Music streaming platform Deezer has launched an AI music detector, offering users across 20 of the most popular streaming services the chance to check what percentage of their playlists have been generated by artificial intelligence.

Users of Spotify, Tidal, Apple Music and other major platforms are now able to check their playlists by connecting their streaming accounts to Deezer’s free AI detection website.

Deezer’s internal AI detection tool has been in place since the start of 2025, making it the first music-streaming service to single out AI-generated music. Over 13.4 million AI tracks were pinpointed in 2025 alone, and Deezer now claims it receives 75,000 such tracks each day, accounting for 44 per cent of daily uploads.

The new tool allows Deezer to remove AI tracks from algorithmic recommendations and editorial playlists, an action the platform has called a “first step” in preserving the royalty pool for human creators.

A recent study by the International Confederation of Societies of Authors and Composers (CISAC) and management consulting firm PMP Strategy found that nearly a quarter of creators’ revenues could be at risk due to market penetration by generative AI by 2028, with yearly losses amounting to approximately €4 billion by that time.

Additionally, an eight-country survey from Deezer and IPSOS found that 97 per cent of listeners were unable to tell the difference between fully AI-generated and human-made music, while 73 per cent of respondents said they would like to see AI music tagged on streaming services.

Alexis Lanternier, Deezer’s CEO, said: "A vast majority of people want to know if AI music is being recommended to them and our data show that nearly half of the users joining Deezer from another platform have AI tracks in their playlists. We’re expecting our AI music detector to be an eye-opening experience for listeners around the world."

The What Hi-Fi? team tried this free tool, connecting our Tidal account so the website could scan our playlists. We were both pleased and surprised to find that one per cent of the music in our curated playlists has been generated by AI (as seen in screenshot above). Sadly, the tool does not then highlight which specific tracks have been artificially generated if you're using a non-Deezer music service.

A Deezer representative has confirmed to us that if you transfer your playlists and library to Deezer, "you’ll be able to see the albums that are tagged as including AI."

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Read our original Deezer review

If you've ever wondered 'why on earth has my music streaming service recommended that?' then help may be at hand. Deezer has launched Flow Tuner, which gives you more control over how its Flow recommendation engine serves up music for you.

Flow Tuner lets you activate or deactivate entire musical genres and sub genres, so you can hear more/less Bolivian thrash metal as you see fit.

Previously, the main way to steer an algorithm has been through liking, disliking or skipping what you're served. But this lets you take more direct control.

Deezer claims the new tool will help users find more music they love.

"Flow Tuner is based on a simple idea: recommendations should not be a black box. Our users want to find the right music for the right moment, and have the control to impact how this happens," said Marin Lorant, head of product at Deezer.

"By allowing them to activate, remove or explore genres with a single gesture, the algorithm becomes a tool that they can shape themselves. It's more accurate, more personal, and it opens the door to more discovery.”

Flow has been in operation since 2014. Like other algorithms, it learns from your actions and preferences, so the more you listen, the more accurate it becomes. Thanks to an AI detection tool, it won't recommend any AI-generated tracks.

In April last year, Deezer introduced a dedicated algorithm settings area in which users can adjust their musical preferences and control recommendations. Flow Tuner seems like an extension of that.

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Read our Deezer review

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Whenever we go into a deep dive of a particular track we think you should add to your testing arsenal, or we proselytise about the finest tunes we’ve been enjoying in our listening rooms for any given month, the same things to listen out for tend to come up time and again.

We’re looking for how your system can handle a range of given qualities and parameters, be they low-level dynamics, textural detail or the establishment of an emotional connection. Those things are generally easy to define, and you can whack on a range of tunes and see how your shiny new gear is stacking up.

This time, though, things are a bit different, as we’re looking for something that doesn’t always spring to mind when putting together a given set-up or selecting a new pair of headphones: how forgiving is it of unusual poor quality recordings?

It’s a question you might not have considered before, as many listeners can become convinced that all tracks are somehow recorded, mixed and edited in the same way. A moment’s pause, of course, exposes the true reality: not all recordings are born equal.

We put Daft Punk’s Random Access Memories, for example, alongside the likes of James Taylor’s Sweet Baby James and Jay-Z’s The Black Album as some of the best-produced albums ever made.

It’s not just about how intrinsically good the music is, but how much care and attention went on behind the scenes – the ceiling for your hi-fi to bring out a given song’s qualities, then, tends to be rather high when the mix is up to scratch.

What happens, though, when your hi-fi comes face-to-face with something that’s a little harder to digest? What happens when it’s challenged to make the most of a mix that, in retrospect, leaves a little, or a lot, to be desired.

That’s where Elvis Costello’s Veronica comes in. Quite aside from being an up-tempo yet heart-punching melancholic tune about the younger days of a senior citizen with dementia in a care home, Veronica is a go-to test track for how your hi-fi or headphones manage when the going gets a bit rougher.

The version we use, incidentally, is taken straight from Costello's 1989 release Spike, and we're usually streaming from a decent source such as Tidal or, occasionally, Qobuz.

Veronica, great song as it is, is something of an esoteric recording, shall we say. It’s lean and thin, with a harshness, even a coarseness, to the production that can leave you feeling as though your ears are being scraped out by a drill.

Those snare drums can sound hard, even a little rattly, when they kick the tune into gear at the outset, while twinkling glockenspiel notes and a noticeably lean guitar threaten to tip things into excessive top-end brightness.

That can make it tough on the old earholes, especially when you’re listening to it at higher volumes or you’re using a pair of decent wired headphones that tend to dig up every musical aspect with forensic intent.

You need, then, a set-up that’s forgiving enough to ensure that your ears aren’t bleeding by the time that Mr Costello has started singing the first lines of the opening verse. Any excessive brightness within your system will only exacerbate the recording’s flaws, making the whole experience as enjoyable as putting your head next to a whirring buzzsaw.

Naturally, you’d think you'd want a product or set-up that can smooth over those rough edges, especially when scratchy guitars get peaky at the higher registers. That’s a helpful characteristic, but if that smoothness translates to a lack of energy or sharpness across other tracks, you’re rather cutting off your nose to spite your face.

What we’re aiming for, then, is a proper handling of transparency. A good product should be capable of showing the nature of a recording without highlighting its flaws, of bringing out the essential character of the tune without masking its core nature.

The wired Beyerdynamic DT 990 Pro X over-ear headphones do this brilliantly. We described those as being a “warts and all” set of cans, in that they refused to round off any hard or harsh edges but rarely shied away from showing, rather than over-egging, a particularly outlandish or challenging feature of any given source material.

As we said in our review, “The DT 990 Pro X don’t shy away from the industrial stabs and distorted high notes of Avenged Sevenfold’s We Love You, refusing to smooth over those harsher tones in favour of an informative, honest yet always entertaining approach.”

Those sentiments ring true when switching over to Veronica, of course – peppy ‘80s pop-rock is more palatable than experimental post-metal, too, which is part of the reason we're recommending it here.

In the world of proper hi-fi separates, the Fyne Audio F502S evidence a similarly canny balance. Like the DT 990 Pro X, they have the insight and detail levels to bring out what’s going on a track – be it good, bad, or anything in between – yet rarely will you ever feel as though any irksome elements are being exacerbated by their honest, insightful approach.

That’s what makes a track such as Veronica so valuable, in that it reveals an aspect of hi-fi that’s often overlooked but essential for your long-term enjoyment. It’s a really tough balance, too, with so many lesser candidates falling onto one side of the fence – excessive honesty or masking flaws so much that the the point of the music gets lost.

It's something that you may not have considered before, and if you've found your set-up or system straining you ears of late, or you're thinking of committing to a new piece of kit, it's an essential test for ensuring that you haven't invested in something that grates on your ears.

Feel free to use Veronica, then, as a sort of musical shortcut. Stick it on and, whether you're system matching various components or seeing how well run-in a pair of wired headphones are, you'll have a strong litmus test for whether the recording's flaws have become utterly fatal.

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The five-star Sennheiser Ambeo Soundbar Max has been our favourite premium soundbar since we tested it back in 2019, when it earned a What Hi-Fi? Award for its overall excellent performance. Fast forward to 2025, and it has remained on that esteemed list ever since.

However a new player has entered the scene that could well trump the Sennheiser – and anyone familiar with the world of hi-fi should recognise the name.

The KEF XIO directly challenges our long-time favourite with a similar specification sheet in a smaller package. Can the Ambeo Soundbar Max hold its own against this newcomer? Let's find out.

KEF XIO vs Sennheiser Ambeo Soundbar Max: price

The XIO launched at £1999 / $2500 / AU$3600. It is still early days for the product, but we are hoping to see its price drop during sales events such as Black Friday.

Higher up the price ladder is the Sennheiser Ambeo Soundbar Max which was first released at £2199 / $2500 / AU$4000.

Since its launch, we have seen that price drop to as low as £1549 in the occasional sale. It is now regularly available for £1999 in the UK, placing it in direct competition with the KEF.

**Winner: draw**

KEF XIO vs Sennheiser Ambeo Soundbar Max: build

Both soundbars take very different approaches when it comes to their design.

The Sennheiser Ambeo Soundbar Max is quite the beast, weighing in at 18.5kg. The brand has opted for this beefy build to negate the need for an external subwoofer, instead favouring large drivers capable of covering a far more significant portion of the frequency range.

Because of its size, the Ambeo will inevitably block a few inches of the bottom of your TV screen if placed in front (unless you raise your telly of course), so it is best enjoyed wall-mounted. It's worth considering if this is something you think would work for you, and finding the perfect positioning can be a bit of a tricky task.

Still, once it is set up, the soundbar is quite straightforward to use. It has a screen display on the front of the 'bar, which is handy for knowing at a glance what EQ mode has been selected.

The KEF comes in a sleeker package with relatively compact dimensions. You can wall-mount the soundbar or keep it flat on a table, so it is rather more flexible than the Sennheiser.

The differences continue under the hood. With the XIO, there are six Uni-Q MX drivers, three of which are on the top of the soundbar for upward-firing sound when the 'bar is placed on a stand under the TV, but with the central unit unemployed in that orientation. The rest are facing forward.

When the soundbar is wall mounted, though, it intelligently deciphers which position it has been placed in and redesignates the drivers. So what were the upward-firing drivers now take on the role of the left and right channels, with the previously unused middle unit taking on the vital centre-channel role.

There's no display with the XIO, which can make it difficult to tell what setting has been selected. Overall, though, the KEF's sleeker design and enhanced flexibility when it comes to placement mean it beats the Sennheiser in this category.

**Winner: KEF XIO**

KEF XIO vs Sennheiser Ambeo Soundbar Max: features

One negative of the KEF XIO when it comes to physical connections is that it does not have an HDMI passthrough, instead including only HDMI eARC and optical.

The Sennheiser Ambeo Soundbar Max boasts three HDMI 2.0 inputs and one HDMI 2.1 port, which supports eARC, meaning it can handle Dolby Atmos in its lossless True HD format.

While these ports aren't capable of delivering next-gen gaming features such as VRR and ALLM, they can pass through signals from external sources in 4K HDR, including Dolby Vision.

That's a big positive for those looking to wire up all their connections through the soundbar instead of the TV.

Both models have an app to customise your listening experience and have Bluetooth connectivity. The XIO uses the KEF Connect app, where you can calibrate the soundbar to the room, switch to different EQ sound profiles and use the various streaming services.

The Sennheiser Smart Control app also offers "a dizzying number of sound personalisation options", as we say in our review. When we tested it, we did find that the Smart Control app was a bit clunky to navigate.

It also includes a microphone in the box, which allows for a simple automatic room calibration setup – something the KEF does not feature.

All the big hitters in audio format support are included with both 'bars, including Dolby Atmos, DTS:X, and Sony 360 Audio.

The same can be said in terms of music streaming support, although there are a few differences here. Apple AirPlay 2 and Google Cast are available on the Ambeo but not the XIO.

Both soundbars also support Spotify Connect and Tidal Connect. KEF's model does, however, offer more options with Deezer, Qobuz and Amazon Music all on the cards.

The lack of physical connections on the XIO here means that the Sennheiser Ambeo Soundbar Max must take the crown for features.

*Winner: Sennheiser Ambeo Soundbar Max**

KEF XIO vs Sennheiser Ambeo Soundbar Max: sound

Now for the main event. When we tested the Sennheiser model, we were immediately blown away by its floor-shaking bass yet overall balanced sonic performance.

While watching Unbroken, for example, we find that the Ambeo provides a "brilliant, focused build up as the plane approaches, then a huge, room-filling zoom as it flies by."

The quality of dialogue is not sacrificed, either. Voices feel natural and weighty, with the bass frequencies helping to flesh them out.

With the XIO, we get a more transparent listening experience, as each frequency is clear and unconfused. It does not reach the same weight of bass as the Sennheiser, but we find during testing that this is not so much of a problem.

We comment in our review: "The KEF counters with more clarity, greater precision in the way sounds are rendered and notably more finesse in the way low-level dynamics are delivered. It’s the more transparent performer, and it ultimately gives us greater insight into the soundtrack being played."

Moving on to their performance with music, the Sennheiser Ambeo Soundbar Max manages to portray a coherent and warm sound. When listening to The Two of Us by The Beatles through Tidal, we say it is not the "snappiest speaker we have heard" but does still manage a "rhythmically astute" performance.

The XIO, on the other hand, impresses us just as much with music as it does with films. KEF's entry captures the excitement of the music more than the Sennheiser, with a brilliant musicality.

In fact, we say that it can "easily serve as a standalone music system, which is more than we can say for the vast majority of soundbars that come our way."

Because of the XIO's excellently expressive performance and coherent meld of frequencies, it's a no-brainer for this category.

**Winner: KEF XIO**

KEF XIO vs Sennheiser Ambeo Soundbar Max: verdict

Even though these soundbars will cost you the same price now, there are quite a few differences in terms of the audio quality they offer.

Where the Sennheiser is a brilliant performer with a bass-heavy but overall balanced sound, the KEF XIO provides such an easy listening-experience as both a home cinema and a standalone music system.

The XIO's lack of physical connections may be a drawback, but it more than makes up for it with its compact design and overall sound quality.

**Overall winner: KEF XIO**

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And here's our in-depth look at the KEF XIO

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I spent a considerable amount of time listening to KEF’s first-ever soundbar, the XIO, this past month.

The 5.1.2 single soundbar is quite the proposition on paper, boasting Dolby Atmos and DTS:X immersive surround sound support, a relatively compact design (at least compared to soundbars of similar ambition that come with separate subwoofers and/or satellite speakers), and a comprehensive companion app that acts as a gateway to plenty of streaming connections, including Amazon Music, Qobuz, Tidal Connect, Deezer and Spotify Connect.

There’s a lot to like under the hood as well. KEF’s trademark Uni-Q drivers – a staple of the company's stereo speakers – are present, albeit perhaps not in the form you are familiar with, where a tweeter and mid/bass fit into a single assembly.

The Uni-Q MX drivers in the XIO – three forward-facing and two upwards-firing – instead have a dual diaphragm arrangement that features a mechanical crossover to allow the high-frequency central section to operate separately.

But what did I learn about KEF's debut 'bar throughout my days of testing it alongside my colleagues? Well, ultimately – and excuse the spoiler for those who have yet to read our full KEF XIO review – that it is a huge success, so much so that it has overtaken the Sennheiser Ambeo Soundbar Max as the best high-end model in our best soundbars buying guide.

It also has trumped the Sennheiser as the best premium model in our best Dolby Atmos soundbars page.

That said, it isn't perfect. Here are three areas in which the XIO stands out, and a couple of things that me and my colleagues aren’t as keen on.

Like: exciting yet precise sound

'Exciting' and 'precise': two words that can rarely be confidently used when describing a soundbar's sound. But the XIO is not your average ‘bar in terms of sonic performance.

KEF has clearly put a lot of effort into ensuring its debut soundbar is tough competition for its rivals, producing an overall sound that is thrilling yet balanced.

When watching John Wick 2 on 4K Blu-ray with Dolby Atmos during testing, for example, we noted in our review: “The deep revving of engines feels textured with the rhythm of the vehicle throbbing, but it does not overpower the lighter soundtrack.

“One car leaps over a bump in the distance and then moves into the forefront, displaying the soundbar’s sense of precision. You can really feel the three-dimensionality of the sequence as the vehicle moves across the screen.”

Like: clear and tight bass

Moving on to the XIO’s performance with lower frequencies, we are not disappointed here either.

This is partly down to the four ‘P185’ bass drivers housed within the soundbar.

The P185 is a rectangular design, 51 x 180mm in size. KEF claims that each of these has the same radiating area as a traditional circular 10cm driver unit, but that the rectangular shape allows the soundbar chassis to be considerably slimmer than would otherwise be the case.

Directly comparing the KEF model to the Sennheiser Ambeo Soundbar Max, we find that both soundbars take very different approaches to the bass.

While the Sennheiser better succeeds in spreading the sound around the room and providing a better floor-shaking bass than the XIO, the KEF “counters with more clarity, greater precision in the way sounds are rendered and notably more finesse in the way low-level dynamics are delivered," to quote our review.

Despite the XIO not having the biggest bass sound in this product category, then, we find it is the best all-round bass performer we have seen so far at this price point.

Dislike: no HDMI passthrough

This may not seem like a big deal considering the huge array of streaming capabilities the XIO offers, but the absence of HDMI passthrough could be a drawback for many.

In terms of connectivity, the XIO features one HDMI 2.1 eARC socket, one optical connection and Bluetooth. This is a common offering in the budget-to-mid-market soundbars that pass through our test rooms, so it comes as a surprise not to see a more generous spread on the XIO's rear panel.

Having more HDMI 2.1 inputs or 4k/120Hz passthrough would allow users to connect their sources – their games console, Blu-ray player and/or set-top box – to the soundbar rather than the TV, with simply one cable then going from the bar to the telly.

If KEF decides to produce a second model down the line, we hope more HDMI connections will be on the menu.

Like: amazing music performance

It's not a given that a soundbar is as good with music as it is with movies, so it came as a pleasant surprise that the XIO delivers excellent musical expression.

With Music mode activated, the delivery is more direct but still just as compelling. Each frequency feels distinct and crisp on its own, while still coming together into one overall cohesive presentation.

When listening to Radiohead’s Codex, for example, we found during testing that “the mellow bass feels well separated from the midrange but still melds together well”.

We added that “vocals sound natural, but the slightly echoing effect baked into the track is still picked out”.

Indeed, the XIO stands out in the soundbar realm for being a capable music system too.

Dislike: no display

While the XIO’s look is pleasing overall with its flat and compact dimensions, we were disappointed to find there is no display on the soundbar itself.

This would not be as big an issue if the buttons on the ‘bar were a little more tactile and you could therefore be more assured that the product has received a command. But the buttons blend in with the chassis, making it a little fiddly.

On the Sennheiser Ambeo Soundbar Max, for example, there is a small text display that visualises which EQ mode is activated or what the volume has changed to.

While not a deal-breaker by any means, it is a user-friendly feature that makes the setup process that bit easier.

MORE:

Check out the full KEF XIO review

And here's our review of the Sennheiser Ambeo Soundbar Max

These are the best Dolby Atmos soundbars we recommend

KEF was one of the first specialist hi-fi manufacturers to get into home cinema speaker packages back in the early nineties, and it has continued to operate in the market since then.

It may come as a surprise, therefore, that the brand is only now releasing its first soundbar.

Enter the KEF XIO, a 5.1.2 premium soundbar that the company says is designed to excel with music as well as movies.

This is a tough ask considering most soundbars struggle to achieve this duality. KEF is equipped to do this better than most, though, given its expertise in both fields.

Price

The XIO launches at £1999 / $2500 / AU$3600, placing it firmly in the high-end premium soundbar category.

That pits it firmly against the Award-winning Sennheiser Ambeo Soundbar Max, which was originally priced at £2199 / $2500 / AU$4000 when we first tested it back in 2019. Now, though, we are seeing regular discounts down to £1999 / $1999, although the Australian price has remained mostly unchanged.

The Sennheiser currently holds the crown as the best high-end model in our best soundbars guide, and is our current benchmark at this price.

Build

The XIO comes in a choice of two finishes, black or silver, with cloth grille panels covering the ends, front and back.

Unlike its Sennheiser rival, which has a bulky design that really needs to be wall-mounted, the XIO (which can also be wall-mounted) fits nicely under a TV with its shallow height. It has an overall mature and premium appearance, too, which we think will blend well into most living rooms.

This relatively thin design is quite a feat considering the XIO houses an impressive 12 drive units, each with a dedicated Class D power amplifier. Added together, KEF claims the complement of amplifiers delivers a meaty 820 watts of peak power.

There are six Uni-Q MX drivers, three of which are on the top of the soundbar for upward-firing sound, but with the one in the centre employed only when the soundbar is wall-mounted. That leaves the remaining three facing forward.

The MX isn’t like a traditional Uni-Q design. Rather than having two separate drive units, a tweeter and mid/bass, that fit into a single assembly, this new MX driver has a dual diaphragm arrangement that features a clever mechanical crossover to allow the high-frequency central section to operate separately.

Then there are four ‘P185’ bass drivers. The P185 is a rectangular design that is 51 x 180mm in size. KEF claims that each of these has the same radiating area as a traditional circular 10cm driver unit, but the rectangular shape allows the soundbar to be considerably slimmer than would otherwise be the case.

That’s not all. KEF has arranged the four P185 drivers into two pairs that face in opposite directions, so that any vibrations generated by each driver are cancelled by the opposite reaction of its partner. This layout should result in appreciably less vibration being generated by the soundbar and fed into its support, which bodes well for the XIO’s bass performance.

The P185 is an interesting design for more than its shape. It has a distinctive indented surround that KEF calls ‘P Flex’ to allow the cone greater freedom of movement and control.

Perhaps even more unusual is the Velocity Control Technology (VECO) built into the drive unit. Here, a flexible PCB printed with a sensing coil takes the place of a traditional former (the component that the main coil wraps around) and measures the speed of movement. This allows the soundbar’s ‘brain’ to compensate for any errors detected.

Finally, there are two conventional full-range drivers on either side. Given that they are only 50mm in diameter, maybe ‘full range’ is pushing it, but what they do is push the soundfield wider.

You can wall-mount the soundbar or keep it flat on a table. When it is wall-mounted, the orientation changes so the forward-facing drivers now point upwards. In this guise, what was the central driver is now activated and pointed at the listener. The bulk of our testing was done with the soundbar facing forward sitting on our rack.

On one side of the XIO, you will find a panel with indented touch buttons for power, output and volume. Sometimes these are not as precise in use as we would like. When we press a button, it is not entirely clear whether the unit has registered the command. If we had an on-unit display, this would be less of an issue.

The XIO comes with a lightweight remote that is simple to use with a clear layout. While the remote covers the basic commands, the KEF Connect app has a more comprehensive range of controls, which we suspect most people will lean towards.

Features

In terms of inputs, the XIO has HDMI 2.1 eARC, optical and Bluetooth.

It is also possible to connect an outboard subwoofer either through a standard line-level analogue output or via wireless transmission. Alongside the XIO, KEF has launched the KW2 RX adapter (costing £149 / £160 / AU$280) to allow this wireless sub connection.

At this level, we really expect a soundbar to have dedicated HDMI inputs as well as an HDMI eARC port. The XIO’s main rival, the Sennheiser Ambeo Soundbar Max, has three HDMI inputs. Largely due to its age, they're not 2.1 spec, so won't support 4K/120Hz from a games console, but they are still useful.

The Samsung HW-Q990F, which is more affordable than the KEF XIO and a full system in a box to boot, has two HDMI 2.1 inputs and full 4K/120Hz passthrough.

With these extra HDMI inputs, you can connect everything to your soundbar rather than going through the TV. KEF's approach in having all of your sources running into your TV is far from uncommon, but is something we expect more from mid-range and budget models.

In terms of 3D sound formats, the XIO supports Dolby Atmos, DTS:X and Sony 360 Reality Audio, and when it comes to music, there’s plenty to choose from, including Amazon Music, Qobuz, Tidal Connect, Deezer and Spotify Connect.

The KEF Connect app is simple to set up and use, with easy-to-navigate sections at the bottom. From there, you can select the XIO’s output, see the exact volume setting, and control all the streaming services.

There is also the useful ability to change the speaker volume sensitivity. You can make one press of the plus button increase the volume by multiple or single steps, for example. There’s the option to set a maximum volume limit as well, which is handy for young and sensitive ears.

In the KEF’s EQ settings, there are different sound profiles to choose from. Default has a great sense of balance and naturalness. Movie, on the other hand, projects the audio to fill the room, giving a more spacious sound field and a greater feeling of movement to sounds. However, there are losses in terms of focus and impact at lower frequencies. This leads us to use Default more often.

As you would expect, there is a Night mode that compresses dynamic peaks and bass impact, which is handy for those times when you don’t want to disturb the other people in the house. Understandably, it also removes much of the tension from the sound, and voices sound less natural than in Default or Movie, so it should only be used when it’s really needed.

Music mode, meanwhile, creates a more cohesive and directed sound that is, as the name suggests, best reserved for stereo music.

Finally, there’s a Direct setting with minimal processing and equalisation. This mode is noticeably quieter and reduces the impact of the surround effects. While we’re normally fans of such ‘pure’ sound modes, on this occasion we find the sonic performance loses too much in the way of entertainment.

The XIO also features ‘Intelligent Placement Technology.’ This allows the soundbar to detect if the orientation changes, and you can calibrate it to further adjust its performance based on the space.

Built-in microphones allow it to measure your room, including being able to detect walls and furniture.

Once it’s set up, it produces balanced results in our test room. Turn the EQ modes off, and the sense of immersion is much reduced.

Sound

We begin our full sound testing with Jurassic World on 4K Blu-ray with DTS:X sound.

As the unwitting children get a first glimpse of the park, the expressiveness of the score is immediately portrayed with a pleasing musicality. The sparkle of the brass feels crisp but not sharp, while the midrange is full-bodied and solid.

We move to later in the film, where things have turned south and our protagonists are being chased by hyper-intelligent raptors. The tension of the pursuit is really heightened by a tight bass with plenty of punch.

As the raptors run after a moving truck, the pounding of their feet on the ground has the right balance of being muffled yet impactful.

Despite the XIO’s slim and relatively compact dimensions, it still manages to produce an impressively wide and immersive soundstage.

When watching Labyrinth on 4K Blu-ray with Dolby Atmos, this becomes apparent. As our protagonist, Sarah, is stuck in the Bog of Eternal Stench and attempts to escape, the sound of the rocks rising surrounds the listener and makes the impact feel palpable as they come to the surface.

The XIO’s ability to spread sound around the space feels incredibly natural, all while keeping each frequency clear and unmuddled.

Take the opening scene of John Wick 2 on 4K Blu-ray with Dolby Atmos, as Keanu Reeves’ rugged character embarks on a hair-raising car chase. The deep revving of engines feels textured with the rhythm of the vehicle throbbing, but it does not overpower the lighter soundtrack.

One car leaps over a bump in the distance and then moves into the forefront, displaying the soundbar’s sense of precision. You can really feel the three-dimensionality of the sequence as the vehicle moves across the screen.

We test the XIO against the Sennheiser Ambeo Soundbar Max and find that the two have very distinct strengths and weaknesses.

The Sennheiser certainly has a bassier and bigger overall sound, managing to spread the audio around the room more. As objects move across the screen, it is able to project the movement of the sound in a more emphatic way, wrapping us in the sound field a little more convincingly.

But the KEF counters with more clarity, greater precision in the way sounds are rendered and notably more finesse in the way low-level dynamics are delivered. It’s the more transparent performer, and it ultimately gives us greater insight into the soundtrack being played.

The XIO certainly produces less bass than its rival, but those lows are better formed and more controlled. If you do want greater low-end heft, however, then there is always the option of adding a dedicated subwoofer.

When we switch to Music mode to test out some tunes, Tidal Connect and Qobuz Connect work seamlessly.

With Radiohead’s Codex, the mellow bass feels well separated from the midrange but still melds together well. Vocals sound natural, but the slightly echoing effect baked into the track is still picked out.

In fact, the XIO can easily serve as a standalone music system, which is more than we can say for the vast majority of soundbars that come our way.

Overall, this is an effortlessly organised sound that captures the excitement of what you are listening to, whether that’s movies or music.

Verdict

The XIO is supremely easy to listen to, creating an impressively wide sense of space for a soundbar while maintaining balance and expressiveness.

With a comprehensive app and plenty of streaming connectivity, it also works as an excellent sound system for music alone.

KEF says that it wants the soundbar to effectively act as a hi-fi package wrapped up in one product, and it has achieved that. Put simply, it is one of the best soundbars we have heard.

SCORES:

• Sound 5
• Build 5
• Features 4

MORE:

Also consider the Sennheiser Ambeo Soundbar Max and Samsung HW-Q990F

These are the best Dolby Atmos soundbars you can buy right now

If you're UK-based, you'll have noticed that there are more mosquitoes around, the back of your neck has turned red and, inevitably, you're struggling to sleep at night, even with the window open. It can all mean only one thing: summer 2025 is officially here.

With temperatures rising and everyone feeling the urge to slack off, it would be wrong to expect you to sit at home tinkering with your turntable with the sun making its annual three-week appearance. You want to get out there and enjoy the weather, but you also want to make sure you're fully prepared to do so.

Sunscreen and a good hat and all well and good, but what about audio? From headphones to portable speakers, we've put together the best bargains under £100 so that you can have fun in the sun without ending up penniless.

Bluetooth speaker: JBL Flip 6

If you want to spend more to get more, the JBL Flip 7 is an excellent option. It's still a lot more costly, of course, clocking in at a healthy £130, hence we're recommending the sixth-generation unit if you're keen to grab a spicy summer bargain.

For packed festivals and outdoor rambling, we couldn't think of many better companions at this price. The Flip 6 is so well made that it will survive any punishment you throw at it, whether you're tossing it from mate to mate or exposing it to rain, dust or direct sunlight.

Battery life is solid, clocking in at 12 hours at a time, whereas JBL Partyboost means that, if you have a friend who also has a Flip 6, you can pair them together in stereo mode. The speakers, that is, not your friends.

You won't be disappointed by the resultant sound. The Flip 6 is a zippy, agile speaker that lives on the front foot, revealing plenty of textural detail and really getting to the heart of your tunes' musicality. As we said in our review, "There’s plenty of oomph and energy across the frequencies", as well as a "surprisingly snappy and full-bodied low end".

If you're heading to Glastonbury and need a break from the bands, the Flip 6 is a great pick.

• Want to go smaller? The JBL Go 4 is £34 at Amazon (down from £40)
• Need more info? Read our full JBL Go 4 review

Portable DAB radio: Majority Petersfield Go

The Majority Petersfield Go is cheap as chips and, to continue the analogy, it's almost as tasty. £30 or so really isn't very much to pay for a portable DAB radio, especially one of such surprising quality.

When we say portable, we mean portable. The Petersfield Go is about the size of a pack of cards, but it's robust and durable enough that you shouldn't have to worry about it getting damaged when squirrelled away inside your festival backpack. A sturdy clip at the back for attaching it to your pocket or exterior surfaces is also a handy addition.

It really does sound pretty good, too. Through DAB/DAB+ and FM frequencies, the Majority's punchy sound makes for an entertaining listen, while its solid detail levels are more than capable of bringing out the character of human speech when you're tuned into, say, BBC Radio 4 or the football results.

You even get a pair of wired in-ears bundled in with the radio, but we would highly recommend upgrading to a better model, such as the SoundMagics (below).

A low-cost companion to take with you on your travels? Sounds good to us. Our review sums it up beautifully: "For those looking for a super cheap and basic but good, portable pocket DAB/FM radio for the summer, this little unit is worth checking out."

• The gorgeous Roberts Revival Petite 2 is £95 at Amazon (down from £100)
• Read our full Roberts Revival Petite 2 review

Over-ear headphones: Sony WH-CH720

We struggle to think of a better pair of affordable wireless cans to take on your summer travels. The Austrian Audio Hi-X25BT are worth checking out thanks to their performance and foldability, but they don't offer noise cancelling. The Sony WH-C720N, on the other hand, do have ANC, and it's really rather good.

They're about as much wireless headphone as you could want, or hope for, for under £100. A 50-hour battery life is supremely impressive, as is the fact that a three-minute quick boost will give you around an hour of playback in a pinch.

With Bluetooth Multipoint, Sony's DSEE sound upscaling for enhancing compressed low-quality audio files, not to mention support for Sony 360 Reality Audio tracks and access to the excellent Sony Headphones app, you're positively spoiled by the CH720N.

Okay, we wish they folded away, but they're light and rugged enough to take anywhere without fearing lasting damage. Plus, the sound they produce is typically excellent, offering a blend of punch and precision that few rivals can match at this level.

Like so many Sony cans, the WH-CH720N just seem to have an inherent understanding of the music they play, no matter the genre, mood or artist, and you certainly won't be short-changed by the amount of bass they pump out.

60 hours of battery life plus superb sound and lots of features? You do the maths.

• Go even cheaper with the five-star Sony WH-CH520 – now £33 at Amazon (down from £49)
• Read our full Sony WH-CH520 review

Wired in-ears: SoundMagic E11C

If you want a USB-C connection to plug straight into your smartphone or portable music player, we'd direct you over to the SoundMagic E80D. For those who prefer a more traditional 3.5mm, it's the SoundMagic E11C all the way.

Budget wired in-ears don't come much better than the E11C. Your mates will be rocking cheap wireless earbuds, or maybe their beloved AirPods, but you'll be satisfied and smug knowing that the sound you're getting is, probably, a heck of a lot better thanks to the wonder of good old-fashioned wires.

The E11C really are that good. They're pristine, detailed and musical in-ears, revealing details and textures voraciously but never losing sight of the musicality or drama of your favourite tracks.

Some 'clean-sounding' headphones can soon become boring thanks to their removed, clinical nature, but that's not something we'd ever say of the E11C.

They're built to last, too, meaning you should be able to take them to festivals, parties or even running races (summer means Park Run season) and not fear them falling to pieces.

Be smart, go wired.

• Check out the excellent SoundMagic E80D on Amazon, too
• Or read our SoundMagic E80D review

Amazon Music Unlimited - 4 months free

Amazon Music Unlimited is a very solid music streaming service, and very much a worthwhile alternative to the likes of Spotify, Tidal and Apple Music.

It's built for people already part of the Amazon fold, as you'll get it for £1 per month cheaper, but this discount doesn't discriminate between Prime and non-Prime members.

It's a really impressive platform in most regards, offering HD and Ultra HD content for accessing CD-quality and hi-res audio files, with over 70 million songs available in what is an admirably well-stocked back catalogue.

It all sounds good, even if you're not enjoying one of the highest-quality streams, with detail, bass and spaciousness evidenced across tune after tune. It will vary from track to track, naturally, but the general standard is appreciably high.

While the mobile app can be a tad buggy and the music discovery facilities could be better, it's very tough to complain if you're getting four months gratis.

Free music until October? Excellent.

MORE:

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Amazon’s Fire TV Stick range of streaming devices may not be the most glamorous or technically impressive products that we see in our AV testing room, but they serve a specific purpose and perform said purpose well.

Case in point is the first-generation Amazon Fire TV Stick 4K Max, which offered affordable plug-and-play 4K HDR streaming, with a solid picture performance and feature set that was hard to argue with, especially for the price.

The only thing holding that streamer back was the existence of the then-Award-winning Google Chromecast with Google TV, which just edged out the first-generation Fire TV Stick 4K Max when it came to picture and sound performance.

Luckily for Amazon, Google has since discontinued that device and replaced it with a streamer that’s nearly double the price, and not quite as good. So, it would make total sense for Amazon to strike while the iron is hot, and deliver an upgraded streaming stick that undercuts the Google TV Streamer; and that’s exactly what it has done.

Today, we have the second-generation Amazon Fire TV Stick 4K Max, and with upgraded performance, a significant lack of competition and a tempting price tag, it might just be the easiest no-brainer buy in the AV world.

Price

The Amazon Fire TV Stick 4K Max (2nd Generation) officially costs £70 / $60 / AU$120; a smidge more than its predecessor’s £65 / $55 / AU$99 starting price. While a price rise – albeit minor – isn’t necessarily a welcome sight, what will be more enticing are the discounts that this streamer will inevitably receive throughout the year.

During its own sales events – Big Deal Days, Prime Day and Black Friday – Amazon almost always heavily discounts its own products. You can expect to pay closer to £50 / $40 / AU$89 if you time your purchase right.

Better yet, Amazon’s new streamer benefits from a major player exiting the market. Google’s Chromecast with Google TV was the roadblock preventing the previous generation Fire TV Stick 4K Max from achieving the full five-star commendation; however, that Award-winning streamer has been discontinued.

Google has replaced it with the four-star Google TV Streamer, which costs £99 / $100 / AU$160; considerably more than the Chromecast’s £60 / $50 / AU$99 launch price and, more importantly, the Fire TV Stick 4K Max.

As for other rivals, Roku’s Streaming Stick 4K undercuts the Amazon streamer at £50 / $50 / AU$110, though it’s yet to land in our AV testing room.

Build

The new Fire TV Stick isn’t a radical departure from its predecessors, though there are some identifying features to distinguish this newer model.

It’s still an all-plastic cuboid with an HDMI connector sticking out of one end, akin to an oversized USB thumb drive with the corners rounded off.

Unfortunately, this means that the last generation’s tendency to hog the area surrounding the HDMI socket it's lodged into is once again prevalent, meaning you may struggle to plug a cable into the adjacent HDMI port unless you use the included adapter.

A further design oversight relates to the power socket, which bafflingly uses Micro USB rather than the widely accepted USB-C standard. While we appreciate Amazon including a power adapter in the box, the decision to stick with the older, less convenient and less widely used connection is an odd choice indeed.

Moving away from the stick itself and onto the remote, Amazon has bundled in the same Alexa Voice Remote Enhanced model that can be found with the Fire TV Cube (3rd Generation). It’s functional, comfortable to hold, and features shortcuts to streaming services, which will differ depending on which region you purchase it in.

We would have liked to see the “find my remote” function included here, as it comes as standard on the Google TV Streamer; however, you’ll need to purchase the optional Fire TV Remote Pro for that, which also includes backlit buttons.

Features

The Fire TV Stick 4K Max’s only mission is to bring 4K streaming smarts to your TV, and it does so with a decent list of appreciated features.

HDR, for example, is supported in all of the major formats, including Dolby Vision, HDR10+, HDR10 and HLG, meaning this streaming stick will play nicely with your TV regardless of whether you own a Dolby Vision-sporting LG TV or an HDR10+ only Samsung.

Furthermore, it supports Dolby Atmos audio, as well as up to 7.1 surround sound.

Inside the Fire TV Stick is a 2.0 GHz quad-core processor, and Amazon has been kind enough to double the storage from 8GB to 16GB, though RAM stays at 2GB.

Wi-Fi 6E is also supported, which should offer “smoother 4K streaming”, according to Amazon – though you’ll need a compatible router to access this.

At the heart of the Fire TV Stick experience is Fire OS, which you’ll also find on the company’s Omni-series QLED and Mini LED TVs, as well as (from 2024) Panasonic’s OLED TVs.

It’s a robust, well-supported and versatile operating system, which might not look quite as clean as Apple’s tvOS or be brimming with AI features like Google TV, but it's good for the straightforward streaming tasks that we require of a Fire TV Stick.

One area where Fire OS frustrates is with its ad-heavy nature. Amazon’s services are also pushed to the forefront, which shouldn’t be too surprising considering it manufactured the device, and the ads can be somewhat forgiven thanks to the device’s relatively low price tag.

App support is, unsurprisingly, excellent, with a full range of global streaming apps – including Netflix, Disney+, Apple TV and, of course, Amazon Prime Video – and domestic services such as BBC iPlayer, ITVX, Channel 4 and more.

Fire OS is also home to some niche services, including Mubi, Shudder, BFI Player and others, making this a solid choice for mainstream and indie movie fans.

Something to note with the Apple TV app is that it's exclusively used as a hub for Apple TV+ content and a way to access your existing Apple TV library. The store cannot be accessed directly through this app, so you’ll need to purchase your desired movie or TV series on a smartphone or tablet to watch it on the Fire TV Stick 4K Max.

Music and gaming apps are also well supported, with the likes of Spotify, Tidal and Deezer on board, though Apple Music is unfortunately sidelined. Thankfully, that can be circumvented with the inclusion of AirPlay 2.

Gaming-wise, Amazon’s Luna cloud gaming service and Xbox are the two major players, while casual games that can be controlled via the included remote are also accessible.

Picture

Much like its predecessor, the Fire TV Stick 4K Max provides plenty of positive picture attributes, which makes it a rather compelling streamer for the money. Better yet, it doesn’t have the Chromecast with Google TV to contend with, and instead now has the four-star Google TV Streamer as its major adversary.

We plug the Fire TV Stick into our reference Sony OLED TV and load up a range of streaming apps onto the device to deduce how it handles picture performance.

Firing up Mission: Impossible – Dead Reckoning on Netflix, the Fire TV Stick delivers a sharp and engaging picture, with plenty of detail in the suits worn by Ethan Hunt and his well-dressed gang as they plan out their mission in Abu Dhabi Airport.

There is ample detail to skin textures, and aside from a few instances of skin tones looking a tad on the warm side, the Fire TV Stick generally impresses.

We also take no issue with how motion is handled, as the MV-22 Osprey military aircraft carrying a troop of elite agents tasked with hunting down the hero glides smoothly into frame, with the whirring propellers showing no signs of awkward juddering or stuttering.

Switching to Challengers in HDR10+ on Amazon Prime Video, we’re once again impressed with the detail levels, colours, and motion, deducing that the Stick 4K Max provides a balanced and enjoyable image overall.

Furthermore, the film grain that can sometimes be presented as overbearing image noise on the Google streamer seems cleaner and looks more intentional on the Fire TV Stick.

Feeding the Fire TV Stick some HD content, namely Gladiator II, once again on Prime Video, we do notice that the edges of subjects get slightly softer. That being said, clothing and skin remain detailed enough, and the streamer certainly doesn’t make a big deal of presenting the comparatively lower resolution content.

We compare it directly to the Google TV Streamer with these aforementioned movies, alongside Mad Max: Fury Road and Babylon on the Apple TV app, and this is where things get interesting.

Despite costing a fair bit more than the Fire TV Stick 4K, the Google TV Streamer’s picture looks nearly identical. We can pick out a touch more detail on the Google TV, and colours are slightly punchier (if anything, we could accuse the Google of overdoing skin tones here), but otherwise, we struggle to see the point in shelling out for the pricier Google TV Streamer when it comes to picture performance.

Sound

While the picture performance is practically identical to the Google TV Streamer (albeit for less money), where we see the biggest difference between these two streamers is in sound quality. Make no mistake, the Fire TV Stick 4K is no maestro, but it's a darn sight better than the Google TV Streamer.

Loading up Tidal to stream tracks including Gasoline by HAIM and Taylor Swift, Luther by Kendrick Lamar and SZA, and From by Bon Iver, we’re met with sound that can best be described as solid. It won’t blow your socks off, and timing is one aspect where the Fire TV Stick does falter, but it’s a warmer, more cohesive and dynamic performance compared with the poor-sounding Google TV Streamer.

This is true for movies and TV shows as well, as we return to Mission: Impossible to find clear and detailed vocals that have been prioritised within the greater audio mix. That being said, they don’t sound detached, and the tense soundtrack still has its chance to build suspense effectively.

Verdict

Amazon’s flagship streaming stick is a solid option for anyone whose TV’s built-in streaming apps just aren’t cutting it. Its sharp and colourful picture, paired with its easy plug-and-play usability, should appease those who want to squeeze a bit more life out of their ageing 4K TV, or sidestep their TV’s built-in operating system.

Unless you’re considering stepping up to the Apple TV 4K, which costs double the price, the Fire TV Stick 4K is the go-to 4K streaming device at this level.

SCORES

• Picture 5
• Sound 4
• Features 4

MORE:

Read our review of the Google TV Streamer

Also consider the Apple TV 4K

These are the best video streamers you can buy

When the Bowers & Wilkins Px7 S2e arrived a few years back, we thought they were an excellent pair of wireless headphones. Boasting a premium quality of build alongside excellent sound and lots of features, it was hard to pick too many holes in their credentials.

Good as the Px7 S2e are, B&W wanted to go one better with the sequel. Promoting them as their most "advanced and capable headphones ever", the Bowers & Wilkins Px7 S3 have arrived burdened by seriously high expectations.

Thankfully, they're another excellent pair of over-ear wireless headphones, but how do they stack up against the older model and, more importantly, should you stick with the Px7 S2e or upgrade to the newer cans?

Bowers & Wilkins Px7 S2e vs Bowers & Wilkins Px7 S3: price

As you'll know if you're a frequent hi-fi or headphones buyer, the older a product gets, the lower its price tends to drop. Considering they arrived around two years ago, the PX7 S2e have fallen to roughly £249 / $350 / AU$460 as the five-star over-ears begin the slow process of being phased out.

The newer Px7 S3 won't see prices slashed anytime soon, so their debut figure of £399 / AU$699 is the one you're going to have to pay if you want a pair. Note also that the Px7 S3 aren't yet available in the United States and don't even have a US price tag thanks to ongoing political and economic uncertainties. We'll update you as soon as we have those prices, of course.

A convincing win for the excellent-value Px7 S2e, then.

**Winner: Bowers & Wilkins Px7 S2e**

Bowers & Wilkins Px7 S2e vs Bowers & Wilkins Px7 S3: build and design

Oh, these really are lovely headphones.

We haven't changed our minds about just how nice the older B&W headphones are. The earcups' two-tone finish with a metallic oval and a textured surround just works so nicely, while gold accents and the cylindrical ‘Bowers & Wilkins’ logo text combine to make a very visually desirable product. Whatever finish you pick – and there are a few more with the Px7 S2e than the Px7 S3 at the time of writing – you won't be disappointed by how they look.

It's the same story with the third-generation cans, which follow roughly the same configuration as their predecessors. There are differences, however, including a decreased weight from 307g to 300g and a flatter, slimmer profile whereby the earcups don't protrude as far from the body of the overall design. That makes the Px7 S3, and their smaller case, more portable and easier to wear for long periods.

We've found both pairs to justify their premium price tags. The Px7 S2e felt like a well-made pair of headphones, a legacy that continues to the Px7 S3. From the fabric used on the headband to the quality of the metal arms, both sets feel like they've been built to last.

Both sets of headphones use old-fashioned button controls, and that's something with which we have no issue. The layout of the buttons makes sense and, once you get used to where everything is, you won't have too much trouble locating your desired functionalities.

The small fly in the ointment? Neither folds away, with the earcups instead swivelling from inwards to outwards, but not collapsing up and into the headband like, say, the Bose QuietComfort Ultra Headphones. It's not a huge deal, but worth noting all the same.

Two lovely sets of headphones, but their slimmer, lighter and more comfortable design gives the win to the Px7 S3.

**Winner: Bowers & Wilkins Px7 S3**

Bowers & Wilkins Px7 S2e vs Bowers & Wilkins Px7 S3: features

Scan down each respective spec sheet and you won't find too many gaps. Battery life is a commendable 30 hours for both both pairs, though we're a bit miffed that the Px7 S3 couldn't build on that and add a few more hours to the total. Still, their ability to offer seven hours of playback from a mere 15-minute charge is mightily impressive and super convenient.

Codec compatibility is solid for both. There's support for the higher-quality Bluetooth codecs, with both offering aptX Adaptive as well as both USB-C and 3.5mm cable connections provided in both boxes. The S3 take things a little further, offering all flavours of aptX so you're covered if you have a compatible device; aptx Adaptive, HD, Classic and Lossless are all available, plus 24-bit/96kHz quality when listening via USB-C.

The accompanying Bowers & Wilkins Music App is where you'll control your headphones, with the newer cans working from the updated version of the platform. It's a place we like to be, allowing owners to adjust their phone settings, change the sensitivity of the wearer detection feature for automatic pausing, select noise-cancelling modes or access the customisable five-band equaliser. You even get many streaming service libraries, including the likes of Deezer, Qobuz, Tidal and TuneIn, all in one place.

The Px7 S3, naturally, will have some features not available with the older cans. Auracast will be available soon, meaning the Px7 S3 can receive audio transmissions from compatible broadcast sources when the time comes. This will be available alongside LE Audio support and the LC3 higher-quality codec as a future over-the-air update, says B&W.

**Winner: Bowers & Wilkins Px7 S3**

Bowers & Wilkins Px7 S2e vs Bowers & Wilkins Px7 S3: noise cancelling and call quality

The Px7 S2e’s noise-cancelling capabilities are solid, and it's a similar story for the third generation of the brand’s premium over-ears. Thanks to their repositioned eight-mic array, the Px7 S3 have a natural-sounding ability to block out unwanted sounds and intrusions in much the same way as their predecessors.

Neither set matches the cocoon-like feeling of impermeability you get with the Bose QuietComfort Ultra Headphones, nor are they quite as comprehensive at reducing mid and upper frequency noises compared with Sony WH-1000XM5 and AirPods Max rivals, but the subtler ANC is decent enough from both sets when it comes to reducing the rumble of engines. The Px7 S3 are a little better than the previous model, as we would have hoped, and we certainly discern more of a difference when switching between full-fat ANC or the more permeable pass-through mode.

Voice calls are competently handled by each contender. Repositioned microphones and B&W’s ‘ADI Pure Voice’ voice processing technology tease “outstanding voice clarity” for the Px7 S3, and while the Px7 S2e weren't bad with voice calls, we feel that the newer model is better at muffling background noises such as passing cars or the whooshes of wind and air.

**Winner: Bowers & Wilkins Px7 S3**

Bowers & Wilkins Px7 S2e vs Bowers & Wilkins Px7 S3: sound quality

Make no mistake, the Bowers & Wilkins Px7 S2e are an exceptional pair of headphones at this price. Their sound is excellent, and it only took the brilliance of the Award-winning Sony WH-1000XM5 to prevent us from considering them to be the absolute leaders in their given field. Some of our test team actually prefer the older B&W cans to the Sony, so it's a very close run thing.

Why are the Px7 S2e so good? They remain tremendously detailed for wireless headphones at this level, able to bring out finer details and communicate dynamic shifts to an extent that few rivals can match. The B&W cans have the transparency to dig out the emotional depth to vocals, making sung performances sound authentic and sincere rather than rote and non-committal.

They're great at the lower-end, too, all while retaining a lovely feeling of space and scale. To quote from our review: "How the headphones render lower frequencies remains a highlight, with bass depth and punch in head-bopping supply. Bowers has not only aired out the soundstage slightly for added openness and coherency but also smoothed the presentation somewhat. It’s sweeter and easier to listen, and none of their predecessors’ clarity and tonal balance has been relinquished either."

So, there's no need to get the newer Px7 S3 then, right?

Wrong. The Px7 S3 are the step above, elevating an excellent pair of headphones to exceptional new levels. Compare them with any price-comparable rival and the Px7 S3 will hold their own and, more often than not, trump the competition. They offer class-leading levels of insight, instrumental detail and sonic punch. Even against the more expensive Dali IO-8, we found them to be more capable of pulling out textures with greater talent and a more perceptible feeling of weight and body.

To borrow from our recent review: "These are wireless headphones that dig deep into your music, eschewing a broad or general sonic overview and instead pulling out instrumental timbres with the relentless curiosity and enthusiasm of a bloodhound on the scent of a new lead." High praise.

We loved the bass reproduction of the outgoing B&W, but here the bar has been raised. The newer model offers a lower-end reproduction that drops to new depths, yet the B&W are cultured enough to keep things from sounding blobby or unwieldy. Powerful bass reproduction blended with true finesse isn't easy, but it's a trick the Px7 S3 pull off like it's no big thing.

Across the board, if sound quality is your key priority, the Px7 S3 have to be somewhere at the top of your shortlist. In a straight shootout against the Px7 S2e, they're the clear winners to our ears.

**Winner: Bowers & Wilkins Px7 S3**

Bowers & Wilkins Px7 S2e vs Bowers & Wilkins Px7 S3: verdict

Regardless of which pair they're put up against, the Bowers & Wilkins Px7 S3 are some of the best wireless over-ear headphones you can buy at their premium price point. If sound and style matter to you (and you're rather keen on a healthy feature set, too), we'd have no problem recommending them, even at full price.

What's the case for the Px7 S2e, then? In short, it's a question of price and value. The older cans arrived at £379 / $399 / AU$599, yet now that they're often more than £100 / $100 / AU$150 off, the sound-per-pound value they represent is seriously attractive.

Like so many things in life, this one might simply come down to a question of money.

MORE:

Check out our Sony WH-1000XM5 vs Bowers & Wilkins Px7 S3 head-to-head

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Ruark Audio’s smallest, entry-level radio has a strong history at What Hi-Fi?, with a slew of five-star reviews praising its stylish design and impressive sound quality that belies its compact dimensions.

The Ruark Audio R1S is an evolved version of this standard radio: while a fourth-generation R1 FM/DAB+ radio exists (at £239), the new R1S smart radio has built-in wi-fi for the first time and includes music streaming support to cater to today’s listening habits and demands.

At £299, this R1S is a fair bit pricier than the £160-£180 asking price of the R1 Mk2 from back in 2010 (the R1 Mk3 went up to £200 in 2015), but it’s no secret that the cost of products has risen across the board. Ruark, to its credit, justifies this price tag with a smart design, intuitive controls and stunning sound.

Build & design

Elegant, stylish, gorgeous – we have used many superlatives to describe the lovely Ruark R1 radio over the past decade or so, but this current generation’s design is even more elegant and premium than before. While the compact dimensions remain – small enough to perch on kitchen counters, work desks or bedside tables – the front panel boasts a sleeker fascia that hides the driver and looks classy in any environment. The full-colour display is larger and crisper, with a strong contrast that makes the text legible from a distance. It doesn’t try to cram the screen with too much information, but there’s enough space when scrolling through the station presets and sub-menus.

The radio’s build quality is of a high standard. The acoustically damped cabinet is smooth and solid with nicely rounded edges, and the slatted wood grilles (hand-crafted, fused walnut, just like on the more premium R410 system) look sophisticated.

The mid-grey lacquer finish as seen in our review sample is smart if a little unexciting. Ruark has since added two more colour options: light cream and satin charcoal. Regardless of which finish you pick, the R1S blends in when placed on desks at home and in the office.

As always, the ensemble is topped off with Ruark’s customary RotoDial controller on top of the unit. It remains responsive and easy to use for changing volume, selecting music sources, recalling saved presets (eight per radio source), controlling playback and scanning radio stations. You can also access the numerous menu options, including changing display brightness, setting alarms, timers, searching for specific stations and more.

The third-party Oktiv iOS/Android app is available and you can even buy a separate remote control for £15, but we don’t feel the need for it. The on-unit dial is more than enough to control all aspects of the Ruark radio, but it is handy to have the free app to access stations and favourites more easily.

Features & connectivity

Whether you view the R1S as a radio with streaming powers, or a wireless speaker with radio functions, the fact remains that this Ruark is a versatile unit that gives you enough options to be able to play music in a variety of ways.

Love radio? FM, DAB/DAB+ tuners are built in, and a telescopic aerial comes fitted as standard. The R1S also has internet radio thanks to the built-in wi-fi – so once you’re connected to your home network, you have access to thousands of global stations at your fingertips. Scanning for stations (digital or analogue) is easily done, and while a radio’s quality always relies on the signal strength and proximity to a transmitter where you live, the Ruark has no problem accessing all of our local Berkshire FM and popular digital stations.

Want to stream from your mobile devices? Easy. Also integrated are Spotify Connect, Amazon Music and Deezer, which are the popular music streaming services that are typically built into smart internet radios (seen also in the Award-winning Roberts Stream 94L and more expensive Ruark R2 Mk4). You won’t find any sign of Tidal Connect or Apple Music (or any hi-res capabilities), but those wanting to play any other music source from a phone, laptop or tablet can easily connect to the R1S using Bluetooth. Pairing is swift and stable, and switching between the sources is a breeze.

Around the back you’ll find a handy USB-C port that charges your smartphone and plays MP3 files from compatible devices, a 3.5mm aux input for connecting other audio sources (such as an MP3 player or a phono stage-equipped turntable, for instance) and even a 3.5mm headphone jack so you can plug in your favourite pair of wired headphones for personal listening. There are more premium wireless speakers we’ve tested that aren’t quite so generous with physical connections, so we are fond of how friendly and resourceful this little Ruark is.

There is also space to add an optional battery pack to make the R1S portable. This battery pack costs £69 extra, but it could be a worthwhile investment if you want to enjoy the R1S’s talents in the garden or want more flexibility with its placement in your home.

Sound

Under the hood is a single full-range driver powered by Class A/B amplification – it’s a set-up we’re familiar with from Ruark.

What we aren’t familiar with is the sound. We’ve often described Ruark’s products as having a rich, full-bodied sound with a strong, lush midrange. These are ideal sonic characteristics for a radio, especially a small one.

The R1S is different. It sounds so articulate, neutral, precise and authoritative. It takes us a while to get used to it when we first start listening, but after a while we start to appreciate just how talented this radio is.

It’s surprisingly clear and crisp, with plenty of detail revealed. Its timing is terrific: precise and agile, with ample solidity underpinning every note to sound satisfyingly tethered and natural. There are physical limitations to how much bass you can eke out of a small cabinet (with a downwards port) but the R1S delivers just enough bass that is pulled deliciously taut to land with impact and drive a song’s momentum.

We play a variety of music genres and stations, from Agnes Obel and Waxahatchee to Disturbed and Run The Jewels, from Kerrang! to Scala Radio, and the radio’s punctuality combined with a good sense of authority is unusual to hear. We play Skinny Love by Birdy (an old test track favourite) and her breathy vocals sound crisp, authentic and nuanced. From DJs and presenters to podcast hosts and radio play casts – voices are all projected clearly and sound characterful.

Moreover, instruments aren’t pushed to the background in favour of putting the spotlight on the midrange, as many radios tend to. It’s all more democratic and cohesive through the R1S. There’s dynamism and emotion in spades, all delivered with a confidence and organisation that is really rather impressive for a product of this type.

Waxahatchee’s breezy Americana tunes sound natural and fluid, Disturbed’s heavy metal tracks are raucous and muscular, but it’s with piano that the R1S really delights. Even more impressive is when we switch to a more classical piano piece such as Erik Satie’s Gnossienne No. 1 that we marvel at how solid, how resonant and how real the piano notes sound. It’s more akin to the kind of maturity and subtlety that separates hi-fi products deliver, rather than humble radios or wireless speakers. And we’re not even listening in hi-res here…

The R1S is designed to occupy small spaces, so this is a radio that performs at its best when placed close to a wall or in a corner. Out in free space, that solid, controlled sound starts to feel untethered, with the top end of the frequency sounding a little thin as it struggles to fill a larger room. If you want a bigger, more spacious, room-filling sound, you’ll want the bigger R2 Mk4 sibling. The Ruark R1S’s closest rival, the Roberts Stream 94L (£200, now discounted) also sounds bigger but is softer around the edges and not as defined and articulate as the R1S.

The radio is fairly evenly balanced, but if you find the top end starting to shimmer then you can tone down the treble just a touch, as we did. We’d leave the bass control and unsubtle Loudness mode alone, though.

Verdict

From its elevated design to the broad spread of music-playing options available, the Ruark R1S is a long way removed from the humble radio of its origins. Appealing aesthetics and versatility aside, the sound quality is so sophisticated, nuanced and precise – it’s a level of quality we’re surprised to hear from a product of this size and price. If you’re after a talented do-it-all internet radio that has modern streaming talents, this is one you should consider.

Review published: July 2024. Review updated: November 2024.

SCORES

• Sound 5
• Features 5
• Build 5

MORE:

Read our review of the Roberts Stream 94L

If you want a bigger sound, also consider the Ruark R2 Mk4

Best DAB radios: portable, Bluetooth and digital radio systems tested

Tidal has announced it is replacing its MQA streams with FLAC versions, following its introduction of the FLAC format last spring to complement the existing MQA offering. It is also scrapping 360 Reality Audio tracks, sticking only with Dolby Atmos as its immersive audio format of choice. The changes will come into effect on 24th July.

Tidal emailed a subscribing What Hi-Fi? team member the following email yesterday evening:

"On July 24 2024, we’re replacing the music in TIDAL’s MQA catalog with FLAC versions. In addition to this change, we're removing all podcasts and music available in 360 Reality Audio."

So, no more MQA or 360 Reality Audio on Tidal. We can't say we are hugely surprised by the service's move. The days of it supporting MQA seemed numbered when it not only added FLAC but chose it as its "preferred format for high-resolution audio”. Earlier this week, Lenbrook (owner of PSB, NAD, Bluesound and, since September, MQA) announced it was joining forces with HDTracks to launch a new MQA-powered hi-res service to rival Tidal, Qobuz, Apple Music and Amazon Music. So MQA streaming does live on...

In a new supporting document explaining the upcoming changes, Tidal says it currently has at least 16-bit/44.1kbps FLAC versions for nearly all MQA tracks today but may not have a replacement for every single one when MQA does disappear. "We are working hard to ensure all existing MQA tracks will be replaced with a FLAC version in a timely manner," it reads.

Subscribers who have downloaded MQA tracks or albums for offline access will need to update their Tidal app to the latest version on 24th July and redownload the tracks in FLAC.

As for Sony's 360 Reality Audio format, Tidal clarifies in that same document that Dolby Atmos will be the only immersive format it supports "due to the number of compatible devices, catalog availability, and artist adoption of the format". When the changes occur in July, you will see the track or album greyed out and unavailable for streaming. Sony's 360 Reality Audio lives on in Amazon Music and Deezer.

It's been all change for Tidal in the past year, with its FLAC introduction and tier simplification, but its landscape now seems settled: "We have no further plans to change our audio format offerings going forward, and we remain committed to providing our subscribers with exceptional audio quality."

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There's a new streaming service aimed at audiophiles from the people behind MQA

At last! Lenbrook Group unveils its plans for the future of MQA lossless streaming

Hi-res music streaming services compared: which should you subscribe to?

Welcome to the latest entry of What Hi-Fi?’s weekly Rewind column, where we detail all the biggest hi-fi and home cinema news to break over the past seven days.

What a week it was, with fresh news from Samsung, Marantz, Triangle and more hitting the headlines. 

Here’s what you need to know.

Marantz has a new dinky streaming amp

Streaming amps are a hot commodity at the moment, with everyone from breakout brand WiiM to established hi-fi powerhouses such as Naim, Cambridge Audio and Arcam releasing new models in the past 12 months. Last week Marantz got in on the action, unveiling its new Model M1 streaming amp. 

Marketed as a “magical music box”, the M1 has a pretty impressive feature-set despite its small size. The box uses the HEOS streaming platform which, along with multi-room, will support hi-res streaming and key services including AirPlay 2, Spotify Connect, Amazon Music, Deezer, Pandora and internet radio at launch. Tidal is confirmed to come at an unspecified later date. 

Read the full story: Marantz's compact streaming amplifier is a "magical music box" ideal for small spaces

Samsung’s flagship Mini LED TV impressed

Last week our reviews team delivered its final verdict on Samsung’s flagship Mini-LED TV, the QN95D. The set is interesting as it’s one of the most direct comparisons we have had between OLED and Mini LED. This is because, apart from its use of a Mini LED panel, it is largely identical to the Samsung S95D we tested earlier this year, which uses a QD-OLED panel. The results were impressive with the QN95D doing a stellar job showing how far Mini-LED has come in recent years, with it delivering a sharp, clear picture with surprising amounts of shadow detail during our checks. 

Read our Samsung QN95D (QE65QN95D) review

We built an awesome home cinema system around the LG C4 OLED  TV

It is no secret, our reviewers are big fans of the 65-inch LG C4, having awarded it a perfect five-stars when we tested it earlier this year. In fact, we like it so much that last week we took the time to build a cutting-edge home cinema system around it! For a modest, by top-end home cinema standards, £5175 / $5224 / AU$9569 you can get a current generation Xbox, Blu-Ray player, fully stacked surround sound package and AVR alongside the C4 – every single one of which has been reviewed and recommended by our team.

Read the full story: We've built a cutting-edge home cinema system around LG's superb C4 OLED TV

Guitar-amp juggernaut Orange continued its expansion into hi-fi

Guitar-amp heavyweight Orange has been making gradual inroads into mainstream audio for a while now, releasing a steady stream of Bluetooth speakers. Last week it took things a step further by unveiling its new Pyramid audio system. Aimed squarely at hi-fi fans, the system includes a pyramid-shaped amplifier and pair of “Voice of the World” bookshelf speakers. Featuring cabled as well as wireless streaming connectivity, the package, Orange claims, will deliver the same “clean, warm sound” as its iconic guitar amps.

Read the full story: Orange's amp-and-speakers Pyramid system strives for sound that's fit for the pharaohs

We reminisced about Plasma TV’s glory days

Looking at our forums and social media pages, we know many of you, our lovely readers, not only have fond memories of Plasma TVs, some of you even still own them. Which is why we took a retrospective look at the iconic TV tech, remembering what made it so popular and why it gradually went the way of the dodo. Cliff Notes: a cheaper, in some ways better, panel technology that is still in use today took its place.

Read the full story: What was Plasma TV, and why did it succumb to LCD?

We reviewed Triangle’s latest heavyweight floorstanders

Last week our reviewers had the joy of testing Triangle’s BR10 floorstanding speakers. The BR10 are the largest option in Triangle’s current Borea range, which also includes the five-star BR03 standmounts and the Award-winning BR08 floorstanders. During testing we found they make use of their increased heft and size to deliver a loud, vibrant sound that will easily fill even the largest of spaces. Our only minor quibbles are that you really do need a large space to get the best performance out of them.

Read our full Triangle Borea BR10 review

READ MORE:

These are the best floorstanding speakers we have reviewed

Check out our picks of the best bookshelf speakers

These are the best hi-fi systems money can buy

Just-add-speakers streaming amplifiers are all the rage right now, from budget mini-boxes like the WiiM Amp Pro to premium models from Arcam, Cambridge Audio and Naim.

Marantz is another such brand and its new, compact Model M1 all-in-one system is designed to be a "magical musical box" that can be hooked up to a TV, turntable, CD player or simply breathe new, wireless life into a hi-fi system – all you need is a pair of speakers and you're good to go.

It's equipped with the HEOS streaming platform, meaning you get a host of wireless streaming features. Along with multi-room, there's support for AirPlay 2, Spotify Connect, Amazon Music, Deezer, Pandora, internet radio and more. While not quite ready at launch, Tidal and Roon Ready support will be available following a "soon-to-be-released" update. The M1 can handle high-resolution audio up to 24-bit/192kHz PCM files over network, streaming and USB, while DSD64 and DSD128 file playback is also supported.

Bluetooth 5 is also on the menu, while you can stream music from anywhere in your house thanks to wi-fi or wired ethernet connection. On the amplification side, the Model M1 is packing 100 watts of power per channel (into 8 ohms) with claimed super low distortion levels, and there are EQ, bass and treble controls.

On the physical inputs side, you get one pair of line-level RCA inputs, one digital optical input, a USB type A port and a subwoofer output. The icing on the cake is an HDMI eARC input for your TV connection. Not only that, but the M1 also supports Dolby Digital+ and features a Dialogue Enhancer, a Night Mode, and a Virtual mode that uses "Dolby processing to generate a large, three-dimensional sound field from stereo-only content", thus making this a tempting soundbar alternative.

Its compact dimensions (21.7 x 24 x 8.4cm) and broad features support are ideal for those wanting a jack-of-all-trades solution in a smaller space, with the maker promising that the Model M1 will have the "characteristic warmth and musicality of any Marantz product" thanks to reference-grade Marantz Music Digital Filtering DSP technology.

The Marantz Model M1 is available now in a sleek black finish for a rather competitive retail price of £900 / $1000.

MORE:

Read our guide to the best music streamers currently available

Check out the best hi-fi systems for streaming, CD, turntables and more

Read our review of the more premium Marantz Model 40n

From reincarnating the cassette player to shoving a DAC inside a mechanical keyboard, Fiio isn’t unafraid to get creative with its products, but its two latest launches tread more familiar territory: the M23 portable audio player and K19 headphone amp and DAC.

The former slots into Fiio’s range of digital audio players towards the more affordable end, but still offers a suite of features that’ll catch the eye of the on-the-go audiophile. It combines two AKM DACs, the AK4191EQ and AK4499EX, which means it can play hi-res files at up to 24-Bit 384kHz and PCM/DSD256, while MQA support is also on the menu.

For those with suitably equipped wireless headphones, the M23 can transmit hi-res tracks over aptX HD Bluetooth and LDAC, but it also works the other way, so you can receive audio from a Bluetooth device and use the player as a DAC/amp. The option to power it over USB means the M23 can function as a desktop device, which enables a ‘Super-High’ gain mode that delivers a hefty 1000mW per channel at 32 ohms.

Running on batteries it should last around 10.5 hours between charges, with 64GB of onboard storage to fill with files. If you run out of space for all your hi-res tunes you can expand it with SD cards up to 2TB.

A 5.5-inch touchscreen on the front allows you to navigate its Android operating system, with apps from Tidal, Qobuz, Apple Music and Deezer giving you access to those lossless streams.

Those who prefer a more traditional wired arrangement are catered for by 3.5mm single-ended and 4.4mm balanced headphone outputs, plus both single-ended and balanced line-outs.

And, speaking of headphones, FiiO’s second new launch is a desktop headphone amplifier and DAC, packed with inputs and outputs.

You can feed audio into the K19 via coaxial, optical, USB-C, HDMI, and HDMI ARC, while it can be piped out again through 6.35mm single-ended, 4.4mm balanced, 4-pin balanced XLR, dual RCA line-out, and balanced 3-pin XLR outputs. Audio passes through dual 8-Channel ES9039SPRO DACs and dual 8-Channel THX AAA 788+ amps so you can plug in almost any pair of headphones and it can deliver up to 8000mW of power output.

A 31-band Parametric Equalizer (PEQ) lets you fiddle with the performance to your heart’s content, but whatever you plug into it FiiO reckons you’ll get an “impressively musical, detailed, and expressive sound” out of it.

The FiiO K19, which will be available to buy this month, comes in either black or silver and will set you back £1249 / €1300 / $1300, while the M23 follows in April in either Blue Titanium or Stainless Steel for £649 / €700 / $700.

MORE:

Our pick of the best portable music players

And the best headphone amplifiers to boost your personal listening

What is a headphone amplifier and why should you buy one?

Spotify is probably the best known music streaming service in the world, but that doesn't mean it's the best for you. Rivals have caught up in terms of usability and the music catalogues they offer, while surpassing Spotify in terms of audio quality – and that's even since Spotify launched its hi-res Lossless quality. Which could leave you thinking: Is Spotify still worth paying for?

We're here to help you answer that question. And if you decide that actually you want to cancel Spotify Premium (whether in favour of another of the best streaming services around, or just to save some money), we'll show you how to do so in a few easy steps.

Let's get started.

• Spotify Lossless still lags behind its hi-res rivals – but that won't matter for most people

How to cancel Spotify Premium

To cancel your Spotify Premium subscription you will need to be signed into your account either on one of Spotify's apps (such as its iOS, Android or desktop apps) or via its website, so you can access its settings. This is best done on a computer, tablet or smartphone. If you're choosing to go via the web, you can go directly to spotify.com/account to get started.

Firstly, go to your Account Overview and then scroll down to Manage Your Plan. Select Change Plan and scroll down to Available Plans. Here you will have an option to select Cancel Plan. Select this, hit Yes to confirm, and you're out and free. Easy!

Your Premium benefits remain until your next billing date, after which your account switches to the free, ad-supported Spotify tier.

Should you cancel Spotify Premium?

So you now know how to cancel Spotify Premium. But should you? 

The free version of Spotify lets you listen to all the same music, and the adverts it introduces into the experience aren't all that regular. But you do miss out on some features.

Free Spotify won't let you 'download' tracks or albums on your device for listening when you are offline, which is a really useful feature if you're travelling or generally want to save on data when out and about. Your songs will play in shuffle mode, too, so if you like to work through an album as the artist intended then you may be left wanting. And then there's the audio quality you get, which is as basic as it comes, topping out at 128kbps on web player and 160kbps on app.

But Spotify's free tier did add certain features recently. You can now search for and play specific songs, play songs you find while browsing and play those shared by a friend or artist.

Want to try something new? Apple Music, Amazon Music, Tidal and Qobuz all offer hi-res audio at a higher quality than Spotify.

If you're interested in making a switch, read our hi-res streaming services comparison for all the pricing, library and usability information.

And hey, if you cancel Spotify Premium and regret it, you can always sign back up for it if you change your mind at any time. What have you got to lose?

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How to transfer Spotify playlists to Apple Music

Find the very best streaming services right now

Read the full Tidal review here

One of our favourite discounts from November's Black Friday sales is still on – in fact, it's a pound cheaper now!

The superb Arcam ST60 music streamer is a two-time What Hi-F? Award winner and its original price of £1299 has been cut to just £649 at Peter Tyson. 

We didn't think its previous best price of £799 could be beaten, so to see such a talented unit available for half its RRP means we encourage you to take a good look at this deal!

If you're looking to upgrade your home hi-fi system with a quality, well-equipped network streamer, this could be the best deal for a long time!

The ST60 covers all the major streaming methods with AirPlay 2, Google Cast and wi-fi connectivity on-board, allowing you to play music wirelessly no matter how your music is stored. UPnP compatibility means that any hi-res files stored on a NAS device or similar on your home network can be easily accessed, too. 

You can use the app to access Tidal, Qobuz, Spotify, Deezer and Internet radio, although this is the only area that we think could be more streamlined. There's also support for hi-res audio up to 32-bit/192kHz and MQA, while the ST60 is Roon Ready certified as well.

In terms of physical connections, the ST60 offers digital inputs (optical, coaxial, and USB) and multiple output options (coaxial, optical, line-level RCA and balanced XLR) allowing the streamer to be integrated into a range of systems. 

Sound is of course fundamental and it's the ST60's sound quality that truly wowed us at its original price point. It's self-assured in its delivery, sounding big, full, solid and expressive. The streamer delivers music with clarity in a soundstage that’s pleasingly open and broad. Basslines are solid, and overall the ST60 presents music with tonality, muscularity and clarity – sonic characteristics we have come to expect from Arcam products.

We were very impressed at its original RRP, and now with a huge £650 off, the Arcam ST60 streamer is even more worthy of recommendation than before.

MORE:

Read our full Arcam ST60 review

Best music streamers 2024: top network audio streamers tested by our experts

Elipson has announced its latest speaker in the (spherical) shape of the W35 Xi. Arriving as an evolution of the original W35, the W35 Xi wireless multi-room speaker promises improved audio fidelity alongside a host of new streaming and connectivity features.

The French audio brand has promised significant improvements in the W35 Xi's acoustic design to bring "clearer and more precise high and midrange tones". The W35 Xi sports the same driver layout as the classic W35, with a 16cm woofer and 2.5cm tweeter on either side of the speaker. Amplification, meanwhile, comes from a Class-D amp capable of providing up to 350W.

Elipson is making a big thing of the W35 Xi's wireless capabilities, with the new model now bringing in Chromecast and AirPlay 2 as standard. There's also Bluetooth support (including aptX HD codec), and while mainstream music platforms such as Qobuz, Spotify, Tidal, Deezer and internet radio are available, you can stream your music straight from stored files on your network if you so choose. You can control all of these features, such as source selection playback and multi-room functionalities, using the Elipson Control App.

For the traditionalists among us, the Death Star-shaped orb has the same physical connection capabilities as the classic W35 unit, sporting a digital optical input and a 3.5mm aux input, plus an RJ45 ethernet socket for wired network connection. If you're interested in stereo sound, two W35 Xi speakers can be paired together, and you can achieve stereo imaging by dedicating one audio channel to each speaker. 

We reviewed the original Elipson W35 back in 2020, and while we were impressed with how it looked, not to mention the wireless features it provided, its sound left us feeling rather cold. Elipson has promised that the new W35 Xi's enhanced acoustic design will rectify some of these issues, which could see the new model adding proper substance to its considerable levels of style.  

Finished in black, the Elipson W35 Xi speaker is available now for £699 / €699. A tripod stand can be bought for £149, with additional flexible mounting options also available.

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20 years of TV and multi-room tech later: we don't know how lucky we are

For a hi-fi system to be able to lay claim to being completely modern, it must, surely, have a music streamer as at least one of its sources. That, then, is where we begin with this neat stereo system – to which other hardware can, naturally, be added in due course. 

The issue here, as you will see from the system price above, is that a streamer of any decent and desirable quality doesn’t come particularly cheap. The new and excellent Cambridge Audio MXN10 is one of the most affordable streamers we've tested yet, but it does still take up almost half the budget of this impressive set-up. 

The system

Music streamer: Cambridge Audio MXN10 (£449 / $499 / AU$899)

Integrated amplifier: NAD D 3020 V2 (£399 / $449 / AU$659)

Standmount speakers: Elac Debut B5.2 (£249 / $320 approx / AU$649)

Total:  £1097 / $1268 approx / AU$2207

Music streamer: Cambridge Audio MXN10

But that money buys you one of the best at this end of the market. The petite MXN10 is a newly-crowned five-star streamer and one that even takes the fight to the current reigning Bluesound Node (2021) What Hi-Fi? Award winner.

You won’t be too surprised to read that it runs on StreamMagic, Cambridge Audio's proprietary wireless streaming platform that is also the beating heart of its other five-star products, such as the CXN V2 step-up streamer.

Used in conjunction with the bespoke app on a smart device, StreamMagic makes things extremely easy to control. Local and networked libraries, streaming services like Tidal, Deezer, Qobuz, and internet radio stations can be accessed for playback easily. The internal DAC can handle files up to 32-bit and in DSD format, too.

Those who don’t have music stored on their network and who don’t subscribe to a streaming service can still benefit from the MXN10's wireless nature through its support for Apple AirPlay 2, Bluetooth and Google Chromecast. There are no inputs, display headphone jack, but so many bases are properly covered in this compact budget streamer.

And, in action, the MXN10 is a hugely entertaining and impressive performer. Dynamic expression and rhythmic coherence are the standout qualities, with energy, textured detail and clarity also mixed into the sonic equation.

As we say in our review: “We like that the Cambridge remains composed when the music becomes demanding, and the way it renders the tone and texture of instruments in such a convincing way. There is a good sense of scale here combined with a surprising dose of authority.”

Integrated amplifier: NAD D 3020 V2

We marry the Cambridge streamer in this system with a similarly left-field looking amplifier. NAD’s D 3020 V2 is certainly different, that’s for sure – standing upright as it can in a most extroverted way for an integrated amplifier. 

Should you want to add any more kit to your system further down the line, you are well catered for here, with a moving-magnet phono stage alongside optical, coaxial and RCA inputs.

The D 3020 V2 is not merely an interesting face with decent features, though – it wouldn’t make the cut in this set-up if that were all it was good for. This stereo amplifier sounds great for the money; and it particularly marries well with the enthusiastic performance of the Cambridge MXN10. The NAD’s strengths in timing and dynamics complement the streamer's rhythmic enthusiasm beautifully.

Standmount speakers: Elac Debut B5.2

As does the final piece of this digital hi-fi. A current 2022 What Hi-Fi? Best Buy Award-winner, Elac’s Debut B5.2 speakers are a steal at the price, standing toe to toe with speakers costing considerably more than the £250 you can expect to pay for them. 

The original B5 – launched around seven years ago – were perfectly acceptable entry-level speakers, but they were clearly bested by some close rivals. Elac responded a few years later with the B5.2; and they have taken our Award in their category ever since. 

The reflex port, for bass tuning, has moved to the front of the cabinet, which means these speakers are far less fussy about being placed near a rear wall – handy for smaller rooms. As with all set-ups, though, we urge you to experiment with speaker placement; it is likely that they will sound better placed a little out in the space, rather than butted up against a wall. 

Wherever they are positioned, however, the B5.2 will put in a worthy performance. These are even-handed, nicely balanced speakers that will handle pretty much anything you throw at them without fuss. And, once again, they will complement the electronics in this set-up with their insight and composure, and are very happy playing a wide variety of musical styles. 

Verdict

This, then, is a system fully prepared for life in 2023, with its streaming prowess nicely complemented by a facility for expansion with almost any other source you might care to introduce it to.

It's also a wonderfully compact and flexible system – both the Cambridge Audio streamer and the NAD amp are small enough to fit into smaller spaces, even sharing space on the same rack. If you're after a tidy streaming system that is versatile in use but terrifically capable, and well-performing without needing to spend thousands, this budget modern system could be just the thing you're looking for.

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Our guides to the best music streamers, the best stereo amplifiers, and the best speakers across all budgets

The best over-ear headphones around just got even better. Sony has taken some of the best features from its brilliant new WF-1000XM5 wireless earbuds and shoved them into its Award-winning WH-1000XM5 over-ear model via a firmware update.

The WH-1000XM5 gain head-tracking for spatial audio content, plus the ability to stream Sony's higher-quality LDAC audio codec while maintaining a Bluetooth Multipoint connection. If that's all gobbledegook to you, let us explain.

The head-tracking element of spatial audio essentially tethers the sound to your device, so if you're watching a film on your phone or tablet and turn your head to the side, the audio stays anchored to the screen. Admittedly it's not that useful for movies, as the point is you watch the screen the whole time. But for games that use augmented reality, it can make the experience a lot more engrossing. The WH-1000XM5s already supported the 360 Reality Audio spatial tracks you get on Tidal and Deezer, but the head-tracking feature is brand new.

Sony's LDAC audio codec lets you stream audio up to 32-bit/96kHz over Bluetooth at up to 990kbps data transmission rates – that's higher quality than more traditional codecs like AAC and SBC. Multipoint, meanwhile, lets you wirelessly connect your headphones to two devices at once and switch between them seamlessly, so if you're listening to music on your phone you can switch to a Zoom call on your laptop the minute it comes in with no need to re-pair your headphones.

Previously, the WH-1000XM5 made you choose between LDAC or Bluetooth Multipoint, but the new firmware update lets you connect over the latter while enjoying the former.

The firmware update is available now through Sony's Headphones Connect app on iOS and Android.

The WF-1000XM5 earbuds launched this week as a real step on from their XM4 predecessors. As well as better noise cancelling and a smaller, lighter design, Sony has overhauled the sonic profile for a more analytical, detailed performance. You can see how they compare to other wireless earbuds in our versus features below.

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Sony WF-1000XM5 vs Bose QuietComfort Earbuds II: which should you buy?

Sony WF-1000XM5 vs WF-1000XM4: which noise-cancelling earbuds are best?

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It could be reductive to call the Bluesound Powernode Edge a smaller, more affordable, cut-down version of the five-star Bluesound Powernode (2021) system, but it’s not far from the truth. 

The Powernode Edge (£599) offers network streaming smarts, a complement of connectivity and amplification in a very neat and compact box that you just need to add speakers to. It couldn’t be simpler. 

It’s the most affordable just-add-speakers all-in-one system that we’ve come across yet. The bigger Powernode costs £849 / $899 / AU$1599, while the new, smaller Powernode Edge shaves a few hundred off and comes in at just £599 / $649 / AU$1199.

Canadian brand Bluesound has a knack for creating modern-looking boxes designed to fit and blend into any space while still offering a wealth of streaming connections and great sound quality. This latest mini Powernode Edge should be plain sailing, then, but this is starting to become a fiercely-fought category.

Build & design

Looking at the two Bluesound Powernode units side-by-side, the difference is obvious. The double-decker look of the Powernode (2021) is out, the Powernode Edge is a single-storey unit. It’s tiny. It looks more like a space-age modem than a traditional just-add-speakers all-in-one system we’re used to seeing from the likes of Naim, Marantz and Cambridge Audio.

What’s still familiar is the ultra-compact design and uncluttered aesthetics that Bluesound has preferred throughout its products. The upshot of this means the Powernode Edge is a unit that can sit anywhere in small rooms: on a desktop, on the self, perched on a TV stand… If your excuse for not investing in a decent hi-fi system so far has been a lack of space, the Edge nixes that excuse immediately. 

The unit itself is well-built, too. There’s no physical remote included, but there are basic touch controls for playing, pausing, skipping tracks and changing volume on the front panel. They all respond well, and we particularly like the subtle fade in/out effect when pausing or resuming play. It makes a nice change from the abrupt stop/start we normally come across in most products.

Around the back, you’ll find a neat complement of connections: one set of speaker terminals, an HDMI eARC input, a combined digital optical/3.5mm analogue input (an adapter is helpfully included in the box), a USB port, an ethernet port and a subwoofer out. It’s not too dissimilar to the bigger Powernode’s connectivity offer (which has two optical/3.5m inputs), but we think the Edge has kept it simple and sensible while offering a good variety of connections that lets you plug in a TV, a CD player or even an external phono stage (with the help of adapters) for your turntable, for instance.

Don’t be deterred by a lack of a remote, as your main port of control will be through the well-appointed BluOS app on your smartphone or tablet.

Features

Streaming is where the Bluesound really kicks into gear, thanks to its tried-and-tested BluOS streaming platform and accompanying app. It offers such a wealth of streaming features and versatility that makes the Powernode Edge such a compelling option at this new ‘entry-level’ price point. In short, this Edge has pretty much all of the streaming features you’d get from a Sonos system.

Whether you’re streaming from a smartphone, have music stored on your laptop, use music streaming services or are a high-res audio aficionado, the Bluesound caters to all. 

It offers support for the most popular music streaming services through the BluOS Controller app, including Tidal Connect, Amazon Music, Spotify Connect, Qobuz, Deezer, and various internet radio stations. There’s no Apple Music support, however, but subscribers can stream their playlists through the Edge’s onboard AirPlay 2 instead. 

We logged into Tidal and our playlists and favourites were easily accessible and a doddle to stream from the app. Once connected to your home network through wi-fi or the more stable ethernet connection), the Edge can also stream music files from any network-connected NAS device, computer or mobile device. Two-way aptX Bluetooth (which acts as a transmitter and receiver) also returns, giving yet another element of playback flexibility.

The app is also where you can organise your multi-room system across other BluOS-compatible devices if you have them, as well as access tonal controls, NAS devices on your network, system settings and more. There are similarities to Sonos’s superb S2 control app in terms of the breadth of options (if not the overall friendliness of the layout), but the BluOS is overall easy to navigate, use and control every aspect of the Powernode Edge with.

So where has Bluesound made its savings on the more affordable Edge? It’s all inside the tidy unit. While BluOS gives you full access to its streaming features, the hardware components had to be modified, and in some ways limited, to suit the new price point. This means your maximum file resolution support in the Edge is 24-bit/192kHz PCM (the Powernode goes up to 32-bit/384kHz), but all the major file types – PCM, FLAC, MQA – are still supported. We find that this should cover a majority of high-resolution music libraries.

The other big difference is the lack of a headphone port. Where the Powernode features a 3.5mm headphone jack, the Powernode Edge omits this entirely, so there’s no physical way to plug in your trusty cans. The aptX Bluetooth connection should save the day here for wireless headphones users, though.

And finally, the power output is halved. The Edge offers a claimed 40W per channel into 8 ohms through its DirectDigital amplification technology, a step down the Powernode’s 80W per channel with HybridDigital amplification (which was developed by sister-brand NAD). We’ve heard fantastic performers with low-power-rated amplifiers, so that’s not necessarily a mark against the Edge at all here; it’s all in the tuning.

Sound

You’ll be spoilt for choice when it comes to partnering stereo speakers at this level, but we use our trusty reference ATC SCM50 speakers as well as the more price-compatible KEF LS50 Meta speakers for our testing. 

Regardless of what method you use to stream and play music through the Powernode Edge, it sounds capable from the start. There’s clarity in spades and an ample amount of big, open space around each instrument. Power and volume aren’t an issue at all: the Powernode Edge can go plenty loud when thrashing out System Of A Down or the more understated Gladiator soundtrack.

There’s a good level of detail, too. Wet Leg’s catchy debut album comes through with all its hazy melodic alt-pop glory; there’s snap to the drums, the rhythm rolls forward in a pleasant manner, and voices come through clear and upfront.

The Edge proves its mettle with the meaty, visceral guitars and brawling tone of System’s B.Y.O.B. – it does well to not deliver it as an amorphous wall of sound (as lesser kit can when faced with heavy metal tracks), and handles the tonal shift from Serj Tankian’s grand, manic vocals to the more melodic chorus well.

Listen longer, however, and we find ourselves simply tuning out the Powernode Edge as it runs through our playlists. While its easy-going manner is commendable, it also shows the cracks in its armour. There’s a lack of dynamic punch, so songs don’t quite land with the impact intended. The Edge isn’t quite as adept when it comes to rhythmical nuance, either, meaning the ebb and flow of songs are shortchanged; we could do with an extra helping of subtlety to the detail levels too.

How does this translate when playing music? It means that Nick Cave’s bittersweet vocals on Into My Arms don’t tug at our heartstrings; he sounds a bit too zippy and not really invested in what he's singing.

The punctuating “Oh No” lyrics in Wet Leg’s song of the same name don’t communicate the droll wit behind that snappy tongue-in-cheek moment, and we could certainly do with more textural subtlety when confronted with deep cellos and soulful violins in Agnes Obel’s Aventine album. It’s simply not as musically expressive or as deft with dynamics as its bigger Powernode brother, or the Award-winning and brilliant-sounding Technics SA-C600, which also adds in a CD player at its £899 / $999 / AU$1749 price.

Verdict

If it’s affordability and compactness you’re after, we could point you in the direction of the Triangle AIO Twin (£699 / $1000 / AU$1099) which dispenses the need for a separate box altogether by having the amplification and streaming smarts all inside the speakers themselves. The feature set is roughly similar between this and the Bluesound, but the Triangle all-in-one speaker system is easily the more entertaining of the two. And you don’t even have to spend extra money on speakers or cables with them.

The Powernode Edge may not be an all-round musical wonder, but it’s competent, compact and versatile – a neat solution. We’d love to see more hi-fi products of this style entering the market as it could form the basis of a truly modern music system. 

SCORES

• Sound 4
• Build 5
• Features 4

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Ruark has remained ever-reliable to the radio, making the point that the music medium is still hugely relevant today as it announces the next generation of its established entry-level R1 radio. The British audio brand is probably right, though the dominance of streaming services cannot be ignored... which is why this new R1S (£299) supports wi-fi and offers access to Spotify (via Spotify Connect), Amazon Music and Deezer. Ruark says that the R1S will also support Spotify HiFi when the lossless tier eventually shows up.

This marks the first time that networked streaming has been delivered by Ruark’s R1 model, having previously been the reserve of the larger, pricier R2 and the radio systems above it in the company’s well-rounded catalogue.

No internet in your bedroom? No problem. The R1S carries over many of the features of its predecessors. Bluetooth (the latest 5 standard this time) is onboard for easy, offline streaming of music from phones and tablets, as is, of course, FM, DAB and DAB+ radio. Internet radio hasn’t been left out either, with Ruark’s SmartRadio tuner allowing access to stations worldwide and including a source dedicated to podcasts.

Like its predecessor, the R1S has a USB-C port that can charge phones and other devices with that connection, as well as a switchable analogue line input and a headphone jack. The R1S plugs into the mains for power, though it can be made portable with the optional BackPack 3 battery pack (£69).

The R1S wears a familiar design, defined by the gorgeous wooden grille (created, Ruark says, from sustainable wood), the colour display, and the wonderful top-panel RotoDial, which offers perhaps the best on-unit control experience we’ve come across in such a product. Alternative means of control are with the matching remote and the all-new Oktiv app, the latter of which could well be preferred for more easily browsing through stations and podcasts.

Behind all that is the Class A/B amplifier driving a neodymium NS+ full-range driver – a type of pairing that has helped previous R1 iterations win five-star reviews for their rich, musical sound. We can only hope the R1S is able to seal its promising fate with a decent sound performance too.

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Rather than review the Ruark R2 Mk4 Smart Music System in our usual listening rooms, we decided to set it up in a master bedroom.

It’s that sort of product – ideal for a study or secondary space, and very much looking the part for either location with its modern take on a classic radio design.

We were glad we did this. It showed what an effect such a high-quality music maker can have on music listening habits, because the Ruark is just so easy to use, so easy to get playing with a single tap of the power button, that we reckon it must have quadrupled the amount of music we played in that space during its time. And that’s a recommendation in itself.

Design & build

There’s one important potential perception to correct here. It would be easy to look at the R2, see just a big old-style radio, and think, well, £439 / AU$899 doesn’t seem particularly cheap for a big radio. 

But hold on a minute. The better comparison here is not with an old radio: it’s with the latest high-tech wireless speakers, such as those available as part of platforms like Sonos or HEOS.

Because the Ruark R2 has precisely those skills – it is not just a radio. It has wireless networking, direct streaming of services like Spotify, Deezer and Amazon Music, full access to global internet radio stations via its own app, a specific ‘podcast’ source, plus Bluetooth, which can stream anything else you want via your smart device of choice. 

But Ruark’s R2 goes beyond the abilities of most wireless speakers in also including both FM analogue and DAB+ digital radio, something few wireless speakers include.

So what we actually have here is a high-specification streaming music system, boosted by full radio abilities (other than AM, which it doesn’t have). 

We reckon the R2 has one more big advantage over rival streaming wireless systems. Let’s compare the R2 Mk4 with what you’ll get at the same sort of price from major wireless speaker brands. From Sonos, it would be the Sonos Five, at £499 / AU$799. From HEOS it would be either the Denon Home 250, which launched at £449 / AU$849 but is now available at around AU$600, or the Home 350, which launched at £599 / AU$1299 but has settled around AU$900.

Sonically competent as those units may be (and two of them are previous Sound+Image award-winners), they are boring featureless black or white boxes when compared with the gorgeous R2, with its polymer cabinet slightly tilted back, and highlighted by the slatted grille made of wood. Our review unit came in the light cream lacquer with an ash-wood grille (pictured), which drew praise from all those who saw it, while a darker ‘espresso’ with a walnut grille is also available. 

And even though this latest R2 Mk4 has skimmed a few centimetres from the depth of its predecessor (better for window ledges and bookshelves, says Ruark) it is nevertheless larger in size at 34cm wide and 18cm high than either the Sonos Five or the lesser Denon. Yet it’s just such a lovely design that it’s a pleasure to have in the home, compared with a featureless modern box designed to hide rather than contribute to décor.

Another differentiation is the amplification technology within. While Sonos (and we’d guess Denon) uses Class D amplifiers, Ruark’s R2 has genuine traditional Class AB amplification to drive its stereo drivers, which are Ruark’s NS+ full-range design, backed by neodymium magnets. All of which bodes well for the last point of comparison – sound quality.

• Best internet radios – see What Hi-Fi?'s recommendations

Sound quality

Setting up the Ruark R2 Mk4 involves little more than plonking it down somewhere sturdy, and then using the top-mounted Rotodial to follow the initial on-screen set-up instructions. 

The Rotodial has been Ruark’s control of choice ever since the company transitioned from making traditional box speakers to its latter-day focus on radios and music centres, which today range from little mono radios up to the substantial table-sized R7, described as a ‘Radiogram Refined!’

The Dial has a central rotary section, with the power button at the bottom and seven other buttons arrayed around the top. Play/pause is sensibly at the apex, and ‘back’ and’ forward’ are sensibly at the outside, leaving two spaces on either side for alarm, menu, source and preset. There are twin alarms available with options for weekday and weekend alarms; a sleep timer is also available in the app so you can drift off to your favourite night-time tunes. 

Examining the connections at the attractive rear we noted two minijack sockets: one an analogue stereo line input, the other for plugging in a pair of minijack headphones. There’s also a USB-C socket which can be used for playback or for charging, but playback is, we think, limited to MP3s, and of course with a USB-C socket you can’t plug in a standard USB-A stick without an adaptor. Nor can you plug in, say, an iPad with a USB-C to USB-C cable. It simply doesn’t recognise the device, other than offering to charge it.  

But for set-up, it’s pick your language, connect to Wi-Fi, check for a firmware update, and then pick a source – and we were listening to digital radio within a couple of minutes. For radio reception we needed the antenna extended, and it’s worth noting the height of this, should you extend it fully vertically, as it extends to roughly triple the R2 Mk4’s height. 

Meanwhile, the display on the left of the R2’s top third had now illuminated to show us both the time and date or, once playing, the time and radio station/show, or the track, or whatever. It can show colour artwork for radio stations, but you have to specifically press the Rotodial for this, so you don’t see such logos in general use.

And now, the sound. We love the R2 Mk4’s sound, as we have previous Ruark tabletop music systems. They look like classic radios, and they’re able to sound like that – a rich woody sound, and one that remains rich even at quite low levels, thanks to Ruark’s use of adaptive EQ to put a tilt of bass into lower-level listening. So whether trickling out daytime radio as background music or being cranked up for something louder when entertaining or vacuuming, the R2 Mk4 can deliver in full. 

• Best all-in-one systems – see What Hi-Fi?'s recommendations

It’s particularly well tuned for voices to sound engaging and real, both male and female, so that it’s also a great way to hear podcasts. For this, as for internet radio, the best way to find your way around is to download the Ruark’s control app, which is Undok (shown above), provided by Frontier (which presumably makes the streaming and radio platform within the R2). 

Undok has been around for years, and Ruark has stuck with it. It’s attractive and clean, if fairly basic in its implementations, so that finding an internet radio station or podcast requires either a text search or browsing by genre/country, the method used since the dawn of internet radio. Even this could be a little sluggish, we found, but delays can be circumnavigated by putting your favourites into the eight preset slots available for each source. These can then be accessed directly from the Rotodial. Indeed since the Ruark turns on to whatever was previously playing, many users may never need to do more than press the power button to turn on the Ruark at their favourite station. 

[UPDATE: Since our review, we see that Ruark is now recommending the Octiv app, rather than Undok. We're not sure why.]

For much of the time, that’s precisely what we did: we tuned the R2 Mk4 into a favourite station for FM, DAB+ and internet radio, and then we’d just wake up and hit the power button to have music flowing. 

We note that while some Ruark music players use the Undok app for multiroom sharing to other Ruark devices, the R2 Mk4 has been left out of this useful loop, for reasons unstated.

Other than the app there’s no remote control provided, but one is available for around £15 / AU$35, and that has four useful direct-access preset buttons.

When pumping out the compressed radio streams of FM, DAB+ and many internet radio streams, the friendly sound of the Ruark R2 Mk4 might accentuate the bass thump of dance music a little too intrusively; some might even feel there’s a little too much upper bass in general, so that male voices can be a little too full. 

There’s an easy fix for this in the app settings, as the R2 ships with its ‘Loudness’ circuit engaged. Turn it off and the volume drops dramatically, but raise it back up and you’ll enjoy a much cleaner sound: a more ‘modern’ sound, you might say. 

Which way you go will be down to taste; we listened for two weeks with Loudness on and didn’t object, but once we’d found the option we tended to prefer it off.

There are also bass and treble controls, with eight presets available for those, so there are further ways to tune the tone to your preference. We didn’t need these, but they might be useful to counteract the effects of certain room positions, or to tweak certain material.

Finally, there is a hidden ‘3D sound’ option, which isn’t available through the app, only if you access settings using the Rotodial’s own menus. Turning this off clarifies the midrange and treble in particular, so is well worth hunting down. Once we’d found it, that stayed off too.

For some reason we couldn’t get Spotify to ‘see’ the Ruark, but we listened to our own music and streams from Apple Music sent from an iPad Pro via Bluetooth. We didn’t find a pop track we didn’t enjoy through the R4; the warm sound fills all rock and pop with richness and musicality. 

It rolled out the twin basses opening Walk On The Wild Side, and did a lovely stereo job of the doo-de-doos. Leonard Cohen’s voice was one that sounded a tad too thick on the O2 live version of Tower Of Song, but was better with that ‘Loudness’ setting off. 

Of course, the ultimate low octaves are missing, so that it won’t present a symphony orchestra like a real large hi-fi system, but tonally we think fans of acoustic music will love its sound (‘loudness’ on to boost the strength of lower strings) and we were able to drift away delightfully to its rendition of Mozart’s Symphony #25 (Neville Marriner, 1984).

It has its limits. Halfway up should be plenty loud enough for most occasions, and beyond that things can start to sound stressed pretty quickly, especially with complex music or heavy bass, though this happens less if you turn off those ‘loudness’ and ‘3D’ defaults. 

When we cranked Peter Gabriel’s Panopticom, it was able to remain uncongested far louder with loudness off, while the vocals had better cut-through at every level with ‘3D Sound’ off as well. 

Verdict

We love the Ruark R2 Mk4 both as a design and for the easy ways it brings access to music.

It’s not a party machine for going loud, and there are some default settings we’d like to be able to defeat or select more easily, but it’s a powerful alternative to more modern-looking wireless speakers, coming with all mod streaming options, as it were, yet presenting in a stylish retro design. 

It’s a perfect all-in-one for secondary rooms, and for lovers of radio especially. 

• See all our Australian reviews from Sound+Image and Australian Hi-Fi

 It’s been a while since we’ve heard from Revo, but the digital radio brand has announced the release of its new SuperConnect Stereo, the next generation of its excellent Revo SuperConnect internet radio that we first reviewed back in 2014. A fresh take on Revo’s five-star original, the Stereo promises stereo sound, more than 36,000 radio stations from across the globe, as well as streaming support for Spotify Connect, Deezer and Amazon Music.

Inside the SuperConnect Stereo lies a 30W Class-D amplifier powering two 3.5in balanced mode radiator (BMR) speakers. Revo claims the stereo BMRs deliver “wide dispersion and an expanded sweet spot” for better sonic performance. Proprietary EQ configuration, meanwhile, sees Revo seeking to deliver a “warm open sound with clarity, detail and a rich, deep bass.”

As well as internet radio, DAB/DAB+ radio and standard FM tuner, there’s also an optical digital output, an aux input, a pair of RCA connectors, and a 3.5mm headphone jack. This new generation is also equipped with WLAN technology, allowing for wireless audio playback from connected devices over your home wi-fi network, plus Bluetooth 4.2 streaming from tablets and smartphones. 

The Stereo and its many features can be controlled via the included remote, the on-unit controls or the new dedicated UNDOK app that’s available for Android and iOS devices.

The original SuperConnect’s funky, retro styling returns for the Stereo, with Revo teasing high-quality construction from premium materials including a “hand-crafted” cabinet made from “furniture-grade American walnut.” Naturally, the large OLED display now sits in the middle, flanked by the stereo speaker grilles.

The original SuperConnect (tested at £250) won our best radio over £200 Award four years in a row, so we’re keen to see the return of such a well-made, fully-featured radio/streamer back in stores. 

Available now in walnut and silver or walnut and black finishes, the Revo SuperConnect Stereo will cost a hefty £489 ($599 / AUD $899) - that’s nearly double the cost of its decade-old original, although it’s worth noting that the older SuperConnect is still being sold now for a higher price of £389. We’re intrigued to hear if the new Stereo model lives up to the promise when we get it in for review.

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Amazon Music Unlimited is getting more expensive, making it the latest music streaming service to put up its prices. 

From February, subscribers in the UK and US will pay £1 / $1 more a month, bringing the price up to £10.99 / $10.99 (the student tier rises to £5.99 / $5.99). That's in line with Apple Music, which raised its prices in October.

Amazon's price rise will take effect from 21st February. Its support page explains the higher cost is "to help us bring you even more content and features".

This will leave Spotify and Tidal as the only major services charging under £10 / $10 a month for their basic ad-free tiers (Apple and Amazon both charge £10.99 / $10.99, while Deezer is £11.99 / $10.99). Which makes a Spotify price rise more of a question of 'when' rather than 'if'.

The economic situation is putting pressure on all kinds of businesses, and streaming services are no different. Spotify is reportedly planning redundancies as soon as this week to cut costs. There's still no sign of its Hi-Fi hi-res streaming tier which it first announced two years ago – its continued silence on the matter has gone beyond frustrating and is now seen as a joke within the tech industry.

Spotify is hosting an event in March, but there's thought to be still no news on its HiFi tier. Its $9.99 price has remained the same since it launched in the US in 2011, so some would say a price rise is long overdue. CEO Daniel Ek recently hinted that higher prices – in the US at least – were in the pipeline.

Amazon Music Unlimited gives subscribers access to 100 million songs in lossless CD quality, plus "millions" of songs in hi-res. Amazon Prime subscribers pay a little less for Music Unlimited (£8.99 / $8.99 a month – this price also rose last year), or they can stick with Amazon Music Prime which is included free with Prime and offers ad-free listening without lossless quality and only lets you shuffle songs in an album, playlist or discography.

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The new breed of just-add-speakers streaming systems is slowly but surely gaining popularity, but Audiolab has a trick up its sleeve with its Omnia version: it can play CDs.

While the likes of Naim, Cambridge Audio and NAD combine the old and the new by offering physical inputs and a phono stage alongside the latest hi-res streaming facilities, Audiolab Omnia has all of those but also remembers that not everyone got rid of their CD collection when streaming took the world by storm.

We’ve seen the 2022 Award-winning Technics SA-C600 take the same approach with the addition of CD replay to its one-box streaming abilities, but Audiolab technically got there first: the Omnia made its official debut back in November 2021.

The price of the Audiolab Omnia is £1599 / $2299 / AU$2999, nearly double that of the Technics SA-C600 (£899 / $999 / AU$1749), but competitive with Cambridge’s Audio Evo 75 (£1999 / $2499 / AU$3299). 

You’ll have to go double the price for the next step up to the Naim Uniti Atom (£2499 / $3799 / AU$4800), which makes the Omnia seem pretty good value considering the wealth of features you get with the one box.

Features

The Audiolab Omnia wins the prize for being the most well-specced and features-laden streaming product of its kind we’ve seen yet. Whether you like your music streamed or still favour physical formats, the Omnia can play it. 

Let’s start on the streaming side: you get wired ethernet and dual-band wi-fi, as well as Bluetooth. Yes, the three antennae attached at the back can look a tad busy, but the trade-off is greater stability – which is always preferable if you’ll be streaming wirelessly regularly.

The Omnia’s network streaming section is powered by DTS Play-Fi technology, similarly used by Audiolab’s 6000A Play and Award-winning 6000N Play. It’s through this software and the Play-Fi app that you also get access to a wealth of music services, including Spotify, Tidal, Amazon Music, Deezer, Qobuz and various internet radio stations.

The Play-Fi app (available for iOS and Android) also serves as a kind of music butler, making connection with and playing music from your audio library stored on a DLNA-compatible NAS drive or media server. You can even group together any other Play-Fi-supported products you have into a multi-room system within the app. 

The third-party app is stable and works just fine, although at times we miss the personal touch given by the dedicated apps used by Audiolab’s rivals, which serve to streamline the user experience further. 

If you’re playing hi-res streams, make sure you toggle the “Critical Listening Mode” on in the app, as this will ensure music is played at 24-bit/192kHz quality over wi-fi or ethernet, without any downsampling. The standard mode tops out at just 16-bit/48kHz as it is optimised more for multi-room bandwidths.

Sticking with the Omnia’s streaming talents: Spotify Connect is also on board, while Bluetooth 5 is accompanied by support for aptX, aptX LL, AAC and SBC codes. It can fully decode MQA files from Tidal and also has Roon Ready certification.

On the physical connections side, there are two inputs apiece for optical and coaxial (and a single output for each), USB type B for connection to laptops and a USB type A port for hard drives. It’s through this PC USB type B input that you can achieve the Omnia’s maximum resolution file support, which is up to 32-bit/786kHz PCM and DSD512. 

There are four analogue line-level inputs and vinyl fans are further served by the inclusion of a moving-magnet phono stage. You can even split the Omnia’s amp stages to hook up an external preamp or power amp. Quite the multi-tasker.

And finally, there is a dedicated headphone amplifier stage that feeds into the 6.3mm jack in the front panel.

Rival systems from Cambridge Audio, Naim and NAD vary in the connections and integrated sources they offer, with CD replay being the main exception. The NAD M10 adds in an HDMI input, which is a useful addition.

There is plenty of well-designed circuitry and advanced technology brimming under the hood that informs all the connections. Inside the Omnia lies a class A/B amplifier, made up of high quality components that are reportedly equivalent to the Audiolab 6000 series’ separate pre and power amps. That’s high acclaim, and the Omnia’s own preamp and power amp stages use short, direct signal paths to ensure as pure a signal as possible.

Meanwhile, the 50W per channel into 8 ohms power output should be more than enough to drive a wide variety of speakers. We use KEF’s LS50 Meta standmounters as well as our reference ATC SCM50 without issue.

The Omnia uses a 32-bit ESS Sabre DAC, and Audiolab’s design team has paid great attention in particular to the post-DAC active filter. This uses op-amps specifically selected for their “synergy” with the ESS Sabre DAC.

Build

The Omnia has a sturdy, well-built casework that feels every inch of its price tag. Its aluminium enclosure comes in black or silver finishes, and it looks smart, too.

Our only complaint is with the CD disc tray, which feels flimsy to the touch compared to the rock-solid build of the rest of the Omnia. Audiolab says that the disc-reading mechanism is based on the one used in the 6000CDT transport, and uses a high-precision optical system and an electronic data buffer that should minimise any disc-reading errors. We’re happy to report that the flimsiness of the tray doesn’t affect playback performance – just our impression of the product’s quality. 

Compared to the more lifestyle-leaning designs of the Technics, Cambridge Audio Evo and Naim Uniti systems, the Omnia’s appearance is decidedly reserved. The front panel keeps things simple with the slim CD tray slot and a handful of small, responsive buttons for power, source selection, playback and volume control. 

That’s because the spotlight is given over to the glorious 4.3-inch full-colour IPS LCD screen that dominates the front panel. It’s clear Audiolab’s designers have taken special care with this display: it’s large, easy to read from a distance, displays album artwork and plenty of useful track information without ever looking busy. 

You can even pick different displays: select either analogue or digital VU meters that show real-time decibel levels for the left and right channels. It adds a lovely touch of the old school to a modern hi-fi device and a sense of levity to the Omnia.

While we wish there was a physical volume dial to go with that display, the included remote control does the job well enough. It’s a solidly made handset that feels nice to hold and we found it intuitive in use and a better alternative to the Play-Fi app for adjusting the Omnia’s playback, source and volume.

Sound

The Omnia is a weighty and easy listen from the second we press play. The sound is rooted with authority, is clear and defined, with a decent handle on rhythm and timing.

We play A Perfect Circle’s Thirteenth Step album on CD, and the Omnia shows off its power. It’s a big and bold performance, with ample grunt and texture to the heavy guitars and ferocious drums. Vocals are focused and forthright. 

While we could do with more outright attack and punch, we like how open and spacious it all sounds. There’s good dynamic contrast, with the Audiolab able to reach the charging intensity of the heavier chorus with as much skill as the quieter, more sombre moments of Pet.

Switch to Chilly Gonzales’ piano compositions (played on CD and streaming via Tidal), and you can clearly hear the deep textures and resonances around each piano note being struck, as well as the higher tinkling notes that are crystal clear (but never bright). It’s a skilled and smooth approach, with a balance that we could listen to for hours without tiring. 

This easy-going character is replicated across all of the Audiolab’s many sources and inputs, including the headphones port (which we tested using Focal’s excellent Clear Mg over-ears). However, we found that songs through Bluetooth sounded the weakest; the Omnia has so many ways of playing music, we’d use any of them instead of Bluetooth.

It may be nearly half the price, but the talented Technics SA-C600 system shares more features in common with the Omnia than other rivals, especially the CD player. The Technics may not be as big-scaled, open or reveal as much detail as the Omnia, but it’s more adept at conveying enthusiasm, rhythmic precision and dynamic punch – all qualities that the Omnia could do with a healthy dose of. 

The rapid-fire keys – which time with stunning precision – and rousing sense of momentum in Gonzales’ Blizzard in B Flat Minor are more immediate and captivating through the Technics. The interplay of notes and precise edges in songs like Four Tet’s Circling or Massive Attack’s Teardrop is more tangible, too. While Omnia is more capable in hi-fi terms, we simply want a bit more punch and drive to the proceedings. 

Verdict

As it stands, though, the Omnia is extremely easy to listen to, and we can imagine many being more than content with its smooth, authoritative presentation. If you’re after a high-performing streaming system with all the bells and whistles you can think of, this Audiolab is well worth considering. 

SCORES

• Sound 4
• Features 5
• Build 4

MORE:

Read our review of the Technics SA-C600

Also consider the Cambridge Audio Evo 75 

These are the best hi-fi systems you can buy

The Triangle AIO Twin is an all-in-one wireless speaker system akin to the superb KEF LSX II, but at half the price. That was more than enough to pique our interest: music systems that integrate all amplification, connectivity, streaming and more features into one box or a pair of speakers are an increasingly neat and attractive way to get hi-fi sound into your home.

Not only are they lifestyle-friendly (not everyone has space for so many separate boxes), but their feature set means you can play just about anything through them.

And that’s the case with the versatile Triangle AIO Twin: it may look like a pair of ‘normal’ speakers, but this a fully-fledged, versatile music system in its own right, with a whole host of features and a level of performance that makes for quite the bargain at this price point (£699 / $1000 / AU$1099).

Build & Design

We warmed to the Triangle system the second it was out of the box. The two speaker cabinets look smart and classy, and are an appealing size. They’re bigger than the dinky Ruark MR1 Mk2 desktop speakers, but they’re considerably smaller than the Q Acoustics M20 or your standard pair of bookshelf speakers.

This means you can be pretty flexible in where you place them, especially if you’re working with a small space. However, we wouldn’t place them too close up against a wall as they have rear-firing ports and need some space to breathe.

The build quality and finish are generally of a good standard. We like the subtly rounded corners and the fabric grille that matches the finish. Our review sample is a lovely shade called Abyss Blue, but you can also get the system in Frost White, Graphite Black, Brown Maple, Linen Grey and Eggplant (deep purple).

The aluminium feet with rubber pads that support the bottom of each speaker are a nice touch, designed to minimise vibrations and protect the surface you place the speakers on. One of the rubber ends on our sample came off easily and repeatedly during testing, so take care when you move the speakers.

Unlike active speakers which have amplification in both speakers powering each driver, the Triangle AIO Twin is a powered speaker system with a master/slave arrangement. This means the 50 watts of amplification, streaming module and connections are all housed in one “master” speaker, from which runs a wired connection to the second, passive speaker. Both speakers have a 25mm tweeter and a 13cm mid/bass driver.

Everything is neatly labelled, and we particularly like the colour key printed at the back of the right speaker for each connection. This corresponds to the bright LED on the front of the master speaker, which changes colour depending on which input or streaming option is being used to play music.

A slim remote control is included, which is easy to operate for volume and basic playback, although we prefer using the AIO app when streaming wirelessly.

Features

This Triangle system can play just about anything, from Bluetooth streams from your phone to music files stored on your home network to even, yes, your vinyl records. It can also be a soundbar alternative for your TV.

For your streaming needs, the AIO Twin has built-in wi-fi and Bluetooth 5.0 with support for high-res codecs such as aptX HD as well as basic SBC and AAC. An ethernet port is also included for a more stable connection to your home network.

All the major streaming services are supported – Spotify, Tidal, Deezer, Amazon Music, Qobuz – and you can also play internet radio using the excellent app. High-resolution audio support goes up to 24-bit/192kHz, which is good news for those with a considerable digital music library or subscription to a service’s hi-res tier.

Streaming is only half the story, though. The Triangle system also has a built-in phono stage, meaning you can directly plug in your (moving magnet only) turntable to the AIO Twin without the need for extra boxes. It’s a neat solution for those dipping their toes into vinyl.

Other physical connections include a digital optical input, an RCA analogue pair (there’s a switch to use this input as line level or MM phono), a 3.5mm aux input, USB-A for charging your phone, and a subwoofer output.

Thankfully, despite all the various things this Triangle system can do, setting it up is easy and straightforward. The Triangle AIO app is comprehensive, responsive and makes the set-up process, streaming and daily use a breeze. The only thing we would add to the wishlist is customisable EQ settings.

To add another string to the Triangle AIO Twin’s versatile bow, it can also be set up as a multi-room system with other AIO products – that could be another set of the Twin and/or the stylish four-star AIO 3 wireless speaker.

Sound

Given their size, you might be tempted to have the AIO Twin as just desktop speakers, but this system is so talented and capable that it deserves to be placed on dedicated stands.

This system is incredibly fun to listen to. It’s an enthusiastic performer, happy to tackle any music genre and recording quality, and simply wants you to enjoy the music being played.

But alongside that dose of fun, there is a mature sense of composure running through its veins that is really impressive.

Circling by Four Tet is a stern test of timing and dynamics, and the AIO Twin handles the song with a playful, agile touch that goes hand-in-hand with an admirable level of control, precision and subtlety. It organises the complicated strands of instruments and noises with a confidence that seems easy – that’s quite the skill.

While we aren’t expecting lashings of deep bass from such relatively compact speaker cabinets, we’re impressed with how taut, shapely and snappy basslines are. It moves the rhythm of a song forward, never lagging or sounding tubby. Run The Jewels’ Legend Has It is propelled forward with a strong sense of drive and attack, the duo’s distinct attitudes coming through clearly via the Triangle system.

It’s balanced across the frequencies: taut bass, clear voices and sparkling, clean treble that’s punchy but never bright.

Charlotte Lawrence’s vocals on Joke’s On You soar with emotion, her voice crystal clear in a pleasingly big and spacious soundfield. There’s ample power here too, giving a big power ballad plenty of welly when needed.

Whether you’re playing Tidal via wi-fi, Apple Music through Bluetooth or a CD player through optical, the Triangle system plays everything with cheery aplomb, inviting you to sing along to oft-played songs.

It’s only with the built-in phono stage does it falter. We paired the system up with the excellent, five-star Pro-Ject Debut Pro turntable. While the peppy character remains the same, it doesn’t sound as clear, precise or expressive compared with the other inputs. You can still sing along to the record, but the quality when streaming through wi-fi is far superior.

We’d say the AIO Twin system is a nice starting point if you’re just dipping your toes into vinyl, but if you’re serious about your record collection, we’d recommend going for a dedicated phono stage, which you can plug into the Triangle’s line-level input.

Verdict

Like the very best kit, we want to keep on listening to the Triangle AIO Twin. And that’s the best recommendation we can give to someone looking for a neat, elegant system that does it (nearly) all. If you’re looking for a fun music system that also sounds hugely capable in hi-fi terms, and that you don’t have to pay over a grand for, this system is worth your attention.

Review published: 2022. Review updated: November 2024.

SCORES

• Sound 5
• Build 4
• Features 5

MORE:

Read our review of the Q Acoustics M20

Also consider the excellent KEF LSX II

Best active speakers: budget to premium

There's no surprise why DAB radios remain popular today: compact designs, hundreds of free stations, easy to use – it's a great way to listen to music, news and sports while going about your day.

In this guide, we are focusing on the DAB/FM radios that deliver the best audio performance, but note they also do the crucial alarm clock job, too.

Modern DAB radios today increasingly boast features such as Bluetooth, wi-fi and even Spotify integration to widen their appeal to all listeners. Their essential objective is still attractive: easy to use and fit into your home, and, for many, a lifeline to the outside world thanks to accessible, free radio stations to keep you updated with news, sports events and all genres of music.

There's nothing quite like your favourite BBC 6 Music programme keeping you company in the kitchen or home office, while a seasoned radio DJ's handpicked curation will delight and inform better than most AI-powered playlists.

Below you'll find our pick of the best DAB radios that we've tested and have impressed us with their features, ease of use, design and overall sound quality for the price. You can read more about our radio testing process here, or scroll below to see our pick of the best-sounding DAB radios you can buy today.

Best overall DAB radio

Ruark's smallest, entry-level radio is more than just a DAB radio. Packing internet radio, Bluetooth and wi-fi streaming, including integrated Spotify Connect, alongside the traditional FM/DAB+ tuners, the R1S is a smart, versatile and feature-packed wireless speaker for the modern era that can play from nearly any source. There are even physical inputs for plugging in your smartphone, MP3 player or wired headphones.

The compact unit looks classy and elegant, with a larger, full-colour screen displaying crisp, clear text that you can easily read from a distance. It's easy to use thanks to the on-unit controller; you can set alarms and timers, and save eight presets per radio source. There was only one finish at launch, but now it's available in three chic finishes.

We were expecting that rich, full-bodied sound we've become accustomed to hearing from a Ruark radio, but the R1S is much more articulate, precise and mature-sounding. It's evenly balanced, there are subtleties in detail revealed effortlessly, and the timing is spot-on. Voices sound natural and are projected well, and there's ample space and organisation for instruments to thrive.

It sounds engaging and dynamic, and it's impressive just how much bass weight and definition you can get from such a compact unit. No matter what kind of music you're listening to – classical, pop, rock, hip-hop – or enjoying podcasts, the R1S delivers a wonderfully solid, nuanced and organised sound.

If you're after a classic DAB radio that can also handle modern streaming smarts (and more), this Ruark is hard to beat at this price. It's such a terrific radio, it not only gained a What Hi-Fi? Award, but also ran away with the coveted Product of the Year Award for radios – two years in a row! Highly recommend.

Read our full Ruark Audio R1S review

Best budget DAB radio

Costing just shy of £100 and boasting 20 presets (10 DAB and 10 FM), Bluetooth connectivity and a 20-hour portable battery, the tiny Revival Petite 2 offers an abundance of features for the money. The updated model adds USB-C charging, alarm and timer settings, and a 3.5mm headphone jack, while the small but bright OLED screens pack in a whole lot of information.

We couldn't be more effusive about its incredibly compact, almost palm-sized form (check out the gallery above to see it placed against other objects) and how well-built and lovely it is to hold and behold. No matter how small your space is, this Award-winning Petite 2 (in its many colourful finishes) will be able to perch anywhere.

Despite its mini dimensions, the Petite 2 delivers a surprisingly big, detailed and weighty sound. Roberts has judged the sonic balance beautifully, recognising it won't be able to relay true bass or a wide soundstage, but delivering just enough richness to the midrange and a lively presentation so it's an entertaining and satisfying listen.

Voices are clear, solid and have natural warmth, while music, regardless of source, is dynamically and rhythmically engaging. There's drive and momentum, and it's fun to listen to.

In the Petite 2, Roberts has made a terrifically stylish, entertaining and versatile radio that is an utter delight in every way.

Read our full Roberts Revival Petite 2 review

Best premium DAB radio

Oh, what a lovely thing the Ruark Audio R2 Mk4 is. We rarely find audio products that achieve the Holy Trinity of sounding fantastic, looking sublime and being so easy to use that a toddler could probably find its way around the navigational menu, but the Ruark R2 (now in its fourth generation) has managed it, and in some style.

The beautifully made Ruark stole our hearts pretty much as soon as it was out of the box, and things only got better once we'd fired it up and started listening. It's a good thing, too, considering the R2's rather high price tag. It has a rich, detailed sound that doesn't sacrifice any musicality or timing, with a particularly nuanced, natural way with voices that make a great radio truly great. The Ruark is an engaging, vibrant listen no matter the genre or playing method you're using.

It's also, as you'll have guessed, a wonderfully made unit, sporting that stunning wooden slatted front, a clear, crisp display and a high-quality cabinet build that screams of a product made with care and precision. Why doesn't everything look like this?!

It supports Spotify, Amazon Music and Deezer over wi-fi, while all other music can be streamed from your device over Bluetooth. Whether you're streaming, playing FM, DAB, or internet radio, the radio is easy to use thanks to the built-in controller or by using one of two third-party apps.

It's priced at the premium end for a radio, but you get what you pay for with the Ruark R2. A wonderfully complete radio that truly deserves your consideration.

Read our full Ruark Audio R2 Mk4 review

Best DAB radio system

The modern radio/streaming system has to be a jack-of-all-trades while still holding onto that signature look, function and feel of a classic piece of tech, and while that's a lot of different requirements to juggle, Revo's SuperConnect Stereo delivers across all fronts.

It's classically handsome (more Rex Harrison than Timothée Chalamet), with its “retro with a dash of modern” aesthetic winning us over in an instant. Only the Ruark R2 Mk4 could be considered better-looking.

It's also made to a gratifyingly high standard. While slightly on the large side for a radio, the SuperConnect Stereo packs in a host of streaming features that will let you play music from popular streaming services to even picking up music stored on your network. Add some glorious sound into those dimensions, and this is a bona fide hi-fi system in its own right.

Speaking of sound, the Revo gets the balance just right, offering fullness, weight and body alongside detail, space and an appreciation for the music it plays. The Ruark (above) gives you a bit more spark, but the Revo is not lacking in weight and heft.

Easy to use, great to look at and a joy to listen to, the Revo SuperConnect Stereo is a genuine alternative to a modern hi-fi system, that just also happens to offer DAB radio as one of its many talents.

Read our full Revo SuperConnect Stereo review

Also consider

Majority Petersfield Go: After a simple, pocketable DAB/FM radio to tune into sports and news on the move? This little clip-on radio costs just £30, but you get lots of radio features (DAB/FM tuners, scanning, presets) and even a pair of nondescript wired earbuds thrown in. Swap them out for a better pair and this does the basics well.

Roberts Reva: While the Ruark rivals offer a more natural, fluid and subtle sound, the new Roberts Reva radio is a powerful, spacious performer that sounds good even at loud volumes. It's easy to use and we like the handsome new design, too.

Revo SuperConnect: The standard SuperConnect is still going (it delivers mono sound compared with the newer model's stereo output) and remains a smart, slightly more affordable choice for anyone wanting that excellent Revo sonic pedigree housed in an attractive, well-made package.

How to choose the best DAB radio for you

While all of the radios on this list give you access to hundreds of digital radio stations, some models include a number of useful extra features to boot, such as Bluetooth streaming and integration of your favourite music streaming service.

Size and features
Most importantly, when deciding which digital radio is right for you, you need to figure out whether you want something small and portable or larger and mains-powered, or if maybe you want a radio you can install in your car. Then, you'll have to decide if you just want to listen to the radio or if you're interested in wi-fi and Bluetooth connectivity, DAB+ and streaming support, or even CD player functionality.

Price and expecations
Price will of course be a factor as well, but it's important to set your expectations depending on the budget. DAB/DAB+ tuner integration should be standard for any digital radio, but it's worth checking whether the addition of Bluetooth streaming, FM radio tuner and/or the ability to set presets is important to you.

Our round-up above includes budget and premium options, featuring standard DAB digital radio and even various music-streaming goodies. Perhaps you want something tiny and ridiculously cute; perhaps it needs to fill a larger room – we have the best digital radio options across all shapes and sizes on this list.

Sound quality
But most importantly, all radios have to sound good, both with voices and with music. Whether you opt for a tiny radio or a full-blown radio system, each model recommended here offers the best performance and best value in its price category.

How we test DAB radios

At What Hi-Fi?, we independently review hundreds of products each year, including DAB radios, and always test as a team. This gives us complete control over the testing process, ensuring consistency across our reviews and our impartiality. To this end, we have state-of-the-art testing facilities located in London and Reading, where we conduct most of our reviews.

We test DAB radios in these test rooms but also take them home, especially to test out the quality of the DAB or FM tuner's reception. We also test how easy and intuitive the radio is to use in everyday situations, and how easy it is to find stations and set presets.

Regardless of whether the radio is placed in a permanent place or if it's portable, we use the radio in the way most people would when living with it. Naturally, we try out a variety of stations and programmes to test out the radio's sound quality during our testing period.

With DAB/DAB+ radios, we test not just the radio functionality itself (including the FM tuner) but every feature included in the product, from any wi-fi streaming to Bluetooth connectivity to global internet radio and even setting the alarms and presets. We evaluate all aspects of a product in the context of its price to ensure it offers value for money.

All radio products are tested against rivals in the same price category where possible, to ensure we get a good sense of their sound-per-pound value compared with the best-in-class, and that we are recommending the best radio at any given price point.

From those reviews, we choose only the best products to feature in our Best Buys. There's no input from PR companies, brands or sales teams, either. At What Hi-Fi? we are proud to have been delivering honest, unbiased reviews for over four decades. Our goal? To help you to find a product you'll be over the moon with.

FAQ

Recent updates

• January 2026: Added the recently reviewed Roberts Reva to our Also Consider list.
• September 2025: Updated Ruark R1S entry with new finish options available.
• June 2025: Removed the Roberts Stream 94L from the also consider section due to lack of availability.
• April 2025: Checked all product prices and availability.
• February 2025: Checked all information is correct and all products are still available and remain our top choices. Added more FAQs.
• December 2024: All 2024 What Hi-Fi? Award-winners are labelled, including the new radio Product of the Year for 2024.
• October 2024: Added more FAQs about DAB, DAB+ and internet radio.
• July 2024: Added the Ruark R1S as a new top entry, swapped out the Roberts 94L as it's no longer available, and included Majority Petersfield Go into our also consider section.
• May 2024: Added new Roberts Revival Petite 2 entry as best budget DAB radio following five-star review.
• March 2024: Replaced the Revo SuperConnect with the newer, five-star Revo SuperConnect Stereo. 
• February 2024: Added FAQ section to help with buying decisions and answer common queries.
• November 2023: What Hi-Fi? Award winners labelled after the 2023 Awards Best Buys and Product of the Year announcements.

MORE:

Check out the best internet radios we've tested

Here are the best music streaming services for you to play

If you’re fed up with streaming algorithms and miss the human touch, I have the perfect solution

While physical media has made a bit of a comeback in recent times, streaming remains the most popular method of music consumption. Streaming is certainly more convenient and cost-effective than traditional media, but many streaming platforms operate on a subscription basis, and some have increased their prices of late. An individual Spotify Premium subscription, for instance, went up to £13 in the UK in late 2025, while its US prices are set to rise from February.

Typically, a paid subscription allows access to more features, higher audio quality, and gets rid of pesky ads. As you go up to a more expensive tier of paid subscription, you often get access to even more features, although the downside is having to fork over more money to access them.

Of course, you may not fancy paying any money to stream music, and the good news is there are lots of free music streaming apps that provide access to millions of songs at no cost. Some even let you listen to podcasts and the radio.

To help you decide which service is right for you, we've created this handy guide. Despite its recent price increase for a paid subscription, Spotify is currently our top pick for free music, but there are plenty of others worth looking at, too.

All of the platforms listed below have been personally tested by us, and we pride ourselves in the honesty of our opinions. We're simply here to help you find the best option.

You can find out more about our testing process here, or carry on scrolling to see the best free streaming platforms.

• Eschew the mainstream? These 6 independent music streaming services want a better experience for musicians and listeners alike

The quick list

You can see a quick breakdown of all the free streaming services on this list with a summary of what they’re best at and why we think they’re worth checking out. If you need more detail, just click the photo of a product to go to the in-depth entry.

The best free streaming services in 2025

Below, you'll find our picks of the best free music services available. Every platform has been tested by our team of experts to ensure it delivers exactly what you need, so you can trust our buying advice.

Best free music app overall

The best-known free streaming service is also one of the finest – and certainly one of the most sociable. You will have to put up with irksome ads if you don't want to pay, and premium features such as Lossless audio and in-song fast forwarding are out of the window, but the free Spotify experience is actually far better than it used to be. Before, you couldn't even pick a song specifically – instead, you could only shuffle around a playlist and hope it came up.

While most streaming services have all but ditched their respective free tiers, Spotify has kept its intact. That said, there are caveats, as audio quality is capped at 128kbps on its web player and approximately 160kbps on its desktop, mobile and tablet apps, you can’t ‘download’ songs to listen to offline, and you have to tolerate adverts popping up between songs.

Oh, and if you want Spotify's new 'Lossless' tier for hi-res streaming up to 24-bit/44.1kHz in FLAC quality, you're going to need a Premium subscription, which now costs £12.99 / $12.99 / AU$15.99 per month.

However, there's still plenty to like: decent sound quality, over 100 million songs, offline listening, bags of podcasts, audiobooks, new features arriving daily and compatibility with almost any device imaginable.

Once you're in, Spotify's user interface is actually rather solid, and certainly provides you with access to the platform's broad plethora of abilities without too much fuss. If you want free music streaming, Spotify will probably be your first port of call.

The sound quality is decent, although paying more for a proper hi-res service such as Tidal, Apple Music or Tidal is where you'll need to head if you're a stickler for sound quality. It's certainly the way to go if you want a comprehensive, do-it-all service.

If you do want to pay for Spotify, prices for an Individual plan have risen significantly in the last few years, although other options, such as Family and Student Plans, are also available.

With the price for a paid subscription rising consistently in recent times, getting the free version could definitely be the way to go.

Read our full Spotify review

Best free music app for Prime users

You might not know it, but if you have Amazon Prime then you can access Amazon's entry-level music streaming service right now. That's right, as well as free one-day delivery and Amazon Prime Video, Amazon Prime entitles you to Amazon Music, which gives you over two million songs to stream on-demand at no additional cost. And the best bit? They're ad-free.

As you would expect, the selection is pretty mainstream, and the sound quality isn't going to blow you away, but Prime customers can't really complain. And if you're not happy, you can always step up to Amazon Music Unlimited, which costs £12/$12 (or £11/$11 with Prime) a month and now includes HD, its hi-res tier, for no extra cost.

The quality of the free tier is fine, but users wanting decent hi-res support should consider the HD tier to get the most out of their music.

There is, we would point out, also a tier titled Amazon Music Free which doesn't require a Prime Membership but does give you access to music, podcasts, curated playlists and stations, although you'll have to contend with ads and a lack of offline playback.

Read our full Amazon Music review

Best free music app for versatility

Deezer is usually seen as the 'other' service when compared with the more mainstream quadrumvirate of Spotify, Tidal, Apple Music and Amazon Music, but that's not necessarily a reason to unthinkingly skip over it. It isn't currently at the level of its rivals, but it is notable for being one of the first music streaming services around, as well as one of the earliest adopters of 360 Reality Audio.

Deezer's free tier means you have to suffer ads, and the track quality is only 128kbps. The mobile app for this tier is also a little limited, though no more so than any of its rivals.

However, when it comes to what to listen to, there's masses of choice (an impressive 90m-strong catalogue), and the layout is pleasingly simple to navigate. There are also heaps of podcasts and other non-music content to get your ears into, making Deezer a strong choice for anyone looking beyond just music.

The Deezer you think you know might not actually be how the service is these days. The French platform enjoyed a massive redesign and rebranding last year, revamping the layout and altering the brand's identity with a bold purple colour scheme and brand new logo.

We haven't had much time to play around with the new iteration, but initial reactions from both customers and critics seem to have been positive, and we're certainly keen on the endless curated "Flow" playlist feature. Watch this space for our updated review and impressions in due course.

If you do sign up for the paid Deezer Premium service, you can enjoy FLAC 16-bit CD quality audio, but you'll have to pay £12/month ($12 / AU$14) for a Premium plan account. If you're going unpaid, simply subscribe to Deezer Free to listen with ads and a slightly more restricted service.

Read our full Deezer review

Best free music app for videos

Yes, it's strange to think, but YouTube isn't just for videos. Launched back in 2015, YouTube Music is the video-sharing site's attempt to take on Spotify et al. for the music streaming crown, and just like Spotify, it too offers a free tier.

Sure, there are adverts as you would expect, but not as many as you might fear from a platform that for a time became the only reason half of us installed ad-blockers on our internet browsers.

Extras such as downloading for offline listening are pay-only (non-students will pay around £13/$14/AU$17 a month with YouTube Premium), so you're limited to streaming the service's selection, but there's a considerable catalogue to choose from, the layout is nice and clean, and its selection of music videos is, of course, unrivalled.

We've found the sound quality to be hit-and-miss with our experience of YouTube Music, but if you love music videos, it's definitely one to check out.

Read our full YouTube Music review

Best free music app for global radio

If you're looking for something a bit different, TuneIn Radio might be a little more up your street. This isn't a pure music streaming service – rather the focus is on radio stations, so think of it as getting your music fix that way, as well as all of the appeal that comes from the traditional radio format.

TuneIn offers a range of stations, including BBC Radio, NPR, All India Radio and C-SPAN, as well as news from the likes of CNN and Fox News and a host of podcasts. There are even local and genre-specific radio stations to choose from, so there should be something for everyone.

For those who want to pay full price, TuneIn will offer (on top of its free content) access to more than 100K ad-free audiobooks, comprehensive radio sport coverage and a further 100+ commercial-free music stations.

Featuring a wide choice of radio apps, this is the best we've come across for services of its kind.

Best free music app for podcasts

BBC Sounds took the place of the Beeb's iPlayer Radio app, a decision that feels utterly vindicated. As well as the usual BBC radio stations (Radio 1, Radio 4, 1Xtra, etc.) which you can listen to live or on-demand, it brings together all sorts of podcasts, music mixes, live sets and more.

There are hundreds of podcasts, loads of exclusive content, even free audiobooks, not to mention curated playlists, TV soundtracks and more. History, comedy, science, sport; there's a vast array of high-quality content just waiting to be discovered, free for anyone to use, anytime.

You can search by genre, and then download and listen on the go, as well as being able to continue listening where you left off on another device. The app has experienced some teething issues and will occasionally bug out on you, but the platform as a whole has blossomed into a suitably rich and slick home for the BBC's excellent audio output.

As the kids say, don't sleep on BBC Sounds.

Best free music app for new music

SoundCloud is known as the home of emerging artists, so if you want to check out new acts and predict which bands are going to make it big, this is the place to do it. Post Malone and Lizzo started their respective careers on SoundCloud, so you can very much take that however you see fit.

The free tier offers over 120 million tracks, mixes, podcasts and more, though we can't vouch for the quality of each (that's the trouble with 'up-and-coming' artists).

The upside is you can connect with friends and even the artists directly on the platform, make playlists, and get curated tracklists based on your taste. The downside is that, like many free services, you do have to put up with adverts.

SoundCloud is more of an alternative choice, but there's obviously nothing stopping you from using it as a place to discover offbeat offerings while also making use of a more traditional service as you do so. Still, if you are truly tired of the mainstream, perhaps it's time to take a trip to SoundCloud.

Best free music app for indie music

Bandcamp is best known as an online music store where you can support artists directly (especially those on independent labels), but did you know it also has a music streaming aspect?

Built into its app is a player that lets you stream all of the music you have bought and downloaded. It’s not just your own music you can play; it’s a great way of trialling new music and discovering bands you’ve never heard of but want to sample before buying.

Bandcamp has a terrific, dynamic interface that lets you drill down to specific genres and/or formats to find what exactly you’re after, or you can simply scroll the feed and see what takes your fancy.

When playing music you’ve bought, you have unlimited plays and can download them to listen offline. Bear in mind that if you’ve bought an album in FLAC or WAV quality, the streaming quality is lowered to 128kbps or MP3 V0 (variable, around 250kbps when listening over wi-fi, says Bandcamp). If you are trialling music (which you can do on the website too), you get three plays for free before it prompts you to buy.

The app itself is entirely free and it’s great to browse and trial new music before taking the plunge to buy a digital album, a CD, a vinyl record or even a cassette.

It won’t trouble the big boys for streaming, but it’s worth noting that when you buy music on Bandcamp, an average of 82 per cent of the money goes directly to the artist or label – this rises to around 95 per cent during initiatives like Bandcamp Fridays, where Bandcamp waives its revenue shares and fees.

Many artists also let you choose how much you want to pay for an album, and you can buy merch, too. It’s a terrific way of buying directly from artists and supporting them, and the excellent interface and trialling options make browsing Bandcamp more akin to browsing through your local record store, with a new record purchase or artist discovery at the end of the session.

With many big-name streaming services putting up prices but perhaps failing to properly remunerate their artists, Bandcamp is a great way of giving something back (while getting quite a while you're at it).

How to choose the best free music app for you

Most major music streaming services have a free tier, barring Tidal (unless you're lucky enough to live in the US), Qobuz and Apple Music, and while free services inevitably include adverts and have more limited functionality and audio quality than their paid-for stablemates, they're still pretty tempting.

Keep your ear to the ground and you'll often find one, two, three, or even six-month free (or almost free) deals on certain streaming service's paid-for tiers too, to try the sonic goods before you buy. Just remember when your trial starts and finishes, as most will automatically renew and become paid memberships once they end, rather than simply terminating automatically and leaving you back where you started.

We would always nudge you towards better quality streams (for which you'll pay a fee), but if you're only an occasional listener (or on a very strict budget), free music streaming services also make more sense than paying for something you barely use.

How we test free music apps

We have state-of-the-art testing facilities in London and Reading, where our team of experienced, in-house reviewers test the majority of hi-fi and AV kit that passes through our door.

Of course, where streaming services are concerned, a dedicated listening facility isn't always necessary, as you need just a laptop or a smartphone. However, we make sure to test each streaming platform with a variety of speakers and headphones, and them using across iOS, Android and desktop apps.

What is important in our reviewing process is that each service is compared to the best in its price and class. What Hi-Fi? is all about comparative testing, so we keep our Award-winners nearby to enable unbiased comparisons between new services and ones we know to have performed highly in the category.

We are always impartial and do our best to make sure we're hearing every proposition at its very best, so we'll try plenty of different types of music and give each service extensive listening time.

It's not just about sound quality, of course. If a service has unique and noteworthy features (including smart skills, playlist curation or the option to tip your favourite acts) we'll ensure part of our testing involves trialling the claims made by the platform.

All review verdicts are agreed upon by the entire team, rather than an individual reviewer, to eliminate any personal preference and to make sure we're being as thorough as possible. There's no input from PR companies or our sales team when it comes to the verdicts or star ratings in our reviews.

FAQ

Recent updates

• January 2026: We've updated some of the statistical information, including pricing for various paid services to reflect recent price increases.
• December 2025: We've updated some of our copy in line with recent trends and looked ahead to the world of streaming in 2026.
• October 2025: Updated our Spotify entry in line with our refreshed review and the release of Spotify Lossless.
• September 2025: Performed a full-copy check to ensure all information is up to date.
• July 2025: Checked copy to ensure all information is up to date.
• May 2025: No new entries, but checked copy to ensure all information is relevant and up-to-date.
• March 2025: Updated our introduction to make it more informative to the reader and update paid subscription prices in line with recent hikes.
• January 2025: Ensured that all copy is up-to-date for the start of the new year.
• October 2024: Added Bandcamp to our list of the best free music apps and updated our copy to include changes or additions to existing services.
• August 2024: We replaced the static images with multi-image galleries and went a little more in-depth regarding the sound quality of the various services below.
• March 2024: Amended copy to reflect the fact that Tidal is removing its free tier service.

MORE:

Happy to pay? These are the best music streaming services

More interested in classical? Here's everything you need to know about Apple Music Classical

Want the best high-quality streaming? Read our Tidal review and our Qobuz review

Cambridge Audio has added native support for Deezer to its range of network music streamers powered by the hi-fi company's StreamMagic platform.

Deezer, a versatile music streaming service with a large 90 million catalogue of songs, joins Tidal Connect and Spotify Connect in the extensive list of streaming options available on Cambridge Audio's excellent network audio players and all-in-one systems.

The five-star products receiving this update are the Evo 75 and Evo 150, Edge NQ, our current Award-winning CXN (V2), the older generation CXN (V1) and the Azur 851N. 

The two Evo systems will get the update first (available now), which will then be rolled out to the rest of the streamers over the following weeks. The Deezer update will happen via an over-the-air firmware upgrade for both the free StreamMagic app and supported products.

Now in its 4th generation, StreamMagic is the dedicated hardware and software that powers Cambridge Audio's streamers to deliver a top-quality digital audio experience. First introduced just over a decade ago, the platform can be updated frequently to support the latest advances in audio formats and streaming service features, giving existing customers who have the supported models even more choice over the way they play their music.

By integrating Deezer, Cambridge Audio users will be able to stream music in up to 16-bit/44.1kHz FLAC (CD-quality) format - the highest audio file quality available to Deezer HiFi subscribers.

MORE: 

Read our Deezer review

And our Cambridge Audio Evo 75 and Evo 150 reviews

Here are the best music streamers you can buy

Our pick of the best music streaming services ranked and reviewed

The Naim Mu-so 2 may be a few years old now, but it is still one of the best wireless speakers you can buy in 2024 and luckily for you, can find some hefty deals on this five-star product.

The Mu-So 2 is quite the piece of kit: part wireless speaker, part streaming system, it's basically an all-in-one hi-fi system, offering incredible sound quality but with the convenience of being a one-box solution.

However, all of this is reflected in its price tag, which now sits around a discounted £900/$1300, having launched at £1300/$1800. It's worth it, of course, and if you're hoping to pick up a deal, then now is the best time to capitalise.

The Mu-so 2 might look almost identical to the original Mu-so, but under the hood it's had a complete refresh. We're talking new drive units, new digital signal processing, extra connectivity and even a new cabinet.

Naim's streaming platform is on board, giving it UPnP streaming of hi-res music up to PCM 32-bit/384kHz, direct streaming from Spotify Connect and Tidal, Apple AirPlay 2, internet radio and Google Chromecast, which brings Deezer, Qobuz and YouTube Music to the table. Wi-fi stability has been boosted, though a wired ethernet connection is still a safer bet, and Bluetooth comes as standard for playing music wirelessly straight from your phone.

In terms of physical connections, you've got USB, optical and 3.5mm inputs. There's also an HDMI ARC output, so you can enhance the audio from your TV and control it through just one remote control.

But if you'd rather use Naim's smartphone app, we wouldn't blame you – it's a joy to use, simply laid out and responsive to your every action. We wish all proprietary control apps were like this.

You'll be glad to hear it performs extremely well too. The new drivers really come into their own, delivering a consummate performance across the board that fully earns it its five-star review. If you can snag this wireless wonder at a discount, you've done very well indeed.

MORE:

Here's our full Naim Mu-so 2 review

Considering a rival? These are the best wireless speakers

And here are the best hi-fi systems money can buy

Just weeks after launching its high-end LS60 Wireless, KEF has now revealed a new model at the opposite end of its all-in-one speaker system range. Now that's how you celebrate a 60th birthday!

The KEF LSX II is the successor to the original, which arrived in 2018 and has since held an enviable position as our favourite ‘budget’ all-in-one system (with multiple What Hi-Fi? Awards to show for it).

The LSX II arrives in much the same form as the LSX, comprising two compact stereo speakers packing amplification and network sources, and available in a range of colour options. In fact, acoustically, the driver and cabinet have not changed. And yet, KEF has found ways to significantly update its most affordable all-in-one in order to justify its existence and offer customers even more than before.

Firstly, while the LSX II carries over much of the original’s acoustic hardware – a decision KEF says it took to keep costs (and thus the RRP) down – it benefits from completely redesigned DSP software, some of which has trickled down from the LS50W II and LS60W higher up the range. This alone, KEF says, gives the system a step up in performance. “To be honest, it surprised us how much we were able to improve things by applying our latest DSP techniques,” Jack Oclee-Brown, vice president of Technology at KEF, told What Hi-Fi?.

The 200-watt LSX II unsurprisingly adopts the company's latest W2 streaming platform, which is also baked into its siblings. Users can stream Amazon Music, Qobuz, Tidal, Deezer, and internet radio stations via the KEF Connect app, while support for AirPlay 2, Google Chromecast, Roon and Bluetooth complete a highly competitive suite of streaming smarts.

Importantly, KEF has also expanded on the original’s physical connectivity to provide HDMI ARC and USB-C this time round for easier connectivity to a TV and laptop. Those who choose to flank their TV with a pair of LSX II will also benefit from HDMI's CEC feature, allowing them to power up and control the volume of the speakers with their TV remote. 

File support is as all-encompassing as you might expect, too, accommodating DSD, MQA and PCM files up to 24-bit/384kHz (though anything above 24-bit/96kHz will be downsampled due to a wireless transmission limit between the left and right speakers).

‘Room EQ’ processing is onboard to enable users to tune their LSX II’s sound to their room and taste and also features subwoofer adjustments if one (KEF would no doubt point you to its miniature KC62) is paired with the LSX II.

The attractive aesthetic – once again a creation by industrial designer Michael Young – comes in five finishes: 'mineral white' and 'lava red' models sport matte satin and high-gloss finishes respectively, while 'carbon black' and 'cobalt blue' are clad in Kvadrat fabric. A special ‘Soundwave by Terence Conran Edition’ finish marks one of the iconic British designer’s final collaborations, too.

The KEF LSX II costs £1199 ($1400, AU$2195) and can be purchased alongside optional support accessories from KEF – an S1 floor stand, P1 desk pad or B1 wall bracket (pricing tbc). Availability is from the 23rd June, which is when anyone interested in the LSX II should pop back to read our verdict.

MORE:

Read the KEF LSX review

Best hi-fi systems 2022: micro, vinyl and streaming music systems for the home

The making of KEF LS60 Wireless: active vs passive, Blade influence, and the next 60 years of KEF speakers

Sonos is readying its own voice assistant service to go live in the US in less than four weeks, according to a fresh report. Sonos' own voice functionality will use the wake-word "Hey Sonos" and should let customers play and control music on Sonos’ multi-room audio platform.

Not content with a legal win against Google in January, allegedly working on its first ever pair of wireless headphones plus a new TV OS and holding down an admirable position as a class-leading smart speaker, soundbar and in-car audio manufacturer in 2022, Sonos appears to be preparing an Alexa and Google Assistant rival. 

As first reported by The Verge, Sonos Voice will be part of a software update set to arrive to customers in the US on 1st June, with an international rollout to follow. As current users will know, Sonos already supports Alexa and the Google Assistant within its smart speakers and voice-enabled soundbars. According to The Verge's sources, all Sonos products that run the company’s 2020 S2 software update will support Sonos Voice control.

According to the report, Sonos Voice will work with Apple Music, Amazon Music, Pandora, Deezer, and the company’s own Sonos Radio at launch. The keen eyed will note the omission of Spotify and Google’s YouTube Music, both of which are not yet on board. 

Sonos has so far declined to comment on the report, citing its policy of not commenting on rumours, leaks or speculation – but it did post a job vacancy for a "Software Test Engineer, Voice Experience" two days ago... 

Elsewhere, we recently noted that Sonos has been working on a budget-friendly soundbar, (ie. much cheaper than the Sonos Beam). That device is now thought to be called the Sonos Ray, but unlike the company’s pricier Arc and Beam 'bars, it is not expected to sport integrated mics for vocal controls and the new Sonos Voice.

For now, we wait... 

MORE: 

Read our extensive back catalogue of Sonos reviews 

Considering a Sonos speaker? See Sonos Roam SL vs Sonos Roam: which Bluetooth speaker will be the best?

Get ready to save with the best Sonos deals on Sonos speakers and soundbars – April 2022

Now that Spotify has joined the fray, it's fair to say that hi-res music streaming is well and truly mainstream. And a good thing too – a monthly fee is more than worth it if it means higher-quality streams and no adverts.

But which is the best music streaming service for hi-res? That's what we're here to decide. Because if a service is charging you money – and all those streaming in high-resolution audio quality do – you want to make sure you're getting maximum bang for your buck.

Qobuz was the first player in the hi-res streaming game (except in Australia, where it only launched in 2021) and is still kicking about with an excellent-sounding offering that has significantly reduced in price in recent years to remain competitive. As well as a streaming-only tier, it offers a unique subscription that also includes a 60 per cent discount on hi-res downloads from its online store.

Then there's Tidal, which became the first proper hi-res streaming rival to Qobuz and helped carve out an ecosystem of MQA-supporting products through its decision to use that audio technology to power its hi-res 'Tidal Master' streams. Currently our favourite streaming service for hi-fi fans, Tidal has recently replaced the licensed MQA format with the open-source FLAC, and simplified and cheapened its offering (hi-res, CD-quality and Dolby Atmos Music) to compete with Apple and Amazon.

Which brings us to hi-res streaming's biggest game-changing moment yet. In 2021, Apple announced that its Music streaming service would offer CD-quality, hi-res and spatial audio streams to subscribers... for no extra cost. That would've undoubtedly been a big blow to Tidal and Qobuz, not to mention Amazon Music, which by that point had also launched a hi-res tier. Amazon's immediate response? To bundle its hi-res streams into its standard subscription as well. Tidal and Qobuz were then forced to follow suit in lowering their prices too.

Spotify has been almost comically late to the party. It finally launched its Lossless quality eight years after it was first rumoured (and four years after Spotify had promised). But there was some good news – it's included in the Premium tier, so you don't have to pay any extra.

Spotify Lossless' quality might be a lower bitrate than most of its rivals, but it is higher than Deezer, which is still stuck on CD quality.

Wondering which service deserves your hard-earned? We've compared them all below, including factors like hardware support, user experience, features, and of course sound quality.

Get ready: your music is about to sound a lot better.

What is hi-res streaming and why should you want it? 

First things first, should you care about hi-res streaming? High-resolution (often shortened to 'hi-res') audio is a term used to describe music files that have a higher sampling frequency and/or bit depth than that of CD quality, which is specified at 16-bit/44.1kHz. So a hi-res file can be 24-bit/44.1kHz, where bit-depth is higher than CD quality but the sampling rate is the same, and vice versa.

So what do the numbers mean? It might help to think of an audio signal as a sound wave being plotted on a graph. Sampling rate – the second number – refers to the number of times per second that the wave is measured during the analogue-to-digital conversion process. The higher the sampling rate, the more times the audio signal has been sampled, and thus the more detail resolution you get.

The first number is bit-depth, which indicates the number of 'bits' of information present in each sample of the signal. Going from 16 to 24 bits results in a massive increase in dynamic range, which is the gap between the quietest and loudest sounds that can be captured. In numbers, it's a jump from 96dB to 144dB, which is huge.

Tracks on Spotify Premium that aren't available in Lossless use compressed file formats with relatively low bitrates, such as 320kbps Ogg Vorbis streams. This 'lossy' compression means that certain data is scrapped in the encoding process for the sake of convenience and smaller file sizes. Obviously, this affects the sound quality.

To illustrate why hi-res should sound better than, say, an MP3, we need simply to compare the relative bitrates (the amount of information being transferred measured in kilobits per second). The highest quality MP3 has a bitrate of 320kbps. A 24-bit/192kHz file takes that to 9216kbps. Music CDs are 1411kbps – remember, they're your starting marker for hi-res.

The hi-res 24-bit/96kHz or 24-bit/192kHz files should, therefore, more closely replicate the sound quality the musicians and engineers were working with in the studio. Provided your system is transparent enough, playing hi-res music can bring you more detail and texture, thus bringing you closer to what the artist wanted to say when they recorded their work. And isn't that what we want?

For more information, read our high-resolution audio explainer.

Hi-res vs 'lossless': what's the difference?

This is where some confusion creeps in. The terms 'lossless' and hi-res' might be used interchangeably, but they're not the same. Tracks that are lossless are not always hi-res, for example.

The services themselves aren't helping. Apple Music uses 'Lossless' and 'Hi-Res Lossless' labels while Amazon Music prefers the terms 'HD' and 'UHD'. Way to simplify things, guys!

But allow us to explain.

Hi-res audio is generally understood as music with a resolution higher than CD quality. But lossless audio has no set specification in terms of bitrate. The term covers only how much data has been thrown out during the encoding process and, as a result, how much quality or “loss” you will experience when you play it.

If no compression algorithm (or codec) has been used to compress the audio within your particular file, two things happen: lossless (though not necessarily hi-res) sound quality and, due to the large file size of audio that hasn't been compressed, a storage warning on your device!

The term lossless audio is commonly used to describe CD-quality music, which is specified at 16-bit/44.1kHz. But we use it to refer to higher-than-CD quality – so Spotify's Lossless service (which offers up to 24-bit/44.1kHz) is hi-res.

• MP3, AAC, WAV, FLAC: all the audio file formats explained
• What are the best Bluetooth codecs? aptX, AAC, LDAC and more compared

Which streaming services offer hi-res music? 

Short answer: Tidal, Qobuz, Spotify, Amazon Music and Apple Music.

Here's an explainer on each service, the tech they use to deliver hi-res, what you'll need to play it, and, crucially, for whom each service will likely be best suited.

Tidal – for audiophiles

Tidal has been riding the hi-res wave since 2017 when it began offering hi-res audio streaming thanks to the adoption of MQA technology. It remains a solid hi-res proposition today, but plenty has changed in the past few years.

Firstly, MQA no longer powers Tidal's hi-res streams; FLAC does. That means its hi-res catalogue is no longer restricted to its mobile (iOS and Android) and desktop apps and MQA-supporting hi-fi equipment, as was the case for several years. As FLAC is an open-source format, any hi-res device can theoretically access the streams now.

The vast number of hi-res streams are typically 24-bit/96kHz, though 192kHz can also be found in the library. Dolby Atmos Music streams are also onboard for more immersive 'spatial' audio listening through headphones and, ideally, Atmos-compatible kit, from soundbars and TVs to AVRs and smart speakers. Tidal used to also play ball with Sony's conceptually similar 360 Reality Audio spatial format, but it ceased support for it in mid-2024.

Tidal Connect – a similar concept to Spotify Connect – also allows for easy hi-res streaming to compatible products from within the native Tidal app.

The excellent sound quality, intuitive interface and improving discovery and algorithm-driven playlist features make the Tidal app a popular one with audiophiles.

• Read our Tidal review
• Tidal tips: how to download music, play it offline, and more

Amazon Music Unlimited – value hi-res streams for Prime members

Whichever way you approach it, Amazon has gone super aggressive on pricing. In response to Apple Music's hi-res streaming announcement in 2021, Amazon made its hi-res Music HD tier (which was an additional £5 / $5 per month) free for Amazon Music Unlimited subscribers. Price-matching Apple Music, it is currently the joint-cheapest way to stream in hi-res – but Prime members get a discount on the subscription making it the most affordable hi-res option out there for them.

You can access Amazon Music Unlimited's 'HD' (16-bit CD quality) and 'UHD' (hi-res 24-bit) streams via three different avenues: the desktop app, the Android and iOS mobile apps, and compatible audio hardware with direct access to Amazon Music.

To Amazon’s credit, it pushes its seven-million-strong Ultra HD catalogue extremely hard on the service with dedicated playlists and clear labelling, e.g. Best of Ultra HD, Ultra HD: New Arrivals, Ultra HD Hip-Hop and Ultra HD Jazz. It doesn’t take long to find a steady stream of UHD music to listen to.

Subscribers can also access Amazon’s catalogue of 3D audio tracks, encoded in either Dolby Atmos or Sony 360 Reality Audio, through their headphones or Amazon Echo Studio speaker.

We don't find Amazon Music's interface or discovery features quite as compelling as those from Tidal and Apple Music, but otherwise it's a strong all-round and great-sounding offering, particularly for Amazon Prime subscribers.

• Read our Amazon Music Unlimited review

Spotify – for casual listening

Better late than never. Spotify Lossless finally arrived in September 2025, eight years after it was first rumoured. But there was some good news – it doesn't cost any extra (it had been rumoured to cost around £5 / $5 more per month).

Though given the number of price increases Spotify users have had to endure in recent years, you could argue Lossless has been priced in for some time.

Lossless offers better-than-CD quality (up to 24-bit/44.1kHz) that's not as high as Tidal, Amazon, Qobuz or Apple, but is better than Deezer. Which is in keeping with Spotify's mainstream appeal.

It works with Spotify Connect, allowing you to play on compatible devices over wi-fi, bypassing your phone. Not only is this more convenient and allows for higher sound quality than over Bluetooth, it also brings Spotify Lossless to a very wide array of home hi-fi products from big name manufacturers including Sony, Bose, Samsung and Sennheiser. Just check that the kit is compatible with Spotify Connect before buying.

'Most' of Spotify's vast library of tracks is available in Lossless, and it supports staple Spotify features like DJ, Jam, AI Playlist, brand new Mix and daylist.

It is compelling, but in our updated Spotify review we found its sound quality isn't as good as Tidal's. Spotify is also a little more expensive. If you prize sound quality above all else, and have the kit to show for it, Tidal is the better bet, but Spotify Lossless will still be a welcome upgrade for most people.

• Spotify Lossless: price, release date, sound quality and more
• Want to get the most from Spotify Lossless? We recommend these 3 wired headphones for various budgets
• An excruciating timeline of our eight-year wait for Spotify Lossless
• Spotify Lossless still trails behind its hi-res streaming rivals – but that won’t matter for most people

Qobuz – for audiophiles and/or avid downloaders

Qobuz's sound-first attitude has been clear from the very start. It was the first streaming giant to support hi-res, and also the first to drop MP3 streaming entirely, going all-in on CD quality and hi-res. In truth, taking a stand is nothing new to Qobuz, a company that tends to do things differently from most of its rivals in the music streaming world.

There are now just two packages from which users can choose: the Studio plan purely for CD-quality and hi-res streaming, and the Sublime plan which also throws in discounts of up to 60 per cent on purchases of hi-res 24-bit downloads.

The main sticking point for us at the beginning was the service’s high price and comparatively limited library, but the service's recent tier realignment and pricing, not to mention its work to bring its catalogue, user experience and device compatability in line with the competition, has seen it rise pretty significantly in value. It is still slightly more expensive than the others, but it does feel like a compelling rival to Tidal now – not least for those who would take advantage of the discounted downloads. The arrival of the long-awaited Qobuz Connect cast feature has only made it even more attractive.

It also offers authentic masters – tracks as supplied, with no alterations. And it has some editorial content, helping it stand apart from the rest.

It is a great-sounding service with a mature hi-res offering. Both Tidal and Qobuz offer free trials so, if you're torn between the two, you can try before you buy!

• Read our Qobuz review

Apple Music – for Apple device owners

Apple offers CD-quality (16-bit/44.1kHz), Apple Music Lossless (24-bit/48kHz) and Hi-Res Lossless (up to 24-bit/192kHz) streams via its ALAC (Apple Lossless Audio Codec) codec. And the best bit? All of these streams are available under the standard subscription price. That puts it on a par with Amazon and Tidal. If you own an iPhone, the chances are pretty high that Apple Music is your service of choice – and its inclusive hi-res streaming only makes it harder to ignore.

Here's the rub, though: the AirPods Max are the only Apple headphones to support lossless, and then only Apple Music Lossless, not the full Hi-Res Lossless. And that's only in wired listening mode. (This feature arrived around the middle of 2025 via a firmware update.) If you're using a pair of in-ear AirPods, you're out of luck.

Apple's iPhones (since the iPhone 7) natively support lossless – but again, only Apple Music Lossless, not the highest quality Hi-Res Lossless. If you want to listen to Apple Music tracks above 24-bit/48kHz on your iPhone, you'll need to connect an external DAC and use a wired pair of headphones. Check out our guide for how to listen to hi-res audio on an iPhone. AirPlay 2 – the cast feature for Apple hardware and software – doesn't usefully support hi-res either.

Apple's HomePod range of smart speakers do support lossless – that's the brand new HomePod 2, the first-gen HomePod (2018) and current HomePod Mini. Again, it's worth noting that they only support Lossless up to 24-bit/48kHz – not Hi-Res Lossless. The same is true of the Apple TV and iPad families, which are listed as supporting Apple Lossless, with no mention of Hi-Res Lossless.

Like Amazon Music and Tidal, Apple Music also now has immersive 3D audio tracks – this time through Apple's proprietary Dolby Atmos-powered Spatial Audio format. These tracks will play on AirPods or Beats headphones with a W1 or H1 chip, as well as on HomePods and the iPhone 11 onwards and iPad Pro (but not iPad, iPad Mini or iPad Air). Playing from an Apple TV 4K into a Dolby Atmos soundbar or system will work too.

Apple Music is a no-brainer for iPhone and iPad users, albeit not the most recommendable service for Android users, despite there being an Android app.

• Read our Apple Music review
• Apple Music tips: how to listen offline, use Alexa, share your account and more
• Apple Music lossless: which devices will (and won't) play lossless and spatial

Music services that don't support hi-res

Another short answer: Deezer and YouTube Music are yet to offer (or even promise to offer) hi-res audio.

So will Deezer (which offers CD-quality) or YouTube Music (which maxes out at 256kbps) ever go hi-res? Alexander Holland, chief content and strategy officer at Deezer, offered some choice words on this in 2021: "Our goal is to make sure that Deezer brings value to both artists and music fans. We’re not ready to announce anything just yet but are considering the implications on our users, technology and business. It’s clear that our industry shifted overnight and HiFi is the new de facto standard for audio quality. We would never want to stand in the way of that. You’ll hear more from us soon."

But those considerations clearly haven't resulted in hi-res adoption in the past four or so years. There's nothing to report from YouTube on the hi-res matter either.

Verdict: which hi-res streaming service is best?

Ultimately, the delicate balance of budget and device compatibility within your home will determine which service you opt for.

Tidal is our current Award winner: the user experience is spot on, the catalogue is extensive, and the recent price lowering and introduction of Tidal Connect has helped its case even further.

Qobuz is a good shout for audiophiles now too, and uniquely offers Sublime subscribers heavily discounted downloads for those who like to stream and own digital music.

Amazon Music Unlimited has recently positioned itself as the joint-cheapest hi-res option (alongside Apple and Tidal), and the outright cheapest for Prime customers in the US and the UK, though its user experience is not quite up to scratch of its rivals in our minds.

Apple Music, however, is a no-brainer for owners of Apple devices who wish to enjoy hi-res streams, not least due to its competitive price, vast library and the added bonus of spatial audio. The downside, however, is that it isn't very hi-fi friendly (AirPlay doesn't support hi-res, after all) and you'll need a DAC to play maximum hi-res bitrates through your iPhone and wired headphones.

Spotify has finally joined the pack, and Lossless will be a welcome upgrade for existing customers on the Premium tier. It sounds good, supports a wide range of devices thanks to Spotify Connect and has plenty of features to play with. But for sound quality and price, it is beaten elsewhere.

The hi-res streaming service landscape is more compelling and comparable than it's ever been. While Tidal and Amazon have historically had the edge where sound quality is concerned, the playing field is considerably more levelled, with differences between the various services' deliveries often being on a track-per-track basis.

But each give audiences a reason to pick them, and which you decide on will be down to your kit, preference and, to some extent, monthly budget.

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Denon Home is now complete. The multi-room system has just added a subwoofer to its ranks, alongside the Denon Home 150 / 250 / 350 wireless speakers and Sound Bar 550.

The Denon Home Subwoofer connects to the other devices in the ecosystem wirelessly via wi-fi. Like other Denon Home devices, it features HEOS Built-in, making pairing a doddle. That also means you can adjust settings for output level, low-pass filter and phase within the HEOS mobile app.

It has the same minimalist aesthetics as the rest of the Denon Home range, and should fit most interior schemes without looking like a blot on the landscape (unless you've gone full Changing Rooms, that is). And like the other Denon Home speakers, it gives you access to all the streaming bigwigs like Spotify, Amazon Music HD, Deezer and Tidal. 

You can stream tracks to it over wi-fi, AirPlay 2 or Bluetooth. And with support for 192kHz/24-bit and DSD 2.8/5.6MHz files, your tunes should sound pretty sweet.

HEOS isn't limited to Denon devices either: the Denon Home Subwoofer is compatible with AV receivers, hi-fi systems and soundbars from Marantz too. (Think of HEOS as a challenger to the likes of Sonos and Bluesound.)

The other Denon Home devices have fared well in our reviews, so we look forward to putting the Subwoofer through its paces. It's available to buy now for £449/€499 (international pricing is TBC).

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Coming from a gene pool as strong as Sonus Faber’s, it’s little wonder the Omnia enters today’s all-in-one streaming wireless speaker market as one of the most beautiful (or should we say “bellissimo”) out there.

The Italian brand’s latest audio creation is more than a little reminiscent of its SF16 all-in-one speaker. That was a 2016-released homage to The Snail system that predated the company’s first-ever loudspeakers and was in fact the inaugural project by Sonus Faber founder Franco Serblin in 1980. The Omnia doesn’t have its eight-times-the-price predecessor’s extending ‘arms’ housing satellite speakers for the tweeters and midrange drivers, nor does it match its majestic size.

Instead, the Omnia is, as its price necessitates, a comparatively more modest affair – more or less in line with the crop of similar all-in-one systems (such as the Naim Mu-so 2) in terms of size and build.

• Naim Mu-so 2 vs Sonus Faber Omnia: which is the best wireless speaker system?

Design

Needless to say, it still determinedly embodies the classic Sonus Faber look, with its elongated, curvaceous shape and black grille and walnut wood exterior.

Like a labrador puppy in a pub on a Friday night, the Omnia demands attention (and, indeed, sometimes even petting) from our colleagues as soon as they walk in and clap eyes on it. That’s not only down to its classy walnut top panel but also the four light strips that decorate it. They act as a display of sorts: the shortest ‘control’ strip at the front illuminates in different colours to indicate the selected input (white is AirPlay 2; orange is HDMI; green is Spotify Connect, etc), while the two dots either side can be tapped to adjust volume (with the volume level indicated by the longer light strip above).

It’s all very satisfying, which is more than can be said for the remote. It’s a half-sized, shapely thing that feels pleasant but cheap in the hand; its flat rubber keys don’t offer you that positive click we want as feedback from each press. Due to the nature of this streaming-first product, though, it’s more likely that your phone will be your primary source of control, whether that’s using your phone’s physical operation or Google voice control through it.

Features

Linguists will know that ‘Omnia’ means ‘everything’ in Latin. It’s a fitting name for such a versatile product. To some extent, streaming-savvy hi-fi has become a tick-box operation, with the list of available music services, file formats and transmission technologies only getting longer. While some manufacturers create their own app as a gateway to such services and as a way of accessing networked-stored music libraries, others, like Sonus Faber, have chosen to rely solely on user operation through native apps.

To that end, the Omnia supports AirPlay 2 for transmission from Apple devices; Google Cast for one-tap playback from several services such as Tidal, Deezer, YouTube Music, Apple Music, and Amazon Music on an Android device; and Spotify Connect. Tidal Connect (which defaults over Cast on Android devices) is also onboard and has the upper hand over Cast if you want to stream Dolby Atmos music or hi-res songs above 96kHz, although note that Omnia doesn’t actually support Atmos or the MQA technology behind Tidal’s hi-res ‘Masters’. Those wanting to access their NAS drive library will need to download a third-party DLNA app such as BubbleUPnP, or have a subscription to the Roon platform, which Omnia also supports.

Speaking of the decision to utilise established services in favour of its own control app, Sonus Faber’s Chief Designer Officer, Livio Cucuzza, said: “The customer knows how to use that, so keeping things familiar for their existing experience made sense to us.”

Living up to its name as determinedly as a Mr. Men character, the Omnia can also accommodate a TV through its HDMI ARC socket, as well as an audio source – including a turntable – through its dongle-like MiniDin switchable phono/line input adapter. It’s a little awkward to access these sockets around the back of the unit, but you’ll probably only have to do it once. Wireless connectivity doesn’t have to require an internet connection either, as aptX HD Bluetooth is also part of the Omnia's package.

Sound

Sonus Faber suggests giving the Omnia 10cm of clearance behind it and to the sides, and it’s advice we’d follow if you can. While you can select a ‘Near the wall’ setting in the Omnia’s web page-based set-up to help optimise balance, we certainly get the best tonal balance and airiest soundstage when the Omnia has a little room to breathe and isn’t closed in by walls. In fact, to deprive it its optimum placement is to sacrifice its biggest strengths.

Indeed, the Omnia is one of the biggest and most open sounding examples of its type we’ve heard. Close your eyes and you don't need to stretch your imagination to believe the sound is coming out of a pair of standmounters. That depth and breadth means instruments can work comfortably with space around them – even in denser mixes. And the Omnia impressively refrains from hardness or distortion at high (and even maximum) volume levels.

Size is also in the Omnia’s favour when it comes to bass reproduction, which impresses in quantity as well as quality. Kanye West’s Blood On The Leaves is a demanding track for any system to handle, with big, thumping bass lines, multiple musical strands to juggle and, to top it all off, Nina Simone’s sampled vocal to do justice to – but the Sonus Faber takes it in its stride. The horns and growls are potent and textured, and both West’s and Simone’s deliveries come through with decent doses of both substance and subtlety. The Omnia’s rendition is impressively clear and pure for a system of its sort, particularly through the mids.

Nothing sounds as if it’s battling for room, as can often be the case with all-in-one systems, where multiple small drivers are inherently packed close together. Sonus Faber attributes this sonic achievement to its Crescendo technology, essentially processing that manipulates the 44mm side-firing cellulose pulp drivers to create as immersive and three-dimensional a soundstage as possible. Considering those side firers are accompanied by two 19mm silk dome tweeters, a pair of 75mm paper pulp cone midrange drivers and a 165mm long-throw aluminium cone woofer, all driven by a 490-watt amplifier, it’s little wonder the Omnia produces such a decent output.

Switching to the Naim Mu-so 2, we find ourselves more easily settling into the Naim’s tonal warmth and superior sense of musical cohesion. It demonstrates a tighter grip on the rhythm underpinning Aldous Harding’s Lawn, and its richer tone gives vocals a lovely honeyed sound. That said, we can’t help but miss the Omnia’s notably wider, more spacious soundstage and unrivalled clarity – and by no means is it a musical slouch itself. It’s lively enough and has a fine sense of drive, even if it isn’t the most rhythmically adept of the two.

Verdict

The strengths of both would combine to be the ideal system (wouldn’t it be nice to pick and choose like that?), but if you value openness and clarity and your listening habits are compatible with what the Sonus Faber has to offer, the Omnia is one of the finest of its kind you could hand over music duties to. And certainly the best looking, to our eyes.

SCORES

• Sound 5
• Features 4
• Build 5

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Back in February 2021, Spotify announced its intention to launch its eagerly anticipated Spotify HiFi tier, promising to deliver the service to users by the end of the year. That self-imposed deadline came and went without any statement from the company, but Spotify has now finally responded to appeals from its users in a thread on the Spotify Community website.

In a short reply, Spotify empathised with frustrated subscribers, re-affirming that the new service was forthcoming, but it stopped short of committing to a new timeline saying, “we don’t have timing details to share yet".

The full message from Spotify says:

We know that HiFi quality audio is important to you. We feel the same, and we’re excited to deliver a Spotify HiFi experience to Premium users in the future. But we don’t have timing details to share yet.

We will of course update you here when we can.

So, the wait continues. When it does materialise, Spotify’s HiFi tier will allow Spotify Premium subscribers the option to ‘upgrade’ their membership providing access to higher-quality streams. The platform remains the only major streaming service not to offer music at lossless quality, with rivals Tidal, Qobuz, Amazon, Deezer and Apple Music all supporting at least CD-quality streams.

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As part of the celebration for what would have been David Bowie’s 75th Birthday on January 8th, the late artist’s estate has announced the re-release of five albums from the latter part of his career remixed in 360 Reality Audio, Sony’s immersive music format.

Produced by longtime Bowie collaborator and legend in his own right Tony Visconti, the new versions of Heathen, Reality, A Reality Tour (Live), The Next Day and★ will be available to stream on Amazon Music Unlimited, Deezer, and TIDAL from January 21st. The new releases join Space Oddity, which was re-imagined in 360 Reality Audio by Visconti in 2019 to coincide with the 50th anniversary of the album’s release.

If that’s too long to wait to experience a bit of Bowie in 3D, then four archival live performances are already available for streaming in 360 Audio via the Artist Connection app. The tracks, including Man Who Sold the World, combine live audio and video from Bowie’s final A Reality Tour, recreating a realistic concert sound.

To playback 360 Audio, Sony says that listeners can use headphones “from most manufacturers” as well as the brand’s own certified speakers and soundbars. Users with Sony headphones can go one step further and use its Headphones Connect app to analyse their ear shape with their phone camera and to help optimise the soundfield. 

The ongoing Bowie 75  festivities also include pop-ups in London at 14 Heddon Street (where the covers of The Rise and Fall of Ziggy Stardust and the Spiders from Mars were shot)  and his former neighbourhood in New York (150 Wooster Street). The attractions offer visitors an interactive career-spanning deep dive into the sound and vision of David Bowie, including costumes, limited edition vinyl and immersive HD screening rooms with 360 Reality Audio. 

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Elipson has announced a new Music Centre all-in-one device, and this one comes with the addition of streaming. Wi-fi means you can stream from online music services and use the Elipson Music Centre Connect HD as part of a multi-room system, making it more of a one-stop shop for all your digital music needs.

The Music Centre HD launched in 2019 without wi-fi.

As well as wi-fi, the Music Centre Connect HD boasts an integrated amplifier, DAB/FM Tuner, CD player and Bluetooth (with support for the SBC, AAC, aptX and aptX HD codecs).

It has two 120W class-D amplifiers featuring ICE Power technology, and a range of both digital and analogue connections. These include twin RCAs, a mini-jack and optical input, a pre-out connector to an optional second power amplifier, plus a USB port for playing MP3s/WMAs and an Ethernet for a wired internet connection.

You can also hook up a separate subwoofer using the dedicated output, which has an adjustable filter covering frequencies between 50 and 200Hz. That means it should be compatible with most main speakers.

The addition of aptX HD Bluetooth means you can wirelessly play hi-res music files up to 24-bit from a nearby device, while the wi-fi lets you play hi-res audio files in Solo mode or CD-quality audio files in Multi-room mode.

You can stream from the Qobuz, Spotify, Tidal and Deezer music services, or use music files stored on another device. To do so, and for multi-room use, you'll need the Elipson Connect App.

The Music Centre Connect HD will launch in the UK later this month, and cost £899. A gunmetal stand with cable path is also available for an extra £149. It's coming soon to the US and Australia, and will cost $1199 and AU$1699.

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Apple recently did a noble thing. Despite the extra revenue that the tech giant could undoubtedly have harvested by offering its Apple Music streaming service catalogue in CD and hi-res audio quality, Tim Cook’s behemoth unveiled its momentous streaming service update in June at no extra cost to its subscribers. 

These free improvements left rival streaming services, such as Spotify, which is yet to come forward with its Spotify HiFi tier, and Qobuz and Tidal, both of which offer hi-res streaming but at a significantly higher price, looking a little flat. 

But here’s the rub: none of Apple Music’s competitors – Qobuz, Tidal, Deezer, Spotify, YouTube Music – also make the kit on which you can enjoy such streams. And it is here that Apple has, it seems, shot itself in the foot. Apple’s own headphones do not play ball with its new higher-resolution streams – not even its flagship AirPods Max (£549, $549).

Even though Apple sells several premium sets of Bluetooth headphones, you cannot stream music losslessly to them. The Bluetooth connection boasting the bandwidth to wholly support it does not yet exist. This is not unique to the Cupertino giant’s self-titled and Beats-branded headphone offering – no Bluetooth headphones offer this capability.

Apple Music Lossless uses Apple's own ALAC (Apple Lossless Audio Codec) to retain all the information in the original CD and hi-res master. No Bluetooth device, not even the AirPods Max, can decode this format, so you need wired headphones to enjoy it.

• How to play hi-res music and lossless audio on your iPhone

It’s important to remember that Apple's definition of 'Lossless' and 'Hi-Res Lossless' – the terms it has chosen to label its higher-quality streams – differs from the industry standard. Hi-res music is generally defined as any file with a higher sampling frequency and/or bit depth than that of CD quality, which is specified at 16-bit/44.1kHz. So, for example, a hi-res file can be 24-bit/44.1kHz, where bit-depth is higher than CD quality but the sampling rate is the same.

As specified on its support page, Apple defines 'Lossless' as having a maximum resolution of 24-bit/48kHz, and 'Hi-Res Lossless' as streams with sample rates greater than 48kHz, up to 24-bit/192kHz.

Certain wireless headphones not made by Apple claim to support hi-res streaming – but even then you aren't getting a lossless audio experience. For example, Qualcomm’s popular aptX codec supports 16-bit/48kHz files, while aptX HD supports 24-bit/48kHz, and these are considered both streets ahead of 'standard' codecs such as SBC. 

But the codec’s job is to determine how Bluetooth transmits from the source device to your headphones, and both aptX and aptX HD are lossy formats – so even if the audio you’re streaming boasts the same resolution as Apple Music Lossless, it isn't truly lossless. The key thing to remember is that Bluetooth connections are not lossless – not even the highest-quality one around, Sony's LDAC.

Apple Music has evolved to a point where it can offer Lossless and Hi-Res Lossless tiers via ALAC Bluetooth, but the chipsets within Apple's wireless headphones support only the AAC Bluetooth codec, so they can’t deliver them. 

It’s an odd scenario and at best a mixed message from Apple – a company that prides itself on its direction and vision. After all, Apple pioneered the global craze for true wireless earbuds with its AirPods in 2016 (look at the swathes of AirPods alternatives available now). To some, it will feel like Apple has now rendered its own wireless headphones old hat.

• Hi-res music streaming services compared: which should you sign up for?

Perhaps in future headphones, Apple will switch to using a high-quality, wi-fi-based transmission system along the lines of AirPlay and move away from Bluetooth entirely. That would throw up its own problems, of course, but it'd be an interesting – and perhaps easier – way to wirelessly support true lossless audio in headphones than with a Bluetooth capability that is not yet possible.

But for now, to listen to Apple’s Hi-Res Lossless offering on your iPhone, you will need wired headphones, a standalone DAC and Apple’s camera adaptor. Apple does not make a DAC, so perhaps the Cupertino giant is missing a trick there. We used the Audioquest Dragonfly Cobalt DAC to test Apple Music’s Lossless and Hi-Res Lossless proposition. We liked what we heard, but the DAC costs £269 ($300) and, should you purchase one, it is money that won't be going into Apple’s coffers.

This throws up several questions. Do you want that clunky, wired, third-party set-up? Or do you prefer the convenience and freedom of Apple-only wireless listening? Maybe hooking cables around the buttons on your jacket and pulling your in-ears out as you commute impacts your listening pleasure far more than the extra dynamic range promised by higher-resolution streaming. And what of the smarter, cleaner look of the AirPods Max?

It’s okay to prefer that, just as it is to prioritise Apple’s proprietary spatial audio tech over hi-res file support – a feature that works beautifully on the Apple over-ears. Perhaps you believe, as many do, that Apple Music’s lower-quality AAC streams are barely distinguishable from its higher-quality ALAC offering, and that appreciation of hi-res digital music could be largely a placebo effect – we’re told it’s better, so we simply believe it is, rather than being able to determine any perceptible difference.

So, why would the huge Californian tech authority commit the noble and altruistic act of releasing a free hi-res upgrade to its streaming service only to invite criticism from disgruntled consumers who have paid the premium for its newest – and now seemingly outdated – wireless headphones?

There must be a master plan – it can only be the start of a bigger hi-res streaming journey. Just as HomePod and HomePod Mini will support Lossless imminently (following the HomePod 15 software update), the company must have an ace up its sleeve for its headphones roadmap. 

We may not know what it is yet, but we are excited to find out.

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If there’s one thing that architect Ludwig Mies van der Rohe’s ‘less is more’ dictum is hard to apply to in hi-fi, it’s today’s streaming systems. After all, they are expected to embrace every source, service and relevant technology available. Thankfully, it's a school of thought that Cambridge Audio's flagship just-add-speakers system, the Evo 150, subscribes to.

Features

Anyone unboxing their Evo 150 may not be in a hurry to avert their eyes from the box’s colourful display and eye-grabbing side panels, but they’ll soon notice that the rear panel is absolutely jam-packed with sockets – not bad considering network streaming is the prime focus of this kind of product. While systems such as these often offer a few inputs to serve physical formats, Cambridge has gone the extra mile to be as inclusive as possible.

The Evo 150 does what older siblings do best: strive to always go one better. While the entry-level Evo 75 packs line-level RCA, USB, coaxial, optical and HDMI ARC connections, its pricier brother expands on that with phono (MM), asynchronous USB and balanced XLR inputs, a second optical input, plus two sets of speaker terminals for running two pairs simultaneously. In other words, there’s little you can't plug into the Evo 150. 

The built-in phono stage makes it the Evo of choice for vinyl junkies, and because of its higher output (150W per channel compared to 75) and superior ESS Sabre DAC chip, arguably it’s also the pick for anyone with demanding speakers, a second pair in a nearby room, or a laptop full of music they wish to hook up.

Not that you’d necessarily make full use of that busy rear panel; the Cambridge is well equipped as a solo operator. The company’s built-in StreamMagic platform, which comes with its StreamMagic control app, hosts Tidal, Qobuz and any network-stored music drives (via DLNA). And that’s just the tip of the Evo 150’s built-in streaming offering.

Google Chromecast support provides easy streaming of Deezer, YouTube Music and TuneIn Radio, while AirPlay 2 allows one-touch casting from Apple devices. Spotify Connect and Tidal Connect (the latter is complete with MQA support for playing hi-res Tidal Masters) are also onboard, as is aptX HD Bluetooth for ‘offline’ wireless playback. Predominant users of such streaming platforms, or subscribers to music management platform Roon, may not have much use for the Evo 150’s companion app, but it’s still worth downloading to allocate presets, which offer an easy way to access, say, a particular playlist or internet radio station. There are also other settings you might want to delve into, such as basic EQ adjustment.

Build

The premium streaming system market is on the rise, and at the time of writing the Evo 150 (and its sibling) would run away with ‘best dressed’ in the category. Realising that this product has, by nature, a greater lifestyle appeal than its specialist catalogue of hi-fi separates, Cambridge has produced a box that any interior designer would be happy to work around.

The front of the sturdily built, black anodised aluminium cabinet is tastefully adorned with a 6.8in full-colour screen – great for displaying album artwork and playback info, and helpful for any manual source switching or library browsing – and a control dial for volume and scrolling. The side panels come in either a walnut wood or black rippled Richlite and are magnetically attached and swappable, presumably to appeal to those who are indecisive or like to regularly redecorate. 

As with the Evo 75, we aren’t too fond of the thin ‘strip’ playback buttons that line one side of the display – we’d prefer something that feels more positive in use or, better still, wider functionality within the rotary dial – but that’s the beginning and end of our complaints where physical design is concerned. The Evo 150 is a lovely bit of kit.

So, the Evo 150 should be seen, but should it be heard? Those who have spotted the five red stars at the top of this review will already know the answer, but, as is often the case, there’s more to consider in the context of the competition.

Sound

Having recently tested the Evo 75, we have certain assumptions of the Evo 150 and, sure enough, it throws no curveballs our way. The flagship Evo is also an articulate communicator – clear and detailed, punchy yet refined.

Massive Attack's Teardrop is an exceptional advert for the Cambridge’s talents: the broad, analogue crackle production is compellingly clear and effective through our reference ATC SCM50 speakers, while the initial dynamic build and pattern of the harpsichord come through with care and attention around that kick-beat. The Elizabeth Fraser vocal that floats over the top feels almost celestial. With everything going on, nothing feels like it’s hustling for room.

The Evo 150’s soundstage gains size and scale over its sibling, with a broader canvas on which dynamic peaks can bask in. There’s greater solidity to the way it presents itself, too, particularly through the lower registers. While the Evo 150 isn’t leaps and bounds ahead of the Evo 75 sonically, it is clearly a souped-up version – as it should be for its higher asking price.

The toughest task isn’t justifying itself against its sibling, though; the real test is how it stacks up against the benchmark at this level, the What Hi-Fi? Award-winning Naim Uniti Atom. We swap speaker cables and instantly miss the Cambridge’s breadth, depth and polish. The Naim is a comparatively cruder listen owing to its more confined soundstage and a more direct approach. 

That’s only half the story, though, as the Naim counters with a greater sense of musicality. Mac Miller's 2009 thrives on an enticingly cool, continuous drum/cymbal loop, and the interplay there is tighter through the Naim, which, as our listening progresses, proves more adept in capturing the rhythmic fabric of a song. 

While the Evo 150 offers a pleasantly wide window into his plainspoken rap, thanks to its midrange lucidity, the Naim is able to surface an extra layer of subtlety in his expression, too. Again, the Cambridge is more concerned with finesse, the string ensemble and piano melody delivered with a palatable fleshed-out smoothness.

Our testing naturally progresses from the network streaming to the Evo’s inputs and we remain impressed by just how much Cambridge has managed to cram into a box of this size. We’d stick with line-level when connecting audio sources if you can; not unexpectedly, the digital route does feel more compressed and lacking the same level of solidity and detail. 

Grabbing our Focal Elegia and Grado SR325e, we don’t quite get the same spaciousness, clarity or refinement through the front-panel headphone output either, but it’s more than passable for occasional listening. That’s often the case in products of this type, and those who want more of a headphones listening experience could always add a dedicated headphone amp.

Verdict

Partnered with a pair of speakers, the Cambridge Audio Evo 150 is a capable and talented all-in-one system – one of the most exhaustively featured, best looking and highly intuitive examples of its kind. That’s complemented by a performance that, while not class-leading in every area, still makes a compelling case for choosing a simple system such as this over a set-up of separates.

The Evo 150 may not have spoken to van der Rohe and his minimal, "skin and bones" approach, but it will surely find fans in this convenience-led age.

SCORES

• Sound 5
• Features 5
• Build 5

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There's been plenty of excitement about Apple Spatial Audio in recent weeks but now it's the turn of Deezer to step into the spatial audio limelight. The music streaming service has revealed it will offer HiFi subscribers a series of '360 Sessions' – live performances reformatted in Sony 360 Reality Audio.

Using Sony's object-based spatial audio technology, the 28 track playlist aims to provide a "unique immersive experience in which all audio elements – including vocals, individual instruments and audience – can be heard as if they are in different positions inside a 360 spherical space".

The tracks include live performances from a slew of global stars and rising talents ranging from Dua Lipa and Anne-Marie, to Circa Waves, Lolo Zouai, Barrie, Fireboy Dml, Joesef, Half Moon Run and Georgia.

Anyone with a subscription to Deezer HiFi, the service's CD-quality tier, can enjoy the 360 Sessions from today. No special hardware is needed but you will need to download the standalone 360 by Deezer app. Premium users can enjoy the playlist, but only in stereo.

Sony's 360 Reality Audio format offers a 3D sound space by creating multiple virtual speakers and can be listened to via most standard headphones. That said, the experience has been optimised for Sony headphones that use the Headphones Connect app, such as the WH-1000XM4 over-ears and WF-1000XM4 wireless earbuds.

Deezer was the first music streaming service to offer 360 Reality Audio, but it has since been joined by Tidal, Amazon Music HD and nugs.net (a streaming service dedicated to live concerts).

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Last week we reported on a new Spotify app for Google-powered smartwatches that gives users the option to listen offline when on the go. Today, the Apple Watch gets a new native music streaming app of its own – Tidal.

The new Tidal app for Apple Watch works without an iPhone nearby, so you can download all your favourite playlists and then listen without a wi-fi or cellular connection.

Spotify and Deezer have both announced similar offline listening features for the Apple Watch, giving you a fair amount of choice if you want to stream music when you head out for a run or hit the gym for a workout.

Tidal is known for its high-quality streams but they won't be available through the Apple Watch app, with data rates being limited. Spotify has also confirmed that its audio streams will be limited to 96Kbps when listening via its wearable apps. It's unclear whether Apple, which just announced plans to add lossless tracks to Apple Music from June, will follow that playbook.

Subscription to Tidal's ad-free Premium plan costs from £9.99 ($9.99, AU$11.99) a month and includes access to 70 million songs, many of which are offered in lossless and high-resolution quality via the iPhone and other media streamers

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You can now download Deezer playlists to your Apple Watch. That means you can leave your iPhone 12 at home while you go for a run without missing out on your favourite tunes.

The new feature comes as part of an update to the Apple Watch app. It lets you download all playlist content to your timepiece – that includes your favourite tracks playlists, editorial playlists, and any personal playlists you have created.

To get your Deezer playlists onto your Apple Watch, you'll have to use your mobile network or the same wi-fi network as your phone or tablet. 

If your phone is nearby, your mobile network will automatically handle the download and transfer the data to your watch via Bluetooth or wi-fi. If it isn't, or it's in airplane mode or turned off, your Apple Watch can handle the download itself providing it's connected to wi-fi, or it has a mobile connection of its own.

According to Deezer, you can store "several gigabytes" of tracks on your Apple Watch, though that will depend on which Apple Watch model you have and how much space it has free.

To use the new feature, you'll need an Apple Watch Series 3 (or newer) running at least Watch OS6.

The update gives the app a new look and feel. Plus it lets Deezer Free customers listen to tracks, albums, and playlists in shuffle mode and access their Queue list, all from their Apple Watch.

This is a shot across the bow of arch-rival Spotify, which currently doesn't let you download playlists to the Apple Watch. Earlier this month, Deezer added support for Apple's Siri voice assistant to the HomePod and HomePod Mini smart speakers.

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Apple Music update explained: Which devices will (and won't) play Apple Music's lossless and Spatial Audio

Battle of the bands: Spotify vs Tidal – which is better?

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When Tidal began offering hi-res audio streaming in 2017, becoming only the second streaming service to do so after Qobuz broke that ground the year before, we didn’t expect hi-res streaming to be a two-player game for quite so long. 

Now though, not only have their rivals caught up but they are attempting to leapfrog the established players. And this could change the game significantly.

Higher audio quality, lower subscription prices

Apple Music has just embraced hi-res streaming with open arms – and isn’t asking people to pay a penny more for it. Its all-encompassing individual subscription plan is sticking at £10 ($10, AU$12) per month, significantly cheaper than the monthly hi-res tiers from Tidal (£20, $20, AU$24) and Qobuz (£15, $15, AU$25). 

In response to Apple, Amazon has now bundled its Music HD hi-res tier, which arrived in 2019, into its standard plans rather than asking a £5 ($5) premium. That means the monthly subscription has dropped from £13 ($13) to £8 ($8) for Prime customers, and from £15 ($15) to £10 ($10) for everyone else.

Meanwhile, Deezer offers CD-quality for £15 ($15, AU$20) per month, and Spotify plans to begin offering CD-quality – no mention of hi-res so far – later this year for a fee expected to be equal to or perhaps even higher than its current £10 ($10, AU$12) per month asking price. 

Maybe Apple's bold move means that Spotify won't ask a premium price or shun hi-res audio for its imminent Spotify HiFi tier. Realistically, Spotify’s popularity and class-leading usability mean it can probably afford not to match or undercut its rivals and still remain competitive. Even 'only' CD quality may be enough to keep its loyal subscribers onboard.

The wider adoption of hi-res audio streaming by big players such as Apple and Amazon has brought better sound quality into the mainstream. The fact you can have unlimited access to it for as little as £8 ($8) per month is great news for those who care for sound quality.

With Apple offering hi-res at no extra charge, and Amazon readjusting its offering accordingly, the streaming service competition has reached a crossroads, with all ways potentially pointing to tier simplicity and affordability.

Do USPs justify premium prices?

So how will the competition justify charging extra – in Tidal’s case, double? Perhaps rivals will now have to reconsider their current monthly fees, and if they don’t, hope that their unique selling points are enough.

Tidal, for example, uses MQA to power its hi-res audio streams. It’s a technology that arrived as a handy enabler for hi-res streaming back when a method of efficiently packaging and transporting high-resolution (and therefore large) files without lossy compression was a necessity.

Now that Amazon and Apple have used other methods to do this (Amazon doesn’t disclose specifics, while Apple uses its ALAC format), MQA isn’t quite as fundamental to hi-res streaming as it once seemed. However, as it is now licensed to many hi-fi brands, MQA-powered Tidal Masters tracks can be played through an increasing amount of audio hardware, via app support or Tidal Connect. If you own a compatible device that doesn’t play ball with Amazon Music HD or Apple Music, you may well be swayed to stick with Tidal. 

Naturally, device support will play a part in people’s subscription decisions. While desktop and mobile apps are par for the course as far as lossless support is concerned, some services also have their own quirks. For example, Qobuz has recently become the first to bring 24-bit hi-res streaming to Sonos speakers, and its vast hi-res catalogue is also accessible via the widely supported Chromecast (which supports transmission up to 24-bit/96kHz).

Apple Music is only an attractive proposition for owners of Apple devices – and even then, its hi-res implementation isn’t without its frustrations. We wonder whether Apple Music’s hi-res streaming will be supported by AirPlay 2 (or 3!) in the future to open up the device ecosystem, or even by some new Apple-developed Bluetooth codec for inter-Apple device wireless transmission. 

You can bet that Spotify HiFi will have almost universal support upon, or soon after, launch, too.

Tidal also has a burgeoning catalogue of immersive 3D tracks, thanks to its support for Dolby Atmos Music and Sony 360 Reality Audio. That said, Amazon Music HD also supports these two formats, Deezer supports the latter, and Apple will have its Dolby Atmos-powered Spatial Audio catalogue. Who knows whether Spotify has any immersive audio plans up its sleeve for its HiFi tier?

Qobuz is the audiophile’s choice for its hi-res catalogue, as well as the fact its most premium tier (Sublime) also includes discounts on hi-res downloads. But it has a comparatively limited catalogue and has long been a more niche option compared to its rivals.

Over to you, Spotify et al.

Right now, Apple Music appears to offer the best-value hi-res streaming proposition for iOS users, while Amazon Music HD does that for everyone else, especially Prime members. It's the service we'd pick right now for mobile and desktop listening. 

Spotify could, of course, outdo all of them with an excellent value, hi-res HiFi tier, but even if it doesn't, the likes of Tidal, Deezer and Qobuz are still being significantly undercut by their competition.

So will the latest moves by the streaming giants be nails in their coffins or a necessary force for change? We very much hope it's the latter.

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The lowdown on Spotify HiFi: quality, price, release date, and latest news

10 of the best hi-res albums on Tidal Masters

Apple Music lossless: which devices will (and won't) play lossless, Spatial Audio

The streaming wars are hotting up! Amazon has announced that Amazon Music HD, the company's lossless and hi-res audio service, will now be free for all Amazon Music Unlimited subscribers.

The news comes hot-on-the-heels of Apple Music adding lossless audio (and Spatial Audio) at no extra charge, and leaves the soon-to-launch Spotify HiFi looking like it will have to be free to keep in line with the competition. 

It remains to be seen how Deezer, Tidal and Qobuz will convince customers to keep paying extra for its lossless and hi-res audio tiers now that Apple and Amazon offer the same quality, in theory, at no extra cost.

The Amazon Music Unlimited Individual Plan costs £7.99 ($7.99) per month for Prime members and £9.99 ($9.99) per month for Amazon customers, while the Family Plan is £14.99 ($14.99) permonth – and both now include lossless audio. The Amazon Music HD tier was previously an additional £5 ($5) per month. For current subscribers to Amazon Music HD, there will be no extra charge for HD starting with their next billing cycle.

Amazon Music HD gives you access to 70 million songs in CD-quality and hi-res audio – double the bitrate of many standard music streaming services. Tempted? You can get a 3-month free trial to try out the service.

In our five-star review of Amazon Music HD we called it "up there with the best" and noted that it was "excellent value" compared to rival HD streaming services such as Tidal and Qobuz.

• Apple Music lossless supported devices: what will (and won't) play lossless and Spatial Audio, and why

So what is Amazon Music HD? And should you really try it out? 

Amazon has been in the music streaming business for well over a decade, first with its Amazon Prime offering, and then with its fully-fledged Apple Music and Spotify rival, Amazon Music Unlimited. As of late last year it has also gone a step further by taking on the likes of Tidal and Qobuz with its own CD-quality and hi-res music streaming tier. And, you guessed it, this is the service we're talking about: Amazon Music HD.

You can access Amazon Music HD through three different avenues: a web browser, a dedicated desktop app or through an Android or iOS mobile app – although it’s worth noting that you can’t actually stream CD-quality music or hi-res tracks on the web browser mode.

Amazon refers to HD tracks as having a ”bit depth of 16-bits, a minimum sample rate of 44.1 kHz (also referred to as CD-quality), and an average bitrate of 850 kbps”. What the service calls UHD tracks, on the other hand, “have a bit depth of 24-bits, sample rates ranging from 44.1 kHz up to 192 kHz, and an average bitrate of 3730 kbps.”

It's a great service: it's easy to use, has an extensive library of CD-quality and hi-res music and it is cheaper than its competitors. Our advice? A free 90-day trial seems like a no brainer.

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Spotify HiFi tier (finally) launching to offer CD-quality streaming

Apple Music Spatial Audio will work with all headphones

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As has been rumoured for the past week or so, Apple Music is adding support for lossless audio, as well as and Dolby Atmos-powered 3D audio (aka Apple's Spatial Audio). 

The service's 75 million-strong catalogue will be available in CD quality (16-bit/44.1kHz) or hi-res (24-bit/48-192kHz). There will be 20 million songs in lossless audio at launch, with the full 75 million available by the end of the year.

Meanwhile, "thousands" of tracks will be available in Apple's Spatial Audio tech (as previously featured in its AirPods Pro and AirPods Max headphones). Spatial Audio adds "multidimensional sound and clarity", making the audio sound much more immersive.

Both features will launch in June and won't cost Apple Music subscribers any extra money. The monthly subscription cost remains £10 ($10, AU$11.99).

Apple has described the new features as Apple Music's "biggest advancement ever in sound quality" – which we'd have to agree with.

• Read all about: Spatial Audio, Dolby Atmos and hi-res audio

• Apple Music lossless supported devices: what will (and won't) play lossless and Spatial Audio, and why

It's not the first streaming service to support lossless, of course – Tidal, Qobuz, Deezer and Amazon Music HD all offer lossless listening. But it has pipped Spotify to the post, with the green giant not launching its own lossless tier, Spotify HiFi, until later in the year. 

As expected, Apple's lossless streams use ALAC (Apple Lossless Audio Codec) to offer more detail and informationion in a recording. That should mean higher audio quality, albeit also bigger file sizes – estimates put it at around 36MB of data for a three-minute track.

There are three tiers of lossless audio to accommodate different files sizes and situations in which you can play them: CD quality (16-bit/44.1kHz), 24-bit/48kHz, and 24-bit/192kHz. You can choose which quality you would to stream or download in through the Settings > Music > Audio Quality section of Apple Music. While music up to 24-bit/48kHz can be played natively on Apple devices, playing anything above that – 24-bit/96kHz or 24-bit/192kHz streams, for example – requires connecting an external DAC. Apple is calling these highest-quality streams 'Hi-Resolution Lossless'.

Apple's Spatial Audio, meanwhile, is enabled by Dolby Atmos for Apple Music. By default, Apple Music will automatically play Dolby Atmos tracks on all AirPods and Beats headphones with an H1 or W1 chip*, as well as the built-in speakers in the latest versions of the iPhone, iPad and Mac. Compatible devices, therefore, include the iPhone 12 family, AirPods 2 and Beats Powerbeats Pro. Playing from an Apple TV 4K into a Dolby Atmos device will work too.

What's more, Apple's Buddy Judge has now confirmed to us that Spatial Audio with Dolby Atmos will also work with all headphones. If you're using non-Apple headphones you'll simply have to switch the new Dolby Atmos setting to 'Always On' rather than the default 'Automatic'.

At launch, there will be "thousands" of tracks available in Spatial Audio, and Apple says it will be adding new tracks "constantly". It will also put together a set of Atmos playlists so you can easily find something to listen to. Albums available in Dolby Atmos will sport a badge on the detail page to make them easy to spot.

Apple says it's working with artists and levels to produce more songs in Spatial Audio.

Now all we need is the heavily rumoured, suspiciously imminent AirPods 3 to drop this week...

*Compatible headphones: AirPods, AirPods Pro, AirPods Max, BeatsX, Beats Solo3 Wireless, Beats Studio3, Powerbeats3 Wireless, Beats Flex, Powerbeats Pro, and Beats Solo Pro.

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Lithe Audio has released its new Pro Series Wi-Fi Ceiling Speakers, the first Dolby Atmos ceiling speakers to receive WiSA certification.

The feature-packed speakers have a built-in 60W RMS class D amplifier and can be powered via an existing lighting circuit, 13A plug, or over Ethernet (PoE++) courtesy of a bolt-on module. The driver unit contains a 6.5-inch woven cone woofer and a 0.75-inch titanium cone tweeter with a frequency response of 55Hz - 20kHz.

Each speaker has an optical input, ethernet in and out (allowing for daisy-chaining) and wi-fi capability at both 5GHz and 2.4GHz, and there's an extensive set of wireless connectivity and control options, including AirPlay2, Google Chromecast, Alexa, Bluetooth, and Spotify Connect, as well as Tidal, Deezer and Amazon Music courtesy of Airable.   

British-based Lithe specialises in hidden installs for homes and gardens, with the WiSA certified Pro Series launch aimed at creating easy integration with home cinema systems.

So what is WiSA? WiSA stands for the Wireless Speaker and Audio Association and is a trade body launched in 2019 with over 80 members from audio, consumer electronics and manufacturing, including Bang & Olufsen, Denon, Harman, LG, Onkyo, Pioneer, and Xbox. 

Its mission is to “collectively define worldwide standards for wireless, high-definition, multi-channel audio” through both hardware and software standards delivering high-res digital audio wirelessly from a source device to a maximum of eight channels. 

Products that gain WiSA certification must conform to the body’s protocols for latency, synchronisation and compatibility, which means that audio is transmitted and received at 24-bit/48kHz or 24-bit/96kHz sample rates with 5.2ms or 2.6ms of latency respectively, and also allows WiSA systems to support 3D audio formats such as Dolby Atmos and DTS:X.

All WiSA products are interoperable regardless of manufacturer. Systems automatically recognise the type and number of compatible speakers being used in a multi-channel setup and its claimed that components synchronise to within 1/1,000,000 of a second.

Lithe’s Pro series also has a dedicated app for customising configuration, EQ and delay as well as delivering firmware updates and drivers for compatibility with automation platforms including Control4, Fibaro and Loxone.

The Pro Series Wi-Fi Ceiling Speakers are available from April 2021, priced from £600 for a standard pair and £770 for a pair with the PoE++ bolt-on. 

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Looking for an extremely capable and beautiful streaming wireless speaker? Naim Audio has just introduced a premium Wood Edition of its Mu-so 2nd Generation, which we awarded five stars across the board, praising its "all-inclusive feature list", "rich, rhythmic, insightful sound" and "agreeable app".

The Naim Mu-so Wood Edition is dressed in sustainable ayous hardwood, treated and lacquered to give the appearance of a light oak finish. That trademark Mu-so heatsink also has a new anodised aluminium tint, and the speaker is finished in a neutral-tone woven front grille – an ideal match for lighter-look interiors. 

Mu-so Wood Edition offers the same functionality as its grey-finished original. There's streaming from all major music services – you can enjoy direct streaming with Spotify Connect, Tidal and Qobuz baked in, while Chromecast Built-in gives access to Deezer, Google Play Music and Google Assistant voice control –  as well as UPnP streaming of hi-res music up to PCM 32-bit/384kHz. AirPlay 2 support adds Apple Music streaming and Apple Home integration, including Siri voice control potential. Oh, and it also works as a Bluetooth speaker.

Naim's Mu-so Wood Edition can upgrade your TV's sound, too – simply connect via HDMI ARC to your TV or AV receiver to pass-through high-quality Blu-ray formats, such as Dolby TrueHD, and also use a single remote to control all connected components. Whether you sit it under your TV or anywhere else in your home, room compensation promises to optimise the audio to suit.

Mu-so’s multi-room capability also lets you stream the same song in "beat-perfect sync" or play different music in different rooms. Group with other Naim players and systems at the touch of a button, any AirPlay 2-compatible wireless speaker or with Chromecast built-in devices.

And the price? Well, it'll set you back a few hundred more than the standard finish. The Mu-so Wood Edition (Light Oak) is available now, at a suggested retail price of £1599 (€1799, $2290, AU$3250).

Fine with the colour of the regular edition? See our best Naim Mu-so 2 deals 2021.

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Read all our Naim reviews

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Looking to get into multi-room music? See best multi-room speakers 2021: one wireless system, music everywhere

German luxury hi-fi manufacturer T+A Elektroakustik is launching three new products within its Caruso family. The new Caruso R is the first of its type, in that it is a fully functional amplified music-player – but not an all-in-one music system. 

T+A (whose name actually stands for 'Theory + Application') explains that the Caruso R closely resembles the Caruso all-in-one audio system and mirrors its functionality but, for the first time in the Caruso range, does not include internal speakers. 

Thus, to match the new Caruso R visually and sonically, the Herford firm is introducing two new speaker packages – the S10 floorstander and R10 standmount stereo speakers, to complete the system. 

The centre of the Caruso R is dominated by a high-resolution 7in screen, which, says T+A, is the key element in operating the whole system. The Caruso R can also be controlled using the Caruso Navigator App for Android and iOS, as well as from the remote control, supplied as standard.

The designers have replaced the all-in-one system's distinctive loudspeaker grilles with black-lacquered aluminium cheek panels, and the contrasting silver cover finishes the "elegantly compact, extended silhouette".

In technical terms, the new Caruso promises to satisfy virtually every requirement in terms of music. Analogue and digital inputs are present, as are FM and DAB tuners as well as Bluetooth and Airplay 2. Like its predecessors, the Caruso R aims to deliver all current sources in a single unit. Music from your home network – or via Tidal, Deezer and Qobuz – is on the menu, as is CD playback.

You'll also find support for Amazon Music HD and Spotify Connect music streaming services and, if desired, you can set up the Caruso as the control centre of your Amazon Alexa smart home. As you'd expect, the Alexa functions and microphones can be switched off at any time to protect privacy.

The Caruso S10 and R10 loudspeakers are designed specifically to complement the Caruso R, and of course, they offer buyers the option of either bookshelf or floorstanding solutions.

As of March 29th 2021, the new T+A Caruso R will be available from specialist dealers at an RRP of £3000 (€2700, $3800) while the S10 and R10 are priced at £3300 (€2250, $3,300) and £1300 (€1150, $1600) respectively. Australian availability and pricing are yet to be announced.

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Read all our T+A reviews

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What’s the first thing you think of when someone says the word ‘multi-room’?

For most, we imagine it's a dedicated set-up from a single manufacturer such as Sonos or Bluesound, with its connected ecosystem of speakers, soundbars, soundbases and hi-fi components. Or perhaps you'd think of AirPlay 2, a gateway for an iOS source (Apple device) to stream music to multiple compatible products.

If you want to mix and match from multiple manufacturers, cherry-picking devices in order to get the best performance and fit for each room, DTS Play-Fi could be an option worth looking into. The app-controlled, wireless, multi-room platform has been licensed to several hi-fi brands and consequently sits at the functionality core of excellent streaming products such as the What Hi-Fi? Award winning Audiolab 6000N Play (pictured below) and five-star Arcam rPlay music streamers.

It claims to provide “premium wireless audio for every room of your house”, and works across a wide array of products. So, let’s take a look at what it does, how it does it and what products utilise it...

• Multi-room audio: everything you need to know

What is DTS Play-Fi?

DTS Play-Fi is, at the most fundamental level, a platform and app that lets you connect and control various hi-fi devices together in order to stream audio from one to another. This can be within one room for a multi-channel set-up, or across multiple rooms in your home. Multi-room aside, it can just be used to facilitate network streaming in one standalone product.

The range of compatible devices includes portable wireless speakers, stereo systems, A/V tuners, preamps, amplifiers, music streamers and media servers – all of which can be managed on your smartphone, tablet, PC or TV via the dedicated app. DTS Play-Fi launched in 2012 and originally its app was only available only on Android. But now its dedicated control app is available on iOS, Kindle Fire (the operating system on Amazon’s Fire tablets) and Windows PCs too, as well as on TVs.

On Windows, however, there are two varieties of Play-Fi app: a free version and a “Play-Fi HD” version. The latter costs $14.95 (approximately £10), which buys you a code for from the DTS online store and ultimately gives you greater control over your audio as well as higher quality. 

• Best multi-room systems 2021
• Best multi-room speakers 2021

How does it work?

Download the app and you should quickly see a list of available devices. Tap to select it, then choose audio from a number of sources including Amazon Music (including Amazon Music HD), Tidal, Deezer, Spotify and Qobuz, as well as internet radio stations via iHeartRadio, SirusXM and Radio.com. Apple Music is not available on the service at the moment.

Some DTS Play-Fi-compatible products will also support AirPlay and AirPlay 2, Apple’s simple method of streaming audio and video directly from iPhones, iPads and other devices. However, this isn’t available in every DTS Play-Fi product; it's the manufacturer's decision whether to implement it or not. Similarly, that's the case with Google Chromecast and Spotify Connect.

You can configure two separate speakers into a stereo pairing – one playing the left channel audio, the other playing the right – using the app, or (if you have at least six DTS Play-Fi compatible products) create a 5.1 surround-sound system.

Those speaker groups can then be designated as ‘Zones’, which allows you to delegate music to different rooms of your house. For example, you could have a Tidal stream going to the speakers in your living room while a Deezer stream plays in the bedroom.

A new companion app, called DTS Play-Fi Headphones, also lets you stream audio from select DTS Play-Fi-connected products (soundbars, stereo amps and speakers) to a pair of headphones over wi-fi. DTS claims the wi-fi connection is better than Bluetooth headphones (which can introduce latency issues) and its AV synchronisation technology means there shouldn't be any syncing issues between picture and audio when watching TV.

To use it, you have to connect your wired headphones to your smartphone or tablet with the app on it, up to four people can be connected to one stream, and users can even listen at different volumes. The free app is available on iOS and Android.

• Best music streaming services 2021 

Does DTS Play-Fi support hi-res music?

DTS Play-Fi will play MP3, M4A, AAC, FLAC, WAV and AIFF files. They can be streamed up to a 16-bit/48kHz resolution limit without compression – anything bigger will be compressed by default.

However, this can be changed using the service’s Critical Listening mode, which lets you stream 24-bit/192kHz music across your wi-fi network. A word of warning, though: since those files are generally pretty large (many of our hi-res music files are between 30MB and 70MB per track, compared to 3.5MB for the average MP3 file) and thus require greater bandwidth to stream, DTS advises using a wired connection for more reliable performance.

• High-resolution audio: everything you need to know

Which products support DTS Play-Fi?

Among the vast array of products supporting DTS Play-Fi are soundbars, systems and speakers from – deep breath – Audiolab, Anthem, Arcam, Aerix, Definitive Technology, Integra, Klipsch, MartinLogan, McIntosh, Onkyo, Paradigm, Philips, Polk, Quad, Rotel, Phorus, Pioneer and Sonus faber.

Most recently, product announcements include the Quad Artera Solus Play streaming system, a range of Philips audio kit and TVs, and kit by Porsche Design.

You can see the full list of supported brands here.

• Best music streamers 2021
• How to add a streamer to your hi-fi system

How many products can you connect using DTS Play-Fi?

In the words of The Notorious B.I.G., the sky’s the limit. You could theoretically connect as many products as you like together, but DTS recommends a maximum of 32 Play-Fi devices per home network, lest performance start to suffer.

Up to 16 Play-Fi products can stream the same song, whether that’s from your phone, tablet, or Windows PC. You can designate a maximum of four zones, with each zone streaming audio from a different source.

Up to eight people can use the same wi-fi network to stream songs using DTS Play-Fi (provided they’re all using different devices).

• Adding a music streamer to my hi-fi system has been a revelation (and a frustration)

Does DTS Play-Fi support voice control?

In a word, yes. DTS Play-Fi supports voice control most exhaustively via Amazon’s Alexa voice assistant. This functionality is available in two ways: “integration of Alexa Voice Services” (which is for products with the Alexa voice assistant built-in) or, most commonly, “Works with Alexa” (which means you’ll be able to control Alexa-based music streams on DTS Play-Fi products via an Echo device).

Play-Fi-connected smart speakers such as the Onkyo P3, Pioneer F4 and Phorus PS10 have integrated Alexa, so you can shout commands at it just as you would Amazon's own Echo speakers.

To use Alexa with other Play-Fi products (such as those from McIntosh or Martin Logan – basically anything without microphones built in) you'll need to ask any of the above smart speakers or an Echo or Dot to play music, which it will then do across the rest of your Play-Fi products. There's a long list of Works with Alexa-supporting DTS Play-Fi products, which we can be found here. 

Speaking of Alexa, DTS Play-Fi products now support Alexa Cast, allowing users to send and control music directly from the Amazon Music app to them. See compatible products here.

How about Apple's Siri voice assistant? Music playback on Play-Fi products that support AirPlay 2 can be started via voice commands to Siri or to a HomePod. Alternatively, users can use spoken commands to add AirPlay 2 speakers into a group with a HomePod or even transfer music playback from the HomePod to other AirPlay 2 products in the home.

• Amazon Echo smart speakers: which Alexa speaker should you buy?
• Best smart speakers 2021

What are the DTS Play-Fi alternatives?

Many other companies offer their own services to connect up audio kit – controlled through bespoke apps. Sonos is the obvious standout in that respect – its multi-room speakers routinely win What Hi-Fi? Awards for ease of use and excellent support of numerous streaming services, plus exclusive features such as Sonos Trueplay.

Streaming products from the likes of Naim, Linn, Audio Pro, B&O and Bose (and many more) use their own streaming apps, while Bluesound, NAD, Dali use the shared BluOS platform, and Denon and Marantz use the shared HEOS platform.

Then there's arguably the most ubiquitous platforms: Apple AirPlay 2 and Google Chromecast, which have been integrated across a huge variety of wireless products, allowing you to mix-and-match products in your streaming household.

One thing's for sure, it's no longer difficult to make a multi-room audio system. If anything, it's just harder to choose which of the many paths to go down.