What Hi-Fi? 50th Anniversary

The soundbar that started it all

As we turn the big five-o, we ask seasoned members of the industry about the most significant changes they have seen in hi-fi during their careers and lifetimes.

Aja is considered the band’s sonic pinnacle, but its predecessor gives your system just as much of a challenge

Probably the best inaugural amplifiers in hi-fi history

We take a trip down memory lane to explore the humble beginnings of seminal turntable brands, from Linn and Michell Audio to Technics and Rega.

We ask some of the industry’s biggest experts where the focus on turntable design should be next

The Planet established the engineering DNA that has made Rega so successful

They may be lost in the mists of time, but these record players deserve recognition

The January 1981 magazine issue shows how much things have changed, and how much they remain the same

Apple shares its 50th birthday with What Hi-Fi?, and the company's influence on how we listen to music is impossible to ignore