We are big fans of the Technics EAH-AZ100 wireless earbuds. So much so, that at the end of last year, our editor in chief wrote an article about how he had waited all year for a decent discount.

Since then, we are pleased to report that the deals have only improved.

This latest Prime Day deal sees these five-star rated and What Hi-Fi? Award-winning earbuds available at their cheapest price to date. For just £189.99 from Amazon, these premium earbuds could be yours at a discount of almost 30 per cent.

A pricey option at the time of their release, the Technics nonetheless landed themselves a stint as our best premium pick on our best wireless earbuds page.

With a 10mm “Magnetic Fluid Driver”, these earbuds have a clear, spacious sound that gives each part of a composition ample breathing room.

Reviewing the EAH-AZ100, we were struck immediately by their “clear and open sound“ and “superb amount of detail”. Digging, deeper, we found them to be punchy, present and dynamically impactful – a combination that ultimately earned them a five-star review.

Complementing their sonic merits, the Technics are also small, light, and comfortable to wear over long periods of time. Touch controls for audio modes, playback and volume are fully customisable, so you can use them any way you please.

A strong and stable Bluetooth connection (with support for SBC, AAC, LDAC and the LC3 codec) means you are unlikely to find yourself grieving a wired option, especially given the earbuds’ impressive 10-hour battery life with ANC enabled.

Used alongside the charging case, their battery life rises to 28 hours.

Nobody, it seems, can keep up with the class-leading noise cancellation of Bose QuietComfort Ultra Headphones (2nd Gen), but the Technics make an honourable attempt, with an effect “like heavy snowfall muffling the world”.

They also feature an Adaptive mode, which automatically adjusts noise-cancelling based on your environment. Alternately, of course, you have the option to dial the intensity up or down yourself.

For a cherry on top, these earbuds include three-way Bluetooth Multipoint connectivity, allowing for connection to multiple devices at once, as well as support for Auracast transmission.

Conventionally, the main drawback of a premium product is its price, but given that these headphones are now available for £189.99 from Amazon, in this instance, you can have your cake and eat it.

MORE

Read our full Technics EAH-AZ100 review

Visit our best wireless earbuds 2026: seven sensational pairs reviewed and rated by our experts

Stay up to date with Prime Day 2026 LIVE: the best headphone, speaker and vinyl deals picked by our hi-fi experts

We are hugely impressed with Technics’ EAH-AZ100 wireless earbuds, which launched last year to five-star acclaim with a winning blend of comfortable design, wonderfully clear and refined sound, excellent ANC and features.

They nabbed a What Hi-Fi? Award win in 2025 for the best premium earbuds, too, and now they have a rather special partnership to give you an extra incentive if you’re looking for a new pair of in-ears.

A new Moonlight Lilac colour of the Technics AZ100 earbuds has been launched in partnership with UK charity Teenage Cancer Trust – and 10 per cent of the proceeds from each sale will go directly to the UK charity.

That's not all. Technics has also introduced a dedicated charity purchasing program, where an additional 10 per cent of sales from select Technics products – marked clearly online and in stores – will be donated to the same charity.

Teenage Cancer Trust is the only UK charity to provide specialised nursing care and expert youth support for young people aged 13 to 24 diagnosed with cancer, and for their loved ones.

Working closely with the NHS, the charity funds specialist nurses, youth workers and hospital units, allowing young people to have dedicated staff, care and facilities to support them throughout cancer treatment, along with helping them regain some independence through this critical life stage.

Sir Roger Daltrey of The Who is an Honorary Patron of Teenage Cancer Trust, and he says of this collaboration with Technics: “Teenage Cancer Trust exists to ensure that young people with cancer receive the specialist care and human support they deserve, partnerships like this help us continue that vital work and reach more young lives.

“Through this partnership with the Teenage Cancer Trust, Technics aims to help young people maintain identity, connection, and optimism during treatment. Through this collaboration and the charity donation scheme, we want every listening experience to contribute to something greater – helping young people feel supported when they need it most.”

It’s an excellent initiative that is worth checking out, and the new finish does look rather lovely from the photos.

In our five-star AZ100 review (which we had in the original silver finish), we praise their “wonderfully clear and open sound, with a superb amount of detail”, and say they are a “well-thought-out, friendly pair of premium wireless earbuds that deliver an impressive and likeable performance.”

The Technics EAH-AZ100 Moonlight Lilac finish will be available from May through Technics’ online site and authorised retailers across Europe, and is expected to cost the same £260 price as the standard model.

You can also donate directly to Teenage Cancer Trust.

MORE:

Read our Technics EAH-AZ100 review

Sony WF-1000XM6 vs Technics EAH-AZ100: which flagship wireless earbuds are better?

Our guide to the best wireless earbuds you can buy right now

We are well into April, and not only is the weather looking up, but so too is the scope for finding tempting TV, AV and hi-fi deals.

And we've tracked down a superb selection this week, which includes a sprinkling of five-star products from some of the biggest names in the business, including Bowers & Wilkins, Samsung, TCL, Technics, and many more.

See below for the full list and rundown of why some of these products should be on your shopping list.

Also, stay tuned for more deals next week…

We think you'll agree there's something for everyone here.

The Samsung HW-QS700F Dolby Atmos soundbar delivers a great feature set, including HDMI connectivity and a compact wireless subwoofer. It also produces a punchy sound and impressive bass performance that's above what many rivals around this money can offer. And with a mammoth £361 discount, you're saving a small fortune too!

If you're looking for a convenient stand-alone music streamer solution that doesn't cost the earth, there's money to be saved on Cambridge Audio's excellent MXN10. It's compact enough to slip into any hi-fi system and offers a control app which makes it easy to set up and a breeze to use. With £100 off, it's all you could really wish for from a product of this type at this kind of price.

Alternatively, if you want to stream music but also have a pile of CDs you want to keep hold of and enjoy, then we seriously suggest taking a closer look at the Technics SL-G700M2. It's a versatile product with an eye-catching £500 off. Build quality is excellent, you're provided with extensive connectivity options, a thorough feature set and a sound that delivers excitement in spades, whether streaming from your service of choice or spinning your favourite CDs.

Deals on Award-winning floorstanding speakers can be hard to come by, which is why we just had to highlight a £100 saving on the excellent Fyne Audio F501E. They are seriously talented performers for the money that deliver a focused, expressive and fun presentation no matter the music played through them.

We've also got two TVS for you at different ends of the price spectrum. The 50-inch TCL C6KS is an absolute bargain for the money. Its specs look great on paper, and it backs this up with five-star picture quality, with its excellent brightness and contrast being two particular highlights.

Those looking for a more premium set might be tempted by the 65-inch version of Samsung's QN90F flatscreen. As an alternative to OLED, this Mini LED set puts forward quite a convincing case, aided by a sizeable £600 discount. It offers a punchy, detailed picture and impressive gaming specs.

MORE:

Our pick of the best Dolby Atmos soundbars you can buy

And the best music streamers out there

Need something to listen to? Here are the best music streaming services we've tested

Amazon's Spring Deal Days sale is in full swing and that means there are plenty of savings to be found. I've dug deep into the deals to find the best ones worth talking about.

And right now, when it comes to a pair of five-star Technics wireless earbuds, there's an excellent saving waiting for you to scoop it up.

For just $245 at Amazon, the Technics EAH-AZ100 can be yours with a lovely $54 saving. And I've checked – you won't find a discount as good as this anywhere else.

This price is just on the Silver model, but you'll only have to part ways with a little more cash if you've got your eye on a different color.

The five-star Technics EAH-AZ100 earbuds may sit at a higher price point than a lot of wireless 'buds on the market, but we felt that their sonic talents justified the added expense (and gave them a What Hi-Fi? Award to prove it).

With superb detail, expressive and engaging sound, and excellent noise-cancelling, these earbuds finally broke Technics' previous four-star run in our expert reviews.

Stepping it up in design, the EAH-AZ100 are smaller, lighter and overall more comfortable than any of the Technics buds we've reviewed before. And with five pairs of ear tip sizes in the box, we found it was easy to get the right fit and seal.

Plus, with fully customisable touch controls that let you control audio modes, playback and volume in any way you want, they're pretty handy in terms of features, too.

Packed out with features, we'll start with the noise cancelling, which is excellent, though not quite as good as the class-leading Bose QuietComfort Ultra Headphones (2nd Gen).

They are still plenty powerful enough to damp down noise around you and the Adaptive option automatically adjusts noise-cancelling based on your environment, or you can dial the intensity up or down yourself.

You also get a strong and stable Bluetooth connection with support for SBC, AAC, LDAC and the LC3 codec. And there's a competitive 10 hours of battery life with ANC enabled, boosting to 28 hours with the case.

To top it all off, there's the industry's first three-way Bluetooth Multipoint for connecting to multiple devices at once, and support for Auracast transmission.

But, how do they sound? Well, the audio is aided heavily by a new 10mm Magnetic Fluid Driver that delivers clearer sound and improvements across the frequencies, as exhibited previously in the premium EAH-TZ700 wired earphones.

Our expert testers said: "Altogether, this results in the clearer, more precise and more impactful sound we hear in the AZ100, while still keeping things balanced and even.

"The AZ100 are fairly transparent too; we play Fleetwood Mac’s The Chain in 24-bit/96kHz FLAC quality from the Astell & Kern SR35 using the LDAC codec, and we immediately get an uptick in muscularity, detail, solidity and even more space between instruments."

With Bose-bothering ANC performance and Sony-bothering sound performance, the Technics EAH-AZ100 are a top-tier pair of earbuds.

And right now, you can save over $50, picking them up for just $245 at Amazon. But as a Spring Deal Days offer – this price won't hang around for long.

MORE:

Read our full Technics EAH-AZ100 review

Sony WF-1000XM6 vs Technics EAH-AZ100: which flagship wireless earbuds are better?

Technics EAH-AZ100 vs Sony WF-1000XM5: which premium wireless earbuds are better?

The Amazon Big Spring Sale has kicked into full gear, with the second day themed around Easter essentials.

Why are headphones included in this theme? We're not quite sure, but we're very much for it.

• See the whole Amazon Big Spring Sale

This has led to several tasty deals, including savings on Award-winners such as the Technics EAH-AZ100 and the Sony WF-C510.

So if, like us, you view headphones as an essential, then check out the deals below:

If you love to stream music, then you might be considering a music streamer in your hi-fi system. And fortunately, there's a wide range of models available to suit everyone's needs and budget.

But, if you're looking for a music streamer that also doubles up as a CD player in one premium box, then there's one model we love to recommend – and right now, it's at its lowest-ever price.

The Technics SL-G700M2 can be yours for just £2399 at Peter Tyson, which is a whopping £500 saving. It's the best saving we've ever seen, so you might want to jump on it before it's too late!

The Technics SL-G700M2 combines physical media playback and wireless music streaming in a design our expert testers said, "remains a solid and beautifully made box, displaying a level of fit and finish that is among the best we have seen at this level".

As a CD/SACD player with network audio streaming smarts, it's a product that's well-suited to the 21st century, building on its five-star predecessor and boasting a wealth of digital connectivity alongside a multitude of streaming options.

Onboard for wireless connection, you get Bluetooth 4.2, Chromecast and Apple Airplay, while the streamer module allows for connecting to everything from NAS units and USB sticks to Tidal, Deezer and internet radio.

There's a USB Type B on the back panel to allow easy connection to a computer, alongside the carry-over front and back panel USB Type A ports. Of course, the built-in disc section means you can play CDs and SACDs too.

However you choose to enjoy your music, you can expect exceptional sound quality from the SL-G700M2. And our expert testers said: "The Technics has a controlled and clear delivery that works well regardless of what we play. It is a detailed and insightful presentation, and manages to organise the musical information in a cohesive and entertaining way."

The Technics SL-G700M2 is a capable streamer and CD player that covers all bases while being entertaining. And at just £2399 at Peter Tyson, it's a price that makes this deal easy to recommend.

MORE:

Read our full Technics SL-G700M2 review

Check out the best music streamers: top network audio players tested by our experts

And the best CD players: budget to premium options tested by expert reviewers

It’s been a big month for our best wireless earbuds buying guide, the place where our team of reviewers hand-picks and highlights the top pairs you can buy for your money.

There’s something for everyone on the page, whether you want a top-value pair that works for a tight budget or something more premium that can take your listening experience to another level.

A new flagship pair has arrived in our test rooms and immediately gone about setting a new performance benchmark, blowing many of its close rivals out of the water.

You might not be surprised to know that the model we are talking about is Sony’s new flagship, the WF-1000XM6.

These wireless earbuds take top spot as our “best overall” recommendation. They sit at the more premium end of the price spectrum, but we feel they deliver a stunning performance for the money. If you experience only one pair of wireless earbuds this year, we urge you to make it the Sonys.

As we say in our Sony WF-1000XM6 review, the earbuds are “out of this world and put in an all-round performance good enough to worry every major rival at the money.”

They make the Bose QC Ultra Earbuds (2nd Gen) sound “overblown and lacking sophistication and refinement” and make the Technics EAH-AZ100 sound “like they’re holding back dynamically”.

This is no mean feat and just goes to show you how highly we rate them. The Sonys also excel when it comes to noise-cancelling and push the Bose extremely close.

There’s something about the way the XM6 deploy their ANC so naturally, which makes them so easy to get along with.

Call quality is excellent, and the Sonys have a very generous feature set too, which includes eight hours of battery life per charge (which rises to 24 when including the wireless charging case), Multipoint Bluetooth and a ten-band graphic equaliser.

The only area where we think there is some room for improvement is the eartips – it can be tricky getting a good seal the first time due to the firmness and thickness of the material used. We also think a larger tip option could help here.

That aside, the Sonys deliver such a wonderfully refined, natural and dynamic sound that it’s impossible not to be impressed. As we say in our review, “The Sonys make instruments and vocals sound believable, just as if you were standing in the room getting a private performance.” This is the new benchmark for sound quality at this level.

MORE:

Read our full Sony WF-1000XM6 review

The Sony WF-1000XM6 are giving me a serious case of déjà vu, but it’s not all positive

Sony WF-1000XM6 vs WF-1000XM5: which premium wireless earbuds are better?

Our pick of the best wireless earbuds you can buy for every budget

Know that feeling when you're waiting for a bus and then two arrive at once?

That's how we're feeling about the Technics EAH-AZ100, which refused to budge in price and had our editor-in-chief waiting all year for a decent discount.

It turns out patience is a virtue – the Technics dropped a tad further in February, and as part of the Spring Deal Days sale, now has an even better price of £207 at Amazon.

That's a nice round 20 per cent off, and the lowest price we've seen so far. This deal price is only on the black finish, though you'll only have to shell out a few pounds extra for the blue, gold or silver colours.

Take a quick look at our popular best wireless earbuds page and you'll see the Technics EAH-AZ100 sitting there as our best premium pick.

This is despite the earbuds launching at a higher price than several key rivals, as we felt their sonic talents justified the added expense.

Their audio is aided mightily by a new 10mm “Magnetic Fluid Driver" that gives the Technics a clear, spacious sound that gives every part of a track room to breathe.

As our Technics EAH-AZ100 review reads: "It’s the elevated performance that combines the Technics’ strengths of clarity, detail and spaciousness with the punch, presence and dynamic impact we were hoping for that clinches the deal."

They're also small, light and comfortable over long periods, with fully customisable touch controls that let you control audio modes, playback and volume in any way you want.

The Bluetooth connection is strong and stable, with support for SBC, AAC, LDAC and the LC3 codec. The earbuds also sport a very competitive 10 hours of battery life with ANC enabled, rising to 28 hours with the case.

Noise cancelling is excellent – not quite as good as the class-leading Bose QuietComfort Ultra Headphones (2nd Gen), but still plenty powerful enough to damp down noise around you "like heavy snowfall muffling the world". There's an Adaptive option, too, that automatically adjusts noise-cancelling based on your environment, or you can dial the intensity up or down yourself.

To top it all off, there's the industry's first three-way Bluetooth Multipoint for connecting to multiple devices at once, and support for Auracast transmission.

The Technics EAH-AZ100 are premium in every sense of the word, though their premium price has now got a lot better. Get the What Hi-Fi? Award-winning earbuds for £207 at Amazon before the sale ends tonight.

MORE:

Read our review of the Sony WF-1000XM6

Also consider the Bose QuietComfort Ultra Earbuds (2nd Gen)

Sony WF-1000XM6 vs Technics EAH-AZ100: which flagship wireless earbuds are better?

This week saw Amazon running its Spring Deal Days sale.

This has resulted in some rather good deals – new lowest prices, savings on Award-winning products and the rare return of an AirPods deal.

It's not just the prices that are good, as we've tested every single one of these products ourselves – and only recommend the best.

So with the sale set to end after the weekend, now is the time to browse the best deals that we've spotted.

Spring has officially sprung, and to celebrate, Amazon is throwing a party.

Well, an online-only party with lots of great deals rather than music and balloons, but a celebration nonetheless.

So, in keeping with the theme of Amazon's Spring Deal Days sale, we've rounded up the best hi-fi and home cinema deals perfect for sunnier weather and the great outdoors. Think Bluetooth speakers, running earbuds, portable projectors and some of our favourite over-ear headphones.

There are a couple of lowest-ever prices below, as well as big savings on some of our Award-winners and top recommendations. And, as ever, every product below has been tried, tested, and compared to the competition by us, so you can purchase with confidence.

So check out the deals below, before the sale ends...

• See the whole Amazon Spring Deal Days sale

In all my years of testing wireless headphones, one thing I have never thought to myself is, “is Bose falling behind the competition?”

After all, this is a brand that has consistently mixed it with the best in the market and has been a benchmark for noise-cancelling headphones of all shapes and sizes.

And it’s not just because of its brilliant noise-cancelling that Bose consistently found itself among the class-leaders. Historically, its wireless headphones have produced some of the best sound quality too.

But in the past year or so, I’ve been testing Bose’s premium wireless earbuds and wireless headphones, comparing them with their main rivals; and the more time I’ve spent listening, the more I have found myself thinking that the cracks are starting to show.

Most recently, I’ve heard the Bose QuietComfort Ultra Earbuds (2nd Gen) against the Sony WF-1000XM6, and the QuietComfort Ultra Headphones (2nd Gen) against the Sennheiser HDB 630.

Both Bose pairs are still very comfortable, with good build quality, great noise-cancelling and decent features for the money. But there is a clear gap between them and the competition when it comes to overall sound quality.

The Bose offerings aren’t poor performers by any stretch, and when compared with their predecessors, you can certainly hear that the tech brand has managed to make small improvements in sound quality.

But when you compare the levels of detail, dynamics and clarity, they just can’t match what the class-leaders now offer.

And that lies at the heart of Bose’s current position. Rival brands have made significant advancements in sound quality in recent years.

Apple is now a serious contender in the headphones space – its AirPods Pro 3 earbuds being arguably its best wireless earbuds to date. And the AirPods Max show there is room for luxury wireless headphones at higher price points, offering exceptional build quality and sound quality for the money.

Technics has arrived on the premium scene and is now a contender, while Bowers & Wilkins has continued to push its headphones to new levels of performance. We have also seen Sennheiser do its own disrupting in the space with its new flagship, the HDB 630.

The market has evolved and improved when it comes to sound quality, and rivals now offer much more bang for your buck – they, it seems, have been making significant strides compared with Bose’s baby steps.

Have we reached a point where perhaps it's time for Bose to consider a serious overhaul of its tech and engineering? Possibly.

If its current trajectory continues, the noise from the competition could become too loud for even Bose’s talented noise-cancelling to handle.

MORE:

Our pick of the best wireless headphones you can buy

Sony WH-1000XM6 vs Bose QuietComfort Ultra Headphones (2nd Gen): which flagship wireless over-ears are best?

Bowers & Wilkins Px7 S3 vs Bose QuietComfort Ultra Headphones: which noise-cancelling pair is better?

Sony WH-1000XM6 vs Bose QuietComfort Ultra Headphones (2nd Gen): which flagship wireless over-ears are best?

I’ve been testing the Sony WF-1000X6 for a few weeks now, but from the moment I first unboxed them and saw what lay in store, I had a feeling this article could be the end result.

You see, I’ve been here before. Following the launch of Sony’s previous flagship wireless earbuds, the WF-1000XM5, I wrote an article explaining how there was one thing I’d change, and it wasn’t the noise-cancelling.

Now you could click through to that article, or I could save you precious seconds and explain that it was written about the eartips that came with the XM5.

As much as I had time for their sound quality and ANC, I wasn’t finding the buds quite as comfy as some of their close rivals from around that time.

Now, when I heard that Sony had tweaked the design of the new WF-1000XM6 during their launch event earlier in February, I was excited to see if this might improve overall comfort levels. But my excitement was tempered when I saw that Sony was insisting on persisting with the same eartips as before.

If you haven’t been following Sony eartip developments over the past few years (and I’m sad to say I have), then please indulge me in a bit of scene setting.

Sony introduced this particular tip back with the WF-1000XM4 back in 2021. Explaining it in our WF-1000XM4 review, we said, “Made from polyurethane, which feels like a cross between silicone and foam, Sony claims they help secure a tighter, more stable fit. The thousands of tiny bubbles in the tips are also supposed to help reduce and dissipate noise.”

Back then, you had only three sizes of tip to choose from to help you get a seal (small, medium or large). For WF-1000XM5, Sony introduced an extra-small tip, presumably for people with small ear holes who found the other sizes uncomfortable.

For XM6, though, nothing has changed. An extra-large eartip might help, but I’m not sure it's the actual size that is the issue for me, more that choice of material.

You see, it’s neither proper memory foam, nor silicone. The hybrid that Sony has settled on just doesn’t feel pliable enough. I don’t think it’s related to the shape of the earbuds either – they seem to fit well in the curve of my inner ear – it’s more that I can feel the tips pushing against my ear, and that you sometimes have to move the tips around a bit more to get the seal right.

I don’t have to look far in the What Hi-Fi? stockroom to find pairs of wireless earbuds that immediately feel more consistently comfortable.

Apple’s AirPods Pro 3, have new “foam-infused eartips” with “a new layer of foam-infused microspheres” which feel slightly thicker and a bit more substantial. I’ve tried them and like them.

I also get on swimmingly with Bose’s slightly shallower, less domed silicone eartips, which don’t burrow as far as some rivals but still give you the feeling that they’re sealing the parts of your ear that they need to.

Also, the tips for the Award-winning Technics EAH-AZ100 are relatively bulbous, but the dome of each tip is relatively thin, which doesn’t seem to rub my ear up the wrong way either.

Having canvassed the opinion of other members of our review team, it appears I’m not the only one who is slightly unsure about this issue. And the law of averages suggests that there will be plenty of others out there who feel the same way.

Don’t get me wrong, when you do get the fit right with the Sonys, the results are great; and you do have to remember in all of this that no pair of ears is the same – fit is always about personal preference.

I just spend a bit too much time adjusting and readjusting the fit before every listening session and wondering, “is that right?”. It’s not a terrible fit; it’s just that I can get rival earbuds settled in my ears quicker.

It’s not enough to put me off buying a pair or to stop me recommending them. I do, however, think that, for its next flagship buds, Sony might want to revisit the material it uses.

Ironically, I haven’t had any of these issues with Sony’s cheaper wireless earbuds, none of which uses this kind of tip. Perhaps that could be a starting point?

MORE:

Read our full Sony WF-1000XM6 review

Check out the best wireless earbuds for all budgets

Sony WF-1000XM6 vs Technics EAH-AZ100: which flagship wireless earbuds are better?

Sony WF-1000XM6 vs Bose QuietComfort Ultra Earbuds (2nd Gen): which should you buy?

6 settings you should immediately tackle on the Sony WF-1000XM6 wireless earbuds

The wireless earbuds market is more competitive than ever. Sony may have dominated it for years, but the success of a new pair is by no means guaranteed – the Sony WF-1000XM6 are entering a crowded field, with recent pairs from Apple, Bose and Bowers & Wilkins to contend with.

And of course Technics. The turntable giant made waves in 2025 with the Award-winning EAH-AZ100, whose superb sound quality saw them beat all comers. Sony's earbuds are notorious all-rounders, so can the XM6 beat Technics overall? And which pair sounds better?

Let's find out.

Sony WF-1000XM6 vs Technics EAH-AZ100: price

The Technics EAH-AZ100 launched at £259 / $299 / AU$499, which is pretty close to the Sony WF-1000XM6's £250 / $330 / AU$500. But because the Technics have been available for a while, their price has fallen – at time of writing, they're going for £209 / $270 / AU$399. Which is cheaper than the Sonys in every territory.

The Sonys will come down in price – its earbuds always do. But they're so new that discounts could be a way off yet. This round goes to Technics.

** Winner: Technics EAH-AZ100 **

Sony WF-1000XM6 vs Technics EAH-AZ100: design & comfort

The two pairs of buds certainly look different. The Technics have a rounded design, while the Sonys have gone much boxier for this iteration.

At 5.9g, the Technics are very slightly lighter than the Sonys, but you can't really feel the XM6's extra weight in your ears. Rather, how they feel will depend on your ear shape, and which earbud design fits them better.

We did find the Technics easier to get in place though. That's largely down to a greater choice of ear-tip sizes (five to the XM6's four), all of which are made of a softer material that's more pliable and hence sits more naturally in your ear.

The Sonys do have an air pressure fit test within the Sony Sound Connect app to help with fit, but it can take a few attempts to get right, whereas – for us, at least – the Technics just slipped in.

The Technics Audio Connect app didn't have a fit test when the earbuds launched, but it was added in a later version.

Both pairs give you plenty of ways to customise the touch controls, adjusting how you control playback, adjust the volume, activate ANC and so on. In terms of controls, there's nothing to separate them – both pairs are responsive and intuitive.

For our money, the Technics are that bit more eye-catching, thanks to their aluminium finish on the outer cap. The Sonys are pretty much all matt, though the Platinum Silver finish does have a bit more texture. But for the bolder design, the greater choice of ear-tip sizes and the ability to deliver a consistent fit, the Technics take it.

** Winner: Technics EAH-AZ100 **

Sony WF-1000XM6 vs Technics EAH-AZ100: features

Being flagship pairs, both are absolutely stacked with features. Each has Bluetooth 5.3, supporting the standard AAC and SBC codecs as well as LE Audio, LC3 and Auracast. They also support Sony's LDAC codec as opposed to aptX (yes, even the Technics).

The XM6 have the edge in terms of immersive audio, supporting both Dolby Atmos and Sony's own 360 Reality Audio (the Technics are limited to Atmos only).

Sony's Sound Connect app is very good – it's easy to use and gives you loads of options. But Technics' app isn't short of features either, even letting you select which codec you're listening to.

In terms of battery life, Technics is the clear winner. The EAH-AZ100 boast 10 hours of use from the earbuds, and a total of 28 hours when using the charging case. Sony's equivalent figures are eight hours and 24 hours.

Technics also has the edge in terms of connecting multiple devices. Both pairs have Multipoint Bluetooth, but Technics has improved upon the industry standard of two connected devices at once by adding a third.

Active noise cancellation (ANC) is par for the course for both pairs, as is a transparency mode which allows in outside sounds. Only the Technics allow you to alter the ANC intensity, while the Sonys allow you to alter the transparency intensity instead.

Both pairs' cases have wireless charging, and while Sony's is bulkier (being both taller and deeper), Technics' is slightly wider, and also more susceptible to scuffs.

As you can see, have some similar features in common. But because of their longer battery life, ability to tweak ANC and compatibility with three wireless devices at once instead of two, Technics takes this round.

** Winner: Technics EAH-AZ100 **

Sony WF-1000XM6 vs Technics EAH-AZ100: ANC & call quality

Active noise cancellation is a key feature of earbuds at this end of the market. Of the two pairs, the Sonys feel like they're blocking out a wider range of frequencies than the Technics do. Their effect is also more intense (though never uncomfortably so like some rivals).

And despite their more finicky fit, the Sony eartips also do a better job of isolating you from noise before you activate the ANC.

Technics has chosen to focus on neutralising noise in the low and mid frequencies, and the EAH-AZ100 certainly do a good job. Sounds like engine rumbles, and general traffic and chatter are certainly reduced, and it's a comfortable experience, with none of the vacuum effect of some pairs.

But they are clearly trumped by the Sonys. The XM6 are more effective at damping down environmental noise, whereas the Technics feel like they're letting more frequencies slip through the net. For example, if you're wearing them while typing at a keyboard, the Sonys take a bit more of the clicking sound off each keystroke.

For calls, both deal with wind noise very well. The Technics have an AI-equipped chip which zeroes in on your voice to completely eliminate wind noise. But the downside is that it does render voices as rather unnatural and bordering on robotic.

With Voice Focus AI deactivated, voices sound much more natural and lifelike, and all the clearer for it (though wind noise does intrude much more).

The Sonys do let in a hint of wind noise with big gusts, but they're generally quicker to respond to block it out, and voices sound slightly more natural.

** Winner: Sony WF-1000XM6 **

Sony WF-1000XM6 vs Technics EAH-AZ100: sound

Both pairs earned five stars, and the Technics won an Award in 2025, and no pair can do either without sounding fantastic.

The Technics still sound very well balanced, with an even-sounding handle on tracks that makes them nice and clear and makes for a comfortable listen even over extended periods.

In our Technics EAH-AZ100 review, we described "a wonderfully clear and open sound, with a superb amount of detail. The plucking of strings in Agnes Obel’s The Curse is clearly defined and packed with tactility, while the layers of nuance in her strong but delicate voice are revealed effortlessly".

Highs are clear and have more than enough room to soar, and the bass is very impactful without being overbearing. For example, "The opening bassline in Massive Attack’s Angel has heft but it is also pulled taut with enough grip and agility to drive the brooding track."

It's an impressive performance, but the Sonys are on a different level.

They're punchier, more emphatic dynamically, even more agile, and a touch clearer with more detail and texture coaxed out of the music.

"The Sonys make instruments and vocals sound believable, just as if you were standing in the room getting a private performance," we wrote in our Sony WF-1000XM6 review.

"Playing Tom Odell’s Black Friday, the Sonys give you a front row seat and reveal themselves as expert communicators. There’s delicacy and subtlety in spades, which helps the earbuds extract fantastic emotion and feeling from the track."

Played side by side with the Sonys, the Technics sound a little polite and lacking in drive.

Which is an incredible feat by the Sonys. We're talking marginal improvements, but they do add up to make the Sonys the more rewarding listen.

** Winner: Sony WF-1000XM6 **

Sony WF-1000XM6 vs Technics EAH-AZ100: verdict

This is certainly a close one. Both pairs of earbuds boast all-round appeal and excel in certain areas.

For design and features, there's really not much to choose between them, although the Technics are that bit easier to get to grips with and have the edge when it comes to battery life.

However, the Sonys pip them for ANC and sound quality, which, for many, will be the most important areas.

The Technics will most likely be cheaper for the next few months at least, until we see the first discounts on the Sonys, but we would say the XM6 are still worth the extra.

MORE:

Read our Sony WF-1000XM6 review

And our Technics EAH-AZ100 review

Sony WF-1000XM6 vs WF-1000XM5: which premium wireless earbuds are better?

Sony WF-1000XM6 vs Bose QC Ultra Earbuds (2nd Gen): which ANC buds are best?

The Technics SL-1500C direct drive turntable has been a favourite of ours for many years, picking up a few What Hi-Fi? Awards and earning a spot on our best turntables list ever since we first reviewed it in 2019.

And now, an updated version has arrived in the form of the Technics SL-1500CS. This new record player carries on many of the hallmarks of the 1500C – an iron-coreless direct drive, built-in phono stage, S-shaped tonearm and rock-solid build – and features new technology first seen its more premium models.

The ΔΣ-Drive (Delta-Sigma) drive technology we first encountered in the SL-1200GR2 and Award-winning SL-1300G has now made its way into the 1500CS model. This technology aims to further reduce motor vibrations and aid rotation accuracy to deliver a more stable and accurate performance from your records.

The existing direct drive motor used in Technics turntables already accounts for unwanted vibrations and 'cogging' effects that affect vinyl replay. The ΔΣ-Drive technology uses the brand's experience with signal processing to provide the motor with a purer, low-noise power feed, which further ensures "motor vibration components are reduced to an absolute minimum."

Frank Balzuweit, Senior Product Manager at Technics Europe, explains: “The ΔΣ-Drive technology, taking sophisticated signal processing techniques used in our full-digital Technics amplifiers, is all about eliminating motor vibrations down to the very limits of measurable. Therefore, especially lighter turntable platforms, using lighter platter constructions, benefit greatly from the vibration elimination of the ΔΣ-Drive. Through this, the new SL-1500CS achieves sonic performance levels far beyond the perceived standards of its class.”

Elsewhere, the robust structure of the five-star SL-1500 is carried through in the new model. The aluminium die-cast chassis is combined with ABS and glass fibre for rigidity and vibration control. The S-shaped aluminium tonearm returns, as does the automatic arm lift function, and the deck comes fitted with the Ortofon 2M Red moving magnet cartridge.

As before, you get a switchable MM phono stage built into the turntable, which allows flexibility for your system matching.

Whereas the SL-1500C is available in black, silver and white finishes, the new SL-1500CS will be available in a metallic grey finish.

The new Technics SL-1500CS will be available from March 2026, costing £1099. We tested the original 1500C for £899 back in 2019, when it was Technics' entry-level deck, a position now usurped by the Bluetooth-toting SL-40CBT.

We're excited to find out if the new SL-1500CS surpasses its Award-winning siblings' performance once we get a review sample into our test rooms.

MORE:

Read our original Technics SL-1500C review

12 of the most exciting products I saw at the Bristol Hi-Fi Show 2026

Technics modernises its direct drive turntable with a contemporary design and Bluetooth streaming

Some brands have trouble following up a successful product with an even better sequel, let alone doing it three or four times in a row, with each new model outperforming the previous one.

But that’s exactly what Sony’s achieved with multiple generations of flagship wireless earbuds as it now attempts to make it five in a row with the WF-1000XM6.

It’s a testament to the tech giant’s ability to evolve its earbuds over time, add new features, improve existing ones, and still keep improving where it matters most – sound quality – but in today’s market, there’s no shortage of competition for Sony to contend with.

Bose has always been there or thereabouts, Apple has upped its game in recent years and the recent emergence of Technics as best-in-class won’t make the job easy.

But if anyone can do it…

Price

The Sony WF-1000XM6 launched in February 2026 for £250 / $330 / AU$500. These figures are pretty much par for the course at this level, but given the older WF-1000XM5 cost £259 / $299 / AU$419 at launch, you’ll see it’s a mix of good and bad news depending on the territory.

It’s similarly mixed news when you see that the WF-1000XM6 are cheaper than the Bose QC Ultra Earbuds (2nd Gen) in the UK (£250 versus £299), but more expensive than the Bose in the US and Australia, where they cost $330 / AU$500 (versus $299 / AU$450).

The other big rival for the Sonys comes in the shape of the five-star and Award-winning Technics EAH-AZ100, which cost £259 / $299 / AU$499. The Technics dropped lower (£209) during Black Friday last year, and over Christmas, but at the time of writing, they are back to their normal price. We’d expect them to follow a similar pattern this year.

Will we see any discounts on the Sony WF-1000XM6? Given they’ve only just launched, we doubt there will be any immediate cuts. Potentially, during Prime Day or Black Friday you could see some money off, but any drops will only be temporary and won’t be huge.

Design & comfort

Sony has a habit of tweaking the design of its flagship earbuds with each iteration, and WF-1000XM6 is no different.

The first sign that things have changed is the wireless charging case, which is surprisingly bulkier and taller than the WF-1000XM5 case. Its rounded top and straight sides actually give us slight WF-1000XM3 vibes for those of you who remember Sony’s likeable third-generation earbuds.

The case does feel a little cheap, though, and we’re struggling to understand why it’s bigger than before. It's taller and wider than the slim case that comes with the Technics EAH-AZ100.

Flip the box open, and you’ll see the body of each earpiece is also a bit more, er, boxy, especially when you compare them to the more teardrop-shaped WF-1000XM5.

The rectangular shape is to accommodate an extra mic and help give room for the new ventilation structure (highlighted by the perforations on the underside of each earbud), which increases airflow within the device to reduce any internal noise you might hear generated from things like chewing or footsteps.

The WF-1000XM6 have also been designed to be more ergonomic and sit in the ear more comfortably – Sony claims this has partly been achieved by making them 11 per cent slimmer than the WF-1000XM5.

Inside each earbud, you’ll find an 8.4mm driver unit similar to the one used in the previous model, but the design has been tweaked so it now uses a ‘soft edge’ surround for greater bass performance, and also has a new fitting which makes it easier to squeeze into each earpiece.

The antenna used in the WF-1000XM6 is one-and-a-half times larger than the one used in XM5 and claims to allow for a more stable and solid connection.

During testing, we find this to be the case and don’t have any issues in crowded airports or train stations, where the headphones are competing with multiple wireless signals bouncing around.

WF-1000XM6 comes in two different finishes – black and platinum silver. Gone is the glossy, slightly slippery plastic of the older model, and instead, it’s been replaced by more of a matte feel.

We certainly find them easier to get to grips with, but it’s interesting to note that there are subtle differences between the new finishes too.

The black boasts a slightly smoother surface, while the platinum silver finish has more of a texture to it, which comes from, according to Sony, “added metal flakes and glass beads”.

Sony has chosen to stick with the same eartip material as the older model and the same sizes: extra small, small, medium and large.

We were hoping Sony might revisit the material or at least include an extra large eartip size to experiment with – a couple of members of our test team don’t feel quite as confident with the fit and seal as they do with rival models from Bose and Technics.

Sony does provide an air pressure fit test in its Sound Connect app, which gives you a tick if your fit/tip choice is isolating you properly.

After a few attempts, our fit gets the green light, and during long listening sessions, the WF-1000XM6 don’t feel uncomfortable, but everyone’s ears are different, so we always recommend trying them for yourself.

Features

Brand new for WF-1000XM6 is Sony’s third-gen HD Noise Cancelling processor QN3e. It’s the brains behind multiple elements of the earbud’s performance, from helping to control the mics and noise-cancelling to reducing the signal-to-noise ratio and improving the DAC performance.

The new model carries over the integrated processor V2 from the old model but it’s now capable of handling 32-bit processing, compared to 24-bit previously.

Sony’s DSEE Extreme processing is once again present and has been a mainstay for a couple of generations now. It helps improve the sound of low-quality music files, and if you do tend to listen to tracks that are compressed, even podcasts, we’d recommend having this switched on. In our experience, it does provide a subtle but audible uplift in sound quality.

The Sonys are IPX4 rated and also offer Multipoint Bluetooth so you can connect up to two devices simultaneously. Technics still has the edge here, though, as the EAH-AZ100 give you the option of hooking up to three devices at once.

Anyone who wants to tinker with the audio from their WF-1000XM6 earbuds can delve straight into Sony’s Sound Connect app. Here you’re given a wide range of customisation options, including a 10-band graphic equaliser which will help you fine-tune their performance.

Know the kind of sound you like, but don’t want to get your hands dirty playing with the manual EQ? You can use the Find Your Equaliser function, which takes you on a journey of different sonic signatures so you can settle on your favourite flavour.

The Sony app also give you other customisation options which include rearranging the functions of the touch controls (which, incidentally, work well and are responsive), optimising the earbuds for spatial audio, and altering the intensity of Sony’s Ambient Sound (transparency) mode when you’re out and about.

The mode gets a boost for the WF-1000XM6, and it’s impressive the amount of information the earbuds allow you to hear while they’re still in place, even if it does give voices a slightly processed edge when talking.

The same goes for the Quick Attention mode, which kicks in when you press and hold down on the left earbud. It lowers the volume so you can, say, hear an announcement that’s going on in the background.

• 6 settings you should immediately tackle on the Sony WF-1000XM6 wireless earbuds

Battery life

Battery life for the WF-1000XM6 comes in at eight hours, which we’d call solid but unspectacular for a flagship pair of earbuds. It’s longer than the six hours offered by the Bose QuietComfort Ultra Earbuds (2nd Gen) but two hours short of the ten you get from Technics EAH-AZ100 with noise-cancelling turned on.

We’re a little disappointed Sony hasn’t been able to stretch it out to nine or more, but it appears the new processor requires a little extra juice, which has prevented Sony from going for longer from a single charge.

You do get two extra full charges out of the wireless charging case, which makes for a total battery life of 24 hours.

ANC & call quality

As we’ve alluded to further up this page, Sony’s taken several steps to get the best noise-cancelling and call quality possible out of WF-1000XM6.

The addition of the new QN3e processor ups the computational power, and you’ve got four mics in each earbud, which work to isolate you from outside noise.

You’ve also got Adaptive NC Optimiser, which automatically adapts the ANC algorithm to your fit and for the environment you’re listening in.

And during testing, it certainly feels like the quality of ANC has been given a bump compared to the XM5, especially in the midrange and higher frequencies.

We took the Sonys on the London tube and on a couple of short-haul flights, and they impressed us with their consistency and ability to extract both low-frequency rumbles of carriages and aeroplane engines, but also more high-pitched screeches and whistles that crept into our environment.

It still doesn’t quite feel as intense as Bose’s ANC and the QC Ultra Earbuds (2nd Gen) might still have the edge in blocking out low frequencies, but the gap between Sony and Bose is now as small as it’s ever been.

Like their ANC performance, Sony’s recent premium earbuds have performed strongly with regard to call quality, and the WF-1000XM6 continue this trend.

The AI beamforming, mixed with the bone conduction sensors, the presence of the extra mics and the wind noise reduction design all combine to great effect.

During testing, we find the Sonys do a great job subduing and minimising background noise, including tricky-to-handle wind noise – voices come through loud and clear with a great level of detail.

Sound

It’s great to have ANC and call quality that’s up to scratch, but where do the Sonys stand sonically?

Speaking to Sony at a press briefing for the WF-1000XM6, representatives told us to expect a more natural sound than the WF-1000XM5.

And during testing, it doesn’t take longer than a minute or two to hear that the new buds are quite a different beast.

There’s a newfound sense of natural warmth throughout the frequency range. But before you start getting worried that this is achieved at the expense of detail and insight, don’t be.

Everything that you expect to be present in a pair of flagship wireless earbuds is there: a fantastic sense of timing, an expressive midrange, weighty yet well-defined bass and crisp, nicely controlled highs. The Sonys cover all the bases and then some.

The WF-1000XM6 make the WF-1000XM5 sound lean and lacking substance in comparison. They also show the Bose up as being overblown and lacking sophistication and refinement.

Listen to the two, one after the other, the Bose sound like a blunt instrument compared to the Sonys, which dispatch not just lows, but also highs and mids with accuracy and razor-sharp precision.

But don’t think the Sonys deliver analysis at the expense of emotion, which can sometimes be the case with earbuds that just want to deconstruct the music. This is where their natural tone and superb sense of integration come into play.

The Sonys make instruments and vocals sound believable, just as if you were standing in the room getting a private performance.

Playing Tom Odell’s Black Friday, the Sonys give you a front row seat and reveal themselves as expert communicators. There’s delicacy and subtlety in spades, which helps the earbuds extract fantastic emotion and feeling from the track.

As fingers slide up the neck of the acoustic guitar, you can explicitly hear the little shifts in dynamics and the fine details in the gentle piano play, both of which mix beautifully with the sweeping strings that flow alongside both instruments.

The WF-1000XM6 capture and express the sadness and raw emotion in Odell’s voice superbly. They drag you in even further than the Technics EAH-AZ100, and make the Award-winners sound like they’re holding back dynamically. The Technics are still sweet-sounding, smooth and refined, but the Sonys give you a bit more insight into the music.

We switch to Dead Inside by Muse and the Sonys exhibit all the bass power and weight you could ask for, but it’s the way the notes are controlled and defined which really sets the Sonys apart from some of their rivals. They make the lows dispatched from the Bose QC Ultra Earbuds (2nd Gen) sound unkempt and overcooked.

There’s great depth to the bass notes and drum thwacks, but there’s also great agility. Notes don’t hang around longer than they need to, but they’re packed with texture and information and never feel like they’re telling you only half the story.

Add the Sony's newfound naturalness, and it brings the whole presentation together – the track sounds like a complete performance with no element too prominent or hidden away.

We finish off with Sugarhigh by King Unique, a slice of noughties dance music with a great mix of drum beats and percussion, and the Sonys’ rhythmic abilities come to the fore. The tribalistic drum beat drives the track along, and the XM6 dispatch it effortlessly.

As layers of electronica, percussion and drum machine come in from all angles, the Sonys keep a fine grip on all the different elements – the XM6 slot straight into a groove and never sound in danger of veering away from it.

Verdict

The premium wireless earbuds market has never been healthier, and your choices have never been wider and more varied.

But just when you thought Sony might be pulled back into the chasing pack, the WF-1000XM6 push the brand ahead again with a breathtaking all-round performance.

Sony might have changed the flavour of sound, but it’s all for the better with a natural tone that just connects with the listener, whatever track you care to throw at them. Dare we say, it’s benchmark-setting at the money…

Add noise-cancelling that’s up there with the very best, brilliant call quality and broad customisation options, and you’re left in no doubt the WF-1000XM6 are serious contenders.

Review published: 12th February 2026

SCORES

• Sound 5
• Comfort 4
• Features 5

MORE:

Read our review of the Technics EAH-AZ100

Also consider the Apple AirPods Pro 3 review

Sony WF-1000XM6 vs WF-1000XM5: which premium wireless earbuds are better?

Sony WF-1000XM6 vs Bose QuietComfort Ultra Earbuds (2nd Gen): which should you buy?

Sony WF-1000XM6 vs Technics EAH-AZ100: which flagship wireless earbuds are better?

Best wireless earbuds: top pairs tested by our reviewers

Usually, when I'm recommending an Award-winning Technics product, it's one of the Japanese brand's excellent turntables or a slice of separates hi-fi. Not this time.

Last January, on their 60th-anniversary year, Technics released a new flagship pair of wireless earbuds – and they were so good our editor-in-chief waited all year for a decent discount.

And now we've found an even better discount – the Technics EAH-AZ100 are now available for £208 on Amazon in the black and silver colours.

Considering the buds launched at a premium £259, that's a nice 20% saving. You might want to hurry, though, as Amazon is advertising this as a limited-time deal...

While the Technics EAH-AZ100 launched at a more premium price than several rivals, our audio and hi-fi team felt their sonic talents justified the added expense after house of rigorous in-house testing.

"It’s the elevated performance that combines the Technics’ strengths of clarity, detail and spaciousness with the punch, presence and dynamic impact we were hoping for that clinches the deal," reads our Technics EAH-AZ100 review.

The EAH-AZ100 achieves this performance thanks in part to a new 10mm “Magnetic Fluid Driver” that delivers clearer sound and improvements across the frequencies, with greater low-end power and smoother mids and high frequencies.

To top it all off, the EAH-AZ100 are small, light and comfortable over long periods, with fully customisable touch controls to change audio modes, playback and volume any way you want.

We found the Bluetooth connection to be solid and stable, while the buds support SBC, AAC and the LC3 codec (which supports LE (Low Energy) Audio). Sony's LDAC codec is also on offer, which allows you to stream in higher quality from compatible music sources such as portable music players or select smartphones.

Battery life is a competitive ten hours from a single charge, and there's Bluetooth multipoint and Auracast transmission.

Noise-cancelling is also excellent. They don't quite beat the Bose QuietComfort Ultra Headphones (2nd Gen), but certainly drive them close, muffling the outside world like heavy snowfall while leaving your music sounding crisp and even.

The Technics EAH-AZ100 won a What Hi-Fi? Award for the best wireless earbuds over £250. They're no longer over £250, but the sentiment still stands – they're the best premium earbuds available if you have the cash. Get them now for £208 at Amazon.

MORE:

Read our review of the Sony WF-1000XM5

Also consider the Bose QuietComfort Ultra Earbuds

Technics EAH-AZ100 vs Sony WF-1000XM5: which premium wireless earbuds are better?

We're coming to the final week of the January sales, but we're still seeing some stellar deals slip through. This includes some record-low prices, savings on Award winners, and discounts on recent releases we only tested recently.

Highlights include a discount on Apple's latest earbuds, which we just awarded five stars to in our Apple AirPods Pro 3 review, as well as the lowest-ever price on the Award-winning and highly popular LG C5 OLED TV.

The KEF LSX II is also at a historic low, and is interestingly now the same price as the slimmed-down affordable alternative, the KEF LSX II LT.

As always, we've reviewed and price checked every product, so you can shop with peace of mind knowing these are genuine deals and tried-and-tested recommendations.

We've mixed things up a bit this week with a more visual article format, so you can see the products quicker and in all their glory. Take a look below:

We were hoping for big things from Apple’s 3rd Gen flagship wireless earbuds when they entered our test room (and our ears). After all, the Pro 2 was the first pair of Apple buds that we’d ever deemed worthy of a five-star rating.

But just because the old version of a product was five stars doesn’t mean the result will be the same for the new model. There have been occasions in my almost two decades on What Hi-Fi? where our reaction has been one of disappointment rather than delight.

Thankfully, though the AirPods Pro 3 did enough to convince our review team that not only did they deserve five stars, they also deserve to go straight into our best wireless earbuds buying guide as the best AirPods you can currently buy.

Okay, so the AirPods Pro 3 don’t rewrite the rulebook when it comes to the category, but they do take what we loved about their predecessors and build on it in several ways.

One thing that does separate them from the outgoing Pro 2 model is that the design has been tweaked. When you read about the changes and see what has happened (the main body of each bud is slightly smaller and the nozzle now points more towards your ear canal), it doesn’t sound like much, but the AirPods Pro 3 do feel different.

Apple has also tweaked the design of its tips, which now feature a layer of 'foam-infused microspheres'. This isolates the user more, and we found that during testing, the added thickness might mean it's worth trying a smaller size of eartip.

The new Pro 3 design sticks out more, but some members of our review team found they actually fit more securely, while others preferred the shallower profile of Pro 2. As is the case with all wireless earbuds, only after you’ve tried them for yourself will you be able to tell if they’re for you.

Back to the Pro 3, and our review team was impressed with how Apple has managed to up the noise-cancelling ability. It was good before, but as we said in our AirPods Pro 3 review, we think they now “shave off a greater amount of mid and low frequency noise” (compared to the Pro 2 model).

You’re a bit more aware of the strength of the noise-cancelling, but its ability to block out environmental noise effectively is very impressive.

Sonically, the AirPods Pro 3 build on the wonderfully balanced, cohesive sound we were treated to in their predecessors, but the new model sounds even clearer and more detailed. Voices have a bit more body and texture to them, and highs sound purer, too.

Are they perfect? No pair of wireless earbuds is, and if there’s one thing to highlight is battery life. Eight hours per charge in itself is fine and par for the course at this price point, but the charging case only provides an additional two charges, which seems stingy by current standards.

Obviously, if you don’t own an iPhone, the lure of the AirPods Pro 3 won’t be particularly strong – thankfully, though, there’s no shortage of alternatives out there which we rate just as highly.

Our list includes the Award-winning Technics EAH-AZ100, the Bose QuietComfort Ultra Earbuds (2nd Gen) and the older Sony WF-1000XM5, all of which you’ll find over on our best wireless earbuds buying guide.

MORE:

Our pick of the best wireless earbuds for all budgets

The AirPods Pro 3 reminded me of one key thing when it comes to wireless earbuds

Apple AirPods Pro 3 vs AirPods Pro 2: which wireless earbuds are better?

Apple AirPods Pro 3 vs Sony WF-1000XM5: which wireless earbuds should you buy?

Any fans of iconic turntable design are most likely already aware of the legendary Technics SL-1200 series, which has been used by thousands of DJs since the 1970s. Many, however, use these direct-drive turntables as part of traditional hi-fi set-ups.

If you’d also like to be one of them, you should take a look at the Technics SL-1200GR2, a fourth generation model of this iconic series. It’s beautifully made, a joy to use, all while sounding punchy and composed.

Thanks to this delightful deal, it can now be yours for a cool £200 off its original price. Pick it up for £1599 at Peter Tyson and get a great deal on a nice bit of kit. You even get an Ortofon Concorde Music Bronze cartridge worth £319, making the whole package even better value.

The Technics SL-1200GR2 is undoubtedly easy on the eye, but it doesn’t prioritise style over substance. The classy deck feels reassuringly durable for a high-quality turntable at this premium price point, all the way from the plinth to its tonearm.

You can listen to a wide range of vinyl on this manual turntable too, thanks to three speed settings: 33⅓, 45, and 78 RPM. Whatever you choose to play through it, you’ll be treated to an enjoyable sonic presentation.

When we tested the SL-1200GR2 back in 2024, we found its presentation to be smooth and enjoyable. After playing everything from Pink Floyd to Beethoven and Tom Waits, we noted “the Technics turntable spins through each record with admirable competence and a presentation that’s wonderfully easy to listen to”. We also found it has a “very clean and solid sound, but there’s punch, too”.

If you don’t already have a separate phono stage as part of your hi-fi system, the SL-1200GR2 doesn't have one built in, so you will need to add one yourself in order to listen to it.

Either way, this Technics turntable offers an iconic design in an easy-to-use and enjoyable-sounding package, especially now it’s more than £200 off its original price. As it doesn’t typically come with a cartridge, the inclusion of a free Ortofon cartridge worth £319 as part of this deal means that’s one less thing you need to worry about too.

Sound good? Check it out now for £1599 at Peter Tyson.

MORE:

Check our our list of the best turntables

How to choose the right record player for you

Audio-Technica's new AT-LP7X turntable offers ample versatility in a sleek, modern design

We're halfway through January now, but the New Year sales are still delivering the goods when it comes to discounts.

The bar has been set particularly high this week, with every product featured either a past or present Award winner.

This includes a Product of the Year winner in the Fyne Audio F501E, fantastic floorstanders which are seeing a ten per cent saving.

That is far from the only great deal available, though – see what else is on offer below:

MORE:

See all our 2025 What Hi-Fi? Award winners

KEF, Sony, Spotify and Harman all feature in our rundown of 2025’s hi-fi and home cinema highlights

9 affordable ways to upgrade your hi-fi system

For many hi-fi enthusiasts, it’s great to have the modern convenience provided by combination digital systems. The good news is that, nowadays, you can find high quality in this category too.

The Technics SL-G700M2 is a great example. Combining a music streamer and CD player into one excellently built package, it has a strong sonic performance across its wide range of digital audio inputs.

Thanks to this tasty deal, the SL-G700M2 can now be yours for more than £300 off its original price too. It’s available for £2589 at Peter Tyson, £310 off its RRP and the cheapest we’ve seen it!

A solid and beautifully made box, the SL-G700M2 streamer/CD combo boasts a wide range of digital inputs and outputs. There are two USB-A, one USB-C, coaxial and optical inputs, along with coax and optical outputs.

Bluetooth 4.2, Chromecast and Apple Airplay are on-board for wireless connection, while the steamer module allows for connecting to everything from NAS units and USB sticks to Tidal, Deezer and internet radio – so there is a huge amount of choice of where you play your music from.

Of course, the built-in CD player means you can spin your favourite CDs and SACDs too.

However you choose to enjoy your music, you can expect exceptional sound quality from the SL-G700M2.

During testing, we played several CDs, including Eminem’s Recovery , Kate Bush’s Hounds Of Love and Arvo Pärt’s Litany, and found the Technics has a “controlled and clear delivery that works well regardless of what we play”, while its presentation is “detailed and insightful”.

When we swapped to the streaming module, we also found it “gives balanced results regardless of source”. It is “bold and authoritative when it needs to be”, while it can change down the gears effortlessly to render more delicate recordings.

If you’re looking for a premium streamer/CD combo, we strongly encourage you to take a look at the Technics SL-G700M2 for £2589 at Peter Tyson.

MORE:

Check out our list of the best CD players

Onkyo celebrates its 80th anniversary with all-new Muse streaming amplifiers

Cambridge Audio takes on KEF with its first-ever active wireless stereo speaker systems

Folks, we're battling through January.

But amongst the post-Christmas comedown and freezing temperatures, there is one shining light through the doom and gloom: the January sales.

The sales have been especially kind this year, with several Award-winners seeing prices slashed, half-price discounts on older products and even some recent favourites seeing impressive savings already.

On the home cinema side, highlights include a discount on the recently-reviewed Philips OLED910, a close competitor of the Sony Bravia 8 II despite costing hundreds less. There's also 46 per cent off a Samsung soundbar we reviewed only last month, and a sweet saving on our favourite budget TV.

The hi-fi side has spoilt us, however, with deals on headphones, streamers and speakers galore. This includes a Product of the Year in the superb Fyne Audio F501E floorstanders, as well as several other Award-winners such as the multi-talented Technics SA-C600 and great value Sony WF-C510.

Let's not hang around then – see the best deals from the January sales below.

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The new LG C6 OLED TV features Primary RGB Tandem panel tech – there's just one problem…

Onkyo celebrates its 80th anniversary with all-new Muse streaming amplifiers

There are a few products that have become permanent fixtures in the What Hi-Fi? Awards – and the Technics SA-C600 is an excellent example.

The just-add-speakers system has won an Award every year since it launched in 2022 – and here, to top it all off, the price has just hit a new record low. The Technics SA-C600 is now available for £669 at Peter Tyson.

That's a £230 discount off its price when we first tested it, and the lowest price we have seen for this system!

The SA-C600 is a veteran of our best hi-fi systems buying guide, and is a favourite of our very own editor in chief, who has one in his lounge setup.

The Technics SA-C600 is a true all-in-one system, with streaming smarts, a built-in CD player and even a moving-magnet phono stage for those who wish to plug in a turntable. You really do need simply to add speakers to achieve a versatile hi-fi setup.

Not that features have been compromised: there's streaming support including Spotify Connect, Tidal, Deezer and Amazon Music; there's also Bluetooth, Chromecast, and AirPlay 2 functionality, while physical connections include stereo RCA, USB Type-A, USB Type-B, coaxial, and optical digital.

Hi-res support goes up to 32-bit/384kHz, with a 30-watt-per-channel performance that will work well with most speakers.

Whichever of the SA-C600's connectivity options you use, however, the sound is unanimously great.

“It’s an expressive and punchy performer that builds its performance around a solid framework of surefooted rhythmic drive and expressive dynamics,” our five-star Technics SA-C600 review reads.

“Details levels are good, but it is the confident way this unit organises that information into a cohesive and musical whole that really impresses. It isn’t long before our attention is focused on the spellbinding music rather than the mechanics of hi-fi.”

Looks? Tick. Features? Tick. Sound? Also tick. The Technics SA-C600 is a true jack of all trades, so much so that it has worked its way into the hearts and homes of our review team. You too can join the bandwagon now that the system is £669 at Peter Tyson.

MORE:

These are the best stereo amps we have tested

Our pick of the best hi-fi systems

And the best music streamers

Don't panic – there's still time to get those last-minute Christmas presents.

We have spotted some tried-and-tested headphones from Technics and Røde on sale this week, making them ideal stocking fillers for the audio fan in your life.

Or if you're feeling particularly generous, there's an excellent premium AV receiver and a superb OLED TV on offer too – or maybe you'd prefer to keep them as a gift for yourself?

Whoever you're buying for, there are some excellent deals out there with several products holding – and some even dropping – their Black Friday prices. So merry Christmas, deal hunters, and happy shopping!

MORE:

See all our 2025 What Hi-Fi? Award winners

These 7 films have been dazzling us in our test room this month – and will give your home cinema system a workout

9 affordable ways to upgrade your hi-fi system

With Christmas on the horizon, chances are you’ve been thinking about what you’d like to get the special people in your life. You might have even thought about what you’d like them to get you, too. Maybe a new pair of wireless headphones, a music streamer, or even an OLED TV? Or, maybe you’re not sure yet.

As lovers of hi-fi and AV equipment, the What Hi-Fi? team’s Christmas wishlist is littered with equipment falling into the aforementioned categories along with physical media to help us better enjoy our existing gear.

So, if you’re finding yourself stuck for ideas on what to get people, or even what you’d like for yourself, hopefully our Christmas wishlist can provide some inspiration. Check it out below.

Arcane: Series 2 SteelBook

Words by Robyn Quick

SteelBooks, a premium collectable case for a Blu-ray or 4K disc, can be a divisive subject for many AV fans. For some, the idea of forking out extra for the same movie or TV show you can get from a standard 4K Blu-ray is pointless. But, others see it as a worthwhile purchase to celebrate your favourite content and keep it for decades to come.

As you may have guessed, I sit in the second camp. So, I could barely contain my excitement when I saw that the second season of Arcane has finally got a 4K SteelBook release, complete with custom artwork on the cover. It costs a whopping £50, but that hasn’t stopped me from putting it at the top of my Christmas wishlist. A person can dream, right?

The series was released on Netflix last year and, if you haven’t watched the show, I can only urge you to do so. It’s packed with jaw-droppingly beautiful animation from start to finish, all while set in a dystopian, steampunk-inspired world that will suck you in from the first frame.

Buy Arcane Season 2 SteelBook at HMV

LG C5 (OLED55C5)

Words by Joe Svetlik

I’ve needed a new TV for a while now, but the situation is getting ever more pressing. My current model is pushing 12 years old, which is about 96 in TV years. To make matters worse, I recently had a new TV cabinet made. Which is great, but it just throws the crapness of my current TV into even sharper relief.

That’s why I’ve added the 55-inch LG C5 to my Christmas wishlist.

Now I think it would fit in my alcove, but I have to be careful. A friend on our road recently bought a 55-inch TV, and despite careful measuring, it is just that bit too big, meaning it has to sit at a slight diagonal at all times. He would have replaced it with a more sensibly sized model, as his wife suggested, but in his words, he was being “a bit of a child about it.”

Why the C5? It won a What Hi-Fi? Award for its rich, punchy, crisp image and peerless feature set. And for me, 55 inches is the perfect size – cinematic without dominating the room. Providing it fits.

Joe Hisaishi – Princess Mononoke (Symphonic Suite) on vinyl

Words by Alastair Stevenson

Regular readers have likely figured out I am a bit of an anime fan. One that’s especially fond of Studio Ghibli titles. This year alone, I went to see the London stage production of Spirited Away and to the BFI to check out the 4K remastered version of Princess Mononoke on the big screen.

The latter was a particular highlight, with the work done to its audio reminding me quite how beautiful the music, as well as iconic artwork, is for Ghibli movies. So much so that there’s one specific record at the top of my wishlist for Santa this year – Joe Hisaishi’s Princess Mononoke (Symphonic Suite).

Though the original soundtrack vinyl is great, I’ve always been a big fan of the Symphonic Suite version, which saw composer Joe Hisaishi re-arrange it for a full orchestra. The result is a captivating listen that captures the film’s evocative, thought-provoking, but ultimately hopeful and sympathetic tone.

This makes it a fantastic listen from start to finish and one I’ve been wanting to own on vinyl all year. Here’s hoping Santa’s listening and didn’t spot the “incident” on Denmark Street that I was 100 per cent not responsible for in March…

Buy Joe Hisaishi – Princess Mononoke (Symphonic Suite) on vinyl at Amazon

Vince Guaraldi Trio – A Charlie Brown Christmas on vinyl

Words by Kashfia Kabir

Vince Guaraldi Trio’s soundtrack to the 1965 special A Charlie Brown Christmas is up there with The Muppets Christmas Carol as encapsulating a kind of magic that transcends all time, ages and trends.

The whimsical yet sometimes muted jazz compositions match the Peanuts TV special beautifully, capturing the melancholy mood of Charlie Brown as he grapples with finding the true meaning of Christmas, while his friends mock and ridicule him, until, eventually, you get that lovely combination of friendship, kindness and warmth.

There are compositions in this album that are now synonymous with both Christmas and Peanuts (such as the bouncy, upbeat Linus and Lucy), while Skating is a personal favourite that fills you up with childhood joy and the feeling that everything will be okay. I’ve been eyeing up the Craft Recordings vinyl reissue (ideally gold foil package) for ages.

Buy Vince Guaraldi Trio – A Charlie Brown Christmas on vinyl at Drift Records

LEGO Retro Radio

Words by Harry McKerrell

If, like me, you’re at the stage of life where you’ve got various nieces and nephews running all over the place during the festive period, you’re probably going to be gifting quite a lot of LEGO this year, especially once your pint-sized relatives reach the stage where they’re not in danger of just trying to eat the blocks.

That’s all well and good, but who’s buying the LEGO for me? Millennium Falcons and pirate ships are a bit off-brand (still cool, though), so how about a retro radio instead? Inspired by the transistor designs of the 1970s, complete with that classic horizontal tuner, the radio is capable of making a few actual noises – though I’d predict that it probably looks a lot better than it sounds.

Buy LEGO Retro Radio at Lego.com

WiiM Pro Plus

Words by James Cook

In my experience, when listening to music socially, most people nowadays want the convenience of a wireless connection to a speaker and a music streaming application so everyone can queue up songs. And whilst I think it’s a shame that many have never listened to a vinyl record in full on a proper hi-fi system, there are merits to this, provided it doesn’t sacrifice too much sound quality.

For too long, I’ve been using a Lightning-to-RCA lead to connect my iPhone directly to my integrated amplifier for catering to social gatherings, so sound quality has, inevitably, suffered. That’s where the WiiM Pro Plus comes in.

This five-star, affordable music streamer is detailed, expressive and organised, and will slot nicely into my existing hi-fi setup without breaking the bank. It’s got a plethora of streaming options to choose from too, so I can enjoy convenient and collaborative listening without sacrificing so much sound quality – perfect for when I’m entertaining friends or family, or even those rare occasions when I can’t be bothered to stick a record on the turntable!

If you’re planning to do anything similar over the Christmas period, I’d recommend giving it a look yourself.

Technics EAH-AZ100

Words by Lewis Empson

I started 2025 with a flying visit to CES, the annual consumer tech trade show, with Panasonic, where the Japanese tech giant announced a new pair of wireless earbuds alongside its latest batch of five-star OLED TVs.

The Technics EAH-AZ100 immediately caught my attention; at the time I had a pair of EAH-AZ60M2 buds constantly lodged in my ears, so I was already a fan of the company’s work.

After a quick demo at Panasonic's launch event, and a follow up listening session back in the UK using our very own review pair, I was completely sold on these incredible sounding earbuds, and I’ve been pining after a pair ever since.

Their clean and spacious sound is befitting of a What Hi-Fi? Award, and I especially appreciated how expressive and punchy these buds sounded, meaning they perfectly suited my preferred music genres of alternative and pop.

I can’t forget to mention the “excellent noise cancelling", which would also make the AZ100 a perfect companion for my noisy morning commute.

These premium buds are at the top of my wish list, especially in that dashing new Midnight Blue finish.

Sony Bravia Projector 7

Words by Daniel Furn

As one of the newer members of the What Hi-Fi? editorial team, I was lucky enough to sit in on our reviewers’ extensive testing process during one of my first weeks here. The test I witnessed was none other than the five-star Sony Bravia Projector 7, which proved to be both a blessing and a curse.

A blessing because the Bravia Projector 7 boasts incredible depth, superb contrast control and is quite simply a joy to watch. And a curse? Going back to my home TV, itself a very capable OLED, feels a lot less cinematic in comparison.

I realise that with a starting price of £6999, this very much falls under the “wish” part of a wishlist. But if Santa Claus decides he’s feeling particularly generous, then to have the rich, balanced, and detailed image of the Sony Bravia Projector 7 would very much be a Christmas miracle. Maybe if I’m particularly good next year?

PlayStation 5 Pro

Words by Tom Parsons

Look, I don’t need a PS5 Pro. Of all of the ‘Pro’ PlayStation consoles in history, it feels like the least essential, even to someone as graphics-obsessed as I am, but just knowing there’s a better version of the PS5 out there with slightly smoother, slightly shinier visuals is enough to nag at me.

There’s another thing at play here, too. My good lady wife has, at the age of [redacted], suddenly taken up gaming. She’s recently smashed through Ghost of Tsushima and The Last Of Us Part 1, and is about halfway through The Last Of Us Part 2. She’s got her eyes on The Witcher 3 next, and I know first-hand what a long, obsession-inducing game that is.

In other words, my current PS5 is in high demand these days, and it looks set to get worse, so it might be time to treat myself to a second one. And if I’m going to get a second PS5, it might as well be the best one that’s available, right? It is Christmas after all.

Buy PlayStation 5 Pro at Amazon

Beyerdynamic DT 990 Pro X

Words by Andy Madden

As someone who spends a lot of their working time tethered to a laptop, I’m always on the lookout for a quality pair of headphones to make the time pass by. Of course, the best wireless headphones deliver convenience and quality, but when I’m at my desk, I don’t mind a wire or two getting in the way.

This is why I’ve been using the Beyerdynamic DT900 Pro X on and off for the past few years. I’ve been plugging these cans directly into my MacBook Pro, and given I’m only using them with Amazon Music, I don’t really need to plug them into an external DAC, which helps to keep the wire count to a minimum.

So you can imagine the look on my face when I first read our Beyerdynamic DT 990 Pro X review. These headphones succeed the pair I’m using and manage to take performance forward in a number of areas, all the while remaining as comfy as your favourite pair of slippers.

I also don’t mind the fact that the Beyerdynamics are an open-back design. While I’m working solo, nobody is being annoyed by the headphones leaking my favourite tunes. It’s just something you might want to bear in mind if you add them to your wishlist.

It’s going to be a simple case of swapping out the old with the new, and I’d urge anyone looking for a simple and hugely effective way of boosting their own desktop audio to take a closer look at these classy over-ears.

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A big year ahead? 6 pairs of wireless headphones and earbuds I'd love to see in 2026

Boy howdy, what a year 2025 was for wireless headphones. Sony looked to have the whole thing space sewn up as its Award-winning WH-1000XM6 earned serious acclaim after their summer release, all before Sennheiser came out of nowhere with the quite remarkably talented HDB 630 flagship cans. Who saw that coming? A twist worthy of the Royal Rumble.

The land of wireless earbuds was no less fertile. Bose reminded everyone of its credentials with the excellent QuietComfort Earbuds Ultra (2nd Gen), Apple sent its disciples into a frenzy by releasing the long-awaited AirPods Pro 3, while Sony dominated the cheaper side of the market with its outstanding WF-C510 (released in late 2024) and WF-C710N budget buds.

What can 2026 do to top that? I'm expecting next year to be a big one, mainly because wireless headphones are only growing in popularity, and practically every audio manufacturer you can think of is desperate for a piece of the action.

We can't guarantee that all of the prospective models below are set to materialise, but I have good reason to think that 2026 could be the biggest year yet for wire-free listeners everywhere.

Wireless headphones

Apple AirPods Max 2

Apple sure does like to take its time. It can often feel like an eternity between any iteration of the Californian company’s iconic white earbuds or range of attractive HomePod smart speakers (we’re still waiting for the HomePod 3), and the brand’s premium over-ears are no exception.

We first reviewed the original AirPods Max in 2020(!), and while we’ve had a semi-sequel in the shape of a USB-C-ready edition which landed in late 2024, a full-fat evolution is yet to materialise after more than five years of waiting.

The possibilities are endless for what a sequel could look like. Updated sound could see the Max 2 building on a five-star sonic legacy, while current rumours suggest that Adaptive Audio, improved ANC and even a new internal processor could all be on the cards.

We don’t know if and when the new AirPods Max 2nd Gen are set to launch, but we do know we can’t wait to try them out once they do.

Sony WH-CH720N (2nd Gen)

The Sony WH-CH720N have proved a big hit thanks to their provision of excellent ANC and generally outstanding value, making a sequel almost inevitable. Considering they launched back in September 2023, a second-gen update would follow Sony's general release schedule of unveiling new series additions once every two to three years.

Sony already demonstrated that it’s more than capable of improving upon class-leading excellence when it made the leap from the WH-1000XM5 to this year’s WH-1000XM6 Award-winners, so doing the same for its entry-level noise cancellers shouldn’t be too much of a problem.

There’s so much scope to make the second-gen WH-CH720N (we don’t have an official idea on the name yet) even better than the first, including a more dialled-in bass signature, more premium features and a few design tweaks. Did someone say a foldable sequel?

Sonos Ace (2nd Gen)

Just because we weren’t particularly effusive in our praise of the current Sonos Ace over-ears, that doesn’t mean we’re not keen to see a potential sequel land as early as 2026.

Sonos’ first foray into the world of wireless headphones wasn’t a resounding success to our ears, but with a few sonic and usability adjustments, it’s not hard to envisage a world in which the hypothetical Sonos Ace 2 cause considerable discomfort to the current class leaders.

Yes, the sound will need something of an overhaul – the current cans' sound is simply too bland and lacklustre to merit notable praise – but there’s clearly a market for a pair of Sonos headphones which slot effortlessly into the brand’s wider ecosystem.

Sonos is a big name with plenty of resources at its disposal, and you can bet your bottom dollar it will go all out to make sure that the second-gen pair of Ace avoid the pitfalls of the originals.

Wireless earbuds

Sony WF-1000XM6

We’d feel confident putting a reasonable sum of cash on Sony releasing a sequel to its Award-winning WF-1000XM5 flagship wireless earbuds. Yearly release cycles tend to alternate between over-ears and in-ears, so given that 2025 was the year of the WH-1000XM6’s launch, it’s only logical that 2026 will see the debut of their earbud-shaped counterparts.

This is a big one for Sony. The Technics EAH-AZ100 knocked the WF-1000XM5 off their perch as our pick as the best premium wireless earbuds in town, and that won’t be something which Sony takes lying down.

There’s scope for improvement for the five-star buds, from honing their sonic talents to providing a better intuitive fit and updating the sequel's feature set. Technics has set a high bar, but if anyone can reach it, it’s Sony.

Samsung Galaxy Buds 4 Pro

There are pretty concrete rumours circling that the latest additions to Samsung’s roster of earbuds could be on the way next year, and while such news might once have elicited little more than a shrug of the shoulders from the more cynical minded among us, we’re far more optimistic about seeing what Samsung can do with its flagship Samsung Galaxy Buds 4 Pro.

Why? Mainly because the Galaxy Buds 3 Pro were such a pleasant surprise. They weren’t perfect, sure, but when paired with a suitably premium Galaxy source device to get the most out of the Samsung’s SSC UHQ hi-res codec for transmission of file rates up to 24-bit/96kHz, the third-gen buds started to make a whole lot of sense.

Sounding clean, spacious and impressively detailed when using that SSC UHQ codec, the Buds 3 Pro were our clearest indication yet that Samsung could mix it with the biggest boys on the block. If the 4 Pro can take up that mantle and run with it, a final fifth star could well be in the offing.

New Technics AZ40/AZ80 earbuds

Do you know part of the reason why we admired the flagship Technics EAH-AZ100 so much? They demonstrated progression. Technics learned from the lessons of its previous efforts to make a five-star pair of earbuds and implemented them in the flagship AZ100, resulting in an outstanding effort which melded clarity and insight with class-leading musicality.

We'd love to hear more of these sonic advancements trickle through to the brand's more affordable models. We haven't had a pair of mid-range Technics buds for a while, so 2026 could be the perfect time to see the four-star EAH-AZ40M2 get the same treatment as the 2025 What Hi-Fi? Award-winning EAH-AZ100.

The step-up Technics EAH-AZ80 could also receive a sequel, and given the potential those sparklingly clear, detailed buds exhibited, a follow-up effort could cause serious problems to the likes of Sony, Bose and Sennheiser.

MORE:

Read our five-star Sennheiser HDB 630 review

Check out our guide to the best wireless headphones we've tested and rated

Best wireless earbuds 2025: top pairs tested by our reviewers

Looking for space, clarity and sparkle in your next pair of wireless earbuds? Then, this deal may be for you.

The Technics EAH-AZ40M2 are some seriously stylish buds that are sure to impress at their lowest-ever price, just £79 at Smart Home Sounds. But it's important to tell you that this deal is only on the Rose Gold model.

If you're keen on the Black model, you'll have part ways with an extra tenner, as they're £89.50 on Amazon.

The Technics EAH-AZ40M2 are noticeably chic buds, especially when you're looking at this excellent deal on the sparkling Rose Gold model.

On top of that, we're happy to recommend them despite their age, with the buds having launched all the way back in 2023 alongside the more expensive EAH-AZ80 and EAH-AZ60M2, at their current price, as they remain remarkably competitive performers.

Feature-wise, three-way Bluetooth multipoint is one of the most notable additions trickling down from the higher-end models, allowing the seamless connection of three audio devices at once.

Wireless connectivity is also provided via Bluetooth 5.3 and the high-quality LDAC Bluetooth codec, supporting high-resolution audio transmission that some of the buds' biggest rivals offer.

Battery life is not to be sniffed at either, with seven hours of playback with just the buds (or 5.5 hours with ANC enabled), boosted to 24 hours with the charging case (or 18 with ANC enabled).

And then there's the touch-sensitive controls on the outer edges of the buds that are fully customisable for pretty much every function you'd ever need them to have.

Sonically, they'll serve a specific customer with a specific musical taste and technical needs. In our full review, we said: "In providing a neutral, balanced sound, Technics’ cheapest wireless buds will appeal to anyone who wants their music to be truly given space to breathe."

But, in comparison to some of the AZ40M2's biggest rivals like the Sony WF-C700N, they don't bring quite as much oomph and spark, struggling a little bass-wise too.

The sonic landscape is a pleasant one though. So, if you prefer a spacious, open presentation alongside a bevvy of well-performing features, you won't go far wrong for £79 at Smart Home Sounds. Only in Rose Gold.

MORE:

Read our full Technics EAH-AZ40M2 review

Take a look at the best wireless earbuds: quality in-ears for every budget

And check out the best budget wireless earbuds: top affordable pairs tested by our experts

Black Friday may be over – but that doesn't mean there aren't savings to be had.

Over the Black Friday weekend our crack team of reviewers and deals writers found some truly great discounts on several wonderful AV products, and a surprising number of them are still live now.

Even more perplexingly, a few products have even dropped in price further after the deals weekend wrapped up, so it's definitely not too late to make a saving.

So as we now start looking towards Christmas, here are the best deals still live this week, from Black Friday and beyond:

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See all our 2025 What Hi-Fi? Award winners

These 7 films have been dazzling us in our test room this month – and will give your home cinema system a workout

9 affordable ways to upgrade your hi-fi system

Black Friday and Cyber Monday saw some surprisingly good discounts on relatively audio products, such as the Bose QuietComfort Ultra Headphones (2nd Gen).

But that shouldn't mean any deals on older kit should be forgotten – especially when they're as good as the Technics SA-C600.

The five-star Technics SA-C600 is now available for £749 at Sevenoaks. That's the cheapest we've seen it in months, and £150 off the price we tested it at.

The compact hi-fi system originally debuted in 2022 and has won back-to-back What Hi-Fi? Awards ever since. If that wasn't enough of an endorsement, our very own Editor in Chief uses the SA-C600 daily as part of his personal lounge setup.

The Technics SA-C600 really does do it all: streaming smarts, a built-in CD player and an atypically capable moving-magnet phono stage. The latter is rather rare on these systems, and means a comaptible turntable can be plugged straight in with no need for an additional external box.

Network streaming capabilities include up to 32-bit/384kHz file support, with Spotify Connect, Tidal, Deezer and Amazon Music included, plus DAB/DAB+ and FM radio. Bluetooth, Chromecast, and AirPlay 2 are all available, while physical connections include stereo RCA, USB Type-A, USB Type-B, coaxial, and optical digital.

Regardless of your music source, we found that the SA-C600 performs exceptionally well.

"It’s an expressive and punchy performer that builds its performance around a solid framework of surefooted rhythmic drive and expressive dynamics," our Technics SA-600 review reads.

"Details levels are good, but it is the confident way this unit organises that information into a cohesive and musical whole that really impresses. It isn’t long before our attention is focused on the spellbinding music rather than the mechanics of hi-fi."

The plucky little hi-fi system has become a popular choice among our review team, making its way into more than one home setup.

We can see why. The Technics SA-C600 is generously featured, nice to use and well-built, while also adding great sound into the mix. See what all the fuss is about yourself now that the SA-C600 is £749 at Sevenoaks.

MORE:

These are the best stereo amps we’ve tested

Our pick of the best hi-fi systems

And the best music streamers

Black Friday is a great time to secure an excellent deal on some fabulous hi-fi gear. But as stocks deplete over the weekend, some great hi-fi products are getting even cheaper on Cyber Monday.

If you've been patient, you're in luck: we've checked the prices and have found six hi-fi deals that are even cheaper today than they were over the weekend, so you can save even more money on some five-star products.

Every one of these products has been reviewed by a member of our expert in-house team so we can personally recommend them. But hurry – we don't think these deals (or in fact stock of these products) will last very long!

Cyber Monday quick links

• Amazon: browse all of today's best deals
• B&W speakers: save £200
• Bluetooth speaker: 38% off five-star JBL
• Bose QC Ultra Headphones: save over £100
• Bravia 8 TV: lowest-ever price on 55in Sony TV
• Denon AV receiver: save £600
• Dolby Atmos soundbar: down to £268
• ELAC Debut 2: five-star speakers now £179
• Headphones: Sennheiser Momentum 4 now £165
• LG C5 55-inch: lowest-ever price at Richer Sounds
• JBL soundbar: now better than half price
• John Lewis: £200 off LG and Sony OLED TVs
• Richer Sounds: browse Black Friday deals
• Sevenoaks: £150 off Award-winning speakers
• Sony headphones: now just £29
• Stereo amplifier: Cambridge Audio now £299
• TVs, movies, home cinema: browse the best deals
• Vinyl: 3 for £66 at Amazon
• Wireless earbuds: Award winners now £75

I always keep an eye on the Technics SL-1500C turntable when Black Friday rolls around, as any price drop on this five-star, What Hi-Fi? Award winner is worth a look.

Just last week on Black Friday itself, the SL-1500's price was £749 at Sevenoaks – that's £150 less than its usual retail price of £899. And today, come Cyber Monday, it's dropped another £50!

That means you can pick up the Technics SL-1500C for its lowest-ever price of £699 at Sevenoaks right now, representing a total £200 saving. The only catch? The black and silver finishes are out of stock, but the white colour is available at this knockdown price.

Why is this Technics record player so recommendable? First and foremost, it sounds great. It received five stars and multiple Award wins for its incredibly dynamic, stable and authoritative performance.

For its price point, it sounds precise and composed, and delivers all kinds of music – from sparse vocals to large-scale orchestral works – with clarity and a deft handling of rhythm and detail. It never sounds disorganised, no matter how complex the arrangement gets.

We especially praised the way it resolves low frequencies, saying "there’s plenty of punch here, particularly at bass frequencies where the deck delivers an impressive combination of agility, punch and depth."

Outside of sound, the SL-1500C comes packed with features that many of its rivals – including the Rega Planar 3/Nd3 – would never dream of having. It features a built-in phono stage, offering flexible use if you don't already have one in your system, meaning you can plug the deck straight into your amplifier's line inputs or into a pair of active speakers.

An Ortofon 2M Red cartridge comes pre-fitted, the deck is semi-automatic in operation and has electronic speed control, and there is height adjustment for the S-shaped tonearm, should you need to adjust when updating to a different cartridge.

The build quality is impressive: it is rock-solid and of a high quality, offering the kind of sturdy reliability that Technics DJ decks are renowned for. Every element is beautifully engineered and the SL-1500C feels an absolute joy to use.

Put it all together, and you have a turntable that comes with user-friendly features, scope for upgrades, and sounds fantastic. What more could you want? This lowest-ever price of £699 at Sevenoaks just sweetens the deal.

MORE:

Check out all the best Cyber Monday hi-fi deals

Quick! Our hi-fi system Product of the Year has dropped to its lowest price yet for Black Friday

Audiophiles assemble! I’ve built an outrageously good hi-fi system out of Cyber Monday separates deals

Cyber Monday quick links

• Amazon: browse all of today's best deals
• B&W speakers: save £200
• Bluetooth speaker: 50% off five-star JBL
• Bose QC Ultra Earbuds: save £100
• Bravia 8 TV: save £250 on 55in Sony TV
• Denon AV receiver: save £600
• Dolby Atmos soundbar: down to £268
• DVD & Blu-ray: best-sellers from under £5
• ELAC Debut 2: five-star speakers now £179
• Headphones: Sennheiser Momentum 4 now £165
• LG OLED TV: lowest-ever price at Richer Sounds
• JBL soundbar: now better than half price
• John Lewis: £500 off LG and Sony OLED TVs
• Richer Sounds: browse all the deals
• Sevenoaks: £160 off Award-winning speakers
• Sony headphones: now just £29
• Stereo amplifier: Cambridge Audio now £299
• Vinyl: 3 for £66 at Amazon
• Wine, beer and spirits: save up to 34% on drinks
• Wireless earbuds: Award winners now £75

The period from Black Friday to Cyber Monday can be the best time to invest in some new hi-fi gear, but finding the perfect combination of a great deal and a fantastic product can be difficult.

If you've made it to Cyber Monday and you've still not managed to find the right deal for you, we've put this list together to help you get a great deal on only the best products. This list is compiled solely of cracking Cyber Monday deals on hi-fi products that are currently 2025 What Hi-Fi? Award winners.

From tantalising turntables to fantastic floorstanders and superb streamers, there is a plethora to choose from. All the products highlighted below have been tested by our in-house team of experts, who have confirmed that they are nothing but the best at their respective price points.

1. Marantz CD6007 CD player

2. Cambridge Audio MXN10 music streamer

3. Technics SA-C600 music streamer

4. Pro-Ject Debut Evo 2 turntable

5. KEF LSX II LT active bookshelf speakers

6. WiiM Pro Plus music streamer

7. Wharfedale Diamond 12.3 floorstanding speakers

8. KEF LS50 Wireless II active bookshelf speakers

9. Cyrus CDi CD player

10. Triangle AIO Twin wireless speaker system

11. NAD C 3050 (with MDC2 BluOS-D module) streaming amplifier

Black Friday / Cyber Monday quick links

• Amazon: browse all of today's best deals
• B&W speakers: save £200
• Bluetooth speaker: 38% off five-star JBL
• Bose QC Ultra Headphones: save over £100
• Bravia 8 TV: lowest-ever price on 55in Sony TV
• Denon AV receiver: save £600
• Dolby Atmos soundbar: down to £268
• ELAC Debut 2: five-star speakers now £179
• Headphones: Sennheiser Momentum 4 now £165
• LG C5 55-inch: lowest-ever price at Richer Sounds
• JBL soundbar: now better than half price
• John Lewis: £200 off LG and Sony OLED TVs
• Richer Sounds: browse Black Friday deals
• Sevenoaks: £150 off Award-winning speakers
• Sony headphones: now just £29
• Stereo amplifier: Cambridge Audio now £299
• TVs, movies, home cinema: browse the best deals
• Vinyl: 3 for £66 at Amazon
• Wireless earbuds: Award winners now £75

Serious music fan looking for a pair of wireless earbuds capable of delivering a transparent, but engaging sound? Then I’d strongly suggest looking at Amazon’s current Black Friday deal on the Technics EAH-AZ100.

The deal is live on Amazon right now and lets you grab the five-star, Award-winning earbuds for £209.99 (save £49).

Why the Technics when they’re still more expensive than key rivals, including the five-star Bose Quiet Comfort Earbuds, which are currently selling for £129 and Sony WF-1000XM5, which are retailing for £179 on Amazon? There are two reasons.

First, because, having heard the earbuds when our audio and hi-fi team reviewed them earlier this year, for me, their sonic talents justify the added expense.

Though many earbuds this year have their charms, the Technics sonic profile is uniquely suited to my tastes, with me generally favouring a controlled, transparent performance that doesn’t favour any part of the frequency range too much.

And that’s exactly what the Technics deliver. Thanks to the use of a new 10mm “Magnetic Fluid Driver”, the earbuds offer a clear, spacious sound that gives every part of a track space to breathe.

Whether it was the soft groove of jazz legend Jaco Pastorius’ fretless bass during Tracy or the complex, intertwining guitar parts in The Cure’s epic Pictures of You, the Technics EAH-AZ100 delivered a fine performance that had me fully immersed in the music in a way that rivals that I’ve used this year couldn’t.

As our audio experts said in our review: “It’s the elevated performance that combines the Technics’ strengths of clarity, detail and spaciousness with the punch, presence and dynamic impact we were hoping for that clinches the deal.”

So while they may not be class leaders at ANC, or the cheapest flagship option right now, and yes, some rivals may offer a richer bass and more propulsive dynamics, I think they justify the added cost.

The second is that this is the first proper discount I’ve spotted on them. Since hearing the Technics, I’ve been watching their price like a hawk, waiting for them to drop.

And until now, outside of a very short sale during the start of the month, they’ve belligerently refused to budge from their launch price – as you can see in the below graph.

Which is why I’d suggest any music fan with similar sonic tastes consider getting the Technics EAH-AZ100 deal currently running.

Black Friday quick links

• Amazon: browse all of today's best deals
• B&W speakers: save £200
• Bluetooth speaker: 48% off five-star JBL
• Bose QC Ultra Earbuds: save £100
• Bravia 8 TV: save 34% on 55in Sony TV
• Denon AV receiver: save £500
• Dolby Atmos soundbar: down to £299
• ELAC Debut 2: five-star speakers now £199
• Headphones: Sennheiser Momentum 4 now £169
• LG C5 55-inch: lowest-ever price at Richer Sounds
• JBL soundbar: now better than half price
• John Lewis: £500 off LG and Sony OLED TVs
• Richer Sounds: browse Black Friday deals
• Sevenoaks: £150 off Award-winning speakers
• Sony headphones: now just £29
• TVs, movies, home cinema: browse the best deals
• Vinyl: 3 for £66 at Amazon
• Wireless earbuds: Award winners now £75

Here at What Hi-Fi?, we’re big fans of Black Friday discounts solely on products that we’ve tested and would recommend ourselves. So, when we see a good deal for the well-made, comfortable and spacious-sounding Technics EAH-AZ40M2 wireless earbuds, we’re delighted to pass it on to our readers.

These wireless in-ears are also easy on the eye, so why not take a look at them now they’re available for £80 at Amazon? At £50 off their original price, that represents great value.

The Technics EAH-AZ40M2 are solidly built, while the combination of a shiny exterior that meets a matte finish on the part leading into the ear tip gives them a stylish appearance that could easily fool you into thinking they were more expensive wireless in-ears.

One of their more notable features is three-way Bluetooth multi-point, which allows for seamlessly connecting three audio devices at once, ideal for multi-taskers. Wireless connectivity is provided via Bluetooth 5.3, and the LDAC codec is supported here, so you can stream high-resolution audio at higher data transmission rates than standard, lossy AAC Bluetooth.

The buds come with four eartip sizes to ensure a comfortable fit, while their 18-hour total battery life (with the charging case) isn’t bad either.

When we tested them at the end of 2023, we noticed they had a “broad, open sound characterised by fine detail and a knack for proper musical organisation”. We also concluded that “in providing a neutral, balanced sound, Technics’ cheapest wireless buds will appeal to anyone who wants their music to be truly given space to breathe”.

Bear in mind that we tested these four-star buds at £129, so now they’re the best part of £50 cheaper, they represent plenty of bang for your buck. There are rival Sony wireless earbuds that are also available at this price – such as the Award-winning Sony WF-C710N for £75 at Amazon, but this Technics pair offers a different flavour and a set of features that could appeal to many.

If you’re after some affordable wireless earbuds that look and sound good, have a gander at this Technics EAH-AZ40M2 deal for £80 on Amazon.

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Black Friday 2025: our pick of the best deals on headphones, TVs, speakers, soundbars and more

The best Black Friday headphone deals for all budgets

The best wireless earbuds you can buy

Black Friday quick links

• Amazon: browse all of today's best deals
• B&W speakers: save £200
• Bluetooth speaker: 48% off five-star JBL
• Bose QC Ultra Earbuds: save £100
• Bravia 8 TV: save 34% on 55in Sony TV
• Denon AV receiver: save £500
• Dolby Atmos soundbar: down to £299
• ELAC Debut 2: five-star speakers now £199
• Headphones: Sennheiser Momentum 4 now £169
• LG C5 55-inch: lowest-ever price at Richer Sounds
• JBL soundbar: now better than half price
• John Lewis: £500 off LG and Sony OLED TVs
• Richer Sounds: browse Black Friday deals
• Sevenoaks: £150 off Award-winning speakers
• Sony headphones: now just £29
• Stereo amplifier: Cambridge Audio now £299
• TVs, movies, home cinema: browse the best deals
• Vinyl: 3 for £66 at Amazon
• Wireless earbuds: Award winners now £75

There are precious few Black Friday turntable deals around as we hurtle towards the big day – that's this Friday, 28th November – but I think I've found the best one yet.

We're always on the lookout for a good deal on the five-star Technics SL-1500C, which regularly drops to £799 – a very welcome £100 off its retail price. That's the price you'll see it at across the major retailers at the moment.

However, I've just spotted that you can get an extra £50 off that current deal price if you buy this turntable at Sevenoaks or at John Lewis, simply by applying a special code at checkout.

That means you'll end up paying just £749 at Sevenoaks for the SL-1500C if you apply the code GDSAVE50, which is a great £150 saving and the lowest price you'll find on this superb Technics right now.

If you'd rather buy from John Lewis, you'll need an existing My John Lewis membership (or sign up for one) and apply the code SAVE50MYJL006 to get the additional £50 off.

The Technics SL-1500C didn't just get a five-star review when we tested it, it's also held a handful of What Hi-Fi? Awards over the last few years, so any price drop on this terrific turntable is worth paying attention to.

The SL-1500C has the hallmarks of the legendary Technics brand behind it, with its distinctive looks and stable direct drive motor complemented by a rock-solid build. It is a sturdy performer, with every element of the record player – from the S-shaped tonearm to the substantial aluminium plinth – feeling well-engineered and lovely to use.

This deck comes with a rather good phono stage built in, which is helpful if you don't have a phono preamp in your existing system. This means you can plug it straight into your amplifier or active speakers, making it flexible in use. Alternatively, you can also take the line output and plug the deck into your existing phono-equipped amplifier, if you wish.

Set up is easy, with the supplied Ortofon 2M Red moving magnet cartridge fitted to the headshell. There are stop and start buttons for easy operation, electronic speed change, the ability to change the arm's height if you want to upgrade the cartridge, and even an auto-lift function so the stylus lifts at the end of a record side.

Sound-wise, the Technics SL-1500C is a wonderfully stable, dynamic and precise performer. Complex rhythmic compositions are delivered with clarity and composure, and it all sounds organised. Leading edges of notes are deftly defined, big crescendoes are handled with rousing drama, while quieter moments have nuance, too. When it comes to the bass performance, there is a satisfying amount of depth, punch and agility.

In our review, we were impressed with "the way it resolves plenty of detail and manages to deliver all that information in a cohesive and musical whole. There are few rivals around the grand mark that do it better."

Newer rival Rega Planar 3/Nd3 offers greater subtlety, dynamic expression and rhythmic precision, but it doesn't have any of the extra features of the Technics and is pricier at £840.

For this £749 deal price, the Technics SL-1500C is a rock-solid recommendation and will entertain you for many years to come. If you're after a reliable, enjoyable and feature-packed turntable, use the checkout code hack at Sevenoaks or John Lewis to grab the full £150 discount and nab yourself a terrific turntable.

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I’ve picked my favourite affordable hi-fi components to create a Black Friday hi-fi system for vinyl and CDs

Black Friday quick links

• Amazon: browse all of today's best deals
• B&W speakers: save £200
• Bluetooth speaker: 48% off five-star JBL
• Bose QC Ultra Earbuds: save £100
• Bravia 8 TV: save 34% on 55in Sony TV
• Denon AV receiver: save £500
• Dolby Atmos soundbar: down to £299
• ELAC Debut 2: five-star speakers now £199
• Headphones: Sennheiser Momentum 4 now £169
• LG C5 55-inch: lowest-ever price at Richer Sounds
• JBL soundbar: now better than half price
• John Lewis: £500 off LG and Sony OLED TVs
• Richer Sounds: browse Black Friday deals
• Sevenoaks: £150 off Award-winning speakers
• Sony headphones: now just £29
• TVs, movies, home cinema: browse the best deals
• Vinyl: 3 for £66 at Amazon
• Wireless earbuds: Award winners now £75

Let's be clear from the start: we like the Bose QuietComfort Ultra Earbuds (2nd Gen) very much. We think they're terrifically talented, especially if you like class-leading noise cancelling and comfort, all boosted by notable improvements on their five-star predecessors.

Now that they're properly discounted for the first time, we like them even more. The QC Ultra Earbuds (2nd Gen) are down from £299 to £270 at Argos, a saving of around £30. That's a tempting deal on a very well-rounded pair of flagship wireless earbuds that only made their debut earlier this year.

The thing is, if sound and value are your priorities, we think there's an alternative that you might want to consider...

Bose's QC Ultra (2nd Gen) get a first-time discount

The Bose QuietComfort Ultra (2nd Gen) are, unequivocally, better than their outgoing predecessors. The differences aren't start, but subtle tweaks to practically all areas of performance have all added up to a pair of flagship earbuds that we admire hugely. In truth, they may be some of the best buds that Bose has ever made.

They fit beautifully thanks to the buds' clever in-ear ridges which nestle under the ear and provide stability and support no matter what you're doing or where you're headed. Their feature set is ample, with 6 hours of battery life from the earbuds and 24 hours in total, as well as aptX Adaptive codec support, wireless charging and Bose's 'Immersive Audio' spatial tech.

Noise cancelling, naturally, is their forte, and we still can't think of another pair of earbuds that match the second-gen QC Ultra for their ability to completely shield you from the outside world. Add to that a sound that comes across as punchy, full-bodied and more detailed than their predecessors, and you have a really fine pair of performers.

Just be aware that there is a cheaper alternative out there. The Technics EAH-AZ100 are also on sale for £210, and they're our current Award-winners for premium wireless earbuds.

With the Technics, you'll get up to 10 hours (with ANC on) of battery life and 28 hours of life with the charging case, as well as very solid ANC, a comfortable design, plus ample customisable features supported by a deep, nicely laid-out control app.

Where the EAH-AZ100 really earn our backing is with regard to how they sound. Technics buds have always tended to sound spacious, sparkling and detailed, but the boundary-pushing AZ100 add in so much more musicality, rhythmic drive and dynamic prowess that they stand tall as possibly Technics' greatest-ever buds.

If you care about sound, they'd be the ones we'd pick at Amazon. If all-round comfort and ANC are for you, head over to Argos and go with Team Bose.

MORE:

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Black Friday 2025 hi-fi deals live: our audio experts picks of the top savings on speakers, headphones, vinyl and more

Black Friday quick links

• Amazon: browse all of today's best deals
• B&W speakers: save £200
• Bluetooth speaker: 48% off five-star JBL
• Bose QC Ultra Earbuds: save £100
• Bravia 8 TV: save 34% on 55in Sony TV
• Denon AV receiver: save £500
• Dolby Atmos soundbar: down to £299
• ELAC Debut 2: five-star speakers now £199
• Headphones: Sennheiser Momentum 4 now £169
• John Lewis: £500 off LG and Sony OLED TVs
• Richer Sounds: browse Black Friday deals
• Sevenoaks: £150 off Award-winning speakers
• TVs, movies, home cinema: browse the best deals

Who would have thought that the turntable category would be going from strength to strength in the 21st century? For the 2025 What Hi-Fi? Awards, the number of winners in the best turntables category has increased from five to seven, such is the quality of performance and value available across a spectrum of prices.

Let's start off with Rega, which leads the pack with three wins. When we tested the excellent Planar 3 RS Edition at the very start of the year, we knew immediately it would be knocking the standard Planar 3/Nd3 – which had just won the Product of the Year for turntables at the 2024 Awards – off its perch.

The RS Edition borrows material technology from its higher-end siblings, includes a step-up cartridge and the Neo Mk2 power supply as standard, and improves upon its iconic sibling in every way when it comes to sound quality to become our new winner in the £750-£1000 price range.

We say in our review: “There is a confidence and effortless quality to the way this turntable sounds compared with the standard Planar 3; the RS Edition locks every detail, every instrument, every vocal into place in an assured way that is admirable and wholly enjoyable.”

Sitting just under it in the best turntable £500-£750 bracket, is the Pro-Ject Debut Evo 2 – but with some very specific upgrades. The Debut Evo 2 on its own is a lovely turntable, available in 10 very appealing finishes, and delivering a sweet, smooth and refined sound with a fluid way with music.

But switch its basic sub-platter for the Alu Sub-Platter, and add the High Power it 2 power supply upgrade, and we get significant gains in authority, weight, dynamic punch and greater subtlety throughout. You can absolutely buy the Evo 2 on its own and get a good performance; add the upgrades, though, and you get a great performance at its price.

Pro-Ject and Rega both have a turntable-win apiece at more affordable prices: the Planar 1 is once again the winner in the £300-£500 bracket, while the long-running, budget Primary E is still managing to fend off newer, affordable rivals (even from within Pro-Ject) at under £300 simply by delivering the basics so well.

We need to highlight another accomplishment here: this is the Primary E's eighth win in a row since we first reviewed it in 2018. As a starter turntable, it remains unbeaten.

Rega's step-up Planar 6 may have won a What Hi-Fi? Award before, but this year it takes its trophy with the new Nd7 moving-magnet cartridge. This new package wins the £1000-£2000 bracket.

Heading into the more premium price ranges, we have two spectacular new winners. After an absence from our turntable winners list last year, Technics returns with a splash – the superb SL-1300G turntable may take build and design cues from the legendary SL-1200 model, but it is stripped of any DJ trappings and instead this direct-drive record player is designed for pure hi-fi performance.

It's a dynamic and incredibly stable turntable, whose performance is “full-bodied, nicely layered and delivered with class-leading slam”.

And finally, if you have big bucks to spend and are looking for ultimate vinyl replay (before heading into five-figure territory), our winner in the best turntable over £3000 category is the Vertere DG-X. This is the third generation of Vertere Acoustics’ “entry-level” turntable, and all three generations have won a What Hi-Fi? Award.

This latest DG-X model is the brand's most sophisticated and powerful performer yet, without losing any of the energy and pizzazz that we love so much. Its stunning, eye-catching design is complemented by innovative engineering, while its hugely entertaining performance delivers on rhythm, dynamics and insight like no other. In terms of sheer enjoyment and musical cohesion, the DG-X is a stunning record player.

All seven turntables are winners in their own right, and no matter your budget and whether you are a die-hard vinyl fan or a complete novice, we think you will be delighted with any of these turntables in your home music system.

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Technics is making sure that one of its most iconic series of turntables is going out with a bang. The established hi-fi brand has revealed its new Grand Class SL-1200G/1210G Master Edition special production turntables, which it describes as the final evolution of the iconic SL-1200G series.

The SL-1200 line has been a legend for Technics since the 1970s, with many of its successors and iterations, such as the beautifully made SL-1200GR2 and the 2025 What Hi-Fi? Award-winner SL-1300G, passing through our test rooms in recent years. That original 'G' line is now ending after 50 years of production, with Technics looking to send its iconic range riding off into the sunset via one last hurrah.

For the Master Edition models, Technics has fitted the new turntables with an upgraded direct drive system, benefitting from the brand's current ΔΣ-Drive (Delta Sigma Drive) motor control technology in pursuit of "super smooth rotational accuracy" for the first time.

The iron-coreless motor (seen in most Technics direct drive turntables) has also been reworked via a reinforced stator board, reducing minute vibrations to further smoothen the tracking process, while a hybrid encoder aims to keep the rotation speed consistent no matter the record being played.

The Special Edition decks use a four-layered bottom chassis made from aluminium and a 'Bulk Moulding Compound', complemented by a 10mm aluminium top plate and a rubber-coated bottom chassis for "unparalleled mechanical rigidity" to prevent unwanted vibrations from disrupting the tracking process.

The S-shaped magnesium tonearm, meanwhile, uses high-precision bearings for more precise tracking. You'll have to supply and fit your own cartridge.

To distinguish them as special editions, the tonearm of the new players will be painted gold, while the headshell and top panel will be adorned with a golden Technics logo.

According to Frank Balzuweit, Technics Europe's Senior Product Manager: "We are delighted to celebrate the end of the SL-1200/1210 “G” model with a true audiophile masterpiece, incorporating the best Technics turntable technology in a collector’s item which is likely to soon become a legend of its own, a statement of Technics mastery in turntable design".

The new Technics 1200 Grand Class Master Edition turntables will be available from January 2026, priced at £5000. The SL-1200GME will be limited to 1200 units and come in a silver finish, whereas the SL-1210GME will be limited to 1210 pieces and come in a black finish.

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These are the best turntables you can buy

While some What Hi-Fi? Awards categories can become as static and unmoving as a professional human statue, others chop and change more frequently than a fresh-faced K-Pop ensemble.

That, as you’ll probably already be aware, is the case when it comes to the ever-fluctuating world of wireless headphones and earbuds.

There might not be another category that we cover – be it Bluetooth speakers, turntables or stereo amplifiers – that sees quite as much competition, with so many brands vying for wire-free supremacy that it can be hard to keep track.

In fact, the list of challengers trying to cut out a slice of the industry’s most competitive cake seems to grow every year.

Apple, Bose, B&W, Sony, Denon, Beats, Technics, Audio-Technica, Focal, JBL, Earfun, Noble, Dali, LG, Sennheiser – it just never ends. That might make it tricky to know where to buy from, but it does mean that fierce competition has created a red-hot crucible in which only the best of the best are worthy of praise.

Sony leads the way for entry-level excellence

If you have made it into 2025’s pantheon of greats, you’ve done something right. If you happen to be the cheap and cheerful Sony WF-C510, you have actually done far more right than we could possibly have hoped for.

Succeeding their C500 predecessors in real style, the WF-C510 prioritise performance and usability over aesthetics, making them our pick as the best buds for entry-level listening. By nailing the musical basics with purpose and power, they’re in a league of one at the entry-point to this year’s wireless Awards rundown.

That said, if you seek noise cancelling and that Sony sonic prowess but you’re still keen on keeping costs low, the Sony WF-C710N are the logical next step.

We are heartily impressed by how much the C710N can do. While many affordable buds talk a big game features-wise, only to let you down with compromised performance across the board, the C710N just get everything right. From noise cancelling to their punchy, full delivery, they are outstandingly good value.

We’re conscious that some users will want a step up in noise-cancelling and sonic performance from the WF-C710N but don’t want to go straight to the flagship models; which is why we have decided that the Bose QuietComfort Earbuds are also worthy of applause.

They have dropped dramatically in price since they arrived last year, making them the ideal candidates to fill the £150-£250 gap on our 2025 Awards rundown. Their solid, musical sound makes them a pleasure to listen to, while Bose’s outstanding ANC is the star of the show, making the QC Earbuds a great choice for users who don’t want to stretch to their more premium QC Ultra Earbuds (2nd gen) (£299 / $299 / AU$450) counterparts.

Technics’ premium performers shine

The new entries don’t stop coming. We have singled out the Technics EAH-AZ100 as our favourite premium wireless earbuds of 2025; while Technics had always been knocking on the door of sonic excellence, we always felt that the Japanese brand just needed to infuse its buds with a bit more punch and dynamism to go with all those lovely helpings of sparkle and clarity.

That’s exactly what the EAH-AZ100 manage. These are the buds we had always been hoping Technics would produce, blending superb detail and clarity with the sort of expressive, engaging sound that we could enjoy for hours.

Plus, their noise cancelling is great and their design is comfortable, meaning they are easy to get along with on a day-to-day basis.

Wireless over-ears just keep getting better

Right, that’s enough about buds, how about wireless over-ear headphones?

It seems as though every pair of wireless headphones has to sport noise cancelling as a matter of priority, but that’s a trend that Austrian Audio has bucked with its aggressively priced (around £129 / $179 / AU$269) Hi-X25BT Bluetooth cans.

Instead, all the effort has been put into making the snazzy over-ears sound as good as they possible can for this price, with Austrian Audio – a brand we more readily associate with pristine-sounding wired sets – bringing their considerable know-how to the wireless space. That clean, crisp signature remains, as do heaps of detail and vivacity, making it hard to care that you're not getting the luxury of ANC.

Of course, lots of users do crave noise cancelling, and quite a lot else besides. If that sounds like you, the Sony WH-1000XM6 are our pick as the best wireless headphones between £250-£500. While they’re not super-cheap, we predict they will be the best cans for most people most of the time.

Across almost any metric – sound, comfort, reliability, usability, features – they are simply outstanding, showcasing very few blind spots and excelling in every area that matters. We didn’t think the WH-1000XM5 could be improved that much, but the XM6, with their better sound, nicer fit and complete foldability, have proved us dead wrong.

Focal pushes the boundaries of wireless sound

For properly boundary-pushing performance, the Focal Bathys Mg are our “money no object” pick. £999 / $1299 / AU$2300 is by no means cheap for a set of wireless cans, but we are confident in saying that the Bathys Mg really are some of the finest Bluetooth headphones we have heard, well, ever.

To steal from our original review, the fancy Focals “take wireless noise-cancelling headphones performance to a whole new level”. They are stunningly detailed operators, but what sees the Bathys Mg pull away from the pack (apart from their price) is their peerless sense of musicality and sonic engagement.

Get hold of a pair if you want a pair of headphones that make you feel truly spoiled.

What a year it has been for wireless earbuds and headphones. Once again, our list of winners is stacked with new entries at both ends of the cost spectrum, reinforcing this as arguably the most dynamic and fast-evolving area in all of audio.

Yes, wires are still king for audio fidelity; but wireless performance? Clearly, it’s never been better. Just as Messi and Ronaldo pushed each other to higher footballing heights, the multitudes of manufacturers trying to make a name in the wireless space has only led to finer and finer offerings. Long may it continue.

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Digital equipment with a range of tweaking options may seem like a good idea, but I'm not convinced

Looking for an Amazon Big Deals Days discount on a new hi-fi setup? Then I’m pleased to report, while they're not on Amazon, a potent combination of deals will let you pick up the system I use in my lounge every day with a healthy £240 off its normal price, right now.

Specifically you can grab the five-star, multi-Award-winning Technics SA-C600 system for £759 (save £140) and the five-star Q Acoustics 3030i standmount speakers for £229 at Richer Sounds.

Why this system when you’re editor of What Hi-Fi? you ask? Because the two products are fantastic value for money and deliver a nicely matched sonic character that has delighted my wife and I and friends and family for years.

So in short, don't judge me, I'd love a Temptation level setup, but a journalists budget on goes so far.

The Technics SA-C600 is a repeat What Hi-Fi? Award-winner for a reason. Paired well, as it is with the Q Acoustics 3030i, you’ll be treated to a lively, entertaining sound with expressive, punchy dynamics.

This makes everything from complex jazz arrangements from Bill Evans to thundering 12-blues from Stevie Ray Vaughan (two artists who are in vogue with my wife and I) truly come to life.

Add to this the CD player and good, by a system this price’s standards, phono stage and it also leaves plenty of room to evolve the setup and add a turntable down the line.

My only word of caution is that, if you can afford to, the amp has room to drive more demanding and modern speakers. You could go bigger here, if you wanted.

Buyers on a much stricter budget who don’t need a CD player could also consider the WiiM Amp Pro, While it is not as good sonically, it is much cheaper, especially at its current deal price. You can buy the WiiM Pro Amp for £320 at Amazon (save £80).

Those caveats aside, I’d still happily recommend the system to any music fan who can’t afford to spend more – I still love using it everyday.

MORE:

These are the best stereo amps we’ve tested

Our picks of the best hi-fi systems

These are the best bookshelf speakers we’ve reviewed

It’s not often we have a competition as tight as our £649-£699 stereo speakers Group Test. Tight not only as far as price goes either; all five of these rivals are superb performers, each with its own strengths, and very few weaknesses. And there are two that are brand new to these pages, to add to the spice.

Joining those speakers are two other Group Tests that posed our experienced review team some real problems in resolving the rankings, so good were the options. The 65in OLED TV is getting more and more popular, and with the four stunning examples we have it’s easy to see why.

And then we have a three-way tussle between three almost impossibly good pairs of flagship wireless earbuds from Bose, Bowers & Wilkins and Technics.

Best bang-for-your-buck speakers

As you move up out of the crowded budget-speaker arena into mid-priced standmounter territory – that is, from around the £500 mark upwards – it’s here that sound quality takes a significant step forward and the sonic character of each of the products on offer becomes more clearly differentiated from that of its rivals.

Until just a year or two ago, this terrain was dominated by B&W and its 600 series; more recently, though, a flurry of talented rivals have joined the fray and ruffled B&W’s feathers with their all-round quality and, in some cases, technological innovation.

So, we thought to ourselves, time to see how those venerable B&W old-timers stand up to the challenge from the best of the newer kids on the block by running a Group Test and declaring a definitive winner.

All five pairs of speakers we're testing against each other have impressive credentials and any one of them may suit you best. But find out which pair our team of experts declared top of the pile in November's What Hi-Fi?

OLED TV group test

After just two years in the sun, LG’s MLA (Micro Lens Array) panel tech has been consigned to the great electronics dustbin in the sky, with Primary RGB Tandem taking its place as the pinnacle W-OLED panel tech – and boasting a brightness increase of a third.

Because lots of TV manufacturers source their OLED panels from LG Display, the new Primary RGB Tandem tech is now found in a handful of TVs from different brands. And we have included the two most popular and prominent examples in this test – the LG G5 and Panasonic Z95B.

Just because these two TVs share a panel doesn’t mean they will perform the same. The panel is just one – admittedly very important – ingredient in the recipe that makes up a TV. Each TV’s unique picture processing is just as critical.

There are also, of course, feature differences to consider as well, from the operating system to the number of gaming-friendly HDMI 2.1 sockets and quality of the built-in sound system.

But we have still introduced only half of the TVs in this flagship-OLED battle royale, which also features two QD-OLED models, the Samsung S95F and Sony Bravia 8 II.

But, this battle isn’t between OLED panel technologies – it’s between four of the most advanced TVs on sale today, and it promises fireworks – gloriously bright, colourful fireworks against the inkiest of black backgrounds…

Premium earbuds group test

So, what does a pair of wireless earbuds need to do to be considered ‘premium’? Their price tag should tell you they sit in the top end of the market, and the pairs we’re look at here are priced at somewhere between £250-£350.

But, whatever the price bracket, we’re still looking for the best performance-versus-pound; and even with a flagship pair, you should still be looking for a fair amount of bang-for-your-buck.

To this end, there are a number of things we look for when considering the best premium pairs. Our team assess multiple factors including comfort, ease of use, noise-cancelling, call quality and battery life. Ultimately, though, sound quality and value for money are top of our list of priorities.

We’ve been testing wireless earbuds ever since the product category first emerged nearly a decade ago. These three pairs, currently, represent the cream of the crop, with class leading features, build and sound. Whichever pair – Technics, Bose or B&W – ultimately wins this group test, we’re sure you’ll be happy with any of them – we’ve pitched them against each other because they’re competitive, after all.

First with reviews

As always, our First Tests section is filled to the brim with in-depth, impartial and expert verdicts on the very latest hi-fi and AV gear.

First up this month is the return of an old favourite, the NAD C 3050, now transformed via the addition of the MDC2 BluOS-D module, into a superior streaming amp. Read our review of this new combo in this month's mag!

Also on test this month, the TCL 65C8K proves the Chinese brand is a serious player in the world of LCD TVs - its five-star rating tells you we think highly of its new 65-inch TV. Elsewhere, Focal's high-end Bathys Mg prove to be real contenders in the wireless headphones arena, plus we have reviews of Ruark's latest version of its dinky desktop MR1 Mk3 speakers and the Samsung Galaxy S Flip 7 smartphone.

Guitar amplification legends Marshall have a new soundbar, the Heston 120, and other kit to pass through our test rooms includes the 48-inch version of the Panasonic Z90B OLED TV, and last but not least the Eversolo Play CD Edition.

See what our review team thought of all these products in November's What Hi-Fi?

Pricey, or priceless?

Our Temptations section of the magazine is where you'll find the highest of the high-end of hi-fi and AV products.

First up is the Eversolo DMP-A10 music streamer. It's not the cheapest option for streaming your music, but it is a nice looking bit of kit, with our expert reviews team also noting its considerable musical charms: "There are no rough edges here, just a good amount of insight, richly textured instruments and the ability to convey the sheer majesty of an orchestra well."

Then we take a look at ATC's SCM20ASL standmount speakers. Their presentation and impressive stereo imaging were enough to impress, even at their not inconsiderable price.

Find out more in November's What Hi-Fi?

Finally, don't forget to check out our Buyer’s Guide, featuring a definitive and freshly updated list of all the best home entertainment kit you can buy – including winners of 2024's What Hi-Fi? Awards. If you’re looking to purchase anything from a pair of the best wireless headphones to a home cinema speaker system, this section will tell you where to spend your money wisely.

Whatever you do, don't miss the November 2025 issue of What Hi-Fi?. Grab a copy today, or simply download it onto your tablet or smartphone. Enjoy!

You can subscribe or buy the latest issue here, or buy the digital edition on iPhone, iPad, Android devices or Kindle edition

The Technics EAH-AZ80 wireless earbuds have received a welcome price cut at Amazon, dropping to £159 from their £259 launch price.

While this isn't quite the lowest price we've seen for these capable earbuds (they hit £150 in July) it's still not far off and represents a good opportunity for those who missed that earlier deal.

The EAH-AZ80 earned four stars across the board for sound, features and comfort when we reviewed them in 2023.

While they faced stiff competition from established rivals like the Sony WF-1000XM5 and Bose QuietComfort Ultra Earbuds at their original price, this £100 discount makes them a much more compelling proposition.

What impressed us most about the AZ80 was their spacious, open presentation that provides music with room to breathe.

As we noted in our review, they deliver a pleasing feeling of neutral clarity, with an unobtrusive soundscape that doesn't smother music in heavy bass.

This makes them particularly appealing for listeners who prefer a more balanced, analytical sound signature.

One standout feature is their industry-first three-device multipoint connection, allowing seamless switching between phone, laptop and tablet without the usual two-device limitation found elsewhere.

We found this worked brilliantly in practice, though it's worth noting that LDAC codec support drops to two devices when using all three connections.

Other solid features include up to seven hours of battery life on a single charge (rising to 7.5 hours with ANC off), 25 hours total with the case, and Technics' JustMyVoice call technology for clearer voice calls in windy conditions.

The earbuds also come with an impressive seven pairs of ear tips.

Where the AZ80 struggled at launch was competing against punchier, more dynamic rivals. We found them occasionally lacking satisfying dynamics and punch compared to the fuller, weightier delivery of competitors like the Bose QuietComfort Earbuds II. However, at this reduced price, those sonic trade-offs become easier to accept.

It's also worth considering Technics' newer flagship, the five-star £259 Technics EAH-AZ100, which addresses many of the AZ80's shortcomings with improved sound quality, better noise-cancelling and longer battery life.

However, the AZ100 remain significantly pricier at full price, making this discounted AZ80 deal appealing for those seeking Technics' signature clarity, without the premium outlay.

MORE

Best wireless earbuds 2025: top pairs tested by our reviewers

New issue of What Hi-Fi? out now: top turntables to supercharge your vinyl listening

These are the best headphones we've tested in 2025

Monday is upon us, which means yet another fresh entry into our Rewind hi-fi and home cinema digest.

In it we once again offer all the facts on the big news to break over the past week – and boy what a week it was. As well as the IFA tradeshow in Berlin, our experts had to contend with a wealth of surprise announcements from Dolby, Technics, Arcam and more.

Here’s everything you need to know.

Marshall’s finally lifted the lid on its second soundbar

Last week Marshall lifted the lid on its second Dolby Atmos soundbar, the Heston 60. The unit is a smaller, more affordable take on the full sized Heston 120 we reviewed and gave three stars to earlier this year.

Despite this, we can’t help but feel a little excited about the Heston 60 for one big reason – its small dimensions and price make it a direct rival to the Sonos Beam (Gen 2), which has been left unchallenged in the smaller Atmos soundbar space for far too long.

Read the full story: Marshall's Heston 60 Dolby Atmos soundbar wants to dethrone the Sonos Beam (Gen 2)

Surprise! There’s a new version of Dolby Vision

Last week the surprise launch of Dolby Vision 2 was without a doubt one of the biggest pieces of news to break and dominate the IFA 2025 headlines and showroom floor – where our roaming staff writer, Robyn Quick, spotted a rogue Vision 2 TV from TCL in the wild.

The new standard offers a wealth of new tools and features designed to help filmmakers make their movies look “better”, and TVs offer a more authentic, as the director intended experience playing them. Curious folks that we are, we also took the time to chat to a group Dolby engineers to get a sneak peek behind the curtain and find out how it actually works.

Read the full story: Dolby Vision 2 unveiled: AI-powered picture optimisation, creator controls, and more

Arcam’s refreshed a load of its five-star hi-fi

One big bit of non-IFA news came from Arcam, which lifted the lid on its new A5+, A15+ and A25+ integrated amplifiers.

The A5 and A15 are of particular interest as their predecessors, the five-star Arcam A5 and Arcam A15, are both What Hi-Fi? Award winners.

Every new model has been upgraded to support Bluetooth 5.4, allowing for streaming via the higher-quality aptX Lossless codec, LE Audio and the Auracast sharing protocol.

The A5+ has also had its internal components tweaked to allow for a lower power supply impedance. Above it, the A15+ and A25+ have had slightly bigger upgrades, with Arcam adding an HDMI eARC input to both, for people who want to connect it to their TV / home cinema set-up as well as upgrading their core specifications.

Read the full story: Arcam's refreshed A5+ and A15+ stereo amplifiers aim to improve upon the best

Technics new turntable turned heads

Technics last week unveiled its new SL-40CBT turntable, which caused quite a range of reactions amongst the What Hi-Fi? team.

Some were immediately enamoured with its modernised, distinctly Pro-Ject-like, design and ease-of-use focus, with it featuring Bluetooth connectivity, amongst other things.

Others, including our former editor-in-chief, Joe Cox, were less thrilled, going so far as to comment: “Is it even a Technics deck if it doesn’t have a pitch control?”

Read the full story: Technics modernises its direct drive turntable with a contemporary design and Bluetooth streaming

Our TV and AV has a new favourite Samsung OLED

Last week we finished reviewing the Samsung S95F – the firm’s current flagship OLED TV and a direct rival to the Sony Bravia 8 II, LG G5 and Panasonic Z95B.

And not only did the set earn a five-star rating, it also won over our TV and AV editor, Tom Parsons, who describes it as “the best Samsung TV he’s ever tested”.

Trust us, he doesn’t get excited like this often. Highlights include a bright QD-OLED panel that offers just enough punch to give it a proper “wow” factor, without venturing into overbaked territory, as many past Samsung OLEDs have.

Read our full Samsung S95F review

MORE:

These are the best OLED TVs we've tested

We rate the best Dolby Atmos soundbars

Our picks of the best stereo amps

Technics has taken the lid off a brand new turntable at IFA 2025. The new Technics SL-40CBT combines the Japanese brand's proprietary direct drive turntable design with a fresh contemporary design and convenient features, aimed at "today’s vinyl enthusiasts."

The SL-40CBT's direct drive design features its customary iron core-less motor that helps with rotation stability and accuracy, a technology that is also found in the brand's more premium models, such as the five-star SL-1300G.

It comes with an S-shaped aluminium tonearm that promises "ultra precise vinyl groove tracking" and comes fitted with an Audio-Technica AT-VM95C cartridge, which is chosen for its "sonic finesse" and wide compatibility with most moving magnet phono stages.

Like the multiple Award-winning Technics SL-1500C (roughly £799 / $1500 now) that we still recommend as the best direct drive turntable you can buy, the new SL-40CBT features a built-in moving magnet phono stage, making it easy to plug the turntable into a variety of hi-fi systems and active speakers without worrying about an external phono stage.

We really like the quality of the integrated phono stage in the SL-1500C (which isn't always the case with many similar record players) and so have high hopes that the same good quality has transferred over to the SL-40CBT.

The phono stage is switchable too, which offers an upgrade path and means you can choose to use a better-quality preamp externally or use the one in your existing amplifier.

What's new to Technics is the inclusion of Bluetooth streaming in this model, which lets you play your records wirelessly to compatible Bluetooth speakers and wireless headphones. It's an increasingly popular feature in modern turntables, and means you can be flexible with the placement of your turntable.

Technics hasn't confirmed the codec quality of the Bluetooth stream, but we hope that the process is as fuss-free as we found in the five-star Pro-Ject T1 Evo BT.

Another big change is that Technics has shed its "traditional" sturdy die-cast aluminium chassis in favour of a "sleek, minimalist" MDF wood body and now comes in a rather trendy terracotta finish. It also comes in light grey and charcoal black, to match the same colours as the SC-CX700 wireless active speaker system.

The deck features an aluminium platter and offers electronic speed control for 33 1/3 and 45 RPM speeds. There are stop/start controls and a Bluetooth pairing button on the deck, too.

It's clear that Technics is aiming for a wider audience and enticing new vinyl fans with this contemporary design, and we hope that it is true to its word when it says it still "delivers the same premium level performance the brand is renowned for.

Frank Balzuweit, European Technics product manager, says: “With the SL-40CBT, our focus is on music enthusiasts looking to begin their vinyl record journey that also wish for a premium quality product that fulfils high quality audio demands,” Frank Balzuweit further explains.

The Technics SL-40CBT turntable is priced at £749 / $899 and is available from September.

Additionally, Technics has also introduced a midnight blue finish for its five-star EAH-AZ100 premium wireless earbuds, joining the existing black, silver and champagne gold colourways.

MORE:

Read our five-star Technics SL-1500C review

Our guide to the best Bluetooth turntables on the market

8 standout tracks we've been enjoying in our listening rooms this past month

Some things are well worth spending the money on – for the right person, of course. There are plenty of people for whom spending three or four thousand pounds on a turntable is insanity – and that’s fair enough.

For those of us, though, who want to make the very most of our hobby and our music, it could be a relatively small price to pay (over the years) to enhance the joy in our life. And that, I would suggest, is a rather important thing to try to do. Our round up of high end turntables will give you some remarkable options.

In contrast to those stereo stunners, we also bring you a couple of fascinating AV tests. The projector is showing serious signs of fighting for survival against ever-larger TV screens. Our round-up of portable projectors highlights some particularly impressive performers in a new category for us – what we are calling “coffee table” projectors.

And don’t miss our head to head of two of the big hitters in the 48-inch OLED TV arena, as Samsung takes on LG.

Top level turntables

You could say we know a thing or two about turntables here at What Hi-Fi? After all, we’ve been testing them since the magazine first started out back in 1976. We are delighted that today, the venerable record player is enjoying such a resurgence – and vinyl fans in 2025 have such a great range of options across
all price ranges.

If you’re serious about your vinyl replay, and have the budget to spend accordingly, you may be considering one of the more premium record players we’re looking at here.

The models we feature over the following pages sit within the £3,500-£8,000 price range. For this money, you can expect superb fit and finish, some wonderful, unique designs and innovative engineering touches that push the sound of your vinyl to impressive levels of detail, dynamics and rhythmic drive.

The big players in this sector of the market include Rega, Vertere, Michell, Linn and VPI, and we have a model from each of those rightly-lauded turntable manufacturers for comparison this issue. Ready to make your dream vinyl set-up a reality? Read our recommendations in October's What Hi-Fi?

Coffee-table projectors

Here we have a relatively new species of projector: a semi-portable breed that we are calling the ‘coffee-table’ projector.

They are designed to operate on a convenient table, shelf or other typical living-room surface. Their emergence was brought on by the need for a no-fuss, adaptable all-in-one AV system – and they are thriving.

The key here is versatility. While these projectors are not fully portable (they’re too big for that), they can easily be moved from room to room – or even out into the garden for post-barbie film nights. They are designed to be easy to use too; most have built-in keystone-correction systems and automatic focus adjustments so they can easily adapt to a new environment, and their short-throw nature means they are well equipped to deliver big-screen images where space is at a premium.

4K images are the norm here and the visuals are a significant step-up from anything you would get from a fully portable model. Features, too, are generously supplied, with any model worth its salt having a comprehensive collection of TV smarts, courtesy of Google TV or similar.

Interested? This month we have picked out five leading products, ranging in price from £699 to £2200, to help you make your selection.

The battle of the 48-inch OLEDs

At the (relatively) small size of 48-inches, a TV this size can be a more convenient and space economical way to get great TV images into your living room. Or, they are a great size for a second, bedroom set or a gaming TV. The two 48-inch TV sets we pitch against each other this month are both at the premium end for this size of telly, being the latest OLED models from LG and Samsung, the C5 and S90F respectively.

Comparing the sets on price, features, all-important picture quality and more, we found much to like with both OLEDs. Which one triumphed? Read October's What Hi-Fi? to find out!

First with reviews

As always, our First Tests section is filled to the brim with in-depth, impartial and expert verdicts on the very latest hi-fi and AV gear.

You may not be familiar with hi-fi manufacturer Acoustic Energy (heck, it's been a while since we'd heard the name), but this month they returned to the scene with a new standmount speaker, the AE300 Mk2, that's more than good enough to challenge the class leaders at the price. Find out more in this month's mag!

Also passing through our test rooms this month was LG's QNED93 LCD TV from the Korean tech giants. The company may be more lauded for its OLED TVs, but could this LCD set make its mark? Meanwhile, another telly, the Sharp GK4245K, also impressed – being a super-affordable yet whopping 70-inch TV.

Elsewhere this issue we have reviews of the Samsung HW-Q990F soundbar system, Bose QuietComfort Ultra Earbuds (2nd Gen), Cambridge Audio CXA81 MkII, Q Acoustics 5010 standmount speakers and an affordable AVR in the form of the JBL MA7100HP.

See what our review team thought of all these products in October's What Hi-Fi?

Pricey, or priceless?

Our Temptations section of the magazine is where you'll find the highest of the high-end of hi-fi and AV products.

PMC have made some lovely speakers in recent years, and we were lucky enough to get the company's latest floorstanders in for review. These compact towers (barely wider than a CD) have fantastic stereo imaging thanks to some brilliant engineering and integration of the drive units. That sort of quality doesn't come cheap, of course, but these floorstanders are a class act.

Also on test this month is Chord Electronics' new headphone amplifier, the Alto. Our expert reviewers reported the Alto is "up there with the best of them when it comes to honesty, resolution and musical cohesion". Interested? Then dig deep!

Find out more in October's What Hi-Fi?

Finally, don't forget to check out our Buyer’s Guide, featuring a definitive and freshly updated list of all the best home entertainment kit you can buy – including winners of 2024's What Hi-Fi? Awards. If you’re looking to purchase anything from a pair of the best wireless headphones to a home cinema speaker system, this section will tell you where to spend your money wisely.

Whatever you do, don't miss the October 2025 issue of What Hi-Fi?. Grab a copy today, or simply download it onto your tablet or smartphone. Enjoy!

You can subscribe or buy the latest issue here, or buy the digital edition on iPhone, iPad, Android devices or Kindle edition

Technics may be known more for its rock-solid, direct-drive turntables (such as the excellent SL-1300G), but the Japanese audio brand's digital-first and streaming hi-fi products have earned a great reputation with us.

The superb Technics SL-G700M2 is one such product, which combines a CD player with network streaming in an impressive way, both in design and sonic performance. We originally tested this terrific Technics unit at £2899, but you can now snap it up for £2599 at Peter Tyson and Richer Sounds.

That's a massive £300 saving on a premium hi-fi product, and one we would highly recommend if you are looking to upgrade your current hi-fi setup to the next level or have an equally high-calibre system.

The Technics SL-G7000M2 is an impressive product that puts digital sources first. It gives you the best of both worlds: it supports all the major streaming apps and protocols for high-quality wireless listening, as well as playback of physical formats like CDs and SACDs.

Connection via wi-fi or ethernet is stable, and while you need the Google Home app for initial set up before using the Technics app for control (a double-step that is a little clunky, but you only need to do this once), the unit is seamless in use with AirPlay, Bluetooth, Google Cast, Spotify Connect, Tidal Connect and more.

We've recently checked with Technics, and Qobuz Connect support is on the horizon too. You can also access any stored libraries on the same network and play in full native hi-res quality via the USB type B input. Up to hi-res 32-bit/384kHz PCM, DSD512 and MQA files are supported.

Of course, a big appeal of the G700M2 is that it incorporates a CD player, which can also play the higher-quality SACDs. Technics has taken care with the internal DAC, circuitry, and power supply of this premium unit to ensure the best sonic performance.

In our review, we said: "It is a detailed and insightful presentation, and manages to organise the musical information in a cohesive and entertaining way." The Technics is clear, controlled and authoritative across all genres we play, and doesn't try to artificially enhance any excitement.

This is a measured and balanced performance that is rather understated but also inherently musical and engaging. This balance is consistent across all sources we use, from streams to CDs to digital files. Pair it with equally capable speakers and amplifier, and you have a terrifically talented system.

Special mention has to go to just how beautifully made the product is, befitting its premium price tag. The metal casework is sleek, the buttons and dial are smooth in use, and the disc-loading drawer in particular "glides in a beautifully damped way."

As an all-round proposition, the Technics SL-G700M2 is hard to better – yes it's a premium source, but it more than justifies the price point. And with £300 off at Peter Tyson, it's even better value and worth considering.

MORE:

Read our full Technics SL-G700M2 review

Check out the best CD players and the best music streamers we recommend

6 test tracks we've been playing in the What Hi-Fi? listening rooms this month

When it comes to the best turntables on the market right now, one of our favourites is the Technics SL-1500C. And now only did we give it a shiny five-star review, but it has also won multiple What Hi-Fi? Awards.

And while we've already seen it drop in price in just a couple of weeks ago to £849, it's dropped yet again to just £799 at Richer Sounds, thanks to a cheeky extra discount at checkout.

So, if you're keen to get your hands on a great-sounding, fuss-free record player with an impressive built-in phono stage, you should seriously consider this deal.

The Award-winning Technics SL-1500C has been a mainstay in our guide to the best turntables for many years, thanks to its reliable build quality and ease of use, built-in phono stage and entertaining sound quality at this level.

The 1500C uses a core-less direct drive motor with sophisticated speed management circuitry that is derived from the much higher-end SL-1000R. The build quality is rock-solid: the direct drive motor is swift and smooth, and electronic speed control is always welcome.

Unlike higher-end Technics models, the SL-1500C comes with an Ortofon cartridge fitted, which is good enough for several years of service.

And it's equipped with a built-in phono stage intended for use with moving magnet cartridges, but should work just fine with moving coils too, should the itch to upgrade strike.

Sonically, it's an incredibly pleasing offering. In our full review, we said: "The SL-1500C package, as supplied, is one of the best sounding we’ve heard at this price. It has a clean and precise presentation, one that defines the leading and trailing edges of notes with impressive skill."

Its bass performance is particularly of note, with impressively defined leading edges at low frequencies.

We were also impressed by the SL-1500C's agility, praising it for "the way it resolves plenty of detail and manages to deliver all that information in a cohesive and musical whole."

Overall, this five-star turntable feels solid and well-engineered, with a pleasing sense of precision to the way everything works.

One of the SL-1500C's biggest rivals is the Rega Planar 3/Nd3 – a belt drive model without a phono stage built-in, and costs the same price as the Technics. With this total £100 off deal at Richer Sounds, the Technics is now even better value for your money and deserves a place on your shortlist.

MORE:

Read our full Technics SL-1500C review

Check out the best turntables 2025: top record players tested by our expert reviewers

How to store records: 9 tips for keeping your vinyl tip-top

Another week has passed in the world of all things audio and visual, and our deal experts and AV editors have once again lined up their favourite deals so you can save big without any hassle.

This week we’ve seen excellent savings on all manner of five-star audio kit, including a saving on a Technics turntable, wired Grado headphones and Dali wireless speaker. On the AV front, there’s a massively discounted 55-inch Panasonic TV and a JBL Dolby Atmos soundbar with good money off.

All our deals come with the What Hi-Fi? stamp of approval, meaning we'd be confident in recommending them to anyone looking to buy where the product in question fits their budget.

So, here are the five best hi-fi and home cinema deals we've spotted this week…

A monster saving on Panasonic's Amazon Fire TV-powered four-star flatscreen

• Need more information? Read our full Panasonic W90A review

Save a large chunk of cash on this talented portable projector

• Need more information? Read our full Anker Nebula Mars 3 Air review

Small saving on a five-star turntable shouldn't be sniffed at

• Need more information? Read our full

Affordable audiophile headphones get a tidy price cut

• Need more information? Read our full Grado SR80x review

Five-star Bluetooth speaker has brains, beauty and a solid discount

• Need more information? Read our full Dail Katch G2 review

£100 off a feature-packed Sonos soundbar rival

• Need more information? Read our full JBL Bar 300 review

A few weeks ago, we brought you the news that Lorde's new album Virgin, which was released on a fully transparent CD, wouldn't play.

Fans reported (across BBC, Reddit and Amazon reviews) that the disc simply wouldn't play on their CD players, although a small portion of purchasers said it did work on their disc players.

I was immediately intrigued. Unlike vinyl pressings, which can come in various colours and levels of translucency, I've never come across a transparent CD before. My colleagues have mentioned they have come across some that are half-transparent (such as this Fugazi Furniture CD single from 2001), but these still have a section for the shiny reflective layer that allows the data to be read.

CDs have a shiny reflective layer that allows the laser and optical sensor in the CD player to read the data stored on the CD. Without this reflective layer, the laser's light will simply pass through the disc and not read the data, and therefore not play the disc.

Seems simple enough, right? There's no way this clear CD could work then. But what made me curious is that there were plenty of people who said that the disc played perfectly fine for them. So what's going on?

I bought myself a copy to find out.

I am lucky to have access to a bunch of old and new CD players in our What Hi-Fi? test rooms, and I have various disc players (Blu-ray player, PlayStation, external CD drive, and an older CD changer) at home. I couldn't wait to try the CD in all these players and see what worked and didn't.

Firstly, regardless of how silly you think the idea is, I have to admit the transparent CD looks quite pretty in person. It's extremely transparent. Not translucent – fully clear and see-through, with light fully passing through it.

You see it in the picture gallery above.

You can't even tell there is a CD in the case. Hold it at certain angles, especially outside in the sunlight, and it all but disappears.

However, there must be some kind of thin reflective layer in the CD for the data to be read, otherwise we can't imagine it would have ever left the manufacturing plant. Sure enough, I can see an ever-so-slightly grey-ish shade when holding the Virgin clear CD at an angle (especially indoors).

It is a very pretty piece of plastic (which is also recyclable, according to Lorde's site and shop listings). But, crucially, does it work or have I just wasted £12.99?

At work, I started off with a Cyrus CDi (a decade-long favourite and our reference CD player) and a brand new Eversolo Play CD Edition that we are currently testing, which includes a Hitachi-LG CD-ROM drive.

The tray-loading mechanism on the Eversolo accepts it and says it is "loading the CD information"... and then it isn't able to play it. The screen keeps trying to switch to the CD playing screen, but it keeps flickering back to the previous playback screen (which was playing Qobuz).

After about a minute of watching the screen flicker and go dark, I put the Eversolo out of its misery and concluded it just wouldn't play on it.

The Cyrus CDi wouldn't even accept the disc. The slot-loading mechanism on the CDi usually automatically draws the CD in when a disc is inserted halfway – I double-checked this with a 'normal' CD to make sure the CDi was working fine.

But when presented with the Lorde CD, it just would not budge. It physically stops the CD from entering. I even tried to forcefully push the CD into the Cyrus (which I wouldn't normally advise you to do in case it damages the CD or player), but the Cyrus simply would not accept the CD.

I tried both sides, just to be sure, but no luck. The copyright text at the edge of the CD can be seen in tiny white letters – it's the only way to tell which is the right side up.

I then brought out the newer Cyrus 40 CD that we reviewed earlier this year to see if it replicated the issue, and it behaved exactly the same as the CDi. How odd.

Since both these Cyrus models are slot loaders and are somewhat strict on the CD formats they play, I sought out the budget Marantz CD6007 – another reliable favourite that plays nice with more CD formats and which features a tray loading mechanism.

This one worked immediately: the Lorde CD was recognised and played without a hitch. Our sample of the Marantz CD player simply treated it like a normal CD and played through all 11 tracks on the album. Success!

Once at home, I then went around sticking the CD into various other disc players we have in the house.

I started with the PS5 and PS4, as the BBC report says that a customer used it perfectly fine on their PlayStation (they didn't specify which model) – but while they both take the disc, both deliver an "unsupported disc" message.

A reader has since correctly reminded me that neither the PS4 or PS5 can play audio CDs – so it clearly is an older PlayStation model that users have tried with success.

My husband (who by now is more excited about this experiment than I am), tried the clear disc in his 2000-era Technics SL-DV170 DVD/CD changer with a tray-loading CD mechanism. This one, interestingly, was hit and miss. The first time we tried the disc, the Technics said no disc was read. When we tried it again, it recognised it and played fully.

The only thing we could figure out, after trying many times, what was different was the orientation of the CD when placed on the tray. If the CD was rotated so that the copyright lettering was positioned on the right-hand side, it wouldn't work. If the lettering was positioned on the left side when placed on the tray, it played.

There is likely something else at play here, as the label on the CD would not affect playback (not least because CDs are read from the inside out), but this was the only way we could tell that something had changed. We tried multiple times and recreated the oddity.

I then tried the CD in a Panasonic DMP-BDT180 Blu-ray player, and that played without a hitch, although it didn't display the track names on screen.

And lastly, I tried a cheap Rioddas external CD drive connected via USB into both an Asus Windows laptop and an Apple MacBook Pro, and it was another success both times. The disc was recognised and started playing, with the media player program recognising and displaying the track names. My iTunes even offered to start ripping the CD, which it did easily.

It's a mixed bag of results at the end of this little experiment, then, with only four out of seven players I tried being able to play the transparent disc.

This is by no means a comprehensive test. There are more CD players in our work stockroom that I'd like to try this CD in (the Arcam CD5, a newer Technics, a Copland), and I'd love to try this clear CD in as many CD players and disc drives as I can find to get further examples, but that would be a hard task.

However, the players I tried were from a pretty wide variety: various manufacturers, different price points, old and new players, and different loading mechanisms (top loaders were the only ones I didn't have at hand).

That the CD even played without any issue on the Marantz CD6007, the external drive, the Panasonic Blu-ray player, and (intermittently) on the Technics deck means that the transparent CD still behaves like a CD – and that there is data on it that can be read.

But here's where it gets even more interesting. One Reddit user (Romando1) says they tried the Lorde CD on their disc players – Sony MXD-D3, Acurus ACD-11, McIntosh MVP 831 and even a Marantz CD6007 – but none of these players could read it.

So how could our sample of the CD6007 play it?

It could simply be that the CD isn't made to Red Book standards (a set of rules that defines, in very strict terms, what an audio CD is), that it goes beyond the tolerances accepted in manufacturing, or maybe there are variations in the sample.

We asked Cyrus about why its players wouldn't even accept the disc, and they replied back saying that this is because the optical sensors that see if a disc is being inserted isn't able to see the Lorde disc. Essentially, if what's being inserted into the Cyrus player doesn't resemble a disc, then it prevents it from entering.

Some users have mused that older CD players are more likely to play the Lorde CD while new ones can't – but we found this to be demonstrably untrue, as the Cyrus 40 CD is barely a year old, and our Marantz sample is from 2024.

Lorde and her record label Universal Music Group haven't addressed these issues of playback yet, and the Virgin CD is still available to buy in physical and online shops.

This certainly made for a fun experiment, however, and despite it having issues with playback, I'll still hold on to my copy of Lorde's transparent CD.

Whenever we get new CD players in to test at What Hi-Fi?, it'll be in my pool of CDs to try, just to see what happens.

MORE:

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Here are 6 CD player buying tips for when you want to revive your disc collection

Vinyl pressing plants on surging demand, keeping it local, and whether coloured vinyl really does sound worse

Convenience tends to come with compromises. It might be easier to use a piece of home-entertainment equipment that is fully automatic and does all the hard work for you; but traditionally, you will always get the very best results by taking the time to get to know a particular unit’s features and settings, and tweaking them to get the best performance for you. And, of course, by investing in specialist individual components that each do a particular job very well.

While the above still holds true, these days the compromises we have to make have considerably lessened. Which is why we would urge you to think about investing in one of the streaming amplifiers we suggest in this month's What Hi-Fi?. There’s barely a compromise among them.

Also this month, we pit the latest of Sony’s remarkable offerings in the wireless noise-cancelling headphone market against some serious opposition from the might of Apple, Bose, B&W, Dali: there really isn’t a loser in this fierce contest.

Streaming amplifiers

Loving music as we do here at What Hi-FI?, we will always value sound quality over convenience. But if you can have both in one neat package, then what’s not to like? And that, we are pleased to report, is what today’s streaming amplifiers provide.

Until recently, despite the medium of streaming reigning unchallenged as the pre-eminent way of accessing music for well over a decade now, hi-fi manufacturers’ attempts to combine a reliable music streamer with adequate amplification in the same box tended to produce less than impressive results.

Products were usually significantly compromised in terms of sound quality and often suffered streaming drop-outs and other technical glitches.

Things have improved greatly over recent years, though, and you can now buy a wide variety of slick, good-quality streaming amps for prices that won’t leave you poorer than a church mouse.

With the choice of quality streaming amps growing by the month, we decided that now was the time to put together a quartet of our favourite models to help you find the streaming amplifier to suit you and your pocket.

Find out more in the September issue of What Hi-Fi?

Premium wireless over-ears

It’s fair to say that not much good came out of 2020. But still, that year did at least herald a significant development in the world of head-fi: the launch of Apple’s AirPods Max.

Seen as pricey at the time, but undeniably proving worth the money, these luxurious over-ears opened the gates for rivals to join them in the new premium headphones category.

Five years on and we’ve seen such hi-fi stalwarts as Bowers & Wilkins, Sony, Bose and Dali enter the fray. The AirPods Max themselves have had a minor upgrade in 2024, but their sound quality remains consistently high and, for Apple fans especially, they remain the benchmark at their kind of money.

For this group test, we’ve rounded up four potential rivals to the Max – the latest models of undeniably premium headphones from the aforementioned brands. These are all five-star pairs, which we’d heartily recommend. We’ve dug deep into their relative build quality, feature sets and, most importantly, audio performance, so that you can make a more informed choice if you’re thinking of taking the plunge with what is, after all, a fair sum of money.

So, which of these headphones are set to win you over? Find out this issue!

Coaxial drive units

This month, we ponder the advantages of coaxial driver arrangements in stereo speakers, and ask why more hi-fi manufacturers don't use the tech, which offers a more balanced and precise soundstage. Then, we look at two superb examples of the tech used in products by the aforementioned Fyne Audio and KEF.

First with reviews

As always, our First Tests section is filled to the brim with in-depth, impartial and expert verdicts on the very latest hi-fi and AV gear.

We're always excited to see a new TV from tech giants Sony, and so it was with bated breath we tested the company's new Bravia 8 II QD-OLED set. Was it all we hoped for? Spoiler: yes, it was. Find out more in this month's mag.

Staying on TVs for a moment, we also had the new Sky Glass Gen 2 in for review. This is a complete 'TV package' that includes a soundbar and a TV service solution; those Sky subscriptions you'll need will start to add up, of course, but does it deliver for Sky fans? Find out in September's What Hi-Fi?

But of course, that's not all. This month, we also have expert and in-depth reviews of the Lindemann Limetree Bridge II streaming transport, the Canvas HiFi Canvas 65 soundbar, Audio-Technica AT-LP8X turntable, and the excellent BenQ W272Oi – a projector that impressed us enough to also build a home cinema system around it this month.

Finally, KEF's first soundbar, the XIO, also earned itself five stars for its performance.

See what our review team thought of all these products in September's What Hi-Fi?

Worth every considerable penny...

Our Temptations section of the magazine is where you'll find the highest of the high-end of hi-fi and AV products.

This month we had SME's high-end Model 8 turntable in our testing rooms. We found it to be an "immaculately made product that gives of the aura of something built to last for decades", and our reviewers also noted that they were "impressed with the authority on show" with the turntables's presentation.

Then we turned our attention to the Fyne Audio F701SP standmount speakers. Pricey, but our five-star rating should tell you they are undoubtedly worth the money.

Find out more in September's What Hi-Fi?

Finally, don't forget to check out our Buyer’s Guide, featuring a definitive and freshly updated list of all the best home entertainment kit you can buy – including winners of 2024's What Hi-Fi? Awards. If you’re looking to purchase anything from a pair of the best wireless headphones to a home cinema speaker system, this section will tell you where to spend your money wisely.

Whatever you do, don't miss the September 2025 issue of What Hi-Fi?. Grab a copy today, or simply download it onto your tablet or smartphone. Enjoy!

You can subscribe or buy the latest issue here, or buy the digital edition on iPhone, iPad, Android devices or Kindle edition