Heatwaves, the World Cup, a new Prime Minister (and Larry the cat’s subsequent reaction to his new housemate): a lot happened in July this year.
And while many of our eyes may have, justifiably, been focused elsewhere, that didn’t stop our reviewers from continuing their Sisyphean task testing a never-ending stream of new hi-fi and home cinema hardware in our dedicated viewing and listening rooms.
And while the heat may have made it slightly more challenging (and sticky) than normal, the effort was worth it as they found a staggering 10 hot-ticket items worthy of our hallowed five-star rating.
Here’s what you need to know about them.
Vertere Phono-1 LX
The Phono-1 LX is a new premium phono stage from Vertere, a firm with a proven track record in the space. It also is a successor to the What Hi-Fi? Award-winning Phono-1 MkII.
Initially, our reviewers were a little concerned about the lack of changes made for the new model, with it featuring the basic circuit design and the firm being oddly reserved with its performance claims.
But our scepticism vanished the moment we plugged it into our reference system. Matched with price-appropriate hardware, the LX delivered a brilliant performance with improved dynamics, punch and bass authority over its still impressive predecessor.
As we said in our review: “The Phono-1 LX sets new standards for the price, delivering a class-leading combination of insight, dynamic punch and finesse.”
Five stars
Read our full Vertere Phono-1 LX review
Samsung Galaxy S26 Ultra
Regular readers will know that if you want your phone to work as a portable music player or mobile movie station, you’re usually better off going with an iPhone – such as the Award-winning iPhone 17.
But last month, Samsung delivered a handset that gave the Apple handset a good run for its money, especially for movie and TV watching, with its latest Galaxy S26 Ultra handset.
During testing, we discovered the firm clearly has taken learnings from its stellar five-star OLEDs and applied them to the Ultra’s display, which delivered the best picture quality we’ve experienced on a handset.
Hence, our glowing verdict: “Samsung has clearly made some under-the-hood improvements with the S26 Ultra’s picture processing capabilities, which makes it an even better handset for watching movies and TV shows.”
Five stars
Read our full Samsung Galaxy S26 Ultra review
Dali Sonik 5
The Sonik 5 are the successors to the Dali Oberon 5. That automatically means they have some pretty big shoes to fill.
As a standalone pair of stereo speakers and the beating heart of a 5.1 surround sound package too, the Oberon 5 were multi-Award winners and a constant recommendation until they went to the audio farm earlier this year.
Having put them through their paces in our listening rooms, we’re pleased to confirm the Sonik 5 live up to the Oberon 5’s legacy. Featuring a similar driver configuration to their predecessors, the Sonik offer a refined version of the Oberon’s sound; one that’s full of expressive dynamics and generally fun to listen to.
Add to this their compact size and unfussy nature when it comes to partnering and they become an easy recommendation. As we said in our review: “With a pleasingly compact size and excellent sound, we think the Dali Sonik 5 will make a superb addition to any home set-up, especially if you’re working with small spaces.”
Five stars
Read our full Dali Sonik 5 review
Acoustic Energy AE Active
The AE Active continue Acoustic Energy’s hot streak, being the third set of stereo speakers in a row from the brand to earn a five-star rating, following our glowing reviews of the AE300 Mk2 and AE309 Mk2.
The AE Active are interesting as, despite being active speakers, in the sense they have built-in amplification, unlike rivals they’re otherwise fully analogue – you won’t find a DAC, streaming options, Bluetooth or digital inputs on them.
While this makes them a bit niche, if you’re one of their target market, a person who has separates to cover the above, they’re very competent performers, capable of delivering a powerful, dynamic and detailed sound.
As we said in our review: “The Acoustic Energy AE Active are a niche product in today’s audio landscape, but they are a tremendously talented and capable pair of active speakers. They are a viable alternative to a traditional separates pairing at this price, and could well be the last chain in your hi-fi system you’ll have to update. Highly recommended.”
Five stars
Read our full Acoustic Energy AE Active review
LG G6 (OLED65G6)
If you’re getting a sense of deja vu, don’t worry; there is a good reason for it. We actually reviewed the LG G6 earlier this year and gave it a four-star rating after experiencing several dark-detail performance issues. But last month, after LG promised us the issues were due to a software bug that has now been fixed, we re-reviewed it.
And thankfully, the flagship OLED TV’s performance has been much improved, with it delivering a punchy but never over-baked picture during all our checks. Hence its new five-star rating and our verdict: “The LG G6 offers minor but welcome improvements to the firm’s iconic line of premium OLED TVs.”
Five stars
Read our full LG G6 (OLED65G6) review
Hisense XR10
The XR10 is Hisense's latest flagship projector. Like the firm’s other offerings, it’s not a traditional long-throw projector, instead sitting in the fast-growing “home-cinema-in-a-box” category.
Featuring the firm’s proprietary triple laser lighting system, liquid cooling, a built-in Devialet sound system and Hisense’s Vidaa operating system, it has everything you need to power a big-screen movie night, neatly contained in one box.
It costs a lot, especially by 'casual' home cinema standards, but during testing it proved to be one of the most accomplished performers in its class. Well built and capable of the best picture quality we’ve experienced in its category, while its sound isn’t anywhere close to a replacement for a proper 5.1 system, the XR10 is an easy five-star recommendation.
As we said in our review: “The XR10 looks great and performs even better, setting new standards in the fast-changing projector world.”
Five stars
Read our full Hisense XR10 review
Denon AVC-A1H
The AVC-A1H is the latest flagship AV receiver from home cinema heavyweight Denon. Expensive? Yes. But for the money, this tank of a unit comes packed with tall the hardware you’ll need to power a proper home cinema, with it supporting speaker configurations up to 9.4.6.
But most importantly, it’s the best-sounding AVR we’ve experienced in quite some time. As we said in our review: “Denon’s flagship AVR ticks every box we can think of – feature-packed and offering up exceptional cinematic sound, it’s a mighty fine AVR if your budget allows.”
Five stars
Read our full Denon AVC-A1H review
KEF R Meta 5.1 Speaker System
“Huge, refined and exceptionally cohesive, KEF's R Meta package delivers an effortlessly immersive home cinema experience.”
We don’t give praise like that often, so it should be a clear indication of how impressed our reviewers are with the new KEF R Meta 5.1 surround sound package, which we reviewed in July.
The package uses a pair of R7 Meta floorstanders as the right and left channels, two (five-star) R3 Meta standmounters as surrounds, an R6 centre speaker, and the KEF’s unusually compact KC92 subwoofer for the low end.
Matched with the Denon AVR further up this list, and then our normal reference AVR, the Marantz Cinema 30, the speakers wowed the team, delivering a huge, spacious soundstage and wonderfully refined sound.
Hence our verdict: “The R Meta 5.1 package is beautifully engineered, immaculately built and packed with clever technology, but it's the effortless cohesion with which those individual elements come together that makes it so special.”
Five stars
Read our full KEF R Meta 5.1 Speaker System review
Marantz CD 70
CDs are back in vogue, according to most reports. Which is why you may be one of a multitude of people considering picking up a CD player. If you are, we have good news. We have a new recommended entry-level model: the Marantz CD 70.
Sure, to more casual music fans calling a £499 disc spinner “entry level” may sound a little weird. But for hi-fi fans it's the best player we’ve tested that affordable in quite some time.
The unit replaces the Marantz CD6007, which won six What Hi-Fi? Awards in its lifetime. The player has been completely redesigned, featuring new components, an updated power supply and spiffy new chassis. Testing the unit, we found the changes have paid off, with the CD 70 delivering a wonderfully clear and insightful sound, with a solid, tight bass and focused stereo image.
As we said in our CD 70 review: “The entry-level hi-fi market isn’t what it used to be, but it’s great to see Marantz deliver another excellent attainable CD player. The CD 70 is undoubtedly the new go-to recommendation at this level.”
Five stars
Read our full Marantz CD 70 review
KEF LS Luxe
KEF is one of the first names that comes to mind when you talk about speaker systems.
And with so many five-star, Award-winning products in its history, the association’s more than fair. It’s also why we were excited to get its LS Luxe active speakers into our test room, which aim to deliver an even more premium option for hi-fi fans looking to eschew separates.
Built in partnership with Welsh designer Ross Lovegrove, they may have a Marmite aesthetic, but sonically we’re pleased to report they live up to the brand’s strong legacy in the space.
Across every track we threw at the LS Luxe, the speakers delivered a wonderfully mature, balanced performance, with oodles of detail and nuance, making them a delight to listen to. Hence their five-star rating and our verdict:
“The KEF LS Luxe is a great all-round performer. Thanks to its mature, deeply satisfying sound, impressive feature suite and high-quality construction, this wireless active stereo system is crying out for a place on your shortlist.”
Five stars
Read our full KEF LS Luxe review
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Our reviewers rank the best CD players
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