Indholdsfortegnelse for July 2015 i What Hi-Fi?

What Hi-Fi?|July 2015

If I could pick and choose, I’d choose you

I’ll be the first to admit £2000 is a significant sum of money. I reckon anyone contemplating spending that sort of sum on pretty much anything at all should have a long, hard think before parting with the cash. And that goes double (triple, even) when the money’s going on hi-fi, the performance of which can be pretty subjective at the best of times. But while we may not be able to completely make your mind up for you, we can at least narrow things down considerably. We’ve built four of the best £2k-ish stereo systems you can buy (p32) using a variety of sources, so taking a big slice of the uncertainty out of the process. As we always say, you need to hear systems for yourself before you…

1 min

What Hi-Fi?|July 2015

All-round excellence from a high-res wonder

Cambridge Audio is back with a splash. The new CXN streamer – part of the company’s new CX series launched earlier this year with all-new design and improved sound – is a stonkingly good high-resolution network streamer for £700. The Cambridge CXN streamer is built on the success of the Award-winning Stream Magic 6 v2 (also £700), but the new CXN’s fresh, modern design makes it feel like a complete overhaul. But it’s the hugely enjoyable sonic performance that really singles the CXN out. It sounds fantastic. Enthusiasm and entertainment There’s an enthusiastic drive to the CXN’s performance, combining subtlety, snappy timing and rich detail to deliver a sound that’s just wonderfully entertaining. It’s a punchy sound that has a really good grasp of rhythm and low-end impact. We’ve seldom…

5 min

What Hi-Fi?|July 2015

Round the back

1 Wi-fi dongle There’s an antenna included in the box that gives the CXN wireless abilities. Network is easy to set up, although we prefer the stable wired connection. 2 USB Media If you have DSD files stored on a USB stick or hard drive, plug your stick into this USB port to access them. It will charge smart devices, too. 3 Digital inputs All of the CXN’s digital inputs – whether optical, coaxial, USB or wireless – will support 24-bit/192kHz high-res files. 4 Labelling The upside-down labelling is a stroke of genius. No need to crane your neck or squint your eyes when connecting inputs from above. 5 Control bus Use the cable included to link the CXN to either of the CXA60 or CXA80 amplifiers, and you’ll be…

1 min

What Hi-Fi?|July 2015

Carried away by the Momentum

In the fold In 2013 we were impressed with the style and sound quality of the original Momentums, but noted their rather hefty size. Sennheiser has addressed this issue with hinges, making the 2.0s foldable and easier to store. When Sennheiser announced the Momentum 2.0s (or M2s as they’re called in some quarters) at the beginning of the year, we were intrigued as to how they planned to tinker with what was already a winning formula. After all, the company really struck a chord with the original Momentums. They brought a level of style, refinement and sound quality that was extremely tough to beat at the money. Folding design The only negatives were a slight lack of portability compared to some rivals and the fact they came with quite a…

3 min

What Hi-Fi?|July 2015

Less is more for this budget player

On the wire The BDPS5500 also has what Sony calls “Advanced Super Wi-fi” on board. It certainly seems snappy enough – we found little difference in load times between wired and wireless connections, which is quite something. Is it just us or are Blu-ray players getting smaller? Sony’s most recent budget deck, the BDPS 5500, comes in at little more than the size of a hardback book, shrinking even further from last year’s already dinky S5200. But don’t let its size fool you – this little player goes big on performance. Sony has tweaked the design of this year’s players, ditching the fussy geometric Sense of Quartz design for something a little more straight-laced. It’s still a lightweight bit of kit, but the change in design does make it feel…

3 min

What Hi-Fi?|July 2015

The secrets inside the box

Interview Peter Comeau Director of audio design, International Audio Group WHF: How do you decide on what kind of speaker to build and, when it comes to production, where do you begin? PC: “First of all, you must work out a concept. This concept has to be based on the reality of what people actually want to buy. Not all great designs make it into people’s homes. “Over the past five decades I’ve seen speakers diminish from popular models sporting 12-inch bass units, down to today’s hi-fi bookshelf systems with four-inch drivers. Ignore market trends at your peril! “On the other hand, you also have to consider the physics of the speakers. What sound quality is required and which drivers and cabinet system will best provide it? How does this…

5 min

What Hi-Fi?|July 2015

STREAMING SYSTEM £1850

STREAMER Cambridge CXN £700 AMPLIFIER Arcam FMJ A19 £650 SPEAKERS B&W 685 S2 £500 What do you do when you have music stored in bits and pieces all over the place? Say you’ve ripped your entire CD collection and have stored it on a NAS device or your laptop. Or you’ve ventured into the realm of downloading high-resolution files for that leap into higher-quality sound. And then, of course, there are all the songs and playlists you have on your smartphone – it’s a mishmash of file types, and you simply can’t stick to just one format. What you need is a streamer to bring them all together. Cambridge Audio’s new CXN streamer is the perfect foundation for your hi-fi system if you have music stored over various devices. Its…

6 min

What Hi-Fi?|July 2015

TURNTABLE SYSTEM £2900

TURNTABLE Rega RP6/Exact £1000 AMPLIFIERS Rega Elex-R £900 STEREO SPEAKERS Tannoy Revolution XT6F £1000 There’s something about the act of playing a record that still feels like hi-fi nirvana. The tiny, explosive pops and rustling crackles, the delicate operation of placing the needle on to the groove, the way the black vinyl record catches the light when spinning – they bring about the rose-tinted nostalgia in all of us, whether you’ve owned a turntable system before or not. The Rega RP6/Exact has been one of our favourite and most coveted turntables for years, and the superb Elex-R works so seamlessly with it we wouldn’t dream of separating them. This Rega combination is so good, we kept auditioning speakers with them until we hit the right pair. It’s not that the…

6 min

What Hi-Fi?|July 2015

TEST VERDICT

THE WINNER Polaroid £Abb THE WINNER Samsung £26bb The question of 4K or not 4K can be a real headache. The technology may now be a realistic proposition for the home, but it’s still a tricky business. It’s not just about panel resolution. To stream 3840 x 2160 content or play it from other sources, 4K TVs need certain hardware (codecs, HDMI iterations) and to meet specific copyright protection (HDCP 2.2) requirements. As our first (cheaper) pair demonstrates, not all sets with ‘4K’ in their title are capable of playing the 4K material available at the moment, so we can’t stress the importance of checking specs before you buy. For Finlux and Polaroid, the jury must be out on 4K Blu-ray performance until the discs arrive. We can report they…

2 min

What Hi-Fi?|July 2015

TEST VERDICT

THE WINNER TIDAL From £10/month When we looked at these four services, what felt quite obvious from the off is that you need to make a simple decision. Do you want to pay more for high-quality streaming or not? Once you know the answer to that question (and most services offer a trial to help you decide), your decision as to which service would suit you best is much more easily made. With Deezer high-quality streams restricted to Sonos users right now, the only real choices for 16-bit/44.1kHz playback are Tidal and Qobuz – a battle of new versus old. While Qobuz tops Tidal on sound quality, the rest of the scales tip rather convincingly in Tidal’s favour. Interface and features Its user interface has been more carefully thought out…

2 min

What Hi-Fi?|July 2015

STREAMING WITH STYLE

German engineering. Two words that conjure up ideas of quality, precision, style and purity. They’re the same ideas that were placed front and centre when Raumfeld’s engineers created its Bauhaus-inspired range of multiroom streaming systems. There’s no shortage of choice, either. The range includes smaller speakers for the bathroom or kitchen, right up to larger models that can fill your living room (or your entire home) with proper, high-quality, stereo sound – all of it exactly the way the artist intended the music to be. Whether it’s coming from an existing hi-fi source or streamed from providers such as TIDAL, Spotify, Napster, Simfy or TuneIn, your music is sent through advanced DACs and tuned components – all controlled by the free Raumfeld App. What you want to hear is Must…

2 min

What Hi-Fi?|July 2015

‘‘We’re greeted by a full dose of fire and fury’’

Mark Levinson 326S/532H Pre/power amplifier £9300/£7500 Mark Levinson can quite rightly claim to be one of the handful of brands that originated what we now call the High End. Alongside the likes of Krell and Audio Research it helped establish the segment’s recognised template, which includes over-engineered electronics, lavish construction and, of course, mountainous price tags. This 326S/532H pre/power pairing may be one of the company’s more affordable offerings, but in most cases we suspect it will be all the amplifier anyone ever needs. We certainly can’t think of a system in which it becomes an obvious weak link. Classy construction We can’t help but admire the 326S preamplifier. By high-end standards it’s a compact unit, yet there’s also an undeniable aura of class about it. That impression starts with…

7 min

What Hi-Fi?|July 2015

Warm, and extremely animated

Big Hero 6 is about a young boy named Hiro Hamada, a robots whiz-kid who has to deal with a tragic loss fairly early on in the film, and Baymax, the adorable, oh-so-huggable balloon-like medical robot created by his genius brother. This round, inflatable ’droid that only wants to help is a far cry from the hard-edged, metallic forces of destruction that robots have become in recent cinema. The biggest laughs are courtesy of Baymax as he flops and rolls around the place: “I am not fast,” he placidly remarks as they flee from evil-minded microbots. Like Frozen before it, the film’s emotional core lies with two siblings, in this case the two Hamada brothers. Their relationship is quickly but effectively fleshed out using only a handful of scenes, and…

2 min

What Hi-Fi?|July 2015

playlist top picks

What with the tremendous showing Tidal puts up in our streaming services test on p52, not to mention the year’s-worth of free Tidal music that 10 readers can win on p86’s competition, this seems an ideal opportunity to point you in the direction of our new Tidal playlist (whf.cm/playlist15). Thanks to the humungous number of songs and albums available to stream losslessly (for those who pony up the £20 per month or who are lucky enough to win a subscription), CD-quality audio can be yours without the attendant hardware-related faffing. And because we’ve been so judicious in the songs we’ve picked (and will continue to be so for as long as our winners are enjoying their prize), a world of effortlessly delivered musical delight is just a click away.…

1 min

What Hi-Fi?|July 2015

Games

Carmageddon: Reincarnation PC,Out now Eighteen years after it first shocked The Sun, Carmageddon is back in this sequel/remake. The pedestrian-splatting, car-smashing gameplay is all present and incorrect, but the sluggishness and heaviness of the handling and game engine, plus the lack of opponent intelligence, is tiresome. Project Cars PC, PS4, Xbox One, Out now Console gamers who find Forza too arcadey and Gran Turismo too tardy will be delighted with Project Cars – a new, super-serious racing sim. There are issues around the complexity of menus, online matchmaking and buggy penalty system, but the racing is so exciting and beautiful, you’ll love it anyway. The Witcher 3: Wild Hunt PC, PS4, Xbox One, Out now Combining the grown-up themes and cinematic story-telling of the previous Witcher games with a setting…

1 min

What Hi-Fi?|July 2015

WIN

We’ve got a fantastic summer competition this month in which we’ve teamed up with music streaming service Tidal to offer 10 lucky winners a free 12-month subscription to its top Hi-Fi tier, worth £240. Tidal offers 25 million tracks in lossless CD quality and has received a five-star rating from What Hi-Fi? (see p56). See www.whathifi.com/tidal/review. In addition, one lucky winner will also get the Award-winning Bluesound Node music streamer*, What Hi-Fi?’s 2014 Best Music Streamer up to £600, and a pair of fabulous Sennheiser Momentum 2.0 Wireless headphones. How to enter Just go to http://whf.cm/tidalcomp and answer this question: HOW MANY TRACKS DOES TIDAL OFFER IN CD LOSSLESS QUALITY? A) 20 million B) 25 million C) 15 million Terms & conditions: 1 Open to UK residents aged 18 or…

1 min

What Hi-Fi?|July 2015

Home cinema speaker set-up

Screen size and position To find the best size screen for your room, work out how far away you’ll be sitting from the display. We would recommend sitting 1.3m away for a 32in screen, 1.6m for a 40in, 1.8m for 50in and around 2.1m for a 60in+ TV. Those distances might seem huge for a small space, but don’t forget – you will want the display to fill your field of vision for the most immersive experience and after a while you’ll get use to the screen’s size. Don’t place it too high, either – you shouldn’t have to look up more than 15 degrees, unless you want to strain your neck. Using a 5.1 system? Place the two front speakers at ear height, at a 45-degree angle to the…

2 min

What Hi-Fi?|July 2015

AV receivers & amplifiers

Up to £500 Well-equipped and delivers convincing surround sound £500-£1000 There are gains in features, build quality and sonic performance £1000+ Real powerhouses that pack loads of features and cinema-style sound The shortlist Yamaha RX-V377 Awards 2014: Best home cinema amp up to £350 Sony STR-DN1050 Awards 2014: Best home cinema amp £350-£700 Pioneer SC-LX58 Awards 2014: Best home cinema amp £700-£1500 Also consider To subscribe call 0844 848 8813 or email: whathifi@servicehelpline.co.uk…

1 min

What Hi-Fi?|July 2015

Stereo amplifiers

Integrated These amplifiers combine a preamp and power section in one box Power output A higher number usually means louder, depending on speakers Digital inputs Some amplifiers now have a DAC built in, which could be useful The shortlist Marantz PM6005 Awards 2014: Best Stereo amp up to £300 “It’s that wonderfully lively and detailed sound quality that makes the PM6005 such a fantastic budget stereo amplifier.” Arcam FMJ A19 Awards 2014: Best Stereo amp £500-£800 “The A19 is quietly confident of its ability to deliver a transparent and faithful sound – and its staggeringly open sound is wonderful to hear at this price.” Rega Elex-R Awards 2014: Best Stereo amp £800-£1500 “You know you’ve got a good amp on your hands when all you can think of to fault…

1 min

What Hi-Fi?|July 2015

WHAT HI FI?

Experience & heritage We’ve been hard at work helping the world discover the best in hi-fi and home cinema for more than 37 years, and have getting on for 100 years of reviewing experience under our collective belts – so you can count on our expert opinions. Dedicated test facilities We test every product in the magazine or at whathifi.com against its peers in our bespoke £1m reviewing facilities. And we test every product as a team, so our opinions and conclusions are always the result of collaboration. We spot big trends first MP3 player tests before the iPod even existed? High-def video before it even had a name? That was us. We keep you in touch with big stories and future trends. Worldwide readership With seven international editions in…

1 min

What Hi-Fi?|July 2015

The app

Cambridge Connect app on Android/Apple The Cambridge Connect app is free to download and has a neat interface. And it’s the app – rather than the streamer – that accesses and sorts through the music stored on your server, laptop or ’phone. This means your smartphone’s powerful processor is doing the grunt work, so songs load more quickly. The app is speedy, displays album artwork and track information, and is especially handy for scrolling through your vast music collection. You can also queue up tracks for an immediate playlist.…

1 min

What Hi-Fi?|July 2015

Reconnecting the Energy supply

The hi-fi industry isn’t short of speakers around this price – quite the opposite, in fact. A handful of brands rule the roost at the budget end, the likes of Wharfedale, Dali, Cambridge Audio and Q Acoustics topping the pile. A few years ago, we’d have added Acoustic Energy to that list, but lately the British company had dropped off the radar somewhat. Aesthetic influences We’re told Acoustic Energy is currently undergoing changes – being ‘re-energised’ at the business end – so we’re rubbing our hands at the prospect of new products. The 101 standmounts are one of the brand’s more recent offerings and the smallest member of its entry-level 1 Series. Acoustic Energy says the range has evolved from the mid-range 3 Series, so the 101s owe their heritage…

3 min

What Hi-Fi?|July 2015

LG’s new flexible approach pays off

LG likes curves. That much is clear just from looking at some of its TVs. But those curves extend to smartphones too. The LG G Flex 2 is the company’s second crack at a curved smartphone and, thanks to better ergonomics and a sharper screen, it’s an improvement over the original. Eye ergonomics There is a reason for that curve, and it’s not what you might think. It is lovely to handle, fitting into your hand more naturally than a flat slab of the same size. It will hug your derrière when you put it in your back pocket, and the side of your face during phone calls. And if you happen to drop the device, the curve keeps it from landing flat on the screen. But LG dismisses suggestions…

6 min

What Hi-Fi?|July 2015

Odin isn’t quite a great Dane

It’s not often a manufacturer evokes the might of Norse gods, but that’s exactly what you get from Clint Audio. The Danish brand has experience in DAB and internet radio technology, and is now invading the UK with its Asgard series – a three-strong range of wireless speakers. In keeping with Norse mythology, Odin is the big daddy of the family. But does it have what it takes to earn a place in the hallowed halls of Valhalla? Impressive specs list Standing at nearly 40cm tall, it’s bigger than it looks. It will certainly take up a lot of desk space, which is why Clint Audio recommends that it should live on the floor instead. There’s an easily assembled stand, which lifts the Odin off the floor by 5cm and…

4 min

What Hi-Fi?|July 2015

TOP5 New launches

1 Sonus Faber Chameleon from £430 High-end speaker manufacturer Sonus Faber has unveiled a new entry-level range of speakers, comprising three models: the Chameleon B bookshelf (£700/pair), Chameleon T floorstanders (£1670/pair) and Chameleon C centre (£430 each). All models are wrapped in leather and come with a set of detachable side panels. The drive units on all models are made in-house and use polypropylene for the bass/midrange cones and 29mm fabric soft-dome tweeters. For more information, head to http://whf.cm/SonusFaberChameleon 2 Denon and Marantz AV receiver upgrade £144 Both Denon and Marantz have announced their respective AVR X7200W and AV8802 AV preamplifier models will receive an HDCP 2.2 update, allowing them to support 4K pass-through. The upgrade needs to be carried out at an approved service centre. Both brands will release…

2 min

What Hi-Fi?|July 2015

LAPTOP SYSTEM £1870

LAPTOP Apple MacBook Air 13in £1000 DAC Audiolab M-DAC £600 HEADPHONES Grado SR325E £270 Can you create a great-sounding hi-fi system out of a laptop? Of course you can – you just need the right elements. In this case, you’ll need an Award-winning £600 DAC that is talented enough to make your laptop-stored music shine, and a pair of open-back Grado headphones to enjoy a winningly airy, engaging and punchy sound. They’ve got the look As far as systems go, this is a sleek and compact set-up. The 13in MacBook Air is Apple’s thinnest, sexiest laptop yet, and we’ve long been fans of the Audiolab MDAC’s smart looks and compact, stylish design. The Grado SR325es also add a touch of ruggedness, but then some of us rather enjoy looking like…

6 min

What Hi-Fi?|July 2015

TEST SPEC

STREAMER SYSTEM Cambridge CXN £700 High resolution 24-bit/192kHz, DSD64 • Inputs 2 x USB type A, USB type B, optical, coaxial • Outputs Optical, coaxial, balanced XLR, RCA • Network Yes • Remote Yes • Finishes 2 Dimensions (hwd) 9 x 43 x 31cm • Weight 4kg Arcam FMJ A19 £650 Power handling 50W • Integrated Yes • Inputs 6 x RCA, MM phono • Outputs 3.5mm headphone, preamp, tape loop • Remote Yes • Finishes 1 • Dimensions (hwd) 9 x 43 x 28cm • Weight 9kg B&W 685 S2 £500 Claimed power 100W • Sensitivity 87 dB • Impedance 8 ohms • Biwirable Yes • Finishes 2 • Dimensions (hwd) 35 x 19 x 32cm • Weight 7kg CD SYSTEM Naim CD5si £1080 Type Integrated • Output RCA • Remote Yes • Finishes 1 • Dimensions 7 x 43 x 30cm • Weight 6kg Naim Nait 5si £990 Power handling 60W • Integrated…

1 min

What Hi-Fi?|July 2015

Facts & figures

Polaroid P55D600 £700 Type LED • Aspect ratio 16:9 • Screen size 55 • Resolution 3840 x 2160 • Accepts 1080p yes • 24fps yes • HDMI 2.0 0 • Integrated digital tuner yes • HDMI in 4 • PC in 1 • Component in 1 • RGB scart in 1 • Scart in 0 • Composite in 1 • USB in 3 • Phono audio in 1 • Digital audio out 1 • Dimensions (hwd) 80 x 125 x 24 • Weight 18.2kg • Smart TV Yes • 3D Yes • Freeview Yes • Freesat No Finlux 55UT3E24ST £1000 Type LED • Aspect ratio 16:9 • Screen size 55 • Resolution 3840 x 2160 • Accepts 1080p yes • 24fps yes • HDMI 2.0 0 • Integrated digital tuner yes • HDMI in 4 • PC in 1 • Component in 1 • RGB scart in 1 • Scart in 0 • Composite in 1 • USB in 3 • Phono audio in 1 • Digital audio…

1 min

What Hi-Fi?|July 2015

Facts & figures

Deezer From free Catalogue Over 30 million • Sound quality 128kbps/320kbps MP3, 16-bit/44.1kHz FLAC (Sonos only) • Subscription options Free; Premium+ £9.99/month; Elite £14.99/month Qobuz From £5/month Catalogue 24 million • Sound quality 320kbps MP3, 16-bit/44.1kHz FLAC • Subscription options Hi-Fi £19.99/ month; Hi-Fi Classical £14.99/month; Premium £9.99/month; Basic £4.99 Spotify From free Catalogue Over 30 million • Sound quality 96kbps/160kbps/320kbps Ogg Vorbis • Subscription options Free; Premium £9.99. Discounts available for students and families Tidal From £10/month Catalogue 25 million • Sound quality 96kbps AAC+, 320kbps AAC, 16-bit/44.1kHz FLAC • Subscription options Premium £9.99/month; HiFi £19.99/month…

1 min

What Hi-Fi?|July 2015

TEST VERDICT

THE WINNER Dali Zensor 1 5.1 £9Ab This test was a tremendous amount of fun. After a week spent in the middle of gunfights and jazz orchestras, we came out of the testing room smiling. But what we found was a group of talented speaker packages, and you can’t really go wrong with any of them. That said, one winner has emerged: the Dali Zensor 1 5.1 package. You’d think two years at the top would weaken the resolve of the Danish warriors, but no dice. If you want to spend just under £1000, this is still the most brilliantly entertaining speaker package you can buy. Next up we have the Wharfedale Diamond 220 HCP and the Q Acoustics 3000 Series 5.1 Cinema Pack. Both are worthy of the full…

1 min

What Hi-Fi?|July 2015

‘‘Real transparency, top-class precision’’

Focal Electra 1038Be Floorstanders £7700 Sometimes we just get a good feeling about a product. That’s what happened the first time we heard Focal’s Electra 1038Bes, making up the front left and right channels in a 5.1.4 Dolby Atmos surround speaker package. We liked what we heard enough to hold on to these floorstanders for a dedicated review, and we’re glad we did. These speakers are great. A price tag of £7700 is hardly pocket change, but these towers give more than a taste of Focal’s top-end Utopia models – speakers that cost around the same as a well-specified Bentley. The Electra range is one down from the Utopia but still packs in a full dose of Focal’s range of technologies. The most obvious example is the Beryllium inverted dome.…

3 min

What Hi-Fi?|July 2015

Spotify highlights

Join us on Spotify whf.cm/playlist15 George Fitzgerald: Full Circle Casually thrilling post-dancefloor satisfaction from the debut album Fading Love. May well be ubiquitous quite soon. Mazzy Star: In The Kingdom The Mazzy Star modus operandi changed hardly at all in 13 years between albums – and that’s something we can all be grateful for. Ghostpoet: X Marks The Spot Obaro Ejimiwe’s third album Shedding Skin has plenty to recommend it, but this slow-burner is the stand-out track. Larry Adler: Summertime The harmonica’s not an instrument that can easily be made to sound emotive or evocative, but then Larry Adler’s not your standard harmonica player.…

1 min

What Hi-Fi?|July 2015

Movie shorts

The Gambler Mark Wahlberg is an English professor/gambler who owes money. Decent, but John Goodman’s gangster is the film’s true ace-in-the-hole. Kingsman: The Secret Service Colin Firth trains up a young tearaway as a superspy in this slick (but rather soulless) James Bond pastiche. Men In Black, but minus the aliens. Whiplash Miles Teller really likes drumming.JK Simmons likes good drumming, and shouting. An intense if repetitive tale of sadistic, masochistic ambition. A Most Violent Year A misleading title, this. There’s not much violence, and it’s wrapped up in a month – in which business-owning Oscar Isaac tries not to be violent.…

1 min

What Hi-Fi?|July 2015

What we are waiting for...

Movies (Blu-ray) Blackhat (22 June) Chris Hemsworth takes time out from swinging hammers to deal with an international network of hackers. Michael Mann directs. Movies (cinema) Terminator Genesys (3 July) He said he’d be back, and now he is. Old Arnie fights Young Naked Arnie. You really shouldn’t mess with time-travel. Music (Download, CD, vinyl) The Chemical Brothers – Born In The Echoes (17 July) The ongoing Return of Veteran Dancefloor Leviathans Club gets its latest members. Music (Download, CD, vinyl) Sarah Cracknell – Red Kite (15 June) Despite her constant refusal to marry any one of us, we’re still agog at the pospect of a new Cracknell album.…

1 min

What Hi-Fi?|July 2015

All the latest kit, all the latest ratings…

Welcome to the UK’s best guide to TVs, hi-fi, home cinema and mobile, with star ratings for more than 1500 products. Where other magazines rely on isolated writers reviewing in a range of locations, our star ratings are decided by an expert team of reviewers working together, in a state-of-the-art testing facility. Within this guide you’ll find all our favourite four- and five-star products – including Award-winners – to help you pick the best kit for your budget.…

1 min

What Hi-Fi?|July 2015

Blu-ray players

Smart ability Extends the viewing choice beyond discs with apps like BBC iPlayer Multichannel out Analogue outputs that feed high quality sound to a non-HDMI receiver Twin HDMI outputs These are used if you have two displays, say a projector and a TV The shortlist Sony BDP-S5200 Awards 2014: Best Blu-ray player up to £150 Sony BDP-S7200 Awards 2014: Best Blu-ray player £150-£300 Panasonic DMP-BDT700 Awards 2014: Best Blu-ray player £300+ Also consider “Sony’s ADPS 5100 hbs bll the hbllmbrks of b clbss-lebeing mbchine”June 2013…

1 min

What Hi-Fi?|July 2015

Surround speakers

Full size Traditional cabinet design that’s big but can deliver a great sound Style Compact speakers that make a lot of sense in smaller living spaces Bipole/Dipole Surround speaker designs that give a more cohesive soundfield The shortlist Q Acoustics 2000i 5.1 Awards 2014: Best Traditional Pack up to £700 “We simply can’t find a rival (trust us, we’ve looked) that even comes close to the Q Acoustics’ performance-per-pound offering.” Dali Zensor 1 5.1 Awards 2014: Best Traditional Pack £700-£1500 “Whether it’s with music or movies, the Zensor 1 5.1 produces a stunning sound. That’s £1000 well spent, we say.” Monitor Audio Radius R90HT1 Awards 2014: Best Style package £1400-£1800 “You have a package that blends nicely. With price, performance and practicality on its side, the Radius ticks all the…

1 min

What Hi-Fi?|July 2015

Headphones

Ear tips Most in-ears come with these. Experiment with size to get the best fit In-line remote Mostly for Apple devices, but Android-friendly units are increasing. Handy… The shortlist SoundMagic E10S Awards 2014: Best in-ears up to £50 “The SoundMagic E10Ses punch well above their weight in terms of sound quality.” Sony MDR-EX650AP Awards 2014: Best in-ears £50-£100 “They’ll happily turn their hand to just about anything, effortlessly finding that balance between the details and the overall flow.” Shure SE425 Awards 2014: Best in-ears £150-£300 “The SE425s sound fun, absorbing, classy, polished and captivating.” Also consider…

1 min

What Hi-Fi?|July 2015

Our Top 20 UK Hi-Fi Dealers

SOUTH Ashford, Kent SOUNDCRAFT HI-FI 40 High Street. t: 01233 624441 www.soundcrafthifi.com Chelmsford RAYLEIGH HI-FI SOUND & VISION 216 Moulsham Street. t: 01245 265245 www.rayleighhifi.com Kingston-upon-Thames INFIDELITY 9 High Street, Hampton Wick. t: 020 8943 3530 www.infidelity.co.uk Maidenhead AUDIO VENUE 36 Queen Street. t: 01628 633995 www.audiovenue.com Norwich MARTINS HI-FI 85-91 Ber Street. t: 01603 627134 www.martinshifi.co.uk Rayleigh RAYLEIGH HI-FI 44a High Street. t: 01268 779762 www.rayleighhifi.com Southend-on-Sea RAYLEIGH HI-FI SOUND & VISION 132/4 London Road. t: 01702 435255 www.rayleighhifi.com LONDON Ealing AUDIO VENUE 27 Bond Street. t: 020 8567 8703 www.audiovenue.com N1 GRAHAMS HI-FI 190a New North Road. t: 020 7226 5500 www.grahams.co.uk SW11 ORANGES & LEMONS 61/63 Webbs Road. t: 020 7924 2040 www.oandlhifi.co.uk SOUTH WEST Bath AUDIENCE 14 Broad Street. t: 01225 333310 www.audience.org,uk Cinderford CERITECH AUDIO…

1 min

What Hi-Fi?|July 2015

Analogue interconnects

These carry audio signal from source to amplifier, or between pre-amplifier and power amplifier. Some use a shielding construction to reduce external electrical interference The shortlist Wireworld Luna 7 06.14 Group Test “There’s no brightness or sharpness to speak of and although weighty, there’s no suggestion that bass notes sound overblown.” QED Reference Audio 40 06.14 Group Test “The Reference Audio 40 looks like a serious stereo interconnect. Build quality and feel are very reassuring.” Atlas Element Integra Awards 2014: Best Analogue Interconnect “There’s nothing to dislike here: the Element Integra is highly recommended as a first upgrade.” ) Also consider…

1 min

What Hi-Fi?|July 2015

Mains products

IEC Usually a three-pin connector used in most hi-fi (and kettles) Figure of 8 Small, two-pin connector. Tends to be used on lower-priced products Blocks and conditioners Multi-plug units, some of which attempt to filter noise out of the mains Our recommendations Jargon Buster: Cables Analogue interconnect A cable that is used to transfer an audio signal from a source (eg a CD player), to an amplifier or between a pre -and power amplifier. Digital interconnect Used to transfer a digital signal between two components. There are two types of digital interconnects: optical and coaxial. Speaker cable Carries an audio signal from amplifier to your speakers. Also comes in a bi-wirable configuration Not all speakers support a bi-wired set-up.…

1 min

What Hi-Fi?|July 2015

Speaker stands

Many stands are hollow and can be filled with sand or other similar heavy materials. This is to increase mass and dampening and the sonic benefit is tighter bass – although too much of it can be counter-productive and end up deadening the sound The shortlist Custom Design FS104 Signature £200 Q Acoustics Concept 20 speaker stands £200 Atacama Moseco 6 Awards 2014: Best speaker stands Also consider Speaker positioning Wonder-wall? Where’s the best place to position a speaker? Some speakers sound better backed up against a wall (Wharfedale’s Diamond 220 speaker, for instance), while others prefer to be out in the open. Your choice of speaker may be dictated by how much space you have. Ear, ear Common practice for standmounters is to have the tweeters at seated ear-level.…

1 min

What Hi-Fi?|July 2015

Our products of the month

Dali Zensor 1 5.1 eroup test p64 “Dali’s 5.1 speaker package still packs a punch after all these years – a wonderfully fun listen” Ced Yuen News editor Focal blectra 1038Be Temptations p76 “If you can give them the space they need, these Focals are seriously impressive” Verity Burns Multimedia editor Samsung Ub55JS8500 Head-to-head p49 “A mightily impressive telly. Samsung’s SUHD range is off to a flying start” Becky Roberts Staff writer Cambridge Audio CXN First Tests p6 “A sleek, talented streamer that’s decked out with features, sounds exciting and is a joy to use” Kashfia Kabir First Tests editor Tannoy Revolution XT8F First test p18 “This is a hugely talented floorstander, capable of impressive dynamics and high volume levels” Ketan Bharadia Technical editor Sennheiser Momentum 2.0 First Tests p15…

1 min

What Hi-Fi?|July 2015

REVIEWER’S NOTES… GETTING TO KNOW THE CAMBRIDGE CXN

1 We love the sleek, uncluttered design of the CXN. We immediately peel off the British flag sticker to keep it neater still. 2 The back panel’s labels are written in both directions – that’s a great touch that’ll make connecting inputs easier. 3 That volume dial feels lovely to use. We spend a while just playing around in the menus and admiring its smooth action. 4 We download the Connect app and find it works instinctively with the CXN. Artwork doesn’t always appear, though… 5 Time to start streaming – wow, it sounds brilliant! The muscly, detailed and lively rhythm is utterly engaging to listen to.…

1 min

What Hi-Fi?|July 2015

Budget music for the masses

The new kids In 2011, Paul Mitchell and Dave Johnson brought Sansui to the UK and are now on a mission to make good hi-fi accessible to the masses. It took a while to get our hands on an M&J product, but it was worth the wait There’s a new kid on the British hi-fi block and its name is Mitchell & Johnson. It’s a company assembled by Paul Mitchell and Dave Johnson, the same duo that brought products from electronics company Sansui to the UK in 2011. Those products have been rebranded and re-engineered under the new name, and there are some shiny new ones in its roster too, comprising stereo amps, streamers and DACs, headphones and, as here, CD players. The brand has a mission: to make good…

4 min

What Hi-Fi?|July 2015

There’s a Revolution in the air

Spaced out The powerful sound of the Tannoy Revolution XT8Fs may be a little constrained in a smaller room. But give them space to breathe and they deliver a scale of presentation and dynamic reach that is hard to beat. Tannoy’s new Revolution XT range has made quite an impact. The XT6F floorstanders (£1000) waltzed away with a test win in our May issue, while the XT6 standmounters delivered a strong showing the month before. Having spent a considerable amount of time with the new XT8Fs, we think they’re arguably the best of the bunch. In essence, these are just larger 6Fs, using an 8in (20cm) version of Tannoy’s dual concentric driver rather than the 6in version. Tannoy has put a lot of work into this latest generation of drive…

3 min

What Hi-Fi?|July 2015

Past master plays a new game

Revox is a brand that’s steeped in history. Born in 1952 as the domestic arm to professional audio brand Studer, it made its name in tape recorders, producing some of the most highly regarded reel-to-reel and compact cassette recorders in the business throughout the ’60s and ’70s, before expanding into loudspeakers. In 1990, with the retirement of founder Willi Studer, the company was sold to investors, and while it continued to produce products the brand went quiet in the UK and we’ve heard little from them since. Resurgence of a brand That was until ISE (Integrated Systems Europe) 2015. Among the halls of the Amsterdam RAI at that show, we found Revox, fresh from a period of focusing on multi-room in foreign markets and showing off a new stereo range…

6 min

What Hi-Fi?|July 2015

THE BEST FOUR SYSTEMS £2000 CAN BUY

If you have a budget hi-fi system, chances are you can improve it significantly. Or, if you’re new to the world of hi-fi and want to start off with a bang, this is your stepping stone. Building that perfect system, however, can be tricky. It’s not about picking five-star products, shoving them together and hoping they work. It’s about experimenting with combinations and keeping an ear out for that perfect balance – at one point, it’ll sound just right. It depends on the way you listen to music. A record player is no use for someone whose entire music library is stored on NAS drives and a laptop. Similarly, you may only have space for a desktop system – no floorstanders for you, then. But we don’t cater for just…

1 min

What Hi-Fi?|July 2015

CD SYSTEM £2670

CD PLAYER Naim CD5si £1080 AMPLIFIER Naim Nait 5si £990 STEREO SPEAKERS Triangle Esprit Titus EZ £600 Reports of the demise of the CD have been greatly exaggerated. It’s true that, sandwiched between the ever-growing popularity of streaming services and the vinyl revival, CDs feel like the ignored middle child. But don’t dismiss those shiny discs so easily – CD isn’t dead. There’s still life left in them yet. What is certain is that there simply isn’t an abundance of great-sounding mid-market CD players out there. We had a hard time building the best CD system at this price. Superbly entertaining If you’re on a stricter budget, the Marantz CD6005 is your best bet at £300. However, for the next step up in performance, you’re looking at something like the…

6 min

What Hi-Fi?|July 2015

HEAD TO HEAD £0.7k into 4K does go

This is the year 4K TVs become a realistic option. They’ve come a long way since their 2012 debut as huge screens with five-figure prices. Now, they’re dominating manufacturers’ line-ups and more affordable than ever. A lack of 4K content was a burning issue last year, but with streaming services paving the way, and ‘Ultra HD Blu-ray’ due before the year’s out, it’s on the rise. You no longer have to make room for 65in+ screens either, with some 40ins around. A bigger screen will make the most of the pixel-packing technology, though, so here we welcome four 55in screens covering broad budgets. Finlux takes on Polaroid in the sub-£1000 arena, while LG and Samsung battle it out (yet again) with more typically priced flagships. Ready to plunge into the…

14 min

What Hi-Fi?|July 2015

NEW WAVE

When one of music’s biggest names buys a streaming service, the whole world sits up and pays attention. In the first month after Jay-Z bought CD-quality streaming service Tidal, it racked up more column inches than it had in the whole six months previously. That’s no bad thing – the exposure has created the perfect opportunity to get people talking about both the level of sound quality in music-streaming services and how to find the perfect balance between quality and convenience. But Tidal isn’t the only CD-quality streaming service out there – French outfit Qobuz was among the first to offer it, and now Deezer has launched its Elite service in the UK too. As we sit on the cusp of what feels like a high-quality streaming revolution, we think…

10 min

What Hi-Fi?|July 2015

Go big and go home

Movies are better with surround sound. You haven’t lived until you’ve experienced the sound of a bullet zing past your ear – fact! Nowadays you can get all manner of soundbars, some of which have pretty decent virtual surround modes – but they don’t come close to offering what five speakers and a subwoofer can. But there’s no need to remortgage the house to experience it. We’ve chosen four 5.1 speaker packages for under £1000 to fight for your living-room space. The two-time Award-winning Dali Zensor 1 5.1 takes on new challengers from Acoustic Energy, Wharfedale and Q Acoustics. It’s about to get very noisy indeed. At’s a big ane punbhy performanbe, but it’s refinee too. The soune is blear, with a healthy balanbe to the tonal eiet Acoustic Energy…

11 min

What Hi-Fi?|July 2015

Facts & figures

Acoustic Energy 1Series 5.101 £1000 Power handling 150W • Sensitivity 87dB • Impedance 8 ohms • Dimensions (AE 101) 30 x 18.5 x 25cm • Weight 6kg • Finishes 2 Dali Zensor 1 5.1 £980 Power handling 100W • Sensitivity 87dB • Impedance 6 ohms • Dimensions (Zensor 1) 27.4 x 16.2 x 22cm • Weight 4.2kg • Finishes 3 Q Acoustics 3000 5.1 £700 Power handling 75W • Sensitivity 86dB • Impedance 6 ohms • Dimensions (3020) 23.5 x 15 x 20cm • Weight 3.6kg • Finishes 5 Wharfedale Diamond 220 HCP £850 Power handling 100W • Sensitivity 86dB • Impedance 8 ohms • Dimensions (Diamond 220) 31.5 x 17.5 x 25.5cm • Weight 5.3kg • Finishes 4…

1 min

What Hi-Fi?|July 2015

THAT WAS THEN A&R Cambridge A60

Amplification & Recording Cambridge was founded back in 1976. Now known as Arcam, the company’s success was built on its first amplifier, the A60. Back in the early ’80s this slimline integrated cost £190 and was generally considered the go-to middle-market amplifier. It proved the ideal upgrade from budget champions such as NAD’s original 3020. Natural stage presence This is a well-equipped unit, with a decent array of line-level inputs plus a capable moving-magnet phono stage. The quality of the phono input shouldn’t come as a surprise considering vinyl was the dominant quality media of the day. The tone controls are subtle in their action, and so can prove useful (on occasion) when a recording or partnering kit isn’t quite balanced. And it’s good to see a mono switch fitted.…

3 min

What Hi-Fi?|July 2015

Music

Download, CD, vinyl GIORGIO MORODER DEJA VU Out June 15th If anyone in popular music has earned a free pass, it’s Giorgio Moroder. Even if one were to overlook his myriad other achievements, the extraordinarily contemporary and sophisticated sound of Donna Summer’s I Feel Love (1977) is enough to cement his position as a pioneer. Now he’s at the statesman/ overlord stage of his career, Moroder’s back with an album of star-studded collaborations (Kylie Minogue, Britney Spears, Kelis and Mikky Ekko, among others, gamely attempt to Donna Summer their way into pop immortality here). And it’s difficult in the extreme to criticise Déjà Vu for its rather one-paced, identikit arrangements and tempos – after all, pop music sounds the way it currently does in large part thanks to Moroder. And…

1 min

What Hi-Fi?|July 2015

On-screen

System tester Ex Machina Blu-ray Out now A small hit on its UK release, Ex Machina marks Alex Garland’s directorial debut – and it’s a fine film to make a debut with. Set in an unspecified future, Oscar Isaac’s Nathan – a reclusive CEO of a Google-type company – creates the world’s first artificial intelligence in Alicia Vikander’s Ava. He invites Domhall Gleeson’s coder Caleb to conduct a series of Turing tests to see if Ava can convincingly embody human thought and expression. What follows is a tight and tense three-hander, as each character attempts to exploit or assert themselves over each other. Garland examines speculative themes with a brio and tact that’s (sadly) uncommon, a script that shifts audience loyalties and three committed lead performances from Gleeson, Isaac and…

1 min

What Hi-Fi?|July 2015

June in Hi-Def

The best on the box Dark Matter Syfy HD – 15th June, 8pm The six-person crew of a derelict spaceship wake up with their memories wiped. Who are they, why are they floating in the farthest reaches of space, and why is the cargo bay full of weapons? As they discover the ship is heading towards a remote mining colony on the brink of war, the six strangers must piece together their lives and decide whose side they are on. The show is headed by a cast of little-known Canadian faces, but recurring guests in the form of Star Trek’s Wil Wheaton and David Hewlett (Dr McKay from Stargate) give some gravitas to the fledgling show. Syfy has a history of commissioning shows with interesting premises but small payoffs. Nevertheless,…

3 min

What Hi-Fi?|July 2015

LCD, LED & OLED TVs

LCD Once only in smaller screens; now the most common type of panel LED This refers to the kind of backlighting used on an LCD panel OLED An ultra-thin screen that’s commonly used in curved TVs The shortlist Sony KDL-32W706B Awards 2014: Best 32in TV “With an attentive, punchy picture, decently detailed sound and a smattering of features, the KDL-32W706B is the full works with all the trimmings of a well-designed telly.” Samsung UE48H6400 Awards 2014: Best 47-52in TV “Sharp, clear and full of subtle detail that’s impressive at this mid-range price, the Samsung ‘6400’s picture hooked us in from the minute we turned it on.” Samsung UE55HU7500 Awards 2014: Best 52-60in TV “We’re very impressed by the UE55HU7500. It looks great across all resolutions and it has plenty of…

1 min

What Hi-Fi?|July 2015

System killers

Alien (1979) Ridley Scott’s seminal sci-fi film takes the horror/stalker genre and transplants it to space. Sigourney Weaver’s Ripley is one of many highlights, as is Scott’s peerless ability to imagine a world that feels lived in. The HD transfer is utterly stunning for a film that’s approaching its 40th anniversary. Godzilla (2014) Unlike the Spielberg films it wants to emulate, Gareth Edwards’s Godzillafeatures several dull characters. But, we’re here for the epic monster fights – and it delivers. Godzillais the type of film that ought to be seen on the biggest screen possible with the volume turned up to the max. Jurassic Park (1993) CGI came into its own with Jurassic Park, but the impact of seeing photo-realistic dinosaurs is matched by the care paid to the film’s characters.…

1 min

What Hi-Fi?|July 2015

Calibrating your AV receiver

Do it manually If you have a sound-pressure level meter, this is the time to free it from its current life of measuring car exhausts and burps. In your AV receiver’s settings menu, switch the test tone on, then cycle through the speakers. Switch the SPL meter to ‘C’ weighting and slow response mode, and then set the level of each speaker to around 75dB on the meter’s display as you hold it head-height. If you’re using a phone or tablet with an SPL app, you should be fine setting the surround sound speakers, but many internal mics are pretty bad at registering bass – so you’ll have to dial in the sub by ear. Now would be a good time to check the overall balance, too. Use the included…

1 min

What Hi-Fi?|July 2015

Recorded music is at a crossroads

For those of us that consider themselves a music lover, albeit to different degrees, we are part of a very fortunate generation. We now have access to an ever-growing wealth of recorded music of extraordinary range and depth, effectively accumulated over the last 60 years. With the introduction of the microgroove LP record in the early 1950's, playback quality took a quantum leap forward and this also coincided with a far higher standard of recording techniques. Although further improvements have been made over the years, this was a watershed time that first introduced hi-fi as a reality. We now have literally millions of recorded music tracks available to us in all genres and many different formats. One trend over recent years,however, has been to deliberately downgrade the quality in order…

4 min

What Hi-Fi?|July 2015

AV & hi - fi racks

Many racks are built to be expanded. Several manufacturers offer you a number of shelving options for ready-made products, but what if you want to get more kit in a few years? We like having the option to build upwards at a later date The shortlist Hi-Fi Racks Podium “You get an enjoyable sound that isn’t going to wear on you any time soon, and a product where quality control has taken centre stage” Atacama Eris Eco 5.0 “Add fine build and easy construction to the list of plus points and there’s much to admire here” Atacama Evoque Eco 60-40 “It might not initially sound quite as immediate as some rivals, but longer listening reveals plenty of attack” Also consider…

1 min