If you own wireless Bose headphones or earbuds, congratulations – you likely own one of the best Bluetooth pairs in the business. Indeed, thanks to their typically impressive sound and build quality, not to mention their class-leading noise cancellation, Bose headphones are no stranger to our best wireless earbuds and best noise-cancelling headphones buying guides. But as with all modern wireless headphones, connecting them to various devices of various brands isn't always as straightforward as you might think.

That’s precisely why we’ve put together this guide on how to connect Bose headphones to your Mac, Windows laptop or smartphone via the wireless wonders of Bluetooth – to ensure that you can get them up and running without any hassle. Want to connect them to multiple devices simultaneously? Our guide covers that too. 

Before we dive into the specifics, it is worth noting that you have two options when it comes to wirelessly connecting your Bose headphones:

1. Connect directly via your device's Bluetooth settings, without the Bose app
2. Connect using the Bose app (available for iOS and Android devices)

While both methods will get you up and running quickly and easily, we recommend using the Bose app if you are connecting to a phone or tablet and want to make the most of your Bose headphones' features. Simply download the Bose app (formerly the Bose Music app) from the Google Play Store (Android) or App Store (iOS/iPadOS). These apps are not available for Macs or Windows computers.

The app offers additional settings, like EQ adjustments and noise cancellation controls, that vary depending on your specific model.

So, what's next?

Put your Bose headphones in pairing mode

Regardless of which device you are connecting to, the first step is always to put your Bose headphones in pairing mode. Here's how:

1. Power on your headphones or earbuds.
2. Press and hold their Power/Bluetooth button until you hear "Ready to pair" (or similar) come through the headphones, or see the Bluetooth indicator blinking blue.

Note: for certain earbud models like Bose’s Ultra Open Earbuds (pictured above), you must instead press the button on the charging case to enter pairing mode. The case's flashing blue LEDs will let you know you’ve been successful.

Now that you're paired, let's dive into the different device connection methods...

How to connect Bose headphones to a Mac

Connecting your Bose headphones to your Mac is a straightforward affair, and one that doesn't require the installation of any apps or software. Remember to put your Bose headphones or earbuds in pairing mode (as explained in the previous section), and you're good to go:

1. Go to System Settings on your Mac.
2. Select the Bluetooth option and ensure it's turned on.
3. Once in pairing mode, your Bose headphones should appear on the screen.
4. Click the 'Connect' button to pair them with your Mac.

How to connect Bose headphones to a Windows PC

As with a Mac, pairing your Bose headphones with your Windows laptop or desktop PC is straightforward. As before, make sure your Bose headphones or earbuds are in Bluetooth pairing mode and then:

1. Access Settings on your Windows PC.
2. Go to Bluetooth & devices.
3. Turn on Bluetooth.
4. Click 'Add device'.
5. Select Bluetooth on the pop-up screen.
6. Click on your Bose headphones from the list of available Bluetooth devices.
7. Follow the on-screen instructions until you hear the "Connected" voice prompt.

How to connect Bose headphones to an Android device

If you want to connect your Bose headphones to your Android smartphone or tablet without using the Bose app, you can:

1. Go to Settings and select Connections.
2. Tap on Bluetooth.
3. Turn on your Bose headphones and put them in pairing mode.
4. Select your Bose headphones from the list of available devices.
5. Listen for a connectivity chime to confirm successful pairing.

If you want to unlock the full potential and features of your Bose headphones, however, it is certainly worth connecting using the dedicated Bose app. Here's how:

1. Download and install the Bose app from the Google Play Store.
2. Open the app and select 'Connect a Product' then 'Headphones & Frames'.
3. The app will search for nearby Bose devices. When your headphones appear, tap on them to begin the connection process.
4. You may be prompted to confirm the pairing on your Android device. If so, tap 'Pair' when the Bluetooth pairing request appears.

Lastly, if you're rocking an Android 6.0 device or higher (and chances are, you definitely are), then you can take advantage of Google Fast Pair for an even easier connection experience...

1. Press and hold the Power button or Bluetooth button on your Bose headphones
2. As long as your headphones are relatively nearby (i.e. in the same room), your Android phone will handily pop up a notification window saying that it's found some ready-to-connect headphones nearby.
3. Tap the notification to connect it, and you're good to go.

How to connect Bose headphones to an iPhone or iPad

As with Android devices, you can choose to connect your Bose headphones to your iPhone or iPad without installing the Bose app. Here's how:

1. Go to Settings on your iPhone or iPad.
2. Select Bluetooth and ensure it's turned on.
3. Your Bose headphones should appear under 'Other Devices'.
4. Tap on their name to start pairing.
5. Wait for a voice confirmation of a successful connection.

If, however, you want the full features of the iOS Bose app (which we would say is worthwhile), then you'll want to do the following:

1. Download and install the Bose app from the App Store.
2. Open the app and select 'Connect a Product' then 'Headphones & Frames'.
3. The app will search for nearby Bose devices. When your headphones appear, tap on them to begin the connection process.
4. You may need to confirm the pairing on your iOS device. If prompted, tap 'Pair' when the Bluetooth pairing request appears.

How to connect to multiple devices via Bluetooth Multipoint

Some Bose headphones support Bluetooth Multipoint technology, allowing you to connect them to multiple devices simultaneously. Your Bose headphones can store up to eight devices and be actively connected to two at a time – say, your phone and your laptop. This can be handy if you want to listen to music on your laptop but be able to easily accept incoming calls on your phone.

When powered on, the headphones will automatically connect to the two most recently connected devices. To switch between connected devices, simply pause audio on the first device and play from the second. Alternatively, you can switch between two devices using the Bose app.

Bose headphones and earbuds compatible with Multipoint Bluetooth are the QuietComfort Ultra Earbuds, Ultra Open Earbuds, QuietComfort Ultra Headphones, QuietComfort Headphones and the now-discontinued QuietComfort 45 Headphones.

To connect to a device in the headphone memory that isn't currently connected:

1. Open the Bose app
2. On the product home screen, tap 'Source'
3. Next to the desired device name, set the toggle switch to the right to connect that device.

By following these steps, you should be able to seamlessly connect your Bose headphones to all your devices. Whether you're switching between work and personal devices or sharing audio with a friend, Bose headphones offer flexibility and convenience alongside their renowned sound quality.

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Wireless headphones are all about convenience, but it's not very convenient having to unpair and re-pair every time you want to use a different device. But help is at hand. Bluetooth Multipoint lets you connect to two devices at once, and switch between them without having to delve into the menus.

Here's how it works, what it can do for you and which devices support it.

What is Bluetooth Multipoint?

Bluetooth Multipoint allows a pair of wireless headphones to establish and maintain a Bluetooth connection to multiple devices at once.

You can't play audio from these devices at the same time – why would you want to? – but it does allow you switch between them seamlessly with no delays. So if you're listening to music on your smartphone and a Zoom call comes in on your laptop, you can take the call as if it was coming from the same device. Handy.

Depending on the headphones and source device, you may be able to hear notifications from one device while listening to another. Some models will automatically hang up one call when one on another device comes in, while others will put the first call on hold. Again, it depends on which headphones and source devices you're using.

What do you need for Bluetooth Multipoint?

Multipoint launched with Bluetooth 4.0 over a decade ago, so it's not a new technology. However, at first it was meant for professionals, which explains why it's still not all that common.

In order to support Bluetooth Multipoint, a device must be equipped for both A2DP and HFP/HSP connections for audio streaming and talking, respectively. But that's not all. Some devices support just a phone and computer connection, while others support two simultaneous phone connections. It depends on which Bluetooth profiles the devices support, so make sure you check before you buy.

Your headphones will also need Multipoint support. We've listed some of the best pairs below.

To use Bluetooth Multipoint, Android devices must run Android 8 or later with Google Play Services. Apple uses its own system instead of Multipoint – we've explained it below.

How to use Bluetooth Multipoint

Exactly how you activate Bluetooth Multipoint will vary from device to device, but it should be pretty straightforward.

On a pair of Sony headphones, for example, you'll need to pair them with a computer and phone, then go to the Systems tab in the Sony Headphones Connect app and enable the option to 'Connect to 2 devices simultaneously'. Then in the Status tab, tap the name of the currently connected device, and from the list of currently available devices, tap the other one you would like to connect to. Both should now appear under 'Device Currently Being Connected'.

Whereas with Bose headphones, you tap the name of your headphones within the Bose Music app, then tap Source. Now previously linked devices should sync automatically (if they don't, toggle them on manually). To add a new device, just tap 'Add new'.

Mostly, Multipoint only works with two devices at a time. If you add a third device, the last device to play music will stay connected over Bluetooth, while the other will disconnect with the third device taking its place. Some devices can connect to three devices simultaneously, but this is quite rare.

Which devices support Bluetooth Multipoint?

For a technology that's been available for over a decade, Bluetooth Multipoint isn't as common as it should be. That said, it does feature in some of the best headphones of recent years from some of the biggest brands (and some surprisingly affordable models). Here are some of the most notable models that support it.

• Sony: WH-1000XM5, WH-1000XM4, WF-1000XM5, WF-1000XM4, WF-C700N, WH-CH520, WH-CH720N, LinkBuds, LinkBuds S. But not the WF-C500
• Bose: QuietComfort 45, QuietComfort Ultra Headphones, Noise Cancelling Headphones 700. But not the QuietComfort Ultra Earbuds or Ultra Open Earbuds (though it is apparently coming to the latter at some point via a firmware update)
• Sennheiser: HD 450BT, HD 350BT, Momentum 4 Wireless, Momentum 3 Wireless, Momentum True Wireless 4, Momentum True Wireless 3, PXC 550 II
• Jabra: Elite 7 Pro, Elite 7 Active

Apple AirPods and Google Pixel Buds work a little differently. While they do allow you to switch between multiple devices, they both use their own proprietary ways of doing so, and require you to be signed into the same Apple ID / Google account on each device.

Apple calls this audio switching, while Google calls it automatic audio switching via Fast Pair. It essentially does the same thing as Bluetooth Multipoint, but requires you to only use devices made by Apple or Google.

Samsung falls somewhere between the two camps – its system is not quite as functional as proper Bluetooth Multipoint, but less restrictive than Apple and Google's approach. Certain models of Samsung Galaxy Buds can sync to multiple Samsung devices simultaneously and allow you to switch seamlessly between them. But unlike Apple and Google, they also let you connect to multiple non-own brand devices – you do so through the Samsung Wearable app, though this doesn't allow automatic switching (you have to start and stop music yourself manually on each device).

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At the beginning of February, we reported that all Samsung TVs would soon be losing access to the Google Assistant voice control feature; little did we know that was just the beginning of the exodus of Google apps from Samsung TVs.

Google Meet, the video conferencing app known as Google Duo until 2022, will also be removed from Samsung TVs. Originally introduced onto the Samsung Smart TV platform Tizen in October 2022, the video calling software will join the Google Assistant feature and Google Play Movies app in being removed from all Samsung display products. 

This includes Samsung smart monitors; while we personally don't care about these as much as Samsung TVs, we can see this being frustrating for consumers who rely on this feature for productivity tasks.

Samsung has set a March 9th deadline for Google Meet's demise on Samsung TVs, while the support page for the app has already been taken down. However, it will continue to sell the Slim Fit Cam accessory that was used to fulfil the video calling aspect of the application, as it has integration with Samsung Health. 

There are various speculations as to why Google is withdrawing support for some of its services on Samsung TVs. SamMobile (via FlatPanelsHD) speculates that it has to do with Google refocusing its efforts on Android TV and Google TV instead, although no word has been given on whether brands from other TVs that use their own operating system will lose these features yet.

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Check out our picks for the best Samsung TVs

As well as our list of the best TVs overall

And the best TV deals

With the loss of iTunes Movies and TV fresh in our minds, we've been hit with a double whammy, as Google is also putting its online movies and TV store out to pasture. Within the next few weeks, we can expect to see the Google Play Movies app give way to other Google services, as the website and Google TV app will cease to function in January of 2024.

It seems like in an age of streaming, many companies are looking to streamline their digital content purchasing services into other streaming and online video services, making for more centralised digital video hubs.

So what will take the place of Play Movies? Google is relying on YouTube, which already acts as a video library for purchased content alongside Play Movies. However, it will soon become the primary method of consuming your rented and purchased content on set-top boxes powered by Android TV, mobile devices and on web browsers. Locating your content within the app should be simple; all you'll need to do is navigate to the "your library" tab on the navigation sidebar. 

As for TVs and media streamers powered by Android TV, you'll need to navigate to the shop tab on the home screen to access your purchased and rented movies and TV shows. 

As for purchasing content, this should be fairly simple too, as you'll be able to locate movies and TV shows using the search bar, and either buy or rent the content directly through YouTube. The Android TV shop will continue to function as normal for TVs and streamers, meaning purchasing content should remain as normal. 

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While the PS5 and Xbox Series X each come bundled with a quality HDMI cable, you may find that you need a longer one.

The problem is that you can't go out and buy just any old HDMI cable because most won't deliver the high-end features of your next-gen console, most notably 4K/120Hz gaming.

That's why it's well worth seeking out a proper 'Ultra High Speed' certified HDMI 2.1 cable. This certification confirms that the cable has a data transfer rate of 48Gbps, which is what you need for those fancy features.

Having trawled through pages of HDMI cables in the Black Friday sales, I've found what I believe to be the cheapest certified 5-metre HDMI 2.1 cable available anywhere. It's by a brand called Ubluker and it's just £15.99 at Amazon.

To take full advantage of any HDMI 2.1 sockets, you will need HDMI 2.1 cables. The good news is that the two most common HDMI 2.1 sources, the PS5 and Xbox Series X, come bundled with HDMI 2.1 cables, so you should be good to go if you buy one of those.

If you need a longer cable, you'll want to make sure it's fully HDMI 2.1 compliant. Being confident of that is now fairly easy, as the HDMI Forum (the organisation responsible for the HDMI spec) runs a certification program for HDMI 2.1 cables.

So-called Ultra High Speed HDMI Cables feature a QR code that can be scanned so that certification can be confirmed. There are plenty of cables out there that claim to support the HDMI 2.1 bandwidth of 48gbps, and many of them do, but it's worth getting a certified cable to be sure.

If you buy the Maxonar above, there should be a a silver badge with a hologram and QR code on the packaging. Simply download the HDMI Certification app from the Apple App Store or HDMI Cable Certification app from the Android Play Store, scan the badge and, after a few seconds, you should get a big tick to let you know that the cable you've bought is certified for 48Gbps transmission.

If you don't get that big tick, get that cable sent back pronto. It's not worth messing around with cables that aren't certified. Even if they seem to work fine at first, you might find that you get signal dropouts further down the line.

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No surprises here, practically all of Amazon's first-party 'Fire' branded hardware is featured front and centre in the Prime Day sales. That includes all three 4K capable streamers that Amazon currently sells, the Fire TV Stick 4K, the Fire TV Stick 4K Max and the Fire TV Cube.

So which one should you actually buy? If you're set on a Fire streamer, then the standard Stick 4K is probably the best value for money here. At just £35 in the Prime Day sales, it's a pretty accessible way to get into 4K streaming. The Max is just a small step up at £38 and for that minuscule price increase, we'd say it's probably worth the upgrade if it means you're Amazon streamer will last longer - thanks to that upgraded processor. 

The Fire TV Cube is a bit of a dud however, as even though it's a pretty tempting offer at £109, you still have to be pretty serious about Amazon streaming in order to justify it - especially considering it outclassed in the picture and sound categories by the Apple TV 4K which isn't a shed load more expensive at £149.

Realistically, the two 4K Fire TV Sticks are your best bet, but only if you're not compromising on the Amazon aspect, as there is a much better streaming deal to be had as part of Amazon Prime Day - and ironically it's the Fire TV Stick's main competitor.

That's right folks, Google's Award-winning Fire TV Stick competitor, the Chromecast with Google TV (4K) is just £2 more than the Fire TV Stick 4K Max. If you've read our head-to-head comparison between the two streamers, then you'll know the picture and sound of the Chromecast is leagues ahead of the Fire TV Stick, so that £2 increase is more than worth it. 

With a much more considerate design that doesn't block nearby HDMI ports, the Chromecast is a sleeker puck with a trimmed-down remote to match. Available in either Snow or Sky (white or blue) the 4K Chromecast gets the smarts of the Google Assistant and wide compatibility of the Play Store, making it a supreme streamer.

Moving onto picture and sound, the Chromecast delivers a much more natural and authentic approach to both that the Fire Stick can't quite match. Visually, it's a touch cleaner, more engaging and the colours look more natural, while its sonic presentation is more textured and timing is much better too. 

The Chromecast is also stacked when it comes to features, with HDR support in the HDR10, HDR10+ and Dolby Vision HDR formats, as well as the newly implemented content frame matching system which Netflix has just adopted, in order to create smoother motion. You can also wireless stream to the Chromecast via Bluetooth or pairing a phone or tablet - unsurprisingly, Google's own Pixel devices and Android phones work best.

Overall, the Chromecast is the best TV streamer to go for in my mind, especially with £20 knocked off the asking price. 

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Google I/O takes place later today, and while all eyes are on what features will appear on the next version of Android and the company's plans for its AI bot Bard, the biggest thing I would like to see is it finally address one of its biggest disappointments – YouTube Music.

If I’m honest, Google has never been that great when it comes to music in my mind. Take a look at its track record. Google Play Music had some cool features, like the ability to rip tracks from your CDs and store your own library on its cloud, but it never had the same allure as Tidal and Apple Music, which had better libraries and discovery features.

And despite hitting 80 million paid subscribers last year, its latest platform, YouTube Music, is still in pretty dire shape and has yet to offer any real reason for me to jump ship from Tidal and Apple Music.

First, there’s the quality issue. Look at our YouTube Music review and you’ll see that while it has some cool stuff, especially around video and live sessions, it simply doesn’t sound as good as competing services. At launch, this wasn’t a surprise as YouTube Music launched with 128kbps streams. And despite doubling the bit-rate to 256kbps and supporting AAC, it still doesn’t sound as good as the competition, with audio lacking the detail you get on Apple Music and Tidal.

What I’d like Google to do to fix this at I/O 2023 is announce a higher-tier package that offers streaming from a less lossy codec – an equivalent of ALAC on Apple Music or MQA/FLAC on Tidal, the two services that, based on the hours upon hours of time we spend reviewing audio kit in our listening rooms, offer the best results when streaming. It’s one of the biggest reasons we flag Apple Music and Tidal as two of the best music streaming services.

The second big issue is around the fact that Google hasn't really leaned into the platform’s biggest strength – video. Tidal and competing services have video features, sure, but YouTube is one of the biggest platforms for it in the world. After all, it houses and maintains its own economy for videographers at the moment. YouTube Music should really have the same influence on bands and songwriters, and to do that it needs to offer the best experience possible.

To do that, I think it needs Dolby Atmos support. Until it offers this it can’t really beat Apple Music, which features its own Atmos-powered Spatial Audio tracks, and Tidal, which accommodates Dolby Atmos Music.

Think about how cool it would be to be able to watch a music video on YouTube Music and get proper immersive 3D audio through your Dolby Atmos soundbar, speaker or system – the roar of the crowd behind you as the band takes the stage and the immersive thump of the bass drum as they start their set. Having experienced this sort of multi-dimensional soundstage through various pieces of equipment, I can personally confirm that, when done right, the only thing better than hearing Atmos-fied live recordings is being physically at the gig.

Google’s also in a great position to leverage a lead here given the work it’s been quietly doing growing YouTube Music’s live recording library. The move just makes sense.

If Google did these two key things, YouTube Music would be a much more compelling offer and one that could easily grow given how integrated it is into its Android software. And that for me is why I’d like to see Google make these key steps at I/O.

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The beauty of portable music players is their simplicity. Load them up with music, pair them with decent audiophile headphones, and away you go – into the revered sonic realms of portable hi-fi that are often only reached by speaker-fronted systems costing significantly more.

With the FiiO M11S, there is, however, an additional accessory and slight cost you need to factor into its £489 / $499 / AU$819 price tag – a microSD card. While many owners of music players might end up purchasing a storage card to boost internal storage capacity, it’s almost a requirement of buying the M11S, which has a mere 32GB built in – half as many gigabytes offered by the pricier but most entry-level player in Astell & Kern’s catalogue, the SR25 MkII. As that would accommodate roughly 1,000 CD-quality songs, those who have modest libraries, who perhaps also rely on a streaming service, may believe they could get by on that. But when you fire up the player and get stuck into the menus, you soon realise that half of that internal storage is already eaten up by various functions of the player’s Android 10 operating system. And if you want to download any apps such as Tidal (100MB) or Apple Music (45MB) from the Google Play Store, that will leave even less room for your music files. So do budget a little extra for that microSD card, whether it’s a 128GB or 2TB (the maximum supported) one you need.

Features

Because then you really will have everything required to nurture a serious-sounding digital music library and player. FiiO players we have tested in the past often major on features, and built-in storage aside the M11S is no different. It has all the mod cons of a music player in 2023 – file support that extends to 32-bit/384kHz, DSD256 and MQA; access to music streaming services (plus every other app available on Android); and even a choice of 3.5mm, balanced 2.5mm and balanced 4.4mm headphone outputs. But it also goes the extra mile to become a bigger part of your music-listening life if you so wish, thanks to its extracurricular duty as a USB DAC for your computer/laptop, not to mention its ability to stream music to wireless headphones and speakers via Bluetooth (LDAC, aptX HD, LHDC) or AirPlay.

Considering the reliability of Android and the fact the M11S is powered by Qualcomm's Snapdragon 660 chip (the same used in FiiO's flagship M17), we weren’t surprised that every task we asked of the player was performed with haste and without issue.

What you use and how you use it will determine how much action the FiiO can deliver from a single charge, though the claimed figure is 14 hours for single-ended use. During our testing, we found that it ran for around 11 hours continuously playing 16-bit to 24-bit files at a middling volume – not bad for real-world use, though bettered by the aforementioned Astell & Kern player. So long as you don’t want a player to loudly blast music into your ears for the entire length of a long transatlantic flight, the M11S’s battery life should be satisfactory for most use cases, whether that’s at the heart of your home desktop or hi-fi system or accompanying you on your daily commute.

Build

You’re certainly getting a lot of player for your money here, with the player measuring  12.5 x 7.4 x 1.9cm (hwd). To put that into perspective, it’s just shorter than a Samsung Galaxy phone but wider and almost three times the depth. Indeed that makes it more coat pocket than jeans pocket-sized, though more desktop-suitable than both. The headphone output's position at the bottom of the player emphasises this too.

It’s suitably heavy for such dimensions, presenting a reassuring sense of build quality, though the fact that the chassis corners are pointed and much of the player’s front is a 5-inch touchscreen display (albeit with a factory-fitted tempered glass protector) wouldn’t leave us in any doubt as to whether or not to use the supplied clear case. It’s not pretty exactly, but neither is scratched aluminium.

The FiiO saves itself from being a boring rectangular chassis by being almost a boring rectangular chassis, save for its left-hand side angled protrusion, on the outer edge of which you’ll find power and multi-purpose buttons as well as a nicely sized, slightly textured volume pad. Our eyes lit up at the sight of the latter, presuming it would be a slider control to allow for one-finger volume adjustment when the player is sat on a surface. Disappointingly it isn’t, but like the rest of the controls (pause/play and skip tracks on the player’s right-hand edge) it is reliably responsive and ergonomic while in the hand.

FiiO has been in the game long enough to know how to produce an intuitive music player both from hardware and software perspectives. The FiiO Music app gives a positive first impression – open it up and it prompts you to scan local files on the device (which are easy to copy across from a computer using a free third-party software such as Android File Transfer) and any networked files you may have on a NAS device. And it builds on that during our testing with a logically laid out and pleasantly attractive interface that most people will get to grips with within minutes. Album artwork takes up most of the playback screen’s real estate, though we are equally pleased to see full format and size information for every track just below it.

Sound

Android device users will be comfortable with the familiar interface and dropdown shortcut menu, though we would encourage owners to set aside time to deep-dive into the menus to explore player-specific settings. We found, for example, that switching on all ‘All To DSD’ (conversion) and Pure Music Mode (which restricts operation to the FiiO Music app only) enhanced the sound quality, pulling everything into focus a little more thanks to an extra dose of clarity and precision.

Those two adjectives are two of the M11S’s strengths, existing below the player’s two most dominant characteristics – smoothness and openness – on its CV. This all makes for a very comfortable listen that invites you to sink into an armchair, relax and switch off the outside world. Its soundstage has that lovely balance of being wide-open enough for music to feel dimensional and spacious while also having the sheer clarity to pull everything into direct audible focus. Add to that a tonality on the richer side of neutral, and a particular lushness in the midrange, and we come back to its sonic comfort. It’s very likeable.

Playing The National’s I Need My Girl, the FiiO conveys the guitar melody and Matt Berninger’s baritone vocal with just the right amount of weight and body to allow the track to soothe, with the extent of the lilts in his delivery intact and evidence too of the M11S’s expression. Over to Ocean Alley’s Yellow Mellow (Tidal) and that funkadelic instrumentation has enough space to bop around in, with everything nicely balanced from top to bottom and a forward treble bite it just about gets away with.

While you are forgetting about the outside world, though, you might also forget how dynamically punchy or driven a song is, such is the FiiO’s easygoing nature. It’s not a slouch exactly, but a low priority given to timing means it struggles to underpin the rhythmic elements of a song, as its rendition of Elvis Costello’s charged Lipstick Vogue opener lays bare. For all of its impressive articulacy, it’s too laid back to be considered particularly fun – and, depending on what kind of music you tend to listen to, that could be a reason to choose an alternative. Indeed, the Astell & Kern SR25 MkII (and MKI, actually) is a better timekeeper and consequently a more musically gifted component.

Verdict

That would inevitably require upping your budget, considering the FiiO more or less occupies a barren segment of the market that can now firmly be considered ‘entry-level’. But for its asking price (plus a little more for a storage card), it’s a very fine option and, needless to say, a huge upgrade on a smartphone. Prioritising maturity over merriment, the M11S might not be the most thrilling performer. But it’s more sophisticated in other ways – sonic clarity and openness, and feature-set – than this level has demanded in the past, and for that it deserves an audience.

SCORES

• Sound 4
• Features 4
• Build 4

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Here's a surprise announcement: after nearly two years of waiting, Apple Music Classical is finally here and it has a launch date: Monday 28th March 2023. 

Ever since the company acquired the classical-only streaming service Primephonic in 2021, we've been patiently waiting for Apple's version of the classical music service to appear.

According to the App Store, the new Apple Music Classical is designed "specifically for classical music" and more crucially, it will be available to current Apple Music subscribers "at no additional cost". 

And the good news continues: the Classical music library has over five million tracks already (joining Apple Music's over 100-million strong catalogue), and will feature songs available in up to 24-bit/192kHz Hi-Res Lossless quality (the highest Apple offers) and also in spatial audio with Dolby Atmos.

The latter is particularly interesting, as the launch date (28th March) is the same day that Sonos's new Era 300 spatial audio smart speaker will be on sale, and will also officially support Apple's spatial audio tracks from that date.

Coincidence? We think not.

• Sonos confirms Apple Music spatial audio support – and not just for its Era 300
• Read our five-star Apple Music review

You'll need to download the free app separately and if pre-ordering now, it will download automatically on to our iPhone on 28th March. It will work alongside any existing Apple Music plan (excluding the Voice Plan) and we reckon getting a whole new app with millions of songs at no extra cost is a pretty good deal. 

It's not such a good deal for Android users, though, who are once again left behind when it comes to new Apple launches. Apple Music is available on Google Play Store and we expect the Classical app to be available for Android users at a later date.

Why the need for a separate app? Searching for classical music can be a minefield, with various conductors, orchestras and live variations available for any given work. Cataloguing the works isn't standardised, either, so it can be difficult to find the exact recording you want. To that end, Apple says the Classical app has a "specialised search" engine that lets you search by composer, work, conductor and catalog number - this should make finding specific works instantly.

Apple also says the app "makes it easy for beginners to get acquainted with the genre thanks to hundreds of Essentials playlists, insightful composer biographies, deep-dive guides for many key works, and intuitive browsing features." Apple also promises "accurate metadata" which any dedicated digital music fan will know is crucial for your music library (and peace of mind).

Apple's acquisition of Netherlands-based Primephonic should help with this. Primephonic was considered the world's largest specialist library of classical music (we liked it, giving four stars in our review). Before it closed, the service added hi-res streaming to its offering and boasted over 3.5 million classical tracks from 170,000 artists across almost 230,000 albums and 2400 labels.

What if you don't already subscribe to Apple Music? We imagine you'll need to subscribe to use the Classical app (individual plan: £10.99 / $10.99 / AU$12.99 per month), as it doesn't seem to be available as a separate paid app (yet). The app will work on Apple devices with iOS 15.4 and later, and you'll need compatible headphones (such as the AirPods Pro 2) and speakers (like HomePod 2 and upcoming Sonos Era 300) to fully enjoy the Hi-Res Lossless and spatial audio formats.

You can pre-order Apple Music Classical at the App Store now, available on 28th March.

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FiiO has launched its first-desktop hi-res audio player and streamer, the uniquely designed R7, promising a serious audio upgrade for everything from home office setups to wireless headphones.

FiiO R7 features and specs

As a piece of hardware, the FiiO R7 is a bit of an oddity, with it being marketed as an all-in-one device that can be used as a digital music streamer, while also functioning as a balanced headphone amplifier.

It also supports local storage of your music files, has a touch screen, supports a wealth of hi-res audio formats including MQA, and can be used either with active speakers or headphones, or both.

As an added perk it’ll also support the FiiO SP3 Active Loudspeakers, which are set to launch at an unspecified point toward the end of the year - price to be confirmed. We haven’t seen many other devices with this level of functionality, especially at this price, which makes it one of the more interesting bits of hi-fi to arrive this year.

At a hardware level, it features some decent specs, coming loaded with ESS Sabre ES9068AS DACs and a high-power THX-788+ desktop-grade amplification chipset. The dual THX amplification system supports hi-res audio playback up to 32-bit/768kHz PCM and DSD512 files.

Connectivity-wise, there are a wealth of options for physical sources and wireless options. Round back you’ll find optical and coaxial inputs, USB ports, plus 2.4GHz and 5GHz wi-fi and Bluetooth 5.0 support. There are optical, coax, line level and balanced XLR outputs, too.

The system is Roon Ready as well, and there are plenty of additional ways to play your audio files: run files from the player’s local 64GB of storage, an attached SSD, or wirelessly via DLNA or AirPlay. The 64GB won’t last long if you have a massive hi-res library, though the device does support microSD cards up to 2TB in size, so it can be quickly and easily expanded.

The use of Android 10 also means it’ll support all the standard streaming apps via the Google Play Store, including Tidal, Apple Music, Amazon Music and Spotify.

For Bluetooth streaming, the device uses Qualcomm's Snapdragon 660 chipset and supports a wide range of AAC, SBC, aptX, aptX HD, LDAC and LHDC codecs.

For headphones users, the R7 has a range of outputs: 6.3mm, 4.4 balanced, and four-pin balanced XLR connectors. The system comes with five gain levels, which FiiO claims will let it work with everything from sensitive IEMs or power-hungry over-ears, and that under a 32Ω load, the device is capable of outputting up to 3.6W – so on paper it should have enough juice to power low-and high-impedance headphones.

Fiio R7 release date and price

The FiiO R7 launched on 28 February and is available from select stores now, retailing for £649.99 / $699.99.

All this sounds impressive, but until we get the device into our listening rooms and put it through its paces we can’t attest to its performance.

However, the price and unique range of functionality put it in a niche segment of the market - to the point the team of experts at What Hi-Fi? were left scratching their heads trying to think of a direct rival to the R7.

The closest rival we could find was the Astell & Kern Acro CA1000T – a similarly hi-res and versatile desktop system with a screen (and it's also portable) – but it's much more expensive at £2299 / $2300 / AUD$3699. Those looking for a mini desktop system could also opt for the Denon D-M41DAB micro-system or the neater Elac Debut ConneX speaker system, but neither features anywhere near the same level of functionality the R7 claims to offer.

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The Now app is now available to download on Google TV and Android TV via the Play Store (thank, 9to5Google). Sky's contract-free streaming service formerly known as Now TV offers a majority of Sky's content library without the need for a long-term commitment or dedicated set-top box.

The app has been available on Samsung and LG TVs, streaming sticks, consoles and portable devices for some time now – with Google's duo of TV operating systems being the latest additions to the supported platforms list.

This new app adds support to the likes of the Chromecast with Google TV as well as many TVs that use the Android TV operating system, including most of those made by Sony, Philips and Hisense. However, Now clarifies that you will need a TV running Android TV 8.0 or later in order to download the app from the Play Store.

Downloading the app is only half of the process, however, as you'll have to select a subscription pass, with Entertainment, Cinema and Sport as the options. These offer live and streamable TV content, the Sky movie library and live sports streaming respectively, and you can mix and match to just include the content that's relevant to you. There is also a Boost pass available for ad-free streaming and a resolution increase from 720p to 1080p.

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It's not always possible to head to the cinema with friends or go round to a pal's place to enjoy some TV together. That's why Netflix Party was invented; although, the service has since rebranded to Teleparty.

If you didn't try it out during lockdown, Teleparty is a way of watching Netflix together while staying apart, all from the comfort of your respective homes.

The reason for the name change is that the service has since expanded to support YouTube, Hulu, Disney+, Max, and Prime Video, while even more services are supported if you sign up for Teleparty's premium service.

Here we'll show you what Teleparty can do, how it works, and how to use it.

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What is Teleparty?

Teleparty is an extension for the Google Chrome, Microsoft Edge, and Opera browsers – and there's a free version as well as an Android app.

Install it, then head to the web versions of Netflix, YouTube, Hulu, Disney+, Max, or Prime Video to sync your streaming with friends so that the film or TV show you've all chosen starts at the same time for all of you. 

On the app, once you've signed into your streaming service of choice, it's just a couple of taps between you and your friends watching something.

Once it begins, you can all watch the same thing together as well as chat with Teleparty's text chat feature. If you're looking for even more features, you can sign up for Teleparty's premium subscription.

This will run you $3.99/month or $47.88 annually, and you'll get support for additional streaming services, like Apple TV, Crunchyroll, Paramount+, Peacock, ESPN+, Hotstar, and Star+. But that's not all that comes with premium.

You also get voice and video chat, chat badges, nickname customization, and additional reactions you can use while chatting. Teleparty also adds new features to its premium service over time, so keep an eye out if you sign up.

What can you do with Teleparty?

Teleparty lets you all watch at the same time through your individual accounts. It also includes a way to chat with your friends while watching.

You can type to chat with your friends – comment on the film/TV show, ask them how they are, talk about the weather, send hugs, or say whatever you like. Naturally, you can send GIFs, emoji, and screengrabs, too. Voice and video options are available with the premium version of Teleparty.

There is a limit to the number of people that one Teleparty can hold, but it's a whopping 1000! Good luck organising that and do send us the pics. You can Teleparty with anyone across the globe, but do bear in mind that the same TV show or film might not be available in every country.

Also, those conscious of privacy will be pleased to know that Teleparty does not store messages or chat histories of its users.

What devices does Teleparty work on?

The Teleparty extension works on laptop and desktop computers, both Macs and PCs. There's also an Android app, which you can download from the Google Play Store. According to Teleparty, support for other devices, like iPhones and iPads, is coming soon, so stay tuned.

When it comes to video quality, Teleparty supports streaming in HD; however, Teleparty supports up to 4K streaming on the Microsoft Edge browser.

How do you use Teleparty?

It's easy. On your computer, install the free Teleparty extension from the Google Chrome Store, the Teleparty extension on the Edge Web Store, or on Opera. 

Then, open up Netflix, YouTube, Hulu, Disney+, Max, or Prime Video, and start watching a video. It can be a film, show, documentary, or anything else.

The Teleparty extension icon next to the address bar in your browser window should have changed from grey to red. Click it, then follow the instructions in the pop-up window to start a Teleparty. Then, send the link to your friends.

On Android, download the Teleparty app from the Google Play Store. Once installed, you'll need to sign into your streaming service of choice within the app. After signing in, you'll be in a party and can tap 'invite' to add friends.

You can either take total control over the video playback or leave it open to anyone in the party. It's like leaving the remote control on the table for anyone to use. You'll be assigned an icon to represent yourself, sort of like an avatar. You can change this if you like, along with your nickname.

Those invited to join will also need to install the Teleparty extension or app. 

And there you go. Happy watching!

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From May, the Google Play app will no longer be a place you can purchase, rent and watch TV shows and movies from Google; the Google TV app will be your exclusive one-stop-shop for that.

The inevitable move – confirmed in an announcement by a Google Community Manager – comes more than a year after the Google Play Movies & TV app was redesigned as simply Google TV. The service brings together movies and shows from across video streaming apps under one umbrella while offering recommendations and in-app purchases.

In a matter of weeks, however, Google TV will be the exclusive home for buying and renting movies and shows from Google on your Android device, with film and TV content no longer supported in the Play app. Google is basically streamlining its entertainment hub – much like Apple did with its iTunes and Apple TV experience. The Play app will remain a store for apps, games and books.

So what does this mean for you? If you want to continue renting and buying video entertainment from Google from May 2022, you'll simply need to make sure you've updated your Play Movies & TV app to Google TV in the Play Store if you haven't already done so, free of charge. 

Play credit and gifts cards will be compatible with purchases in the Google TV app, while Google TV app purchases will continue to be eligible for family sharing and Play Points. Your wishlist can be accessed within the Google TV app or downloaded via takeout.google.com, too.

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Roku sticks and streamers are an easy way to add missing apps and video streaming services to your TV, or add a smart platform to an otherwise non-internet-enabled television.

Roku has been in the media streamer game for longer than most and the US-based company is still in it for some very good reasons. Not only does Roku OS offer a virtually complete set of TV apps, it also happens to be one of the most straightforward and easy to use TV interfaces out there.

While you can buy the Roku system already integrated into a Roku TV, you can add the Roku OS to any set by plugging a Roku stick or streamer into an HDMI socket. It really is that simple.

Read on for our complete guide to what the Roku streaming platform offers and, if you're ready to take the plunge, where to find the best Roku stick deals.

What is Roku?

Roku is one of the most popular streaming platforms alongside Apple TV, Fire TV and Google TV.

Roku offers access to almost all the major subscription services, including, but not limited to – deep breath – Prime Video, Netflix, Apple TV, Disney+, Now, Hulu, Showtime, Sling TV, HBO Go/Now, CBS All Access and ESPN, and, in the UK, all of the terrestrial catch-up services, Sky Store, BT Sport and Britbox.

Of course you'll need to subscribe to any premium services you want to watch, as Roku – much like Amazon Fire and Apple TV – is simply a gateway to these streaming services. But the choice is impressive.

Roku does also offer apps with free content, such as YouTube (for the time being), Crackle, PBS Kids and its own The Roku Channel. You also get PAYG and rental services such as FandangoNOW, Vudu and Google Play.

Beyond those, there are thousands of more niche services and channels that are great to discover. Golf, skateboarding, board games, kung-fu films – name your interest and you'll find something on Roku dedicated to just that. If there's anything you can't find you can always cast content from your tablet or mobile over AirPlay and mirror from Android too.

Beyond the content, the other great joy of Roku OS is that it's fabulously easy to use, with one of the best universal search facilities you'll find on a smart TV platform.

We also really like the Private Listen feature. Attach a set of headphones to a device with the Roku app on it (i.e. your phone or tablet) and you have all your TV's audio come through your cans instead of your TV. It's perfect for late night viewing and just the ticket if your TV is short of a headphones socket.

The only issue to bear in mind with Roku is, hopefully, a temporary one. Google and Roku have come to blows and the former is making moves to remove the YouTube apps from Roku OS, which is something of a pain. Whether or not this will actually materialise is another thing. Just make sure that you have an alternative way of getting YouTube on your screen just in case.

Sold? OK then. So which Roku streamer or Roku TV is best for you?

Should you buy a Roku stick?

There are various Roku sticks and streamers: there's the Roku Express, Roku Express 4K, Roku Streaming Stick+ and Roku Streaming Stick 4K to name just a few. There's also the Roku Streambar, which integrates the Roku streaming platform into a (small) soundbar-like speaker.

While all of these Roku sticks offer the same app and smart platform access, what differs is the video and audio quality that each one produces. While we haven't reviewed every Roku device, we can certainly still offer a guide to the general pros and cons of each.

Should you buy the Roku Express?

The Roku Express is the most affordable of the Roku streamers and it looks like something of a bargain. You get 1080p access to almost all the apps and video streaming services you could need as well as a load of those that you probably don't.

It can pass through both Dolby Audio and DTS sound to a compatible device and it, of course, still comes with the Roku remote control and full access to the mirroring technologies of Apple and Google.

Should you buy a Roku Express?

While prices are low, and when it's cheaper than the equivalent low-end Amazon Fire TV stick, there are few reasons not to. The only considerable caveat is that there are current threats from Google to pull the YouTube app from Roku OS, which would be a bit irritating if your TV does not already have YouTube access.

Should you buy a Roku LE (US-only)

At the time of writing, the Roku LE is available for just $15 at Walmart. It looks virtually identical to the Express apart from a different finish. At that price it appears to be a bargain.

Should you buy the Roku Express 4K? (UK-only)

One step up the range and about £10 more expensive (at full price) is the Roku Express 4K which, as the name suggests, brings 4K resolution to the Roku Express experience. That means 4K HDR (in the form of HDR10, HDR10+ and HLG) support for Netflix, Disney+, Prime Video and a bunch of the Roku's other apps.

It can pass through Dolby Audio and DTS, as before, but there is also Night Mode and Volume Levelling, which will reduce the dynamics at given volumes and ensure you don't wake the neighbours while watching late night action flicks. You can also use the USB port on the Roku Express 4K for local file playback from a hard drive or USB stick.

Should you buy a Roku Express 4K?

Again, this one's going to come down to price comparison and whether or not you're bothered by the threat of the removal of YouTube. The prices to look at are between the Express 4K and the likes of the Amazon Fire Stick 4K and Chromecast with Google TV. Both of these other two devices – and the more expensive Roku sticks below – also support Dolby Vision and Dolby Atmos. You should only be buying the Express 4K if it's cheaper than those.

Should you buy a Roku Express 4K+ (US-only)

The Roku Express 4K+ is not available in the UK but US shoppers get the option to buy what actually looks like a slightly better device than the one above.

It's largely the same as above – HDR support, 4K content, USB playback – but this time it also comes with a Roku voice remote. That means you can search by speaking into the remote control. That may not sound like a big deal but the more we use media streamers, the more we've come to rely on the speedier search that voice interaction offers.

Should you buy a Roku Express 4K+?

In short, yes, but, as above, you'll need to compare the price to the Amazon Fire Stick 4K and Chromecast with Google TV first.

Should you buy a Roku Streaming Stick+?

The Roku Streaming Stick+ will allow you to watch 4K HDR material and that includes HDR10+ content but not Dolby Vision. Unlike the standard Roku Express 4K, you get a handy voice remote too but this time there's no USB port available for local file playback. The audio codec support is the same.

Should you buy the Roku Streaming Stick+?

The shape is different and there's no USB but we'd say that the addition of voice control is worth the small extra spend over the Roku Express 4K. Again, though, YouTube support is currently in the balance and do make sure that the better Amazon Fire TV 4K and Chromecast devices aren't available at the same price (or for less).

Should you buy a Roku Streaming Stick 4K?

This is the current pinnacle of Roku sticks in the UK and it looks like it could be a good one. Spec-wise, it's the best of all the other Roku streamers, with the addition of Dolby Vision HDR and Dolby Atmos passthrough of particular appeal. It also comes with a Roku voice remote.

Should you buy the Roku Streaming Stick 4K?

As much as we like the Roku platform, it's difficult recommend the Streaming Stick 4K over the Amazon Fire TV Stick 4K or Chromecast with Google TV at the moment because the prices are so similar and because you can guarantee YouTube access with the others. Of course, as we haven't yet tested it, we can't tell you how it compares to those others in terms of audio and video performance. It certainly could be the winner there, but we'd approach with a touch of caution – unless it gets a bigger discount than the others, of course.

Should you buy a Roku Streaming Stick 4K+? (US-only)

The Roku Streaming Stick 4K+ is a US-only edition of the Roku stick family. According to Roku, it's the same device as the Roku Streaming Stick 4K but with a better voice remote control.

How is it better? It's rechargeable, rather than disposable battery-operated. So, as long as you remember to charge it up every now and then, it's a greener, cleaner solution. But you won't, will you.

Should you buy a Roku Streaming Stick 4K+?

At the time of writing, the plain old Roku Streaming Stick 4K is way cheaper than this model with the rechargeable remote. If that's the case when you're looking to buy, then it seems obvious to go with the cheaper version. If prices are similar, then this would likely be the better choice.

Should you buy a Roku Ultra? (US-only)

The Roku Ultra is the top streamer for the States. It's listed in the US as the only one of the collection that can handle Dolby Atmos streams as well as providing Dolby Vision HDR support.

It comes with a voice remote, a premium HDMI cable included in the box and there's also a headphones socket onboard in case you'd like to plug in direct.

Should you buy a Roku Ultra?

If, indeed, as the marketing suggests, this is the only Atmos-enabled Roku streamer available in the States, then that's certainly a decent reason to choose it, provided you have a speaker that can put that Atmos content to use.

With the current price of the Ultra seriously reduced, the only competition here would be from Amazon or Google but there's little to separate these devices on paper.

Should you buy a Roku Streambar?

The Roku Streambar is the option for those who want a soundbar with the Roku smart platform built in. That means just one HDMI connection to your TV will give you an external speaker as well as access to all of the Roku apps and services.

The system comes with four 1.9-inch full-range drivers for sound – two forward and two side-facing. There's no Dolby Vision support nor any upward-facing drivers for Dolby Atmos sound. You can stream audio to it over Bluetooth as well as AirPlay and there's a USB for local playback as well. There is also an optical input. 

The voice remote is included with the UK but not US version.

Should you buy the Roku Streambar?

We gave the Roku Streambar a score of four stars at its full £130 so, should you find it cheaper, it would seem like very good value.

The feature set is obviously excellent and there's plenty of volume for a bigger audio performance than the one offered by the average TV. There are more cinematic-sounding bars, though.

Should you buy a Roku Streambar Pro? (US-only)

Those in the US can step the audio up a little with the Roku Streambar Pro. It's not a device we've had in for review but it certainly looks worthy of consideration.

The main bump over the standard Streambar is that this one is bigger, and that means bigger drive units with, one would expect, bigger and better sound.

The arrangement of those four drivers is similar but they're 2.5-inches across and there's some DSP (digital signal processing) inside to try to create a virtualised surround effect. There are also wireless surrounds and a subwoofer that can be added if you want to take things to the next level.

Should you buy the Roku Streambar Pro?

This is not one we've reviewed but bigger drive units and a voice remote are certainly welcome additions. The extra $30 or so seems, on paper, like money well spent.

• Shop the best Amazon Fire Stick 4K deals 2021

Roku TVs: Hisense and TCL

Of course, the other way to go with Roku is to buy a TV with the Roku platform built in. There's no stick required.

Generally speaking, these Roku TVs – made by TCL and Hisense – offer excellent value. Take a look to see if you should buy a Roku TV instead.

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Tivoli Audio has refreshed its line-up of smart speakers and DAB radios, adding some key technologies to its existing products.

The Tivoli Audio Generation 2 Music System Home and Generation 2 Model One Digital both add Google Chromecast and Apple AirPlay 2 wireless technologies. The Model One+ also adds DAB/DAB+ to the original Model One radio.

AirPlay 2 and Chromecast are very reliable wireless technologies that make it easier to play content from your mobile device through an external speaker. These new Gen 2 models can stream audio from all apps that support Airplay 2 and Google Chromecast, like Spotify, Apple Music, Google Play, Tidal and Deezer.

The Generation 2 Music System Home (pictured above) is a portable all-in-one stereo music system with mid-century styling. Eco-friendly fabric meets furniture-grade wood for that distinctive Tivoli Audio look. As well as the new wireless technologies, DAB and FM radio come as standard.

Inside is a four-driver set-up which uses 2 x 3.5-inch woofers and 2 x 0.75-inch tweeters driven by four dedicated amplifiers (2 x 8W + 2 x 20W). It's controlled using the classic rotary dial or supplied remote, and you use your phone when streaming from an app. Connections-wise, we're looking at an optical input, a 3.5mm aux socket, and ethernet port plus wi-fi.

The Model One Digital Gen 2 (the successor to the original Model One Digital) is a smart radio with DAB/FM and Bluetooth to go with Chromecast and AirPlay 2. It uses the same materials as the Music System Home, and comes in three real wood finishes.

It uses a class A-B amp to drive a single long-throw 3.5-inch full-range driver. It too has a 3.5mm aux input and the same control options as the Music System Home.

The Model One+ has a similar design to the Model One, with a signature handmade ported wood cabinet and a single large tuning dial. Inside is a single top-firing, long-throw, DSP-controlled driver, and it comes with a full-function remote.

As well as DAB, DAB+ and FM radio, it has Bluetooth, an auxiliary line input, and headphone output.

Prices? The Music System Home Gen 2 costs £799, the Model One Digital Gen 2 is £299, while the Model One+ will set you back £219.

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Think portable projector and it’s likely that the stubby, cylindrical form of the Anker Nebula Capsule II will spring to mind. Famous for its ‘go camping and project it on the side of your tent’ marketing, it’s the first port of call for the would-be travel projector buyer.

This device is one of three Nebula Capsule projectors made by Anker Innovations, and its 720p resolution, 200 ANSI-lumens light output and Android TV 9.0 smart platform make it the top-spec model of that trio.

Those little extras cost money, though, to the point that the price of the Nebula Capsule II comes close to that of some of Anker's higher-end Go Anywhere models.

Pricing

The Anker Nebula Capsule II costs £550 ($530). If you’re happy to drop down to a mobile OS in the shape of Android 8.1, then the Nebula Capsule Max offers some savings at £480 ($420) while keeping many of the same key specifications

The baby of the bunch is the original Nebula Capsule, which costs £340 ($280) but is only rated at 100 ANSI-lumens. It also comes with a maximum output resolution of 854 x 480 and a less powerful 5W sound system compared to the 8W of the other two.

Build

The build of the Nebula Capsule II might be its best facet. It’s not just the compact size of the device, it’s the solidity, sturdiness and shape that make it so portable. It will fit in any bag and even a coat pocket or a desk drawer. There’s no water or shock-proof certification, but it’s well made enough to survive a few bumps, bruises and brushes with spilled drinks.

The only added protection we’d like to see is a sliding lens cap, but so long as you avoid putting the Nebula in the same compartment as keys and coins, you should have little to worry about.

Inside is a one-chip DLP projection solution, backed by that 200 ANSI-lumen LED light and a single driver 8W sound system for the audio. There are four sockets of note on the rear: an HDMI 1.4 input, a USB type A for flash drives, a USB-C for charging and a 3.5mm headphone-out. There are some control buttons on the top and one for power on the rear, but the small voice-operated remote control will be your main interface.

Features

Video and music streaming services are a good option for the Anker Nebula Capsule II, with its Android TV 9.0 OS offering access to over 5000 apps on the Google Play store.

As long as you’re in range of a wireless network, the likes of Twitch, Hulu, Plex, YouTube, Tidal, Spotify, BT Sport and Amazon Prime Video are all on the menu. Chromecast will stream most other apps, including All 4, BBC iPlayer, Rakuten and Now, but it’s not possible to cast either Netflix or Apple TV.

The Nebula Manager Android app brings a mobile version of Netflix along with a web browser and an app for mirroring content from iOS devices. As with other Nebula projectors, though, it’s not the best Netflix experience. Navigation can only be done through the Nebula Controller app, which can be quite frustrating. Most of the content is not even at Full HD levels either, but that’s less of an issue for the Capsule II given it can only output at up to 720p.

In some respects, sideloading local files onto the Capsule’s 8GB internal space or playing media from a flash drive are the better options, although that does rely on a decent and up-to-date source of downloadable content.

There’s a battery onboard for that true portable projector experience, which lasts 2.5 hours at low brightness – just don’t expect much more than half that at full brightness.

Setting up the Capsule II is easy. It boasts a one-second autofocus feature, which, though it takes more than one second, is easy to manually adjust if needed. There’s no auto-keystone feature and no horizontal movement of the picture at all. You can still adjust the vertical plane, but it’s not the best system. Fortunately, the device is so small and easy to prop up that setting it up to project straight on in the first place is rarely much of a problem.

As with most portable projectors, it’s a fixed lens device, so no zooming in and out. It has a 1.3:1 throw ratio and can create a picture between 20-100 inches. Anker recommends a projection distance of between 40-80 inches for best results and that means an on-screen image of 36-71 inches. While there’s definitely a little more sharpness and detail to be had in Anker’s sweet spot, a 100-inch picture still looks good, particularly given that, at only 720p, this is far from a hi-res experience.

You won’t get a picture from a 4K input and there is no HDR for the Nebula Capsule II either, but even though 720p is its maximum output resolution, it can still handle a Full HD signal.

While all of this sounds reasonable, it’s worth noting that the Anker Nebula Capsule II costs pretty much the same as both the Nebula Solar Portable and the Nebula Mars II Pro portable projectors. These two other machines have similar features but offer far more in the way of luminance (400 and 500 ANSI-lumens respectively). On top of that, the Mars II’s sound system is even beefier (2x 10W) and the resolution on the Solar goes up to Full HD with HDR and support for 4K inputs.

Of course, both of these more midrange portables are bigger, but they will still easily fit in a backpack. Ultimately, it's a choice between extra portability and extra performance.

Picture

There’s a pleasing enough tonal balance to the early scenes of The Martian on Blu-ray when downscaled to the Nebula Capsule II's 720p output. Black depth is reasonable, and there’s enough skill with dark details in the shadows made by the harsh sunlight on the red planet's surface. There’s an evenness to the handling of mixed lighting with differences in the reds and oranges and some granular texture to the sand and rocks.

Colours work well too. It’s easy to impress with these off-world hues, but more prosaic staples such as grass and trees in the scene at the cemetery look correct too. This is something of a relief given that the only image setting available is Colour Temperature. Choose ‘Cool’ for the best performance possible out of this device.

Some kind of motion processing option might be useful, given that movement is not handled well by the native capabilities of the Capsule II – it’s significantly worse than the Mars and Solar devices on this front. Even slow pans are quite juddery with a Full HD source and Watney’s panicked movements don’t look quite right.

Things look smoother at standard definition as we watch Minority Report on DVD, even as Tom Cruise waves his arms about at the famous gesture UI. The details on the actor’s face are quite impressive too – his stubble is clear and there are no distracting artefacts.

Contrast control takes a bit of a dive, as dark and light areas become oversimplified. The sky is a uniform white as Cruise and the Pre-Crime unit make their raid at the start of the film, and any detail in the backstreet scene where the protagonist buys his drugs is lost to a single-tone shadow.

Turning the lights up shows how little luminance there is to play with here. Expect to lose plenty of the action whenever there’s ambient lighting. That’s not a big problem if you’re looking at taking the Capsule II out camping in the countryside, but unless your garden is extremely dark, you might struggle with outdoor cinema use.

Sound

As with most portable projectors, the Anker Nebula Capsule II has a side hustle as a Bluetooth speaker and it will just about out-perform a mobile phone.

It scores best for dynamics. The opening section of Biffy Clyro’s Many Of Horror is particularly enjoyable. The vocals are expressive and the track has a good sense of depth and separation with the words, the simple drum beat and the lead guitar, and it builds nicely and with purpose towards the first chorus.

From thereon in, the weaknesses of this mono system become exposed. It’s not a particularly agile performer and it doesn’t have the balance or depth to stop everything from becoming cluttered as the rhythm guitar and more vigorous percussion kick in. The instruments battle to be heard in the narrow midrange and treble sweet spots and the best moments of this song become largely lost.

While it’s a notable failure on the music front, this presentation isn’t such a bad compromise for film. The scale and texture of the audio in the opening of The Martian works well. The simple score swells and shrinks with the drama, the midrange is good enough to convey the emotion and some texture to dialogue and there’s just about enough precision for the Capsule to portray the grit of the sandstorm. We can hear individual particles hitting the metal of the Mars Ascent Vehicle (MAV), and that’s good enough not to detract from the entertainment. It’s a little bright but passable.

As with the Biffy track, though, big action scenes don’t come off too well – when the MAV jets burst into life, the Capsule’s grip is lost – but such moments are fairly few.

Verdict

The Nebula Capsule II is not a bad projector. It isn’t buggy, nor is it missing any significant features. It isn’t horribly imbalanced for picture and sound and we can imagine relaxing into a perfectly good mini cinema experience on the go with it. But it’s simply too expensive and much better picture performance is available at the same price from the likes of the Nebula Mars II and Nebula Solar Portable.

If portable convenience is your prime concern, then you might choose the Capsule II over the others. However, we’d need to see it significantly discounted before we could wholly recommend it.

SCORES

• Picture 3
• Sound 3
• Features 3

MORE:

Read our guide to the best portable projectors

Read our Anker Nebula Mars 2 review

Read our Anker Nebula Solar Portable review

Read our Epson EH-TW650 review

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.

MORE:

Read all our Naim reviews

Check out our best music streamers 2021: upgrade to a wireless system 

Looking to get into multi-room music? See best multi-room speakers 2021: one wireless system, music everywhere

Google Play Music is closing very soon. The shutdown started in September in Australia and New Zealand, and since in other territories. In the UK, this is happening on 24th February.

What does this mean? Well, for one you won't be able to stream tunes either through the mobile app or via your desktop. "We will delete all of your Google Play Music data. This includes your music library, with any uploads, purchases and anything you've added from Google Play Music. After this date, there will be no way to recover it," reads Google's latest notice email.

But all is not lost. Google is replacing it with YouTube Music, so you can still listen to all the music you've bought without paying a penny extra. All you need to do is transfer over all your tunes to YouTube's service. There is also no obligation to use YouTube Music, though – if you prefer, you can just extract your tunes (along with your user data) using Google's Takeout tool.

But if you do want to transfer it to YouTube Music, you should find the experience pretty slick. It's not just your music that will transfer over (both purchases and uploads), but also your playlists and stations, streaming songs you've saved to your library, your likes and dislikes, payment info and data about your listening habits. 

Here's how to get started.

How to transfer music from Google Play Music to YouTube Music

There are two ways to transfer your music over.

1: Head to music.youtube.com/transfer and click Transfer.

2: On the YouTube Music app, tap your profile picture and then Settings > Transfer > Transfer from Google Play Music.

And that's it. But there are a few things to note.

You may need a YouTube channel in order to complete the migration. Don't already have one? You can set one up in just a few seconds.

You can transfer as many times as you like until Google Play Music closes. If you do multiple transfers, only the music added since your last transfer will be included in the latest transfer. Which should save you time and hassle.

Some songs and albums might not transfer due to rights or licensing issues. But if your music disappeared from Google Play Music for the same reason, there's a chance it could reappear in your YouTube Music library.

If you have a large music library, it might take longer to transfer across to YouTube Music than your billing information. You'll receive separate emails for each telling you when they've successfully migrated.

Your monthly billing rate, payment date and general billing details should stay the same. Google will let you know if you need to confirm your billing details before completing the transfer.

If you're transferring a family account, only the person who manages the billing can transfer that portion. Other family members will automatically have their accounts transferred unless they don't meet YouTube Music's eligibility criteria (which is a bit stricter than Google Play Music's – YouTube users have to be aged 13 or over).

Where to find your transferred music in YouTube Music

When you open the YouTube Music app, you'll notice it looks a little different to Google Play Music. 

To find your stations and liked songs, tap Library > Playlists > and then either Your Likes or just find the station or playlist you want.

The way the app works is slightly different too. In YouTube Music, stations are just playlists that you can view like any other playlist. Stations with 'radio' in their name will not transfer to YouTube Music. To listen to an artist or radio that you've listened to in Google Play Music, search for that artist or radio and tap Start Radio.

It's simple to find songs that you either purchased or uploaded. On a mobile device, open the YouTube Music app and tap Library > then Albums, Songs or Artists and then the Uploads tab.

On desktop, head to music.youtube.com in a web browser, and click Library > Albums, Songs or Artists to see your tunes. To see your uploads, click the down arrow next to YouTube Music, and click Uploads. Simple as that.

MORE:

Read our YouTube Music review

Best music streaming services 2020: free streams to hi-res audio

Best music streamers 2020: upgrade to a wireless system

20 best pop songs to test your speakers

Music streaming now accounts for 69 per cent of global music revenues: $19 billion in revenue annually, according to IFPI's Global Music Report 2025. Spotify and Apple Music are two of the biggest services around – the former dominates, with a 31 per cent market share, while Apple Music has a still very respectable 15 per cent.

Considering Spotify had almost a 10-year head start (launching in 2006 to Apple Music's 2015), Apple has made up significant ground.

But which of these is right for you?

To help you decide, we'll run you through what they offer, which devices they're compatible with, how much they cost, and – crucially – which one sounds best.

Let's get listening.

The state of play

Music streaming continues to grow in popularity, which means plenty of services to choose from. They all have slightly different offerings, with different music libraries and features, and most offer CD-quality and/or hi-res streaming.

Tidal and Qobuz were the pioneers in this regard, but now it's pretty common, with even the likes of Amazon Music Unlimited offering it.

Apple Music set the industry standard in 2021 when it offered hi-res tracks at no additional fee. Which prompted rivals to drop their prices and match the offer. Spotify's Lossless tier was rumoured to cost around £5 / $5 more per month, but when it finally arrived in September 2025, it was included in the standard Spotify Premium tier.

It was a crumb of comfort for Spotify users who had endured an agonising eight-year wait for hi-res to arrive.

Of course, there's a lot more to a streaming service than just hi-res. As we'll see, both Spotify and Apple Music have plenty to recommend them.

Subscription plans

• Spotify has a free tier (with limitations)
• Spotify Premium costs £12.99 / $11.99 / AU$15.99 per month (as of 2025)
• Apple Music monthly subscription is £10.99 / $10.99 / AU$12.99

If you don’t have the extra cash to splash on streaming, then Spotify should probably be your go-to service.

Staying true to its “music for everyone” ethos, it is one of the few to offer a free (ad-supported) subscription tier alongside its Premium service.

It's still pretty basic, but it's better than it used to be. Alongside the Lossless launch in September 2025 for Premium users, Spotify upgraded the free tier with more playback options. You can now search for and play specific tracks, play any song you find while browsing (what Spotify calls Pick & Play) and play any song that's shared with you by a friend or artist.

Other new features include the ability to create your own playlists (with your own custom artwork), and listen to podcasts.

Previously, free users could only shuffle tracks based on a chosen one, or listen to predetermined playlists.

But the sound quality is still pretty poor. The free tier offers only 128kbps on the web player and approximately 160kbps on its desktop and mobile apps. Plus it lacks downloads for offline listening.

It does offer access to most of Spotify’s premium library, though, including the 'Discover Weekly' playlist, which is one of the real jewels of Spotify's music discovery algorithms.

Of course, you'll have to put up with those annoying adverts interrupting your listening. To get rid of them, you'll have to cough up.

The majority of Spotify users settle for the free tier, but there are plenty of reason to shell out for Premium: Lossless listening at better-than-CD quality (24-bit/44.1kHz) across most of its vast catalogue, offline listening, Spotify Connect support and no adverts.

Apple Music doesn’t have a free tier, although there is a three-month free trial if you buy certain Apple devices or plans like iCloud+. You also don't need a subscription to listen to Apple Music 1 radio (formerly Beats 1) – one of the service’s most celebrated features. All you need is an Apple ID and the Apple Music app.

For online and offline streaming and access to more radio stations, the monthly fee is £10.99 / $10.99 / AU$12.99. Students can get it for £5.99 / $5.99 / AU$6.99, and families (with up to six people accessing it) for £16.99 / $16.99 / AU$19.99.

Spotify has had frequent price increases, and its Individual and Family tiers are now more expensive than Apple's: £12.99 / $11.99 / AU$15.99 and £21.99 / $19.99 / AU$27.99, respectively. Spotify too has a Student plan, and it also has a Duo tier for couples, which costs £17.99 / $16.99 / AU$22.99 a month.

Apple's prices have only edged up a fraction since launch, whereas Spotify's have crept ever higher in recent years. This round is Apple's.

**Winner: Apple Music**

Catalogues

• Both claim 100+ million tracks
• Spotify includes podcasts and audiobooks
• Apple Music has human-curated radio stations, plus Apple Musical Classical offshoot
• Spotify Connect integrated in wider range of audio/hi-fi products

It’s a pretty even match when it comes to catalogue size and platform support.

Both Apple Music and Spotify claim to have over 100 million tracks in their catalogues. The latter has a wider variety of audio content, also offering over 7 million podcasts and a growing audiobooks section, too.

Apple Music doesn't host podcasts – they're in Apple's separate Podcasts app. Audiobooks can be found in iOS's separate Books app, too, and cost extra. One bonus is that Apple Music Classical – a separate app dedicated to classical music only and different search/layout – is thrown in as part of your monthly subscription at no extra cost.

Perhaps Apple's advantage over Spotify here is that while both services offer playlists that comprise songs based on your listening habits, Apple also has the Apple Music 1 radio station, which features human DJs at the decks.

Fronted by DJs such as Zane Lowe and featuring a host of celebrity guest slots (from the likes of Dr Dre, Pharrell Williams and Elton John), Apple Music 1 is something that no other streaming service has – and ultimately one Spotify has to take on the chin.

Both services are available on a number of platforms: there’s desktop support for PC and Mac (Spotify has a web player too), plus Android and iOS apps.

Spotify also has the benefit of its Spotify Connect feature, which lets premium subscribers stream directly to speakers, TVs or systems, while Apple deploys AirPlay 2 here.

Both have become a feature on many hi-fi and AV products – and it's a big pull for those interested in bringing streaming and multi-room listening to their existing system.

**Winner: Draw**

User experience

• Playlists, new music and more are sectioned into different tabs
• Desktop and mobile apps available

Both Spotify and Apple Music offer similarly clean, simple and intuitive layouts. That wasn’t always the case, though. When Apple Music first launched, we found its busy interface a bit clunky to use.

But with Apple's 2016 iOS 10 update, the Cupertino giant stripped it back, with cleaner typography and graphics. Features and options are hidden away behind icons and collapsible tabs, and the layout is easier to navigate.

The rule of thumb for using Apple Music is to click everything. Tapping the ellipsis that appears almost everywhere opens options such as: play next, add to library, add to a playlist, share (to any social media), lyrics and download.

Everything is neatly contained within five sections: Home, New, Radio, Library and Search.

Library is where all your music lives. This includes files stored on your smartphone, CD-ripped WAVs, your own playlists and any music you’ve saved and downloaded while streaming or listening to radio in Apple Music.

Thanks to its compatibility with iCloud, you’ll also be able to see all the music stored on your other devices.

Spotify allows you to bring your local files into its interface too, but it’s not as well integrated. If you want all your music in one place, Apple Music does it better.

Spotify’s iconic green-tinted silver-on-grey interface has long been the ideal template with its logical and accessible sidebar menu layout, and its consistent focus on content over the years has made it all the more practical.

The Browse (or ‘home’) page throws up context-based playlists, constantly updated UK and global charts, and new releases for your attention, as well as content sorted by genre and based on tracks you’ve previously listened to.

A ‘Concert’ tab flags up gigs based on your music tastes and location, as well as ones that are popular near you. It's a nice addition for music lovers.

**Winner: Draw**

Discovery

• Both offer ample music recommendations according to genre and mood
• Both offer daily and weekly updated mixes based on listening

For those who like to explore new bands, both Spotify and Apple Music encourage the pioneer in you.

When you register for Apple Music, tapping on floating red circles highlighting different genres of music and artists gives an indication of your initial preferences.

Hitting ‘Love’ or ‘Dislike’ on songs updates this and we are certainly impressed by Apple’s curation, and by how on-point the playlists are. On the iOS app, there's a whole row of Top Picks For You, encompassing new releases, a New Music Mix, a Mood playlist for you and a Discovery Station, all based on what you've listened to.

By attributing a great deal of focus on music discovery through personalised algorithmic playlists, Spotify has managed to take this step too.

One of its most popular features is Discover Weekly, which uses Spotify’s ‘deep learning’ system to generate a playlist of 30 songs every Monday that are relevant to your listening habits.

There’s also more concentration on discovering new music. Complementing Discover Weekly is Release Radar, a playlist of brand-new music sent out every Friday, so that you never miss the latest tracks from your favourite artists.

It even includes new remixes of songs from artists you like or have recently listened to, and in case you need even more songs to soundtrack your weekend, there’s a New Music Friday UK playlist that ties in with the official UK chart. Rinsed them by Wednesday? That’s where the Daily Mix, which consists of five genre-specific playlists, comes in.

The more you listen, the more they evolve…

**Winner: Draw**

Sound quality

• Apple Music offers up to 24-bit/192kHz hi-res lossless listening
• All tracks are also available in Spatial Audio; Spotify doesn't support spatial or Dolby Atmos tracks
• Spotify Lossless offers up to 24-bit/44.1kHz hi-res quality (Premium subscribers only)

Apple Music has a big advantage here: higher-quality listening. And that's even despite Spotify launching its hi-res offering.

Apple Music offers tracks in 24-bit Lossless (24-bit/48kHz) and Hi-Res Lossless (up to 24-bit/192kHz). Both of which are a cut above Spotify Lossless, which tops out at 24-bit/44.1kHz. That's still better than CD quality, mind.

Listening to Michael Jackson's Thriller in Hi-Res Lossless, we can pick out even more detail than the equivalent stream on Tidal.

"As the vocal joins, extra musical guitar passages present themselves in our left ear – additions you’ll struggle to hear better when listening to the equivalent Tidal (Max quality) stream," we wrote in our review.

"The space around the instruments has expanded to the point that the door slam and each of Jackson’s numerous backing vocals have ample room to be impactful."

Even taking a step down in quality, Apple Music still wins out. Its 256kbps AAC files sound more open and involving than Spotify’s 320kbps MP3 streams, and benefit from extra space, subtlety and punch too.

Spotify Lossless is a real improvement on the service's standard 320kbps streams, though. They are "notably more involving," we noted in our review, being "clearer, punchier and more open and detailed, generally sounding less congested and messy than the 320kbps version."

Considering that Tidal's hi-res sound quality is far superior to Spotify's equivalent, Apple Music wins this round no contest. The difference will be even more pronounced if you're listening with kit that's transparent enough to really do your tracks justice – which the majority of Spotify's vast user base won't be, admittedly.

Spotify does have its awesome Connect feature though, which lets you stream straight from the internet to a device, bypassing your phone. Apple Music – or rather, Apple's AirPlay wireless technology – could really do with something similar.

For most people, Spotify's sound quality will be just fine, and they'll find Lossless a big step up from its previous standard. But for those of us who really care about sound quality, Apple Music is the clear winner.

**Winner: Apple Music**

Verdict

• Spotify's free tier and extensive features are appealing
• Apple Music is cheaper, offers true hi-res quality, and sounds better

Apple Music is cheaper (apart from Spotify's ad-supported tier, of course) and sounds much better. Which is enough to make it our clear winner here.

True, it lacks a comparable Connect feature, which it could really do with for enjoying the full resolution of its lossless library. Spotify's extensive features are undeniably appealing – especially for podcast and audiobook fans to listen in one place – and we very much welcome the new Lossless quality on offer.

But with a very similar catalogue size and broadly comparable discovery tools, plus the superior sound quality and better value proposition, Apple Music gets our vote.

**Overall winner: Apple Music**

MORE:

Apple Music lossless: which devices will (and won't) play lossless and Spatial Audio

Spotify Connect: what is it? Which devices support it?

Hi-res music streaming services compared: is Tidal, Qobuz, Spotify, Amazon or Apple Music better?

Tidal vs Spotify: which streaming service is best for you?

Just as video killed the radio star, YouTube Music is set to kill off Google Play Music. But this won't be a shocking, painful death. Instead it should be gradual, measured and pain-free, with subscribers migrated to the new service only when it's got all of those hard-engineered features that Play Music has carefully added over the last seven years.

So existing subscribers need not panic and anyone looking for their monthly music streaming fix should still give Play Music a chance, as it will likely still be around for some time. What's more, users will not be left out in the cold. Playlists and music purchases will be migrated over to the sister platform along with the main catalogue, so there’s every reason to start using Play Music even now.

Features

Play Music conforms to the standard £10 ($10) per month for access to its all-in streaming plan. That means up to 10 devices on a single account, although you can only stream to one device at a time.

For another £5 ($5) per month, you can upgrade to the Family Plan, which gives you accounts for up to six family members (or friends) where each person can listen and curate independently on their own set of up to 10 devices. Again, that’s comparable to rival services such as Spotify.

Non-subscribers can access the 'music locker' part of Play Music for free. This allows you to upload up to 50,000 tracks to the cloud for listening via the app on all of your devices. You can purchase individual tracks at around £1/$1 a pop, too. Users in the US even get free, ad-supported streaming, but this isn't an option elsewhere.

There are no student plans, as there are on Spotify and Apple Music, though a subscription to Google Play Music does get you premium access to YouTube Music, which is handy given that everything will be migrating there anyway.

With apps for iOS, Android and a web player too, Play Music is virtually an all-access affair. As part of the Google family, you’ll also find Play Music on products such as Google Home, Android TV, Android Wear, Chromecast, Android Auto and there’s also Sonos and CarPlay too.

Understandably, though, the Android version looks best. The content is identical but what looks a bit sparse on iOS and in the browser is a riot of colour on Google’s mobile OS. That said, the user interface is not perfect. Having more obvious navigation tabs across all screens would be more useful.

Ease of use

Play Music has a catalogue of 40m songs, which compares well with other services. What’s nice, though, is that a Play Music search also pulls in a section of relevant YouTube videos you can play in-app. 

So, even though there's no version of Parry Gripp’s It’s Raining Tacos in Play Music’s library, we get to enjoy the video version. It’s also a superb way to explore some great music videos, including Stormzy’s Vossi Bop.

Otherwise, a search on Play Music will bring up the kind of results that are ubiquitous across all good streaming services. There are radio stations based on your searches, appropriate related artists and all the popular tracks, albums, playlists, artist information and album artwork. Podcasts are only available in the US for the time being.

In terms of curation, there’s nothing missing here either. You can like and dislike songs with a thumbs up/down, add to a music queue and create playlists that can be made public and easily shared; all fairly standard stuff.

The home page comes with a focus on location, with suggestions based on artists playing at venues near you, the time of day and the sorts of things you’ve listened to before. New music recommendations and new releases are near the bottom of the list.

The side menu brings up a few more options with top charts, a dedicated button for new releases and a thorough radio station search. You can browse by genre, mood, decade and, best of all, activities, including stargazing, singing out loud and barbecuing, along with the more prosaic relaxing and working out.

Using the mobile app, Play Music should also begin making suggestions based on your location. Give the app permission, and it should recognise when you’re down the gym or heading to work and suggest appropriate music. However, this feature didn’t ever kick in throughout our test.

The final button of note on the side panel is the Music Library tab. Not only is this where you’ll find your curated version of the Play catalogue but it’s also where any tunes you've uploaded or purchased will be. It's worth noting that your 50,000-track limit can consist of any combination of MP3, AAC, WMA, FLAC, OGG or ALAC files. The only service that offers more cloud storage for your own tracks is Apple Music, which will match up to 100,000 songs and upload any it doesn’t already have in its catalogue.

But, in use, Play Music's upload feature is patchy at best. It's done using the web player and the Play Music Chrome extension, but when we try to add more than one song at a time, it tends to freeze, requiring us to start all over again. An online search reveals we aren’t alone, so if storage space is an attraction for you, we’d suggest looking elsewhere.

Lastly, like all good streaming services, Play Music also allows you to download music for offline playback – ideal for airplane or underground travel. The only limit to the number of downloaded songs is the amount of storage space you have on your device. Spotify’s limit is 3,333 per device.

Performance

No matter what you’ve uploaded, all music streamed or downloaded from Play Music is MP3-encoded at 320kbps. Unsurprisingly, the audio quality is similar to what you’ll get from Spotify’s 320kbps OGGs and Apple Music’s 256kbps AACs.

Listen through a decent speaker or set of headphones and there’s a fair amount of detail on offer. But, listening to The Chain by Fleetwood Mac, you can hear that the treble is rolled off a touch, leaving a warmer and fuzzier sound than you get from other services. This relative lack of sparkle can take the fun out of high hats and leave good drumming and truly piercing vocals slightly expressionless, as we find when listening to Barbara Streisand’s Guilty.

There’s something missing in the dynamics compared to rivals, too, particularly Apple Music, which uses variable bit-rates to provide a little extra punch when needed.

We play Jungle Boogie by Kool And The Gang, and the different instruments aren’t quite as in touch with one another as on other services. The rhythm guitar strums are still too far forward on Spotify, but they’re slightly more detached with Play Music. As with the audio quality all over, though, we’re only talking small margins here. It’s only once you step up to streams such as Tidal that the difference is really pronounced.

Play Music’s equaliser means that you can tailor what’s there to your preference, but only on Android – that feature isn’t present on the iOS version of the app.

Verdict

Though time may soon be up for Google Play Music, it remains a perfectly good way to stream your tunes for the time being.

The problem is that the market for streaming services is so competitive and Play Music doesn't do quite enough to differentiate itself. Sound quality is fine but unspectacular, and one of its supposed advantages - the ability to fill any gaps in its catalogue with your own uploaded music - simply doesn't work as it should.

That said, with Play Music you get a perfectly useable interface, with a decent catalogue and nice extras such as premium access to YouTube Music. That in itself means it's a reasonable choice, even if it is only a temporary one.

SCORES

• Performance 4
• Features 5
• Ease of use 5

MORE:

Best music streaming services 2019

Read our Spotify review

Read our Tidal review

Sky has filled a gap in its Sky Q offering, today launching a Sky Q mobile app for Android and Apple phones. The mobile app sits alongside the existing Q app for tablets.

The Sky Q mobile app will allow you to set remote recordings, stream live and on demand programmes on your phone, and watch shows you've recorded at home when you’re out and about.

The app is live now on Google Play and the Apple App Store.

The app, which follows the launch of Sky’s VR app, comes ahead of the arrival of Sky’s own phone network, Sky Mobile. Further details about the network will be announced later this year, according to the company. Sky Mobile was originally set to launch this year and will use O2’s network in the UK.

Sky recently announced its Q1 results, revealing that more than 100,000 new customers - across UK, Ireland, Germany, Austria and Italy - had joined Sky over the quarter.

There was no word on how many people had signed up for the new Sky Q Ultra HD service, or any viewing figures for Sky’s Ultra HD content.

From this month, all new Sky customers will effectively be Sky Q subscribers, with Sky announcing the Q box will replace the HD box as standard.

Sky Q took home the Award for best set-top box at the 2016 What Hi-Fi? Awards.

Get Sky Q here

MORE: Sky Q review

MORE: What is Sky Q? How can you get it?

Onkyo is the latest manufacturer to join the portable hi-res audio player market with the DP-X1. The player supports a number of file formats including FLAC/WAV up to 32-bit/384kHz and DSD up to 11.2MHz.

The Onkyo DP-X1 will also be one of the few players to support MQA files following a firmware update, along with the Pioneer XDP-100R.

MORE: MQA audio: What is it? How can you get it?

The internal audio circuit, which uses an ESS SABRE ES9018K2M DAC and SABRE 9601K amp in a dual mono setup, is mounted on a separate board from the CPU circuit.

Other features include wi-fi and Bluetooth for wirelessly connecting to devices including headphones, and you’ll also find two microSD card slots onboard to allow for a hefty 432GB of storage (internal storage is 32GB), should you be prepared to shell out for a couple of 200GB SD cards.

The player runs on Android, so there is full access to the Google Play store, and the OnkyoMusic app comes preinstalled.

The player also has a number of outputs, including a 2.5mm 4-pole balanced headphones output, 3.5mm 3-pole headphone output and a micro USB port for charging and data transfer.

The DP-X1 will be available in June, priced £700.

MORE: Best portable music players

The media player market may have taken a bit of a beating due to the all-consuming smartphone, but the likes of Apple, Cowon, Samsung and Sony still think there’s place for a more dedicated music and video player. Albeit one with plenty of trimmings: the Sony NWZ-F805.

This latest incarnation of the Walkman sports an Android 4.0 operating system no less, giving access to the full online experience, Google Play Store for music, movies, apps and books and, indeed, Sony’s own Entertainment Network, including Sony Music Unlimited, a streaming music subscription service.

Sony NWZ-F805 review: Build quality
A monthly tenner will get you a competitively large choice of tunes – and it syncs across all compatible devices, now including iOS and Android phones as well as Sony smart TVs.

There’s an 800 x 480 resolution, 3.5in screen and a Tegra 2 processor that promises to whizz you round the interface. The device is small compared with rivals, but feels well built and solid.

Sony NWZ-F805 review: Sound and video quality
Moving round the menu screens is a smartphone-style experience, with the clean and intuitive OS proving pleasingly fast and responsive. A decent 20-hour battery life will save you draining your smartphone, too.

The screen is small for watching video, but it’s good quality. Edges are sharp, colours are nicely balanced, and it copes well with fast motion. But the sound is the real star here – it’s dynamic and detailed.

Sony NWZ-F805 review: Verdict
If you’re looking for a small, portable device for music, movies and browsing, or something to share the load with your smartphone, then this is a fine choice.

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One of Samsung’s main aims when it came to designing its latest range of speaker docks was to give them all an identity. And the Samsung DA-E750 certainly has that. It’s a smartphone-charging, music-streaming, speaker dock-cum-soundbar – with valves. Or tubes, if you're reading this on the other side of the Atlantic.

The pop-out compartment on the back of the unit (below) reveals two separate docks. The first is the usual 30-pin connector for your iPhones, iPods and iPads, while the other is a micro-USB, expressly designed for use with Samsung’s Galaxy S and Note mobile phones so that they can sit upright while charging.

However, rival Android phones such as HTCs have their USB socket positioned along the side, so you end up docking them horizontally, and with their back facing you (see below).

It’s not the most attractive solution, but it doesn’t impact music streaming as you can’t feed music through the dock’s micro-USB socket. This has to be done via the normal USB socket on the rear of the unit or wirelessly over Bluetooth.

The Samsung also supports the aptX Bluetooth standard, so suitably equipped mobile phones and computers can stream music this way.

Owners of Android phones can either settle for their built-in music player, or download the Samsung Wireless Audio Dock app from Google’s Play Store. It can search your device for music and will stream a wide selection of file formats.

Apple owners are more likely to take advantage of the speaker’s AirPlay functionality, although the Samsung will need to be connected to your home network first.

Samsung DA-E750: AirPlay vs Bluetooth

In terms of sound quality, AirPlay sounds superior to vanilla Bluetooth: more composed, refined and detailed.

Make the switch to aptX Bluetooth and, in our opinion, sound quality goes up another notch, adding body, weight, finesse and dynamics to streamed music. Wired streaming brings the very best sound quality, but you’re more likely to want to enjoy the Samsung’s wireless functionality.

And the features don’t stop there. If you own one of this year’s 6-, 7- or 8-series Samsung smart TVs and your software is up to date, you can use the SoundShare feature to beam sound from your TV to the speaker wirelessly with no lip-sync errors.

Samsung DA-E750: Sound quality

Generally speaking, the DA-E750 is an entertaining listen. High frequencies sound rich and smooth, not bright or brash. Spin Ellie Goudling’s cover of Elton John’s Your Song and the system positions her gentle vocal in a spacious and open soundstage.

Switch to some hip-hop courtesy of Kanye West and the unit’s subwoofer injects a fair amount of weight, yet doesn’t sound too woolly or overbearing.

The speaker’s warm, rich character is apparent with all genres of music, but while this may suit some recordings it can hinder the delivery of others – some tracks don’t sound as expressive or as natural as they should. This lack of flexibility won’t give the class leaders any sleepless nights.

Samsung DA-E750: Valve amplification

Samsung has embraced traditional valve amp technology (above), with twin valves glowing like moody beacons from the top of the red mahogany cabinet (a black version is also available).

In fact the valves – chosen, Samsung says, to 'offer a warmer, more natural sound compared to conventional audio systems utilising transistors' – are used in the preamplifier stage of the DA-E750: downstream of them the unit uses digital amplification to drive the twin woven glassfibre drivers and a subwoofer, giving a total output power claimed as 100W.

This is a solid unit, with the general fit and finish justifying the asking price, but it's a shame there’s no display on the front of the device, especially if you’re not quite sure which input has been selected.

The credit-card-sized remote does the basics, but there’s only one function button so you must cycle through all the various icons – and you can’t see them unless you’re peering at the top of the unit.

Samsung DA-E750: Verdict

You have to admire Samsung’s ambition with the DA-E750. The looks are a major talking point, while its arsenal of features and functionality put some rivals firmly in the shade.

With a couple of tweaks here and there this could be among the best in class – it’s very good, but the best are even better.

See all our dock system Best Buys

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