Sound Advice: your hi-fi and home cinema questions answered, live

Hello.

What is the best neutral and detailed AV receiver under £1000? I want Dolby Vision and HDMI 2.1 passthrough, and I'll be using it with my Bowers and Wilkins 606 and 607 S3 5.1 speaker package.

I want it to be as natural and detailed as possible, with good object placement in a mode such as Pure Direct, as well as a natural, detailed sound for stereo music.

You lot at What Hi-Fi? do great work.

Thanks for your kind words, Josh!

The Sony TA-AN1000 is perfect for your requirements. It might have been around for a little while now, but the fact that it keeps beating new challengers, year after year, is testament to its class.

Detail and precision are its key strengths, so it's great at delivering source material with its inherent character intact, and it will work really well with your current speaker package.

We reviewed it at £999, but it seems to be available with some big discounts right now, as you can see below...

Hi, could you help me with a question about my setup?

I have Genelec 8020D active monitors with an SMSL DAC connected to my TV, plus an SVS PB-1000 Pro subwoofer. I like the overall sound, but I feel I’m missing some punch in the upper-bass region, perhaps around 70–120 Hz. I generally prefer a fuller, bassier sound.

I’m wondering whether nearfield monitors are actually a good choice for a TV setup. I’ve never owned a traditional hi-fi system before. The Genelecs are configured for maximum bass, as far as their built-in settings allow.

What do you think would make the most sense? Should I add some DSP, such as a miniDSP, and try to boost the 70–120 Hz region? Or would I be better off replacing the Genelecs with larger active speakers, such as the Cambridge Audio L/S X? Alternatively, would something like the Genelec 8040 be a better choice if nearfield monitors are suitable for a TV setup?

My listening distance is about 3.5 metres, and the room is medium-sized.

Thanks in advance for your help!

Hi Adrian,

The first thing we would ask is: have you played around with the subwoofer’s crossover frequency settings to try and fill in that 70–120Hz region? If you haven’t, it’s the first thing we would do.

We would also look at the subwoofer’s positioning in the room, to see if it could be optimised further. Can you move it to a place where it performs better? Check the manufacturer’s recommendations, and this might help give you a more balanced sound.

After that, it’s worth listening to alternatives other than Genelecs, as they are quite small speakers. We would recommend having a listen to the Acoustic Energy AE Active speakers, or even the KEF Coda W active speakers.

Hi,

I have bought a Rotel CD11/A11 Tribute with the intention of setting up a system that will provide an analogue sound from CD.

What speakers, stands and interconnects would you recommend to achieve this aim?

The speakers would need to be placed close to a wall and be small to medium in size. Sound quality would be a priority over volume.

Hi Nick,

I recommend the Acoustic Energy AE300 Mk2 speakers, as they will work really well with the Rotel duo. Another option would be the Dali Sonik 1 standmounts, or the Sonik 5 if you want to consider small floorstanders.

For speaker stands, we recommend the Atacama Moseco 6, and for interconnects we recommend the Chord Company ClearwayX ARAY Analogue RCA.

Thanks

Hello,

Advice please:

I have an Arcam CDS50 streamer/CD player, Project Debut Turntable, Denon TU 1800 DAB tuner, Rotel RA04 amplifier, Rotel RB06 power amplifier and KEF IQ5 speakers.

I play mostly rock and metal and would ideally be looking for a slight improvement on the system I have.

What would you recommend replacing the system with, and would separates be the preference or an all-in-one?

Hi Richard,

We would need more information about exactly what aspects of the performance of your current system you’re looking to improve?

Is there any particular product you want to upgrade?

All-in-one systems are certainly convenient, but a separates system is still the best way to go if sound quality is your priority.

Feel free to send us another email with some specifics and we'll be very happy to help you further.

I am just wanting to know what HDMI cables you use for all your testing.

Also, do you use a number at different price points?

And if so, any in particular that are good for sound quality that aren’t too expensive (say, less than £50 for 0.75m or 1m length)?

Hi Michael,

We generally prioritise consistency, reliability, flexibility and price in our test rooms these days, and as we no longer review HDMI cables, I can't really recommend a cable for sound quality, I'm afraid.

Your best bet is to find a retailer with a generous returns policy that will allow you to buy several cables, audition them in your system, and then keep the one that you like best.