Twin wins for JBL, Sennheiser’s latest five-star headphones, and a big Naim amp reviewed

Pick of the month products on greyscale background — (Image credit: What Hi-Fi?)

Summer is finally here. That means most of us are dusting off our beachwear and getting ready to enjoy the five minutes of sunshine Blighty offers.

But, our team of reviewers is forgoing the sunshine and remains locked away in our viewing and listening rooms, continuing their search for AV perfection.

Not even the record-breaking heatwave in our native-land could deter them from their sworn duty – we’re that committed/foolhardy.

Sennheiser Momentum 5 Wireless

Sennheiser holds an interesting place in the wireless headphone market. Both of its recent over-ear pairs, the Sennheiser HDB 630 and Momentum 4, scored solid five-star recommendations. But look at our list of Award-winners, and you’ll see they were overshadowed by even stronger performers from Sony in most segments of the wireless market.

Which is why we were happy to see the brand come out all guns blazing with its latest Momentum 5 Wireless, which pack a wealth of hardware upgrades, including reworked drivers, longer battery life and improved ANC. The combined package is so good that the new cans give the ruling Sony WH-1000XM6 a run for its money.

As we say in our review: “Sennheiser’s most ambitious wireless headphones don’t only nail sound quality in their own right, but also bless iPhones and other audio sources with a significant sound upgrade via a neat bundled accessory. The result? Sony XM6-beating sound performance in a well-built, feature-rich and competitively priced package.”

Read our in-depth Sennheiser Momentum 5 Wireless review

TCL Q6C (65Q6C-UK)

TCL Q6C 65-inch LCD TV — (Image credit: What Hi-Fi?)

The TCL Q6C sits just above the Award-winning TCL C6KS. For film fans, the main difference between it and the five-star C6KS is the inclusion of more dimming zones and higher peak brightness.

For gamers, there are a few other quality upgrades, chief of which is the addition of 120Hz/4K signals. Outside of that, it tries to replicate the same stellar value for money performance as its sibling.

Given how much we like the cheaper C6KS, it shouldn’t come as a surprise that it is rather good as a result. For your money, you’ll be treated to a ridiculously good value Mini LED capable of excellent, bright picture quality. Hence, our five-star rating and glowing verdict:

“If the Q6C cost twice as much as it does, we’d still class it as good. In fact, for a 65-inch TV at its price, it’s nothing short of ridiculous. If this is how TCL signs off its current range, we seriously can’t wait to see what the brand brings to the table next.”

The only downside is that this set’s time in the sun may be setting; we are expecting TCL’s next wave of affordable Mini LEDs to start appearing in our review rooms in the not too distant future.

Read our in-depth TCL Q6C review

Naim NAC 552 / NAP 500 DR

There’s been a version of the Naim NAC 552 / NAP 500 DR pre/power combination in production for more than a quarter of a century.

While the name hasn’t changed, the firm has been making ongoing tweaks and improvements to the combo the whole time. Last month, our reviewers took the latest iteration of the iconic high-end amp combo for a spin in our listening rooms.

And the Naim NAC 552 / NAP 500 DR once again cemented its place as one of the top options for buyers looking for a new engine to power their high-end setup. Yes, it’s ruthless in its ability to expose flaws with partnered hardware; but if you have the high-end parts to make it shine, the results are sublime. The unit delivers class-leading rhythmic cohesion and transparency and an utterly engrossing sound that will delight any serious music fan.

As we say in our review: “25 years is a long time for any product to be in production. Having talked to Naim’s representative, there is no sign that this pre/power is going to be put out to pasture anytime soon. We are glad of that. The Naim NAC 552/NAP 500 DR pairing remains an exceptional performer and is up there with the best we have heard at this level. Highly recommended.”

Read our in-depth Naim NAC 552 / NAP 500 DR review

JBL Xtreme 5

The Xtreme 5 is the latest entry to JBL’s “adventure” speaker line. It’s a portable Bluetooth unit designed to be as rugged as possible, and equally at home on the beach or on the mountain-top, as it is on your patio table.

Though its design is a bit of a marmite factor, with it being unashamedly “hench” (our writer’s words, not mine) even compared with past Xtreme series speakers, it thankfully delivers on all the areas you’d expect, given its target market.

Despite their best efforts, including a prolonged water-resistance check with a Super Soaker, our reviewers couldn’t break it. And, while we would have liked aptX support for better quality Bluetooth streaming, it still offers decent audio quality.

During all our tests, the speaker delivered an impressive sense of scale and punchy rhythmic drive. As we say in our review: “JBL’s big Bluetooth speaker might have bulked up, but it's sounding better than ever.”

Read our in-depth JBL Xtreme 5 review

JBL Go 5

Right now, £40 doesn’t go a long way. A couple of LPs, a cheap takeaway, or a trip to the cinema? That’s about as far as it will stretch in the current economy.

But last month, our reviewers found a stellar, tiny Bluetooth speaker that costs just that: the JBL Go 5. If you’ve only got a stipend to spare and want a decent portable speaker with decent sound to take to the park, this is a stellar option.

Despite its low cost and small dimensions, the speaker delivers a surprisingly musical, engaging sound with impressive levels of detail and clarity. Add to this solid battery life and a small handbag, or satchel, friendly design, and it’s hard to fault.

As we say in our review: “As far as budget Bluetooth speakers go, the Go 5 is a no-brainer – we can’t think of anything that squeezes so much performance out of such a small form factor at such a low price.”

Read our in-depth JBL Go 5 review

MORE:
These are the best Bluetooth speakers we have tested

We rank the best Mini LED TVs

Our picks of the best stereo amplifiers

Alastair is What Hi-Fi?’s editor in chief. He has well over a decade’s experience as a journalist working in both B2C and B2B press. During this time he’s covered everything from the launch of the first Amazon Echo to government cyber security policy. Prior to joining What Hi-Fi? he served as Trusted Reviews’ editor-in-chief. Outside of tech, he has a Masters from King’s College London in Ethics and the Philosophy of Religion, is an enthusiastic, but untalented, guitar player and runs a webcomic in his spare time.