Does the thought of a Rega amplifier with a five-figure price tag feel a little odd to you? It does to us, given that value for money has always been a priority for the brand. Its foundations, now over 50 years old, are built on great sounding, well-engineered products that are sensibly priced.

Sure, the company has long made premium products that are priced in the thousands, but the Mercury preamplifier (£6950 / $10,495 / AU$14,500) and Solis power amplifier (£6950 / $10,495 / AU$14,500) package sits a large step beyond those.

The high-end glass ceiling was first broken by Rega’s range-topping Naia turntable (£13,125 / $18,995 / AU$27,499) back in 2023, and now this pre/power combination is happy to follow through. How does Rega’s value for money ethos fit in here? We shall find out.

Design & engineering

The brand prides itself on its engineering, and we’ve always been impressed by the consistency of its design philosophies. For example, the Planar turntables are based around a high rigidity/low mass principle, and every step up the hierarchy finds ways to push the limits in both directions.

This kind of engineering consistency is evident in this new pre/power too, as the origin of the Mercury preamp’s analogue circuit can be traced back to the first Elicit integrated amplifier made around 1990. It is a symmetrical, fully discrete design capable of high voltage swings and plenty of current to drive the partnering power amplifier with low distortion.

Mercury is a line-level design with a built-in digital module. Its circuit uses the well-proven Alps Blue Velvet RK27 motorised potentiometer to control volume and is DC coupled to avoid the use of sound-degrading coupling capacitors in the signal path. Protection circuitry monitors the DC level of both the main and headphone outputs to ensure nothing untoward happens.

This preamp’s power supply arrangement is designed to provide a stable, low-noise feed to the analogue, digital and control sections, taking special care to avoid unwanted interactions between them. By component count, this preamplifier is the most complex product the company has ever made.

Some may be surprised by the lack of a phono stage given Rega’s turntable heritage. That decision came down to the difficulty in achieving the desired performance and the desire to avoid any increase in the Mercury’s already high price. Of course, Rega will happily point record player users towards the excellent Aura phono stage to do the job.

On the digital side, the Mercury’s number crunching circuit is built around a pair of Wolfson WM8742 DAC chips, with great care taken to minimise jitter and maintain signal integrity. Even Rega describes these DAC chips as ‘legacy’, which is no surprise, as they first came onto the market in late 2009.

Given the plethora of newer and better-specified alternatives on the market, some may wonder why the engineering team chose to stick with such a mature design. The answer is sound quality; the team assessed the alternatives and preferred the Wolfson. Fair enough.

The Solis power amplifier is something of a beast. This unit isn’t unusually big, but it still weighs in at a hefty 24.8kg. Its power output is a useful 168 watts per channel into 8 ohms, rising to a meaty 305 watts as impedance halves. These are good figures, and suggest that the Solis will be happy to drive just about any speaker you care to use.

Take a look inside that impressive chassis, and you will find that Rega has continued to use fully symmetrical circuitry. There is a generous power supply arrangement consisting of two low noise, custom-designed 330VA transformers and a total of 80,000uF of smoothing capacitance using Rega’s own K-Power capacitors.

Connectivity

The Mercury’s file compatibility is reasonable at 32-bit/192kHz PCM and standard DSD. It is fair to say that you wouldn’t have to look hard to find budget DACs that exceed these limits. Does that matter? Given that the vast majority of available digital files fall well within the Rega’s abilities, we suspect it won’t be an issue for most.

Similarly, we doubt whether many would complain about this preamp’s connectivity. It has five line level inputs, including a balanced XLR option, a tape loop, as well as the usual trio of digital inputs: coaxial, optical and USB Type B. As for outputs, there are balanced and single-ended options on the back panel and a 6.3mm headphone socket on the front.

That headphone output isn’t just a tick-box exercise, either. It uses a dedicated symmetrical circuit that ‘operates like a mini Solis’ and is capable of high voltage and current drive, ensuring compatibility with a wide range of headphone designs.

On the Solis power amplifier, it comes as no surprise to see both balanced and single-ended options offered. As with the Mercury, the quality of the sockets is good, and they feel sturdy enough to withstand years of use.

It is interesting to note that while Rega has included balanced XLR connections in both the preamp and the power, it still recommends single-ended for domestic use. The company claims that the balanced route doesn’t offer any significant benefit outside the very long cable runs and noisy electrical environments of the studio and pro world. Our experience aligns with this.

Build

The build quality of both these Rega products is excellent. Their chunky aluminium caseworks feel reassuringly solid, and they have the aura of units engineered to last decades. Fit and finish is as good as we’ve seen from the brand, and that’s exactly what we would expect at this level.

The Mercury features an LCD display that proves crisp and easy to read from a distance. It helps to make the initial set-up of the preamp easy, too. The unit’s physical control count is minimal, which gives it a pleasantly uncluttered look. We suspect most people will just use the supplied Orbit remote for most functions. This backlit handset is a weighty metal affair that lacks style, but proves easy enough to use.

We have a few small ergonomic grumbles with this Rega amplifier pairing. Given the display, it would be nice to have a numerical indication of the volume level. As it is, we have to rely on a mark on the volume dial, which isn’t always easy to see in a dim room.

Also, if you are using the on-unit controls, it is only possible to toggle through the inputs in one direction. If you overshoot, it is a pain to work all the way around again. Admittedly, the remote has direct access to any specific input, so at least there is a workaround.

Any amplifier at this level demands a top-class system to shine. Our sources are Naim’s ND555/555 PS DR music streamer and the Technics SL-1000/Kiseki Purpleheart record player feeding a Cyrus Phono Signature/Cyrus PSX-2 phono stage. As for speakers, the bulk of our testing is done using ATC’s SCM50, the Fyne F1-8 and Epos’s ES-14N.

Sound

If we say that listening to the Mercury/Solis reminds us of the Brio Mk7 integrated, then that should be taken as a compliment. It has the same music-first attitude and the ability to wring out the last degree of emotional impact from whatever is being played.

Of course, given that the Brio Mk7 sells for £799 / $1195 /AU$1699, it will surprise no one that the Mercury/Solis duo is on a different planet when it comes to outright ability.

As we play Hans Zimmer’s Interstellar OST, we can’t help but notice just how quiet a backdrop this two-box amplifier delivers. The music emerges from utter silence that’s totally free from the low-level hash that most designs suffer from.

Then there is the Rega’s unusually physical presentation that brims with a degree of solidity and muscle that is rare even at this elevated level. Instruments come through in an impressively palpable way that makes the sound all the more convincing.

Cornfield Chase is a dense, almost chaotic track, but this Rega pairing handles it with composure and control. Every instrument has a place and the sense of organisation behind the frenzied composition is excellent. Pleasingly, this amplifier never forgets that its job is to communicate the drama in the music, and it does that superbly.

Given the Solis power amplifier’s generous output, it will come as no surprise that this pairing is comfortable playing at high volume levels. Even so, the sheer muscularity it displays at the low end is jaw-dropping with a well-recorded piece such as this. Bass frequencies are exceptionally punchy and powerful, but retain class-leading agility. Perhaps best of all, despite the feeling of authority on offer, the bass is tuneful and superbly in balance with the rest of the frequency range.

This pre/power does well when it comes to stereo imaging, too, rendering the soundstage with plenty of width and precision in instrument placement. There is an admirable degree of stability when the music becomes demanding and an enviable talent for retaining focus under such conditions.

However, compared to the similarly-priced, recently reviewed Yamaha C-5000/M-5000 pairing (£17,198 / $21,998 / AU$25,998), we do notice a slight shortfall of spaciousness in the presentation. Similarly, the Yamaha combo pulls ahead when it comes to delivering subtle dynamic shifts through the midrange and treble; it is certainly the more delicate sounding of the two.

However, this comparison is hardly one-way traffic. The Rega duo reverses the situation where rhythmic drive and punch are concerned. It is exceptional in these areas, and rams home these advantages when we start listening to hip-hop and rock recordings.

Kendrick Lamar’s GNX, Grinderman’s self-titled debut album and Are You Gonna Go My Way by Lenny Kravitz all benefit from the Rega’s all-action approach to music replay. Vocals come through with breathtaking conviction while the musical backdrop is as cohesive and insightful as you like.

Regardless of the album/genre, the results are enjoyable and quite often, thrilling. Balance is the key here. The Rega approach may be front-footed, but it also remembers to do the high-end hi-fi things properly. Instrumental textures are rendered well, organisation is maintained, and if you want, you can dissect the production to your heart’s desire.

Despite all the resolution on offer, the Mercury/Solis pairing never goes out of its way to highlight the flaws in a recording. If you go searching, you will hear them, of course, but this pairing always wants you to take note of the positive aspects of the source material first. Given that our choice of music is made on taste rather than recording quality, that forgiveness is hugely appealing.

We don’t think that the Mercury’s digital module quite lives up to the quality of the line stages. On the positive side, it retains the energetic yet balanced character we like, and can switch between various PCM resolutions and DSD without issue. We play around with the filter settings provided and generally settle for either the Minimum Phase ‘Soft Knee’ or Linear Phase ‘Soft Knee’ for PCM recordings and the default Response 1 for DSD. But as usual, the differences between the various options aren’t huge, and your tastes or system choice may well yield different results.

Regardless, whether we connect our MacBook Pro (loaded with Audirvana music software and plenty of high-resolution music files) or use the digital output from our reference Naim streamer, we note a slight loss of transparency and dynamic finesse when compared to an excellent outboard DAC such as Chord’s Qutest (£1195 / $1625 / AU$2800). The Rega counters with greater physicality to its presentation, though.

To end on a positive note, we are impressed by the preamp’s headphone output. We try it with Grado’s RS1x, Austrian Audio’s excellent The Composer and the closed-back Focal Stellia, and the Rega works a treat with all of them. The headphone output sounds crisp, clear and consistent with the excellent sound we hear from the line-level outputs.

Verdict

It is a bold step for Rega to make a pre/power amplifier at this level. The brand has succeeded in producing something that stays true to its music-first ideals but still delivers the refinement, transparency and insight high-end buyers demand.

If you are lucky enough to shop in this sector, don’t ignore the Mercury/Solis combination. It could well be exactly what you and your system need.

Review published: 9th February 2026

SCORES

• Sound 5
• Build 5
• Features 4

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Read our review of the Chord Pre 3/Ultima 6

Also consider the PMC Cor

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Why should you buy Audio Physic’s Avantis when there are a multitude of better-known speakers from the likes of B&W, Focal and PMC? At first glance that’s not an easy question to answer.

The Avanti looks like just another premium two-way floorstander, and the world is hardly short of those.

But those familiar with the brand – admittedly, probably not so many in the UK – know that these towers are likely to have considerable substance.

Over its 30-year history, Audio Physic has turned out more than its fair share of fine speakers, and this current Avanti can be counted among them.

Compatibility

Despite appearances, these floorstanders are three-way designs. The tweeter and midrange drivers are obvious enough, but where’s the bass unit?

Usually, it would be found on the front or one of the side panels, but it’s hidden inside the cabinet, mounted to the base, and ported through a slot below the front baffle.

Here’s where things get really interesting. The woofer – a 22-cm paper cone unit that crosses over to the midrange at around 130Hz – fires through the base.

Take a look under the speakers and you’ll find the base isn’t the usual veneer-covered wooden board but made of ceramic foam instead.

This porous foam not only adds strength to the speaker’s structure, but also allows the sound from the driver to pass through.

The unusual bass arrangement helps to make the speakers less fussy about room placement. It works, with the Avanti’s sounding balanced across a wide range of positions. We wouldn’t put them right up against a wall or in a corner, but given a little room to breathe they’re perfectly happy.

At the other end of the frequency spectrum what initially seems like a conventional dome tweeter turns out to be a far less commonly seen cone design. It uses a 38mm aluminium diaphragm.

The metal theme continues with the 13cm midrange, it – like the tweeter – uses an elastic damping ring along the outer edge of the cone to control any resonances. The midrange’s chassis is unusual too.

It uses a plastic basket inside the aluminium frame to deliver a structure that combines rigidity, low resonance and an element of decoupling. Clever.

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Build

The same could be said of the cabinet. Inside it’s solidly braced, and lined using more of that ceramic foam, which not only adds to rigidity but improves the vibration damping of the enclosure panels too.

We’re impressed by the lovely glossy finish too. The fit is excellent, with every panel lining up just so, giving the Avantis the air of quality designer furniture – an impression reinforced by their slanted design.

There are several finishes available, from the usual walnut, black ash and cherry to the fetching ebony of our review sample. For an extra £1000, there’s also a premium all-glass option, which looks stunning in the right surroundings.

Audio Physic’s company motto is ‘No Loss Of Fine Detail’. Not the catchiest tag line, but it describes the sound of the Avantis pretty well.

Connected to our usual reference system – Naim’s NDS/555PS streamer, the Clearaudio Innovation Wood turntable, Cyrus's Signature phono stage/PSX-R2 and the Gamut D3i/D200i pre/power combination – these speakers impress.

Sound

Our first impression is of a remarkably clean presentation. The Avantis deliver an upfront and detailed sound that positively brims with agility.

Give them a sparse recording such as The xx’s Angels and they shine, rendering the group’s vocals with considerable finesse.

The Audio Physics capture the subtlety and emotion of the track beautifully with each part of the minimal instrumentation rendered with breathtaking crispness.

Leading edges are superbly defined, but never over-emphasised. It’s an articulate sound too, right from the lowest bass notes upwards.

Through it all, we’re aware of just how little that beautifully engineered cabinet contributes to the final result. All this structure does is give a very quiet backdrop for the sound to emerge from.

Tonally, things are a touch brightly lit, a little lean and can be provoked with aggressive recordings or edgy systems. But, carefully matched, the presentation remains balanced enough to convince.

The integration between the three drivers is seamless, which points to a carefully calibrated crossover.

The Avanti’s low-end is pleasingly taut and punchy, and delivered with far more authority than most would credit from such a slimline tower – these floorstanders may be 109cm tall but they’re only 17cm wide.

This helps to make them an unobtrusive addition to any listening room.

MORE: Best hi-fi speakers 2016

Switch to Vivaldi’s Four Seasons and these speakers respond positively. They cast an expansive sound stage that extends well beyond their physical form. It’s nicely layered and stable, even when the music gets busy.

We’re also impressed by the Audio Physic’s composure. They always sound unflustered, regardless of the music’s complexity or to a large extent, volume level.

Dynamically, the Avantis are pretty good. They deliver large-scale swings with confidence, though by the highest standards they stop just short of conveying the ebb and flow of the piece with total conviction.

Radiohead’s In Rainbows shows another minor crack in the Audio Physic’s case. For all their considerable talents, these speakers aren’t particularly great at communicating rhythms.

While each note is defined with clarity, they aren’t strung together well enough to convey the hard-charging momentum of 15 Step with the energy it deserves.

This shortfall doesn’t go so far as to spoil our enjoyment, but it certainly takes it down a notch.

Verdict

We still like the Avantis, though. They’re smart, elegant and packed with clever engineering.

Their sound brims with agility and clarity and it’s all backed up with class-leading build and finish. They’re worth a serious audition.

There’s more than one way to skin a cat, or in the case of home cinema, use a soundbar. One way is to plug your sources into your TV and have just one digital cable running from the back of your set into the unit.

The other approach is one taken by Arcam and its first ever entry into this market: the Solo bar. The British company has used its experience in home cinema to transplant some of the brains and features of a surround-sound receiver into its new creation.

Features

So the Solo bar has a number features you expect to see in a home cinema amp and a couple of surprises thrown in too: four 4K-supporting HDMI inputs. The Arcam’s HDMI output is also ARC (Audio Return Channel) enabled, so it can accept audio from compatible TVs.

Cycle through Arcam’s menus and you’ll find ‘Auto Setup.’ Like some surround-sound amps, the Solo bar comes with a microphone and automatic-calibration software. Hit ‘ok’ on the remote, the bar fires out a few test tones and the levels of the speakers in the bar are adjusted accordingly. When it’s connected, the bar does the same for the optional wireless Play subwoofer too.

There’s no on-screen GUI (graphical user interface) for the Solo bar, everything’s done through the display on the unit. It’s reasonably large and fits in a decent amount of information, although the pale blue characters look dated compared to the dark green ones on other Arcam kit.

Once the soundbar has been calibrated you still have the option of switching the EQ off, and you might want to experiment to see what you prefer. With it on, we find the Arcam sounds more airy and open. Turn it off and you sacrifice some of the spaciousness but gain more solidity at the bottom end.

You also have three different sound modes to work with: ‘Movie’, ‘Concert’ and ‘Stereo’. ‘Movie’ gives a broader spread of sound, while the other two give varying degrees of focus. Play music through the Arcam’s Bluetooth receiver and the system defaults automatically to ‘Stereo’.

Talking of Bluetooth, the Arcam allows you to go wireless, but with a significant twist. Not only can you beam music to the Solo bar the traditional way, but you can also transmit sound from it to a pair of Bluetooth headphones.

It’s a clever touch and something we haven’t seen in a soundbar before. Bonus points to Arcam for thinking outside the box... or should that be outside the bar?

Design and build

The bar itself is quite a substantial unit, with a solid, aluminium chassis. To all intents and purposes it’s a pair of speakers with 50W per channel. The tweeters at either end of the bar are angled out, at five degrees each, to enhance the width.

There’s a bracket for wall-mounting bundled in the box too. Since the first shipment went into stores, Arcam now supplies wedge-shaped-feet that slot under the soundbar and help angle it upwards, which is useful if it is at a much lower level than you are seated.

Besides the smart use of Bluetooth, another plus point for the Arcam is its ability to decode the high-quality Dolby TrueHD and DTS-HD Master Audio soundtracks found on Blu-ray discs. The majority of soundbars on the market tend to only take the core DTS and Dolby soundtracks off a disc so, theoretically, the Arcam is digging out more information than many of its rivals.

Performance

In reality, movie soundtracks beam out of the Arcam loud and clear, and there’s an impressive level of transparency across the board. Soak up the action from the DTS-HD Master Audio soundtrack to After Earth, and you’re aware of the bar’s even tonal balance.

Voices are just as audible and lucid as the action. Just before Kitai sky-jumps off the waterfall there’s a ton of detail in the heated exchange between Jaden and Will Smith. As the young hero tries to avoid the giant bird of prey, there’s a real sense of punch and precision, as bird and boy swoop and jostle.

Where the Arcam doesn’t quite succeed is in drawing you into the film, as it doesn’t really convey the dynamics or drama of the movie as well as it could. As the camera pans and streams merge into the waterfall, rival soundbars, such as the Dali Kubik One or Focal Dimension, give more of a sense of the rushing water and the power of Mother Nature as it cascades over the edge.

There’s greater richness and finesse to the sound too. Dialogue sounds that bit more natural and emotional.

Playing Stevie Wonder’s Live At Last Blu-ray, the Arcam shows it’s able to deliver music with poise and precision. During Superstition percussion stops and starts in all the right places. The saxophone has a distinct tone, but it doesn’t sound edgy or hard enough.

It’s easy enough to listen and isolate all the different elements of the track. We just aren’t excited enough, and the normal upbeat funk of this classic tune doesn’t register as much as it does when heard through more capable rivals.

They offer greater weight and richness in the bass and greater dynamic thrust. The story continues when you switch to simple streaming of music via Bluetooth. Complex rhythms don’t present a problem and there’s nothing wrong with how the Arcam organises music. But nonetheless you still yearn for greater finesse and sonic artistry.

Verdict

Arcam has been very ambitious with the Solo bar, and in some ways it goes above and beyond what we’ve come to expect from this kind of product.

But when it comes to sound quality, the Arcam doesn’t quite cut it against the very best.

Even if you subscribe to the concept of curved TVs, there’s the issue of viewing angle.

Sit in just the right spot and it’s hard to not be impressed by the extra immersion gained as the screen wraps around you, but sit further back or off to the side and either the effect is lost or the image is distorted.

Video review

Design

Sony’s cottoned onto this. But also presumably recognises the marketing potential of sexy curves, which is why it’s jumped on the bandwagon but with a telly that’s far less curvaceous than its rivals (the idea being that the image still draws you in, but there’s less of a sacrifice when viewing off-angle or further back).

We’re not completely convinced of the benefits. At a fairly normal viewing distance the curve is practically unnoticeable – you may as well be watching a flat telly. We’ll admit that viewing angles do seem to be better than most, but it’s very hard to tell whether this is thanks to the curve or simply the result of a good panel.

The KD-65S9005B isn’t ultra-slim, and it can’t match its main rival – the Samsung UE65U8500 – for thin bezels, but it’s got a striking look all of its own.

The way the gentle curve blends with rounded edges at either side is especially neat, and certainly less divisive than the wedge design of its sister model, the KD-65X9005B.

Performance

Behind those rounded sections at either side of the screen are actually speaker units, and rather interesting they are too. This is the first Sony TV to process Dolby Digital and DTS signals directly (no downscaling), which it pumps out as virtual surround sound via a built-in 4.2 speaker system.

You’ll know when you’re getting surround sound, because the little horizontal light-strips halfway up each edge glow (unless you’ve elected to keep them switched off), and also because your soundtrack will sound especially large.

You won’t quite be fooled into thinking you’re surrounded by physical speakers and it’s not quite up there with a top Yamaha soundbar, but for a super-neat built-in solution this produces impressively room-filling sound with good weight, punch and nice central focus for dialogue.

So it sounds very good, but what about the picture? Where the Samsung UE65HU8500 goes for a bold, eye-popping performance topped off with metaphorical jazz hands, the Sony screen underplays its brilliance.

Go straight to the (unfortunately still small) selection of 4K content on Netflix, choose House of Cards and you’re treated to a lovely performance. The level of definition adds an extra degree of three-dimensionality to the image and there’s lots of detail.

The Sony looks a touch behind in the sharpness stakes compared to other top 4K TVs we’ve seen, but pay close attention and you’ll notice there’s no real difference in terms of actual detail.

And the Sony has a couple of advantages in terms of contrast and colour. It’s a very dynamic picture that combines very dark blacks with pure and punchy whites effectively, and a rich colour palette adds life and vibrancy without ever venturing into the realm of unreality.

It makes some rivals look grey and flat in comparison. Once you’ve run out of 4K content (which will, unfortunately, only take a few hours) you can switch to the next best source – Blu-ray. As with all 4K TVs, the KD-65S9005B has to upscale even 1080p images to fit its 3840x2160 resolution, and it does so in style.

Again the colours and contrast are the real winners here – there might not be quite as much insight into the darkest parts of the picture as you’d get with some rivals, but those darkest parts are extra dark, without any sacrifice in overall punch or vibrancy. It makes everything seem a little more dramatic and moody, especially the landscapes of The Lord of the Rings Trilogy.

Sony’s motion processing has always been lauded, and it’s still strong here. Fast action is clear and controlled, and camera pans are smooth and generally sharp (although there’s occasionally just a smidge of blur to tricky horizontal motion).

MORE: 4K Ultra HD TV - everything you need to know

You can also obviously get your HD fix from the built-in Freeview or satellite tuners, or by connecting a PVR (which the Sony remote can be calibrated to operate), and the performance is excellent here, too.

The colourful BBC Breakfast set is punchy enough to knock the sleep out of anyone’s eyes. Eventually you’ll probably have to drop down to standard definition, which is always a bit of a shame when you’ve got a 4K TV because it has to do so much scaling to the ropey old signal.

Actually the Sony does a decent job here - there’s a fair bit of shimmer to thin, straight edges and patterns, but the overall picture is clear and rich. We would still avoid standard-def wherever possible, but it looks good enough when you need it.

The same is true of 3D. We wonder how many people are interested in watching 3D at home, but those who are will be interested to hear that the Sony is a solid 3D performer that on default settings strikes a good balance between the depth of the image and comfort of the eyes.

Features

And, as well as the outright performance of the set, Sony has also put some effort into making it more user-friendly than most. The ‘Discover’ feature is very good at getting you to content quickly: accessed by flicking up on the touchpad of the mini-remote or pressing the dedicated button on the standard zapper, it calls up a row of content up from the bottom of the screen.

These might be programmes being broadcast right now, on-demand content that’s been freshly added to ‘Video Unlimited’ or BBC iPlayer, or things that you’ve recently recorded. The system needs finessing – there aren’t enough personal recommendations and it doesn’t bring in content from the likes of Netflix (even if you’re signed in).

But it already gets you to good content quicker than most rivals. Power users like us should also be pleased to hear that the Sony can be set to automatically select the right picture mode (‘Scene’) for a given source, and that it’s pretty intelligent in action.

Watch TV and it will select the ‘General’ mode, turn on your PS4 and it will switch to ‘Game’, pop a Blu-ray in (even into the PS4) and it will select ‘Cinema’. These modes can be customised, so you’ve got a system that can be calibrated once for every eventuality and then left to work in the background.

Compare that to Samsung, which hides its ‘Game’ mode in sub-menu after sub-menu (and nowhere near the other picture settings) and you can understand why this might seem a useful feature to many users.

Verdict

It's a hefty price to pay for this set, but this gorgeous Sony 4K screen is certainly worth it. Its rival, the Samsung UE65HU8500, puts up a formidable fight, and it's a tie between the two when it comes to the amount of detail they both offer.

We're more impressed by the Sony's ability to deliver a subtle picture while still looking punchy and exciting, however. If you're looking for the best premium 4K screen that does it all, look no further than this stunning Sony KD-65S9005B.

Updated on 16.12.14

MORE: 5 of the best 4K TVs

See all our 4K TV news, reviews and products

The AQ Audio SmartSpeakers may look like a standard, albeit distinctive, pair of desktop speakers, but they offer more than you might at first think.

AQ Audio SmartSpeaker A1 review: Features and Connectivity

For starters, each of the identical A1 speakers is just as happy working on its own as it is as part of a stereo pair.

Opt for just one unit and you get a speaker that offers a 3.5mm input, plus wireless connectivity via Apple AirPlay or WiFi Direct. So you can stream music wirelessly over your internet network from iTunes or Windows Media Player on a laptop, from iOS devices, from Android devices and from compatible Windows Phone devices.

You can also put two A1s together to form a stereo pair. A switch on the back of each unit allows you to set it as a left, right or mono speaker. Add more for a multiroom system, all playing the same track (only from iTunes, however).

To use two as a stereo pair you need to stream from iTunes on a laptop – you can’t select the ‘Multiple Speakers’ option from a smartphone or tablet. The speakers also have integrated rechargeable batteries, good for around 10 hours of wireless playback.

AQ Audio SmartSpeaker A1 review: Set-up

So far, so good. The first signs of trouble appear in the set-up procedure. The simplest way to get up and running wirelessly is by connecting an iOS device via USB to the speaker. Hold down buttons on the A1 and your phone or tablet will send over your internet settings. Hey presto, you’re connected.

Otherwise, you’ll have to set up the speakers using a computer. This proved more complex – we needed multiple attempts to get it working.

The wireless connection from a laptop to the speakers in stereo mode proved none too robust. We experienced sporadic interference and drop-outs – admittedly in a busy wi-fi environment. Sound quality proves underwhelming once we get up and running, too.

There are so many features that we half expected audio performance to lag behind that of rivals – and so it proved: the SmartSpeakers sound lightweight in comparison with others.

Disclosure’s Latch lacks dynamic punch and bass weight, bass notes struggling in terms of depth and power. Vocals, too, lack clarity and the overall level of detail is a step below rivals here. The A1s do avoid harshness in the treble and offer a fairly open sound. There’s decent scale for a small speaker, but really they’re a step below the best.

Connect via the 3.5mm input and you will enjoy a sound that’s clearer, a little more solid and a little more detailed.

The A1s are undoubtedly smart. The speakers make most sense used individually – two wireless speakers for this money represents better value. Bought as a pair, they’re highly versatile, thanks to the wireless connectivity and pairing option – even if set-up and the limits of the features are frustrating.

AQ Audio SmartSpeaker A1 review: Verdict

If flexibility at a relatively affordable price means more to you than sound quality, the SmarSpeaker is worthy of consideration. But, for most, we’d suggest better sonic options should take precedence.

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Though it's not perfect, Sony does have a reputation for building some of the best tellies around.

So much so, in fact, that it could be tempting, when perusing the shelves of your local Tesco superstore or browsing through Amazon on your PC, to spot the KDL-37EX401 and think ‘blimey, that's a bit cheap, but it's a Sony so it's got to be good.'

That, though, would be a mistake: the EX401 isn't horrible – but it's not that great.

No internet options
First impressions aren't bad, mind. From a distance the 'EX401 looks almost identical to its more expensive siblings.

A closer inspection reveals the materials to be a bit cheaper and more basic, but this is a perfectly stylish unit. The remote is similar, too, but without the ‘Internet Video' or ‘Exit' buttons.

The first of those buttons is telling: the EX401 has to do without Sony's suite of internet goodies; and firmware updates need to be downloaded manually from Sony, and put on a USB stick that you then plug into the telly.

This set also does without Freeview HD, and, while Sony's XMB is present (and it's especially quick and fluid on this set), individual menus are fairly basic and they refuse to get out of the way as you adjust options, making picture calibration far fussier than it should be.

Initially impressive
Once you've made the effort, though, the Sony rewards you with a picture that, at least initially, is rather impressive.

Play Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix on Blu-ray and there's the kind of punch and boldness to the image that sees it really pop from the screen. That sounds like a great thing, doesn't it?

There is a sense, though, that the EX401 is overdoing it slightly, that it's overemphasising edges and over-exposing colours, so although the Blu-ray performance initially impresses, it begins to look a bit unrealistic over time.

And that's without discussing the motion handling, which is weak even by the standards of 50Hz TVs.

Switch to a DVD or the standard-definition Freeview tuner, and those niggles become bigger problems.

Again, images initially look sharp, but that's because every edge is overemphasised, as though the initial pencil line has been traced over with a big, thick felt-tip.

Decent sound, but clumsy images
It's clumsy with contrast, too, offering deep blacks and bright whites, but very little in between, and that results in an inability to realistically portray gradients in shade or skin tones.

What is true, though, is that this 'EX401 does sound pretty decent by flatscreen standards. It doesn't dig up the finest details, nor has it great weight, but it is fairly clear, direct and punchy.

Unfortunately that's not nearly enough to make up for the clumsy, unnatural, in-your-face picture or the number of features it lacks next to its cheaper competitors.

This is one Sony that should definitely be left on the shelf.

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Having a TV that can offer to stream good quality, video and music content over the internet is all well and good. But, if your TV doesn't sit near to an internet router, accessing this content can be quite tricky.

One option is to buy a wireless dongle; but some TVs will work only with a manufacturer's own dongle – and they can cost upwards of £50. A neater option would be to buy a TV with built-in wireless connectivity. That's where this TV comes in.

This screen comes from Sony's Network range. It uses an edge-lit LED backlight and features Sony's Bravia Engine 3 picture processor and other picture enhancing technologies such as Motionflow 100Hz.

Two of the four HDMI inputs are tucked into a recess at the back, so plugging in less-flexible cables is more of a challenge, but wall mounting is easier.

The chunky remote is quite long, but the buttons are quick to respond and the blue backlight makes it easy to use in a darkened room.

Wireless connectivity is convenient
Setting up a wireless connection is straightforward. With the Xross Media Bar interface, you can track down your router and hook up in a couple of button clicks.

Having this wireless connectivity is a convenient touch, but it counts for little if picture quality isn't up to scratch. And the '40NX703 has its strengths and weaknesses.

In isolation, the set produces a pleasing picture. Images from the Freeview HD tuner are as stable and well-defined as you'd hope for. A few edge-lit TVs we've seen have suffered from a worryingly uneven backlight, but our sample showed no such issues – black levels remained consistently deep and rich.

Yet the very best screens at this price can deliver extra detail, and whiter whites. The colour balance isn't up to the standard of TVs in other Sony ranges, with skintones appearing a touch unnatural.

Sound quality is decent for the money. The built-in speakers don't sound thin, but they could sound more open and dynamic.

If you need a TV with wireless connection, the '40NX703 carries out the task very well. But, if top-drawer picture performance is your main priority then there are other TVs in other Sony ranges that fit this brief better.

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We know there are many readers who will never get past the price of these Atlas cables. Thankfully for Atlas, these cables are great performers in the context of an appropriate system.

We're quite fond of the 15 percent rule, which says that you should spend that percentage of the total system cost on cable.

Start thinking of the Mavros in the context of a 20-grand-plus system and the price doesn't seem so outlandish, particularly when you hear just how clearly this pairing out-performs cheaper, quality competition.

Neutral, detailed and smooth
As you would expect, the Mavros sound is very much in the Atlas mould: it's neutral, detailed and smooth without blandness, except here it's to a higher level than we've heard from the brand.

Listen to Beethoven's 5th and the cables deliver a greater level of insight and stronger dynamics than most other cables we've tested.

It'll come as much down to taste and careful system matching as anything else, but either way, at this end of the market, the Mavros makes a strong case for itself.