In light of the cancellation of the High End Munich 2020 hi-fi show, which would have taken place earlier this month, we have decided to host our own high-end hi-fi celebration. So please, hide your credit cards and chequebooks (don't say we didn't warn you) and join us.

This week on What Hi-Fi? will be dedicated to high-end hi-fi – products that innovate and set benchmarks; kit that, most importantly, delivers music in the purest, most faithful ways possible.

So what do we have lined up? In addition to a slew of new product announcements, we have no less than four fresh reviews for you, including Cambridge Audio's flagship Edge A integrated amplifier and Audiovector's R1 Arreté speakers.

We've also taken a look back at the success stories from High End Munich 2019, to see which products really made their mark once they made it to our test rooms.

We'll also be indulging in some true 'hi-fi porn', rounding up some of the most illustrious, expensive and technically clever kit on the planet. 

And you won't want to miss the backstory behind Rega's mother of turntables, the Naiad, nor our system builders of truly terrific, top-end kit. You can even test your knowledge with our high-end quiz. And that's not all...

Monday

Audiovector R1 Arreté review

Audiolab's 6000A Play streaming amplifier is a fusion of two five-star products

High End Munich retrospective: success stories from the 2019 show

British hi-fi brand Leak returns with its first product in 40 years

Best What Hi-Fi? Temptations of the past decade

Best high-end record players 2020: ultimate premium turntables

Tuesday

10 of the craziest-looking high-end hi-fi products on the planet

The story behind… Rega Naiad

12 of the world's most expensive loudspeakers

10 of the most collectable (and valuable) vinyl records

Wednesday

Best audiophile headphones 2020: the ultimate headphones

7 examples of high-end audio engineering to savour

Audio-Technica Kokutan / ATH-AWKT review

Three dream systems for lovers of high-end hi-fi

10 of the world's most expensive stereo amplifiers

Copland launches CSA 100 hybrid integrated amplifier

Thursday

Cambridge Audio Edge A review

Harman Luxury Audio: the home of high-end audio?

10 of the world's most expensive turntables

Technics reveals all-black SL-1210GAE limited edition turntable

Friday

12 of the world’s most expensive pairs of headphones

Audio Research Reference CD9 SE review

High-end specialist Metronome launches 'affordable' Le Player 3 CD player

Test your high-end hi-fi knowledge with this pricey music quiz

14 of the most legendary hi-fi products of all time

Saturday

Nagra: the military, movies, spying – and serious hi-fi

That Was Then... Wilson Benesch A.C.T. One review

Sunday

50 of the best hi-fi albums for audiophiles

Listening to L-Acoustics' futuristic and fantastic 24-channel BluSpace Standard

We visited L-Acoustics earlier this year to find out more about its proprietary Immersive Hyperreal Sound standard for the home. We're republishing this feature as part of our High End Week.

On a London island, a brief hike from Highgate tube, the constant thrum of the capital is about to melt away. We place a beautiful glass orb on a platter behind us – a sonic bubble programmed to transport us far, far away. We’ve crossed an ocean to get here, after all. Now, the only important decision standing between us and complete, 23.1 L-ISA immersive hyperreal sound is whether we’ll unfurl a screen and enjoy some visual accompaniment with our BluSpace Standard, or whether we’ll simply set our island to gently rotate, lie back, and relax. 

No, it’s not a fantasy novel. This is all real – even the part about Highgate. We’re about to be led through a palpable sonic experience, the culmination of a 600-strong team led by quantum physicist Dr Christian Heil. It’s tech that is being implemented in a venue, concert hall, gallery or gig near you. And it could be in your home. 

L-Acoustics is the firm behind the invention of the line source array in 1992. When Heil founded the company in 1984, it was an itch he had to scratch, a desire he simply couldn’t shake after buying a ticket to Pink Floyd’s In the Flesh tour in Paris, 1977.

Heil breezes in during our visit. Charming, unassuming and friendly, he laughs easily about leaving a burgeoning research career after completing a PhD in particle physics. “I’m sure people thought I was crazy to follow my passion for music, but I had to do it,” he says. Heil attended as many concerts as he could in the late 70s, telling us, “I had to be honest, I didn’t like what I was hearing at times. And I decided that if we can make it better, if that technology can exist, we should do it".

Throughout the 90s, Heil and his growing team (from less than 10 in 1992 to 600 employees today) worked hard to offer something more convenient and better for the touring artist. It's a dream that he and his company have realised – and then some. To date, approximately 10m people have experienced what L-Acoustics can do with sound: Mark Knopfler's European tour, alt-J at the Albert Hall, Aerosmith in Vegas and Bon Iver as well as the venue EartH in Hackney (to name but a few) have all worked closely with the brand's engineers.

Today, we're here to experience L-Acoustics' proprietary L-ISA Immersive Hyperreal Sound (pronounced 'Eleesah') BluSpace standard: concert grade components in a home environment. And two vehicles are ready to whisk us off on our sonic exploration.

Island

We gingerly assume a centrally reclining position on the vision of muted hues, plush carpet and cushioned, ergonomic shapes that is the L-Acoustics' Island. And then we feel ourselves relaxing – in fact we don't ever want to move again. Behind us, the L-ISA Bubble deck receives its spherical glass album; L-Acoustics' proprietary physical music source recorded in BluSpace 23.1 Standard. A reassuringly weighty, wireless volume dial displaying the L-ISA logo is dropped into our lap. A certificate-slash-album-sleeve bearing the numerical edition of the Bubble we're about to enjoy is issued: Marina Rebeka's SPIRITO. 

She begins to sing as if directly in front of us, on our 3m by 4.2m Island, her intake of breath and soprano coloratura both celebrated and delicately handled. Three dimensional, bowed strings are presented to our left ear as the horn section greets our right – to a full crescendo that makes the Island itself shake slightly, but never at the expense of distortion through the system's grippy, agile infra low 15 Hz bass capabilities. 

Another Bubble is placed on the platter, Yapa's Tontata from the 2017 album Archipel, and it's like being at the centre of the famous Crop Over festival in Bridgetown, Barbados. Drums snap all around us and reverb whips across the opulent sofa like tangible lightning. Our inner monologue mutters But – we're in a leafy suburb in North London...

Island is compatible with Dolby Atmos and DTS:X formats, too. A screen descends and we're watching an excerpt from the new Los Angeles musical experience, Cages. It's intense – like Terry Gilliam's Monty Python animations meet breakdance and grime music – and as the sound ensconces us, the seething visuals are accompanied by shakes of our Island.

Drilling down into specifics, in its fullest configuration, Island is equipped with thirteen concert grade front speakers, five rear speakers and five overhead speakers, all supplied with ultra-linear transducers. Axial symmetry tech favoured by recording studios has been utilised by L-ISA engineers here, promising transparent and precise listening. The overall wavefront emitted through the speakers is designed to allow you to capture every individual detail without any loss of the whole.

Two subwoofers, located at the rear of Island, are equipped with transducers set in an ultra-rigid cabinet – crafted in beech. Two large laminar vents extend the playback of the lowest frequencies into the infra-low range without distortion. Below 20 Hz, the vibrations palpable through Island add that physical sensation, blurring the sensorial boundaries between hearing and feeling.

At the heart of all this lies the multi-channel L-ISA Player. It connects to external media players to access and upscale music and sound from any medium (including CD, DVD, Blu-ray and streaming services) and can be controlled via the Bubble Deck or the L-ISA Player App on a device.

The L-ISA Player sends digital audio signals to control circuits located at the heads of the 24 amplifiers, each of which promises to deliver 1 kW of power – a total of 24,000W of amplification.

Island’s inbuilt tech optimises music and sound from any medium – but of course, in order to get to the pinnacle of its capabilities, you’ll need an ultra-high definition music source. 

Enter, then, those Bubbles – L-Acoustics' proprietary music format. Each Bubble contains a single album of music, specially recreated and remixed to take advantage of the installation. They are encoded in the proprietary BluSpace 23.1 immersive playback format.

We can only tell you that, during our sweet, precious, fleeting few hours with Island, we were blown away by its transparency, musicality, timing and openness. It is an elliptical, opulent, immersive sound sofa that emphatically feels like the future of home cinema. And did we mention that it'll spin 360 degrees if you want it to? 

Granted, it'll set you back a not insignificant sum (prices for Island start at €358,700 – visit L-ISA for more information) but we'd welcome Island into our living room tomorrow if we could. Aspirational, yes, but oh, how we loved it. 

Ocean

Out of the frying pan, into the fire. Or, to put things in a more pertinent context, leaving the comfort of our seated Island, we jump headfirst into the Ocean. 

We're directed to the sweet spot in the room itself and told it's a safe space; dancing often happens, there is no judgement here. We sincerely hope they mean it, because we'd like to meet anyone who can stay still when this particular L-Acoustics system shows us what it can really do. 

Around us, no fewer than 18 L-Acoustics Syva mid/high speakers are installed into the walls of the room, with 13 Syva Low speakers, 12 Syva Subs and five overhead speakers all about to do their thing. There's a 15-degree frontal resolution and 30-degree rear resolution. 

We're treated to The Beatles' Here Comes the Sun in Dolby Atmos, and intricacies in the backing vocals greet our left ear, the likes of which we've never detected before – and it's a track we thought we knew like the back of our hand.

At one point during our listening over the course of an hour, Bjork skulks across three of the speakers on our right shoulder, then moves right over, closer to our left ear. When she claps a percussive rhythm, however, it's a cocophony of sound all around us, as if we're between her palms.

According to the source material it is fed, each Syva in the Ocean lights up to let you know how many channels you're enjoying – right up to L-ISA BluSpace 23.1 Standard. 

L-Acoustics is hosting a Pitchblack Playback event in March, where listeners enjoy music in the dark. Attendees will not be disappointed.

We try another track we know well on Tidal, Stormzy's Heavy is the Head, and the percussion is more energetic than we'd previously experienced, while emotive nuances in Stormzy's vocal are revealed. Similarly, INXS's recently remastered New Sensation, even on CD at 44.1 KHz/16 bit, is snappier at the low end and the vocal is far fuller – to put it mildly. Guitar reverb whooshes across the room, from above our left ear to down near our right foot. Not to get poetic, but it's an emotional, visceral listen.

A Radiohead multi-layered track, remixed by L-Acoustics engineers to L-ISA BluSpace Standard is nothing short of sublime in terms of the detail resolution dug up by the Ocean.

Can such speakers be fitted in your home? Yes, they can, and you don't have to spring for the full 48-strong Ocean package – much as we'd love to. Prices for L-Acoustics' S-Series Syva 2.0 package (comprising two Syva speakers, two Syva Low, one LA4X amplified controller) start at €18,510 – not including installation or VAT. 

L-Acoustics is hardly sitting back on its laurels and waiting for the phone to ring, though. Head to Magazine London (near the O2) for Sphere 003 on 29th February, and you'll get to hear how L-Acoustics kits out a massive venue. The night promises a ground-breaking exploration and celebration of techno music, all played over an L-Acoustics sound system. And with pioneer of the scene Richie Hawtin taking the reins, they aren't joking around either.

We don't want to, but it's time to leave the L-ISA Highgate hideaway. We resolve to return, for the premiere of Daniel Avery and Alessandro Cortini's new record, Illusion of Time, in conjunction with Pitchblack Playback in March. And if musical clarity and sonic exploration means anything to you, you should be there too. 

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In celebration of our High End Week, we are revisiting one of the most eminent, high-end products that have featured in our 'That Was Then...' series, which contextualises and somewhat compares a new product to the first in its company's lineage. Here the focus is on Wilson Benesch’s latest entry-level speakers, the Precision P1.0s, and the company's A.C.T. One from the '90s. Enjoy!

Wilson Benesch made a splash back in 1991 with its first products, the imaginatively titled Wilson Benesch Turntable and its partnering tonearm, the A.C.T. One. Those initials stand for Advanced Composite Technology, and carbon fibre is at the heart of these products. The turntable uses the material in its sub-chassis and the arm flaunts it in a beautifully shaped armtube, the impressive rigidity, low mass and good self-damping giving them something different over rivals.

Even today, the use of carbon fibre is considered pretty exotic, but back then there were just three other UK companies capable of producing the composite parts: Lotus Racing and two specialists working for the Ministry of Defence. That’s quite some company for a start-up high-end hi-fi brand to keep.

Then, rather than following a predictable path and releasing a more affordable record playing option, Wilson Benesch introduced the A.C.T. One floorstanding speakers in 1994; they grabbed the headlines thanks to their use of curved carbon fibre flanks. The front baffle was a 10mm thick solid aluminium slab, which provided an exceptionally rigid foundation for the drive units to work from.

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Originally, these speakers used a drive-unit complement fully sourced from Danish OEM drive unit manufacturer Scanspeak. There was the highly regarded D2905 soft-dome tweeter together with a pair of larger 17cm drivers used in mid/bass and bass roles. The mid/bass unit was ported through the rear of the cabinet, while the bass port fired downwards onto the plinth.

Those larger drivers used hot compacted polypropylene cones, claimed to be significantly stiffer and better damped than the standard polypropylene alternatives. These 17cm units were later swapped out for in-house engineered Tactic designs, which made a significant improvement to outright clarity and dynamics.

Our heritage A.C.T. One samples are factory supplied units and have been upgraded to Tactic spec. Twenty years on from launch, they still look modern, just requiring a more contemporary finish for them to pass as current. Their slim proportions are elegant, and the combination of carbon fibre, wood and metal adds up to speakers that look classy and expensive, but in an understated way.

Build quality remains a high point, and the cabinet feels immensely rigid and made with care. The floor spikes fitted to the Ones are considerably larger and sharper than most and will have no difficulty in getting through the thickest of carpets and on to the hard floor below. They feel properly engineered, much like the rest of this product.

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We like that Wilson Benesch didn’t just fit a standard set of speaker terminals. Those on the A.C.T. Ones are single-wired, carefully machined and provide a good, solid contact point for our speaker cables. They’re also hidden under the plinth, which makes things neater but is a bit of a pain if you use thick, unwieldy speaker cables.

We ran a pair of A.C.T. Ones as our reference speakers during the early 2000s, and listening to these samples brings back good memories. In our original review we described them as pure, transparent and effortless, able to combine analysis with being musical in a way that eludes most rivals.

Listening to them now confirms these findings. These towers are hugely capable, even by modern standards, which is a testament to the quality of engineering involved in the original design.

We play Beethoven’s Piano Sonata and these speakers respond with finesse and dynamic dexterity. They define the edges of the piano notes well and have enough harmonic resolution to render individual notes convincingly. The presentation is a little richer and warmer than we remember, but convincing all the same. Their surefooted nature, delicacy and punch are readily apparent. While not the last word in rhythmic precision, they convey the changing momentum of a piece of music well, communicating the emotional content effectively.

Wilson Benesch speakers: old vs new

We recently reviewed Wilson Benesch’s latest entry-level speakers, the Precision P1.0s (£5995, $8800), and comparing the two models is fascinating. The most obvious difference is that the P1.0s are small standmounters and the A.C.T. One is a tower. The advantage in having a greater internal volume gives benefits in terms of greater low-end authority and loudness capability. Using twin 17cm drivers helps in these areas too. But it’s not just one-way traffic.

The newer design sounds considerably cleaner and crisper. Its aluminium and birch-ply cabinet seems to contribute even less to the sound than that of the Ones. The Precisions are impressively transparent, uncovering layers of low-level detail in a natural manner. The originals reveal lots of detail, but seem a little rounded and less forensic overall.

The P1.0 also sounds incredibly agile and responsive. The lack of contribution from the cabinet helps of course, but we’re sure the upgraded Tactic II mid/bass driver and in-house 25mm Leonardo soft-dome tweeter helps too.

It’s no surprise that the newer design is the more revealing and insightful – but that doesn’t stop us admiring the originals, which set the engineering template for Wilson Benesch’s subsequent designs.

Both are transparent and detailed performers, capable of delivering sound in an insightful, and musical manner – not a bad legacy for a company that started off as a turntable specialist.

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We visited Nagra back in 2018 to find out more about the company's unique history, and how it's shaped the company's high-end hi-fi products. We're republishing this feature as part of our High End Week.

Stefan Kudelski founded Nagra (it's a Polish word that means “will record”) in Switzerland in 1951.

At just 22 years old, he developed a small, high-quality tape recorder and named it the Nagra 1. It was a compact portable unit, mechanically driven by a spring, with battery power for the valve electronics. There was nothing else available to the broadcast industry that was so light and compact – let alone something that made such good recordings – and it was truly revolutionary, making audio recordings in all sorts of remote locations a practical option.

The first steps

The Nagra 1 was an immediate hit, and was quickly followed by more developed products in the form of the Nagra II and III recorders. These units sold in the thousands and established the brand as a major player on the audio side of the TV, radio and film industries. The movie industry has shown how much it values Nagra’s products by awarding the company two Oscars - in 1978 and 1991 - for its contribution to soundtracks. There aren’t many specialist manufacturers that rival that.

The company continues to grow

Nagra has long made equipment for the military and security industries, alongside recording equipment and home audio. In the company’s headquarters we saw early miniature tape recorders; the type that will look familiar to anyone who has seen episodes of Mission Impossible from the 60s. Also on display were a number of prototypes, including a very early portable video recorder made years before the likes of VHS and Betamax.

Clever solutions

Nagra’s headquarters are based in an unassuming industrial unit in Romanel-sur-Lausanne, Switzerland. We start our tour in the R&D department and are shown prototypes of the recently introduced range-topping HD preamplifier and its partnering outboard power supply (coming in at around £50k for the pair).

The company has come up with clever solutions that help to reduce distortion, drop the noise floor to below an astonishing 160dB and reduce interference. There’s also an innovative volume control circuit that is claimed to avoid the shortcomings of traditional potentiometers – namely that such components throttle back the signal rather than make it louder, so degrading transparency and dynamics. The motorised Alps Blue potentiometers used in the preamp are there only to sense the movement of the front panel volume controls and then send a signal to a sophisticated transformer-based circuit that does the job of changing levels.

Nagra is a relatively small company with a staff of around 25 - fairly typical of a company such as this. While all the circuit boards are designed and engineered in-house, subcontractors are used to build the sub-assemblies and populate the boards. But there are many things Nagra prefers to do itself, just to get the results spot-on. We came across a very skilled and patient worker adding tiny surface mount parts to a power supply circuit to fine–tune the results.

Quality matters

The company’s range is made up of a mixture of transistor and valve-based products. It takes great care to ensure the consistency of the valves used - no easy task, thanks to the variable quality of manufacture even from the best of suppliers. Nagra finds that more than half of the valves delivered fall short of its high standards, despite the fact that it, naturally, is buying some of the best-made valves on the market.

Making transformers in-house

Nagra prides itself on the quality of its transformers. These are all built in-house to meet the company’s exacting standards. We’re shown the transformer winding room and the impressive range of designs the company makes.

The brand is obsessive about quality. Each sub-assembly is tested and, once a product is completed, it is heavily tested and thoroughly checked to ensure everything is as it should be.

Complete records of every product it makes are kept, and every unit shipped includes detailed documentation and performance graphs of the actual product bought. Once fully built, every item manufactured is soak tested for a further four days to ensure reliability and complete the initial phase of running-in.

Nagra products tend to keep working for decades thanks to care taken in manufacture and the quality of materials used. The company prides itself on keeping as many spare parts as possible to ensure owners of older equipment can still enjoy it for years to come - estimating that its storeroom has upwards of 30,000 lines of parts.

Reference system

We end the day by enjoying the brand’s reference set-up in a dedicated listening room. The system uses a full range of the company’s products, including digital recorders, the HD DAC, CD player and reference pre/power combination. The speakers are the Lohengrin II by Canadian brand Verity Audio. The total system cost is around the £250k mark.

Listening to original master recordings - made on Nagra’s own products, of course - we’re struck by the stunning clarity and realism. It’s an astonishingly expensive set-up, of course, but the performance and build quality are little short of breathtaking. Such quality has its price.

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The dictionary definition of ‘legendary’ is of something that is 'famous and admired or spoken about' – and we think all the products in this list tick that box. We’ve travelled back through time to bring you some of the most iconic kit in hi-fi history, legendary products that still resonate today. During their time, the hi-fi equipment here not only set the standards but also raised the bar for products to come.

Ironically, the big multinational companies with unlimited resources aren’t usually the ones creating legendary products. They tend to come from smaller teams or individuals with a vision to create something special and unique. There's a range of hi-fi kit here, including amplifiers, speakers and turntables, but all of them left a lasting impression, whose impact can still be felt and heard to this very day.

So join us on a guided tour of some of the most iconic products in hi-fi history.

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Audio Note Japan Ongaku amplifier (1991)

Say hello to amplifier royalty. In fact, given this machine’s standing in hi-fi folklore, you should probably bow (or curtsy). The Ongaku was a valve amplifier, designed by Hiroyasu Kondo, founder of Audio Note Japan. It was a device of simplicity and beauty. Each amplifier was hand made and employed the highly-regarded 211 valve tubes. 

Silver was used extensively throughout the design, including in the hand-wound transistors, capacitors and wiring, to help maximise sound quality. The Ongaku might have only mustered 27W per channel, but what it lacked in grunt it made up for with an amazing sound, full of richness and musicality. Simply stunning.

Audio Research SP10/SP-10PS pre/power (1982)

While many amplifier manufacturers were busy making the switch from valves to transistors in the 1970s and 80s, Audio Research held firm. Had they followed the trend, we probably wouldn't be writing about the truly fantastic SP10 valve preamp. This two-box behemoth saw the preamp partnered with its own external power supply, the SP-10PS. The duo used no fewer than 15 valves in total (12 in the preamp and three in the power supply). 

The design was typical Audio Research; clean-cut yet purposeful with the preamp presenting dials that could control everything from gain to cartridge loading. It's an iconic design that delivered a wonderfully precise and rich sound, overflowing with natural warmth.

Bowers & Wilkins Nautilus speakers (1993)

Hi-fi speaker or a work of art? The iconic B&W Nautilus speakers have sent many an audiophile’s pulse racing – few floorstanders have the same presence. Their unique shape stems from B&W wanting to create a speaker to reduce the effects of cabinet colouration on sound quality. B&W eventually settled on a reverse-horn arrangement that delivered all the benefits of an open cabinet design with none of the drawbacks. 

These Nautilus tubes (tech that has trickled down to a number of high-end B&W speakers) are attached to the four individual drivers – their length depends on the amount of energy they have to absorb. The bass tube is 4m long, which gives the speaker its distinctive swirl.

Burmester 808 Mk 5 preamp (1980)

There aren’t many brands with the same high-end cachet as Burmester and this list wouldn’t be complete without doffing our caps to one of the finest preamps in high-end history. From the solid casework to the heavy clunk of its volume controls, it looks and feels the part. The 808 Mk5 preamp is an iconic product that was built to last decades, so it’s no surprise the preamp remains current, even now. Burmester’s team of engineers has evolved it, helped by the fact that the preamp uses interchangeable modules which can plug straight into the 808’s main circuit board 

This arrangement gives the Burmester a fantastic amount of flexibility – if you happen to own three turntables, you can have three individually tailored phono stage modules built for it. It sounds sensational too, displaying composure that’s rare to find, even in high-end products.

Krell KSA50 power amp (1985)

The KSA50 power amp, together with its stablemate, the KSA100, established Krell as a major force in hi-fi. Not only was it a modern-looking power amp by mid-1980s standards, but it also created the template to follow. The KSA50 had 50W per channel, but this could rise to 100W into 4 ohms, meaning it could drive even the most stubborn of speakers, and still have enough in the tank to power a small city. 

The sheer sense of drive and amount of muscle on display meant the Class-A design could cope with any speaker you cared to partner it with. It delivered hefty bass and produced a stereo image to die for. Not only was the arrival of such a capable power amplifier like the KSA50 great news for audiophiles, but it was also great news for manufacturers of high-end loudspeakers. Designers could concentrate on creating speakers safe in the knowledge they didn’t have to worry as much about the load they were putting on amps.

Linn LP12 turntable (1973)

As far as debut products go, the Linn Sondek LP12 turntable isn’t a bad one. Introduced by Linn founder, Ivor Tiefenbrun, the Sondek LP12 was the dominant deck in the UK for decades and is still among the best high-end turntables money can buy. It was designed with one purpose: to retrieve as much information from a record as possible. Tiefenbrun wanted it to be immune from acoustic feedback, so he set about isolating the deck and creating a special low-friction central bearing. 

The LP12 was loved by reviewers and owners alike and the forward-thinking modular design gave it a versatility that has allowed it to develop into the stunning record player that we know and still love today.

Mark Levinson No.30/No.31 CD player (1991)

This was one of the first CD players to hit the market with a proper high-end price tag. We say player, but it is in fact a two-box set-up that elevated CD playback to a whole new level. It combined Mark Levinson’s No.30 Reference Digital processor (DAC/preamp) with the matching Reference CD Transport, showing off the brand’s luxurious high-end engineering to a tee. 

It showed how serious the brand was about achieving the best sound quality with no real limitations on price. Separating the two sections helped reduce unwanted electrical interference, resulting in a performance hike that, until 1991, had been unheard of in a product of this type.

McIntosh MC275 power amp (1961)

If you’re looking for an iconic stereo vacuum tube power amp, look no further. The MC275 (so-called because power is rated at 2x 75W per channel) is one of McIntosh’s most popular products of all time and sold in its thousands during its first stint in production between 1961 and 1972. It was brought back in 1994 to commemorate former McIntosh president Gordon J Gow and we’ve seen a handful of new iterations since then. 

The MC275 was way ahead of its time, employing state-of-the-art technology such as McIntosh’s ‘unity coupled’ output transformer, an ingenious design that removed the effects of any switching transients. More recent incarnations have remained faithful to the original, with only slight design tweaks to replace obsolete parts and meet modern safety requirements. Put simply, the MC275 still holds its own against any rival you’ll find on the market today.

Nagra PL-P preamp (1998)

Nagra was founded in 1951, but it wasn’t until 1998 that the Swiss brand launched its first hi-fi product, the PL-P preamplifier. It borrowed heavily on the technology from the company’s cutting-edge recorders, used in the film, broadcasting and security industries, and was unlike anything the high-end establishment had seen before. 

The PL-P included built-in batteries, an innovative feature that allowed a clean and steady power supply into the preamp and kept it isolated from any mains noise. Nagra deemed this preamp good enough to stay in production until 2012 and even though it’s over two decades old, this clever box of tricks still outperforms many modern-day equivalents.

Naim NAP250 power amp (1975)

Ask Naim which product was the most important in its history, we’d put money on it pointing at the NAP250. It’s not the flashiest product the British brand has created, nor the most technically advanced, but legendary hi-fi doesn’t need to be. The circuitry and the way it was implemented, together with its regulated power supply set a template for Naim’s fast, agile and dynamic sound. 

It has been tweaked over time, to update aged components and bring it in line with the company’s modern aesthetic, but Naim isn’t one for making unnecessary changes. The NAP250 still sounds as sensational now as it did back in 1975.

Nakamichi Dragon (1982)

Has any piece of hi-fi ever sounded as mythical or mystical as the Nakamichi Dragon? This cassette player helped elevate the tape (which wasn’t the greatest medium) to audiophile status. It was packed full of engineering brilliance and included bi-directional playback, plus a clever automatic azimuth correction system that ensured the tape head made perfect contact with the tape. The result was more accurate playback across all frequencies.

Ironically, this player wasn’t the best-sounding or the most expensive tape deck in Nakamichi’s line-up, but it’s arguably the most memorable and the one that audiophiles would love to get their hands on.

Oracle Delphi Mk1 turntable (1979)

While the Linn LP 12 was making waves in the UK, Canadian firm Oracle set about putting its own spin on a flagship record player. The Delphi Mk1 looked the part and, like the Linn, was a fantastic and fascinating piece of hi-fi engineering. Surprisingly, Oracle didn't use a two-piece platter for the Delphi’s design. Instead, the belt ran on a rim located underneath the platter, making it fiddly to change speed manually. 

Its sub-chassis was suspended by a three-point mount on stretched springs to stop unwanted vibrations and, to help eliminate horizontal movement of the suspended platter, its centre of gravity was moved to the same height as the suspension fixings. It also featured a screw-down clamp to pin the record firmly to the mat. A luxurious-looking turntable that’s now into its sixth generation.

Quad ESL 57 (1957)

Revolutionary new speaker technology doesn’t come along often, which makes the exploits of Quad founder Peter Walker, and his brainchild, the ESL 57 all the more significant. The ESL 57, born in 1957, saw electrostatic technology used in a loudspeaker for the first time instead of conventional drivers. In their place, Walker put a thinly-stretched, electrically-charged diaphragm between two metal grilles receiving the music signal from the amplifier. The positives of an electrostatic design meant any potential for cabinet colouration was removed.

This world-first preceded a range of brand-defining electrostatics and such was the significance and popularity of the ESL 57, the speaker ended up being in production for nearly 30 years. You can enjoy Quad's more recent electrostatic efforts on shop floors today, although many still class the original ESL 57 as the best.

Tannoy Westminster (1982)

If we’re talking about classic loudspeakers, they don’t come much bigger, literally, than the original Tannoy Westminster. All the best versions of the technology we’ve come to know and love in Tannoy’s more affordable speakers over the years are presented here in a no-compromise form. The Westminster combines a horn design, with a 38cm version of the brand’s trademark dual concentric driver. The only things you need are suitable partner electronics and a room large enough to fit them in. 

Their impressive dimensions (they're 130cm tall) indicated that the Tannoys were all about scale and size of sound, but while the Westminsters could certainly deliver all of this, they were also capable of wonderful subtlety, delicacy and an exceptional sense of musicality.

MORE:

The story behind… Rega Naiad

Three dream systems for lovers of high-end hi-fi

Harman Luxury Audio: the home of high-end audio?

So which have been the best What Hi-Fi? Temptations products we've tested over the past decade? Well, we've actually just written a feature detailing 15 of our favourites.

In this quiz we're just asking you to match the brand to the sensational piece of high-end kit named in that feature.

That means you can play this quiz one of two ways: either read the article first and see what you remember, or – if you really know your high-end kit – play below first and then read about why we put these amps, turntables and speakers among our 15 favourites tested since 2010.

Either way, you'll get a few clues to help you with each answer. As well as the product name, we're giving you the price and year in which it was tested, as well as the nationality of the brand we want you to click.

Simple, right? You have ten minutes to get through the 15 questions, so you shouldn't run out of time. Just click the play button below and the first product will pop up along with all the possible answers.

Enjoy the quiz and let us know on social media or in the forums how you got on!

MORE:

• Welcome to What Hi-Fi?'s High End Week
• Best What Hi-Fi? Temptations of the past decade
• Three dream systems for lovers of high-end hi-fi

Back in 2016 we advised you to make room on your shelf for the "terrific" Metronome Le Player – the French high-end audio maker's entry-level CD player (it still wasn't cheap). Now, the company has officially launched the third generation Le Player 3  – but will it be a case of déjà vu?

The Le Player 3 (£4,698) certainly has a certain je ne sais quoi. It extracts maximum detail from every recording by upsampling 44.1kHz CD data to DSD128, while frequencies above 192kHz are sent to the Le Player's integrated I2S HDMI output. 

This is because there's no built-in DAC. Metronome says it's less limiting, as it means music lovers can use their preferred DAC to make the most of the high-quality sound reproduction offered by CDs.

• Read all our High End Week reviews and features

The design is classic – Metronome bills the Le Player 3 as 'affordable perfection' – and nowhere near as extravagant as some of the company's pricier gear. A slot-loading mechanism replaces the top-loader that graced the first generation, but the sleek aluminium-clad finish remains intact.

Round the back, there are digital connections galore: PCM 44.1 to 384 kHz and DSD64, an S/PDIF RCA connector, an AES/EBU XLR connector, optical Toslink, plus that HDMI 12S. You also get a hefty power supply that comprises three toroidal transformers.

Given that many of Metronome's flagship products cost ten times as much as a Le Player 3, this 'entry-level' CD transport could prove to be another high-performance bargain. Tempted? Le Player 3 is available in the UK via high-end distributor Absolute Sounds, priced at £4,698 (Australian pricing and availability is yet to be announced). Everything is relative...

MORE:

Metronome Le Player review 

Best CD players 2020

Best DACs 2020: portable, desktop, USB

Is there still a place for a truly high-end CD player this far into the age of streaming? Audio Research certainly seems to thinks so. With its top-loading design, valve-powered output stage and hefty £15k price tag, the Reference CD9 SE is quite some statement.

The original Reference CD9 was introduced back in 2013, and quickly built a solid reputation as one of the best players around. Surprisingly, given the chunk of time that has passed, the move to SE spec is a relatively mild one.

Build

The main changes centre on a redesigned front panel, which now mirrors those on Audio Research’s newest products, and an upgrade to the USB circuitry. Nothing else seems to have been touched, though that isn’t necessarily a bad thing. The original was always considered a cutting edge machine, and the market is a mature one that doesn’t move on in leaps and bounds every year.

Take the Audio Research out of its packaging and you’ll find that it’s a substantial unit. At 13.5cm tall, it’s pretty big and weighs in at a hefty 15kg. You’ll need enough space to be able to load a disc, which in most equipment racks will normally mean placement on the top shelf. You’ll also have to leave plenty of space around the player for ventilation. This thing runs hot.

Before initial use, the first course of action is to fit the full complement of valves. Whatever you do, don’t plug the unit into the mains until after this step is complete – there are highly dangerous electric currents flowing through the circuitry.

Remove the top panel – it’s held on by cross-headed screws – and push the valves carefully into place. Both the valves and locations are clearly marked so it’s hard to get it wrong.

The unit should never be transported with the valves fitted. They could move, possibly causing damage in the process. For the tube nerds out there, you’ll find four of the five 6H30s in the output stage with the fifth one working in tandem with a 6550WE in the power supply. Valve life is quoted at a pretty standard 4000 hours for the 6H30s and around 2000 hours for the 6550WE.

Audio Research also makes a model called the CD6 SE. It’s available for a third less money than the CD9 and the difference is that the more affordable machine’s circuitry uses transistors rather than valves. Having heard the similar last generation model, we suspect that it won’t sound as good.

Once we start using the CD9 SE, we’re reminded how nice a top-loading CD player is to operate. It feels a more interactive and charming experience than using something with a conventional CD drawer or slot loader.

Sliding back the aluminium CD door reveals a Philips Pro2R CD transport mechanism, which Audio Research still considers the best dedicated option available. Don’t forget to put the magnetic puck in place after putting the disc on the motor spindle, otherwise all you’ll hear is the screech of polycarbonate on metal as it slips.

Features

This player also has a choice of digital inputs – USB, co-ax, optical and AES/EBU are all on the menu. We’re used to premium DACs handling pretty much every music file format and resolution. Compatibility with 32-bit/384kHz PCM files and multiple-speed DSD is pretty standard at anything above budget level. So, it comes as some surprise that the CD9 doesn’t play that game. Its inputs are limited to 24-bit/192kHz at best, while DSD isn’t even on the menu.

How much this matters is open to debate. Few people will have PCM files beyond the CD9’s capabilities, but we can imagine some purists missing DSD playback. Given the price point, Audio Research has few excuses for excluding it.

We’re not sure there will be many people who buy a player like this and then connect it to an outboard DAC. But, for those that want to, there are digital outs in both BNC (coax) and AES/EBU form.

Moving to analogue, the CD9 SE has the standard pairing of balanced XLR and single-ended RCA. If you have the option, it’s worth trying both to see which one sounds better in your set-up. As long as the rest of your system is up to scratch we suspect the balanced option will win out in most cases. It certainly sounds a touch bolder and clearer in our experience.

There’s no denying that the CD9 SE feels solid and will last. The casework is suitably sturdy and we’ve no complaints about the quality of components used in the circuit. Audio Research products have almost prided themselves on having the look and feel of laboratory equipment and this CD player is no different. If you like to think of your hi-fi as a functional tool, rather than a piece of luxury electronics, you’ll find much to like here.

But, considering the superb standards of finish routinely available at this level, we want better. Would the CD9 SE be less of an Audio Research product if it were finished with the same attention to detail as products from the likes of dCS, Ayre or Burmester? We think not.

Sound

We have no such complaints when it comes to sound quality. This is a hugely accomplished performer that sets sky-high standards for one-box spinners.

Of course, you need to have a top class system to truly appreciate its talents. We use Gamut’s D3i/D200i pre/power driving a pair of Audiovector’s R1 Arreté speakers, as well as a Nagra PL-P feeding Audio-Technica’s Kokutan and Grado’s GS1000es headphones. An Apple MacBook Pro loaded with Audirvana music-playing software and Cyrus’s Signature CD transport are on hand to test the digital inputs.

We start by trying the CD9’s various filter and up-sampling options. The filter choice is between ‘Fast’ and ‘Slow’ with upsampling either on or off. The decision comes down to system, recording and taste, with our preference swinging between ‘Fast’ with upsampling and ‘Slow’ without. It’s important to recognise that this is never a make-or-break thing, and there isn’t necessarily a right or wrong answer.

We play Arvo Part’s Tabula Rasa set and are stunned by the CD9’s ability to render space and scale. It renders a believable acoustic, delivering enough spatial information to make it easy to guess at the size of the recording venue and the musicians’ placement within it.

Stereo imaging is excellent. Instruments are precisely placed and remain focused no matter how complex the piece gets. It’s this stability and control that makes listening to this player so easy. It simply lets the listener concentrate on the music rather than introducing anomalies that ultimately prove fatiguing over the long run.

There’s just so much detail here from the rich, harmonic texture of the instruments to the dynamic nuances that build into the irresistible ebb and flow of the piece. There are players that sound shrill with the strings on this recording, but through the CD9 SE we get all the natural bite without added harshness. This is a wonderfully fluid, refined and natural-sounding performer.

It helps that the tonal balance is nicely judged. The CD9 is just a little sweeter and fuller sounding than the norm. The player’s innate refinement means that it works well across a wide range of recordings. While its high level of transparency means that flaws in recordings will always be obvious, they rarely intrude on our enjoyment.

We switch to Bruce Springsteen’s High Hopes set and the Audio Research continues to impress. There’s plenty of drive and power in tracks such as the reworked The Ghost Of Tom Joad. We’re pleased with the attack of the electric guitars and the way the player drives the song with such enthusiasm. Those expecting a valve-based CD player to sound soft and lush are in for a real shock.

Springsteen’s voice comes through with grit and passion intact. There’s natural warmth here and the kind of dynamic nuance that only the best hi-fi manages to convey.

We try the digital inputs and the results are equally positive. That reworked USB sounds excellent. It gives a full dose of the insight and expression we hear from CD, even if ultimately our laptop isn’t as good a source (even with hi-res files) as the internal disc drive. We’re pleased to report that we don’t notice any great discrepancy between the inputs.

Verdict

Despite our criticisms of some aspects of finish, there’s no denying that the CD9 SE is an excellent player. If you’re after a one-box solution, we haven’t come across an alternative that works as convincingly.

So, to return to our original question, is there still a place for a truly high-end CD player? If it’s as capable as the CD9 SE then the answer has to be ‘yes’.

SCORES

• Sound 5
• Features 4
• Build 4

MORE:

Best CD players 2020

Read our Audio Research CD6 review

High-end hi-fi never comes “cheap”. Jump over to our Temptations reviews and you’ll regularly see speakers, streamers and of course record players with price tags as big as the deposit on a small house, or high-end sports car.

But having reviewed many of the top options in the upper echelons of hi-fi we can confirm many of them justify this by delivering incredible sonic performances that can make even the most ardent of audiophiles weep with delight when matched and set up well.

That’s why we often describe them as the super-cars of hi-fi. And in this list we’ve penned a guide detailing the 10 most expensive turntables we’re aware of.

Make sure to get in touch in the comments below, on our social media pages, forums or direct via email (whathifi@futurenet.com) if you think we’ve missed any off this list!

If, like us, you don’t have the bank balance to afford any of the entries on this list make sure to check out our best turntables buying guide, which features a curated list of the top options for every budget we’ve fully reviewed.

• How to choose the right turntable

TechDAS Air Force One - £75,000

Air by name, air by nature. How many decks do you know with an air bearing to support the platter, or achieve isolation from its support through air suspension? But it doesn't stop there. Those with warped discs - that's us too - can rejoice in the TechDAS's ability to suck a record flat onto its platter, giving the cartridge an easier ride.

Clearaudio Statement v2 - £136,500

The Statement v2 is made from bullet-proof wood sandwiched between aluminium plates and can accommodate up to four tonearms, including the £28,650 Statement TT1 v2 tangential tonearm (should you have some cash left over). Unlike the TechDAS there's no air main bearing, with Clearaudio choosing to float the platter with magnetism instead.

If this is a tad out of your budget, more realistic (and, at their own price, excellent) Clearaudio turntables are also available.

J.C. Verdier La Platine Magnum - £95,000

The culmination of J.C. Verdier's 30 years of research into turntable design and engineering, the La Platine is huge. It has a 50cm platter (that’s a 12-inch record in the picture) and weighs a colossal 400kg thanks to a base made of granite. Indeed, "its originality lies in the systematic use of very largely oversized pieces," according to J.C. Verdier. And, say what you like about the design, it certainly looks better than the company's website.

Rossner and Sohn MOTT - up to £105,000

MOTT stands for Mother of TurnTable and this is one serious mother, with an overall weight of 325kg. There are various specifications available for this German turntable but the top-end model comes with automatic pneumatic adjustment and an air bearing. You'll have to wait six months for one to be made to order, mind.

OneDof One Degree - £105,000

The One Degree was designed by NASA space engineer Aleks Bakman and claims to eliminate all resonance thanks to liquid suspension. Naturally, it uses "aerospace grade metals" too. It features 24-carat gold plating and weighs a rather more manageable 23kg. We'll happily doff our cap to this one.

Basis Audio Work of Art - £105,000

Billed as a "tribute to the science and art of vinyl music reproduction" and named as such, this Basis Audio turntable uses a vacuum system to hold the record down on the platter. It even claims to be able to restore warped records to "exact flatness". There's a non-vacuum version, too, but in for a penny in for a pound, we reckon.

Transrotor Artus - £105,000

Transrotor is confident your £105,000 will be well spent on the Artus, thanks to the deck's ability to deliver a completely level playing platform using 'cardanic suspension' - a gimbal design ensures it pivots around a single axis. Made from solid aluminium and acrylic, it also features a contact-less magnetic field drive and a balanced tone arm (you'd hope so, too). And it weighs a quarter of a tonne.

Audio Consulting R-evolution Meteor - £130,000

This battery-powered (yes, you read that correctly) turntable is apparently made from "one entire tree". And not just any tree - one that’s been dried for at least 20 years. Craftsmen then spend two weeks getting the surface “just right” by hand. It uses a two-chassis construction designed “to avoid any standing waves” and can support two tonearms. You can even have the platter in Ferrari red.

Goldmund Reference II - £165,000

The Reference II was limited to just 25 models (maybe check eBay...), has a platter that weighs 20kg, and some 15kg of brass-shielding for the motor. There's no end to the fantastical-sounding features - "liquid nitrogen-rectified belt" - but sadly the £165,000 doesn't go quite as far as you might hope. You’ll still need to shell out for a tonearm and cartridge.

AV Designhaus Derenville VPM 2010-1 - £460,000

We think the Derenville VPM 2010-1 might just be the most expensive turntable ever made. You’d expect a great deal of technology in something costing the best part of half a million pounds, and you’d be right.

The VPM 2010-1 has two frequency controlled motors on the belt, a solid 60kg Corian chassis standing on four air suspension feet, laser toe angle measurement and an integrated digital scale. There's an HD camera and a screen for checking everything is running smoothly, plus a touchscreen remote control. Don't all rush at once...

MORE:

The best turntables of the 21st century

10 of the world's most expensive stereo amplifiers

11 of the world's most expensive speakers

Every issue of What Hi-Fi? magazine in recent years has featured the Temptations section, with two or three reviews of super-high-end products. Such kit is next level (read: highly luxurious and often prohibitively pricey) compared to the slate of hi-fi and AV products reviewed in the rest of the pages.

To celebrate our special High End Week, we have picked our favourite 15 Temptations products that represent the best, standout high-end kit we have reviewed between 2010 and today.

As you'll see below, some of the world's most desirable hi-fi kit, including everything from turntables to speakers to amplifiers and even earbuds appears in the section.

• Welcome to What Hi-Fi?'s High End Week!

Clearaudio Innovation Wood/Universal tonearm/Da Vinci V2 record player (2010)

Tested at £12,900

"Even by the standards of stratospherically priced kit, this package is something special," we said of Clearaudio's turntable package. That sky-high price was "almost sensible" in light of its meticulous mechanical engineering and superb performance.

The Clearaudio Innovation Wood, which sits beneath the Masters Innovation and Statement, is comprised of the suspension-free Innovation Wood deck, the solid and brilliantly engineered Universal tonearm with a carbon fibre arm tube, and the DaVinci V2 cartridge, which was designed based on the company's highly regarded Goldfinger, but had an aluminium body coated with a 30-micron-thick ceramic layer to aid rigidity and resonance control.

The package's absolute transparency and skilful organisation wowed us when we reviewed it ten years ago (for years, it was our reference turntable in our hi-fi test room) and it still does to this day.

Read the full Clearaudio Innovation Wood review

• That Was Then… Clearaudio Innovation Wood

Wadia S7i CD player (2011)

Tested at £14,000

Minnesota-based digital high-end specialist Wadia has a reputation for making the biggest, chunkiest and best-sounding CD/SACD players around, and the S7i only strengthened that.

Typically for a Wadia product, the S7i's housing comprises thick slabs of metal on every side, held together with a large number of long Allen bolts and a quartet of rounded corner posts. It weighs a hefty 25kg, about as much as a high-end power amplifier.

Yet despite its exceptional build, the S7i impressed most with its capable sound. "It doesn’t matter how complex or dynamically demanding the music gets, it’s all kept under control, with every instrumental strand in place. Only the best equipment manages to achieve this feat so convincingly," we noted in our 2011 review.

Read the full Wadia 7i review

• The best 24 CD players of What Hi-Fi?'s lifetime

Naim NDS/555 PS streamer (2012)

Tested at £12,620

"Massive, majestic, delicate, dynamic, emotive, immense and totally addictive" is how we described the performance of this early network streamer.

At the time, it was Naim’s reference network music player, which has since come on leaps and bounds to arrive at the current – and class-leading – ND555 streamer. It combined engineering brilliance (circuitry decoupled from the casework, and a capable digital signal processor, for example) with fanatical detail and dynamic and rhythmic prowess.

Read the full Naim NDS/555 PS review

• 9 of the best Naim Audio products of all time

B&W 800 Diamond speakers (2012)

Tested at £18,000

Since the late 1970s, the 800 Series has represented Bowers & Wilkins' most desirable speaker range (it sits just below its 'ultimate' Nautilus loudspeaker). The series had reached its sixth generation (it's in its seventh now) when we reviewed the Diamond 800 in 2012. We called it not only the company's best speaker, but one of the world's best, such is its beautifully taut and controlled bass, superb detail and immense dynamic reach.

"Compare the 800’s performance with that of its rivals and you might even think that B&W has underpriced them", we said – not a bad compliment for a pair costing £18k.

According to What Hi-Fi?’s sister title Australian Hi-Fi, the newer 800 D3s, created to celebrate B&W’s 50th anniversary, have brought a significant improvement. "Audition a pair and they’ll speak to you. They’ll say: ‘We’re the best speakers you’ve ever heard!’," it reads.

Read the full B&W Diamond 800 review

• 17 of the best B&W products of all time

Audio Research Reference 75 power amplifier (2013)

Tested at £8495

Audio Research is one of the most revered brands in high-end amplification, so it's perhaps not surprising that you have to drop almost five figures to get its baby, 75W per-channel power amplifier. 

The Reference 75, which since this review has progressed into a special edition 'SE' version (pictured), demonstrates exactly how the US company has garnered its illustrious reputation – "a landmark product of its type", we concluded. It delivers a wonderfully transparent and compelling performance comfortable with pretty much all types of music. 

Its two maintenance-minded valve meters for showing power output and bias current, as well as its solid, chunky casework, sealed its fate as a highly talented, highly desirable machine.

Read the full Audio Research Reference 75 review

Burmester 808 Mk5 preamplifier (2013)

Tested at £22,242

A preamp for those that live and breathe hi-fi, Burmester's near-flagship 808 Mk5 is a technical feat. For one, it's fully specified with several balanced/unbalanced and customisable connectivity options, with each interchangeable input and output module equipped with separate gain controls for left and right channels. 

It's also distinctly, beautifully and immaculately designed, looking and feeling special and engineered to last decades.

"This is hi-fi to be enjoyed for a lifetime. As far as stereo preamps go, we’d be happy to stop here," says our review.

Read the full Burmester 808 Mk5 review

• The best 19 stereo amplifiers of What Hi-Fi?'s lifetime

Dan D’Agostino Momentum integrated amplifier (2015)

Tested at £44,000

We kicked off our review of the integrated amplifier in Dan D'Agostino's near-top-tier Momentum range by praising its volume control. You can hardly blame us, just look at it. But while that's the first thing you'll notice in the exquisitely built Momentum's presence, what makes the longer lasting impression is its performance.

The fact it's a truly extraordinary performer was evident to us from the off: the Momentum lays bare its hugely subtle, dynamically expressive self. Fluid, rhythmically adept, scrupulously precise and with an impressive sense of scale, it is among the best amplifiers we've tested.

Read the full Dan D'Agostino Momentum Integrated Amplifier review

Linn LP12 Klimax record player (2017)

Tested at £18,670

Our 'best ever Linn products', 'best turntables in What Hi-Fi?'s lifetime' and 'What Hi-Fi? Hall of Fame' lists have all featured the Linn LP12, so it's hardly surprising the legendary deck has a place on this list too. Since 1972, the Glasgow-based hi-fi company has revised its turntable time and time again to maintain its world-class status. Earlier – even original – variants can still be brought up to date today.

By the ’80s the LP12 had become the dominant premium record player on the UK market and it is still considered one of the most capable decks around today. 

In 2017, we heralded the flagship LP12 package (the LP12 Sondek, Ekos SE tonearm, Kandid moving-coil cartridge, Urika phono stage, Radikal power supply and Keel sub-chassis) one of the finest turntables around. The old-timer still has it, indeed.

Read the full Linn LP12 Klimax review

• The making of: Linn Sondek LP12

JBL K2 S9900 speakers (2017)

Tested at £39,990

What makes these JBL superstars so good? It's a combination of engineering and tuning decisions that have turned these monsters into one of the best pair of floorstanders we’ve heard. 

The seamless integration between their 38cm bass driver, horn-loaded 10cm magnesium compression driver and horn-loaded 25mm beryllium compression supertweeter is impressive, and despite their size and 500W power handling figure, they're pretty easy to position and drive.

We found their endlessly informative yet super-fun character quite addictive. "We can’t get enough of them," we said at the time – so you can imagine the heartfelt goodbye when they left our test rooms.

Read the full JBL K2 S9900 review

Focal Utopia over-ear headphones (2017)

Tested at £3250

The first pair of headphones on this list aren't just any old headphones, they are some of the finest headphones on the planet.

French brand Focal is renowned for its wide-ranging and talented speakers, which often feature Beryllium drive units in its high-end tweeters – and the material’s combination of low weight, rigidity and damping works equally well here. Superlative resolution and transparency are present in a wonderfully open soundstage (they have an open-backed design) with plenty of finesse and dynamic fluidity.

Perhaps not an easy task for any pair of high-end headphones, the Utopias even look their asking price too.

Read the full Focal Utopia review

• Best audiophile headphones 2020: the ultimate headphones

Nagra Classic pre/power amplifiers (2018)

Tested at £25,500

With its trademark signal level meter, stylised volume control and compact casework, the Classic preamp (above) may look similar to Nagra's first domestic product in 1997, but it is very much built for today's performance standards.

The preamp is a valve-powered, line-level-only unit with RCA and XLR connections, and the 100W per-channel Class A power amp simply uses two MOSFET transistors in the output stage to reduce variability such a minimalist configuration brings.

Every sound and note fits together seamlessly, forming a wonderfully cohesive and musical whole that sweeps you away. As our review concluded, "once in full flow, it leaves the music to take centre stage and does its work quietly from behind the curtain."

Read the full Nagra Classic Preamp/Classic AMP review

dCS Rossini DAC/Master clock (2018)

Tested at £22,610

Cambridge-based high-end digital hi-fi brand dCS describes its Rossini DAC as an 'Upsampling Network DAC'. It packs a UPnP music streamer, and has a proprietary and innovative digital-to-analogue conversion that feeds all the typical digital connections.

More than just a DAC, this unit is also a digital hub for a system. Add the Master Clock and performance goes up a level or two – together, the resolution on offer is astonishing. No matter what you throw at it, the dCS pairing manages to delight, excite and entertain. Which, let's face it, is the whole purpose of hi-fi.

Read our full dCS Rossini DAC/ Rossini Master Clock review

• The quest for perfection: inside dCS, a British hi-fi success story

ATC SCM50 speakers (2019)

Tested at £9820

The ATC SCM50s have been our reference speakers for more than a decade, which is as big a compliment as we could give them.

Over that time, they have been connected to just about every piece of electronics that has passed through our test rooms and they never let us down. They're honest and faithful – important attributes when reviewing connected electronics – and they are also unfussy about musical genre.

In the past decade, we have come across rival speakers – usually of higher cost – that better these ATCs in some respect, yet we haven’t managed to find something that’s as satisfying an all-rounder. Long live the SCM50s!

Read the full ATC SCM50 review

• The making of: ATC SCM50

Shure KSE 1200 in-ear headphones (2019)

Tested at £1796

It's difficult for a pair of earbuds to justify a four-figure price, but these Shure electrostatic in-ears and their accompanying analogue-only amplifier (which handles the buds' electrical requirements) certainly look the part. 

Most crucially, they sound it too. As noted in our review, "we can’t think of another pair of headphones (apart from the closely related KSE1500s) that sound as clear and detailed as these... if you’re the kind of person who wants to hear every tiny speck of detail, these are the headphones for you." 

Dropping the price of a decent second-hand car on a pair of earbuds may seem extreme, but for true music lovers, not a penny of it will be wasted.

Read our full Shure KSE 1200 review

Ayre KX-R/VX-R pre/power amplifier (2020)

Tested at £29,000

Despite limited testing time (What Hi-Fi?'s offices have been closed since March), we managed to find a component worthy of this coveted list in 2020. This pre-power combination from the Colorado-based high-end audio brand is the most transparent and honest amplifier we’ve tested in years.

The build and finish quality of the two boxes (both are fully balanced dual-mono electronic designs) meets the high expectations the price point demands. And the level of transparency allows it to simply present the music as intended. That 200W per channel rating for the power amp may seem modest at this price, but the Ayre’s level of composure, scale and authority are outstanding. It's an all-round sonic marvel.

Read the full Ayre Acoustics KX-R Twenty / VX-R Twenty review

High-quality music experiences are no longer exclusive to physical formats and home hi-fi. You can now stream studio master recordings, in their highest quality, straight from your phone, laptop, music player or audio system – all courtesy of Master Quality Authenticated (MQA).

MQA technology captures 100 per cent of a master recording and delivers every painstakingly engineered detail to music streaming services such as TIDAL – fully intact and completely unharmed, preserving the song’s original resolution and crucial timing information. So that wherever you are listening – on the move, in your car or at home – you can be transported to the artist’s original performance.

Since arriving on the scene in 2015, TIDAL has been our favourite music streaming service. A higher quality alternative to Spotify and Apple Music et al, the Jay-Z-owned service has picked up several five-star reviews and What Hi-Fi? Awards for its commitment to hi-res streaming – made possible by MQA.

As with Xiami Music (China), e-onkyo music (Japan) and nugs.net music services, MQA technology furnishes TIDAL’s catalogue with hi-res streams – dubbed TIDAL Masters – for subscribers of TIDAL’s Hi-Fi tier to enjoy at no extra cost.

TIDAL Masters recordings are available through the TIDAL desktop, Android and iOS apps, which have the MQA Core Decoder necessary to 'unfold' the MQA streams and output them to a maximum quality of 24-bit/96kHz. To entirely unpackage an MQA stream for playback, and therefore get the most accurate representation of the track, the decoding process is performed by an MQA-ready product, such as the Bluesound Node 2 hi-fi streamer, AudioQuest DragonFly Cobalt portable DAC or select Astell&Kern and Sony portable music players, to name just a few.

To set you off on your journey to music listening nirvana, we have picked some of our favourite TIDAL Masters tracks to give you a full taste of MQA technology; tracks that really let you hear the difference.

• MQA takes you to the artist's original performance, wherever you listen

Trondheimsolistene - BRITTEN Simple Symphony, Op 4: I. Boisterous Bourree

You could pick any 2L TIDAL Master and be utterly swept away by the meticulous purity and intricacy of its recording, so we are thankful the record label is wonderfully represented in MQA. The Trondheimsolistene’s rendition of  this symphony is an exemplary display of how the spaciousness, transparency and dynamic subtlety of a master-quality recording can really transform a listening experience. Even at its most cacophonous, the string composition sounds fluid and organised as it unfurls from the well practised performance.

• Listen to BRITTEN Simple Symphony on TIDAL Masters

Talking Heads - This Must Be The Place (Naive Melody)

Everything in this "very personal love song", as it’s described by David Byrne, demands to be heard – the layered synth-pop melody, sanguine percussive beat and collage of non-sequitur lyrics. Listen out for the sucker-punch delivery of that jaunty bass line, the rhythmic cohesion of those intertwining funk lines, and how the guitar ditty dances around them cohesively yet with a satisfying sense of space that really opens up the record.

• Listen to This Must Be The Place on TIDAL Masters

Beck - Lost Cause

Here, Beck’s folksy guitar ballad picks at patterns that, while densely presented, are treated to the elbow room to evolve without sounding on top of one another. It’s that clarity and instrument separation, coupled with the finely drawn lines of Beck’s forlorn vocal, that is key in conveying the familiar doomed sorrow theme on this downbeat ditty and the rest of the Sea Change album.

• Listen to Lost Cause on TIDAL Masters

The Beatles - Back In The U.S.S.R. (2018 Mix)

How can a track that was recorded in the late ‘60s sound fresh from the studio as a stream? The White Album reissue’s producer Giles Martin and mix engineer Sam Okell, and MQA technology of course, can take the credit there. The mechanical whirring of a jet landing flies across a wide-open sonic canvas that’s filled with clean, crisp detail and raw energy as Beach Boys harmonies and rollicking guitar solos fill it. The milestone 2018 release is among the best MQA albums on TIDAL, period.

• Listen to Back In The U.S.S.R. on TIDAL Masters

Nick Drake - Pink Moon

Not many artists have the capacity to simultaneously lull and rouse as much as Nick Drake did. His Pink Moon TIDAL Master album is a shining advert for MQA technology: the urgency of his acoustic strumming is poignantly communicated, and there’s a compelling tangibility to the textures of his dynamic finger-picking and intimate vocal that simply isn’t as telling in the non-Masters version of the album.

• Listen to Pink Moon on TIDAL Masters

Norah Jones - Begin Again

The burden of the keys so measured it conjures images of the piano-playing performer, the confidently delivered undulation of Jones’ virtuosic crooning, and the shuffling soft-brushed drums that refuse to be a backstage act – every element of this recent work is so refreshingly crisp and expressive, you’re given no choice but to be utterly drawn into the music.

• Listen to Begin Again on TIDAL Masters

Kendrick Lamar - King Kunta

One of the best-produced – not to mention critically acclaimed – hip-hop albums in recent years, To Pimp A Butterfly wholeheartedly warrants the invaluable insight gifted by the TIDAL Master. With the album’s champion track, King Kunta, Lamar spits bar after bar with cutting venom over a stripped-down grunge beat that sounds rhythmically surefooted and engagingly driven.

• Listen to King Kunta on TIDAL Masters

Sturgill Simpson - All Around You

Both Simpson’s Sound & Fury and Grammy-winning A Sailors’ Guide to Earth are a credit to TIDAL’s MQA library, but arguably it’s this powerfully rousing tune from the latter that most demands to be heard in high-resolution. With impressive scale and dynamic ambition intact, the ‘60s-soul-inspired country ballad is alive with wailing horns soaring above Simpson’s stern vocals. Compared to the standard stream, the TIDAL Master is a much more grandiose, emotionally charged affair.

• Listen to All Around You on TIDAL Masters
• Discover more TIDAL Masters albums and playlists
• Enjoy the best listening experience with the latest MQA partners and products

Harman Luxury Audio could be the biggest name in high-end hi-fi that you've never heard of. Or at least don't know much about. You will, however, know the brands it owns: Arcam, JBL Synthesis, Lexicon, Mark Levinson and Revel. These are simply some of the biggest names in high-end audio. 

Founded in 1953 as Harman Kardon by Sidney Harman and Bernard Kardon (company names were simpler back then), and later rebranded as Harman International, the company has grown from its hi-fi roots into a hugely powerful electronics behemoth. This culminated in an $8bn acquisition by Samsung in 2016 – that's a long way from the Harman Kardon Festival D1000, launched back in 1954, as the company's, and one of the world's, first AM/FM hi-fi receivers. 

The respected Harman Kardon brand still continues to produce AV products to this day, and from its cluster of high-end names, it's clear that hi-fidelity sound remains at the heart of what Harman does to this day. 

We spoke to Jim Garrett, Senior Director, Product Strategy and Planning at Harman Luxury Audio, to find out how the company works, the ways in which the brands work together and what's coming next.

What Hi-Fi?: What does the group as a whole look like? How hard is it to keep the brands' identities separate?

Jim Garrett: The Luxury Audio business unit consists of a dedicated team of people focused on all of the brands. We have three engineering centres, including our acoustics facility in Northridge, California, our electronics facility in Cambridge, UK, and a second electronics facility in Shelton, Connecticut that is focused specifically on Mark Levinson products.

They are all treated as independent brands with each of them having a unique identity and technology platform, based both on its heritage and its future direction. Since most of them do not overlap in their scope, it's fairly straightforward to keep them separate.

JBL has the longest history with Harman, going back to 1969. How did the JBL Synthesis brand come about? And what makes it special?

JBL Synthesis was created in 1992 and born out of JBL’s industry-leading commercial cinema business. We offer turn-key, custom-tailored immersive audio systems for the discriminating enthusiast. From the inception of the brand, a JBL Synthesis system is a collection of premium audio components designed, engineered, and calibrated to work together as a system. No other system benefits from the patented technologies and decades of research that are the foundation of our systems.

• JBL K2 S9900 review
• JBL L100 Classic review

Mark Levinson is undoubtedly one of the biggest names in high-end hi-fi. How has it stayed ahead of the pack?

We continue to stay true to the original mission of the brand, but have worked to expand its appeal to a wider audience by incorporating the latest technologies. One example is the level of connectivity and control found on the No.5805 integrated amplifier.

That model has our proprietary PrecisionLink II 32-bit / 384kHz high-res DAC, Bluetooth with aptX-HD support, our Main Drive class A headphone amplifier, MQA full-decoding on all digital inputs, a web page UI for setup and control, ML app control and control for third-party automation, and of course our class A Pure Phono input for MM/MC turntables. Truly something for everyone!

What would you say Revel’s key USP is?

Revel is unique in that it was created in-house to be a loudspeaker complement to the Mark Levinson brand. The goal was to bring to bear the full measure of acoustical research and development found within the Harman enterprise. A mainstay of the brand has been tweeter waveguides and high-order crossover slopes that have been responsible for the remarkable acoustic performance shown across the portfolio.

• Revel Concerta2 M16 review

What’s next for Lexicon?

We just released one of the most advanced loudspeakers on the planet: the Lexicon SL-1. It is a fully-active design that doesn’t require a stack of outboard electronics to drive. It also includes our patented Soundsteer technology that allows the listener to not only adjust the size of the sweet spot, but to move it anywhere in the room. It is a remarkable product that will change people’s expectations of what a premium loudspeaker can deliver. The technology is scalable so you can expect to see it in future products.

In 2017, Harman acquired Arcam. What’s the plan for the brand now it is part of Harman Luxury?

Arcam now has access to Harman’s unparalleled global resources. It has allowed us to completely revamp the entire range of products with a dozen new models having been brought to market in the last 18 months or so. Being a part of Harman has simply allowed us to accelerate the product cycle and expand into new technologies that were previously unavailable.

• Arcam reveals complete new AV receiver range at CEDIA Expo
• Arcam launches flagship SA30 integrated amplifier

Measurement or listening – which takes priority when designing products?

It is a combination of the two. Harman has decades of subjective and objective listener research that is the foundation of our acoustics design. The research has resulted in what we call the “Harman Curve” – a given target response that all of our systems are designed to meet. Our engineers can be assured that if a system meets this target in objective measurements, it will always succeed on the subjective listener tests, whether it's double-blind in our lab or in a real-world A-B comparison. 

While our engineers have world-class resources at hand and they will always use those to guide them down the correct path, we still use two of the best calibration and measurement tools we have – the two ears on the sides of our heads!

What music is used during the Harman testing process?

There is a wide variety of music that we use during development. In some cases, for example the double-blind tests, there are a handful of specific cuts that get used as we need that repeatability and consistency. In other tests, we use a library of carefully curated tracks that have been proven to bring out the best and worst in products. Familiarity with the music is important so that you know when it sounds correct.

What do you say to people who think high-end audio products can’t justify the cost? 

The old saying 'you get what you pay for' is certainly true in a lot of respects. No matter the price point, engineering a product is inevitably a series of compromises. The development team must make the correct choices to address the target market for the given product. 

Lower priced products will naturally have significantly more compromises due to their cost constraints. The limitations imposed will ultimately affect acoustic performance, build quality, cosmetic appeal, and more. In the end, price justification is obviously a personal thing, but it should be easy to see that higher-priced products are naturally going to able to deliver higher owner satisfaction by eliminating compromises and exceeding expectations. 

Premium products are experiential and we see time and time again that most people aren’t aware of the level of performance that is available because they have never been exposed to it. Once they have that first taste, only the best will do.

• Touraj Moghaddam: the man behind Roksan and Vertere talks turntables and cables
• Read all our High End Week reviews and features

What does Cambridge Audio do to celebrate its 50th birthday? It makes a high-end integrated amplifier like the Edge A, alongside a similarly ambitious streaming preamp and matching power amp.

We’ve already covered the excellent Edge NQ streamer (£3499) and Edge W power amp (£2499), but this integrated had eluded us until now. We’re glad we managed to get hold of it as the Edge A turns out to be a superb performer.

If the idea of Cambridge Audio making a £4500 integrated amplifier surprises you, it shouldn’t. The company was founded on premium products and, in the mid-1980s, built one of the most expensive CD players on the market, the two-box CD1 – it cost £1500 at a time when most premium machines sold for a third of that.

Within a decade, budget hi-fi formed the bulk of the company’s output and it remained that way for quite a while. But recent years have seen a determined move upmarket again. We’re now used to the company turning out class-leading premium electronics, such as the Award-winning CXA81 (£999) amplifier and Azur 851N (£1199) music streamer.

Features

Capable as these products are, the Edge series is far more ambitious, as the price suggests. Cambridge could have gone for a stripped-out purist design for the Edge A, but that just isn’t the company’s style. It wanted to deliver high performance with practicality, and this integrated manages just that.

Apart from a phono stage, this unit packs in just about every feature we could reasonably expect. There are three analogue line-level inputs, including a balanced XLR option, alongside a quartet of digital connections.

It’s pretty standard to see the digital trio of USB, optical and coax, but we’re pleasantly surprised to find an HDMI ARC socket too. Cambridge recognises that some people use their stereo system to make their television sound better, and this is a neat way of making that happen.

As expected, the digital inputs can cope with most types of signals. The USB (type B) will support up to 32-bit/384kHz PCM and DSD256, for example. The coax is compatible with 24-bit/192kHz and the optical, as usual, takes that down to 24-bit/96kHz – all pretty standard numbers at this level.

We’re pleased to find that the company has also included aptX HD Bluetooth. It can carry signals up to 24-bit/48kHz, but this remains a convenience rather than a quality option, as the tech’s maximum bit rate of 576kbs shows. As a comparison, a CD has a bitrate of 1411kbs.

Still, aptX HD remains the most capable form of Bluetooth currently available and we’re happy that Cambridge’s engineers rejected the lesser options.

If the Edge A’s 100W per channel power output into 8ohms isn’t enough for you there are both single-ended and balanced preamp line outs so that you can add outboard muscle. The company’s hugely capable Edge W power amp would be the obvious choice.

Considering that the A’s power output doubles as speaker impedance halves, we can’t imagine too many people needing the extra amp, unless they have a large listening room or particularly inefficient speakers. There’s also a 6.3mm headphone connection on the front panel, which mutes the speaker and preamp outputs when connected.

Look on the Edge A’s back panel and you’ll find an RS232 connector for home install situations as well as a comms link that synchronises the Edge components to power on and off together.

You’ll also find a handy switch for an auto power-off function, so that if your amplifier doesn’t receive a signal for 20 minutes it drops to standby.

Take a look inside the amplifier, and it’s clear that Cambridge’s engineers have obsessed over the internals. For example, there are two toroidal mains transformers but they’re positioned in such a way that one cancels out any stray magnetic fields generated by the other – simple yet clever.

Elsewhere, the engineers have actively avoided capacitors in the signal path. Doing this reduces distortion and improves signal integrity. There are other unusual touches, such as the way the biasing on the output transistors is handled. Cambridge does it in a way that is claimed to offer many advantages of traditional Class A operation but without the high power consumption and heat generation. The result is something that falls between Class A and the usual Class A/B in terms of those drawbacks.

Build

The company has done a fabulous job of the casework. This amplifier’s design is impressively slick and a world away from some of the more utilitarian-looking high-end rivals we see.

We love the curved corners and the way the top plate fits into place without the fixings being obvious. The main control dial mechanism is a work of art with its central volume control and outer knurled input selector ring. The input selector works with wonderful precision, but sadly the volume control feels a little vague in comparison. This is something we noticed on the Edge NQ streaming preamp too.

Still, when it comes to casework solidity, finish quality and attention to detail we haven’t come across an alternative that does better. Cambridge has even made the remote handset classier than the norm. The handset provided is nice to hold, simple to use and looks smart. We can’t ask for much more than that.

Any product at this level deserves a top-class system, We use an Audio Research CD9 SE CD player alongside a Roksan Xerxes/Artemiz/van Den Hul Frog record-playing package as our sources. The Cambridge doesn’t have a phono stage, so we put Roksan’s M-series Phono SE into service instead. Over the test period we connect a range of speakers to the Edge but stick with ATC’s SCM20s the longest, though ProAc’s Response D2Rs also work very well.

We’re big fans of Audiovector’s R1 Arretés standmounters, but despite on-paper compatibility, this pairing never quite sounds comfortable. Compared to other combinations, this one lacks dynamic subtlety, which is a surprise as we’ve heard the R1s sound excellent with other amplifiers. It just goes to show that there’s no alternative to actually listening when system matching.

The headphone output is tested with Beyerdynamic’s T1s and Grado RS1s. As expected, the amp has no trouble working with either.

Sound

Once up and running, it’s hard to escape the conclusion that the Edge A is a truly complete amplifier for the money. Play the likes of Hans Zimmer’s Gladiator OST and it generates a sound of huge scale and authority. The Edge is a composed performer; one that refuses to sound ruffled even when we listen to The Battle at high volumes.

The Cambridge proves impressively capable with this piece – huge dynamic swings are rendered with plenty of attack and it digs up a ton of detail that’s all organised into a musically cohesive whole. This amp can track low-level instrumental strands with ease thanks to a level of clarity and control that’s hard to better for the price.

Tonally, the Edge is nicely balanced. It’s got a slightly fuller and smoother balance than would be considered wholly neutral but it's not so far skewed as to be an issue. In fact, the balance chosen makes this amp relatively kind to poorer quality recordings, while allowing it to be transparent enough with those that are better.

Stereo imaging is nicely expansive. This integrated renders an expansive sound stage and populates it with well-defined and focused instruments. There’s a pleasing amount of stability here, and the amp locks sounds in place even when the music becomes demanding.

We switch to Nick Cave’s rambunctious Babe, I’m On Fire and the Cambridge is right at home. It’s an enthusiastic listen with plenty of rhythmic drive and punch. The production is as dense as they come yet the Cambridge maintains just the right amount of control without diluting the track’s frantic feel. That’s a neat trick most rivals can’t manage.

Turn the volume up and the Edge A creates a wonderful wall of sound that makes it virtually impossible not to get engrossed in the track. We play a great deal of music from the hauntingly beautiful Found Songs by Olafur Arnalds through Bruce Springsteen’s High Hopes set and Stravinsky’s The Rite Of Spring and at no point does the Edge A sound unconvincing. 

It has enough in the way of resolution, tonal accuracy and stereo imaging to please those that like to analyse their recordings. Equally, if you just want to sit back (or get up and dance), given appropriate music and a suitably talented system, that’s exactly what this amplifier will allow you to do.

The story remains positive when we listen to the amp’s digital module. It’s a good-sounding DAC circuit that’s broadly equivalent to the better sounding outboard converters around the £1000 mark. We lose a bit of clarity and precision when compared to a class-leader such as the Chord Qutest, but by general standards, it’s a detailed and musically involving performance.

We try the headphone output and are pleased to report that it’s a good one. There may not be quite the expressiveness we hear through the speaker outputs, but there’s still enough in the way of insight and dynamic nuance to keep us listening.

Verdict

If you’re looking for a fit-and-forget integrated amplifier, we can’t think of anything at this level that sounds better. Add the impressive build, smart styling and ample feature count into the equation and there’s no denying that Cambridge Audio has come up with a winner here.

SCORES

• Sound 5
• Features 5
• Build 5

MORE:

Best stereo amplifiers 2020

Read our Rega Aethos review

How much would you pay for an amplifier? £500 / $500? A grand or two, even, if your system warrants it? Several of the market's budget stereo amplifiers show that you can get a lovely performer for not much outlay - so you don't have to spend big to get plenty out of your system.

But if you do want to splash out, you've come to the right place. These are the most expensive amps ever made, with one model around £2m / $2m - roughly 10,000 times more expensive than the cheapest amp we'd recommend someone (the Onkyo A-9010).

Don't worry if your budget doesn't stretch that far, we've selected an amp that can be yours for just a couple of hundred thousand. Bargain.

• The best stereo amplifiers of the 21st century

Pivetta Opera Only - $2.2m

Italian designer Andrea Pivetta's ludicrous 120,000-watt (yes you read that correctly) amp stands a whopping 2.4m tall and weighs a colossal 1.5 tonnes - that's as much as a caravan. Though this is sure to give you much better sound.

When powered on, the 12-sided, aircraft aluminium prism opens up in seven distinct sections to reveal all the electronics, as pictured above. Madness.

Pivetta Opera One - $650,000

Yes, Pivetta is at it again. Though this model is a mere 1.8m tall, only weighs a tonne and delivers a paltry 14,400 watts of power. (Heh.) Hence the 'knock-down' price. The Opera One from 1998 was actually the first amplifier completely handmade by Andrea Pivetta, laying the foundations for the beast above. To that end, it also has a cylindrical stricture that unfurls once powered on.

Ultrasound Otello - $600,000

The Otello packs six transformers with adjustable polarisation, meaning zero feedback. Three engineers spent five years working on the amplifier, which was completely hand-wired and is housed in a cabinet made entirely from solid walnut wood. Even if Ultrasound sold just one, it would have been worth it.

Rike Audio Edzard - $490,000

Renowned purveyor of audiophile capacitors, German company Rike Audio has also made a handful of high-end products, one of which is the Edzard monoblock amplifier. The modular four-piece, 50-watt Class A amp weighs a total of 200kg. And as you might expect, the performance is suitably heavyweight.

Etheraudio Abbssolute Intuition - $406,000

Now that you've clocked the Abbssolute Intuition above, it shouldn't surprise you that the vacuum tubes it uses, the GM100s, are the biggest ever made for an audio product. This amp weighs a whopping 398kg and packs and is completely handmade. Which makes it too important for the correct spelling of 'Absolute'.

Ultrasound Parsec - $400,000

Ultrasound moved on the distortion-free technology it introduced on the Otello above in the Parsec. Here, the signal only crosses three components - which Ultrasound claims produces unparalleled transparency, speed and harmonic structure. Weighing 70kg, it's a relative lightweight in the world of insanely pricey stereo amplifiers.

Goldmund Telos 5000 - $375,000

Five thousand watts? That's not the only insane stat about this amp - it stands nearly one metre tall, is powered by sixteen separate transformers, has a noise rating of 0.0005 per cent and a frequency response that runs up to 300,000Hz. Which is more than any sane person could ever need. Which is exactly why we love it.

Wavac SH-833 - $350,000

Direct-heated triodes combine with single-ended, class-A tube monoblock power to make this amp an absolute beast. The Japanese audio brand threw everything it had into this special 10th anniversary model, redesigning an all-new, highly isolated power circuit and housing every innovative element into a 60mm solid aluminium chassis, finished in gold champagne of course.

There's also a budget version that costs a mere $70,000, in case you're a bit strapped for cash this month.

Audio Note Japan Ongaku - $250,000

Created in 1989 - like Taylor Swift - this uses pure silver for its transformer – one of the most important aspects in keeping the graceful and dignity sound of the 211 power tubes, says Audio Note – as well as for its conductors and capacitors. But if you listen to Taylor Swift through it, it's wasted on you.

FM Acoustics 2011 - $245,000

FM Acoustics has some pedigree. Its units are handmade in Switzerland, with an attention to detail - and price - that rivals Swiss watchmakers.

MORE:

11 of the world's most expensive speakers

11 of the world’s most expensive pairs of headphones

10 of the world's most expensive turntables

The best turntables of the 21st century

High-end hi-fi is not just for those who can afford it. Much as car enthusiasts pore over every detail of the latest six-figure super vehicle, and those fated to a life of renting spend afternoons idly watching home renovation programmes, there is great joy to be had in looking at speakers and amplifiers you are never likely to own.

But if you do have a budget of £15k to £35k solely to spend on your next hi-fi system – or you're after something to tempt you into spending that much – then the three systems listed below will provide more than worthy inspiration.

You'll find a host of high-end favourites – from Luxman to Vertere, ATC to PMC – all chosen specifically to complement their surrounding systems in terms of price and presentation, but mostly compatible enough to slot into a similarly competent existing set-up.

But even if you're a winning lottery ticket away from owning kit such as this, there is worthwhile beauty to be found in their engineering, much of which has effects trickling down to much more affordable hi-fi kit – so it's worth learning about as much as it is worth admiring.

And we're certainly not here to shame anyone for just drooling over the pictures.

• Welcome to What Hi-Fi?'s High End Week!

High-end system 1: Vinyl + streaming

Turntable: Rega Planar 10/Apheta 3 (£4499) | Phono stage: Naim Stageline (£419) | Streamer: Chord 2go/Hugo 2 (£995/£1799) | Amplifier: Naim SuperNait 3 (£3499) | Speakers: ProAc Response D2R (£2795)

Total: £13,346

We begin with a turntable and streaming system that edges comfortably into a five-figure budget, especially when you consider the supports you’ll need for all those high-end electronics and standmount speakers.

As a third of the total price is going on the turntable, that seems as good a place as any to begin. The Rega Planar 10 with Apheta 3 cartridge is as close as you’ll get to the company’s £30k limited edition Naiad deck for this money, offering a good slice of the latter’s performance, but as a production version at a far more approachable price.

It is quite some engineering statement. Visually, it’s as striking as turntables get at this level, but this isn’t design for its own sake. Each detail is backed with solid engineering reasons – a combination of shedding excess mass yet adding it to the custom ceramic platter – and it all comes together to create what is unarguably the most sonically capable turntable we’ve heard at this price.

A belt-driven operation, the Planar 10 uses a 24v AC motor driven by an external power supply, which in turn drives the beautifully made sub-platter through a pair of round-sectioned belts Rega spent three years developing for required precision and elasticity. All evidence that, at this price especially, every detail matters.

It is possible to buy the Planar 10 without a cartridge, but Rega’s Apheta 3 – the third generation of this moving coil with a redesigned, single-piece aluminium adonised body – makes such an ideal partner that going for anything else doesn’t make much sense. Particularly when you consider the £350 saving you’ll make if you buy the pair as a package.

The Planar 10 chooses a more measured approach to music replay than its more affordable siblings. There are no sonic fireworks here, but give it time and it becomes apparent that few price rivals come close to matching the Rega’s combination of transparency, detail resolution and dynamic expression.

But you still need an amplifier that will complement it well, and that is where we bring in the Naim Supernait 3. Archetypally Naim in design and performance, this third-generation integrated amp made only small-scale improvements to its already brilliant predecessor – adding a moving magnet phono stage and featuring a slightly simplified and tweaked power section – but any major surgery could have tampered with its truly astonishing sonic performance.

It is about as well equipped as an all-analogue amplifier needs to be. There are four line-level inputs, each offering the choice of conventional RCA or Naim’s favoured Din options, which we think sound just that bit better.

There’s a variable line output available with both socket times, in case you want to add a power amplifier or subwoofer, and you can also make use of Naim’s Flatcap (£939), Hi-cap DR (£1419) or SuperCap DR (£4599) outboard power supplies.

The Supernait 3 sounds solid and muscular, handling whatever you throw at it, and such confidence works wonders for the listener. We can’t think of a more capable alternative when it comes to rhythmic drive and precision, either; the Naim conveys the changing momentum brilliantly, capturing various mood changes with conviction.

When that subliminal messiness of an amplifier struggling isn’t present, it’s easier to focus on the music instead. That’s what the Supernait, regardless of generation, has always done best.

If you’re partnering it with the Planar 10, however, its moving magnet phono stage is of little use unless you opt for a different cartridge to the Apheta 3. So permit us to suggest the Naim StageLine. It isn’t something for which we’ve written a review, but we have heard it enough to be confident of its uniformity when it concerns the Naim sound – especially as a partner for the Supernait 3.

But a high-end system need not always entail high demand upon its user, and so we introduce the Chord 2go and Chord Hugo 2 streaming DAC combination to this set-up. The Hugo 2 is comfortably the best portable digital-to-analogue converter you can buy for less than two grand, and will easily accommodate other high-end digital sources you want to pair with the analogue-only Supernait.

When paired with it, the 2go simply makes for a cost-effective and space-saving means of adding hi-res streaming to your system – or to take with you on the go – while innately complementing the character of the Hugo 2.

More than just a DLNA streamer, thanks to two microSD card slots that can handle up to 4TB of stored files it can work as a server too – any other device on the same network can play the songs stored on the Chord. Add embedded Tidal and Qobuz capability alongside internet radio, Bluetooth (4.1, A2DP) and AirPlay, and you have a wonderfully versatile digital music source that can act as a Roon endpoint as well.

It’s fair to say that this Chord combination makes for one of the most capable music streamers we’ve heard. We’d be hard pushed to name an alternative that can dig up so much detail and present it in such a clean and precise way. Add to that some fluid dynamics and an agile sense of rhythm and you can begin to understand why it will slot so neatly into this system.

It is of little use blending those complementary talents of the above electronics without an equally transparent and dynamic pair of speakers, which is why we’re suggesting you side with ProAc and its Response D2R standmounters.

This is a mid-sized standmounter that stands 43cm high. The headline is the use of a ribbon tweeter. It’s the same lovely 60 x 10mm unit as used on the company’s pricier Response models. There’s a damped rear chamber behind the diaphragm to help with dynamics and clarity and, rather unusually, an Alnico magnet rather than the Neodymium we might expect.

In its own way, the 16.5cm mid/bass driver is just as impressive a unit, with its stiff chassis, carefully honed motor system, copper phase plug and glass fibre cone. It’s tuned by a forward-firing port and is claimed to reach down to a pretty impressive 30Hz.

Most importantly, though, the Response D2Rs are wonderfully expressive speakers, even at low volume levels. Their performance is agile and lively, mixing information with entertainment as well as anything else we’ve heard at this price.

The midrange is a real highlight, and these speakers convey the nuances and varying textures of each part superbly, making it sound alive. We’re pleased with the way these speakers deliver complex rhythms, too; there’s precision coupled with a good sense of drive, and the ability to sound fluid while doing it.

The ribbon tweeter shines in the amount of detail it resolves, and unlike similar designs, avoids sounding a little sterile and tonally grey. The integration with the mid/bass unit is handled seamlessly and there’s a consistency of character from the lowest frequency upward that’s impressive.

In short, they provide an honest and transparent mouthpiece limber enough to keep up with the fast and dynamic turntable and streaming system that here sits behind them.

For a budget between £10k and £15k, we’re struggling to imagine how we’d create a better value, better-matched system than this without some considerable discounts.

High-end system 2: Vinyl + streaming

Turntable: VPI Prime Signature/Lyra Delos MC (£6000/£1200) | Phono stage: Vertere Acoustics Phono-1 MkII (£1000) | Streamer: Naim NDX 2 (£5299) | Amplifier: PMC Cor (£4995) | Speakers: Audiovector R1 Arreté (£4799)

Total: £25,993

For most, spending a sum close to the national average yearly salary is unfathomable, unless perhaps as a house deposit or a brand new car, but there’s no doubt it can afford you the kind of hi-fi system that will last a lifetime.

Like the previous system, this one comprises a turntable, phono stage, streamer, amplifier and speakers, but we’ve upped the budget to just above £25k.

For starters, it means we can include the superlative VPI Prime Signature as our analogue source. We wondered how, having handed VPI our Temptations Award in 2015, its engineers would have been able to improve on this class-leading deck, but they returned in 2018 with an astoundingly superior version.

The Signature’s plinth is now made up of two layers of gloss MDF sandwiching a chunky aluminium plate, and is notable thicker overall. This arrangement improves damping and rigidity, giving the arm and platter a better foundation to work from.

The deck’s four feet are upgraded to improve isolation and the motor housing is taller to compensate for the extra height of the new plinth and feet. This larger motor housing (made mostly of steel) has more mass, which means lower resonance and greater damping of vibrations. The result is less energy being fed back into the deck’s structure through the surface they are sitting on and better sound.

The thick 9kg aluminium platter, 24-pole AC motor and main bearing all remain from the original, and that’s no bad thing. Changing speed from 33 1/3 to 45rpm is done by manually moving the drive belt from one step of the motor pulley to the next, however, so be prepared for more than a press of a button.

Those not familiar with higher-end turntables may also find the arm somewhat fiddly to set up – it’s a unipivot design, where the bearing is a single sharp point onto which the arm bearing housing sits – and it doesn’t come with a cartridge, but you can find a wonderful working partnership with the £1200 Lyra Delos moving coil.

The result is a bold, dynamic and insightful presentation with excellent rhythmic ability. It’s the kind of presentation that will take any tired clichés of vinyl being a sluggish, flabby medium and tear them up in right in your face.

Every note has a purpose and goes into helping the music make sense; the ebb and flow of music is conveyed with a determined and assured quality that’s hard not to admire.

It needs a comparably talented phono stage to amplify and translate, of course, and the fact that the Vertere Acoustics Phono-1 MkII also finds its way into our next, even more expensive, high-end system should suggest just how talented a unit it is.

Get right its many possible adjustments for gain, capacitance and resistance and you’ll be able to optimise the Vertere’s performance for most cartridges on the market, and in this case provide a superbly detailed and dynamic presentation to be amplified again by the PMC Cor.

But before we get to amplification, let’s look at our streaming source: the exquisite Naim NDX 2. It sits in the middle of the company’s three-strong hi-fi streamer line-up, and is about as well equipped as they come. There are no obvious holes in file compatibility and it can play up to 32-bit/384kHz PCM and DSD128.

There’s aptX HD Bluetooth alongside Apple AirPlay, Spotify Connect and Chromecast. Tidal is also embedded and it is Roon-ready. In short, this is a product that is more than happy to play any music file you have, in any way you want.

Connectivity is as good as you’d expect, too. There are options of wired or wireless network connection, coaxial, optical and USB inputs, and both RCA and Din analogue outs. There’s a coax digital output, too, but you’ll have to go some way to beat the circuit already in the NDX 2 – based around a Burr-Brown PCM 1792 and mated to in-house filtering and supporting circuitry.

Sonically, there’s a confidence about the Naim’s presentation and a sense of organisation that's rare in streamers, even at this elevated level. The NDX 2 is capable of punch and power combined with an infectious sense of fun. While this streamer ticks all the boxes when it comes to hi-fi specifics such as transparency, detail resolution and stereo focus, it never forgets to wrap it all in a blanket of entertainment.

That bold, punchy yet subtle sound – as with that of the Prime Signature and Phono-1 – is mirrored beautifully by the aforementioned Cor amplifier. This integrated is a simple beast at heart. The designers aimed for transparency and musicality above all else, and such qualities tend to be stifled when combined with a complex and/or extensive features list.

It’s a purely analogue amplifier with short, clean signal paths. It uses Class A/B circuitry and produces 95W per channel, which rises to 140W into a 4ohm load. There are five line-level inputs, including a single balanced XLR. It’s a basic features list, but covers all of the essentials.

At the front, you’ll find a large volume control, a series of tactile press buttons for input selection, mono and a bypass mode that gives the cleanest signal path (leaving the bass, treble and balance slider controls out of the circuit).

The Cor is essentially transparent to the source, so if you like what that does then you should enjoy the results this amp will give you. That puts added importance on the quality and presentation of what you plug into it, which is why products with the quality of the VPI and Naim here are imperative, but there is nothing wrong with hi-fi components demanding the same aptitude from the rest of the chain.

And we should think the Cor will be mightily impressed if you decide to pair it with the Audiovector R1 Arreté speakers. The top of the company’s upgradable line of standmounters, the Arreté specification represents the pinnacle of Audiovector’s technology.

It features an open-backed version of the company’s in-house, hand-built Air Motion Transformer tweeter, with a vent positioned just above the reflex port for the 16.5cm carbon fibre mid/bass unit – and a carefully calibrated crossover network links the two drivers. That crossover is even cryogenically frozen down to -238ºC in a process intended to relieve internal stresses in the copper conductors and reduce resistance.

It’s all part of the kind of attention to detail that makes these some of the most musical-sounding speakers you can buy for around five grand. These are the kind of speakers that allow you to analyse the production of a recording, but they’d rather you step back and enjoy the musical experience.

And that’s about the long and short of this system all-round: your increased budget should buy you a lot of information and insight, but we are still talking about components that will deliver the feeling of the music rather than simply allow you to write an aural thesis.

As far as we’re concerned, this is about the most fun you could have at home for £25k.

High-end system 3: CD-based

Turntable: Vertere Acoustics MG-1 MkII/SG-1 MkII/Mystic MC (£9300) | Phono stage: Vertere Acoustics Phono-1 MkII (£1000) | CD player: Marantz SA-10 (£6000) | Amplifier: Luxman L-509X (£8499) | Speakers: ATC SCM50 (£9820)

Total: £34,619

And so we reach the top tier of this triumvirate of high-end systems, and it includes a pair of speakers that have been part of our reference set-up for well over a decade.

This time we’re staying offline with our duo of sources and celebrating physical media as we pair a Vertere Acoustics turntable and Marantz CD player with a gorgeous Luxman integrated amplifier and those trusty ATC speakers.

That Vertere deck, which again we’ve paired with the company’s Phono-1 MkII phono stage, is the MG-1 MkII. The MG-1 is just the second step-up in a four-strong turntable family, though it still sits firmly in the high-end sector of the market once the SG-1 MkII tonearm and Mystic MC cartridge are included.

The mastermind behind the company is none other than Touraj Moghaddam, founder of Roksan and designer of the long-running, innovative and rather brilliant Xerxes and TMS turntables. And with around 35 years of turntable design experience coming into play, it's no surprise to find that the MG-1 MkII package comes across as a fully polished product.

At the heart of the turntable’s structure is a triple-layered acrylic construction that uses precisely tuned rubber isolation mounts to control and filter the flow of vibrations within the deck. There are so many interesting details here: from a motor body that’s free to rotate, so that belt tension remains constant, to a removable centre spindle on the platter that stops noise from the bearing being directly transmitted to the record surface.

Even apparently standard items such as the platter are designed with a twist. In this case with most of the mass concentrated on the outside edge to maximise inertia without adding unwanted weight, so helping speed stability again.

The result of all Vertere’s innovation is a deck that excels in about every sonic measure. There’s so much information on offer, with the deck giving the impression of being able to uncover every detail in the record groove, and all that insight is delivered in a coherent and organised way, no matter how complex the music gets.

We can’t recall a similarly priced alternative that sounds as precise or as articulate, either. Notes stop and start with minimal overhang, and rarely do we hear such articulate and textured bass from vinyl, regardless of price, and particularly when it’s combined with such authority and punch.

It’s a blend of transparency, information and surefooted rhythmic sense that is complemented brilliantly by the other source in this set-up.

Marantz doesn’t often produce top-end disc players, but when it does they are usually done right. So it proves again with the SA-10. Notice we say disc rather than CD player, as the SA-10 also reads SACDs and music stored on DVD-ROMs. File compatibility is impressive, ranging from 24-bit/192kHz FLACs and DSD 128 all the way to ALAC, AIFF and MP3s.

The company has long been a master at getting the most from its circuits and here you’ll find the use of high-quality components and extensive shielding combined with sophisticated power supply arrangements. This may be an expensive product, but it’s obvious where the money has gone.

Disc drive aside, you can access the player’s digital-to-analogue circuitry through USB type B (up to 32-bit/384kHz PCM and quad DSD), coax and optical digital inputs; or you can play music from a USB memory stick or apple device through a USB type A connector. If you’re using an iPhone, though, the Marantz can’t handle anything after the original 6 and 6 Plus.

But most importantly this is a wonderfully refined performer, one that has a sweet and smooth disposition yet enough in the way of bite to satisfy. There’s a stunning amount of detail and it’s organised with care and composure. We’re struck by the way the Marantz renders instrumental texture and the subtlety with which it tracks small-scale dynamic changes.

This pair of sources are so talented they are deserving of a partnering amp as accomplished as the Luxman L-509X. It’s a fully loaded analogue amplifier, packing a moving magnet/moving coil phono stage, headphone output, tone controls and switchable speaker outputs – all things in demand back when its decidedly retro appearance was the latest fashion.

Alongside the phono stage – which we’d still suggest here upgrading to the Vertere Phono-1, this Luxman also has four single-ended RCA line-level ins and two balanced XLR options. We can’t think of a typical stereo set-up in which it might get caught short.

The L-509X is an amplifier that creeps up on the listener when the music starts. It has an understated presentation it takes a while to appreciate. Those looking for sonic fireworks will find them here only if they’re in the recording. This amplifier doesn’t spice things up for entertainment’s sake.

But this is an impressively detailed and insightful performer, one that’s capable of class-leading clarity. It recovers subtleties, even in the densest of recordings, and keeps them audible as arrangements become more demanding.

Dynamic swings are delivered with enthusiasm, the amplifier’s generous power output obvious in the punch and solidity of the presentation. There’s no shortage of drama in the sound, yet we become aware of the L-509X’s impressive composure and the sense of control it imparts.

It’s the kind of composure we’re used to hearing at What Hi-Fi?, specifically when displayed by our reference stereo speakers, the ATC SCM50.

We’ve been using them as our reference speakers for well over a decade, and over that time they’ve been connected to just about every piece of electronics that has passed through our test rooms, from budget microsystems all the way up to monster pre/powers. In all that time, and with those many hundreds of components, they have never once let us down.

ATC’s focus is always on good solid engineering and a close look at the SCM50s makes that clear. The company’s background is firmly planted in the pro world, where reliability and high power handling are essentials. Its engineers value low distortion and dynamic ability and spend years developing the three drive units on show here.

The brand also has firm ideas about using hard cone materials such as aluminium – it doesn’t like them because they ring – so it comes as no surprise to find the 25mm tweeter and 7.5cm midrange unit both use well-damped fabric dome diaphragms. A 23cm woofer with a stiff fibre and resin composite cone produces the lows and is tuned by a large, front facing port. Around the back are three sets of terminals, so it’s possible to tri-wire or even better, tri-amp.

Every so often we come across rival speakers – usually of higher cost – that better these ATCs in some respect, whether it’s outright resolution, openness, stereo imaging or rhythmic precision.

Yet we haven’t managed to find something that’s as satisfying an all-rounder or as practical to use as a day-to-day review tool. Considering the SCM50 was originally introduced in the mid-80s, that’s quite some achievement. It seems great engineering doesn’t date.

And that’s exactly why you can be confident in every element of this truly high-end system. None of them are designed simply to wow at first meeting, but to live with you over decades. Gather a group of like-minded products such as this and you’ll never need to upgrade your system again.

MORE:

• Best What Hi-Fi? Temptations of the past decade
• Best high-end record players 2020
• 10 of the craziest-looking high-end hi-fi products on the planet

Whether it's sublime-sounding speakers, worry-free wireless streaming, a virtuoso vinyl experience or the cutting edge in home-cinema set-ups, the latest issue of What Hi-Fi? – on actual and virtual newsstands today – will have your system singing. At a time when most of us are spending many evenings indoors, we want you to furnish your homes with the right kit. That is where we step in – metaphorically speaking. 

While we prioritise sound per pound value, it's no secret that the premium products under our microscope this month are aspirational at first glance – it's a high-end special, after all. Essentially, we'll explain and debunk the features these flagship products pack in to justify their eyebrow-raising price-points. And we'll tell you what they actually sound like – because we've listened to them at length in our listening facility. Scheduling a serious glance at the bank account can always wait... 

And because it's What Hi-Fi?, you know that we'll gather together only the very best performers. Get ready for products that really have to be heard to be believed.

You can currently subscribe to our digital edition (the whole magazine, in digital format, delivered promptly to your inbox) for just £3 per issue – a huge saving, and you don't even need to leave the house. 

Prefer a proper analogue, bricks-and-mortar magazine? We get it. See below...

You can subscribe or buy the latest issue here, or buy the digital edition on iPhone, iPad, Android devices or Kindle edition. 

Perfect screen grabs

First though, the newest OLED screen from LG. It's a screen (and 4K TV model) that LG thinks will set the standard not just for its 2020 rollout, but across the entire TV landscape. It's name? The LG OLED65GX. So is it a sight for sore eyes, or merely an eyesore? We've taken it for a thorough and lengthy socially-distanced spin, and we'll give you the cold, hard truth regarding this four-figure TV.

Our in-depth First Tests section will always give you the nitty-gritty – the director's cut of reviews – because we think you deserve to know what's what. Read our First Tests and you'll know whether the product is right for you.

Also in this section, are Audio Pro's A26 powered speakers (which come in at a respectable £499), the iFi Zen Blue Bluetooth receiver, Disney's much-hyped new streaming service, Disney Plus, a budget-friendly Hisense Roku TV (50-inches of 4K resolution for a three-figure price tag) and the Philips PH805 noise-cancelling wireless headphones. Never heard of them but like the look of those Award-winning cans from Sony? You might want to take a look at this particular First Test. 

You down with ATC? Yeah, you know me

To celebrate our high-end issue (and before lockdown measures put a stop to such frivolities) we jumped in the car and headed to Stroud, Gloucestershire, to try to understand what British firm ATC is doing differently; what makes its glorious, transparent ATC SCM50 floorstanding speakers a cut above the rest.

We had a great pot of tea and the best biscuits. We had the full tour, saw a pair of ATC SCM50s being made and met the entire team responsible, many of whom have been with this small firm for decades. We also made some discoveries about care, precision, unique high-quality engineering and rigorous testing at each stage of manufacture. Come on the virtual journey with us; right now it's really the only way.

You can subscribe or buy the latest issue here, or buy the digital edition on iPhone, iPad, Android devices or Kindle edition. 

Simply the best

We don't need to tell you that building a hi-fi system is all about gathering together the right kit – kit that'll get the sonic best out of whatever it is partnered with. That's why you're here.

So let us be clear: our extensive 36-page round-up this month features the best products on the market regardless of cost. Nothing has changed; we want you to have the ideal hi-fi set-up for your budget and needs. Sometimes though, it's nice to look at the Ferrari of amps, say, even if owning one is currently off-limits. And if ever there was a time for understanding the true spiritual and emotional value of our music collections, it's now, during lockdown. 

Top-flight streamers, phono stages, speakers, turntables, DACs, CD players, amplifiers and headphones, as well as a special feature on the superlative ProAc Response 2 standmount speakers and Classé CD-202 CD player are all showcased here.

Want to know how the Chord 2go/Hugo2 stacks up against the Cambridge Audio Edge NQ, Moon 390 and Naim ND555/555 PS DR? That last music streamer costs £21K. Is it worth it – and by that we mean in comparison to the closest in its class? Do your due diligence: read the new issue of What Hi-Fi? and find out. 

Transvision amp

Your amplifier is the beating heart of your hi-fi system, but which of these high-end tickers is the best in our six-strong round-up? It's not an easy one to answer. Every amplifier you'll read about here gained a coveted five-star review from this publication – and at these prices, we're nothing if not brutally honest. 

The key, of course, is that while we don't know your particular system, we know what makes an ideal partner for these amps. That's because we've tested each one thoroughly, including the Copland CTA408, the Mark Levinson 5805, the Krell K-300I and Ayre Acoustics KX-R Twenty/VX-R Twenty. Combine your knowledge with ours, and there's an amp here with your name on it – if only at the top of your wishlist. 

You can subscribe or buy the latest issue here, or buy the digital edition on iPhone, iPad, Android devices or Kindle edition. 

Strange records

Need a quick break from our in-depth reviews of astronomically-priced kit? Good; it's best to ponder these products and whether they could (or should) gain entry to your home. And while you're taking a breather, why not read our feature entitled A history of the strangest vinyl records ever made? 

Ever heard of an EP that's just two inches wide? How about a chocolate record, or vinyl that plays something different each time you place it on the platter? From augmented reality iOS app support to records pressed from your loved one's ashes, it's all here. Maybe you'll even find yourself searching crates for a few, to spin on your new SME Synergy turntable (also featured in our July issue). After all, with just £50 change from the 15 grand outlay, you may as well put it to good use... 

On top of all this, our Insider Top Five Launches section this month includes Astell & Kern's newest hi-res portable music player, the A&norma SR25, Sonos' Playbar- and Playbase-superseding Arc soundbar, Dynaudio's new Contour i speaker range and the Yamaha A-S3200 – the most premium of the firm's trio of brand new valve stereo amplifiers. 

We've also updated the definitive guide to the best home entertainment your money can buy, our unparalleled Buyer's Guide. And we've thrown in our pick of the best albums of the 1970s – required reading for your next virtual pub quiz.

Stay alert, control the volume, and happy reading!  

You can subscribe or buy the latest issue here, or buy the digital edition on iPhone, iPad, Android devices or Kindle edition

The technology used in most hi-fi is pretty mature. After decades of development, most of the industry has settled into a tight template when it comes to design. And there isn't really an issue in that, because the circuits and engineering ideas that have become convention are proven and work well. 

But if a company steps out of this comfort zone, it can accomplish something special. Below are seven spectacular products that do just that.

1. Bower & Wilkins Nautilus – Reducing cabinet coloration

B&W’s Nautilus is now considered something of a design icon. It has won numerous Awards for the way it looks, but that distinctive appearance isn’t just down to the whim of an artistic designer. It’s the result of the company trying to find a way to reduce the sonic contribution of a speaker cabinet.

Ideally, only the drive units should make sound in a speaker, but that’s never the case. No matter how well made, heavy or damped a cabinet, internal resonances always add sound.

The company’s engineers first experimented with open-backed baffles, which release any rear-firing sound from the drive unit into the room. This lets the bulk of that unwanted energy escape, rather than feeding into the enclosure or reflecting back through the speaker diaphragm.

However, B&W couldn’t achieve the sonic results it wanted and the idea was abandoned. But it led to the idea of a reverse-horn shape for the enclosure, which starts large at the driver end and then decreases.

You’ll still need to get the calculations right for the tapered shape, use the appropriate damping material and leave the far end open for a small amount of the energy to escape. But it has many of the advantages of an open cabinet, without the drawbacks. That’s essentially the basis of the Nautilus’s design.

The four aluminium drive units are mounted at the front of their own tapered tubes, and the length of the tube is down to the amount of energy it has to absorb. The one for the bass driver approaches 4m long – hardly a practical depth for a domestic speaker – so the engineers rolled it up. The result is one of the most distinctive and stunning-looking speakers we’ve ever seen.

2. Chord DAVE – DACs done a different way

The majority of hi-fi manufacturers do not make their own digital-to-analogue converters – almost every company buys off-the-shelf solutions from OEM suppliers such as ESS Technology, Burr Brown or AKM. These chip manufacturers not only supply the silicon but also give implementation instructions on how to get their ICs operational, right down to recommending circuits to make it work well.

While some hi-fi manufacturers simply implement those instructions, most of the serious ones will add a twist or two to get the optimum performance. The best do a brilliant job, getting results far in advance of others, even with the same DAC chip.

Chord Electronics has long done things in a different way. All its DACs use high-power FPGAs (Field Programmable Gate Arrays). Essentially, they’re high-powered processors without any software preinstalled.

The company then loads on proprietary software that covers every aspect of digital-to-analogue conversion and filtering. By doing things in a bespoke way, the company can do the processing exactly the way it wants to, prioritising hi-fi performance above all else. The range-topping Chord DAVE takes this to an extreme.

In theory, this gives it a massive advantage over more general-purpose, off-the-shelf solutions that are designed to be used in everything from battery operated portables (where low power consumption is vital) to Blu-ray players and home cinema amps.

The advantages of Chord’s approach translate well into practice, as the company has dominated the premium DAC category (and our Awards) for much of the last decade.

3. DNM 3D preamp – Getting a handle on magnetic fields

Every piece of wire that carries an electrical current generates a magnetic field. When that conductor is close to another piece of metal, that field also generates currents in that metal. The currents in that metal cause yet another magnetic field, which interferes with the original one, slightly disrupting the current flow in that original conductor in the process.

Think of how many wires and conducting components there are in a typical piece of hi-fi electronics, and consider that it’s all usually wrapped in metal casework. Given the multitude of unwanted magnetic fields and currents generated, it’s a surprise that hi-fi sounds as good as it does.

DNM is one of the few brands that has tried to get a handle on these effects, and its products aren’t like anything else we’ve seen. The company uses acrylic cases, and metal is removed from every part of the product, right down to using plastic screws. The current preamp, the 3D, even uses multiple circuit boards that are spaced in a precise way to control any magnetic field interactions.

The result is one of the clearest, most agile revealing preamps we’ve heard. It’s hard to come to any other conclusion than that DNM is on to something, but needless to say, the company’s products aren’t cheap. The entry-level 3D preamp, the Twin, costs £7800.

4. Eclipse TD-510Z Mk II – Reducing cabinet vibrations

Eclipse’s range of speakers is one of the most distinctive around – they’re shaped like eggs, they don’t use wood in their cabinets and they use a single drive unit to cover the whole frequency range. Such is the company’s creativity, we could highlight any of these things here, but let's concentrate on the clever way Eclipse’s engineers have reduced cabinet colouration.

The main source of vibration in a speaker is the drive unit. As it moves, a lot of mechanical energy is generated, particularly with larger drivers. In almost all speakers, that drive unit is rigidly mounted into the cabinet, usually by multiple bolts, and so that vibration is fed directly into the cabinet, causing it to resonate. When a cabinet vibrates, it makes a sound that adds to that produced by the drive unit. That’s distortion you just don’t want.

Eclipse’s solution is clever. The drive unit is mounted directly to a grounding anchor, which connects directly to the speaker’s base. This way, any vibration generated by the drive units is fed straight into a high mass structure, then down into the speaker stand. The cabinet is merely a cover that is air-sealed at the drive unit edge but decoupled from arms that come out from the anchor. Touch the enclosure when the speakers are playing loud and it’s easy to feel just how little vibration is felt.

5. Naim Audio ND555 – Isolating circuit boards from external vibrations

If you’ve tried to write with a pen on a moving vehicle, you’ll know just how hard external vibration makes that task. While less obvious, such unwanted mechanical energy makes the job of electronic components harder too.

It’s why many audiophiles spend thousands on equipment supports to get the best from their hi-fi. Most manufacturers make some attempt to reduce the amount of vibration reaching the internal circuitry of its components. The majority only go as far as fitting rubber feet or damping the casework, but others, such as Naim, take things more seriously.

Look inside the company’s range-topping ND555 music streamer and you'll see the main circuit boards are isolated from the substantial casework with a spring-loaded suspension. This is specially tuned to keep the unwanted mechanical energy pick-up by the casework away from the sensitive audio circuits. Just remember to fit the transit bolts before you move the unit, otherwise, the boards could become dislodged.

6. Kii Audio Three – Controlling speaker dispersion

In a perfect world, you'd be able to put a speaker wherever you like in your room and it would sound the same. In reality, reflections from the walls affect the in-room frequency response of the speaker to a large degree, particularly at low frequencies where energy levels are high.

This is why it’s critical to position most speakers away from walls or room corners to get the optimum sound from them – unless they are designed to go into those places.

Kii Audio’s Three speaker takes a sledgehammer to the problem by combining sophisticated digital signal processing, active operation and an array of six drivers. Four of those are bass units – there’s one on each side with the remaining two on the back panel. This formidable collection of technology allows Kii’s engineers to control the way bass disperses into the room. They can shape the waveform so that some of the energy travels towards the rear and sidewalls. This makes the speakers remarkably unfussy about where they’re placed in a room.

While we may have had slight misgivings about the speaker’s sonic character, there can be no denying the cleverness of the company’s approach and success in accomplishing the task at hand.

7. Vertere Acoustics MG-1 MkII – Maximising speed stability from belt drive

Most hi-fi turntables use belt drive technology, and for good reason. It’s a great way to isolate the platter from any vibrations generated by the motor. But there’s a big problem, and that’s speed instability.

That same belt that isolates also stretches and contracts while transmitting drive to the platter. This constant changing of length results in issues with both low and high frequency speed stability. The main alternative drive method, direct drive, where the platter is mounted directly on the motor, is better at maintaining speed accuracy, though of course, feeds motor noise directly into the platter too.

We like the isolation of belt drive, but not its speed stability. Vertere Acoustics’ answer is to allow the motor body to swivel a controlled amount in order to compensate for the misbehavior of the belt. It’s a brilliant solution that gives the company’s products a rare amount of sonic stability and rhythmic precision for belt-drive designs.

Vertere’s owner also co-founded Roksan, and his original turntable design, the Roksan Xerxes from the 1980s, first had this motor arrangement. The mechanism used in the Vertere MG-1 Mk II deck is a more evolved version of that original design.

We’ve long been fans of Audio-Technica’s premium series of wooden, closed-back headphones. The new range-topping Kokutan simply reinforce that positivity. 

They are named after the Japanese striped ebony hardwood used for the earcups, although in some markets they also go under the somewhat less characterful name of ATH-AWKT.

Comfort

At 405g, these headphones aren’t flyweights, but the wide headband and generously proportioned earpads make them comfortable. There is enough in the way of adjustment on the headband for them to fit most people well, even those with smaller heads. That isn’t always the case with all large premium alternatives.

Kokutan is a high-density wood claimed to have good self-damping properties, which makes for a low-resonance enclosure for each 53mm driver (one per side) to work from.

Build

These Audio-Technicas are supplied with two detachable 3m leads – one with a standard 6.3mm jack and the other with a four-pin XLR balanced connector, should your headphone amplifier be suitably equipped.

The Kokutans are intended for use at home, but we still wish that the leads weren’t so good at transmitting mechanical noise into the earcups every time we move and brush against them.

Overall though, build quality is as good as the price demands. These headphones feel well made and sturdy, while the beautifully finished wooden earcups and hard-wearing sheepskin covering used on the earpads and headband add a decent dose of luxury.

The Audio-Technicas' obvious rival is the excellent and similarly-priced Sennheiser HD 820s, but there are much cheaper options, such as Beyerdynamic’s semi-open T1s, that still set a high bar for the Kokutan to reach.

Connect them to a suitably capable system and, on the whole, they succeed. Our main set-up is Audio Research’s CD9 SE CD player feeding Nagra’s legendary PL-P preamp (which has a terrific headphone output), but we also give Chord’s hugely capable 2go/Hugo 2 music streamer combination a spin.

While these cans will work with phones, tablets and budget DACs, if you go down this route, you won’t hear just how capable the Audio-Technicas are.

Sound

We start with Stravinsky’s The Firebird Suite and are impressed by the Kokutans’ clarity. They resolve plenty of detail and present it in an organised and cohesive manner. There’s a lovely sense of spaciousness to the sound, something that’s hard to get in a closed-back design, and a lack of sonic clutter that’s genuinely pleasing.

We’re thankful that Audio-Technica has resisted the urge to super-charge the bass frequencies. While the industry as a whole has followed this excess bass philosophy for a number of years now – thanks to the phenomenal commercial success of the Beats brand – the Kokutan take a subtler, more balanced and ultimately more satisfying approach. The lows are agile and textured, giving a firm foundation for the rest of the frequencies, but they also blend in seamlessly.

This more sophisticated attitude to music replay is obvious in the way that no single part of the frequency range sticks out. Sure, the highs could be a touch sweeter, but such is the precision and insight on offer that we don’t mind too much. Certainly, it takes an overtly aggressive recording before this part of the Audio-Technicas' nature becomes noticeable.

Dynamics are fluid, though the presentation is a little restrained. When the orchestra gets going, the Audio-Technicas hold back just a bit to make things easier on the ear. It’s an approach that results in a less demanding experience, but it also rounds off the sense of drama a touch.

We switch to Wyclef Jean’s Carnival Vol. II set and find plenty to admire in the Kokutans’ sound. Their composed nature makes sense of Jean’s energetic mish-mash of musical styles. An expressive midrange makes it easy to follow the (often) rapid-fire lyrics, and there’s enough in the way of nuance and precision to make the album a pleasure to listen to.

It’s not perfect though. That civilising effect is also apparent here in the way the headphones don’t quite deliver the punch of the music with the aggression it deserves. Rhythms are still conveyed in a surefooted way but lack just a bit of enthusiasm and drive.

Verdict

But when it comes to cutting through a dense mix and getting right to the heart of the musical message, there’s little to complain about here. The Audio-Technicas communicate well despite the slight loss of drama.

The Kokutans remain accomplished performers. They’re informative and organised, and deliver recordings in a cohesive and musical way. Those who value subtlety and sophistication above all else will find much to like here.

SCORES

• Sound 4
• Comfort 4
• Build 5

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Best headphones 2020

Read our Sennheiser HD 820 review

Read our Beyerdynamic T1 review

The term 'limited edition' seems these days more of a marketing tool than a denotation of value when it comes to buying vinyl.

Each year sees a raft of new releases, be they reissues or brand new music, but very few will appreciate in value in any meaningful way. That said, while very valuable vinyl is rare, it certainly does exist.

Of course, we wouldn't recommend buying vinyl solely for the purposes of making money – we're all about the tunes contained within the grooves – but we asked Ian Shirley, editor of the Record Collector Rare Record Price Guide, to pick out some of the most collectable records that might be nestling in your grandfather's sherry cabinet or could crop up in a charity shop. If you're hunting for vinyl gems, these are among the most precious of all.

View the Record Collector Rare Record Price Guide 2020 on Amazon

Open The Door To Your Heart by Darrell Banks

Release: 7-inch, London, HL 10070

Year: 1966

Value: £15000

This is the record to find. For 50 years, collectors thought there were only promotional copies of this soul beauty, backed with Our Love (Is In The Pocket), worth in the region of £1000. A few years back a stock copy surfaced that saw Northern Soul collectors across the world looking to re-mortgage their homes to get their needles on it.

The hammer went down at £14000, but if you found another one and put it up for auction it would probably sell for as much as £20000. The edition pressed Stateside in 1966 can be had for as little as £20.

The Beatles (aka The White Album) by The Beatles

Release: 2-LP, Apple, PMC/PCS 7067/8

Year: 1967

Value: £10000-15000

You probably already have a copy of this in your collection. If not, you could buy an original from 1967 for as little as £40. The devil is in the detail, however, as every original copy was stamped with a unique number.

Even in 'Very Good' condition – played quite a lot – a Beatles collector would pay thousands of pounds for a copy set numbered 1-100. The holy grail is a copy numbered 1-10 as they were probably owned by them, or someone close to them! Number five sold for £19000 in 2008.

Dark Round The Edges by Dark

Release: LP, SIS, 0102 

Year 1972

Value: £10000

Some of the rarest beasts in the vinyl jungle are progressive rock bands from the late 1960s and early 70s, from King Crimson to these obscure boys from Northampton. Dark self-pressed a limited edition of this LP as a headstone to mark their demise, with only 62 copies made.

This is the rarest version that comes in a coloured gatefold sleeve, with a booklet made of photos with hand-written notes. The black-and-white edition is £4000, and a test pressing £6000. The LP has been reissued several times, so you can get a newer copy for £20.

God Save The Queen / No Feeling by Sex Pistols

Release: 7-inch, A&M, AMS 7284

Year: 1977

Value: £8500

One of the most sought-after singles in the world is this withdrawn classic by the Sex Pistols; it was pressed hastily and quickly recalled with most copies being destroyed. There are probably only around 50 copies left.

Most punk collectors would love to own one of these, but finding a copy is as hard as raising the cash. Test pressings of this A&M version are worth £7000, but those looking for a cheap replica should steer clear of the vast number of bootleg copies that have been doing the rounds – unless you want to frame one for display.

Hunky Dory by David Bowie

Release: LP, no label or catalogue number

Year: 1971

Value £5000 

There are a number of rare LPs recorded by David Bowie before he found success in the 70s. His 1967 debut David Bowie, for example, is worth £1000 in mono or stereo.  Indeed, clear-vinyl copies of his final 2016 LP Black Star sell for £100 to £200.

This ‘preview’ edition of fourth album Hunky Dory was pressed up in limited numbers, and comes in a white sleeve with typed track listing and hand-written details stating “David Bowie Hunky Dory Preview Pressing 19 October 1971". It's near impossible to find, meaning Bowie collectors will pay through the nose for one.

• How to listen to David Bowie in chronological order

Bohemian Rhapsody / I'm In Love With My Car by Queen

Release: 7-inch, EMI, EMI 2375

Year: 1978

Value: £5000 

This particular edition was limited to 200 copies on blue vinyl in a picture sleeve, to celebrate EMI's winning of a Queen's Award for Industry for the company’s record sales. It was given out at a drinks reception and was never for sale in the shops.

It remains the most sought-after Queen record, although the cigarette lighter, pen, invite and other sundry items that came with it are equally hard to find.

Complex by Complex

Release: LP, CLPM 001

Year: 1970

Value: £4000

Another moody and rare progressive private pressing sought after by collectors around the world. Only 99 copies were pressed of this self-financed debut LP, recorded to get more live work and maybe a record deal. Most original copies are damaged as they made the sleeve too small, so when they stuffed the record inside it split the edges.

You can still enjoy this LP by buying the 2012 repressing from Spain on the Guerssen label – a bargain at £30 and the sleeve fits the record – and Complex did a second LP in 1971 called The Way We Feel, which can go for £1000.

------ / ------ / ------ / XXXXXX / ------ / ------ by Boards Of Canada

Release: 12-inch, Warp, 37367

Year: 2013

Value: £1500

Back in 2013 the two members of Boards Of Canada snuck into a few record shops on Record Store Day and put this single-sided 12-inch into the racks. Only six copies were pressed and only four of those ever surfaced, meaning there are two at large somewhere awaiting discovery.

The first pressing of their Twoism LP from 1995 is also rather valuable – it was limited to 100 copies and sells for around £400 today. 

Older by George Michael

Release: LP, Virgin, V2802

Year: 1996

Value £400-500

When it comes to collectability, the passing of an artist can heighten the prices of already rare records. George Michael’s third solo LP Older sold millions of copies on CD, but there was only a tiny run on vinyl for the entire European market.

Copies have changed hands for up to £800, and this really is an LP you could stumble upon in your own collection – people just don’t realise how rare it is.

Dansation / Steel City Disco by Steel City Connection

Release: 7-inch, Jeree, 41078

Year: 1978

Value: £750 

Disco has its obscure self-released singles just as every other genre, and some can be worth a fortune. Hailing from Pittsburgh, Steel City Connection recorded this one single before fading from the light.

It sounds fantastic but is near impossible to find. Thankfully, it was finally reissued earlier this year by Kalita Records – their 12-inch edition, featuring a previously unheard extended version of Dansation, is yours for only £10.

More:

• A history of the strangest vinyl records ever made
• 25 record stores to visit before you die
• A brief history of the turntable and vinyl records
• How a vinyl record is cut at Abbey Road Studios

They say you can't put a price on happiness - but if we had all the money in the world to spend on our hi-fi set up, we reckon we'd be pretty content.

We decided to do a little bit of detective work to find the most expensive speakers ever made - and we've been blown away by some of the price tags. The majority of the items on this list would be beyond the reach of most customers, but there's no harm in ogling some gigantic shiny speakers with crazy tech inside them.

Indulgent? Perhaps. Extravagant? No doubt. Expensive? You bet. So here's what we found in ascending order of outlay...

• 11 of the world's most expensive headphones

Final Audio Opus 204 – $450,000

A striking 800kg speaker we first spotted at the 2013 Munich High End Show, Final Audio is a Japanese company founded, owned and run by Kanemori Takai from 1972 until his death, sadly, just one year after the launch of the Opus 204.

Takai believed that to truly get the best out of these speakers, they needed to be installed in a house before it was finished and then have the building constructed to fit around them. Now that's putting hi-fi first.

These speakers use sand-filled, ultra-thin aluminium cones which weigh a featherlight 8g each.

CAT MBX Powered Speakers – $500,000

CAT says its MBX systems have been known to top $16m! Custom-built, these 3.6m speakers weigh five tonnes each and house 55cm subwoofers, 23cm woofers, 14cm mid-range speakers, and 3cm tweeters. We also understand the enclosures are more than 20cm thick and are built using CAT's own secret lamination process.

If you fancy ordering some yourself, head over to California Audio Technology and make your choices. Material options include HDF, Corian, Avonite, MBX105, marble, granite, concrete, aluminum, stainless steel and titanium. You can have up to 10 drivers per channel. Expect to pay somewhere between $500,000 to $16,000,000 and don't forget to tell them that What Hi-Fi? sent you.

Backes & Muller BM 100 – $550,000

Is it a speaker? Is it a refrigerator? We're still hovering around the half-a-million dollars mark with these towering Backes & Müller BM 100s, which will need a bit of space given their height of 230cm. One of the most impressive features is the large mid-range horn that measures 2.3m high and has a front area spanning 1.75 sqm.

Bass jets frame the entire loudspeaker and help to create a wall of sound with up to 10m long bass waves distributed over the entire height of the loudspeaker. Sounds puny, really.

Moon Audio Signature Titan II – $550,000

With a listed retail price of $520,000 a pair, the Signature Titan II is a limited edition speaker described by Moon Audio as the first in a series of "ultra-limited edition functional acoustic art works". Each pair has been signed by the designer, and its limited-edition tag is not to be taken lightly: one pair reportedly went for $2m.

Each speaker is, of course, hand-made. They stand at 1.83m and weigh over 1.2 tonnes. The cabinet is made mostly of aircraft grade aluminium and white steel, and houses two subwoofers, two midrange drivers and a single tweeter which range up to an ultrasonic 90kHz. Oh, and just in case you're checking for compatibility, you can bi-wire them.

Wisdom Audio Infinite Wisdom Grande – $700,000

With the Wisdom Audio Infinite Wisdom Grande we're starting to really move up the price ladder. And these are large units, weighing in at a total of nearly two tonnes - designed, says Wisdom Audio, for "multi-level rooms in the largest homes and palaces, great halls and ballrooms" no less.

There are separate cabinets for the mid/treble units and for the bass. The latter of those are 243cm tall and house an incredible 24 x 30cm woofers. The former stacks six 7.5cm x 190cm Quasi-Ribbon/Planar-Magnetic units into its 4m frame. Altogether the claim is that they can muster sound pressure levels in excess of 120 dB.

Magico Ultimate III – $700,000

At $600,000 a pair, the Magico Ultimate IIIs stand around 230cm tall and are an all-aluminium, five-way horn-loaded system. They reportedly require 10 amplifiers, with technical aspects including the throat of each horn that features a high-sensitivity compression driver among the highlights.

Alongside those CNC-milled horns are six ALE compression drivers and four custom-made mid/bass and bass drivers, split by an active DSP-controlled crossover. They come in at about half a tonne each and require an 18-month lead time. Be sure to factor both of those in when you place your order.

Wilson Audio WAMM Master Chronosonic – $850,000

WAMM stands for Wilson Audio Modular Monitor and yes, you've guessed it, these Master Chronosonics are multi-module loudspeakers. Each module's time alignment can be adjusted in five-microsecond increments. Align the drivers correctly to the listening position, contends Wilson Audio, and the result is far more lifelike sound.

Each speaker is over 210cm tall, constructed out of aerospace-grade aluminium, and its open architecture is designed to minimise stored energy. Each pair takes about 10 weeks to make, so we're not surprised Wilson Audio is only producing 70 pairs. Looking for something more affordable? Try the $330,000 Chronsonic XVX instead.

Cessaro Horn Acoustics Omega 1 - $1m

Horn speaker specialist Cessaro Horn Acoustics has a top of the range model which is 2.8m tall and weights 4.5 tonnes. Just in case you were wondering, The Omega I system is not meant for normal living rooms, according to the website. You haven't got one of those, have you?

Six 40cm bass units drive the front-loaded horns which, you'll be pleased to hear, can be ordered in any colour you choose. Equally, the cabinets and side panels come in a pretty extensive range of veneers. African Padauk, anybody?

Kharma Grand Enigma – $1m

The Dutch high-end audio manufacturer's Exquisite Extreme Grand Limited Edition 25 might seem expensive enough at a reported £318k a pair, but the Grand Enigma soars higher than that. A one-off, this system was said to have been designed in a huge cellar in Belgium and with a dollar price tag with six zeros on the end.

As such, there's no further information on them and, veiled as they were when this photo was snapped, there's not an awful one can glean. Enigmatic indeed.

Moon Audio Opulence – $1.1m

Moon Audio makes a second appearance on this list with an even more ostentatious speaker than the first. Just 10 pairs were produced at a cost of $1.1m, with the ominous-sounding Dark Star on board.

The company claims it offers "an optional second way of experiencing music, which is independent of the drivers in the speaker itself and delivers music into the listener's brain, bypassing the ears". How it works, we don't know - but we're confident ears won't be rendered obsolete just yet.

Transmission Audio Ultimate – $2m

Transmission Audio is proud of the Ultimate. If you wanted to compare it to sports cars, the manufacturer says, you'd have to "combine the specifications of Ferrari, Mazerati and Koenigsegg in one chassis".

A complete pair with amplifiers isn't exactly a snip at $2m, with plenty of components going into a full stereo two-channel set-up: four Dipole Subwoofers, each containing 10 pcs of 38cm Ultra Class elements; two Dipole Woofers (one per channel), each containing 24pcs of Ultra low distortion; 20cm Wide band woofers; four Dipole MF/HF ribbon panels (two per channel), each containing 14m of 5cm wide ribbons; and two Dipole HF Super ribbon panels (one per channel), each containing 2m of 2.5cm ribbons.

Little surprise it stands more than 2.1m tall, then...

Hart Audio D&W Aural Pleasure – $5m

Rub your eyes as much as you wish, but that won't change the fact the price you see for this pair of stunning speakers is a cool $5m. If we owned them, we'd almost be scared to use the speakers for their intended purpose out of fear that we might do some damage.

So what makes this such an expensive pair of speakers? It's just a hunch, but we reckon it has something to do with the 76cm cabinet that has been cast in 24-carat gold...

MORE:

• Best floorstanding speakers 2020: 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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Forty years have come and gone since Leak last launched a hi-fi product, but today the Great British brand is back with an all-new integrated amplifier, the Stereo 130.

The Leak Stereo 130 is a retro-style, classically engineered, mid-to-budget amp fused with all the mod-cons of contemporary hi-fi.

It takes its cues from the Stereo 30, which Leak created in 1963 and claimed to be the first commercially available all-transistor amp. Its new successor carries a similar aesthetic with a real wood walnut enclosure and front panel layout. The resemblance is not just skin deep either. This Stereo 130 carries with it many of the older engineering principles in its circuit design, alongside a set of more modern additions.

The Stereo 130's Class AB power amp has a 200VA toroidal transformer. The preamp section is protected by the use of low-noise power supplies. There are bass and treble tone controls, which can be bypassed if desired.

It supports files of up to 32-bit/384kHz PCM and DSD256 through its USB input, with the digital circuitry designed to maximise detail and expression no matter the format. There are also three S/PDIF inputs (one coaxial and two optical), plus Bluetooth aptX support.

Feeding the digital inputs is a ES9018K2M DAC from the Sabre32 Reference family, which aims to reduce noise and deliver a high dynamic range through the chip's 32-bit HyperStream architecture and Time Domain Jitter Eliminator feature.

On the analogue side, there's a phono stage for moving magnet cartridges, in addition to two line-level analogue inputs. There's also a dedicated headphone amp stage with current-feedback circuitry that aims to get the best possible sound from as many different kinds of headphones as possible.

The revived company's first amplifier to arrive in the 21st century will be available in July, priced at £799 with the walnut enclosure over the aluminium casing, or £699 without (Australian pricing and availability to be announced). A matching CD transport, the Leak CDT (pictured above), will also arrive in July.

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While we would always hesitate to bet on a product’s fate before we had spent time with it, the odds are stacked in favour of the Audiolab 600A Play's success. That's because the streaming amplifier essentially combines the company’s five-star 6000A integrated amp (£599 / AU$1,599) and Award-winning 6000N Play (£449 / AU$1,099) network streamer in a single chassis.

A recipe for success on the face of it, the 6000A Play borrows the 6000A’s amplifier circuitry and marries it with the 6000N Play’s wi-fi streaming technology, which is based on the established DTS Play-Fi platform. 

The result: a just-add-speakers system that can stream music from services like Tidal, Spotify, Amazon Music, Deezer and Qobuz, a DLNA-compatible networked server or, via Bluetooth, a smartphone, as well as accommodate external sources such as a CD player, TV or turntable thanks to its digital, phono and line-level analogue inputs.

The DTS platform on which the 6000A Play’s streaming experienced is based allows for hi-res playback up to 24-bit/192kHz, in a wireless multiroom capacity that allows the connection of up to 32 Play-Fi-equipped devices. All you need is the DTS Play-Fi control app. By linking the amplifier with any Alexa-supporting smart speaker in the app, it can also be voice-controlled.

Audiolab has worked hard to squeeze the absolute best performance out of the 6000A Play’s Sabre32 DAC chips, carefully choosing op-amps for the post-DAC active filter circuitry that work particularly well with the chips. For all digital audio signals, users can choose between three digital filters - ‘Fast Roll-Off’, ‘Slow Roll-Off’ and ‘Minimum Phase’ – to optimise performance according to the source and partnering equipment.

Similar care has been taken in the analogue stages: the protected preamp section has been kept as simple as possible, with line input signals passing straight to an analogue volume stage, while independent low-noise power supplies for each critical stage have been used to reduce interference and enhance performance.

The 6000A Play’s phono stage has also been upgraded over the 6000A’s to deliver even better sound quality. And joining the 50-watt-per-channel Class AB power amp stage is a dedicated headphone amplifier for listening through cans, too.

The Audiolab 6000A Play is available from July in a choice of silver or black, at an RRP of £799 (Australian pricing yet to be announced). We look forward to seeing how it stacks up against the current class leader in the sub-£1000 just-add-speakers system category, the Marantz PM7000N.

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Welcome to What Hi-Fi?'s High End Week!

Best hi-fi systems 2020: micro, hi-fi, vinyl

3 of the best turntable, amp and speaker systems

If there's one good thing about Munich High End 2020 being cancelled (bear with us here...) it's that it gives us a chance to take stock and really get the measure of what has fast become hi-fi’s favourite show.

Rather than always looking forward to the shiny and the new, we can look around us at the right now and see what became of those bright young things of the previous year. Did the class of Munich 2019 live up to all the hype? What turned out to be the real high-end success stories?

We’ve leafed through all the launches and announcements from High End Munich 2019, cross-referenced them with our catalogue of reviews of the last 12 months and underlined the names of the real winners of last year’s show.

Whether you’re interested in making a purchase or just wondering what to look out for at High End Munich 2021, the success stories from 2019 are well worth a scan.

Wharfedale Evo 4.4

Sitting above the legendary Diamond series, the Wharfedale Evo 4 range arrived in 2019 to set a new bar at the mid-level price point price. Comprising two bookshelf speakers, two floorstanders, a centre and a surround sound speaker, it was the top-end, three-way Wharfedale Evo 4.4 floorstanders that we called into our test rooms. They did not disappoint.

They're finished in a choice of black, white or walnut and are built with both an Air Motion Transformer for the top notes and, unusually, a 50mm soft dome for the midrange. They're backed up by two bass drivers and a downward-facing port.

The results are some large scale sound with a superb sense of authority. They're both dynamically insightful and articulate enough to make the most out of even busy compositions. 

While they might not grab you instantly, as some rivals do, they're entertaining and detailed with enough in the way of refinement to make them an excellent long-term choice – What Hi-Fi? 2019 Award-winners for Best floorstanding speaker (£1000-£1500).

Read the full Wharfedale Evo 4.4 review

Arcam SA30

Part amplifier, part music streamer, the Arcam SA30 is a superb piece of modern hi-fi kit. Just add speakers and it's a tidy wireless music system to rival the best.

It's stacked with connectivity (Chromecast, AirPlay, UPnP streaming) and with 120W per channel, it can cope with suitable speakers. Most importantly, though, the sound is a treat. It has a deliciously easy-going nature and a particular penchant for vocals.

It may not be total perfection – the app isn't the best and it doesn't have Bluetooth – but it's mature, open and clear. If that's your bag, then keep your eyes peeled for more from Arcam at Munichs to come.

Read the full Arcam SA30 review

Naim Mu-so 2

There's no need to get caught up trying to work out exactly how to classify the Naim Mu-so 2. It's a really tasteful and convenient piece of home audio for modern living, and that's good enough for us.

There's an HDMI ARC for use with your TV, USB, optical and 3.5mm ports, but the wireless music streaming options are likely to be used more often. It streams through Tidal, Spotify Connect, AirPlay 2 and Chromecast, with file support up to 32-bit/384kHz. And, while the app that comes with it is decent and the on-device touch controls are a delight, it also happens to be Roon Ready.

Sonically, it's just as rich as its excellent predecessor, but delivers even more detail, dynamics and rhythmic dexterity. Wireless speakers may not be right at the core of hi-fi, but it was a fittingly high-end launch for Munich 2019.

Read the full Naim Mu-so 2 review

Dali Katch One

Dali was no stranger to AV sound when it launched the Katch One at Munich 2019. The Dali Kubik One had already won What Hi-Fi? Awards, but it felt like time for a refresh.

We hoped from its distinctly non-home cinema look and feel that there was something special about this soundbar – and there certainly is. The slightly awkward shape means that you can't just pop it at the feet of your flat screen, but it also makes room for a set of four 9cm aluminium mid/bass drivers, four 11.5cm steel passive radiators and two 21mm soft-dome high-frequency units.

The results are some of the most brilliant subtle sonics and dynamic clarity you'll find beneath £1000 in this category. Those hoping for Dolby Atmos, external subs and other baubles will be disappointed, but get one home and you won't regret it. 

A Product of the Year gong at the What Hi-Fi? Awards 2019 makes it arguably the most successful Munich 2019 launch on this list.

Read the full Dali Katch One review

Chord Huei

Think of DACs and Chord Electronics may spring to mind, but the Huei phono stage was launched as part of the company's 30-year celebration of its time in analogue amplification. Built into the similar-looking and distinctive chassis as its digital range, the Huei offers options for both moving coil and moving magnet, and plenty of granular control for both gain and impedance.

It delivers sound with good dynamism and stability, and an easy-on-the-ear quality which won't grate no matter how long you listen for. While it's not quite class-topping for dynamism and expression, it's still a solid and insightful performer and a worthy arrival from Munich.

Read the full Chord Huei review

Technics Ottava S SC-C30

This was the first wireless speaker we tested from the Japanese audio firm and we'd certainly be happy to do so again. The name sounds like a Star Wars droid, and with its UFO looks and lighting, there's definitely something sci-fi about the appearance.

But instead of little green men, on the inside there are five drivers (two tweeters, two woofers and a cone subwoofer) driven by a digital amp that aims to reduce jitter and noise from the driver performance.

Its sound is big and solid, and it can pump out some powerfully tight rhythms without swallowing up the rest of the track. There's no scrimping on detail or dynamics, no matter what kind of music we throw its way over Bluetooth, aux-in, optical, USB, internet radio and Chromecast.

If it wasn't for occasional bugs in the software during our testing period, the C30 would have picked up a five-star review. Sonically, it's right up there with the best.

Read the full Technics Ottava S SC-C30 review

Astell & Kern Kann Cube

For a portable music player, the Kann Cube isn't particularly portable – nor is it cube-shaped. It's a player with built-in storage, a DAC, a headphone amplifier and, with its five-pin mini XLR connection, it's a great fit for desktop or hi-fi system integration.

There are, of course, balanced and unbalanced connections for headphones or other hi-fi kit, as well as 128GB of built-in storage and a microSD slot which can cope with a 1TB card. There's file support up to 32-bit/384kHz, DSD256 and it's MQA-enabled through Tidal Masters as well as downloaded files.

The sound is typically high-end too – with great clarity, wonderful scale and layers of nuance. The only problem is that the even better A&K A&ultima SP1000M isn't much more expensive.

Read the full Astell & Kern Kann Cube review

Wharfedale Linton

The best of old hi-fi combined with the best of the new – that was our verdict on the affordable and stylish Linton speakers, yet another Wharfedale five-star success story from High End Munich 2019.

Fans of retro-style hi-fi will love this classic-look speaker. They're built with a broader baffle and bigger drive units to produce a more open, larger-scale sound that's different from anything produced by today's more compact standmount speakers.

With effortless weight, spot-on stereo imaging and lots of detail, you could listen to these speakers for days and still not get tired. Just remember to change the record once in a while.

Read the full Wharfedale Linton review

There are some great high-end speakers on the market, but most of them need larger rooms to shine. So, what if you have a generous budget, but a compact listening space? We think we’ve found the answer in Audiovector’s R1 Arreté.

Audiovector is different from most rivals in that it offers upgradable speakers. The entry-level R1 is called the Signature (£2300) and it features a good quality dome tweeter and a carbon coned mid/bass driver all housed in a neat, nicely made, curved cabinet.

When the itch for something better strikes – human nature dictates that it usually does – the speakers can be returned to the factory for conversion to either the Avantgarde (£3850) or the range-topping Arreté spec we have here. The changes are wholesale, involving better drive units, higher-spec crossovers and even improvements to the cabinet, depending on the level chosen.

The cost of the changes totals the difference in retail price between the spec levels, plus a little extra that covers shipping and labour. We don’t know of another speaker manufacturer that offers such a service.

It’s a great idea but it only makes sense if each pricier version of the model outperforms the one below it. Also, each step has to be capable enough at its price point, so that if you buy in at the mid or top end of the range you still get a highly competitive product. That’s a tough ask, but we’ve learnt over the years that Audiovector is good at what it does.

Build

The Arreté specification represents the pinnacle of Audiovector’s technology. It features an open-backed version of the company’s in-house AMT (Air Motion Transformer) tweeter. This is hand-built and is claimed to offer greater agility and detail than conventional dome alternatives.

The rearward sound radiation from the diaphragm is allowed to escape through a vent in the back of the cabinet, helping with dynamics, detail and sense of sonic space in the soundstage.

This vent is positioned just above the reflex port for the 16.5cm carbon fibre mid/bass unit. The carbon fibre cone mixes aramid fibres with artificial wood resin to create a well-damped but rigid structure. The claim is of improved resolution and dynamics over alternatives.

A carefully calibrated crossover network links the two drivers. As expected, it’s packed full of high-quality components, but here the company’s engineers have gone further than most. That crossover is cryogenically frozen down to -238ºC in a process intended to relieve internal stresses in the copper conductors and reduce resistance. The sonic benefits should include improved clarity and resolution.

Look carefully and you’ll see many examples of the company’s attention to detail. For example, the classy single-wire speaker terminals are mounted on a carbon fibre plate rather than a metal one to avoid any unwanted electromagnetic interaction with the crossover components. 

The AMT tweeter’s grille and faceplate are shaped to help dispersion and then there’s the grounding connection, just above the speaker terminals. This is connected to the drive unit chassis to get rid of any unwanted currents flowing in the structure.

Audiovector has given this the rather grand title of Freedom Grounding and can supply a lead to connect the speakers directly to the earth in the house mains – neutral and live from the mains aren’t connected in any way. The lead isn’t cheap though, coming in at a hefty £650.

While that’s a lot of money for a bit of cable, we’re in no doubt about the positive effect on sound quality. The speakers sound cleaner, more expressive and better focused with the cable. We would consider its purchase mandatory if you want to get the best out of the R1s.

The finish on our R1 Arreté review samples is lovely and shows all the attention to detail we would expect at this price. There are four standard options – Italian walnut, black ash, African rosewood and white silk. There are also a variety of custom finish options available for a reasonable £250 extra.

Compatibility

Any speaker at this level needs to be partnered with a top quality system. We use an Audio Research CD9 SE CD player and Roksan Xerxes/Artemiz/van den Hul Frog record player as sources, with a Nagra PL-P preamp driving Gamut’s D200i power amplifier for much of the test. We also plug in an old Naim NAC72/Nap 160 power amp and 25W per channel Cyrus One integrated to see how the speakers react to more characterful (and less muscular) signal feeds.

Given the speaker’s middling 87dB/W/m sensitivity the Cyrus does pretty well, but it doesn’t take long to realise that the Audiovectors have a lot more to give.

We position them a little out into the room with a slight angle towards the listening position. It pays to experiment with small changes in the toe-in angle. Get it right and you’ll get an impressively wide sound stage with precisely located sounds and instruments. The sense of depth is palpable with suitable recordings too.

Sound

Stravinsky’s The Rite Of Spring is a stern test and the R1 Arretés respond with enthusiasm. They may be small in stature but their sound lacks surprisingly little when it comes to scale and authority.

It really is impressive just how bold and confident these speakers are when challenged with the music’s savage dynamics and dense instrumentation. The R1s stay composed even when pushed hard and barely harden-up in such circumstances.

Detail levels are as high as the price point demands, but the Audiovector’s musically cohesive way of assembling all that information really impresses. These are the kind of speakers that allow you to analyse the production of a recording if you want to, but they’d rather you step back and enjoy the musical experience.

When we listen to this Stravinsky piece we’re wrapped up in the musical drama rather than wondering about the mechanics of the recording. That’s just as it should be in our view.

Audiovector has done a good job with the tonality of these boxes. A lot of small speakers sound insubstantial, but these R1s have an unexpectedly weighty presentation thanks to the agile yet surprisingly muscular bass-end. We have them on solid stands, out into the room, and at no point do we feel that they need the additional reinforcement of a rear wall.

We switch to Lauryn Hill’s debut album The Miseducation Of… and the R1s sound at home. They deliver rhythms effortlessly and tie all the musical strands together brilliantly. This is a complete performance. It’s expressive and exciting while delivering Hill’s superb vocals on Doo Wop (That Thing) with all the passion and drive they deserve. There’s a thick layer of sophistication here that screams high-end hi-fi, but also a huge dose of fun that many high-priced rivals ignore.

Verdict

There’s no shortage of excellent rivals at this price level. KEF’s Reference 1s sound even more authoritative and are capable of greater tonal neutrality. Equally, Bowers & Wilkins 805 D3s have a sweeter top-end coupled to an impressive degree of resolution while Dynaudio’s Contour 20s take a more muscular approach.

Yet, even against such talented (and larger) competition, we think these Audiovectors posses an utterly convincing blend of talents, particularly their musical cohesion, expressive dynamics and rhythmic nature. If you have a smaller listening room, we would argue they deserve top spot on your shortlist.

SCORES

• Sound 5
• Compatibility 4
• Build 5

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Best hi-fi speakers 2020

Read our KEF Reference 1 review 

Read our Bowers & Wilkins 805 D3 review 

Read our Dynaudio Contour 20 review

A phono stage is about as necessary to a turntable as sunlight is to photosynthesis – it is, after all, what amplifies a turntable cartridge’s very low output signal to an audible one. Some phono stages are built into turntables, while they can also be found in stereo amplifiers. Not got either, or simply want to upgrade? A standalone unit, such as the all-new iFi iPhono3 Black Label (£999 / AU$1,699) could be a solution.

Every iFi product we have so far tested – all DACs of some sort – has been feature-packed, and this MM/MC-compatible phono stage is no different.

A series of switches on the underside enable gain and load adjustment: gain can be set between 36dB and 72dB, while there are eight and five load values to choose from for MC and MM cartridges respectively. iFi has created an online ‘cartridge calculator’ to assist with matching up the phono stage to your turntable’s cartridge.

Got a wide variety of records? A toggle to switch between RIAA, Columbia and Decca EQ curves means you can tailor the sound to match specific records in your collection.

While it’s generally assumed that LPs produced from 1980 were made using RIAA equalisation, records released beforehand might differ and could sound better with the Columbia or Decca EQ curve engaged.

Of course, iFi has great confidence in the sonic performance of its iPhono3 Black Label too. It uses technology derived from the £12,000 PH-77 phono preamplifier from its sister company, AMR.

Its circuitry is direct-coupled, meaning there is no coupling capacitor from cartridge to output. A proprietary DC Infinity circuit is able to boost DC gain and, once the feedback loop is closed, cancel offset voltages while cleverly keeping gain and AC behaviour stable to prevent distortion creeping in.

iFi’s third-generation TubeState circuitry has been designed to enhance its solid-state design with the warmth and naturalness attributed to valve circuits, too.

With such engineering and versatility in mind, iFi no doubt looks to dethrone the Rega Aria, which has recently entered its third generation. We look forward to hearing if it can.

The iFi iPhono3 Black Label, which comes with iFi’s new 15V iPower X AC/DC power supply (£99 / AU$165 when purchased separately), is on sale now for £999 / AU$1,699.

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