What Hi-Fi? turns 50 in 2026 and we're looking back on some of the most important hi-fi and home cinema products in our lifetime – and beyond!

We're going back further than 1976 in this article as we look back on a series of debut speakers from hi-fi brands that went on to great things.

Our list details the first-ever models from some of the most renowned loudspeaker brands in history, including Bang & Olufsen, Bowers & Wilkins, KEF and Quad, some (but not all) of which started life long before What Hi-Fi?.

Wharfedale Bronze 2 (1932)

Wharfedale’s first speaker was built in the cellar of founder Gilbert Briggs' llkley home in 1932.

The Bronze was purely a drive unit (in those days, radio enthusiasts assembled their own cabinets). A year later, it was housed in a wooden cabinet for those who wanted an ‘extension’ speaker. Shortly after came the ‘Nubian’ cabinet speaker in 1934.

But it was a whole decade before Wharfedale marked the first of many milestones: the invention of the first two-way loudspeaker.

In 1945, the company combined a 30cm bass driver with a 25cm full-range ‘treble’ unit, using a crossover at 1kHz. And in the years after the company’s introduction of ceramic magnets to moving coil drive units led to the company’s much-celebrated Diamond series.

• That Was Then... Wharfedale Diamond review

Bang & Olufsen Hyperbo (1934)

Not uniquely, Bang & Olufsen came to the speaker market through radio manufacturing. In 1925, Peter Bang & Svend Olufsen’s first commercial radio – the modest production of which began in Olufsen’s attic – was the Eliminator, a radio component that allowed the connection of a radio directly to the mains, eliminating the need for batteries.

Having moved to a factory in Struer just two years later (B&O remain at that same site today), the Hyperbo – a radio, gramophone and integrated loudspeaker – arrived in 1934.

Like every B&O product produced since, the Hyperbo was heavily influenced by the emerging Bauhaus style in the early 1900s: a design attitude that has consistently manifested itself in the artistic craft behind the company's many speakers and TVs.

Acoustic Research AR-1 (1954)

Acoustic Research was founded in 1952 by inventor Edgar Villchur and his student Henry Kloss. Based on the acoustic suspension principle patented by Villchur in 1956, its first model, the AR-1, sold for $185 (over £1000 in today’s money).

The AR-1's woofer trapped air in the speaker’s sealed enclosure to provide a spring for the diaphragm, enabling it to move back and forth – doing the same job as the more conventional mechanical spring.

This was followed quickly by the AR-2 but it was the AR-3, released in 1958, that became Acoustic Research's landmark speaker, borrowing the AR-1's acoustic suspension technology but bringing onboard newly designed drivers.

Quad ESL-57 (1957)

Quad founder Peter Walker was the first to implement electrostatic technology in loudspeakers, waving goodbye to traditional driver cones and cumbersome cabinets.

In their place he put a thinly-stretched, electrically-charged diaphragm between two metal grilles, which received the music signal from the amplifier.

The first in what has become a brand-defining range of electrostatic speakers, the ESL-57, was in production for nearly 30 years, while the ESL-63 continued Quad’s electrostatic legacy until 1999. Quad continues to manufacture electrostatic speakers to this day.

KEF K1 Slimline (1961)

KEF’s oldest speaker was born out of founder Raymond Cooke’s desire to achieve outstanding sound quality from a slim, living room-friendly enclosure.

At 12.5cm deep, the K1 Slimline incorporated the same driver innovations as the Monitor versions that arrived in the K1 series: the B1814 woofer with its flat rectangular diaphragm of aluminium skinned polystyrene, the M64 elliptical midrange unit with a similar diaphragm construction, and the T15 tweeter with its hemispherical Melinex diaphragm.

To minimise colouration, the wall panels of the braced cabinet were dampened with bituminous pads. And, lounge-friendly in their aesthetic as well as their size, the K1 Slimlines were finished in walnut with 'coffee' fleck grilles – a far cry from some of the designs it employs today.

• That Was Then… KEF Reference Model 101/3

B&W P1 (1966)

Beginnings don’t get much more humble than B&W’s. The year after founder John Bowers started hand-assembling speaker systems in the electrical store he ran with Roy Wilkins in Worthing, Bowers & Wilkins (then B&W Electronics Ltd) released its first loudspeaker: the P1.

The cabinet and filter were B&W's own, but the drivers came from EMI and Celestion – this was in the decade before the company started using the bright-yellow Kevlar woven composite.

The profits from the P1 allowed Bowers to purchase a Radiometer Oscillator and Pen Recorder, meaning that every speaker the company sold could have calibration certificates.

• That Was Then… B&W 602 S3 review

Spendor BC1 (late ’60s)

Bextrene was the material of choice for the speaker diaphragms in Spendor’s first pair of speakers, the BC1.

A product of BBC engineer Spencer Hughes (co-founder with Dorothy Hughes, hence the Spendor name) and co-designer Dudley Harwood, the BC1 speakers had a three-way design: the only commercial 8in Bextrene mid-bass driver, a Celestion HF 1300 tweeter and a Coles 4001 G supertweeter.

They were fed by a nine-element crossover comprised of film capacitors for frequency and temperature stability, and radio metal cored chokes that allowed for high transients and low resonances.

The BC1s hit the market in the late ‘60s and found their way into broadcast and recording studios before eventually being available to buy for consumers. Some 600 pairs were supposedly in operation at the BBC at one time.

• That Was Then… Spendor SP2/3E review

Harbeth HL Monitor Mk1 (1977)

British speaker brand Harbeth came about due to the discovery, by founder H.D. Harwood, of a potential new film plastic for speaker cones.

Towards the end of his career in the BBC’s Research Department, and during investigation into bextrene plastic as a cone material for BBC monitors in the ‘60s, Harwood proposed that polypropylene would make a good cone material.

And so, upon his formal retirement, he set up Harbeth to make a speaker with his patented polypropylene-coned driver. The HL Monitor was released in 1977, and four versions subsequently followed over the next decade.

Dynaudio P-series (1977/78)

We have to pedal back almost 50 years to find Danish brand's first speakers – the five P-series models in 1977. However, they were short-lived, had limited distribution and, while using the company’s own crossovers, were the only Dynaudio speakers to rely on OEM drivers.

The P series (P for 'passive') comprised the P16 (pictured), P21, P31, P46 and P76. All models used specially coated soft dome tweeter with high power handling – something Dynaudio would later become renowned for.

The first range to use Dynaudio’s in-house MSP (Magnesium Silicate Polymer) woofers and tweeters, and receive international distribution, was the four-strong MSP series in 1984. Dynaudio has used its own drivers ever since.

• That Was Then… Dynaudio Audience 52 review

ATC S50/S85 (1978)

After a few years making drive units, ATC produced its first speaker systems in 1978: the bass-reflex S50 (pictured) and infinite baffle S85, which established a naming tradition based on the internal volume of the speaker.

Inside the plywood-based 50- and 85-litre cabinets were 2.5cm soft dome tweeters, a 7.5cm soft dome midrange driver and a 22.5cm woofer (two in the S85).

Unusually, the crossover arrangement allowed for true active tri-amping, allowing you to choose between either the internal passive crossover or an external electronic crossover via a rotary switch.

ProAc Tablette (1979)

A few years after founding loudspeaker manufacturer Celef Audio Ltd in 1973, Stewart Tyler decided that producing more expensive designs in smaller quantities, rather than increasing production capacity and potentially sacrificing quality, was the way forward.

With that decision came a new company name: ProAc, short for Professional Acoustics.

The first speaker to bear the name was the Tablette; mini monitors – they really are dinky – which have spawned more than ten variations since their original production in 1979.

Wilson Audio WAMM (1982)

Following Wilson Audio’s Smart turntable, which was essentially a re-jigged Acoustic Research deck and became Wilson Audio’s first ever product, founder Dave Wilson introduced the company’s first pair of speakers, the Wilson Audio Modular Monitor (WAMM), in 1982.

Each channel comprised two towers: one sub-bass module, and one with twin mid-bass drivers and an electrostatic supertweeter flanked by twin midrange/tweeter modules. It sold for $28,000 and was the most expensive speaker you could buy at that time.

The WAMM evolved through six versions from 1982 to 1993, and has since been revived, with the Master Chronosonic and Master Subsonic speakers still current in the company's catalogue.

Focal DB13 (1982)

JMlab established Focal for speaker driver production in Saint-Étienne in 1979, and three years later the company's first pair of speakers appeared.

The DB13 bookshelf speakers were equipped with a double voice coil driver plus Polyglass and Polykevlar driver cones, and were capable of volumes more akin to larger speakers.

They propelled the company towards the high-end audio market and to international shores.

Martin Logan Monolith (1983)

Convinced they could make a class-leading electrostatic speaker capable of adequate bass and suitable for rock music, Gayle Martin Sanders and Ron Logan Sutherland (later ‘Martin Logan’) conceived a prototype in 1980. Unfortunately, its flat aluminium panel blew up when they turned up the volume...

Undeterred, their first production-ready speaker arrived three years later: the Monolith. A revised transducer saw a clear Mylar diaphragm sandwiched between two perforated-steel stators.

And to ensure good sound dispersion, a horizontally curved panel was implemented, and this curvilinear transducer has been central to the design of every Martin Logan electrostatic since.

Sonus Faber Parva (1983)

In 1983, three years after Sonus Faber founder Franco Serblin produced his first system (an all-wood, all-in-one model called the "Snail" that really needs to be seen), the brand was established in a small laboratory in Monteviale, northern Italy.

It was in that year Sonus Faber launched its first product: the Parva 2-way speaker, featuring a Kevlar midrange cone and solid walnut wood cabinet.

This paved the way for some legendary models (such as the Extrema and Guarneri ranges), and what is today, 35 years later, one of the world’s most distinguished and design-savvy high-end speaker brands.

Dali 2 (mid '80s)

The Dali 2 was released shortly after the renowned Danish speaker company Dali (Danish Audiophile Loudspeaker Industries) began in 1983.

The debut speaker had a two-way configuration, with a 6.5in laminate pulp/polyvinyl cone woofer, 1in tweeter with a soft polypropylene dome, and walnut veneered wooden cabinets.

The Dali 2 was followed by larger models in the range, the 3, 4, 6 and 8, which Dali explained shared the same design philosophy and signature sound: they don't "'thunder' or 'boom' bass – they just handle more power and provide better bass response".

Acoustic Energy AE1 (1987)

With the introduction of the AE1 Loudspeaker in 1987, Acoustic Energy Ltd was officially born. The concept was to create a compact studio monitor (it measured 30cm tall and 18cm wide) that could handle the high volumes and dynamics of larger speakers.

To achieve this, Acoustic Energy lined its cabinet with a concrete/plaster compound to eliminate as much resonance as possible, and developed a new mid/bass driver. It featured a 10cm cone of spun aluminium, thicker at the centre than the edges and anodised to create a ‘ceramic sandwich’, and used an oversized magnet assembly that allowed the AE1 to accept 200W of power.

The AE1 was refined in several revisions until 2016, when its SEAS tweeter went out of production. The design has since resurfaced in the amplified AE1 Active model.

• That Was Then... Acoustic Energy AE2 Signature review

Neat Petite (1991)

Neat Acoustics began life as a hi-fi shop in Darlington called North Eastern Audio Traders. After identifying a gap in the market for a small musical speaker, its owners developed the Neat Petite.

When we reviewed them in 1993, we heralded these speakers a musical success. We called their sound 'hugely stimulating', mostly due to the way they portrayed timing and dynamics – something that's continued to be a trademark in the brand’s more recent speakers.

• That Was Then... Neat Petite review

PMC BB5-A (1991)

After a stint as the manager of BBC's Maida Vale studios, Peter Thomas and former BBC engineer Adrian Loader designed the first PMC speaker, the BB5-A.

It introduced the company’s hallmark Advanced Transmission Line technology, in which drivers were used to improve bass output.

In an interview with What Hi-Fi?, Thomas said: “The design was certainly not conventional. Whereas the majority of speaker designers used ported or sealed cabinets, we found that a transmission line system for bass loading, if refined, gave a performance that significantly exceeded conventional bass loading principles.”

Wilson Benesch A.C.T. One (1994)

Five years after launching its first product, the Wilson Benesch Turntable, the British company launched a second: the A.C.T. One loudspeaker.

Unveiled at the 1994 Frankfurt High End show, the A.C.T. One used carbon fibre – the world’s first curved carbon fibre composite panel in a speaker design. It sported the sloping top and solid metal baffle that remain part of the company’s distinctive designs today.

While many years before the implementation of crossover-free midrange driver designs, as seen in the company’s Eminence series, the A.C.T. One placed great importance on phase coherence and the reduction of crossover elements.

Eclipse TD 512 (2002) 

Deviating from the traditional two-driver configuration and box design, Eclipse’s speakers are as distinct as they come. The company’s first, the 36cm-tall TD 512 speakers, were a "radical departure from the speaker norm" (as we stated in our 2002 review), with only one drive unit and an egg-shaped enclosure made of marble-loaded resin.

The former’s job to cover the whole frequency resulted in some shortcomings – namely, a rolled-off treble – but ultimately these beautifully imaged and detailed speakers did more than enough to enjoy a five-star debut. As we said at the time: "Little else at their price (£2350) will deliver such unrestricted access to the recording."

Q Acoustics 1000 series (2006)

Q Acoustics may not have the heritage of some other brands, but the British company’s debut, the six-strong 1000 series in 2006, has been one of the most notable of the 21st century.

The 1000 series comprised the 1010 and 1020 bookshelf speakers, 1010C centre channel, 1030 and 1050 floorstanders, and 1000S active subwoofer. Each model featured the same ferro-fluid cooled, micro-polyester weave tweeter and Linkwitz-Riley crossovers, and every drive unit was ‘torque mounted’ into its front baffle.

The 1010s were five-star performers in their own right, and later received another five-star review as part of a complete multi-channel surround package.

MORE:

• The What Hi-Fi? Hall of Fame
• The best stereo speakers of the 21st century
• 10 of the best songs to test your speakers

When Quad unveiled a reimagined version of its 1960s 33/303 pre/power amplifier duo in 2023, it proved so popular that an integrated version was highly requested. And so the Quad 3 stereo amplifier was born two years later.

Unlike the 33/303, the integrated Quad 3 isn’t a revived version of an original classic. It’s a completely new and thoroughly modern amplifier designed for today’s demanding customers and their varied listening habits, albeit with a charmingly retro-inspired look.

Build & design

There’s no getting past the eye-catching facade of the amp, so we’ll start there.

The Quad 3’s design takes inspiration from the modernised 33 preamp – the compact size, the controls, the orange-backlit LCD display – while the curved contours are derived from the older, 1950s-era Quad 22 preamp/control unit.

The matte silver fascia is minimally designed and is punctuated with that bright, punchy orange display strip, while the rest of the body sports a dark grey finish.

It’s a nicely made unit and we particularly like that compact size. It sits in between the full-size, bulky Arcam A15+ and the even more compact and tidy Rotel DX-5, and we can see the Quad’s dimensions fitting into many spaces that larger hi-fi wouldn’t.

The front panel of the Quad 3 is adorned with rotary controls mounted flush to the unit, and a larger volume control dial with orange LEDs surrounding it to denote the volume level. The volume dial is nice to use, and we like the way LEDs of varying brightness appear for each volume step.

In fact, it reminds us of a similar design we encountered on the five-star Mission 778X amp. Considering Quad and Mission are owned by the same company, it’s not a huge surprise to see shared designs, and it’s one we’re happy to see repeated on the Quad 3.

The smaller rotary dials are for selecting source, adjusting the balance and bass (up to +3/-3db) and, most notably, the tilt control. This tilt control can trace its origin back to the Quad 34 preamp from 1982, and we find it a subtler way to adjust tone. Instead of separately adjusting treble or bass (as you’ll find on many conventional amps), tilt control allows you to adjust both ends of the frequency range together, pivoting at around the 700Hz mark.

So for a ‘cooler’ sound, you can lift the treble which automatically reduces the same amount of bass (again, in +1/-1db increments), while those wanting a ‘warmer’ tone can go the opposite way, like a see-saw. We think it’s worth playing around with to suit the rest of your system.

Once we get past the rather lovely looks and start using the unit, we start to encounter a few niggles and issues. Firstly – and most egregiously – we wish the text on the display was stronger and had better contrast, as the thin font can be hard to read up close, let alone from afar or at an angle.

The control dials can be a little fiddly to navigate, too. Some on the team preferred using the entire surface of the dial to move it, while others felt it was more natural to adjust it via the bottom lip of the dial that overhangs the display. A little indentation or mark on the dials would perhaps help guide us to the zero point.

The amp comes with a button-laden remote that is useful and responsive, but it feels a little cheap compared with the amplifier itself and with the more svelte, slimline remotes supplied with the Rotel and Arcam rivals.

We wish the button layout was just a little more intuitive, too, especially for changing volume, and that there were dedicated buttons for each input. The source up/down button to change the inputs from afar is pointless when you can’t read the input chosen on the display – and that’s at full brightness/contrast levels.

We find using the source dial on the unit easier to use when switching inputs, but that requires having the amp positioned close to your listening position and within reach.

Features & connectivity

Whereas the modernised 33 preamp is all-analogue, the Quad 3 integrated is a fully 21st-century hi-fi product with multiple digital inputs available. You get optical, coaxial and USB type-B inputs, and even an HDMI ARC input for using the Quad 3 with your TV system. It also has Bluetooth with aptX HD codec for easy streaming from your mobile devices.

On the analogue side, you get two pairs of RCA line level inputs, and moving magnet phono input for connecting a turntable directly. And finally, it has a dedicated headphone amplifier circuit with a 6.3mm headphone jack, just under the front panel.

In short, you can connect just about any source to the amp, and we’re impressed by just how much Quad has managed to fit into this compact amp.

Under the hood, the Quad 3 features Class A/B amplification with a beefy 235VA ultra-low-noise toroidal transformer. The amp has a claimed 65 watts of power into 8 ohms, which rises to 100 watts into 4 ohms – which is perfectly fine for this kind of amp and should be able to drive most price-compatible speakers. We found it had no trouble driving our reference ATC SCM50 speakers during testing.

On the digital side, the Quad 3 makes use of the ESS Sabre ES9038Q2M DAC chip, with special care taken over the clocking circuit to minimise jitter and the power supply circuit to further enhance the DAC performance.

File compatibility is extensive: you get hi-res audio support up to 32-bit/768kHz PCM and full MQA decoding, while DSD512 files can be played natively via the USB input.

There are five filters available to you when using the digital inputs. The default mode is ‘linear slow’ and is the one we settle on as it sounds most natural out of the five options – to our ears, it offers greater subtlety, more dynamism and a better sense of space than the others.

You can access those filters through the menu – here’s where the remote comes in handy – and you’ll also find options to change the brightness of the display (you can turn it off if the orange backlight is too piercing), adjust the text contrast (we recommend leaving it at maximum), choose gain settings, set auto standby and more.

During our testing, we used a variety of sources, including the Naim Uniti Atom Headphone Edition music streamer, the Cyrus CDi CD player, the Rega Planar 3 RS Edition turntable, and an iPhone 16 for Bluetooth. We used price-compatible speakers in the form of the Epos ES-7N standmounts and the PMC Prodigy 5 floorstanders, and we also plugged the Quad into our trusty ATC SCM50s to see how it would fare with more demanding speakers.

Sound

We kick off our listening with a mix of Kendrick Lamar, Alt-J and Waxahatchee, and are met with an immediately likeable presentation that sounds clear and detailed, with a lively sense of energy.

Songs flow in a smooth, fluid manner, while basslines are fairly zippy and nimble – before long, we find ourselves tapping along to songs as we run through our library of tracks. There’s enough punch and verve at hand, too, making it appealing to listen to.

While the scale of sound isn’t as large as more powerful rivals, the Quad 3 is a dab hand with the undulating dynamics of a track. Instruments are layered in a breathable soundstage that has decent depth, with enough in the way of detail that the varying tones and textures of each instrument are clearly conveyed.

Play Eminem’s The Way I Am and the Quad 3 proves it’s no shrinking wallflower; there’s plenty of snap and attack to his singing, with lyrics coming through with ample bite and attitude. The more we listen, we realise the 3’s midrange is the star – from Alicia Keys’ stunningly raw vocals on Fallin’ to Waxahatchee’s crystal-clear, melodious singing, voices are laid bare with a great deal of nuance and expression.

Voices are projected clearly and upfront through the amplifier, and, regardless of the input or source, the Quad 3 does a lovely job in communicating the emotional core of a song. At this level, the stop and start of notes could be more precise and another helping of subtlety and insight would flesh out those instruments and natural tones even further, but the Quad 3 combines the essentials together in a way that sounds cohesive and flows well.

We find the Quad is transparent enough to convey the different recording qualities, too, with the difference in recording eras easy to discern whether we’re playing Nina Simone’s Sinnerman or Dead Prez’s Hip-Hop.

Compared with its price rivals, the Quad 3 isn’t quite the last word in scale, detail and precision. When the sax takes centre stage in Dave Brubeck’s Take Five, for instance, the piano section gets subsumed into the rest of the instrumentation, and isn’t as well-projected as through its rivals.

The pricier and less powerful Rotel DX-5 (£1399 / $1699 / AU$2199) is clearer, crisper, and has tauter bass overall; while the less costly but more powerful Arcam A15+ (£1199 / $1099 / AU$2295) conveys the sweeping, orchestral might of the Jurassic Park Theme with greater muscle, authority, scale and detail.

None of that takes away from the Quad’s full-bodied tone and smoothed-edged presentation, which is a big part of what makes its sound so likeable and enjoyable to listen to in the first place.

That sonic character is consistent through the digital and analogue inputs, which is commendable. The phono stage is of good quality, exhibiting that same midrange fidelity when we play Olivia Rodrigo’s GUTS record on the Rega turntable, although more dynamic prowess wouldn’t go amiss.

The headphone amplifier is also of fine quality, with a great amount of clarity and detail making for an involving and intimate listen. Pair with a solid pair of wired headphones – we used Grado’s SR325x and Beyerdynamic T1 Gen 3 – and it’s a terrific way to enjoy the Quad 3.

The only downside is Bluetooth, which has a noticeable drop in resolution and squashed dynamics, resulting in a very diminished, lifeless performance. While convenient to have, we’d avoid using Bluetooth – it’s not up to the standard of the rest of the Quad 3’s inputs.

Verdict

Quad’s meld of modern and retro has resulted in a characterful, enjoyable amp that, while not troubling the class-leaders at this premium level, has plenty of visual appeal and stands out from the crowd.

The generous spread of connections is impressive for such a compact design, and despite some usability quirks, the Quad 3’s fluid, punchy presentation with its particular talent for voices is worth an audition.

Review published: 25th March 2026

SCORES

• Sound 4
• Build 4
• Features 5

MORE:

Read our review of the Arcam A15+

Also consider the Rotel DX-5

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Quad's range-topping Platina series launched last year with an integrated amplifier and the Platina Stream network music player, and now a CD transport joins this premium hi-fi family.

The Quad Platina CDT is designed to match the Platina Integrated amp in sound and visual design, and with its "superlative build quality and internal architecture that maximises the sonic potential of every disc" it promises to deliver a performance that CD fans will enjoy for years and years to come.

The Platina Integrated already has a good DAC inside it (an ESS Sabre ES9038PRO DAC to be exact), says Quad, so it was only natural to offer a matching CD transport for those with large CD collections.

As a CD transport, the Platina CDT focuses solely on the accurate reading and retrieval of the data from the CD, leaving the job of converting the digital data into analogue signals entirely to the amplifier's DAC.

The Platina CDT has an anti-resonance chassis and a shielding transport mechanism to reduce vibrations and interference, while every element of the unit has been "engineered for high durability, quiet operation and uncompromised fidelity".

Quad says the CD mechanism has been chosen for its build quality and disc stability properties, and is coupled to a custom-designed CD servo control system for "maximum precision and accuracy".

An ultra-precise master clock powered by its own ultra-low-noise regulator aims to reduce jitter and deliver excellent timing reference, while other components are carefully designed to minimise distortion, timing errors and ensure delivery of a "pristine" signal to the DAC.

The power supplies to the motor, laser servo circuits and even the display are also carefully isolated to ensure there is minimal interference on the signal path.

The Platina CDT is able to play audio CDs, CD-R, CD-RW and data CDs, while a USB-A port at the back of the unit lets you play a variety of hi-res digital files from a connected hard disk or media storage.

The CDT shares the same steel chassis, thick aluminium front panel (available in silver or black), 4.3in colour IPS LCD screen display and anti-resonance feet as the Integrated amp for a cohesive family look across the Platina range.

The QUAD Platina CDT will available from April for £1499 / $1999 / AU$3499.

MORE:

For those wanting a more retro design, Quad's 3CDT transport promises to play your discs with “uncompromised fidelity”

What is a CD transport? How is it different from a CD player?

A tale of three speakers: mini monitor legends from Acoustic Energy, BBC and KEF

It's a brand new year! Happy new year to our readers, and we are here to brighten the January blues by giving you an insight into the hi-fi and home cinema products we have in for review this month.

While we try to clear away the festive-induced cobwebs and tackle 2026 with refreshed energy, there is no time to catch our breath when it comes to what's really important to us at What Hi-Fi? towers: reviews.

Our listening rooms have already opened the doors to new products as we get back to work on our first week, and we have on the testing block products as varied as Rega's flagship pre/power amplifiers, high-end open-back headphones and a new contender in the premium 4K projector space.

Below is a small selection of the tantalising products we have in for testing this month. Get in touch with us via whathifi@futurenet.com if you have any questions about them, and we can endeavour to answer your query during testing.

Rega Mercury and Solis

They're finally here. Rega's Mercury and Solis pre/power are the brand's new high-end flagship amplifiers, and they are finally in full production flow, after early concepts and units were teased and previewed at trade shows over the past year.

The pre/power duo costs £13,900 in total (approx. $21,000 / AU$29,000), and are, according to the brand, "the culmination of almost four decades of Rega electronics engineering experience in solid-state amplifier development". The engineers have obsessively worked on this new flagship, choosing components intentionally (even older DAC chips, for instance) to prioritise sound quality above all.

The preamp features line-level and balanced XLR inputs, coaxial and optical inputs, and USB type B, with the internal DAC supporting up to 24-bit/192kHz PCM and DSD64 file resolutions. The power amp outputs a claimed 168W per channel into 8 ohms – it may not be the flashiest product in terms of specs and design, but here's hoping that Rega can deliver where it really counts: pure audio performance and enjoyment.

We've got review samples of the Mercury/Solis in right now and are currently testing them – stay tuned for the full review in a few weeks.

Quad 3

Here's another product we've been dying to get into our test rooms ever since we first laid eyes on it last year. The Quad 3 amplifier takes inspiration from the charming 33 / 303 pre/power amp duo and brings those gorgeous 1960s retro looks to an integrated design.

Underneath the hood, however, it's a thoroughly modern affair, with cutting-edge specs (advanced ESS Sabre DAC chip, extensive file compatibility, aptX Bluetooth, HDMI ARC) and the promise of a "detailed, expansive and expressive sound".

All that packed into a nifty compact design with that eye-catching LED display, for £1249 / €1895 / AU$2799, is certainly tempting. Now, if only we had that matching Quad 3CDT transport that was just announced before Christmas in too...

Yamaha YH-4000

Yamaha's high-end YH-5000SE wired headphones were a revelation: they were a five-star stunner and winner of our Temptation Award in 2023 – truly, an impressive, hugely talented and insightful pair of audiophile open-backs.

Now, we have their latest premium headphones in for testing. The new YH-4000 open-back headphones follow the same design structure and magnesium body as the 5000SE, but with updated materials and technology. The orthodynamic (planar magnetic) drivers return, while there is a new mesh filter and brand new earpads specifically made for this model. The headphones are hand-assembled in Yamaha's Kakegawa factory, where their famed grand pianos are also made, and we hope the "uniquely responsive, natural and precise sound” lives up to the promise.

We also have the closed-back model, the Yamaha YH-C3000 ($1699), in for testing. The C3000 uses a new "armodynamic" driver and feature hand-crafted beech wood housings for the earcups – which promise lightweight build and natural sound.

Sharp RP-TT100

To quote our original news story: "This wasn't on our 2025 bingo card". TV/AV manufacturer Sharp surprised us with its first turntable in 20 years, with the RP-TT100 making its debut at the IFA showcase last year.

The RP-TT100 record player is fully automatic in use, with pause, reward, fast forward and repeat functions available at the push of buttons. There is even a USB-C port for digitising your records, while the deck itself features an aluminium platter and metal tonearm.

With built-in phono stage and Bluetooth streaming, Sharp is aiming to deliver all the modern requirements of a turntable for newbie vinyl fans.

The price is on the affordable side, too, costing a rather competitive £180 / €199, with availability in UK and Europe at the moment. Can it hold its own in the very crowded budget turntable market? We shall see.

Fyne F500E 5.1 speaker package

Fyne Audio's F501E wowed us with their incredibly expressive, cohesive and entertaining performance at £999 per pair, beating out plenty of pricier alternatives and winning the overall Product of the Year gong for floorstanders at the What Hi-Fi? Awards 2025.

Naturally, a 5.1 surround sound package incorporating these talented speakers is our next step. This Fyne package consists of the F501E as the front left/right speakers, the smaller standmount F5E as the surround speakers, with the F502E centre and F3-10 subwoofer – all for £2249.

Can Fyne succeed in a home cinema setting the way it excelled on the stereo front? We are currently testing this 5.1 package, so you won't have long to find out in our full review.

Xgimi Horizon 20 Max

We normally encounter Xgimi projectors at the portable end of the market, such as the cute and enjoyable Xgimi MoGo 4, but the Chinese brand is now aiming for the big boys.

Its new range of 4K projectors are aimed at "serious home theatre enthusiasts" and we have the flagship, the Horizon 20 Max, in for review. This RBG triple laser projector aims to deliver “immersive visuals even in daylight or high-ambient light environments”, and has a claimed 5700 ISO lumens of brightness and 20,000:1 contrast ratio. It also supports Dolby Vision, HDR10+ and IMAX Enhanced, while Google TV gives you plenty of smart app access.

Sound is provided by Harman Kardon, while gamers are promised low-latency modes and a 240Hz refresh rate. Priced at £2599, it goes up against fierce competition from the Award-winning Epson EH-LS9000 – we can't wait to see how the new Xgimi fares.

TCL C6K (Q6C)

TCL had a terrific year at our What Hi-Fi? Awards 2025, picking up three wins for its C7K and C6KS TVs. Sandwiched between them is the C6K (or Q6C) range, and we have high hopes that this Mini LED TV lives up to such high expectations.

As part of TCL's 2025 TV range, the C6K stars from £799 for the 55-inch up to £3199 for the 98-incher. This Mini LED TV features comprehensive HDR support (same as those in the C7K), high refresh rates, and support for Dolby Atmos Flex Connect, which should give you greater flexibility for choosing and placing your home cinema speakers.

You get fewer dimming zones and lower max brightness of 1000 nits compared with the step-up C7K, and a 2.1-channel 40W Onkyo sound system, instead of the C7K's Bang & Olufsen version.

We praised the punchy brightness and contrast on TCL's C6Ks and C7K TVs as well as their very competitive prices last year, so here's hoping that the C6K model we have in for testing follows in its siblings footsteps.

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Quad has unveiled a CD transport to pair with its Quad 3 integrated amplifier, which itself launched earlier this year, in June.

The Quad 3CDT follows the same 1960s-inspired retro aesthetics as the Quad 3 integrated amp, which in turn is inspired by the revived 33 / 303 pre/power amplifier duo. It has the same 30cm compact footprint as the amp, along with a minimalist front panel with the eye-catching orange-backlit LCD display.

It's a transport rather than a CD player, meaning it focuses solely on the disc transport mechanism and data-reading elements, and leaves the digital-to-analogue conversion process to the connected amplifier's internal DAC.

The 3CDT features an optical and coaxial output apiece and can be used with any amplifier with an internal DAC, but is naturally designed to pair with the Quad 3 and its ES9038Q2M Sabre DAC.

The 3CDT is designed for “high durability, quiet operation and uncompromised fidelity”, with care taken throughout its construction to reduce the effects of vibrations and interference.

Inside the transport is a high-precision CD mechanism and custom-designed servo control, which aims to deliver “excellent disc-reading accuracy and stability”. It has been optimised to minimise any read errors, jitter and other forms of distortion, ensuring that “a pristine signal” is sent to the connected DAC.

The internal architecture is engineered to “maximise the sonic potential of every disc you play”, with critical pathways isolated from each other to ensure a clean and stable data stream, while an independently powered, ultra-precise crystal oscillator serves as the master clock and offers a “rock-solid” timing reference.

Ultimately, the Quad 3CDT aims to deliver CD performance that is “free of timing errors, delivering audibly cleaner transients, tighter imaging and greater musical coherence.”

The CD transport supports the Red Book standard for CD playback, CD-R, CD-RW and data CDs, as well as discs containing FLAC, WAV, WMA, MP3 and APE encoded files.

Quad says the 3CDT is flexible enough to play “moderately damaged or dirty CDs that are often rejected by other CD players and transports.”

It will be interesting to see if it’s one of the CD players/transports able to play the controversial Lorde transparent CD without any fuss.

The Quad 3CDT transport is available from mid-December and will cost £599 / $1099 / AU$1399.

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Quad is rapidly expanding its Platina range of hi-fi separates, which it boasts are, "the finest range of solid-state audio electronics the company has ever produced".

Just days after the announcement of the new Platina Integrated amplifier, the new family has been bolstered by the arrival of the Platina Stream network player.

At the core of the new music streamer is an onboard DAC stage built around the ES9038PRO Sabre DAC chip. The DAC’s eight audio channels have been designed to drastically reduce noise and distortion, bolstered by Quad's proprietary circuitry and precise clock technology.

The new streamer incorporates a Class A post-DAC circuit stage that has been tailored to bring out the best of the ES9038PRO’s performance. Hi-res support is extensive, with the Platina Stream capable of handling PCM files up to 32-bit/768kHz alongside DSD512.

Regarding physical connections, Quad's latest network player offers single-ended RCA and balanced XLR analogue outputs, complemented by coaxial and optical digital outputs, meaning the Platina Stream can be connected to an external DAC.

The new network player can stream via wi-fi or a supplied Ethernet port, with native support offered for services such as Tidal, Qobuz, Spotify and TuneIn Radio.

Externally, the Platina Stream has been built to complement the aesthetics of its Platina Integrated sibling, exhibiting the same steel chassis and aluminium front panel alongside side-mounted heat sinks and anti-resonance feet.

At the front, the unit's fascia is equipped with a power button, a rotary control and a 4.3-inch colour display.

The Quad Platina Stream network player will be available from November 2025 with a choice of a choice of silver or black front panel, priced at £2999 / €3599 / $4495 / AU$6899.

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We first spied a prototype of Quad's Platina Series at the High End Munich show in 2023, but now it's getting an official roll out. The jewel in its crown? The Platina Integrated, which Quad claims is its “finest-ever integrated amplifier”.

You can trace its lineage all the way back to Quad's 33/303, its first pre/power amp that launched in 1967. Nearly 60 years later, the technology has come on significantly while remaining true to Quad's original mission of capturing the sound of the music as accurately as possible.

The Platina Integrated is the result of an exhaustive – and possibly exhausting – five-year development process in which Quad engineers re-examined every circuit element of their amps and started afresh. The result is “ideal for driving the world’s finest loudspeakers”, according to Quad.

It certainly looks up to the job, with a dual-mono Class AB design delivering 200W per channel into 8 ohms and 300W into 4 ohms, with a maximum output current of 20A. All of which should be enough to handle even the most demanding of speakers.

Where Quad couldn't source suitable components, it designed its own, working with partners such as Wurth Elektronik. The 630VA toroidal transformer was also custom designed for the Platina Integrated, combining a large filter capacity in the power supply and cascaded voltage regulators in the analogue and digital sections. That should mean a high degree of musical integrity, with “exceptional realism, dimensionality and grace”.

The low-impedance, noise-immune design is achieved through extensive surface-mount component integration, while optimised component-placement minimises circuit loops to reduce electromagnetic interference.

In terms of inputs, you get a USB-C, four S/PDIF inputs (two coaxial and two optical) and an HDMI ARC for connecting to a home cinema system. There are also a balanced XLR and three RCAs (two line-level and one for a turntable). And outputs? There are gold-plated binding posts for connecting speakers, along with RCA and balanced XLR pre-outs (for an external power amplifier or active speakers, or to add a subwoofer) and a 6.35mm headphone socket.

The Sabre ES9038PRO DAC chip helps the Platina Integrated to handle digital sources, while two master-clocks eliminate jitter. And it plays nice with all manner of hi-res files, while also upsampling lower-quality audio streams to 352.8kHz/384kHz. It's also certified Roon Tested to work seamlessly in a Roon-controlled environment.

But chances are you won't be using this with only digital sources, so you’ll be glad to hear it is also engineered to work well with vinyl. Quad’s new phono stage amplifies the signal from both moving magnet (MM) and moving coil (MC) phono cartridges to line level, plus it applies precise RIAA equalisation to reveal “supreme definition, depth and dynamic range”.

There are also three settings – 46dB, 52dB and 60dB – to match the output of your chosen cartridge.

It's also designed with headphones in mind. Its dedicated headphone-amplifier circuitry has an ultra-low-noise current-feedback design, meaning more clarity, a wider bandwidth and better transient response to react faster to dynamic changes in the music.

And then there's the build quality. While its fascia design and side-mounted heat sinks echo Quad amps of old, it has a new industrial design, with a steel chassis, thick anodised aluminium front panel and vibration-damping feet. Its 4.3-inch screen has ‘sci-fi green’ as its signature colour across the Platina Series, and can be set to show the volume, real-time signal levels, logos and more.

So how much does it cost? It goes on sale next month for £3499 / $5495 / AU$7999 with a choice of either silver or black front panel. It will be accompanied by the Platina Stream network player (whose details are due to follow soon), while a matching CD transport will follow in the spring of 2026.

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IAG owns some of the biggest hi-fi brands in the business, with the likes of Audiolab, Quad, Mission and Wharfedale all under its umbrella.

With design, engineering and virtually all manufacturing for all its brands under one roof, sustainability has been on IAG’s radar for some time now.

As part of What Hi-Fi?’s Sustainability Week, we spoke to Jamie O’Callaghan, the IAG Group’s Global Sales & Marketing Director, to hear how the company approaches the topic and evaluates how performance and cost fit into the equation.

“Long before the word ‘sustainability' was everywhere, we were already recycling sawdust into pellets for heating or repurposing into MDF, recycling water on-site, using solar power, and reusing cardboard and paper pulp for drivers and packaging,” says O’Callaghan.

And it continues in today’s manufacturing process. “We design them [products] so they can be repaired: modular parts, replaceable drivers, serviceable amps.

"We manufacture about 95 per cent of what goes into our products in-house. For the rest, we only source from suppliers who meet the strict standards (RoHS, REACH, etc).

"We’ve cut down on plastics in our packaging, and we recycle as much as possible on-site. Our lacquer and paint processes conform to extremely strict environmental regulations – far ahead of many current standards.

"In addition, we have a dedicated project management team working on material considerations – paints, materials, techniques that follow the demands for even less environmental impact and even higher levels of sustainability.”

At this point, it's probably worth remembering that the product turnover in the world of hi-fi isn’t as quick as in other consumer tech, such as smartphones, headphones, and TVs; there’s already a certain degree of sustainability built in.

“We believe sustainability starts with making products that actually last. If something is built well enough to be repaired and enjoyed for years – instead of being thrown away – that’s already a huge step.

"We still support some QUAD models that were released over 50 years ago. We keep spares, we have authorised service centres, and we’ve always believed a hi-fi system is something you maintain rather than discard.”

But does IAG think customers care about sustainability? “More than before, absolutely.

"We’ve had customers contact us asking if our speakers are vegan (which they are!) – ten years ago, it would have sounded odd, but now it’s a fair question. It shows people are thinking more consciously,” says O’Callaghan.

“That said, in hi-fi, sound quality and price are still the main drivers. Sustainability matters – but it’s rarely the number one reason someone buys an amplifier.

"What people do appreciate, though, is honesty. They can tell when a brand is actually making an effort versus just using marketing buzzwords.

"The biggest challenge is trying to balance sustainability with performance and price. In audio (and consumer electronics in general), the enthusiast community – audiophiles, reviewers, users – still expect things to sound exceptional and be affordable.”

And as O’Callaghan explains, what might be good for the environment might not necessarily be the right fit for a product, and even the eco-friendly options that look good on paper might have drawbacks.

“Eco-friendly materials don’t consistently deliver the performance our engineers require, or the cost-efficiency our customers expect. And the ones that do usually cost more – which then affects how competitive the product is.

"Sourcing components with a lower carbon footprint that still meet the quality benchmark is an ongoing challenge. And once costs rise, not all consumers or retailers are willing to absorb that, even if they support the idea of sustainability.”

It is a difficult balance to get right, though, especially in the affordable areas of the market where you’ll find most consumers.

As O’Callaghan puts it, “The inescapable fact is that most people like the idea of super-eco-friendly products and materials, but there is a ceiling as to how much of a premium they are willing to pay.”

Building more sustainable products isn’t as simple as swapping out materials. There are the cost implications on final prices and also knock-on effects on quality and performance.

O’Callaghan explains, “We’re working towards standards where plant-based plastics and bio-resins can be used as alternatives to ABS, recycled wood fibre board can replace traditional MDF and so on. These materials meet the 'sustainability box' but in practice, they often fail during real-world testing – from cabinet resonance and acoustic stability, through to finishing and long-term durability.

Some materials we’ve looked at are fantastic but incredibly expensive, can’t be finished beyond ‘natural colours’, and are extremely difficult to work into forms familiar for loudspeakers.”

When you start to think about adding a new technology there are complex sums to work through, and that, according to O’Callaghan, “isn’t simply a matter of adding X amount to the cost of a loudspeaker.

"It involves detailed calculations of man-hours for engineering work (investigation, testing, modelling, sampling) and that’s before considering production techniques, machinery, tooling, etc.

"The cost chain is long, and the timeline is similarly affected. The work continues, but it’s a process of incremental R&D and concept, not just a quick swap-in.”

Alternative materials can be challenging to machine and achieve a consistent finish and there’s the cost element, plus the question of just how ‘green’ they actually are.

“Carbon fibre is acoustically excellent; stone or mineral composites are extremely inert; and recycled PETs clearly offer environmental benefits.

"However, these materials often cost significantly more than MDF or ABS. And in some cases, their CO₂ footprint during large-scale production is significant – the end product may appear ‘green’, but the production process is less so.”

O’Callaghan uses the five-star, Award-winning Mission 770 stereo speakers as an example of how adding eco-friendly tech could affect pricing. The speakers already use packaging and MDF from recycled materials, a PFAS-free lacquer finish on real-wood veneers (as opposed to vinyl or synthetic materials) and water-based acoustic damping glue.

“If we were to substitute our materials for carbon fibre, 3D printed bio-resins and bring in stone-based composite boards, for example, the 770 would be marginally more ‘sustainable’ as an end product, but significantly more expensive to produce and therefore – as a rough estimate – five times more expensive to the end customer. More Sustainable? Perhaps, yes. Viable for dealers and consumers? Not at all.”

So what does the future hold for IAG and its approach to sustainability?

Could it become carbon neutral? “That is the long-term goal, but we want to be realistic and responsible about it.

"First, we’re mapping out our emissions properly so we actually know where we stand. Then we reduce what we can. Only after that does offsetting make sense,” says O’Callaghan.

Besides working on a public product sustainability policy to show greater transparency, O’Callaghan has good news for fans of IAG brands on the product front.

“We’re exploring new materials for future ranges. One project that Peter Comeau (Director of Acoustic Design) and his team are working on for 2026 is especially exciting, and takes this thinking to a whole new level.

"Our industrial design team is already eliminating materials, processes and design habits that don’t comply with a logical sustainability mindset. Watch this space!”

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Quad has unveiled its latest integrated stereo amplifier, the Quad 3. Following the launch of the two-box 33/303 amplifier pair, which revived classic models from the 1960s with a fresh outlook, the new Quad 3 follows the same exterior style as its reimagined siblings but with "cutting-edge" internal technologies.

We first spotted the Quad 3 at High End Munich last month (pictured above), and now we have full details, price and availability.

The Quad 3 is powered by Class A/B amplification and delivers 65 watts per channel into 8 ohms. The amp's output stage uses a Quad's 'Complementary Feedback' topology in pursuit of "superior linearity and excellent thermal stability", while independent low-noise power supplies are provided for each critical element for a more "detailed, expansive and expressive" sound.

At the heart of the new amplifier is the Quad 3’s DAC stage, based around the ES9038Q2M Sabre DAC chip. Employing ESS Technology’s 'HyperStream II' architecture and a bespoke jitter eliminator, the Quad 3 promises ultra-low noise and high dynamic range for a more expressive, involving listen.

The amp is capable of handling hi-res PCM files up to 32-bit/768kHz and DSD512, while full MQA decoding is on board. There's also a choice of five filter settings to suit your given source material, a handy addition if you need to make adjustments for a range of different quality digital formats and platforms.

In terms of physical connections, the Quad 3 offers coaxial and optical digital inputs, a USB-B input, as well as an HDMI ARC port for integrating your amplifier into your TV or home cinema setup. Analogue sources, meanwhile, are catered for courtesy of twin RCA inputs and a moving magnet phono input for vinyl lovers.

For personal listening, Quad's latest amp features a 6.3mm headphone output, while Bluetooth 5.1 with aptX HD codec support is available for fans of wireless streaming.

On the front panel, there are four controls for selecting your source and adjusting your music's tone to your preference, alongside a larger volume rotary control dial and that retro-tastic orange backlit horizontal LCD display.

The Quad 3 integrated will be available from mid-June, priced at £1249 / €1499 / AU$2799.

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The Bristol Hi-Fi Show has been around for as long as I've been alive (just – I'm a year older). As the largest and longest-running hi-fi show in the UK, the show is an annual haven for audio brands, media and hi-fi fans to congregate in Bristol (in the same Marriott Hotel) and set our sights on the latest audio-visual products from both UK-born-and-based manufacturers and those from around the world.

I was two months into my very first year at What Hi-Fi? when our editorial team set off for a long weekend at the Bristol Show, and it has become a staple of my calendar along with our annual Awards and Christmas ever since.

I've seen – and heard – some terrific new speakers, amplifiers, turntables and headphones at the show in the past decade or so, and with this year's Bristol Hi-Fi Show 2025 only a week away, here are the new products that I'm most looking forward to hearing for the first time.

Quad ESL-2912X electrostatic speakers

Quad and electrostatic speakers are synonymous with each other, and we haven't had a new electrostatic speaker from the brand in 12 years – so the advent of a brand new model is quite a big deal. The prototype ESL-2912X had their first public showing at High End Munich last year, but the ones shown at the Bristol Show next week are the final production model that will go on sale in summer – and we'll be the first people to hear them in action.

We've enjoyed the terrific sound of Quad's electrostatic speakers, with the current and ongoing ESL-2812 wowing us with their stunning cohesion, insight, precision and stereo imaging. The new Quad ESL-2912X are positioned as the flagship model with significant updates made throughout. They'll be on demo with the equally interesting Quad 33/303 pre/power amplifiers that carry on the brand's mission of reviving retro designs for the modern audience, and I'm excited to hear not just what the new ESL-2912X sound like, but how this combination sounds together.

Ruark Audio Sabre-R bookshelf speakers

Here's another brand that is reaching back towards its roots: Ruark Audio stopped making passive stereo speakers in favour of stylish, well-featured smart/DAB radios and modern wireless systems – such as the five-star (and Award-winning) R1S radio and the MR1 MK2 desktop speakers – around the mid-’00s. But the Essex-based brand has now launched its first passive speakers in over 20 years: the Sabre-R. The two-way speakers mimic the lovely wooden cabinet finish of its radio siblings and are set to cost £699. The stereo speaker market is fiercely competitive and packed with options in this price range; will Ruark be able to compete with the established players with this new model? We've been fond of Ruark's current sound signature and fondly remember its previous speakers (such as Talisman, Solstice, Equinox), so hearing what these new Sabre-R speakers sound like is high on my to-do list next weekend.

Devialet Astra streaming amplifier

When we first encountered Devialet back in 2012 with the Devialet D-Premier amplifier, it was as futuristic as hi-fi could get. Its wholly original approach to amplifier design (combining Class A with Class D) along with wireless capability – a rarity at the time – was as exciting then as it is now, and it had a sound quality to match its high five-figure price. The French brand has since found success and popularity with its Phantom line of powerful wireless speakers, but at the Bristol Show it will be unveiling its new Astra streaming amplifier. It costs $20,000, boasts 600W of power and has all the streaming features you could wish for – and it looks as stunning and unique as the D-Premier did over a decade ago. It'll be interesting to find out what speakers this high-end streaming amp is connected to in the demo, and whether it can match the high expectations for build and performance at this level when we see it in person.

Acoustic Energy AE300 speaker range

Acoustic Energy's speakers have a well-regarded reputation for delivering strong, capable sound with great build quality, and this update to its midrange AE300 speaker series is certainly enticing. With the tweeter derived from its flagship Corinuum speaker range and cabinet technology derived from higher-end models, the new AE300 series (which comprises the AE300² standmounts, AE309² and AE320² floorstanders and the AE307² centre channel) aims to deliver flexible and friendly options for hi-fi and home cinema fans alike. Prices start at a sensible £649 and they look rather smart too.

Wharfedale Super Linton speakers

It wouldn't be a Bristol Hi-Fi Show without Wharfedale launching another pair in its hugely popular Heritage line of retro-revived speakers, now would it? The last few years at the show have seen launches of the Dovedale, Linton and Super Denton speakers, and this year we'll be treated to the first look and demo of the Wharfedale Super Linton. We were big fans of the original Linton when we tested the pair in 2020 (five stars for a pleasingly effortless, detailed and open sound), so the bigger 'super' version of these large standmounters with revised drivers has plenty of appeal. They will be powered by the Quad 33/303 amps, which is a quirky pairing that I can't wait to hear.

Rotel Michi Q5 CD transport/DAC

We've known about Rotel's new models in its high-end and well-regarded Michi range for a while, and I can't wait to experience the new Michi Q5 CD transport DAC (essentially a CD player with digital inputs and outputs, so it can also be used as a transport with outboard DAC) in person. Michi products have always been built to the highest standards and that top-loading CD mechanism is crafted from aluminium and looks stunningly machined, and is a dream to use. It also promises accurate signal reproduction with minimal distortion and exceptional detail retrieval from your beloved CD collection and hi-res files. We've not had many previews or teases about any turntable this year, so this could be a win for die-hard CD fans – I know I'll be queuing up to hear the Michi Q5 in action with Spendor speakers.

Chord Electronics Alto headphone amplifier

If your system at home is desktop and headphones-based, Chord's versatile Alto headphone amp should be high on your audition list. Chord Electronics' excellent (and sometimes very quirky) products have delivered superb detail and rhythmic ability across the board – from the portable Mojo 2 to the premium Qutest DAC to the the higher-end Ultima Integrated – so it's safe to assume that Alto will deliver the sonic goods. Originally designed for pro studio use, this is now available for the consumer market, and we can see its generous spread of headphone outputs (3.5mm, two 6.3mm, and 4.4mm Pentaconn balanced) appeal to headphone fans, while its Ultima-derived amplification (25W into 8 ohms) can also drive small speakers/monitors. If you're a fan of Chord's sound (as well as its lit-up, button-laded, space-age looks) as I am, I'll see you at the demo stand.

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British hi-fi brand Quad has revealed reimagined versions of two of its most beloved separates: the 33 preamplifier and the 303 stereo amplifier. Designed to work in tandem or independently from each other, both units are making their long-awaited return to the spotlight, having launched 57 years ago in 1967.

First teased in prototype form at this year's High End Munich showcase, the reimagined Quad 33 preamp and Quad 303 stereo power amp blend modern-retro design with serious hi-fi heritage, boasting "highly evolved versions" of Quad's signature technologies housed in industrial, retro-futuristic designs.

With the Quad preamp, Quad has formulated a new circuit design with a low-noise custom toroidal transformer and numerous smoothing capacitors for improved sonic performance. The new 33 offers four line-level inputs (three RCA and a single XLR) alongside a phono input, as well as RCA and XLR outputs for connecting up the 303 amplifier.

The 303 power amplifier, meanwhile, seeks to blend exceptional reliability with superb flexibility and peerless sound quality. The new amp is rated at 50W per channel into 8 ohms for driving even the most demanding loads. At the heart of the amp is its bespoke ‘triples’ output stage which forms an "amplifier-within-an-amplifier" and, in short, makes the output stage more resistant to temperature fluctuations, thus reducing distortion.

The Class A/B amp features a new low-noise toroidal transformer specially developed for the 303 model. The unit's advanced feedback topology for the output stage promises exceptional thermal stability, resulting in a cool-running amplifier that "possesses the capacity to deliver dynamic power and maintain a firm hold on the music while providing rich sonic detail".

The striking amp boasts ten heatsink fins at the front and is designed to be oriented vertically. Around the back, the 303 comes equipped with gold-plated binding posts for connecting your speakers, as well as RCA and balanced XLR inputs and a 12V trigger input.

When paired together, Quad promises a "compact and cool-running" duo that honours the legacy of the originals while taking performance levels to new heights. Both 2024 versions of the Quad 33 preamplifier and 303 stereo power amplifier are available from mid-November, priced at £1199 / €1499 / $1599 / AU$2799.

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I just had my first experience of a rather different video format. And I loved it. The material certainly helped. Last year was the 50th anniversary of Pink Floyd’s ‘The Dark Side of the Moon’, originally released back in 1973 on vinyl, cassette and 8-track. And on quadraphonic vinyl! It’s a documented fact* that more weed was smoked listening to Dark Side in the 1970s than was consumed by US forces during the whole Vietnam War.

The album transferred to new formats as they arrived, of course, while every key anniversary has brought new editions, remasters, remixes: on Discogs there are more than 1000 different versions listed for ‘The Dark Side of the Moon’.

I have bought more than my fair share, in addition to seeing it live many times. I was too young for the 1974 tour (my first Floyd gigs were the 1980 and 1981 Earls Court ‘The Wall’ shows), but I’ve seen most of Dark Side performed by Gilmour’s version of Floyd, and multiple times by Roger, all accompanied by Floyd-level special effects, the classic Ian Emes animations on the circular screen, most recently giant spinning laser pyramids on Waters’ Us & Them tour. I have many of those gigs on DVD or Blu-ray. I have the 5.1 surround mix, and the Dolby Atmos mix.

It’s not even my favourite Floyd album (I’d take ‘Animals’ or ‘Meddle’ over ‘Dark Side’), but it’s undeniably iconic, and I love it still.

[* Not really. But probably.]

So when my sister bought me a ticket to go hear the album played in a converted warehouse off the Penarth Road in Cardiff, Wales, I was certainly up for it. I just didn’t expect, given my extended familiarity with the piece, to be quite so blown away by it.

This version was the 'fulldome' presentation released last year by NSC Creative at the National Space Centre in Leicester, UK, working closely with Pink Floyd’s long time creative collaborator Aubrey Powell from Hipgnosis. I had originally thought it to be loaded with NASA footage, which is all non-copyright, showing Pink Floyd’s representatives to have been fairly careful with the pennies, but I've subsequently heard from the producer Ben Squires who tells me proudly they created it all in CG! (Apart, he says, from one sequence of the Northern Lights from space and some surface detail of Jupiter.) So great credit to the NSC team; it is a brilliant 44-minute presentation that rivets you to your seat.

Those seats are near-horizontal, and the screen a complete hemisphere hanging above you, hence ‘fulldome’. So clearly this is not a work that can run in conventional cinemas, nor will you be able to enjoy it in your home cinema, no matter how wide your screen or how much you’ve spent on automated masking panels. It needs a special venue.

The Floyd film toured the world last year, showing in 38 such special venues, and it’s no surprise that those were dominantly planetariums. In Australia it was played at Scitech in Perth, and at the Melbourne Planetarium in Museum Victoria, also home to the Dome Under Film Festival. The projection system in Melbourne uses a spherical mirror and a single projector. In Leicester’s Space Centre they have 13 professional WUXGA (1920x1200) projectors.

CULTVR Lab

Cardiff is different. CULTVR Lab, as the venue is called, is no planetarium. Nor is it just a screen and a sound system. It’s a laboratory: a not-for-profit immersive research lab which houses five companies across different disciplines, so that the 360° film content is one side of it, but there’s also an independent record label, a music company, a graphic design studio, and two different VFX/animation studios.

So the Floyd shows are really aiming to bring people to this artistic space and to introduce fulldome to a wider audience; they took a licence to show the Dark Side film during 2024, rather than 2023, because they’d been off making their own projects for most of 2023, including 360° films. Indeed they built their fulldome primarily to preview their own creations, to learn what worked and what didn’t, because 360° filming has some unique considerations. For example, as with IMAX you can’t do much rapid cutting (10 seconds minimum); unlike IMAX you’re going to be filming yourself and other cameras, the sky and the ground, as well as your subject. How do you light that? How do you direct the audience’s attention? How do you stop them throwing up?

Also, how do you get a finished 360° film in front of an audience? Planetariums may have signed up for the Floyd movie (it is rumoured to have saved the budgets of some of them from collapse), but they are apparently a bit stuffy in general about opening up for more varied content.

And of course even hemispherical screens are only showing half the 360° picture. One obvious course might be to get the films into VR goggles, allowing users to look anywhere. But the 360° filmmakers, at CULTVR Lab at least, aren’t overly keen on the goggles concept because they really prefer the traditional shared experience of being in a cinema where everyone reacts together. And quite right too. I’d add to that the issue of sound, because cinemas can have great sound, and surround sound, while most VR goggles have pretty crap stereo sound without surround, and don’t get me started on pseudo-surround.

I know all this 360° information only because – in the manner of cash-strapped arts venues the world over – it was the CULTVR artists themselves who were welcoming the punters turning up for the trippy Floyd experience at this exceedingly cool venue. Selling tickets at the door, and very up for a chat, was Rhys Davies, part of CULTVR’s 360° film-making company 4Pi Productions; his bio describes him as a multimedia-based artist and curator who coordinates 4Pi’s filming projects.

He’s also a good bloke and knows his tech. Rhys explained that CULTVR obviously didn’t have a planetarium-sized budget, and needed to build their dome as economically as possible. A professional planetarium projector can cost from hundreds of thousands of dollars into the millions. For the CULTVR dome they chose a budget consumer projector – the BenQ W1050, a model which sold at around £650 (A$1200).

They use 12 of these in front projection mode, all arrayed around the bottom of the dome: seven illuminate the bottom layer of the hemispherical screen, with four more aimed above those, and the last illuminating the dome apex.

These are 1080p projectors, and the final image is 4096 x 4096; some basic maths indicates there must be a whole lot of overlap. Anyone who has spent some time aligning perhaps three projectors for a big commercial event will turn cold and start sweating at the thought of aligning 12 of them onto a hemisphere. There is also the need to map the 4096 square onto a hemispherical screen without distortion.

The answer to this is apparently a company in Ukraine, Front Pictures, which not only makes and sells domes, but is the master at software stitching multiple images together seamlessly. And it was seamless.

After the show Rhys kindly filled the dome with the Calibrator Patches (above), showing the zones for each projector (see above). I’d assume that one requirement must be that the projector blacks are pretty good and dark, otherwise the stitching overlays would be lifted in brightness. I couldn’t see any of that; it delivered as one huge image.

It’s also hard to believe that the total resolution across that dome was only a little over 4K (although this is also true of digital IMAX theatres, like the new one in Sydney). I was equally surprised that the Floyd film was running at just 30fps. At one point there were planetary orbits zooming around the screen at incredible pace, then space rocks hurtling at the viewer; the trippy On The Run animation sequence was dazzling, the detail in the clocks and astrolabes of Time was spectacular.

There was no sign of judder nor any lack of smoothness, and I don’t think 3D would have improved it one jot. Polarised 3D would anyway drop the brightness significantly, although this (brightness, not 3D) is something CULTVR is about to address in an upcoming upgrade from the 2200-lumen BenQ projectors to new models up around 4000 lumens (brand and model not revealed!). Given the quality of the results from the dozen W1050s, the upgraded system should simply ping from the screen.

Go see some fulldome

So I heartily recommend a fulldome experience. The Floyd creation was intended to be a one-year-only presentation for the 50th anniversary in 2023, so I was lucky to catch it at all in 2024. It’s at the Cardiff venue until 19th October, and Rhys says they may have another showing around Christmas. Seating tips: get there early and you can reserve your place. Go central, obviously; the first and second rows of cinema-style seating will give you the best sound (the Floyd show was in 5.1, as the Atmos mix of ‘Dark Side’ didn’t come out until later), but the third or fourth rows do give you a more complete view of the screen.

But as we’ve seen, CULTVR Lab isn’t really about Floyd shows at all. They also run regular shows of 4Pi’s own movies, and other global fulldome material, including an FDUK (fulldome UK) festival.

And in their cross-discipline way, once the dome was in place for the 360° movies, the resident production company 4Pi Productions brought in bands for live performances with “slowly rolling camera” vision up on the dome screen; they’ve also held dance events at CULTVR, and theatre; DJ Yoda will be getting down with the hip-hop crowd in February.

Too far from Cardiff? I’m tempted to suggest you might build your own fulldome: a 10-metre dome costs something like US$100k-$200k depending on options, plus your projectors and sound system… pricey, sure, but I’ve seen conventional home cinemas that have come in higher than that. Demolish that gazebo and put one in your garden.

More practical, perhaps, would be to search for ‘fulldome’ experiences in your own neck of the woods. While many planetariums have resisted widening their remit to show other types of fulldome movies, Rhys did say that in some cases where one planetarium has relented, they’ve had great success, and then others have followed. In Australia the Melbourne Planetarium is clearly one such leader, and I gather Sydney fulldome showings may be on the cards in the near future. I aim to be there, fully horizontal, to enjoy the show.

• See all our Australian reviews from Australian Hi-fi & Sound+Image magazines

• Latest news on the April 2025 Australian Hi-fi Show

The High End Munich 2024 show is underway and delighting our eyes and ears right through to the weekend, so prepare yourself for an onslaught of new product announcements and hands-on impressions brought to you by the on-ground What Hi-Fi? team. (Between currywurst and stein consumption, you understand.)

Europe's biggest hi-fi show this year has already blessed us with product launches from Focal, NAD, Chord Electronics, Q Acoustics, Pro-Ject, Elac, Sonus Faber, WiiM and Luxman, while brands such as Tannoy, Mission, Quad, Audiolab, Epos and many more have teased what they will be launching later in the year.

Last year's High End Munich 2023 show was the biggest yet, celebrating its 40th year and showcasing more brands than ever before. The High End Society is set to smash those records once more, with 1000 brands exhibiting (check out the full list of exhibitors here) and even more visitors estimated to stroll through the halls and atriums, looking in awe at the latest designs and technological marvels from the world's finest hi-fi brands.

Speaking of, let's get to some hot-off-the-press news, shall we?

High End Munich 2024 highlights

• Hands-on review of the Q Acoustics 3000c speaker series
• I heard a Burmester hi-fi system bring Elvis back to life, and it blew me away
• 7 of the best hi-fi separates at High End Munich 2024
• 7 weird and wonderful pieces of hi-fi we saw at High End Munich 2024
• 9 of the best stereo speakers at High End Munich 2024
• Hands-on review of the open-back Focal Hadenys headphones
• PMC's 21-speaker Dolby Atmos system is the ultimate argument for spatial audio
• I listened to the £1900 Meridian Ellipse wireless speaker – and you should too
• We found 5 surprisingly affordable hi-fi gems at High End Munich

High End Munich 2024 news

High End Munich 2024: all the news

Arcam takes the fight to Naim with two new all-in-one music streaming systems
The Radia range expands with the premium SA45 and SA35 all-in-one streaming systems featuring Class G amplification, HDMI ARC and MM/MC phono stage, and hi-res full-colour displays.
Read the full Arcam streaming system news

Vertere Acoustics introduces its high-end Calon phono stage
The Calon is an exquisitely engineered MM/MC phono stage from Vertere Acoustics, a brand that brings a fresh approach to the phono design in every aspect.
Read the full Vertere Calon news

Mission's 778 series CD transport and music streamer could be half-width hi-fi heroes
We got our first look at the upcoming 778CDT and 778S hi-fi separates to join the excellent, five-star 778X amp, and we are loving the compact, half-width chassis design. Read the full Mission 778 news

Q Acoustics 3000c is the entry-level speaker range we've been waiting six years for
New driver technology, refined cabinet bracing designs, new finishes and rather reasonable price tags are the highlights of the latest generation of Q Acoustics' 3000 speaker series. Read the full Q Acoustics 3000c news

Elac updates its Award-winning Debut range with seven new speakers
The new Debut 3.0 series promises improvements with a brand new tweeter design, increased efficiency and compatibility and a sleeker finish. Read the full Elac Debut 3.0 news

Fyne's Special Production speakers promise class-leading technologies in a more affordable package
The new series bridges the price gap between the Vintage and Classic series, while the high-end SuperTrax tweeter module is designed to sit atop (most) speakers. Read the full Fyne Audio news

Fiio's fully automatic Bluetooth turntable promises a modern, fun design
The new TT13 deck features large buttons for automatic operation, aptX HD Bluetooth streaming, built-in phono stage and LED lighting. Read the full Fiio TT13 news

Pro-Ject's eye-catching deck is here to put the colour back into your records
The updated Debut Evo 2 turntable is a belt-drive design with Evo MM cartridge and an 8.6-inch carbon tonearm, aiming to bring unparalleled value and quality to a reasonable price point, says Pro-Ject. Read the full Pro-Ject Debut Evo 2 news

Meze's trio of new headphones includes affordable in-ears with USB-C adaptor
The new Alba wired in-ears are the brand's new entry-level offering, boasting a custom-designed 3.5mm to USB-C headphone adapter with a DAC built in, while new open-back 105 AER over-ear headphones are also unveiled. Read the full Meze Audio news

Dali’s new Rubikore speaker range packs flagship tech in five new models
Using trickle-down tech from the epic Kore and Epikore flagship speakers, the new Rubikore range brings new driver technology to a less high-end price bracket. Read the full Dali Rubikore news

Sonus Faber brings flagship driver technology to stylish Sonetto G2 speakers
The Sonetto G2 series consists of seven models and features new driver technology derived from the flagship, £/$700k Suprema speaker system along with updated concrete base, reflect duct tech and a sleek new design. Read the full Sonus Faber Sonetto G2 news

WiiM Ultra and WiiM Amp Pro are updated, versatile, multi-tasking streaming units
Boasting new DACs, new features, extensive streaming and connectivity and still remaining affordable, the WiiM Ultra streamer (with a new design and touchscreen display) and Amp Pro streaming system are sure to be popular yet again.
Read the full WiiM Ultra and Amp Pro news

Sennheiser's HD 600 range of audiophile headphones gets a surprise new addition The new closed-back HD 620S cans feature custom-tuned 42mm drivers and aim to offer isolation while also mimicking the airy nature of open-back designs. Read the full Sennheiser HS 620S news

Audio-Technica’s limited-edition wood headphones should sound like music to your ears
These ATH-WBLTD cans are encased in three layers of hardwood that are typically used in musical instruments, with only 300 pairs being made. Read the full Audio-Technica ATH-WBLTD news

Wheels of steel! Technics partners with Lamborghini for a special-edition SL-1200 turntable
The SL-1200M7B is a special-edition model based on the popular SL-1200 turntable decks, available in three finishes and comes with a picture disc record of the V12-engine sounds of six Lamborghini super sports cars. Read the full Technics x Lamborghini news

Final's flagship D7000 planar magnetic headphones promise to bring the bass
After spending some time developing its range of wireless headphones, Final has returned its attention to its high-end roots with a new addition to its flagship line. Read the full Final D7000 news

Focal's nature-inspired headphones follow in the Bathys' footsteps
Promising to make the "purity of high fidelity sound accessible to as many people as possible", the new open-backed Hadenys are arriving alongside the closed-back Azurys. Read the full Focal Hadenys and Azurys news

Chord teases Suzi pre/power amplifier concept that's like Lego for your hi-fi
Designed by Chord’s founder and owner John Franks, the new Chord Suzi modular concept includes a preamplifier and a power amplifier that boasts Ultima-derived technology. Read the full Chord Suzi news

Tannoy Autograph 12 speakers pay tribute to iconic driver 70 years on
The original Tannoy Autograph launched in 1954, seven years after the dual concentric driver was invented, and now a modern-day version is coming.
Read the full Tannoy Autograph 12 news

Astell & Kern takes on the Sony Walkman with new Activo P1 player
Astell & Kern is relaunching the presumably budget-conscious Activo sub-brand with an all-new player, the P1. Read the full Activo P1 news

High End Munich 2024 preview: what else to expect

High End Munich 2024 preview: what else to expect

Astell & Kern
A brand new high-end flagship hi-res player, the A&ultima SP3000T, and its second collaboration with Empire Ears – the Novus in-ear wired monitors – are on the agenda for Munich this year. Also being unveiled is a new Activo P1 digital audio player, which looks like a more slimline music player and it features 32-bit hi-res audio support, 20-hour battery life, 64GB built-in storage with 1.5TB microSD card slot, two ESS Sabre DACs, and a sleek white finish with rounded edges rather than A&K's typically sharp-edged designs. Pricing and availability are TBC.
Hall 1, B10a/B10/C05/B10b

Audiolab
Audiolab will be taking the wraps off a new flagship pre/power amplifier – the 9000Q and 9000P – and the speaker pairing for the demo will be the Leak 250 Sandwich speakers, which made their debut earlier in the year.
Atrium 4.2, E223/E224

Audiovector
The Danish brand has unveiled the Trapeze Reimagined floorstanding speakers just recently and we expect these new, nifty-looking high-end models to have their first public showing at Munich.
Atrium 4.2, F203

Burmester
It wouldn't be the High End Show without a press conference showcasing new products from the established German brand, and this is taking place at 2.30pm CET on Thursday 9th.
Atrium 3.1, C119

Cambridge Audio
Cambridge Audio turned heads last year when they set up camp right outside the MOC exhibition doors in a bright red London double decker bus. Will the bus (full of the British brand's latest audio products) return this year? Cambridge has already started the year with two hi-fi launches – the five-star CXN100 music streamer and the just-launched CXA81 MkII stereo amplifier, the latter of which we're hoping to see in the flesh for the first time at High End. We're also hoping to have a peek at the special Evo 150 Delorean Edition...
Hall 4 entrance

Chord Electronics
The British brand always has a shiny new product or two to reveal (last year's Ultima Integrated amp certainly caught our eye) and we're told there will be three new products unveiled this year. Two new analogue products – the Suzi pre/power amplifiers – are confirmed, while a "groundbreaking" new digital product will be shown in its pre-production prototype form, with five FPGAs (field programmable gate array DAC architecture) at its core, we're teased. Founder John Franks and digital design consultant Rob Watts will both be at hand throughout the show to give insight into the products, too.
Atrium 3.1, C122 & Atrium 4.1, F107

Dali
Dali has treated us to high-end product launches such as the towering Kore and Epikore speakers, along with premium wireless IO-12 headphones, in the last few years – could we see more of the same or something completely new? We don't know yet, but we're excited to find out.
Atrium 3.1, D107/D108

Epos
After launching the Epos ES-7N bookshelf speakers at the Bristol Hi-Fi Show, Epos are set to launch a full floorstanding model at Munich, called the ES-28N. No details yet, but the teaser photo shows it could be a three-way design with a tweeter (most likely the same as in the ES-7N and existing ES-14N), a midrange driver, two bass drivers, spiked feet propping up the tall speaker and the same angular design as the excellent ES-14N speakers.
Atrium 4.1, Room E121

Fiio
Visitors will be treated to a whole bunch of new products from Fiio, which includes a turntable! From the teaser press image, the TT13 looks like it has a metal plinth with various shiny buttons and a remote control – so it may well have automatic operation and Bluetooth features. Also being revealed are flagship £999 / $999 FA19 in-ear wired monitors, a new SR11 music streamer with a large display screen, and SP5 desktop active speakers.
Hall 1, B05

Fyne Audio
Get your retro fix as Scottish brand Fyne will likely be bringing its fine line of Classic and Vintage speakers, as well as its latest (and more modern looking) SP (Special Production) models.
Atrium 4.1, E116 & Hall 3, L04/M03

HiFi Rose
Products from emerging brands like HiFi Rose have cut through the established hi-fi separates fare and stood out with their stunningly crafted design and smart streaming tech. Last year we saw the debut of the RS130 streaming transport, but perhaps we'll see the new RA280 – the more streamlined but still stylish sibling to the flagship RA180 amplifier – this year at Munich.
Hall 2, G04/J03

iFi Audio
The Zen DAC 3, Zen Phono 3 and Diablo 2 are just some of the recent DACs/headphone amps/phono stages from iFi that will be on show this year. Visitors will also get to see the iCAN Phantom electrostatic headphone amp from last year and the five-star hip-dac 3 amongst many other models when they head to iFi's multiple stands.
Atrium 4.1, E109 and Hall 1, B12/C09/C11/D01

Lumin
High end streaming brand Lumin will be launching the P1 Mini – a scaled-down version of its $10k P1 streamer/DAC that boasts versatile connectivity including HDMI inputs.
Hall 3, M13

Luxman
High-end Japanese brand Luxman will be showing off its first-ever NT-07 network music streamer, alongside a new matching DA-07X DAC that will launch in the summer. There is also a new reference-level E-07 phono preamp that will launch in the autumn
Atrium 4.2, F229

Meze Audio
Meze has teased that a white version of The Empyrean flagship headphones will be unveiled, alongside previews of future new additions to its line-up, which include a new pair of "Alba" in-ear wired headphones and a pair of "105 ARE" over-ear, open-back headphones.
Hall 1, B04 & Hall 1, B10a/B10/C05/B10b

Mission
We've been teased that products to match the five-star 778X amplifier will be shown, including the 778S network audio streamer and 778CDT CD transport. All products will launch in the autumn.
Atrium 4.2, E223/E224

Moon
Canadian brand Moon will be demoing the flagship pairing of its North Collection, the 891 streaming preamp powered by two 861 mighty power amps, throughout the show. The 861/891 combo (each costing £25,000) will be plugged into a pair of Dynaudio Confidence 60 loudspeakers, and Moon promises a "relaxing environment" so people can sit down and just enjoy the music.
Atrium 3.1, C120

Naim/Focal
A mainstay at any hi-fi show, we expect to see the Naim/Focal partnership out in full force. Naim celebrated its 50th anniversary last year with the Naim Nait 50 limited edition amp and the new 300 series. This year, maybe we'll see the Uniti Nova Power Edition? Focal has already revealed it will be showing two new wired luxury headphones, the open-back Hadenys and closed-back Azurys.
Atrium 4.1, F105

NAD
The Canadian brand has already revealed its Munich launch and it's a new addition to its C/Classis series: the NAD C 379 Class D amplifier, which boasts ample digital and analogue connectivity, including HDMI eARC and a moving magnet phono stage. The amp is designed to be future-proofed and modular, allowing users to add extension modules – such as BluOS network streaming with Dirac room correction or emerging AV tech – if they wish. Not bad for £899 / $1099.
Atrium 3.1, D107/D108 

Perlisten/Trinnov
AV fans will be glad to hear it's not all two-channel. Perlisten and Trinnov are joining forces for an 11.1.6-channel AV system that promises an "unprecedented acoustic level of immersive audio" in an 18-seat cinema. The system will feature Trinnov's WaveForming technology with Perlisten's THX Certified Dominus surround system. and there will be eight 15-inch active subwoofers used. Mighty. Demos are by appointment only.
Atrium 3.1, room D112

PMC
PMC will be flexing its pro and hi-fi muscles together with an ambitious large-scale Dolby Atmos speaker system to play prog legend Steve Wilson's latest album, The Harmony Code, in full. Wilson himself will be there on all four show days at Room K1, Foyer 1 to showcase how he uses and mixes reference-level audio, using the PMC set-up to demonstrate the capabilities of Dolby Atmos and spatial mixing. Also on show will be PMC's new Twenty5i Active speaker range that was launched at the Bristol Hi-Fi Show earlier this year.
Atrium 3.1, D106 & Room K1, Foyer 1

Pro-Ject
We've become accustomed to seeing Pro-Ject reveal special edition turntables with artist collaborations – who can forget the snazzy Metallica turntable, or the beautiful Pink Floyd one, or the delightful Yellow Submarine deck? – but we also tend to see innovations like the T2 W wireless turntable. Could we see even more turntables, please?
Hall 3, M04/N03/N04/P05 

Q Acoustics
Q Acoustics launched the new 5000 series of speakers last year, one of which (5040) became a What Hi-Fi? Award winner, while another (5050) just made their official global debut – read our full review here.
Atrium 4.1, F110

Quad
On demo throughout the show will be the Quad ESL 2912X, the first update to the iconic ESL electrostatic speakers in 12 years. The new model will feature technical and aesthetic enhancements, we're told. Also on display will be revived and evolved versions of a 1967 classic, the Quad 33 and 303 pre/power amps. We're told they will be "wrapped in an industrial design that echoes the past and embraces the future". All new Quad products are set to be available in the autumn.
Atrium 4.2, E223/E224

Ruark Audio
Ruark's retro-styled products are always a delight to see and experience, and last year the brand revealed the excellent all-in-one R410 music player. Could we see the flagship R810 (the modern-day successor to the radiogram) at the show? The brand has teased they will be showing two new products, and we're very excited to find out what they are.
Hall 3, L05/M03

Sennheiser
The German headphone brand will be launching "a new addition to its audiophile profile" – that could mean anything, but we have our fingers crossed for a new wired headphone in the vein of the HD 800S range, perhaps? It's a wild guess for now.
Hall 1, B14

Sonus Faber/McIntosh
We were treated to the exquisite Suprema speaker system earlier this year at CES 2024 to kick off its 40th birthday celebrations, and we fully expect the Suprema/McIntosh demo to happen again. This ambitious project consists of two main speakers, two subwoofers and an electronic crossover, priced at a whopping £695,000 / $750,000. Also on demo will be the stunning Stradivari speakers, all powered by McIntosh amps.
Atrium 4, F109

SVS
US brand SVS will be demoing its new flagship Ultra Evolution series of speakers, with seven models in the range including three floorstanding speakers, two bookshelf models, a centre channel speaker and a home cinema speaker with multi-angle mounting bracket. All models boast improvements to driver design, cabinet architecture and components, with SVS claiming the Ultra Evolution will usher in a "new era of reference-quality sound". There will be two-channel and home theatre system demos throughout the show.
Hall 3, P02/R03

T+A
T+A will be showcasing its new Criterion S 240 floorstanding speakers with transmission line technology (prices start from $16,490) with the R 2500 R multi-source receiver/amplifier that features a CD player, Bluetooth, streaming (via AirPlay, wi-fi etc) and DAB/FM radio.
Atrium 3.1, D102/D103/D104

TAD Labs
The Japanese brand will be displaying the latest addition to its flagship Reference Series, the TAD-C700 preamplifier, costing a cool $68,000. The hefty unit comes with balanced and unbalanced inputs, has a dedicated separate power supply and aims to deliver "near-perfect stereophonic sound reproduction".
Atrium 3.1, C113

Tannoy
Tannoy's 100th anniversary is looming in 2026, but the Scottish-based brand is celebrating another milestone. It will unveil the Autograph 12 speakers, which pay homage to the 70th anniversary of its Autograph speaker series, along with new technological developments made to its iconic dual concentric driver.
Hall 4, S06-1/S06-2/S06-3 

Vivid Audio
This is one we can't miss: we are very much looking forward to seeing and hearing the behemoth (and near half-million quid) 13-driver Vivid Moya 1 speakers from Laurence Dickie's brand in person.
Hall 3, K16

WiiM
The wildly popular affordable brand will be launching two new products at Munich, one of which is the WiiM Ultra, which seems to be an advanced version of the superb WiiM Pro Plus music streamer with an improved DAC and full-colour touchscreen. The other launch is still under wraps, but we'll bring you the latest news as soon as we have it.
Hall 2, F07

Yamaha
We loved listening to the HA-L7A headphone amplifier at last year's show with the exceptional YH-5000SE headphones. We're not sure what Yamaha has in store for us this year, but we will be sure to share the news once we know.
Atrium 4.2, F207

YG Acoustics
We don't know what the high-end American speaker brand has in store for us either, but it has announced a press conference on Friday 10th, at 1pm CET, so we're expecting something new.
Atrium 4.2, E218

MORE:

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Quad's latest speakers pack updated versions of audio technologies originally seen in the British brand's first speaker system from 1949. And with thoroughly modern chassis, they're looking pretty good for 74.

The Revela 1 and 2 are Quad's first speakers since 2016. The former is a standmount speaker with a two-way driver confirmation, and the Revela 2 is a three-way floorstander. We first glimpsed them back at High End Munich in May, but now we have more information about them.

Key to both is the new Quad True Ribbon high-frequency driver. This debuted in Quad's first speaker system – 1949's Corner Ribbon – and has undergone many iterations in the decades since. This latest version took four years to develop.

By positioning a ribbon of thin aluminium foil within a strong magnetic field through which the audio signal flows, it avoids breakup modes and resonances typical of rival systems. Revela claims a "clean, detailed and pure output" along with "a realistic sense of space, depth and air."

The mid/bass diaphragms are made of a new material called Reveal that Quad has created. A mix of wood pulp and artificial fibres, it apparently provides "superior bass control and smoothing upper-midrange resonances."

This diaphragm is incorporated into a driver built on a cast chassis and fitted with a high-power magnet and voice coils for greater sensitivity. The Revela 1 has a single 165mm mid/bass driver, with the Revela 2 boasting two 165mm drivers on bass duties with a 150mm unit handling the midrange.

A damping layer in the rubber surrounds absorbs reflections that would have caused resonances in the upper frequency range, while the drivers' output is combined via an Acoustic Butterworth crossover network that's been fine-tuned over hundreds of hours of listening tests to create a seamless blend between drive units.

Bass is helped by bass reflex ports that smooth airflow and increase the efficiency of the reflex system. And the speaker's cabinets use stressed and braced panels with generously radiused edges to reduce diffraction.

The Revela 1's optional speaker stands position the speaker at the optimal listening height, while also managing the effects of vibrations and sound reflections. The Revela 2 floorstanders come with carbon steel plinths, stainless steel spikes and spike seats.

Both speakers go on sale in September – they're £1799 per pair (about $2300 / AU$3500) for the Revela 1, and £3499 per pair (about $4500, AU$7000) for the Revela 2. Add in the floor stands, and the Revela 1 will cost £2499 (the stands are £799 per pair if bought separately). Both come in lacquered black or walnut finishes.

We're promised more new Quad audio electronics this year, presumably the Platina Series of separates we also saw at High End Munich.

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Long before Apple brought spatial audio to the masses (and bless the company for it), in those forgotten days before anyone believed a surround effect could be convincingly delivered from a pair of stereo headphones (and shockingly there are still those who cling to this heretical notion), back before there were even agreed standards for surround sound in the movies, there was already multichannel music. 

Multitrack recordings in the 1960s bred multichannel mixes in the 70s, and a full 50 years ago you could choose between a stereo LP of 'The Dark Side of the Moon' or the quadraphonic release which would play back from every corner of the room – provided, of course, that you had a compatible system.

And those lucky hi-fi geeks who did were guaranteed all sorts of cool and happening hippie chicks to come dig their quadrophonic Floyd sounds, man, and long-haired dudes would come share their joints and likely take the hippie chicks away again. 

Well, that’s how I remember it. Those halcyon hi-fi times were golden years, a heady mix of a home hi-fi revolution and music that meant something and love that supposedly didn’t, all rolled up together on an LP sleeve in a fading Kodak blur of orange wallpaper and long hair and concepts of free love that have now, of course, been rightly and extensively prosecuted in the courts.

But in the privacy of the private home there has been multichannel fun going on ever since, with a lucky few maintaining contact with the cognoscenti (aka hi-fi ‘dealers’) to sustain the joy and rapture experienced when a multichannel sound system sends pieces of a multichannel mix whipping around a room suitably well-stocked with speakers. 

By the tail-end of the 90s, multichannel enthusiasts were largely locking themselves away in dedicated home cinema rooms and watching movies. The likes of Nirvana weren’t interested in spreading grunge across multiple channels for chilled-out listening sessions, although the golden era of the DVD did bring a pleasing period with large numbers of live concert and greatest hits DVDs getting 5.1-channel mixes – some of them even in high-resolution DTS. These DVD mixes still stand up against today’s Dolby Atmos ones, and they deserve to be rescued from street clean-up piles whenever you may find them.

But such multichannel musical joys were experienced by very few: only a sub-set of home cinema owners were as much or more into music than their movies. Very rarely would you find a real multichannel music system. Most systems were more about big movie bang-bang stuff, with the ever-rising provision of subwoofer-borne bass, so that home cinema owners became increasingly isolated in both acoustic and personal terms, though often thrillingly equipped in terms of channel count. 

They kept much to themselves. “We don’t want to disturb the neighbours,” was the catch-cry of the home cinema enthusiast at the turn of the millennium, when everyone else was switching to headphones and getting outside a bit. “We don’t want the bad old days of quad and hippies. Or 3D for that matter. Move along, please; leave us alone.”

• The best home cinema speaker systems you can buy

Meanwhile in Norway...

To avoid all this furore and enjoy the rare joys of multichannel music in peace, few went to the extremes of Morten Lindberg, working from an isolated audio oasis half an hour south of Oslo, his mastering studio majestically laden with many channels of mega-accurate Genelec ‘The One’ active speakers. 

Lindberg is a recording engineer and producer; his recordings on the 2L label were made over the last 20 years in vast churches and cathedrals. He uses tall antenna-like arrays of microphones that map directly to your speakers at home, so that when you launch one of his Blu-rays or SACDs, you can choose between 5.0 DTS-HD MA at 24-bit/192kHz, or Dolby Atmos in 7.0.4 at 48kHz, or Auro-3D if you hang out with a voice of God in your multichannel arsenal. 

Or just (and one should not really say ‘just’) 24-bit/192kHz stereo.

Everything he does is recorded up there, and it’s nearly all vocal-led stuff – choirs and ensembles especially suited to the acoustics of these vast spaces. I don’t know if anyone has ever said, ‘Hey Morten, you want to come down to the Montserrat sunshine and record the Rolling Stones? Or the Cure in a phone box? Or my mate who does Elton John covers?’ You know, something less ethereal?

Presumably not. Perhaps he doesn't tan well. Or perhaps he turns out his multichannel recordings in these far Northern environments because sound is known to hang in the air just that little bit longer up in those sub-Arctic conditions, floating and humming like the aurora borealis, so explaining why his recordings are so ridiculously perfect in their expression of space and detail and sheer magic. 

They are not merely immersive but experiential recordings; when your system is right they knit your speakers into the high vaulted cathedral in which they were recorded, and more importantly you are impeccably placed in the middle of the performance. So well-crafted are the recordings that, despite the notably Norwegian focus on material and performers, Lindberg has received 42 Grammy nominations since 2006, dominantly in craft categories like Best Engineered Album, Best Surround Sound Album, Best Immersive Audio Album and Producer of the Year. He is an engineer's engineer. Those in the know know him well.

I have eight of his most recent disc-pairs now – and I should note that you can also stream 2L's music, some of it even in Atmos on Apple Music. But streaming Atmos is highly compressed (an alarming 10:1 compression ratio or thereabouts), and such compression is really not what Morten is about. So the downloaded high-res files from 2L or the double-disc releases (Blu-ray and SACD) really are the way to go.

2L’s 'Trio Mediæval' audio Blu-ray

The latest 2L release, entitled An Old Hall Ladymass, arrived just as I was testing the new Sony STR-AN1000 receiver (the Australian version of the Sony TA-AN1000), of which I’ll pre-empt my full review for Sound+Image only by saying that it’s currently going very well indeed, so much so that my wife has been complaining that I’m spending too long alone in the music room “up there with your surround”.

As part of the multichannel music listening I do with any visiting receiver, I loaded this latest 2L Blu-ray disc, confirmed Atmos was coming through, and settled back to listen.

The performers on this latest 2L disc are the ‘Trio Mediæval’, an unsurprisingly Norwegian vocal trio (though one of them is a Swede), with a number of tracks also featuring one Catalina Vicens, playing something called an organetto, which from the pictures in the sleeve notes seems to be a portable (or perhaps only slightly portable: 'portative' is apparently the correct word) pipe organ which is played a bit like a harp, with a keyboard on the right and a harmonium-like hand pump on the left. 

Ms Catalina studies antique keyboard instruments (not to mention being a Professor of Harpsichord) and probably drives around in a small van full of such curious keyboards.

The music, meanwhile, comes from the ‘Old Hall Manuscript’, an exquisitely decorated 15th-century choir book that was lost to history for the best part of 400 years until its reappearance in a Hertfordshire Catholic seminary at the end of the 19th century.

Not your usual bag? Nor mine, I confess. Medieval music is not what I generally load up during hours of leisure – let’s see: if I just let Apple Music play a ‘Favourites’ list for me it’s queueing up Slade, Genesis, Leonard Cohen, Sky and ELO (that’s today’s list; it varies pleasingly).

But I was raised with small-C catholic music tastes, so I’m certainly open to the joys of an Old Hall Ladymass.

It’s very easy to set your levels for playback of 2L recordings: just keep turning it up. There’s nothing to stop you, other than the equipment you’ve attached, so pure are the recordings. You’ll know when you’re there because you really are there; you feel the hall, you feel the height.

This is common across 2L’s recordings, but this one – I don’t know: is it the music, or the recording? I went pretty much transcendent during the opening track – the three singers yes, but that organ? WTF is that organ thing? I could listen to that, in that space, those tones, all night; just wow.

So with the greatest respect to the divine voices of TrioMediæval, I kept waiting for that organ thing to come back. It returned in the intro to track 3; I was pinned in my seat, feeling the space. 

And then track 4 happened: Sol lucet, it’s called – ‘the Sun Shines’, according to Google’s translation from Latin. No organ here, just the voices, climbing up and intertwining with some wild vocal intonations in there too. Incredible. 

I’ve since streamed this in stereo, and it’s interesting but not incredible. I was also flipping occasionally on the Blu-ray between the DTS high-res 5.0 and the merely 48kHz Atmos. The DTS sounded brighter and more detailed; the Atmos softer. But its hemispherical soundstaging was far more real. All Morten Lindberg’s recordings are excellent, but for me, this is the best yet, the most involving and most perfectly realised in terms of total immersion.

On the chant opening to Regina celi (Queen of the sky), the Trio sets off powerfully over a drone-like wandering organ: the emotionality of this felt more qawwali than Christian chant, and I went transcendent again, off with the fairies. Amazing. If this is how music sounded in a 15th-century cathedral, you can totally see why they’d all believe in God.

Anyway, in summary, it’s the best music recording I’ve yet heard in Atmos – and I've heard a lot. The music is perhaps literally divine, the vocal trio is spellbinding, there's that OMFG unique organ, and bringing it all home is Lindberg’s uncanny capture of the audio world. 

After 42 Grammy nominations, he’s hardly a secret. But if you haven’t yet got any 2L recordings, these are great discs to start with. Let Morten Lindberg into your audio world, and he’ll let you into his.

What next for 2L? My money’s on a Norwegian cathedral and some singers. And you know what? Just put in an advance order now.

• Read our Australian reviews from Sound+Image & Australian Hi-Fi magazines
• See our showcase of world-class Australian home cinemas and smart homes

These are the good old days. Because tempting though it may be to reminisce about the "golden age" of British hi-fi, it's worth remembering that present day products are pretty awesome too.

In fact, since the dawn of the millennium we've seen some of the best hi-fi products of all time, as technology advances and design is refined. As part of British Hi-Fi Week 2024, we've collated our 28 favourites from all manner of British brands.

They include everything from speakers from B&W and ATC, hi-fi systems from KEF and Naim, a CD player that ruled the roost for many years, and some stupidly high-end turntables. And all as British as James Bond driving an Aston Martin off the top of Big Ben, only to be saved by a Union Jack parachute. 

Yes, all of the below are British, but in truth, they would all make a list of this century's best hi-fi gear from any country, such is their quality. 

Cups of tea at the ready then, as we count down the best British hi-fi products of the 21st century so far...

Quad ESL 988 (2000)

We could easily have picked one of Quad’s legendary electrostatic speakers from both sides of the millennium – after all, the 2008 ELS 2805 were positively stunning in our books – but the ESL 988 (smaller versions of the ESL 989 pictured) were standouts, and as well as delivering a memorable sound were also interesting for their place in the British company’s history. They were essentially designed as a similar but improved successor to its 1988 ESL-63 when the International Audio Group (IAG) acquired Quad in 1998. But inside were advanced components, a new transformer and they were more rigidly constructed. Plus their sound rocked, which always helps.

Mission 780 (2000)

Mission’s diminutive 780 were the first standmounters to really grab us at the turn of the century, winning the stereo speaker Product of the Year award in both 2001 and 2002. Despite their relatively compact (for their time) dimensions – they were the smallest of the company’s 78 Series – they produced a size of sound that belied it. Their clever tweeter isolation system and ceramic mid-bass driver produced an even-handed tonal balance that made them wonderfully listenable, with the sonic highlights being its impressively transparent midrange and powerful bass.

Arcam DiVA A85 (2001)

“The A85 blasts away any preconceptions of what an Arcam amplifier sounds like with the ferocity of a sledgehammer smashing through glass” – that's how we opened our DiVA A85 review in 2001. In place of Arcam's warm, smooth, safe sonic signature we had come to know and love was a different approach entirely – clear, powerful and bursting with energy, with a midrange clarity and resolution that was unrivalled. 

For the A85, Arcam introduced entirely new circuit designs in both the pre-amplifier and power amplifier sections, and that new approach to the internals paid off. It said its A85 was “unquestionably a class-leading integrated amplifier” – and we could only agree.

Wilson Benesch Full Circle (2001)

“The Full Circle is an elegant product: for its build, ease of use and sound it's highly recommended… an open, even-handed record player that works well with all types of music.” We’ve used higher degrees of superlatives to describe products than the ones we reached for in our Full Circle review, but make no mistake, we were blown away by this round layer-cake-shaped Wilson Benesch desk – back in 2001 and for years to come. 

Like many Wilson Benesch products of that time, including its only descendant at that time, the 1991 Wilson Benesch Turntable, the Full Circle used chiefly carbon fibre in its construction, from its armtube to its cantilevered suspension technique. The result was a precise, spacious sound complete with a smooth treble and full bass.

Cyrus 8 (2002) & CD 8 SE (2008)

It’s hard to pick between the Cyrus 8 Series amplifier and CD player (pictured), so we won't. The 8 (and its multiple variations) has been a case of familiar design, familiar sound and familiar result throughout the model’s history, which began in 2002 as a successor to the well-received Cyrus 7. Familiar in a good way, that is, like when your favourite meal is placed in front of you. The 8 amplifier represented everything we had come to expect from Cyrus – classic looks and trademark transparency. 

The CD8SE proved equally accomplished and just as valuable to the 8 series, offering, as we said at the time, “effortless musicality, forensic detail retrieval and masterful control of timing… it makes for an endlessly absorbing player that can rob you of your time in the most gripping way.”

Naim CDS3/XPS2 (2003)

A rather frightening performance befitting a rather frightening price tag (£10k). We heralded this two-box Naim CD transport/DAC (CDS3) and power supply (XPS2), which was an alternative to the typical two-box configuration (transport in one box; DAC in another), as one of the world’s best CD players. “There are products that cost many times more (honestly) that would have trouble bettering this performance,” we said in our review. 

Timing was its forte, allowing the musicality of songs to really come through, and its level of resolution and clarity contributed to how emotional content was able to come through the player untainted.

Wharfedale Diamond 9.1 (2004)

Another ‘best of’ list, another Wharfedale Diamond inclusion. We know, we know – but we can’t help it. The Diamond really has been an iconic speaker range over the decades, and the 9 Series was one of the standout iterations. Representing it here are the 9.1 bookshelf speakers, which deserve to go down in history as one of the greatest budget loudspeakers ever made. 

Back-to-back What Hi-Fi? Award winners, designed and built in-house, and with 13cm Kevlar mid/bass woofers, 25mm textile tweeters, and custom crossovers at their engineering core, they looked and sounded like a much more expensive speaker. 

Roksan Xerxes 20 (2006)

The Xerxes design originated in the 1980s and was developed over the next two decades, with every iteration delivering an improvement on the last. “The Xerxes is arguably the first turntable to give the previously all-conquering Linn Sondek LP12 a real run for its money,” we said at the time. It might not have looked all that special – not like the Wilson Benesch further up this list. 

But what it lacked in aesthetic distinction it made up for in first-class engineering. A motor that turns on its axis to compensate for torque fluctuations, a bearing designed to minimise noise, and rubber suspension tuned to dampen specific frequencies were just some of the flourishes Roksan engineers worked into the Xerxes to make it perform as it did – exceptionally.

Audiolab M-DAC (2011)

Like the Grado SR325 headphone, the M-DAC was a product we championed for years. We couldn’t help it: the multi-Award-winner had it all. Punchy timing, seamless dynamics and plenty of space in a well-constructed stereo soundfield, not to mention class-leading features (hi-res connections, XLRs, several DAC filters), a well-constructed build, and a price tag rival brands couldn’t undercut with something better during those years of domination. 

It was finally knocked off its perch in 2015 by the Chord Mojo (which is still dominating that slice of the market eight years on) and succeeded by the bigger, better-sounding and more equipped M-DAC+. As we introduced the M-DAC+ back then, “for every tough-act-followed-with-aplomb like Kasper Schmeichel there’s a Jordi Cruyff…”

ATC SCM 11 Mk2 (2013)

Both the first generation of ATC SCM11 (2006) and the Mk II deserve their place on this list, such has been their collective dominance over the past nearly two decades. That's thanks to the in-house manufactured soft-dome tweeter and the classier curved cabinets.

But the main innovation was the sealed cabinet. This was meant to improve sound quality, though there were some concerns that bass would suffer. They proved unfounded, however, as the Mk2 matched class rivals in terms of low frequencies while outdoing them for detail, dynamics and rhythmic ability. 

These ATC monitors went on to dominate their price point at the What Hi-Fi? Awards for the next five years and remain first-class contenders, even today. Impressive doesn't do it justice.

Read the full ATC SCM11 Mk2 review

B&W 606 (2019)

The entry-level 600 Series from B&W was introduced back in 1995, and in the two decades since it has picked up multiple What Hi-Fi? Awards. It uses top technology from its cutting-edge speakers, repackaged in a more affordable chassis.

Our pick of the current range? The 606. They might feel a little less premium than their more expensive stablemates, but they still ooze quality. They're a good size too, with everything in proportion.

And they sound amazing. The sonic balance is spot on, with clear treble, cavernous bass and class-leading detail and dynamics. With such a legacy behind them, the 606 model is proving to stand the test of time, with the Award-winning 606 S3 continuing to do the brand proud.

Read the full B&W 606 review

Cambridge Audio CXA81 (2019)

This Cambridge Audio amp is still a relative newcomer, but in its pretty short life it's already had a seismic impact on the market. It immediately set a new standard for integrated amps at this price – one that still stands five years later.

Give it a whirl and it's clear why. Feed it any genre of music, and you're met with a delightfully punchy, dynamic and detailed presentation. It's powerful and weighty in the low end without sacrificing agility, while the treble is blissfully free of harshness.

In terms of features and connections, it improves on every front compared to its predecessor. And it makes the competition sound positively cloudy by comparison. A more-than-worthy Award winner, and comfortably one of the best products of the decade.

Read the full Cambridge Audio CXA81 review

Chord Hugo (2014)

The original Hugo set new standards for portable audio (and in the process, embarrassed pretty much every similarly priced battery-powered DAC on the market). 

It was all thanks to the FPGA (Field Programmable Gate Array), which came loaded with proprietary software that handled all the digital processes tasked to the DAC. Chord used this instead of off-the-shelf chips, which gave it much more control over how the music signal was handled. This put it head and shoulders above the competition.

Four years later, the Hugo 2 bettered the original and is still a benchmark setter (and could well be until a Hugo 3 comes along). But it couldn't be as groundbreaking. Few products are.

Read the full Chord Hugo review

Cyrus CDi (2013)

For as long as we can remember, Cyrus' CD players have been up there with the best in the world. And the CDi was its best-sounding yet. Don't believe us? It's won the What Hi-Fi? Award for Best CD Player in its price bracket for 10 years in a row!

Hitting the market in 2013, its audio output was on a par with much more expensive players. It sounded pleasingly weighty but still fast and fluid, with pace and momentum exercised with articulation and vibrancy.

Yes, its blocky, black-on-green display looked dated in 2013, so it looks positively ancient now – though maybe that now qualifies as retro cool (much like CD players in general). A classic CD player that shows Cyrus at its best.

Read the full Cyrus CDi review

KEF LS50 Wireless (2017)

Believe it or not, this is a full hi-fi system. The pair of active speakers have preamp functionality, Bluetooth, and music services built in. They also have streaming functionality to entertain tunes stored on a NAS drive or computer over your home network. 

In short, the Award-winning LS50 Wireless does away with the decades-old vision of a hi-fi system involving lots of boxes spread around the room. For that, it's a genuine landmark product.

The sound quality is up there with that of a separates system. They may not be completely wireless (each speaker has a mains cable, and there's a wire connecting them), but it's still a very neat and clutter-free way to enjoy a high-quality audio performance. The LS50 Wireless II has taken sound quality even further, not to mention its convenience factor by removing the interconnecting speaker cable, and for that deservedly takes the reigns as the best all-in-one stereo speakers at this level.

Read the full KEF LS50 Wireless review

Linn LP12 Klimax (2017)

The Klimax has some serious heritage: the original Linn LP12 dates from 1973, and by the 1980s was the dominant deck in the UK. With such an illustrious pedigree, expectations were high when we ushered the latest model into our test room, but needless to say it didn't disappoint.

It feels like it's built to last decades. That's not hyperbole - the original LP12s can be retrofitted with more modern parts to bring them up to today's standards. Sound bursts with detail, while still coming together as a wonderfully compelling whole. There's an evenness to the presentation that means peaks and troughs in the frequency range never become too distracting.

The result? An immediacy and agility to proceedings that most rivals fail to muster. Pricey, sure. But this is one piece of hi-fi kit that truly endures.

Read the full Linn LP12 Klimax review

Naim Mu-so (2014)

Pre-2014, wireless speakers were mostly cheap, portable and a little bit underwhelming. Then 'proper' hi-fi company Naim came along and rewrote the rules. Awesome sound quality? Check. High-quality materials? Check. A refusal to compromise on design aesthetic? Check.

By treating wireless speakers with the same reverence as it does its wired models, Naim reinvented the wireless category, and inspired a host of imitators in the process. So it wasn't surprising when a better-sounding sequel, the Mu-so 2, showed up in 2019 to remind rivals who is boss.

Read the full Naim Mu-so review

Rega Planar 3/Elys 2 (2016)

Rega's Planar 3 turntables have been massively influential since they originally launched in the 1970s, and to this day they're still the go-to for vinyl aficionados around the world. But success brought a cautious approach, with each new model being more of an evolution than a revolution. Until this model touched down in 2016.

Just about every part of it had been rethought and reengineered. Combined with the slick new look, it made for a turntable that appealed to newbies and Rega diehards alike.

But one thing didn't change: the simplicity. The Planar 3 remained as easy to use as ever, and provided you take some care with placement, it's still tremendously pleasing to the ears. It's cleaner and clearer than its predecessor, with great transparency and more detail.

Read the full Rega Planar 3/Elys 2 review

Roksan Caspian M2 (2010)

More than a decade after hitting the market, this amp is still one of the best at its price. That's quite an achievement. The excellent build quality and superb sound make the M2 easy to recommend, even after all these years. 

It only shows its age when it comes to the feature set. There are no digital inputs whatsoever, no streaming skills, not even a phono stage in sight. It's strictly an analogue-only affair. Old school.

But if you can live with that, you'll love the levels of dynamic expression, insight and rhythmic coherence on show. Bravo.

Read the full Roksan Caspian M2 review

Naim ND555/555 PS (2019)

It took a while for music streamers to seriously impress in the sound department, so it was probably sensible that Naim didn't bless its flagship 5000 Series with one until fairly recently. The two-box offering – again, one for the source (ND555), the other for the power supply (555 PS) – was the best digital streaming source we had come across by 2019, and remained so until the Linn further down this list showed up. For its £20k/$30k asking price, the pair was (and still is) as mature a streamer as you could expect, combining class-leading streaming software with decades of experience going into Naim’s purist analogue audio circuitry. 

And yep, it remains a vital part of our hi-fi test room’s reference set-up because of that.

Read the full Naim ND 555/555 PS DR review

KEF LS50 Meta (2020)

The KEF LS50 Meta have already qualified as some of the all-time greats – certainly if you add their success to that of their descendants, the definitely-legendary LS50. The multi-Award-winners threw down the gauntlet when they arrived in 2020 with their exemplary resolution retrieval and effortless musicality, and their impact is still resonating around the market. Untouchable… as of yet.

Read the full KEF LS50 Meta review

Vertere DG-1 (2021)

Vertere has secured a brace in its DG-1 and subsequent DG-1 S release. The former launched as a breath of fresh air in 2021 for its standout design and clever engineering (like its flat, triple-layered, aluminium alloy/polymer sandwich arm). The latter has since taken engineering plaudits – and consequently performance – even further. The result is a record player that is unrivalled for entertainment and insight at its high-end (well, entry-level high-end) price point.

Read the full Vertere DG-1 Dynamic Groove review

Linn Klimax DSM AV (2021)

If you have read our Klimax DSM AV review, you probably would’ve known this entry was coming. The music streamer is second to none when it comes to streaming sound quality, period. It’s the best standalone streamer we’ve heard by a mile, an accumulation of streaming experience that is pretty much unrivalled in the market (Linn has been in the ‘serious’ streaming game far longer than many). When you also consider that it’s vastly furnished with features, upgradeable and modifiable, and has perhaps the most intuitive, seamless app platform and operation in the business, its inclusion speaks for itself.

Read the full Linn Klimax DSM AV review

PMC Fact Fenestria (2022)

This is a landmark product in speaker history, and is well worth its place in this list. PMC's reference towers are as nuanced and agile as they come, ruthlessly revealing, and natural-sounding to the nth degree. Prohibitively expensive (for many), yes. But they're a great advert for PMC’s engineering principles and vision, and indeed the wider British hi-fi industry at that.

Read the full PMC Fact Fenestria review

dCS Rossini Apex DAC (2022)

Rarely does a product live up to a model name with such strong positive connotations, but the dCS Rossini really does represent the apex of DAC design. The ‘Apex’ in the product name actually signifies a major overhaul of the company’s hugely celebrated Ring DAC circuit, which combines with a solid streaming module (yes, it’s a music streamer too), a significantly improved analogue board, and more connectivity and tweaking options than you need or will likely ever use to produce an outstanding all-round performer. Honestly, it’s hard to imagine how this DAC performance can be bettered.

Read the full dCS Rossini Apex DAC review

SME Model 60 (2022)

SME’s reputation is built on exceptional build quality and the Model 60 maintains that high standard. One look at that handsome precision-machined aluminium chassis and you can be in no doubt you’re looking at a turntable most people could only dream of owning. But that’s just the icing on the proverbial cake, of course. The Model 60 is the company’s first new flagship player in three decades, taking that esteemed position from the Model 30 which launched in 1991, and has been every bit worth the wait. 

“There’s a very real feeling that the turntable is digging up every last bit of information from the record groove,” to quote our review. “It’s a convincing performance that transports us in time and space to the point the music was recorded. We can’t ask for more than that.”

Read the full SME Model 60 review

Rega Naia

If you're talking about the best British turntable of the last few decades, the Rega Naia must be in the conversation. Though it didn't launch until 2023, the project started in 2009, when Rega started researching the limits of low mass and high rigidity. With the sky as the limit, no expense was spared, and the result, the legendary Naiad turntable ended up as a victim of its own success. Because while it was intended purely as an experiment in what could be achieved, it was so good that plenty of people wanted to buy it.

And so, after a limited run of 50 units of the Naiad, Rega set about creating a production-ready version. The result is the Naia, a truly outlandish deck that reimagines what's possible from a home record player. Truly awe-inspiring.

Read the full Rega Naia review

Wilson Benesch A.C.T. 3Zero

During our testing every year, we listen to hundreds of products, some good, some bad, but rarely are any as sublime as Wilson Benesch’s A.C.T. 3Zero. These floorstanders share some of the same DNA as the firm's A.C.T. One, which acted as part of our reference system for testing during the late 90s. They swap the One's carbon fibre composite enclosures for a biocomposite that's not only more sustainable but stiffer and better damped. 

The results speak for themselves – they sound exceptional, with levels of transparency and insight that are rarely heard. The result is they uncover new subtleties in familiar tunes, breathing new life into even well-worn tracks. What more could you ask for?

Read the full Wilson Benesch A.C.T. 3Zero review

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We love classic old hi-fi. Give us a chance to hear an original pair of Quad ESL-57 electrostatic speakers, Krell’s first power amplifier, the KSA 100, or an early Linn LP12 and we simply wouldn’t be able to resist. A huge part of the appeal of these products is all about nostalgia, of course. Compared to the very best we can make today, each of this legendary trio would struggle, though it’s important to note that they would still charm due to their innate specialness.

But what if you take such a classic design as a base, and then execute it with the full might of current technology and the benefit of improved technical knowledge gained over the decades? This is something that JBL has already managed to do with the excellent L100 Classic and it’s a formula that Mission has followed with the resurrected 770 we have on test here. The company has even gone so far as to make these speakers at a new manufacturing facility in the UK to emphasise the heritage angle, rather than build in China alongside the rest of the range.

Build

The original 770 were launched back in the late 1970s. They were hugely successful and instrumental in establishing the then-fledgling speaker brand in the market. The story goes that Mission’s founder, Farad Azima, was hugely impressed by Spendor’s BC-1 monitor but wanted a more upbeat and involving sound. The 770 were the result – a large two-way standmounter with a 20cm polypropylene mid/bass unit mated to a 25mm plastic dome tweeter through a relatively simple crossover. The cabinet was made of heavily damped chipboard, echoing the BBC-inspired thin wall construction of the Spendor.

Mission has been far more faithful than JBL about sticking to the original version’s appearance, right down to the white front baffle with its distinctive and rather unsubtle branding between the mid/bass unit and port. Look at the two 770 generations side by side and the resemblance is unmistakable, but that doesn’t mean that Mission hasn’t taken every opportunity to improve things.

For starters, rather than go for the BBC-inspired route of cabinet design, Mission has chosen a more modern approach by making the speaker panels a twin-wall sandwich of high-density MDF and particleboard, bonded by a layer of what the company describes as ‘damping’ glue. The idea is that the two layers help to control each other’s resonances and together (with the glue, of course) form a rigid structure. This method of construction should avoid the excess richness and slightly loose bass that can often result when using the traditional BBC method.

While Mission has stuck with the same size of polypropylene mid/bass cone as the original, the one used in this new generation is a thoroughly modern design with an open, rigid die-cast chassis and carefully honed motor system. The polypropylene cone, coloured white just like in the original, is mineral-loaded and carefully shaped to aid rigidity. This cone is then married to a low-density nitrile surround to control any resonances. The tools available to a speaker designer to optimise performance are so much more sophisticated than they were back in the original’s heyday that it’s easy to understand how the current drive units could easily outperform their ancestors.

The same applies to the 28mm microfibre Polyester dome tweeter, which is a modern vented design that’s linked to the mid/bass via a more complex crossover than before. The crossover point is set at a fairly conventional 2.9kHz. Connection is through a single pair of chunky speaker terminals.

The performance of any standmounter is reliant on the quality of its support, so we’re pleased to report that Mission has taken things seriously and designed dedicated stands for the new 770. Even more pleasingly, these are included in the package when you buy the speakers. That’s a good thing, as these standmounters are an unusual size by current standards.

The 770 stands are a frame design made mostly of high carbon steel, with the uprights internally damped to control resonances. Once built – they come flat-packed – these supports feel solid and, as would be expected, fit the speakers perfectly. They position the tweeter at an ideal height for our listening position.

Compatibility

Any speaker at this level positively demands a top-class system, and these boxes are no different. The majority of our testing is carried out with our usual reference system of a Naim ND555/555 PS DR music streamer and Technics SL-1000R turntable, both feeding a Burmester 088/911 MkIII pre/power. We also plug in the Naim SuperNait 3 integrated to see how the Missions perform with a more price-compatible amplifier.

The Mission’s sensitivity is pretty good at 88dB/W/m, which when combined with an impedance that doesn’t dip below 6 ohms means that they should suit a wide range of amplifiers. In most circumstances, the partnering amplifier for these should be chosen on quality grounds rather than how many watts it produces.

Make no mistake, these are big standmounters by current standards. Their internal volume is 38.5 litres – around double that of most rivals. Add the fact that they sound best when given space to breathe and there’s certainly the potential for them to dominate in modestly sized rooms.

In our relatively spacious – 3m x 5m x 7m (hwl) – test room, these Missions sound best when placed around 75cm from the rear wall and well away from the sides. Angling them slightly towards the listening position helps to focus and solidify the stereo imaging, so that's something well worth doing.

Sound

As a general rule, big speakers with big drive units tend to produce big bass, and that holds true here. Mission claims a low-end response that extends to 30Hz in a room, which is well beyond what most rivals can manage. 

But that’s not the aspect of the 770’s low-end performance that impresses us the most. We can’t recall a similarly priced standmounter that has as much finesse when it comes to delivering bass. As we listen to Massive Attack’s Angel, it’s the articulate way these speakers render the bass notes that stick in the mind. They sound taut and agile, but also delicate in the way they paint bass textures and resolve low-level information. It’s a balance that is a little leaner and drier in the bass than we expected, though not so much that it will prove an issue with system matching. Don’t worry, there’s plenty in the way of punch and power when required.

Move up the frequency range and we’re greeted by a clear, precise and expressive midrange. Mission’s best speakers have always had a brightly lit, slight forward balance in the midrange and these new speakers echo that. It gives the 770 a lively and engaging presentation that, in this case, is judged well enough never to sound thin or overly aggressive. That new soft dome tweeter isn’t the most detailed we’ve heard at this level but has enough in terms of refinement and bite to blend in nicely.

We move to Stravinsky’s The Rite Of Spring and the Missions sound right at home, delivering the music with impressive authority and scale. Of course, the extended low-end helps, but it’s also the 770’s wide-ranging dynamics and generally articulate nature that brings the music to life. It’s a musically cohesive presentation that’s controlled and nicely organised.

Rhythmically things are sure-footed, with the speakers able to communicate the often frantic drive of the symphony well. It’s a presentation that preserves the high octane energy of the music yet still manages to sound calm and composed. That holds true even at higher volumes where the 770 keep a firm grip on dynamic integrity and refinement.

We’re happy with the stereo imaging too. Once the speakers are placed with care we get a solid and spacious stereo image that’s pleasingly uncluttered. It’s layered and nicely focussed, though we notice that the 770 don’t quite disappear into the soundstage in the way the best of their smaller rivals manage. Pleasingly, the imaging remains stable even as the music becomes more demanding.

Verdict

Our conclusion? We think these new Mission 770 are right up there with the very best at this price. While the link to the past will be the main attraction for some, for us that’s put in the shade by the speakers' excellent all-round performance. The 770 have a range of sonic talents that sets them apart from most rivals and earns them a glowing recommendation.

First reviewed: August 2022. Updated review: November 2024.

SCORES

• Sound 5
• Build 5
• Compatibility 5

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How is an iconic speaker resurrected for the 21st century? We asked JBL, Wharfedale and more

It is said that if an optimist sees a glass is half full and a pessimist sees it as half empty, then an engineer will tell you that the glass is twice as large as it needs to be. 

We are reminded of this old adage when we asked some of the best engineers of the British hi-fi industry whether or not there is a distinctly British sound.

“Accurate, faithful and true,” says Nick Clarke, director of engineering at Arcam, when we ask him about a British sound. “I don’t associate it with a sound as such, the equipment should get out of the way of the music. If it doesn’t, it hasn't been designed correctly,” he adds.

“Understated, genuine and faithful reproduction throughout the entire bandwidth,” says Craig Milnes, co-owner and design director of Wilson Benesch. “Precise, natural, accurately reproducing the original recording,” says Matt Bartlett, Chord Electronics' managing director. 

So, just as the job of the glass is to carry the water from the table to your lips – not to change the flavour or colour the liquid in any way – your hi-fi system should be true to its name and deliver the recording as faithfully as possible.

But as noble as that aim is, does the glass of water analogy actually stand up? Compared to record players, amplifiers and loudspeakers, the glass is a simple device. There are no problems of leakage, mechanical loss, the infidelity of digital to analogue conversion, splitting of water into different frequencies or issues of unwanted resonance. The water ripples, maybe a little of it evaporates, but it still tastes the same as it did when it left the tap.

• Read our British Hi-Fi Week reviews and features

When building a piece of hi-fi equipment, there are limitations and choices of compromise to make. Creating kit that delivers the original recorded sound, truly untainted, is next to impossible.

“Sound is what turns out after the brief,” says Roy Gandy, co-founder and owner of Rega. “You choose the best materials for each required element that's affordable for each price point, then you use that material to achieve the best performance."

“We take a disc which, when rotated, creates vibrations which are read by the cantilever and stylus. The job is to be faithful with as little augmentation as possible.

"While we don't, and think it's detrimental to performance, some manufacturers might use a suspended sub-chassis to eliminate motor noise, but that adds in the natural frequency of the suspension itself and the harmonics of that; it's often a pleasant warmth. There are also materials in platters that add sound. People have got used to plastic platters and these can make a subtle church-like reverb.”

Maybe we’ve all become accustomed to some degree of additive in our audio listening, but that still doesn't mean that there is no such thing as a British hi-fi sound. Just because none of these British audio engineers is doing anything on purpose, that doesn’t mean that, from the outside, a distinctive sound doesn’t exist. The view from abroad would seem to suggest it does.

Take Marantz – not a British hi-fi company, of course, but one that has engineered specific UK editions of some of its best-loved models. The Award-winning PM6006 and CD6006 amplifier and CD player are the obvious examples. If there really is no identifiable British sound, why did Marantz bother?

“We did it partly because of the love for stereo in the UK,” says Roger Batchelor, product specialist at Sound United. “Compared with the rest of Europe or the USA, the percentage of multi-channel amplifiers sold in the UK is lower. Also, there’s a demand here for budget products with high performance and simple, straight-forward design, where sound quality is the first and foremost priority.”

And what is that sound quality exactly? According to Bachelor and his colleagues at Denon and Marantz, it’s a warm, natural overall balance; an accurate, clean bass; and wide stereo imaging with a good sense of depth and height. It's musically fun to listen to with emotional involvement, rather than pure detailed resolution. A sound with a good sense of rhythm and dynamics that draws the listener in.

On the surface, it seems obvious – timing, dynamics, tonal balance, who wouldn’t want these things? However, some markets have traditionally demanded something slightly different, particularly when it comes to low frequency. Peter Comeau, director of acoustic design for IAG (which counts Wharfedale, Quad and Mission among its brands) says it wasn’t until he left the UK that he first conceived of how this kind of sound could be deemed to be typically British.

“I started hearing about hi-fi products coming out of the USA in the late 1960s with designs from Acoustic Research, Marantz and JBL appearing out of the Atlantic fog. US speakers had a different tonal balance to British designed speakers, with a fatter bass and a more prominent presence which exaggerated the upper harmonic range of vocals, string and wind instruments. 

“At the time, I decided that this was to favour US pop music, a lot of which had a marginally larger-than-life, brighter, projection. However, as soon as a record of classical music hit the turntable, the departures from neutrality quickly let the side down.”

According to Comeau, there was a sound difference even among the US designs, with an east coast/west coast divide – in the east were brands such as Acoustic Research and in the west, JBL. Both competed with the more neutral and, Comeau ventures, 'accurate' British sound, although there were plenty of US commentators who found the UK style rather warm and flat, not unlike a pint of bitter.

Undoubtedly, the influence of British pop music in the 1960s and '70s did much to influence the flavour of hi-fi of that time and the notion of a British sound. “If you played Beatles records, the squawky upper-mids were too much to bear when using JBLs,” says Comeau.

In all likelihood, the roots of a British sound go back even further than the '60s and to an era at the BBC a decade earlier. The BBC created its own research and development facility for television and radio technology, from which arose advancements such as Nicam stereo, digital audio and monitor loudspeakers.

“The BBC was the first to research loudspeakers in a holistic way, including drive units, cabinet resonance-suppression and crossover phase linearity,” says Lee Taylor, an ex-BBC sound engineer and founder of Leema Acoustics. “The resulting devices, such as the BBC LS3/5a loudspeaker, are still unsurpassed in many ways. I publicly apologise for blowing up quite so many in my time at the BBC.”

When pressed to name a product that best typifies a possible British sound, several of our interviewees listed the LS3/5a. These small studio monitors were developed for outside broadcast vans to ensure a good quality of broadcast sound. “A polite, smooth, pleasant, non-controversial sound; a loudspeaker with flat frequency response,” is how Rega’s Roy Gandy describes their audio.

Through licensing to produce these speakers under brands such as Rogers and Spendor, that balanced, neutral sound became the standard. British loudspeaker companies spun out of this research with the LS3/5a something of a common ancestor. But while these speakers were hugely influential in their own right, it was ultimately the expression of those who built them – their spirit and their methods – that was the DNA of the inherited British sound.

“For me, British hi-fi is adventurous. Those pioneers led the world in the development of high-fidelity sound,” says Peter Thomas, founder and chairman of PMC. “One of the main things that differentiated them was a willingness to use objective and subjective testing. They trusted their ears when it came to designing equipment as well as measurements. And we still produce some of the best cutting-edge designs in the world – we’re not frightened to try new ideas.”

Those pioneers include names such as Gilbert Briggs and Peter Walker, who started Wharfedale and Quad respectively in the '30s, and who passed down the baton to the likes of Stan Kelly and Arthur Radford, inventors of the Kelly ribbon tweeter and of low-distortion amplifiers. It was their passion for innovation and quality that showed the way for the next generation. 

“Products built using hand-selected components, crafted with care, pride and respect” is their legacy, according to Jason Gould, brand ambassador for Naim. The long-term effect was to create a British hi-fi industry with brands such as B&W, Linn, Mission, KEF, Arcam, Rega, Naim and others all trying to out-perform each other in terms of innovative engineering. 

The British entrepreneurial spirit also contributed too, inspiring the likes of 17-year-old Rob Lawley, who would later become managing director of Sevenoaks Sound and Vision, as first started by Paul Lee-Kemp in 1972. “The result was that the consumer was spoiled for choice and great sounding kit, and much of this was driven by individuals with a real vision for better sound, rather than just commercial gain,” Lawley says.

Times change, of course, and whether British-owned or otherwise, these audio companies still exist 50 years on. With different commercial pressures and influences, the methods and ideals of British hi-fi’s heyday have been diluted for some as, indeed, has that familiar sound they promoted.

But if a British sound isn't the driving force behind the people who make hi-fi in the UK, perhaps it doesn't matter. While British audio brands may not be trying to sell a British sound, there are certainly people who are looking to buy it. The label of British hi-fi still carries some meaning for AV enthusiasts across the world. 

“Our products are given an immediate elevation in status when you introduce them, even in the great audio producing countries such as the USA or Japan,” says Alex Munro, Q Acoustics' brand director.

And at the end of the day, it’s really all about what the customer wants. “The feedback generated by our customers should not be underestimated,” says Ben Lily, technical sales manager at ATC. “This is a large part of what British hi-fi means to us and a huge reason why there are a large number of hi-fi companies per capita in the UK. We are lucky to have so many enthusiasts on our doorstep.”

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Since the company was founded over 80 years in the business, Wharfedale has produced numerous amazing-sounding speakers, some of which have made it into the What Hi-Fi? Hall of Fame. 

A key reason for this has been the company’s ability to create fantastic value for money speakers that offer reliable audio, despite costing less than you’d expect. As a result, Wharfedale speakers have been a staple sight in our test rooms and magazine pages since What Hi-Fi? first opened its doors in the late 1970s.

Recently, Wharfedale’s shown it is not above celebrating its heritage by launching new entries into classic lines of speakers like the new Wharfedale Super Denton it launched at the Bristol Hi-Fi Show earlier this year.

This is great, but with so many great products in Wharfedale’s history, you may justifiably be wondering which are THE best of the best. Here to help we’ve created this guide detailing the British firm’s best speakers, past and present as part of our latest British Hi-Fi Week special event.

If you think we’ve missed any, make sure to get involved with the conversation on social media feeds and forums!

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Wharfedale Bronze drive unit (1932)

Gilbert Briggs founded Wharfedale in 1932. Briggs was a keen music and audio enthusiast and developed the company’s first product – the Bronze drive unit – in his cellar. At the time such things were considered cutting edge technology and involved much experimentation. He lived in Ilkley, Yorkshire, in a valley known as Wharfedale, and so that’s what he called his new company.

That original drive unit was initially sold as a single driver, as back then early audio enthusiasts built their own enclosures. It wasn’t until 1934 that the Bronze featured in a fully assembled Wharfedale ‘cabinet speaker’ and that was called the Nubian.

Wharfedale Corner Cabinet (1947)

After the war, Briggs continued to develop his speakers. In 1947 the company released the Corner Cabinet, claimed to be the first two-way hi-fi speaker for home use. At the time multi-way speakers were the preserve of cinemas and theatres, so this was a massive technological leap forward for home audio.

The Corner Cabinet’s enclosure was made in solid mahogany, though a solid oak  option was also offered. By current standards they were pretty big boxes at 107 x 65 x 47cm (hwd), though would have probably have been considered reasonably compact for the time. The claimed frequency response was an impress 40Hz to 18kHz and the power handling was rated at a modest 10 watts. A three-way version was also subsequently developed.

Wharfedale SFB/3 (1956)

The Wharfedale SFB/3 was Briggs’ answer to Quad’s ESL57 electrostatics. It was a three-way, open-back speaker with a sand-filled baffle. The idea behind the filled baffle design was to create a rigid but well-damped structure for the drive units to work from, but the lack of a box behind was just as unusual. This approach avoided the cabinet resonances that are part and parcel of any enclosure.

The three-way drive unit array was made up of 3in, 10in and 12in units, with the two larger drivers being connected in parallel, and the tweeter crossover consisted of a single capacitor.  

Wharfedale recommended using an amplifier with at least three watts of power to get decent volume levels. The SFB/3s measured 79 x 86 x 30cm (hwd) and weighed in at around 29kg.

Wharfedale Linton (1965)

The original Linton went on to become one of the best selling speakers of its era. It started off as a two-way model with a 3in tweeter and 8in bass unit, but over time developed into a three–way design called the Linton 3XP.

That original stood out for the innovative use of a Flexiprene roll-surround in the suspension of its bass unit. The tweeter was also unusual in being encased in its own acoustic dome to isolate it from the vibrations generated by the bass unit.

Wharfedale Diamond Mk1 (1982)

When Wharfedale launched the original Diamond Mk1 in 1982, we doubt whether anyone – even Wharfedale – anticipated the scale of their success. The Diamond quickly became the core of the company’s product output and spawned various off-shoots, including a ‘before its time’ powered model, as well as a luxury version called the Super Diamond, which was wrapped in a smart real-wood veneer.

That Mk1 was a squat thing standing just 24cm high and had an internal volume of just 5.2 litres. It cost just £65 on launch and soon built up a mighty reputation for being musically talented. These speakers delivered surprising bass weight for their modest size and had far more finesse than their lowly price suggested.

The sonic balance was a little rounded at the top end to avoid the basic tweeter becoming exposed, but the capable 11cm long-throw polypropylene mid/bass unit compensated.

Given a decent source and good budget amplification they delivered entertaining results. At the price, little came close.

Wharfedale 708 (1985)

Wharfedale was flying high in the mid-80s thanks in no small part to the success of the Diamond. At this point the company pushed hard on engineering innovation and the result was the impressive £300 708 standmounters.

The big news here was the enclosure material. Wharfedale’s chief engineer had just come over from Celestion where he did pioneering work on speaker cabinets using an aluminium honeycomb material in that company’s SL600 high-end flagship. This material’s rigidity and low mass resulted in vanishingly low levels of cabinet colouration compared to the wooden alternatives of the time. The same material couldn’t be used for Wharedale’s 708 because of their more modest selling price, so a more economical alternative had to be found. And it was.

The 708’s 28mm-thick panels were formed by sandwiching polystyrene foam between two sheets of Melamine. It worked really well from a performance point of view, giving the speakers an astonishing clean presentation for a model at their price.

Of course, having one of the best metal dome tweeters on the market helped, as did the use of a high quality loaded polypropylene mid/bass. The engineers also did away with conventional bolt fixings for the both drive units, developing a camera-lens-like screw fit into the cabinet instead. The advantage was claimed to be more even clamping pressure, and let’s not forget it looked neater thanks to the lack of visible fixings. The 708 were hugely impressive design on so many levels.

Wharfedale 505.2 (1990)

The 505.2 were another massive success for Wharfedale, sitting in the mid-market and delivering a sound of impressive polish and insight. They were a £169 two-way standmounter that echoed the clean-cut appearance of the mighty 708, but at around half the money. There was no fancy lightweight cabinet here, though, as the budget couldn’t accommodate such extravagancies. 

The standard 505.2 used a basic chipboard box, but there was also a luxury version available at a premium that used 18mm MDF, covered with a rather nice mahogany real-wood veneer. The pricier version justified its premium on sonic grounds too, with a clearer and more composed presentation.

Wharfedale made some hugely accomplished drive units at the time, and they were masters at making sweet-sounding metal dome tweeters (at a time when most rivals struggled to do the same). The one in the 505.2 delivered impressive clarity and insight. These speakers were open and articulate performers capable of a surprisingly subtle performance when suitably partnered. They began to sound ragged if pushed too hard, but beyond that led the class in most other respects for a number of years.

Wharfedale Diamond 9.1 (2004)

We could have filled this list with various generations of the Diamond, but have chosen to pick out the ninth-gen model of the more recent editions. Why? After a relatively fallow period – the fifth to seventh generation models weren’t great – there was a return to form with the eighth. This was much more like it when it came to sound, but these speakers still leaned heavily on under-cutting their obvious rivals on price for their appeal. 

Things changed with the 9.1. This was the Diamond back to its ambitious best with fancy curved cabinets, a sophisticated Kevlar-coned mid/bass unit and a rather sweet-sounding tweeter. Build was excellent too – something not always a strength of earlier versions.

The 9.1 sounded detailed and transparent, could play all types of music with ease, and offered a level of insight well beyond their £180 price level. Later Diamonds took things even further, but for us the 9.1 still sticks in the mind.

Wharfedale Evo 4.4 (2019)

We don’t give Awards lightly, so when Wharfedale’s Evo 4.4 floorstanders picked up a Best Buy gong for 2020 you can be sure that we compared them to every possible rival. Against them, they came up trumps.

We’re still impressed at the ambitious engineering of these speakers. You’re looking at a true three-way design with an AMT (Air Moton Transformer) tweeter, a 5cm dome midrange and a pair of 15cm bass drivers. Add a carefully calibrated crossover and excellent build quality and you have a class-leading tower.

The Evo 4.4 are mature and insightful-sounding performers, as comfortable exploring the subtleties of instrumental textures and dynamic nuances as they are pounding out bass beats and delivering thundering crescendos. It’s all done with a sonic sophistication that’s more usually found at higher price points.

Wharfedale Linton Heritage (2020)

The current love of all things retro hasn’t been ignored at Wharfedale Towers. As you’ve seen, the company has a rich history to mine, and the first fruits of that are the new Lintons. These are massive three-way standmounters that echo the proportions and styling of speakers made back in the 60s and 70s but are packed with modern innards and engineering.

Their sonic balance also reflects the past with a big hearted and rich presentation that’s quite alien to most modern alternatives. But Wharfedale has been smart in not taking the retro theme too far, so the new Lintons are as detailed and dynamic as the best of their modern price rivals. 

Add some great-value dedicated stands (that also double as storage for records) and you have a pair of speakers that represent excellent value for money. They’ve been a huge hit for the company since their introduction, and rightly so.

 Wharfedale Diamond 12.3 (2020)

Talk about Wharfedale’s Diamond series with any hi-fi fan and 99 per cent of the time the first thing that’ll come into the conversation is that they are great value standmounters – which makes sense as that was the first type of speaker to carry the name when it launched back in 1982.

But this may change in the very near future as the company’s latest Diamond series floorstanders are well worth talking about as well, based on our testing. The current What Hi-Fi? Award-winning Diamond 12.3 are a seriously good, affordable set of floorstanders that easily deserves a place on this list as one of the best speakers ever made by Wharfedale.

The speakers feature a 2.5-way design that uses the upper 13cm driver to cover everything from the midrange downwards. A second driver is then used to reinforce the low end. Backing this up they then use the same tweeter seen throughout the Diamond 12 range – a 25mm tweeter coated in a woven polyester soft dome.

The combination works a treat, letting them deliver the best audio experience we’ve had at this price. If you’re still in doubt as to why these speakers deserve a place in this list, our original Wharfedale Diamond 12.3 review says it all: “Don’t buy another tower at this level without hearing this one first.”

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Since the What Hi-Fi? Awards started back in December 1983, we've seen some fine examples of speaker craftsmanship. Each year we've selected our favourite pairs of stereo speakers across a wide spectrum of prices, and each year one outstanding pair was given the Product of the Year badge - the best of the best.

The winners we've selected here aren't just the best-value speakers in their respective price category, but they also exemplify our performance-per-pound ethos.

Either way, it's a look back down memory lane at some of the best speakers we've heard this century - and it's a fairly formidable shopping list should you be in the market for a second-hand pair of speakers.

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2000, 2001

Mission 780 Tested at £300

The first stereo speaker Product of the Year of the new millennium was the Mission 780, the smallest of the 78 series. Not only were the 780s a stellar example of craftsmanship, we were also impressed by how big these Mission speakers sounded.

Equally as capable with rock tracks as with more subtle songs, they got the 21st century off to a fine start, winning two years in a row.

• See all our Mission reviews

2002, 2003

Quad 11L Tested at £379

The Mission 780s were unable to make it a 21st century hat-trick after being displaced in 2002 by the 11Ls, which saw an audio manufacturer with a fine high-end pedigree go after the mainstream market.

The results were quite stunning, with features that would ordinarily belong at the premium end of the spectrum being brought fully into reach for those on a more modest budget.

"Luscious looks combined with brilliant sonic performance mean the awesome-value Quad 11Ls hang on to the top Award" - with that verdict, you can understand why these speakers won again in 2003.

• See all our Quad reviews

2004

Wharfedale Diamond 9.1 Tested at £180

No doubt a familiar name to many an audio connoisseur, Wharfedale's Diamond range of budget speakers has played a formidable part in the history of our Awards.

Ever since the series first made its debut back in 1983 (like our Awards), we've been rather taken with them. The 9.1s took the performance of sub-£200 speakers to a whole new level.

• See all our Wharfedale reviews

2005, 2006

KEF iQ5 Tested at £400

Unlike many of their contemporaries, the sub-£500 iQ5 floorstanders retained that element of bass control and mid-range realism that could often be sacrificed in favour of deeper bass reach and greater scale.

With a big, confident and poised sound that belied their modest dimensions, the iQ5s proved themselves to be peerless when it came to picking the best stereo speakers in 2005 and 2006.

• See all our KEF reviews

2007, 2008

B&W 685 Tested at £380

While it wasn't quite in the speaker wilderness, a good few years had passed without B&W having a strong contender at this price. Then in 2007, the 685s came along.

It was quite some return, as these standmounters put in a performance more than capable of worrying all but the very best below £1000.

We probably listened to the 685s more than any other product in 2008, aside from our reference systems.

With brilliant composure among the many positives, they were fantastic value for money and deservedly retained their Award in 2008.

• See all our B&W reviews

2009

Wharfedale Diamond 10.1 Tested at £200

"A stunning achievement for the cash". The 10th-generation of Wharfedale's Diamond range picked up where its predecessor (the 9.1) left off in 2004.

Not only could these standmounters outperform just about any price-comparable speaker, but plenty from the price-class above, too.

2010

Monitor Audio Bronze BX2 Tested at £250

The 2010 Product of the Year deservedly went to Monitor Audio's Bronze BX2s.

Incredible value for money and with so much going for them in terms of performance, they were still winning Best Buy Awards two years later at their price point.

• See all our Monitor Audio reviews

2011

KEF Q300 Tested at £450

Throughout 2011, these KEF standmounters sat at the top of the pile, seeing off challenges from many worthy competitors.

In the end, the Q300s were crowned Product of the Year for their all-round prowess.

2012

KEF LS50 Tested at £800

Looking back since the turn of the millennium, KEF has shown some serious aptitude in the stereo speaker stakes. After the iQ5s and the Q300s came the more upmarket and impressive LS50s, which duly won the Product of the Year in 2012.

And judging by their Readers' Award successes in 2013 and 2014, you were every bit as taken with them as we were.

2013

Q Acoustics Concept 20 Tested at £350

It has been a remarkable journey for Q Acoustics. The company was only founded in 2006, yet its stereo speakers have bagged at least one Best Buys Award in each subsequent year.

The Concept 20s are arguably the company's crowning glory: named our Product of the Year 2013, it was one of the simplest decisions we've had to make in this category.

• See all our Q Acoustics reviews

2014, 2015

B&W 685 S2 Tested at £500

B&W made a major comeback with the redesigned 685 S2, nabbing two successive Product of the Year Awards for their mid-priced marvel.

They're superb speakers, with their huge sense of scale and excellent dynamics setting them apart from the competition.

2016

Dynaudio Emit M20 Tested at £600

Dynaudio took to the 2016 podium, winning an Award for the £600 M20s, knocking the formidable B&W 685 S2s down to four stars in the process.

The Emit M20s took the Product of the Year title, thanks to their big, exciting sound, and excellent dynamics.

2017

KEF Q350 Tested at £530

Back on the throne five years after its still-tremendous LS50s took a Product of the Year Award, KEF delivered one of 2017's best pound-for-pound hi-fi products of any type in the Q350 standmounters.

Subtle and muscular, open and detailed, plus handsomely imposing when on some suitable stands, the KEFs laid all before them.

2018

KEF R3 Tested at £1300

KEF held on to its Product of the Year title, but in 2018 it was for a completely new product. The new R3 speakers are simply exceptional. They offer subtle dynamics and insight far beyond its rivals can, sound balanced, big and punchy, and are just utterly natural musical performers. They're so good they even knocked the superb ATC SCM 11s off its decade-long winning streak to become our favourite speakers in this price range.

The KEF R3s may be the priciest speaker we've given this coveted title to, but it's entirely deserving of the attention.

• Best hi-fi speakers 2018
• Debut speakers from iconic hi-fi brands
• 10 of the best songs to test your speakers

Steve Sells is Naim Audio’s electronic design director. He’s responsible for the development of the company’s range of highly-rated electronics, from those used in wireless speakers such as the Mu-so all the way through to the £170,000 Statement pre/power combination. We visited the company’s Salisbury offices to find out more about how the design process works and the man behind the sound.

What Hi-Fi?: What made you interested in hi-fi?

Steve Sells: I must have been about seven years old when my grandfather bought a Quadraphonic hi-fi. I remember him listening to a recording of the Philharmonic Orchestra at full volume and talking about being transported to the Albert Hall (where the recording was made). That’s when I realised that hi-fi could have such a connection with people. I was told not to touch the hi-fi because it was expensive, so I grew up with a sort of reverence to it.

At around 11 years old I was given a big loudspeaker. I took it apart and couldn’t believe how simple it was, so I decided to have a go at making one myself. I went to the garden shed, found a nail, some wire, a magnet and a Cornflakes box and taped it all together. Once it was finished I plugged it into my clock radio to test it. For the next few weeks, I made speaker after speaker.

WHF: Did the speakers work?

SS: They gave an output! Sounded absolutely atrocious, though.

WHF: What happened next?

SS: At around 14 or 15 I started making amplifiers. I was fortunate to live in a town with an electronics components supplier. His name was J.R. Hartley (yes, really) and he used to do mail order electronics. I bought loads of bits and built loads of things. He was an inspirational guy for me.

When I was about 16 years old my brother got into hi-fi. He bought a system made up of a Dual CS-505 turntable, Rotel RA-820B amplifier (the one without tone controls) and KEF Coda speakers. I could not believe this thing. It went louder and sounded more realistic than anything else I had heard to that point. That was it. That was the point in my life when I decided I wanted to design hi-fi.

WHF: What was your first job in hi-fi?

SS: In my gap year at university I got a job at Cambridge Audio. It was the time of the CD1, a big multi-box CD player that had an error counter. I learnt a lot about designing products and getting them into production. I’d be building prototypes and designing circuit boards. My final year project was making a digital-to-analogue converter. I used multiple Philips TDA-1541 DACs - I think I had four of them - and a Philips 7220 digital filter, and it did 16x oversampling.

WHF: What's your favourite product you've designed?

SS: Naim Statement pre/power amp – I had waited all my working life to design something like this. As an audio designer you grow up wanting to make a 'no compromise' amp. Over time I had worked for Cambridge Audio, NAD, Cyrus, Roksan and Quad, and never really had the chance to design something like this. It’s only when I started at Naim that there was really a chance to do it.

WHF: Was the Statement a clean sheet design?

SS: It was almost too clean. When you have constraints it focuses you. When someone says it doesn’t matter how much it costs, what it looks like or how long it takes, you start to ask yourself fundamental questions about amplifier design and electronic circuitry. Those questions took a long time to get over. After a while the thing starts to take shape, and in the case of the Statement that comes from the engineering - the cooling requirements, two boxes to isolate the power supplies, the zero feedback to get the sonic speed. All these things end up dictating the final design.

WHF: What qualities make Naim products different?

SS: I think it’s the musicality. It’s something where you drift off into the performance. You listen to some products and you get that precise imaging and lots of detail, and that can be quite enticing. But I think for the long-term appeal of a component it needs to convey the emotion. That’s the main thing we listen for.

WHF: Measurement or listening?

SS: As an engineer it’s really hard to sacrifice specs, but we do it all the time. Generally, we’ll design on the bench from experience. We know what sounded good in the past so we’ll try those things again. Then when we’ve got a couple of different prototypes we’ll engineer those till they measure well. Then we go to the listening room and we play around with components to fine-tune the sound. Invariably, when you go back and measure things they’ve got worse.

WHF: Do you think Class D circuitry works for high-end products?

SS: I don’t think you’ll see a high-end Naim product using Class D technology for a very long time, unless changes in legislation forces us to do it. Class D delivers pretty much everything of what most people want in most applications. I really like the power, and it’s great for keeping it lightweight and efficient. You don’t need such big power supplies and heatsinks, so it’s possible to make really compact designs. But its benefits carry less weight when it comes to high-end products where performance is all.

WHF: What's your favourite non-Naim product?

SS: The next bit of hi-fi I want to buy is a Revox A77 reel-to-reel tape player. I’m renovating one for a friend and now I really want one. I love tape decks. Tape is fantastic. Naim did toy with making a tape deck years ago. It was before my time so I haven’t seen the prototypes.

WHF: What kind of music do you listen to?

SS: Mainly electronic. I’m really into Sohn at the moment.

WHF: What was the first piece of music you bought?

SS: It was Ian Dury and the Blockheads - Hit Me with Your Rhythm Stick on 7in vinyl. My first CD was The Dark Side of the Moon.

WHF: What system do you have at home?

SS: It’s always changing. It tends to be what we’re designing. So I’m just about to get an NDX 2 streamer and NAC-252 preamp. Right now I’m running a NAC-N 272 streamer/preamp and NAP 250 DR power amp with Naim SBL speakers and two subs.

WHF: What sonic qualities would your perfect hi-fi product have?

SS: Pace, rhythm and timing – if you can sit down, press play and you don’t feel the need to skip, then that’s just fantastic. That’s the difference between a really good hi-fi and the others. When I was younger it was all about detail and bass.

I still like bass, though.

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See all our Naim reviews

Along with amplifiers, record players and TVs, one of the products most closely associated with What Hi-Fi? is stereo speakers. We have been testing stereo speakers ever since our first issue in 1976, and while there have been hundreds of speakers that have passed through our various test rooms, the speakers we have highlighted here are ones that have left a lasting impression in our minds (and in the hi-fi industry as well).

The idea behind a stereo speaker hasn't changed much and is relatively simple, with an enclosure (sometimes small, sometimes big), drivers and crossover capable of taking an audio signal from an amplifier and pumping out sound as the drivers move as accurately as possible. Advancements in technology, machining processes and the discovery of new materials have refined this engineering concept further, with brands able to constantly find new and better ways of making music sound great.

This ever-expanding list is a celebration of the stereo speakers that have a special place in our hearts – and yours too, hopefully – as we flick through nearly five decades of What Hi-Fi?'s past for the best pairs of speakers that we have listened to and enjoyed in our test rooms.

KEF Coda II (1982)

The KEF Coda II were budget speakers designed to be compatible with amplifiers that delivered 10 or more watts per channel, and they offered exceptional value.

Though the Coda II's tonal balance was on the brighter side, they leavened that with an open sound and accurate imaging.

These two-way speakers were available in two finishes (black or simulated walnut veneer) and they looked pretty good, especially when you took the grilles off.

Wharfedale Diamond I (1982)

The original Wharfedale Diamonds were pint-sized efforts for those who needed a speaker to fit into a tight space.

They were nicely constructed, with a solidly made cabinet (an enclosure of just over five litres) and a finish that traded real wood for a good quality plastic imitation veneer.

With sophisticated midrange and bass performance for the price, the Diamonds were fussy in terms of partnering kit but excelled with more upmarket amplification.

MORE: That Was Then... Wharfedale Diamond review

Mission 70 Mk II (1983)

By 1983 Mission had updated its '70' speakers and, despite the model number, the 70 Mk IIs were the third iteration.

That gradual process of evolution led to a pair of speakers that had breadth, scope and vividness beyond their peers. And in spite of the speaker's small size, they had the sound of a larger, more expensive unit.

Treated well, the Mission 70 Mk IIs produced an exciting listening experience.

MORE: Old speakers vs. new speakers: How do they compare?

Heybrook HB1 (1983)

The Heybrook HB1s were a highlight of What Hi-Fi?'s early years, winning multiple Awards in the early 80s.

The HB1s were entry-level speakers, and though they worked well with budget equipment, they excelled when partnered with top-quality electronics.

With a high-quality finish and dynamic sound, the HB1s were another example of a speaker that could hold its own against much more expensive efforts.

Acoustic Energy AE1 (1988)

Acoustic Energy's AE1 were on the smaller side, but let them rip and they were capable of impressive punch and dynamic reach.

They featured metal drivers (rare for the time) and the internal cabinet walls were plaster-coated to minimise the build-up of unnatural standing waves.

Care was required when positioning, but get it right and the huge soundstage, accuracy and speed of delivery on offer were superb.

Read our Acoustic Energy AE1 Classic review

Epos ES11 (1991)

We enter the 90s with the Epos ES11, which were similar in sonic character to the legendary ES14 but available for a fraction of the price.

As was usual for the brand, the crossover was minimal: it employed a single capacitor for the tweeter. That helped the ES11 produce surprisingly sturdy bass and excellent resolution, as well as superb rhythmic drive and dynamic expression.

A really musical pair of speakers, they could deliver just the right amount of aggression, delicacy or restraint a song demanded.

Monitor Audio Studio 20 (1992)

£2000 was a lot for a speaker back in 1992 (and it still is today), but the Monitor Audio Studio 20s weren't your run-of-the-mill floorstanders.

With metal drivers on board, they delivered fast, deep bass, punchy overall sound and sweet treble. This made the Studio 20 one of the most detailed-sounding speakers we'd encountered at the time.

They needed some fine-tuning and a fair bit of running in thanks to those metal drivers but, these issues aside, they were incredibly well-made and finished, and were terrific-sounding speakers.

Mission 753 (1992)

The 753s were stylish floorstanders that produced a dynamic performance.

They had a smörgåsboard of drive units with four 13cm drivers – two mid/bass drivers, two low bass units – and a single 25cm dome tweeter packed into the floorstander's slim cabinet.

The Missions didn't do laid-back, offering a fast and punchy listen that had a real sense of vitality for those willing to take the time to run them in properly.

They were an all-round delight for anyone who enjoyed an involving and exciting sound.

Tannoy Mercury M2 (1997)

The Mercury M2s speakers entered the market in the late 90s and made an immediate impression.

Our review team hadn't heard a more satisfyingly musical all-rounder at this price level. The larger-than-average M2 generated a performance that struck an expert sonic balance, with consistently superb bass and treble performance.

Back then, we felt they were the closest anyone had come to creating the perfect mass-market standmounter.

Dynaudio Contour 1.1 (1999)

The Contour 1.1s were medium-sized standmounters that proved size was no barrier to delivering solid bass.

The quantity of bass didn't affect detail or insight, as the Contours benefitted from a great sense of timing. And their talent with high-frequency delivery found the right balance between sweetness and attack.

If you liked your music to be delivered with a punch, the Contour 1.1's dynamic performance, excellent timing and satisfying bass made them a terrific buy.

Read the Dynaudio Special Forty review

Wilson Benesch A.C.T. One (1999)

Wilson Benesch made a big splash with its first loudspeaker, the A.C.T. One, on the eve of a new millennium.

Made mostly of carbon fibre, solid wood and laminated MDF, these high-end speakers were superbly engineered and elegant-looking units.

More than any speaker we'd heard up to then, they struck a sublime balance between musicality and analysis.

Read our Wilson Benesch A.C.T review

B&W DM602 S3 (2002)

B&W's DM602 S3s were big standmounters that produced an even bigger sound.

They had the latest technology for the time: the two-way loudspeaker featured 25mm aluminium metal dome tweeters and B&W now-classic Kevlar mid/bass units. But they needed breathing space to perform at their best.

Granted that room, the speaker's dynamic presentation, precision and agility at the low end made them a talented proposition.

MORE: That Was Then… B&W 602 S3 review

Mission 780 (2002)

By 2002, Mission's 780 standmounters had bagged two Product of the Year Awards.

They had clever technical features, including a tweeter isolation system, a ceramic mid-bass driver and a cabinet construction that aided structural rigidity.

The bass was tight and powerful, the midrange impressively insightful and the tonal balance was even. The 780s weren't fazed by whatever music you threw at them.

Quad 11L (2004)

The Quad 11L speakers had a rock-solid build and excellent finish, but the sound quality was what really grabbed our attention.

In terms of transparency, detail resolution, speed and dynamics, price rivals really struggled to match them.

If you wanted the best sound and build quality at a reasonably affordable price, the Quad 11L standmounters offered astonishingly good value at the time.

Read the Quad 11L Classic review

ATC SCM 11 (2006)

The ATCs were the type of speaker that could play any type of music with ease.

The Gloucestershire-based company opted for a sealed cabinet for agile bass performance. The speaker's two-way design had a mid/bass driver that was developed in-house and featured a hefty motor system.

As performers, they were talented in various hi-fi disciplines – class-leading (or not far off it) in terms of timing, dynamics and scale.

They lost a little performance at low volume and were not very sensitive – so they needed a hefty amplifier – but these were quibbles. They would only get better with the 2013 iteration.

Read our ATC SCM 11 review

Quad ELS 2805 (2008)

Quad showed no sign of resting on its laurels with the ESL-2805, the latest in a range of legendary electrostatic speakers that stretched back to the 1950s.

Care was needed setting up, as they fire equal amounts of sound backwards and forwards. Once done, the speaker's natural midrange, excellent detail resolution and cohesive sound came to the fore.

The lack of punch and slightly lumpy bass were drawbacks, but in other ways, these electrostatic speakers were truly exceptional.

Read our Quad ESL-2805 review

Wilson Audio Duette (2008)

Wilson Audio's £11,000 'entry-level' Duette model made you question whether the company understood the term.

Designed to be unfussy when it came to placement, these large two-way standmounters had a great sense of detail, timing, resolution and insight.

The soundstage the Duette produced was huge, the bass well-articulated, and the adjustable crossover allowed for a wide range of positions (including horizontally).

One of the best pairs of speakers we've had the pleasure of listening to, offering surprisingly good value even at that huge price tag.

Read the Wilson Audio Duette review

Eclipse TD 712z Mk2 (2009)

The TD 712z Mk2 encapsulated Eclipse’s approach to stereo speaker design with its single driver unit and sophisticated cabinet.

Intended to properly reproduce an impulse signal (a sharp, short sound), the Mk2 achieved this with aplomb. Timing was brilliant, as were dynamics, and these unique speakers sounded more coherent than just about anything else at the time – regardless of price.

They weren't as adept with the frequency extremes because of that single driver, but we could forgive their limitations. It was a different approach to speaker design that yielded a wildly entertaining sound.

Read our Eclipse TD 712z Mk2 review

Totem Mani-2 Signature (2010)

Glance in the direction of the Totem speakers and they look a bit ordinary.

In production for two decades, the Mani-2 Signature had stupendous bass power and authority thanks to isobaric bass loading.

The overall sound was cohesive and the sonic balance was highly musical. Despite their compact stature, they could offer huge scale too.

In terms of outright enjoyment, few, if any, were better at the price.

Read the Totem Mani-2 Signature review

ATC SCM 100A (2011)

The SCM 100As were imposing and functional lookers, but capable of great sound.

Rarely had we heard bass sound as good, as loud or as nuanced. Tonally they were spot-on and capable of being immensely muscular as well as delivering a dose of subtlety too.

The ATC's range of abilities meant they were handy across a wide variety of music genres. Just be careful moving them: each speaker weighed a back-breaking 68kg.

Read our ATC SCM 100A review

B&W 800 Diamond (2012)

B&W's 800 Diamond speakers were packed to the rafters with cutting-edge technology.

They were the ultimate expression of B&W's approach to sound. From tweeter domes made out of diamond, to cleverly braced and shaped cabinets, to cones made out of Kevlar, and their iconic tweeter-on-top module – they were innovative speakers.

The bass was stunning, as was detail retrieval and dynamic reach. All of this sound was delivered with speed and punch, too. Quite possibly one of the best speakers ever made.

Read our B&W 800 Diamond review

KEF LS50 (2012)

The KEF LS50s were, and remain, blindingly good speakers.

A lot of thought went into the cabinet, from the curved front panel to the materials used in the speaker's construction.

That craftsmanship was felt in the performance – thanks in no small part to KEF's innovative Uni-Q driver – which produced an insightful and musical sound.

The LS50 were a fun pair of speakers and formed the basis of the superb LS50 Wireless system. They continue their legacy in the current multi-Award-winning KEF LS50 Meta speakers with its new innovative MAT technology.

Read our original KEF LS50 review

Neat Iota (2012)

The Teesside-based loudspeaker company employed an unusual design for its compact speaker. They're designed to be used on their sides, not standing up, and they emit a hefty sound that's got plenty of detail, weight and scale for their size.

The tiny Iota speakers are unfussy about positioning – overall, the Neats are odd, but brilliantly so. A speaker unlike so many on this list and ones we've always been fond of.

Read our Neat Iota review

Focal Diablo Utopia (2012)

Focal's Diablos made a convincing case for spending £8000 on a standmounter.

The tweeter domes were fashioned out of the rigid substance Beryllium and the mid/bass motor system had a clever magnet arrangement, one that optimised magnetic power and minimised any losses.

All that technical wizardry generated a performance of exceptional detail, agile bass and seamless integration of voices and instruments.

They cost a fortune, but you got what you paid for.

Read the Focal Diablo Utopia review

ProAc Response D40R (2013)

ProAc's Response D40R were tall speakers that needed a large room to make the most of their potential.

Give them breathing space and you had a musical speaker that was as articulate, transparent and dynamic a floorstander as we had heard at the price.

This was a floorstanding speaker that was good at getting out of the way and letting the music take centre stage.

Read the ProAc Response D40R review

Q Acoustics Concept 20 (2013)

The strength of the competition at their price is fierce, but it speaks to the Q Acoustics Concept 20's talents that they remain a favourite.

They use a complex cabinet design, with two layers of MDF separated by a lossy Gelcore material that reduces cabinet resonances. The Concept 20s deliver a satisfying sense of punch and attack, while also producing an articulate and subtle presentation.

They are good at most things, making them a fine choice for all types of music. For standmounters comfortably under £500, they remain a solid choice.

Read our Q Acoustic Concept 20 review

PMC Twenty 26 (2014)

We've come to expect excellence from PMC's Twenty range and the Twenty 26 floorstanders are no exception.

Though there are more revealing high-end floorstanders available – mostly at higher prices – few are as musical or as balanced as the Twenty 26.

With strong dynamics, impressive detail and an unfussy, musical nature, it is hard to fault these speakers in any one particular area.

Read our PMC Twenty 26 review

Spendor SP2/3R2 (2016)

It would be easy to dismiss Spendor's SP2/3R2 as some kitsch, retro throwback, but that would be to miss out on an easy-going loudspeaker.

Some rivals produced a more exciting listen, but this large standmounter delivered a huge sonic stage with class-leading scale and authority.

They didn't grab your attention with sonic fireworks, but with a relaxed, insightful sound that left you focusing on the music itself.

Read the Spendor SP2/3R2 review

Spendor A4 (2017)

We've noted that recent Spendor speakers tended to prioritise analysis over entertainment.

But not so the A4 floorstanding model, which is capable of both. With an articlate and expressive presentation, they have plenty of detail, insight and a lovely midrange.

Put them away from a rear wall and these unfussy, compact floorstanders are splendid company.

Read the Spendor A4 review

JBL K2 S9900 (2017)

The K2s are fabulous, retro-styled speakers. Oddly proportioned – wider than they are deep – and weighing 83kg each, these speakers are not to be trifled with.

The horn-loaded tweeter and midrange units help their performance in larger rooms, offering exceptional resolution and great insight.

If you have a big enough bank balance, these JBLs are among the best speakers money can buy.

Read our JBL K2 S9900 review

ATC SCM50 (2019)

Technically, these SCM50 speakers have been around for much longer and have done duty as What Hi-Fi?'s reference speakers in our test rooms for over a decade before we officially reviewed them in 2019.

Their honest, balanced and transparent presentation makes them an ideal 'tool' for reviewing, allowing us to hear all the minute differences and subtleties when an amplifier or source is plugged in, regardless of price. Outside of their function as a staple of our reference system, these ATCs are beautifully dynamic, cohesive and musical, with a natural, authentic way with vocals that we haven't heard bettered anywhere else. They sound open, have plenty of attack and punch, solid stereo imaging and unearth layers of detail and nuance from a recording.

The rugged build won't be to everyone's tastes, and it's one of the few speakers that are designed to sound their best with the grilles on. All three drivers are made in-house with decades of engineering expertise and Pro-level reliability. These speakers don't try to flavour the signal they're fed; they simply try to reproduce the signal faithfully. The SCM50s sound great with any music thrown at them, and we continue to hold them in high regard – and continue to use them as our reference speakers – today.

Read the ATC SCM50 review

Audiovector R3 Arreté (2019)

Audiovector's R3 Arreté represent the pinnacle of its R3 floorstanding range, with a classy build quality that exudes "understated luxury". A great deal of care has been taken with the cabinet, resonance control and mountings for the in-house drivers and AMT tweeter.

These relatively compact floorstanders won't dominate a room, but that doesn't prevent them from delivering a wide dispersion with excellent stereo imaging, and a satisfying amount of punch. These are stunningly articulate and detailed speakers, with a terrific sense of responsiveness that communicates the attack, drive and momentum of any song with nuance and precision.

Controlled and dynamic, with excellent low-end authority and an infectious sense of rhythm – we are hugely impressed. A left-field choice perhaps, but very rewarding for the money.

Read the Audiovector R3 Arreté review

Dali Oberon 5 (2020)

The immensely entertaining Oberon 5 remain one of our go-to recommendations for floorstanders, regardless of newer competition.

The two-way floorstanders feature twin 13cm mid/bass drivers and a 29mm dome tweeter, and like many Dali speakers, can be placed close to a wall without needing to be toed in towards the listening position. Coupled with the ability to partner nicely with budget and premium amplifiers, their unfussy nature makes them a likeable proposition.

Sonically, the Oberon 5 have terrifically expressive dynamics, controlled rhythms, a lovely way with voices, and a bold but balanced treble. They have a transparent nature and don't back down from complex arrangements, either, while always remaining fun to listen to.

Read the Dali Oberon 5 review

Fyne Audio F1-8 (2020)

Fyne Audio's speakers may split opinions on aesthetics, but there's no doubting the luxurious, hand-finished cabinets' build and finish quality. While the Scottish brand only formed in 2017, the people involved are ex-Tannoy employees and have decades of experience and it shows in these premium standmounters.

The F1-8 feature an IsoFlare coaxial driver array, notches in the rubber surround to eliminate unwanted mechanical cone energy, and a clever bass diffuser arrangement in the plinth to make the most of the downward-firing bass port.

These deliver a properly weighty, authoritative bass performance that is also agile and tuneful. The mix of exuberance, nuanced detail and wide-ranging dynamics from a pair of standmounters is impressive and makes them an exciting listen. The highest top frequencies aren't the most refined so you'll need to partner them carefully, but these are excellent speakers overall.

Read our Fyne Audio F1-8 review

Wharfedale Diamond 12.3 (2021)

A refined, balanced and revealing performance at an affordable price point? No wonder Wharfedale's 12.3 floorstanders have an armful of What Hi-Fi? Award wins to their name.

Making an affordable floorstander is no mean feat, and the 12.3 follows in the footsteps of its 12.1 standmounter siblings (and indeed the long-running 12 series) to deliver a pair that works well with budget electronics while also sounding sophisticated and well-balanced for this level.

These accomplished towers have just enough of every sonic element to please, with agile rhythms, stable stereo imaging and lovely layers of detail all put together in a controlled, sure-footed manner. These speakers sound good even at lower volumes, too, which is a tricky balance to accomplish at any price level.

Read the Wharfedale Diamond 12.3 review

PMC Fact Fenestria (2022)

PMC's flagship, no-expense-spared floorstanders are a feat of engineering and deliver a jaw-dropping performance for the eye-popping price. These are some of the most awesome speakers we've heard and their presence in our test room (above) has left a lasting impression, not least because of their tall stature (1.7m).

The Fact Fenestria was an opportunity for PMC to flex their engineering know-how and create the best-sounding speaker it can, without any budget restrains. You'll have to read our full review for the nitty-gritty details, but suffice it to say PMC took great pains to minimise any speaker-generated distortions, finding ways to get rid of unwanted mechanical energy, vibrations or resonance from affecting the sound quality at every step of the speakers' design.

The resulting sound is one of the most astonishingly transparent and subtle presentations we've ever heard. Bassline are deep and powerful, harmonies are revealed with rich texture and engulf you in its expansive scale; but the Fenestrias never lost sight of PMC's evenhanded approach. The ease with which they deliver any piece of music, regardless of genre, is astoundingly captivating and nuanced. One of the very best.

Read the PMC Fact Fenestria review

Epos ES14N (2023)

The well-regarded Epos brand from the 80s was revived recently thanks to being bought by respected speaker designer and audio consultant Karl Heinz-Fink. While the new ES14N shares much with the original ES14 speaker – not least its large standmounter body – inside is a thoroughly modern design when it comes to engineering.

The driver units are all-new, the crossover is more complex, and the sloped baffle aids time alignment between the drivers and reduces standing waves inside the cabinet. It also lends to the ES14N's slightly odd look overall, but we have come to be charmed by its aesthetic.

The speakers major in analysis, control and organisation, but are deft enough to reveal subtleties and nuances in dynamics. Give them time to run in and you'll be rewarded with a cohesive, balanced sound that is composed and insightful. The Epos ES14N deliver an all-round performance that we haven’t heard bettered at its price point.

Read the Epos ES14N review

Neat Petite Classic (2024)

Small, fun, and endlessly musical. These standmounters may have a compact footprint but their personality far outshines their size or modest build. Neat's fifth-generation Petite Classic model has a sound signature that can be traced back to its debut pair in the early 90s, with spot-on timing and a lively, enthusiastic presentation that never fails to put a smile on your face.

Don't expect lashings of deep bass from such petite cabinets, and a smoothed-off treble makes them easy to listen to; they're not exactly neutral, but we can't fault that sure-footed, agile and musically cohesive performance.

They look unassuming, but these Neats are ideal for those wanting high-quality, premium sound in a small space.

Read the Neat Petite Classic review

YG Acoustics Carmel 3 (2024)

YG Acoustics' distinctive, high-end Carmel 3 speakers are a lesson in not judging by looks alone – or even at first listen. These small, plain-looking speakers hide an elaborately engineered design that is evident in the high-quality aluminium alloy cabinet, in-house precision machining, use of high-quality components and drivers machined out of a solid 2kg billet of aircraft-grade aluminium. Each cabinet takes a day and a half to make.

Give them a few days of running in to calm that hard edge, and you'll be shocked by the ferociously punchy and deep, low-end notes they can pump out with verve and authority. They are tonally even and reveal a huge amount of detail, too, but be warned that these are tremendously transparent speakers – and they aren't forgiving of poor recordings. Given pristine quality recordings and careful partnering, though, these speakers are superb performers.

Read the YG Acoustics Carmel 3 review

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We've been enjoying the latest Quad valve preamp and monobloc combination, and now you can read our Quad QC-twenty four and Quad II eighty reviews online.

"The classic Quad experience wrapped up with the security of modern engineering," was our verdict, even if some price comparative rivals offer a little more in certain areas.

MORE: Behind the scenes at the home of classic hi-fi... in China

We spoke to to Quad designer, Tim de Paravicini, and asked him to explain what's new in the retro-design electronics, and the thinking behind some of the updates from the classic Quad II.

Tim de Paravicini: "The design for the II-eighty pays homage to Peter Walker’s original circuit for the Quad II, but updates it.

"Here, the pentode input valves are replaced by twin pairs of triode input valves. They are still in cascode but provide slightly more gain with lower distortion and accurate balance, and run in constant voltage mode with DC feedback.

"The Quad II managed 15W output from a pair of KT66 valves. Here, in the II-eighty, we have two pairs of KT88 output valves in dual push-pull configuration for 80W output.

"To match this output stage the transformer is manufactured to a strict specification to maintain high-frequency performance and make sure that the full output power is realised at frequencies down to 20Hz.

"Finally, the overall feedback is restricted to 16dB expressly to help provide stability into any loudspeaker load, particularly the Quad ESLs."

Read our full review of the Quad QC-twenty four

Read our full review of the Quad II eighty

by Joe Cox

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The people who work in the specialist hi-fi industry are notoriously hard to impress. So when we started hearing good things about the Kudos Cardea C30 from a number of different sources, we couldn't wait to have a listen. You know what? They were right. Kudos' range-topper is a real gem.

A small company such as Kudos could never hope to match the technological might of industry majors such as B&W or Focal, so you won't find tweeters that use diamond or beryllium domes, or exotically shaped cabinets made of extravagant materials.

Kudos, like most small speaker companies, has to work differently.In-house manufacture capability is limited, so drive units come from an OEM supplier, in this case Seas of Norway.

These are top-quality drivers and, in the case of the paper/Nextel-coated mid/bass and dedicated bass unit, modified to Kudos' specification. And it's all housed in 18mm-thick MDF boxes covered by a rather classy wood veneer.

Do everything we want
Once up and running the C30s are a wonderful listen. They do everything we value in a top-class speaker. They're dynamic, they time well and they combine refinement with plenty of bite.

Give them a complex piece of music, say, Atlas Air from Massive Attack's Heligoland set or Schubert's Symphony No.9 and they deliver a solid, full-bodied sound that is as revealing as you like, but never sounds overly analytical or sterile. It's a neat trick few rivals manage to emulate.

There are no obvious weaknesses here. Yes, there are speakers out there with greater transparency (Quad Electrostatics), tonal purity (ATCs, Quads and Spendors) or even weightier bass (take a bow, PMC), but the Kudos don't exactly lack in any of these areas either, and combine it all to produce consistently musical results.

If you've got a large room to swallow all that agile bass performance, you'll discover the Cardeas are fit-and-forget speakers of the highest order.

Provided your other electronics are equally talented, you'll end up with a system that focuses all the attention on musical enjoyment rather than simply the mechanics of making sound.

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