
James Cook
James Cook is a staff writer at What Hi-Fi?. He spent several years writing for various business publications, before completing a National Council for the Training of Journalists (NCTJ) Diploma in Journalism. Outside of work, James spends his time playing bass guitar, watching TV and motivating himself to keep fit, often unsuccessfully.
Latest articles by James Cook

Tribit’s budget noise-cancelling headphones can play music for nearly five days straight!
By James Cook published
The QuietPlus 81 take aim at the Award-winning Sonys

Strapped for space but want superior sound? This multi-Award-winning Denon microsystem just got a tasty discount
By James Cook published
The delightful D-M41DAB is currently £30 off

Best Bluetooth turntables 2026: wireless record players tried and tested by experts
By Kashfia Kabir last updated
Best Buys If you love vinyl but value convenience and versatility, check out our guide to the best Bluetooth turntables across all budgets.

Majority looks to rival JBL’s best with launch of affordable, feature-packed Bluetooth speakers
By James Cook published
The Move range features Bluetooth 6.0, USB-C and even a Micro SD card slot

Best active speakers 2026: our experts pick the top pairs with integrated amplifiers
By Becky Roberts last updated
Best Buys Great hi-fi sound without the need for a separate amplifier, whether you want to connect a TV, turntable or streamer.

Best free music apps 2026: free ways to stream music on Android and iPhone
By Harry McKerrell last updated
Best Buys All the free music and radio streaming apps you need for listening on your Android or iPhone.

Spotify no longer serves my needs, so I’m switching to Tidal instead
By James Cook published
It’s been a good run, but things have changed

Best internet radios 2026: modern radios with streaming smarts
By Kashfia Kabir last updated
Best Buys With internet connectivity and free streaming to boot, the best internet radios are fit for the 21st century.

Best portable MP3 players 2026: our expert picks of the top hi-res music players
By Becky Roberts last updated
Best buys You can listen to music on your phone or laptop, of course, but if you want optimum sound quality, only a dedicated hi-res audio player will do.

Spotify’s US prices set to rise again
By James Cook published
An individual Premium subscription will increase by $1 a month

Fyne Audio F5E
By James Cook published
With their balanced presentation and excellent stereo imaging, the compact F5E are a talented pair of standmount speakers.

This punchy sounding and easy-to-use iconic Technics turntable is £200 off in this great deal
By James Cook published
Get a free Ortofon cartridge worth £319, too!

It's the first month of 2026 – and we've already found 4 excellent test discs to challenge your home cinema system
By Robyn Quick published
The best discs we've had in the test room so far

Best DACs 2026: USB, desktop and portable digital-to-analogue converters
By Becky Roberts last updated
Best Buys Give your phone, laptop or hi-fi system the audio boost it probably needs

Jump for joy this January with £50 off these marvellous Monitor Audio standmount speakers
By James Cook published
It's the first time we’ve seen the brilliant Bronze 50 7G discounted

Campfire Audio marks 10-year anniversary with an eye-catching twist on its high-end wired earbuds
By James Cook published
The ‘Classic Green’ Andromeda 10 are a new addition to its flagship range

Wow! This wonderful Technics streamer/CD player is now more than £300 off
By James Cook published
The impressive SL-G700M2 boasts a plethora of digital inputs

Eversolo launches square bookshelf speakers that promise a “holographic soundstage”
By James Cook published
The SE100 mark the company’s first venture into the speaker space

Best phono preamps 2026: budget to high-end, tried and tested
By Kashfia Kabir last updated
Best buys To be able to listen to turntables through your system, you'll need a phono stage (also called a phono preamp). These are the best models we've reviewed across all budgets and types.

Keep the festive feeling going with £300 off these former Award-winning KEF speakers
By James Cook published
The LS50 Meta can be yours for under a grand

Vinyl fan, but also want Bluetooth? This excellent Pro-Ject turntable is enjoying a tempting discount
By James Cook published
The Pro-Ject T1 Evo BT offers the best of both worlds

Hi-fi deal alert! Save £200 on these stunning, former Award-winning KEF speakers
By James Cook published
The KEF R3 Meta are enjoying their first ever discount

Best bookshelf speakers 2026: top standmounts for every budget tested
By Kashfia Kabir last updated
best buys We've highlighted the best bookshelf speakers for all budgets, with each model tested by our experienced reviews team.
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