
James Cook
James Cook is a staff writer at What Hi-Fi?. He spent several years writing for various business publications, before completing a National Council for the Training of Journalists (NCTJ) Diploma in Journalism. Outside of work, James spends his time playing bass guitar, watching TV and motivating himself to keep fit, often unsuccessfully.
Latest articles by James Cook

JBL has resurrected one of its iconic retro hi-fi speakers to celebrate its 80th
By James Cook published
The L100 is back, again

Best wired earbuds 2026: top in-ear models tried and tested by our experts
By Harry McKerrell last updated
Best Buys These are the best earbuds we've tested, including cheap pairs as well as premium options for serious listening.

Best wired headphones 2026: the 5 top pairs tested by our review experts
By Becky Roberts last updated
Best buys Wired is the way if you want the best sound for your money

Tribit’s budget noise-cancelling headphones can play music for nearly five days straight!
By James Cook published
The QuietPlus 81 take aim at the Award-winning Sonys

Best Bluetooth turntables 2026: wireless record players tried and tested by experts
By Kashfia Kabir last updated
Best Buys If you love vinyl but value convenience and versatility, check out our guide to the best Bluetooth turntables across all budgets.

Majority looks to rival JBL’s best with launch of affordable, feature-packed Bluetooth speakers
By James Cook published
The Move range features Bluetooth 6.0, USB-C and even a Micro SD card slot

Best active speakers 2026: our experts pick the top pairs with integrated amplifiers
By Becky Roberts last updated
Best Buys Great hi-fi sound without the need for a separate amplifier, whether you want to connect a TV, turntable or streamer.

Best free music apps 2026: free ways to stream music on Android and iPhone
By Harry McKerrell last updated
Best Buys All the free music and radio streaming apps you need for listening on your Android or iPhone.

Spotify no longer serves my needs, so I’m switching to Tidal instead
By James Cook published
It’s been a good run, but things have changed

Best internet radios 2026: modern radios with streaming smarts
By Kashfia Kabir last updated
Best Buys With internet connectivity and free streaming to boot, the best internet radios are fit for the 21st century.

Best portable MP3 players 2026: our expert picks of the top hi-res music players
By Becky Roberts last updated
Best buys You can listen to music on your phone or laptop, of course, but if you want optimum sound quality, only a dedicated hi-res audio player will do.

Spotify’s US prices set to rise again
By James Cook published
An individual Premium subscription will increase by $1 a month

Fyne Audio F5E
By James Cook published
With their balanced presentation and excellent stereo imaging, the compact F5E are a talented pair of standmount speakers.

It's the first month of 2026 – and we've already found 4 excellent test discs to challenge your home cinema system
By Robyn Quick published
The best discs we've had in the test room so far

Best DACs 2026: USB, desktop and portable digital-to-analogue converters
By Becky Roberts last updated
Best Buys Give your phone, laptop or hi-fi system the audio boost it probably needs

Campfire Audio marks 10-year anniversary with an eye-catching twist on its high-end wired earbuds
By James Cook published
The ‘Classic Green’ Andromeda 10 are a new addition to its flagship range

Eversolo launches square bookshelf speakers that promise a “holographic soundstage”
By James Cook published
The SE100 mark the company’s first venture into the speaker space

Best phono preamps 2026: budget to high-end, tried and tested
By Kashfia Kabir last updated
Best buys To be able to listen to turntables through your system, you'll need a phono stage (also called a phono preamp). These are the best models we've reviewed across all budgets and types.

Best bookshelf speakers 2026: top standmounts for every budget tested
By Kashfia Kabir last updated
best buys We've highlighted the best bookshelf speakers for all budgets, with each model tested by our experienced reviews team.

FiiO S15
By Ketan Bharadia published
FiiO’s S15 hi-res music streamer is packed full of features, but does it have the performance to match?

New leaks suggest Sony XM6 wireless earbuds are just weeks away
By James Cook published
Supposed timings and pricing have hit the internet

JBL’s clip-on open earbuds could be a stylish, comfortable alternative to traditional wireless buds
By James Cook published
With five nifty translucent finishes

Anker claims its latest pair of wireless earbuds are the first of their kind
By James Cook published
Will the dual-form AeroFit 2 Pro become the new buds on the block?
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