Stars of CES 2017: The best audio products of CES

The What Hi-Fi? team has been scouring 'Tech West' at the Venetian Hotel at CES 2017 to uncover the hottest hi-fi kit that's set to make waves in the year ahead.

From speakers to turntables, amplifiers to headphones, here they all are, listed in alphabetical order...

MORE: CES 2017 news and highlights

Arcam rPlay

If you invested in a top-notch audio system a few years ago and want to add hi-res and multi-room capability without binning all your current kit, Arcam's rPlay could be just the ticket. And at £399, it's rather more affordable than some of our other Stars of CES this year.

It's a DAC and wireless/multi-room streamer in a compact aluminium case, and it's main party trick is that it's compatible with DTS PlayFi, Apple Airplay and UPnP (Universal Plug and Play) which should cover most people's needs.

MORE: Arcam rPlay adds hi-res music streaming to any audio system

Chord Hugo 2

The Chord Hugo 2 brings with it some significant changes ranging from a redesigned chassis, to adjustable filters, to improved Bluetooth range, all squeezed into a case with a lower profile than the original Hugo.

Chord has even said the Hugo 2 DAC will benefit from "further expansion modules" which points to a possible upgrade path further down the line.

It's no secret that we're huge fans of Chord's Hugo DAC, so it goes without saying we can't wait to see how its successor shapes up.

MORE: Chord launches Hugo 2 DAC and Poly wireless module

GoldenEar Triton Reference flagship speakers

How many drivers do you think are packed into these speakers? No, stop guessing, we'll tell you - there are 10.

There is one HFVR (High-Velocity Folded Ribbon) tweeter, two 15cm mid/bass drivers, and three active long-throw sub-bass drivers, coupled to four passive radiators.

And if that's not enough, there are subwoofer amplifiers and some 56-bit DSP control units, an evolution of the company's Triton One speakers and SuperSub subwoofers.

Are they expensive? Surprisingly not - this impressive product is available for a modest $4250 and go on sale in April.

MORE: GoldenEar reveals Triton Reference flagship speakers

Mark Levinson No.515

What better way to celebrate a brand's 45th anniversary than to produce its first turntable? That's exactly what luxury US hi-fi brand Mark Levinson has done with the introduction of its No.515 turntable - developed in conjunction with VPI Industries.

Not only does it look the part, but it has all the engineering prowess you'd expect from the two companies.

At $10,000 (without a factory-fitted cartridge) it's certainly not a budget buy, but that's hardly the point. A product such as this is a serious purchase and should give a lifetime of satisfaction.

MORE: Mark Levinson reveals its 45th anniversary turntable

Moon 888

This is about as serious a piece of statement hi-fi you can get. Canadian audio specialist Moon by Simaudio has thrown everything it's got at its state-of-the-art 888 monoblocs.

The number are impressive: 888W of power, each unit weighs 250lbs and the price of a pair is a not inconsiderable $118,888. But we think they look gorgeous, and given that they are manufactured using the same processes as high-performance racing engines - with tolerances set at just 1/1000th of an inch - performance should be exemplary.

MORE: Moon 888 monoblocs cost £125,000 a pair

Pioneer MS5T affordable hi-res headphones

Hi-res at a low price? That's what Pioneer is going for with its MS5T headphones, apparently providing a 40kHz bandwidth at a £50 price tag - which, if it's good, is going to be hard to beat.

Design-wise, they're faux-leather and lightweight, with a 3.5mm jack and 6.3mm adaptor. They will be coming to the UK any moment now, available in silver, black, brown or red finishes.

MORE: Pioneer unveils MS5Ts, 'the world's most affordable' hi-res headphones

Revo SoundStage wireless speaker

The Revo SoundStage is a first for the company; while it's usually more focused on radios, this wireless speaker delivers 2.1 stereo sound from its one-box unit. That's down to its twin 9cm BMR flat-panel drivers, as well as a 15cm ported subwoofer driver.

It's got aptX Bluetooth, stereo RCA, 3.5mm auxiliary and digital optical inputs - and a USB charging port so your smartphone doesn't run out of juice.

If it sounds something you'd want to get your hands on, the SoundStage is available from April, priced £400.

MORE: Revo unveils its first wireless speaker, the SoundStage

SweetVinyl Sugarcube SC-1

Now this is a clever idea. Every vinyl lover has the problem of how to make older, perhaps less well cared for records sound better. Californian company SweetVinyl has come up with an intriguing solution: basically, the SC-1 is a digital noise filter that removes the pops and clicks on old records in real time.

A special algorithm can detect, isolate and remove only unwanted noise from the music, leaving the original music intact.

The $1500 device can also act as a hi-res analogue-to-digital and digital-to-analogue converter, so you can upsample your music for higher quality playback.

MORE: SweetVinyl wants to make your old records sound like new

Technics SL-1200GR

We make no apologies for having two turntables in our Stars of CES this year. If Mark Levinson has focused on the high-end vinyl market, Technics has delivered its long-awaited "more affordable" version of last year's SL-1200G.

While hi-fi fans around the world were all of a flutter about the SL-1200G, its $4000/£3000 price tag was a bit steep for some. Now Technics has brought to market a cheaper (we didn't say cheap) model, the SL-1200GR, which looks set to cost around £1500. Still not pocket money...

MORE: Technics introduces SL-1200GR turntable

Totem Sky standmount speakers

If you're looking for a new pair of speakers, then the Totem Sky might be right up your street. These two-way standmount speakers might not look particularly impressive, but Totem Acoustic's plain speakers have gathered enough five-star reviews over the years to make us take interest.

These speakers join the existing Totem Rainmaker in the company's speaker range, ready for anyone with a couple of thousand pounds to spend.

MORE: Totem Acoustic reveals £2200 Sky speakers

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Andy Clough

Andy is Global Brand Director of What Hi-Fi? and has been a technology journalist for 30 years. During that time he has covered everything from VHS and Betamax, MiniDisc and DCC to CDi, Laserdisc and 3D TV, and any number of other formats that have come and gone. He loves nothing better than a good old format war. Andy edited several hi-fi and home cinema magazines before relaunching whathifi.com in 2008 and helping turn it into the global success it is today. When not listening to music or watching TV, he spends far too much of his time reading about cars he can't afford to buy.