Indholdsfortegnelse for Awards 2015 i What Hi-Fi?

Time flies. Where has the past year gone? Can it really have been 12 months? Etc and so on… Yup, it’s Awards time again – time for us to come down off the fence and give the definitive word on the very best hi-fi and home entertainment equipment you can buy. There are more categories than ever before, and more trophies up for grabs, but as usual the judging process has been a combination of the straightforward (our favourite television (p62), for instance, was a debate that ended almost as soon as it started) and the vigorously contested (I’m thinking particularly of the best DAC (p56), a discussion that threatened to become rather more physical than is generally acceptable in the workplace). Thankfully we’re all friends again now, of course.…

1 These look different from last year’s models – but we like it. The Node 2 and Powernode 2 fit on our rack much easier 2 Getting the system onto our wi-fi network is straightforward, but building the process into the app would be a nice touch 3 We’re happy to see Bluetooth is built in this year, and aptX too. It gives the system greater flexibility when you need it 4 There’s a headphone jack and dedicated headphone amp too, giving you the option for personal listening sessions 5 Wow! This is a great sounding system, with high-res support too. The Powernode 2 is a highlight – for £700 it’s superb…

It’s not often we find ourselves throwing our arms around a wireless speaker. But the Geneva AeroSphère Large is so soft it leaves us with little option but to humour that impulse. Underneath the soft exterior is a cabinet comprising three separate acoustic chambers, which house an impressive driver set-up of two 25mm tweeters, a pair of 10cm midrange/woofers and an up-firing 15cm subwoofer, powered by dedicated amplifiers. The positioning of the subwoofer in particular makes the speaker less fussy about where you place it in the room than other orientations. Find the right balance In terms of connectivity, the AeroSphère supports AirPlay, DLNA and high-quality aptX Bluetooth and has a 3.5mm input, meaning compatibility with any device on which you’d store music. Want to play CDs or radio? Geneva…

Best soundbar under £500 Q Acoustics Media 4 £330 How do you hang on to a Product of the Year Award for the second year running? Well, if you’re Q Acoustics, you make a product that’s so good it beats newer, pricier, and better-featured rivals by a mile. Oh, and you slash the price of your product to make it an even better deal than before. The Media 4 offers an incredibly likeable and musical sound that’s simply a joy to listen to. Whether you’re watching Doctor Who or the latest Mission Impossible adventure, the Media 4’s fluid dynamics, expressive midrange and solid sound will keep you hooked on every line of dialogue and action sequence on screen. Even when Tom Cruise latches on to an aeroplane in flight, the…

Best smartphone under 5.5in Apple iPhone 6S £550 We don’t know how Apple does it. There have been several astonishingly good smartphones this year, some of which were worthy winners in this category. Then Apple pops up, and here we are. It’s turning into a habit. Why? Because it has managed to out-perform the competition on picture and sound performance. How? By putting in the effort where it really counts. You may find 2540x1440 (Quad HD) screens on some rivals, but Apple gets by just fine on 1334x750 (not-even HD). The decision to stick with a 4.7in screen ensures those pixels are not too thinly spread – a tactic that counters the larger screens with higher resolutions. One glance at the iPhone 6S shows there is as much clarity as…

Best portable music player Astell & Kern AK Jr £400 Let’s get the peeves over with first. They’re hardly numerous, after all, so here they are. For a portable music player costing £400, the AK Jr doesn’t have a particularly bright, particularly high-resolution touchscreen. And while it’s an aluminium-hewn slice of high-quality engineering, the Astell & Kern’s frame is needlessly pointy and sharp. And, um, that’s about it. In every other respect (and in one fundamental respect in particular), the AK Jr is everything we want in a music player. Slim enough (8.9mm down to 6.9mm thanks to the tapering design) and light enough (93g) to be truly portable even if it’s just being stowed in a shirt pocket, the AK Jr is a tactile object. Ergonomically it’s sound –…

Best multi-room system £500+ Bluesound 2nd Generation from £540 Bluesound had a superb year last year, making its multi-room debut to full five-star acclaim and storming to Product of the Year glory. Despite all that, it seems this is not a company to become complacent. It has listened to feedback and decided that some things needed a rethink, so there’s a new look, new features and even a few new products. This means Bluesound is now offering a bigger ecosystem than ever. It comprises the Node 2 streamer, the Powernode 2 streamer/amplifier, the Vault 2 music server and CD ripper, and the Pulse Mini, Pulse Flex and original Pulse wireless speakers. The latter join the 2.1 Duo sub-sat speaker package as the only products that remain unchanged from last year.…

Best DAC £400–£800 Chord Mojo £400 Chord Electronics has destroyed the competition in the DAC category this year, winning three of the four Awards. But as good as the 2Qute and Hugo are, we think the Mojo is the company’s crowning achievement. Unlike some rivals, Chord has long refused to use off-the-shelf DAC chips inside its converters. Instead, the company’s digital products feature powerful programmable processors loaded with proprietary software to do the job. The Mojo uses the latest and most powerful processors, which in theory at least makes it the most capable DAC the company makes. Second nature There’s no display as such, but the power button lights up in different colours depending on the sampling rate of the input signal. Similarly, the colour of the lighting behind the…

Best 47-52in TV under £1000 Samsung UE48J6300 £580 The very first 48in Full HD Samsung model sat proud in this spot last year as the best TV deal of 2014, and now another has arrived to repeat history – only this one is curved (very curved) and, believe it or not, even better. If you’re prioritizing size over resolution (there’s no 4K here) and have this budget in mind, this Samsung may as well have your name on it. Unlike the gentle curvature of most concave screens we’ve seen, the UE48J6300 looks like it’s been bent by Hulk mid-temper. You get the less-than-perfect wide viewing angles part and parcel of curved screens, but it does make for a striking aesthetic. A conversation-starter, no less. The chunky frame goes for reassuring…

Best projector £1000-£2000 Epson EH-TW7200 £1800 Another year, another Product of the Year gong for Epson. This is the third time in as many years, and a second win for the EH-TW7200. Nothing we’ve seen this year has made us even think about questioning its dominance of this price bracket. What strikes us most about the EH-TW7200 is just how effortless it is to get an astonishingly captivating picture. The ease of use, its swift set-up and its superb construction – everything about this mid-priced Epson projector says premium quality. Sky-high detail A Blu-ray of Jurassic World shows off the Epson’s talents perfectly. It’s an exciting, dynamic picture. Epson claims a contrast ratio of 120,000:1 and 2000 lumens of brightness. We believe it. The image is clean and bright, with…

Best portable on-ears under £100 AKG Y50 £50 Too often, budget headphones prioritise style over substance. Once in a blue moon, it’s the other way round. To get both in a great-value package that puts the emphasis on portability and exceptional build is rare, but evidently not beyond the AKG Y50s’ remit. That’s why they claimed Product of the Year in 2014 and, having shed £30 since, how they keep their prestigious title a second year running. Punchy expression Our adoration for their boldly branded finish in yellow, teal or red hasn’t wilted over the months (those looking for more discreet lookers can opt for black instead). Their glossy aluminium ear cups, each housing 40mm drivers, feel smooth, and everything from the durable headband to the firm-sitting ear pads is…

Best subscription service Sky+ HD 2TB £250 Another year, another win for Sky. Subscription packages may have lost some ground to software-only services such as Netflix, but Sky still rules the dish-or-cable-plus-box arena. The latest box comes with built-in wi-fi, all the better for accessing Sky’s on-demand content and TV catch-up services. The top-spec model has a 2TB hard disk – plenty of space for cramming in all those box sets you’ve not got around to watching. Enduring quality Sky’s offering hasn’t changed much over the past couple of years, and we’re totally fine with that. The hardware is as good as ever, and the software gets updated from time to time. The box costs £250, but there are package deals. Existing customers with the Family Bundle can get the…

What else will I need? As digital media usage increases all the time, more and more people are embracing streaming for their hi-fi solutions. Our handy guide will tell you what equipment you will need before setting up a streaming system in your home. Router Netgear N600 £60 Every network needs a router. Netgear’s N600 is dual band, so wireless ‘g’ and ‘n’ are available separately, keeping interference between the two to a minimum. In a basic system, you’ll connect your NAS and your streamer to the router. Ethernet switch Netgear FS605 £15 Instead of hooking everything straight up to the router, many manufacturers suggest you plug your components into an Ethernet switch first. This way, you isolate the key audio components from any possible interference generated by your router.…

If you’re relatively new to the world of hi-fi, you may be bamboozled by some of the jargon and lingo involved. Choosing the right pair of stereo speakers is fundamental to your enjoyment of music, so let What Hi-Fi? explain some of the more common technical terms, so you’re ready to get out there and buy your first pair of speakers with confidence. Bi-wire Speakers that are bi-wired have two pairs of speaker terminals. This allows for two connections to be made between the amplifier and the speaker; one for high frequency sounds and another for mid/bass frequencies. Coloration Any tonal alterations or distortion added to the original signal can be classified as coloration. Crossover The circuit inside a speaker that splits, or filters the incoming signal, sending high frequencies…

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.…

SOUTH Ashford, Kent SOUNDCRAFT HI-FI 40 High Street.t: 01233 624441www.soundcrafthifi.com Chelmsford RAYLEIGH HI-FI SOUND & VISION 216 Moulsham Street.t: 01245 265245www.rayleighhifi.com Kingston-upon-Thames INFIDELITY 9 High Street, Hampton Wick.t: 020 8943 3530www.infidelity.co.uk Maidenhead AUDIO VENUE 36 Queen Street.t: 01628 633995www.audiovenue.com Norwich MARTINS HI-FI 85-91 Ber Street.t: 01603 627134www.martinshifi.co.uk Rayleigh RAYLEIGH HI-FI 44a High Street.t: 01268 779762www.rayleighhifi.com Southend-on-Sea RAYLEIGH HI-FI SOUND & VISION 132/4 London Road.t: 01702 435255www.rayleighhifi.com LONDON Ealing AUDIO VENUE 27 Bond Street.t: 020 8567 8703www.audiovenue.com N1 GRAHAMS HI-FI 190a New North Road.t: 020 7226 5500www.grahams.co.uk SW11 ORANGES & LEMONS 61/63 Webbs Road.t: 020 7924 2040www.oandlhifi.co.uk SOUTH WEST Bath AUDIENCE 14 Broad Street.t: 01225 333310www.audience.org.uk Cinderford CERITECH AUDIO 1 Pavilion Business Park, Speculation Road.t: 01600 716362www.ceritech-audio.co.uk Exeter GULLIFORD HI-FI 97 Sidwell Street.t: 01392 491194www.gullifordhifi.co.uk MIDLANDS Banbury OVERTURE 3 Church Lane.t:…

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…

The £1000 Vault 2 is Bluesound’s new all-in-one music streamer and CD ripper, offering a 2TB hard drive for ripping and storing your CD collection in bit-perfect lossless FLAC – no computer required. It will combine this with any other music on your network for seamless streaming of your library via the Bluesound app, or you can hook it up to an existing system via its stereo outs. You can even download new high-res music from the HighResAudio online store direct on to the Vault’s hard drive.…

Stereo amplifier Naim Supernait 2 £2750 You’ll want a partnering Naim amplifier to match the streamer’s tonal balance, and this powerful Supernait 2 does the job perfectly Stereo speakers ATC SCM19 £2000 These big ATC speakers are firm favourites in our testing rooms for their stunning transparency and insight. They will pair up beautifully with the Naim separates Tablet Apple iPad Air 2 £400 Using the slick new Naim app is the best way to navigate around your vast music library, and it’s even better on a tablet with a large and speedy interface, such as Apple’s elegant Air 2…

Over more than three decades DALI have won a reputation for manufacturing know-how and audio excellence. And by building on this heritage while remaining firmly focused on the future, DALI have now developed the extraordinary new Opticon range. The Opticon collection blends sleekly distinctive Danish design with DALI’s acknowledged industrial expertise. Drawing on the no-compromise technologies DALI developed for the ultra-high performance (and luxuriously expensive) Epicon and Rubicon series of loudspeakers, the Opticon range delivers high-end performance without the high-end price tag. Opticon is a seven-strong range – Opticon 1 and 2 are discreet bookshelf stereo designs, Opticon 5, 6 and 8 provide a stereo floorstanding solution for environments of all sizes, while Opticon Vokal and LCR are tuned to fit into an Opticon multi-channel home-cinema system. All seven models…

As TVs have become slimmer, their sound has become thinner. It’s adequate, but if you want more detail, scale and dynamics, then your telly won’t cut it. A 5.1 surround system would do the job, but they can take up space, aren’t great for small rooms, and even in larger spaces they add to the clutter. That’s where soundbars and soundbases come in. Soundbars are a popular choice for beefing up weak TV sound, but they are now being challenged by the soundbase. While it performs the same function, its attributes make it a viable alternative. Positioning/placement Soundbases offer a big, solid ‘base’ deep enough to place your TV on. They can be a neater solution than the sometimes awkwardly shaped soundbar. The soundbases we’ve tested state they can support…

Spotify Spotify has one of the largest music libraries and has an intuitive interface. The free, ad-supported version will suit many, but the Premium subscription provides a bump up in music quality and offline listening. It’s available on virtually every platform too. The main drawback? There isn’t the option of streaming CD-quality tracks. Tidal Tidal’s catalogue of 25 million tracks is available in CD-quality format for a £20/month. Sound quality is a plus point, delivering a more engaging performance than Spotify. The service also offers HD music videos and curated content from its celebrity backers. The mobile app is available on high-res streaming systems including Bluesound. Apple Music It may be late to the streaming party but that doesn’t mean Apple Music should be overlooked. Curated content and playlists are…

Best AV receiver £300–£600 Denon AVR-X2200W £500 Any AV manufacturer worth its salt knows how important the £500 AV receiver market is. After a few years of falling short, Denon has pulled out all the stops with the AVR-X2200W. This receiver pushes the boundaries of what we expect at this level, with support for both Dolby Atmos and DTS:X, generous connectivity and all the futureproofing you could want. Refined presentation It’s as big on performance as it is on the spec sheet, delivering a dynamic, insightful sound. Unlike many of its rivals, all eight of the X2200W’s HDMIs support HDR content and 4K upscaling up to 60fps, plus they’re all HDCP 2.2 compliant and offer 4:4:4 full colour resolution for 4K content. The seven speaker terminals can be wired up…

DAC Chord Mojo £400 Where better to start than with our Product of the Year? The Chord Mojo is a small unit which boasts a good range of connections, and is a fabulous performer. There’s plenty of detail and insight into the recording, but it’s the Mojo’s ability to organise all that information into a cohesive whole that makes it stand out. Even at £400 we have to conclude it’s a bargain. Streaming services Tidal £20/month Since it relaunched in March, Tidal has impressed us with its CD-quality streaming service. The £20/month subscription (£10/month for lower-quality) feels a fair price to pay for an ever-expanding music catalogue, exclusive content, videos and lossless audio. It hasn’t been around long, but Tidal has become a streaming service to reckon with. Laptop Apple…

Best streamer £500–£1000 Cambridge CXN £700 Cambridge Audio is back with a vengeance this year, with its new CX series garnering a slew of five-star reviews. The CXN streamer is one of the jewels in the line up, wowing us with its new sleek and shiny design, its ease of use and its excellent performance. The CXN builds on the Award-winning Stream Magic v6 streamer, but a fresh design makes it feel like a complete overhaul. With classy brushed-aluminium casework, a delightful control dial and a punchy, 4.3in full-colour display, it feels far more premium than its price suggests. But it’s the hugely enjoyable sonic performance that makes the CXN our Product of the Year. Basslines are meaty and solid, and there’s a lively sense of rhythm. Voices are rich…

Best stereo amplifier £300-£700 Cambridge CXA60 £500 Through the early part of 2015 there was a gap in the market for a good £500 integrated stereo amplifier. Then along came the highly accomplished Cambridge CXA60. Part of Cambridge Audio’s CX series, it boasts digital inputs, high-resolution audio support and a well-finished design that is certainly pleasing to the eye. Oh, and it sounds great too. A snappy, enjoyable sound – but subtle too This integrated amp is immediately likeable. It’s snappy, enthusiastic and puts musical enjoyment high on its list of priorities. That doesn’t mean it leaves things like detail, dynamics or rhythmic precision trailing – the amplifier is capable of delivering subtle, accurate detail. Play The White Stripes’ Seven Nation Army and that iconic bassline has just the right…

Best speaker cable Chord Clearway £10/m Speaker cables are like the kit-man of your hi-fi system: largely unheralded, but you’ll soon know if you have a bad one. That’s why the Chord Clearway is our Product of the Year. That high-density foil beneath the transparent PVC jacket, resembling a kind of silver space snake, acts as a shield that Chord says is particularly effective at blocking harmful high-frequency interference. What it’s protecting is a pair of stranded high-grade copper wire conductors, twisted together. A greater level of coherence The effect of such a construction on our reference system makes for very interesting listening indeed. There’s all the space, detail and attack you’d expect for £10/m, but what the Clearway does better than any of its competitors when plugged into our…

Best video-on-demand service BBC iPlayer free There are those who question the value for money offered by the BBC. Not us. We can’t believe those people have taken into account just what they are getting for their £145.50 licence fee. Even without considering all the broadcast TV and radio on innumerable channels the corporation provides, we would happily argue that BBC iPlayer is worth the price of admission all on its own. Missed the latest Doctor Who episode, or want to catch up with a week’s worth of MasterChef? BBCiPlayer is your answer. It was already a great desktop service when first introduced to the UK public, and it’s even more excellent in its incarnation as an app for your smart device. Swift, smooth and simple The grid layout of…

Best tablet 8in+ Apple iPad Air 2 from £400 There is no getting away from it – Apple knows how to make a good tablet. And when it comes to creating the best tablet experience on the market, the iPad Air 2 delivers in every way. It’s still a superb device that more than holds its own against the competition. Even Apple must think so – it’s the first year its 9.7in tablet hasn’t been replaced by a new one. When your predecessor is as good as the iPad Air 1 – last year’s Tablet of the Year – of course it’s going to be all about refinement rather than revolution, and the new tweaks and additions found on the Air 2 take the iPad closer to tablet perfection than…

Best Temptation VPI Prime £3750 This is the first time we’re giving an Award for the most impressive of the Temptations products we’ve reviewed this year. It was a tough call, comparing different categories of components at vastly varied price points. In the end VPI’s exceptional Prime won through. Surprisingly for a high-end offering, that sub-four grand price includes the deck and partnering arm. All you have to do is add a suitably talented cartridge – in the case of the review sample, a Lyra Delos moving coil costing around £1000 – and off you go. The build and finish of the Prime is excellent. Its curved chassis is made of MDF covered with textured vinyl and then reinforced with 11-gauge (around 3mm) thick steel plate. It has a lovely,…

Readers’ Award Naim Mu-so £895 When future generations look back with a warm nostalgic glow at the heyday of wireless streaming, the Naim Mu-so is going to look like a pivotal product. Here’s where the more venerable representatives of the traditional hi-fi industry realised the premium wireless speaker was not only a viable proposition, but a gratifying raiser of both a company’s profile and profitability. Of course, there’s a bit more to producing a product like this than shoving the necessary components into a box and slapping a credible brand-name onto it. The biggest part of the genius of the Mu-so is the absolute lack of compromise Naim has demonstrated when it comes to what’s acceptable in terms of design, construction and ultimate sound quality. This is recognised on p101,…

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 Panasonic DMP-BDT370 Awards 2015: Best Blu-ray player under £150 Sony BDP-S7200 Awards 2015: Best Blu-ray player £150-£300 Cambridge CXU Awards 2015: Best Blu-ray player £300+ Also consider…

Cambridge CXN “Sleek design, engaging sound and excellent features – a fantastic streamer for the money” Kashfia Kabir First tests editor Geneva AeroSphère Large “Finally, a wireless speaker whose offbeat aesthetic is paired with sonic brilliance” Andrew Murphy Staff writer Tidal “With CD-quality streams and an ever-expanding catalogue, it’s one of the most compelling streaming services around” Becky Roberts Staff writer Tannoy Revolution XT 6F “It is impossible to be unmoved by these stunning floorstanders” Ced Yuen News editor LG 55EG960V “Combining 4K and OLED to simply stunning results, this is the most desirable TV of the year” Verity Burns Multimedia editor VPI Prime “You could easily spend twice as much and get an inferior sound” Ketan Bharadia International Technical editor…

It’s been a good year for Samsung Mobile. After falling short of the competition a little, everything seems to have come together with the Galaxy S6. The plastic and faux leather has been replaced by metal and glass, and it is backed up by a performance that can’t be argued with. The S6 put Samsung back on the map, but its curvier sibling, the S6 Edge, has been the surprise hit of 2015. It delivers excellent performance alongside dashing good looks, and won the full five stars in the process. It showed people were prepared to pay a premium for a good-looking phone, and Samsung couldn’t make them quick enough. Samsung has decided the S6 Edge is worthy of a screen boost, delivering the Edge experience to those wanting a…

Hand-me-downs have rarely been so appealing. When Monitor Audio upgraded its Award-winning Bronze home speaker package, it made sense to use technology from the company’s pricier ranges. The B5 AV system comprises the new Bronze Centre, two Bronze FX surround speakers and Bronze W10 subwoofer (as do all Bronze packages) and a pair of Bronze 5 floorstanding speakers for front channels. Terrifically rhythmic The technology upgrade centres on new C CAM drivers (made of Ceramic-Coated Aluminium/Magnesium, a material originally developed for jet engine components). For the midrange and bass drivers, the stiffness and damping quality of that dished cone aids control and reduction in break-up. The drivers are also an inch smaller in diameter than previous models, helping reduce the speaker’s overall footprint. The tweeter’s C CAM dome is gold-anodised…

Honestly, you’d be surprised how well some of us scrub up. Once a year, team What Hi-Fi? invites the electronics and home entertainment industries out for a drink (our treat) and at the same time we explain exactly what we’ve been doing for the past year. It’s always a good night, racy but never crude. In the course of the evening we announce the products we think represent absolutely the best bang for your home entertainment buck. Over the next 82 pages, we put you in the particular picture too – so if you need to know how best to spend your hard-earned, all the information you need is right here. And you can become party to this vital info at your leisure, even without having to dig out your…

Best radio £100–£200 Roberts Stream 93i £150 The Roberts Stream 93i is a fine radio, with an appealing performance and an equally appealing price tag. It has retained its Product of the Year gong because of just how good and versatile it is for the money. It’s not as pretty as the wood-and-metal pieces by Pure and Revo on the opposite page, but we can’t fault the sturdy build, the responsive buttons and dials or that large display. Once you factor in the fantastic sound, you know that this is not a radio to be judged by superficial means. Harmonious blend The Stream 93i delivers stunningly crisp and clear dialogue, with nuance in spades. Voices are confident and expressive. The treble is just bright enough, and the bass is surprisingly…

Best in-ears £50–£100 Sennheiser Momentum M2 in-ear £90 When Sennheiser announced it was introducing an in-ear model to its Momentum range of stylish headphones, we hoped they could match the quality of its over-ear models. Needless to say, they didn’t disappoint. In-ears that keep it in the family They deliver a wonderfully smooth and balanced sound, in keeping with the character of the Momentum family. There’s plenty of drive and a great sense of musicality. Lows are rich and weighty, but they hit your ears with purpose and intent. Leading edges are expertly defined and the rhythm of a track is aided by the Sennheiser’s nimbleness and ability to keep to a fast tempo. The highs are crisp and precise without pushing too hard – they pulse out of the…

Best Blu-ray player under £150 Panasonic DMP-BDT370 £100 In recent years, the budget end of this market has belonged to Sony. The company has always excelled at judging its ratio of performance and features to price. But Panasonic’s track record has always been good too, and now it has taken this spot. The DMP-BDT370, the company’s top-tier player of 2015, can be had for £100. But is there a catch? Surely there must be a sacrifice somewhere, right? Impressive looks, and a smart performance Not in the design department, certainly. This is a full-width deck, instantly more menacing than its slimmer rivals. This is clearly a machine and not a toy. The metal-effect plastic is convincing: you may not be spending much, but your thrift won’t be apparent to the…

Best turntable £400-£800 Rega RP3/Elys2 £550 Anything securing a Product of the Year award could be said to be remarkable, but this winner deserves more remarks than any other. This is the fifth consecutive year the Rega RP3/Elys2 combo has clinched the POTY title. If you’ll forgive the pun, we think that’s a record. It’s certainly a stunning achievement for a pretty unassuming-looking product. You can buy this turntable without a cartridge, but we recommend getting the package that includes Rega’s excellent Elys2 moving-magnet cartridge. It adds around £75, bringing the cost to £550, but the money is well spent. The cartridge comes pre-fitted. A winning formula In previous years Rega has made subtle but worthwhile improvements to this deck (revised arm design, plinth reinforcement) but this year, rather than…

Best traditional package £1000–£2000 Monitor Audio Bronze B5 AV £1500 When it came to upgrading its Bronze home speaker packages, Monitor Audio used technology from higher up the range. The result is a Product of the Year with a sound that suggests a much heftier price tag. The B5 AV comprises the Bronze Centre, two Bronze FX surround speakers and Bronze W10 subwoofer – as do all Bronze packages – and a pair of Bronze 5 floorstanding speakers for front channels. Scale and intensity The technology upgrade centres on new C CAM (Ceramic-Coated Aluminium/Magnesium drivers). For the mid/bass drivers, the stiffness and damping quality of that dished cone aids cone control and reduction in cone break-up. The tweeter’s C CAM dome is gold-anodised for that same stiffness and also dampening,…

Best CD player £500+ Cyrus CDi £1050 Last year in this category, Cyrus’s response to being elbowed out of the Awards limelight in 2013 by Naim’s brilliant CD5si was to introduce the CDi. And what a response it turned out to be. Impressive stability The company’s half-width design leaves the CDi looking like any of its siblings. But it doesn’t take long to hear just how special this player is. We played Hans Zimmer’s Dream Is Collapsing from the Inception soundtrack and were struck by the CDi’s uniform, articulate and intuitive presentation. This might have something to do with the transport’s much-vaunted ability to read the data off the disc correctly the first time rather than relying on error correction to fill in the gaps. The CDi’s other technical highlight…

Best portable wireless speaker £100–£200 Audio Pro Addon T3 £165 Lift it from the box and the Audio Pro Addon T3 already feels like a product the quality of which belies its £165 tag. It isn’t a handbag-friendly bar like so many of its rivals, but that helps it feel like a more serious piece of kit, and it’s still portable, with Bluetooth 4.0 streaming capabilities. It is robust rather than heavy, the handle is a canny touch and battery life is up to 30 hours at half volume or 12 playing at full blast. Its two tweeters and 9cm woofer are powered by a Class D amp. Bringing the Dead to life When we play Bauhaus’s Bela Lugosi’s Dead we are immediately assured the T3 has the sound quality…

Best music system under £400 Denon D-M40DAB £350 It may seem remiss to hand such an Award to a system without network features or Bluetooth – especially when the rest of this category’s winners fly the flag for cutting-edge technology. But this Denon redeems itself in more ways than one. Its predecessor, the D-M39DAB, won an Award last year, but sonic improvements and a series of revisions make the D-M40DAB something of a star. And a well-deserved Product of the Year. Neat layers The thought Denon has put into improving an Award-winning product is clear, and it has paid off handsomely. Performance-wise, it is notably better than its predecessor. There’s more detail up for grabs, most noticeably in the midrange and bass, better organisation, and more confidence and space in…

Best standmounter £400–£800 Bowers and Wilkins 685 S2 £500 It’s a mark of just how highly we rate these B&W 685 S2s that they’ve managed to hold on to the Product of the Year title for the second year running. Not that they’ve had things easy. We’ve compared them with all sorts of new rivals from the likes of Monitor Audio, KEF, Focal and Martin Logan, but for us they continue to offer the best combination of performance and price of any speaker we’ve reviewed this year. Well chosen improvements Take a good look at these boxes and it’s clear B&W has put sound quality first. The tweeter assembly now has a protective mesh over it and the dome is reinforced with a metal ring to improve rigidity and damping.…

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…