Ryan Gosling is really in his element right now. Following the success of the sci-fi blockbuster Project Hail Mary, every other piece of content on my social media is a slickly edited video of the handsome devil.

Much of his back catalogue regularly appears in our AV test room. Barbie and Drive, for instance, are both excellent test discs, and the eagle-eyed among you will have spotted us using them in our reviews.

But there's another film featuring Gosling that is a brilliant way to test your home cinema hardware, and it is celebrating its 10th birthday. Damien Chazelle's La La Land leapt onto the screen back in 2017, and blew critics and audiences away with its show-stopping score and captivating performances from Gosling and Emma Stone in the leading roles.

If you have somehow never seen the modern classic, let us fill you in. It follows Sebastian, a struggling pianist, and Mia, an aspiring actress, who fall in love. When their careers start to take off, they find themselves having to make some tough decisions.

It's a film that we see used time and time again in demos for a range of AV kit, but over the years we have not used it in our own test room as much as we would like to. So this anniversary seems like the best time to revisit the best scenes to challenge your home cinema system, and also to bring it back to the top of our shelf where it belongs.

Opening sequence

From the off, La La Land really starts all guns blazing. On a hot summer's day, a seemingly endless queue of cars stretches to the Los Angeles horizon during rush hour. And what would any of us do in this scenario? That's right, open up your car door and break into a synchronised song and dance number.

The six-minute scene is dynamic and energetic with near constant movement that challenges a TV or projector's motion handling. With the crowd weaving around the cars and dancing in every direction, keep your eyes peeled for motion blur or juddering.

On top of that, the scene puts your audio system to the test. As dancers clamber about on the roof of the cars and horns blare around the soundfield, the precision of your audio set-up will be challenged. With a convincing Dolby Atmos system, you should hear the various sounds all around the space with a sense of accuracy and immersion.

"A Lovely Night"

Even if you haven't seen the film, you will almost certainly recognise the classic iconography of this scene. After running into each other at a party, Sebastian and Mia find themselves at the top of a beautiful hill but, despite obviously having feelings, lament that they are wasting this romantic view by spending it with each other.

As the pair move from the shade under a tree to a colourful night sky, it is a good test of how your screen handles the subtle detail in the crinkles of Sebastian's white shirt and the darker areas of Mia's yellow dress.

This beautiful sky also delivers a great test on its own. It starts at the top of the screen with a bright violet, before merging to pink and then ending in a darker red. On many screens, this may reveal an issue with colour banding, which is where smooth colour gradients are instead divided into stark lines.

A dance under the stars

After admitting their feelings for each other, Sebastian and Mia take a romantic trip to the Griffith Observatory which makes for another excellent test scene.

As the scene takes a magical realist turn and the pair floats into the night sky, note the contrast between the bright twinkle of the stars and the dark of the sky. There is a danger of the deep black looking more like a dark grey, or the stars not standing out against the more cavernous black backdrop.

On top of that, the twinkling stars can go the other way to create an unwanted "halo effect" where light spills out too much. That is particularly prevalent with Mini LED TVs because they rely on a backlight with local dimming zones. This all means it is particularly useful if you want to challenge your own Mini LED screen.

What's your favourite scene in La La Land? Drop it in the comments below.

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Check out the best OLED TVs

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After years of waiting, Sony has finally announced a TV with four HDMI 2.1 sockets, rather than the brand’s usual two.

That makes it the first Sony TV that can handle 4K/120Hz signals from consoles and gaming PCs across all of its HDMIs.

Unfortunately, it’s probably not the model you’re hoping for, because it’s not a flagship OLED or Mini LED set – it’s the budget-oriented Bravia 3 II.

Not that we should be sad about cheaper TVs getting improved specs, of course, but it feels as though the people most likely to have enough gaming machines to need more than two top-spec HDMIs are also the sort of people to have a premium TV.

The Bravia 3 II, though (which is, naturally, a successor to the Bravia 3), is a standard LCD set that lacks not only Mini LEDs and Quantum Dots, but also local dimming of any kind.

That isn’t to say it will be a bad TV. Sony has a strong track record of getting excellent performances out of specs that many consider to be basic, and if it pulls off the same trick again, this could be an excellent option for buyers on a budget – particularly those who are also hardcore gamers.

There’s just one further problem, though: the Bravia 3 II is not currently set to come to the UK.

Sony has given a vague explanation that mentions catch-up app certifications and left the door open to it arriving on these shores in the future, but there are no guarantees.

That’s a shame, naturally, but Blighty-based TV buyers still have reason to be pleased by the Bravia 3 II’s existence – because it’s presumably just the first Sony TV to get the four HDMI 2.1 inputs treatment.

Sony has presumably switched to MediaTek's Pentonic 800 chip for the Bravia 3 II, hence the additional HDMI 2.1 sockets, and there’s every reason to expect this chip to now appear in future Sony TVs.

That's the approach that Philips has taken with its 2026 TV range.

But what will those future Sony TVs be and when will they arrive? We honestly don’t know.

Sony has today announced just the Bravia 3 II and entry-level Bravia 2 II (which is coming to the UK), plus a couple of fairly affordable soundbars and some home cinema accessories.

Is there more to come, or is this all of the new kit that we’re getting from Sony this year? Only time will tell.

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Here are all of the best TVs and best gaming TVs you can buy right now

Another Monday, another entry into our weekly Rewind column, where our team of experts once again offer the cliff notes on all the latest hi-fi and home cinema news you need to know about.

And what a week it was with not one, but two big products passing through our listening rooms and a couple of big surprise launches appearing out of the blue.

Here’s what you need to know.

Sony’s earbuds winning streak continues

Sony’s wireless earbuds and headphones have been on a hotstreak in recent years, thanks to their ability to deliver a holistically solid experience, with no serious weaknesses. That’s a key reason you’ll find four sets with Sony’s branding in our current list of What Hi-Fi? Award winners.

And, after fully reviewing the firm’s newly unveiled Sony WF-1000XM6 wireless earbuds, we’re pleased to report that trend is showing no signs of slowing. Despite strong competition, key tweaks to Sony’s Award-winning formula that improve audio, ANC and mic quality make the XM6 an easy five-star recommendation.

As we said in our review: “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.”

Read our full Sony WF-1000XM6 review

Rega’s new amp is pretty awesome

If more serious hi-fi is your game, you’ll be pleased to hear we also finished testing Rega’s spiffy new Mercury/Solis pre/power amplifier last week.

The market has some existing heavy-hitters at the Mercury/Solis’ £13,900 ($20,990 / AU$29,000) price point. A list headlined by the recently reviewed, five-star Yamaha C-5000/M-5000 (£17,198 / $21,998 / AU$25,998).

But, featuring the brand’s long-standing focus on delivering quality engineering and a design built around an analogue circuit that's clearly inspired by the brand’s first Elicit integrated amplifier – which was made all the way back in the 1990s – it’s still an easy recommendation.

During all our checks, the unit delivered a nicely dynamic performance full of rhythmic drive and sonic authority. Hence our verdict: “Rega’s statement pre/power amplifier is a hugely entertaining proposition that puts the music first.”

Read our full Rega Mercury/Solis review

Majority’s uber-cheap soundbar system

Cheap soundbars and soundbar systems carrying Dolby Atmos branding have been around for a while.

But it was only last year, after more searching than we care to remember, that we found one worth recommending, in the shape of the Award-winning Hisense AX5125H – a unit that genuinely surprised our reviewers with its atypically "good" audio and modest price tag.

Which is why we’re keeping an eye on Cambridge-based firm Majority Audio’s answer to it, the newly unveiled flagship Bowfell Halo Atmos soundbar system.

Unveiled last week, the unit is set to cost £170 and is a direct rival to the AX5125H, consisting of a main soundbar, two wireless satellite speakers and a subwoofer.

Read the full story: This brand's ultra-cheap Dolby Atmos soundbar is gunning for our five-star Award-winner

Roksan’s new “transparent design philosophy”

We all love a good chinwag, especially with old friends. Which is why, when Roksan unveiled its new Caspian 4G range of separates, our hi-fi and audio editor, Kashfia Kabir, couldn’t resist the urge to jump on the train to have a chat with the engineers and designers behind it.

During the conversation, she also had a chance to have an opening listen with some of the new hardware and get the inside scoop on how the brand plans to get more people into proper hi-fi separates with its clever “transparent design philosophy”.

Read the full story: Roksan wants to make its hi-fi separates more user-friendly with its "transparent design philosophy" – and I got an early preview

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These are the best wireless earbuds we’ve tried and tested

Our picks of the best stereo amplifiers

We rank the best Dolby Atmos soundbars

Happy Monday, and welcome to a fresh entry into our hi-fi and home cinema news digest.

In it, our team of experts once again detail all the top stories to break over the past seven days, and as always, it was a hectic period.

We saw everything from new Temptation-level amps to affordable portable DACs launch.

Here’s what you need to know.

New Arcam hardware

Kicking us off, last week Arcam chose to unveil a wealth of new hardware, including a new set of speakers and home cinema amplifiers.

The new speakers are part of the firm’s 2024-launched Radia range and come in six varieties. These include two floorstanders (R45, R35), two bookshelf models (R25, R15), a centre speaker (R35C) and a subwoofer (R25B). As you’ve likely guessed, these can be combined to create a home cinema surround sound package.

The firm also unveiled its new home cinema amplifiers. These include the entry-level AVA15, step-up AVA25, and top-end AVA35. The amps’ specifications scale with their place in the range, but given how much we’ve loved Arcam’s older AVRs, which offer a sense of musicality missing on many rivals, we can’t help but get a little excited about the new models.

Read the full story: Arcam's new Radia loudspeaker range could be the perfect match for its Award-winning electronics

Read the full story: Arcam’s Radia AV line of home cinema amps promises serious movie magic

A headphone shootout

The wireless headphones market is a noisy, chaotic mess with every man and his dog offering a pair. Which is why knowing which is best is a tricky task, even if you follow the market.

To help, last week our intrepid senior staff writer, Harry McKerrell, took the time to run all the big sets in our listening rooms head-to-head to help offer the best, most up-to-date advice possible for potential buyers.

These include top pairs from Sony, B&W, Sennheiser, Bose and more. And, while the final winner wasn’t a huge surprise, quite how competitive the battle was between each set definitely was.

Read the full story: I've heard every major pair of premium wireless headphones – and one set reigns sonically supreme

LG Sound Suite pricing

We had an early look at LG’s latest flagship Dolby Atmos system, the Sound Suite, at CES in January.

And during the demo, we found a lot to like about it, including the inclusion of Dolby’s swish new FlexConnect tech, which promises to make it much easier to optimise speakers to the specific space they’re playing in, amongst other things.

But there was one big concern the entire home cinema team shared: their very high price.

With the soundbar alone costing £1000 and its top-of-the-range M7 satellite speakers £700, Sound Suite looked set to be one of the most expensive systems on the market. Thankfully, last week, LG made moves to partially address the problem, announcing price reductions across the entire range.

Read the full story: LG's just fixed a key issue we had with its latest Dolby Atmos soundbar system – and it’s not even out yet

KEF speakers tried and tested

Finishing off this week’s digest is our review of KEF’s new Coda W standmounts. They’re an interesting set of active speakers, in that, unlike their established cousins, the KEF LSX II LT and LS50 Wireless II, they’re distinctly focused on working with vinyl and CD players, over streaming.

That’s why, instead of built-in wi-fi streaming support for Tidal Connect and the ilk, they only have Bluetooth functionality. But, to make up for that, you get a built-in moving magnet phono stage.

Has the change paid off? After thoroughly testing them, we’re happy to report that the answer is, for the most part, yes. Either via Bluetooth or with a price-appropriate turntable or CD player connected (in our case Cyrus CDi and Rega Planar 3 RS Edition) the speakers delivered a clear, detailed presentation and deep, but controlled, low end.

Hence, our verdict:

“While the phono stage could be better, listening via the other inputs is a joy. The sonic performance is a step above its smaller, Award-winning cousins, and costs you less money to enjoy, too. If you’re happy to live without the wi-fi streaming features and are looking for a neat speaker system that doesn’t cost thousands, this should definitely be on your radar.”

Read our in-depth KEF Coda W review

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I have a confession to make: I actually use my phone's speakers to listen to music sometimes. I know, I know. I'm sure there's a spot reserved for me in audiophile hell, but hear me out: I think there's a time and a place.

I'm not completely mad, I don't play music through my phone in public. And nor should anyone (that's why we have a list of the best wireless headphones.) But at home, when the situation arises, I have been known to load Apple Music and blast songs straight from the phone.

And I think that’s okay. Here’s why.

A phoney speaker

Now in case you’re worried that this is the end of What Hi-Fi? as you know it, fear not. We – I included – still passionately believe you should enjoy the best sound quality you possibly can, whatever your budget. That’s why we cover the best cheap headphones and best budget speakers alongside the best audiophile headphones and best speakers for all budgets.

And in my defence, now that phones are much bigger than they were a few years ago, their speakers are becoming more capable. In our Sony Xperia 1 VI review, we comment that the phone’s speakers are “detailed and feature good stereo separation that makes a solid attempt to position sounds in relation to what is happening on screen.”

And in our iPhone 17 review, we say the device’s speakers deliver “a spacious sound, with focused vocals and enough detail given to sound effects (such as a bustling city street) to create a surprisingly immersive experience.”

Now neither of these is going to replace a dedicated speaker (of the iPhone 17's speakers, we even said “we’d refrain from using these to listen to music out loud”). And that's even more true of my ageing iPhone 12 mini. But they’ll do at a pinch. And that's exactly the kind of situation I’m talking about.

Coming clean with a dirty secret

So why, given that I work for the world’s foremost authority on sound quality and everything audiophile, am I advocating a set of speakers that would comfortably fit on your fingertip? One word: convenience.

I don’t often get the urge to clean the house, so when I do I have to act on it. If I wanted to listen to the admittedly much more rewarding sonic performance of my Ultimate Ears Wonderboom (the original model, eights years old and still going strong), I have to dig it out, power it up and pair it with my phone. At this point I usually find the battery has died and have to find the charging cable. In which time my kids have set fire to the curtains, or my desire to clean has evaporated.

But with my phone, there’s none of that. You just press play, and get on with it.

Another benefit: stick your phone in your back pocket and the music follows you wherever you go. There’s no carting the speaker around as you search for the bathroom spray, or move to vacuuming another room. I know, I should invest in one of the best multi-room systems… but cost of living. And I’ll bet even the most ardent of multi-room devotees stops short of the bathroom.

Of course, a pair of wireless headphones would do the job admirably, while also delivering a far superior sonic experience. But I need to be able to hear my kids. If my first inkling that something might be wrong is the smell of burning curtains… well, I might miss out on that dad of the year award for yet another 12 months.

There’s a saying: the best camera is the one you have on you. And sometimes – just sometimes, mind – the same can be said of speakers.

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Check out the best wireless speakers

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What are open earbuds? For greater awareness

We did it. January and its 125 days are finally over, and while the rainy weather here in the UK isn't exactly improving, the days are getting that bit longer as we head into February.

This does mean we're spending more time in our test rooms, which is perfectly fine by us, as we have a bunch of products – spanning a variety of categories – in for testing. On the AV side, we have LG's new Sound Suite home cinema system that uses Dolby Atmos FlexConnect, as well as Xgimi's pricey Titan 4K home projector that boasts impressive specifications.

On the hi-fi side, we have in KEF's new active speakers, a striking, premium Audio-Technica turntable, and WiiM's first stab at the speaker market. Exciting stuff.

As ever, this is just a selection of the products we have in for review, and if you have any questions about them, send us an email at whathifi@futurenet.com or pop a comment below, and we'll endeavour to get back to you during testing.

LG Sound Suite

LG has revealed one of the first home cinema systems to use Dolby Atmos FlexConnect ahead of CES 2026, which aims to offer convincing Dolby Atmos sound from wireless speakers, no matter where they are placed in the room.

The Sound Suite consists of four products – an H7 soundbar, W7 subwoofer, and the M7 and M5 wireless speakers – which can be mixed and matched to suit the requirements of your room and AV needs.

The H7 soundbar is priced £100 less than the five-star Sonos Arc Ultra (which itself can be used with Sonos' subwoofer and Era speakers), and we're looking forward to comparing the two systems side by side in our test rooms, as well as finding out just how well the FlexConnect system works during our full review.

Xgimi Titan

Xgimi has dubbed its Titan 4K projector its "most premium living-room projector" – and it's quite the deviation from the Chinese brand's portfolio of budget, portable projectors we've encountered so far.

The Titan boasts a claimed 5000 ISO lumens of brightness, a mighty 5,000,000:1 dynamic contrast ratio, and it even supports 3D content, which will surely be good news for all the Avatar fans out there.

The Titan also supports IMAX Enhanced, Dolby Atmos, HDR10+ and Filmmaker Mode. When our intrepid staff writer Robyn Quick first saw it at a IFA 2025 demo, a clip from Black Panther: Wakanda Forever gave us a taste of what to expect: "The blues of the water are vivid and bright, so even when the doors were opened in the small cinema room, there was still a vibrant overall image on display."

Costing £3499 / $3999, the new Titan rivals the Award-winning Sony VPL-XW5000ES (which now costs £3999), and we can't wait to find out how they square up against each other.

KEF Coda W

KEF's LS range of all-in-one wireless speaker systems have been a roaring, five-star, Award-winning success, but its new active speakers are a little bit different.

The Coda W are fully active speakers, meaning it has built-in amplification – total power of 200W – negating the need for many separate boxes. However, unlike their cousin, the LSX II LT, there's no hi-res streaming or internet capabilities inside. You only get Bluetooth if you want to stream wirelessly from your phone or laptop. On the plus side, it supports the hi-res aptX Lossless codec.

The Coda W speakers have a great set of connections, including a moving magnet phono stage, HDMI ARC and USB-C, so you can connect all kinds of sources for a neat, compact hi-fi system. Costing £799 / $1000 and featuring the 12th generation of its signature UniQ driver, we're excited to hear if the KEF Coda W will live up to expectations.

WiiM Sound

So far, WiiM has focused on compact, affordable electronics, but the WiiM Sound marks the first time the young audio brand has stepped into the speaker market.

The WiiM Sound isn't a traditional speaker of course; it's a smart speaker that is taking direct aim at the Apple HomePod 2. With 100 watts powering dual tweeters and a 4-inch/10cm woofer, the Sound supports 24-bit/192kHz playback from Tidal/Qobuz Connect, Spotify and a host of other streaming services and internet radio.

Along with the colourful, customisable touchscreen display and voice control-enabled remote, the WiiM Sound also features room calibration technology, and plenty of options for multi-room and even home cinema set-ups with other WiiM products. Costing £299 / $299, will it be able to succeed in the most crucial aspect: sound? We'll find out soon.

Audio-Technica AT-LPA2

It's hard not to be wowed by the transparent design of Audio-Technica's new flagship turntable. The AT-LPA2 features an acrylic chassis and acrylic platter, laying bare the belt-drive mechanism and striking a gorgeous figure. It's not just for looks, however; Audio-Technica says the material offers "exceptional" resonance control to keep pesky vibrations away from affecting the vinyl record in play.

The brand's AT-OC9XEN moving coil cartridge is fitted to a newly designed, straight carbon fibre tonearm that can be adjusted to work with a wide variety of cartridges. A separate power supply and control unit comes with the deck, which supports 33 ⅓ and 45 RPM speeds.

At £1699 / €1999, Audio-Technica has Rega's Planar 6/ND7 to compete against, but we are very much looking forward to getting our records spinning on the AT-LPA2.

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Ask the Reader: is bigger always better, or are you more interested in smaller, but still great-sounding, hi-fi?

Are wireless home cinemas finally going mainstream? A check-in on cable-free TV set-ups

I love spatial audio, but there's one feature I can't get my head around

Samsung was somewhat notorious for holding out against OLED technology for quite some time, which meant they had plenty of time to perfect the art of premium LCD TVs.

So it's no surprise that one of their latest Mini LED offerings, the Samsung QN90F, makes for an outstanding living room TV. And now the 65-inch model is at its lowest ever price of £1249 at Richer Sounds.

That's a whopping £640 off our test price of £1899, and even cheaper than Black Friday. Make sure to use the code SAMS10PERCENT to get this discount.

It's safe to say we were impressed by the Samsung QN90F in our test room.

As our Samsung QN90F review reads: "Happily, all of the QN90F’s talk of premium Quantum Dots and extreme AI turns out to be much more than mere PR bluster, helping it produce typically beautiful images capable of adapting to pretty much every possible picture quality need and taste – as well as pretty much any possible room environment."

Light extremes are delivered, "to a degree we’ve simply never seen before on a Samsung LCD TV", with the QN90F's local dimming system removing almost all traces of haloing around bright objects, without dimming the bright objects themselves.

The Standard preset is particularly impressive on this TV with natural-looking sharpness and vibrant colours, though we'd recommend turning off noise reduction and lowering judder and blur reduction.

The QN90F supports Dolby Atmos soundtracks, which really come to life in the Amplify sound mode. Once turned on, sound is projected clearly far from the TV, creating a larger, more expansive soundstage with more low-frequency heft.

Gaming features are solid as well, with all four HDMI ports specified for the full 48Gb HDMI 2.1 bandwidth for 4K/120Hz signals, as well as VRR (including AMD FreeSync Premium Pro), and ALLM switching.

At this price, the Samsung QN90F is cheaper than the 65-inch Sony Bravia 7 and LG C5, which are the two alternatives we'd recommend. This makes the QN90F a very strong option for £1259 at Richer Sounds – just make sure to use the SAMS10PERCENT discount code.

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Read our review of the LG C5

Also consider the TCL C8K

Best TVs: flagship OLEDs and budget LED sets tried and tested

The Consumer Electronics Show (CES) is one of the biggest events of the year for professional shiny-things chasers, and that remains the case for 2026.

Though the year has just started, CES 2026 has already brought with it all manner of audio-visual treats for enthusiasts such as ourselves.

These include everything from new TVs from big names, including Samsung and LG, to new speakers and projectors from upstart companies you may never have heard of before.

In fact, as is always the case, the show has already brought with it so many announcements that you may justifiably be struggling to keep on top of all of them.

Eager to help, we have experts at the show reporting live on all the biggest and most exciting ones they’ve spotted.

So make sure to stay tuned on this page for all our latest first-hand reporting of CES 2026’s latest and greatest AV news.

Also, make sure to get involved with the conversation. Our experts at the show are trying to get hands-on preview sessions with as much of the new hardware as possible.

So, if you have a question about a product at the show, let us know and we’ll endeavour to get you an answer ASAP.

Meet the team

Samsung’s giant new TV

Samsung always uses CES as the launchpad for its next line of OLED TVs, and that remains the case this year.

At CES, the Korean TV giant unveiled several new sets, including its new flagship S95H OLED – which is one of its most interesting to date.

The set features a completely new design that’s more akin to the Samsung Frame range than past OLED sets, including last year’s five-star Samsung S95F.

Despite this, it still has improved specifications, with Samsung reporting its new QD-OLED panel can go brighter and offer improved colour accuracy.

While it’s too early to offer any final judgments, our experts at the show walked away impressed after a hands-on demo session, reporting:

“The S95H wants to be a statement piece, and while we have thoroughly approved of the last two iterations of this TV, in some ways we wish they stood out a bit more. The S95H is here to rectify that, but only time will tell if it will succeed in this mission.”

A load of treats from LG

Never a company to be one-upped by its Samsung arch-rival, LG also used CES 2026 as the springboard for its new OLEDs. The headline entry is its new LG C6 step-down model.

This is the first C-series we’ve seen to feature the firm’s brightness boosting RGB Tandem OLED tech, which made its debut on last year’s flagship, five-star LG G5.

We haven’t had any hands-on time with the set yet, but the tech’s appearance has piqued our interest. We’ll try to get a demo of the LG C6 at the show, so make sure to keep checking this page.

On top of that, LG also unveiled its new lifestyle set, The Gallery TV. Pitched as a direct rival to the Samsung Frame range, the set is designed to look as unassuming as possible and double as a digital art frame when not in use.

On the audio side, the biggest thing that caught our eye is LG’s new wireless Sound Suite system.

The wireless Dolby Atmos system is one of the first we’ve seen to feature Dolby’s FlexConnect technology – a custom tech designed to let you create a fully wireless Atmos set-up that doesn’t require careful placement the way most current systems do.

The tech also lets you pair the wireless LG M7 and M5 satellite speakers with a compatible TV, using the set’s speakers as its central channel rather than a soundbar.

We haven’t heard Sound Suite yet, but the idea is a compelling one, especially for home cinema fans tight on space.

It had some Bluetooth speakers too...

LG’s bright start to 2026 goes beyond the world of home cinema. The Korean brand made a big push in the world of Bluetooth speakers last year with its Xboom Bluetooth speaker range, and now it’s added four new models to the lineup in a bid to keep up with the likes of Bose and JBL.

That expanded roster boasts four new additions – the burly Blast, the compact Mini, the durable Rock and the karaoke-ready Stage 501 – all of which have once again been tuned by Black Eyed Peas frontman will.i.am.

We reviewed the hefty Xboom Go XG8T last year, and while we weren’t blown away by its bold yet unrefined sound, there were hints that LG could compete in this ultra-competitive market if it continues to refine its portable sonic formula.

Who knows, maybe 2026 will be the year it cracks that particular nut.

New wireless headphones and speakers from a guitar legend

In guitar circles, there are few brands as iconic as Fender. Whether it’s Jimi Hendrix shredding on a strat, The Boss armed with his iconic telecaster or Nirvana’s Kurt Cobain smashing his mustang on Smells Like Teen Spirit, its axes have been an integral part of music for generations.

But, despite dabbling in headphones, it’s never fully conquered the regular consumer audio world. Which is why we were surprised, and cautiously excited, to see it make moves to do just that at CES 2026 where Fender unveiled new consumer-focused wireless headphones and speakers.

The new Bluetooth speakers fall into a new ELIE brand and consist of two options: the E6 and E12. Fender’s making a load of bold claims about both, claiming its "world-first Waves SOC [system-on-a-chip] implementation" will let them offer much better clarity and higher volume than rivals.

With pricing starting at $300 (around £220 / AU$450) for the ELIE 6 and going up to $400 (around £300 / AU$600) for the 12, that’s a bold claim considering the strength of competition at that level.

The Fender MIX over-ear wireless headphones are similarly bold with their aspirations, being set to retail for $300 (around £220 / AU$450).

Eager to separate them from the sea of competition at that level, the headphones come with a clever FWD Tx USB-C transmitter.

This reportedly enables lossless (LHDC-V), low-latency (LC3), and Auracast transmission modes when plugged into source devices. Fender’s quoting higher quality wireless playback up to 24-bit/96kHz lossless when the headphones and transmitter are connected.

The projector market is one that’s in a state of flux right now. While cinephiles will generally insist on getting a full-fat, incredibly expensive, long-throw, many people are starting to invest in the growing “coffee table” category – and for good reasons.

Simple to set up, small in size and, when done well, surprisingly capable, they’re a great option for people looking for a unit to power impromptu, big-screen movie nights. And if that sounds appealing, you’ll be happy to hear Samsung has just unveiled a new dinky, The Freestyle+, projector designed to deliver just that.

A direct rival to the likes of the Xgimi Mogo 4, the unit is a tiny beamer with a fancy new built-in AI powers designed to let it optimise its picture to deliver a decent movie watching experience, even in sub-optimal conditions – like when it's projecting onto a naked, painted wall, not a proper screen.

Considering how much we liked the original Samsung The Freestyle, which earned a four-star rating from our reviewers, we have high hopes for the new unit despite the fact it’s still 1080p and, as requested by our staff writer Robyn Quck, doesn’t have a built-in battery.

We’ll try to get a proper hands-on preview session with the new Freestyle+ at CES, so stay tuned for further details!

The LG Wallpaper TV has finally returned – and now it's wireless

After a five-year hiatus, LG's Wallpaper OLED TV series is back in the form of the new W6, and it's got some lovely new tricks up its sleeve.

The loveliest is the switch to wirelessness. While the original Wallpaper OLEDs were tethered to a very large soundbar, which also handled the picture processing and connections, the new W6 comes with the new version of LG's Zero Connect box, which can wirelessly transmit picture and sound from a position out of sight, up to 10m away.

While the W6 isn't wafer-thin in the way that the old models were, it's still just 9mm thick, yet it boasts the same flagship panel and processor as the new G6.

That means it uses second-gen Primary RGB Tandem OLED panel tech, complete with new anti-reflection tech that apparently delivers deeper blacks and more vibrant colours in bright ambient light, plus the new Alpha 11 Gen 3 AI chip.

And while the W6 will certainly be a very premium TV, rumour has it that the price gap between it and the G6 won't be huge. We're predicting a price of about £4999 for the smallest, 77-inch model.

Expect more on this, including hands-on impressions, in the next day or so.

Read the full LG W6 Wallpaper OLED TV story

We're into day two!

We’re into day two of our CES 2026 live hub. And while we may have gotten more than a few treats yesterday, our AV experts at the show have a choker block full calendar of yet more hardware to get a hands-on look, or listen, to at the show today.

But as ever, we want to hear from you. If you’ve spotted a product launch we missed and are keen to learn more about it, or have a burning question about one we’ve already covered, let us know in the comments section of this page. Our team on the ground will then do their level best to get you an answer ASAP.

Cambridge's first-ever active wireless speaker systems land

Cambridge Audio is striding out into uncharted territory with its new L/R series. Consisting of two active wireless speaker systems, the L/R X and L/R M, alongside the L/R S powered speakers, the new range represents a first for the British brand.

Central to the L/R X and M models is Cambridge's new 'Torus' tweeter which utilises a ring-shaped design with a tapered horn inside the rear chamber. The Torus employs a dual radius configuration, with a flatter top and steeper sides, alongside a large rear chamber for better clarity and direction.

All three models offer RCA line-level inputs, while the X and M models house twin USB-C ports – one for handling audio and the other for the speaker interconnect link – as well as digital optical inputs. You also get an HDMI eARC input and a moving magnet phono stage if you go for the L/R X or L/R M models.

The L/R X and M's streaming powers are driven by the fourth generation of Cambridge’s StreamMagic platform, offering support for the likes of AirPlay 2, Google Cast, Spotify Connect, Tidal Connect, Amazon Music, Deezer and Qobuz Connect. The smaller, cheaper L/R S, meanwhile, still offers built-in amplification alongside standard Bluetooth streaming.

We’ve already had listening time with the largest member of the family, so check out our L/R X hands on review if you want to hear our early impressions.

Samsung's new wireless speaker range offers hi-res audio, and works with Samsung TVs

Samsung's new wireless speakers are both quite different propositions. The larger Music Studio 7 offers hi-res audio and spatial audio, but no Bluetooth, while the lower-end Music Studio 5 (pictured) does have Bluetooth for local streaming, but no hi-res or spatial audio.

The 7 can also wireless pair with other units to provide stereo sound, or Samsung TVs via the brand's Q-Symphony tech. Handy if you're considering one of Samsung's 2026 TV lineup...

Read our full Samsung wireless speaker story

Xgimi's latest 4K home cinema projector is challenging the likes of Hisense and Epson

Next up, Xgimi has announced the release of its latest 4K home cinema projector – the Titan Noir Max. This follows on from Xgimi’s Titan projector that was announced late last year, but Xgimi says this flagship model boasts, “precision-tuned optics [to] bring out the kind of depth, contrast, and colour nuance once reserved for post-production studios.”

We are still waiting to learn how much this model will cost as well as its connectivity options. But we do know that the 4K model is employing the “most advanced dynamic IRIS system to date” with a native contrast of 10,000:1.

It looks to be in direct competition with the five-star Epson EH-LS9000, as well as Hisense's new XR10 model that was announced late last year. We will have to wait to see how Xgimi's latest entry compares with such stiff competition...

Read our full Xgimi Titan Noir Max story

We've been hands-on with Samsung's new Sonos Arc Ultra rival

It's only just been announced, but we've already had hands-on time with Samsung's new Dolby Atmos soundbar. Twice, in fact!

Samsung is making no secret of the fact that it's gunning for the Sonos Arc with its new HW-QS90H model. As such, unlike the HW-Q990F system-in-a-box, the QS90H is a solo bar with all of the drivers built in.

The focus has been on the bass, and Senior Staff Writer Lewis Empson reports that the QS90H sounds very deep and weighty indeed.

Check out his Samsung HW-QS90H hands-on for his early impressions.

TCL promises to go one better than the latest crop of RGB Mini LED TVs

While most other TV makers are getting into bed with RGB Mini LED, TCL is going its own way, opting for SQD Mini LED as its technology of choice for its flagship TV this year.

SQD stands for Super Quantum Dots, and refines how light is filtered at the colour level, reducing colour crosstalk and maintaining colour accuracy.

It will feature in the X11L, which launched in China late last year and will be TCL's flagship TV in Europe and the US in 2026. Other TCL TVs with the tech will be announced later in the year.

Want to see what else it can do? Read our full story: Forget RGB Mini LED – TCL has just announced SQD Mini LED TVs

Onkyo's Muse series is great news for hi-fi fans

Onkyo is kicking off its 80th anniversary celebrations with a brand-new Muse series of streaming amplifiers, which aims to offer amplification and streaming talents in one sleek box.

All you need to do is add speakers to the Muse Y-50 or Muse Y-40, which boast Class D amplification, Spotify/Qobuz/Tidal Connect hi-res streaming, and ample connectivity including HDMI eARC and moving magnet phono stage.

The new Onkyo streaming amps feature a large display screen for track information and the compulsory VU meter display, and are due out in May 2026. The Y-50 is set to cost $1499, while the Y-40 will cost $999, with UK, AUS and other pricing TBC.

A special edition Muse 80th model with a retro finish is also on the cards, with limited availability of 1000 units worldwide – that's due out in summer.

Read the full story here: Onkyo celebrates its 80th anniversary with all-new Muse streaming amplifiers

Vinyl fans, rejoice! There's a new Audio-Technica turntable in town

Audio-Technica has launched the new AT-LP7X record player at CES 2026, and it's a minimalist deck that hides plenty of versatile features under its matte black finish.

You get a switchable, built-in phono stage that works with both moving magnet and moving coil cartridges, and an adjustable tonearm that can be updated to work with a wide variety of cartridges.

The LP7X comes fitted with a J-shaped aluminium tonearm and is pre-mounted with the AT-VM95E cartridge, but can be updated down the line should you wish.

The deck can be plugged straight into active speakers for a compact setup, or be used within a more traditional hi-fi separates system. The LP7X is yours for £679 / $999, sitting just under the £859 / $1299 AT-LP8X turntable we reviewed (and enjoyed!) last year.

Read the full details: Audio-Technica's new AT-LP7X turntable offers ample versatility in a sleek, modern design

Philips 2026 OLED TVs will have one big advantage over LG's...

Dolby Vision 2 is a funny one. Dolby Vision has proved a hit – though not with Samsung – yet the follow-up has gathered its fair amount of suspicion. Do we even need it? Have we reached the limits of what the original Dolby Vision can achieve? Is it all just a cynical ploy to make punters buy a new TV?

Philips would tell you yes, yes and no, respectively. It's just announced it will be the first TV maker to release an OLED with Dolby Vision 2. It joins Hisense and TCL as the only three brands to commit to the tech so far.

We're still awaiting news from Sony and Panasonic, but LG has confirmed it won't support the tech in 2026. That's a big surprise, given its early support for the original Dolby Vision.

So will it leave LG a step behind Philips this year? Or will most people just not care?

Find out more about Philips' decision in our Philips Dolby Vision 2 story

November is a busy time for What Hi-Fi?. For starters, we have to get into our gladrags, ascend from our test rooms and reveal the year’s What Hi-Fi? Award winners at our swanky black-tie ceremony.

Then we have to contend with Black Friday and trawl all the stores, specialist and mainstream, to find you the best hi-fi and home cinema deals to be had on said Award winners and any other five-star product we have reviewed.

*Raises fist at sky and screams “Black fudging Friday” in angry William Shatner voice*

On top of all that, we have to continue our eternal quest, reviewing new products to keep our buying advice up to date and relevant to what’s actually in stores right now.

Which is why, despite all of the above, we continued to publish reviews throughout November (11 to be precise), maintaining business as usual in our viewing and listening rooms.

During that process, however, there was one thing that was a little bit different in November for our reviewers: we found only one product worthy of a five-star rating. Which makes this, the latest edition of our regular Pick of the Month column, our shortest ever.

The Rotel Michi Q5

The vinyl revival has been a joyful thing for quite some time now – which is awesome. But if you prefer your physical media to be a little more compact and shiny – and at the same time have a surplus of serious cash – then you might want to consider the Rotel Michi Q5.

This undeniably premium CD player retails for £5499 ($7499 / AU$9499). That's a clear level above the £2995 ($3995 / AU$4999) Cyrus 40 CD we recommend as the top option in our best CD player guide.

After putting it through its paces, though, we can say that it’s certainly worth it – assuming you have the accompanying amplifier and speakers to back it up. The giant unit is packed with top-end, custom hardware designed to make the absolute most of CDs.

Highlights include a bespoke CNC-machined aluminium CD-transport mechanism and ESS ES9028PRO eight-channel DAC chip. The latter lets you play 32-bit/384kHz PCM and DSD256 files via its USB input, in addition to its CD-spinning capabilities.

Most importantly, when paired with our price-appropriate reference Burmester 088/911MkIII amplifier and ATC SCM50 speakers, it delivers stellar audio. Whether it’s layered classical arrangements, bopping pop, or booming metal, the unit delivers audio with impressive detail resolution, expressive dynamics and a nicely taut bass.

As you will see from our reviewers' five-star rating and verdict: “Some people will baulk at the Michi Q5’s price, and that’s understandable. Given we are so far into the age of streaming, a high-end CD player certainly isn’t going to make sense for everyone. However, if you are dedicated to the original silver disc and have a collection that justifies this kind of expense, we have no hesitation in recommending the Rotel Michi Q5 highly.”

Five stars

Read our full Rotel Michi Q5 review

MORE:

Our reviewers rate the best stereo amps

Our picks of the best bookshelf speakers

We rank the best floorstanding speakers

Chord Electronics has given its much-lauded Mojo 2 DAC and headphone amplifier an upgrade with regard to its connections. The portable device now features a new 4.4mm headphone output and offers USB-C charging.

Sticking with the Mojo 2 name and its current price point of £395 in the UK, these two updates are a result of customer feedback and the demands of new devices now universally using USB-C. One of the two original 3.5mm headphone outputs will be replaced by the 4.4mm socket, which Chord says allows the Mojo 2 to be used with "a far greater range of high-performance headphones".

The 3.5mm and 4.4mm outputs will now have independent volume memory, letting the user set output levels for different headphones.

The USB-C input is now switchable and can be used for both data transfer and device charging. On the updated Mojo 2, there is a small 'flash' symbol above the input to denote its new charging ability.

All other features and functions of the Mojo 2 remain the same, including the eight-hour battery life, the palm-sized casing, and multi-colour, multi-button control. It has coax and optical inputs, and the micro USB port remains so that users can continue to connect it to the Poly 2 streamer module.

Chord Electronics assures us that all the fundamentals of design and the sound quality remain unchanged, too.

The Chord Mojo 2 is a multiple (and current) What Hi-Fi? Award winner, with the portable DAC and headphone amplifier using Chord's proprietary digital audio technology, and being hailed as delivering benchmark transparency and a game-changer for boosting the sound quality of your desktop-based and headphones listening.

The existing Mojo 2 with the original connection (from 2022) will still be on sale for some months until stocks run out – at the moment, you can buy it for just £249 at Peter Tyson (down from £395) in the Black Friday/Cyber Monday sales.

The new Chord Mojo 2 will retain the same name, but the '2' on the unit will be in bold to distinguish it from the outgoing model. The price will remain unchanged at £395 / $650 / AU$799.

MORE:

Read our full Chord Mojo 2 review

Our guide to the best DACs we've tested and rated

Check out the best wired headphones 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

The Sony Bravia 8 was quite the sensation when it launched last year, receiving five stars in our review and the coveted TV Product of the Year at the What Hi-Fi? Awards.

One year on and its successor, the Sony Bravia 8 II, is now out in the wild and receiving similar acclaim, meaning the original Bravia 8 has seen some drastic discounts.

The 55-inch Bravia 8 is currently part of the Black Friday sales, dropping to £1259 at Amazon. That's down from its previous price of £1398, and a good £950 off its £2199 launch price.

However, a new, budget version of this TV, known as the Bravia 8A, was released just days ago – and is cheaper at £1169.

The Bravia 8A is missing two minor features from the original Bravia: the Bravia 8A comes with a non-backlit version of the Bravia 8's remote, and includes 5 credits and 12 months of streaming for Sony Pictures Core, rather than the 12 credits and 24 months offered with the Bravia 8.

If you can live without these features, the Bravia 8A is otherwise identical – and £90 cheaper.

Minus the backlit remote and the longer Sony Pictures Core offer, our review of the Sony Bravia 8 applies to the 8A model as well.

An Award-winning TV, the Sony Bravia 8A offers an incredibly bright and sharp image along with best-in-class motion handling.

Tested with Blade Runner 2049, our review said: "Watching Ryan Gosling’s character fly into a dusty protein farm, motion handling is beautiful and we don’t see any artefacts as his car zooms over the landscape and a recon drone examines the scene. Dark areas retain oodles of detail, with every crinkle in the sofa in Dave Bautista's home being apparent."

The Google TV OS offers a full suite of apps, including international heavy hitters such as Netflix, Disney Plus, Apple TV+ and Amazon Prime Video as well as terrestrial favourites BBC iPlayer, ITVX, Channel 4 and Channel 5.

As you'd expect from the makers of the PlayStation, gaming support is solid, with two of the four HDMI inputs supporting 4K/120Hz signals as well as VRR and ALLM.

HDR10, Dolby Vision and HLG are all supported, as well as an IMAX Enhanced picture mode, though cinephiles will note that HDR10+ is missing.

Both TVs are a great choice – but for the lowest price possible, the Sony Bravia 8A, priced at £1169 at Amazon, is the best choice for the deal-hunters out there.

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

Amazon's Black Friday sale is going strong, and one discount in particular will appeal to those on the hunt for a new TV – the Hisense U8N 65-inch Mini LED TV has now hit its lowest-ever price on Amazon, where it’s now available for £800. That’s down from £889, and a significant drop from its £1800 launch price.

The U8N earned a solid four-star rating from when we put the 65-inch model through our vigorous testing room gauntlet earlier this year, revealing it to be a substantial step forward for Hisense's Mini LED offering. While it stops short of the five-star excellence demanded of the very best TVs, it proved to be a well-balanced performer that delivers strong results once properly calibrated.

Central to the U8N's appeal is its Mini LED panel equipped with 1600 dimming zones and a claimed 3000 nits of peak brightness – a considerable upgrade over the previous Hisense U8K's 1008 zones and 1500-nit specification. The TV uses Quantum Dot technology and Hisense's custom Hi View Pro image processor, which the manufacturer claims offers significantly more advanced local dimming control than rivals.

Gaming credentials are strong too, with the U8N supporting 4K/144Hz for PC gamers and 4K/120Hz with Dolby Vision gaming for console players. The set supports all current HDR standards, including HLG, HDR10, HDR10+ and Dolby Vision, plus IMAX Enhanced content. Two of its four HDMI ports operate at the full 48Gbps HDMI 2.1 specification, though one doubles as an eARC connection for soundbar users.

Where the U8N particularly impressed our reviewers was in its picture quality once we moved away from the overbaked out-of-box settings. In our recommended Filmmaker mode with adjustments (Local Dimming set to High, Adaptive Contrast in Low, motion processing in Film mode and Colour Profile on Warm 2), the TV delivered a balanced image with solid black levels, accurate colours and excellent detail retention.

Playing demanding 4K content, including Top Gun: Maverick and Blade Runner 2049, the U8N demonstrated strong contrast without the blooming issues that often plague Mini LED sets. Whites remained controlled, and bright scenes retained plenty of detail. Shadow detail proved impressive too, with every wrinkle and texture visible even in darkly-lit sequences.

The U8N also excelled at upscaling, handling our True Grit test disc with wonderfully accurate processing that retained both shadow detail and the film's intentional grain. This talent extended to streaming 1080p content, where shows looked sharper without losing their sense of realism.

The trade-off for these strengths is that the U8N doesn't quite match the perfect blacks, pixel-level contrast control or vibrant colours of step-down OLED rivals, including the LG C4 and Sony A80L, the latter of which is now available for only a few hundred pounds more. Motion handling also showed minor issues during particularly challenging sequences, with the occasional ghost frame visible during quick panning shots.

Build quality proves robust, with the TV feeling well-constructed and durable, though its stand lacks a swivel mechanism – a minor annoyance when accessing rear ports. The UK model runs Hisense's VIDAA U7.6 operating system, which provides apps for all major streaming services including Netflix, Disney+ and Prime Video, plus a Freely tuner and catch-up apps for BBC iPlayer, ITVX, Channel 4 and My5.

The in-built 2.1.2 speaker system supporting DTS:X, IMAX DTS and Dolby Atmos delivers acceptable performance at sensible volumes, but quickly becomes strained above 50 per cent, with distortion and rattle creeping in. Most users will want to pair the U8N with one of the best soundbars for a truly immersive experience.

Still, at £800, the U8N represents excellent value for a Mini LED TV with this level of performance, particularly for those who want high peak brightness and strong gaming features.

MORE

Read our Amazon Omni QLED review

Best soundbars 2025: options for every need, recommended by our experts

Black Friday hi-fi and home cinema deals live: our experts’ picks of the best savings

• 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

There are loads of Black Friday OLED TV deals out there, but if you're looking for a screen size under 55 inches, you'll find that pickings become slightly slimmer.

Thankfully, Samsung has stepped up to offer its five-star 48-inch S90F OLED TV at a huge discount, meaning you can find it at Amazon for just £823 right now; a saving of £677 from the price we reviewed it at.

It's an ideal screen for smaller living rooms, or for gamers who may wish to use it as a dual-purpose TV and gaming monitor.

There is, however, an unfortunate catch. Amazon says that there are only three in stock right now, so you'll have to act fast if you want to snap this TV deal up.

The five-star Samsung S90F is a fantastic, but not quite perfect, TV that will delight serious movie fans who are short on space.

And with this deal, it's competitively priced (and usefully cheaper) than the likes of the equivalent LG C5 and Panasonic Z90B, which will currently cost you £1049 and £1099 respectively.

The S90F is the best Samsung has to offer at this size, boasting a warm yet detailed picture, as well as some pretty flawless gaming specs.

But, before we delve deeper into this, it's worth noting that the S90F is also incredibly easy to set up. It comes with a central pedestal stand that quickly connects to the screen, thanks to a handy screw-free design.

And once that's all put together (which will take only a few minutes), you can enjoy the overall image, which our expert testers said: "For your money, you’ll get a bright, punchy, smallish OLED capable of delivering a fun home movie experience full of pop."

When it comes to the aforementioned gaming specs, the S90F comes with an impressive four full-bandwidth HDMI 2.1 sockets, as well as VRR and ALLM.

What's even more impressive is that it actually goes beyond 4K/120Hz with its support for 4K/144Hz, though, unless you're a hardcore gamer, this may just be novel to have.

Sonically, the S90F falls a little short, although good sound is hard to achieve on a TV this size. With a 60-watt, 2.1.2-channel Dolby Atmos-ready, built-in sound system, our testers found the audio to be a "mixed bag." Adding: "Still, the speakers aren't the worst we have heard on a set this size."

With your £667 savings at Amazon, you could invest in a soundbar if you want to make sure you're getting a truly decent viewing experience. We'd personally recommend the Sonos Beam (Gen 2), which will slot in nicely under the slightly higher screen and sounds great.

If you are considering this TV, then you'll need to act fast, as according to Amazon, there are just three left at this price.

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

After a big TV on a modest budget this Black Friday?

Then you'll struggle to go wrong with the enormous TCL 85C805K, a rare combination of a giant TV that is both relatively affordable and has decent performance. Performance so good, in fact, that it received a What Hi-Fi? Award last year.

The 85C805K's value has just got even better, however, with early Black Friday sales bringing the price down to £1299 at Hughes. That's a nice £280 off the £1579 launch price.

This isn't quite the lowest price we have seen for the 85C805K – it hit £1049 earlier this year. The current deal is still an excellent price for anyone looking for a large TV – after all, this is the same price as you would pay for some 55-inch TVs!

In our five-star TCL 85C805K review, we described the model as “a dream come true for home cinema fans who aren’t lucky enough to have limitlessly deep pockets”.

It is indeed a dream in many aspects, with good contrast and brightness, support for all HDR formats (including Dolby Vision) and, of course, that 85-inch screen that rivals some projectors.

Screen size aside, our expert reviewers were still seriously impressed, saying: “we can’t stress enough just how all-round watchable and consistent its pictures remain – even with our favourite ‘stress test’ demo scenes.”

There are also two HDMI 2.1 sockets for 4K/120Hz gaming, as well as ALLM and VRR (including in the AMD FreeSync Premium Pro format) to complete the list of gaming support.

The only downside to this incredible value is that the picture can look a bit soft, and a few catch-up apps (such as BBC iPlayer) are missing from the Google TV OS. However, if you have an external streaming device, such as a Google TV Streamer or Amazon Fire TV Stick 4K, that won't be an issue.

For the latest screen technology, you might want to consider the newer, Award-winning TCL C7K, which also comes in a monstrous 98-inch size that blew us away. However, if you're looking for a giant TV this Black Friday, the TCL 85C805K is one of the best value options around. Get the 85-inch TV with £280 off at Hughes now.

MORE:

Read our TCL 85C805K review

Here are the best TVs you can buy right now

And here are all the best TV deals

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

In all my years of testing TVs (18 and counting), the Sony Bravia 8 II is one of my absolute favourites – and undeniably the best flagship OLED you can buy right now.

We tested it against the Samsung S95F (with which it shares its QD-OLED panel), the LG G5 and the Panasonic Z95B, and our reviews team unanimously decided the Bravia 8 II was the best TV overall.

That's why it went on to win the coveted TV Product Of The Year gong at the What Hi-Fi? Awards last November.

And, despite being the best of the best, the Bravia 8 II has been the recipient of lots of lovely discounts, which is what this page is all about.

But first, some more info to help you decide if this is the right TV for you.

What makes the Sony Bravia 8 II so good?

The Bravia 8 II is the (overdue) successor to the awesome A95L.

It features the latest-generation QD-OLED panel, Sony's latest and greatest picture processing, an innovative audio system that involves the whole screen vibrating to make sound, very good gaming specs and a smart design.

Unusually, the TV is available in just two sizes, 55 and 65 inches. We've tested both: our original review was based on the 55-inch version, but we then also sourced the 65-inch model for a flagship OLED shootout

The Bravia 8 II goes slightly less bright than those other next-gen OLED models mentioned above, but it's still a very bright TV, and it combines that punch and dynamism with superb cinematic authenticity and some very subtle sharpening that makes the image look more solid and three-dimensional than its rivals can match.

It's better-sounding than those other sets, too, though we do recommend adding a dedicated sound system if you're able. Picture quality this superb demands equally superb audio.

My only additional note is that the Bravia 8 II has just two HDMI 2.1 sockets that support 4K/120Hz gaming. For most people, that will be of no consequence, but for hardcore gamers with multiple machines, it could be frustrating. Just something to bear in mind.

Got all that? Then simply scroll down for the latest and lowest prices on my favourite TV of 2025.

The best Sony Bravia 8 II deals

Sony Bravia 8 II 55-inch (K55XR8M2)

Launch price: £2499 / $3500 / AU$4195

The 55-inch Bravia 8 II is the first one we tested, and the primary basis of our full Sony Bravia 8 II review.

It is, as should be clear by now, an exemplary TV, and by going for the 55-inch model rather than the 65 incher, you get increased pixel density, which means you get an even sharper picture.

Sony Bravia 8 II 65-inch (K65XR8M2)

Launch price: £2999 / $4000 / AU$5295

What you lose in pixel density by going for the larger Bravia 8 II, you more than gain in cinematic scale.

There really is no accounting for size when it comes to an immersive movie or game experience, so I almost always recommend going big to people who are torn between two sizes.

Do be aware, though, that the feet of the Bravia 8 II can only be placed at the furthest points of the TV's bottom edge, so you will need a piece of furniture at least as wide as the TV (144cm / 57 inches).

This obviously isn't an issue if you're wall-mounting the TV or are willing to buy a third-party universal stand for it.

Halloween is officially over, which means we have changed gears and are firmly in deal hunting season.

But, despite Black Friday now being clear and visible on the horizon, that hasn’t stopped hi-fi and home-cinema brands flooding our team with fresh news to cover and products to review.

Over the past week we’ve checked out everything from a new premium phono stage from an iconic British brand to an awesome Sony projector.

Here’s what you need to know.

Michell’s new two-box phono stage is a winner baby (yes that’s a Ru Paul reference)

Iconic British hi-fi brand Michell Audio had a busy October. Not only did it unveil its new Revolv and the Gyro turntables, it also delivered its fancy Apollo phono stage to our listening rooms for testing.

And once we got the clever two-box unit set up and connected to our reference Technics SL-1000R turntable, Burmester 088/911 MkIII amplifier and ATC SCM50 speakers, boy did it deliver the sonic goods!

Across every track we threw at it, the unit delivered sumptuous, insightful and fluid presentation. Hence our five-star rating and glowing conclusion:

“The competition is tough, but the Apollo’s formidable blend of talents is hard to resist. Its unfussy attitude, seductive sound and excellent build make it one of the standout options in this part of the market.”

Read our full Michell Apollo review

Technics sounded the death knell on a legend

If you’re a fan of Technics’ iconic SL-1200G turntable, we have good and bad news. Last week, the brand confirmed that, after 50 sweet years, its 'G' line is going out of production.

But, as a silver lining, it is sending the deck off with a bang, confirming it will do a limited run of new Grand Class SL-1200G/1210G Master Edition special production turntables.

Featuring a number of design and hardware tweaks, Technics described the new models as the final evolution of the iconic G-series.

Just be warned, Technics is making only a limited number of each, so you’ll have to act fast if you want either when they become available in January 2026.

Read the full story: Technics waves goodbye to the legendary SL-1200 turntable with super-exclusive Master Editions

The Sony Bravia Projector 7 continues the brand’s winning streak

Regular readers know we are big fans of Sony’s latest projectors. So much so that we gave its Sony VPL-XW5000ES and Sony Bravia Projector 8 What Hi-Fi? Awards this year.

And, while its awkward pricing puts it against some very strong competition, after putting it through its paces in our test rooms, we are pleased to report that the middle child, Bravia Projector 7, is an excellent performer.

For your money you’ll be treated to a flexible, “proper” projector capable of delivering a rich, balanced and detailed picture with a sense of three dimensionality missing on many rivals. As we say in our review:

“If you’re looking to step up to a projector that delivers an even more cinematic image with more balanced colours, even better contrast, and extra subtlety, then the Bravia Projector 7 is certainly worth the upgrade – providing your budget allows.”

Read our full Sony Bravia Projector 7 review

We ranked our favourite Bruce Springsteen songs

Last week the Bruce Springsteen bio-pic Springsteen: Deliver Me From Nowhere hit cinemas. To help celebrate, the What Hi-Fi? team has come up with a list of the top Springsteen tracks we love, and occasionally even use for testing, from the Boss’s rich and lengthy catalogue of work.

Read the full story: eight of the best Bruce Springsteen tracks to test your hi-fi system

Triangle upgraded its Capella speakers

Finishing off this week’s Rewind column is some news from Triangle – the launch of its new Capella 2 wireless active speakers. The units are a direct follow up to the firm’s previous-generation Triangle Capella standmounts, which we awarded four stars last year.

Key upgrades include the addition of Spotify Connect Lossless and Tidal Connect support, improved wi-fi connectivity, a more modern chipset and new subwoofer output. Will they help the new units nab that oh so elusive fifth star? We’re hoping to get them into our listening rooms to find out!

Read the full story: Triangle’s upgraded Capella 2 speakers land with Spotify and Tidal support

MORE:

We rank the best bookshelf speakers money can buy

Our picks of the best projectors

Check out our picks of the best phono preamps

As Black Friday approaches, there's one question on the minds of savvy TV buyers: will there be any great deals on the LG C5?

It's little wonder there's so much interest in the C5.

• Check out all of the early Black Friday deals on Amazon

LG's C-series OLED TVs have long been the benchmark when it comes to the combination of performance, features and price, and this year's C5 is a real upgrade on last year's C4 – at least in the larger sizes.

All sizes of the C5 have already seen significant discounting and can be bought for a lot less than they launched for. But will they drop even lower for Black Friday at the end of the month?

I track the prices of the best TVs right through the year, and a look at the price history of last year's C4 suggests that yes, the C5 should get even cheaper for Black Friday.

But how low might it go? Let's break it down, size by size.

LG C5 42-inch (OLED42C5)

• Launch price: £1400
• Current price: £949
• Predicted Black Friday price: £899

The 42-inch version of the C5 isn't much of an improvement on the 42-inch C4, and that means it isn't quite as accomplished as the versions that are 55 inches or larger.

That doesn't mean the 42-inch C5 is a bad TV, though. On the contrary, it's the best TV of its size that we've tested all year, delivering balanced, consistent picture quality right out of the box, plus an unbeatable suite of gaming features.

It's a great option for smaller rooms, and is even just about compact enough to work as a desktop gaming monitor.

The 42-inch C4 dropped to £888 during Black Friday last year, so I think it's fair to expect a drop to £899 for the C5. Seeing as it's already available for £949, it could go even cheaper.

Read our full LG OLED42C5 review

LG C5 48-inch (OLED48C5)

• Launch price: £1500
• Current price: £1049
• Predicted Black Friday price: £999

Like the 42-inch model, the 48-inch version of the C5 is very similar to its predecessor. In this case, that actually means you can buy an even better TV – namely, the 48-inch Panasonic Z90B.

But the 48-inch C5 is still an excellent, five-star TV in its own right, offering the same enjoyable picture quality as the 42-inch model, but at a more engaging size.

The 48-inch C4 hit £999 during Black Friday last year, and the C5 isn't much more expensive even now. I wouldn't be surprised if this one hit £949, but £999 is still a great price.

Read the full LG OLED48C5 review

LG C5 55-inch (OLED55C5)

• Launch price: £1900
• Current price: £1199
• Predicted Black Friday price: £1099

This is where the C5 series gets really good. Despite the on-paper specs being largely unchanged, the 55-inch C5 is a solid step forward from its predecessor in terms of picture quality.

There's increased brightness, dynamism and solidity to the image, and more accurate, more consistent colours. Best of all, you get this exemplary picture without the need to dig deeply into the settings.

As with every other C5, the 55-inch model has four HDMI 2.1 sockets that all support 4K/120Hz gaming (and 4K/144Hz, for that matter), as well as VRR and ALLM. This is a gloriously good gaming TV.

The sound is a bit of a letdown, but that's par for the course with OLED TVs. Budget for a soundbar and you'll be set.

The 55-inch C5 dropped to £1099 during Black Friday last year, and I expect the C5 to go at least that low.

Read the full LG OLED55C5 review

LG C5 65-inch (OLED65C5)

• Launch price: £2700
• Current price: £1699
• Predicted Black Friday price: £1499

While we haven't published a dedicated review of the 65-inch version of the LG C5, we did look at it as part of our Awards comparisons, and can confirm that it performs just as expected.

By going for 65 inches rather than 55, you sacrifice a small amount of sharpness on account of the decreased pixel density, but gain much more in cinematic scale. Otherwise, the TVs perform the same.

If you have the room and budget for the larger set and you're serious about home cinema, I recommend going for it.

Last year's 65-inch C4 hit £1495 during Black Friday, and I think the 65-inch C5 will drop to around the same price this year.

LG C5 77-inch (LG OLED77C5)

• Launch price: £3800
• Current price: £2799
• Predicted Black Friday price: £2399

Again, we haven't run a dedicated review of the 77-inch version of the LG C5, but we have seen it in action at various events over the course of the year, often alongside its smaller siblings, and the performance looks perfectly consistent.

Again, you will lose a little pixel density and therefore sharpness by going up to this size, but the increase in cinematic scale is pretty massive at this level.

The 77-inch C4 dropped to £2399 during Black Friday last year, and while the 77-inch C5 has a little way to go to hit that level, I think it will get there this year.

LG C5 83-inch (LG OLED83C5)

• Launch price: £5999
• Current price: £3999
• Predicted Black Friday price: £3549

Honestly, going up to 83 inches with an OLED TV is not a great move from a value point of view. The additional six inches of screen real estate adds absolutely loads to the price – £1200 at the time of writing.

Why is that? It's all to do with the added complexity of manufacturing OLED panels this large, and the apparently high failure rate at the factory.

But while the 83-inch C5 isn't the most sensible option, it sure is the most exciting. This is the absolute largest size you can buy, and while the additional six inches doesn't sound like a lot, it makes a big difference to the cinematic spectacle of a movie night.

Prices of the 83-inch C5 are currently tracking a bit higher than they were for the C4 this time last year, but I still expect it to hit a similar level – around £3549 – for Black Friday.

FAQ

MORE:

Check out all of the best Black Friday deals we've found

Here are the best TVs you can buy, and here are the best soundbars

We've been begging for cheaper OLED TVs for years now, and a new development could finally (eventually) make them a reality.

TCL CSOT (the display development and manufacturing arm of TCL) has just broken ground on a facility in Guangzhou, China, that could give LG Display and Samsung Display something to worry about.

The $4.15 billion factory, which began construction just yesterday, will be the world's first to manufacture OLED panels using inkjet printing technology – a process that reportedly cuts production costs by around 20 per cent.

For two companies that have long dominated the OLED panel market, a well-funded Chinese competitor promising cheaper panels could represent a significant new challenge.

By printing OLED materials rather than using conventional evaporation techniques, TCL CSOT believes it can slash production expenses, while still delivering RGB OLED panels with strong performance credentials in terms of resolution and power efficiency.

If successful, this approach could pressure established manufacturers to reconsider their own pricing strategies.

Until now, the OLED panel market has been largely controlled by two South Korean giants – LG Display and Samsung Display. TCL CSOT's entry into this arena introduces a new competitor with deep pockets and ambitions to disrupt the status quo, particularly as the broader OLED market continues its upward trajectory.

Industry projections suggest global OLED panel shipments will climb from just over one billion units in 2024 to approximately 1.33 billion by the end of the decade.

The Guangzhou facility will be capable of processing 22,500 large-format substrates each month. In display manufacturing, substrates are essentially the foundation sheets – typically glass – onto which all the OLED layers are built up.

These 8.6-generation substrates measure just over two metres in both dimensions, and once the OLED materials have been applied, they can be cut down into multiple smaller panels depending on the target application.

TCL CSOT has been explicit about its near-term manufacturing priorities – premium screens destined for notebook computers, tablets and desktop monitors will be the primary focus when production ramps up in 2027.

What the company hasn't done, is make any definitive statements about television panels. Equally, it hasn't dismissed the possibility.

Given that TCL itself is a prominent TV brand, the potential for this facility to eventually contribute to more competitively priced OLED televisions is far from unlikely. But time will tell.

Jun Zhao, who serves as both SVP of TCL Technology and CEO of TCL CSOT, positioned the initiative as a significant milestone: "Our T8 production line marks a breakthrough for the global display industry, showcasing technological capabilities and market potential in the high-generation AMOLED sector. By bringing together the entire value chain, from foundational materials to final product assembly, we are building a fully integrated, end-to-end industrial cluster designed to compete on a global scale."

The inkjet printing methodology has its roots in academic research, specifically work on solution-processed OLEDs.

Professor Sir Richard Henry Friend, whose research at the University of Cambridge helped pioneer this approach, offered his endorsement of the technology's commercial evolution: "It is wonderful to see the baton of printed OLED handed over to TCL. This has been the very best possible journey for the technology, and I'm so excited to see it move forward into its next very successful phase."

Mass production remains pencilled in for 2027, at which point we'll get a clearer picture of whether inkjet-printed OLED panels can deliver on their promise of reduced costs without compromising visual performance.

Even if TCL CSOT ultimately decides against producing panels specifically for televisions, the mere existence of a more cost-effective manufacturing process could have potential knock-on effects across the industry.

Established players may find themselves under pressure to improve their own efficiency, potentially benefiting anyone shopping for OLED technology – regardless of which company's logo appears on the front.

As for how this might translate to future TV technology and pricing? We’ll have to wait and see.

MORE

Best TV 2025: flagship OLEDs and budget LED sets tried and tested

Best soundbars 2025: options for every need, recommended by our experts

All four of the best 2025 flagship OLED TVs are on sale, and I've ranked them so you know which to buy

• These are the best floorstanding speakers we've reviewed

We know that Sony is working on a TV centred around the new RGB Mini LED panel technology that Hisense and Samsung have already incorporated into their respective ranges.

Those companies, though, have opted to dip their toes into the tech with just one TV each. A new report suggests that Sony could be taking a bolder approach by doubling down on the new display technology with two new TVs next year.

A forecast from Omidia's Research Director for Displays, David Hsieh, (via FlatpanelsHD) states that we could see a new Bravia 9 and Bravia 7 launch next year – presumably these will be the Bravia 9 II and Bravia 7 II if Sony sticks to the naming convention established with the excellent Bravia 8 II – which could both sport the new RGB Mini LED panel tech.

Hsieh has reportedly made this prediction based on industry insights and sources related to the research company. That being said, nothing will be official until the news comes directly from Sony itself.

Hsieh suggests that the supposed Bravia 9 II could come in 65, 75, 85 and 115-inch screen sizes. The rumoured Bravia 7 II is forecast to add 50 and 55-inch sets, with the largest screen size predicted to be 98 or 100 inches.

Samsung and Hisense, for reference, have opted to launch their RGB Mini LED sets only at 115 and 116 inches, respectively, so Sony could be the first manufacturer to introduce a wider range of screen sizes with this display technology.

Of course, to be sure, we have to wait until Sony makes an official announcement for its 2026 TV range; we expect that to come towards the beginning of next year.

It is looking very possible, though, that Sony could become the first brand to adopt the new display technology with open arms – though we are willing to bet that Samsung, Hisense and TCL also have big plans for the new tech for 2026.

MORE:

Read our full Sony Bravia 9 Mini LED TV review

And check out our picks for the best Mini LED TVs

Find the best TV deals here

Another week has passed in the world of all things audio and visual, and our expert deal hunters and AV editors have been busy scouring the internet so you can save big on the best deals out there.

This week we've seen big savings on all manner of excellent kit in both TV, AV and hi-fi land, including money off a five-star Technics music-streaming, CD-playing digital source, a pair of excellent Q Acoustics floorstanding speakers and the first price drop on a recently reviewed Bose Bluetooth speaker.

One of our favourite OLED TVs has also dropped to its lowest price ever, so be sure to check out that saving below.

Read on for the five best hi-fi and home cinema deals we've spotted this week.

An amazing saving on one of our favourite OLED TVs

Fantastic five-star floorstanders hit their lowest price yet

A terriffic all-in-one system now with £300 off

Bose's four-star speaker gets its first-ever discount

Our favourite portable music player can be yours with £200 off

Five-star Sennheiser wireless earbuds slashed in price

OLED TVs can come with a hefty price tag, but not when there's a tasty deal to be done. And right now, we're shining a light on Samsung's compact OLED TV, the S90D.

For just £649 at Peter Tyson, the Samsung S90D is sporting an incredible discount. But, that's not all. If you go for this deal right now, you can also cash in on up to £230 worth of apps and subscriptions until July 31st.

Plus, there's up to £300 off selected Samsung soundbars, including the recently released and five-star Samsung HW-Q990F.

While we haven't given the S90D a full review, we did get hands-on with the 48-inch model and found it to have impressive contrast, balanced colours and sharp details.

Crucially, it's cheaper than the 48-inch LG C4 right now.

We haven't given the Samsung S90D a full review in our testing rooms, but we did get hands-on at the "World of Samsung" experience in Frankfurt in 2024 and were impressed by what we saw.

As a compact 48-inch set, we found it to be "a svelte and suave unit", thanks to super slim bezels around the display and a razor-thin side profile.

It's worth noting again that the S90D is missing the Quantum Dots of Samsung's S95D OLEDs. Instead, it uses a standard WOLED panel. The same one that's found in the 48-inch LG C4, in fact.

The spec sheet, though, is impressive. For gamers, Samsung has included its usual suite of four full-bandwidth HDMI 2.1 sockets with 4K/120Hz, VRR and ALLM support, with the Motion Xcelerator reaching up to 4K 144Hz.

And Samsung hasn't forgotten to include the usual HDR creature comforts, with HLG, HDR10 and HDR10+ all supported. As to be expected, there's no Dolby Vision support.

The S90D also features the latest version of Samsung's Tizen operating system, granting you access to a wide array of streaming apps as well as Samsung TV Plus, which incorporates hundreds of internet-streamed television channels.

When it comes to sound, it was hard to test this set's full capabilities given the hands-on environment, but small OLEDs notoriously don't have the best built-in speakers. As such, we'd recommend pairing it up with a Dolby Atmos soundbar.

Fortunately, with this Peter Tyson deal, you can actually save up to £300 across selected Samsung soundbars. So, grab this lovely OLED set for £649, saving £950, and use some of that change to bolster your audio for the ultimate home cinema experience.

MORE:

Read our full Samsung S90D hands-on review

Here are the best TVs – from flagship OLEDs and budget LED sets

Best OLED TV 2025: our reviewers' 5 top picks for serious movie fans

I've been using the 65-inch Sony A95L at home for the last few weeks (that's it in my living room in the photo above), and I'm absolutely loving it.

It's that marrying of the brightness and vibrancy of QD-OLED technology to Sony's trademark cinematic authenticity that does it for me: it means the picture is hugely exciting and dynamic, yet also accurate and 'correct'.

It's great for gaming, too, and I'm really making use of the free, super-high-quality streams on Sony Pictures Core.

You would think, therefore, that I would be telling you to take up this A95L deal, which is the lowest price I've seen for the 65-inch model:

But I'm not going to do that, and the reason is two-fold:

The LG G4 is currently £800 cheaper

I don't like the LG G4 quite as much as I do the Sony A95L, but I do still like it a great deal.

And because LG is so much more aggressive with its pricing, the 65-inch G4 is available for vastly less, and a difference this big is too good to ignore.

The G4 has some advantages over the A95L, too: it's even easier to get the most out of (just use Filmmaker Mode and switch on the ambient light sensor and you're pretty much sorted); the webOS smart platform is better than the Sony's Google TV; and it's got four HDMI 2.1 sockets that support every gaming feature under the sun.

The G4 goes even brighter than the A95L, too, although its MLA OLED panel isn't quite as good at bright colours as the Sony QD-OLED panel is.

Still, at these prices, I would absolutely take the G4 over the A95L, and I'd spend the 'change' on a Dolby Atmos soundbar – the Sony A95L sounds good for a TV, but it's no match for even a mid-range soundbar such as the Sonos Beam Gen 2.

And the Sony A95L's replacement is now here

The second thing putting me off recommending that deal on the Sony A95L is that its successor, the Bravia 8 II, has just hit shops.

I'm not saying you should go out and buy the new model right now (I never recommend buying a TV at launch as prices are so inflated), but it's launched for less than the A95L did, and I don't think it will be too long before its hits the £2300 price point that the A95L is at now.

The Bravia 8 II's presence in shops now also means that the A95L's price is likely to drop further in the coming weeks and months.

So, while I love the A95L and would ordinarily recommend it in a heartbeat, anyone desperate for a flagship-level OLED TV right now should buy the LG G4 (and a soundbar) instead.

Those who can be patient, meanwhile, should wait either for the A95L's price to drop further or for the new Bravia 8 II (a review of which we're working on right now) to get its first discounts.

Sound+Image is Australia no. 1 mag for audio & AV reviews, news and technology. Every issue is divided between hi-fi features and reviews, audiovisual reviews and updates, plus a lashing of music and movie features to highlight the reason we need the equipment in the first place.

And in our latest issue, #362:...

MINI AMPS THAT ARE BIG ON STREAMING
Group test: Various developments have fed the rise of smaller hideaway amplifiers with app control and built-in streaming. But with such variety in power and price, how do you find your level?
- Feature: How to choose your amplifier
- Review: WiiM Pro
- Review: Sonos Amp
- Review: Denon Home Amp
- Review: Bluesound Powernode Edge
- Review: Marantz Model M1
- Review: Electrocompaniet RENA SA2

OPEN HEADPHONES
Group of three: They may annoy people on the bus commute, but for solo listening, open-backed headphones are a pathway to the airiest of hi-fi sounds. We test three new models at radically different price levels.

- Review: AUDIO-TECHNICA ATH-R30x
New and attractively-priced open headphones – just A$219, yet they pretty much blew us away with their effortless and balanced presentation.

- Review: SENNHEISER HD 550
It can be hard to tell Sennheiser’s many headphones apart – yet they are invariably safe performers when it comes to the sonics, as these HD 550s confirm.

- Review: MEZE POET
Spectacular looks meet sparkling sonics in these Romanian planar-magnetic beauties. What airy wonders do they reveal, for their A$3499 pricing?

MORE REVIEWS...

- MARANTZ HORIZON wireless speaker
Luxurious materials and a remarkable design differentiate Marantz’s wireless speaker costing A$6500 (+A$1500 for the stand). Does it repay the price?

- KALEIDESCAPE TERRA PRIME + STRATO C 4K movie server + player
The premium movie server system is now ‘officially’ available in Australia, including a local movie store. We test a two-box server and player solution.

- VIEWSONIC V57-4K projector
It’s a ‘lumen king’ using a higher level of DLP projection than rivals to achieve higher brightness and overcome ambient light conditions.

- TANNOY SGM 10 stereo loudspeakers
These ‘heritage’-look speakers are developed from studio models and certainly have some quirks, but their sound can take on all modern challengers.

MORE FEATURES...

- TOP TVs & TV TECH FOR 2025
Advanced OLED panels arrive, but Mini LED has an RGB variation waiting in the wings. Is 8K coming or going? And will 3D return to TV?

- comment
ONE EAR ON THE FUTURE
The Editor looks forward to understanding whatever you’re all saying.

- show reports
HIGH-END MUNICH SHOW REPORT
From 2026, the HIGH END Show will move to Vienna, so there was much tearful sloshing of steins amid the usual collection of horns and sounds to celebrate the final Munich show.

- AUSTRALIAN Hi-FI SHOW, SYDNEY
Three days of Sydney sunshine, four floors of hi-fi and AV on song: here’s our full report of all the joys from this year’s Sydney show.

- countdown
THE BEST MOVIES OF THE 1980s!
From ‘Raging Bull’ to ‘Dogs in Space’, these are the 1980s movies that will get your home cinema back to the 1980s. Bring your own Spandex...

- classic movie scene
E.T.’s FLYING BICYCLE
Spielberg was riffing on the imaginary friend of his youth, but when Elliott’s bicycle took to the skies he created a scene that cinemas cheered.

- music stars
KATE BUSH
We look back at the original Kate Bush tour of 1979, her first and only time on the road until her residency London concerts 35 years later.

- NEWS
Marantz announces surprise two-box AV; Harman buys all Masimo Consumer brands; Electrocompaniet gets knobby; Rega goes digital with its Mk7 Brio amp; Melbourne gets a new AV experience store; Qobuz Connect debuts on loads of kit; Krix reveals its biggest ever subwoofer; Triangle effects speaker goes both ways; Blu-ray news: Pioneer stops, Sony goes...

It's all in #362 of Sound+Image, out now in print at newsagents and as a digital issue through Apple, Google, Readly, Zinio. Libby and more!

2025 is rapidly turning into a great year for TV fans. This is because TV tech is moving at an astonishingly fast pace with a wealth of new features set to appear on this year's flagship models.

Top of this next generation list are the Sony Bravia 8 II and Samsung S95F which are set to duke it out for premium buyers' attention.

The Bravia 8 II is the successor to the excellent Sony A95L, while the S95F follows on from the impressive Samsung S95D.

To help judge how the two sets compare and which you should be keeping a particularly close eye on we've penned this guide, detailing the biggest differences between the two.

But, before you go rushing to buy one, remember that, while we've had brief hands-on time with both televisions, we haven't fully reviewed them in our dedicated test rooms.

Until we do, this comparison is based on our initial experiences, and their respective specifications. We'll update this comparison once we've put both TVs through their proper paces.

Sony Bravia 8 II vs Samsung S95F: price, sizes, and release date

Sony has confirmed UK pricing for the Bravia 8 II, with the 55-inch model priced at £2499 and the 65-inch version at £2999.

The new model is scheduled to start shipping from 6 June 2025 in the UK. Notably, these prices are considerably lower than the A95L it replaces, which launched at £2999 for the 55-inch model and £3699 for the 65-inch version.

Potential buyers in the US have some bad news though, as the Bravia 8 II will launch at a noticeably more expensive price than its A95L predecessor.

The 55-inch and 65-inch models will launch at $3500 and $4000, respectively, which is noticeably higher than the $2800 and $3500 launch prices for the equivalent-sized A95L.

There's no word on Australian pricing at the moment, but we'll update this article as soon as we receive more information.

As for the S95F, it is launching in the UK at £2499, and £3399 for the 55-inch and 65-inch versions, respectively. Pricing for the 77-inch model has yet to be confirmed.

That makes for a reasonable difference in pricing between the 65-inch models of both Sony and Samsung sets, which may be enough to sway you over to the more affordable Samsung at that particular size and price point.

The overall price difference is very substantial when it comes to those in the US, with the 55-inch and 65-inch S95F costing $2299.99 and $3299.99, respectively.

That opens up a massive price difference compared to their Sony counterparts that will be very hard to ignore, giving the S95F a substantial edge in the US market.

Sony Bravia 8 II vs Samsung S95F: design and build

The Samsung S95F maintains the slim profile of its predecessor, largely thanks to its One Connect box system.

This handily separates the connections and processing hardware from the display, connecting to the TV via a single cable – a design that's particularly useful for wall-mounting scenarios.

It’s also a great solution for decluttering, and will be a major boon for those of us who enjoy clean finishes. For those who prefer not to wall-mount, the S95F features a centrally mounted pedestal stand, which allows it to be placed on narrower furniture.

Sony's Bravia 8 II appears to share much of its chassis design with the A95L it replaces, featuring a slim profile with a premium metal edge.

It features blade-style feet that can only be positioned at the furthest extremes of the TV's bottom edge.

While Sony claims this helps prevent reflections, it also means the TV requires furniture that's at least as wide as the set itself – 122cm for the 55-inch model and 145cm for the 65-inch version.

The feet can be extended upward to accommodate a soundbar beneath the screen, but can't be positioned closer to the centre.

While the design of a TV isn’t as important as the picture quality it offers, it’s hard to deny that the One Connect box and the dental stand make the S95F more practical in most situations compared to its Sony rival.

Sony Bravia 8 II vs Samsung S95F: features and connectivity

Both TVs come equipped with impressive processing capabilities and comprehensive feature sets. But there are some notable differences between the Bravia 8 II and S95F.

The Samsung S95F, for a start, incorporates Samsung's new NQ4 AI Gen 3 processor, introducing AI Upscaling Pro to its 4K flagship for the first time.

This feature is designed to sharpen finer details and remove visual imperfections such as jagged lines and fuzzy textures. The S95F also features Samsung's Vision AI capabilities, including practical functions such as AI art generation for wallpapers and actor information access via a dedicated remote button.

The Bravia 8 II uses Sony's latest XR Processor with what Sony calls "AI Scene Recognition."

This intelligent system analyses scene data in real-time, optimising each frame for maximum realism. Whether watching dark cinematic content or bright documentary footage, the processor aims to deliver a picture that feels lifelike and immersive.

For gamers, both TVs offer impressive specs. The S95F supports refresh rates up to 165Hz (up from 144Hz on the S95D), while the Bravia 8 II supports the standard 120Hz for console gaming. Both support VRR (Variable Refresh Rate) and ALLM (Auto Low Latency Mode) for current-generation console gaming at 4K/120Hz.

Higher refresh rate aside, the S95F also provides a significant advantage with its four full-bandwidth HDMI 2.1 ports, compared to the two seen on the Bravia 8 II.

One of the Bravia 8 II’s 2.1 ports also doubles up as an eARC connection, which means you’ll have to fiddle around swapping out devices if you’ve got a soundbar and more than one console that you want to use at those higher refresh rates. This will only irk keen gamers, but it’s still a mark against the Bravia.

As for HDR format support, Sony offers HDR10, HLG, and Dolby Vision on the Bravia 8 II. Samsung, meanwhile, continues to exclude Dolby Vision, instead supporting HDR10, HLG, and HDR10+.

At their core the two run on different platforms as well. The Bravia 8 II runs on Google TV, while the S95F uses Samsung's Tizen operating system.

Sony Bravia 8 II vs Samsung S95F: picture quality

Both the Bravia 8 II and S95F have QD-OLED screens rather than the competing fourth generation OLED panel tech seen on the rival LG G5, Panasonic Z95B and Philips OLED950. Despite this, there are some big differences between the Sony and Samsung's screen specifications.

The Samsung S95F uses Samsung's latest QD-OLED panel, which is reportedly 30 per cent brighter than its predecessor while maintaining the same energy efficiency.

Samsung claims peak brightness figures of around 2000 nits (up from 1650 nits on the S95D). The S95F retains Samsung's glare-free technology for reducing reflections – a standout feature from the previous model.

Sony's Bravia 8 II also claims to deliver substantial brightness improvements, with Sony stating it's 25 per cent brighter than the A95L’s QD-OLED panel, and 50 per cent brighter than the standard WOLED Bravia 8.

This increased brightness, combined with Sony's XR Triluminos Max display technology, should, on paper, translate to an ultra-wide colour gamut and stunning contrast.

In our hands-on sessions, both TVs showed promising picture performance. The Bravia 8 II demonstrated significantly better brightness handling than the A95L in Sony's comparisons, with bright highlights maintaining better detail and more natural warmth.

In dark scenes, it also showed improved shadow detail and better low-light colour volume.

The Samsung S95F, in our brief viewing, showed notably enhanced brightness compared to the S95D, with highlights appearing more dazzling and colours looking richer without seeming overdone.

Samsung has also implemented a new AI gamma feature to address the slight loss of shadow detail that was occasionally noted in the S95D.

Both manufacturers are leveraging AI processing to enhance picture quality, with Samsung's AI Upscaling Pro and Sony's AI Scene Recognition both promising to optimise content in real-time for the best possible image quality.

For now, we can confirm that the picture on both sets looked great during our brief hands-on demos – but the real test will take place away from carefully curated manufacturer show room demos, and in the hallowed What Hi-Fi? Testing rooms.

Needless to say, we’re looking forward to it.

Sony Bravia 8 II vs Samsung S95F: sound

When it comes to sound, we know more about the Bravia 8 II’s setup, at the time of writing. Sony has once again opted for its Acoustic Surface Audio+ technology, which uses actuators to vibrate the screen itself to produce sound.

This aims to create a more immersive audio experience where sound appears to come directly from the relevant part of the image.

The Bravia 8 II includes two actuators and two subwoofers, along with Voice Zoom 3 technology to improve vocal clarity. This is all, incidentally, the same setup found in the A95L, which we found to be one of the best built-in TV speakers available.

In contrast, we’ve yet to hear the S95F’s speakers in action, and we haven’t yet been told the specs for the sound system. We presume it’ll be similar if not identical to that found in its predecessor, but we’ll have to wait and see.

We do, however, know that the S95F will debut Samsung’s new Eclipsa Audio technology.

Developed in partnership with Google, this open-source immersive audio format aims to provide creators with tools to adjust audio data, including location, intensity and spatial reflections of sounds to create an immersive three-dimensional experience.

Its effectiveness and adoption remain to be seen, but you can rest assured we’ll put it through the audio gauntlet once our review sample arrives.

Sony Bravia 8 II vs Samsung S95F: early verdict

While we need to wait until we have both televisions in our test rooms for definitive assessments, each shows considerable promise based on our preview sessions with them.

The Sony Bravia 8 II appears to build meaningfully on the excellent A95L, with a brighter QD-OLED panel, enhanced processing, and a surprisingly competitive price point.

Sony's typically excellent motion handling, colour accuracy and innovative sound system could make it a compelling option for those who prioritise a cinematic viewing experience – and it’s hard to ignore its excellent tried and tested audio system.

The Samsung's S95F, on the other hand, works to build on the strengths of the S95D with increased brightness, faster refresh rates for gaming, and comprehensive HDMI 2.1 connectivity. The continuation of the glare-free technology, which was highly praised in the previous model, also gives it a potential edge in brightly lit environments.

Ultimately, your decision might come down to a few key factors. If you prioritise gaming with multiple devices, Samsung's four HDMI 2.1 ports give it an advantage. Its anti-glare screen, central pedestal, and One Connect box might tick all your boxes too.

But if those things don’t affect you, and you’re planning on relying on built-in speakers rather than snapping up one of the best soundbars, then the Bravia 8 II could be the way to go.

We’re holding off an official verdict until both models are fully tested, and will be updating this comparison appropriately.

MORE:

Our picks of the best gaming TVs

We rate the best 65-inch TVs

Best TV: flagship OLEDs and affordable flatscreens tried and tested

The competition for the best OLED TV is more fierce than ever, with Sony’s 2025 TV lineup entering the fray. The headline model, the Bravia 8 II, promises to deliver significant improvements over the awesome A95L, particularly in the brightness department.

But how will it fare against last year’s five-star-rated Bravia 8, which it will sit alongside in the 2026 range?

Before we dive into the detailed comparison, it's important to note that while we've fully reviewed the Bravia 8, we've only had a comparatively brief hands-on session with the Bravia 8 II.

Until we put the new model through its paces in our test rooms, this comparison will be based on our experiences to date and the respective specs of the two TVs. Naturally, we’ll update this piece once we've conducted our full review of the Bravia 8 II.

Sony Bravia 8 II vs Bravia 8: price, sizes, and release date

Despite the Sony Bravia 8 II being positioned at the more premium end of Sony's 2025 lineup, it surprisingly comes in at a more competitive price point than we initially expected.

In the UK, the 55-inch model is priced at £2499, while the 65-inch version costs £2999. Both versions are set to start shipping on 6th June 2025.

This pricing is particularly noteworthy when compared with that of the A95L that it replaces, which launched at £2999 for the 55-inch model, and £3699 for the 65-inch version – making the Bravia 8 II around £500-700 cheaper than its predecessor at launch.

It's not good news for everyone, though. In the US, the Bravia 8 II will launch at a noticeably more expensive price than its A95L predecessor, with the 55-inch and 65-inch models costing $3500 and $4000, respectively. For context, the A95L launched at $2800 and $3500. The reason for this increase could be due to the uncertainty created by US tariffs, though that's just speculation on our part. There's no word on Australian pricing at the time of writing either, but we'll add it in as soon as we have it.

The Bravia 8, which is the subject of today's comparison, officially sits below the Bravia 8 II in Sony's range. It launched at £2199 / $2000 / AU$2995 for the 55-inch model, £2699 / $2800 / AU$3995 for the 65-inch version, and £3999 / $3900 / AU$6495 for the 77 incher.

Having now been on sale for around a year, the Bravia 8 has also been on the receiving end of a fair few discounts so is now available for significantly less than it was at launch.

Here's a table with the launch prices of the Bravia 8 and Bravia 8 II, and below that you will see the latest and lowest prices for the Bravia 8.

How do the Bravia 8 II and Bravia 8 designs compare?

The Bravia 8 II appears to share much of its design with the A95L. It features a slim profile with a premium metal edge, and the same two-way stand that can be positioned to either sit the TV directly on your furniture, or raise it slightly to accommodate a soundbar underneath.

At 34mm in thickness, the Bravia 8 II is 3mm thinner than the Bravia 8 (not that you’d notice), despite housing the Acoustic Surface Audio+ technology that uses actuators to vibrate the screen itself to produce sound. More on that later.

Both TVs use blade-style feet, but the Bravia 8 II's can only be positioned at the furthest extremes of the TV's bottom edge. This means that it can't be placed on furniture narrower than the set's width (122cm for the 55-inch model and 145cm for the 65-inch version).

While the feet can't be positioned closer to the centre of the chassis, they can be extended to lift the TV a few centimetres to accommodate a soundbar.

Sony Bravia 8 II vs Bravia 8: what are the differences in features and connectivity?

Both models are powered by Google TV, which offers a slick and user-friendly experience, with access to all the major streaming services you’d expect.

As for connectivity, both sets include four HDMI ports – two of those are HDMI 2.1 spec with support for 4K/120Hz, VRR and ALLM for next-gen gaming, while the other two are 2.0 affairs.

Unfortunately, one of those HDMI 2.1 ports also doubles as the eARC connection for external audio systems.

This means that if you have an eARC speaker connected along with multiple gaming devices (such as a Sony PlayStation 5 and Xbox Series X), you'll need to choose which one gets the full-fat HDMI 2.1 connection – or resort to cable swapping.

That's a limitation compared with competitors such as LG, which offers four HDMI 2.1 ports on its OLED models, including the new LG G5 and LG C5.

Both TVs feature Sony's 'Perfect for PlayStation 5' features, which allow the TV to automatically adjust settings when connected to a PS5 console. This is handy for getting a pretty accurate HDR game performance with zero effort, but we generally find that these automatic settings are just shy of spot-on.

HDR format support on both TVs includes HDR10, HLG, and Dolby Vision, but as with all Sony TVs, neither supports HDR10+.

Elsewhere, the Bravia 8 II benefits from an updated version of Sony's XR Processor, which includes what Sony calls "AI Scene Recognition" – a feature that analyses scene data in real-time for optimised picture performance.

Is the Sony Bravia 8 II's picture quality a big upgrade?

This is where things get interesting, and where the two models are really set apart. Despite the similar naming convention, the Bravia 8 II uses a latest-generation QD-OLED panel, while the Bravia 8 employs a standard WOLED panel.

The Bravia 8 II's QD-OLED panel, combined with Sony's XR Triluminos Max technology, promises significant improvements in brightness and colour volume over both the Bravia 8. In fact, according to Sony, the Bravia 8 II is 50% brighter than the Bravia 8.

This increased brightness should allow the Bravia 8 II to push highlights higher without compromising colour purity – a traditional limitation of WOLED technology. The result should be punchier highlights and more vibrant detail while maintaining the perfect black levels OLED is known for.

While we’ve yet to properly put the Bravia 8 II through its paces in our testing rooms, our hands-on session at Sony's Tokyo HQ revealed better brightness handling than the A95L and competing models, with bright highlights maintaining better detail and more natural warmth. In dark scenes, the Bravia 8 II also showed improved shadow detail and better low-light colour volume.

The Bravia 8, which we've fully tested, delivers excellent picture quality in its price bracket, with the typically perfect blacks and infinite contrast that OLED technology is known for. In our review, we praised its natural, authentic picture quality and excellent motion handling, though we did note it's not the brightest OLED on the market – something the Bravia 8 II specifically aims to address.

Both TVs benefit from Sony's excellent motion processing and colour accuracy, but the QD-OLED technology in the Bravia 8 II should provide a punchier, more vibrant picture, particularly with HDR content. Watch this space.

Sony Bravia 8 II vs Bravia 8: which TV has better sound?

Both Sony models feature the company’s Acoustic Surface Audio+ technology, which uses actuators attached to the screen itself that vibrate the panel to produce sound, effectively turning the entire display into a speaker.

This creates a more immersive audio experience where sound appears to come directly from the relevant part of the image, unlike conventional TV speakers that fire downward or from the rear.

There are, however, differences between the two sets. The Bravia 8 II inherits the audio system from the A95L, with two actuators and two subwoofers, while the Bravia 8 uses a similar, but slightly less advanced version of this tech, featuring two smaller actuators and only one subwoofer.

If the Bravia 8 II does indeed sound the same as the A95L, it will be weightier, more enveloping and more dynamic.

Both TVs support Dolby Atmos, and both feature Sony's Voice Zoom technology for enhancing dialogue clarity, with the Bravia 8 II specifically sporting Voice Zoom 3.

If paired with compatible Sony sound systems such as the Bravia Theatre Bar 9, both TVs can also use Acoustic Centre Sync, which allows the TV and soundbar to work together for a more unified soundstage (at least in theory).

Early verdict: Sony Bravia 8 II vs Bravia 8 – which should you buy?

While we'll need to wait until we have the Bravia 8 II in our test rooms for a definitive assessment, the early signs are promising. With a significantly brighter QD-OLED panel, enhanced processing, and a surprisingly competitive price point, the Bravia 8 II appears to build meaningfully on the excellent A95L.

As for the Bravia 8, it remains an excellent OLED TV in its own right, offering Sony's typically accurate picture processing and natural colours at a lower price point. It remains a solid choice if you're looking for a premium OLED experience without stretching to the higher price of the Bravia 8 II.

We look forward to putting the Bravia 8 II through our rigorous testing process to see exactly how it stacks up against not only the Bravia 8, but also 2025's other flagship OLED contenders from the likes of LG, Samsung and Panasonic. Stay tuned.

MORE:

Here are all the new Sony 2025 TVs

And these are the best TVs we recommend

Check out the best OLED TVs available right now

When it comes to the best 65-inch TVs, there are some excellent options. But, they can be expensive.

Right now though, you can secure the Philips OLED809 for just £1399 at Richer Sounds. To get the discount, you'll need to sign up to the VIP Club, but doing so is quick and free.

But while that's a really good deal and the lowest price we've ever seen for this set, we still think it's worth also considering the LG C4, which is available for even less – just £1219 at Richer Sounds.

It comes down to preference, of course, and if you're after the extra degree of spectacle that Ambilight brings, then the Philips OLED809 deal is for you. But, we'd be remiss not to talk about both.

We love the Philips 65OLED809, having awarded it five stars for its strong performance, impressive feature set, and bright and vibrant picture. But, it's always standing in comparison with its direct rival, the LG C4. So, when there are two excellent deals to be had, you're probably asking yourself, which one should I choose?

While we have an overall preference for the LG C4, giving it a spot in our list of the best 65-inch TVs instead of the Philips OLED809, there are plenty of reasons you might prefer the Philips.

Firstly, the most unique feature of the Philips OLED809 is Ambilight. This is a bias lighting feature unique to Philips and the key difference between this set and the LG C4. It's a Marmite feature in general, with some users absolutely loving the extra layer of immersion and spectacle it adds, with others feeling it's an unnecessary addition.

If you're an Ambilight fan though, in our full review we said that "the OLED809 will delight", and it's certainly the feature that sets the Philips apart from its competitor.

But, when it comes to gaming, LG is the far superior choice. The Philips OLED809 is really good for gaming in its own right, but it only has two HDMI 2.1 inputs. For the LG C4, that doubles up to four, giving it a flawless feature set overall.

We gave the LG C4 five stars for picture and features, and four stars for sound. In comparison, the Philips OLED809 got five stars for picture but four stars for featiures and sound.

Ultimately, it comes down to which TV you prefer, but with these two excellent savings at Richer Sounds, it's better to be spoilt for choice than stuck in TV limbo hoping for a discount to arrive.

MORE:

Check out the best OLED TV: our reviewers four top picks for serious movie fans

These are the best TV deals available right now

Our picks of the best soundbars

The Samsung QN900D is one of the best TVs on the market right now and if you were considering a purchase, now is the time to strike. This stunning 8K TV has just hit the lowest price we've ever seen, but wait, there's an even better deal to be had.

Yes, it's available for £3297 at Amazon, but at time of writing, there was only one left. Instead, we'd recommend picking up this stellar Samsung set at John Lewis for £3499. Why? Well, it's still lower than the price we saw on Black Friday or earlier this year, but the real hook is that they throw in a free Samsung HW-Q700D Dolby Atmos soundbar worth £649 and £150 on a e-gift card to spend at John Lewis, too.

Quick math, that's £800 cash back, meaning you're pretty much getting the Samsung QN900D for just £2699 with the savings you're making. But, hurry, you need to make the purchase before 3rd March.

When we reviewed the 75-inch Samsung QN900D mode, we gave it a five-star rating and a What Hi-Fi? Award. Though this offer is on the 65-inch, the features and design are incredibly similar. So, if you're in the market for a stunning 8K TV, here's where we think you should be looking - especially with the current deal at John Lewis.

In our full Samsung QN900D review, we said: "The QN900D is arguably the sleekest, most futuristic-looking LCD TV in town. For starters, as the premium example for 2024 of Samsung’s Infinity Air concept, its screen sits in a frame so narrow that for once it actually almost lives up to its ‘bezel-free’ claims."

Feature-wise, it's all about that stunning 8K Ultra HD screen resolution boasting a 7680x4320 pixel count. When it comes to smart tech, its kitted out with Amazon Alexa, Samsung Bixby and Samsung SmartThings all enabled. And for gamers, there's four 2.1 HDMIs to run 4K/120Hz, Motion Xcelerator 240Hz for connected PC players, VRR (including AMD Freesync Premium Pro) and Super Ultrawide GameView with compatible games.

Yes, there's thrilling Dolby Atmos sound included with 12 speakers built-in to immerse you in the action, but pairing with a matching soundbar is a solid idea. And fortunately, you'll get one completely free. Usually £649, the Samsung HW-Q700D soundbar also comes with a wireless subwoofer. So, technically, you're getting two free things and a e-gift card worth £150. Sign us up!

MORE:

Here’s our review of Samsung The Freestyle

And here is our Samsung QE75QN900D review

Best 65-inch TVs: the top models we've tested

Today, Sky unveiled its Sky Glass Gen 2 TV and teased a second, more affordable Sky Glass Air set, which is set to get a proper full reveal at an unspecified point later this year.

And, to be clear, the Gen 2 features some notable upgrades on the original Sky Glass, which launched in 2021 and earned a respectable, but not quite perfect four-star rating from our reviewers at the time.

In case you missed the original news, the short version is that the new Sky Glass will be available tomorrow, 12th February, with prices starting at just £14 per month. This is roughly the same price as the original and puts it in the same bracket as the Amazon Fire TV Omni QLED.

The key upgrades include an improved 3.1.2-channel Dolby Atmos-ready sound system that, according to Sky, will “remove the need for a separate sound system”. Yes, we’ve heard and poo-pooed this claim before, but considering the fact we flagged average audio as an issue on the original Sky Glass it’s still a welcome move.

While the QLED panel hasn’t been upgraded to having a Mini LED backlight, Sky claims it has more dimming zones and more advanced local dimming powers than the original Glass, allowing it to produce better black levels, clearer colours and generally better performance. Considering how impressive recent FALD sets (including the four-star Panasonic W90A I reviewed at the end of last year) have been, there could well be some truth to this claim – but we’ll need to get the new model in to confirm this.

Despite all of this, throughout the presentation, I couldn’t help but think, 'why didn’t Sky go for bigger upgrades to its new TV’s panel tech?' And, while many would talk about Mini LED, which is established in the mid-range market, my mind went a step further – surely Sky should make an OLED!

Sky representatives at the Glass Gen 2’s launch event, which was attended by our TV & AV Editor, Tom Parsons, made it very clear the firm is not interested in going after the OLED market. This is apparently largely due to the fact it thinks its customers care more about value and don’t want to splurge that much for a TV. Or, if they do, they’ll just buy one from LG, Samsung, Sony or Philips and connect a Sky Stream puck to it.

Specifically, a Sky spokesperson told us: “we wanted to expand the range so that everyone can afford our products. We're really, really thoughtful and want to make sure Sky is accessible and affordable for everyone”.

I agree with the primary point around value. I know plenty of people looking to consolidate and reduce their spending. For them, a holistic package including your content subscriptions, TV and sound system makes sense. But I’d argue that doesn’t rule out OLED. In fact, if anything, it makes a stronger case for it.

In my personal life, I know plenty of people who want an OLED but simply can’t justify paying the four-figure cost for even an entry-level TV with the tech, let alone a flagship model. Look at our LG G5, Panasonic Z95B, Philips OLED910 and Samsung S95F hands-ons and you’ll see that even in 2025 these will set you back a hefty amount of cash...

So, offering one on a subscription model is appealing, especially one where Sky could even potentially sell the hardware close to cost price as it would be making money on a subscription and the content services it provides.

This is why, for me, it would have actually made sense to offer an OLED option alongside the cheaper Glass Gen 2 and Glass Air. This would have given home cinema fans at every end of the market an option and an entry point to the entertainment platform.

MORE:

These are the best cheap TVs we've reviewed

Our picks of the best OLED TVs

We rate the best 65-inch TVs

If you’re on the hunt for some of the best Super Bowl TV deals ahead of the Philadelphia Eagles and Kansas City Chiefs clashing on February 9, then TCL’s fresh price cuts could be just what you need to upgrade your setup ahead of the big day.

Despite costing an eye-watering $14,999 (yes, that’s a discount off the regular $26,999 RRP) it’s hard not to kick off with the gargantuan 115in QM89. Practically large enough to have its own gravitational field, this jaw-dropping, wall-dominating set has plenty going for it for those with rooms and pockets roomy enough. Packed with TCL's latest Mini LED tech, this huge flagship set crams in 20,000 local dimming zones and a claimed 5000 nits of peak brightness.

It hasn’t skimped out on audio either, with a built-in 6.2.2 channel Onkyo sound system promising a more immersive listening experience than the usual built-in fanfare (though we’d still recommend one of the best soundbars for an even loftier upgrade). Under the hood, you’ll find TCL's AiPQ Ultra processor for enhanced upscaling of lower-resolution content, along with a specialized anti-glare screen coating designed to combat pesky room reflections.

If that’s a little too much TV for your liking then you’ll be pleased to hear that TCL has also reduced the price of its 98-inch Q6 model to $1499 – another tempting 50% reduction. The Q6 series features Quantum Dot technology for expanded color reproduction and supports multiple HDR formats including Dolby Vision and HDR10+. While it uses a 60Hz panel rather than 120Hz, it still includes handy features like eARC support for versatile audio connectivity and built-in Google TV smarts.

The newly announced 98in QM7 also gets the 50% discount treatment, and is now available for just $1999 at Amazon. Delivering a claimed 2400 nits of peak brightness with 1500 local dimming zones, it also bests its Q6 cousin above with a nippier 120Hz panel, along with key gaming features including VRR up to 144Hz, Auto Low Latency Mode, and FreeSync Premium Pro.

Elsewhere, the QM8 series with Mini-LED tech and 5000 dimming zones also sees some impressive cuts. The 85-inch model is now $1999 at Amazon (50% off), with the 75-inch version at $1299 at Amazon (51% off). Both models include the AiPQ Ultra processor for enhanced motion handling and upscaling, 120Hz panels with comprehensive gaming support, and 2.1.2 channel Onkyo audio systems with Dolby Atmos capability. The QM8 also benefits from TCL's anti-glare screen technology, with HDMI 2.1 features including eARC and ALLM.

These deals are, according to TCL, “live at all retailers”, providing big-screen bargain hunters plenty to think about in the run-up to Super Bowl Sunday. And if you need any more inspiration, feel free to check out our round-up of the best TV deals for all sizes.

MORE:

Fancy a big screen? Check out the best 65-inch TVs

How to watch the Super Bowl in 4K

Classy OLED TVs that won't break the bank

August is over, and with it many of us are facing the sad reality of summer’s end and a return to work after our yearly family break.

But while many of you were recreating scenes from Wham’s Club Tropicana music video by a sunny poolside or beach front, the team of What Hi-Fi? experts were hard at work in our light controlled viewing and listening rooms in August. Over the month we reviewed a wealth of new hi-fi and home cinema hardware including everything from portable projectors to £30,000 / $30,000 speakers. 

But in that flurry of testing, only eight products impressed our reviewers enough to earn perfect marks. Here’s what you need to know about them.

Dali Rubikore 2 

The Dali Rubikore 2 may look like just another pair of high-end standmount speakers targeting the same space as the Award-winning KEF R3 Meta. But they’re actually a pretty big deal for the audio heavyweight. 

As the name suggests they’re the successors to the first generation Rubicon range that launched in 2014. Getting them into our viewing rooms it was immediately apparent a lot of work has been done in the decade since. The engineering is completely different including a brand-new hybrid tweeter design and new mid/bass driver arrangement.

Pairing them with the Arcam A15 or Naim Nait XS 3 the speakers delivered class-leading levels of insight and excellent rhythmic precision, which got our testers’ feet tapping. Hence their conclusion: 

“As entertaining as they are informative, the formidable Rubikore 2 deliver a good time, and then some.”

Score: 5/5

Read our full Dali Rubikore 2  review

Sony Xperia 1 VI 

When the  Xperia 1 VI first launched we were a little sad as many of the AV focussed features that made past Sony phones interesting had been cut. There’s no 4K resolution, and the longer 21:9 aspect ratio has similarly been retired.

Thankfully when we got it in for testing, we found the handset is still an excellent option for movie fans. A screen this size will never be able to do true justice to a movie masterpiece, but the Full HD resolution OLED panel still delivers great results for casual viewing – especially once you activate its Creator Mode picture setting, which is effectively a Filmmaker mode for phones, based on our testing.

Once done, colours look nicely accurate and the perfect black level lets it deliver an immersive experience. Our only caveat is that you will want to invest in a pair of decent headphones as, while the phone can deliver oodles of detail when paired with a good set, its inbuilt speakers lack weight and punch. 

Score: 5/5

Read our full Sony Xperia 1 VI review

YG Acoustics Carmel 3 

Is £30,000 / $29,800 a lot to spend on a pair of small, two-way floorstanding speakers? Yes. That’s an undeniable fact, and one you, our lovely readers, made clear in your forum and Facebook comments when we first published our YG Acoustics Carmel 3 review in August. 

But based on our time with them, we can safely confirm that if you do have that kind of cash to spare and want a fantastic, elaborately engineered pair of floorstanders, they are well worth considering. Though the speakers' metal finish may look a little dull for some, under the hood YG Acoustics has done painstaking levels of work improving their engineering. 

Putting them through their paces in our listening rooms, while we find they are very fussy and need to be paired with incredibly high-end hi-fi to truly shine, the Carmel 3 can deliver exceptional results. 

Matched with a Naim ND 555/555 PS DR music streamer and SME Model 20 Mk2/Series V/Ortofon Windfeld Ti MC record player feeding a Burmester 088/911 MkIII pre/power, the Carmel quickly proved this point. Hence our conclusion:

“There are so many things to praise, from the immaculate build quality to the ease of positioning, but watch out for their fussy nature.”

Score: 5/5

Read our full YG Acoustics Carmel 3 review

Bowers & Wilkins Pi8 

Ever heard the saying, third time's the charm? That pretty much sums up our experience with the Bowers & Wilkins Pi8. The Pi8 are the third generation true wireless earbuds from B&W, succeeding the three-star Pi7 S2 and first gen Pi7.

They still cost a lot more than many of the entries you’ll find in our best wireless earbuds guide, but for your money you’ll get a sonically gifted, easy to use set from one of the biggest names in hi-fi.

They’re also technically accomplished, running off Qualcomm's latest wireless chipset and being among the only earbuds to support Bluetooth 5.4 – most are locked at 5.3. They also have a dedicated DAC/DSP amp that bypasses the Qualcomm chip and lets B&W have more direct control over the earbuds’ sound.

Using them in our dedicated listening rooms and out the real world, the combination works a treat, with the Pi8 delivering great audio with sensational levels of detail regardless of the test track we threw at them. This made them an easy recommendation, with our reviewers concluding:

“The Pi8 are pricier than your average wireless earbuds, but sonically they perform levels above – the detail and refinement on show are breathtaking. Add useful features, solid ANC, the fact they’re nice to use and comfortable, and you’ve got buds that rival brands should take notice of.”

Score: 5/5

Read our full Bowers & Wilkins Pi8 review

SME Model 20 Mk 2/Series V 

At What Hi-Fi? towers there’s an old adage that, outside of some very rare occasions, exceptional build and sound never comes cheaply. The £25,950 / $35,619 / AU$58,000 SME Model 20 Mk 2/Series V is good evidence of why that is.

The review unit we tested pairs the latest iteration of the iconic SME Model 20 turntable with the now legendary Series V tonearm – and based on our testing, though it’s expensive, the combo delivers truly magnificent results.

Adding Ortofon’s Windfeld Ti moving coil cartridge and pairing the unit with our reference Burmester 088/911 MkIII amplifier and ATC SCM 50 speakers, the player delivered an honest and insightful performance with excellent sonic authority.

If you have the money this makes the SME Model 20 Mk 2/Series V an easy recommendation, with our reviewers concluding:

“We really enjoy our time with the Model 20 Mk2/Series V/Ortofon combination. It sounds at home across all musical genres, delivering the grit of Bruce Springsteen’s Born To Run set as convincingly as the rhythmically dense electronic music of Four Tet.”

Score: 5/5

Read our full SME Model 20 Mk 2/Series V review

LG C4 (OLED48C4)

The LG C4 is rapidly turning into one of 2024’s most impressive TVs, with every size we’ve tested earning a perfect five-star rating. The 48-inch model we put through its paces in August continues this trend.

During our testing we found the 48-inch LG C4 retains all the strengths of the 65-inch model we originally tested, but in a smaller package. Regardless of what test disc we threw at it, the 48-inch LG C4 delivered a rich engaging picture full of detail and dynamism. 

Add to this its stellar gaming features, which include 144Hz/4K support as well as four full fat HDMI 2.1 inputs – which make it the best set this size for connectivity, period – and it becomes an easy recommendation. Our reviewers said as much in their conclusion:

“Stop us if you’ve heard this one before, but LG’s latest C-series OLED TV is the best 48-inch TV you can buy right now. It undercuts or matches its rivals where price is concerned, it has a flawless feature set for gamers, and its picture is a clear step up over its predecessor.”

The only downside is that, like past LG C4s we’ve tested, the 48-inch model’s audio is terrible, even by in-built TV speaker standards. So you will 100 per cent want to invest in a soundbar to pair with it if you want the best experience possible. 

Score: 5/5

Read our full LG C4 (OLED48C4) review

Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 6  

The Galaxy Z Fold 6 is the second phone to appear in this month’s column. It’s also the latest folding phone from Samsung, designed to work as both a handset and tablet. Thankfully the sixth generation has proved to be a great step forward for Samsung’s folding phone offering.

Most sites will focus on updates to the chipset and camera, but for What Hi-Fi? it’s the phone’s screen and movie watching upgrades that matter most. The headline here is that the Fold 6 features a 6.3-inch exterior cover screen with a thin 22.1:9 aspect ratio for use in phone mode that folds open to reveal a 7.6-inch interior display with a 20.9:18 aspect ratio. 

Though the folded out aspect ratio is distinctly square by TV screen standards it still yields a nicely immersive viewing experience on Netflix, based on our testing.

As well as being bigger than a traditional phone display, the Fold 6’s OLED screen delivers excellent colours and a sharpness that makes it a solid entertainment station when on the go, or when stuck on a long train or plane ride. Hence its five-star rating and our reviewers’ conclusion:

“The Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 6 can best be described as an OLED TV that will fit into your pocket. Its cinematic picture performance has truly won us over, and we’re convinced that this would be an ideal AV companion for a long-haul flight or road trip.”

Score: 5/5

Read our full Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 6 review

Philips OLED809

The OLED809 is Philips latest step down OLED TV and a direct rival to the LG C4. What’s the difference? For starters the TV features Philips Ambilight bias lighting system, which uses coloured LED lights around the frame to help reduce eye strain and increase immersion – doing things like throwing up a green hue when watching football. Second, it uses an 8th Gen P5 AI processor, and third, it runs using the Google OS operating system. 

But onto the important topic, does it provide a decent home cinema experience? After hours upon hours of testing in our viewing rooms, our reviewers’ answer is a definitive yes. For movie and sports fans after a TV that provides a 'blow your socks off' experience, the Philips OLED809 is a fantastic option, featuring wonderfully high peak brightness levels that help it deliver a punchy dynamic picture.

We said as much in our review, where our testers concluded:

“Though it retains Philips’ 'blow your socks off' goal, once you tone down its out-of-the-box picture settings the TV gives great results, particularly during bright scenes. Here it delivers a wonderfully wide colour palette and brilliantly high max brightness, which leads to a truly immersive viewing experience.” 

Score: 5/5

Read our full Philips OLED809 review

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The best OLED TVs rated

Our picks of the best wireless earbuds

We rate the best record players

When Burmester said it had something special lined up at the start of its demo at High End Munich 2024, it wasn’t kidding. Little did I know, but a legend was about to be brought back from the dead before my eyes.

But first, a bit of scene-setting. For those who haven’t been to Munich High End, it’s an audiophile’s dream. One of the best parts of the show is walking around and every so often taking a few minutes to listen to one of the systems being demoed at the show.

There must be hundreds of different set-ups on display – virtually every room you stumble into has music playing either on headphones or speakers – and before you know it, you’re in your listening groove and the whole day has flown by.

And there really is a system for everyone at the show from relatively affordable set-ups (at least by the standards of some of the brands there) to absolutely mind-blowing combinations that can cost a million or two.

Burmester brought the goods

In 2024, my personal highlight came courtesy of Burmester and its demo room. The German high-end hi-fi giant always has a significant presence at the show, and this year was no exception, with the company showcasing its brand new BX100 floorstanding speakers.

In the flesh, they look stunning, whether you’re lucky enough to be able to opt for one of the standard finishes (such as white, matte black or gloss black) at €75,700 per pair, or you can stretch that budget to €80,000 and one of the special paint options.

They are four-way speakers with a front-facing midrange driver, woofer, and two side-mounted woofers. An AMT (Air-Motion-Transformer) tweeter is mounted within its own dedicated, isolated section, which looks like an ‘X’.

The BX100 were driven by quite a collection of Burmester electronics and sources. The system comprised the 111 Music Centre (£14,500 / $55,000), which was ably assisted by the company’s 218 power amplifiers (£34,6000 / $50,000 each). The other source on display was Burmester’s 175 (approx €40,000 / $60,000) reference turntable.

I sat down and was introduced to the set-up by a Burmester representative who played five tracks to give the small audience a flavour of what it was capable of. It was a textbook demonstration with each one aimed at highlighting the strengths of the speakers. So far, so Munich.

Long live the King

But it was the sixth and final track that blew me away. Our Burmester host switched playback duties from the 111 Music Centre to the 175 turntable and announced he had something special to play for us.

It was a record, but not just any old record – a direct-cut disc, created using a master tape of a recording of Fever by the King himself, Elvis Presley. 

And wow. From the first bass note and finger snap, I was captivated. The system oozed class and sophistication out of every polished pore. The sense of immersion was next-level and closing my eyes it felt like the King was giving us a private performance in his blue suede shoes.

The recording was very simple, but this just highlighted how good the system and speakers were at painting a believable picture. There was no room for error and Burmester didn’t miss a beat. The set-up created a fantastic atmosphere. The lack of background noise in the track helped give an unbelievable amount of space around the different elements. In turn, this gave the track a next-level feeling of intimacy and it felt like you were right there in the recording studio.

It peeled back the layers of detail in Elvis' voice and the finger clicks with impressive precision. The track’s swaggering bassline bounced along keeping the rhythm flowing. My fingers and feet couldn’t help but tap along in time.

Okay, so the stereo imaging was slightly trickier to get a feel for because I was sat behind several bodies that disrupted the sound waves on their way to my ears. However, I spent about 25 minutes in the demo, which left me wanting another 25 minutes. In fact, I could have stayed there all day listening to tracks from my own personal playlist. And that’s all you can ask for from any hi-fi system at any level, right?

MORE:

7 of the best hi-fi separates at High End Munich 2024

7 weird and wonderful pieces of hi-fi we saw at High End Munich 2024

9 of the best stereo speakers at High End Munich 2024

How to build the perfect hi-fi system

A couple of weeks ago, I attended the UK launch of Samsung's new 2024 TV range in Kings Cross, London. While the event was designed to show off the latest AV products from the Korean tech titan, of which a handful we've already reviewed or spent some hands-on time with, it was another TV in Samsung's KX Experience showroom store that really caught my eye.

Samsung had a selection of new models on show, including the QN900D, QN95D and S90D, and they all looked like promising performers (although we'll have to wait until they make their way into our AV testing lab to confirm that). However, I kept catching Samsung's The Wall MicroLED TV out of the corner of my eye. Bearing in mind that this TV was towards the other side of the building, it was still drawing my attention away from these brand-new models.

The pin-sharp picture quality and dazzling brightness impressed me from quite a distance, and as the chances I get to spend with MicroLED sets are few and far between, I took the opportunity to take a closer look. Much like my previous experiences at Samsung TV events in South Korea and Germany, my time with the MicroLED set was fleeting and conditions weren't optimal to make any sort of conclusive judgement, but the impact of the MicroLED screen is easily felt in practically every instance.

The 110-inch set I saw in action at Samsung KX has a 4K resolution of 3840 x 2160, yet it looked even sharper than traditional 4K, and even 8K sets to my eye. The Micro LEDs also allow for stunningly deep blacks with no sign of blooming when bright and bold colours are side by side with black backgrounds. 

This technology truly gives OLED a run for its money in this way, and while Mini LED TV sets of today are certainly getting better in that regard, they can't quite compete yet. 

There are some limitations, of course. The 110-inch set on show in Samsung KX is the smallest one available (for now), although Samsung also offers a gargantuan 146-inch model too. Therefore, you'll need a wall large enough to mount this set. You'll also need some fairly deep pockets if you want one of these TVs. The 110-inch model I saw will set you back a truly humungous £150,000 (around $190,000 / AU$285,000).

If a 110-inch TV isn't quite gargantuan enough for you, Samsung will sell you a 146-inch modular MicroLED set called The Wall for a price believed to be $220,000 (around £176,000 / AU$333,000). A single-body 146-inch MicroLED model was also displayed at IFA last year, though we're told this was a proof of concept rather than a final product.

If the price isn't enough to put you off, there was one other very minor flaw that I noticed during my brief time with the MicroLED TV at KX. It also may just be my critical eye that's used to studying TV, tablet and phone screens daily, but at times I felt that I could almost see the grid pattern where the MicroLED panels connect. I'm willing to bet this might differ on a person-by-person basis, and that not everyone will experience this, but it's something to note if you were considering dropping around 200 grand on a MicroLED TV.

We've asked time and time again when we can expect this TV tech to come down in size and price, but we've never been given a definitive answer. Samsung still seems set on using Neo QLED (Mini LED) for its flagship 4K and 8K sets, as well as its popular QD-OLED sets, so it doesn't look like Micro LED will become mainstream any time soon.

MORE:

Check out our picks for the best Samsung TVs

Samsung 2024 TV lineup: everything you need to know

Record Store Day, the annual celebration of all things vinyl, celebrated its 17th year this year, bringing with it a predicted £10 million boost to the indie record store industry in the UK alone.

A large part of that is down to the incredible number of limited edition records released for Record Store Day. There were 443 special releases in 2024, with many of them packing striking designs and limited edition album art that only make them all-the-more collectable.

Starting from 2009 (RSD started in 2008 with fairly slim pickings), we have picked out some of our favourite (and occasionally bonkers) limited edition picture disc designs, which make buying vinyl and never listening to it a more understandable viewpoint than ever.

Did you pick any of these up? Do you have another favourite picture disc from the archive? Let us know in the comments.

The Killers – Spaceman (RSD 2009)

After a relatively quiet first year for picture disc releases, Record Store Day was really finding its feet in 2009, with artists and labels realising the potential the event had for sales.

For RSD 2009, The Killers jumped on the bandwagon and released their single Spaceman on a limited edition 12" picture disc. It also included the previously unreleased Four Winds on the B side.

Them Crooked Vultures – Mind Eraser, No Chaser / HWY 1 (RSD 2010)

For RSD 2010, Them Crooked Vultures released a limited edition 10" record with recordings of Mind Eraser, No Chaser and HWY 1, both played live at Hordern Pavilion. 

It was presented in a transparent red sleeve, with Vulture Speak on the B-side – an exclusive interview.

Daft Punk – Tron Legacy: Translucent (RSD 2011)

Tron: Legacy was released at the end of 2010, so for RSD 2011, Daft Punk and Disney released three limited edition vinyl designs – all on a translucent record with a choice of blue, red or yellow rings, with blue being the most sort after. 

They all had the same tracklist, and featured the songs Derezzed, Tron: Legacy's end title track, End of Line and a rare track called Castor – the latter was only previously included on the special two-disc edition of the soundtrack.

Nine years later, the soundtrack was re-released on RSD 2020 to celebrate the film's 10th anniversary. This was another collector's dream, with a blue translucent glow-in-the-dark design.

Sex Pistols – Anarchy in the UK (RSD 2012)

The Sex Pistols released a limited edition 7” record of their first single, Anarchy in the UK, for Record Store Day 2012. It featured the original single artwork etched onto the record itself.

The re-mastered picture disc also featured the original b-side track, I Wanna Be Me, and was limited to 3,500 internationally.

David Bowie – Drive-In Saturday (RSD 2013)

It's hard to pick just one of David Bowie's many limited edition picture discs, but the RSD 2013 7" record is a striking double-sider worthy of note. 

Re-released to mark the 40 years since its original release, Drive-In Saturday was limited to just 3,000 pieces, and includes the stereo version of the title track, as well as the Russell Harty Plus Pop version in mono.

Ray Parker Jr – Ghostbusters (RSD 2014)

In honour of the film's 30th anniversary, Ray Parker Jr released a glow-in-the-dark 10" record of the iconic theme tune.

As well as the original song, there was an instrumental version, extended version and a dub remix. It was limited to 4,000 copies worldwide.

Father John Misty – I Loved You, Honeybee (RSD 2015)

To celebrate RSD 2015, Father John Misty released a red heart-shaped 7" disc featuring an acoustic version of I Love You, Honeybear – the title track of his album of the same year.

It also featured the B-side, I've Never Been a Woman, and was limited to 5,700 copies worldwide.

The Monkees – Saturday's Child / You Just May Be The One (RSD 2016)

The Monkees released a 7" picture disc for RSD 2016, featuring Saturday's Child (mono TV version) with You May Be The One (mono TV version) on the B-side. 

It shaped like The Monkees' logo and was limited to 5,000 worldwide.

Toto - Africa / Rosanna (RSD 2017)

For RSD 2017, Toto released a 7" vinyl of their 1982 classic, Africa, with Rosanna on the B side. And of course, it was shaped like Africa. It was limited to 2,500 copies worldwide.

Twin Peaks soundtrack (RSD 2018)

For RSD 2018, Twin Peaks fans were in for a treat – Warner Bros reissued the 2017 Twin Peaks soundtracks as two limited edition double LP picture discs.

The designs featured memorable and poignant stills from the series, including the Red Room's curtains and its chevron floor, Laura Palmer's homecoming queen photo and the New Mexico bomb explosion.

Madness – One Step Beyond (RSD 2019)

Madness celebrated their 40th anniversary in 2019, and they marked it by releasing this limited edition picture disc of One Step Beyond for Record Store Day of the same year.

As well as the original 7" single and 2009 remastered version of the track, this record also had the Italian and Spanish versions of the song, all presented on a shaped picture disc of the band performing their iconic "Nutty Train" dance.

Prince – Sign O' The Times (RSD 2020)

Record Store Day was postponed in 2020, but Prince fans found this exclusive release of his ninth studio album well worth the wait. 

The wider reissue of Prince's double album, Sign O' The Times, got a special limited 140g picture disc release for RSD 2020, with 16 tracks and two complementing designs in orange and blue. You can get a closer look at it in this YouTube video.

Mastodon – Fallen Torches (RSD 2021)

Mastodon recorded Fallen Torches on 2019 as a tribute to their long-standing music manager Nick John, who died in 2018. 

Originally it had been planned to be released to support their European tour, but as the industry descended into chaos around the pandemic, it just didn't happen. 

It was instead included on their album, Medium Rarities, but they also released this special shaped 12" picture disc for RSD 2021. It included title track and the instrumental.

The Cure – Wish (RSD 2022)

For Record Store Day Black Friday 2022, and for the 30th anniversary of The Cure's Grammy-nominated album Wish was pressed onto double picture disc for the first time. 

Including hit singles like High and Friday I'm in Love, it was newly remastered audio by Robert Smith and Miles Showell at Abbey Road Studios.

Bluey – Dance Mode (RSD 2023)

Look, it may only be the parents of little ones that find this one of the best picture disc releases of 2023, but we dare you to watch it and not be completely hooked.

Aside from it's fantastic writing and heartfelt messages that every seven-minute episode delivers, the music is a huge part of the show too, and Dance Mode is a certified banger. Add that to this striking zoetrope design and this limited edition record a winner in our books.

Blur - Parklife (RSD 2024)

There are so many fantastic picture discs to choose from for RSD 2024, but we do have a soft spot for this one – another zoetrope picture disc, this time of Blur's Parklife.

The classic Britpop album turns 25 in April this year, and this special limited edition record is part of the celebrations. 

It was Blur's first number one album in the UK and includes four top 20 singles – Girls & Boys, To The End, End of A Century and Parklife.

MORE:

Record Store Day 2024: dates, guides, and the full list of releases

The 11 best Record Store Day 2024 releases – Gorillaz, Pearl Jam, Sonic Youth and more

Read all of our Vinyl Week 2024 features

Yes, I’m well aware that it’s British Hi-Fi Week, but as What Hi-Fi?’s TV & AV Editor, I couldn’t resist cramming some home cinema action into our coverage.

It should come as no real surprise that the British brands responsible for some of the best hi-fi speakers in the world are also purveyors of quality surround packages, but did you know that one of the best AV receivers that money can buy is also from a British company? You do now. Or, more accurately, you will once you’ve scrolled down to read this round-up of the best home cinema products made by British hi-fi brands.

Wharfedale Diamond 12.3 HCP – £1299 / $2025 / AU$4122

Wharfedale has generally shown more commitment than most of its hi-fi peers to home cinema speaker systems, and the results speak for themselves: the brand took home three speaker-package gongs at the most recent What Hi-Fi? Awards alone.

Of those Award-winners, it’s the Diamond 12.3 HCP that we are flagging here. Using excellent stereo speakers in a surround package is no guarantee of success, but it certainly helps, and this package features two excellent pairs: the five-star Diamond 12.1 and Award-winning Diamond 12.3.

In a surround package such as this, the centre and subwoofer often feel like an afterthought. Not here, though, as the 12.C centre and SW-10 sub more than play their part, delivering clarity and tuneful weight respectively. All told, this is a classy and composed system with detail and dynamics for days, and it’s unbeatable at this price.

Read the full Wharfedale Diamond 12.3 HCP review

Bowers & Wilkins 606 & 607 S3 speaker package – £2496 / $3799 / AU$3947

Like the Wharfedale package above, this B&W package features two pairs of excellent stereo speakers. As the name suggests, the stereo speakers in question are the 606 S3 and 607 S3, both of which are current Award-winners that we love for their clarity, detail, spaciousness and all-round entertainment value.

Thankfully, these music maestros are not let down by the HTM6 S3 centre or ASW608 sub with which they are partnered in this system, and that translates to an awesome movie experience.

In fact, in our review, we wrote that ‘we find ourselves grasping at straws when it comes to finding things to complain about, as the Bowers & Wilkins 606 and 607 S3 Surround Speaker Package is nothing short of spectacular in the sonic department’. You can’t get much higher praise than that.

Read the full Bowers & Wilkins 606 & 607 S3 speaker package review

Arcam AVR31 – £5799 / $5250 / AU$11,495

AV amplifier land has been dominated by Denon for years now, but Arcam has recently proved that there is room for a sound-first, features-second AVR at the most premium end of the market.

Not that the AVR31 is exactly a slouch in the features department: it’s got umpteen HDMI 2.1 ins and outs, support for every sound format you are ever likely to need (and many you never will) and one of the best DACs in the business. Some people, though, will be put off the AVR31 because it has only seven channels of amplification, so going full Atmos requires the addition of extra amplifiers. You can buy a Denon AVR with more amplified channels than the Arcam for about a fifth of the price.

But it’s not the number of channels that matters, it’s the way you use them, as Arcam would almost certainly never say, and the AVR31’s premium credentials are made crystal clear through its sound, which combines delicacy and power like Blade Runner’s Roy Batty.

Read the full Arcam AVR31 review

Fyne Audio F8SP AV – £10,999 / $14,999 / AU$24,000

We’ve said it before and we’ll say it again; the centre is arguably the most important speaker in a surround system. Yet, time and again, speaker manufacturers bundle their big, brilliant floorstanders with a weedy, undernourished centre that makes dialogue hard to decipher and robs the overall system of its cohesion.

That’s not something that you have to worry about with the Fyne F8SP AV package, though. Its F57SP-8 centre speaker is a beast that has clearly been carefully designed and tuned to be a perfect match to the gloriously imposing, five-star-rated F502SP speakers.

“The front three full-range speakers are almost disarming in their precision and speed, adding a tangible layer of excitement to action sequences and making nearly every sudden move in horror films unbearably unnerving,” we said in our review.

The F501SP floorstanders used as surrounds don’t quite match the other speakers tonally, so we would consider upgrading these to another pair of F502SPs if you have the money and space. The twin subwoofers aren’t the very best in class either, so you might want to consider specifying a non-Fyne alternative (or two!) there as well. Even as it comes, though, the F8SP is an incredibly entertaining speaker package.

Read the full Fyne Audio F8SP AV review

Q Acoustics 5040 5.1 Home Cinema – £2475 / $3595 / AU$5199

Q Acoustics is such a fixture of the British hi-fi scene that it’s easy to forget that the brand has only been in existence since 2006. Over the past 19 years, it has shown a real dedication to producing seriously good surround sound packages that feature its seriously good stereo speakers, and the 5040 5.1 Home Cinema is just the latest of those.

The Award-winning stereo speakers in question are the Q Acoustics 5040s that give this package its name. They feature as the front-left and -right speakers, with a pair of 5010s as surrounds, a 5090 centre and QB12 subwoofer.

Despite the use of different speakers throughout, the system produces a really cohesive sound that’s also packed with energy, detail and dynamism. The soft, modern look of the speakers will appeal to those for whom the straight edges and wood finishes of traditional hi-fi don’t appeal.

Read the full Q Acoustics 5040 5.1 Home Cinema review

Literally tens of millions of words have been written about The Beatles, covering everything from the minutiae of their recording sessions to the all-encompassing nature of their impact on popular culture. One book takes almost 50,000 words to get to the point where five teenagers leave Liverpool for the first time in 1960 for a series of performances in Hamburg.

So there seems little point in trying to add to those words here – everyone already knows, after all, that The Beatles rank alongside William Shakespeare and football where British contributions to global happiness are concerned. Instead, we’ll restrict ourselves to selecting a dozen of their recordings that happily combine a thorough examination of your audio system’s talents with the band’s customary knack for exquisitely, instinctively correct pop music.

• Listen to the best tracks by The Beatles on Tidal

Can’t Buy Me Love (A Hard Day’s Night, 1964)

They have been recording artists for less than two years at this point, but already the development that would gather almost comical momentum is beginning to show. It’s upbeat, sunny and poppy, just as surely as most of their output has been until now, but Can’t Buy Me Love also demonstrates new confidence in their songwriting abilities and a knack for a catchy arrangement that can’t be entirely credited to producer George Martin. Momentum and rhythmic positivity are among the key elements your system must demonstrate to bring this recording to life, but the nature of the recording means control of treble frequencies is almost as important. 

‘Hardness’ or ‘splashiness’ are seldom welcome traits in an audio set-up, but this recording is just desperate to tip over the edge – high-end authority is essential. And management of the percussion, driving-yet-rolling in the already-established Ringo manner, is critical too.

Buy A Hard Day’s Night on Amazon

You’ve Got to Hide Your Love Away (Help!, 1965)

The songwriting is maturing nicely now – this is perhaps the first example of John Lennon writing from a position that seems strongly at odds with what one might imagine a man in his position might be feeling (see also the title track of the album Help!). The desire to be taken as seriously as someone like, say, Bob Dylan, rather than be regarded as a loveable moptop fit only to be screamed at, is getting stronger and stronger… You’ve Got to Hide Your Love Away is very midrange-heavy, so your system’s tonal variation and powers of separation need to keep competing elements distinct from each other while still delivering the recording as a unified whole.

There’s little broad dynamic variation here, but in the acoustic guitar and woodwind especially there are plenty of harmonic under- and overtones around the fundamental note to be revealed. Or not, if your system’s not up to the task.

Buy Help! on Amazon

Nowhere Man (Rubber Soul, 1965)

Slowly but surely, the sepia of The Beatles’ previous recordings is becoming Technicolor. And between the telepathic vocal harmonies, the remarkably aggressive lead guitar sound and better-identified and -defined drumming, the recordings are starting to sound less like ‘live in the studio’ affairs and are starting to utilise the recording studio as a greater resource. Lyrically, the journey from ‘sweet’ to ‘bittersweet’ is becoming more and more apparent, too. 

All of which means your system needs to demonstrate proper poise and balance where the frequency range is concerned, as this is a fuller sound than the band had previously enjoyed. Low-frequency control becomes an issue (this is one of McCartney’s first true show-off bass lines), midrange focus and fidelity are an even greater issue than before thanks to all that bounceback echo around some of the voices, and the primitive stereo separation is a proper test of focus too.

Buy Rubber Soul on Amazon

Rain (B-side, 1966)

The confidence and ambition are ever more apparent, the medicine has properly started to kick in, and The Beatles are trying to advance the art of the pop song exponentially – even if, as with Rain, they’re only courageous enough to do so as a B-side at this point. Nevertheless, it’s an outstanding song in every department – melody, rhythm track, inventive use of the studio and the effects available therein… John Lennon’s vocal performance lasts less than three minutes, and yet Liam Gallagher managed to turn a facsimile of it into a 30-year career. 

How does your system handle the sinuous bass line, the stop-start journeys around the drum kit, and the none-more-jangly guitar sound? There’s plenty going on that will trip up a set-up that can’t handle itself where rhythm, tempo and tonality are concerned, and it will need to know what’s what when it comes to the prolonged decay of sounds too.

Buy Rain on Amazon

Tomorrow Never Knows (Revolver, 1966)

And now here are the 60s as everyone at 60 years’ remove understands them. It’s probably safe to say very few people had heard anything like Tomorrow Never Knows before the moment it was released, and certainly not when it was the product of what was definitely a boy band the last time anybody checked – “listen to the colour of your dreams” indeed. The Beatles lay it on with a trowel here: backwards tapes, guitar feedback, sitar drones, a drumbeat for the ages and a treated vocal intoning The Tibetan Book of the Dead. 

Need I say without undue emphasis that your system had better be able to establish some clarity and separation in what is a foggy hot-box of a mix? That it needs to be particularly attentive to the ‘soft’ attacks produced by running tape backwards? Probably not…

Buy Revolver on Amazon

Lovely Rita (Sgt Pepper’s Lonely Hearts Club Band, 1967)

If ever an album could be said to have a smell, Sgt Pepper’s Lonely Hearts Club Band has a smell – the sulphurous tang of spent matches, in my opinion. It may have been billed as a ‘concept’ album, but really it’s a collection of quite disparate songs, the most engaging and exuberant of which is Lovely Rita. One of McCartney’s many ‘story’ songs with one of McCartney’s many indestructible melodies, Lovely Rita needs your system to have a proper grasp of soundstaging, good separation and focus, and the sort of tonality that can differentiate acoustic clanging from metallic clanging without difficulty. 

And it needs to have the sort of rhythmic positivity that makes the coda to the song sound like it should: that’s to say, like the perfect sample for a yet-to-be-recorded smash-hit hip-hop tune.

Buy Sgt Pepper’s Lonely Hearts Club Band on Amazon

I am the Walrus (Magical Mystery Tour EP, 1967)

No two ways about it: by this point, the boy band that conquered the world and became bigger than Jesus is an overt drugs band, and is rather pleased about it. I am the Walrus is an acid-fried slice of Lewis Carroll-inspired psychedelia, all glissando and portamento with extra-vivid nonsense imagery (“goo goo ga joob!”), detuned radios and an overall whiff of a playground game gone badly awry. 

There’s plenty for your system to be getting on with here – the tonality of the strings alone, as they glide and lurch from one note to the next, is a pretty stern test. And the fact that the stereo version of the song switches from ‘true’ to ‘fake’ stereo at around the two-minute mark (because radio extracts were added directly to the mono mix and were unavailable for the stereo version) will only really become apparent on a system with the sort of robust staging and stereo focus to reveal it.

Buy Magical Mystery Tour EP on Amazon

While My Guitar Gently Weeps (The Beatles, 1968)

Apart from various members of various orchestras (and Yoko Ono), very few people appear on records by The Beatles who aren’t, well, The Beatles. Eric Clapton is one – his coruscating solo on the George Harrison composition While My Guitar Gently Weeps elevates the tune to the status of ‘essential’ in The Beatles’ catalogue. Its tone and sheer attack are testing enough for your set-up, which also has to be able to cope with the extraordinarily assertive hi-hat inputs from the drumkit without getting in any way sharp or edgy. 

The chugging low-frequency input from the bass guitar requires careful handling, too, and midrange resolution should be able to reveal just how difficult George always found it (or how unwilling he was) to remove the Scouse inflections in his singing voice.

Buy The Beatles 1968/The White Album on Amazon

Happiness is a Warm Gun (The Beatles, 1968)

The four members of The Beatles couldn’t agree on much by this point, but they each declared Happiness is a Warm Gun to be their favourite of the far-too-many songs on The Beatles. It’s pretty obvious why: it’s inventive, it’s alive with tricky time changes, it features utterly committed contributions from all performers, and it managed to get banned by the BBC thanks to its ill-defined but absolutely apparent undercurrent of (whisper it) sex. 

Rhythmic expression and a facility with tempo- and attitude-changes are among the biggest tasks facing your system here. Midrange fidelity gets a big workout too – and separating the contributions of the lead from the background vocalists while keeping each distinct and characterful isn’t easy either. It’s a stiff test of dynamics, too, with both broad shifts in intensity and constant tonal variations to attend to.

Buy The Beatles 1968/The White Album on Amazon

Hey Bulldog (Yellow Submarine, 1969)

Even at their lowest ebb, even when inspiration was at a premium and willingness even harder to come by, The Beatles seemingly couldn’t help but turn out direct, melodic and somehow unerring music whenever the need arose. Hey Bulldog emerges from a piano riff (and so is one of very few of their songs not built on a guitar part) and wastes no time establishing itself as one of those ‘big verse/bigger chorus’ Beatles tunes that somehow manage to avoid cliché and stay fresh even after the 100th listen. 

The attacking tone of the lead guitar is a great test of your set-up’s balance, and the square four/four rhythm isn’t as straightforward to describe as it might at first seem, either.

Buy Yellow Submarine on Amazon

Come Together (Abbey Road, 1969)

Has there ever been a more obliging song, where hi-fi systems are concerned, than Come Together? The opening track of the final-album-that-wasn’t-the-final-album in The Beatles’ catalogue is beautifully performed, exquisitely recorded, and so wide open that it can’t help but dish the details of your set-up’s abilities – for better or for worse. It’s a recording with a huge amount of space in it, and those spaces and silences need to be given just as much emphasis as the events of the recording themselves. 

There’s an extraordinary amount of detail just waiting to be retained and revealed here, too, from the fretboard noises of the bass guitar to the exact distance of the harmony vocal relative to the lead. And above all else, your system needs to present this as genuine performance, with the protagonists responding to each other, rather than as a collection of discrete occurrences.

Buy Abbey Road on Amazon

Don’t Let Me Down (Let It Be… Naked, 2003)

By the time the band had finished recording sessions for Let It Be, they were sick a) of the sound of it, and b) of each other. So the tapes were handed over to Phil Spector (still an icon to people like The Beatles, and not yet revealed to be a murderous head-case) and he was asked to get on with it. The result was the opposite of the ‘back to basics’ recording they had envisaged – the Spector treatment called for baroque orchestral arrangements and contributions from huge choirs. 

Early in the 20th century, Paul McCartney instigated an effort to return the album to what had originally been intended… which meant, in part, including Don’t Let Me Down. Perhaps the most straightforwardly soulful recording the band has ever made, it’s a stern test of midrange resolution, tonal variation and rhythmic expression – and plenty more besides.

Buy Let It Be… Naked on Amazon

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12 of the best Muse tracks to test your headphones or hi-fi system

CES 2024 is in full swing and, as expected, we’ve seen an influx of impressive new TVs appear.

And while our TV/AV editor Tom Parsons has been unabashed with his praise of TCL’s latest giant 115-inch QM891G mini LED, for me the standout announcements came from LG and Samsung which both revealed new “transparent” TV display technologies. 

In Samsung’s case, this was a proof of concept, see-through micro LED TV which is in no way designed for home use – which is no surprise given most micro LED TVs still cost the same as a down payment on a house. 

But in LG’s case, the see-through OLED T is, according to all the company reps we asked at CES 2024, going to be a commercial product people can actually buy.

Being fully transparent – see what I did there – I applaud both Samsung and LG for the sheer ambition and gumption it must have taken to create these products. LG in particular deserves praise for making such a next gen product that’s intended to “work” and be available for purchase in the real world. This is especially true given how impressive its specs are.

We’re waiting on full technical and price details, but we do know the OLED T runs using the same wireless technology and processor as the new M4 Wireless OLED TV. This means it in theory will be able to offer a cable-free, discreet home cinema set-up with minimal impact on your lounge’s feng shui.

But, in both instances, while I was impressed, I can’t help but wish the companies had paid a little more time, attention and effort to helping bring OLED display tech, and top-end TV experiences in general, to the more affordable end of the market.

Regular readers will know our team of testers are fans of OLED. Look at our best TV guide and you’ll see in most instances OLED is the display tech to get if you want the best picture quality and don’t mind paying for it. That’s why the majority of the What Hi-Fi? Awards 2023 best TV winners were OLED sets.

The problem is, they are still too expensive for most people, with anything over 55-inches setting you back at least £1000 / $1000. And to make matters worse, the tech is currently looking set to get more, not less expensive. Last year LG raised the price for its then top-of-the-line LG C3, which was the successor to the stellar LG C2 which set the benchmark for price-per-pound performance when it first came out.

We haven’t had pricing information for the new LG C4 yet, but conversations we’ve had with company reps indicate this trend isn’t going to change this year. This is especially true as LG’s next cheapest OLED, the B4, is incredibly similar to the C4, which indicates it also won’t be significantly cheaper. With the A-series not available in most territories now, that could leave buyers with no easy entry into the world of OLED this year.

This is a shame as we’ve been waiting years for OLED to hit a price point that is attainable to regular buyers, which we generally take as being around £500 / $500. It was when then-upstart manufacturers started producing good 4K sets at that price that the resolution started gaining traction with the public. And, in truth, I’d hoped 2024 would be the year this happened for OLED. 

But LG and Samsung’s overt focus on the top end of the market and new tech makes me think that cheaper OLED sets just isn’t either’s focus, which is a crying shame, especially considering the current cost of living crisis.

Here’s hoping Panasonic, Philips or Sony have better news for us when they unveil their full 2024 TV ranges later this year.

MORE:

These are the best OLED TVs we’ve reviewed

Check out our picks of the best 65-inch TVs

We detail the best 55-inch TVs we’ve tried and tested

Combining a punk ethos with garage-rock sound and put through a dirty filter of classic rock and metal, grunge exploded from the USA's Pacific Northwest in the late 1980s at a time when the world was hungry for a return to raw, expressive and rootsy guitar rock. 

While Nirvana had the biggest and most surprising breakthrough success, and Seattle and proto-grunge record label Sub Pop were the scene's epicentre, the genre's Sabbath-influenced heavy guitar riffs, grooving basslines and blistering drum parts were also heard from Chicago to LA, and from the UK to Australia. Meanwhile, thrift-store flannel shirts and long hair were soon de rigueur amongst disaffected kids the world over. It's old enough now to be termed 'classic rock', but even thirty years hasn't dimmed grunge rock's bright flame, though it would burn out too soon for far too many of its proponents. 

Don't make the mistake of thinking that grunge music is all crunching guitars and hating yourself, though; these accomplished records can be really good tests of all aspects of your hi-fi system's talents. Get your plaid on, then, and let's dig deep into our favourite grunge tracks with which to test any hi-fi kit's sound quality.

Listen to the full playlist on Tidal

Nirvana – Smells Like Teen Spirit (Nevermind, 1991)

As the power trio's tour de force, Nevermind's lead-off track is perfect for testing how your system conveys the emotion, energy and drive of what was perhaps Kurt Cobain's defining moment, not to mention the classic quiet-loud-quiet structure that came to typify the genre. We could have gone for something from their incredible debut Bleach, but the eight-track basement production is a little less clearly defined in terms of hi-fi listening (arguably too raw to truly do justice to the best hi-fi) than producer Butch Vig's terrific work on Nevermind.

If your system is skilled in information retrieval there's a lot to pick out in Teen Spirit, from the spaces around the simple guitar notes in that quieter verse, through the build of the pre-chorus to the full-on power of the chorus itself. You should be able to feel the sizeable room in which it was recorded, and the physical placement of Dave Grohl's drum kit; and as with most grunge tracks it's the clarity of the drum hits and blisteringly fast drum fills that remain stoically present amidst the reverb and distortion of the squalling guitar.

Soundgarden – Burden In My Hand (Down On The Upside, 1996)

Soundgarden tend to suffer from the ignominious syndrome of only ever having one of their tracks ever played on mainstream radio, but there was, and is, so much more to the grunge pioneers than the admittedly brilliant Black Hole Sun. 

Acting as the anthemic keystone to 1996’s rawer, more melodically focused Down On The Upside, Burden In My Hand opens with an earthy, almost country-style guitar before exploding into full-blown Black Hole Sun anthem mode. This one’s all about how a system communicates the pure power of Chris Cornell’s indomitable, throaty roar, as well as the angst and guilt beneath lyrics such as, “I shot my love today, would you cry for me?”

Screaming Trees – Nearly Lost You (Sweet Oblivion, 1992)

Late, great Screaming Trees singer Mark Lanegan was not a fan of Nearly Lost You, calling it "corny", but nevertheless it is the band's defining moment and an anthemic song that still sounds relevant 30 years on. This one demands good rhythmic drive from your system, as one of the more sophisticated tracks on this list in terms of its irresistible floor tom rhythms and sweet, grooving bass below its honkily overdriven yet beautifully accomplished lead guitar.

Lanegan was one of the finest of grunge's vocalists, and his later solo work and Queens Of The Stone Age contributions were proof of a rare talent. His deep, velvet timbre should be nicely picked out by a system refined enough to do justice to his timeless, wonderful delivery. 

Pearl Jam – Alive (Ten, 1991)

Pearl Jam’s Alive has earned its place within grunge folklore as one of Eddie Vedder and co’s most fist-pumpingly iconic works, but it’s also transcended musical boundaries to become a bona fide rock staple. If tracks such as Jeremy and Black gained Pearl Jam a somewhat misanthropic reputation, Alive was a chance to let loose and blow out some speakers like the classic rockers of old.

On the surface, Alive is a heartbreaking delve into the confusion Vedder felt upon discovering the true identity of his own father, yet it’s as much a pure rock showcase as it is a reflective journey of self-acceptance. Those oppositional elements are reflected within the track itself, which starts measured and introspective before exploding into a Zeppelin-esque feast with that epic, Kiss-inspired solo from Mike McCready stealing the show at 3.38. Whack up the volume and see if you’re off your feet and air-guitaring like it’s 1991, but make sure Vedder’s lyrical content and earnest delivery are always pulling through, too.

Tad – Jinx (8-way Santa, 1991)

One of Seattle's more overlooked grunge bands, Tad's 8-Way Santa album on legendary Seattle label Sub Pop remains a classic of the genre, with Jinx perhaps best exemplifying their metal-edged take on grunge rock. The band's crunching riffs and relentlessly gut-busting heaviosity will test the timing of your system, as the chorus cracks through your brain like a pick-up truck breaking through ice on a frozen lake. The slower, chugging pace of the verses seamlessly picks up pace for the chorus, as Tad Doyle's deep, booming growl ensures you're never in doubt of his surly malcontent. 

Your set-up should be able to pick apart these different elements, while the bassier nature of the track will test the lower registers – and again, timing is important to avoid the track sounding too grungey and ill-defined. Plaid-clad big lad Tad Doyle is an unsung grunge hero, and his band should have been bigger; but it was great to hear Jinx recently turn up on the soundtrack of Netflix show Beef.

Stone Temple Pilots – Interstate Love Song (Purple, 1994)

Grunge doesn’t have to be all crunchy guitars and roaring vocals – just see Pearl Jam’s Yellow Ledbetter or Nirvana’s About A Girl for proof. Like the aforementioned, Stone Temple Pilots’ Interstate Love Song does exactly what it promises in the title, offering up a love letter from the road that feels as sincere and heartfelt as anything found within the contemporary mainstream.

It’s a beautifully realised work, too. Characterised by full, bluesy guitar tones and Scott Weiland’s lyrical tale of heartbreak and escape, Interstate Love Song deserves a system that puts those emotions at the forefront of the performance, especially when it comes to lines such as “breathing is the hardest thing to do, with all I've said and all that's dead for you”. Oof. 

Smashing Pumpkins – Bullet With Butterfly Wings (Mellon Collie And The Infinite Sadness, 1995)

An important and often overlooked facet of the best grunge songs is an unerring sense of groove, and few bands did this better than Chicago's Smashing Pumpkins. Billy Corgan's songwriting can lean towards the whimsical, but when his band rocked, they rocked hard. Jimmy Chamberlin is absolutely one of modern rock's drum greats, and his parts lock in tightly with the grooving bass as big, fat distorted guitars playfully wail and tussle over the top. 

The breakdown is fuzzy as all hell, but throughout this hard-charging tune your system should be tracking all the song's parts from the rhythm section's weighty contribution to the higher frequency guitar squeals, while ensuring that Corgan's emotion and fury come through with as much force and growling intent as possible through the unrelenting hammer-blows of that "rat in a cage" chorus refrain.

Afghan Whigs – Crime Scene Part One (Black Love, 1996)

Cincinatti's Afghan Whigs were there at the birth of grunge, and cemented their longevity by adding Motown soul to the punky garage rock formula to create some of the most interesting, downright sexy grunge tracks of the era. Greg 'the Barry White of Grunge' Dulli's breathy, soulful crooning is at the heart of the Whigs' sound; his earnest themes of love, and its flipside of betrayal, is something your system should nicely pick out along with the musically sophisticated instrumental arrangements.

The opening track from Black Love is a terrific builder of a song, with a choppy guitar part driven onward by an upfront bass line. And when things get heavy and slam the song into another gear, Dulli's crooning becomes a powerful, emotive rock performance with a bittersweetness that's hard to resist, and even harder to forget.

Mudhoney – In 'N' Out Of Grace (Superfuzz Bigmuff)

One of the genre's true originators (singer Mark Arm claims to have first used the term 'grunge' to describe their music to the press), Mudhoney could and should have beaten Nirvana to the punch – had guitarist Steve Turner not gone back to college, putting the band on hiatus. In the band's absence between this track and their major label return, Every Good Boy Deserves Fudge, the band had perhaps missed the boat their contemporaries had hijacked like flannel-shirted pirates. 

This epic track from Superfuzz Bigmuff has everything; pace and power that never lets up, garage rock riffs so heavy they churn your insides, and even – whisper it – a bit of a drum solo. Dan Peters' drum breakdown, that sits back in the groove for an extended spell before powering back in with a foundations-shaking fill, is at the core of a track that embraces, if not exactly 'quiet' passages, a shifting dynamic emphasis and stop-start moments that allow Arm's plaintive wails the space to really get up in your face. If your system times well, those drum hits and blunt riffs should feel punk-rock raw yet distinct and organised despite the relentless buzz of the titular Bigmuff distortion pedal.

Alice In Chains – Down In A Hole (Unplugged, 1996)

Alice in Chain’s 1996 MTV Unplugged live performance is a thing of beauty, with the entire set offering some of the best renditions of the band’s excellent hits. The more nuanced, intimate but no less fierce acoustic version of Down In A Hole is a test track favourite in our listening rooms. You still get the sludge and crunch of this grunge track, but amidst the fuzz you should hear the clear plucking of guitar strings, of drums hitting with impact and underpinning the rhythm section alongside the deep, full bass and, most importantly, the achingly beautiful vocals. 

The very best music system – whether you're listening through hi-fi separates, turntable, radio or headphones, on vinyl, CD or streaming – will reveal all the layers and textures of this warm but melancholy performance while ensuring it all gels together rhythmically. This track has a lightning-in-a-bottle quality, with every band member on stage working together as one, and your system should capture and reflect that to the fullest. But it’s lead vocalist Layne Staley’s raw, raspy-edged singing balanced against Jerry Cantrell’s more soothing vocals that are mesmering to listen to. It’s a livewire performance that still hits a nerve while allowing you to sink into the emotive lyrics and melody no matter how many times you listen to it.

Hole – Jennifer's Body (Live Through This, 1994)

A grunge classic, a feminist anthem, an absolute banger. While female grunge bands are largely overshadowed by the prevalence of their male counterparts, Hole cut through the noise with punk-tinged grunge/alternative hits that were raucous, defiant, personal and, in many cases, pure earworms.

While it doesn’t have the ferocious roar of Violet or the (relatively) subtler, more mournful nature of Doll Parts, the song Jennifer’s Body has all the hallmarks of grunge – and Hole’s – rough format of quiet/loud/quiet/louder. This means that not only does your system have to work hard to fully convey those vaulting dynamic shifts, but it also has to keep up with Patty Schemel’s propulsive drumming and Kristen Pfaff’s bass playing. It’s a stern test of timing and rhythmic agility, as the repeated chords should never sound dull or lose their intensity or momentum through the song.

And, of course, Courtney Love’s vocals are at the heart of it all, veering from almost-spoken verses to raw screams, all edged with a rebellious, passionate and incisive tone. If you’re listening to this track and you’re not feeling the inherent 'F- you' attitude course through your veins, you need a better hi-fi system.

Radiohead – Creep (Pablo Honey, 1993)

As the only British band on this list, Radiohead flew an early flag for Brit-grunge before ploughing their own more progressive path to ever greater success. Their debut single, Creep, though, was an international hit riding the coat-tails of Nirvana's popularity – but it's no less great a song and a powerful anthem for disaffected youth. Thom Yorke's nervy stage persona and lyrics about how he wishes he was cooler so he'd get 'the girl' (essentially) spoke to long-haired introverts the world over. 

This track is a good test of dynamics, with the gentle, melodic guitar plucks of the verses punctuated with clear, bright drum and hi-hat hits giving way to those over-driven guitar crunches where it sounds like Jonny Greenwood had just remembered to plug his guitar in. The track's different moods, like the grungey, fuzzy guitar that follows the explosive chorus, as Yorke moves up the range for a more falsetto delivery, should be kept in check by your system. Every part should sound nicely separated, and the kick delivered by Greenwood's piece de resistance should never fail to raise your neck hairs.

Temple Of The Dog – Hunger Strike (1991)

While far from as well known as many of the other bands featured here, the importance of Temple of the Dog cannot be overestimated. A side-project of Soundgarden’s Chris Cornell, who had written some new songs in honour of his late friend Andrew Wood of Mother Love Bone, Temple of the Dog featured Cornell and Wood’s ex-bandmates, Stone Gossard and Jeff Ament, plus Mike McCready and Soundgarden’s Matt Cameron. Every band member barring Chris Cornell would end up in Pearl Jam.

Speaking of which, the most amazing thing about Hunger Strike is the presence of Eddie Vedder. Vedder just happened to be in the room during Temple of the Dog’s rehearsals and rather presumptuously (Pearl Jam didn’t even exist at this point) stepped in to sing the track’s lower parts when he saw Cornell struggling with them. The song suddenly became a Vedder-Cornell duet and went from being a filler track to the lead single of the band’s only album.

It’s the intertwined vocals that make Hunger Strike such an interesting test track, with your system needing to tonally and spatially separate Vedder’s warm drawl and Cornell’s banshee-like wail while ensuring they remain interlinked. If you can hear a bit of fuzz around the guitars, that’s supposed to be there – this is grunge after all – and don’t expect a huge dynamic shift from verse to chorus, but each instrument should be clearly represented even though the track is quite congested.

Silverchair – Tomorrow (Frogstomp, 1995)

Once nicknamed “Nirvana in Pyjamas”, Silverchair were still in their teens when debut album Frogstomp turned them into Australian grunge royalty. Like many bands who came late to clean up the crumbs of the genre, their sound was undeniably derivative but the worldwide success they enjoyed showed that it still struck a chord.

Tomorrow was their breakout track and does a fine job of delivering Grunge 101, from fuzzy guitar feedback and throat-scratching vocals to the familiar quiet-loud-quiet song structure. But it sure works.

How will it test your system? Well, it’s best heard loud (sure, like most tracks) and then you’ll find out how well your hi-fi can differentiate sounds and instruments under stress. You’ll want the dynamic range to get your heart really racing during that quiet-loud-quiet, and there’s plenty of rasping detail in Daniel Johns’ delivery for the best gear to uncover.

MORE:

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The ultimate music tracks to test your hi-fi system

This all-British stereo hi-fi system takes things up a level or two all round from our bargain £1600 turntable and streaming system. This is a thoroughly modern, fully digital system that takes those ones and zeroes and maxes them all the way up to 10; or perhaps that should be 11?

• Welcome to our British Hi-Fi Week 2023!

The system

CD player: Cyrus CDi  (£1595/$1899/AU$2499)

DAC/streamer: Chord Mojo2/Poly  (£995/$1600/AU$1998)

Stereo amplifier: Rega Elex Mk4  (£1199/$1875/AU$2499)

Loudspeakers: Neat Iota Alpha  (£2025/$2150/AU$3300)

Total:  £5814 / $7524 / AU$10,296

Compact Disc player: Cyrus CDi

We’ll kick things off with the main source. Reports of the compact disc’s death have been greatly exaggerated over the past few years – partly, it’s true, because of the stubborn, wonderful refusal of the turntable to reverse its impressive upward trend. But when you consider that most streaming platforms, and certainly the most popular of them, don’t provide music at the quality that a CD offers, it’s clear that there is plenty of life left in the silver disc.

The Cyrus CDi currently sets the benchmark at its price. And as the consistent stream of What Hi-Fi? Awards won over the years since the CDi’s launch can attest, it has been a perennial leader in its field.

It presents the uniform, articulate and intuitive presentation that we expect from a more expensive player. There is a bucket-load of detail and precision: each layer of a track is precisely unpeeled, with every instrument coming through with coherent flow and tact.

It’s this fine CD player’s rhythmic talent, though, that truly raises our eyebrows. Pace and momentum is exercised with articulation and vibrancy, and we find ourselves entertained by the Cyrus’s dynamic agility and neutral balance in a way that is rare at this price.

DAC and streaming module: Chord Mojo2/Poly

Our second digital source is rather more unusual than the CD player in the system. Chord is one of our go-tos for digital to analogue converters, with What Hi-Fi? Awards coming out of its ears for its high-end DACs. The Mojo 2 is Chord's entry-level offering, and it’s a joy, appropriately enough – the name Mojo comes from a conflation of ‘mobile joy’. 

We have married the Mojo 2 here with its Poly partner, a neat little attachment that opens up streaming abilities to the DAC, in the form of DLNA, AirPlay, Bluetooth and microSD card playback. 

And, in terms of musical matrimony, the Poly and Mojo could be gearing up for their Silver anniversary. Sonically, this is a match made in hi-fi heaven.

We absolutely loved the original Mojo, but Chord has advanced things in pretty much every sonic area with this sequel. The soundstage has been opened up and that extra depth and dimension has been filled with greater resolution that is not only unmistakably present thanks to a big boost in clarity but also more precisely placed. A listen to Ludovico’s Rolling Like A Ball in hi-res is enough to tell us as much; the leading edges of piano notes are crisper without compromising the flow of the piece, while harmonic subtleties are more easily discernible. 

Indeed, the improvements over the original Mojo (which, please remember, we absolutely loved) are enough for us to have recommended the upgrade to the second generation even to owners of the first iteration.

Integrated amplifier: Rega Elex Mk4

All the brilliance of those two sources for our music would come to nothing, of course, without an amplifier to make the most of their abilities, to boost the signal they have provided and to send it along to the loudspeakers with the oomph to make the whole lot sing.

Enter Rega’s latest Elex amplifier. The Elex Mk4 is the successor to our multiple-Award winning Rega Elex-R, one of our favourite amplifiers of the past decade.

As we say in our review of the Elex Mk4, this isn’t a showy amplifier; it doesn’t try to artificially grab your attention or hide any insufficiencies behind metaphorical jazz hands. It simply handles every element of the music in an incredibly assured and elegant manner. This is an amplifier that knows what it’s doing and wants you to just sit back and listen. 

The way the Rega handles music – delivering it as a cohesive whole rather than individual elements – is effortlessly done. We struggle to focus on particular strands or frequencies to critique, and instead are content listening to track after track and marvelling at how the Elex turns its hand to every song. It simply doesn’t impose itself on the music – that’s a huge accomplishment. 

It does have a rather lean character that works to its advantage when it comes to timing. Agile and nimble-footed, it can be as pacy or as steady as needed, marshalling musical elements with authority and making sense of complex rhythms with ease. 

Revealing and faithful, the Elex Mk4 is capable in ways far beyond our expectations at this mid-tier price point. The addition of digital inputs and a headphone port is a great step in the right direction from Rega; that’s not something of direct concern in this particular set-up, but it does give more flexibility in how you might listen to this terrific amp.

Stereo speakers: Neat Iota Alpha

The final piece of the puzzle in this fine British hi-fi system comes in the somewhat unconventional form of the Neat Iota Alpha loudspeakers. Little knee-high floorstanders, angled to allow for that diminutive stance, they are brilliant performers that won’t dominate a room. 

On which note, they aren’t particularly fussy about placement: they need a bit of reinforcement from a rear wall – we place them around 30cm out into the room, with just a hint of angle towards the listening position.

And the position of the tweeters gives extra scope for tweaking. Leave them on the outer edges and you will get a wider spread of sound. Leaving them on the inside adds just a touch more focus. The optimum placement depends on your room and system, so you should have fun experimenting and tweaking.

Get everything set up just so, and you will enjoy a surprisingly expansive and spacious presentation from these little boxes that wouldn’t be out of place from rivals twice the height. There’s a good amount of precision, and the presentation stays stable even when the music becomes demanding. The Neats sound way bigger than expected, delivering a sense of authority and solidity totally out of keeping with their size. With eyes closed we would never guess the speakers are so small.

The Alpha’s presentation is wonderfully cohesive, the three drivers integrating seamlessly, and the sound is appealingly robust. Dynamics are strong too, with larger-scale dynamic shifts handled with confidence even at higher volumes.

While there is a good amount of low-frequency action, it’s fair to say larger, similarly priced traditional floorstanders from the likes of B&W, Fyne Audio or Q Acoustics will dig deeper and hit harder. It would be unrealistic to expect such compact speakers to fill a larger room fully, but in a small to medium space they are great for anything below nightclub levels.

Verdict

Each of the components in this best of British stereo system is a top performer in its own right. As a team, however, they gel together wonderfully to allow your music, whether from CD or a stream, to be heard at its fullest potential. It will provide many many years of listening pleasure; and that, after all, is what this is all about – enjoying and sharing the music we love.

MORE:

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So, that turntable this vinyl revival encouraged you to purchase or revisit (or simply keep using!)... well, it’s now that time of the year when it deserves to spin some new records. In addition to Boxing Day, of course, and, well, every Sunday afternoon of the year. Indeed, Record Store Day 2023 is this weekend!

The annual celebration of records and everyone involved in it takes place this Saturday 22nd April and, keeping with tradition, will see hundreds of records – over 400, in fact – become available to purchase on the day at independent stores around the world.

Ever since the full list of exclusive RSD releases was announced, the What Hi-Fi? team has been discussing which ones they’d be prepared to elbow an elderly crate-digger out of the way for in order to add it to their vinyl collection – and perhaps you have been too (though probably without the elbowing part because you are an upstanding member of society). 

Part of the thrill of this annual team collaboration is being able to share it with our readers, so in the comments below please do let us know which RSD 2023 releases are whetting your appetite the most too.

• Record Store Day 2023: dates, full release list and everything you need to know

Stevie Nicks – Bella Donna Live

By Jonathan Evans
One of rock’s all-time great vocalists, at the peak of her powers, performing tracks from one of her great albums, and some of Fleetwood Mac’s most-loved songs, live on stage; what more could we ask for? 

Well, having all the above available for the first time on vinyl, of course. This two-LP set features Stevie Nicks live at the Fox Wilshire Theatre in Beverly Hills on 13th December 1981 and includes stone-cold classics such as Edge Of Seventeen, Leather And Lace, Gold Dust Woman, Dreams and more. Can’t wait…

Beach House - Become EP

By Becky Roberts
The Become EP comprises five songs from the studio sessions of Beach House's 2022 album Once Twice Melody, arguably the best and most beautiful yet from Baltimore’s dream-pop duo. (It certainly made my list of favourite albums of last year.) Beach House said they didn’t think these handful of tracks were a good fit for OTM, but later realised that they “fit in a little world of their own”. “To us, they are all kind of scuzzy and spacious, and live in the spirit realm,” says the band. “It’s not really where we are currently going, but it’s definitely somewhere we have been.” 

Where Beach House are ‘going’ is anyone’s guess, as they are definitely one of those bands who seem to reliably make the same-sounding music – lush, expansive, stargazey – over and over but are somehow able to keep it fresh and enthralling with every release. If the tracks on the Become EP are anything like the quality of OTM, though, it will be a must-own. This exclusive RSD release will be on crystal-clean vinyl, with its digital release following on 28th April and a full physical-format release in May.

Bluey – Dance Mode

By Tom Parsons
Forget The Last of Us and Happy Valley – the best show on TV these days is Bluey, hands down. Funny, warm and sweet-natured, each eight-minute episode is a slice of pure joy that easily transcends the ‘kids’ show’ tag.

A huge part of the appeal is the music. Composer Joff Bush seems to have a knack for producing compact little bangers, and Dance Mode is the bangingest of all. That it’s the lead track of this second Bluey album is a strong sign, but I’d be lying if I said that I wasn’t most drawn to this RSD release by the zoetrope effect on the vinyl, which features the canine stars of the show dancing.

Of course, another big part of the appeal is the idea of owning a solid memento of a show that we’ve loved so much as a family but that my son will inevitably grow out of before too long. That’s worth all the dollar bucks in the world.

Thin Lizzy – Live and Dangerous

By Harry McKerrell
I love Thin Lizzy more than is perhaps appropriate for someone born well into the 1990s, but I won’t apologise for my affection for Phil Lynott and his motley band of Irish rockers. Live And Kicking, described by NME as the greatest live album of all time, has earned its place in the pantheon of classic records, live or studio. 

While RSD's special Hammersmith 15/11/1986 release might smack of flogging a dead rock horse, its relative exclusivity (limited to 1600 copies) will have many Lizzy devotees like me digging out their wallets once more. 

The boys are back in town… again.

Miles Davis – Turnaround: Rare Miles From The Complete On the Corner Sessions

By Alastair Stevenson
Miles Davis was one of the seminal band leaders and most prominent jazz musicians of all time, so getting to hear previously unreleased cuts from his final On The Corner Sessions is a huge deal. These cuts haven’t been widely available on vinyl before and were taken in his final days. The all-star band includes Michael Henderson on bass, Al Foster on drums, and James Mtume on percussion. There are also special guest appearances from big names including Bennie Maupin and Dave Liebman. If that wasn’t enough to tempt you, the 12-inch special edition release is actually coloured kind of blue – Sky Blue, to be precise.

Garbage – Witness To Your Love

By Kashfia Kabir
There’s no way I can resist Shirley Manson’s distinctive vocals, still as raw and unique today as they were in the ’90s. Originally recorded for a charity compilation in 2008, Witness To Your Love was finally released as a single last year and gets its very first vinyl pressing – on a transparent coloured 12" – for RSD 2023. It’s a trip-hoppy, dreamy, guitar-led, grunge-tinged alt-rock tune that you don’t hear much of these days, and this exclusive release also features three previously unreleased tracks by Garbage – Cities In Dust, Blue Betty and Adam And Eve – and “exciting, vibrant artwork”.

The 1975 – Live With The BBC Philharmonic Orchestra

By Lewis Empson
Fresh off their latest number-one charting album, a sold-out tour and a Brit Awards win, The 1975 are releasing what can only be described as a holy grail for fans this Record Store Day. The indie-pop band are offering a never-before-released version of their second album, I Like It When You Sleep, For You Are So Beautiful Yet So Unaware Of It, in collaboration with the BBC Philharmonic Orchestra. This stunning clear vinyl two LP set features iconic tracks such as Somebody Else and The Sound as well as a rendition of Chocolate from their Music For Cars EP.

Midlake – Live at the Roundhouse

By Becky Roberts
If I had to pick a London gig that I most yearned to be at last year – and trust me, there were many – it would be Midlake at the Roundhouse last April. Luckily for people like me, and of course those who were able to attend the gig and dug it, the show – which was held to celebrate the band’s 20th anniversary – is being pressed to coloured (side A red, side B orange) vinyl for Record Store Day for fans to live (and relive) in their living rooms. 

The live double album is actually the indie rockers’ first, which spans its catalogue, featuring tracks from latest album For the Sake Of Bethel Woods, and ventures back through their direction-changing Antiphon (the first post-lead-singer-Tim-Smith record), their ‘very Midlake’ The Courage Of Others, and of course the die-hard classics from 2006’s The Trials Of Van Occupanther – ya Roscoes and Head Homes and whatnot.

“We’ve been embraced so warmly all of these years,” Midlake’s Eric Pulido shares, “and knew our show at The Roundhouse would serve as the perfect night to celebrate our 20-year relationship with our first live album.”

Taylor Swift – Folklore: The Long Pond Studio Sessions

By Ketan Bharadia
Taylor Swift's Folklore was the best-selling album of 2020 and marked a significant shift away from the pristine pop of her previous efforts into something more subdued and thoughtful. It was made during the heart of the COVID-19 crisis and involved Swift working remotely in her home studio while her producers Aaron Dessner and Jack Antonoff were based elsewhere. 

The Long Pond Studio Sessions is the soundtrack to a documentary that was released on Disney+ where Swift and her collaborators perform the album together for the first time. Justin Vernon of Bon Iver makes an appearance too. This production features sparser arrangements than the standard album and has a lovely intimate feel. The standard album is a more polished affair, but this one has plenty of charm.

Joe Strummer & The Mescaleros – Streetcore

By Chris Burke
After a number of self-described 'wilderness years' post-Clash, Joe Strummer formed The Mescaleros in 1999 and embarked a roll of three great albums before his death in 2002. The last two were released on Californian punk label Hellcat, home of Clash-influenced bands like Rancid. This felt like full-circle for the rockabilly-punk icon, and his return to musical form made Strummer's untimely demise hurt even more. 

Streetcore, finished and released posthumously in 2003, is a great record to have gone out on. Strummer dug deep to sprinkle some of his old Clash magic over Coma Girl (an ode to Glastonbury festival, where you can still find Strummerville), the country-blues of Long Shadow, anthemic rocker Arms Aloft, and a heartfelt version of Bob Marley's Redemption Song; which exactly 20 years after first hearing this album, still makes us a little teary for the loss of a true genius. Re-released for RSD on Dark Horse records, you'll do a lot worse than to snap up this limited edition coloured vinyl pressing.

T-Rex – Rockin’ And Rollin’

By Andy Madden
Glam rock wouldn’t be high on my playlists most days, but one particular album from this year’s list of Record Store Day releases has me reminiscing. Growing up as a kid, the genre was played in the Madden household occasionally - the ‘glam’ side of things I found a little cheesy, but a couple of bands did manage to make an impression. One of which was T. Rex. There was something about Mark Bolan's voice, lyrics and the band’s catchy guitar riffs that had me transfixed. So it’s great to see the rarity that is Rockin’ And Rollin’ is on the list of RSD releases this year. It was only ever released in Japan and it’s the first time that this album has had a repress. And, with classics like Children Of The Revolution and 20th Century Boy onboard, I can’t wait to take it on a trip down memory lane.

Brian Eno – FOREVER VOICELESS

By Becky Roberts
An instrumental version of his remarkably transcendent, achingly beautiful, pensive – and for that, critically acclaimed – 2022 album, FOREVERANDEVERNOMORE, this aptly named LP has ‘best album for remote working’ acclaim all over it. Its arrival was perhaps inevitable, given that last year’s album was his first since 2005’s Another Day On Earth to predominantly feature vocals, and also considering how much it naturally still relies on Eno’s trademark instrumental ambience to convey much of its feeling.

The wordless edition may remove the largely present, most overt delivery of the album’s existentialist musings that is Eno’s narration (The Garden Of Stars won’t be as sinister without his Gregorian chant; We Let It In will not be quite as stirring for its omission of his daughter’s vocals), but letting the music speak alone for the entire 45 minutes will, I'm sure, communicate the album’s oft-sweeping mood shifts just as well – and perhaps manage to be even more transcendent and beautiful. I’ll have to wait and see. FOREVERVOICELESS will be a clear vinyl release on 22nd April.

Keith Richards – Vintage Vinos

By Chris Burke
Essential but long-out-of-print anthology of Keef's best solo work, that includes prime cuts from solo albums Talk Is Cheap and Main Offender, plus the 1991 live album Live At The Hollywood Palladium backed by the X-pensive Winos – as awesome a bunch of musicians as his mighty reputation could command, including guitarist Waddy Wachtel, regular Stones sax blower Bobby Keys, drummer Steve Jordan and, on the studio albums, Ronnie Wood. 

You don't need us to tell you that the guitar is sublime here, on a mix of tracks that take in reggae (Too Rude), funk (Big Enough, with Bootsy Collins on bass), smokey bar-room blues (Wicked As It Seems) and driving, Stones-y rockers like Connection and Take It So Hard. Richards is an understated, bluesy crooner, and his warm, growly tones and effortless guitar grooves feel right at home on vinyl. A single pressing at the time sold out quicker than Keith can play a pentatonic scale, making it a sought-after second-hand record in subsequent years. Thanks to Record Store Day, you can now snag this double LP without parting with hundreds of dollars.

Doctor Who – The Amazon World of Doctor Who

By Kashfia Kabir
Coinciding with the show’s 60th anniversary this year, this special double vinyl edition covers short stories, snippets and features from The Amazing World of Doctor Who book, originally published in 1976 but brought to life here with voice actors and clever sound design. If you love this classic sci-fi show about a time-travelling alien with two hearts (it’s the Fourth Doctor here) who goes on more adventures than you can shake a sonic screwdriver at, this one’s for you (and me). Chris Achilleos’ iconic fantasy artwork from the original book is reproduced here on the front and back cover, too, which itself is sure to be a collector’s item.

Pixies – Demos

By Becky Roberts
The more obscure of the two RSD 2023 releases from the Pixies (the Massachusetts band is also releasing their 2009 Brussels gig on vinyl), Demos comprises the nine (of 17) tracks that were recorded in the band's first studio session in March 1987 but didn't make their first album, Come On Pilgrim.

These remaining songs from that 17-track demo reel, which has become known as ‘The Purple Tapes’, were released for the first time in 2002, but this EP marks their debut on 10-inch vinyl, which, by the way, is purple, comes with a printed inner sleeve and is limited in quantity. While this isn't new or unheard material – these songs found their way onto subsequent albums from the band in some shape or form, after all – these original demo recordings, especially of Here Comes Your Man and Rock A My Soul, are very tasty indeed – and together here on coloured wax make for an attractive collector's item for diehard fans.

MORE:

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You might have read about my recent switch from the Sony WF-1000XM4 to the Bose QuietComfort Earbuds II. It’s been a relatively smooth ride so far, but there has been one small speed bump.

The Bose are great in many ways, but spending time with both pairs highlighted something missing in the Bose which could quite easily put a dent in my daily routine. It wasn’t enough for me to switch back, but it definitely gave the Sonys an advantage.

• 6 sound settings you shouldn’t ignore on the Bose QuietComfort Earbuds II

Has Bose been listening?

“What was the problem?” I hear you cry. It’s not the lack of aptX Adaptive support (although an update for this should be launching this spring, in case you were wondering). It revolves around how I use the headphones to - wait for it - help send me off to sleep.

The Bose QuietComfort Earbuds II didn’t allow you to use one earbud independently, which meant that both had to be out of the box at any one time. Not only did this result in a lot of unnecessary fumbling around in the dark, but it also meant that if I wasn’t on my toes, the battery could drain away faster than normal.

Even worse, if I took my eye off the ball and forgot to put them back in the case until I went to bed then, shock, horror, I might be greeted with not one but two dead earbuds. The prospect of sweet dreams would turn into a serious nightmare.

I’m talking about the problem in the past tense because a notification recently popped up on my iPhone which is the answer to all those nightly prayers. That’s right, the slumber shackles have finally been broken and you can now use a single Bose earbud independently!

I’ve already downloaded the update and taken the new feature for a spin and, fingers crossed, so far, so good. Slide one earbud into your ear and you should hear the tone which indicates it has connected to your Bluetooth source, then hit play and you should be up and running.

Now, some of you might think it’s quite strange to go to bed with your wireless headphones, but I honestly find there’s nothing quite like dropping off via a podcast. Just remember to set your timer on Spotify or Apple Podcasts - other podcast apps are available - for 30 minutes so you don’t burn through a whole series. And if you happen to fall asleep before the end, consider it a bonus because you can just skip back and start from where you dozed off the following evening. And on that note, I’m off for a quick power nap…

MORE:

I've switched from Sony's XM4 wireless earbuds to Bose – here's why I don't really miss them

Read our Bose QuietComfort Earbuds II review

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The What Hi-Fi? Award-winning LG C2 OLED TV is one of the best TVs we've ever tested.  Offering stellar picture quality, a sleek design and a great webOS smart TV platform, the C2 hits the sweet spot between performance, features and price. 

The C2 is available in six sizes: 42-, 48-, 55-, 65-, 77- and 83-inches. We've reviewed the 42-inch, 65-inch and 77-inch sizes, so we're perfectly placed to help you make the best choice at the checkout (and guide you to today's lowest C2 prices, of course).

For the uninitiated, LG's C-class models are the best bang-for-buck options in LG's OLED TV range, thanks to flagship panel technology and picture processing, but without the enhanced sound, niche design and higher price point of the higher-end G series.

The 2022 C2 is the first C-Series TV to feature an OLED Evo panel, which is around 30% brighter than the average OLED panel, and while it is true that the G2 now has a heatsink that allows brightness to be pushed even further, we believe that the extra brightness won't quite be worth the extra expense for most buyers.

(We should also note here that the 42-inch and 48-inch versions of the C2 don't go as bright as their larger siblings)

Whether it's movies, TV or gaming, the LG C2 excels. The whole image pops and dark detail is spectacular. On top of that, the C2's feature set is flawless and includes everything a next-gen gamer could want.

So, which LG C2 is best for you? And where can you find today's best LG C2 OLED TV deals? The answer to both questions is 'just below'... 

LG OLED42C2 (42-inch)

The LG OLED42C2 is simply the best 42-inch TV we've tested. There's very little competition, of course, but even against Sony’s XR-42A90K the C2 proves to be the more satisfying performer thanks to its fabulous contrast, colours and punch.

The beauty of LG's smallest OLED TV is that it can fit comfortably on almost any desk, and thus doubles up as a gaming monitor. Like its siblings, the C2 has everything you need for next-gen gaming, including four 48Gbps HDMI 2.1 sockets that can handle 4K/120Hz signals from the Xbox Series X, PS5 and flagship PC graphics cards.

More of a binge-watcher? You'll be equally charmed by the C2's webOS22 platform, which features almost every streaming service you could imagine. More importantly, all of the content that should be in 4K, Dolby Vision and/or Dolby Atmos is. Nice.

Of course, the smaller the TV, the weaker the sound tends to be – particularly in terms of volume and bass weight. The 42-inch C2 doesn't buck that trend but a decent soundbar could quickly fix that. 

The OLED42C2’s launch price was £1399 / $1400 / AU$2695, which we felt was a very high price to pay for a 42-inch TV. Thankfully, prices have since dropped considerably and you should be able to grab the OLED42C2 for a lot less below.

• Read our full LG OLED42C2 review

LG OLED48C2 (48-inch)

The main difference between the 42-inch C2 and its 48-inch sibling lies in the speaker set-up. Both models pack in a 2.2-channel sound system but whereas the 42-inch outputs 20W the 48-inch produces 40W.

Another minor difference is that while both models deliver 4K resolution, the 42-inch has a slightly higher pixel density simply because it has the same number of pixels crammed into a smaller display. This might make it better suited for close-up viewing (when used as gaming monitor, for example).

In essence, though, this should simply be a scaled-up version of the excellent 42-inch model. Given that both versions are ordinarily available for more or less the same money, for many people this 48-inch model will be the better buy.

LG OLED55C2 (55-inch)

The 55-inch model is where the brighter OLED panels come in. We've not tested the 55 incher but in theory it should simply be a more compact version of the superb 65-inch model, which we gave five stars to in our review.

The 55-inch enjoys much the same spec as the other C2 models, including the same new Alpha 9 Generation 5 processor seen on the pricier G2. This builds on the already impressive picture enhancement tricks of its predecessor and performs brilliantly across the board.

Lastly, it's worth noting that the 55-inch model comes with a stand whereas the 42-inch and 48-inch come with blade-like feet that are designed to take up less desk space.

On the hunt for a bargain? We've listed today's best 55-inch LG OLED C2 deals below.

LG OLED65C2 (65-inch)

This What Hi-Fi? Awards 2022 winner is a class act from start to finish, offering better picture quality than last year’s excellent LG G1. The improvements are especially noticeable when playing Dolby Vision content, which is clearly brighter on the new C2.

There's no real difference between the 55-inch and 65-inch C2 other than the screen size, which is no bad thing. The C2 series boasts an app-packed webOS platform, impressive next-gen gaming features and AI-powered picture processing that delivers authentic – rather than artificial – improvements.  

As for the sound, there are very few TVs that wouldn’t be improved by a simple soundbar, but the C2, while decent-sounding, is more easily upgraded than might be expected of a TV costing as much as it does.

Ready to buy? We've listed today's best LG OLED65C2 deals below:

• Read our full LG OLED65C2 review

LG OLED77C2 (77-inch)

If you have a hankering for a seriously cinematic TV, the 77-inch C2 is the perfect combination of size, performance and price. 

Another What Hi-Fi? Awards 2022 winner, the OLED77C2 wowed us with its spectacular size. It's every bit as good as its smaller-but-still-large 65-inch sibling but that extra foot of screen real estate really does add to the overall experience.

Sources in resolutions lower than 4K usually look worse on bigger screens than smaller ones, but the 77-inch C2 does an admirable job of making most content look better than it probably should. 

It's slightly disappointing that the 77-inch makes do with the same 40W, 2.2-channel sound system as the 65-inch model, but under review, we felt that the 77-inch produced an engaging sound with fairly well-projected and detailed dialogue. We would still recommend budgeting for a separate sound system though – a soundbar would do the job but a proper surround sound system would be a more appropriate partner for this magnificently large TV.

• Read our full LG OLED77C2 review

LG OLED83C2 (83-inch)

If 77 inches simply isn't big enough for you, the 83-inch C2 has your name written all over it.   

As you might have guessed, the OLED83C2 is identical to the 77-inch in all but size. The same colour reproduction, same next-gen gaming features, same webOS smart TV platform and same 2.2-channel, 40W sound system.

In truth, on an inches-per-pound (or dollar) basis the 83-inch C2 is less of a great but than the 77-inch version, but there's no substitute for size is you truly want the cinema experience at home. Besides, we've already seen some massive discounts on the 83-inch C2. You'll see the latest, lowest prices below.

MORE:

Check out our LG OLED42C2 review and our LG OLED65C2 review

LG C2 vs G2: which is the best LG OLED TV?

As well as our list of the best OLED

And all the best 4K OLED TV deals

It’s not always easy to be part of a large, successful dynasty. Just ask the Windsors. Despite the inherent advantages of belonging to a prosperous lineage, it can be tough to make your own mark and be noticed – for positive reasons at least. 

Similar to the Royals, fellow British institution Wharfedale and its Diamond series of speakers have a long and storied legacy (albeit with significantly less scandal), as well as a bit of a German connection. Beginning in 1982 with a single model, the accessibly priced Diamond range is now in its 14th generation, slightly confusingly known as Diamond 12. This generation consists of three sizes of stand-mount speakers (12.0, 12.1, 12.2), two options of floorstanders (12.3 and 12.4) and a single centre speaker (12.C).

But there are no hereditary hangovers to be found here. For Diamond 12, Wharfedale brought in German-based designer Karl Heinz Fink, previously heavily involved with Q Acoustics, to makeover the range from front to back. Almost every aspect of the construction from the cabinet to the driver material has been revised, and the result is a surprisingly charming, affordable and well-engineered line-up of speakers for a stereo or 5.1 (or more) surround set-up.

Price

There are several possible ways to configure combinations of Diamond 12 models in a home cinema environment. Here, we’re testing a system comprising a quartet of the excellent, mid-sized Diamond 12.1 bookshelf speakers for fronts and surrounds (priced at £249 / $399 / AU$699 per pair), with the 12.C in the middle (£229 / $229 / AU$575) and the SW10 powered subwoofer (£349 / $ 599 / AU$1149) supplying the bass.

In the UK, this system is called the Diamond 12 HCP (Home Cinema Pack) and can be picked up for £999 – a saving of £77 over the cost of buying everything separately.

Build

Diamond 12’s redesign began with the construction of the cabinet, and the result is a solid, smart, understated build. Available in four shades of matte wood grain, the classic design is neatly offset by a high-shine baffle in solid black or white.

The engineers created the panelling from varying thicknesses of MDF that, together with spot bracing, help better control unwanted resonances. The boxes have a substantial feel but aren’t visually obtrusive. They also look more expensive than they are. Each of the speakers has a claimed 8 ohm impedance and two sets of terminals for bi-wiring, with mirror-finish metal straps included for non-bi-wired set-ups.

The 12.1 stand mounters have a two-way rear-ported design featuring a single 13cm mid/bass driver composed of something called ‘Klarity’, which is not a Kardashian but a new polypropylene composite cone material with mica added to improve rigidity. The Klarity cones are driven by a magnet with an aluminium compensation ring to minimise the effects of fluctuations in inductance that can occur as the voice coil moves.

The 25mm textile tweeter domes, meanwhile, are almost completely exposed, with a high gloss coating and a design intended to offer wide dispersion, smooth response and strong dynamics. The two drivers are linked with a carefully calibrated crossover that the company says uses premium components. The 12.C is configured similarly to the 12.1, but with a pair of 13cm Klarity drivers and a single tweeter.

The SW-10 subwoofer is available in matching wood finishes with the same polished baffle housing a single front-facing 25cm long-throw driver. Hidden at the rear are physical controls for level, phase and auto-sense (the sub comes out of standby when a signal is received), as well as two RCA inputs. Perched upon four stocky feet, it sits at 42cm high and, despite it being the smallest sub in the four strong SW series, it is by no means tiny. However, the quality of the build means it resembles a handsome piece of furniture rather than an awkward black cube and, especially given its performance, we imagine most people will be happy to make space for it in their living room.

Sound

The tautness and dexterity of the SW-10 is immediately striking when the Diamond 12.1 HCP gets playing. It’s an incredibly musical sub and it blends seamlessly with the smaller speakers, which themselves have an. impressively well-integrated low end. The result is rich and lively sound, particularly with films with a heavily featured score. When watching Amelie, Yann Tiersen’s famous accompaniment bursts with warmth and depth while there’s an undeniable snappiness across the board that isn’t limited just to high transients. Despite this responsiveness when things get busy, the 12.1s maintain a strong control, with a secure sense of authority and cohesion.

The sonic agility of the package is displayed well in the scene in which Amelie meets the photo booth repairman for the first time. Here, the stylised, heightened sound design is matched up with the choppy film editing and each sudden effect bursts dynamically with confidence, drama and uniformity around the viewer.

The soundfield is smooth and although swapping the front two speakers for floorstanders would certainly provide more scale, there is something to be said for the consistency of tone created by using the same speaker for fronts and surrounds.

Also in this respect, the 12.C centre speaker is well-matched to the 12.1s and, unlike with so many other packages, pulls its weight equally. We watch sonic psychological drama The Sound Of Silence and find that audio-obsessive protagonist Peter’s ultra soft-spoken, emotionally repressed dialogue is well projected with clarity and nuance. Set in the bustle of New York, Peter’s job is to rid the city of unwanted ambient sounds and as he pads around his clients’ apartments hunting for creaking floorboards and whining pipes, the Diamond 12 HCP digs up plenty of domestic detail and subtlety, making us feel the need to check if it’s actually our air conditioning unit making the annoying hum.

To give these tabletop-sized boxes a bit more of a vigorous challenge we try Blade Runner 2049 and they project the meaty, sonorous score with both composure and charisma. In the scene in which Ryan Gosling flies to the orphanage there are plenty of delicate nuances, from the sound of the raindrops landing on the windscreen to the wiper cleaning them off. Later on, when things inevitably start to get explosive, the 12.1s still deliver with balanced but compelling force.

Verdict

With poise, effortlessness, cut glass diction and charisma, the Wharfedale Diamond 12.1 HCP is essentially the Audrey Hepburn of home theatre speaker packages. It offers rich bass without sacrificing or overpowering the mid and treble, presenting a mature sound that’s rich in impact, agility, detail and sensitivity.

Large enough to provide cinematic scale with a wide soundfield, but discreet and affordable enough to be accessible to a variety of audiences, the 12.1s prove to be an excellent choice for both music and film.

Review published: 2021. Review updated: November 2024.

SCORES

• Sound 5
• Compatibility 5
• Build 5

MORE:

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Read our review of Q Acoustics' 3010i 5.1 Cinema Pack 

Read our review of the KEF Q350 AV 5.1

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This impressive home theatre system combines a trio of What Hi-Fi? Award winners with some fine partners for a full-on package that will provide years of top-value entertainment.

We've rounded up a couple of brilliant 4K sources to run through a hugely capable AV receiver from Denon which in turn powers a talented surround speaker package from Wharfedale. The result? Stunning cinema sound at an affordable price.

And that's before we get to the focal point of this set-up, which happens to be one of the best TVs we've tested at its price point and also boasts mini LED technology.

AV enthusiasts will definitely be impressed with what this system offers for the money – read on for the complete lowdown on the products involved...

The system

TV: Samsung QE55QN94A (£1199 / $1199 / AU$2995)
Blu-ray player: Sony UBP-X700 (£229 / $250 / AU$325)
AV receiver: Denon AVR-X2700H (£680 / $849 / AU$1999)
Speaker Package: Wharfedale Diamond 12.1 (£2798 / $1227 / AU$2423)
Streaming service: Sky Q (£348 p/a)
Total: £3655 / $3525 / AU$7742

TV: Samsung QE55QN94A

The QE55QN94 might just be the sweet spot in Samsung’s Neo QLED range of mini LED TVs. The main thing separating this set from the top TV in Samsung’s 4K lineup is the lack of the One Connect box, and with it the fact that you've only got one HDMI 2.1 socket at your disposal despite the set having four HDMI inputs in total. Which should be of real concern only to the hardcore gamers out there – and in any case isn’t quite so relevant in this set-up with its AV receiver.

The picture quality of this set is compelling, and the extra-fine level of lighting control that mini LED brings has put the LCD’s high peak brightness to sophisticated use. Samsung has added a care with contrast that leads to a more nuanced on-screen image, with a more solid, three-dimensional depth than ever before. An OLED might look better in some scenes – it doesn’t quite go as black as the midnight of an OLED, for example – but there is something quite addictive about the brightness of this set; its super-contrasty and punchy HDR delivery is ever so more-ish. This TV is so bright compared with OLEDs, with the Mini LED technology allowing for such careful pinpoint control of that luminance, that it’s hard to draw our eyes away from the action even for a second.

This being a Samsung set, there is no Dolby Vision support, but you will be getting so much from HDR10 alone that it won’t matter.

Blu-ray player: Sony UBP-X700

While the Samsung TV can provide much of the source material to be watched – via streaming platforms – alongside the Sky Q box, there is still a place for 4K Blu-ray if you want the very best performance possible for both picture and sound. And the Sony UBP-X700 delivers a stunningly natural 4K picture for an affordable price.

We have always lauded Sony for its natural-looking disc-players, but the X700 surpasses even that of the more expensive UBP-X800 in how it displays a wonderfully subtle picture that’s impeccably judged while being hugely entertaining. Skin-tones are natural, action scenes are handled with smooth and stable motion, and there’s a lifelike quality to the picture that just draws you in. The X700 is an engaging listen too, and comes well-equipped with support for all surround-sound formats, including the latest Dolby Atmos and DTS:X soundtracks.

AV receiver: Denon AVR-X2700H

The Denon AVR-X2700H is a sturdy device that needs a solid shelf and plenty of room to breathe. It boasts 8K support and has six HDMI inputs. There are seven power amplifier channels available (alongside outputs for two subwoofers) which can be set in anything up to 7.2 or 5.2.2 arrangements, and are rated at a claimed 150W per channel.

One of the HDMI inputs is 2.1-certified, but the other five have not been ignored and are each compatible with Variable Refresh Rate (VRR), Quick Frame Transport (QFT), and Auto Low Latency Mode (ALLM) lag-minimising tech to fit with the demands of next-gen content. They can also cope with the full suite of HDR standards, with HDR10+, HDR10, HLG and Dolby Vision all represented. And both of the HDMI outputs are 2.1-certified, so if you did decide at some point to add a projector to this system, you will be able to send 8K@60Hz and 4K@120Hz out to them both. eARC (Enhanced Audio Return Channel) is supported as well.

If we had to use one word to describe the sound of this receiver, it would be ‘confident’. The AVR-X2700H doesn’t try too hard to impress, as a nervously underpowered budget amp might, with huge blasts from the front pair or the subwoofer during the space dogfight in Guardians Of The Galaxy Vol. 2. 

It’s bigger, better and more cultured than that. This is an easy and effective listen – no matter how hectic the action becomes, this Denon never misses a beat. It passes the laser blasts from speaker to speaker in a wonderfully coherent manner and creates a genuine sense of place.

Its mature approach and effortless sense of timing make for a feeling of home cinema sound that’s authentic to the movie theatre experience, even at an entry-level price.

Speaker package: Wharfedale Diamond 12.1 HCP

The Wharfedale Diamond 12.1 Home Cinema Pack is a mature yet affordable surround sound system, fluid, composed and consistent. 

The tautness and dexterity of the SW-10 subwoofer is immediately striking. It’s an incredibly musical sub and it blends seamlessly with the smaller speakers, which themselves have an impressively well-integrated low end. The result is rich and lively sound, particularly with films with a heavily featured score.  

The soundfield is smooth and, although swapping the front two speakers for floorstanders would certainly provide more scale, there is something to be said for the consistency of tone created by using the same speaker for fronts and surrounds. Also in this respect, the 12.C centre speaker is well-matched to the 12.1s and, unlike with so many other packages, pulls its weight equally.

We watch sonic psychological drama The Sound Of Silence and find that audio-obsessive protagonist Peter’s ultra soft-spoken, emotionally repressed dialogue is well projected with clarity and nuance. Peter’s job is to rid the city of unwanted ambient sounds and, as he pads around his clients’ apartments hunting for creaking floorboards and whining pipes, the Diamond 12.1 HCP digs up plenty of domestic detail and subtlety, making us feel the need to check if it’s actually our test room’s air conditioning unit making that annoying hum. The Diamond 12.1 HCP offers rich bass without sacrificing or overpowering the mid and treble, presenting a mature sound that’s rich in impact, agility, detail and sensitivity. It’s a wonderful package for the price.

TV service: Sky Q

Finally we have Sky’s expensive but excellent Sky Q service. This system will be used each and every day, so it’s fitting we incorporate the best TV and streaming option around to complement it. There is plenty of 4K and HDR content here, both live and on one of the many forms of catch-up TV and streaming available on the diminutive box. Sky Q supports Dolby Digital and Dolby Atmos, so you can enjoy that football match or F1 race in all its powerful, live glory, or simply get engrossed in a movie. As an overall package, Sky Q feels utterly contemporary, combining almost every way of watching TV. This is as good as television gets.

Verdict

The QE55QN94A is a terrific buy at the price, and it makes perfect sense to combine this fine 55-inch Samsung TV with a full 5.1 surround package to make the most of that magnificent picture.

The Wharfedales deliver just that, dishing out terrific surround sound for the money, while the Denon AV receiver provides real authenticity to the movie theatre experience, even at an entry-level price. Finally, for its wealth of content, Sky Q rounds off a superb package.

MORE:

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The Silent Angel Rhein Z1 V2 is called a music server. But it perhaps would be better to think of it as an interface to digital music within – and without – your system. 

Equipment

To understand the Silent Angel Rhein Z1 V2, it’s probably best that I simply describe what it does and how you use it. 

First, you connect it to your home network via Ethernet. None of that Wi-Fi stuff here. The Ethernet is gigabit speed. Take it from me: there is no audio format that will come anywhere close to challenging the speed of a gigabit connection. 

Inside it is a 250GB system solid-state drive. This is primarily for holding the VitOS operating system. VitOS itself is a customised Linux based operating system designed for music players, so this combination is designed to prioritise music performance – so no interruptions while your Windows or Mac computer goes off to do something else it considers more important. My review unit was running VitOS-1.1.1414. 

That’s it for storage in the standard unit. But you can option it up with a 1TB Silent Angel customised solid-state disc to store your music on. If that’s enough. I am told that most audiophiles who buy the Rhein Z1 V2 buy the basic unit and keep their music on network attached storage. 

That makes sense because it makes upgrades easy. Just keep the music on the NAS (upgrading the storage as required, and with it secured by some kind of RAID disc arrangement) and simply change the playing hardware and software as required. 

Hearing that made sense to me, because that’s what I do, but it’s good to hear that it’s a preference for others as well. 

Now you can manage all this yourself, or you can subscribe to the ROON player and server system, because the Silent Angel Rhein Z1 V2 fully supports the ROON system. This is much used amongst those who want to combine top-end, bit-perfect audio performance with ease of use. 

I haven’t stumbled, yet, onto that boat, though one day I may. I want the top-end, bit-perfect audio performance, but after years of carefully managing my digital audio files, filling their ID3 tags with useful indexing information, and structuring the folders on my storage to make sense, I am not yet ready to jump over to automated management. Besides, you have to pay for ROON.

But those who do use ROON have access to such sources as the streaming service TIDAL. But there are other ways of using TIDAL with the Z1 V2. Some non-TIDAL sources are directly supported outside of ROON: Spotify Connect, Apple AirPlay 2 and, of course, DLNA. 

That last is a standard system for network audio. Apple AirPlay 2 will work with all modern Apple devices. iPhone users can stream anything their iPhone is capable of playing to the Silent Angel Rhein Z1 V2. You need a Spotify subscription for Spotify Connect. 

For DLNA you need music files stored on devices on your network, and suitable server software. Fortunately, the latter is ubiquitous. The unit also has its own DLNA server software built in – MinimServer – so any music on the unit’s internal SSD/s, or on any USB drives plugged into it, can be delivered to any DLNA player or renderer on the network. (And since the Z1 V2 is a DLNA player, it can of course play the stuff on the Z1 V2 acting as a server.)

In addition to the Ethernet connection there are four other physical connections fitted: 2×USB-2.0, 1×USB-3.0, and 1×USB for use with an external DAC. Power is provided by an external switch-mode power supply (SMPS) that supplies 12V d.c. via a cable terminated with a standard d.c. plug. There is an HDMI socket, but it’s only a service port for use by technicians, and not to be used for HDMI signals. 

Physically, the Silent Angel Rhein Z1 V2 is presented as a cleanly designed square with rounded corners, a little bigger than a Mac Mini, at 200mm wide by 65mm tall by 200mm deep and weighing six kilograms. There’s a computer in there, of course – on the website its performance is compared (favourably) with that of a Mac Mini. 

But there are no fans or even vents. Cooling fans make noise, so it’s welcome that they aren’t fitted. Nor are they needed. The unit after extensive use was, to my touch, barely above room temperature. A Silent Angel indeed!

• The best music streamers available in today's market

Installation

Apart from the front-panel power/standby switch, there are no controls on the unit. So all control must be done by apps. The VitOS Manager app is available for both iOS and Android from their respective stores. Apart from a few setup functions, the purpose of this app is to allow you to select inputs. 

There are no ‘Play’ buttons or such. All that kind of control is performed in other apps.If you are playing Spotify music, you’ll dial up music in the Spotify app. If you’re using DLNA, you’ll use a DLNA app on your device. 

I used the apps recommended by Silent Angel: BubbleUPnP on Android and mConnect on iOS. And, of course, for AirPlay use I selected the Z1 as a player in the usual way by using the control panel on an iPhone and on an iPad. 

I do think that the user experience could be improved. First, the VitOS Manager app looks very utilitarian. A streamlined look with prominent selection buttons would seem an obvious change. 

Second, most devices which support things like AirPlay and DLNA streaming do not have to be explicitly switched to that input. Generally with AirPlay, for example, you find the player on the iPhone’s list of devices, tap it and the device will connect and start playing music. When you change the playback device to the iPhone, the other device just goes back to what it had been doing.

• How to add a streamer to your hi-fi system

DACs

Of course, to use the main functionality of the Z1, you’ll need a DAC. The question is, which DAC? Well, if you wish to avail yourself of some the pretty impressive high-resolution audio formats around these days, ideally you’ll look for a DAC that supports PCM up to perhaps 384kHz and 24-bits, but at least to 192kHz. And consider at least regular and double-speed DSD: i.e. DSD64 and DSD128. And perhaps DSD 256 as well, which the Z1 does support. 

But one other performance aspect occurred to me: noise isolation. I wondered whether the Z1 would pass much electrical hash out of its USB connection. If so, then good noise isolation on the DAC would be important. So while I did virtually all my listening using the Pro-Ject Pre Box S2 Digital DAC, I looked around the office to see what other DACs were available and decided to measure the noise performance of them all. 

I ended up with four in total. Two of them, including the Pro-Ject, were USB Audio Class 2.0 devices, while the other two were USB Audio Class 1.0 gadgets. The latter are limited to 24-bit, 96kHz signals, and definitely no DSD. 

But since they were both slim portable devices, I had an idea they might pass through noise more readily than the Pro-ject, which has proven able to deliver rather good noise performance even when plugged into a rather noisy computer. 

So the first one I went to was an AudioQuest DragonFly Red. I plugged it in, rebooted the unit, and was surprised by a rather high level of background noise. It worked, but it was noisy – and I am not speaking as an audiophile here, with particularly acute hearing. It was obviously noisy. But then, after a while, the noise just went away. 

I still have no idea what caused the noise in the first place, or why it went away. And after replicating the exact way I plugged in the DragonFly Red and booted up the Rhein Z1 several times, that clearly audible noise did not reappear. But there was definitely noise there still, just at a much lower level than it had been. 

It was audible in between tracks when I was playing back the music at a satisfyingly high level. With 24-bit audio, I measured this noise at –82dB A-weighted. I have measured this DAC at –109.5dBA running from a computer not plugged into anything. 

Then I moved to the other tiny unit I had on hand, the Cyrus Soundkey. This one measured at –77.3dBA with 24-bit audio (it does better than –103dBA with a clean connection). 

A nondescript Taiwanese desktop XMOS-based DAC, the Silverstone EB01-E, which I’ve had for five years, did rather better at –97.3dBA. But the same DAC managed –107dBA with computers.

Finally, the big surprise was the Pro-ject DAC. With the Rhein Z1 V2 it managed only –96.1dBA with that 24-bit audio. I am so used to it delivering much better than that, even with noisy USB inputs, that I explored a bit further. 

First, I plugged the Pro-Ject back into the Surface Pro 2016 and made sure that the computer was powered and connected to Ethernet. The result, in those somewhat adverse circumstances, was a noise measurement of –111.5dBA. I plugged the Pro-ject back into the Silent Angel and it returned within a couple of tenths of a decibel of the original –96.1dB. 

That got me to wondering – was the data being transferred somehow as 16-bits rather than 24-bits? That would be an explanation. To check, I repeated the test, but this time fed the test signal in DSD format. 

The measured noise level with DSD64 was –95.3dbA. With DSD128 it was –97.8dBA. The Pro-ject DAC reported that it was receiving the relevant DSD format, so there was no question of the audio being bit-depth truncated. I guess that somehow the noise made it past the DAC’s defences.

I have included with this review a graph showing the noise performance of the four different DACs, all with 24-bit audio input, along with the Pro-ject being driven by the Surface Pro for comparison. 

In practice, noise was simply inaudible with the two desktop DACs, but able to be perceived with the two portable DACs when used at high playback levels. (But let’s be clear about this. This noise is nothing, really, to do with the digital signal. It is analog noise coming through the USB connection and making its way through the DAC to the analogue outputs.)

• The best DACs we've reviewed

Listening

Other that the low level noise permitted by some DACs, there’s little a device like this can do to influence the sound quality – I know some will disagree and will argue even things like the brand of hard disk or SSD can have its effect. 

If so, they are beyond my ability to detect. What can more plausibly have an effect on sound is whether the signal is delivered absolutely bit-perfect, and whether any enhancements are properly transmitted. 

On these fronts the Silent Angel Rhein Z1 V2 was absolutely perfect. It happily passed through DSD256 to my DAC, which confirmed that the original signal was being received. And it sounded perfect. 

As I am writing, I am using the mConnect app on an iPad to stream MQA-encoded music from TIDAL through the Z1 to my DAC. Said DAC confirms the MQA encoding is intact and is unfolding the signal to 96kHz sampling. 

One last observation about my time with the Silent Angel is that it worked with utter and total reliability. No weirdness, and nothing at all untoward. It just soldiered on, delivering the music I dialled up on my various devices and assorted apps. Just as you’d want.

Final verdict

All the data representing music signals that went into the Silent Angel Rhein Z1 V2 went through to the DAC exactly, and there’s nothing more I could ask for than that – except for a bit more analogue noise isolation. 

But the lack of isolation is unlikely to be an issue for anyone who uses a competent DAC, which I’d assume would be anyone who is reading this review.

• The best speakers on offer, from budget to premium

When Grandmaster Flash took What Hi-Fi? back to his teenage years with tales of stitching hooks, riffs, or other scraps of tracks into big quilts of music, it got us thinking: most of our favourite hip-hop tracks – and hits from other genres – wouldn’t exist without the innovative technique.

Many of the tracks used became more famous as samples than in their full, original form, so we decided to trace some of them back for you here and give them their dues. Many are classics that artists simply cannot resist, while others are more obscure works that only found mainstream recognition when a crafty artist or producer pulled them from obscurity and granted them a new lease of life in a whole new musical context. New or old, obscure or familiar, we hope you find something to enjoy from our rundown.   

Incredible Bongo Band - Apache

“When Kool Herc found Apache, he was under heavy guard,” Flash told What Hi-Fi?. “You would never see the album cover of where it came from.” Such was the competition between hip-hop’s early DJs to find that special break.

The Incredible Bongo Band track has since sired perhaps more tracks than any other piece of contemporary music, and in 2012 its influence was documented in the film Sample This.

Buy Bongo Rock by Incredible Bongo Band from Amazon

Bob James - Take Me To The Mardi Gras

Finding Bob James's Take Me To The Mardi Gras was Flash's own 'Apache' moment.

"I too was under heavy guard, so you wouldn't know what that was", he told us. "It's an extremely joyful thing, especially when you find a few and you are like the Don for a couple of weeks because all your competition doesn't know what it is that you have."

Flash took the sample to the studio for his track Freelance, with that iconic drum break later used by hundreds of artists from N.W.A. to The Chemical Brothers.

Buy Two by Bob James from Amazon

Roy Ayers - The Boogie Back

N.W.A’s F**k Tha Police wasn’t just censored upon its release in the late 1980s, it also led to communication between the group’s record company and the FBI for its perceived misrepresentation of and incitement of violence towards the police.

The seminal track, which protests police brutality and racial profiling, was built on a sample of Roy Ayers’ The Boogie Back.

Buy Change Up the Groove by Roy Ayers on vinyl from Amazon

Buy Straight Outta Compton by N.W.A. on vinyl from Amazon

Michael McDonald - I Keep Forgettin' (Every Time You're Near)

Afrika Bambaataa used I Keep Forgettin' for his track Cosmic Punk Jam in 1982, but by far its most famous use is by Warren G and Nate Dogg in Regulate a dozen years later.

Though the former Doobie Brothers singer's original achieved its own success, peaking at No4 in the Billboard charts, Regulate – which also samples Bob James's Sign of The Times and Let Me Ride by Dr Dre – actually beat it by two places.

Buy If That's What It Takes by Michael McDonald from Amazon

Buy Regulate...G Funk Era by Warren G from Amazon

George Clinton - Atomic Dog

Another track that has lent itself to multiple samplings, George Clinton's Atomic Dog is most famously referenced in Snoop Dogg's Who Am I (What's My Name)?

The song is sampled throughout, with the chorus re-imagined to become "Snoop Doggy Dogg", but it isn't the only Clinton track present: Parliament's Give Up the Funk (Tear the Roof Off the Sucker) and P. Funk (Wants to Get Funked Up), and Funkadelic's (Not Just) Knee Deep all stamp their mark.

Buy Computer Games by George Clinton on vinyl from Amazon

Buy Doggystyle by Snoop Dogg on vinyl from Amazon

ABBA - Gimme! Gimme! Gimme! (A Man After Midnight)

Sometimes a song becomes famous as a sample because of its repeated use. And sometimes, it gains notoriety for quite the opposite reason. According to Lucy O’Brien’s 2009 book Madonna: Like an Icon, in 2004 Madonna told producer Stuart Price she wanted him to concentrate on creating songs that sound like "ABBA on drugs". The problem is that as a rule, ABBA's Benny Andersson and Björn Ulvaeus don’t like that. 

Hung Up was one of the first songs written for Madonna’s 2005 album Confessions on a Dance Floor. ABBA’s 1979 hit always formed the basis of the track, but getting the go ahead to sample it was anything but a gimme – even for the queen of pop. 

Hung Up marks only the second time ABBA’s songwriters permitted anyone to use one of their tracks (the first time being Fugees, who sampled The Name of the Game in their single Rumble in the Jungle). The story goes that in order to gain the rights to use Gimme! Gimme! Gimme! Madge had to personally send a letter to Stockholm begging the pair for the privilege and also explaining how much she loved their music. She later told the BBC: “Thank God they didn't say no… They had to think about it, Benny and Björn. They didn't say yes straight away." 

Andersson has since quipped that Hung Up is his favourite Madonna song thus far. The royalty cheques probably help. 

Buy Gimme! Gimme! Gimme! (A Man After Midnight) by ABBA from Amazon

Buy Confessions On a Dance Floor by Madonna from Amazon

Mtume - Juicy Fruit

The Notorious B.I.G.’s first single from his debut album Ready To Die – Biggie’s story of growing up through poverty, to dealing drugs before artistic recognition and financial success – sits on a bed of Mtume’s Juicy Fruit.

Produced by Poke of Trackmasters and Sean Combs, Juicy actually uses the instrumental version of the track, with girl group Total singing an alternative version of the original chorus.

Buy Juicy Fruit by Mtume from Amazon

Buy Ready To Die by The Notorious B.I.G. from Amazon

Ponderosa Twins Plus One - Bound

In an interview with Rolling Stone, executive producer Rick Rubin described how this Ponderosa Twins Plus One track almost didn't make it onto Kanye West's Bound 2.

"The whole song was written without that main sample, it was a last-minute thing," he said. "The song had kind of a lot of R&B music in it. And Kanye gave marching orders of, 'take out anything you want, but don't add. Just take away.'

"Before that, we listened to the sample together and thought, 'Hmm, maybe there's a way to integrate this into the song.' And the lyrics he wrote were so good and funny. It just turned into a really good record. The sample is so good."

Buy 2+2+1 by Ponderosa Twins Plus One from Amazon

Buy Yeezus by Kanye West from Amazon

Leon Haywood - I Want'a Do Something Freaky To You

Dr Dre and Snoop Dogg's Nuthin' But a G Thang was one of the 500 greatest songs of all time, according to Rolling Stone's December 2004 cover story. (Perhaps unsurprisingly, the list was topped by Bob Dylan's Like A Rolling Stone followed by (I Can't Get No) Satisfaction by The Rolling Stones.)

Reaching No2 in the Billboard charts, it was the first single from Dre's solo debut, The Chronic, the sleeve notes of which wrongly credited an L. Hayward with the main sample.

Buy Come Get Yourself Some by Leon Haywood from Amazon

Buy The Chronic by Dr Dre from Amazon

Labi Siffre - I Got The...

Dr Dre’s use of this track on Eminem’s 1999 hit My Name Is was originally vetoed. “Attacking two of the usual scapegoats, women and gays, is lazy writing,” said Labi Siffre, who is openly gay. “If you want to do battle, attack the aggressors not the victims.”

The London-born singer finally approved after Eminem made changes to his original lyrics.

Buy Remember My Song by Labi Siffre on vinyl from Amazon

Buy The Slim Shady by Eminem on vinyl from Amazon

Billy Squier - The Big Beat

Billy Squier’s The Big Beat has been sampled more than 280 times according to WhoSampled.com, by artists diverse as Beck, The Prodigy and Alicia Keys.

Perhaps the best-known uses are by Dizzee Rascal, who sampled it heavily in 2003 for Fix Up, Look Sharp, and in Jay Z’s Rick Rubin-produced 99 Problems the following year. Former Beggars & Thieves drummer Bobby Chouinard plays the famous beat itself.

Buy The Tale of the Tape by Billy Squier from Amazon

Buy Boy In Da Corner by Dizzee Rascal from Amazon

Buy The Black Album by Jay Z from Amazon

The Clash - Straight To Hell

It was producer Diplo who decided upon Straight To Hell as the sample for M.I.A.'s Paper Planes, with all members of The Clash creditted as songwriters on the track.

A year later, Paper Planes itself was sampled by Kanye West on a track named Swagger Like Us, which he produced for T.I.'s album Paper Trail.

Buy Combat Rock by The Clash from Amazon

Buy Kala by M.I.A. from Amazon

The Knack - My Sharona

Run-D.M.C.'s use of The Knack's My Sharona for their 1987 hit It's Tricky landed the group in some legal hot water after it was found – almost 20 years later – that they'd sampled the track without permission.

The case was settled out of court in 2006, by which time My Sharona had returned to school discos across Britain thanks to its use in Girls Aloud's No Good Advice.

Buy Get The Knack by The Knack from Amazon

Buy Raising Hell by Run-D.M.C. from Amazon

James Brown - Funky Drummer

Funky Drummer is a track just calling out to be sampled, which it has more than 1000 times – and more than once by Public Enemy.

Likely its most famous use provides the drum track for Fight the Power, one of the greatest songs of all time in any genre, which even references the "sound of the funky drummer".

Buy In the Jungle Groove by James Brown from Amazon

Buy Fear of a Black Planet by Public Enemy from Amazon

Joe Simon - Before the Night Is Over

While Ms. Jackson undeniably drove the success of Outkast's fourth studio album, Stankonia, by our reckoning that record's finest cut has to be So Fresh, So Clean.

It samples Joe Simon's Before the Night Is Over, with Sleepy Brown singing altered lyrics of, "Ain't nobody dope as me, I'm dressed so fresh, so clean".

Buy Easy To Love by Joe Simon from Amazon

Buy Stankonia by Outkast from Amazon

Jeremy Steig - Howlin' For Judy

Played by jazz flautist Jeremy Steig (who, we’re reliably informed, also played The Pied Piper in the film Shrek Forever After) Howlin’ For Judy is an infectious piece of musicianship that lent itself perfectly as the sample that formed the crux of Beastie Boys’ Sure Shot in 1994.

It opened the group’s second number-one album, Ill Communication, which also included Sabotage.

Buy Legwork by Jeremy Steig from Amazon US

Buy Ill Communication by Beastie Boys from Amazon

MORE:

Try the 14 best video game soundtracks to test your headphones and speakers

Or the 19 best British rock songs to test your hi-fi system

And also the 11 best Led Zeppelin tracks to test your hi-fi system

The turn of the century was a truly exciting time in hi-fi. After almost two decades in the limelight, it looked like CD was about to be replaced – and not by one, but possibly two new high-resolution formats. Both SACD and DVD-Audio boasted technical abilities far beyond the humble Compact Disc.

At a time when most people were looking forwards, Marantz decided that it was the right time to look backwards. And we’re glad it did, because the result was the glorious CD-7 (£3500) – the firm's last dedicated flagship CD player and one of the best disc machines it has ever made.

• The best 24 CD players of What Hi-Fi?'s lifetime
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While most price comparable alternatives came in two boxes, Marantz went for an integrated approach. Even more unexpected was that the company ignored the fashionable single-bit DAC chips of the day – developed by parent company Philips – and left the conversion in the hands of the older generation multi-bit Philips TDA1541 chip working in dual differential mode. The reason was that according to the late Ken Ishiwata, Marantz’s audio guru, this older DAC design simply sounded better.

A lot of care was taken over digital processing, with the CD-7 using two Motorola 56000 ICs running dedicated software that allowed Marantz to control oversampling and offer switchable filter settings with the option of having noise shaping.

Getting the maximum digital data off the disc is always a priority, and here a special metal chassis version of Philips’s CDM 12.3 was deployed. A great deal of care was taken to ensure that it worked with the slickness expected at the top-end of the market.

Elsewhere, there was a plethora of selected Marantz Hyper Dynamic Amplifier Modules (HDAMs) in the analogue stages, carefully chosen audiophile components and a highly specified power supply. Marantz had long been a master of optimising its products, so it came as no surprise to find that shielding of the circuitry and the resonance behaviour of the immaculately constructed casework had been honed to a tee.

Connectivity hadn’t been compromised either. The CD-7 came with both balanced XLR and single-ended analogue outputs alongside two coaxial and single optical digital outs. Unusually for an integrated player, there were digital inputs too – a pair of coaxials and an optical – so that the distinctive multi-bit DAC circuit could benefit external digital sources too.

Marantz has generously lent us a sample of the CD-7 from its museum collection, and all told, it remains a superbly made machine. Everything feels solid and is finished to a high standard. Even the supplied system remote is a cut above, simply reinforcing this player’s luxury feel. Few current high-end CD players manage to do any better, even as their prices approach five figures. 

The company’s characteristic gold finish works well with the minimalist exterior design, even if the control buttons feel a touch vague in use and their layout is slightly odd.

• How to get the best sound from your CD player

Such things cease to matter once we start listening. If you’re looking to match the levels of precision and punch of Marantz’s current range-topping disc player – the excellent SACD/CD/DVD-ROM playing SA-10 you’re not going to find that. While terrific in many ways, the CD-7 won’t worry the best of the current batch of high-end CD players. But that doesn’t stop it from being almost as entertaining to listen to.

We start with Last by The Unthanks and the Marantz CD-7 is wonderfully listenable. It’s a smooth, silky performer that works beautifully with the group’s distinctive vocals, thanks to a midrange that’s still as subtle and articulate as they come. There’s plenty of detail but this machine still manages to organise it in a cohesive and music manner.

Our initial impression is of refinement, but we soon find that beneath that gloss is a deeply talented performer that handles dynamic nuances and more savage level shifts with uncommon grace and fluidity.

Tonally it’s a touch too full-bodied and rounded to qualify as strictly neutral, but you know what? We find ourselves not caring because the balance chosen allows the CD-7 to shine across a broad range of recordings and never once makes us wince, regardless of how badly engineered the CD is. Don’t get us wrong, this is still an impressively revealing player – one that makes it easy to spot a sub-standard production – but it doesn’t make a meal out of things.

We move to Bizet’s Carman Suite and the CD-7 continues to seduce thanks to its ability to render sonic textures and track multiple instrumental strands without losing sight of the musical whole. It’s an entertaining and dramatic performance, overlaid with a sophistication that must have put its erstwhile competition to shame.

It doesn’t have the most expansive or layered sound stage around, but this player manages to image pretty well, keeping instruments and sounds locked in place even when the music becomes demanding.

As for any possible weaknesses, if you’re into Nirvana or Kanyé (or similarly powerful and exhilarating artists), you may want a presentation with more rhythmic drive. While we have no complaints about the CD-7’s punch and articulation, it doesn’t generate the sense of drive and momentum of the best current players. The result is that songs such as Smells Like Teen Spirit and Blood On The Leaves lack their normal intensity and excitement. The Marantz still entertains, though, thanks to its delicacy at mid to high frequencies, balanced tonality and highly articulate nature.

We think the CD-7 is rightly regarded as a legendary product. More than two decades after its launch, this machine remains a beguiling listen. By current standards, it may have the odd sonic weaknesses, but we can’t imagine anyone experiencing its sound and failing to fall for its charm. That includes us.

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The Sony VPL-VW590ES is Sony’s top lamp-based, native 4K projector. There are more premium models in the family, but they feature laser light sources instead. This more traditional approach keeps the VW590ES relatively affordable, as native 4K projectors go, while still offering plenty of contrast and, according to Sony, stunning detail and rich, faithful colour.

Key to the experience is Sony’s SXRD projector panel technology. It’s a liquid crystal on silicon (LCOS) solution engineered by Sony to produce deep blacks, clear motion and a smooth picture with enough heat and light resistance to ensure a stable image. Sony has stiff competition at this end of the market, so will need a superb performance to hold off the likes of JVC.

Build

The Sony VPL-VW590ES is an update to the VPL-VW550ES, a projector we gave five stars when we reviewed it back in 2017. The new model is much the same in terms of size and core spec.

At 50cm wide and weighing 14kg, it takes up the kind of space one would expect of a native 4K projector and is suitable for either ceiling- or rack-mounting. There are two HDMI 2.0 ports and a single USB 2.0 for your source material. The internet connectivity is for firmware and service only.

The 280W high-pressure mercury lamp offers a picture at up to 1800 lumens of brightness, which is best used in a room with the lights off. Sony predicts that it will last 6000 hours in ‘Low’ mode before you need to change it, but if you watch in ‘High’, expect that number to be lower. Watching in High also causes the fan noise to be louder than the 26dB stated, but the sound is steady and smooth and won’t spoil your big screen experience.

On the front sits the x2.06 zoom lens. It can throw a picture of between 60-300in, with a 100in image possible at distances between 3.1m and 6.4m. It also allows plenty of positioning flexibility with the ability to move the image up to 85 percent in each direction vertically and 31 percent horizontally. Naturally, the lens is fully motorised with the shift, zoom and focus functions all easily managed from the fully-featured Sony remote control.

That remote offers handy, direct switching between the picture presets as well as shortcuts to almost all of the picture processors and settings you’ll want to use. The remote does have a backlight but, sadly, the button to toggle it on and off does not glow in the dark, so finding it can be tricky. A motorised lens cap would also be of benefit. It’s currently a removable plastic cap, which can upset the lens settings if care is not taken.

Features

The key upgrade of the Sony VPL-VW590ES over the older model is the ‘X1 for Projector’ chip. It’s the same picture processor as used in Sony’s best TVs, but optimised for projectors.

It’s not quite as premium as the X1 Ultimate processor found in Sony’s more expensive laser models but it brings what Sony describes as ‘high-precision frame analysis’ for features such as Dynamic HDR Enhancer, Super Resolution and, of course, Sony’s excellent 4K Motionflow motion processing.

The HDR Enhancer works on a frame-by-frame basis to analyse each scene and, with the help of the dynamic iris, adjust contrast on-the-fly. The Super Resolution uses algorithms to match the patterns it sees in each image and reinforce them. Combined, the idea is for a sharper, better-exposed picture than its predecessor.

Those who still want to watch in 3D should note that, unlike the rival JVC DLA-N5, the Sony VPL-VW590ES has a 3D emitter built-in. You’ll still have to buy your 3D glasses separately, though.

Picture

There are seven Sony-calibrated picture presets to flick through with the best of the bunch being the two Film modes, Reference and Bright Cinema. The colour temperature of all of them is worth a little tweaking, depending on the source, but the Clear White filter in the Expert Settings will solve most issues.

Once set, the colour performance from this projector is breathtaking and the 4K detail superb. Watching the North American episode of Seven Worlds, One Planet, we get some stunning views of wildflowers on the Canadian mountain pastures and a vivid palette of greens from the lichen, seaweed and foliage of the pine trees at the country’s coastal forests.

Using the Reality Creation menus, it’s possible to add an intense and granular level of 4K detail that’s outstanding for a projector at this price. The fur of the Black Bears that roam this habitat is picked up beautifully as are the crusty barnacles and gritty edges to the rocks that these creatures clamber over in search for food.

As ever, Sony’s Motionflow tech does a superb job of keeping the picture looking both smooth and natural as the camera zooms over the earth below. True Cinema rubs off the big judders while maintaining the action’s 24fps appearance. The more processed Smooth Low option works well too.

The Sony VPL-VW590ES also does some excellent work with HDR. As day turns to night, the levels of darkness in the forest are adjusted to deliver the maximum amount of tonal detail. Light from the firefly abdomens is intense, while the details of their heads and limbs are clear to see. The water droplets sitting on the threads made by the orb-weaving spiders hang like silver jewels in the moonlit woodland, each one under pinpoint contrast control with nothing lost to the shadows.

Stepping down to The Book Thief on Blu-ray, without the benefits of HDR, is a more difficult test. Between light touches on the Dynamic Iris and Contrast Enhancer settings, though, we still get a workable balance between black depth and dark detail.

The Sony’s character is more binary, in terms of contrast, rather than smooth and subtle in its shading, and that results in an appearance that's dynamic but less truly natural than some. It makes for an engaging watch that never fails to capture the sense of place throughout the film, though.

In the candle-lit scenes in the Hubermann’s basement, for example, we can still make out the wooden boxes and glass jars, even in the thick of the shadows, with enough care on textures to pick out details such as the worn leather on Liesel’s oxblood boots.

In scenes with more mixed lighting, such as the train station, there’s enough differentiation in the whites of the steam and cloud in the sky even while the projector has to produce the heavy blacks of the train and the dark platform in the foreground.

Down at standard definition, the picture isn’t too bad either. Turn the Reality Creation settings right down to avoid noise at this resolution. You may also need to set your disc player to output 480p and alter the aspect ratio on the projector remote control to get it upscaling properly.

No projector or TV is going to make much of a treat of detail when a DVD of Die Hard 2 is upscaled to more than 25 times the size of the source material. Nonetheless, we’re happy to get stuck into the action as John McClane races around Dulles International Airport trying to take down a terrorist plot, armed with a handgun and a clip full of wry one-liners.

Verdict

This is an exceptionally good projector and a marked upgrade on both its predecessor and the step-down native 4K projector from Sony, the VPL-VW270ES. 

If you’re looking for a projector at this level it would be wrong to ignore the VPL-VW590ES, but you should be sure to check out the Award-winning JVC DLA-N5 as well.

SCORES

• Picture 5
• Features 5
• Build 5

MORE:

Read our guide to the best 4K projectors

Read our JVC DLA-N5 review

Read our Sony VPL-VW550ES review

Sennheiser headphones hardly need to grab your attention with bold designs or out-there features - the brand’s strong reputation speaks for itself. The German brand has produced excellent wireless and noise-cancelling headphones, most notably the models in its iconic Momentum range, more or less since such concepts were invented.

So when the rather plain-looking, button-heavy Sennheiser HD 450BT wireless noise-cancellers land in our laps, we know all too well not to judge them by their cover.

Comfort

We are initially a little disappointed by the mid-range cans, though – not so much by the understated design, which is robust and smartly finished in black or white, but by the controls. The world is increasingly moving on from physical buttons and towards touch, gesture and voice control, and while you shouldn’t expect an affordable pair of headphones such as these to adopt a sophisticated (and costly) system, nor should you have to blindly navigate such a busy button layout.

Each button has its purpose, of course. The one closest to the connector mechanism launches your phone’s voice assistant. Run your finger down the earcup and you’ll find a slider for play/pause and answering calls, skipping forward and backward tracks. There’s also a volume button, which you can manipulate for volume up and down with a suitable press. 

Further around the earcup is another button, separated from the rest by a USB-C charging socket and a 2.5mm audio jack for plugging in the supplied 2.5mm-to-3.5mm cable. This button activates noise-cancelling and powers the headphones on and off.

Learning such an arrangement isn’t beyond the average user, but it does prevent quickly and instinctively reaching for the correct button.

The Sennheiser HD 450BTs are light and sturdy on your head, with the earpads clamping firmly over your ears to provide isolation and prevent unwanted movement. They may feel a bit tight on larger heads at first, but that should ease over time. Thanks to their reassuring build and foldable design, you won’t be afraid to sling their compactly folded form into a bag or cram them into a coat pocket.

Build

A 30-hour battery life, which can be replenished in just two hours via their USB-C charging port, puts them on a par with the pricier, premium competition and actually pips that of Sennheiser’s flagship on-ears, the Momentum 3 Wirelesses. 

Battery status can be viewed on the Sennheiser Smart Control App, which is also the gateway to performing firmware updates and adjusting EQ.

On the latter, you can drag a pointer around an equalisation map to adjust the balance towards more bass or treble. There’s no harm in favouring either to get a bit more low-end domination or top-end sparkle although, predictably, going extreme either way makes them pretty unlistenable. 

Bluetooth is complete with aptX Low Latency support for syncing up audio and video (with less than 40 milliseconds of latency) when you’re watching a video or playing a game on your connected device.

The Sennheiser’s wirelessness is complemented by noise-cancelling. True to the technology’s intention, the HD 450BTs sheath you in a comfortable silence with noise-cancelling activated: keyboard tapping, background chatter and low-level street noise are all sufficiently blocked. Just don’t expect such effectiveness in noisier environments: a busy road of traffic is still discernible, as are raised voices, hampering quieter songs such as Nils Frahm’s My Friend The Forest.

More sophisticated, and pricier, noise-cancellers such as the Bose Noise Cancelling Headphones 700 do a better job in such scenarios, but for the money, the Sennheisers live up to expectations.

Sound

That is mostly the case with performance, too, the HD 450BTs producing a smooth, rich balance that’s enjoyable, not to mention easy to listen to. Whether you’re listening to Frahm’s virtuosic piano playing or satisfying some electro funk impulse, their full-bodied and rounded, yet still plenty lively, delivery will amiably present warm piano keys and sizzling synths alike.

Their tonality is a little skewed towards the bottom end, sacrificing the midrange clarity that more neutral rivals, such as the AKG N60NCs, are capable of. That may not play into the hands of every music fan, but those who like electric guitars to sound weighty and basslines beefy will find favour in the Sennheiser’s modest bias. 

Play The Weeknd’s Heartless and they gobble up the track’s bass drop. Its potent presence isn’t without bass definition and agility either, the beat finding its groove to drive the track forward.

The accompanying vocal and trebly synths, which sit just on the peripherary of the Sennheiser’s centre-stage spotlight, carry decent detail and as much impetus too. By comparison, though, the AKGs and similarly priced Philips PH805s do greater justice to the production by surfacing greater texture and dynamic variation.

Verdict

The Sennheiser HD 450BTs aren’t the best sounding noise-cancelling headphones out there for the money. Nor are they the easiest to control on your head.

But while they may lack the outright transparency and simplicity of some, there really is plenty to like here – not least in the way of top-notch features, such as excellent battery life and aptX Low Latency support, which are far from given in headphones of this price. If battery and bass are up there on your list of priorities, you won’t regret making these Sennheisers yours.

SCORES

• Sound 4
• Comfort 5
• Build 4

MORE:

Best wireless noise-cancelling headphones 2020

Read our Sennheiser Momentum 3 Wireless review

Read our Bose Noise Cancelling Headphones 700 review

Read our AKG N60NC review

Our round-up of the best of CES 2020 features our pick of the best new AV products from the show floor in Las Vegas.

From 8K and OLED TVs, to Dolby Atmos speakers and wireless earbuds, CES 2020 was once again jam-packed with new products. Here's our pick of the very best CES 2020 products from this year's show.

• Best TVs of CES 2020

Panasonic HZ2000 OLED

The best TV at CES 2020? Very possibly. Panasonic makes our favourite OLED TV right now, so naturally we're excited to see what the company's 2020 flagship can do. The HZ2000 introduces the next generation of Panasonic’s custom-made Master HDR OLED Professional Edition panel, as well as an improved version of its HCX Pro Intelligent processor. Dolby Vision IQ and Filmmaker Mode have us intrigued, too. There's even a new and improved Dolby Atmos sound system. Roll on the full review...

Hands on: Panasonic HZ2000 OLED TV review

Focal Chora 826-D Dolby Atmos speaker

Focal has announced three new models for its Chora range, including the company's first Dolby Atmos speaker. The Chora 826-D is a floorstander with an upward-firing driver that delivers the height channels of an Atmos soundtrack. Focal has designed the driver to direct the sound towards the ceiling at a carefully calculated angle so that it reflects around the entire room. And we like the sound of that.

Focal launches its first-ever Dolby Atmos speaker at CES

Samsung Q950 8K QLED TV

Look, no bezel! Samsung is pushing the boundaries of, well, everything with its new flagship TV. There's 8K resolution, updates to the 8K Quantum Processor and Full Array Local Dimming system, a new Adaptive Picture+ mode for optimising performance according to the ambient light conditions, and even a sonic equivalent, called – you guessed it – Adaptive Picture+. But, we're going to level with you, it's the bezel-less, Infinity Screen design that really sold us, Using 99% of the front facade for the screen, and measuring only 14.9mm deep, it's a sublime looking television.

Hands on: Samsung Q950 8K QLED TV review 

 JBL L82 Classic speakers

CES is no longer a big focus for hi-fi products so we were extra excited to see these great new JBLs. We're big fans of the fun-loving JBL L100 Classic speakers, which revisit a retro classic, so we're happy to see a mini sibling land, the JBL L82 Classic. They're a more compact two-way design, sold as mirror-imaged pairs with each one using a one-inch titanium dome tweeter with an acoustic lens waveguide and front-panel HF level attenuator. Standing 18 inches tall, if you're keen to make room for them, you'll need a healthy $2500 for a pair. And they're available in black, blue or orange.

JBL unveils retro L82 Classic speakers at CES 2020

Technics EAH-AZ70W wireless earbuds

True wireless earbuds were everywhere at CES, including the first ever pair from Technics. The EAH-AZ70W arrive with plenty of features, including adjustable noise-cancellation, a free companion app, an 18-hour battery life, independent left/right-channel connectivity, Ambient Mode and IPX4-equivalent water resistance. Lets hope they sound as good as they look.

Hands on: Technics EAH-AZ70W wireless earbuds review

LG 48in CX Series OLED TV

Despite all the shiny new TVs and intriguing TV tech upgrades, one of the most crucial releases may be the simple matter of a new screen size. Up until now, OLED TVs have been the preserve of 55-inch sets and above. No more. The LG OLED48CX is a 48in OLED TV (Sony has one, too) and forms a key part of the CX Series, new for 2020. LG's CX range of OLED TVs appears virtually identical to the all-conquering and Award-winning C9 series from last year but adds fresh picture processing upgrades, and both Filmmaker Mode and Dolby Vision IQ. We think this could be a big seller. 

Hands on: LG CX Series OLED TV review

Sony Vision-S concept car 

Sony surprised everyone at CES, not with some PS5 news (although we did see the logo), but with a car. Yep. And what's CES without some concept craziness? Once we soaked in the strangeness, we fell head over heels for the wrap around display and most importantly, the surround sound. We’ve tried 360 Reality Audio before with some of other prototype products, such as a soundbar, wireless speaker and headphones, but never has it been so effective as when it hits us square in the face behind the wheel of the Vision-S. We hope this is the sound of things to come for in-car audio. 

Hands on: Sony Vision-S concept car review

• Read all our CES 2020 news, features and round-ups