3, and an outboard Neo PSU Mk2 power supply that also provides electronic speed switching.

All of which boost the performance considerably. It is more than worth the extra outlay. We were pretty effusive in our Planar 3/Nd3 review; the RS Edition delivers even more of what we like so much about the Planar 3.

“That same familial Rega sound is instantly identifiable,” we say in the RS Edition’s review. “Snappy, agile rhythm and dynamically exciting, and a fluid, natural way with melody that is simply fun to listen to.

Play The Unthanks’ Mount The Air single, and you get a better sense of the space the song is recorded in – a vast, sparse location – thanks to the 3 RS Edition offering a wider soundstage that allows detail to flourish more freely, along with a quieter, darker background.

There is a confidence and effortless quality to the way this turntable sounds compared with the standard Planar 3; it locks every detail, every instrument, every vocal into place in an assured way that is admirable and wholly enjoyable.”

And that really rather sums up this whole system, for us. Each of these components does its job in the best way possible, without shouting about it or showing off.

This is the perfect set-up for those of us who simply want to be able to enjoy our music in the manner its producers intended. Simply brilliant.

MORE:

Read our Acoustic Energy AE309 Mk2 review

Our guide to the best music streamers we've tested

And the best turntables across every budget

Our experience with Acoustic Energy’s midrange 300 Series speakers (which the company overhauled in 2025) has been a memorable one so far.

We’ve already tested the AE300 Mk2 standmounters, which were not only handed a five-star rating by our review team last year, but they also won Product Of The Year in the standmount speakers category at the What Hi-Fi? Awards 2025.

So you can understand the feeling of anticipation around What Hi-Fi? Towers ahead of testing the AE309 Mk2, the entry-level floorstander from the range.

Of course, just because one speaker in a range gets five stars doesn’t mean that the rest of the speakers will automatically follow suit. Years of experience testing speakers have taught us that anything can happen when you jump around between models in a range.

But it is hard not to get excited about a close relative of a current class-leader. Fingers crossed these floorstanders don’t let the side down.

Build & design

Imposing, these speakers are most certainly not. Measuring 17cm wide and 90cm tall, we’d imagine the Acoustic Energy AE309 Mk2 would be a great fit for someone lacking a little floor space or who needs to reach an amicable compromise over how much room their hi-fi system can take up.

There’s something attractive about a compact floorstander, and we think Acoustic Energy has nailed the proportions here.

In the walnut finish of our test pair, these diminutive speakers look like they’ll blend into a lot of spaces. You also have matte black and matte white options available, too, so you can either go for full-on stealth mode or rock a slightly punchier look.

They’re nicely finished too, the curved edges on some sections of the cabinets add a nice air of elegance to an otherwise very functional and sturdy design.

Those cabinets are cleverly constructed. They are formed using a constrained layer construction that combines 18mm MDF with bitumen. Acoustic Energy claims it reduces cabinet vibrations compared to more traditional MDF or plywood designs.

As you’d expect, the AE309 Mk2 uses the same drivers you’ll find in the Award-winning standmounters. There’s a 29mm soft dome tweeter, but this floorstanding model doubles up on the 12cm mid/bass drivers, which are made from a paper/coconut fibre.

Compatibility

Before we sit down to put the floorstanders through their paces, as is the case with all speakers we test, first there’s the small matter of positioning.

The AE309 Mk2 boast a rear slot-shaped port just above the single-wire speaker terminals. It’s there to reduce the effect of air turbulence and help deliver clean, undistorted bass.

Acoustic Energy recommends you place them at least six inches from a rear wall and away from corners, and we’d agree. During testing, we find that we get the best results if we give them room to breathe and settle around 60cm from the rear walls in our test room, which measures 3 x 7 x 5m (hwd).

Place them too close to the wall, and we find the bass a little overblown for our tastes. It’s not unlistenable, but we’d struggle to live with it over long listening sessions, especially if you’re playing a particularly bass-heavy playlist.

We would also suggest angling the speakers so that the tweeters are firing at the side of your ears. The Acoustic Energy deliver a nice, cohesive stereo image, and this little tweak will help keep things focused.

Sound

Once we’re happy with the positioning, we fire up our tried and trusted reference system, which comprises the Naim ND555/555 PS DR streamer and Burmester 088/911 MkIII pre/power amplifier.

We know that in the real world, this isn’t exactly a realistic set-up, so we also have Arcam’s superb A15+ stereo amplifier sitting on the sidelines, ready to bring in. It’s much more price-appropriate for the speakers.

We start proceedings with Taylor Swift’s duet with Bon Iver, Exile, and it’s fair to say the AE309 Mk2 make an immediate impact. Well, it’s actually the influence of their cabinets, or rather the lack of it, that pricks up our ears.

The background of the track is eerily quiet – the soft, melodic piano play that opens the song just hangs in the open air before Justin Vernon’s deep baritone layers itself on top and locks into focus.

There’s quite a lot to take in here, not least an excellent amount of detail and texture. Each piano key strike sounds solid and detailed, and you can hear a good dose of the reverb around each note as they fill the stereo image.

Both Vernon and Swift’s vocals ooze emotion as the Acoustic Energy speakers do a great job of sounding natural, which allows them to capture the feeling and sentiment of the track with relative ease.

The sadness and anguish melded into the lyrics are all laid bare for the listener to hear, and as the track’s tempo speeds up, and the emotions rise ever so slightly, the AE309 Mk2 step up to match the subtle rise in intensity.

When the strings slide into view, the speakers showcase their excellent dynamics, tracking every rise and fall as the song reaches an emotional climax.

Next we employ Angel by Massive Attack, to get more of a feeling of how the Acoustic Energy pair handle low frequencies – and once again, we like what we hear.

There’s a real sense of solidity and weight as each note hits. There’s a good sense of drive too. We can hear detail and texture both at the surface level of each note, but also further down the sonic register. It feels like the floorstanders are squeezing out as much information as possible.

Our benchmark at this level is the Award-winning Fyne Audio F501E, and the fact that we don’t find ourselves pining for them every time we switch back to the Acoustic Energy shows the AE309 Mk2 must have something going for them.

The Fynes arguably have a bit more thrust and drive to their delivery with the Massive Attack track, though. They’re a bit more authoritative and punchier with exceptional dynamic stretch for the money – so much so that they can make the Acoustic Energy towers sound like they’re holding back a little. On the flip side, they don’t sound quite as natural or balanced.

We finish off with End Credits from the swashbuckling Pirates Of The Caribbean soundtrack. And the AE309 Mk2 deliver the track with enthusiasm and verve. The rapid, unrelenting pace of the track is no problem for these towers, which do a great job communicating rhythms and the textures of the instruments.

The precision and poise they can deploy give great clarity to a track that can sometimes be a blur of orchestral elements on poorer-performing speakers.

The hallmark of excellent speakers is that you don’t even realise they are there. Instead of being drawn to something they are or are not doing, you can close your eyes, and the music just washes over you. And that’s probably the biggest compliment we can pay the Acoustic Energy – the seamless integration between drive units simply lets the music do the talking.

It’s at this point that we retrace our steps, listening to the same tracks using the Arcam A15+ for amplification. And we can report that the speakers feel completely at home. The AE309 Mk2 sound much more relaxed (in a good way) in the company of something more suited to their price level.

They still deliver a natural, balanced and detailed performance, and it’s hard not to think that this pairing, driven by a Bluesound Node Icon music streamer, could make for quite a capable system.

Verdict

Credit to Acoustic Energy, we now have another member of its 300 Series that comes highly recommended by our test team. The compact AE309 Mk2 stand tall in a tough sector of the loudspeaker market, but their superbly balanced and musical sound is a match for any rival.

These are speakers that definitely deserve your time and, potentially, money.

Review published: 27th April 2026

SCORES

• Sound 5
• Build 5
• Compatibility 5

MORE:

Also consider the Fyne Audio F501E

Read our review of the Q Acoustics 5050

Best floorstanding speakers: budget to premium models tested by our experts

It's April and finally spring time, which in the UK means wildly inconsistent weather where you'll be met with rain and even snow for one half of the day, switching to blinding sunshine and warm temperatures without any warning. It certainly keeps us on our toes.

What remains consistent through it all is a steady of stream of hi-fi and home cinema products entering our test rooms, and we have a few highly-anticipated products to get started on this month.

This includes the first of Cambridge's new range of active wireless speaker systems; brand-new Onkyo hi-fi in many, many years; a sequel to Samsung's Award-winning Dolby Atmos system; and LG's flagship 4K OLED. We are also curious to find out how a high-end Optoma projector fares, and whether Acoustic Energy can repeat its sublime sonic success with a floorstanding model.

As ever, please do get in touch in the comments below or ping us an email at whathifi@futurenet.com if you have any questions about the products we're testing, and we'll do our best to get back to you with an answer. Enjoy the sunshine when it arrives!

Cambridge Audio L/R S

Cambridge Audio made a splash with the launch of its first-ever active wireless speaker systems earlier this year, and we have the smallest and cheapest of the trio – the L/R S (in the middle, above) – in for testing.

The active speakers feature Bluetooth aptX HD streaming, a USB-C input for easy desktop use, and 50 watts per channel of built-in amplification. Costing £399 / $549, these compact speakers are available in six finishes (including some colourful green and orange ones) and are in direct competition with the Award-winning Ruark MR1 Mk3. Exciting.

LG G6

Hot on the heels of the five-star C6, LG’s flagship 4K OLED is in our test room to establish whether it’s worth the extra outlay.

We’re expecting a more polished and refined version of the Primary RGB Tandem OLED performance of last year’s G5 – but will it deliver that? And will that be enough for the G6 to topple the Sony Bravia 8 II from the flagship OLED top spot? We can't wait to find out.

Onkyo Icon A-50

It has been many years since we had any Onkyo hi-fi in our test rooms, and the Icon A-50 streaming amplifier has plenty going on to make up for the wait. Combining 140 watts of Class A/B amplification with excellent network streaming features, the A-50 is a thoroughly modern hi-fi component that includes HDMI ARC connectivity, a moving magnet and moving coil phono stage, and is encased in a sleek, minimal design.

Will Onkyo's comeback to the world of hi-fi be a success? Let's find out.

Acoustic Energy AE309 Mk2

Acoustic Energy's AE300 Mk2 standmounters wowed us with their understated but incredibly accomplished performance for the price, nabbing a Product of the Year Award and earning a spot at the top of our best stereo speakers list.

Can this sonic goodness be replicated in a floorstanding model? We have the AE309 Mk2 towers in our test rooms, which feature the same cabinet construction and new drivers as their illustrious standmount sibling. At £1199, the AE floorstanders will be going up against the hugely enjoyable Fyne Audio F501E (another Award winner), and we're excited to hear how they fare.

Samsung HW-Q990H

The sequel to Samsung’s Award-winning Q990F Dolby Atmos soundbar system, the Q990H looks very similar to its predecessor, but it features enhanced processing for an apparently more immersive performance. As before, the new system includes a 'bar, a pair of wireless surround speakers and a subwoofer in the package.

We’ll be testing the new model directly against the old one to find out if the upgrades are worthwhile.

Optoma UHZ78LV

Priced at £6000, Optoma’s new flagship home cinema projector has rivals such as the Sony VPL-XW5000ES, Epson EH-QB1000 and BenQ W5850 in its sights. Its secret weapons? A massive claimed peak brightness of 5000 lumens and support for Dolby Vision and HDR10+ (as well as standard HDR10).

That could make the UHZ78LV an excellent choice for mixed-use rooms as well as dedicated home cinemas – if the performance is up to scratch. We'll find out this month!

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Lucky, that’s what I call it. The chances of having three of the most significant small speakers of the past 60 years all in one place at the same time, and in proper working order, are small. But here I am, listening to mini-monitor royalty and loving every minute.

Two of the speakers in this group, the BBC-designed LS3/5A and the Acoustic Energy AE1, can rightly claim to be legendary. I think the third, KEF’s LS50, has done enough in the past decade or so to lay claim to that status in the future.

The LS3/5A arguably originated the high-quality mini-monitor speaker category. This is a properly small speaker (about the size of a shoebox ) with an internal volume of around five litres.

It was originally developed for use in outside-broadcast vans and cramped studios, primarily to monitor speech, but was quickly hijacked by hi-fi enthusiasts who loved its gorgeous midrange performance and exceptional stereo-imaging skills.

The LS3/5A was one of the fruits of an extensive BBC research project into speaker design and was first introduced in 1975. The BBC isn’t a speaker manufacturer, of course, so the speaker’s design was made available under license to third-party manufacturers to make.

KEF was the supplier for both of the drive units, but didn’t make the complete speaker until the mid-’90s. Its version of the LS3/5A, the gloss black one we have in our test room, was made to celebrate the company’s 35th anniversary. Only 500 pairs were ever produced.

Given that the BBC had some of the best audio engineers in the business at the time, and resourced them well beyond the capabilities of any commercial speaker manufacturer, it's no surprise that the LS3/5A turned out to be a technical tour de force back then.

The use of a Bextrene cone in the 11-cm mid/bass was considered cutting-edge technology in a world where just about everyone else still used paper; and the thin multilayer birch-ply cabinet was intentionally designed with a bit of ‘give’ to move any resonances out of the midrange and down into the bass frequencies, where our hearing is less sensitive. The sealed (non-ported) enclosure was heavily damped to control those resonances.

The LS3/5A’s high frequencies are delivered by a 19mm mylar-dome tweeter with a perforated metal cover. The foam strips that surround it reduce reflections off the front panel and cabinet edges

KEF lists the LS3/5A sensitivity at a miserably low 82.5 dB/W/m and a modest power handling of just 30 watts. Essentially, high volume levels and wide-ranging dynamics are off the table if you want the speakers to survive.

This is where Acoustic Energy’s AE1 came in. It launched in 1987 and was a determined attempt to produce a small speaker that ticked all the boxes. The company succeeded, proving that a small box (about the same frontal area as the LS3/5A but a fair bit deeper) could really produce wide-ranging dynamics, high volume levels and a decent dose of bass. Its detail resolution was exceptional for the time.

This performance was made possible by a formidable-looking all-metal driver array that was cutting-edge back then, and an engineering ethos that focused on minimising dynamic compression. An ultra-rigid cabinet that was lined with plaster to reduce internal standing waves and an unusual straight-edged mid/bass cone profile also helped.

The new Acoustic Energy AE1 40th Anniversary model (£1499/$1999) we have isn’t identical to the 1987 original, though. Think of it as a resurrection that is faithful to the original’s character and engineering principles, but tweaked with the benefit of four decades' worth of progress.

The first-generation drive units are no longer available, so AE’s engineers had to remanufacture them. The new drivers adhere to the original’s design ethos, but are tweaked for improved performance where possible.

Both have ended up a few millimetres larger than before (the tweeter is 29mm in diameter and the mid/bass is 12.5cm). Modern manufacturing methods and advances in design mean that both are better behaved than before. The improved drive units have allowed the engineers to simplify the crossover network, so improving the speaker’s performance.

In addition, the cabinet, which is the same size as before, has also improved. It forgoes the mess and complexity of the earlier model’s concrete-lined interior, and is now made with composite sandwich panels tuned to retain the original’s sonic character while being easier to manufacture.

All these things have incrementally improved the AE1 without changing its distinctive sonic signature. I have to say that the build of this 40th Anniversary edition is light-years ahead of the first generation, and the speakers look lovely in their high-gloss finish.

The third of our speakers is KEF’s LS50 Meta (£1299/$1599). This has become something of a modern classic. The LS50 was first introduced in 2012 to celebrate KEF’s 50th anniversary – it seems that KEF likes its anniversary models – and was upgraded to include the company’s clever metamaterial technology eight years later.

The heart of this speaker is the Uni-Q driver array that mirrors the AE1’s use of aluminium diaphragms, but places the 25mm dome tweeter in the throat of the 13-cm mid/bass rather than above it.

This coaxial configuration aligns the acoustic centres of the drivers, giving the LS50 even dispersion characteristics, which ensure an impressively wide listening sweetspot and enviable soundstage stability as we move around the room.

As touched on above, the ‘Meta’ in the KEF’s name refers to a technology that absorbs a claimed 99% of the rearward sound from the tweeter dome, reducing distortion and improving clarity in the process.

Elsewhere, the LS50’s curved front baffle is made of BMC (Bulk Moulding Compound), a material that provides a rigid and well-damped foundation for the Uni-Q array, and the speaker’s rear-firing reflex port is flexible to reduce resonances. Build, fit and finish are as good as we would want them to be.

I listened to all three speakers using the What Hi-Fi? reference system of Naim ND555/555 PS DR music streamer, Technic SL-1000R/Kiseki Purpleheart record player and Burmester 088/911 MkIII amplifier.

The LS3/5A is first, and its excellence with voices is obvious. It may not have the outright resolution of more recent designs, but there is a naturalness to its delivery that is hugely appealing. This is a fleshed-out performance that has a palpability that leaves many modern alternatives sounding thin, clinical and lacking in natural warmth.

If placed with care – a little away from a rear wall and on proper stands – these speakers also stereo image beautifully. That’s down to the well-damped enclosure, controlled dispersion and an impressive pair matching that is within 0.5dB of the BBC-specified reference target.

Given the age of the design, there are shortcomings, of course. Play any music that requires scale and dynamic reach (Stravinsky’s The Rite of Spring, say) or demands low-end muscle and punch (Massive Attack’s Heligoland or Billie Eilish’s Bad Guy), and these BBC speakers wave a white flag. They sound small, dynamically limited and rhythmically flat-footed with music such as this.

In comparison, the AE1 40th Anniversary speakers respond to such challenges with all the enthusiasm of a two-year-old bribed with a bucket of ice cream. These monitors sound bold and punchy, and are capable of sustaining high volume levels without issue.

Detail levels are clearly better than from the LS3/5A, though it has to be said that these all-action monitors don’t have the sweetness and body of the BBC design through the midrange and treble.

They are a more demanding listen, sounding harder edged without erring so far as to be unrefined or fatiguing. Tonally, they are more balanced, though the KEF LS50 Meta goes even further in this respect.

The AE1 are small boxes, so while they appear to bend the laws of physics when it comes to bass reach (given a muscular amplifier), listen carefully and you will find that properly deep bass is still missing.

Much the same can be said of the similarly sized KEF LS50 Meta. If anything, the Acoustic Energy sounds more muscular in the bass and is certainly more assertive generally, though the newer design’s progress in performance is obvious.

In comparison with the others, the LS50 Meta are clearer, cleaner and more spacious-sounding. They dig up a layer of fine detail that even the mighty AE1 don’t quite manage and deliver all that information in a wonderfully cohesive and balanced way. Their low frequencies may not be quite as burly as those the Acoustic Energy produces, but they are impressively agile and articulate.

In most ways, they are the most insightful and balanced speaker here, just as they should be given the age of the other designs. However, that doesn’t diminish the greatness of the others.

There is a reason that LS3/5A remains so beloved by many hi-fi fans. It has a sweet, easy-going manner that suits certain types of music beautifully, and if that’s what you listen to, these speakers remain as hard to beat today as they have always been.

The AE1 is my personal favourite. It is the small speaker that won’t wilt under pressure. It goes loud and delivers wide dynamic swings with enthusiasm. Sure, by current standards these speakers aren’t the last word in transparency and subtlety, but listen to a pair in full flow and the chances are that you won’t care. Feed them a quality signal, and the AE1 40th Anniversary will shine.

KEF’s LS50 Meta speakers have been What Hi-Fi?’s go-to premium standmounters for well over a decade. They are wonderful all-rounders that deliver a breadth of performance that few rivals get close to, let alone better. Of the three sets of speakers here, they get out of the way of the music most effortlessly. We can’t give them a higher compliment than that.

My conclusion? A great speaker remains a great product even as technology marches on. Sure, some limitations become more obvious over time, but the charm of classics such as the LS3/5A and AE1 doesn’t fade.

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We look back at the very first CD players tested by What Hi-Fi? and the advent of this innovative digital format

"Hugely capable and surprisingly unfussy" – this streaming and vinyl hi-fi system is a premium package, but you'll be richly rewarded

In praise of small speakers: how their inherent design limitations can work to their benefit

As part of Apple’s latest string of announcements, the tech giant has announced that a new iPad Air is joining its ranks, and it has been supercharged with a bunch of upgrades.

Most notably, the new model is being powered by the M4 chip, a jump up from the previous model’s M3. This is the same chip that powers the current MacBook Air.

Apple claims the iPad Air is up to 30 per cent faster than iPad Air with M3, and up to 2.3 times faster than iPad Air with M1.

It doesn’t appear to be getting an upgrade in terms of thickness or weight compared with its previous iteration, however. That should mean the new addition is still impressively thin, though, with the older model measuring just 6.1mm.

It also comes in four finishes: blue, purple, starlight, and space grey.

The tech giant says all of these upgrades give “users a big jump in performance at the same starting price.”

Speaking of price, the new iPad Air comes in at £599 / $599 for the 11-inch model and £799 / $799 for the 13-inch. If you are looking to increase your capacity, Apple’s storage sizes start at 128GB, with 256GB, 512GB and a whopping 1TB variant is also available.

You can pre-order the iPad Air from 4 March, with availability beginning 11 March.

Apple's previous 13-inch iPad Air scored very highly in terms of its AV performance when we had it in our test room, receiving a top five-star rating. We found that its screen delivers cinematic, subtle and balanced picture, and it offers good sound from headphones and speakers. That all meant it snagged a What Hi-Fi? Award as the best premium tablet on the market.

With its faster processing power and the price tag remaining the same, this bodes well for the iPad Air M4's abilities. We will have to wait until we get it in our test room to see how it performs, of course, so stay tuned.

MORE:

Here is our review of the Apple iPad Air

Apple unveils the iPhone 17e with an upgraded processor, tougher screen and MagSafe support

Check out our review of Apple TV 4K

So, there I was, lazing on the sofa, relatively late on a Saturday night, suddenly with the opportunity to watch a movie.

Out comes the JustWatch app and its ever-growing list of movies I’ve flagged to watch at some point. Now is my chance to tick one off.

Now, I confess, on this occasion, I did something I do a little too often and sorted by runtime. I’m a tired guy, and did I mention it was quite late?

I scroll past the likes of Hallow Road (too harrowing) and Mad God (too mad), and I find myself hovering over Last Breath.

79 per cent on Rotten Tomatoes, free on Amazon Prime Video, and a runtime of just over an hour and a half? That sounds ideal.

So, I fire it up on my Apple TV 4K, expecting a fairly tense but also somewhat lightweight drama.

What I’m not expecting is a genuinely superb showcase for my OLED TV (a Sony A95L, for what it’s worth) – but that’s what Last Breath is, even in SDR, which is what Prime Video inexplicably delivers it in.

The movie (I’ll avoid spoilers as much as possible here, but if you want to go in completely cold, just trust me and find it in the Prime Video app or buy the Last Breath 4K Blu-ray from Amazon) is a dramatisation of a North Sea accident that saw a deep-sea diver stranded 300 feet below sea level.

It’s fascinating to see how this industry and these divers work.

They live for weeks at a time in pressurised capsules stored in the bowels of a ship. Each day, a diving bell takes them down, deep into the sea, from where they drop to the seabed to perform maintenance on the gas lines that run across the bottom. It’s incredible stuff.

That isn’t what makes it a great showcase for OLED, though. What makes it a great showcase for OLED is the combination of pitch-black surroundings and small areas of piercing light.

When the unfortunate diver gets stranded in the first place, he’s plunged into total darkness. Lost, he lights a red flare. Watch on a properly set-up OLED TV and in a properly pitch-black room, and the bright red light from the flare is literally all you can see.

This perfect contrast is something that only OLED can achieve. The best Mini LED TVs might get close, but they still can’t place a perfectly black pixel next to one that is bright red, and it’s this perfect, blooming-free (and therefore distraction-free) delivery that sells the oppressive drama and puts you in the shoes of a diver abandoned at the bottom of the sea.

For what it’s worth, I enjoyed the film overall. The characters are a bit one-dimensional, but the performances (particularly those of Woody Harrelson and Mark Bonnar) are strong enough to sell the extraordinary story.

But it’s the awesome high-contrast section that’s convinced me to order the 4K Blu-ray so that I can a) see it in HDR as intended, and b) use it for putting future OLED and Mini LED TVs through their paces in our dedicated test rooms.

Watch Last Breath on Amazon Prime Video

Order the Last Breath 4K Blu-ray from Amazon

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Here are the best OLED TVs you can buy right now

And here are the best Mini LED TVs

The original AE1 was Acoustic Energy’s first speaker and, to a large extent, remains its most iconic product. The fierce-looking compact standmounter first appeared on the market in 1987. It was an astonishingly ambitious design for a startup company to produce, with its technically advanced all-metal driver array, obsession with avoiding thermal compression and rock-solid build. A textured black finish suggested that the AE1’s primary purpose may have been studio use, but audio enthusiasts didn’t wait to hijack the product, and we’re glad they did.

The original sold for just below £700 back then, which was considered outlandishly expensive for something that was barely bigger than a size 11 shoebox. However, doubters were quickly convinced by the speaker’s blend of excellent detail resolution, strong dynamics and surprisingly potent bass performance. These were small speakers that could easily give physically larger price rivals a bloody nose, and usually did.

Over the years, Acoustic Energy continued to develop the original AE1 design, bringing in classier finishes and tinkering with the sonics until 2008, when the all-new MkIII came in. This third-generation model was a clean-slate design that marked a move upmarket and signalled a significant change of sonic character. It was a talented product, but somehow lost some of the original’s charm too.

With the company’s 40th Anniversary looming, the decision was made to bring the original AE1 design back to life. The company’s engineers could have made a modern speaker that kind of looked like the original and be done with it, but they decided to take a more interesting route.

Think of this AE1 40th Anniversary model as a reimagining of that original; the same sonic character and basic ingredients but, where possible, things have been tweaked to make it just that bit better.

Design & build

All the original’s parts have long been out of production, so Acoustic Energy had to start from zero. Both drive units are newly developed designs. The tweeter now uses a 29mm aluminium dome, 4mm larger than before, to give a greater radiating area.

The dome’s profile is shallow to help with bandwidth, and it vents into a rear chamber to keep the fundamental resonance low. Like the original, this tweeter uses ferrofluid to help power handling and reduce compression.

The use of an all-metal drive unit complement may not be unusual today, but back in the late ’80s, it was considered almost revolutionary. The original AE1 mid/bass was an unusual design with its straight-sided anodised aluminium cone, powerful motor system and ability to cope with high power levels thanks to good heat dissipation.

The straight-sided profile helped to make the diaphragm rigid, which improved resolution and dynamics. That distinctive pointy dustcap not only looked impressive, but also formed part of the heatsinking arrangement (together with the cone) to manage heat build-up in the voice coil. This gave the mid/bass unit impressive power handling for the time.

This new 40th Anniversary model doesn’t change any of that, but the cone is now 5mm bigger at 12.5cm in diameter, which increases the radiating area and sensitivity. The engineers have also adopted modern practices, such as adding a shorting ring in the motor system, to reduce distortion levels. The speaker’s bass output is still tuned by a pair of front-firing ports, though now they are flared at both ends to reduce distortion and allow more output.

These more capable drive units allow the use of a simplified crossover. It is now a low-order network, similar to that used in the original pricier Signature version of the AE1. This new crossover design is claimed to be more transparent than the 3rd-order Butterworth circuit used in the original, and makes the speakers easier to drive than before.

Sensitivity is up a few dB and is now rated at 87dB/W/m, while nominal impedance is quoted at 6 ohms. These are fairly typical figures that should pose no problems for most price-compatible amplifiers. Connection is by a single pair of functional-looking terminals.

The 29.5cm tall cabinet is the same size as before, but rather than being internally lined with latex-modified concrete to avoid resonances, this 40th Anniversary model uses Acoustic Energy’s RSC (Resonance Suppression Composite) technology instead.

The RSC panels used here sandwich a Bitumen layer between sheets of HDF (High Density Fibreboard) to create a rigid but low-resonance structure that replicates the sonic characteristics of the original cabinets. Switching to RSC panels makes for quicker manufacturing – no waiting for the concrete to dry – but also results in a slight gain of internal volume, which helps to extend the speaker's low-end reach.

The AE1 40th Anniversary’s build quality is excellent. The enclosure feels immensely rigid and is finished in a lovely, deep piano gloss. Our samples are wrapped in a Walnut veneer, but there is a black option too. We love the effort the company has put into replicating the look of the original AE1, from the pattern on the tweeter faceplate to the appearance of the rear panel.

Compatibility

Despite being more forgiving than the original, this 40th Anniversary model still performs best when driven by amplifiers that have a bit of grunt. We got great results using the likes of Naim’s Nait XS3 and Arcam’s A15+, but the AE1’s innate transparency means that the sound continues to improve as we push up in price to the Cyrus 40 AMP and even PMC’s Cor integrated.

Just for fun, we also connect our reference Burmester 088/911 MkIII pre/power, and the AE1 just lap it up, showing clear improvements in the process. This is clearly a speaker with plenty of stretch. Our sources are Naim’s ND555/555 PS DR music streamer and the Technics SL-1000R turntable with a Kiseki Purpleheart moving coil cartridge fitted.

Many small speakers need to be placed close to a wall to deliver a decent amount of bass weight and solidity. These don’t. In our 3 x 7 x 5m (hwd) test room, the AE1 40th Anniversary sound happiest out into the room where they can deliver proper stereo imaging while still rendering the lows with authority. We angle them in slightly towards the listening position to solidify and focus the soundstage.

Sound

If you are after the very best sounding standmounter pair available for this kind of money, the AE1 40th Anniversary isn’t it, and it was never intended to be. It is for those who still hanker after the original, and to a certain extent, people who want a characterful alternative to many of the slightly soulless designs on the market.

Even Acoustic Energy wouldn’t claim this to be the best it can do for the money. The company’s contemporary designs tend to sound more subtle and sophisticated than this. That said, the original AE1 has a legendary status and strong following for a reason.

For us, this remains a hugely engaging and entertaining design. Play a demanding piece of music like Tchaikovsky’s Marché Slave Op.31, and the new AE1 burst into life, producing a bold and punchy performance that belies their shoebox dimensions.

The sound is unfeasibly big, particularly when we turn the volume up, and it is delivered with deeply impressive confidence. We are still staggered at how this little box produces huge dynamic swings with such swagger, and the way it refuses to harden up even when pushed hard.

Tonally, it remains a slightly mid-forward performer, but this new model is certainly slightly warmer and fuller sounding than earlier versions we’ve heard. Refinement at the top end is better, too, sounding a little cleaner and sweeter than before. That makes it easier on the ear and more forgiving of poorer recordings and partnering equipment.

While there is certainly more deep bass here than KEF’s similarly-sized LS50 Meta manages, something this small will never convince you that there is a subwoofer in the room. Listen carefully, and it is obvious that the really deep bass notes are missing, but most of the time, the AE1 cover their tracks so well in this respect that we just don’t mind.

Class-leading price rivals such as PMC’s Prodigy 1 and the aforementioned KEF certainly sound more neutral, and have a degree of subtlety and textural detail that the 40th Anniversary can’t match. These modern rivals sound more open and spacious, too.

Yet, as we listen to these new AE1 in full flow, those things are easy to overlook, given how much fun we are having. Their stereo imaging is excellent and is properly out-of-the-box, which suggests that the RSC construction works well. Given a well produced recording, these Acoustic Energy speakers will render an expansive soundstage that’s impressively wide and deep, while retaining a great deal of precision in the positioning of instruments.

The story remains positive as we work our way through our music collection. Ice-T’s Original Gangster shows off the AE1’s impressive punch and taut low-end. His menacing vocals on The Tower come through with emotion and clarity intact, while the dense instrumental backdrop is handled with unusual composure and control. Rhythmically, these are surefooted rather than enthusiastic, but they still communicate the music’s momentum well.

The Assassination Of Jesse James by Nick Cave and Warren Ellis is a more low-key affair, and the Acoustic Energy speakers respond accordingly, digging up a good amount of detail and organising it with care. There is a good degree of insight on offer, and the 40th Anniversary treats the music with the lightness of touch it deserves. Low-level dynamic shifts are conveyed with care, and the interplay between instruments is easily followed.

As we switch from Bob Marley’s Catch A Fire set to Coltrane’s A Love Supreme, it is clear that the AE1 40th Anniversary speakers are unfussy about musical genre. They have a broad enough spread of abilities to cope with all types of music without favour. Despite the pleasing musical cohesion, these speakers are still transparent enough to allow the listener to put the recording and production under the microscope should they desire.

Verdict

Forty years is a long time in consumer electronics. Think of how phones, televisions and cameras have changed in those four decades. CD players have come and almost gone in that time, amplifiers have become more sophisticated, and speakers, even though it may not seem it, have got significantly better too.

It is some testament to the original Acoustic Energy AE1 design that this 40th Anniversary model still sounds so appealing. It isn’t perfect, but given a carefully chosen partnering system it is still undoubtedly capable of sonic magic. These speakers are easily one of our favourites at this price.

Review published: 24th February 2026

SCORES

• Sound 5
• Build 5
• Compatibility 4

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Read our review of the PMC Prodigy 1

Also consider the KEF LS50 Meta

Best bookshelf speakers: top standmounts for every budget tested

It seems like an easy win, doesn’t it? Take the low-hanging fruit of all those five-star products that are available when you are trying to put a system together; they’re bound to work well together, right? Ooh, I know – even better. Take some What Hi-Fi? Award-winning equipment from 2025 and stick them in a set-up. Job done, surely?

You would think so, perhaps. But, inevitably, life just isn’t that simple. You might strike lucky, of course; but almost as likely is that something doesn’t quite gel with the random (well, not quite, admittedly) products you have selected. No matter the brilliance of individual products, they can’t always work optimally with everything else. You could create a team containing the 11 best goalkeepers in the world; but it wouldn’t be anything approaching the best football team.

And so it is with hi-fi products. Even Award-winning ones.

Luckily, we have a team of experts who have spent years – decades, even – toiling away over a hot amplifier to gain the experience required to know precisely which top products will, in fact, work together to create a system that performs even better than the sum of its trophy-winning parts.

Even more encouraging: when you are looking for a mid-tier streaming system, you’re looking at products right in the What Hi-Fi? wheelhouse. Here, then, is an absolutely barn-storming stereo set-up comprising three current What Hi-Fi? Award winners; a trio of top performers that will harmonise as well as the Bee Gees and perform musical magic right up there with Harry, Ron and Hermione.

The system

• Music streamer: Bluesound Node Icon – £899 / $1199 / AU$1949
• Integrated amplifier: Arcam A5+ – £749 / $1200 / AU$1595
• Stereo speakers: Acoustic Energy AE300 Mk2 – £649 / $1099 / AU$1580
• Total system price: £2297 / $3498 / AU$5124

Music streamer: Bluesound Node Icon

Pitched as the “audiophile” flagship option of the Bluesound Node family, the Node Icon has been imbued with more advanced audio technology and tuning, and a greater spread of connections than its junior siblings. The streaming elements remain the same across the family. Which means that native file resolution support goes up to 24-bit/192kHz PCM and DSD256.

In addition to that, the Icon is the first Node product to implement MQA Labs’ Qrono digital-to-analogue technology. This aims to refine the DAC’s timing response, so that it aligns more authentically with the original recording.

And it does a good job, delivering music with a pleasing richness and solidity, an agile sense of rhythm and a strong handle on dynamics.

The Node Icon is more musically cohesive and dynamically subtler than its most obvious direct rival, the five-star (and still, of course, very good) Cambridge CXN100; the Bluesound times better and has that spark that keeps our attention fully captured through the drama and message of a song.

Integrated amplifier: Arcam A5+

And it performs particularly well, we find with the new “plus” version of Arcam’s A5 amplifier. We loved the A5 – a What Hi-Fi? Product of the Year in 2024 – so the bar had been set high for the A5+ sequel. As we say in our review of the product, though: “After a time we come to a definite conclusion – the new boy is a clear, if subtle, improvement on its outstanding predecessor.”

With the A5+ working in tandem with the Bluesound streamer, it is immediately obvious that the two products “meld together with a deft handling of dynamics that means there is an appropriate sense of drama and excitement when listening to Fontaines D.C.’s high-octane Starburster track. The Icon is tidily able to convey the subtler flourishes and different timbres of instruments in Khruangbin’s funky, easy-going Maria Tambien, as well as the softly mournful piano notes in Ólafur Arnald’s Raein composition.”

The new amplifier seems to have a better understanding of how instruments should sound than its forebear. It brings out more of the essence of what, say, a drum, guitar or human voice should be. Our attention has been grabbed, and we’re keen to see what other treats we can feed this brilliant belter. What we discover is talent across the board.

“The amp is clearly having a lot of fun,” we say in the review, “but it’s not the sort of performer to get so carried away that it forgets to take care of the fundamentals. The Arcam showcases impressive stereo imaging, serving up a reasonably wide but nicely focused soundstage that gives a tangible feeling of depth and dimensionality. It’s not messy, either, even on complex compositions, letting textures breathe on their own and granting sufficient space for instruments to shine.”

Stereo speakers: Acoustic Energy AE300 Mk2

All very impressive so far, then. And the loudspeakers we have selected to join the dynamic and entertaining electronic pairing continue to push this system even higher. The Acoustic Energy AE300 Mk2 are understated but oh-so capable standmounters.

A slight note of warning here, though; perhaps “caution” is a better word. As we say in the speakers’ review: “The Acoustic Energy AE300 Mk2’s performance is the very definition of a slow burner. Our initial impression is one of a competent but unremarkable performer. But, over time, we find going back to almost any other speaker that costs similar money a bit of a chore.” So, if you take the plunge on these unobtrusive little boxes, please do give them a bit of time to make their impression. It will be patience well served.

Because the AE300 Mk2 have poise and control. Feed them a demanding recording such as Michael Jackson’s Off The Wall and they don’t sound out of their depth. There is an excellent level of detail, but it is presented in a natural and unforced manner.

Our previous benchmark at this price was the Bowers & Wilkins 606 S3, and they certainly deliver the music with more bombast than the Acoustic Energy, and initially it seems more clarity too. But, as we listen longer, it becomes clear that much of that impression stems from the 606 S3’s brighter and more etched-sounding treble.

The Acoustic Energy pair are smoother, more refined. And, when you listen longer, it is clear that they sound more natural too. Dynamics are strong, and rhythms come through with drive, while bass is rendered with uncommon control and articulation.

Stereo imaging is good and the soundstage is layered with precision. It says much that when we close our eyes, the speakers are hard to locate, which speaks well of their constrained layer cabinet construction as well as their well-judged dispersion.

So there you have it. Sometimes, a system comprising only Award-winning products does exactly what you might hope and expect it would. This set-up is very much Three Musketeers rather than Three Stooges. And we recommend it without hesitation.

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We've put together an affordable, old-school hi-fi system with a modern sonic twist

12 of the best products I saw at the Bristol Hi-Fi Show 2026

System balance: what is the ideal amount to spend on each part of your hi-fi?

Isn’t it fascinating how such seemingly similar recipes can produce such wildly different results?

The exciting world of cooking keenly highlights this phenomenon. Add just a touch too much flour to your Yorkshire puddings and they’ll let down your entire Sunday roast. Too much salt in your Bolognese will have your Italian grandmother weeping similarly saline tears, while dialling up your mustard intake by a fraction can take a perfectly palatable sausage from tasty treat to eye-watering episode.

All very similar things, but change things just a touch and you’ve got something new entirely – a pancake and a Yorkshire pudding are the same recipe cooked in a different way, lest we forget, but you don’t eat Yorkshire puddings for breakfast. Anyway, enough of this culinary detour.

Standmount speakers are the same, believe it or not. This year, we’ve had the pleasure of testing (or else revisiting) a raft of contenders drawn from the same tranche of the market, and while our assessments have tended to be positive across the spectrum of models sampled, the underlying reasons for our enthusiasm have varied significantly from case to case.

2025: the year of the standmount speaker

Perhaps the most notable set to pass through our doors were the Acoustic Energy AE300 Mk2, a pair of mid-price (£649 / $1099 / AU$1580) standmounts featuring a two-way design and a rear port. In case you missed it, they went on to become 2025 What Hi-Fi? Award winners (and received a coveted Product of the Year trophy) thanks to their natural, nuanced sound.

We also enjoyed the talents of KEF Q3 Meta (originally £649 / $900 / AU$1300), another pair of bookshelf belters which, while a little shorter and squatter than their Acoustic Energy rivals, again featured a rear port and a two-way design.

Then there’s the Monitor Audio Bronze 50 7G (£500 / $849 / AU$1099), which go in a different sonic direction to their rivals. Not that you’d know it to look at them – once again, two drivers housed in a handsome cabinet with a port at the back.

The only pair to break that pretty rigid formula have been the recently reviewed Triangle Borea BR04 (£529 / $649 / AU$1100), yet another pair of standmounters which hover around the same sort of price point and employ a two-way design, but with the key difference of having a port at the front rather than hidden away around the back.

What’s remarkable about this ever-growing roster of budget-to-mid-range speakers is just how different they are in terms of audio performance. Each showcases a unique character and general temperament which is distinct from its rivals, to the extent that our recommendations can often fluctuate depending on what any would-be buyer desires in their chosen speaker candidate.

Similar designs, different results

Push us, and the Acoustic Energy would be our pick as the speakers that we’d want were it our money being spent. They’re subtle and nuanced performers as opposed to showy dynamos, but that character only grows more engaging and enthralling when, after a time, you realise just how revealing these Award-winners can be. That all said, they’re still the most expensive pair here as they push well into what we would term ‘mid-range’ territory.

Were we to choose a safe alternative at a lower price, however, it’s hard to look past the KEF Q3 Meta, especially now that their price has dropped considerably since release. With their balanced, controlled presentation, flexible, accommodating temperament and impressive levels of resolution, they’re speakers that we’re confident would please most people most of the time. These aren’t specialists boasting one standout feature – instead, they’re truly accomplished all-rounders.

KEF’s Q3 Meta standmounts use the 12th generation of the company’s signature Uni-Q driver, in which the driver array acts as a single point source to disperse audio more evenly, something which lends to that immersive, cohesive soundstage we’ve experienced across other models in the KEF range, such as the LS50 Meta and KEF LSX II LT.

If you are after a more characterful presentation, the Monitor Audio Bronze 50 7G might be more to your tastes. The Monitors take a completely different direction entirely, prioritising punch and snap over trying to be even-handed and conciliatory. They’re not ones to sit back and relax with, but if sheer entertainment is what you want in speakers, these are born to have a good time.

Oh, and let’s not forget that the Bowers & Wilkins 607 S3 and 606 S3 are still around at this price range (albeit lower than their launch a few years ago) and they too have their own signature sounds. Clear, crisp and detailed, with a slightly forward treble and a looser, freer bass, they’re not the most forgiving standmounts you’ll hear, but these are still former What Hi-Fi? Award-winners, lest we forget. And yes, both are two-way configurations with a port at the back.

So, all seemingly similar designs at similar price points and with so many common elements, all producing wildly different sounds. The lesson here, naturally, is how those subtle differences in design philosophy, construction and tuning preference add up to create a diverse array of standmounted wildlife.

Put the smaller 607 S3 side-by-side with the larger Triangle Borea BR04, and it won’t surprise you to learn, it’s the latter pair that pump out more bass than the leaner, treble-forward Bowers boxes. That extra cabinet size clearly makes a serious difference, as does the fact that the BR04 are working with a 16cm mid/bass driver, whereas the 607 S3 have a comparatively compact 13cm alternative.

Then you’ve got to factor in driver materials. The 607 S3 employ a titanium dome and favour a clear, slightly bright treble reproduction, whereas the Bronze 50 7Gs’ light, thin 25mm C-CAM gold dome tweeter with an updated waveguide makes good on its promise of a wide, precise sound with excellent time alignment.

There are other factors at play, of course, from cabinet construction to how the crossovers are designed, but those materials are unquestionably having an effect, adding or complementing the other to give each speaker its own unique flavour.

Choice is king

The take home point is that all this is great news for the end consumer. That there are currently so many good, if not excellent, standmount speakers available in this mid-price range, with different styles, sizes and sonic characters – meaning there should be a pair to suit almost any set of personal sonic tastes for those looking for a new set of speakers.

Yes, we believe in certain qualities that make hi-fi objectively ‘good’, ‘bad’ or somewhere in the middle, but that doesn’t mean there aren’t lots of ways of achieving a positive outcome, as all the speakers we've tested here prove.

In the world of midrange standmount speakers, you’ve rarely been so spoiled for choice. Now it’s time to go out and find exactly which pair is right for you – once you do, it’ll be a match made in heaven.

MORE:

Down with Spotify! These 6 independent music streaming services want a better experience for musicians and listeners alike

Goodbye, 2025! Check out 7 of our favourite test tracks of the year

Best bookshelf speakers: top standmounts for every budget tested

The end of the year is in sight, which means it's time to pause and reflect. Who's had a good year, and whose 12 months have been... not so good?

We've compiled a list of winners and losers for 2025. Some firms have launched stellar products, kept at the top of their game, or come up with breakthrough technologies that genuinely elevate the viewing or listening experience. And some have dropped a clanger or two.

Some of them aren't even brands. If you bought a new OLED TV recently, we might have some bad news for you...

Do you agree with our list? Let us know your winners and losers of the year in the comments or on our forum.

Winners of 2025

TCL

While TCL has previously shown some flashes of brilliance, no one (myself included) expected what we got from the brand in 2025. It’s really no exaggeration to say that it has redefined expectations in the mid-range and budget areas of the TV market.

The eye-opening specs and surprisingly low prices that have long been TCL’s bread and butter now go hand in hand with more considered and more cinematically accurate tuning, plus new ‘Halo Control Technology’ that allows the TVs to go brighter while retaining deeper contrasting blacks.

Of the six 2025 TCL TVs we’ve tested, four have received five-star ratings, and three of those – the 50C6KS, 65C7K and 85C7K – have gone on to win What Hi-Fi? Awards. I know for a fact that all of this has made several other TV brands rather worried. And, frankly, I think they should be.

Words by Tom Parsons

JBL

Yes, JBL does make other devices, like soundbars, turntables and headphones. And some of them are very good, like the five-star JBL Bar 300MK2 and four-star JBL Tour One M3 Smart Tx. But the brand doesn't dominate any product category like it does Bluetooth speakers.

It picked up three of our five Awards in the wireless speaker category this year, and won every 'portable' speaker Award going. This isn't a one-off – last year it won both portable speaker Awards. That it's continued this superb run of form is deeply impressive.

The Flip continues to be the best budget Bluetooth speaker around, with the Flip 7 adding real improvements to the sound quality, build and feature set. The Charge 6 is ideal for anyone with a bit more to spend, proving "infectiously energetic" in our review, while the Xtreme 4 should be your go-to if you have a somewhat looser definition of 'portable'.

Just a few years ago, it was a much more crowded market, with KEF, Ultimate Ears and Dali all picking up Awards for their portable efforts. JBL's continued dominance shows it has had a very good year indeed.

Words by Joe Svetlik

KEF

Entering a new product category can't be easy. Just ask Sonos. Its debut in the fiercely competitive wireless headphones space last year was not only poorly received – earning a disappointing three stars from us – it also necessitated a disastrous app redesign for which the company is still paying the price.

KEF, on the other hand, had considerably more success with the XIO, its first ever soundbar.

Not only did this monster model win our 'Best soundbar over £1000' Award, it also picked up 'Innovation of the Year' for its Velocity Control Technology. This sees a flexible PCB printed with a sensing coil in place of a traditional former (the component that the main coil wraps around) to measure the speed of movement. This allows the soundbar’s 'brain' to compensate for any errors detected, and correct the sound.

It certainly works. In our review, we described the soundstage as "impressively wide and immersive," with more clarity and precision than the Sennheiser Ambeo Soundbar Max and more finesse in the low-level dynamics.

For a first effort, it's a doozy. Well done KEF.

Words by Joe Svetlik

Sony

Getting to the top is easy, it's the staying there that's the hard part. This saying might be beloved of sports people, but it could easily apply to the world of consumer AV. Sony has excelled in recent years in both its wireless headphones and TVs, and this year saw it continue its winning streak.

True, it might not utterly dominate the wireless headphones space like it did a couple of years ago, when it performed a clean sweep of the category in our Awards. But it's still there, and in some ways that's even more impressive.

The WH-1000XM6 are another proud entry in the stellar flagship XM family, and – true to form – they're another fantastic pair of all-rounders. That's why they won Product of the Year. The WF-C510 and C710N are still respectively the best budget and mid-range wireless earbuds you can buy, while the CH720N are again the best over-ear experience you can have on a budget.

The same goes for its TVs. The Bravia 8 II is the premium TV right now, following on from the also excellent A95L. And while LG might have dominated the lower price categories in our Awards, the Bravia 7 still earned five stars.

With these ranges, Sony is still at the top of its game, years after they first debuted. And as any sports person will tell you, that's the mark of a true champion.

Words by Joe Svetlik

Losers of 2025

Recent OLED TV buyers

Calling an OLED TV owner a loser may sound a little weird – especially in 2025, where we’ve seen several excellent new sets hit the market, including the Product of the Year-winning Sony Bravia 8 II, which our TV and AV editor, Tom Parsons, openly describes as the finest OLED he’s ever reviewed.

But, for me, there are two big flies in the ointment. The first is the existence of Dolby Vision 2 and its Max tier. The new standard is set to launch next year and comes with a variety of technical benefits over Dolby’s current HDR standard. These include improved bi-directional tone mapping as well as the ability for directors to adjust the picture's frame rate.

Technicalities aside, all of these aim to let compatible displays offer a much more authentic, “as the director intended” experience. The issue is that it has specific hardware requirements at a local level to run – so, if you want to experience any of the benefits of Dolby Vision 2, your TV needs to have compatible hardware, which no existing set, including flagship OLEDs, does.

The second issue is the looming threat of RGB Mini LED. This is a new technology we first saw at the CES 2025 trade show in January, which is being pitched by big-name players – including Samsung, Sony, TCL and Hisense – as the successor to OLED in the top-end market.

Yes, we’ve heard these claims before; the difference here is that two of our team have been lucky enough to attend demos of the tech this year, and they walked away incredibly impressed. So there may be some truth the the pre-release marketing.

Which is why, if I’d just bought a new OLED, spending a pretty penny into the bargain, I’d be a smidgeon annoyed that I could miss out on the benefits of two new potentially game-changing home cinema technologies. This might not be the happy ending we were promised.

Words by Alastair Stevenson

Spotify

Finally. After eight long years of waiting, we eventually got Spotify's hi-res offering this year. And it was... underwhelming? Disappointing? That's maybe inevitable after such a long wait, but it didn't make it any easier to stomach.

Because while Spotify Lossless streams tracks in 24-bit/44.1kHz – which is better than CD quality and Spotify's previous 320kbps limit – that's lower than most rival streaming services. Apple Music, Amazon Music, Tidal and Qobuz all offer hi-res streams at up to 24-bit/192kHz, though admittedly most of their tracks have bitrates between 24-bit/44.1kHz and 96kHz.

Not only that, Spotify Premium is more expensive than most rivals too. It's now £13 a month, compared to £11 for Apple Music, Amazon Music, Tidal and Qobuz. (There are some caveats – Amazon Music is the same price as Spotify if you don't have Prime, and Qobuz is only £11 if you pay annually, otherwise it's £13 a month.)

At least Spotify hi-res doesn't have an extra cost, as was rumoured.

Now admittedly most of this won't matter to most people. Spotify is an unashamedly mainstream service, and most people will just appreciate the boost in sound quality. The typical Spotify listener probably doesn't own equipment sophisticated enough to reveal the extra hi-res quality that the rival services offer.

But we're not most people, and for us, the addition of Lossless wasn't enough to earn Spotify its fifth star back when we updated our review.

Words by Joe Svetlik

Amazon

It wasn't a great year for Amazon on the hardware front. While we did see the new Fire TV Stick Select launch at the tail end of 2025, we're still waiting for a new 'proper' streaming stick from the e-tail giant. The second-generation Fire TV Stick 4K and 4K Max launched in 2023, and now we likely won't see new models until towards the end of 2026 at the earliest, making it three years between full-fat iterations.

Now admittedly the last generation of Apple TV – the device, not the streaming service of the same name – launched even longer ago, in 2022. But the previous version to that launched just a year earlier, so we can forgive it. Whereas the first-gen Fire TV Stick 4K arrived all the way back in 2018.

Adding to Amazon's woes was its newest smart speaker, the Echo Dot Max. While we're generally fans of Amazon's low-cost, high-value smart speakers, this model was deeply unimpressive. Its uninspiring, muddled sound led it to a two-star review, and a recommendation to avoid. Must do better, Amazon.

Words by Joe Svetlik

Bose

Now we should say that in general, Bose has had a good year. It launched 2nd Gen variants of its QuietComfort Ultra Headphones and Ultra Earbuds, and both reviewed very well, earning four and five stars, respectively. Its non-Ultra QuietComfort Earbuds from last year won an Award, while its SoundLink Plus portable speaker earned a decent four out of five in our review. But there was one development which was unforgivable.

The firm announced that it's retiring all the smart functionality from its SoundTouch speakers without offering customers any compensation.

From February 2026, speakers in the range will lose their wireless functionality, effectively turning them into very expensive Bluetooth speakers. Not only will they no longer work as multi-room speakers, they will also lose the ability to stream direct from services like Spotify and TuneIn.

SoundTouch launched in 2013, and Bose says it's "no longer able to sustain the development and support of the cloud infrastructure that powers this older generation of products."

Fair enough. But with no trade-in scheme or compensation of any kind, customers are justifiably feeling thoroughly hacked off. If we had just spent £2000 on a SoundTouch system – as one reader who contacted us had – we would be fuming.

Naughty list doesn't begin to cover it.

Words by Joe Svetlik

4K Blu-ray

Like Bose, 4K Blu-ray hasn't had a terrible year. It's just not been a particularly good one, either. There has been no one criminally bad incident like Bose's decision to make its smart speakers dumb. Rather it's been a case of – to coin a phrase – a tepid bath of managed decline.

Recent events have conspired so that we've lost count of the number of nails in Blu-ray's coffin. Netflix's plan to buy Warner Bros. could see a rapid winding down of the studio's disc releases. Sony launched its first Blu-ray player in five years, only to remove the network streaming compatibility and hike the price into the process. And this was the year that Pioneer bade farewell to the optical disc market for good.

The malaise is real. Here's hoping 2026 proves more fruitful for the format.

Words by Joe Svetlik

MORE:

The best smart speakers to buy instead of that two-star Amazon one

The Sony Bravia 8 II made our list of best TVs

Check out the best soundbars to rival the KEF XIO

“I don’t care about Black Friday! I buy what I want, when I want!” – Grumpy What Hi-Fi? reader, November 2025.

The above is a response we got when we asked our readers about their Black Friday 2025 shopping plans at the start of November.

And yes, it is particularly to the point and ignores the fact that there are undeniably some decent hi-fi deals each year during Black Friday. Jump over to our best Black Friday hi-fi deals live hub, and you’ll see some fresh examples of what I mean.

But, as I stared at the comment, I came to realise that in a lot of ways, they're right. After all, in our Black Friday survival guide, I myself said something similar, urging readers not to fall for the event’s marketing and only buy something they actually want. Trust me, there are very few things you NEED to get in the world of hi-fi…

And I’ve said many times before, during most Black Friday shopping events, the best budget turntable to get is almost always the Pro-Ject Primary E, which is never discounted. It’s remained the best you’ll find for less than £250, even at full price, during most of the Black Fridays and Prime Days I've covered.

But, this year specifically, the comment made me think about the Award-winning Acoustic Energy AE300 Mk2, which, despite my sternly worded letter to big red in the North Pole, are still full price, retailing for £649, despite it being Black Friday week.

Prior to reading the comment, the ongoing lack of a decent discount on the AE300 MK2 had me hovering my mouse cursor over the five-star Wharfedale Diamond 12.3, which have been discounted to £399 on Amazon (save £100).

But our grumpy reader reminded me to practice what I preach and wait for what I actually want.

Sure, the Wharfdale’s are great value and sound sublime compared to most similarly priced rivals (hence their What Hi-Fi? Award win this year).

But being full-sized floorstanders, they’re too big for my space and, being blunt, don’t meet my tastes the same way the Acoustic Energy AE300 Mk2 do.

Regular readers know, I’ve planned to buy a pair since we reviewed them. Their composed, neutral sonic profile, attractive price, unfussy nature and general vibe make them an ideal replacement for the ageing Q Acoustic 3030i in my lounge and an ideal match with my Technics SA-C600 system.

I know because I’ve tried them together and can personally confirm the results are excellent, at least for people with my sonic tastes.

Because of our anonymous commenter's message, I remembered how much I want these specific speakers and need to practice what I preach and not compromise, just because it's Black Friday. I know the speakers I want, and I’ll get them and nothing else, discounts be damned!

I urge all of you to do the same…

Black Friday quick links

• Amazon: browse all of today's best deals
• B&W speakers: save £200
• Bluetooth speaker: 48% off five-star JBL
• Bose QC Ultra Earbuds: save £100
• Bravia 8 TV: save 34% on 55in Sony TV
• Denon AV receiver: save £500
• Dolby Atmos soundbar: down to £299
• ELAC Debut 2: five-star speakers now £199
• Headphones: Sennheiser Momentum 4 now £169
• LG C5 55-inch: lowest-ever price at Richer Sounds
• JBL soundbar: now better than half price
• John Lewis: £500 off LG and Sony OLED TVs
• Richer Sounds: browse Black Friday deals
• Sevenoaks: £150 off Award-winning speakers
• Sony headphones: now just £29
• TVs, movies, home cinema: browse the best deals
• Vinyl: 3 for £66 at Amazon
• Wireless earbuds: Award winners now £75

If you have a beloved old turntable and don't want to replace your perfectly functional vinyl hi-fi system, but still want to give it a sonic refresh and some extra features, then an outboard phono stage is an excellent upgrade path.

Alternatively, you might have bought a new budget turntable and have a pair of active desktop speakers, but are missing the crucial phono stage element in the chain.

In either use case, this Cambridge Audio Alva Duo phono preamp is a great, inexpensive and discreet addition that will give your vinyl system a modern refresh and a sonic upgrade in the process. You can snap it up for £249 at Richer Sounds – that's a £50 saving off its full price in this early Black Friday deal.

The five-star outboard phono stage is compatible with both moving magnet (MM) and moving coil (MC) cartridges. Best of all, it includes a built-in headphone amplifier stage and volume dial, which is highly unusual for most standalone phono stages, no matter the price.

This is ideal if your ageing turntable-based hi-fi system doesn't have a headphone socket, and you want to enjoy listening to your records late into the night and without disturbing anyone else in the house.

The Cambridge Audio Duo's full-size 6.3mm headphone socket means you can easily plug in a pair of great wired headphones – such as the Beyerdynamic DT 990 Pro X, the Grado SR325x, the Austrian Audio Hi-X20 or your trusty old Sennheiser HD 600 – and enjoy your records with their quality largely intact.

For those embarking on their first turntable adventure, the addition of this Duo phono stage to a pair of active speakers (one that already has amplification built in) will ensure your vinyl records will be heard with a smooth, detailed and full-bodied sound.

You do get a punchier and more rhythmically precise sound from our current Award-winning Rega Fono MM Mk5 phono stage for a similar price, but it doesn't have any of the extra features that make the Cambridge Duo so enticing.

Most budget to mid-price turntables that we would recommend using the Duo with will likely be equipped with MM cartridges as standard, but if you were to explore MC options in the future (be warned: they tend to be much, much pricier), the Duo gives you the option to expand your horizons when the time comes.

Whether it's the missing link in your compact desktop vinyl system or a modern refresh to an ageing but much-loved hi-fi system, the stylish little Duo with its dynamic sound and great features is worth considering as an upgrade. Snap it up for its deal price of £249 at Amazon or Richer Sounds before Black Friday is over.

MORE:

Check out all the early Black Friday hi-fi deals currently live

Looking for a great Black Friday Bluetooth turntable deal? This five-star spinner is great for starting your vinyl journey

Calling all desktop fans! The Award-winning KEF LSX II LT speaker system has crashed to its lowest ever price

Black Friday quick links

• Amazon: browse all of today's best deals
• B&W speakers: save £200
• Bluetooth speaker: 48% off five-star JBL
• Bose QC Ultra Earbuds: save £100
• Bravia 8 TV: save 34% on 55in Sony TV
• Denon AV receiver: save £500
• Dolby Atmos soundbar: down to £299
• ELAC Debut 2: five-star speakers now £199
• Headphones: Sennheiser Momentum 4 now £169
• John Lewis: £500 off LG and Sony OLED TVs
• Richer Sounds: browse Black Friday deals
• Sevenoaks: £150 off Award-winning speakers
• TVs, movies, home cinema: browse the best deals

Ever noticed that your TV picture sometimes looks too smooth — almost like a daytime soap opera, even when you’re watching a movie? That’s what people call the soap opera effect (SOE).

It happens when a TV feature called motion smoothing (or frame interpolation) is turned on. This setting makes fast-moving scenes look clearer by adding extra frames between the original ones – but it also changes how the video was meant to look.

Some viewers like the extra-smooth motion, saying it makes sports and action scenes look more realistic. Others find it distracting and prefer to see movies as the director intended, with the natural motion of the original frame rate.

If this all sounds a bit technical, don’t worry – our guide will walk you through what causes the soap opera effect, why TVs do it, and how you can adjust it to your liking.

Where does the 'soap opera effect' name come from? And why do higher frame rates change the look of content?

As mentioned, the soap opera effect refers to the perceived consequences of applying the motion smoothing features built into today’s flat-panel TVs.

But the term itself comes from the hyper-real and video-captured look of digital broadcast TV – especially soap operas, studio news, and current affairs shows.

These programmes are shot with video cameras at 25 fps (UK, Australia) or 30 fps (USA). However, because they are broadcast using interlacing, the viewer actually sees motion sampled at 50 fps or 60 fps. This gives video-based shows a smoother, more immediate feel than film.

Motion picture films, by contrast, were – and mostly still are – shot at 24 fps. In the case of photographic celluloid film, analogue cameras chemically expose 24 individual frames each second using complex motors and shutter devices.

Over the last quarter of a century, filmed entertainment has mostly transitioned from capture with film to capture with digital cameras. However, 24 fps has stuck and been the predominant budgetary and creative choice of filmmakers.

That difference of just a few frames per second between broadcast TV content and cinematic film creates a different viewing experience and associated characteristics.

Now, it gets a little more nuanced. You might rightly ask why 25 fps to capture broadcast content (as mentioned above) should look noticeably different to 24 fps?

UK and Australian broadcasters, for example, shoot at 1080i50 with 50 interlaced frames per second. When this is combined with specific studio lighting techniques, the resulting video content looks more ‘soap-opera-like’.

Let’s say you shoot some content at 30 fps. For want of better adjectives, the image will look more ‘immediate’ and ‘live’. That’s why many documentary filmmakers choose to shoot at this faster frame rate. Detail and motion perception are enhanced for the viewer. It’s almost as if you can ‘jump into’ the image.

Conversely, 24 fps content suffers from less smooth and more ‘stuttery’ motion. But the upside is that the film or programme almost looks as if it were shot in the past. The lower frame rate lends to a ‘dreamier’ or more surreal look even.

It’s this impressionistic characteristic that moviemakers love, making it perfect for long-form action adventures, dramas and historical subjects. It’s literally easier to transport the viewer to another world. We might refer to it as the ‘magic of cinema’.

Tom Cruise and director Christopher McQuarrie famously released a social media video urging the public to watch cinema films on all devices, including their own Mission: Impossible series, without motion smoothing of any kind applied.

What is the origin of 24 frames per second?

Up until the mid-1920s, silent cinema films were typically projected at 16 fps (or less). This led to a more jaggy and uncomfortable viewing experience for the audience, as the time in between each frame’s exposure on screen was greater in length.

But the movie industry consolidated on 24 fps after the emergence of ‘talkies’ (early movies with sound).

Not only did 24 fps lead to a viewing experience with much smoother motion, but it was ideal for cinema projectors to synchronise with the new time-interlinked sound systems.

Since the emergence of digital projectors in cinemas in the early noughties, some film directors made the creative decision to shun 24fps and instead shoot and project their works with higher frame rates.

Both Peter Jackson’s The Hobbit Trilogy and James Cameron’s Avatar: The Way of Water were notable examples, both employing 48 fps for what they felt was more vivid and impactful imagery.

But, as mentioned earlier, 24 fps has remained the creative choice for most filmmakers to this day.

So, what is the soap opera effect when it applies to my TV?

The act of adding more frames to any type of content has the effect of smoothing motion or reducing blur. This leads to a look that more closely resembles a soap opera or TV broadcast.

Frame interpolation is the digital fabrication of extra frames in between the native and existing frames in the content.

For example, you might increase the frame rate of a 24 fps movie to 60 fps. Or you might wish to watch sports at 120 fps to track the motion of the ball more seamlessly.

Some of the frame interpolation or motion smoothing features built into TVs include proprietary names, such as TruMotion (LG), Auto Motion Plus (Samsung), AquoMotion (Sharp) and Action Smoothing (TCL).

However, these monikers can change from brand to brand and series to series. You will need to refer to your device’s manual to learn about the specific feature names and associated frame rates available.

It’s worth bearing in mind that gamers are advised not to use motion smoothing features as they can inhibit the input lag and create unwanted picture artefacts. These can include ghosting and, of course, the soap opera effect itself.

Most TVs also include blur reduction and judder reduction sliders inside the ‘Motion Smoothing’ or other similarly named menu. These enhance the effects of frame interpolation and should reduce the look of the soap opera effect.

Blur reduction tackles motion blur, as the name suggests, in faster motion scenes. Judder reduction, by contrast, can particularly help with inconsistencies of film frames at 24 fps. Frame interpolation by itself can sometimes insert a frame identical to the previous one, for example, which can cause this stuttering effect. At other times, the interpolated images break up during, say, fast-moving scenes or when an object on-screen rotates and the edges of the object lose definition.

Note also that these two menu items impact different types of content. Blur reduction influences native content of 60 fps, while judder reduction affects content of 30 fps and less (such as 24 fps film).

Neither of these features, which are often standard on today’s TVs, uses frame interpolation in its electronic processes, but rather they are designed to enhance it.

So, is the soap opera effect good or bad?

It really comes down to your own personal taste, but as cinematic purists, we're broadly against it.

It is possible to add a small amount of smoothing to a movie, to remove the worst of the judder, without introducing an over-processed, soap opera effect. But adding so much processing that motion looks unnatural isn't something we recommend.

That said, to some it might still be appealing. Those who are not used to frequenting cinemas, watch films on portable devices, or take much less interest in movies as art, can be less inclined to view content in its native frame rate.

However, even though frame interpolation for 24 fps movies can make the action look more vivid or tactile, it can have the unintended effect of lessening the scale or what we might call the ‘abstract’ nature of the work.

MORE:

Here's our broader explainer on what is motion handling?

These are the best TVs you can buy right now

And here's our explainer on Filmmaker Mode, which usually turns off all motion smoothing

Bluesound has had a run of very competent, well-featured and well-priced compact music streamers, but it’s been a while since one really stood out as a class leader when it comes to outright sound quality.

That all changes with the Node Icon.

Where the mid-range Node (2024) model conceded to the greater musicality of the Cambridge Audio MXN10, and the budget Node Nano couldn’t topple the wallet-friendly WiiM Pro Plus from its throne, the Bluesound Node Icon stands head and shoulders above its siblings in design, features and, most importantly, performance.

Price

The Bluesound Node Icon is yours for £899 / $1199 / AU$1949 and is the priciest of the current Node range of streamers. Its main competition is the five-star Cambridge Audio CXN100, which retails for a very similar price at £899 / $1049 / AU$1899.

After a time with the Icon and its many talents, you might well think it outperforms its sub-£1000 billing.

Build & design

The three members of the Node family have distinct profiles, but instead of the slimline, ‘modem’-like designs of most Nodes, the Icon is a taller, boxier unit. It’s still a fairly compact unit, taking up roughly the same footprint as the smaller Node (2024) and Cambridge Audio MXN10, but is twice the height of its younger sibling.

Its build quality is of a considerably higher quality, too – the anodised aluminium metal casing and shiny glass top feel sturdy and substantial. Altogether, it’s a classier and more premium-feeling unit, but is still discreet enough to hide away in your listening room if that’s your preference.

What stands out is the 5-inch full colour display that dominates the front panel. It’s the first Bluesound streamer to sport a screen, and it is sharp, clear and appealing. It displays album artwork, track and source information when music is playing, while a clock face is shown when the unit is on standby or, unusually, when the music is paused.

This is a quirk of the unit’s system that can’t be changed; Bluesound states that the clock display automatically slides in to prevent issues such as image burn-in on the screen, to reduce interface clutter when the unit is inactive, and simply to provide useful information – the time – when it’s in idle mode. We do sometimes wish the ‘now playing’ screen stayed on for a little longer, but it’s a pretty small niggle in the grand scheme of things. Bluesound’s reasoning is sensible, and we get used to this quirk in the course of our testing period.

It’s also worth noting that, unlike some of the screen-toting WiiM and Eversolo streamers, the Node Icon’s display isn’t a touchscreen one. But the Icon does incorporate the touch-capacitative controls that we’ve seen on its siblings. That sloped glass section on top of the unit houses this strip of touch controls, which includes basic music playback (pause, play, previous and next-track skipping) and a volume slider.

More usefully, you can appoint five presets that are readily available to you by tapping the five illuminated ‘dots’ – meaning you can play your favourite playlist or radio station with a single tap, without having to fire up your smartphone or app. Neat.

The controls are responsive, and the streamer is overall easy and uncomplicated to operate, especially when combined with the handy BluOS app. The touch controls on the highly reflective glass panel do pick up fingerprint marks easily, but we should note that this is less obvious in person than how it looks in our photos here.

Features

Pitched as the “audiophile” flagship option of the Node family, Bluesound has imbued the Node Icon with more advanced audio technology and tuning, and a greater spread of connections, although the streaming elements remain the same across the family.

Internally, the Icon features twin ESS Sabre ES9039Q2M DAC chips in a dual-mono DAC architecture. This means each chip can devote its full processing power to each channel, with Bluesound saying this offers a more separated and “pure” sound. The Icon has an integrated power supply design that aims to reduce noise and produce a clearer signal, while a “transparent” circuitry helps with delivering high levels of resolution, dynamism and ultra-low distortion.

As with the current Bluesound Node products, the native file resolution support here goes up to 24-bit/192kHz PCM and DSD256.

In addition to that, the Node Icon is the first to implement MQA Labs’ Qrono digital-to-analogue technology, following parent company Lenbrook’s acquisition of MQA Ltd and its technologies. The Qrono technology aims to further refine the DAC’s timing response, so that it aligns more authentically with the original recording. We always found Tidal’s MQA tracks have the upper hand when it comes to rhythmic ability, so we are hoping that this sonic trait translates here.

The Node Icon runs on the tried-and-tested BluOS streaming platform, which is smooth-running and feature-packed. The connection is stable over both wi-fi and wired Ethernet, and we didn’t encounter any issues when playing music from Tidal Connect, Qobuz Connect, Spotify Connect or BBC 6 Music.

The BluOS app supports plenty more streaming services and various internet radio stations, and is overall well organised and intuitive to use, especially with large music libraries stored on connected NAS drives or media servers.

There’s no Google Chromecast support, however, which is standard for all BluOS-supported products. Some might miss this functionality, but Bluetooth (of the aptX Adaptive variety) and Apple AirPlay 2 are also on board for convenient streaming from a smartphone or tablet.

There is scope to adjust the Icon’s audio settings further in the app: there are gain options, mono/stereo playback modes, tone controls (which we preferred to leave off for a more solid, punchier sound), and the ability to toggle the fixed output level on or off, depending on whether you want to use the Bluesound streamer as a preamp.

You can also combine other BluOS-compatible wireless speakers and streaming products (from Bluesound, NAD, Cyrus, Dali, Roksan and more) into a wider multi-room system all through the app, should you wish.

Physical connections include digital coaxial and optical outputs, as well as an HDMI eARC for connecting the unit to a TV. The Node Icon is the only one of its family to include a pair of balanced XLR analogue outputs, alongside one set of RCA line level outputs. You also get an RCA line level and optical input apiece on the back panel, along with USB-A and USB-C ports for plugging in a laptop or external storage devices.

As with its streaming talents, switching between our connected TV and CD player is a smooth process, and the Icon never falters when we swap between multiple sources in quick succession to try and trip it up.

One of our favourite things about the Node Icon is that it offers not one, but two full-size 6.3mm headphone jacks, which are situated at either side of the unit. This means two people can simultaneously listen to the same music or TV show late at night. It’s a lovely touch. The headphone amplifier stage features THX AAA feed-forward error correction technology that promises low distortion levels and great clarity and soundstaging. Similarly to the Node (2024), the headphone amplifier proves once again to be of great quality in the Icon.

Another key USP of the Node Icon is that it is Dirac Live Ready, although you will have to separately purchase the calibration kit (£39, consisting of a high-sensitivity microphone and USB adapter) and a Dirac license to make it all work. Dirac Live is a room correction software designed to optimise the streamer’s performance to your listening space, especially if the room has serious acoustic issues.

There is a limited bandwidth licence ($159) and a full bandwidth license ($249); we were provided with the full kit for our review, but as we found during the NAD C 3050 with MDC2 BluOS-D module testing, this doesn’t make much of a substantial difference in our acoustically treated test rooms. However, we can see the benefit of investing in this calibration kit and software when your listening space is less than ideal, and so we will be trying the Dirac Live effect further when one of our reviewers takes the Node Icon into their home, which has zero acoustic treatment.

Sound

Despite the time it’s taken us to get to the sound quality section, getting music playing from the Node Icon takes a small handful of minutes after unboxing it. What’s even more pleasing is just how musically engaging the Node Icon sounds right from the start.

The Bluesound products we’ve recently reviewed have been capable and competent, but we felt that they were missing some kind of spark. There are no such reservations with the Node Icon. It’s a lively, engaging and dynamic performer that grabs our interest at the beginning and only continues to impress us the more we listen.

Plugged into our test room’s reference system of the Naim Nait XS 3 and Epos ES-7N speakers, the Node Icon delivers music with a pleasing richness and solidity, along with having an agile sense of rhythm and a strong handle on dynamics.

The fiery intensity and propulsive rhythm in Eminem’s The Way I Am is delivered with punch and snappy timing, while the solo drum pattern in Dave Brubeck’s Take Five is tightly and cohesively knitted together – it all makes rhythmic sense and keeps our attention hooked on the music.

This isn’t an extroverted, look-at-me presentation, but the Icon’s sound has a glimmer to it – underpinned by stellar composure and well-judged ability over the frequency range – that is so appealing to listen to that we find ourselves playing song after song through the Node Icon and having a great time.

There is clarity and detail aplenty when conveying The Unthanks’ delicate but nuanced vocals in Gan To The Kye, and there is a satisfying amount of body and twang to the shapely and taut basslines in Chaka Khan’s Ain’t Nobody. There is a lovely fluidity and precision to the way the Node Icon handles music from any source, with a nimble footing that keeps pace with whatever genre or song we throw at it.

The Node Icon sounds even more at home when paired with the price-compatible Arcam A5+. Both meld together with a deft handling of dynamics that means there is an appropriate sense of drama and excitement when listening to Fontaines D.C.’s high-octane Starburster track. The Icon is able to tidily convey the subtler flourishes and different timbres of instruments in Khruangbin’s funky, easy-going Maria Tambien, as well as the softly mournful piano notes in Ólafur Arnald’s Raein composition.

This lithe and musically engaging presentation is heard across the various inputs, too, with albums played on our Cyrus CDi player sounding clean and solid via optical, and hi-res songs from our NAS drive having that bit more depth and grip. Songs played through Bluetooth naturally dip in power, punch and detail as expected, but it’s perfectly fine as a convenient solution.

To give credit to the Node Icon, it doesn’t put a spotlight on any sonic element in particular, aiming to simply deliver music in a confident, balanced and entertaining way. The streamer is transparent enough to reveal the subtle differences in source quality or of the era in which a recording was made, such as how a 1970s soul track has such a different feel and texture from a modern, polished K-pop production.

The Icon deftly relays all these nuances in space, texture and resolution without making too much of a meal of it. It doesn’t try to embellish any frequency, nor does it try to hide any warts – this is a quietly but terrifically capable performer that simply gets out of the way and lets the music shine through.

Plug a pair of Beyerdynamic DT 990 X Pro open-back headphones in, and we’re met with vocals that are crystal clear and emotive against an impressively quiet background, while instruments and melodies retain their snap and sparkle. It’s an excellent performer, and we wouldn’t hesitate to aim higher with your audiophile headphone pairing.

The five-star Cambridge Audio CXN100 rival offers a bigger and more spacious soundstage than the Icon, but we find ourselves willing the leaner Cambridge streamer to sound that bit more propulsive and more dynamically adept with the same songs during our comparison testing. The Bluesound is more musically cohesive and dynamically subtler; it times better and has that spark that keeps our attention fully captured through the drama and message of a song.

Verdict

Sure, it could sound bigger, and pricier options from Naim, Cyrus and Audiolab raise the standards even higher and are more articulate, insightful and offer greater precision and control. That the Node Icon sounds so deft, composed and fun at this sub-£1000 level is pretty remarkable, and it does so with such ease that it puts rivals to shame.

We hope the Node Icon’s strong sonic talents are reflected in Bluesound’s future models, as its wonderfully musical, engaging quality holds our interest like no other Bluesound product has done before.

For anyone looking for a compact, feature-laden, fuss-free streamer that sounds great for a rather reasonable price, we can’t recommend the Node Icon highly enough.

Review published: 11th October 2025

SCORES

• Sound 5
• Build 5
• Features 5

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Qobuz Connect: what is it? Which products support it?

During a shopping event, like the Amazon Big Deal Days bonanza currently running, as editor of What Hi-Fi? I’m usually asked which speakers I’m personally keeping an eye on by readers and friends.

This happened earlier this week, when one of my friends came over for dinner and was impressed by my modest – by What Hi-Fi? standards – system, which pairs Q Acoustics 3030i speakers with a Technics SA-C600 streaming amplifier and wanted some advice on building his own system.

But, while he nodded when I told him which speakers I had my eye on, the Acoustic Energy AE300 Mk2, he was less impressed when I gave a blunt “no” in response to his question about whether they would be discounted during the Amazon Prime sale.

• Browse all the Prime Day deals

And to be fair, I get why. Shopping for hi-fi with a sales event happening, or just around the corner, means you will always want to get a good deal on the hardware you're planning on buying and naturally focus on what’s being discounted first as a result.

But I think that’s the worst thing to do in some instances. Why? Because I love hi-fi and have specific tastes that rule out a lot of options, regardless of their price.

That’s one reason why I’ve kept the Technics/Q Acoustics setup for so long. Anything I’ve been tempted to swap in has been way more expensive than I can afford or not delivered a big enough improvement on my current system for me to bother.

Unless I enjoy the sound and listening to my music significantly more, I don’t see why I’d bother with the faff or taking a punt on a random thing.

That's why I always insist on trying before I buy and recommend any hi-fi fan do the same. If you do you can go into any shopping event with a hit-list of items you've heard and know you're happy with rather than an “I need to get something” attitude.

From there you probably have two questions; how do I know they won’t be discounted, and why these speakers above all the others I've heard?

On the first point, they definitely won’t get a Big Deal Days discount because Amazon doesn’t sell them. You have to go to a specialist store, such as Peter Tyson or AV.com in the UK, to find them in stock. Even if you do you’ll see them all carrying the same £649 price tag.

On top of that, based on our experience covering the speaker market since the 1970s, products in the AE300 Mk2's class don’t tend to go on deal often. Smaller companies don’t usually have the luxury as they don’t mass produce products and need to be very careful with pricing if they want to turn a profit.

On to the second question; why these speakers specifically? It’s because they tick all my boxes. Repeat What Hi-Fi? readers will know, in my personal life, I enjoy a controlled and neutral sound. That’s in no small part why I really like the four-star Beyerdynamic Aventho 300 wireless headphones as my on-the-go workhorse.

And that’s exactly what the AE300 Mk2 delivers, in a way that no other speaker in its class that we’ve tested can match. The What Hi-Fi? team knows that as they've run them all head-to-head in our listening rooms.

As our reviewers said: “These Acoustic Energy AE300 Mk2 are up against some tough competition, but we feel their controlled and detailed presentation serves them well. They don’t try to bite off more than they can chew, and in the process deliver a superbly judged sound that works well across musical genres and with a wide range of electronics.”

Their Award-winning rival, the Bowers & Wilkins 606 S3 have a more energetic, lively character that some of the team adore, but never quite jelled with my personal tastes.

The KEF Q3 Meta came close to drawing my ear and are better in some areas, but as we said reviewing them “the five-star Acoustic Energy AE300 Mk2 rivals are a touch more natural in how they tie music together”.

And that’s exactly why until I know first hand something meets my specific tastes better, the Acoustic Energy AE300 Mk2 will remain earmarked as my next set of lounge standmounts, regardless of what deals are doing the rounds right now.

Nothing else I've heard will do the job as well and I’m not interested in compromising my music listening experience for the sake of a few bucks. I'll buy them when I can afford them and need them, rather than compromise and get something I'll only want to swap out later just because it's a bit cheaper right now.

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Over the past few weeks you may have spotted a trend on the What Hi-Fi? homepage. Specifically, an increasingly long list of Mini LED TV reviews appearing.

And, while we can safely confirm that OLED TVs remain the dominant force in the upper echelons of our best TVs guide, three in particular have shattered expectations and completely changed our buying advice in the mid-range and affordable areas of the market – especially if you’ve decided to make the jump to Mini LED.

Here’s what you need to know about them.

The TCL C7K is the best Mini LED for most people

TCL didn’t have the best year in 2024, with the TCL C855K, TCL C755K and TCL C655K all earning four-star ratings, placing them firmly in the middle of the pack.

But, this year the brand has come out all guns blazing, delivering some of the finest Mini LED TVs we’ve tested. And while the flagship TCL C8K may dominate the headlines, it’s actually the TCL C7K that impressed us the most.

This isn’t to say the C8K isn't great. We gave it five stars as it is a fantastic performer with better connectivity, more dimming zones and higher peak brightness levels than its step-down sibling, the C7K.

But these benefits don’t quite justify the increase in cost between the two, which is why we think C7K is actually the best option for most people, especially from a performance-per-pound/dollar perspective.

This is especially true given how strong the C7K is when it comes to picture quality. For starters, during our checks the TV proved capable of going explosively bright. But second, and more importantly, it offers radically improved light control.

This was a key weakness we repeatedly flagged reviewing last year’s TCL sets, with their focus on showcasing how bright they could go leading to distracting fluctuations and a slightly flat and pale image, during certain test scenes.

By comparison the C7K looked nicely three dimensional, retaining oodles of contrast and solid dark detail during all our checks. Hence our reviewers' verdict: “Super-aggressive pricing, much-improved Mini LED backlighting and expansive Quantum Dot colour make the TCL C7K a performance-per-pound champ.”

If that doesn’t tickle your fancy, the Sony Bravia 7 has you covered

If you’re looking to spend a little more, or for some reason the TCL C7K doesn’t catch your eye, then we’re pleased to report the Sony Bravia 7 is a top performer and our new recommended mid-range Mini LED TV.

The TV is the step-down option to the firm’s Bravia 9 TV, which remains the “premium” option we recommend in our main best Mini LED TV buying guide.

Despite not featuring as many dimming zones or Sony’s Acoustic Surface audio tech, during our testing the Bravia 7 still managed to impress.

Featuring Sony’s XR Backlight Master Drive panel tech and Quantum Dot colour system, the TV delivers a controlled, balanced, authentic movie watching experience. This makes it a fantastic option for people that primarily watch movies and value an “as the director intended” experience.

Hence our verdict: “The Bravia 7 gets much closer to the quality of Sony’s Bravia 9 flagship than expected and is, as a result, one of the best mid-range TVs available.”

Our only word of caution is for gamers with multiple current-generation games consoles as the set only has two HDMI 2.1 inputs capable of running a 4K/120Hz, one of which doubles as the eARC required to attach a Dolby Atmos soundbar.

Be prepared for a fair amount of cable swapping if you have multiple boxes and an Atmos soundbar, as a result.

Pigs have flown and we’ve found a good cheap Mini LED TV

Finding any good cheap TV worthy of What Hi-Fi?’s hallowed five-star rating is difficult. We’ve chronicled the challenges we face keeping our best cheap TV guide updated with actually good recommendations many times before.

Which is why we were blown away when we found a cheap Mini LED set to recommend last month in the shape of the TCL C6KS.

Despite costing less than £500, the set comes with a capable Mini LED panel that offers solid peak brightness levels.

Thanks to a clear focus by TCL to make the panel never push too hard, it also handles demanding dark scenes surprisingly well, offering suitably consistent blacks and dark detail to keep most movie fans fully immersed in what’s playing out on screen.

As we said in our review: “TCL’s 50-inch C6KS just shouldn’t be as good as it is for this price – it’s hands-down one of the year’s biggest bargains.”

But, be warned, while it is fantastic considering its price, there are a few performance issues. For starters, the set can struggle with motion in movies especially, with an unintended blur effect occasionally rearing its ugly head during testing.

It also doesn’t have any HDMI 2.1 inputs, which means next generation gamers won’t be able to run their consoles at full speed. But for the price, we’d argue these issues are more than forgivable and the C6KS remains the best cheap TV we’ve currently tested, regardless.

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We have spent most of the year with our eyes glued to the latest and greatest OLED TVs – and we're certainly not complaining about it.

And in a rare occurrence, we've managed to line up the four biggest flagship models –from LG, Sony, Samsung and Panasonic – to assess which one comes out on top. The respective models – namely the G5, Bravia 8 II, S95F, and Z95B – all feature the latest advanced panel technology, including Primary RGB Tandem OLED, which made its debut this year, and the latest generation of QD-OLED.

You have probably seen our list of the best OLED TVs, so the model that has come out on top shouldn't surprise you. Yes, it's the Sony Bravia 8 II, a stunning television that offers a bright, sharp, and three-dimensional picture packed with contrast.

The Sony really is excellent, but the competition has been incredibly tough this year, meaning that while the Bravia 8 II is the agreed-upon winner among Team AV, it's not necessarily the one that we would each take home.

Each of the models mentioned above scored five stars in our reviews, and they all have something unique to bring to the table. This means that you're bound to get a sensational TV regardless of your preferences and priorities.

After a lengthy debate between Alastair Stevenson (What Hi-Fi?'s editor in chief), Tom Parsons (our TV and AV editor), and me (Lewis Empson, senior staff writer), we've agreed to come to a conclusion that appeases everyone. While we all agree that the Sony Bravia 8 II is the best of the bunch, we'd each take a different TV home.

Now, there are three of us and four TVs, so one TV must, of course, miss out. Unfortunately, that's going to be the LG G5. It is impressive in many ways, but ultimately we felt that it pushed the brightness capabilities of this new panel tech a little too far. Sorry LG, but it had to be someone.

With that out of the way, which TV would each of us choose to take the coveted spot in our respective living rooms?

Sony Bravia 8 II

We'll start with the Sony, which has been championed by Tom Parsons. It follows up on the brilliant Sony A95L, sporting a Samsung Display-derived QD-OLED panel, which it uses to boost brightness to great effect.

Pair that with some of the best picture processing on the market right now, and an effective built-in speaker system that is almost good enough to not require an external sound system, and the Sony Bravia 8 II just about edges out the competition.

Furthermore, the Bravia 8 II undercut the competition when it came to price at launch, and it continues to be the cheapest of the bunch, making it the best OLED of this roundup when it comes to that all-important performance-to-pound ratio.

That's ticking all of the boxes we look out for, so it's no wonder it's Tom's top pick. Here's what he has to say about the Bravia 8 II:

Tom Parsons, TV and AV editor

"While I most certainly want all of the picture enhancements that next-gen panel technology offers, I only want it when it’s in the service of delivering cinematically authentic movies (and TV shows and games, for that matter).

That’s why the Bravia 8 II is the clear winner for me.

It seems fair to say at this point that QD-OLED has the edge over Primary RGB Tandem, particularly where colours are concerned, and the Sony deploys this enhanced vibrancy not to turn everything up to 11, Spinal Tap-style, but to deliver more natural and consistent colours from the brightest highlights to the darkest shadows.

Add awesome contrast and Sony’s exceptional processing, which subtly sharpens specific picture elements to create a thrilling impression of three-dimensionality, and you’ve got a performance that perfectly balances dynamism and realism."

Panasonic Z95B

Now, there's no doubting that the Sony trumps the competition, especially as it undercuts the competition where price is concerned.

But it's not the best pick for everyone. Our editor in chief, for instance, prefers the Panasonic Z95B. And we couldn't possibly blame him; it's another stellar TV that delivers “rich and vibrant” colours and an overall “strikingly three-dimensional image”, as referenced in our full review.

We also find it to sound rather good, too, with its built-in Dolby Atmos sound system being tuned by legendary audio brand Technics.

But what really strikes us with this TV is how cinematically accurate it is, which is why it's Alastair's top choice. Read what he has to say about the Panasonic Z95B here:

Alastair Stevenson, editor in chief

“I’ve always valued an authentic, as the director intended, picture over one with lots of razzmatazz.

And while that sounds simple enough, in today’s market where TV makers seem hellbent on selling a high nit count as the primary metric for decent picture quality, that’s actually a pretty hard thing to find.

Which is why, for me personally, the Panasonic Z95B is the standout star of the show right now.

Sure, it doesn’t push its brightness-boosting Primary RGB Tandem OLED screen as hard as rivals, but its consistency and focus on control won me over during our group tests, letting me focus on the movie, not what it was doing, more than any other flagship OLED this year."

Samsung S95F

Rounding out our picks is the Samsung S95F, which we called the “very best all-round TV that Samsung has ever produced, and a strong candidate for TV of the year”. We complimented its “stunningly bright, vibrant and sharp” picture, and the overcooked colours of previous Samsung TVs have been reined in for a more natural look.

The Sony takes the edge where shadow detail is concerned, but the Samsung's feature-set is what makes it my favourite of the bunch. The gaming features are second to none on this TV, and Tizen is an extremely comprehensive operating system when it comes to app support.

We feel that the Samsung offers a picture performance that is characteristically very close to the Sony, and what it lacks in the picture department is made up for in the features; which is why it's my top pick.

Here's why I would take the Samsung S95F out of this crop of excellent OLED TVs:

Lewis Empson, senior staff writer

“After spending a considerable amount of time with the Panasonic and Sony sets, I was convinced that Samsung had to pull off some sort of miracle to take my personal top spot. Which is why I am both surprised yet very impressed to be writing exactly why I love this TV so much.

The S95F ticks all of the boxes for me. Its picture performance is truly brilliant, with a crisp and dazzlingly bright presentation that drew my eye during our side-by-side testing. Samsung has clearly taken a more mature approach with this TV, as it features a surprisingly natural and engaging picture, which puts it remarkably close to the Sony in pole position.

While it doesn't quite beat, or even match the Sony (which also uses a QD-OLED panel) in the picture department, it does crush the Sony where features are concerned.

As an avid gamer with multiple consoles and a Dolby Atmos soundbar hooked up to my TV, it's safe to say that HDMI 2.1 sockets are precious commodities. The S95F has four of them, all of which support VRR and ALLM – very nice indeed.

The only drawback is the lack of Dolby Vision, which is something I'd have to adjust to; but with HDR10+ being picked up by a raft of streaming services, it's a compromise that stings slightly less nowadays.”

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The KEF Q3 Meta have a big task on their hands. The mid-price standmount speaker arena isn't short on talent, with the Bowers & Wilkins 606 S3 reigning supreme as the current What Hi-Fi? Award-winners in this ever-competitive field.

Those 606 S3 have nabbed back-to-back trophies, too, making the task of the Q3 Meta just a little bit tougher than it might already have been.

That said, KEF knows its way around a set of standmounts. The Q3 Meta are a five-star pair, while established models such as the LS50 Meta (1000 / $1499 / AU$2495) and Q Concerto Meta (£1099 / $1299 / AU$2000) showcase what the hi-fi brand is capable of when it's at the top of its game.

This is Lennox Lewis vs. Frank Bruno: two heavyweights facing off in the 'Battle of Britain'. Let's find out which is capable of delivering that knockout blow.

KEF Q3 Meta vs B&W 606 S3: price

The Bowers & Wilkins 606 S3 have been around since late 2023, so in standmount speaker terms, they're maturing nicely. When they first landed in test rooms in August 2023, they would have set you back £749 / $1100 / AU$1499 per pair, but UK buyers will find they can snap a pair up for between £649 and £699 these days.

The KEFs, meanwhile, have been around only since late 2024, making them newer than their B&W rivals. For now, though, their price of £649 / $900 / AU$1300 puts them on a collision course with the 606 S3, with a lower price if you're in the US or Australia. Those in the UK might also see them available for £549 at the time of writing.

**Winner: KEF Q3 Meta**

KEF Q3 Meta vs B&W 606 S3: build and design

We're not talking apples and oranges here, but there are a few points of distinction to make between our two sets of five-star contenders.

The KEF Q3 Meta are the larger of the two, weighing in at a substantial 8.2kg and measuring 35.7 x 21 x 30.5cm (hwd). The B&W 606 S3 are swimming in similar waters, measuring in at 34.4 x 18.9 x 30cm and weighing roughly 7kg each, making them a touch slimmer and lighter than their Q3 Meta counterparts.

Still, there's not a huge amount in it and both are admirably engineered speakers. The Q3 Meta are built to the high standard that we have come to expect from KEF, with a weighty construction that demonstrates a product well made. KEF’s signature Uni-Q driver is what naturally draws the eye, while their single set of rear terminals are also nicely made and properly finished.

It's the same story when handling the more established B&W Award-winners. The speakers' cabinets use strengthened internal bracing, with the two drive units positioned closer together on the fascia than on the previous S2 generation. This is something Bowers & Wilkins claims improves the integration between the two drivers for better stereo imaging.

Both sets of rivals employ a two-way design. The 606 S3 have a 25mm dome tweeter that is made out of titanium for the first time in the 600 Series, and the 16.5cm mid/bass mid/bass driver uses B&W’s proprietary 'Continuum' cone material.

Elsewhere, the 606 S3 inherit design concepts and technologies derived from the step-up 700 S3 series. These include a more powerful motor assembly for the mid/bass driver, an updated crossover, a neater speaker terminal layout and reflex port design, as well as a longer tube-loading system for reducing the amount of unwanted radiation from the back of the tweeter.

The KEFs, conversely, employ the 12th generation of the brand's signature Uni-Q driver array consisting of a 25mm tweeter and a 16.5cm mid/bass – this driver array acts as a single point-source to disperse audio more evenly for a more “immersive and cohesive soundstage”.

KEF’s chunky speakers also implement the brand’s innovative ‘Metamaterial Absorption Technology’ (MAT) technology. This is a puck-shaped, maze-like structure that uses a series of channels to absorb rearward sound radiation from the back of the tweeter dome in pursuit of a cleaner, less distorted sound.

Both pairs, then, are made to the high standards we would expect from brands that know their way around a pair of standmounts. The 606 S3 are arguably a little more chic in their aesthetic, and some users might find the KEFs a tad bulky, but in terms of tangible build quality and class-leading tech, there's not much to pick between our two rivals here.

**Winner: Draw**

KEF Q3 Meta vs B&W 606 S3: sound quality

The Bowers & Wilkins 606 S3 have laid down an impressive marker since arriving in 2023. They have won the What Hi-Fi? Award for the best standmount speaker £600-£800 for two years in a row, and we don't tend to grant back-to-back accolades for products that don't have some serious quality about them.

Despite their advancing years, we continue to be impressed by B&W's mid-price speakers. Their precise, refined and slightly lean personality is paired with a more open and spacious presentation than their predecessors could muster, with the 606 S3 conveying the shifts of scale and intensity of our music with impressive subtlety.

What's so rewarding about the 606 S3 is that they have the dynamism and musicality to really get us involved in what is being played. These are speakers that are capable of conveying the changing energies of music as it evolves, while their impressive levels of detail only add to their enchanting talents.

They sound big and weighty, too. As we say in our review, their enlarged cabinets allow for greater authority: “Orchestral pieces roar with more conviction and in a wider soundstage than the smaller 607 S3 allow, while low-frequency performances are controlled and have an organic depth to them.”

The 606 S3 do need need some careful partnering to get the most out of them, and we advise finding an amplifier that doesn't accentuate their slightly bright, excitable treble. Still, if you partner them with equipment that can really bring out their best – we find the Arcam A5 integrated works nicely – the 606 S3 remain a superb standmount candidate at this price. Worthy Award-winners, indeed.

The Q3 Meta, meanwhile, are a little different in how they deliver music. While the rival Bowers & Wilkins 606 S3 have that slightly enthusiastic treble to contend with, no elements of the Q3 Meta – be they overly bright top notes or booming bass – negatively draw the ear.

In fact, switching from the Q3 Meta to the 606 S3 does shine a light on the latter's slightly unrefined upper-end, all while emphasising just how controlled and well-calibrated these impressive KEF speakers are.

The Q3 Meta deliver a composed, even-handed personality, showcasing excellent stereo imaging and a talent for sonic organisation and integration. They never seem strained or ill at ease, handling music in a composed, mature manner that makes us feel reassured as we listen to song after song.

Despite being a pair of standmounters, the scale, breadth and solidity of their soundstage is remarkable, and even when our test tracks get demanding, their stereo imaging or the integrity of the soundstage rarely suffer.

That canny balance gives the Q3 Meta admirable versatility. Play a lean, thin recording, such as Elvis Costello’s Veronica, and the KEFs will perform an admirable job of negating the recording’s limitations while still communicating its essential verve and character.

These are excellent all-rounders for this price level, and we have no issues recommending them as a safe bet to a wide range of potential listeners thanks to their forgiving, mature nature.

Not only that, they are also a clear, detailed and sonically rich set of standmounts, defining the edges of notes nicely and filling out key timbres with ample body and brawn.

Nothing about them is boring, either. As we say in our review, they handle dynamics “with a pleasing subtlety”, and have “the insight to bring subtle dynamic shifts and variations through in a way that sounds natural and engaging, all while making larger dynamic changes sound dramatic yet unforced.”

The Q3 Meta are not quite as crisp-sounding as the 606 S3, but we never feel as though we're getting a muffled or muddy reproduction from the KEFs. Their balance makes them extremely easy to recommend.

A tricky one, but the KEF Q3 Meta just shade a victory here.

**Winner: KEF Q3 Meta**

KEF Q3 Meta vs B&W 606 S3: verdict

We remain huge admirers of the Bowers & Wilkins 606 S3. There's a reason they have nabbed back-to-back What Hi-Fi? Awards, and while new challengers have come for their crown, there's little to suggest that they won't continue to reward prospective listeners thanks to their clear sonic talents.

And the occasional cheeky discount makes them an attractive buy for anyone looking to save a few extra quid (it tends to be UK-only deals for now) on an established pair of speakers.

The KEF Q3 Meta are a tempting alternative. While they may not be as crisp and clean sounding as the 606 S3 (and they are slightly bulkier), we see the Q3 Meta as a safe bet for anyone looking for a beautifully balanced, mature and well-rounded set of standmounts.

To quote from our original review, the KEFs are “an attractive choice for listeners who want a pair of speakers that are confident and composed no matter what you throw at them.”

Much as we have admired the 606 S3 for so long, the Q3 Meta make a compelling case as a pair of standmounts that will please most of the people most of the time.

**Overall winner: KEF Q3 Meta**

MORE:

Acoustic Energy AE300 Mk2 vs Bowers & Wilkins 606 S3: which of these mid-price standmount speakers is top of the pile?

Read our expert recommendations for the best bookshelf speakers

And the best floorstanding speakers, too

Focal’s Theva No.1 speakers step into a highly competitive arena. This mid-price area of the market has long been dominated by the likes of the Bowers & Wilkins 600 range, but recent months have seen something of a shift, with strong new contenders such as the five-star Acoustic Energy AE300 Mk2 and the KEF Q3 Meta stepping into the limelight.

The Theva No.1 has its work cut out if it is to worry such talented opposition.

This standmount is the entry point into Focal’s step-up range of speakers. The Theva series is pretty extensive, and is composed of a trio of floorstanders (one of which packs upward-firing Dolby Atmos modules), a centre speaker, a smart on-wall model and what on paper looks like a mighty subwoofer that packs 600 watts of Class D power and a substantial 30cm woofer.

Build & design

Given the price level, it comes as no surprise that Focal has stuck to the standard two-way, port-loaded standmount template. Within that, the company has dipped into its extensive drive unit knowledge and equipped the Theva No.1 with some interesting technology.

Our attention is drawn to the distinctive tweeter. This is an aluminium/magnesium inverted dome of the kind that the company has championed for decades, but there have been a number of refinements for the Theva range.

Following the development work done on the company’s high-end and hugely capable Beryllium domes, the unit used here has a surround made of a microporous polyurethane foam called Poron. This material is claimed to reduce distortion in the 2-3kHz region by a factor of three.

The shape of the dished waveguide surrounding the tweeter has also been refined to improve dispersion characteristics and so make the speakers less fussy about precise angling relative to the listening position.

The 16.5cm mid/bass driver is just as interesting. It uses a cone made of a material called Slatefiber, which is a composite that blends non-woven recycled carbon fibre and a thermoplastic polymer.

The carbon fibres are all orientated in the same direction to help rigidity but not woven to improve internal damping. The inclusion of the thermoplastic polymer is claimed to help damping too, with the result being a light, rigid and low resonance diaphragm structure.

By price standards, these Focal speakers are chunky boxes at 39cm tall and 21cm wide, but not outlandishly so. Their build is solid enough, but the shiny front baffle looks a little cheap to us, and the quality of the finish falls into the ‘just fine’ category.

There isn’t anything to criticise here, but neither is there anything that stands out, which is a shame as Focal usually delivers imaginative design touches and unusual material choices in its products.

We suspect the tight budget in producing these speakers in France has limited the designers’ scope for doing something different. The Theva No.1 comes in three standard finishes: dark wood, light wood and gloss black.

Compatibility

price-compatibleThere isn’t anything untoward when it comes to compatibility. The Theva No.1’s nominal impedance is claimed to be an entirely conventional 8 ohms, but it should be noted that it dips to a minimum of just 4.6 ohms.

That’s nothing to worry about, but does suggest that these speakers are likely to benefit from being driven by an amplifier with a bit of grunt.

Of the price compatible options we’ve tested, we think the likes of the Arcam A5 and the Rega Brio Mk7 integrateds work well. When it comes to streaming amplifiers, NAD’s excellent C 3050 (with streaming module option ticked) is another good choice.

Given the price and probable use cases, we are pleased to report that these speakers don’t prove particularly fussy about placement. Give them at least 40cm from a back wall to prevent the bass from dominating, and angle slightly towards the listening position for the best results. As long as the Theva No.1 speakers aren’t placed too close to the side walls, we think they will produce an impressively expansive soundstage.

As with all standmount speakers, the quality of the support matters. Focal makes a dedicated speaker stand (that wasn’t supplied with our review sample), so we use alternatives from the likes of Custom Design and Atacama with no obvious issues. As long as the speaker’s tweeter is broadly at ear height when you are seated, it should be fine.

Sound

These Focal speakers turn in a good performance once they are given a few days to settle. Their delivery is big and authoritative, without sounding the least bit forward. This makes them easy speakers to listen to over long sessions.

As we play Rachmaninov’s Symphonic Dances Op.45, it is hard not to be impressed by the sense of power and dynamic reach of these speakers. They go loud without issue and present a good level of detail in a cohesive and organised manner.

Tonally, they are on the full-bodied and smooth side, without sounding dull or sludgy, and stereo imaging is nicely focused and layered. You can add a pleasing amount of low-frequency weight and punch to the list of plus points, too.

The Theva No.1’s bass abilities are highlighted when we play the classic Hip-Hop by Dead Prez. Lows are rich and full, yet still retain a good degree of articulation. The group’s punchy vocals come through with clarity, with the Focal able to capture the natural warmth and texture of their voices without sounding soft.

As good as the Thevas’ sound is, and be in no doubt that these are strong performers, they are up against some terrific competition. Judged against the class leaders, there are a number of areas where the Theva No.1 have to give way.

The Acoustic Energy AE300 Mk2 may sound a little smaller and less authoritative but counter with a blend of dynamic contrast, naturalness and rhythmic precision that’s hard to look past.

Equally, KEF’s Q3 Meta deliver a more mature and natural presentation than the Focals, uncovering subtle dynamic nuances and textural information that even the talented Theva No.1 don’t quite uncover.

Both of these rivals put a spotlight on the Focal’s slightly exposed treble region and the tweeter’s propensity to thinness and tizz when fed with sibilant voices and certain electronically generated high-frequency sounds. Against top quality competition at this price, the Theva No.1 also sounds a little lacking in verve and enthusiasm with music that demands such qualities.

On a final note, they don’t like being played quietly, losing much of their likeable full-bodied balance when asked to do so.

Verdict

Judged on their own terms, there is no denying that these Focal speakers are talented. But, unfortunately for the Theva No.1, there are some extremely capable alternatives at this price that show up the chinks in their armour.

By all means, put these standmounters on your shortlist, they certainly deserve that, but make sure you also try out at least one of the class leaders at this level before you buy.

Review published: 11th September 2025

SCORES

• Sound 4
• Build 4
• Compatibility 4

MORE:

Read our review of the Acoustic Energy AE300 Mk2

Also consider the KEF Q3 Meta

Read our Bowers & Wilkins 606 S3 review

Best bookshelf speakers: top standmounts for every budget tested

Aimed at customers seeking to “elevate their at-home audio experience”, the eight-strong Q Series aims to bring KEF’s latest raft of innovations to a wider audience. The KEF Q3 Meta are the step-up standmounts in this entry-level range, and offer a chance to experience the brand’s sonic pedigree at a more affordable price than the more premium Q Concerto Meta (£1099 / $1299 / AU$2000) we tested last year.

That all sounds very appealing, but KEF isn’t the only player trying to make a mark at this mid-price level. The Award-winning Bowers & Wilkins 606 S3 (now £699 / $1100 / AU$1499) are the current gatekeepers, while the recently reviewed Acoustic Energy AE300 Mk2 (£649 / $1099 / AU$1580) wowed us during our recent tests.

Let’s see, then, whether KEF has brought its A-game to the Q3 Meta.

Build & design

Amid the current crop of standmount speakers available at this price (officially priced at £649 in the UK but we’ve seen them as low as £549 at the time of writing), the KEF Q3 Meta are reasonably large units when put up against their key competitors.

At 35.7 x 21 x 30.5cm (hwd) and weighing 8.2kg, these are quite large standmounters. They are wider and heavier than the comparatively slender Acoustic Energy AE300 Mk2 (32 x 17 x 27cm), and while it’s not such a noticeable gap, they’re also a tad broader than the 18.9cm-wide B&W 606 S3.

The Q3 Meta are built to a high standard that we have come to expect from KEF, and when we pick each speaker up we can feel its weighty, solid construction. While the cabinets themselves are reasonably utilitarian, KEF’s signature Uni-Q driver array never fails to draw the eye, while their single set of rear terminals feels well-made and nicely finished.

The two-way design uses the 12th generation of KEF’s signature Uni-Q driver array, in which the driver array acts as a single point source to disperse audio more evenly, leading to what KEF claims is a more “immersive and cohesive soundstage with better clarity”.

KEF’s reasonably affordable Q3 range features many of the company’s signature technologies, with the Q3 Meta also benefiting from the implementation of the brand’s clever Metamaterial Absorption Technology (MAT), which we have heard in many of KEF’s recent Award-winning speakers. This is a maze-like structure at the rear of the Uni-Q's motor system that uses a series of channels to absorb rearward sound radiation from the back of the tweeter dome, pursuing a cleaner, less distorted sound.

The crossover has been refined, too, with KEF claiming to have made over 1000 measurements in its anechoic chamber to ensure a more precise signal path and a purer audio signature.

Compatibility

Take a look at the Q3 Meta’s specs and you’ll see a nominal impedance of 4 ohms that dips to a minimum of 3.2 ohms. While that might suggest to you that these speakers are going to be a difficult load for the partnering amplifier to drive, in practice that isn’t so obvious.

We try both the 50-watts per channel Arcam A5 integrated amplifier (£749 / $699) and even the budget 30-watts per channel Rotel A8 (£399 / $449 / AU$649) with our test pair, finding that the Q3 Meta are able to accommodate more affordable gear and proving that it’s less about on-paper specs and more about the character of the product.

We also find that the Q3 Meta works well with the Naim Nait XS 3 amplifier (currently £2499 / $2999) fed by the Naim Uniti Atom Headphone Edition streamer (£2399 / $3290 / AU$4299), as well as the Cyrus CDi (£999) CD player.

These are standmounts with a reasonably weighty bass performance, sounding most balanced when placed a decent distance away from the back wall of our 3 x 7 x 4m test room – around 40-50cm into the room works well for us.

A pair of foam bungs is provided to block the port to reduce the bass output if you want to put your speakers close to your back wall. They do the job, but as is often the case with bungs, you will receive a more congested, stunted sound return. It’s an emergency measure, not an optimal solution.

For us, angling the Q3 Meta in just a little towards our central listening position gives us a solid stereo image and a pleasing sense of focus. That said, they benefit from a wide sweet spot thanks to the Uni-Q's impressive dispersion capabilities, with a stable stereo soundstage as you move around the room.

Sound

We’re not spoiling the plot from the outset when we tell you right away how talented these KEF standmounts are. They’re an excellent pair of all-rounders without many glaring weaknesses, and while this may sound like damning with faint praise, arguably their greatest strength lies in a lack of any discernible blind spots or fatal flaws.

We’ve noted that the rival Bowers & Wilkins 606 S3 have something of an enthusiastic treble reproduction, yet no elements of the Q3 Meta – be they overly bright top notes or booming bass – negatively draw the ear. Switching from the Q3 Meta back to the 606 S3 only shines a light on that slightly unrefined treble, all while emphasising just how controlled and well-calibrated the KEF contenders are.

The Q3 Meta deliver a composed, even-handed sound that will be familiar to anyone who has experience with a recent pair of KEF speakers, showcasing excellent stereo imaging and a talent for sonic organisation and integration.

Despite being a pair of standmounters, the scale, breadth and solidity of their soundstage is remarkable, and even when our test tracks get demanding, their stereo imaging and overall soundstage rarely suffer.

That canny balance gives the well-priced standmounts real versatility. Elvis Costello’s Veronica is a lean, thin recording, but the KEFs do an admirable job of negating the recording’s limitations while still communicating its essential verve, snap and energy. That’s a tricky feat at this price, and one for which the Q3 Meta should be highly praised.

The KEF also showcase their ample helpings of clarity, resolution and sonic richness. Notes are well defined at their edges as the substantial standmounts sketch out the core details with sharpness and confidence, all while filling out those key textures and giving body and brawn to vocal performances and instrumental timbres.

There’s ample depth to the bass, evidenced by the deep, full reproduction on the mournful strings from Nick Cave’s elegiac Song For Bob. The Q3 Meta are also nimble enough to keep Nine Inch Nails’ techno-inspired workout As Alive As You Need Me To Be clipping along with propulsive intent.

They handle dynamics with a pleasing subtlety, too. Hans Zimmer’s layered epic Supermarine can sound mechanical or overly metronomic through less talented speakers, but the Q3 Meta have the insight to bring subtle dynamic shifts and variations through in a way that sounds natural and engaging, all while making larger dynamic changes sound dramatic yet unforced.

The Q3 Meta are excellent all-rounders. They’ll appeal to anyone seeking a mature, even-handed sound with plenty of bass and a rich, full-bodied appeal.

That said, the five-star Acoustic Energy AE300 Mk2 rivals are a touch more natural in how they tie music together, with an agility and fluidity that goes even beyond these KEF Q3 Meta speakers. They’re both great contenders, and it’s a decision that will likely come down to personal preference rather than a more objective measure.

Verdict

The KEF Q3 Meta are very easy to recommend, so long as you have the space for them. Sometimes we hear speakers that are flavoured in a certain way or fill a particular niche, and sometimes we hear speakers that aim to be all things to all people.

The Q3 Meta fall within that second camp. With their pleasing balance and mature, refined nature, the classy standmounts are an attractive choice for listeners who want a pair of speakers that are confident and composed no matter what you throw at them.

Review published: 8th September 2025

SCORES

• Sound 5
• Build 5
• Compatibility 4

MORE:

Read our review of the Bowers & Wilkins 606 S3

Also consider the Acoustic Energy AE300 Mk2

Best bookshelf speakers: top standmounts for every budget tested

Getting onto our list of the best hi-fi speakers is a big deal. We test a lot of speakers across a wide range of prices and types, and any movement in the product we review at any given price point is cause for celebration, given how fierce the competition can be.

Despite having reviewed a healthy host of speakers this year, including the very likeable Neat Iota II (£1095 / $1699), the budget Q Acoustics 5010 (£399 / $749) and the charming Ruark Audio Sabre-R (£699 / $899), our core recommendations have remained reasonably unchanged, making it a big deal when a brand new speaker comes in to become a new favourite at any price.

Happily, we have a new entry in the shape of the Acoustic Energy AE300 Mk2. We haven't had Acoustic Energy speakers in our test rooms for quite some time, but the AE300 have made such an impression that they've ousted the Bowers & Wilkins 607 S3 – multiple What Hi-Fi? Award winners and longstanding favourites – as our pick as the best mid-priced standmounts.

We love your energy...

The second-gen AE300 aren't the showiest or the most bombastic standmounts we've ever heard. They're somewhat modest in how they present music, so that when we reviewed them a few weeks back, we weren't initially bowled over during our first hours of testing.

The thing is, the AE300 Mk2 are so subtle, refined and talented that they will slowly but surely win you round. At this price, the rival B&W 606 S3 (£749 / $1100) are more showy and punchy, but the Acoustic Energy are so nicely balanced and well-integrated, not to mention detailed and cohesive, that we always felt ourselves drawn back to their charms. The surgeon's scalpel over the blacksmith's hammer, shall we say.

To quote from our review, "The Acoustic Energy AE300 Mk2’s performance is the very definition of a slow burner. Our initial impression is one of a competent but unremarkable performer, but over time, we find going back to almost any other speaker that costs similar money a bit of a chore."

They're not boring, either, producing agility and poise at the lower end and showcasing a prize handling of dynamics and rhythms, presenting the latter with conviction and pleasing levels of articulation.

We think they'll win many fans, provided they're given time to work their magic on a patient listener who can give them the attention they deserve.

The AE300 don't necessarily grab you from the outset, but give them a bit of time and you'll realise just how special they are. They certainly get a wholehearted recommendation from us.

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Best bookshelf speakers 2025: top standmounts for every budget tested

Any hi-fi fan knows there are times when a speaker, well, speaks to you at a personal level.

It’s a magical moment when the stars align and you find a pair with the sonic character tailor-made for your tastes, that are the right size for the room you intend to put them in and within your budget.

And at the start of the month, I felt a tingle of that oh so wonderful, but rare, sensation reading our review of the five-star Acoustic Energy AE300 Mk2.

So much so that I felt the need to write this feature after spending many hours checking which hi-fi shops have some in stock so I can give them a listen (if my boss, Joe Cox, is reading this, you can’t fire me, this article proves it was all “research”).

Cards on the table, this is a theoretical tingle, as I haven't heard the speakers yet. Sadly. My job title and responsibilities mean I don’t get to visit our hi-fi listening rooms in Winnersh, where the testing magic happens, as often as I would like. I am mainly based in our London office, where our home cinema testing spaces are.

I do read every review (see Joe definitely don’t want to fire me), despite this. And, as senior staff writer Lewis Empson, who was sitting next to me at the time will confirm, I had a very strong reaction to the AE300 Mk2 review – he even felt the need to ask “are you ok” after my eyes started widening to Gollum levels.

While I do get to hear a lot of amazing, sometimes Temptation-level, hardware because of my job, I am not in a position actually to buy any of it for personal use.

Let’s just say a professional shiny things chasers’ salary isn’t what I’d like it to be…

Which is why for years I’ve had a very basic system in my lounge. One that has the multi-What Hi-Fi? Award-winning Technics SA-C600 at its heart. Backing this up are a pair of Q Acoustics 3030i standmount speakers and the Cambridge Audio Alva TT V2 turntable.

Expensive? Not by serious hi-fi standards. But all the parts are brilliant performers, especially from What Hi-Fi?’s hallowed performance-per-pound / dollar metric.

My upgrade budget also stretches only to around £700, maybe £800 if I start eating beans on toast for dinner for a few months. Which means I don't have a lot of wiggle room when it comes to upgrading the speakers, let alone the system or turntable.

This is especially true as I am belligerently determined that, if I'm going to upgrade, I want the new speakers to be a palpable improvement that meet my and my wife's personal tastes.

Most of the recent comparatively priced speakers we have reviewed, including the newer four-star Q Acoustics 5010, don't quite manage this.

I also love the step up five-star Bowers & Wilkins 606 S3, but I find them a tad too fussy when it comes to placement and partnering equipment for them to work with my home setup without a lot more work than I am currently willing to do.

The only speakers that come close to meeting my criteria are the Dali Oberon 5 floorstanders. But sadly, my attempt to replace the 3030i with them fell flat fairly fast due to the “and my wife’s” part of the criteria.

When I took my measuring tape out and floated the idea of swapping the 3030i out for them, I got a firm “no”. She is very particular about not letting my larger hi-fi and home cinema hardware into the lounge – and, to my dismay, full-sized floorstanders fall into that category in her opinion.

Which is why our technical editor, Ketan Bharadia’s, description of the size-approved AE300 Mk2 as “unfussy” speakers capable of delivering a subtle “slow burning” sound piqued my interest so fast.

I have detailed many times before my desire for hi-fi to be the bassist in my lounge’s band, and why I always look for a balanced, articulate and controlled sound over one that steps over the source material’s intended character.

This is a key reason I continue to use the four-star Beyerdynamic Aventho 300 as my daily commute and nine-to-five workhorse wireless headphones.

And yes, I get that this makes me sound boring, but everyone has their own tastes and I want my hi-fi to be as balanced and as accurate to the source as possible – I want the sound to retain the imperfections and tiny touches that make the recording and track unique.

That’s why I pay for hi-res streaming on Tidal and you’ll drag my physical album collection from my cold dead hand.

So Ketan’s description of the speakers’ sound clicked with me in a way no other recent review of standmounts at this price has – especially this bit:

“Feed them a demanding recording such as Michael Jackson’s Off The Wall and they don’t sound out of their depth. There is an excellent level of detail, but it is presented in a natural and unforced manner. Our current benchmarks at this price are the Bowers & Wilkins 606 S3, and these certainly deliver the music with more bombast, and initially it seems more clarity too.

“But as we listen longer, it becomes clear that much of that impression stems from the 606 S3’s brighter and more etched sounding treble. The Acoustic Energy pair are smoother, more refined, and when you listen longer, it is clear that they sound more natural too.”

In short, they deliver a sound focused on composure and control over razzmatazz – which is exactly what I want. They are also small and unfussy enough to sneak into my listening space without invoking a squabble, making them a rare beast indeed.

With that, I need to sign off and make a quick trip to the hi-fi store for some more “research”.

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With What Hi-Fi?’s 48-inch Panasonic Z90B review now live, my group test of this year’s small-ish OLED TVs has come to an end – for now.

And to be clear, it is an utterly fantastic set. So much so that, as well earning a five-star rating from the team, it’s also the one I would 100 per cent pick if I was on the market for a new set this year.

Why? The answer stems from a key part of Panasonic’s approach to tuning its sets. Specifically, its overt goal to deliver an “as the director intended” experience.

This means that, though it doesn’t have four HDMI 2.1 slots seen on the 48-inch LG C5 or 48-inch Samsung S90F we tested it against, or push its panel quite as bright, I couldn’t help but be drawn to its consistent, controlled picture.

Whether it was its able handling of a dark night-time battle during Civil War or watching heated debates during Oppenheimer, the Z90B’s balanced, accurate colours and consistent light control and contrast kept drawing my eye during the testing process.

Hence our glowing verdict describing it as: "One of the best 48-inch OLED TVs we have tested, especially for serious movie fans."

But despite all its perks, I still don’t plan to buy one and wouldn’t recommend many others do so right now for two key reasons.

First, it’s too expensive. Panasonic OLEDs tend to cost a premium and don’t get massive discounts as fast as rivals, including LG and Samsung. This remains the case with the new 48-inch Z90B which at the time of writing is selling for £1499 at most stores.

That makes it slightly more expensive than its main rivals. Doing a quick check, the 48-inch S90F is currently available on Samsung’s official store for £1299. The 48-inch LG C4 is also currently enjoying a modest discount, selling for the same £1299 on the LG store.

But more importantly, the Z90B is much more expensive than the older 48-inch LG C4, which we continue to recommend to most people in our best OLED TV guide. The older C4 is currently available for £849 on the LG store.

Why the older model? Because, though the newer sets, especially the Z90B, offer better picture quality, they’re not as good from a performance-per-pound / dollar perspective. The C4 also remains more than enough OLED for most people, which brings me to my second point.

Though we’ve seen year-on-year improvements in quality to step down OLED TVs, none of them have been as revolutionary as that which we’ve seen in the flagship space – where new panel technologies have radically, rather than incrementally, improved key performance metrics including peak brightness and colour volume.

If you want a night and day upgrade you’ll need to spend flagship money – I know this as we’re currently doing a shootout comparing the LG G5, Samsung S95F, Sony Bravia 8 II and Panasonic Z95B in our viewing rooms.

This means that even I, as someone who loves getting the top performance possible from my home cinema hardware, don’t feel the need to upgrade my 48-inch LG C2 to one of the new models.

The improvements are welcome for those yet to make the plunge to OLED, or on a very old, potentially first generation, set.

But, as I’ve said before, from my perspective the upgrades are not big enough to justify dropping another £800, let alone £1499 on one of 2025’s models, when my C2’s performance is still more than good enough.

Even if you insist on the Z90B being your next set, you’ll be better off waiting for a good deal on the set to appear, which with Black Friday only a few months away and Amazon constantly running unexpected deals events, shouldn’t take long.

Which is why, for now, I don’t recommend investing in the new model, despite its obvious allure.

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When Acoustic Energy announced its new AE300 Mk2 standmount speaker earlier this year, the British loudspeaker brand made it very clear that there wasn’t a single part of the new pair that was unchanged from the first iteration.

That got us wondering: could they potentially replace the Bowers & Wilkins 606 S3, which has been our favourite pair of mid-range speakers for the last two years?

We’ve finally been able to spend time with the AE300 Mk2 in our test rooms recently and the verdict is in – it’s five stars for these fully overhauled standmounts.

So could we have a new number one? Read on to find out how they stack up against the Award-winning B&W speakers.

Acoustic Energy AE300 Mk2 versus Bowers & Wilkins 606 S3: price

The Acoustic Energy AE300 Mk2 standmounts are relative newcomers to the speaker scene. Unveiled in January this year, with a price of £649 /$1099 / AU$1580, they’ve not been around long enough to receive any kind of discount, so the price we tested them at is what you’ll pay if you buy a pair today.

The Bowers & Wilkins 606 S3, however, have already been around the block a few times. They first graced our testing rooms back in August 2023, when a pair would set you back £749 / $1100 / AU$1499. That’s still the case in the US and Australia, but in the UK they’re now generally available for £699 these days.

That’s still £50 more than the AE300 Mk2, though, so Acoustic Energy takes the win here – albeit only just.

**Winner: Acoustic Energy AE300 Mk2**

Acoustic Energy AE300 Mk2 versus Bowers & Wilkins 606 S3: build and design

From a purely physical point of view, there’s very little between these two sets of speakers. The B&W 606 S3 are a couple of centimetres larger in all directions, but if you’re planning to put them on dedicated speaker stands, that shouldn’t make any difference. Weight-wise, there’s only 50g between them, with the B&Ws the slightly heavier of the two.

Both are two-way speakers – the B&Ws have a 25mm titanium dome tweeter and 16.5cm Continuum cone. Meanwhile, the AE300 Mk2 use a 29mm fabric dome tweeter and a 12cm mid/bass unit made out of a paper-coconut hybrid.

Both speakers have rear bass ports, and our respective reviews praised both pairs of speakers for their overall build quality.

Both sets of speakers are available in three finishes – white, black and oak (B&W) or walnut (Acoustic Energy) – but from an aesthetic perspective, we’d argue that the Acoustic Energy models perhaps give off a slightly more premium vibe.

The “crisp edges, minimal fascia and a smooth finish” of the 606 S3 mean they look purposeful, and while the AE300 Mk2 are certainly more functional, the “neat, crisp cabinet and understated cosmetics” give them a cleaner look that’s still hugely appealing.

With little to choose between them, this one comes down to personal preference, so we’re going to call it a draw.

**Winner: Draw**

Acoustic Energy AE300 Mk2 versus Bowers & Wilkins 606 S3: sound

When auditioning a pair of speakers in this mid-price range, the Bowers & Wilkins 606 S3 are a solid benchmark. They have snapped up the Award for the best standmount speaker £600-£800 two years in a row now.

In our five-star review, we concluded that the changes made from their predecessors had a significant impact on their performance, delivering a bigger, punchier, more open sound with stunning clarity and detail.

Even when listening to the same songs over and over again – a necessary part of the testing process – we never found our attention drifting. The level of dynamism is particularly noticeable, with the spatial shifts in Nine Inch Nails’ Right Where It Belongs handled with aplomb.

The only minor quibble we had was that the 606 S3's somewhat mature and deliberate sonic balance won't appeal to those who want a peppier and more nimble-footed presentation – but we were never bored listening to these open, immersive speakers.

They do need some careful partnering to hear them at their best, but as long as you have an amplifier with plenty of power, detail and rhythmic prowess, you’ll have no issues. They’re more than capable of reaching party volume, too.

That’s quite a high benchmark, and initially, the AE300 Mk2 don’t seem to be able to match the energy or clarity of the B&W 606 S3. Spend a little more time with Acoustic Energy’s latest speakers, though, and a clearer picture of their sonic character starts to emerge.

The AE300 Mk2 are composed and organised performers that dig up plenty of detail.

These are speakers that are strong when it comes to dynamics, conveying propulsive momentum and rhythmic drive superbly.

They’re not the most powerful when it comes to bass, but they do have plenty of authority when dealing with orchestral crescendos. Lower frequencies are impressively articulate and balanced, while they have poise and control no matter what kind of music you’re listening to.

You don’t have to be so careful with picking out partners for them, either. They're unfussy with the variety of amplifiers we try during testing, and find that they are perfectly happy being partnered with amps above their price level, too.

But the most noticeable difference between these two sets of speakers is that the Acoustic Energy AE300 Mk2 sound more refined and balanced.

They sound more natural than the B&W 606 S3, which have a slightly forward and bright treble that lends to their more bombastic performance. The Acoustic Energy speakers are smoother and more refined, with our review noting that Michael Jackson’s voice on Off the Wall “comes through with convincing passion and urgency while high-frequency sounds shimmer rather than sizzle.”

Their even-handed tonality and stereo imaging are excellent for the price, too.

While both speakers prioritise different elements of their performance, there isn’t a great deal in it here – but we’re going to give it to the more dynamic and refined AE300 Mk2 by a whisker.

** Winner: Acoustic Energy AE300 Mk2**

Acoustic Energy AE300 Mk2 versus Bowers & Wilkins 606 S3: verdict

It’s always a big deal when a current favourite appears to have been beaten and, on paper, that’s exactly what has happened here. The very capable Acoustic Energy AE300 Mk2 speakers sound better, cost less and are no less well-built than the Award-winning Bowers & Wilkins 606 S3. We would highly recommend giving them your attention.

It would be premature to crown a new king this early in the year, but the indication is that the mid-range standmount speaker should be a hot-bed of competition come What Hi-Fi? Awards time in the autumn.

Of course, the advent of the five-star Acoustic Energy doesn’t suddenly mean the Bowers & Wilkins 606 S3 should be disregarded, particularly if you prefer their design and their bigger, bolder and more attention-grabbing performance.

Considering the high regard with which we’ve held them for the past couple of years, they should still be on your shortlist – there’s just another rival to consider now before you take the plunge at this level.

**Overall winner: Acoustic Energy AE300 Mk2**

MORE:

Read our full Acoustic Energy AE300 Mk2 review

Read our original Bowers & Wilkins 606 S3 review

Read our expert recommendations for the best bookshelf speakers

Welcome to our latest Rewind news digest, where we recap the top hi-fi and home cinema stories to break over the past week.

It was a particularly busy one, especially for the home cinema team, who had everything from the launch of a fresh Dolby Atmos system from Yamaha to a new “premium” portable projector from LG to contend with.

On top of all that, our hi-fi team continued to diligently work through the growing line of products waiting to get the What Hi-Fi? review treatment in our listening rooms.

Here’s everything you need to know.

1. Yamaha has a new Dolby Atmos soundbar system

The Samsung Q990F earned a five-star rating when we tested it less than a month ago. But, its dominance is already set to be challenged thanks to the launch of the even more premium Yamaha True X Surround 90A last week.

Carrying an even more premium price tag, the system is full of custom hardware, with Yamaha having taken painstaking care with every part of the product – including some cool upgrades to the new wireless subwoofer.

If that wasn’t enough to excite you, our senior staff writer, Lewis Empson, even managed to get an exclusive early listen with the system at Yamaha’s offices in Japan, where he walked away impressed and eager to get it in for full review.

Read our full Yamaha True X Surround 90A hands-on impressions

2. Acoustic Energy’s standmounts are a slow burning hit

Last week our hi-fi reviewers delivered their definitive verdict on Acoustic Energy's AE300 Mk2 standmount speakers.

After hours upon hours of listening we’re pleased to report they are an incredibly capable pair of speakers, especially considering their surprisingly affordable price tag (£649 / $1099 / AU$1580).

Despite looking a little unassuming, featuring a monotone finish that looks a little conservative compared to their B&W and Q Acoustics rivals, the AE300Mk2 are an interesting pair of speakers that grew on our testers the more they listened to them.

Paired with price compatible amplification – in our case the Arcam A5 integrated amplifier (£749 / $699), then the Rega Brio Mk7 (£799 / $1095) – they initially sounded competent, but unremarkable.

But, as we shifted through our standard suite of test tracks and swapped them out with rivals, their poised and controlled sonic character grew on us more and more, leading our reviewers to report:

“These Acoustic Energy AE300 Mk2 are up against some tough competition, but we feel their controlled and detailed presentation serves them well. They don’t try to bite off more than they can chew, and in the process deliver a superbly judged sound that works well across musical genres and with a wide range of electronics.”

Read our in-depth Acoustic Energy AE300 Mk2 review

3. We reviewed Samsung’s 48-inch, step-down OLED

For many years, if you checked our best OLED TV guide, you would usually see at least one 48-inch LG C-series OLED.

But, that may have changed this year with the arrival of several new fantastic 48-inch rivals in our viewing rooms, including the 48-inch Samsung S90F we finished reviewing last week.

Comparing it directly to the five-star 48-inch LG C5 we reviewed earlier in the month and 48-inch Panasonic Z90B (review incoming) we found plenty to like about the set.

Though it features a WOLED panel, rather than the brighter QD-OLED found on Samsung’s flagship S95F and its larger 65-inch sibling, the S90F can still go plenty bright. In fact, it goes so bright we had to temper its settings to get the best results.

Once tweaked, it delivered a punchy, enjoyable home movie experience that, coupled with its flawless gaming specifications, make it a great choice for any buyer who is short on space, or who simply doesn’t fancy having a giant 55-inch-plus set dominate their lounge.

Our only word of caution is to make sure to invest in a soundbar. While the S90F’s speakers are better than the C5’s, they’re still far too weedy to provide an immersive home cinema experience, based on our testing.

Read our in-depth 48-inch Samsung S90F review

4. LG has a new “premium” portable projector

Our staff writer, Robyn Quick, has been locked in our viewing rooms testing more portable and small-form-factor projectors than they care to count over the past few weeks.

And in that process they’ve developed one key wish – a truly brilliant premium option in the tiny projector market to complement the growing tide of mid- and entry-level options currently on offer.

Last week, LG took steps to deliver just that, unveiling its new CineBeam S – a tiny UST unit the firm promises will offer a “premium” home cinema experience.

The tiny rectangular unit targets the same space as Samsung’s rival The Premiere 5. While it’s too early for us to comment on performance it does have some interesting specifications.

Highlights include a short throw distance that can project a 40-100-inch image, 450,000:1 contrast ratio and ”Dolby Atmos-compatible” stereo speakers system.

Read the full story: LG's latest ultra-portable 4K projector is here to challenge Samsung's The Premiere 5

5. Noble launched new wildly expensive IEMs

Finishing off this week’s Rewind column, we have a fresh announcement from Noble Audio.

Specifically, the unveiling of its swish new Kronos in-ear monitors (IEM). The new flagship IEMs come with a wealth of premium features and price tag to match, retailing for a hefty $4500 / £4100 / €4750.

The earbuds are an evolution of the special edition Chronicle model Noble launched to celebrate its 10th anniversary.

Technical highlights include a premium titanium chassis that houses a custom-made nine-driver-per-earbud configuration and a six-way crossover network.

Noble promises the hardware will let the Kronos deliver unparalleled performance – though we’ll reserve judgement on this claim until we’ve had a chance to properly test them.

Read the full story: Noble's wildly expensive IEMs feature a titanium design and a complex multi-driver design

MORE:
These are the best headphones we've tested

We rate the best 40-inch TVs

Our picks of the best Dolby Atmos soundbars

Acoustic Energy? That’s a name we haven’t featured for a good while. It’s not that the company hasn’t been making capable products over the past few years, but rather that they seem to do it more quietly than most. Other speaker brands seem to shout louder and put more resources into marketing and promotion.

Still, having got the new Acoustic Energy AE300 Mk2 into our test room, we are pleased to report that the effort was more than worthwhile.

These mid-range standmounters are good, and certainly talented enough to worry their rivals from the likes of Bowers & Wilkins, Q Acoustics and Dali, to name just a few.

Build & design

The AE300 Mk2 is a neatly made compact box. Each speaker unit stands 32cm tall and is a relatively slim design at just 17cm wide. Visually, this pair of standmounters is about as unobtrusive as speakers come at this level.

It is available in three finishes – walnut, matte black and matte white – and looks smart regardless of the option chosen.

Echoing the character of its manufacturer, this isn’t a design that dazzles with its technology or appearance, but exudes a quiet aura of solid functionality that appeals to us hugely.

This speaker’s build quality is impressive. The cabinet uses a constrained layer construction that combines 18mm MDF with bitumen to give a rigid and well-controlled foundation for the drive units to work from.

The attention to detail is pleasing, with neat, crisp cabinet edges and understated cosmetics that avoid the visual clutter of most rival designs.

The AE300 Mk2 is a two-way speaker that combines a large 29mm fabric dome tweeter with a relatively small 12cm paper/coconut fibre mid/bass, a unit that leans heavily on the lessons learnt during the development of Acoustic Energy’s high-end Corinium range. The two drive units crossover at a relatively high 3.5kHz, and the result is a middling 86dB/W/m sensitivity and a nominal 6-ohm impedance.

Compatibility

We wouldn’t get too hung up on the fact that the AE300 Mk2’s impedance is quoted as being a little lower than that of some rivals. The speaker’s mostly benign impedance curve ensures that any decent price-compatible amplifier will be able to drive them properly. That certainly proves the case when we try both the Arcam A5 integrated amplifier (£749 / $699) and the Rega Brio Mk7 (£799 / $1095).

These speakers have a rear slot-shaped port and so shouldn’t be positioned back up against a wall or in a corner. In our 3 x 7 x 5m (hwd) test room, they work best around 30-40cm out into the room, but have enough control and grip in the bass to be positioned a little closer, if you need, though the stereo imaging and overall transparency suffer a little if you do.

Ideally, the speakers should be angled just a little towards the main listening position to firm up the stereo soundstaging and optimise focus. They are designed to work best in small to medium-sized rooms. If anything, ours is a little on the large side for optimal results.

The quality of a speaker stand can make or break the performance of a standmounter design. Make sure you use a support that lifts the tweeter to around ear level at the listening position for the best results. We use a pair of Custom Design FS104 Signature, which work well.

Sound

The Acoustic Energy AE300 Mk2’s performance is the very definition of a slow burner. Our initial impression is one of a competent but unremarkable performer, but over time, we find going back to almost any other speaker that costs similar money a bit of a chore.

They are skillfully balanced, being unfussy enough to work well with streaming amplifiers such as the Ruark Audio R610 while having the stretch to show the benefits of moving to Naim’s much pricier Nait XS3 integrated.

Of course, given the price point, we suspect more than a few pairs of AE300 Mk2 will end up being driven by the aforementioned Arcam and Rega amplifiers, and these are the pairings we concentrate on most throughout our test process. Our main sources are Naim’s ND555/555 PS DR and a Cyrus CDi CD player.

Regardless of partnering equipment, we find much to like here. The AE300 Mk2 have poise and control. Feed them a demanding recording such as Michael Jackson’s Off The Wall and they don’t sound out of their depth. There is an excellent level of detail, but it is presented in a natural and unforced manner.

Our current benchmarks at this price are the Bowers & Wilkins 606 S3, and these certainly deliver the music with more bombast, and initially it seems more clarity too. But as we listen longer, it becomes clear that much of that impression stems from the 606 S3’s brighter and more etched sounding treble.

The Acoustic Energy pair are smoother, more refined, and when you listen longer, it is clear that they sound more natural too. Jackson’s voice comes through with convincing passion and urgency while high-frequency sounds shimmer rather than sizzle.

The AE300 Mk2’s dynamics are strong too, as shown by the way these speakers handle the hard-charging Burn This Disco Out. When reproduced correctly, this song has a feeling of almost unstoppable momentum, and it’s something that these speakers convey superbly. Rhythms come through with drive while bass is rendered with uncommon control and articulation.

These standmounters don’t produce the most powerful lows around, but what they do deliver is balanced and agile. Given the kinds of rooms and positioning they are likely to be found in, that makes perfect sense.

We swap musical genres to the Planet Suite by Holst, and the AE300 Mk2s show their cultured side with even-handed tonality and the ability to render instrumental textures with skill. They dig up plenty of information and present it in an organised and refined way. They have the composure to deal with the savage crescendos of Mars and enough authority to convey the sheer majesty of Jupiter.

Stereo imaging is good for the price, and the soundstage is layered with precision. It says much that when we close our eyes, the speakers are hard to locate, which speaks well of their constrained layer cabinet construction as well as their well-judged dispersion.

Verdict

These Acoustic Energy AE300 Mk2 are up against some tough competition, but we feel their controlled and detailed presentation serves them well. They don’t try to bite off more than they can chew, and in the process deliver a superbly judged sound that works well across musical genres and with a wide range of electronics.

If you are looking for a pair of standmounters at this price, put these high on your shortlist.

Review published: 4th August 2025

SCORES

• Sound 5
• Build 5
• Compatibility 4

MORE:

Read our review of the Bowers & Wilkins 606 S3

Also consider the Ruark Sabre-R

Best bookshelf speakers: top standmounts for every budget tested

If you’re burning the midnight oil, looking to grab a decent Prime Day discount on a fantastic OLED TV deal then good news – we’ve already spotted a great deal on a five-star set we recommend all the time.

You can grab the 65-inch LG C4 for £1099 at Amazon. If you’d jumped onto the tech giant’s website minutes ago the same set would have cost you £1299. At launch you’d have had to part with £2700.

Why this deal in particular? There are two reasons.

First, because, while it’s being replaced by the new LG C5, the LG C4 is currently significantly cheaper, making it a better option from a performance per pound perspective.

Second, because it’s a fantastic performer that will delight movie fanatics and gamers in equal measure, despite coming out last year.

During our checks, while the C5 is brighter and slightly more accurate, particularly during low light scenes, the C4 is the best set available its price – which is why it sits much higher that the new model in our best OLED TV guide and our TV and AV editor, usually recommends it over the new model to most people when asked.

Highlights include a punchy, but never overcooked picture, solid motion handling, excellent app support and flawless gaming specifications that will let you run multiple games consoles and current generation PCs at full speed with zero need for cable swapping.

As we said in our LG C4 review:

“Big improvements to brightness and sharpness make for an image with lots of pop and dynamism, and the rich tone and vibrant colours are a delight.”

Our only word of caution is to budget for a soundbar to go with your new TV if you want the best experience possible.

The speakers aren’t bad by any means, they’re just distinctly average compared to the results you’ll get on even a moderately capable soundbar, such as the Sonos Beam (Gen 2).

On the off chance the C4 doesn’t tick all your boxes make sure to keep checking our Amazon Prime Day home cinema deals live blog, where our experts will be constantly adding the top savings they’ve spotted.

MORE:

Amazon’s slashed the prices of loads of TVs for Prime Day 2025

There are even more TV deals on Richer Sounds

Check out Peter Tyson’s to TV deals

Amazon Prime Day is next week, which means deals on purchases big and small. A TV is usually one of the former, but if you don't have a lot to spend, fear not, you do have options.

Now obviously these models aren't among the best TVs you can buy. They're small, with high definition resolutions rather than 4K, and they lack the more sophisticated features of their pricier alternatives.

But do their job very well indeed, and deliver an immense amount of bang for buck while doing so. That's £100 well spent.

TCL 32SF540K best Prime Day deal

This TCL is the pricier of the two, coming in at £119. But that is still £60 cheaper than its usual price.

At 32 inches, it is also the larger of our two choices. It runs Amazon's Fire TV platform, yet comfortably outperforms – and undercuts – Amazon's own 2-Series 32-inch Fire TV.

Alexa is onboard for voice controls, which is pretty amazing at this price. And, unusually for a 32-inch model, it uses a Full HD panel (with a resolution of 1920 x 1080 pixels). It even has Bluetooth and AirPlay 2 wireless technologies.

The picture is solid – a little unremarkable, sure, but not seriously flawed in any area. And that counts for a lot.

As we wrote in our review: "TCL's shadow detailing is well judged and, crucially, consistent, helping dark scenes look as full of depth as bright ones and contributing to a more immersive viewing experience."

It does sacrifice a little brightness compared with some rivals. But the upside is more consistently authentic colours, especially when it comes to skin tones. It's a trade off we're happy to make.

If you're looking for a smaller TV, the RCA set below is for you. At just a shade over £100, it's phenomenal value.

Best RCA Roku RK24HF1 TV Prime Day deal

The discount might be smaller, but so is the overall price. At 24 inches, it's a good size for a bedroom or kitchen, and it comes with Roku's smart TV platform, which is well organised if a little basic.

It does bring all the expected streaming apps though, as well as neat features like the ability to customise the order of your sources.

Its 1280 x 720-pixel count is lower than the TCL's above, but then the screen is smaller, so requires fewer pixels. It doesn't have as many features as the TCL, but its picture quality is surprisingly enjoyable.

It's nice and bright, which is what you need from a TV likely to be placed in a bright environment such as a kitchen. It is also impressively clear and sharp.

"The RK24HF1’s sharpness helps pictures enjoy a good sense of depth and three-dimensionality too – a talent that proves particularly useful when using RCA’s screen as a gaming display," we wrote in our review.

There you have it. It is possible to buy a decent TV for around £100. Thanks, Prime Day.

MORE:

Read the full TCL 32SF540K review

And our RCA Roku TV review

Amazon Prime Day 2025: all the deals currently live

Ruark Audio has, in the past two decades, become well known for its stylish, great-sounding internet radios, powered speakers and one-box wireless music systems. The brand’s history, however, harks back to the mid 1980s, with the launch of its very first stereo speaker, the Sabre.

40 years after that first passive speaker – and 20 years since the Essex-based brand last made a pair of passive speakers – it has gone back to its origins with the new Ruark Sabre-R, a two-way, compact standmounter.

Is Ruark’s re-entry to the passive speaker market a success? Let’s find out.

Price

The Ruark Sabre-R costs £699 / $899 / AU$1499 per pair, and we’re not short of strong rivals in this midrange price bracket. Our favourite at this price is the multiple Award-winning Bowers & Wilkins 606 S3, which can be yours for a very similar £699 / $1100 / AU$1499.

The 606 S3 are our main price comparison here, then, but we also have a new pair of Acoustic Energy AE300 MkII standmounters at hand that we are currently testing, also at a similar price of £649 / $1099 / AU$1580 per pair.

Build & design

Ruark’s Sabre-R speakers are smart-looking speakers, and nicely made. From the cabinet to the fabric grilles, the overall fit and finish is neat, of good quality and well designed.

We like the detail of the wooden slats on the front of the speaker – a design element borrowed from Ruark’s excellent five-star R1S smart radio and R410 all-in-one system. It’s an understated but elegant effect in our review sample’s charcoal (black) lacquer finish; there is a walnut veneer finish if you prefer to lean into the all-wood effect.

The speakers are on the compact side – measuring 29 x 17.5 x 21.5cm – and are ideally suited to smaller and medium-sized rooms.

The Sabre-R are designed to be used with Ruark’s R610 streaming amplifier as a complete system, but they can stand on their own as well.

The Sabre-R standmounters are a two-way design, with a 26mm silk-dome tweeter and 15cm mid/bass long-throw driver that has a treated paper cone.

You’ll find a reflex port at the rear of the speakers, along with bi-wire speaker terminals.

The cabinet is braced and damped, and Ruark says it has spent hours carefully tuning the cabinet to the drivers, as well as the crossovers inside to ensure the best performance.

We rather like how the magnetic grilles are inlaid into the cabinet when placed on the speakers; it’s a nice touch. Ruark recommends keeping the grilles off if you want greater openness, and we agree – the sound is clearer and more open with the grilles off. However, it doesn’t spoil the speakers’ overall performance if you prefer to keep them on.

Compatibility

The speakers, especially when paired with their matching R610 streaming amplifier, are compact and flexible enough to be placed in various spaces, including on desks, cabinets, and other furniture.

As the Sabre-R are fairly small speakers, you might be tempted to place them inside a bookshelf or in a corner. However, we would give them a little breathing space for the best results.

Take care not to shove them into a corner, as you’ll lose some of the Sabre-R’s openness and liveliness. We recommend placing them on dedicated speaker stands, if possible, and positioning them at least 20cm into the room to get the most even balance.

During testing, we power the Ruark Sabre-R with our reference Naim Nait XS 3 integrated amplifier. We also use the Arcam A5 and Rega Brio Mk7 amps as more price-compatible options, with our Naim Uniti Atom HE music streamer as the source. Naturally, we also use the R610 streaming amplifier as part of our tests.

Sound

The Ruark Sabre-R speakers have a wonderfully sweet quality with voices. That midrange is the highlight here and, along with a fairly nimble and lively presentation, is what makes these speakers very appealing to listen to.

No matter what song or genre we play, from Doechii to Chaka Khan to Nick Cave to Fontaines D.C., it’s the voices that draw us in. There’s nuance and detail, but the Sabre-R do a particularly great job of communicating the tone, attitude and emotion of each artist as the words are sung.

The speakers are also detailed enough to convey the differences in recording quality and eras, but don’t make a fuss about them.

There is decent body to the sound, especially across that talented midrange, but without things ever sounding overly warm or rich. The drivers are very well integrated, too, with the treble sounding smooth and never sticking out unduly from the rest of the frequencies.

Rhythmically, the Sabre-R are agile and zippy, and flow along with a momentum that holds our attention and keeps us entertained. Each song’s personality shines through: the Ruarks have a knack for getting across the mood and message of a song, whether it’s the achingly heartfelt and heavy tone of Sparklehorse’s Eyepennies, Doechii’s slick and playful character in Denial Is A River, or the pop-tastic upbeat energy of Charli XCX’s 1999.

There’s ample punch and a fluid quality to the overall presentation. We find ourselves listening to song after song, enjoying the Ruark’s presentation. The Sabre-Rs can be pushed to higher volumes without losing control, too, with its agile, spritely nature remaining intact and only increasing in energy and immediacy.

We’re not expecting lashings of deep bass from a speaker of this size, but we do wish the bass that is on offer here were tauter and better defined. The low-end performance is rather soft and hazy at the edges, meaning that the powerful, grippy basslines in Dr Dre’s Forgot About Dre and Massive Attack’s Paradise Circus don’t quite have the driving, snappy impact we expect to hear.

Switch to John Williams’ Theme From Jurassic Park, and we find that while the Sabre-R are subtle and dynamic with the midrange, they aren’t quite as adept with large-scale dynamics. As the string and wind instruments join in after the initial flute solo, we want to hear more of that tangible drama and weight as the orchestra swells.

We’d like to hear a bit more separation between voices and instruments in the soundstage, too. A switch to the rival B&W 606 S3 delivers a larger sense of scale and more sweeping, contrasting dynamics. The 606 S3 admittedly have considerably larger cabinets than the Ruark, but both the B&Ws and the more medium-sized Acoustic Energy speakers deliver a greater degree of clarity and detail compared with the Ruarks, too.

Despite all this, however, we still find the Sabre-R to be a pleasing, charming listen. They perhaps aren’t the best at everything – not the most precise, not the clearest, not the most detailed – but the way they knit all elements together and deliver such a musical, emotive performance is impressive, and something that even more established brands struggle to match. The way these speakers convey voices with such delicacy is something quite special.

The Ruark’s presentation won’t win everyone over, but if their specific skills appeal to what you prioritise when listening to music, especially if you have a small space to work with, they are worth an audition.

If you are considering buying the R610 streaming amplifier, then you shouldn’t look anywhere beyond the Sabre-R speakers – they are, literally, made for each other, sonically and visually.

If you do plan on using the Sabre-R on their own, however, do take some care with partnering to get the best out of them. We found them to be a little fussy when trying different amplifiers, as they need an amplifier that complements the speakers’ character well and plays to their strengths.

Arcam’s A5 integrated subdues some of the Sabre-R’s delicacy and openness; the Rega Brio Mk7’s rhythmic precision, on the other hand, is a much better match and allows the Ruarks to flaunt their talents.

Don’t be afraid to try amplifiers at higher prices, either – the Ruark speakers don’t sound outclassed by the much pricier and detailed Naim Nait XS 3 amp.

Verdict

There is a terrific speaker inside the Sabre-R. They are enjoyable, very likeable speakers that have been tuned to deliver a specific presentation – one that we find charming and entertaining.

They’re not all-rounders, but if you can live with some of their drawbacks in favour of what they do really well – that beautifully talented midrange and voices, and a fluid, cohesive rhythm – you will be rewarded.

Review published: 26th June 2025

SCORES

• Sound 4
• Build 5
• Compatibility 4

MORE:

Also consider the Bowers & Wilkins 606 S3

Read the Ruark Audio R610 review

Read our first impressions of the Ruark MR1 MK3 powered speakers

Best bookshelf speakers 2025: top standmounts for every budget tested

Acoustic Energy has unveiled the new AE320² floorstanders, its latest addition to the recently revamped 300 Series of mid-range loudspeakers.

The British brand announced at the start of this year that it had entirely redesigned its 300 Series, with no part of its previous, 2018-released iteration carrying over into the new models.

The new five-strong speaker series, including the range-topping AE320², uses technology that the company pioneered in its 15-year-old Reference Series, as well as taking trickle-down tweeter tech derived from its flagship £6000 Corinium floorstanders.

The three-way AE309² floorstanders features a 12cm paper cone midrange driver and 14cm paper cone bass driver alongside a new 29mm soft dome tweeter, promising a significant step up in audio quality at this given price point.

Further, the speakers employ a slot-shaped duct port at the rear of each tower for greater bass output, designed to reduce the effect of air turbulence for a cleaner, less distorted lower-end signature.

The new AE320² incorporates Acoustic Energy's Resonance Suppression Composite technology, which, says its manufacturer, dramatically reduces cabinet colouration while allowing each driver to perform "with exceptional clarity and precision."

According to Mat Spandl, Acoustic Energy's Managing Director, “By leveraging the insights from our Corinium project, we have been able to push the boundaries of what is possible in loudspeaker design at this price point. Our goal was to create a speaker that not only delivers exceptional sound quality but also integrates seamlessly into modern living spaces.”

The AE309² are available in a choice of walnut or new ‘silk-touch’ matte black or white finishes. The new speakers are supplied with aluminium feet and spike covers, with Acoustic Energy promising that its new floorstanders will integrate seamlessly into any home décor.

The new AE320² are available from late June, priced at £1999 / €2199. We had the pleasure of seeing the 300 Series at the Bristol Hi-Fi Show 2025, while the AE300² standmounts (£649) are currently in our test rooms for review. We'll find out soon if that trickle-down technology has paid dividends for the new range.

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Rewind: Bang & Olufsen’s latest speaker tested, a successor to a repeat hi-fi Award-winner, a new tiny 4K projector and more

These are the best floorstanders, tried and tested

The next generation of streaming amplifiers are here, and I think they point to an exciting new chapter for hi-fi

Rega’s Brio has been one of our go-to affordable stereo amplifier recommendations for longer than we care to remember.

The original was launched in 1991, and every generation since has been a frill-free analogue design, with priority given to good sound and a feature set that covered the basics.

The new Rega Brio Mk7 version doesn’t deviate much from this well-established path, but acknowledges the changing times by adding digital inputs.

Less welcome is a price increase that pushes this amplifier into the next class up from its traditional, more affordable home, and puts it against some tough competition.

Build & features

With the Brio Mk7, Rega has persisted with the convenient half-width casing of the previous generation but changed the front and rear panel designs to match the styling of its current product range. The result is neat enough.

However, placing the old next to the new, we find ourselves preferring the metal controls of the last-gen model over the Brio Mk7’s plasticky alternatives.

We’re not big fans of the new Brio’s cheap-feeling plastic rear panel either, especially given the amplifier’s increased price.

Elsewhere, there is no issue with the swap from a front panel-mounted 6.3mm headphone output to a 3.5mm; most price-appropriate headphones come with this as standard, anyway.

The new system remote is fine too, being well-designed and simple to use, if not particularly stylish.

Much the same description applies to the amplifier as a whole. Generally, it feels like a functional tool designed to do a job rather than something to impress friends with – until you listen to it, that is. More on that later.

The big news here is the addition of digital inputs.

The Brio Mk7 offers the choice of single coaxial and optical connections, and is compatible with PCM files up to 24-bit/192kHz.

DSD is not on the menu, nor is there a USB input. While the lack of these things is a little disappointing, neither is a deal breaker for us at this level.

It is important to remember that the Rega’s main rival, the Arcam A5, is no better equipped in these respects, though it does include a Bluetooth input, which the Brio doesn’t have.

On the analogue side, the Rega has three single-ended line-level inputs, which, while not generous, should be fine for most systems.

Take a look inside the Brio Mk7 and you will find a re-laid circuit board to improve performance and reduce distortion.

The engineers have worked hard to improve the isolation between the sensitive moving magnet phono stage and the higher current sections of the amplifier.

The Brio’s power output remains the same as the previous model at 50 watts per channel into an 8-ohm load, rising to 72 watts as impedance halves.

While the Brio Mk7 is no powerhouse, these are perfectly decent figures that mean it will be able to drive most price-compatible speakers without issue.

Rega has built a switchable auto-standby function into this amplifier, where it goes to sleep after around an hour without an input signal. It’s a neat touch, but can be turned off if you want to keep it fully warmed and ready to go.

During our time with the Brio Mk7, we use it with a range of sources from our high-end reference Naim ND555/555 PS DR music streamer and Technics SL-1000R/Vertere Dark Sabre record player to more price-appropriate alternatives such as the Rega Planar 3 RS Edition turntable package and the Cyrus CDi CD player.

Partnering speakers include the KEF LS50 Meta and PMC Prodigy 1 alongside our trusty ATC SCM50.

Sound

Our doubts about the Brio Mk7’s ability to compete at this higher price category prove unfounded.

Judged by price standards, it is a hugely accomplished performer that puts clear air between itself and its predecessor. As we compare the two, it doesn’t take long to appreciate the new amplifier’s greater insight, organisation and improved dynamic expression.

The Brio Mk7 has a bold presentation, one that brims with confidence and substance.

As we play Quincy Jones’s Back On The Block, it is hard not to be impressed by the Brio’s taut, grounded, low-frequency performance and its ability to deliver dynamic contests with conviction.

It has a firm grip of rhythms too, giving the music a solid foundation and a great sense of momentum.

Detail levels are high, comparable with class leaders like Arcam’s A5, and all that information is organised in a neat and musically cohesive way.

There is never any doubt as to the emotion any given artist wants the listener to feel. This has long been a strength of Rega’s Brio line-up, and this Mk7 version just reinforces that tradition.

Move your attention up the frequency band and you will notice that voices come through with clarity and natural warmth intact.

This little amplifier may have a relatively modest power output, but you would never know from the way it thumps out transients when the music demands.

It can play at relatively high volume levels with composure too, and doesn’t leave us feeling short-changed, even with low sensitivity speakers such as the 85dB/W/m ATC SCM 50 speakers in our 3 x 7 x 5m test room.

The Brio Mk7 stays firmly on track when asked to play a large-scale classical piece such as Holst’s Mars.

It has the muscle to deliver the music’s savage swings with conviction, yet retains enough finesse to render instrumental textures or the low-level acoustic clues that define the size of the recording venue well.

Tonally, it sounds fairly even and full-bodied.

While this is a direct and front-footed performer, there is still enough in the way of refinement and top-end sweetness to prevent it from becoming overly fussy about poor recordings or less than perfectly matched partnering equipment.

The Rega amp’s stereo imaging is good. It exhibits a pleasing sense of layering and the ability to keep instruments locked in place even when the music becomes complicated.

This amplifier doesn’t generate the most expansive or spacious of soundstages, but it still does enough to convince.

We are pleased to report that the new DAC module is a good one.

It retains the enjoyable character we hear through the analogue stages, sounding lively and forthright across a wide range of material from Nick Cave and Warren Ellis’s The Road OST to Joe Jackson’s Body And Soul set.

There is a pleasing balance of analysis and entertainment on offer here. This digital module is certainly among the best we have heard integrated into an amplifier at this level.

It is less of a surprise to find that the phono stage is talented too, given that Rega has been built on a foundation of producing great record players.

The moving magnet-only circuit is reasonably quiet in terms of hiss and hum and surprisingly capable.

It communicates the energy of the music well, which is pretty much all we can ask for from such a design. The brand’s expertise in terms of phono stages and record replay shines brightly here.

The Brio’s headphone output maintains the high standards. We try the Mk7 with the Grado SR325x and Austrian Audio’s high-end The Composer, and it works well regardless.

Our only complaint is that there isn’t much in the way of usable travel on the motorised volume control; the level can easily go from ‘quiet’ to ‘way too loud’ with the turn of just a few degrees.

How does the Brio Mk7 compare to its main rival, the Arcam A5? That’s a tough one as their presentations are so different.

The Rega is the more energetic and dramatic performer, capturing the excitement in music brilliantly.

The Arcam takes a measured approach, prioritising articulation, space and refinement, while still delivering highly entertaining results.

The two are so close in ability that the choice between them comes down to your system and taste.

Verdict

Regardless, Rega has taken a real step forward with this amplifier.

We worried that the jump in price was going to be a problem, but that hasn’t turned out to be the case.

This integrated amplifier is a strong all-rounder that is made all the more appealing by its great-sounding digital section.

If you are looking for a top-class stereo amplifier anywhere near this price level, the Brio Mk7 has to be on your shortlist.

Review published: 28th April 2025

SCORES

• Sound 5
• Build 4
• Features 5

MORE:

Read our review of the Arcam A5

Also consider the Arcam A15

Read our Rega io review

Best stereo amplifiers: 9 class leaders chosen by our review experts

On the hunt for a fantastic OLED TV with a discounted price tag? You have come to the right place.

The five-star, 65-inch Panasonic Z95A is down from £3899 to £2429 at Sevenoaks. To get this price, however, you need a not-so-secret titbit. At checkout, use the voucher code GDFREELY10 to get the full discount.

This is the lowest price we have seen on the OLED, saving you an impressive £1470 and trumping its previous Black Friday price tag.

If you are looking for an OLED with a bright and natural picture, this may be the set for you.

The Z95A is Panasonic's current flagship OLED TV, and based on our testing, a fantastic option for any serious movie fan.

The Z95A is packed with cutting-edge features, chief of which is the inclusion of brightness boosting micro lens array (MLA) panel technology. This is an award-winning technology that lets the Z95A go significantly brighter than a traditional OLED, letting HDR content in particular sparkle.

What makes the TV special, and a favourite amongst our test team, is the Z95A’s ability to successfully leverage MLA’s added brightness, without sacrificing other parts of the picture. The Z95A retains Panasonic’s “as the director intended” focus. This means skin tones in particular hold a warmth and realism lost on many of the competing flagship OLEDs we tested it against.

We said as much in our Panasonic Z95A review, where our testers reported:

“The Panasonic Z95A is a fantastic TV and a great showcase of how brightness-boosting MLA technology can be used to enhance picture quality. Thanks to Panasonic’s continued focus on delivering an authentic, controlled and balanced picture, the set uses the added brightness in a way that truly improves rather than distracts from what’s happening on screen.”

Our only word of warning is that, despite having a Technics-tuned speakerbar, the Z95A’s sound system still can’t match a decent soundbar’s performance. So you’ll want to invest in a decent soundbar or speaker package if you want to do true justice to its stellar picture.

It’s in that vein that we add that there are OLED TVs out there offering a similar picture performance for a lot less money than the Panasonic Z95A, and without its bulky speaker system. They don't sound as good, of course, but if you’re adding a soundbar anyway, that shouldn’t matter.

For example, you can currently buy the 65-inch LG G4 for £1249 at Amazon and the Sonos Arc Ultra for £999 at Richer Sounds, and that’s the way we would go if it was our money.

That said, for many, having one neat unit for both picture and sound is priority number one. If you’re one of those people, the Panasonic Z95A for £2429 at Sevenoaks is tough to beat.

MORE:

These are the best OLED TVs we’ve tested

We rate the best Dolby Atmos soundbars

Our pick of the best 65-inch TVs

Finding a top-notch 55-inch TV without breaking the bank may seem like a mammoth task, but this deal could be the answer for you. The Samsung mid-range LED entry, the QE55Q80D, is down to just £684 at Amazon.

It may not be the lowest ever price we've seen on the five-star TV, but this deal can get you £300 off its original price.

During testing, we loved its impressively detailed audio as well as its excellent contrast. If that sounds up your alley, this deal is worth your time.

Samsung's mid-range LED TV veers away from the brand's love of Mini LEDs, but it does result in a more palatable price. And, the quality is still there with the 'local dimming' system using 100 separate zones - a pretty impressive number for such a compact screen.

In our Samsung Q80D review, we said: "The Q80D delivers a surprisingly healthy chunk of the picture quality we've come to expect from Samsung's high-end TVs at a much lower price. It also sounds unexpectedly good for a Samsung TV, and is one of the best gaming TVs we've seen for less than £1,000."

When it comes to picture, we found the overall quality impressive. Especially when it comes to producing reasonably punchy colours in dark scenes, and avoiding desaturation problems in low-luminance shots - something that both OLED and LCD TVs can fall victim to. Then, there's the AI elements of the Q80D's processor which means it upscales into crisp 4K with ease.

Feature-wise, it puts in a lot of work. There's the VA LCD panel that works hard on contrast, local dimming, HDMI 2.1 ports that support 4K/120Hz gaming, VRR and ALLM, which is music to gamers' ears, and if you're all about streaming platforms, then the Tizen OS system has excellent app support.

Of course, given the price point, it doesn't have all the bells and whistles you'll find on some of Samsung's high-end models (of which there are a fair few), but you also don't have to part ways with a lot of cash. In exchange, you get a TV that is still more than capable of providing a large soundstage that is both hefty and dynamic.

At just £684 at Amazon, it's close to the lowest price we've ever seen on this Samsung TV. For a mid-range model packed out with features and providing decent quality across the board, it's a steal. But, we'd act fast as we're sure this price won't stick around forever.

MORE:

Read our full Samsung QE55Q80D review

Find the best 55-inch TVs here

And check out our pick of the best TVs you can buy right now

August is over, and with it many of us are facing the sad reality of summer’s end and a return to work after our yearly family break.

But while many of you were recreating scenes from Wham’s Club Tropicana music video by a sunny poolside or beach front, the team of What Hi-Fi? experts were hard at work in our light controlled viewing and listening rooms in August. Over the month we reviewed a wealth of new hi-fi and home cinema hardware including everything from portable projectors to £30,000 / $30,000 speakers. 

But in that flurry of testing, only eight products impressed our reviewers enough to earn perfect marks. Here’s what you need to know about them.

Dali Rubikore 2 

The Dali Rubikore 2 may look like just another pair of high-end standmount speakers targeting the same space as the Award-winning KEF R3 Meta. But they’re actually a pretty big deal for the audio heavyweight. 

As the name suggests they’re the successors to the first generation Rubicon range that launched in 2014. Getting them into our viewing rooms it was immediately apparent a lot of work has been done in the decade since. The engineering is completely different including a brand-new hybrid tweeter design and new mid/bass driver arrangement.

Pairing them with the Arcam A15 or Naim Nait XS 3 the speakers delivered class-leading levels of insight and excellent rhythmic precision, which got our testers’ feet tapping. Hence their conclusion: 

“As entertaining as they are informative, the formidable Rubikore 2 deliver a good time, and then some.”

Score: 5/5

Read our full Dali Rubikore 2  review

Sony Xperia 1 VI 

When the  Xperia 1 VI first launched we were a little sad as many of the AV focussed features that made past Sony phones interesting had been cut. There’s no 4K resolution, and the longer 21:9 aspect ratio has similarly been retired.

Thankfully when we got it in for testing, we found the handset is still an excellent option for movie fans. A screen this size will never be able to do true justice to a movie masterpiece, but the Full HD resolution OLED panel still delivers great results for casual viewing – especially once you activate its Creator Mode picture setting, which is effectively a Filmmaker mode for phones, based on our testing.

Once done, colours look nicely accurate and the perfect black level lets it deliver an immersive experience. Our only caveat is that you will want to invest in a pair of decent headphones as, while the phone can deliver oodles of detail when paired with a good set, its inbuilt speakers lack weight and punch. 

Score: 5/5

Read our full Sony Xperia 1 VI review

YG Acoustics Carmel 3 

Is £30,000 / $29,800 a lot to spend on a pair of small, two-way floorstanding speakers? Yes. That’s an undeniable fact, and one you, our lovely readers, made clear in your forum and Facebook comments when we first published our YG Acoustics Carmel 3 review in August. 

But based on our time with them, we can safely confirm that if you do have that kind of cash to spare and want a fantastic, elaborately engineered pair of floorstanders, they are well worth considering. Though the speakers' metal finish may look a little dull for some, under the hood YG Acoustics has done painstaking levels of work improving their engineering. 

Putting them through their paces in our listening rooms, while we find they are very fussy and need to be paired with incredibly high-end hi-fi to truly shine, the Carmel 3 can deliver exceptional results. 

Matched with a Naim ND 555/555 PS DR music streamer and SME Model 20 Mk2/Series V/Ortofon Windfeld Ti MC record player feeding a Burmester 088/911 MkIII pre/power, the Carmel quickly proved this point. Hence our conclusion:

“There are so many things to praise, from the immaculate build quality to the ease of positioning, but watch out for their fussy nature.”

Score: 5/5

Read our full YG Acoustics Carmel 3 review

Bowers & Wilkins Pi8 

Ever heard the saying, third time's the charm? That pretty much sums up our experience with the Bowers & Wilkins Pi8. The Pi8 are the third generation true wireless earbuds from B&W, succeeding the three-star Pi7 S2 and first gen Pi7.

They still cost a lot more than many of the entries you’ll find in our best wireless earbuds guide, but for your money you’ll get a sonically gifted, easy to use set from one of the biggest names in hi-fi.

They’re also technically accomplished, running off Qualcomm's latest wireless chipset and being among the only earbuds to support Bluetooth 5.4 – most are locked at 5.3. They also have a dedicated DAC/DSP amp that bypasses the Qualcomm chip and lets B&W have more direct control over the earbuds’ sound.

Using them in our dedicated listening rooms and out the real world, the combination works a treat, with the Pi8 delivering great audio with sensational levels of detail regardless of the test track we threw at them. This made them an easy recommendation, with our reviewers concluding:

“The Pi8 are pricier than your average wireless earbuds, but sonically they perform levels above – the detail and refinement on show are breathtaking. Add useful features, solid ANC, the fact they’re nice to use and comfortable, and you’ve got buds that rival brands should take notice of.”

Score: 5/5

Read our full Bowers & Wilkins Pi8 review

SME Model 20 Mk 2/Series V 

At What Hi-Fi? towers there’s an old adage that, outside of some very rare occasions, exceptional build and sound never comes cheaply. The £25,950 / $35,619 / AU$58,000 SME Model 20 Mk 2/Series V is good evidence of why that is.

The review unit we tested pairs the latest iteration of the iconic SME Model 20 turntable with the now legendary Series V tonearm – and based on our testing, though it’s expensive, the combo delivers truly magnificent results.

Adding Ortofon’s Windfeld Ti moving coil cartridge and pairing the unit with our reference Burmester 088/911 MkIII amplifier and ATC SCM 50 speakers, the player delivered an honest and insightful performance with excellent sonic authority.

If you have the money this makes the SME Model 20 Mk 2/Series V an easy recommendation, with our reviewers concluding:

“We really enjoy our time with the Model 20 Mk2/Series V/Ortofon combination. It sounds at home across all musical genres, delivering the grit of Bruce Springsteen’s Born To Run set as convincingly as the rhythmically dense electronic music of Four Tet.”

Score: 5/5

Read our full SME Model 20 Mk 2/Series V review

LG C4 (OLED48C4)

The LG C4 is rapidly turning into one of 2024’s most impressive TVs, with every size we’ve tested earning a perfect five-star rating. The 48-inch model we put through its paces in August continues this trend.

During our testing we found the 48-inch LG C4 retains all the strengths of the 65-inch model we originally tested, but in a smaller package. Regardless of what test disc we threw at it, the 48-inch LG C4 delivered a rich engaging picture full of detail and dynamism. 

Add to this its stellar gaming features, which include 144Hz/4K support as well as four full fat HDMI 2.1 inputs – which make it the best set this size for connectivity, period – and it becomes an easy recommendation. Our reviewers said as much in their conclusion:

“Stop us if you’ve heard this one before, but LG’s latest C-series OLED TV is the best 48-inch TV you can buy right now. It undercuts or matches its rivals where price is concerned, it has a flawless feature set for gamers, and its picture is a clear step up over its predecessor.”

The only downside is that, like past LG C4s we’ve tested, the 48-inch model’s audio is terrible, even by in-built TV speaker standards. So you will 100 per cent want to invest in a soundbar to pair with it if you want the best experience possible. 

Score: 5/5

Read our full LG C4 (OLED48C4) review

Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 6  

The Galaxy Z Fold 6 is the second phone to appear in this month’s column. It’s also the latest folding phone from Samsung, designed to work as both a handset and tablet. Thankfully the sixth generation has proved to be a great step forward for Samsung’s folding phone offering.

Most sites will focus on updates to the chipset and camera, but for What Hi-Fi? it’s the phone’s screen and movie watching upgrades that matter most. The headline here is that the Fold 6 features a 6.3-inch exterior cover screen with a thin 22.1:9 aspect ratio for use in phone mode that folds open to reveal a 7.6-inch interior display with a 20.9:18 aspect ratio. 

Though the folded out aspect ratio is distinctly square by TV screen standards it still yields a nicely immersive viewing experience on Netflix, based on our testing.

As well as being bigger than a traditional phone display, the Fold 6’s OLED screen delivers excellent colours and a sharpness that makes it a solid entertainment station when on the go, or when stuck on a long train or plane ride. Hence its five-star rating and our reviewers’ conclusion:

“The Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 6 can best be described as an OLED TV that will fit into your pocket. Its cinematic picture performance has truly won us over, and we’re convinced that this would be an ideal AV companion for a long-haul flight or road trip.”

Score: 5/5

Read our full Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 6 review

Philips OLED809

The OLED809 is Philips latest step down OLED TV and a direct rival to the LG C4. What’s the difference? For starters the TV features Philips Ambilight bias lighting system, which uses coloured LED lights around the frame to help reduce eye strain and increase immersion – doing things like throwing up a green hue when watching football. Second, it uses an 8th Gen P5 AI processor, and third, it runs using the Google OS operating system. 

But onto the important topic, does it provide a decent home cinema experience? After hours upon hours of testing in our viewing rooms, our reviewers’ answer is a definitive yes. For movie and sports fans after a TV that provides a 'blow your socks off' experience, the Philips OLED809 is a fantastic option, featuring wonderfully high peak brightness levels that help it deliver a punchy dynamic picture.

We said as much in our review, where our testers concluded:

“Though it retains Philips’ 'blow your socks off' goal, once you tone down its out-of-the-box picture settings the TV gives great results, particularly during bright scenes. Here it delivers a wonderfully wide colour palette and brilliantly high max brightness, which leads to a truly immersive viewing experience.” 

Score: 5/5

Read our full Philips OLED809 review

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The best OLED TVs rated

Our picks of the best wireless earbuds

We rate the best record players

I was recently treated to a highly exclusive tour of Samsung’s Audio Lab in California. This is where many of the brand’s audio products – from wireless speakers and soundbars to the sound systems of its TVs – are tuned, and also where a huge amount of research is conducted into the future of home audio. I speak from experience when I say that it’s run and staffed by some of the brightest and most music-obsessed people I’ve ever met, and in each room we entered I was introduced to yet more brilliant engineers and intriguing technology.

The room I’m most concerned with here is one that was packed with Genelec studio monitor speakers. I regret to say that I didn’t count the number of speakers in the room but, looking back at my photos I can see that there were 10 across the front – five at seated ear-height, two mounted in a row above and three on the floor. I think there was a similar quantity of speakers behind and to the sides of the seating position, so we’re talking about a system consisting of roughly twenty speakers. And that’s not including subwoofers, of which there were four across the front. I’ve been in lots of speaker-filled rooms in my time, but this one took the biscuit.

Why does the Samsung Audio Lab have a system consisting of 20+ Genelec speakers? Primarily because it’s working on the IAMF royalty-free immersive audio format to rival Dolby Atmos – something that we’ve written about before and that also involves Google. So, after a very interesting precis of IAMF from Samsung’s Allan Devantier, his colleague Eduardo Rubio fired up Bailando by Enrique Iglesias in Dolby Atmos.

I was immediately struck by the spaciousness of the presentation. A seamless, three-dimensional soundstage filled the room and I could hear voices and instruments all around me. In fact, the presentation sounded larger than the room in which we were sitting. There was a lovely tonality, too, with the bass and midrange interlocking just as they should and the treble sounding clear and detailed without any brightness. Bailando isn’t my kind of track, but it was impossible not to be impressed by the delivery.

As the music faded out, Devantier spoke: “So, nice sense of envelopment, nice sense of space – but are you 100 per cent sure you know what you were listening to?

“You were listening to the soundbar. You were listening to the soundbar and those surround speakers – those studio monitors – were not on."

Then the penny dropped – the chat about IAMF and the room full of speakers were part of a ruse and what we were listening to was a prototype Q990 soundbar system.

Cutting-edge prototypes

Before I go on, I need to get a couple of disclaimers out of the way. The first is that this really is prototype kit. The main soundbar unit was clearly a Frankensteined version of the one in the Q990D package with lots of unfinished elements, and the cuboid rears had been manufactured on-site in bare white plastic. The subwoofer, too, simply looked like one from the Q990D package, though who knows what the internals were like. In other words, the final speakers will likely look nothing like what you see in the photos here. They may not sound like what I heard, either. Devantier and his team work very much at the cutting edge of product development, producing concepts that Samsung may or may not use. Devantier says, “I think you’re gonna see some of the fruits of that research in 2025 soundbars,” but it’s clear that some of this work could bleed into 2026 or perhaps never see the light of day at all.

The other big disclaimer is that I’m not allowed to tell you about the technology being used. I can tell you that there is new technology involved, which means this is far more than just an evolution of the existing Q990 range, and I can tell you what it sounded like, but I can’t be more specific than that as Samsung quite understandably doesn’t want to show its hand to its rivals.

With all of that out of the way, we can get back to the sound. Demo two was one of Dolby’s own Atmos samplers, which I have heard about a million times before. In fact, I’ve heard it (fairly recently) on the Q990D, and it certainly sounded better here. The Q990D is by soundbar standards an extremely impressive deliverer of Dolby Atmos, in that it doesn’t simply deliver height as many rivals do – it also places sounds in pretty precise locations in three-dimensional space, which is what Atmos is really about. From time to time, though, you can still hear the speaker rather than the sound effect, and there are small parts of the soundstage in which those precise effects seemingly cannot be placed.

The new technology in the prototype soundbar package is designed to address those things, and in this second demo the improvements were clear. At no point was my ear drawn to a specific speaker. It was instead drawn to the specific sounds as they appeared in the space. Those sounds moved around the presentation from side to side and up and down with no gaps being revealed in the soundstage. Many Dolby Atmos soundbars deliver sound in two or three vertical layers, but here there’s fluidity to the verticality, which makes everything sound more natural.

Benefits to stereo music, too

Interestingly, this new technology can also be used to overcome the size limitations of the soundbar and produce a wider and more effective stereo presentation without adding what Devantier refers to as the “colourations” usually associated with sound-widening effects. The goal, he said, is to produce stereo sound that is “colouration-free and really wide”. With that, Rubio fired up Everybody Plays The Fool by soul singer Aaron Neville, during which he would push a button to switch between standard stereo and the new widening technology.

This was another very impressive demonstration. With the new tech enabled, the stereo image opened up dramatically, adding a real sense of spaciousness, yet the vocal focus, detail and clarity remained. To these ears, it sounded like all gain and no pain, and is as close as I’ve heard a soundbar get to delivering the experience of listening to a pair of properly positioned stereo speakers.

The final demo was the most striking, though. Rubio played a clip of an old-school BBC-style radio presenter reading from a script, with no other sounds whatsoever. The goal here was to make the sound appear to be coming not from the speakers, but from areas in the room in which there were no speakers. It wasn’t perfect – at times I could hear the soundbar almost tugging at the voice slightly – but it was overall very effective indeed. Devantier and Rubio knew it wouldn’t sound perfect, but they wanted to demonstrate the new technology in its most exposed form. As Devantier says, “When you start having all 12 channels going, and there's people dancing, and there's music, and there's this and that, the illusion gets more realistic… put on a sexy video, all of a sudden it sounds really, really, really freaking cool.”

While I might not agree with him on the coolness of Enrique Iglesias’ Bailando (though, frankly, who am I to talk?), there’s no denying that the soundbar technology that he and his team are working on seems very cool indeed. And, given that Samsung is already the best in the business when it comes to Dolby Atmos soundbar packages, that should have its rivals very worried indeed.

MORE:

Read our review of the current Samsung Q990D

These are the best Dolby Atmos soundbars you can buy right now

And here are the best Dolby Atmos scenes for testing your system

If you’ve been keeping an eye on headphone trends over the past year, you’ll have noticed something afoot in the world of in-ear headphones.

Everyone is familiar with the traditional in-ear design, right? Where a driver in each earbud fires music through a tube, directly into your ear canal and down to your eardrum.

Well, in recent months a handful of manufacturers have revisited the drawing board and launched a new style of earphone that’s being referred to as an ‘open earbud’. Like a lot of modern in-ears, they tend to be wireless, but with some key differences regarding design and fit. We’ll cover all of them in this article together with the pros and cons to help you decide if open earbuds are actually worth considering.

How do open earbuds work?

As previously mentioned, the in-ear headphones we’ve come to know and love tend to place a driver in an enclosure which fires sound through a funnel and into your ear canal. Normally, attached to the end of the funnel is a silicone or memory foam ‘tip’ designed to create a seal, thus isolating the wearer from outside noise and stopping sound from leaking out.

Open earbuds on the other hand don’t burrow into your ear canal. They have neither a funnel nor a surround – they’re not designed to create a seal. Instead, they sit in proximity of the opening to your ear canal.

We’ve tested three pairs of open earbuds in recent months, and the driver design has varied for each one. For example, Sony uses a ring driver for its WF-L900 Linkbuds that sits just behind your tragus. The Huawei FreeClip’s ‘acoustic ball’ sits in your concha, as does the tip of the Bose Ultra Open Earbuds.

The Sonys probably sit closest to your ear canal without diving inside and they’re wedged in place with the aid of a small wing tip attached to the main body of the earbud. Without any surrounds to create a seal or tips to help secure them in place, Bose and Huawei have both opted for a clip design where a band wraps around the back of your ear under tension to the other half of the clip and helps to clamp the earbuds in place.

The Huawei and Bose have deliberately been designed to look more like a fashion accessory than a standard pair of headphones. Bose, for example, has been quick to take advantage of this and partner with fashion brand Kith for a limited run of Ultra Open Earbuds.

What are the advantages of open earbuds?

The most obvious advantage of open earbuds is that they’re an alternative for those who don’t like the fit of normal in-ear headphones. Some might find the fact they don’t burrow in very appealing and there’s a good chance these users will find open earbuds more comfortable and relaxing, especially over long periods.

There are health benefits too – it’s a broadly held opinion that traditional earbuds aren’t particularly hygienic because they can push ear wax and other debris into your ear canal. Open earbuds don’t have this problem, and the lack of a seal can also reduce conditions that might promote bacterial growth and ear infections.

Health experts have linked listening to loud noise for long periods to hearing loss and in-ear headphones are generally believed to contribute to this more than over-ears. Because open earbuds don’t block the entrance to your ear canal and don’t fire music directly at your eardrum, this could help reduce the possibility of hearing damage.

Open earbuds also reduce what is often referred to as the ‘stethoscope’ effect. This is the amplified noise generated when you catch an earbud sitting in your ear canal - similar to the cable noise you hear transmitted through wired in-ear headphones.

If you want to hear more of your surroundings, e.g. if you’re out running and need to be aware of what’s happening around you, then open earbuds are likely to help. Of course, it’s all relative to the volume you’re listening at – the louder you play your music, the less of an advantage the design becomes.

What are the disadvantages of open earbuds?

Conversely, the fact open earbuds can let in more noise could also be seen as a disadvantage, e.g. if you’re using them in a noisy gym and want to cut out the grunting and other people's terrible Spotify playlists. In this case, you might prefer a pair of noise-cancelling earbuds. ANC earbuds are also likely to offer a transparency mode so you at least have the option of letting ambient noise through if required.

The design of open earbuds means that positioning matters more than with normal in-ears. Because they sit outside your ear canal, dispersion needs to be controlled so you don’t lose any sonic information on its way to your eardrum. If the buds use a clip design, for example, they need to sit securely and not move around when you do.

How do they sound? Open earbuds vs normal earbuds

In our experience, open earbuds generally tend to sound, erm, more open and airy than normal in-ears. Music boasts a greater sense of spaciousness because the seal has been removed. The fact they’re not wedged in your ears also allows them to sound a little less intense, which some users might prefer.

The flipside is that open earbuds struggle to match traditional in-ears for clarity, punch and dynamism. In-ears sit closer to your eardrum and can drive the space between the tip and eardrum harder, giving sound extra solidity and reinforcement, especially in the lower frequencies. Open designs have to work a lot harder because they are positioned further away from your ear canal. To their credit, though, the Bose Ultra Open Earbuds did manage to deliver surprisingly solid weighty bass during testing.

Are open earbuds worth it? If you don't get along with the fit of normal wireless earbuds, then we can see the appeal. At the time of writing, we've found they can't quite match the very best wireless earbuds sonically, but Bose and Sony do have models that sound good enough to warrant a closer look.

How do open earbuds differ from bone-conduction headphones?

Open earbuds are a very different proposition to bone-conduction headphones. While the former still channel audio in the direction of the opening of your ear canal and into your inner ear, the latter transmit audio signals as vibrations through your upper cheek or jaw bone. They are transmitted directly to your cochlea via your temporal bone, bypassing your eardrum completely.

The design allows you to be much more aware of your surroundings, as there’s nothing positioned near the entrance to your ear. But, because your eardrum doesn’t get involved in processing any audio signals, there are layers of information that will be missed and sound quality, in our experience at least, is extremely compromised.

Are open earbuds here to stay?

Rumour has it Sony is already working on a second-generation pair of LinkBuds which might even include noise-cancelling – which would be a first. And, we were mightily impressed by the Bose Ultra Open Earbuds, given they were a first attempt, and they show that there could be some real potential there to push on with improvements for a second-generation model if Bose carries on down this path.

As with all new product genres, it really depends on whether the design takes off and if there’s enough demand from the public. While the design going completely mainstream might seem a little way off at the moment, we wouldn’t be surprised to see a handful of other manufacturers launch products in this category.

MORE:

Our pick of the best wireless earbuds you can buy

What are IEM headphones? How they compare to regular earbuds

Are these the Sony LinkBuds 2 wireless earbuds?

Bone conduction headphones: everything you need to know

How active noise-cancelling headphones work: the technology behind ANC

Literally tens of millions of words have been written about The Beatles, covering everything from the minutiae of their recording sessions to the all-encompassing nature of their impact on popular culture. One book takes almost 50,000 words to get to the point where five teenagers leave Liverpool for the first time in 1960 for a series of performances in Hamburg.

So there seems little point in trying to add to those words here – everyone already knows, after all, that The Beatles rank alongside William Shakespeare and football where British contributions to global happiness are concerned. Instead, we’ll restrict ourselves to selecting a dozen of their recordings that happily combine a thorough examination of your audio system’s talents with the band’s customary knack for exquisitely, instinctively correct pop music.

• Listen to the best tracks by The Beatles on Tidal

Can’t Buy Me Love (A Hard Day’s Night, 1964)

They have been recording artists for less than two years at this point, but already the development that would gather almost comical momentum is beginning to show. It’s upbeat, sunny and poppy, just as surely as most of their output has been until now, but Can’t Buy Me Love also demonstrates new confidence in their songwriting abilities and a knack for a catchy arrangement that can’t be entirely credited to producer George Martin. Momentum and rhythmic positivity are among the key elements your system must demonstrate to bring this recording to life, but the nature of the recording means control of treble frequencies is almost as important. 

‘Hardness’ or ‘splashiness’ are seldom welcome traits in an audio set-up, but this recording is just desperate to tip over the edge – high-end authority is essential. And management of the percussion, driving-yet-rolling in the already-established Ringo manner, is critical too.

Buy A Hard Day’s Night on Amazon

You’ve Got to Hide Your Love Away (Help!, 1965)

The songwriting is maturing nicely now – this is perhaps the first example of John Lennon writing from a position that seems strongly at odds with what one might imagine a man in his position might be feeling (see also the title track of the album Help!). The desire to be taken as seriously as someone like, say, Bob Dylan, rather than be regarded as a loveable moptop fit only to be screamed at, is getting stronger and stronger… You’ve Got to Hide Your Love Away is very midrange-heavy, so your system’s tonal variation and powers of separation need to keep competing elements distinct from each other while still delivering the recording as a unified whole.

There’s little broad dynamic variation here, but in the acoustic guitar and woodwind especially there are plenty of harmonic under- and overtones around the fundamental note to be revealed. Or not, if your system’s not up to the task.

Buy Help! on Amazon

Nowhere Man (Rubber Soul, 1965)

Slowly but surely, the sepia of The Beatles’ previous recordings is becoming Technicolor. And between the telepathic vocal harmonies, the remarkably aggressive lead guitar sound and better-identified and -defined drumming, the recordings are starting to sound less like ‘live in the studio’ affairs and are starting to utilise the recording studio as a greater resource. Lyrically, the journey from ‘sweet’ to ‘bittersweet’ is becoming more and more apparent, too. 

All of which means your system needs to demonstrate proper poise and balance where the frequency range is concerned, as this is a fuller sound than the band had previously enjoyed. Low-frequency control becomes an issue (this is one of McCartney’s first true show-off bass lines), midrange focus and fidelity are an even greater issue than before thanks to all that bounceback echo around some of the voices, and the primitive stereo separation is a proper test of focus too.

Buy Rubber Soul on Amazon

Rain (B-side, 1966)

The confidence and ambition are ever more apparent, the medicine has properly started to kick in, and The Beatles are trying to advance the art of the pop song exponentially – even if, as with Rain, they’re only courageous enough to do so as a B-side at this point. Nevertheless, it’s an outstanding song in every department – melody, rhythm track, inventive use of the studio and the effects available therein… John Lennon’s vocal performance lasts less than three minutes, and yet Liam Gallagher managed to turn a facsimile of it into a 30-year career. 

How does your system handle the sinuous bass line, the stop-start journeys around the drum kit, and the none-more-jangly guitar sound? There’s plenty going on that will trip up a set-up that can’t handle itself where rhythm, tempo and tonality are concerned, and it will need to know what’s what when it comes to the prolonged decay of sounds too.

Buy Rain on Amazon

Tomorrow Never Knows (Revolver, 1966)

And now here are the 60s as everyone at 60 years’ remove understands them. It’s probably safe to say very few people had heard anything like Tomorrow Never Knows before the moment it was released, and certainly not when it was the product of what was definitely a boy band the last time anybody checked – “listen to the colour of your dreams” indeed. The Beatles lay it on with a trowel here: backwards tapes, guitar feedback, sitar drones, a drumbeat for the ages and a treated vocal intoning The Tibetan Book of the Dead. 

Need I say without undue emphasis that your system had better be able to establish some clarity and separation in what is a foggy hot-box of a mix? That it needs to be particularly attentive to the ‘soft’ attacks produced by running tape backwards? Probably not…

Buy Revolver on Amazon

Lovely Rita (Sgt Pepper’s Lonely Hearts Club Band, 1967)

If ever an album could be said to have a smell, Sgt Pepper’s Lonely Hearts Club Band has a smell – the sulphurous tang of spent matches, in my opinion. It may have been billed as a ‘concept’ album, but really it’s a collection of quite disparate songs, the most engaging and exuberant of which is Lovely Rita. One of McCartney’s many ‘story’ songs with one of McCartney’s many indestructible melodies, Lovely Rita needs your system to have a proper grasp of soundstaging, good separation and focus, and the sort of tonality that can differentiate acoustic clanging from metallic clanging without difficulty. 

And it needs to have the sort of rhythmic positivity that makes the coda to the song sound like it should: that’s to say, like the perfect sample for a yet-to-be-recorded smash-hit hip-hop tune.

Buy Sgt Pepper’s Lonely Hearts Club Band on Amazon

I am the Walrus (Magical Mystery Tour EP, 1967)

No two ways about it: by this point, the boy band that conquered the world and became bigger than Jesus is an overt drugs band, and is rather pleased about it. I am the Walrus is an acid-fried slice of Lewis Carroll-inspired psychedelia, all glissando and portamento with extra-vivid nonsense imagery (“goo goo ga joob!”), detuned radios and an overall whiff of a playground game gone badly awry. 

There’s plenty for your system to be getting on with here – the tonality of the strings alone, as they glide and lurch from one note to the next, is a pretty stern test. And the fact that the stereo version of the song switches from ‘true’ to ‘fake’ stereo at around the two-minute mark (because radio extracts were added directly to the mono mix and were unavailable for the stereo version) will only really become apparent on a system with the sort of robust staging and stereo focus to reveal it.

Buy Magical Mystery Tour EP on Amazon

While My Guitar Gently Weeps (The Beatles, 1968)

Apart from various members of various orchestras (and Yoko Ono), very few people appear on records by The Beatles who aren’t, well, The Beatles. Eric Clapton is one – his coruscating solo on the George Harrison composition While My Guitar Gently Weeps elevates the tune to the status of ‘essential’ in The Beatles’ catalogue. Its tone and sheer attack are testing enough for your set-up, which also has to be able to cope with the extraordinarily assertive hi-hat inputs from the drumkit without getting in any way sharp or edgy. 

The chugging low-frequency input from the bass guitar requires careful handling, too, and midrange resolution should be able to reveal just how difficult George always found it (or how unwilling he was) to remove the Scouse inflections in his singing voice.

Buy The Beatles 1968/The White Album on Amazon

Happiness is a Warm Gun (The Beatles, 1968)

The four members of The Beatles couldn’t agree on much by this point, but they each declared Happiness is a Warm Gun to be their favourite of the far-too-many songs on The Beatles. It’s pretty obvious why: it’s inventive, it’s alive with tricky time changes, it features utterly committed contributions from all performers, and it managed to get banned by the BBC thanks to its ill-defined but absolutely apparent undercurrent of (whisper it) sex. 

Rhythmic expression and a facility with tempo- and attitude-changes are among the biggest tasks facing your system here. Midrange fidelity gets a big workout too – and separating the contributions of the lead from the background vocalists while keeping each distinct and characterful isn’t easy either. It’s a stiff test of dynamics, too, with both broad shifts in intensity and constant tonal variations to attend to.

Buy The Beatles 1968/The White Album on Amazon

Hey Bulldog (Yellow Submarine, 1969)

Even at their lowest ebb, even when inspiration was at a premium and willingness even harder to come by, The Beatles seemingly couldn’t help but turn out direct, melodic and somehow unerring music whenever the need arose. Hey Bulldog emerges from a piano riff (and so is one of very few of their songs not built on a guitar part) and wastes no time establishing itself as one of those ‘big verse/bigger chorus’ Beatles tunes that somehow manage to avoid cliché and stay fresh even after the 100th listen. 

The attacking tone of the lead guitar is a great test of your set-up’s balance, and the square four/four rhythm isn’t as straightforward to describe as it might at first seem, either.

Buy Yellow Submarine on Amazon

Come Together (Abbey Road, 1969)

Has there ever been a more obliging song, where hi-fi systems are concerned, than Come Together? The opening track of the final-album-that-wasn’t-the-final-album in The Beatles’ catalogue is beautifully performed, exquisitely recorded, and so wide open that it can’t help but dish the details of your set-up’s abilities – for better or for worse. It’s a recording with a huge amount of space in it, and those spaces and silences need to be given just as much emphasis as the events of the recording themselves. 

There’s an extraordinary amount of detail just waiting to be retained and revealed here, too, from the fretboard noises of the bass guitar to the exact distance of the harmony vocal relative to the lead. And above all else, your system needs to present this as genuine performance, with the protagonists responding to each other, rather than as a collection of discrete occurrences.

Buy Abbey Road on Amazon

Don’t Let Me Down (Let It Be… Naked, 2003)

By the time the band had finished recording sessions for Let It Be, they were sick a) of the sound of it, and b) of each other. So the tapes were handed over to Phil Spector (still an icon to people like The Beatles, and not yet revealed to be a murderous head-case) and he was asked to get on with it. The result was the opposite of the ‘back to basics’ recording they had envisaged – the Spector treatment called for baroque orchestral arrangements and contributions from huge choirs. 

Early in the 20th century, Paul McCartney instigated an effort to return the album to what had originally been intended… which meant, in part, including Don’t Let Me Down. Perhaps the most straightforwardly soulful recording the band has ever made, it’s a stern test of midrange resolution, tonal variation and rhythmic expression – and plenty more besides.

Buy Let It Be… Naked on Amazon

MORE:

Check out the best British rock songs to test your system

Prefer Pink Floyd? Here are our favourite Pink Floyd songs

12 of the best Muse tracks to test your headphones or hi-fi system

Compact Disc’s star has well and truly faded. At its peak, at the turn of the century, just short of a billion silver discs were sold in the USA in a year. Fast forward to 2022 and that number had dropped to just 33 million, with the format suffering the ignominy of being overtaken by vinyl (41 million sales). Given that the CD was originally developed to replace records, that is some fall from grace. 

Of course, the success of streaming has played a large part in the downfall of the CD. How could it not? The major music streaming services – Spotify, Tidal, Amazon, Apple Music and Deezer – carry many millions of songs and most can deliver higher resolution than 16bit/44.1kHz CD-spec quality. So, given the convenience, choice and source quality we enjoy from streaming services, why am I writing this column in praise of a format that teeters at the edge of mass market extinction? 

Nostalgia has something to do with it, of course. I clearly remember when the CD was launched and all the excitement that went with it. Those early machines from the likes of Sony (CDP-101) and Philips (CD100) represented cutting-edge technology for the time, and though there was plenty of room for sonic improvement, the format was a clear step ahead of vinyl for the mass market. 

Over the years I’ve been lucky enough to hear some great players, from Ken Ishawata-flavoured Marantz products to ultra high-end beasts from the likes of Wadia and dCS, and they have all thrilled. But that nostalgia isn’t the driving force behind writing this piece. My rekindled appreciation is down to the stream of tasty CD players that have passed through What Hi-Fi?’s test rooms in recent months. 

Testing TEAC’s excellent and beautifully engineered VRDS-701 CD player was a true pleasure. The company had clearly taken a lot of care to make a player that made sense in today’s market, for those who still cling to their shiny discs for one reason or another. It is intuitive to use and offers a sensible range of features, including digital inputs that extend its usefulness. Most of all, it sounded right at home in our reference system, which is no mean feat considering that, at £2499 / $3799, it costs about the same as the cables used in that set-up.

Judging the CD player category in this year’s What Hi-Fi? Awards shone a light on Arcam’s excellent CD5, too, but also reminded me just how much I liked old favourites such as the Cyrus CDi and the Marantz CD6007.

Like most of you, I tend to use streaming – in my case from Tidal or from a fully loaded Naim NAS device – for most of my listening. Using the aforementioned CD players reminded me of the pleasure of reading printed production notes and just how nice it is not to rely on my phone or a tablet to operate my hi-fi source. 

I’ve lost count of the number of times I’ve been frustrated simply because the battery charge on my device is low and I've had to wait a bit to use my music streamer conveniently again. Equally, having to wait a few seconds for the streamer’s app to make a connection has also become a bit of an annoyance. So, the lag-free response of a CD player to its remote is a real plus point. I like to use physical buttons rather than a touch screen to operate my hi-fi, too. It just feels nicer. 

The mechanical whirring of the loading tray as it glides in and the high-pitched whine of the transport mechanism reading the disc give CD players a character that totally silent streamers just can’t match.

While the ritual of actually loading the disc into the player and waiting for it to load serves to add to the sense of anticipation, for me the real appeal of the very best CD players is how good they can still sound. Put the aforementioned TEAC against any equivalently priced streamer and I’m confident it would be better than most alternatives, even if the streamer were fed with hi-res source material. There is a sense of stability and dynamic expression that the best-of-breed disc players have regardless of price point that makes most comparable streamers sound uncommunicative and mechanical.

But I don’t think that’s even the most important advantage of a CD player. Once you buy a CD, that music is yours. Provided you keep the disc in good condition it will last a lifetime and you can play it whenever you want. Given the relatively temporary licensing arrangements streaming companies have on quite significant proportions of their catalogue, it is pretty common for albums – and consequently tracks on my playlists – to disappear from the service for a while. While I understand the commercial reasons this happens, it doesn’t make things better when that song I absolutely have to hear isn’t available. It would always be accessible if I had the CD.

There is also the attraction of rummaging. Sometimes I look at my library of CDs a little unsure of what to play. As I dig through the collection it is not uncommon for me to pick something random that I never would have thought of if I didn’t see it first. That doesn’t tend to happen when I use a streaming service and the result is that, over time, the range of music I listen to has narrowed.

I would like to be clear that I am not pining for CD to return to being the mass market format of choice. It will never be that again, and that’s as it should be. Time, technology and formats have to move on, and streaming, while not perfect, is clearly a better proposition than compact disc for most people in most ways. But, given a good enough CD player and a matching disc collection, the original digital format still has a place for me.

MORE:

The best CD players for every budget 

The best 25 CD players of What Hi-Fi?'s lifetime

How to get the best sound from your CD player

Spotify HiFi: what we can expect from the upcoming CD-quality tier

For audio reviewers and hi-fi technicians, Björk is something of a Godsend. Forging her own rather extraordinary sonic path that defies categorisation and sometimes even comprehension, the Icelandic powerhouse has melded genres as eclectic and far-ranging as experimental pop, industrial rock and post-classical, all while retaining her own signature voice and soul at the heart of almost everything she composes. Countless imitators have come and gone, but there’s only ever been one Björk.

It won’t surprise you to find out, then, that Ms. Gudmundsdóttir is extremely popular within the walls of our listening rooms. Not only does Björk possess a creative well of near-infinite depth and variety, but she’s also an artist with a keen ear for production and a real knack for arrangement.

Pinning down the ten objectively best Björk tracks is both impossible and redundant. What we’ve done instead is to whittle down a number of compositions we think will give your headphones or speaker system a really great workout. That's a much better use of everyone's time, after all.  

Listen to the full Tidal playlist here

Bachelorette (Homogenic, 1997)

Like the relentless ebbs and flows of a restless ocean, the second track from 1997's Homogenic is a moody, volatile meditation on the tumultuous nature of love and attraction, all at once damning the entire concept while simultaneously seeing its protagonist surrender to its irresistible lure. Bachelorette crashes into life with startling authority and power and then slips under the waves for a quiet repose, before thundering with energy once more as the track’s irrepressible percussive twangs cause genuine goosebumps (provided you have the right equipment, that is). 

Like a tightrope walker, your system will have to convey the delicate balancing act that lies at the heart of what is arguably the artist’s finest work, all at once organising and revealing the complexity of the musical arrangement while bringing to life the evocative vulnerability and strained passion of lyrics such as “I’m a tree that grows hearts, one for each that you take, you’re the intruder’s hand, I’m the branch that you break”. Stunning stuff worthy of the finest hi-fi you can get your hands on. 

Army Of Me (Post, 1995)

While later efforts would see Iceland’s favourite daughter push the sonic boundaries into more sweeping orchestral numbers, 1995’s Army of Me was very much a reflection of the decade’s proclivity for hard-edged alternative bangers tinged with a no-nonsense, formidable sonic presence. Rock was still very much alive and kicking.

An industrial piledriver of a track which commands you to "stand up" because "you've got to manage”,  Björk's call to action should hit listeners like a sledgehammer to the cranium as the now-iconic refrain of “if you complain once more, you’ll meet an army of me” screeches above that thudding, head-jamming drum beat. The percussion should be clamorous, forceful and indomitable, but it’s Björk's urgent, unapologetic vocals that should always be taking centre stage.

I've Seen It All ft. Thom Yorke (Selmasongs, 2000)

Björk and Thom Yorke together in a single track must be most audio technicians' ultimate fantasy. Thankfully, the collaboration lives up to the hype as the experimental, occasionally misanthropic pair, instead of cancelling each other out, provide a track that sees two masters in dialogue with each other about the perceived value of their own personal experiences. 

Aside from rising string passages and some rather glistening orchestral accompaniment, the real pleasure is simply hearing two very opposing vocal styles coexist within a single harmonious creation. If your system has the organisational chops, Yorke’s rather mumbled, muted style should anchor itself under the lively, sometimes erratic nature of Björk's own distinctive heart-pouring. 

 Jóga (Homogenic, 1997)

If we can be perfectly honest for a moment, this was the track which served as the inspiration for curating this list in the first place. During the testing of a five-star pair of floorstanders, the speakers’ sumptuous rendition of what is arguably the finest orchestral piece Björk has ever produced sparked a collective lightbulb within the halls of What Hi-Fi?.

And what a track it is, opened by rich, enthralling strings before the singer’s unmistakably confessional Nordic intonation really takes hold. Jóga is a handful for even the most sophisticated system and models thanks to its many converging elements and textures, all of which require not only their own respective spaces but a system which can bring the personalities and timbres of each individual facet without muddling and unwanted interesting. 

Piece of cake.

Hyberballad (Post, 1995)

It may only be the second track from Björk's sophomore 1995 release Post, but Hyperballad really does feel like the culmination of so much which came before it. In many ways, it even feels predictive of much of the material that would follow. In sum, Hyperballad represents everything for which Björk has become known and beloved in a single record. 

It would take an entire article of its own to detail the merits of Hyperballad and the myriad elements which make it a perfect test for your system. Suffice to say, you’ll want to be on the lookout for the detail and staccato of the static-esque lower-range production, the intensity and timbre of the aching strings, the dynamic peaks and troughs as the musical landscape waxes and wanes and, of course, the soaring emotions of the vocal delivery above all else. 

You might need more than a single listen for this one.

It’s Oh So Quiet (Post, 1995)

Keen on testing your headphones’ dynamic range? One track springs to mind…

It’s Oh So Quiet is a bizarre trampoline act of a record, springing back and forth between hushed, muted and intimate passages in which Björk seems to be whispering directly into your ears, before all hell is let loose and the music crashes into a cacophony of sound and life which, if you’re not careful, can cause the head to throb and the heart to bounce against the ribcage in surprise. 

Those, rather counterintuitively, are exactly the physical reactions you’ll want It’s Oh So Quiet to elicit when played through a pair of headphones or speakers capable of doing it justice. Less capable gear tends to make musically expressive performances feel like dull, slightly flattened sonic landscapes. Here, you want those peaks and troughs to be as drastic as Mount Everest plonked next to the Mariana Trench.  

 Unravel (Homogenic, 1997)

In contrast to much of the complex, highfalutin arrangements which so keenly characterise Homogenic as an album, Unravel is a far simpler, far more intimate affair which rises and falls depending on a speaker or headphones' capacity to burrow into  Björk's head and heart and reveal the emotions held within. 

Sparse instrumentation, including hesitant strings and a muted organ, provides accompanying support, but it is Björk's lyrics and vocal delivery which must be conveyed with the most intimate emotional and dynamic understanding in order for the yearning and emotional instability of Unravel to really shine through. The sibilance of the whispering “s” sounds, the occasional warble and vocal crack, even the slight inhalations of breath; all must be communicated to the listener without uniformity or emotional remoteness. 

Stonemilker (Vulticura, 2015)

The slow, grave baroque ballad Stonemilker sees its protagonist at her emotional rawest, something which should come as little surprise considering the track's wider context. Released as the heart-breaking apex to 2015's Vulticura, the album which followed Björk's tricky breakup with American artist Matthew Barney, it's a splash of pained colours cast upon a decidedly barren musical canvas. The results, as you'd imagine, are deeply affecting.

Besides the full strings, remorseful lyrics and that unmistakable vocal delivery, it's the space that really matters when it comes to what is arguably Björk's most soul-crushing release to date. The accompanying music video (a sort of 360-degree virtual reality experience) sees our heroine standing alone on a flinty beach as the sun descends, a setting which seems apposite considering how the song itself is designed to be heard. Just like the volatility of the waves, the stillness of the sky and the endless spread of the sands, each musical element within Stonemilker should find its own space when played via a competent, technically adept sound system. 

Pagan Poetry (Verspertine, 2001)

2001's Vespertine continued to reflect its composer's gradual ascent up the avant-garde mountain, incorporating more digital and electronic sounds while pushing the boundaries of Björk's nascent progressive tendencies. It isn't necessarily the artist's most famous record, but it might well be her most acclaimed and boundary-pushing release ever.  

Pagan Poetry, the album's fifth track and second single, is an unquestionable highlight. The song's sonic landscape is an enchanted forest of glistening, metallic percussive textures underpinned by heavy, assertive drum kicks and the occasional shimmering hint of a harp. The effect should be ethereal and enchanting, but beware of lesser equipment which will turn these nebulous, occasionally formless sounds and textures into a muddled, soupy mess.  

Human Behaviour (Debut, 1993)

The snappy, strict drumbeat of Human Behaviour is just the first hurdle in what is actually a speaker system’s equivalent of a military obstacle course. Yes, conveying that rhythm with spark and drive is important to anchoring the entire composition while keeping it moving in the right direction, but it isn’t the trickiest facet that needs to be nailed perfectly in order for Human Behaviour to really be done justice.

Again, it’s revealing the gymnastics of Björk’s ever-shifting, multi-layered vocal delivery that your equipment should really revel in revealing. Almost line-by-line, sometimes even word by word, the Icelandic chanteuse’s delivery switches and flits, bouncing between staccato assertions (“definitely, definitely, definitely”) to voice-cracking highs (‘then all of a sudden turn happy”) before melding into a sort of Cockney spoken word address (“Oh, to get involved in the exchange”). A perfect vocal test for any headphones or set of speakers.

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Well, it's official. The worst-kept secret of the iPhone 15 launch event has been confirmed: Apple will finally be ditching its Lightning connector in favour of the more widespread USB-C connection.

After months of speculation and all-but-confirmed-rumours from Bloomberg's Mark Gurman, Apple's adoption of USB-C in both the new iPhone 15 and iPhone 15 Pro and AirPods Pro 2 earbuds' charging case has been announced and the new models will be in your hands come 22nd September, when all three products will go on sale.

While this is the least surprising update, its inclusion in the new iPhones does have implications for both music lovers and audio brands. Because as much as we like wireless earbuds, they still don't quite compare to a pair of great wired headphones. But to use wired headphones – and get higher quality audio – with the iPhone, you'll need an external DAC.

The iPhone 15's new USB-C connection should offer practical advantages such as faster speeds when it comes to charging and data transfers, but we're more concerned with the prospect of an easier path (i.e. the need for fewer adapters) when it comes to using wired headphones and/or DACs to boost our smartphone listening. It's not just a question of better audio, it's a matter of convenience, and a path to getting more people to enjoy better quality audio overall. And with the removal of the Lightning connector, that path just became easier. 

If you're one of the many people who use an iPhone as your main music listening source and want better audio quality than what you're getting over Bluetooth (which only supports basic AAC codec), then a portable DAC/headphone amp – such as a neat dongle form like the iFi Go Link or the Astell & Kern HC3 – is a sure-fire way to boost the audio quality when using a pair of good ol' fashioned wired headphones. It's also the only way to even listen to hi-res tunes on your iPhone. 

We've previously documented just how much of a faff it is trying to play hi-res audio on an iPhone, especially with having to use the Apple's additional Lightning-to-USB camera adapter when wanting to use any external DAC, which usually has a USB-A or USB-C output. Many brands like A&K and iFi do offer an extra Lightning adapter bundled into the box, but isn't it so much neater and simpler with just the one USB-C cable? 

With the new iPhone 15s, you don't have to worry about whether you have the correct adapter (or even have to buy a separate one), as the DAC's USB-C connector can directly slot into the USB-C-toting phone. 

This is still admittedly less convenient than if Apple's iPhone and AirPods Pro simply supported a higher-quality codec that let you listen to Apple Music's huge catalogue in 24-bit lossless audio quality wirelessly. And while we'd love for Apple to improve the quality and file limit of its own internal DAC and output stage (it's limited to 24-bit/48kHz) to make hi-res audio listening worthwhile without the need for extra kit, the good news is that even budget USB DACs (like the £59 / $59 / AU$99 iFi Go Link) will handle hi-res audio and offer better sound quality to your wired headphones than the iPhone's current internal DAC will.

We know there's an appetite for users to listen to their digital library this way. If negating the need for extra adapters means that the adoption of using external DACs – and even the curiosity of achieving higher-quality audio – is all the more convenient and easy to do from the get-go, then it's a step in the right direction.

Another interesting bit of news from the launch is that the basic wired Apple EarPods with Lightning connector will also be updated with a USB-C connection. That means you can directly plug a pair of wired EarPods straight into your new iPhone 15 – remember when using wired headphones with your phone was that easy?

There is an issue, however. The wired Apple EarPods aren't exactly bastions of sound quality. We gave them three stars in our review from 2016 when we tested them at £29 – the EarPods now a more appropriate £19. While we praised their clarity with voices and overall solid, weighty sound, they fell behind when it came to a bloaty bass, poor timing and less detail and dynamics than a pair of far more capable SoundMagic E10C.

If the EarPods didn't sound great with the Lightning connection, will they be any different with USB-C? It's hard to give a definitive answer, but we'd wager a bigger overhaul with the EarPods' drivers and acoustic architecture – perhaps inspired by the performance leaps made with the excellent AirPods Pro 2 and AirPods 3 – will offer that much-needed jump up in audio quality over a mere change in cable connection.

The inclusion of USB-C itself won't necessarily offer a step-up in audio quality, but it should make it easier to connect existing products that are able to boost your iPhone's audio quality – at least until Apple's ecosystem fully embraces hi-res audio itself.

MORE:

The Apple AirPods Pro 2 are finally getting USB-C – but not a lot else

There's one huge audio announcement that Apple didn't mention at the iPhone 15 launch

Apple officially unveils the iPhone 15 and 15 Pro, both with dynamic island and USB-C

The AirPods Max 2 were a no-show at the iPhone 15 launch – and that's a massive shame

Sometimes, the more you wish for something, the harder it is to attain. That's how it feels with regard to the arrival (or lack of) of the second generation of Apple's AirPods Max over-ear headphones, the still-hypothetical AirPods Max 2. 

Apple's September showcase saw the unveiling of some exciting new products straight from the Californian tech oven, including the Phone 15, a host of new Apple smartwatches and, most excitingly of all, the prospect of playing Resident Evil 4 on your phone. Another Apple showcase has been and gone, and while we were treated to the host of delights above, what we didn't catch even a glimpse of, sadly, were the Airpods Max 2. 

This is a great shame. To our collective mind, the AirPods Max, while expensive, are arguably the very best wireless noise-cancelling headphones you can buy right now, wowing us with their sublime build quality, exceedingly comfortable profile and, best of all, exceptional sonic abilities during testing. 

What's more frustrating is the fact that the second-gen AirPods Max, were they to arrive, could have addressed the gripes and grumbles that spoiled the near-perfection of the original model. That stupid, bra-like carry case, for example, the lack of a 3.5mm audio port and some rather middling battery life, all issues that could have been addressed with the hotly anticipated second coming of Apple's superb over-ears.

Irritatingly, Apple also ended up making us wait for the original Max, halting a potential debut with the iPhone 12 (launched 12th October 2020) but instead delaying things until Tuesday 15th December of the same year.

The market, clearly, is crying out for a sequel. The original Max were a big hit, and while they may have been expensive, that price tag was entirely justified. A newer model even teased the same price for the second bite at the cherry, a prospect that almost seemed too good to be true. New Max at the same price as the first iteration? We would have been in dreamland. 

It would also have made a degree of sense with regard to the overall thrust and tenure of Apple's eco-focused September showcase. With all of its boasting and bravado regarding environmentally sound new models, this would have been a chance to bring that Mother Earth-friendly attitude to the world of high-end audio. Ditching that horrific carry case would have been a start...

At this point, improvement to the Max could have seen Apple really make waves in the audio realm by challenging Sony, particularly the WH-1000XM5, for the ultimate accolade of boasting the best wireless over-ears in the market. As it is, the XM5 are still the ones to beat. 

Still, we live in hope. Judging by Apple's current pattern of releases, and the fact that the first model dropped in late 2020, we're within our rights to at least be hopeful of a new pair to land relatively soon. Mark Gurman's of Bloomberg claimed earlier this year that an AirPods Max update was potentially coming in 2023, even if Apple analyst Ming-Chi Kuo tempered expectations by claiming that the next-gen AirPods Max may arrive alongside the potential AirPods Lite in the second half of 2024 or even 2025.

With the Max not arriving at the September showcase, it does now seem likely that next year will herald the arrival of Max 2, even if we have our fingers crossed that they hover into view a lot sooner than that. Now that the September Showcase saw the Max missing the metaphorical boat, waiting until 2024 will feel like an eternity...  

MORE:

Apple officially unveils the iPhone 15 and 15 Pro, both with dynamic island and USB-C

The best AirPods ranked and rated

Read our original AirPods Max review

Looking for a pair of great-sounding bookshelf speakers? You've come to the right place. Whether you're looking for your first budget pair, upgrading to a step-up model or want a premium audiophile set, there is a wealth of small stereo speakers to choose from today, and we're here to help you pick the best model for your needs and space.

Why are they called 'bookshelf speakers'? Because many of them are compact enough to fit into a bookshelf. You can also place them in a corner or even on your desk (depending on size), but a bookshelf isn't necessarily where you should put them. We would always recommend placing speakers on dedicated speaker stands, if you can, to ensure they sound their best.

Standmount speakers come in a variety of sizes, from large to petite, making it easier to choose a pair that fits your space and needs. Whether your budget is strict or endless, the performance and build quality should reflect the price point's expectations. And of course, the speaker's sonic character should match the rest of your hi-fi system.

What Hi-Fi? has been testing bookshelf speakers for nearly 50 years, and our in-house team of expert reviewers has tested every speaker below – so you can trust our reviews.

You can read more about how we test bookshelf speakers below, but rest assured, every speaker recommended below represents the best sound-per-pound performance for your listening needs and budget.

Best bookshelf speakers overall

It was always going to take something special to knock the KEF LS50 Meta off their perch as our best overall bookshelf speakers, but the Acoustic Energy AE300 Mk2 are something special.

The AE300 Mk2 are housed in neatly made but pleasingly compact speakers, with each box standing 32cm tall and measuring just 17cm wide. They're understated and slim, but don't imagine that means they look boring.

The AE300 Mk2 use a large 29mm fabric dome tweeter with a 12cm paper/coconut fibre mid/bass, a design that draws on the lessons learned during the development of Acoustic Energy’s high-end Corinium series.

Their lower-than-usual impedance is no cause for concern: any decent price-compatible amplifier will be able to drive them, with both the Arcam A5+ (£749 / $1200) and the Rega Brio Mk7 (£799 / $1095) doing a fine job of playing nice with the AE300 Mk2 during our testing.

Regardless of partnering, we find so much to be impressed by. These are speakers with poise and control, so that even when we feed them a demanding recording such as Michael Jackson’s Off The Wall, they don’t sound out of their depth. They showcase excellent levels of detail, but it's presented in a natural and unforced manner that makes for an effortless listen.

When listened to against their key rivals, the Acoustic Energy are smoother, more refined than almost anything else at this level, with, to quote from our review, "high-frequency sounds shimmer rather than sizzle".

The AE300 Mk2 aren't the sort of speakers that immediately grab your attention. Instead, they steadily charm you, revealing themselves to be a superb pair that, if you invest some time, will reward you endlessly.

Read our full Acoustic Energy AE300 Mk2 review

Best budget bookshelf speakers

If you're in the UK (£299) or Australia (AU$599), the Dali Kupid are some of the most affordable speakers you'll find on this rundown. They're more expensive for US buyers at $600, but not so much that we don't consider them great value no matter where you are and where you buy them.

These are compact bookshelf speakers through and through. They've got a small price and a small footprint, weighing in at just 5.8kg, and while they've also got a low sensitivity of 83dB, we didn't find them tough to drive during our extensive tests.

Their small size, meanwhile, works to their advantage, as they can be placed on desks, cabinets, bookshelves, TV stands or large windowsills rather than on dedicated speaker stands, making them well-suited to those with limited space. You can even mount them on the wall thanks to their included fixing screws and wall brackets.

Small speakers they may be, but the Kupid aren't shy in how they deliver their sound. The compact units offer a lively, nimble presentation that is packed with enthusiasm and brio, and while you won't get a huge amount of bass, their expressive midrange is enough to make up for it.

They're great with rhythms, too, and as we stated in our review, the Dalis "exhibit a knack for snappy timing and agile rhythm (and) have a fleet-footed quality that zips along with all kinds of tracks in an engaging manner". Nice.

Dynamically, the Kupid can pull out the ebbs and flow of tracks with conviction, while also revealing subtler moments with a deft hand. They're able to bring out the drama of more challenging tunes, and while they may be small and nimble, we don't often feel as though the Kupid aren't immersing us in the music we feed them.

As we made clear in our review's verdict: "A great choice for small, modern music systems, the entertaining Dali Kupid speakers will win over many hearts". A nice way to put it.

Read our full Dali Kupid review

Best mid-price bookshelf speakers

Monitor Audio took a ground-up approach with the 50 7G, looking back at previous generations of the Bronze speakers to find the qualities that made them great before blending that DNA with a host of key refinements in a bid to elevate the company's entry-level speakers.

From the outside, they look the part. They're not that expensive, but the 50 7G look cool and classy, with a beautifully made and a sleek aesthetic that we find hugely appealing.

Inside, new Ceramic-Coated Aluminium Magnesium (C-CAM) drivers used in the Bronze series offer a better “piston-like movement” that helps reduce break-up issues. In the Bronze 50 7G, there's a a 25mm C-CAM gold dome tweeter that’s lighter, thinner and more rigid than before, combined with an updated UD (Uniform Dispersion) Waveguide II for pursuing a wider, more precise sound and improved time alignment.

It's all worked wonders. For a speaker at this price, the Bronze 7G are remarkably precise and controlled, offering a clear, fast and detailed sound that grabs you from the get-go. These are front-footed speakers, and they have no intention of being ignored.

The 50 7G deliver a full-scale sound that’s spacious and enveloping, with an adept handling of rhythmic snap and dynamic contrast. They are clearer, more detailed and more rhythmically talented than the B&W 607 S3, and that's not an easy benchmark to reach.

Some listeners might prefer a more relaxed presentation, but if you're onboard for what the Bronze 50 7G are offering, they're an immensely entertaining choice.

Read our full Monitor Audio Bronze 50 7G review

Best bookshelf speakers for audiophiles

These might be PMC's entry-level standmounts, but they sound anything but (and they're not exactly cheap, either). That's hardly surprising – they're measured and listened to alongside the firm's reference models, and feature the same 27mm soft dome tweeter and 13cm mid/bass driver taken from models further up the company’s line.

They also feature Laminair – the aerodynamic port which was first developed for the flagship QB-1 studio monitors. This smooths the passage of air exiting the speaker to minimise airflow noise and improve bass definition.

The design is pleasingly minimalist, though it lacks some of the high-end polish of PMC's pricier models. But sonically, they're stunning, boasting excellent detail, clarity and charisma.

The midrange is full of dynamic expression and solidity, and the bass digs deep without losing definition. Low frequencies have pace and punch to complement that impressive presence and depth, too.

As we said in our review: "Play Anohni And The Johnsons’ It’s My Fault from the collective’s latest album, and the Prodigy’s midrange talents come to the fore once more. There’s substance behind her vocal delivery, and a very honest rawness that conveys her grief and guilt around her complicity with how humanity has 'broke the earth.' Emotion pours out of her mouth and the PMCs do well to communicate it."

While the Prodigy 1’s talents in precision and organisation mean we would veer towards calling them ‘analytical’, the speakers aren’t informative at the expense of entertainment.

Systematic, yes, but anything but soulless.

Read our full PMC Prodigy 1 review

Best premium bookshelf speakers

In complete contrast to our statement in the intro that speakers should never be placed inside a bookshelf if you want them to sound their best, Epos has made a pair of speakers that are very much optimised to sound good when placed inside a bookshelf.

The conventional recommendation is to place speakers a few inches or centimetres away from a wall, but that's not always practical in your space. Epos has made it so that their small but brilliant ES-7N speakers sound evenly balanced when placed up against the wall or inside a bookshelf. You can flip a switch at the back of the speaker unit to tell the speakers where they are placed and they will change modes accordingly.

The speakers do sound their best out in the open on dedicated speaker stands, but it is impressive just how close to this performance they get when shoved inside a bookshelf unit (flick the switch down in this case).

There is a slight drop in clarity and stereo imaging, but it doesn't impact our enjoyment overall. In fact, even though these are small boxes that won't compete with larger designs – such as KEF's R3 Meta, which dig deeper into the bass and deliver a bigger, more expansive and dynamic sound – what these Epos speakers do so well with music gets us smiling with joy and our feet tapping as they deliver an incredibly capable performance.

As we said in our review: "The ES-7N are bold and confident performers that resolve high levels of detail and organise it in a cohesive and musical way. Play Kendrick Lamar’s Not Like Us and the Epos kick like a mule.

They sound taut and punchy with music such as this, delivering the song’s jumpy rhythm track in a wonderfully surefooted manner. There is plenty of drive here and the speakers are great at conveying the music’s varying momentum."

Voices are delivered with impassioned nuance and clarity, and bass notes are – for small cabinets – taut, solid and grippy. We love the similarly-priced Neat Petite Classic's fun, peppy presentation, but the Epos are even more precise and controlled when it comes to rhythmic agility.

They are just as considerate with more classical or intimate recordings, and they pair well with a variety of amplifier partners, from budget Rotels to premium Naims and beyond.

The Epos ES-7N are charming. They are small, hugely capable and surprisingly unfussy in use. That they recognise not everyone will be able to position their speakers perfectly and sound just as good when placed inside bookshelves is a rare talent that should be celebrated.

If your budget can stretch this high, we can't recommend these enough.

Read our full Epos ES-7N review

Best bookshelf speakers for large rooms

We think these Mission 770 speakers are right up there with the very best at this price, and one of the best ways to fill a large room with sound. Mission takes design inspiration from the original 770 speakers launched in the 1970s, but has improved and modernised every other element: from the cabinet design to the drivers and even new dedicated stands.

While the retro link will be the main attraction for some, for us that’s put in the shade by the speakers' excellent all-round performance. The 770 speakers have a range of sonic talents that set them apart from most rivals and earns them a warm recommendation.

They have so much finesse when it comes to delivering extended bass. We said in our review: "As we listen to Massive Attack’s Angel, it’s the articulate way these speakers render the bass notes that stick in the mind. They sound taut and agile, but also delicate in the way they paint bass textures and resolve low-level information."

There's plenty of punch and power, too. The speakers have a slightly forward balance, especially with the clear and expressive midrange, that sounds lively and engaging – but thankfully never too aggressive.

Songs are delivered with wide-ranging dynamics, impressive authority and scale. It’s a musically cohesive presentation that’s controlled and nicely organised. If you have a large space that needs a room-filling sound and you have the budget, these large speakers are worth an audition.

Read our full Mission 770 review

Best bookshelf speakers for tiny spaces

There are many for whom the Iota II are exactly what is required: tiny speakers that can be placed pretty much anywhere in cramped spaces to deliver a capable, hi-fi quality performance.

One Iota's footprint is barely bigger than a DVD case, but these speakers have no idea that they're supposed to behave like tiny speakers: they belt out an enthusiastic and dynamic performance that sounds far bigger and punchier than you'd expect from such small cabinet sizes.

As we said in our review: "Neat’s proven knack for keeping the rhythm of a song going with a tremendous amount of agility, enthusiasm and spark is present here. It’s what makes the Iota II sound so much fun. This is an entertaining pair that can keep apace with Gershwin’s nimble, jazzy piano in Rhapsody in Blue, the high-tension driving beats in Still Dre, and Sabrina Carpenter’s frothy, bubbly Espresso."

The Iota II feature the same cabinet size and ribbon tweeter as their 2012 originals, and now have a new mid/bass driver and revised crossover. The new generation only comes in black and white finishes – you won't find them in the colourful blue, red and yellow finishes as before.

Yes, that’s a lot of money to pay for rather plain, dinky boxes (£1095 / $1699 / AU$2000 per pair – the main reason they didn't get that fifth star), and their sonic flavour and lack of real bass depth won’t be for everyone. But they are designed to solve a particular niche problem, and do so with so much spirited performance that we don’t mind overlooking their limitations.

For those with super small spaces where the only place to put a speaker is perched on a windowsill, a desk, a bedside table and without any stands, these Neats work a treat. Their sound isn't compromised even when placed inside a bookshelf or on a desktop next to your laptop. And they're a joy to listen to.

If you can afford that price tag and have that exact niche to fill in your tiny space, these hugely fun Iota II might just win you over.

Read our full Neat Iota II review

Also consider

• Wharfedale Diamond 12.1: Despite being knocked off their perch as our best budget option, these former Award-winning speakers remain an incredibly attractive proposition. They're compact, well made and sound surprisingly sophisticated for speakers at this affordable price point.
• KEF LS50 Meta: Despite their rising price, the KEF LS50 Meta are truly remarkable speakers that sound cohesive, dynamic and detailed. Thanks to their innovative Metamaterial tech, they remain excellent performers and work with a wide range of partnering kit.
• Dali Spektor 2: These Dali speakers are a long-running favourite for their natural, nuanced way with voices, while fluid dynamics make them hugely appealing and entertaining to listen to. A great affordable bookshelf pair.
• Bowers & Wilkins 607 S3: The 607 S3 remain an outstanding buy thanks to their clean, refined and detailed sound that never leaves us feeling like we haven't been thoroughly entertained.
• PMC Prophecy 1: PMC’s astoundingly talented small speakers deliver a class-leading performance thanks to their class-leading precision and impressive stereo imaging. Just make sure you pair them with good quality partnering equipment...
• Neat Petite Classic: These Neat speakers are terrific fun, with their precise, agile rhythms and solid, detailed sound winning us over – even though the very small cabinet size won't allow for truly deep bass or large-scaled sound. If you're after premium speakers for a small space, consider the Classic's peppy energy as an alternative to the Epos ES-7N.
• KEF Q3 Meta: The KEF Q3 are mature and refined speakers, showcasing a composed and even-handed presentation at their mid-price level, and delivering plenty of scale for standmounters.
• Epos ES14N: You'll need a large space to accommodate these odd-looking large standmounters, but they are mighty impressive when it comes to analysis, organisation and control. A little more rhythmic drive wouldn't go amiss, but we're big fans of the stunning clarity and cohesion on offer.
• Acoustic Energy AE1 40th Anniversary: A reimagined version of AE1's first and iconic 1980s speaker, this pair captures much of the sonic magic of the original. While modern rivals will offer deeper bass and a more open and neutral sound, this AE1 is hugely engaging and entertaining with a characterful, "spellbinding" performance that still communicates the essence of music.

Bookshelf speakers coming soon

• Arcam Radia: Arcam's refreshed Radia amplifiers are an Award-winning success, and the brand has now launched a Radia series of loudspeakers to match the electronics. This new range features two standmount speakers and two floorstanding models, but note that they will only be available to buy in the UK/Europe markets. The range is on the premium side, with the smallest two-way bookshelf speaker starting from £1699 / €2000 per pair.
• ProAC Response DB1R: ProAc's brand new premium standmount speaker is set to build on the compact Response DB1 that originally launched around a decade ago, aiming to take its balanced, refined performance "to the next level" thanks to a new ribbon tweeter. Price starts at £2945 per pair.
• Wharfedale Diamond 12i: Wharfedale's updated Diamond 12i range features three pairs of standmount speakers (12.0i, 12.1i and 12.2i, starting at £199 / $399 per pair) with further refined designs, yet the affordable price tag that is synonymous with Diamond speakers remains. The Diamond range has won a whopping 14 What Hi-Fi? Awards since launching in 2020, so we're hoping the 12i range can live up to its legacy.
• Dali Sonik: Dali's upcoming Sonik range brings innovations from its high-end Kore, Epikore and Epicon ranges to a lower price point. This includes improved transducer design, advanced magnet technologies and tweaked cabinet engineering. The Sonik 1 (£449 / $900) and Sonik 3 (£599 / $1200) are the two pairs of bookshelf speakers included in this upcoming range.

How to choose the best bookshelf speakers

Bookshelf speakers tend to be fairly compact, but there are models that can be quite large.

Some bookshelf speakers demand a bit more space in order to perform at their best, or are deeper than they are wide, for instance – so you need to decide what size and set-up you plan to have them in. Will these speakers have to fit into small corners on a desk or have plenty of space in your listening room?

Make sure you check the manufacturer's recommendations and speaker dimensions before buying, to ensure they will fit in the space you've marked out for them at home.

Our recommendation is that all of these speakers will benefit from being placed on a dedicated pair of speaker stands. But this isn't always practical for everyone, so speakers that perform well placed close to a wall or corner are recommended.

Budget and size are the biggest considerations. Whether your stereo speakers will be in your living room, home office or bedroom, it's crucial to see what fits your space – and what you can afford. Are you after a small, affordable pair that can go into the corner of your room? Are you after a large pair of bookshelf speakers, or have an extensive budget for premium standmounters?

Whatever the case, remember to also factor in speaker cables and the demands/sonic characteristics of the rest of your hi-fi system. If you want even more options, check out our guide to the best hi-fi speakers we recommend.

As far as sound quality goes, it's definitely important to find a great-sounding pair of speakers for the price level, but how your speakers sound is naturally tied to what you're using to drive them. If you are able to demo a pair before committing to buying, we would recommend this to see how the speakers work in your room and system.

Building a hi-fi setup can quickly become complicated when there are thousands of different products out there, so if that's what you're doing, check out our ultimate guide to building the perfect hi-fi system.

How we test bookshelf speakers

At What Hi-Fi? we have state-of-the-art testing facilities where, as a team of audio experts, we review hundreds of products every year, including one of the most prolific hi-fi products of all – bookshelf speakers.

We judge products on a performance-per-pound basis, so during our testing we always compare products to similarly priced class leaders to help us settle on a star rating for the review and the order for these five-star performers in these buying guides.

So when, for example, a new pair of £1000/$1000 bookshelf speakers arrives in our test rooms, we listen to it against the similarly priced KEF LS50 Meta and PMC Prodigy 1 on this list to see how it fares against those class leaders.

We often review bookshelf speakers by using them in at least two systems – our high-end reference system, to reveal the best they can sound when fed the most accurate signals, and a more price-comparable one to see how they perform in real-world scenarios with realistic partnering equipment.

Our choice of test music is varied, too, to see how speakers sound when playing a variety of different genres and styles of music. Here's our selection of the best songs to test speakers – but any track you love listening to will do, of course.

We also review as a team to ensure there is no personal bias, so every review has more than one person involved in the testing and listening. Whether we're reviewing a set of bookshelf speakers that cost a few hundred pounds or a fair few thousand, our review philosophy doesn't change, and you can be sure that any five-star speakers (and particularly What Hi-Fi? Award-winning ones) will offer up a fantastic performance for the price.

As a rule, no input from PR companies or sales teams is taken into account during reviews, maintaining What Hi-Fi?'s decades-long reputation for delivering honest, unbiased critical feedback.

You can read more about how we test and review products on What Hi-Fi? here.

F.A.Q

Recent updates

• March 2026: Added the Arcam Radia loudspeaker range and ProAc Response DB1R to our 'coming soon' section. Added the five-star Acoustic Energy AE1 40th Anniversary to the 'also consider' section.
• January 2026: The Award-winning Dali Kupid is now our recommended pick for the best budget bookshelf speaker, while the Also Consider and Coming Soon sections have been updated.
• October 2025: The Acoustic Energy AE300 Mk2, Dali Kupid and Monitor Audio 50 7G are recently reviewed five-star speakers that have all entered the main list.
• July 2025: Created a new category and entry for the Neat Iota II as our "best for tiny spaces" recommendation, and updated the Also Consider and Coming Soon sections.
• May 2025: Updated the Also Consider and Coming Soon sections with new speaker models.
• March 2025: Added more information to our "how to choose" and "how we test" sections. Added new entries to our "coming soon" section.
• January 2025: Added a new "coming soon" section that highlights new speakers announced and ones that we will be reviewing in the coming months.
• November 2024: Wharfedale Diamond 12.1 and Epos ES-7N have been added to the main list following their 2024 What Hi-Fi? Award wins. More options added to Also Consider section.
• August 2024: Added the five-star Monitor Audio Studio 89 to the Also Consider section.
• June 2024: Added an 'Also consider' section to offer more alternative buying options.
• January 2024: FAQ section added to help buyers in their decision to buy bookshelf speakers.
• November 2023: What Hi-Fi? Award winners labelled following the announcement of the 2023 What Hi-Fi? Awards Best Buys and Product of the Years.

Apple has warned of potential iPhone and iPad shortages towards the end of this year.

"We expect supply constraints during the September quarter to be greater than what we experienced during the June quarter," said Apple CFO Luca Maestri on a call with analysts. "The constraints will primarily impact iPhone and iPad."

Crucially, September is the month that Apple is expected to unveil its hotly-anticipated iPhone 13, along with the Apple AirPods 3 true wireless earbuds and a new Apple Watch. 

In the same call, Apple CEO Tim Cook hinted that the global shortage of computer chips, which has so far affected everything from the production of Tesla cars to Sony PlayStation 5 consoles, was to blame.

“We do have some shortages,” Cook said, “where the demand has been so great and so beyond our own expectation that it’s difficult to get the entire set of parts within the lead times that we try to get those.”

In an effort to avoid production delays, Apple is reported to have increased its order of A15 chips for the forthcoming iPhone 13 to over 100 million. That's around 25 million more than it ordered ahead of the release of the iPhone 12.

Not that the ongoing supply issues appear to have affected Apple's bottom line. Total profits hit a staggering $21.7 billion in the last quarter, driven largely by better-than-expected iPhone sales (customers upgrading to 5G devices, basically).

The California tech giant expects the launch of the iPhone 13 to help it post "double-digit growth", but nothing approaching the 36 per cent growth Apple saw in Q3 2020. 

The iPhone 13 line-up is tipped for a 120Hz ProMotion display, an improved camera, and a smaller notch. We'll be bringing you all the latest leaks and news in the run-up to the big reveal in September.

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Two new iPhone 13 rumours have shed more light on Apple's next mobile phone. The first rumour seems to confirm the name while the second tips the iPhone 13 Pro for a better-than-expected camera upgrade.

Let's start with the name. Previous rumours point to no major design changes in 2021, leading some tech analysts to suggest that Apple was considering naming the 'iPhone 13' the 'iPhone 12S'. 

Now it seems that Apple has shelved that that plan (if it ever was a plan). Instead, Apple will name its next handset the iPhone 13, according to supply chain sources quoted in this week's Economic Daily News (via Macworld).

That ties in with multiple investor notes penned by Ming-Chi Kuo. The respected Apple analyst has tipped the California tech giant to release four models in 2021: iPhone 13 mini, iPhone 13, iPhone 13 Pro, and iPhone 13 Pro Max.

• Read all the latest news on the iPhone 13

As for the iPhone 13 Pro's camera, recent leaks have suggested it will pack in an advanced ultra-wide camera with autofocus. Now, a new leaked image – spotted by Twitter user DaunRui – appears to show the iPhone 13 Pro with a larger-than-expected camera bump.

What does it mean? Well, the larger bump seems to be yet more proof that the iPhone 13 Pro will feature Apple's first-ever ultra-wide lens with autofocus. There's also a suggestion that extra space is needed for motors that will drive improved optical image stabilisation, a feature currently restricted to the iPhone 12 Pro Max. 

If all the latest iPhone 13 rumours pan out, the iPhone 13 Pro could boast the same camera technology as the Pro Max. Perhaps it's all part of Apple's grand plan to tempt more users to pass over the standard iPhone 13 in favour of the pricier 'Pro' model? We'll find out soon enough.

The iPhone 13 is tipped to be announced in September (possibly the 14th). It's said to feature new TouchID, faster 120Hz refresh rates and improved 5G. There's even talk of Apple company releasing a folding iPhone in 2022.

MORE:

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Which is the best iPhone for you?

First launched in 2010, Yamaha’s Aventage series of AV receivers sit at the top of the company’s range and benefits from the very latest features and highest quality components that Yamaha has to offer. Born from rethinking every element of the company’s traditional receiver designs, Aventage gained instant success and has been refined every generation by iterative improvements. For example, we've seen Dolby Atmos height channels and Yamaha’s MusicCast streaming multiroom platform added in recent years to broaden their appeal.

After unveiling the RX-A2A AV receiver at the end of 2020, Yamaha announced three further models would make up the rest of the Aventage home cinema amplifier range. These amps are due to launch in August 2021.

The Yamaha Aventage RX-A8A, RX-A6A and RX-A4A are all set to offer seven HDMI 2.1 inputs and three outputs supporting 8K@60Hz/4K@120Hz, Dolby Atmos, DTS:X and Auro 3D audio (A8A and A6A only), plus plenty of tech including AirPlay 2, Spotify Connect and built-in Amazon Alexa voice assistant compatibility. The trio of home cinema amplifiers will also feature Yamaha's 'Surround: AI' tech, which uses algorithms to automatically select the best digital processing mode depending on the type of content being played.

Want to know everything about Yamaha's 2021 Aventage range? Allow us to run through all of the highlights and break down the details of the models in the line-up to find out which is the one that suits your needs.

Design

There has been a distinct restyling for the Aventage 10 range that echo's last year's entry-level RX-V series. Out goes the wide central display with small lights and logos, and in comes a larger main volume knob positioned dead centre with a brand new, high-resolution LCD display on the right.

Also gone is the big flap hiding front inputs and controls. The only front-panel sockets remaining are a full-size headphone jack, a USB-A port with 5V charging, and a mini-jack into which the microphone plugs for Yamaha’s YPAO auto-calibration. The change in layout hasn't just been aesthetic; removing front inputs has allowed Yamaha to create a more solid metal structure beneath the front panel to help improve stability and resistance to vibrations.

The new build includes a revamped internal circuit design and upgrades to the mechanical structure and audio parts, including Premier Audio DACs from SABRE.

The amplifier layout has been made more symmetrical to optimise signal paths and improve sound clarity while reducing signal noise and interference. A new internal H-frame structure claims to add to chassis rigidity.

In addition, Yamaha's signature Anti-Resonance Technology wedge (A.R.T), known as the Aventage’s ‘fifth foot’, has been shifted further forward and modified for more efficient dispersion of chassis vibration in the top three new models. All these improvements, Yamaha says will help in “providing dynamic sound and focused accurate reproduction”.

Qualcomm chipset

Dolby Atmos, DTS:X and Dolby Atmos with Height Virtualization in the top three Aventage models will be powered by a new Qualcomm 64-bit chipset that Yamaha says will offer improved sound quality.

In the A8A, A6A and A4A, this also means that there is the capacity to support Surround: AI, Yamaha's own immersive sound technology that analyses the type of content being watched – such as dialogue, ambience, action – five times every second and then auto-applies the most suitable audio mode, from a selection of more than 24 DSP (digital soundfield processing) programs.

The top two models will also offer the Auro 3D surround format, which uses height channels that are not directly overhead, and the Auromatic upmixing algorithm after a software update due in the autumn.

The extra processing power of the new chipset will allow for more accurate 64-bit measurements when using Yamaha's own Parametric room Acoustic Optimizer (YPAO) calibration with R.S.C (Reflective Sound Control) and multi-point measurement, precision EQ and a new low-frequency mode. This new mode extends the range to which YPAO can optimise bass frequencies to 16Hz-200Hz (from 32Hz previously) and can be found in the top three models.

Yamaha says that Qualcomm has surplus capacity and a field-programmable gate array, meaning it can provide significant future upgrades via software updates and long term value for money. This brings us to...

HDMI 2.1 ...but not out of the box

First, a bit of backstory on the HDMI 2.1 AVR saga.

Earlier this year, it was revealed that Yamaha's 2020 flagship AV receivers were blighted by a faulty HDMI 2.1 chip that meant some units couldn't support 4K gaming at 120Hz. Unfortunately, the same HDMI 2.1 glitch also affected Denon and Marantz's 2020 8K AV receivers; however, while those models received a slightly awkward hardware fix in April, Yamaha users have not yet been offered a solution.

Along with retrograde software and hardware updates to its affected 2020 models (including the A2A), Yamaha has confirmed that the new A8A, A6A and A4A will all offer full HDMI 2.1 compatibility via a series of firmware updates due after the products launch.

The A8A, A6A, A4A and A2A will all receive support for uncompressed 4K@120Hz and HDR10+ during the autumn of 2021. In addition, the top three models will also gain uncompressed 8K@60Hz functionality and HDMI upscaling up to 8K at around the same time. Given that the release date for the three new models is loosely set at late August, the wait for these full-fat HDMI 2.1 features should only be a couple of months.

Meanwhile, upgrades for enhanced gaming features such as 4K and 8K Display Screen Compression modes, Auto Low Latency Mode (ALLM), Variable Refresh Rate (VRR), Quick Media Switching (QMS) and Quick Frame Transport (QFT) are also forthcoming but crucially do not yet have a release date as Yamaha is awaiting test specifications from HDMI.org.

Yamaha RX-A8A (£3299/$3000/AU$6299)

The Aventage 10 flagship AV receiver is the Yamaha RX-A8A, with 11.2 amplified channels, a claimed power rating of 150 watts per channel in stereo, and like the rest of the range, it uses new high-slew amplification technology that offers twice the accuracy of previous amps, according to Yamaha.

Unlike the rest of the range, the A8A features extra structural and circuitry tweaks such as complete separation of the transformer and power amplifiers, extra-large block capacitors and four power amp-support for vibration control. Its iron feet have been borrowed from the premium 5200 series and, for this model, the stabilising A.R.C wedge is made of sturdy brass.

Along with all of the 2021 Aventage AVRs, it offers a host of streaming options via MusicCast including wifi, AirPlay 2, Spotify Connect, built-in music streaming services (Amazon Music HD, Deezer, Napster, Pandora, SiriusXM, Spotify, Tidal and Qobuz), internet radio and multi-room audio as well as Bluetooth and an FM/AM/DAB Tuner.

The Yamaha RX-A8A is tentatively scheduled for release at the end of August with planned firmware updates due in autumn 2021.

• Channels: 11.2ch 
• Power output in stereo conditions: 150W (8 ohm)
• High Slew Rate Amplifier: Yes
• Zones: 3
• HDMI: 7-in / 3-out with HDMI 2.1* / HDCP2.3  
• HDMI Pass-through: 8K@60Hz*, 4K@120Hz*
• HDMI Up-scaling: Yes up to 8K*
• HDMI eARC: Yes
• HDR: Dolby Vision, HDR 10+*
• HDMI 2.1 features: VRR**/ALLM**/QMS**/QFT**
• Surround Sound Processing: Dolby Atmos, DTS:X, Dolby Atmos Height Virtualization, Surround: AI, Auro 3D*
• DAC: 384 kHz / 32-bit ESS Hyperstream DAC ES9026PRO x2
• Room Calibration: YPAO R.S.C. automatic room calibration with multi-point measurement, precision EQ and low-frequency mode
• Voice control: Amazon Alexa, Siri (via AirPlay 2) and Google Assistant
• Dimensions (hwd):  19 x 44 x 48cm
• Weight: 21.4 kg

Yamaha RX-A6A (£2299/$2200/AU$3699)

On the spec sheet, there's very little to distinguish the Yamaha A6A from the A8A other than its 9.2 channels. Most of the differences are internal: the A6A doesn't have the same separation between the transformer and power stages, extra-large custom block capacitors or the same level of structural damping as the A8A.

Additionally, while the A8A has dual 32-bit/384kHz ESS Hyperstream ES9026PRO DACs, the A6A only has one to handle the main channels while an ES9007S DAC takes care of the ambient channels. 

Yamaha's RX-A6A is expected to be available from the end of August with planned firmware updates due in autumn 2021.

• Channels: 9.2ch 
• Power output in stereo conditions: 150W (8 ohm)
• High Slew Rate Amplifier: Yes
• Zones: 2
• HDMI: 7-in / 3-out with HDMI 2.1* / HDCP2.3 
• HDMI Pass-through: 8K@60Hz*, 4K@120Hz*
• HDMI Up-scaling: Yes up to 8K*
• HDMI eARC: Yes
• HDR: Dolby Vision, HDR 10+*
• HDMI 2.1 features: VRR**/ALLM**/QMS**/QFT**
• Surround Sound Processing: Dolby Atmos, DTS:X, Dolby Atmos Height Virtualization, Surround: AI, Auro 3D*
• DAC: 384 kHz / 32-bit ESS Hyperstream DAC ES9026PRO x1; ES9007S x1
• Room Calibration: YPAO R.S.C. automatic room calibration with multi-point measurement, precision EQ and low-frequency mode
• Voice control: Amazon Alexa, Siri (via AirPlay 2) and Google Assistant
• Dimensions (hwd): 19 x 44 x 44cm
• Weight: 20.3 kg

Yamaha RX-A4A (£1299/$1300/AU$2399)

In addition to a step down in channels and power, the main departure to the Yamaha A4A involves the connectivity at the rear. It drops both an optical and a coaxial input compared to its big siblings, as well as two analogue inputs, and loses the pro-grade XLR sockets. 

It maintains 7-in / 3-out with HDMI 2.1 ports and supports all the same audio formats as the more premium models, except Auro 3D, while video-wise there's no component or composite i/o.

The Yamaha RX-A4A is provisionally scheduled for release towards the end of August with planned firmware updates due in autumn 2021.

• Channels: 7.2ch
• Power output in stereo conditions: 110W (8 ohm)
• High Slew Rate Amplifier: Yes
• Zones: 2
• HDMI: 7-in / 3-out with HDMI 2.1* / HDCP2.3 
• HDMI Pass-through: 8K@60Hz*, 4K@120Hz*
• HDMI Up-scaling :Yes up to 8K*
• HDMI eARC: Yes
• HDR: Dolby Vision, HDR 10+*
• HDMI 2.1 features: VRR**/ALLM**/QMS**/QFT**
• Surround Sound Processing: Dolby Atmos, DTS:X, Dolby Atmos Height Virtualization, Surround: AI
• DAC: 384 kHz / 32-bit ESS Hyperstream DAC ES9007S
• Room Calibration: YPAO R.S.C. automatic room calibration with multi-point measurement, precision EQ and low-frequency mode
• Voice control: Amazon Alexa, Siri (via AirPlay 2) and Google Assistant
• Dimensions (hwd): 19 x 44 x 44cm
• Weight: 16.2 kg

 Yamaha RX-A2A (£899/$799/AU$1599)

The entry-level Yamaha A2A is already available but stylistically it's still very much part of the Aventage 10 range, with the corresponding streamlining of the front panel and many of the improvements to the structural rigidity.

The most distinguishing feature between it and the more recent addition to the line is the loss of full 8K support. While the rest of the Aventage AVRs will eventually offer 8K support on all seven HDMI inputs, the A2A only stretches to 8K@60Hz on the first three ports when in Display Screen Compression modes. This feature, along with ALLM, VRR, QMS and QFT, will be available after an update that is yet to be scheduled.

Uncompressed 4K video at 120Hz and HDR10+ will be possible via a free hardware update programme that will start in the autumn and last two years, while newer manufactured models will come with the new hardware already installed.

Elsewhere the A2A uses the same DACs as last years Cinema range and while it doesn't have the Qualcomm chipset of its siblings – losing precision EQ and low-frequency mode from YPAO – it still offers the core immersive sound formats of Dolby Atmos, Dolby Atmos Height Virtualizer and DTS:X.

Yamaha's RX-A2A is in the shops now with planned hardware and firmware updates in the autumn.

• Channels: 7.2 ch
• Power output in stereo conditions: 100W (8 ohm)
• High Slew Rate Amplifier: Yes
• Zones: 2
• HDMI: 7-in / 1-out with HDMI 2.1* / HDCP2.3 and eARC 
• HDMI Pass-through: 8K@60Hz* (compressed only), 4K@120Hz*on HDMI socket 1-3
• HDMI Up-scaling: Yes up to 4K*
• Surround Sound Processing: Dolby Atmos, DTS:X, Dolby Atmos Height Virtualization*
• DAC: 384 kHz / 32-bit BB PCM5102A
• Room Calibration: YPAO R.S.C. automatic room calibration with multi-point measurement
• Voice control: Amazon Alexa, Siri (via AirPlay 2) and Google Assistant
• Dimensions (hwd): 17 x 44 x 37cm
• Weight: 10.2 kg

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In their simplest form, traditional stereo hi-fi systems consist of a source component, an integrated amplifier and a pair of passive speakers. Pretty straightforward, right?

But if you break down the signal path, it can be split into a greater number of distinct sections, most of which are lumped together in this simple set-up.

It's not always clear what the difference is between passive speakers and active speakers, especially considering how innocuous the terms often appear. Here, we will break what passive and active speakers are, how they differ, which is better, and even what defines powered speakers, too.

By the end, you will have a much better picture of how these various types of speakers work and, hopefully, which is the right option for you. After that, you can jump over to our best (passive) speakers and best active speakers buying guides to find the perfect option for your needs and budget.

What are passive speakers?

In an audio system chain, first, there’s a source component, which is the piece of kit that plays the music. This can be a CD player, music streamer, turntable or even a computer or phone. Next we have a preamplifier section, which switches between sources and controls the volume level.

If you have a turntable, you will also need a phono stage here to increase the output from your cartridge to line level and equalise the signal before feeding it to the preamp circuit (we have omitted the phono stage from our diagram above to keep things simple).

Now, you need muscle, something that can take the line-level signal from the preamplifier and increase it enough to drive a pair of speakers – say hello to the power amplifier. However, this isn’t directly connected to your speaker’s drive units.

Its output has to pass through a crossover filter network that in a two-way speaker splits the signal into just high frequencies (to go to the tweeter) and everything else for the larger mid/bass unit.

If you have a three-way speaker, then the crossover splits the sound up into three parts – treble, midrange and bass. This crossover network doesn’t need a power source to work, and in that sense it is considered passive. That’s more or less the signal path in a conventional passive speaker set up.

Passive speakers are widely available across all kinds of budgets and sizes, from small Dali Kupid standmounts to Wharfedale Diamond 12.3 floorstanders, to the superb Acoustic Energy AE300 Mk2 and PMC Prodigy 5, all the way to high-end ATC SCM50 and B&W Diamond 805 D4 models. And many, many more.

• How to build the perfect hi-fi system

What are active speakers?

In active speakers, things are the same until after the preamplifier stage. The signal from the preamp goes into an active crossover network. While this performs the same job as the crossover in the passive set-up, it works at line level (around 2v) rather than speaker level (typically 15-35v).

Working at lower signal levels means the components used can be optimised for precision rather than power handling. Such a design would normally use active components, and on more sophisticated products, some form of signal processing (whether digital or not) to get the best out of the drive units.

The result is a filter network that is (potentially) way more accurate in its operation, and delivers a better integrated and optimised sound.

Each separated frequency band of this line-level signal is then sent to a dedicated power amplifier that feeds as many drive units as are responsible for delivering those frequencies.

Prominent examples of active speakers include the Acoustic Energy AE1 Active, the new KEF Coda W, and the ATC SCM20ASL.

Active vs passive speakers: which is better?

On paper, active speakers have a whole host of advantages. Their crossover design gives the designer much greater control over the signal and is far less prone to losses and distortion when compared with a passive filter alternative.

As the power amplification is integrated into the design, it can be optimised for a specific drive unit. Because it’s normally built into the box, there is no need for long lengths of speaker cable between the two, avoiding any distortion or loss caused by the wires. Simply put, there is more grip and better control.

These benefits would seem to give active speakers a generous edge; but there are also downsides. There aren’t many speaker manufacturers that can also make amplification, so the usual path is to buy in modules from an OEM supplier. There’s nothing wrong with this in principle, but things often fall short when it comes to implementation. The result is that the sound performance of the final active speaker is rarely as good as it could be.

Active speakers suffer in terms of perceived value on the shop floor too. Their electronics tend to be hidden, yet there will be an obvious price premium over the similar-looking passive speakers.

Break down the respective costs and it usually turns out that the active option is the better-value route, as it consists of multiple power amplifiers – a simple two-way speaker still needs four mono power amps – whereas a passive set makes do with a single stereo amp to work its four drive units.

Active designs also limit the amount of upgrading possible. You can’t just change the power amps inside them, for example; the whole lot has to go. That leaves less scope for enthusiasts to mix and match. You either accept the power amplifier/speaker combination as a whole or you don’t.

Passive speakers, meanwhile, are more flexible and have upgrade potential. They can be found for much cheaper, too. But it means you'll need to look at separate amplification and think about system matching, and of course there are more cables and boxes to fit into the mix.

And what about 'powered' speakers?

Whereas all active speakers are considered powered, not all powered speakers should be called active.

The difference is that a powered speaker has the same signal path as a passive set-up, but the amplification (often both pre and power amp) is hidden in one of the speaker enclosures. There will also be a speaker cable link between the master speaker (that has the amplification) and the slave (passive) partner.

Most affordable powered models tend to use such a configuration. Such an approach has some of the neatness of truly active operation but few of the technical benefits.

The neat, compact and affordable Ruark MR1 Mk3 is a good example, in that it's a powered set-up where one speaker contains all the electronics, including the 2 x 25W of amplification and all the connections (including a built-in moving magnet phono stage), while the other unit is a conventional design. It's a similar case with the Elac Debut ConneX DCB41 and the Onkyo GX-30ARC powered speakers.

How about active speakers with streaming? 

While active speakers have clear performance benefits, their conciseness also means they are attractive to users looking for a more discreet and compact way to listen to music.

Increasingly we are seeing active speakers that aim to pack in even more functionality into their cabinets – not just amplification but also streaming modules and physical connections – creating a complete 'all-in-one' system that minimises the need for extra boxes or cabling.

With features such as preamplifier capabilities, digital and analogue inputs, Bluetooth and wi-fi streaming compatibility combined directly into active speakers (or a small accompanying box that then communicates with them), they offer a neat, compact and minimal-fuss alternative to a system of separates.

The cost can work out more favourably than buying everything separately, too (although you shouldn't necessarily expect the same performance from them as you would a similarly priced collection of class-leading separates).

Some active speakers with streaming include KEF's LSX II LT and LS50 Wireless II systems, the Triangle AIO Twin and high-end Focal Diva Utopia – they are fine examples of such all-in-one stereo speaker systems. Others, such as the Dali Rubicon 2 C or the Beolab 28 come with replaceable connectivity modules (or 'hubs') that handle the source side of things, meaning they can be easily upgraded.

After all, unlike speaker technology, streaming technology is anything but timeless.

MORE:

In praise of small speakers: how their inherent design limitations can work to their benefit

I wish it wasn’t true, but the small things matter when you're building a hi-fi system

These are the best (passive) stereo speakers across all budgets

Alternatively, check out the best active speakers, from budget to premium

Fabric-shrouded 'bookshelf' speakers and dark, unobtrusive boxes that slink virtually unnoticed into your existing system are the natural preserve of many an audiophile. Music is an aural experience, after all – one needn't see it to fall in love.

But what if you want your hi-fi to be your home's focal point? What if you're tired of the normal, the typical and the humdrum? What if, when you next invite friends over for dinner, you want them to exclaim, "What is that... in the lounge?"

Imagine a set of speakers that wouldn't look out of place in Lewis Carroll's Wonderland, a steampunk-styled valve amplifier, a preamp you can see right through or a turntable that looks as though it might start scuttling towards you baring its fangs.

We jest, of course, but every product featured in this list is a veritable feast for your eyes. This is our nod to our High End Week in the form of the 10 most outrageous-looking (and expensive) hi-fi products of all time, in our opinion.

If you need to know the price, you can't afford it. But there's no harm in looking...

Avantgarde Trio XD

As if these large-scale, triple-horn stereo speakers aren't interesting enough, German firm Avantgarde Acoustic also offers a 'Shiny Citrine Orange' option – just one of the 11 colour choices available.

Avantgarde's designs are firmly rooted in its horn technology – the oldest physical principle for rendering sound – and it isn't going small with those.

The design comprises an 18cm tweeter horn, a 57cm spherical midrange horn and a 95cm spherical low-midrange horn – that's almost a metre in diameter. The base frames are made from solid cast aluminium, with three steel frame rails and four custom-made spike cones with precision adjusting mechanism.

Finally, you can select one of three compatible subwoofers. The largest option, the Basshorn XD subwoofer, is seen here between the two Trio XD speakers. Yes, that's right... it's not a posh bookshelf, it's actually the subwoofer.

Clearaudio Master Reference

• Best record players 2020: best turntables for every budget

German high-end audio brand Clearaudio promises 'engineering worthy of a jeweller' within this striking turntable design. The Master Reference features three separately housed motor drive units, three independent belts, precision machined tonearm mounting plates, hand-polished inverted bearing with a diamond polished ceramic ball and stainless steel decoupling bases.

It certainly looks as though it could start moving of its own accord, either crawling horizontally along your hi-fi rack, or taking off straight up into the air.

Unison Research Absolute 845

If you remember the 1985 movie Return To Oz, you might be thinking of the 'Electric Healing' machine – the shock therapy contraption Dorothy's parents hooked their daughter up to in the hope that she'd stop talking about Oz and the Emerald City.

The Absolute 845 is a beautiful piece of craftsmanship: a dual-mono stereo integrated valve amplifier with five line inputs and two tape inputs, as well as all the knobs and meters you could wish for. Despite its turn-of-the-century feel, the 845 only started winning Awards in 1994.

Bang & Olufsan Beolab 90

High-end audio and home cinema manufacturer Bang and Olufsen released the BeoLab 90 to mark its 90th anniversary in 2015. Boasting a 360-degree design, it has 'no apparent visual front', with speaker drivers placed in various directions to help guide the sound around a room.

It is made from 65kg of aluminium – some of it is used for the crowns forming the frame, which are cut from solid blocks of the stuff, and the rest is die-cast. You also get seven 3cm tweeters, seven 8.6cm midrange drivers, three 21.2cm side and rear woofers and one 26cm front woofer. That's right: 18 drivers per channel, all facing different directions. The ones not facing you are used to correct and balance the sound based on your settings and/or the environment.

A pair will set you back a cool £62000 ($85,000). 

TechDAS Air Force 1

It's not a high-tech portable car battery charger, nor a pair of trainers, but this turntable is not just any old disc spinner either. This remarkable machine features a tri-laminar chassis structure, weighing in at a whopping 43kg. 

It is called the Air Force 1 because of the air suspension system onboard. One press on the 'suction' button after setting a disc on the platter holds down the disc, while the platter itself is floating. TechDAS promises that sympathetic vibrations are eliminated. Another press on that suction button allows the release of your disc.

Two different tonearms, such as 10-inch or 12-inch type, can be mounted, and while the main platter is made of non-magnetic forged stainless steel, there are three different upper platter materials available; select your preference when placing your order.

Kalista DreamPlay CD/DAC

The Kalista DreamPlay is a CD turntable. Yes, you read that correctly. For the most demanding audiophiles, the DreamPlay CD turntable combines a feast for your eyes and the promise of musical prowess. Simply put the disc onto the turntable, cover it with the CD clamp and press play.

If you want your CD player to resemble a contemporary art installation, the Dreamplay CD can be stacked on top of the DreamPlay DAC – it even has a gorgeous 4.3in colour touchscreen. 

• Best CD players 2020: CD players for every budget

Ballfinger M063H5

Yes, it's 2020 and you're looking at a high-end open reel tape machine. The Ballfinger M063H5 is a stunning analogue tape recorder with 1/4" bandwidth and direct drive. 

Don't be fooled though. While Ballfinger’s beautiful reel-to-reel tape decks will doubtless appeal to nostalgia lovers, this flagship model is no antique, launching in 2018. 

The M063H5 is equipped with an editing system, three direct-drive motors and wooden side panels that come in black, white, or walnut. All the elements for recording are on the right, playback is on the left, and drive functions are arranged in the middle.

It will cost analogue devotees around €24000 (approx £21,500). But if you think reel-to-reel is the new vinyl, you can't do much better...

Vivid Giya G1

Mother nature hates straight lines – think of sound waves and the shape of our own ear. That's why Vivid Audio settled on such an animalistic design for its inaugural stereo floorstanding speakers. The Giya G1 is Vivid Audio's original product, designed by acoustic engineer Laurence Dickie. 

It's a four-way, five driver system, comprising a 26mm metal dome unit tweeter, 50mm metal dome midrange driver, 125mm lower-mid driver and two 225mm metal coned units with short-coil long-gap motor design to handle bass frequencies. 

Standard finishes are white and black, but Vivid says it can match any colour, or even create a unique design on your speakers upon request. 

They come at a price though. And that price starts at £53,000 ($65,000).

• Best floorstanding speakers 2020: budget to premium

DNM 3D Six Preamplifier

In an era of smartphones, tablets and games consoles all housed in impenetrable black plastic shells, wouldn't it be refreshing to actually see – and celebrate – the innards of your pricey tech in action? 

Meet the DNM 3D Six Preamplifier. All of its circuitry is clearly visible beneath translucent acrylic casework. And it's not just a visual gimmick, either; DNM says that the form and materials used in the construction of any amplifier affect its sound as much as its circuit diagram. The metal casework normally used in the production of amplifiers can modify and interfere with the internally generated magnetic fields, to produce dynamic compression. That's not the case here (get it?).

DNM says its customers' ethos is that 'if it doesn’t help the sound, we don’t want it'. In that spirit, there's no remote control for the DNM 3D Six Preamplifier, no micro-processors, no software, in fact, nothing that doesn't help optimise sound quality. And we think it looks splendid. 

Burmester 808 MK5 preamp

When Dieter Burmester completed his own preamplifier, the Burmester 777, from parts of medical machines, it set the company's inimitable aesthetic in stone. 

When we reviewed one of its descendants, the Burmester 808 MK5, we praised its terrific insight, control and composure, fluid presentation, configurable design and class-leading build. "This a preamp for those that live and breathe hi-fi", we said. Most of all though, it’s for people that love to compare kit – including us – and for those with a massive disposable income (not us).

Fully specified, this Burmester preamp will accommodate seven line-level sources plus three of the fully balanced variety and can include either a moving magnet or moving coil phono stage. The latter comes with the option of a single-ended or balanced connection. And where sold, it costs £22,242 (approx $27,000). Sigh...

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With all brands using the same LG-sourced panels for their OLED TVs, the question is how you differentiate yours from everyone else’s. With its striking designs, superior processing and ingenious screen-vibrating sound solution, it’s a question that Sony has been answering better than most.

The A9G is the latest in this long line of well-differentiated OLEDs. It looks more conventional than those before it, but still looks and sounds better than its rivals and benefits from some of Sony’s exclusive technologies. 

It's also one of Sony’s Master Series models, which are designed to recreate the creative intent as faithfully as possible. Thanks to its presence in every stage of the film production process – many studios use the company’s BVM-X300 monitor when mastering their content – that’s something Sony is uniquely positioned to deliver.

Those are compelling arguments for the A9G, but does it justify being more expensive than its rivals, particularly LG’s own C9?

Features

Beauty is in the eye of the beholder, of course, but the A9G is a gorgeous TV. The languid lean of the A9F (and A1 before it) has gone, but the easel-like design added rather a lot of weight and depth to the chassis. Without its stand, the A9G is less than half as deep as the A9F (4cm to 8.6cm) and 6kg lighter, making it far easier to wall-mount and even more impressive once it’s up there.

Those putting the TV on a piece of furniture will appreciate that the pedestal stand gives it a footprint of just 46 x 24cm. It also has a low profile, keeping the screen close to the tabletop upon which it’s placed. 

The thin black bezels are indiscernible from the screen itself when it’s switched off, making the chassis completely invisible in an unlit room. Sony has put similar thought into the rear of the TV, with the flat back panel having a grid pattern that makes it a little more interesting than the norm and disguises the myriad detachable plastic panels that can be used to hide the connections and cables.

Those connections include four HDMI sockets that, while not officially certified as being HDMI 2.1-spec, do apparently meet the standard and will be certified in the future. You also get three USB sockets, optical and headphone outputs and simple, clip-style speaker terminals so that the TV can be used as a centre speaker.

Sony is sticking with Google’s Android TV as its operating system, which isn’t a bad decision given how much the OS has improved in the last couple of years. It still lacks the slickness, style and extra customisability of LG’s and Samsung’s bespoke alternatives, but it’s more intuitive than it was.

The app selection includes Netflix, Amazon Prime Video, Google Play Movies & TV, Hulu, HBO Now and Showtime Anytime, most in 4K and HDR (Dolby Vision, too, in some cases). Plex and VLC are on board for playing your own files, and Spotify and Tidal give you options for music streaming. The Apple TV app is missing, which is a shame.

In terms of format support, both IMAX Enhanced and Netflix Calibrated mode feature on the A9G, although neither is terribly exciting at this point. Of the broad HDR formats, Sony continues to support HDR10, HLG and Dolby Vision, but not HDR10+. The lack of HDR10+ is a bit of a shame considering there are now TVs available that support both Dolby Vision and HDR10+,  but it's not something you're likely to really miss in the short term.

Running the show is a version of Sony’s existing X1 Ultimate chip that’s been tweaked for use in the A9G and its Master Series sibling, the 8K Z9G. The X1 Ultimate brings with it a number of picture-enhancing features, including Object-Based Super Resolution and Object-Based HDR Remaster, which use a huge database of images and intelligent processing to boost the definition and contrast of specific objects in an image. The A9G also gets what Sony calls ‘Pixel Contrast Booster’, a panel controller that is said to maximise dynamic range and increase detail and texture.

Picture

That list of picture boosting technologies makes it surprising that the A9G looks decidedly dull when first fed an HDR film. It is possible to get a punchy picture out of it, but rather fiddly to do so. We settle on the Standard mode with Black Adjust switched off, Advanced Contrast Enhancer and Live Colour on high, Reality Creation, both noise reduction options and Smooth Gradation switched off, a few points added to Black Level and a few taken off Colour. The resulting picture is very nice overall.

We play the opening of Alien: Covenant, which sees the android David brought to life in the overwhelmingly white and mercilessly minimalist abode of his creator, Peter Weyland. The Sony’s recreation is striking in its solidity and subtle in its shading. The sharp rendering lends the few objects in the room, such as Weyland’s Carlo Bugatti Throne chair, a crisp, definite three-dimensionality against the bare flatness of the room itself. The Sony also has no trouble with the delicate shades that give the monochromatic room its gentle curve.

For all its faults as a film, the Alien: Covenant disc is packed with detail, and the Sony revels in digging up every last grain. You can see every wrinkle, pore and fabulous imperfection on Guy Pearce and Michael Fassbender’s faces. Both actors have a pale, greyish complexion here, but the Sony uses subtle shading to ensure that neither looks lifeless. 

Switching to Guardians Of The Galaxy Vol. 2, the A9G recreates the 1970s Missouri of the opening scene in warm, sun-blushed style. It also proves that Sony is still the one to beat on motion processing. While the LG C9 and Samsung Q90R force you to choose between blur and unrealism, the A9G strikes an excellent balance that keeps motion sharp and smooth, without adding lots of shimmer or the soap opera effect.

But for all of its qualities, the Sony A9G doesn’t quite make the most of an HDR signal in the way its rivals do. The LG C9 is crisper and produces more pronounced highlights, particularly in overwhelmingly dark scenes, while the Samsung Q90 is brighter and punchier still. The Sony is simply less dynamic by comparison.

There’s also a feeling that the Sony is processing the picture on the fly. On occasion it adjusts, with a noticeable dimming or brightening of the panel. We suspect this is the Pixel Contrast Booster at work, but either way, it’s an issue. That’s partly because it makes some scenes dim, and partly because when you start noticing the processing at work, you’re being distracted from the film or TV show you’re trying to watch.

These flaws disappear when you switch from 4K HDR to Full HD SDR, though. In fact, the Sony A9G is one of the best performers we’ve seen with this quality of content. We play Looper on Blu-ray and are delighted by the punchy, bright and balanced delivery. The Sony does a great job of digging up real detail rather than falling into the trap of artificial enhancement, and blacks are notable for their depth, which ensures the night-time Kansas cityscape is suitably dark and dramatic, and their insight, which ensures that every detail of Joe’s dimly lit, achingly cool apartment is revealed.

Drop down to 576p, and while the picture is inevitably less exceptional, it is as clean and controlled as that produced by an LG OLED, and a little more vibrant.

Sound

With the launch of its A1 OLED in 2017, Sony also launched its Acoustic Surface technology, which replaces traditional speaker drivers with actuators that imperceptibly vibrate the entire screen to make a sound. Last year’s A9F refined the concept, but with the A9G it really seems to have struck gold.

The A9F had what was essentially a 3.2 ‘speaker’ arrangement, but for the A9G the centre channel has been dropped. That might sound like a retrograde step, but Sony says that by switching from circular to ovular actuators it has created a wider, more dispersive soundstage with better stereo separation, all without compromising directness and clarity. 

We proclaimed the AF9 to be the best-sounding TV we’d tested at the time, but the A9G is better. There is a good spread of sound, but also a directness that makes it sound as if Joseph Gordon-Levitt is speaking right at you in the narration of Looper. There’s also solidity and weight that rivals can’t match, and space for voices and effects to breathe and take shape.

Once again, Sony makes it possible for the TV to take the place of the centre speaker in a traditional surround package by including passive speaker terminals on the rear of the set. This option may tempt many people, but we’d advise sticking with a proper centre speaker if possible – even the best home cinema amp will struggle to compensate for the tonal and character differences between the A9G and the traditional speakers flanking it.

Verdict

The A9G is the best in class in a number of respects. It looks and sounds better than the vast majority of rivals, and it has better motion. It’s a fabulous performer with 1080p, SDR content, too. But if you’re looking at spending this sort of money, you want the best TV for the best content. Currently, that is 4K HDR, and with this the Sony falls behind the LG C9 and Samsung Q90R.

At the same price as the LG, the balance of pros and cons would probably see the Sony awarded five stars. It's vastly more expensive, though, so really needs to be better across the board. It isn’t, and so the A9G has to settle for four stars, even though we are rather fond of it.

SCORES

• Picture 4
• Sound 5
• Features 5

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