It’s August, which means our stockrooms are starting to fill up with new products as we get into the swing of our annual Awards 2026 judging period.
You can read more about our Awards process over at our Substack – where our TV and AV editor Tom Parsons gives you a behind-the-scenes peek into what goes on during the next two months, as we listen to every new product submitted in hopes of winning a prestigious What Hi-Fi? Award trophy.
Every year, no matter how stressed we get, we are delighted with the calibre of the new hi-fi and AV products we come across.
Below is just a snapshot of the new products we have in at the moment – and more will be coming in over the next couple of weeks! Will any of the products below become new Award-winners this year? We can’t wait to start testing and find out.
As ever, if you have any questions about the products we’re testing, send us a comment below or email us at whathifi@futurenet.com, and we’ll endeavour to reply as soon as possible.
Technics SL-1500CS
A new Technics turntable? Yes please! The SL-1500CS (£1099) is a step-up model from the five-star, Award-winning SL-1500C (now £899). It features much of the same design and features, including the built-in phono stage, fitted Ortofon 2M Red cartridge, and semi-automatic operation.
The new ‘CS’ model includes Technics’ Delta-Sigma digital motor drive technology that aims to deliver the most accurate and stable rotational speed, thus improving overall sound quality.
We have experienced the effect this Delta-Sigma tech has had in the brand’s more premium models, such as the superb SL-1300G, so we can’t wait to find out how it enhances a more affordable, long-running favourite.
Cambridge Audio Evo 300
Cambridge Audio’s Evo series of streaming amplifiers has a new and most powerful flagship. We first set our eyes (and ears) on the new Evo 300 at the High End Vienna Show, and it left us wanting to hear more.
The Evo 300 follows the same design language as its Evo 150 SE sibling, and features double the power at 300W per channel of Class D amplification, a newer ESS DAC chip, and a larger display screen.
Streaming features and hi-res file compatibility remain as extensive as ever, while physical connectivity includes HDMI eARC and a moving-magnet phono stage. The more advanced Evo 300 comes with a higher price tag of £3499 / $3999 – which places it just above our current favourite in this category, the Arcam SA35.
Bose Lifestyle Ultra Soundbar
Bose’s latest Dolby Atmos soundbar moves things upmarket: the Lifestyle Ultra Soundbar is the brand’s new flagship and has launched at £999, with our current Award-winning, the mighty Sonos Arc Ultra, clearly in its sights.
We weren’t blown away by Bose’s last soundbar effort (the three-star Smart Ultra Soundbar at £799), so here’s hoping this fresh model, with its lifestyle-friendly looks and 5.1.2 driver set up with proprietary Phase Guide speaker technology, will fare much better and give Sonos a run for its money.
iFi iDSD GR 2
Another exciting product coming through the doors at What Hi-Fi? Towers is iFi’s latest DAC/headphone amp, the iDSD GR 2, which aims to deliver “uncompromising” sound from your hi-res music files.
The iDSD GR 2 has been designed from the ground up to be the brand’s most versatile and advanced portable DAC yet, with a redesigned amplifier stage, greater headphone drive, and a new Burr Brown DAC chip chosen for its “warm, analogue character”.
There are 3.5mm and 4.4mm headphone sockets, aptX Lossless and LDAC codec support for hi-res wireless listening over Bluetooth, and USB-C and optical/coaxial inputs, with file support up to PCM 768kHz and DSD512. It costs £/$529 and we have high hopes for this “portable powerhouse”.
Wharfedale Diamond 12i speaker package
Wharfedale’s Diamond 12 range has given us many Award-winners across the standmount, floorstander and surround speaker package categories. This beloved affordable range has been updated to the new Diamond 12i series – and so we naturally requested a full 5.1 speaker package made up of fresh 12i models to review anew.
We have already tested the Diamond 12.3i floorstanders on their own to five-star success, which bodes well for the 5.1 speaker package. The new range doesn’t try to reinvent itself; the updates include improving the bass performance and some new finishes, while Wharfedale is sticking to the same prices. Nice.
Marshall Kilburn III
Imbuing our stockroom with some classic rock’n’roll heritage, Marshall’s portable Kilburn III Bluetooth speaker certainly looks the part with its retro amplifier looks. The aesthetics have been updated and we get lots of tactile dials, switches and textures on this hefty portable speaker, which runs for an impressive 50+ hours of playtime.
Costing £300, this speaker isn’t just a pretty face. The Kilburn III offers 360 True Stereophonic sound, adjustable bass and treble controls, and a dynamic loudness setting that promises not to compromise musical detail across the frequency range when you want to turn things up to 11. We’re glad our listening room is in a warehouse when we come to test this speaker.
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