What Hi-Fi?

What Hi-Fi? Sound and Vision is the world's leading independent guide to buying and owning hi-fi and home cinema products. Our comprehensive tests help you buy the best equipment for your cash, with the magazine's advice sections giving you step-by-step information on how to get even more from your music and movies.

A wonderful distraction

HOW WE TEST

Arcam SA30 • Visually, this modest-looking unit seems to be nothing to get excited about. But this is one book you shouldn’t judge by its cover

Dali Rubicon 2 C • The Danish company has form when it comes to active-speaker design, so we plug in these new standmounters with no little anticipation

Technics EAH-TZ700 • These high-end in-ears are smooth and capable performers

Bel Canto e.One Stream • This streamer eschews features and focuses on the music

Wharfedale Linton • The best of old school hi-fi meets the best of the new

Astell & Kern Kann Cube • Astell & Kern’s most powerful personal music player prioritises hi-fi hook-up, but it isn’t exactly portable

QED Reference XT40i • A reasonably priced cable that will help your system sound as clean as possible

Elac Debut 2.0 B6.2 • These mature and understated speakers highlight what your system can do

Cyrus One Cast • Cyrus has made its One amplifier smarter, but does it sound better?

SUBSCRIBE TODAY! • AND GET THIS FANTASTIC STM DRIFTER LAPTOP BACKPACK

INSIDER: INTERVIEW WITH TOURAJ MOGHADDAM • He’s perhaps best known as the founder of Roksan Audio, and is now the man behind the Vertere Acoustics brand. We met Touraj Moghaddam to talk about all things hi-fi…

TOP FIVE LAUNCHES • Five products to look out for this month

A NEW SPIN ON THINGS • Few pleasures in life allow one to get away from the stresses and worries of the world more than music; through vinyl even more so

Pro-Ject Primary E

Rega Planar 1

Sony PS-HX500

Audio Technica AT-LP 5x

Pro-Ject Juke Box E

Rega Planar 3/Elys 2

Technics SL-1500C

Rega Planar 6/Ania

Rega Planar 8

Rega Planar 10/Apheta 3

VPI Prime

VPI Prime Signature

SME Model 15A

Technics SL-1000R

Linn Klimax LP12

PART 1 50 GREAT BRITISH ALBUMS TO TEST YOUR HI-FI SYSTEM • Home-grown talent to test your home-grown kit PART 1

ELITE TRACKERS

Goldring 1042 • If you are considering an upgrade to your current turntable, the best and most cost-effective way of boosting the sound may be to switch in a new cartridge. Here, we round up four of the best

Ortofon Quintet Blue

Pro-Ject Pick-it DS2

SMALL BOXES, BIG TRICKS • Phono stages are usually unassuming little units, but a good one hooked up to a quality source can work wonders for an analogue system

CHORD HUEI

MUSICAL FIDELITY MX-VNYL

VERTERE ACOUSTICS PHONO-1 MK II

VERTERE ACOUSTICS PHONO-1 MK II

THE BEST OF THE REST • If a grand isn’t the right price bracket for you, there are plenty of other phono stages putting in five-star performances

Taking centre stage • Phono stages are back in the spotlight, as the vinyl revival has persuaded manufacturers once again to include them in their integrated amplifiers

Onkyo A-9010

Marantz PM6006UK

Rega Brio

Rega Elex-R

Naim Nait XS 3

PART 2 50 GREAT ALBUMS TO TEST YOUR HI-FI SYSTEM • Home-grown talent to test your home-grown kit PART 2

Vertere Acoustics MG-1 Mk II/Mystic • EXPENSIVE, YES. BUT YOU KNOW YOU WANT THEM

Warwick Acoustics Sonoma Model One

BUYER’S GUIDE • The definitive guide to the best home-entertainment kit you can...