There’s nothing better at this time of year than spending time with loved ones, sitting around the fire, watching TV or listening to the music we are passionate about.
In the January 2020 issue of What Hi-Fi?, we round up some of the best wireless speakers you can buy – so your closest friends and family can share in your pleasure this Christmas.
With the big day fast approaching, the pre-Yuletide issue of What Hi-Fi? also features a Christmas Gift Guide, where you'll find plenty of last-minute ideas for the music, movie and tech lover in your life.
And if the holiday period all gets a bit too much, why not cocoon yourself away with a pair of wireless, noise-cancelling headphones for a bit of well deserved “me time”. You'll find our guide to the best wireless noise-cancelling cans in the new January issue of What Hi-Fi?.
You can subscribe or buy the latest issue here, or buy the digital edition on iPhone, iPad, Android devices or Kindle edition.
No strings attached
Like a technological umbilical cord, the cables are being cut from our audio devices as we’re ushered out into a brave new wireless world.
So let's rejoice at how far wireless technology has come, by celebrating the best seven pairs of noise-cancelling wireless on-ear headphones in a market packed full of talent, in terms of both innovation and audio quality.
On test, we have premium headphones from Sony, Bose, Dali, Bowers & Wilkins, Beats, Sennheiser and AKG all battling for the title. Sony's WH-1000XM3 cans are our reigning 2019 Product of the Year, but with some new competitors on the market, do they still reign supreme?
There’s only one way to find out... by reading the January 2020 issue of What Hi-Fi?.
Christmas is here...
With Christmas just around the corner, you've probably already started to get into the holiday spirit. But if there's anything still to tick off your present list, let us help you get those final tricky gifts of goodwill sorted.
If you're after the perfect gift for the music or film fan in your life, you've come to the right place. In our ten-page special Christmas gift guide, we share our ideas, including last-minute shopping gifts, costing between £50 and £100.
We have some great ideas to get the Christmas party started, and the film or sports lovers in your life haven't been forgotten either, there's something for them too.
From sub-£20 stocking fillers to serious-money hi-fi and AV gifts that will dominate the space beneath your tree, this Christmas feast promises something for everyone and every budget. So, credit card at the ready, let's get stuck in...
On the first day of Xmas...
In our First Tests section, you’ll find reviews of all the latest hi-fi kit, and the January issue of What Hi-Fi? features the excellent Audiolab 6000N Play music streamer, which we say "reveals a wide-open canvas, and colours it with well-imaged detail"
We also review two wireless speakers, the Bowers & Wilkins Formation Flex and Amazon Echo 3rd Generation, plus Apple's latest pair of wireless earbuds, the AirPods Pro.
And finally, you'll see our verdicts on Sony's UBP-X800M2 Blu-ray player and Panasonic's TX-40GX800B television. Plus we review the Ruark R5 music streamer and Marantz SR5014 AV receiver.
Tis the season to be tempted
In Temptations this month, we review the Krell K-300i integrated amplifier, which we call “something of a high-end bargain". We doubt those words have been used very often to describe a product that costs almost £9000.
We also review a pair of Audiovector R3 Arreté stereo speakers, costing £9000. That's nearly £18k worth of kit reviewed in the Temptations section, so if either of these two products take your fancy, it’s worth keeping an eye out for them in the January sales.
That's not all!
In our Insider feature, we take a look at Sony 360 Reality Audio, which aims to provide a 360 degree sound experience for the ultimate in immersive audio.
There's also a round-up of the best wireless speakers on the market, including models from Audio Pro, B&W, Devialet, Dynaudio, Naim, Technics and Triangle. Once upon a time, these speakers involved a compromise of convenience over quality, but now they're challenging 'proper' hi-fi.
And for the final issue of the year, what better way to end than with a review of eight of the best albums we've used to test our systems this year?
Plus: Don’t miss our special offer – FREE Juice Power Station charger, worth £22 – when you subscribe to What Hi-Fi?
The January issue is not to be missed. So grab a copy of What Hi-Fi? from your local newsagents today. Or simply download it onto your tablet or smartphone. Merry Christmas!
You can subscribe or buy the latest issue here, or buy the digital edition on iPhone, iPad, Android devices or Kindle edition.