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102 AWARD WINNERS IN 27 CATEGORIES

DECEMBER 2016 100

INDIA'S No.1 HOME ENTERTAINMENT MAGAZINE

S D R A AW

6 1 0 2 Y U B N A C U O Y T I K T S E N I F E H T

STEREO SPEAKERS ● TURNTABLES ● SMARTPHONES ● HEADPHONES ● STREAMING SERVICES ● TELEVISIONS ●

For enquiries : Yusuf Haider

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yusuf.haider@harman.com | +918043306483

Bangalore (Registered Office) | Prestige Technology Park | 4th floor – Jupiter (2A) Block,Marathahalli Ring Road, Bangalore – 560103, Karnataka, India | Tel: +91 80 43306300,Fax: +91 80 40976806

W E LC O M E

Hello/12/16 This issue celebrates the good bits of every kind of audio thanks to the collective efforts of What Hi Fi? teammates from around the world who pitched in with their findings and experiences to bring you the gold list of all things AV. The Awards are thus, the definitive collection of 2016’s finest moments in our test labs.

You’ll find a downsized review section due to our allegiance to the Awards, but nonetheless, we did manage to give an ear to Sonodyne’s newest entry-level offering, the 3165 floor stander that, for a little more than the price of a premium Bluetooth speaker, gives you the chance to have proper stereo sound with real low-end and the ability to build up to a Dolby Atmos system as and when budget permits. The times they sure are a changing and whether you have change or not, we are all part of this big churn. Welcome to 2017!

Raheja Xion, 4th/5th Floor, Opp Nirmal Park, Dr B Ambedkar Marg, Byculla (East), Mumbai 400 027. email us whathifi.edit@haymarketsac.com Call us 022-23787500 / 23787400 EDITORIAL Editor Nishant Padhiar Deputy Editor Yatish Suvarna Editor (Web) Farhan Kapadia Editor-Special Projects Vaibhav Sharma Sr. Correspondent Kaizad S Billimoria Sub Editor Shanth Swaroop Sr. Art Editor Sahaya Johnson Deputy Art Editor Kritika Dayal Sr. Designers Sukhdeep Singh MARKETING Sr. Manager Kunal Marjadi Executive Jayson Lobo ADVERTISING Group Head Harvinder Pal Singh Chief Manager Amjad Khan Regional Head Amit Ahlawat (North) Managers Ashok Kumar (Chennai/Bengaluru) Sr. Executive Rohan Tamhane (Mumbai) Advertising Co-ordinator Sapna Khot PRODUCTION Manager Prasad Gangurde CIRCULATION & SUBSCRIPTION General Manager Gilbert D’Souza Distribution & Sales Head Circulation Satish Kumar, P Vijayakumar Manager Saravana D, Vimal Sharma, Ashok More, Asst. Manager Tapan H, Yogesh S, Anil Raghav Manager Subscription Mahesh Malusare Circulation Co-ordinator Rajesh Salian ACCOUNTS Finance Head Hital Vyas Manager Finance Amol Mahadik INTERNATIONAL Managing Editor Jonathan Evans Brand Editor Andy Clough Managing Director David Prasher Chief Operating Officer Brian Freeman Chief Executive Kevin Costello Chairman Rupert Heseltine Licensing Account Manager Isla Friend CONTACT Mumbai Raheja Xion, 4th/5th Floor, Opp Nirmal Park, Dr B Ambedkar Marg, Byculla (East), Mumbai 400 027. email us whathifi.edit@haymarketsac.com Call us 022-23787500 / 23787400

Nishant Padhiar, Editor

New Delhi A2/9, Lower Ground Floor, Safdarjung Enclave, Africa Avenue Road, New Delhi - 110029 Tel : 011-46020600, 32444090, 32969125 Fax: 011-46020633 Chennai M H V Pinnacle, First Floor 8/27 Govindu Street, T Nagar Chennai 600 017. Tel: 044-65446363 Telefax: 044-4212 3230

PRODUCT O F

Bengaluru No. 811, ‘A’ Wing, 8th Floor, Mittal Towers, M.G. Road, Bengaluru - 560001. Tel: 080-2559 3775 Secundrabad C/o. IBH Books and Magazine Dist. Ltd., #3-5-587, Vittal Wadi, Himayat Nagar, Lane Opp. ICCI Bank, Hyderabad 500 029

EAR E 1Y6 H0 T2

News-stand price 100 All prices and content correct at the time of going to press (*denotes indicative pricing) All rights reserved. All the data contained in this magazine is based on the information available with the publisher at the time of going to press. No part of this publication may be reproduced without the written consent of the publisher. The publisher makes every effort to ensure that the magazine’s contents are correct. However, he can accept no responsibility for any effects from errors or omissions. Unsolicited material – including photographs and transparencies–is used in WHAT HI-FI? SOUND AND VISION, but is submitted entirely at the owner’s risk, and the publisher accepts no responsibility for its loss or damage. Advertisements are accepted by us in good faith as correct at the time of going to press.

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Published at Haymarket SAC Publishing (India) Pvt. Ltd. Raheja Xion, 4th/5th Floor, Opp Nirmal Park, Dr B Ambedkar Marg, Byculla (East), Mumbai 400 027.

Editors’ Picks The D3 range came after eight long years of development, and eagerly awaiting loyalists, it didn’t disappoint

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www.whathifi.com December 2016 | What Hi Fi? | 33

CONTENTS Our products of the year...

Dynaudio Xeo 2 These powered speakers are a top way of getting a simple hi-fi system to sound brilliant.

4| What Hi Fi?| December 2016

Audio Technica AT-LP5 A turntable for the 21st century: it sounds great, and it can turn your tunes digital.

Chord DAVE Almost the best value-formoney DAC. And it costs 8 lacs so that’s some compliment.

Panasonic DMP-UB900 A stunning way of getting the very best 4K picture you could dream of seeing.

B&W P7 Wireless The range-toppers in B&W’s P series of headphones, these are simply sublime.

CONTENTS

AWARDS 2016

“Tannoy’s Eclipse Threes compare with the best standmounters at this price” Page 77

AWARDS OPENER TURNTABLES STREAMERS IN-EAR HEADPHONES SOUNDBARS & SOUNDBASES PROJECTORS SMARTPHONES HOME CINEMA AMPLIFIERS DACS MULTI-ROOM SYSTEMS TELEVISIONS SPEAKER PACKAGES ON-EAR HEADPHONES STEREO AMPLIFIERS PORTABLE MUSIC PLAYERS STREAMING SERVICES CD PLAYERS WIRELESS SPEAKERS TABLETS SYSTEMS WIRELESS HEADPHONES TEMPTATIONS STEREO SPEAKERS EDITORS’ PICK

08 11 15 24 27 30 35 36 41 45 46 50 53 57 60 61 62 64 67 68 70 73 74 81

INSIDER TOP NEW INDIAN LAUNCHES TOP 5

86 88

OFF THE SHELF SONODYNE SONUS 3165 XTREAMER MXV FIIO X1 2G

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Audioquest DragonFly This brilliant little DAC is an easy way to make your digital music sound more exciting.

WHEN YOU SUBSCRIBE TO WHAT HI-FI? Page 94

90 93 93

BUYER’S GUIDE

FIND THE BEST KIT AROUND, FAST! OUR VERDICTS ON EVERY PRODUCT WORTH OWNING, P97 December 2016 | What Hi Fi? | 5

AWARDS 2016 INTRODUCTION

AWARDS 2016 Here they all are: this is the best hi-fi and home entertainment equipment you can buy. A year’sworth of invaluable buying advice distilled down to the only guide you need.

As a fitting tribute to the year’s best hi-fi EAR E 1Y6 H0 T2 and AV kit, the WHF AWARDS have gained a bit of a reputation.

So, staying true to tradition and expectations, here is the compilation of what we would buy ourselves if the economy had been kinder and our appraisals would have been dearer.

Nevertheless, if you’re in the market for some home-entertainment and haven’t been able to lock in yet, you’ll be glad this edition fell into your lap. Over the next few pages, you will find ways to spend your hard-earned money in better kit that ever!

PRODUCT O F

8 | What Hi Fi? | December 2016

INTRODUCTION AWARDS AAWARDS 2015 2016 05

December 2016 | What Hi Fi? | 9

Yamaha RX-V581

Yamaha RX-A3060

Yamaha RX-A1060

Yamaha Music India Pvt. Ltd. P-401, JMD Megapolis, Sector 48, Sohna Road, Gurgaon-122018, Haryana, India Ph: +91 124 485 3300 Fax: +91 124 485 3301 website: www.in.yamaha.com | email: support_in@inquiry.yamaha.com

TURNTABLES AWARDS 2016

TURNTABLES

With the vinyl revival still in full swing, now’s the time to fill that 12-inch gap in your hi-fi system with our Award-winning turntables

N product No d iis more worthyy of a 2016 w A Award than the Pl Planar 3

PRODUCT O F EAR E 1Y6 H0 T2

BEST TURNTABLE 50,000- 1,00,000 REGA PLANAR 3/ELYS 2 72,000 Last year, the Rega RP3/Elys 2 record player was our Product of the Year, as it had been for the four years prior to that. But this year, Rega has outdone itself with the Planar 3, replacing one Award-winning turntable with another.

The difference in quality between these two turntables is less of an evolution and more of a seismic shift. Combined with the Elys 2 moving-magnet cartridge, this turntable is so much cleaner and clearer than its talented predecessor that it could be another five years before it moves from this spot.

Handled with finesse The list of improvements is as impressive as it is long: the plinth of the Planar 3 now has a pair of phenolic braces to strengthen the area between the tonearm and brass main bearing, and the bearing itself is redesigned to improve its fitting and reduce stress. The RB330 arm also has a new bearing housing, and the bias arrangement is clearer, as are the markings on the spring-loaded dial that sets the tracking weight.

Playing Mozart’s Piano Concerto No.20 D Minor, every instrumental thread is kept neatly in place and composure maintained regardless of the complexity of the music. Large-scale dynamic shifts are delivered with enthusiasm while subtler shifts are handled with finesse.

The cartridge – and indeed the complete package – conveys the music with cohesion and sparkle. The Rega ties together the individual strands so that the music’s emotional content is communicated with clarity.

The essence of music Changing to REM’s Find The River, the Planar 3 delivers Michael Stipe’s distinctive vocals with style. There’s plenty of texture and nuance, and a convincing sense of body. The gentle swing of the track is brilliantly rendered and there are equal doses of power, weight and articulation.

That Rega has managed to pack this standard of audio quality into such a relatively affordable design is an amazing feat. The Planar 3 locates the essence of any piece of music and conveys it with passion and emotion.

Few products are more deserving of the accolade Product of the Year.

December 2016 | What Hi Fi? | 11

TURNTABLES AWARDS 2016

BEST TURNTABLE UNDER 50,000 REGA PLANAR 1 36,000 Since the original Planar 1, Rega has made a considerable number of tweaks and improvements to its turntable, so much so the overall effect is such a jump in audio quality that the previous winner of this category, the Pro-Ject Essential II, seems almost lazy by comparison. The Planar 1 makes a performance of any track, while lesser decks sound like they’re only rehearsing.

The platter enhances the flywheel effect, and this is the first of Rega’s entry-level turntables to house a 24V synchronous AC motor with an aluminium pulley (which results in a lower noise and improved speed stability). The new RB110 tonearm’s precision bearings and automatic bias adjustment has been modified too. It sounds a lot more expensive than it is, earning itself a space in our testing room reference system.

Hits the right note Rega’s claim that the Planar 1 is a plug-in-andplay product is more than just marketing spiel.

We spin The Tallest Man On Earth’s Dark Bird Is Home and the moment we hit Darkness Of The Dream there’s a notable shot of adrenaline.

The Planar 1 snaps at the heels of the song.

It’s full of energy and solidity that resonates

The Planar 1 could be the last component of your system to be upgraded

superbly with the Tom Petty/Waterboys-infused drive of this track, as it does when supporting the album’s more delicate numbers. You’re not going to be wanting for body from this turntable.

Switching to Django Reinhardt’s Djangology and the Planar 1 soon reveals an intensity to the way Reinhardt fingers his notes. It’s phenomenally precise, and we are able to hear the distinction between those notes stroked and those punished with a firm hand.

Nothing better Probably the finest test of any product is how long we use it once having already come to our conclusion. In this case, the Planar 1 is still playing and proving it can turn its hand to

Dmitri Shostakovich as adeptly as it does Toots and the Maytals or Charlie Parker. Even as an entry-level turntable, this is the kind of player that could feasibly be the last of your system’s components that you’d need to upgrade. At this price, there is nothing better on the market.

“The Planar 1 sounds more expensive than it is, earning a place in our reference kit”

BEST TURNTABLE UNDER 1,00,000 CLEARAUDIO CONCEPT 94,600 Concept is definitely a ‘plug-and-play’ product.

The company’s own MM Concept cartridge is fitted to the Verify Direct Wire Plus tonearm, and Clearaudio sets everything, up to and including the cartridge weight and bias, before it leaves the factory. All that’s left to do is fit the platter and drive belt – then the Clearaudio is ready to play.

Volcanic rock The Clearaudio Concept pt makes ffor a speciall p experience p ownership

The only turntable to retain its 2015 Award, Clearaudio’s Concept remains a steadfast champion in our testing rooms, facing off every challenge that has come its way.

Unlike some rival designs in this upper price segment that require patience, a steady hand and a passable grasp of mathematics, the

We like products that make the ownership experience special, and this Clearaudio does just that. It’s brilliantly made, combining simple lines with a top-quality finish. In fact, before playing a record, it’s worth taking a moment to admire the Concept’s clean design and substantial appearance. Speed (33⅓, 45 and 78rpm) is controlled by a hefty rotary dial, and the whole thing exudes the sort of solidity more usually associated with volcanic rocks.

The Concept has a fast and agile sound that picks up subtleties with ease. It has strong

dynamics and sonic precision, and is at home with all types of music. It also possesses a neutrality of character that means it will fit comfortably into most systems.

It’s a thriller Play Billie Jean from Michael Jackson’s Thriller and the Clearaudio is little short of thrilling. It thunders through the low-frequency action with poise and pace to spare, combining punch, extension and tonal variance in equal meaure.

There’s never any doubt of the dynamic power the Concept brings to the songs, and its timing is crisp enough that it never misses a beat, giving momentum and drive to tricky recordings without losing composure or focus.

We said that the Clearaudio’s strengths are untouched by time, and the fact that it remains the best vinyl player at this price is a testament to the astounding sound quality from such a classy design. It’s going to take something special to knock this turntable out of place.

“It remains the best player at this price – testament to astounding sound quality” December 2016 | What Hi Fi? | 13

STREAMERS AWARDS 2016

STREAMERS

Have music files stored in a range of formats and want to play them all via one box? Our Award-winning streamers may be the solution

The Azur 851N is well built and capable of class-leading sound

PRODUCT O F EAR E 1Y6 H0 T2

BEST MUSIC STREAMER 1,00,000- 1,50,000 CAMBRIDGE AUDIO AZUR 851N 1,41,300 Cambridge knows how to make great music streamers. Last year the company took our top streamer Award with the CXN and this year it’s the turn of the range-topping Azur 851N. The 851N is a definite step up from the CXN in performance, as it should be considering the price difference. It’s a more versatile product too –unlike the CXN, it can double as a digital preamplifier. This means you can plug it straight into a power amp or a pair of active speakers, saving on the cost of a standalone preamp and all the associated cabling.

Striking gold Inside you’ll find the volume controlled by a 32-bit Blackfin digital signal processor and the number crunching done by a pair of 24-bit Analog Devices DACs. These are configured in dual-differential mode for greater accuracy, according to Cambridge. There’s better connectivity too, with the 851N adding a second coaxial and optical, and third USB, inputs as well as the less common AES/EBU connection. That’s all great, but it’s sound quality where this streamer really strikes gold.

The 851N has a muscular, full-bodied presentation laced with enthusiastic drive, bone-rattling punch and class-leading insight. Every track you play is served with large helpings of expression, dynamic skill and detail. In Sufjan Stevens’ Jacksonville, cascading violins, keyboards and banjo-strumming are all wonderfully textured around his intimately

rendered vocal. Trumpets soar freely through the mix, and the delicate bells never have to fight for attention.

While the Azur 851N excels with a 24-bit/192kHz recording of Hans Zimmer’s Born In Darkness – giving it a dramatic and layered presentation – it doesn’t sound unduly put out when we feed in a 320kbps MP3 version of the track either. There’s some loss of atmosphere and it lacks a touch of expression, but there’s still enough quality on show to keep us listening.

Class-leading quality The 851N’s design looks ‘premium’ and we don’t doubt its solid full-metal casework or polished (silver or dark grey) finish will stand the test of time.

While the intuitive remote is on hand, the free Cambridge Connect app (iOS and Android) is the best way to access and browse your music. It works well, promptly picking up the servers on our network – just make sure both your device and streamer are on the same network.

Whether you connect the Azur over wi-fi with the supplied USB adapter or via ethernet cable, networked music files up to 24-bit/192kHz can be streamed from your PC, laptop or NAS drive. It can handle everything from DSD64 to FLAC and WAV. Spotify Connect and AirPlay are also included, as is Bluetooth if you purchase an optional dongle.

Cambridge has produced a music streamer that’s well built, generously featured and, most importantly, capable of class-leading sound quality.

While 1,41,300 is a hefty sum, we feel the Azur 851N is worth every penny.

December 2016 | What Hi Fi? | 15

STREAMERS AWARDS 2016

BEST MUSIC STREAMER UNDER 5000 GOOGLE CHROMECAST AUDIO 3389 Google knows a thing or two about streaming. You can look at the success of the Chromecast to see that. The audio version is designed to bring wireless streaming to your (offline) traditional home hi-fi.

The premise is essentially the same as with the video equivalent: the device connects to your wi-fi network, streams directly from the internet and is controlled by smartphones, tablets and computers.

So where does the music come from? You’ll need a Cast-compatible app. There are many

free and subscription options including Spotify and Google Play Music.

There are two hard-wire connections: a microUSB port used purely for power (with a wall adapter included in the box), and a hybrid 3.5mm/digital optical output.

Affordable home audio Setting up is a breeze. Use the app to speak to the Chromecast Audio, then tell it to log into your home’s wi-fi. The most complicated thing here is deciding on what to name your new toy.

“For people who want to get into streaming, this is an ideal toe-dipping product”

The Chromecast app is no longer just a set-up portal either. Now it also serves as a discovery tool: it lists all the apps you have that are Cast-compatible, with the option to download others. It also lets you manage your network connection settings and, more importantly, your sound settings.

There is a ‘guest mode’, which allows other people to control and play music on the Chromecast Audio without joining your home’s wi-fi. Multi-room functionality has also been added, which makes this one of the most affordable way to get into whole home audio.

A whole new world We try the Chromecast Audio with a range of products, from a Denon D-M40 micro system to our reference Naim/Gamut/ATC combination, and it performs well. It’s no substitute for the more expensive music streamers in this market sector, but it offers excellent functionality at a tempting price while still sounding perfectly acceptable.

For many people who want to get into network streaming, this is the ideal toe-dipping product. It opens up a whole world of new listening possibilities, all for the price of a takeaway meal. That’s great value in our book.

The Google Chromecast Audio will bring streaming to your home hi-fi system

BEST MUSIC STREAMER 50,000- 1,00,000 CAMBRIDGE CXN 79,600 Last year’s Product of the Year wins in its price class again, but this victory is hardly a surprise. The CXN’s fantastic performance separates it from the herd – there’s a completeness to the performance, combining subtlety, snappy timing and rich detail, that’s just wonderfully entertaining.

Energetic drive The CXN has punchy presentation with a good grasp of rhythm and low-end impact. Basslines are textured and bound along happily thanks to the lively sense of rhythm. Leading and trailing edges of notes are precisely delivered, and there’s seemingly no end to the energetic drive.

The CXN doesn’t hold back from delivering the full impact of a song: the brooding, screeching intensity of The Dead Weather’s 60 Feet Tall is fully conveyed. The admirably balanced tone in evidence never puts a foot out of place, either. Drums hit accurately, the bass digs deep, and the top end sparkles – but stops shy of sounding bright or coarse.

The midrange in particular sounds lovely, with voices fully fleshed out and packed with character. The streamer isn’t fussy about file type, sounding fluid and dynamic with hi-res and Spotify-streamed tracks alike.

Another year, another Award for the wonderfully entertaining Cambridge CXN You can connect to your home network via ethernet, but Cambridge Audio includes a wi-fi antenna in the box if you prefer the flexibility of a wireless connection. The front or back USB ports can charge your smartphone, but for playback both inputs are compatible only with USB hard drives and memory sticks.

USB input). All digital inputs on the CXN are capable of playing hi-res files of up to 24-bit/192kHz resolution.

We have to hand it to Cambridge Audio. The CXN remains the obvious choice at this part of the market. If its big brother, the 851N, hadn’t turned up, this would have won the Product of the Year gong again. It’s that good.

Extensive file support The CXN also features Spotify Connect and internet radio, and file support is extensive: all the popular formats like WAV, FLAC, AIFF, ALAC and MP3 are supported, as well as DSD 64 files (which can only be played using the back-panel

“The CXN remains the obvious choice at this part of the market” December 2016 | What Hi Fi? | 17

STREAMERS AWARDS 2016

BEST MUSIC STREAMER 2,50,000+ NAIM ND5 XS 3,00,000 Regular readers will know we use Naim’s range-topping NDS/555PS streamer/power supply combination as our reference music streamer. We love it – but we’ll let you into a secret: you can get a good slice of the NDS experience, and save the price of a car in the process, by plumping for the ND5 XS. No, it doesn’t sound as good, but Naim’s entrylevel streamer has pretty much the same infectious character as its mighty big brother. In fact, it’s identical right down to the extensive feature list that covers pretty much anything anyone could reasonably want.

Toe-tapping performance But features are not the main reason the ND5 XS wins an Award. That’s down to sound quality. It’s a stunningly capable streamer no matter what kind of music you throw at it. Feed it wellrecorded, high-resolution files, and it shines.

Kate Bush’s 50 Words For Snow (in 24-bit/96kHz) bursts through with confidence

and authority like no other. Each lilt and inflection of her vocal is enunciated through the streamer with startling precision.

It’s a stunningly balanced and dynamic presentation, with seemingly no limit to the highs and lows it can reach.

The treble is rounded off just a little at the very top end to combat any undue brightness.

However, it’s not at the cost of any excitement or detail – Nina Simone is still allowed to belt her vocals out, for example, and Tom Waits has his signature rasp intact.

The ND5 XS handles delicacy and muscle when needed. Timing is precise, with every instrument working cohesively in a carefully controlled soundstage. It never sounds too analytical.

Radiohead’s challenging arrangement in 15 Step is one of our favourite test tracks, and the Naim takes it in its stride. Snappy and tightly woven, it’s a toe-tapping performance. The ND5 XS has an effortless quality to it, and given the appropriate partnering equipment, it flourishes.

A tempting product Naim’s sturdy black chassis, minimalist design and crystal-clear display have an elegant, premium-quality feel to them. The supplied remote control looks smart and feels natural to use, with buttons laid out logically and the menu responding instantly to any presses.

The ND5 XS is a tempting product, with few weak points. If we wanted a premium music streamer this is where our money would go.

Naim’s entry-level streamer has an infectious character

“The ND5 XS is a stunningly capable streamer, whatever kind of music you give it“

How to... stream

Router

Computer/ Laptop

Network Attached Storage Store all your music files on the NAS, which then connects to your home network via a router

Stereo amplifier If you have digital inputs, try USB or optical connection to hook the amplifier up to the streamer

Tablet

Smartphone

Networked streamer The streamer sends your music from the NAS to your hi-fi system – and connects to other devices

Loudspeakers Connect your speakers to the amplifier, sit back and play music via your NAS-based audio system

December 2016 | What Hi Fi? | 19

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AWARDS 2016 IN-EAR HEADPHONES

IN-EAR HEADPHONES For great sound on the move or something for the commute, a pair of in-ears might do the trick

PRODUCT O F EAR E 1Y6 H0 T2 Momentum M2s are still the best-sounding in-ears, pound for pound

BEST IN-EAR HEADPHONES 5000- 10,000 SENNHEISER MOMENTUM M2 IEi 6990 It’s another year, another Product of the Year Award for the Sennheiser Momentum M2 in-ear headphones. Not only are they the crème de la crème of in-ears at this price, they’ve also dropped in price since last year.

This sector of the in-ear market is hugely competitive and ever-growing, so it’s to the M2s credit they’re able to stand out from the pack for the second year in succession.

Weighty, yet nimble The M2s deliver the wonderfully smooth and balanced sound that we have come to expect from 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. Play 50 Cent’s I’m The Man and each pounding, prodding bass kick boasts weight. Leading edges are well defined, and the pace is aided by the Sennheiser’s nimbleness and ability to time a fast tempo.

The highs of the percussion are crisp and precise without sounding too hard or overly sharp – they pulse and scatter out of the top of the presentation with impressive dynamism.

24 | What Hi Fi? | December 2016

There’s a fine sense of clarity to the sound too. Playing The Temper Trap’s Lost, there is impressive spaciousness around instruments and vocals – the finer nuances are easy to pick out and the emotion of the track comes through with ease. Each level of the sound is given plenty of space in which to shine.

Jump straight in For the money, it’s impossible to question the M2’s ability. Numerous rivals have fallen short, and even models costing twice the price have struggled to keep up with these super-talented in-ears.

Whether you want to upgrade your entry-level buds or just want to jump straight in at this price, the Sennheiser Momentum M2 in-ears deliver outstanding sound quality on all fronts.

“The M2s deliver the wonderfully smooth and balanced sound that we have come to expect from the Momentum family”

IN-EAR HEADPHONES AWARDS 2016

BEST IN-EAR HEADPHONES UNDER 3000 SOUNDMAGIC E10C 2399 SoundMagic has become a regular fixture in this category over the past few years. The company’s affordable E10s, in one form or other, have walked away with five Awards over the past five years. This makes it six from six.

In this version, the C stands for ‘compatibility’ – E10Cs now feature a three-button remote that automatically switches the poles on the jack for compatibility with iOS and Android. Previously you had to flick a switch on the headphones and it was only a one-button remote. Needless to say, the new streamlined system works a treat and helps you warm to them instantly.

For budget in-ears, the E10Cs are extremely desirable. The well-made metal buds look smart, and they feel a good deal more luxurious than the agreeably budget price suggests.

“For budget in-ears, the E10Cs are very desirable.

They feel more luxurious than their price suggests”

The E10Cs are a textbook Award-winner, a good value-for-money product, which has few serious rivals. An almost giveaway budget price, coupled with some great sonic skills, give consumers little excuse to persist with the (mo (mostly) average earphones supplied with most musi players. ssmartphones p s and music

C Consistency i y is i key y C for f ‘compatibility’? More like ‘consistency’..

For the sixth y year in a row, the E10s remain F o b dg headphones, h d h d though h gh the h our ggo-to budget and ssound quality hasn’t taken a huge g leap forward th k bl that h SoundMagic d c this time, it’s remarkable ccan still finds f ff different ways to implement iimprovements without h b h price.. bumping up the

SoundMagic’s E10s remain our go-to budget headphones

Lucid highs From the pummeling guitar chords that open PJ Harvey’s The Ministry of Defence, the E10Cs aren’t afraid to empty their tank, throwing their weight and enthusiasm behind the thunderous metal-heavy orchestration.

Vocals bask in the clarity of the SoundMagic’s midrange with pleasing insight. Bass levels are deftly handled, while highs sound lucid.

BEST IN-EAR HEADPHONES 10,000 10 000- 25,000 2 , SHURE SE425 23,220 If you’ve just had a feeling of déjà vu it could because the SE425s are appearing in their fourth consecutive What Hi-Fi? Awards issue.

Like the Sennheiser M2s, the SE425s are repeat winners and it doesn’t take a degree in audio engineering to hear why they have dominated this section since 2013.

Pulse with energy It’s all about the detail – and lots of it at that.

The Shures immerse you to such a degree you almost forget the headphones are looped over your ears. The level of finesse and degree of sophistication on offer here is astonishing. energy. Put on These headphones pulse with energ prove they’re some classic rock and the SE425s SE p y more than capable of handlingg punchy drum hythms without ever tipping thwacks and tight rh g over into brashness.

The midrange is as ssolid as you like, and that rich vein of detail continues right down the frequency range. Vocalss are nuanced and placed to the fore, yet they neve f ver conflict with other elements in the same freq quency range.

It’s helped by the sensee off isolation, which aids low-frequency extensi y sion. The SE425s really do block out almost everyth d you. hing around

“It doesn’t take a degree in audio engineering to hear why the SE425s are repeat winners in this category”

The enclosures are detachable, so any worn-out cables can be replaced for less than the price of a new pair of headphones. They also swivel on the ends of the cables, making them easier to fit.

If you are on board with the unconventi nventional styling, and the SE425s being k d on your eing h hooked ears, you’ll never k Shure h h ha er look b back. has set such high h stand standard that its main rivals have ffallen w ll short. h bl not to consider d these h well It’s impossible iimpressive buds worthy off an Award..

The SE425s are all about energy, finesse and sophistication

December 2016 | What Hi Fi? | 25

AWARDS 2016 IN-EAR HEADPHONES

BEST IN-EAR HEADPHONES 25,000+ AKG N40 30,000 Approx.

If your music system is portable or PC-based, and features hi-res music files and a headphone amp/DAC, you might have your sights set on a premium pair of in-ear headphones.

And at £350, the N40s should be right at the top of your list. These smart-looking lightweight headphones are mostly plastic in build, but made to look fancier with a shiny silver finish.

“The N40s are a sensational pair of headphones. We’re certain you’ll love them”

Filter tips They’re comfortable, with the fitted over-ear hooks keeping the buds in position for an effective seal. They also allow minimise cable noise, which is ideal for using on the move.

Perhaps the most interesting selling point is the fact you can swap the earphones’ filters to tweak the sound. Installed in the factory are the standard, or ‘Reference Sound’, filters but you also get tiny pairs of ‘Bass Boost’ and ‘High Boost’ filters that can be swapped in to give more oomph to the bottom or top ends.

The N40s with the Reference Sound filters sound rather fantastic, particularly when driven by a suitable source. Bolster the sound with a DAC, such as the DragonFly Red, and the N40s spring further into life. We play Radiohead’s Burn The Witch and the track’s threatening,

The AKG N40s come with two pairs of filters to boost bass or treble

string-led energy grabs you from the off. Thom Yorke’s haunting, echoey vocal is given plenty of room to breathe in the midst of the carefully orchestrated instrumental chaos around it.

Raw beauty Switch to Nick Cave and Warren Ellis’s soundtrack for The Road and the AKG’s have the

detail recovery and low-level dynamics to deliver the texture and raw beauty of this recording in full. Overall the delivery has great range and impressive balance.

The AKG N40s are a sensational pair of headphones and, provided the rest of your system is suitably talented, we are almost certain that you’ll love them.

e is right for n o h p d a e h f o e p ty h ic Can do Wh

OVER-EAR The most traditional hi-fi headphone design (also called circumaural), these cup your ears completely, usually with semi-airtight earcups.

You’ll notice cans of this type used as monitors in recording studios. Depending on the type of design they use they can be extremely effective at cutting out the noise of the outside world.

26 | What Hi Fi? | December 2016

ON-EAR Supra-aural or on-ear designs tend to be smaller and lighter than circumaural models. They sit on your ears rather than over them, usually pressing on to them as well. Some listeners find them lighter and easier to wear for extended listening than over-ear models, but their design necessarily means they tend to allow in more sounds from outside.

you?

IN-EAR Gone are the days when everyone else has to hear your music. In-ear buds are a great way to isolate yourself in sound. Nowadays, in-ears usually come with a range of differently sized rubber tips, which help provide a good seal.

There are many designs out there and a better fit means better sound, so experiment with tip sizes.

SOUNDBARS & SOUNDBASES AWARDS 2016

SOUNDBARS & SOUNDBASES Soundbars, and their bigger Soundbase cousins, will boost your TV’s sound, without needing to invest in a home cinema system

It’s a hat-trick of Awards for the smooth-sounding Q Acoustics Media 4

PRODUCT O F EAR E 1Y6 H0 T2

BEST SOUNDBAR UNDER 50,000 Q ACOUSTICS MEDIA 4 45,000 Three years on, and the Q Acoustics Media 4 shows no sign of stopping. Even when faced with competition from within – the brand new Q Acoustics M3 – the Media 4 can’t be toppled from its Product of the Year throne. With its svelte design and HDMI input, the new M3 should be the better soundbar. But the M3 doesn’t time as well as the Media 4, and there’s a tubbiness to the bassline. The Media 4 is only more too, which seems a small price to pay for a better balanced and more rhythmically interesting sound.

Loud and clear So what’s the secret? The Media 4 is simply a joy to listen to. Whether you’re watching Daredevil or The Great British Bake Off, its fluid dynamics, expressive midrange and solid sound will keep you hooked.

Even when things start getting hairy in John Wick, with bullets puncturing holes in their targets, the Media 4 keeps its composure: there are no aggressive highs, nor any flabby basslines. Voices are heard loud and clear, and there’s enough nuance to discern sarcasm, humour and

heartbreak when the dialogue calls for it. Glass-shatters, punches and gunshots have crispness and depth to them, even with a layer of smoothness making everything comfortable to listen to.

Setting standards This sturdy bar is nicely made, even if the trapezoidal shape might be a touch awkward to accommodate. However, the extra space allows for a large, elliptical subwoofer driver to be placed at the back of the cabinet, which is responsible for the soundbar’s impressive low-end weight and negates the need for a separate subwoofer.

Connectivity remains basic but practical. We’re not fussed about the lack of HDMI, as it’s simpler to hook your TV up to the soundbar’s optical input. You can add other music sources using the coaxial, stereo RCA and 3.5mm inputs, and there’s Bluetooth for wireless streaming.

The Media 4 might not deliver the biggest sound, but its effortlessly enjoyable sound and smooth balance continues to set the standard. It has delivered a hat-trick of Award wins and, for now at least, it’s untouchable.

December 2016 | What Hi Fi? | 27

SOUNDBARS & SOUNDBASES AWARDS 2016

BEST SOUNDBAR 80,000+ DALI KUBIK ONE 1,05,000 Every time we look at the Dali Kubik One, we’re a little more smitten.

Though this luxurious soundbar would look at home in a lifestyle magazine, with its cloth finish and svelte design, thankfully the Danish manufacturer’s rich heritage in loudspeaker design means it belongs firmly in the pages of a hi-fi magazine.

Start with The Martian on Blu-ray and you’ll be greeted with a stunningly revealing sound with an astonishing level of authority. The Kubik One is a big bar, and the soundstage produced is wide and spacious, allowing sound effects to comfortably ping around the soundfield with The Dali wouldn’t look out of place in the pages of a lifestyle magazine

precision and punch. Dynamically, the soundbar is so fluid and layered we’re completely caught up in the action on screen.

Attention-grabbing There’s ample low-end heft to the roar of engines and explosions in Mad Max: Fury Road, while The Imitation Game’s melancholic soundtrack is handled with impressive control and dynamics – you can hear the layers of textures in the piano notes and the sweeping, swelling strings. Dialogue in particular is remarkably clear and expressive, with voices packed with nuance and depth. It’s an immersive performance.

But whether you’re watching a film or listening to music, the Kubik One’s greatest strength is its ability to grab your attention. We just don’t usually expect this kind of experience from a soundbar.

The Dali is kitted out with two optical and a single pair of analogue inputs, aptX Bluetooth streaming and a sub output. But our favourite is the addition of a micro USB port for

your PC or Mac laptop. Three cheers if you’ve got a library of hi-res tracks stored on there – the Dali can handle tracks up to 24-bit/96kHz. The Bluesound Pulse Soundbar, its nearest rival, adds the ability to play even higher resolutions and has more streaming options, but the Dali surpasses it in every other way.

Obvious talents Elsewhere, the petite metal remote control is a welcome upgrade from the original plastic credit card-style device, and the buttons on the unit are responsive and nice to use, too. That price tag might sound a little steep for your average soundbar, but we think the Kubik One’s talents are obvious from the moment you press ‘play’.

This is the second time running the Dali Kubik One has won an Award, and we can’t fault it. We’re once again astonished at how refined, articulate and cinematic this elegant Dali sounds. It’s a gorgeous and hugely entertaining centrepiece for your home’s sound system.

“We don’t usually expect this kind of experience from a soundbar”

BEST SOUNDBASE CANTON DM55 69,000 Soundbases haven’t enjoyed the same popularity as soundbars of late.

While soundbars have flourished thanks to their slim and wall-mountable form, flat, rectangular and chunky soundbases have been rather sidelined.

But this excellent Canton DM55 continues to make a case for the humble soundbase. If your TV is on a stand, and there’s space under it, then that’s where the DM55 will make its home.

Not all brawn As a potential way to improve your TV’s sound, the DM55 is well worth considering. The chunky, solid sound is packed with subtle textures and soaring dynamics, and it’s fairly slim and compact by soundbase standards.

You’ll hardly notice it’s there.

You can connect your TV to either the optical or coaxial inputs (there’s no HDMI input), while analogue inputs and aptX Bluetooth streaming are available if you want to listen to music.

As the superpowered, city-dropping action in Avengers: Age of Ultron gets underway, the DM55 handles the tense drama and explosions with aplomb. This soundbase has a rich and meaty character, which is perfect for fully conveying the The Hulk’s stomping, raging battle against Iron Man. Special effects are spaced out, with the right amount of punch and excitement keeping you drawn into each fight sequence. Bass hits deep for a soundbase of this size, but remains tight and stops short of being overpowering.

It’s not all brawn, though. The DM55 is subtle and agile, showing control and restraint even at a higher volume. The full-bodied balance means there’s no undue harshness, and that warm, fluid sound goes well with music too.

Switching from ‘Stereo’ mode to ‘Surround’ opens up the soundfield, giving you a more cinematic feel, but without compromising the cohesion of the midrange.

Premium flourish This is the second year running the Canton DM55 has won this Award. We haven’t encountered another soundbase to challenge the DM55, not least because its competitive price tag offers an appealing combination of features, solid build and excellent sound quality.

Canton’s glass-topped design adds a premium flourish to what is already a well-built unit. It’s an affordable product that will elevate your TV’s wispy sound to a whole new level of excitement.

The DM55 is bigger than a soundbar, but fits nicely under your TV

“It offers an appealing mix of features, solid build and excellent sound quality” December 2016 | What Hi Fi? | 29

AWARDS 2016 PROJECTORS

PROJECTORS

Nothing recreates the immersive cinema experience like a projector – and there’s now real quality right across the price spectrum This projector balances performance and price better than any other

PRODUCT O F EAR E 1Y6 H0 T2

BEST PROJECTOR 1,00,000- 2,00,000 SONY VPL-HW45ES You might be wondering why the most affordable of the three Sony projectors winning an Award this year is graced with the Product of the Year title. But it’s precisely because it’s so modestly priced (for a projector) while delivering such a riveting picture that it wins the top accolade.

Bright sparks, sharp contrast Pop in the Blu-ray of X-Men: Days Of Future Past and you get a crisp, detailed picture that’s lovely to watch. The projector’s 1800 lumens output means you get a bright picture even in a partially lit room, but turn off all the lights and those sharp metallic backgrounds, clean whites and flashes of special effects burst with stark contrast against convincing blacks.

Colours are pleasantly natural as well. Many projectors can be prone to exaggeration in that respect, but the VPL-HW45ES can pride itself on a realistic palette that nevertheless maintains an arresting vividness.

Skintones are well judged, strands of hair and threads are distinguishable, and the various cool greys inside the prison breakout scene are delivered with enough subtlety to discern various textures and depth.

While good by projector standards, motion is never as smooth as you’d get on a top TV – but employing the middle-ground motion processing should iron out any hiccups or judders without incurring an artificial sheen.

30 | What Hi Fi? | December 2016

Like all other Sony projectors we’ve tested this year, you get only two HDMI inputs – but we find this sufficient for our sources. Set up is satisfyingly simple, with only a few twists of the lens and a whiz through our trusty THX Optimizer disc needed before we get a perfectly enjoyable (and correctly sized) picture.

There are plenty of features included by Sony here to fine-tune the picture, but largely you needn’t fiddle about with them, more so due to the native 1080P picture quality being so good rather than the settings themselves being obsolete.

How good is it?

The VPL-HW45ES is really, really good. The fact that it delivers such a compelling and beautifully balanced picture, should be celebrated. You can get a noticeably better picture if you step up to the VPL-HW65ES opposite, but you do have to pay more than a grand extra for that advantage.

The VPL-HW45ES, on the other hand, strikes that perfect balance between performance and price for which we’re always on the lookout.

It’s affordable enough for anyone looking to start a home cinema (or to upgrade one) and the picture quality is articulate and exciting enough to stand you in good stead for years to come.

PROJECTORS AWARDS 2016

BEST PROJECTOR UNDER 80,000 EPSON SO EH-TW5350 5350 This EH-TW5350 brings a bit of the magic of cinema into your living room.

We haven’t come across a budget projector this talented in a long while, and it took us only a few minutes’ of enjoying the Epson’s clean and detailed picture before we knew it was a Best Buy Award contender.

The attractive chassis is small enough to give you lots of placement options

A mature approach We wish all budget products had the kind of maturity Epson employs with its Full HD picture. The detail on show isn’t flashy or screaming to be noticed – it’s subtle and allows gradients of colour and texture to be shown. The crispness isn’t overly etched either, giving characters a natural, three-dimensional quality.

Noise is minimal across Blu-rays and DVDs alike, and the colour palette is well balanced, but the two aspects that stand out on the Epson are contrast and motion. Motion is stable, even when the action in Edge Of Tomorrow gets frantic, while the interplay of dark and bright scenes is judged wonderfully. Black depth doesn’t go as deep as we’ve seen on pricier projectors, but it is solid and textured. And when bright lamps, blazing fires and gunshots spark against shadows, it makes for an exciting, involving watch.

“It proves you can get a really skilful and enjoyable projector on a budget” The EH-TW5350’s curved chassis is nicely built, and its compact form means you have the freedom to place it anywhere you want. Since it’s more likely to be used in normal-sized living rooms, it needs to be placed relatively close to the screen - its throw ratio is 1.22-1.47:1.

The EH-TW5350 comes with a decent spread p of HDMI and analogue o g connections on the back panel,, and while it does have its own 5W p speakers, they’re too wispy and reedy. We’d definitely use external speakers to get a more involving sound to match that engaging picture.

Epson should be proud. Not only does the EH-TW5350 make its case against the Sony projectors dominating this year, it also proves you can get a really skilful and enjoyable projector on a budget.

BEST PROJECTOR 3,00,000+ SONY VPL-HW65ES 3,16,700 With 4K TV screens becoming more affordable for the home, surely there’s no place for a 3,16,700 projector that only does Full HD resolution? Sony defies that notion thanks to the enthralling performance of the VPL-HW65ES. It’s a very filmic picture, by which we mean it has that quality you associate with watching

“Colours and sharpness are believable, all the while drawing you into the film”

film reels in the cinema – a kind of depth and detail that doesn’t shout out at you. The colours and sharpness of the picture are believable, all the while drawing you into the film.

The projector’s excellent handling of contrast is what gives it this cinematic quality. Sony marries a claimed contrast ratio of 120,000:1 with 1800 lumens of brightness to deliver a bold image with ease and subtlety.

The level of detail is excellent. You can pick out the textures of clothing, right down to ratty ff on a well worn jumper. sneakers and the ffluff

Colours are natural yet also rich. A less capable projector would struggle with distinguishing the various hues of brown and grey in The Imitation Game, but this Sony displays the various wooden textures and black and grey suits with ease. If we have a criticism, it’s that the picture’s sharpness falters briefly when it plunges into a dark scene. It’s a minor quibble though. From the way natural sunlight permeates dark corners without sacrificing any intensity, to the smooth motion handling, this Sony is a talented and engaging performer.

There are some quirks: there are only two HDMI inputs, and you’ll have to let your Blu-ray do the DVD upscaling. But this Sony is so easy to live with, we don’t mind those shortcomings.

Tried and tested tech

Excellent handling of contrast helps gives this Sony’s projections an engaging cinematic quality

Sony proves it doesn’t always have to push the boundaries of picture technology to give home cinema fans a great big-screen experience. It can do just fine with a ‘normal’ Full HD image.

Don’t forget: you have to pay a lot more for a native 4K projector. That’s a huge amount of money, and some of us aren’t prepared to futureproof ourselves this early. For those who want an enticing, big-screen picture that does justice to all your Blu-rays, this Sony is your best bet.

December 2016 | What Hi Fi? | 31

Debut S12EQ by Andrew Jones.

12-inch 1,000-Watt Powered Subwoofer

Advanced Bluetooth® Control Doing away with traditional analog controls, the subwoofer incorporates our advanced digital control system. Simply download the ELAC SubEQ app for your smartphone* and you have complete control. No more fumbling around the back of the subwoofer again.

Auto EQ Utilizing our SubEQ app and your smartphone’s microphone, the subwoofer will automatically EQ itself to your room’s unique characteristics using a 12-Band parametric equalizer. Full manual EQ is available as well.

Custom Driver A custom 12-inch long-throw driver provides the quality and quantity of bass that is fundamental to accurately reproducing today’s demanding movie soundtracks and music.

A 12-inch passive radiator improves the transient response and increases the efficiency of the system.

BASH® Amplifier All ELAC subwoofers utilize BASH tracking amplifiers. Unlike conventional amplifiers, BASH amplifiers track the input signal and adjust the available supply voltage to a traditional Class AB amplifier. This makes the amplifier incredibly efficient but also provides the on-demand power needed for dynamic movies and music.

Braced MDF Cabinet A horizontal center brace strengthens and stiffens the cabinet, helping minimize unwanted vibrations that can discolor music or movie content.

Auto Power On/Off The subwoofer will detect when an audio signal is being sent to the amplifier and will power on. Also, to conserve energy, the subwoofer will power off after a long period of inactivity.

PROJECTORS AWARDS 2016

BEST 4K PROJECTOR SONY VPL-VW520ES 10,58,000 Sony has gone for broke this year, with this superb cutting-edge Ultra HD 4K HDR projector wowing us with its eye-boggling performance – and huge price tag.

We’ve seen 4K projectors from Sony before – it’s the addition of HDR support that sets this unit apart. Only one of the two HDMI inputs is HDCP 2.2 compliant and capable of accepting HDR, it s via that you’ll you ll enjoy 4K HDR HDR so it’s Blu-rays y and streams from Netflix and Amazon..

The VPL-VW520ES 4K 0 uses s s three native a SXRD p panels as l with h a 4096 x 2160 resolution, l

per the 4K film-projection standard and much like a commercial 4K cinema (as opposed to the 3840 x 2160 resolution on TVs). And if that doesn’t have you drooling over the page, maybe the claimed 300,000:1 contrast ratio and 1500 lumens brightness will. It should do, because the results are stunning.

This flagship produces the “This most big-screen m iimpressive i big picture we’ve ever seen” p

When put all together, this flagship Sony delivers the most impressive big-screen picture we’ve ever laid eyes on. It balances dark and bright elements (and all the shades in between) expertly and it truly wows on our 96in screen with its sharpness, accuracy and precision.

Spending time tweaking the Sony’s colour and experimenting with contrast modes pays off royally, so when we test the results on Mad Max: Fury Road, desert landscapes don’t look too richly hued. In fact, that spot-on palette coupled with gritty texture and wide-open insight provides a realism that’ll soon have you reaching for a glass of water.

Upmarket upscaling

The VW520ES uses the full cinema 4K resolution rather than the compromised TV standard

This is up there with one of most complete projected pictures we’ve seen, and we aren’t talking just about 4K performance. Full HD Blu-rays and even DVDs are upscaled admirably, with a clarity that exceeds our expectations.

Inevitably the picture sheds a layer of sharpness, but colour and contrast remain on the money.

When our only complaint is that you don’t get any 3D glasses in the box, you know Sony is onto a winner. A 2016 Award-winner, no less. It’s a beast of a performer and an impressive indicator to the future of home cinema.

re quality tu ic p r u o y st te to s e n Top film sce Star Wars: The Force Awakens (2015) Chapter 1 The much-anticipated seventh instalment of the franchise is a visual treat, but the intro alone gives you plenty to look at. The iconic yellow text-crawl will challenge the motion-handling skills of even the most proficient projector, while the brightness of stars is a great test of your local dimming.

How much darkness is your display capable of, without drowning out the twinkling stars?

And how well does it juggle light and darkness when the planet appears? Finally, when the planet is eclipsed by that ship, is there a chunk of absolute darkness?

Monsters, Inc (2001) Chapter 4 The whole film is a glorious test of colour palette, but chapter four has a bit of everything. Sully snoozing sees each breath disturb the fine

hairs on his furry arms. Then there’s Mike’s mini-workout, which sees more frenzied movements – there’s even more fur flapping around for your TV to lock on to.

As the double-act head outside, you’re greeted by a burst of sunshine and a great panning shot down onto the streets of Monstropolis. With the best projectors you should experience a fine sense of depth as the camera captures the entire length of the street, while there’s plenty of potential for juddering and flickering along the edges of the sharply drawn buildings.

Casino Royale (2006) Chapter 2 You can always rely on Bond. While the motorbike chase in the opening to Skyfall is a strong contender, and well worth a look, it’s the elaborate parkour pursuit from Casino Royale we find most demanding.

Animations, such as Monsters, Inc. can provide a stern test

This is eight enthralling minutes of fast, blink-and-you-miss-it action as Bond and his nemesis jump from crane to crane and platform to platform, demanding a silkysmooth handling of motion.

Raid: Redemption (2011) Chapter 15 This Indonesian movie is 100 minutes of intense high-adrenalin Pencack Silat (martial arts) action.

This three-man final fight is a humdinger. Not only are its hit-a-second sequences a great test for motion, but, as it also takes place in a dimly lit run-down apartment, this scene can really separate the displays able to scupper dark detail from those that reveal it in the shadows. Playing with contrast and brightness settings will pay off here because, trust us, you’ll want to see that fatal throat slice in all its gory…

December 2016 | What Hi Fi? | 33

SMARTPHONE AWARDS 2016

SMARTPHONES The smartphone has evolved into a hi-res player at the heart of your music experience

LG’s innovative modular design allows you to swap out components

PRODUCT O F EAR E 1Y6 H0 T2

BEST SMARTPHONE LG G5 (WITH HI-FI PLUS BY B&O PLAY) 52,990 Smartphones don’t tend to change much every year, but the folks at LG are mavericks who refuse to play the game. In times of subtle design tweaks and incremental updates, it’s refreshing to see a manufacturer tear down its old look and start over – the G5 is a completely new phone, with a unique take.

LG was the first manufacturer to support hi-res music on a smartphone, and the G5 continues that tradition with a built-in 24-bit DAC. Though you get a good tonal balance and plenty of detail, timing could be better and dynamics stronger. So that’s where the Hi-Fi Plus module comes in – a dedicated DAC and headphone amp by Bang and Olufsen with its own headphone jack and support for hi-res playback up to 32-bit/384KHz.

Natural colours The G5’s new metal chassis offers a modular design – the ability to customise the phone by swapping its bottom section for one of a number of components. This means you’re able to swap out the battery. This is a dying feature in flagship phones, and one power users will embrace.

Running the Snapdragon 820 chipset with 4GB RAM, the G5 is fast and responsive, with no waiting around when loading apps or navigating the operating system. It packs a 5.3in QHD display (2560 x 1440 resolution) that looks gorgeous with video. It’s crisp and sharp, offering a natural colour palette alongside brighter colours that pop but don’t look out of place.

Blacks are deep, and whites pure and bright, and there’s plenty of detail and subtlety across the board. For an LCD screen, contrast is impressive too, and the increased brightness really helps when using the G5 outside.

Great snaps to boot Once connected, it feels like part of the phone, sitting flush to the body and adding only a few millimetres to the design. The results are spectacular. Whether it’s our own hi-res tracks or CD-quality streams from Tidal, it sounds significantly better, delivering hard-hitting dynamics alongside better timing, more detail, greater subtlety and composure. We’d go as far to say it sounds as good as some dedicated hi-res music players.

It’s also packing one of the best smartphone cameras we’ve seen, taking sharp, vibrant pictures and managing decent low-light snaps to boot. LG has nailed it this year. A great picture, a great camera and superb sound quality, all in an innovative smartphone design. The LG G5 with Hi-Fi Plus

by B&O Play may be a mouthful, but it is the complete package.

December 2016 | What Hi Fi? | 35

AWARDS 2016 HOME CINEMA AMPLIFIERS

HOME CINEMA AMPLIFIERS Searing soundtracks, focused dialogue and realistic effects – treat the films you love to the sonic pampering they deserve

Denon has upped the ante once again with this subtle, refined amp

PRODUCT O F EAR E 1Y6 H0 T2

BEST HOME CINEMA AMPLIFIER UNDER 80,0000 DENON AVR-X2300W 74,900

The upgrade to last year’s Award-winning AVR-X2200W, the X2300W is notably more impressive than its predecessor.

Such things aren’t always a given, but in this case we’re pleased to celebrate Denon’s numerous improvements. This amplifer is beautifully balanced, and far tauter and more agile than the older model. Twelve months is a long time in tech, and the X2300W sounds years ahead.

This amp has eight HDMI inputs, all capable of 4K 60Hz pass-through and HDCP 2.2 certified, as well as support for Spotify Connect, Airplay, Bluetooth, internet radio and streaming from a NAS device on your home network. Denon has even made this amplifier stable when using wi-fi in electrically noisy environments, helped by its new-found ability to work on both the 5GHz and 2.4GHz wavebands.

Set-up is as easy as it gets. The menus are simple and easy to follow, while the built-in Audyssey auto set-up system is accurate and fuss free.

We’ve used this amplifier it in a variety of modes – 5.1, 7.1, stereo and Dolby Atmos 5.1.2 – and it never fails to impress. Starting off with a Blu-ray

36 | What Hi Fi? | December 2016

of Pixar’s Brave, there’s weight, natural warmth and articulation in the midrange that leaves most rivals sounding mechanical by comparison.

This amplifier is great at subtleties – low-level dynamic shifts are delivered with skill and without overstatement, all of which helps to draw the viewer more into the action on the screen.

As the film approaches its finale, the amp is happy to move up through the gears, delivering plenty of punch (and volume) and a spacious soundfield packed with precise movement of growls and screams.

An easy-going balance The story remains positive with stereo music. Whether you listen through the line stages, HDMI, optical or Bluetooth, the Denon’s easy-going balance remains unchanged.

Some rivals may deliver the sound with greater muscularity but the 2300’s combination of insight, agility and refinement is hard to look past.

It’s a polished performer that never fails to entertain, and there’s no doubt that this is the finest 74,900 AV amp you can buy right now.

HOME CINEMA AMPLIFIERS AWARDS 2016

BEST HOME CINEMA AMPLIFIER 80,000- 1,20,000 DENON AVR-X3300W 1,09,000 In the same way a vampire has a taste for blood, we’ve got a taste for Denon’s new range of AV receivers. The bigger brother of our Product of the Year, the AVR-X3300W manages to fuse all its various strengths together, yet also maintains an expert balance and shows considerable finesse.

The AVR-X3300 has a fuss-free layout, but that still includes eight HDMI inputs compatible with Ultra HD sources – it can even upscale content to 4K resolution. On the streaming side, this amplifier has Spotify Connect, AirPlay, Bluetooth and internet radio. It can handle all manner of file formats across a network, including 24-bit/192kHz PCM and DSD in both single- and double-speed forms.

Simple but effective Denon has gone to a lot of trouble in recent years to simplify its AV amps without compromising features, and it shows. This experience is quite the opposite of the intimidating, complex affair that setting up some multichannel amplifiers can be. The amp’s Setup Assistant takes you by the hand and guides you through every stage of the process.

This Denon just laps up the action. Putting on Avengers: Age Of Ultron we expect a super

This Denon laps up the action yet also delivers detail and refinement

performance – not just from the film but from the amplifier too, and we’re not disappointed.

This Denon just laps up the action during the opening battle – as Thor despatches a squad of bad guys and Hulk smashes his way through an enemy bunker, low frequencies are delivered with force and solidity.

During the more tense scenes, dialogue is crystal clear and there’s plenty of detail and expression to voices. And as Ultron starts to sift through streams and streams of data, sound effects flit between side channels and surge from the back of the surround-field to the front with impressive accuracy.

The X3300W can both blow your socks off with the help of a punishing, bruising soundtrack while sounding sophisticated at the same time. That’s pretty rare at this price. If you want to take your home cinema set-up to the next level, then be in no doubt the Denon AVR-X3300W will do just that.

“The X3300W can blow your socks off, while also sounding sophisticated”

BEST HOME CINEMA AMPLIFIER 1,20,000- 1,50,000 YAMAHA RX-A1060 drive, with effects pinged effortlessly – yet precisely – around you.

The A1060 is not simply powerful though.

There’s a great deal of subtlety to the sound that we missed in its predecessor. Voices are as expressive and nuanced as you’d want them to be, detail spills over across the frequency range and there’s real insight into soundtracks.

Power and authority, yes, but there’s stacks of detail and subtlety too

The crucial thing in any Awardwinning home cinema amplifier is to get the compromises right. There’s always a trade-off, a balancing act, to be had with these workhorses. You need power – but you need subtlety too; your AV amp must be agile enough to ping effects around the room, but also authoritative enough to convince with explosions. And the RX-A1060 has nailed it.

It has eight HDMI inputs, seven of which support HDCP2.2 for 4K playback, three each of coaxial and optical digital inputs, a USB port, 6.3mm jack and ample legacy connections.

Wi-fi, AirPlay, DLNA and Bluetooth are on hand for your streaming needs. Spotify Connect is also featured and services such as Napster and Qobuz are available via the Yamaha control app.

Once the auto-calibration has finished setting its parameters, we test it out with Captain America: The Winter Soldier and the Yamaha is quick to show the big, bold character we’ve come to expect. It’s a powerful, large-scale sound that fills the room, putting real force and authority around the scene’s big explosions, engine-revving car chases and erratic gunfire.

It’s an exciting performance full of attack and

Keep it Pure While its midrange and bass frequencies are superbly judged, there is just a touch of hardness in the treble. Switching to Yamaha’s Pure Direct mode helps soften those edges and tightens up the whole sound so it sounds more together, so it’s not a great problem.

The RX-A1060 is one of the most musical amps we’ve heard at this price – enthusiastic and punchy enough to get your toes tapping but with enough detail to keep us entertained. If you’ve got the budget, we can’t think of anything better.

“A powerful, large-scale sound fills our testing room without a second thought” December 2016 | What Hi Fi? | 37

• 5200 Lumens Full HD Installation Projector • Port All®: Secure MHL/HDMI port with built-in Micro USB Cable • Easy- Access Top Cover Ample space for maintenance • Optional built-in ViewSonic® HDBaseT dongle HB10B • Vertical Auto Keystone • Throw Distance: 0.71m~11.36m Pro8530HDL

• Display Size: 30”~300”

National Distributor:

MZ Audio Distribution India, Plot 149/150, Kamal Apartments, S.V. Road, Bandra West, Opp. Kondor Interior, Mumbai- 400 050 Email: ashraf@mzaudiodistribution.co.in | al@mzaudiodistribution.co.in Website: www.mzaudiodistribution.co.in Tel: 9820088314 / 9833006667 ViewSonic Sales Manager:

West : Om Prakash Dubey: 9920314208, Email: om.dubey@in.viewsonic.com | North: Manish Kumar: 8800669676 Email: manish.kumar@in.viewsonic.com | East : Suman Kunar Dutta: 9903393366, Email: suman.dutta@in.viewsonic.com South: Mallikarjuna : 9900599899, Email: Mallikarjuna.k@in.viewsonic.com

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HOME CINEMA AMPLIFIERS AWARDS 2016

BEST HOME CINEMA AMPLIFIER 1,80,000+ YAMAHA RX-A3060 1,94,990 High performance goes hand in hand with highlevel processing power

Yamaha’s Aventage AV receivers are billed as the high-performance members of the family, and the RX-A3060 is far from the runt of the litter. It’s a fantastic amplifier that can convey both quiet tension and earth-shattering explosions with ease and refinement.

The amp has all the processing power necessary to handle the likes of Dolby Atmos and DTS:X. There’s wi-fi connectivity, ethernet ports, AirPlay, Bluetooth and DLNA. If you name it, this Yamaha can probably do it (and do it in Ultra HD and high-resolution audio at that).

Gut-wrenching explosions Put on The Wolverine and it’s immediately clear how talented the RX-A3060 really is – even during the brief 20th Century Fox opening sequence, it manages to give you a small taste of its dynamic prowess.

The opening chapter of the film flashes back to Nagasaki, moments before the atomic bomb is dropped. The scene is high on tension and detail, and the Yamaha laps it all up. First there’s the faint, high-pitched whistle of the bomb hurtling towards the ground. Then there’s an eerie moment of silence before it hits its target

and delivers two gut-wrenching explosions, followed by a wave of damage and destruction.

As Wolverine tries to shield the Japanese soldier from the carnage, the sound of flying debris is punctuated by a couple of short, sharp bursts of silence.

Thanks to the Yamaha’s dynamism and control, it manages to balance it all perfectly.

The quiet moments have just as much impact as the earth-shattering explosions.

The same can be said with music. Play Michael Jackson’s The Way You Make Me Feel over Spotify Connect or as a CD-quality stream

and the track’s beat sounds powerful and solid, but never too intense.

Simply put, if you want to go up a level or three, and if your speaker package is up to the job, you won’t go wrong with the RX-A3060.

“The opening of the film is high on tension and detail, and the Yamaha laps it up”

d-sound How to set up surroun Subwoofer Avoid placing this in a corner, otherwise it may lead to boomy sound. Aim for a smooth, wellintegrated sound

Television R

L Sub

Dolby Atmos Dolby’s new system adds an extra dimension to surround sound, thanks to ceiling-mounted speakers or specially configured upward-firing alternatives. Atmos adds a far more enveloping feel to the surround-sound experience

Centre

Amp

Amplification If you don’t listen in 7.1 or 9.1, don’t waste those power-amp channels. You can use them to power speakers in another room, or even to biwire your front speakers (so long as they support that feature)

Atmos

Atmos

Turn your living room into a fully functioning cinema – and be the envy of your film-loving friends Sofa

LS

Surround speakers Conventional hi-fi stands can work well, but if possible we’d try wall-mounting your surround speakers

Atmos

Atmos

SB

SB

RS

Surround back speakers This uses either one or two speakers positioned behind your seat to add more depth to panning effects. If your sofa is against the back wall, in-ceiling speakers can be effective too

December 2016 | What Hi Fi? | 39

DACs AWARDS 2016

DACs

Get the right digital-to-analogue converter and it can transform your music-listening experience. We reckon these are all right

Classy, talented and affordable, the Mojo easily retains its title

PRODUCT O F EAR E 1Y6 H0 T2

BEST DAC UNDER 50,000 CHORD MOJO 39,990 A year on and the Mojo retains its Product of the Year title.

We’d like to say it had a tough battle but the truth is, despite a whole raft of new competition, this Chord never came close to getting beaten. It remains the star performer among sub- 50,000 DACs. Unlike most of its 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. In our experience it’s an approach that really works.

There’s no display as such, but the power button lights up in different colours depending on the sampling rate of the input signal. It goes red for 44.1kHz, green for 96kHz all the way to pink for DSD. Similarly, the colour of the lighting behind the volume buttons changes according to level. All the different colours prove a little confusing at first, but given a little time it becomes second nature.

The Mojo is a small unit, with a footprint barely larger than a credit card, yet Chord has found space for a good range of connections. There’s (micro) USB, optical and coax, though the latter takes the form of a 3.5mm jack rather than the usual RCA or BNC connection. You won’t find any source selector – the inputs are auto-sensing, with USB taking priority, followed by coax. Outputs are limited to a pair of 3.5mm jacks. While these obviously lend themselves to headphones we’ve had great results using 3.5mm-toRCA interconnects to connect the Mojo to our reference hi-fi system.

This DAC’s build quality is terrific. Thanks in part to the minimal detailing, the Mojo feels like a solid chunk of metal. Its aircraft-grade aluminium casing is beautifully machined and finished to a high standard.

Once up and running, this a fabulous performer. We take a listen to Stevie Wonder’s masterpiece Innervisions (on DSD), and are gripped from the unmistakable opening bars of Too High right through to the end of the album. There’s plenty of detail here, and the kind of insight into the recording that little under a grand can match, let alone better.

An effective personal organiser But it’s not the excellent resolution that impresses us most. It’s the Mojo’s ability to organise all that information into a cohesive and musical whole that makes it stand out from the competition. It delivers the hard-charging rhythm track of Higher Ground brilliantly, communicating the song’s unstoppable momentum with real enthusiasm.

A move on to Hans Zimmer’s The Dark Knight Rises (24-bit/192kHz) reveals a surefooted handling of dynamics. The Mojo can convey power and scale when the music demands, but also has the finesse to make the most of the more subtle passages. Poor recordings (and sources) will be easy to spot, but this DAC won’t go out of its way to be nasty.

The Mojo continues to set standards others can’t match. It offers a huge proportion of the performance of Chord’s pricier offerings at a fraction of the cost. Even at 39,990 we consider it a bargain.

December 2016 | What Hi Fi? | 41

AWARDS 2016 DACs

BEST USB DAC UNDER 20,000 AUDIOQUEST DRAGONFLY BLACK V1.5 14,700 Back in 2012, the original DragonFly – a DAC and headphone amplifier crammed into the tiny proportions of a USB memory stick – elicited a dual response of pure delight and ‘whatever next?’ It was conveniently compact, ingeniously simple to use and an undisputed sonic upgrade for our laptops. For this groundbreaking effort, it was named our Product of the Year.

Four years and numerous upgrades later, the v1.5 version is better-sounding, cheaper and even more practical. Not in terms of its dimensions, which are exactly the same as its ancestor, but in compatibility. While the older model’s power consumption limited its use to laptops and PCs, the adoption of a new, vastly more efficient Microchip microcontroller makes this one compatible with Apple and Android smartphones and tablets. If you’ve been craving better-quality music on the go, the v1.5 has you covered. Note that you’ll need an additional adaptor lead to make things work.

Visual information There’s no display in the conventional sense, but a light behind the Dragonfly image changes colour according to the input signal. There’s green for 44.1kHz files, blue for 48kHz, amber

for 88.2kHz and magenta for 96kHz, which is where things end.

Sonically, this new version is clearly a step up from its distinguished predecessors and obviously more talented than any of its immediate competition. There’s the even tonal balance, rhythmic intelligence and general joie de vivre we so enjoyed from earlier iterations, but here they’re augmented by greater insight and more determined dynamics.

Apple and Android users can now enjoy the Dragonfly’s talents

Powerful yet agile Taking flight with R.E.M.’s Pilgrimage, we hear plenty of power behind the thumping drums yet enough agility to preserve the song’s rhythmic drive. There’s the space and organisation needed to keep the elbows of the reverberating pianos, guitar lines and dainty chimes neatly tucked in.

We stream Band of Horses’ In The Drawer from Spotify, and ambient electrics spread evenly about the soundstage which, despite the file’s lower-resolution, is still ample. Elsewhere, electric guitars twang with texture, the chorus’s vocal harmonies are distinct, and the V1.5 keeps a lid on the treble as cymbals take a battering.

The original DragonFly was a groundbreaking product. In v1.5 form it continues to set a sonic standard that others can’t touch.

“If you’re craving betterquality music on the go, the v1.5 has you covered”

BEST USB DAC 15,000+ AUDIOQUEST DRAGONFLY RED 18,900

Solidity, body, detail, bass extension – they’re all there in spades

Almost double the price of the DragonFly Black and apparently only a coat of red paint to show for it – the case for the Red doesn’t look so strong.

Especially when you consider that it doesn’t offer any more features or raise that 96kHz sampling rate limit any higher. Why pay more?

Audioquest points to a number of upgrades for the Red over the Black: a more advanced DAC and headphone amp for starters, plus a “bitperfect digital volume control contained on the DAC chip itself” that’s apparently a big improvement on the analogue volume control in the Black. A higher-output voltage (2.1v compared with the Black’s 1.2v) makes it more suitable for driving demanding headphones, too. The Red, like the Black v1.5, also works with smartphones and tablets.

While none of that sounds particularly Earth-shattering, there is good news: the DragonFly Red does sound better than the Black. Loads better.

“Even low-res streams get a hefty improvement in detail, definition and dynamics” 42 | What Hi Fi? | December 2016

The first thing you notice when going from one to the other is the Red’s sonic authority. This is partly in the form of overall bass extension, but is also expressed in the extra body given to every single note. There’s a three-dimensional solidity and texture to every sound that makes the Black sound flat by comparison (even though it’s undeniably accomplished in its own right and at its own price).

Back to nature As well as being fuller-bodied, each of these notes also contains a good deal more detail.

Combined with excellent low-level dynamics, this means that everything has a more natural, subtle and expressive sound.

And if you want to take things back to basics and are wondering whether a DAC such as this will make a difference to your daily dose of Spotify, allow us to confirm it will. Even these comparatively low-res streams get a hefty improvement in the detail, definition and dynamism departments, and they’re as strong a case for the Red over the Black as the 24-bit stuff.

In the end the case for the Red turns out to be a strong one. It takes all the positives of the Black and adds an extra dollop of sound quality.

It’s a superb buy.

DACs AWARDS 2016

BEST DAC 80,000- 1,20,000 C O CHORD 2QUTE Q , , 1,19,000 While the Mojo broke new ground forr Chord in both portability and price, the 2Qute is much more the kind of product the brand was built on.

It’s a more conventional DAC than either the Mojo Product of the Year or the higher-priced Hugo. It sacrifices the portability of its siblings and is intended to be part of a traditional home-based hi-fi set-up.

“The sense of space is lovely, allowing the composition to build with grace and power”

The bespoke approach Despite looking quite different from its siblings, the 2Qute is based around a common technology core. Chord claims its use of bespokee software and programmable chips gives it an advantage over rivals that use off-the-shelf solutions. It’s hard to argue when the results are this good.

The 2Qute DAC sounds incredibly organised and detailed, delivering an effortlessly cohesive and musical performance no matter what song is being played.

Prince’s Kiss (in 16-bit/44.1kHz) sounds funky and punchy, with the DAC’s remarkable precision etching out every note and beat with clarity and cohesion to produce a sound that’s both intimate and spacious. It’s a snappy, fun sound that brims with rhythmic drive.

The 2Qute is as musical and cohesive as it is detailed and organised S a Where Stream W We’re Goingg from o the ll r soundtrack ((16-bit/44.1kHz)) and Interstellar t e 2Qute Qute turns tu s in a class-leading c ass ead g performance. pe fo a ce. the It digs deeper to reveal even more layers of subtlety, defining the leading and trailing edges of notes with unusual accuracy. The sense of space is lovely, allowing this dense composition to build with grace and power.

Hungry for hi-res The 2Qute has three digital inputs – asynchronous USB, coax and optical. The coax and USB support high-resolution audio files up

to 32-bit/384kHz, while the optical is limited to a still-impressive 2 24-bit/192kHz. The Chord supports DSD64 C an 128. and Build quality is terrific.

B Chord C d has used this type of case for a while and it remains cas we finished enclosure. a smart, well The now-traditional change of background lighting colour in the porthole to indicate the signal’s sampling rate adds an extra touch of visual drama.

The 2Qute’s unerring insight and rhythmic drive are the stand-out qualities here, and they’re impressive. Those who don’t need the Hugo’s portability or Bluetooth capability would do well to consider this product. At the price, we haven’t come across anything better.

BEST DAC 1,50,000+ 1,50,000 C O CHORD HUGO O 1,59,999 , , 9 The Hugo backs up its premium sound quality with great flexibility

an deliver a natural tone really brings Scott’s and vo to the fore. The easy-going beat and gentle vocal build-up come through with increasing clarity, bu wh the soulful feel of the track is while ccommunicated brilliantly.

Move on to something more brutal, such as Hans Ha Zimmer’s Gotham’s Reckoning (The Dark Knight Rises OST 24-bit/192kHz) and the Hugo Kn rressponds with enthusiasm.

High-end high flyer H h is the h third h d This year the Hugo g has won this category.

Despite the g arrival of a number of talented rivals,, this extraordinary distinctive DAC continues to d y and dd set the standard at the premium price level and the case for it remains as strong as ever.

A proper pre-amp It’s a wonderfully flexible product. Just to clarify, this is a bona fide digital pre-amp with optical and coaxial inputs, two USB sockets, an analogue out, three (yes, three) headphone outputs and, last but not least, aptX Bluetooth connectivity. And it’s portable! That’s right,

C Chord has even ffound room inside that petite aluminium casework for rechargeable g b h h g should h ld b d batteries.

A two-hour charge be ggood enough for 12 hours’ use.

But even with this extensive feature set, Chord hasn’t taken its eye off the ball with regard to sound quality. The Hugo is as happy and communicative with a 320kbps Spotify stream as it is feeding off the meaty resolution of a DSD music file. Start with a basic Bluetooth stream of Jill Scott’s Family Reunion and the Chord transports you directly to the recording studio. The Hugo’s desire to reproduce detail

There’s plenty of resolution here, and the kind Th of fluid dynamics few high-end DACs can match, llett alone better. We also like the Hugo’s ability to org o ganise all that information into a cohesive hole. If you want to, you can easily pick out wh iind dividual instrumental strands and follow ttho ose, but this DAC is equally happy for you to sit back and enjoy the musical whole. Add the Hugo’s excellent rhythmic ability and it’s clear this portable unit, three years on, remains a brilliant proposition.

“A stream of Family Reunion transports you directly to the recording studio” December 2016 | What Hi Fi? | 43

For Any Enquiry and Dealership: 3ORW 1R QG ÀRRU *UXKDODNVKPL &RORQ\ .KDUNKDQD 6HFXQGHUDEDG 3K

MULTI-ROOM SYSTEMS AWARDS 2016

MULTI-ROOM SYSTEMS With different connection options and the quality of the kit improving, it’s never been easier to spread your music around the house

Bluesound’s line-up of multi-room products has never looked stronger

PRODUCT O F EAR E 1Y6 H0 T2

BEST MULTI-ROOM SYSTEM OVER 30,000 BLUESOUND GENERATION 2 FROM 35,000 Three years on the market, three Product of the Year Awards. Now that’s what we’d call a success. But Bluesound hasn’t been resting on its Award-winning laurels. Far from it.

It launched the new version of its biggest Pulse speaker.

Redesigned to match the rest of the range’s more grown-up look, it sounds as big and bold as ever, but just a touch more refined. We also tested the smaller Pulse Flex speaker, which offers a big, open sound stage and an expressive, enthusiastic character. It’s a great introduction to the Bluesound family – and its battery pack makes it portable too.

Flexible connections But Bluesound’s biggest launch this year is the Pulse Soundbar – the world’s first hi-res soundbar with support for 24-bit/192kHz music playback, just like the rest of the range. This addition means Bluesound’s ecosystem is bigger than ever, also comprising the Node 2 streamer, the Powernode 2 streamer/amplifier, the Vault 2 music server, and the middle speaker of the family, the agile and articulate Pulse Mini.

While hi-res support has always been one of the range’s selling points, Bluesound’s flexibility with connections will win over an audience that feels restricted by Sonos. With aptX Bluetooth built in as standard, a USB port for connecting music drives, both optical and analogue inputs and a headphone jack, each member of this family has more ways of playing music around your house than you’ll probably ever need.

Strong line-up It remains one of the most musical multi-room systems we’ve heard.

There’s an openness to its presentation that gives voices and instruments space to breathe and, while hi-res music is delivered with more subtlety and dynamic punch, everything you throw at this system sounds superb.

Add to this a fresher, more streamlined app with better search functionality and the Bluesound line-up has never looked stronger. It might not be the cheapest way to go multi-room, but for the best combination of sound quality, connectivity and functionality on the market, Bluesound makes for a very worthy investment indeed.

December 2016 | What Hi Fi? | 45

AWARDS 2016 TELEVISIONS

TELEVISIONS

The tech train steams on apace in telly land, with both 4K and HDR now featuring widely among our chosen few. And the view is terrific

Samsung crams a lot of technology in here and the result is a triumph

PRODUCT O F EAR E 1Y6 H0 T2

BEST 47-52in TV SAMSUNG UE49KS8000

It’s a hat-trick for Samsung. Not only for winning three Awards in this year’s TV category, but also for bagging the coveted Product of the Year Award three years in a row. But we really shouldn’t be surprised: Samsung has consistently married superb picture quality with affordable prices in recent years.

That said, the UE49KS8000 is nothing like the sets that have won this very Award in previous years. It’s not just an inch bigger that last year’s winner, it’s also got four times the pixels. That’s right – this is the first year in What Hi-Fi? history that an Ultra HD 4K set has won a Product of the Year Award. The talented 49KS8000 also supports HDR (High Dynamic Range), has all the smart features you can shake a stick at, and has a flat screen, not curved. The only thing it doesn’t have is 3D.

From cutting edge to polished mainstream The 4K HDR resolution means the price is now a lot more, but let’s not forget how quickly this cutting-edge picture technology has become mainstream and affordable.

Fire up this 49in TV and you’ll immediately be glued to that crystalclear screen. The Quantum Dot display delivers an impressive level of brightness we wouldn’t usually expect from an edge-lit set. Its black depth doesn’t dig quite as deep as those pitch-black OLED screens, but that doesn’t stop it from being a compelling and exciting screen to watch.

46 | What Hi Fi? | December 2016

The burned-orange desert wasteland of Mad Max: Fury Road looks rich and vibrant in 4K Blu-ray, displayed with a stunning level of depth, nuance and intensity.

Textures appear true to life, and skin-tones are wonderfully judged. The costumes that bagged this film an Oscar are sharply etched and superbly realised, with enough fine detail on display so you don’t miss a stitch.

Treading the line Colours manage to tread that fine line between punch and believability – Samsung goes for broke to deliver the most arresting picture, but it has the maturity to keep the colour palette as realistic as possible here.

Drop down to standard Blu-ray content, or even broadcast TV, and you won’t see a huge shift in character thanks to the decent upscaler this Samsung has on board.

This stylish, slim set keeps things neat by housing all its connections (including four HDMI inputs with HDCP 2.2 support) in a separate OneConnect box. The sleek Tizen interface has been streamlined as well, making it easier to launch apps such as Netflix, Amazon Video or BBC iPlayer without obstructing the screen.

The Samsung UE49KS9000 TV squeezes a lot of tech into a sub-50in screen. If you’re after a high-end 4K upgrade for your modest-sized living room without breaking the bank, this stellar performer should be at the top of your list.

TELEVISIONS AWARDS 2016

BEST 32-39in TV SONY KDL-32WD603 “If you’re looking for a good 32in TV on a budget, buy the Sony KDL-32WD603. It really is that simple.” Those were the first words on our review of this 32in Sony TV, and it remains true as it picks up this auspicious Award.

The KDL-32WD603 isn’t a 4K telly. It’s not even Full HD. It’s HD Ready. That’s right, this decade-old resolution – these days a low-budget offering – hasn’t been seen in the pages of this magazine for quite a few issues now, but that’s changed thanks to this talented little Sony.

great job of showing off the details of crates, ropes and the rusty metal textures of the ship.

Whites are clean, and bright objects – lamps, flares, stars – have a believable intensity.

Colours are beautifully balanced: blue skies look as believable as a well-worn red shirt and everything looks wonderfully natural.

When it comes to sound, dialogue is clear and detailed, but a pair of desktop speakers or a budget soundbar will undeniably boost what is essentially a thin presentation.

Sony hasn’t scrimped on features: Netflix and YouTube are the

may not be as visually exciting as LG’s WebOS, but it does one crucial thing right: it just works.

It might seem odd to be lauding a 32in HD Ready TV with a shiny trophy when stunning giant 4K screens are all around us, but the Sony KDL-32WD603 delivers such a natural, detailed and well-balanced picture for its price that we think it fully deserves this Award.

No fancy tech on offer here – just a really fine picture and great value

Detailed imitation Of course, it won’t be as crisply focused as a (pricier) Full HD screen, but play The Imitation Game (on Blu-ray or DVD) and the picture is still clear and punchy, with an abundance of detail.

Strands of hair are distinguishable, wrinkles on people’s faces look natural, and the textures of clothes are easily conveyed. It’s impressive stuff coming from such a modest screen.

But it’s the solid black depth, and the accompanying intensity of anything bright against it, that earns the Sony its five stars and this Award. The interior scenes in Joss Whedon’s Firefly can easily look gloomy and a mess of shadows on lesser screens, but the Sony does a

“The Sony does a great job of showing off the details of ropes and rusty metal” prime video apps (there’s no Amazon), and there are two HDMI inputs, two USB ports and an optical output available alongside wi-fi and ethernet.

What warms us to this Sony TV is just how easy it is to use. The simple interface

BEST 40-46in TV PANASONIC TX-40DX600B A 40in 4K screen that good? Wow. The Panasonic TX-40DX600B may not be as flashy as bigger rivals, but this svelte screen strikes a fine balance between size and top tech. The TV landscape has been dominated by larger screens of late, but this Panasonic is easily the best 40in screen we’ve seen this year. h h l the h Panasonic will ll There is one caveat: while accept 4K HDR content, it won’t be able to

“This Panasonic is easily the best 40in screen we’ve seen this year”

display the HDR part of it. Does that affect the picture when watching 4K HDR Blu-rays such as Mad Max: Fury Road and The Martian? A little bit. We find the normal Blu-ray of the film strikes a better balance between contrast and brightness over its 4K counterpart, and it ends up being a more satisfying watch.

The Panasonic isn’t perfect – we’d like a w-factor of 4K brighter brightness, and the wow d doessn’t entirely come com across on ssuch h a small screen, b but the t set’s good p nts far outweigh poin o our qualms. q The Th 40DX600B h has a wonderfully ccrisp i p picture w hout being with o overrly sharp. You ccan pick out the dirt p aand grime on faces, th metal, the the rusty r ggrain ns of sand in M d Max – there’s Mad 4K resolution, great colour balance, a neat interface and decent sound. Nice

plenty of detail here. Its Full HD performance isn’t far off its 4K prowess, which goes to show just how talented this screen’s scaler is.

The Panasonic screen strikes just the right colour balance, too, which is more apparent when you’re watching sitcoms such as Brooklyn Nine-Nine, or old episodes of Top Gear in standard definition. They look impressively decent when upscaled to the 4K screen and there are no discernible motion issues when cars chase each other.

We like the sound of that Another plus for this telly is its pleasantly full-bodied sound quality. Voices are solid and direct, and the overall presentation is warm and rather punchy.

We love Panasonic’s Firefox OS interface: colourful, circular icons you can ‘pin’ to the home screen to launch apps quicker. It’s slick and straightforward to use. You also get a full complement of smart features and all of the catch-up TV apps.

For those with limited space, a 40in screen such as this budget Panasonic is ideal. Add in great smart features, excellent picture and a satisfying sound, and you’ve got one of the best deals of the year.

December 2016 | What Hi Fi? | 47

AWARDS 2016 TELEVISIONS

BEST 52-60in TV UNDER 2,50,000 SAMSUNG UA55KS7000K 2,41,900* Sitting comfortably at the bottom of Samsung’s top-of-the-range SUHD line is the UE55KS7000. Bottom of the top tier. Far end of the VIP table. But in practical terms it means that this television is going to give you brilliant picture quality and high-tech features for a sensible price.

The television is a Quantum Dot 4K set with HDR know-how, so there’s little doubt you’re going to get stunning visuals – but that level of Stunning visuals, yes, but there’s also an improved interface

quality is only reinforced by the 10-bit panel, peak brightness of 1000 nits and the BT.2020 colour space.

It’s easy to use as well. Recent interface improvements mean the pop-up bar that houses all the apps and menus is now a lot more intuitive, thanks to a nicer layout and handy shortcuts. It’s much faster, too.

The Smart remote control has also been redesigned. It has the usual problem of being a little on the simplistic side, but it is nicer to use than Samsung’s previous efforts.

Usually when looking at a television in the shop, you’re more impressed by high saturation and sharpness – an artificial, etched quality rather than an image with the necessary refinement for everyday viewing.

“There’s enough definition here to count the individual raindrops on a windscreen” With the UE55KS7000, we are impressed by the TV’s subtlety. There’s enough definition here to count the individual raindrops on a windscreen, plus the clarity needed to make out the accompanying condensation.

Subtle shades In place of the solar brightness and abyssal blacks from televisions designed to showcase the extremes of the spectrum, you get fine increments of shade. Shadows offer different levels of murkiness, and you can quite easily make out the outer part of a shadow.

For all its merits in the picture department, it also has a decent sound, with a good balance and solid weight. It never approaches the sort of hardness we’ve heard from many slim TVs. The UE55KS7000 certainly isn’t resting on any laurels, pushing as far as it can to get you a surprisingly high-quality image for the money.

This is the sort of product other manufactures should look to as a benchmark.

BEST 52-60in TV 2,00,000+ LG OLED5 55C6V C , , 2,27,900* * LG’s 4K OLED range was very much the talk of the TV town last year, and the company continues to flex its muscles in this department in 2016 with excellent results.

This 55in set is part of the C6 series, just one up from the bottom of the range, with the inclusion of passive 3D here the only thing separating it from the entry-level B6 set.

It is of course a 4K, 10-bit panel, which meets the UHD Premium standard thanks to its support for HDR10 among other things. Oh, and it’s a gently curved affair.

Lean as you like This TV is clearly weight-conscious. The top half of its panel is among the slimmest we’ve seen – more like a smartphone than a TV – and even the protruding power pack at the bottom keeps things relatively slimline.

It comes with WebOS 3.0 – the latest version of the best TV-software platform – installed. As

“Watching 4K content on this TV is a joy; there’s detail spilling from every pixel”

slick and intuitive as ever, it continues to win our affections in this iteration with even greater focus on content discovery.

One of the best things about OLED tech is its deep blacks, and they certainly look stunning here. The LG’s self-lighting pixels provide truly lights-out blacks that go as dark as a turned-off TV. Colour reproduction sits a little on the rich side of neutral, but there’s no denying that its full, lush hues are stunning – especially with HDR material.

Watching 4K content on it is a joy – there’s detail spilling from every pixel and outlines are needle-sharp. LG’s meticulous depth perception does a great job of portraying landscapes with real believability too. Move down to Blu-ray, or even standard-def TV, and you won’t be disappointed. The picture is clean, detailed and

A beautifully minimal design plays host to a rich, lush colour palette

well-considered, with the set bending over backward to keep picture noise at bay.

As for sound, LG’s partnership with Harman Kardon means the OLED55C6V sounds more full-bodied than its physique might suggest.

This TV is not exactly cheap, but with it LG has made big-screen OLED more accessible than ever – and done so really, really well.

*Price for Indian equivalent model: SAMSUNG UA55KS700K, LG OLED55B6T 48 | What Hi Fi? | December 2016

TELEVISIONS AWARDS 2016

BEST 65in TV UNDER 5,00,000 SAMSUNG UE65KS9000 4,40,900* With OLED finally gathering traction, and getting cheaper too, Samsung has had a bit of a fight on its hands to justify its decision to stick with LCD in its top-range sets. What better way to silence any critics, then, than to deliver an LCD screen that’s as good as this?

Like the rest of Samsung’s SUHD line up, it’s a 4K Quantum Dot screen that falls in line with the Ultra HD Premium specification by supporting HDR and reaching a peak brightness of 1000 nits – quite the feat for an edge-lit set.

line-up of catch-up and on-demand services, including Netflix and other major services.

Picture quality proves there’s plenty of life left in LCD yet, a 4K HDR stream of Amazon’s The Man In The High Castle confidently etched and It’s one in the eye for anyone who’s written off LCD technology

Filtering process It’s also curved, with the addition this year of Ultra Black Moth Eye filter technology to help keep distracting reflections to a minimum.

It looks every bit the high-end TV, with a ‘360-degree design’ so not only is the bezel all but gone from the front view, but you also won’t find a screw or port blemishing the back either.

It runs on Samsung’s improved Tizen smart TV system, which is fasterloading than last year’s offering and better designed to boot. It offers a decent

brimming with subtlety. The value of HDR shows up in the picture’s nuanced shading, but more noticeably in its brightness. Neon lights in night scenes are radiant, as are explosions, which reveal eye-catching contrast.

For an LCD set, the UE65KS9000’s blacks go impressively deep too, and there’s plenty of shadow detail too.

Feed it a standard Blu-ray and the Samsung makes the gargantuan task of upscaling look easy. Apart from a slight loss in crispness and fine detail, it doesn’t feel like much of a comedown at all. The picture is stable across the board too, with no motion issues of note. Even the sound is reasonable, thanks to a 60W 4.1 channel set-up.

While OLED has its benefits – and indeed there are a couple of sets in the 2016 Awards list – the UE65KS9000 is proof that LCD certainly isn’t dead.

“Samsung makes the gargantuan task of upscaling look easy”

BEST 65in TV 5,00,000+ LG OLED65E6V 5,57,900* At almost £5000, the 65E6V’s price tag is enough to make your eyes water.

But look at it the right way, and LG’s high-end OLED set is actually kind-of a bargain.

Ok, that might be pushing it a little, but when it offers exactly the same picture performance as

“LG’s WebOS smart platform is back and better than ever in its 3.0 guise”

Everything you’d hope for in a top-flight, big-screen television

the £1000 more expensive flagship G6 Signature model (which has just slightly better sound), you’ve got to think you’re getting a bit of deal, right?

The LG OLED65E6V has a 4K OLED panel that supports both HDR and Dolby Vision, and qualifies for the Ultra HD Premium club too.

Just a few millimetres thick at its slimmest part, it looks nothing short of gorgeous, with a slightly chunkier section along its bottom edge for connections and an integrated speaker system sitting between the panel and its centrally positioned base plate.

WebOS, LG’s smart TV platform, is back here and better than ever in its new 3.0 guise. More evolution than revolution, it packs new intuitive content discovery features as well as all the big name on-demand services you could want.

Fundamentally though, it’s picture performance that puts this LG 4K

OLED’s price into perspective. It’s one of the most detailed, insightful and, above all, accurate pictures we’ve seen.

Try a 4K HDR disc of The Martian: the picture is staggeringly sharp and crisp, with punchy but realistic colours and the ability to pick out tone and nuance in highlights with expert precision.

Black is black Blacks are as inkily deep as we’d expect from OLED too, with outstanding contrast peppering the pitch-black night sky with punchy twinkling stars. Viewing angles are top-notch too.

Drop down to regular Blu-ray and the upscaler on the OLED65E6V will still do your collection proud, offering an excellent picture that’s on par with the best Full HD screens out there.

High-def streams and broadcasts are squeaky-clean and stable, and even DVD hoarders needn’t worry – LG keeps picture noise to a minimum, producing a clean image that’s wholly watchable.

At this price you’d expect a TV to be pretty good, and from aesthetics to sound quality to picture performance, the OLED65E6V absolutely delivers. If you have the budget to really push the boat out, this stunning screen will transform your living room.

*Price for Indian equivalent model: SAMSUNG UA65JS9000, LG OLED65E6T December 2016 | What Hi Fi? | 49

AWARDS 2016 SPEAKER PACKAGES

SPEAKER PACKAGES Your living room needn’t look like your local multiplex to sound like it. This is about top-quality surround-sound – and your sofa

PRODUCT O F EAR E 1Y6 H0 T2

Warmth, depth and cohesion by the ton, plus a flair for music

BEST SPEAKER PACKAGE 1,80,000- 2,50,000 MONITOR AUDIO BRONZE B5 AV 2,42,500 You don’t have to be Miss Marple to read the clues – we like this speaker package a lot, and back-to-back Product of the Year titles highlight that sentiment.

The B5 AV system comprises the Bronze Centre, two Bronze FX surround speakers, Bronze W10 subwoofer and a pair of Bronze 5 floorstanding speakers for front channels.

We play Taxi Driver on Blu-ray and are immediately struck by the film’s jazz accompaniment. Instruments are brilliantly organised and offered a generous amount of space in which to breathe, but most of all they are expressive and terrifically rhythmic. When Bernard Herrmann’s score is realised like this, it highlights Robert de Niro’s own improvisational delivery, giving purpose to the false starts and broken sentences.

The sound dates the film as much as the flared trousers, but the B5 AV doesn’t hide behind that. Voices are clear, warm and expressive, there is depth to sounds such as the fizz of Travis’s Alka-Seltzer and real attack to the gunshots. This is a reasonably priced package, but that doesn’t stop it exploring the nuances of the dejection and loneliness the film portrays.

50 | What Hi Fi? | December 2016

The surround-sound field is cohesive, and there’s great tonal matching between the channels. They feel comfortably in control, without giving any impression of being restrained.

Unsurprisingly, the results are much the same in stereo. We play LCD Soundsystem’s Sound Of Silver album and, though still using an A/V receiver and not a stereo amplifier, we remain impressed by the balance, dynamics and expressiveness that keep us hooked.

The power of the music If you’re using this package for music as much as cinema, this may be where the depth and organisation of the Bronze 5 speakers trumps the Bronze 2-based alternative package most considerably.

Monitor Audio’s decision to hand down superior driver technology to its Bronze range has raised the standard. This package delivers a sound that is bold and capable of great subtlety and dynamics. Spend a couple of hours with the Bronze B5 AV and this may be the easiest 2,42,500 you’ll ever spend.

SPEAKER PACKAGES AWARDS 2016

BEST SPEAKER PACKAGE UNDER 1,30,000 DALI ZENSOR 1 5.1 1,14,300 This one needs no introduction, but deserves one nonetheless. The Dali Zensor 1 5.1 package is our reigning entry-level champion. It will take something spectacular to knock down these Danish warriors.

In the package are two pairs of Dali Zensor 1 standmounters, former Award-winners in their own right. Accompanying them is the Zensor Vokal centre and E-9F subwoofer. Together they run like clockwork, giving the most stunningly entertaining sound this money can buy.

It’s a fluid, dynamic performance that soars with excitement before easily dropping right

down for a bit of hush-hush. We put on a Blu-ray of Whiplash to watch JK Simmons torment a drumming Miles Teller.

The Dalis have no problem shifting up from Teller’s tearful sniffing to Simmons’ seething barks. There is plenty of pop, to the extent that ‘lively’ really doesn’t quite cut it.

It’s not all about the excitement, though. The Dalis are as articulate as they are expressive, and demonstrate great attention to detail. Dialogue is delivered with insight and there is as much subtle texture as you like, from the rustling of sheet music to the leading edges of a full orchestra.

The Zensor 1 speakers were Award winners in their own right

Combine this level of nuance with strong, far-reaching dynamics and you have yourself a thoroughly invigorating listen.

It also helps that the whole package is beautifully integrated – it’s a uniform presentation. Sound effects that travel across the room maintain a consistency of character.

That includes the subwoofer, which is authoritative yet articulate. It’s fast, precise, and a seamless part of the ensemble.

Neat construction Physically, what you get matches the quality of the performance. This is an attractive, well-built package. The speakers all use the same 25mm soft-dome tweeter and 13cm wood-fibre mid/ bass driver – the centre doubles up on this for extra authority and better dispersion.

We have tremendous respect for the Dali Zensor 1 5.1 package. That it’s lasted this long is impressive, but it’s doubly admirable that it’s still at the top of the game.

“These Dalis give the most stunningly entertaining sound this money can buy”

BEST SPEAKER PACKAGE 4,00,000+ ATC C1 5.1 4,37,000 Every now and then precedent counts for very little, if anything – listen to almost every great band’s third or fourth album. Thankfully for them, and our eardrums, ATC’s C1 surround speaker package does its distinguished family proud.

The set-up comprises four ATC SCM7s, which are standmount monitors sporting 25mm soft-dome tweeters and a distinctive 12.5cm mid/bass driver, a C1C centre to match (with a pair of those mid-bass drivers), and the C1 subwoofer, boasting an impressive 31cm down-firing bass driver.

space. The sound is anything but boxed in, giving us a great sense of scale and distance in tune with what’s happening on our projector.

The C1C centre is designed to complement the SCM7s you have spread around you. Even in the heat of battle, with a busy score and even busier list of domineering sound effects, their edges are never sharp nor smoothed. It’s a balance that has us forgetting to listen and just becoming lost in the film.

An integrated Empire Having let the speakers run in over a weekend, we play a Blu-ray of 300: Rise Of An Empire. Immediately we’re drawn to the speakers’ integration – thunder and flying arrows crack and sail behind us with exceptional detail while not bearing over the main action or dialogue.

The ATCs have an impressively wide sense of

This ATC package proves a match for many more expensive rivals

Perhaps the most important asset for any centre speaker, though, given it will be handling much of any film’s dialogue, is dynamics. We could probably have picked a more difficult film for the C1C’s exam, given that the over-acting in 300 is rife almost to the point of secondaryschool theatre production, but nonetheless the level of expression is a delight.

That subwoofer is just about light enough for a few of our team to lift alone without putting our backs out, but it packs more than enough of a punch that you won’t be suffering from bass envy. Rumbles are indeed rumbles: you can feel ships colliding through the soles of your feet, and the sub has little difficulty underlining the solid body of the rest of the package with authoritative weight.

We suppose the highest praise we can offer ATC here is that it has provided a match for our considerably more expensive reference system.

We can think of no better alternative for the money. A consummate triumph, to be sure.

“Thunder and flying arrows crack and sail behind us with exceptional detail” December 2016 | What Hi Fi? | 51

ON-EAR HEADPHONES AWARDS 2016

ON-EAR HEADPHONES Whether you’re out and about or sprawled on the sofa, life can sound very sweet these days.

And that’s regardless of your budget

The colourful Y50s mean you can stand out from the crowd - or there is black…

PRODUCT O F EAR E 1Y6 H0 T2

BEST PORTABLE ON-EARS UNDER 10,000 AKG Y50 7990 Since they first appeared in 2014, the AKG Y50s have remained unmoved in their position as our Product of the Year. An inexpensive pair of headphones with an emphasis on portability and exceptional build quality, the Y50s are a product that has seemingly failed to make any sacrifices in its pursuit of quality. AKG should be praised for that.

Our adoration for their boldly branded finish in yellow, teal or red hasn’t diminished at all over the years (those looking for a more discreet colour can opt for black instead). Those glossy aluminium earcups, each housing 40mm drivers, feel smooth, and everything from the durable headband to the firm-sitting earpads is adequately cushioned to ensure your comfort.

Welcome to the fold Though a step up in size compared with many headphones in AKG’s on-ear line-up, the cups collapse inwards enough to be pocketed into a coat, manbag or handbag. The typical in-line remote for hands-free calling is present and correct too, adding an extra layer of usability.

We routinely grab the Y50s from the shelf for testing and it’s never a decision we regret. Sounding as cheerful as they look, they handle bouncing tracks such as Mark Ronson’s Uptown Funk with enough rhythmic precision and punchy expression to capture the track’s irresistible toe-tapping musicality.

Open for business The soundstage’s openness gives the eccentric mix of drums, synthesizers and horns enough space to work in, and everything inside is delivered with strict balance and class-leading dynamics. The bubbly vocals take centre stage with clarity and expression, while the bassy ‘do do’ hook lays bare the Y50s deep, tuneful low-end.

We’d even go as far as to say that these are still the most transparent portable cans we’ve heard for the money – even the track’s subtler sounds (sporadic guitar and cymbals) manage to peep through the denser moments.

Writing off these stylish AKGs as anything but performance-focused headphones would be criminally underplaying their talent, and it’s that talent that makes them keep their position as our favourites.

December 2016 | What Hi Fi? | 53

AWARDS 2016 ON-EAR HEADPHONES

Timing, detail and insight: these 2.0 Momentums dig deep

BES ST PORTABLE ON-EARS RS 20,000+ S NNHEISER MOMENTUM 2.0 21,999 SEN 999 hones We’re happy to see Sennheiser’s Momentum 2.0 headpho ight, retain their title. They lavish you with great detail and insig n and the hinges on the side of the headband made them even more portable without a single sacrifice in quality.

A quick play of The Temper Trap’s Sweet Disposition and the rolling guitar plucks shine through with clarity and nuance. Drum kicks and vocals have definition, as each element knits seamlessly together.

To thine own self be true The sonic character is unmistakeably ‘Momentum’, as these headphones dig up impressive levels of detail and appear strikingly confident, conveying the beginning and end of notes and phrases with brilliant precision.

Timing is spot-on and there’s a fine balance of energy and finesse that never fails to grab your attention. Dynamics are fluid, and there’s a subtlety and a natural sense of cohesion that welcomes anything from Drake to Bach with open arms. When playing La Traviata, Act 1, the headphones convey the music’s beautiful ebb and flow – strings rise and fall dramatically as the Momentums show off their flexibility.

There’s very little more to ask for from these headphones, as they’ve built on everything that we loved about the originals for an all-around great sound. They certainly live up to their name, as they meet our high standards once again.

BEST HOME ON-EARS RS UNDER 6000 AKG K92 5299

In one of only two changes to our on-ear Awards list from 2015 2 d to 2016, AKG has struck gold with its K92 headphones – and ve not just because of the colour scheme. When we put on Dav Grohl’s Sound City album of famous musicians singing together, the recording is given ample space to flourish. Whether you’re listening to Stevie Nicks, Paul McCartney or Trent Reznor, the K92s are detailed and a clear enough to show off the different styles of each artist.

The slow build up in From Can To Can’t is tense and brooding, the K92s showing off a composed and mature sense of timing. The drumss hit with a good amount of snap, and you can hear the layers of distortion ns on the guitars. The K92s have a great handle on rhythm, all the instrumeents working cohesively and in time with each other.

Voices are solid and nuanced; dips and soars are handled elegantly;; strings have tension and detail; horns don’t sound harsh or bright; dru ums don’t boom. It’s not often we get to experience a pair of headphones that t get everything right, but these do, and have earned their place on any head.

“AKG has struck gold with its K92 headphones – not just because of the colour”

54 | What Hi Fi? | December 2016

Having such talent across the board is unusual at this price

ON-EAR HEADPHONES AWARDS 2016

BEST HOME B H ON-EARS 2 20, 000- 40,000 GRADO O SR325E 28,500 They’re distinctive in more ways than one most importantly sound

These G Grados don’t leave their position in our pages and, f bly, don’t leave your house. While they have preferabl p lar audio quality, these headphones leak sound like spectacula ks water, so they’re safer to keep inside if you want a damaged pipe leaks f om nearby strangers. to avoid odd looks from f listeningg is what they’re designed for anyway. Their Serious hi-fi f parent and melodious manner make longer wonderfully open, transp l d l h and d tthey are equally good across a range listens a true delight, off music genres..

A real delicacy i y JJohn Williams’ S Somewhere In My M Memory (H l e’s signature score) is a delicate composition – a flurry of ((Home Alone hl d nd the Grados treat it with a suitably sprightly, dainty instruments – an llight hand. Agile and ffluent, they breeze through the varied b o h h h Chang h nging to some blues rock, every orchestration without ah hitch. m nce’s Purple Rain is brought to the morsel off the rhythmic energy in Prin fforefront, f tion and an analytical edge that keeps with strict organisation eeverything h llevelheaded. lh d d.

IIt’s a ffirm tick k in the t box for comfort, even if the Cyberman-like ‘ear b n t be winning any beauty pageants any time soon. But you can bits’ won’t ignore igno all that. Put them on, plug them into your system and you’ll be treated to a performance that can’t be beaten at this price. And that’s what really matters.

BEST ST HOME ON-EARS 50,000+ BEYERDYNAMIC T1 (2ND GENERATION) 56,999 Since most of the other headphones in this list have had a comfortable seat since 2015, there wasn’t an easy path for any manufacturer to make its way into our Awards issue. But Beyerdynamics’ second generation of its T1 headphones have made their entrance with an impressive combination of insight, fluid dynamics and rhythmic precision. And they’re comfortable to wear too.

Playing Drake’s Headlines shows the T1s have the ability to entertain as well as inform. They charge along, pounding out the rhythm track with enthusiasm. There’s plenty of attack here and a solid dose of low-end authority. Importantly, that bass power isn’t bought at the expense of agility or precision.

Higher up the frequency range we’re impressed by the T1’s articulate way with vocals and the way they convey the dynamic nuances of Drake’s delivery. With this track the Beyerdynamics turn in a complete performance that’s almost impossible to pick holes in.

So good to hear real bass authority with no compromise on agility

Make sure the stars align To get this level of performance, everything from the original recording to the source and headphone amp have to be top class. But once you’ve set those links up perfectly it’s like watching the stars align. Arthur C Clarke said that any sufficiently advanced technology is indistinguishable from magic, and that’s just what these headphones sound like: magic.

December 2016 | What Hi Fi? | 55

STEREO AMPLIFIERS AWARDS 2016

STEREO AMPLIFIERS The stereo amplifier is evolving. Choose the right one and your hi-fi system will get an instant performance boost

PRODUCT O F EAR E 1Y6 H0 T2

For its entertaining listen, the Cambridge CXA60 retains its Award

BEST STEREO AMPLIFIER 30,000- 70,000 CAMBRIDGE CXA60 63,400

Last year, Cambridge Audio’s mid-ranging CX Series arrived with a bang, and our affection for it hasn’t wavered – not least for the jewel in its crown: the CXA60. For a second year running, it remains the best value integrated stereo amplifier on the market.

Its sleek, modern ‘floating chassis’ design and clean, uncluttered fascia makes a great first impression – not least with its simple, elegant display and satisfyingly smooth volume, balance and tonal dials – but it’s not just a pretty face. Actually, where the CXA60 excels is in its complete sound, high-resolution audio support and impressive set of connections.

AptX Blutetooth is an optional upgrade by way of a dongle, but going wireless isn’t necessary. A 24-bit/192kHz DAC supports native high-res playback across its two optical and single coaxial inputs, which join four line level inputs, a 3.5mm auxiliary input for plugging in MP3 players or smart devices and a 3.5mm headphone jack.

Tautness keeps you hooked There’s also scope to use the CXA60 as a preamplifier, and to plug in a subwoofer if you want to extend the low-end heft of its performance. Two speaker terminals mean you can biwire or run a second pair of speakers, though one is enough to hear how entertaining this amplifier is.

Fluid, snappy and packed with enthusiasm, it puts musical enjoyment high on its list of priorities without leaving detail, dynamics and rhythmic precision trailing behind – the amplifier skillfully handles complex arrangements and is capable of delivering subtle, accurate detail.

Stream The White Stripes’ Seven Nation Army and that iconic bassline has the right amount of tautness to keep you hooked. The presentation is slightly forward, but the whine and crunch of the guitar riff sounds textured, while the ragged nature of Jack White’s voice is deftly conveyed.

Brooding tension The energetic performance doesn’t cross the line into unruly, overzealous territory, with the Cambridge exercising plenty of control over rhythms.

Hans Zimmer’s compositions for Inception are appropriately brooding; the tension is maintained throughout courtesy of expressive slow-building dynamics, and plenty of low-end weight captures their somberness.

Rival amplifier the Arcam FMJ A19, which the CXA60 knocked off top spot last year, digs a bit deeper and reveals a touch more subtlety – but the Cambridge remains a hugely entertaining and capable listen.

Ergo, with a solid sound that manages to be both exciting and easy to listen to in equal measure, the CXA60 remains the most competitivelyfeatured package out there.

December 2016 | What Hi Fi? | 57

AWARDS 2016 STEREO AMPLIFIERS

BEST STEREO AMPLIFIER UNDER 35,000 ONKYO A-9010 30,000 It doesn’t really matter that since the Onkyo A-9010 sat here last year it has joined Netflix, Apple and train tickets in having an incremental price hike. It’s still an exceptionally good value stereo amplifier – a solid go-to for anyone nailing down their first hi-fi system on a tight budget – that nothing in the last twelve months, even a five-star Marantz newcomer, has been able to stop it in its tracks.

Articulate sound That has little to do with the build – on the surface, the Onkyo looks pretty ordinary with its functional, dial-heavy design. Nor even its connections, without digital-to-analogueconversion, the A-9010 is limited to line-level inputs, a moving magnet phono stage and 6.3mm headphone output.

No, the Onkyo’s continued mastery of the budget stereo amp market has everything to do with performance. If you’re happy with an analogue-only amp, as we expect you will be at this price, you really can’t go wrong with the A-9010’s energetic and articulate sound.

Play My Morning Jacket’s Compound Fracture and it goes headlong into the mesh of electrics, hitting hard with drum kicks and delivering a sense of drive and attack well beyond what we

The Onkyo is a versatile amp, ideally suited to being the nucleus of any midrange system would expect at this price.

Add the Onkyo’s superb timing and strong dynamic expression and you have a very sonically versatile amplifier. At ease across musical genres, it has enough refinement and insight to deliver John Williams’ Hymn to the Fallen convincingly. A decent amount of scale is on show, but it’s the way the amplifier deals with dynamic shifts that impresses us most.

Mighty fine A word before you jump in, though: pressing the Source Direct button bypasses the tone controls and helps the amplifier sound that bit cleaner

and crisper in the way it renders fine detail.

Talented enough to outgrow the rest of your budget components, the A-9010, if not an amplifier for life, can at least continue to be the nucleus of your system as you transition from entry-level to midrange territory. A mighty fine purchase indeed.

“Onkyo’s mastery of the budget stereo amp market is down to performance”

BEST STEREO AMPLIFIER 70,000- 1,20,500 REGA ELEX-R 1,20,500 If anyone knows that perseverance is the key to success, it’s Rega. Since the company’s Elex-R first won an Award in 2014, it has strong-armed wave after wave of competition to keep its title. Two years on, and here it is, once again expertly seeing off the opposition.

By using the much admired Brio-R as a base, and adding circuit elements from the unquestionably talented Elicit-R into the mix, Rega has created one of the most talented sub- 1.5 lac amplifiers we’ve heard.

Anyone familiar with Rega’s current amplifier range will find the Elex-R’s sonic character entirely familiar: fast, agile and as rhythmically surefooted as we’ve heard at this level. With Macklemore and Lewis’ Thrift f Shop, p, it’s head,,

maybe even shoulders, above its rivals when it comes to rendering rhythms. A combination of impressive timing, space and dynamics means that beat can be true allies of the backing vocals and a shaker, with nothing sounding remotely random or like the Rega is freewheeling.

Puts a spell on you There’s an addictive sense of liveliness and energy, and it demonstrates authority and scale as if that’s its life purpose.

It’s equally at home with a vocal-led piece like Nina Simone’s I Put A Spell On You. There’s a real sense of rawness and realism in her deep, guttural delivery, and the Rega conveys nuances better than any of its peers.

Perseverance is key for the Rega Elex-R, back to claim another Award

Tonally, the Elex-R edges towards leanness, though if partnered with care – avoiding sources and speakers that err too far towards brightness – then all will be fine.

Above reproach If all you want is a traditional stereo amplifier, the Rega remains on sure ground as we move away from sound. There are no digital inputs (Rega would no doubt direct you to its talented DAC for number-crunching duties), though you do get a good quality MM phono stage, four line-level inputs, one tape out and a single preamp output.

The absence of a headphone output is a slight snag, and the functional-over-luxurious casework won’t turn many heads, but otherwise it’s above reproach.

Despite the increasing number of very good rivals at this price, the Elex-R has more than enough talent across the board to continue to shine above its rivals.

“The Elex-R is as fast, agile and rhythmically surefooted as we’ve heard at this level” 58 | What Hi Fi? | December 2016

STEREO AMPLIFIERS AWARDS 2016

BEST STEREO AMPLIFIER 1,25,000+ REGA ELICIT-R 1,90,000 What do you call a better Elex-R? Why, the Elicit-R of course! Also a distant relative of the mid-ranging Brio-R, it further builds on the sonic strengths of the Elex-R and adds more sophistication in the design and remote control. Overall it stands out, for the third year running, as the best premium amplifier for the money.

What’s immediately attention grabbing, though, is its surefooted sense of timing: the agility and control it has over its rhythms is hugely impressive. Play The Cure’s Cut Here and like a true virtuoso the Rega provides the rhythmic stimulus and organisation to deliver the intricately woven patterns, which sound anarchic through lesser amplifiers, coherently and cohesively.

There’s impeccable detail and precision to the guitars and keyboards, and the beat that drives the track is lathered with energy. It’s particularly talented with vocals: Robert Smith sounds full of anguish as he delivers the pertinent lines.

The amp has the dynamic expression to let the loud parts of Clint Mansell’s ambient Moon soundtrack sing out gloriously, with quieter moments still exhibiting plenty of detail.

“The Elicit-R again stands out as the best premium amplifier for the money”

Rega reigns

Attention grabbing Packing 105W per channel into 8 ohms (up from the Elex-R’s 72W per channel output), it’s not most powerful amp at this level, yet has plenty of horsepower for most rooms and set-ups – including ours.

The Rega Elicit-R builds on the sonic strengths of its sibling, the Elex-R

The Elicit-R, like its younger sibling, has a slight leanness and hint of brightness. It trades a little warmth and smoothness for transparency, but its priorities are hard to argue with considering how well it reveals a song’s intricacies.

Vinyl lovers, rejoice; the same characteristics run through the talented moving-magnet phono stage. The phono input can be used as a fifth line-level at a flick of a switch, and on the back panel is also a tape loop, preamp output, a direct input into the power amp section, and two record outputs: one for recording, and another for feeding a line-level output to a headphone amp (there’s no headphone output of its own).

Writing itself into the stereo amplifier history book, Rega reigns once more with a tremendous sounding premium amp. Rivals, get in line.

r uncovered e fi li p m A m o ro e in g n E

Your amplifier is the engine of your system: it accepts the signal from a source (CD player, record player, streamer, whatever) and boosts it to a level sufficient to drive speakers.

Additionally, it allows you to regulate the volume at which you listen. When several sources are connected, you will want to switch between them – an amp will let you do that.

Influencing the sound Some amplifiers incorporate tone controls, allowing you to influence the sound you hear. Audio purists

frown on such interference, but for many listeners it’s a must-have option.

Opinion is similarly divided on the subject of remote controls: the circuitry needed by the remote might impact on the amplifier’s sound, but you can’t deny that controlling the volume from your sofa is a convenient bonus.

With great power…

How powerful an amplifier do you need? While it is true that more watts will give greater authority and the ability to drive a range of

speakers, don’t attach too much importance to the figure.

Modern speakers are relatively efficient, so it’s better to have a quality amp with a modest output than a brute more about features than good sound.

Selecting the right amp isn’t all about the power output…

An amplifier is the engine of your system.

It accepts signals from a source and boosts it to a sufficient level to drive speakers.

But how powerful an amp do you need?

December 2016 | What Hi Fi? | 59

AWARDS 2016 PORTABLE MUSIC PLAYERS

PORTABLE MUSIC PLAYERS Even in the age of hi-res smartphones, there’s still a place for a dedicated portable music player

PRODUCT O F EAR E 1Y6 H0 T2

The A&K AK70 is an energetic, open and dynamic music player

BEST PORTABLE MUSIC PLAYER ASTELL & KERN AK70 49,990 Aside from the cool blue-green colour (described by Astell & Kern as ‘misty mint’), the AK70 is pretty much your typical A&K music player: fantastic sound, good features and wonderful to use.

The misty mint colour replaces the traditional safe silver finish of its predecessor (2015’s Product of the Year) the AK Jr, but otherwise the AK70 has a familiar appearance – a rectangular aluminium block with straight edges, sharp corners and a prominent volume dial. There has been a slight price hike, but that’s more than justified.

It still supports PCM files up to 24-bit/192kHz (32-bit files are downsampled) and DSD 64/128, features a built-in microSD card slot to expand the 64GB of on-board storage by up to 200GB and has Bluetooth for streaming to headphones and wireless speakers. There’s wi-fi on board too for music streaming and software updates.

Bright and crisp In a first for A&K, the AK70 can double up as a digital-to-analogue converter (DAC), so you can wave goodbye to poor-sounding headphone ports on laptops or smartphones.

60 | What Hi Fi? | December 2016

It also welcomes Android’s OS on board, and the familiar legible interface looks bright and crisp on its new 3.3in AMOLED touchscreen – the colourful album art of ELO’s Out Of The Blue leaps off the screen. On the same page as the AK Jr where ear-shattering volume and tonal character are concerned, the AK70 is energetic, open and dynamic. Gains in clarity, space and expression are as obvious as the colour change.

Musical creatures Play Elvis Costello & The Attractions’ This Year’s Girl (24-bit/192kHz), and there’s more texture around each drum strike as the AK70 kicks with all the right accents. There’s more space between them and the shakers, electric guitar and vocal too without losing the rhythmic cohesion that makes A&Ks such effortlessly musical devices. The midrange opens up that bit more, so the lyrics aren’t swallowed up by the densely fluid instrumentation, instead savoured with that much more nuance.

It’s a worthy alternative to a budget DAC too, and this feature alone proves a huge benefit. Combine that with further advances in features and usability, as well as evolutionary sonic improvements, and its lockdown not just of five stars, but also a Product of the Year accolade, is a given.

STREAMING SERVICES AWARDS 2016

STREAMING SERVICES

Take charge of your own radio or TV station

PRODUCT O F EAR E 1Y6 H0 T2

VIDEO STREAMING SERVICE NETFLIX FROM 500/month

Netflix just keeps getting better, making a more compelling case for your money at every turn. It’s everything you want from a video streaming service: simple to use, available on your preferred platform and filled with great content.

Subscription starts at 500 per month for standard-definition streams to a single screen. Up your spend to 650 per month and get high-def stuff available to watch on a couple of screens.

Or go the whole hog (provided you’ve already gone the entire pig on a 4K ultra high-def display) and spend 800 per month for 4K content on as many as four screens at a time.

Whichever subcription you choose, Netflix streams at exactly the sort of quality you would expect. The 4K material is still necessarily limited, but something such as Better Call Saul on a 4K display is prodigiously detailed, vibrant and stable. And if 5.1 audio is available, Netflix will serve it up in the same manner as it does pictures: robustly and positively.

It goes without saying not all content is available in HD, let alone 4K, but one of the great pleasures of a Netflix subscription is happening upon nailed-on classics like The Odd Couple (1968) or Dr Strangelove (1964).

Netflix has always been a fuss-free and stable streaming experience (provided your broadband is up to it, of course), and its compatibility is peerless. PCs and Macs, Google Chromecast, any smart TV worth its salt, games consoles, Blu-ray players from all the big brands, tablets and phones – no matter if they’re iOS, Android or even Windows – are all on the menu.

Ergonomically, things could hardly be simpler. Aside from the TV app’s rather retrograde A-Z keyboard (rather than QWERTY) search function, it’s straightforward to browse, create a shortlist and enjoy the service’s recommendations. You can also establish multiple user profiles, including parental locks to prevent the kids stumbling onto World War Z or similar. Quality, compatibility – and a social conscience. We’re sold.

December 2016 | What Hi Fi? | 61

AWARDS 2016 CD PLAYERS

CD PLAYERS

Sales of CDs may be on the decline, but the CD player continues to adapt to the latest hi-fi trends – and these two winners show there’s plenty of life left in the format For its rhythmic ability and entertaining listen, Cyrus’s CDi wins again

PRODUCT O F EAR E 1Y6 H0 T2

BEST CD PLAYER 1,50,000+ CYRUS CDi 1,59,000 For as long as we care to remember, Cyrus has hardly put a foot wrong with its CD players – in fact, it wouldn’t be an exaggeration to say its track record has been phenomenal.

So it was something of a surprise when it was pipped to the 2013 Award by Naim’s superb CD5si.

Cyrus responded in the best way possible with the CDi, which regained the Award in 2014 and held onto it in 2015.

Raised eyebrows The CDi shares similar features to Cyrus’s latest CD transport, the CD Xt Signature. It has a slot disc loader, a more stable clock and the latest version of its customary Servo Evolution disc-reading engine, which relies more on reading the data correctly the first time than on error correction to colour in the blanks.

Cyrus claims that the CDi is its best-sounding CD player yet, and even after a short listen we are convinced of the scale of the achievement here.

We play Hans Zimmer’s Dream Is Collapsing from the Inception soundtrack

62 | What Hi Fi? | December 2016

and are struck by the CDi’s uniform, articulate and intuitive presentation. It’s something we’d expect from a much more expensive player.

Each layer of the composition is precisely unpeeled, and each instrument passed through the mix with coherent flow. But it’s the rhythmic talent that really raises our eyebrows. Pace and momentum are delivered vibrantly, and we are entertained and compelled by the Cyrus’s dynamic agility and neutral balance.

Though fast and fluid, the sound is much weightier than any of the company’s previous models.

A hat-trick of honours We’re hugely impressed with the CDi and are confident you won’t find a more entertaining, more revealing player until you near the 1.5lac mark. For its dynamic expression, rhythmic ability and, above all, the entertaining listen, the CDi holds on to its Award. A third consecutive win is no less than this special player deserves.

CD PLAYERS AWARDS 2016

BEST CD PLAYER UNDER 60,000 MARANTZ CD6006 59,990 At no point has it ever been broken, but Marantz has gone ahead and fixed its 6000-series CD player regardless.

The CD6006 has undergone numerous changes from the 2015 Award-winning CD6005, but despite a significant price hike from the outgoing machine’s 48,000, Marantz retains the same Award we bestowed upon its predecessor.

Full-figured At first glance, the changes aren’t immediately obvious. The chassis dimensions and fascia layout retain the familiar look of a 6000-series

CD player, with a central tray-loading mechanism, bright and legible display, USB socket and 6.3mm headphone output with gain control. Around the back are the bare essentials: stereo analogue output along with digital optical and coaxial outputs for bypassing the 6006’s DAC and using it purely as a transport.

However, we’d make the most of the hi-res (24-bit/192kHz) Cirrus Logic CS4398 DAC. It’s capable of dealing with better-than-CD-quality digital files and can be accessed via the USB input. Put some hi-res WAV files on a USB stick, and the 6006 becomes a hi-res audio player.

Pop Burial’s Untrue into the disc-tray and the 6006’s sound is instantly familiar. It’s a robust, full-figured delivery, giving the low end real weight and presence. There is a slight lack of absolute authority, as the bass threatens to run away with itself on occasion, but overall this a good player for those who like a ballsy bass-line.

A calmly superior sound Lower the temperature with Ólafur Arnalds’ Found Songs and the Marantz is unflustered, dealing with small-scale and delicate just as confidently as it does urban bombast. The attack and decay of piano notes, the bite and rasp of violin strings, and the light and shade of synthesiser washes are all delivered deftly.

It doesn’t get carried away or overexcited, but the CD6006 is a superior disc-player to its predecessor. Raising the price was a risky move, but in the case of the CD6006 it has paid off – and Marantz’s mastery of the affordable CD player market shows no sign of abating.

“Marantz’s mastery of the affordable CD player shows no sign of abating”

It looks like a typical 6000-series Marantz, but the CD6006 is a superior disc-player to its predecessor

yer How to buy... A CD pla

3

1

CD remains r the main music source for f r d for f th ill continue ti t be b many, and them will to important for years to come. Here are a few tips on buying the right player.

The basics CD players are pretty simple. They respond well to a decent equipment support and like to be placed on a level surface. The majority have digital outputs (1), so if you want to upgrade their performance (particularly for older players) an

C is an option.. outboard DAC If you already have a DAC iin your l d h system, then you don’t need an integrated player. A dedicated transport, such as the Cyrus CD t, will do the job.

On most machines there’s a choice of analogue outputs. Standard RCAs are the norm (3), but higher-end players may have a balanced XLR option (2), which sometimes sounds better.

Ensure your amplifier can accept a balanced signal before you buy.

2

System matching i Turntables, T t bl or cartridges t id specifically, ifi ll need a lot of pampering for optimum performance. CD players are far less fussy. That doesn’t mean you shouldn’t take care in terms of sonic character, though. Every bit of a system should pull in the same direction if you want optimal results. A fast, dynamic CD player is wasted if the partnering amplifier majors on a soft, smooth sound.

How to audition H ii n Take T k along l a variety i t off di discs tto th the dealer demo. Make sure you try all sorts of music, and that the player copes with everything you throw at it.

If you have a lot of CD-Rs, make sure they work – there can often be incompatibilities between recorders and players, particularly with discs recorded on PC drives. Also, it’s worth having a listen to how noisy the transport mechanism is. Some are loud enough to spoil quiet music.

December 2016 | What Hi Fi? | 63

AWARDS 2016 WIRELESS SPEAKERS

WIRELESS SPEAKERS A wide-ranging category with seven different Awards from portable to mains-powered

PRODUCT O F

The Dali Katch is a comprehensive winner of the 2016 Award

EAR E 1Y6 H0 T2

BEST PORTABLE 30,000+ DALI KATCH 36,900 Rarely is an Award winner so soundly beaten. Perhaps we ought expect it in the realm of wireless speakers, where changeover of power is more regular than in Second World War Europe, but still it took us by surprise once we’d heard the KEF Muo take on the Dali Katch.

Droning on We connect a Mac to the Katch via Bluetooth, which is easily found and connects automatically each subsequent time both devices are powered on, and load up Tidal to play Godspeed You! Black Emperor’s Asunder, Sweet And Other Distress. We are taken aback with each bar of the drum kit’s crescendo that starts the album on Peasantry, not only because the Katch defies its size with colossal thumps, but also because dynamically it fills us with anticipation for the grimy waltz-like riff that is to come.

When that riff does arrive, the Dali is far from overawed by the track’s demanding instrumentation. There’s plenty of detail picked out from sawing guitars and multi-tracked strings, digging deep into the soil of wails and drones that tail off each phrase, and the size of the sound is quite simply incredible for something of the Katch’s stature.

64 | What Hi Fi? | December 2016

“The size of the sound is simply incredible for something of the Katch’s stature” There are further adventures in detail and dynamics with the record’s second track, Lambs’ Breath. Just shy of 10 minutes, and composed entirely of unsettling drones, it’s not an easy listen.

Turning the tide Often we might consider it harsh for a portable wireless speaker, even one costing this much, to be set such a task – they’re really just for spitting out EDM at parties, no? But the Katch is fantastically aware of the subtleties of each sustain, proving its versatility to go big on the first track and now analysing the slowly moving tides of this. Let’s not get carried away – you won’t be replacing your entire hi-fi with this one speaker. But you may decide to clear your bookshelves and find it a permanent home.

Dali has improved on pretty much every aspect of last year’s standard. It isn’t cheap, no, but this is a case of getting what you pay for.

WIRELESS SPEAKERS AWARDS 2016

BEST PORTABLE UNDER 10,000 UE ROLL 2 8495 Upon hearing the Award-winning Ultimate Ears Roll a year ago, we predicted it unlikely to be knocked from its perch anytime soon. We are pleased to report how wrong we were.

The UE Roll 2 is another notch in the US company’s belt. At first glance you may be left wondering what has changed to warrant a brand-new model – externally, the Roll 2 looks the same. It’s a tiny flying saucer of a speaker, with large volume icons, an ultra-portable build and funky design.

The Roll 2 stays true to its predecessor’s character, however, only now the sound is more open, dynamic and solid. There’s more detail too, avoiding the sub- 10,000 wireless speaker trend of overemphasising bass but still adding more weight.

Play Lenny Kravitz’s Frankenstein and the drums hit with a heft that wasn’t there before.

There’s a solid thwack, with a good deal of attack driving the funky tune.

It’s surprisingly well organised for a speaker of its compact size and price. Each instrument is distinct and given its due: the guitar twangs and whines, the saxophone fluidly meanders through the song but doesn’t sound too sharp when it hits the high notes, and the bassline is satisfyingly solid without sounding tubby.

The Roll 2 stays true to its predecessor’s character

Better value for money What’s even more impressive is just how controlled the snappy rhythm is. It’s fast, it’s punctual and yet it never sounds like it’s trying too hard to be precise. The UE Roll 2 is also much more conscious of the shifting dynamics in a song.

The Roll 2 shows just how much UE got right the first time round, with so many features hiding in that tiny design. Keeping the distinctive look unchanged was a good move, while the improvements in sound and the drop in price make it even better value for money than before.

If you’re after a compact, portable speaker that sounds great and is genuinely fun to use, we can’t recommend the Roll 2 highly enough.

Fluid meandering So what’s new? For a start, the Roll 2 goes 15 per cent louder, has a greater Bluetooth range of around 100ft (depending on the environment, of course) and is cheaper than its predecessor – the new UE speaker costs 8400.

“It’s surprisingly well organised for a speaker of its compact size and price”

BEST PORTABLE 15,000-30,000 AUDIO PRO ADDON ADD T3 29,999 giving it a more complex and natural feel than you may have imagined possible in a product such as this – and that texture remains unconfused even as it is treated with delay.

Comfort zone

No longer our Product of the Year, but we still admire the Addon T3

So enamoured of the Audio Pro Addon T3 were we last year that we awarded it a Product of the Year Award.

And, though it relinquishes that particular title, we are no less taken with it a year on.

In the drum kit of Bauhaus’s Bela Lugosi’s Dead – the unmistakeable kick, hi-hat and snare-rim rhythm with which the piece starts – you hear the size of the room immediately,

As the song grows, first with bass and then guitar, you notice not only the depth of the frequency range but its agility and respect for its surroundings. The low end made feasible by that larger than normal chassis doesn’t dominate. Instead it does what it should, offering stability when the vocals begin.

And that is where the upgrade on something such as the Ultimate Ears Roll 2 – a humdinger at 8,400 – is justified. Sure, the Addon T3 is ideal for the garden or poolside, but you’ll

“The T3 focuses on making the instruments sound as wholesome as possible”

be sufficiently engaged by its level of expression to listen for longer periods.

It won’t replace your hi-fi system, but it is comfortable and more communicative than the average budget wireless speaker. Rachmaninov’s Concerto No2 in C Minor will lack its required gravitas on any small wireless speaker, but the T3 stays within its comfort zone. That’s not a negative – it doesn’t overstretch itself and instead focuses on what it does well, making instruments sound as wholesome as possible without sacrificing organisation or range.

It is more than listenable, and we get through all three movements – longer than half an hour – without fidgeting.

A real Beastie If it can play that, it can play anything. And it does, from Beastie Boys’ Intergalactic to Prince Fatty and Horseman’s take on Insane In The Brain, that level of expression makes fun, well, fun. It’s bouncy, full of attack and not slowed at all by the extra bass weight.

You’ll need to double your cash if you want something to fit in your pencil case and sound this good, though we’re pretty sure you’ll choose to take the T3 with you when you hear what 30,000 can buy. Splendid.

December 2016 | What Hi Fi? | 65

AWARDS 2016 WIRELESS SPEAKERS

BEST MAINS-POWERED UNDER 20,000 MONITOR AUDIO AIRSTREAM S150 15,500 It has fewer features, but the S150 beats its S200 sibling for performance

We had considered dispensing with a mains-powered wireless speaker Award at this price, but upon digging the Monitor Audio Airstream S150 from our stockroom, we remembered instantly why we were so impressed with it last year.

What’s the catch?

From the outside, the S150 looks like a carbon copy of its sibling, the Airstream S200, from which it stole the Award last year. The drive units and internal amplification are all virtually identical too. There’s a 20mm tweeter flanked by two 75mm mid/bass drivers behind the fabric-covered grille. They sit on an angled baffle to help disperse sound.

And yet, the S150 is cheaper than its stablemate. So what’s the catch? The S200 was blessed with features such as AirPlay and DLNA streaming, but both of these have been stripped out of the S150, leaving you with only Bluetooth for your streaming fix.

“Stripping out features has robbed the S150 of none of its musicality”

So has stripping out features robbed the Monitor Audio of any of its musicality? Quite the opposite. The S150 sounds more robust and confident. You get the same impressive clarity and openness provided by the S200, but music is delivered with extra solidity and conviction.

At high volumes, the S150 remains composed and well behaved throughout the frequencies.

You should have no trouble filling small- to medium-sized rooms. By the same token, the speaker works equally well at low volumes. It still picks out loads of detail, and manages to communicate dynamic shifts even when you’re using it for background listening.

The right balance Percussion sounds agile and lively, and the vocals sit in plenty of space, but don’t feel detached – tracks unfold around them. As well as punch, the speaker handles the sparkling highs confidently. There’s no harshness or brightness to speak of, but neither does it sound safe or rolled-off. This balance is no mean feat in a budget wireless speaker.

If you can live without the few extra features on its more expensive sibling, you’d be crazy not to audition the S150. It’s more affordable and, in our opinion, sounds even better.

BEST MAINS-POWERED 1,00,000+ NAIM MU-SO 1,35,000 Had you not been paying attention, you could be forgiven for thinking the Naim Mu-so was a brand new product. It looks and sounds as groundbreaking as it did a few years ago.

There’s little this Mu-so can’t do.

Naim has included nearly every streaming method into the mix – there’s aptX Bluetooth, AirPlay, UPnP, Spotify Connect and internet radio on board.

The Naim supports all popular audio formats, from lo-res MP3s and Spotify streams to 24-bit/192kHz WAV, FLAC and AIFF files. You get full-fat high resolution audio through the wired ethernet connection, while going wireless limits it to 48kHz.

Foot-tapping precision The power behind the Mu-so’s sound is astonishing. It drives all songs with a surefooted sense of rhythm, rich detail and lashings of deep, rumbling bass we’ve never heard from a wireless speaker before.

The scale of sound is huge. It easily fills our large listening room with its soaring dynamics, the soundfield is as wide as it is tall and deep, charging through songs with boundless energy

66 | What Hi Fi? | December 2016

The Naim Mu-so looks as groundbreaking as it did a few years ago

“There are no sharp edges to the Mu-so’s sound. Taut basslines are full of texture” and enthusiasm. Notes stop and start with foot-tapping precision, instruments are accurately and cohesively laid out, and silences between notes have intensity.

A demanding track such as Time from the Inception soundtrack shows off the Mu-so’s dynamic prowess – the build-up is palpably tense. There’s a stunning level of subtle detail.

Play a hi-res track such as REM’s Losing My Religion (24-bit/192kHz) and the Mu-so shows off the benefits of extra resolution. Every guitar strum is tangible, drums hit with satisfying

impact and Michael Stipe’s vocals are intimate.

High notes are crisp, open and have just the right amount of bite. There are no undue sharp edges to the Mu-so’s sound, and taut basslines are controlled and full of texture.

Prime position This wireless speaker’s performance lives up to the spec-sheet hype – it looks stunning, and that powerful and subtle sound is as close as we’ve heard to hi-fi from an all-in-one unit such as this. It’s more than worthy of a front-and-centre position in your listening room.

AWARDS 2016 SYSTEMS

SYSTEMS

Whether it’s an all-in-one hi-fi system, a microsystem or a one-box system, this section has them all covered The Denon focuses on physical media such as CDs and USB sticks

PRODUCT O F EAR E 1Y6 H0 T2

BEST MICROSYSTEM DENON D-M40DAB 49,900 Despite our continued move towards an ever-connected world, sometimes it’s nice to take things back to basics. The fact the Denon D-M40DAB is one of the most sought after systems proves a lot of our readers think the same.

It’s easy to see why. This dinky system might not offer the network features or Bluetooth of the majority of its competitors, but its superb sonic performance more than justifies it scooping the Product of the Year gong for the second year running.

Let’s get physical Instead, its focus is on physical media – CDs, USB sticks and a smattering of analogue and digital inputs are this system’s bread and butter, plus there are DAB and FM radio tuners on board as well.

The Denon’s performance is certainly impressive. Play a CD and not even newer competition can touch it for detail levels or dynamics. It offers a more expressive, better organised performance that doesn’t shy away from subtlety and insight.

68 | What Hi Fi? | December 2016

Plug an iPod into the front-panel USB input (which now accepts AAC, WAV and FLAC files, as well as the WMA and MP3 of its Award-winning predecessor), and the results are equally enjoyable.

Life in the old system Even the rowdiest of songs is handled with poise and togetherness, finding a great balance between weight, detail and attack while always ensuring that timing is spot on. This is the result of the improved 32-bit/192kHz DAC from the D-M40’s predecessor, but it also benefits from a more sensitive DAB and FM tuner plus newly tweaked speakers. We’d recommend buying the system complete with Denon’s own speakers –you won’t find much better at their price, and they integrate well too.

For a second year running, Denon’s microsystem has fought off the challenge of better-specified competition by simply delivering excellent performance and proving there’s life in the old system yet. If your music library is on shelves rather than a streaming service, the Denon D-M40DAB is a superb buy.

SYSTEMS AWARDS 2016

BEST HI-FI SYSTEM ARCAM SOLO MUSIC 1,95,000 Sometimes it’s easier to have everything in one package – and single-box hi-fi systems are no exception. The Arcam Solo Music is a premium just-add-speakers system that sits at the centre of your hi-fi and home cinema entertainment set-up. It’s the third generation of the Solo Music, a brand that’s been around for more than a decade, and, like its predecessors, it offers an impressive array of functions.

As well as being a CD/SACD-playing, networkstreaming source in itself, and having a DAB/ DAB+/FM tuner and Bluetooth on board, the Solo has digital and analogue connections,

including four HDMI inputs and single optical, coaxial, USB, phono and 3.5mm inputs. It also has DLNA functionality, and plays 24-bit/192kHz music from anywhere on your local network.

Powerful and punchy Underneath the chunky exterior, the Solo Music shares many components with Arcam’s home cinema and hi-fi separates, including 160W of Class G amplification – as found at the high end of Arcam’s FMJ integrated amp range.

Like many Arcam products, the Solo Music offers an instantly likeable sound: powerful, punchy and smooth, with must haves like

clarity, balance and detail also checking in.

No part of the frequency range tips the tonal scales off kilter, and the Arcam has the space and precision to articulate even the most complicated of tracks, always sounding solid and focused.

High benchmark It’s a broad soundfield too, which complements the system’s confidence with dynamics, delivering energetic tracks with gusto and more brooding tracks with poise and consideration.

Hook it up to your TV and it does all of this with your movies too, putting weight and expression behind well-recorded dialogue. Hi-res music steps this up a notch, delivering a richer bass response and more dynamic sublety, but its character is the same across all of its inputs.

The multi-talented Arcam Solo Music sets a high benchmark for a system of its type at this price. A well-made and solid-sounding product, this is a complete one-box stereo system.

“The Solo Music offers a likeable sound – powerful, punchy and smooth”

A talented one-box music system, Arcam’s Solo Music sets the benchmark for this price

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AWARDS 2016 WIRELESS HEADPHONES

WIRELESS HEADPHONES More and more people are doing without wires.

And with cans this good, why wouldn’t you?

A drop in price has taken the P5s from top quality to sublime

PRODUCT O F EAR E 1Y6 H0 T2

BEST WIRELESS HEADPHONES 20,000- 30,000 BOWERS & WILKINS P5 WIRELESS 22,900 Wireless headphones have, without a doubt, become more prominent over the past year. With the removal of the 3.5mm headphone jack from Apple’s iPhone, alongside rumours that Samsung and other Android manufactures are going to follow suit, it’s likely that we are going to see even more cordless cans.

That’s why it’s so satisfying to see something such as Bowers and Wilkins’ P5 Wireless headphones here – we gave them an Award in 2015 but because of a price drop they’re even more affordable while being just as brilliant. They definitely deserve to be our Product of the Year.

Portable elegance These headphones feel like an executive armchair for your ears, the epitome of portable elegance, and a sure-fire way to look and feel smart next to the masses of primary-coloured plastic on the bus.

The controls on the right earcup – the standard three-button volume/ play/pause/call configuration, along with a power/pair slider – are intuitive.

Pairing is easy and made in seconds. Perhaps most importantly, a stable aptX Bluetooth connection means that there aren’t going to be any drops in your sound while using these headphones.

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Blasting Muse’s Psycho, these headphones maintain a bold sound with enough weight to give your ears a thorough slamming. A robust-sounding midrange helps to reinforce that impression of power, while subtle dynamics make the most of the song’s distorted guitar torture. A firm grip on rhythm ensures an eloquent delivery – it’s not merely the impression of authority, it’s the real deal.

The bassline is deep and taut, the pounding drums kick hard and yet maintain control, and there’s enough texture throughout to make out easily Matt Bellamy’s laboured breathing, all without the hiss we often experience with other Bluetooth headphones.

In the event you run down the 17-hour lithium battery by using these headphones all day, concealed beneath one of the earpads is a socket for wired use. Its design requires the headphone cable to be snaked through a tiny channel, thereby protecting the socket from death by yanking, but it’s fairly easily done and is an effective work-around.

These headphones have a great sound and gorgeous design, with none of the inconvenience that comes from tangled cables – or the complete absence of ports from your device. While the P5s are confident enough to go wireless, we certainly wouldn’t be happy going P5-less.

WIRELESS HEADPHONES AWARDS 2016

BEST NOISE-CANCELLING HEAD HEADPHONES 10,000+ SONY MDR-1000X 30,990 SO We didn’t see this one coming. Bose and Sennheiser are usually battling it out for our premium noise-canceller Award, but this year Sony has sneaked in under the radar and stolen the show.

The MDR-1000Xs are a convincing combination of clever features, excellent noise-cancelling and brilliant sound quality.

This time, it really is personal

Clever features, great noise-cancelling and terrific sound quality

Sony’s Personal NC Optimiser ensures you get a strong noise-cancelling experience. Tap the relevant button and the headphones spring into life, outputting a series of test tones to optimise the sound for your ears. It’s a similar process to that undertaken by AV amps when they calibrate speaker output to suit the room.

The resultant sound is terrific, among the best we’ve heard. And it gets even better. When you need to speak to someone, you don’t need to break the seal. Quick Attention mode involves placing your hand on the right headphone housing while you’re listening to music and there’s immediate silence. Take your hand away and the music reappears. It’s a neat

touch and offers something a little different from the competition.

Whatever your musical tastes, the MDR1000Xs produce a carefully balanced sound.

Play Vance Joy’s Georgia and there’s a wonderful amount of space as the guitar meanders through the beginning of the track. Similarly, the drum kick has real impact and solidity.

Highs are nicely judged, with percussion sounding smooth and expressive. Lows are weighty but the Sonys prove agile enough to delve in and decipher the thickest of basslines.

No mean feat Managing to nail the noise-cancelling while still producing a great audio experience is no mean feat, but Sony has managed it. Sprinkle in some smart, useful features and the MDR-1000Xs deserve a big round of applause. And an Award.

“They prove agile enough to delve in and decipher the thickest of basslines”

...

ble How to set up a turnta

Take care to properly align the cartridge. Even an an error of a degree will increase the distortion significantly

Usually, you’ll have to install the latter and drive belt. Put pla he arm’s counterweight the on and remove surrrounding packaging

2

Before you start, make sure the turntable has a rigid low-resonance support tosit on, and that it is level

15 While mo ost counterw i h weights come with markings, kings it is still best to use dedicated scales to ensure accuracy December 2016 | What Hi Fi? | 71

AWARDS 2016 WIRELESS HEADPHONES

BEST WIRELESS HEADPHONES UNDER 20,000 AKG Y50BT 17,300

Much like their wired counterpaarts, the AKG Y50BT perform just as well w now as they did when they won this t category last year. What you have here is a rare example of headphones that are equally excellent across audio performance, featurres, design and build quality.

The right earcup has buttons for volume e, play// pause, and power/pairing. Pairing is easy – Bluetooth connection takes no time at all, and d we don’t experience any dropouts.

What’s more, the balanced ratio of alumiinium to plastic gives a luxurious vibe and, althou h ugh n’t forr the big ‘AKG’ slapped across the earcups isn everyone, the ones we test in black and silv ver are subdued enough to be cool.

And they’re practical too. They’re comfo ortable to wear for long sessions, even with glassess, and they don’t get our ears warm too quickly. And A when you’re done, the earcups swivel flat and a fold inwards, small enough to fit in a coat pocket. p .

t the caalibre of the talent on hand. There is no tell discernib d ble hint of the hiss and whine that give aaway y the wirelessness of lesser headphones.

Bags g off detail go hand-in-hand with that cclarity. Yo ou get all manner of texture to iinstrumeents and vocals, which are organised ugh for you to appreciate the sense of well enou sspace and d separation but not regimented eenough g to o seem clinical. Throw in some dashes of panach he, and the result is a performance e tthat’s as entertaining as it is competent.

The clarity and insight are exceptional. And there’s panache, too

T They got g rhythm The Y50B T BTs’ sense of rhythm is good. We never hear anytthing other than top timing, even when h we ffeed them Miles Davis or John Coltrane. The h nes have the dynamic heft to articulate headphon sshifts f in tone and volume. t to go wireless without breaking Iff you want w tthe bank,, but still get a luxurious product, then llook no further.

There’s never a dull moment fu h thes h se entertaining headphones. with

As good as wired Alongside great build quality is a sound thaat is extraordinary by wireless standards, easily d y good enough to pass for a decent wired performance.

The headphones are remarkably clear, offering the sort of insight that makes it easy to

““Equ ually excellent across p formance, features, perfo desig d gn and build quality”

BEST WIRELESS HEADPHONES 30,000+ BOWERS & WILKINS P7 WIRELESS 29,900 her off As the more refined bigger broth our Product of the Year, the P7s haave it all. They’ve a similarly elegant design to the P5 Wireless, and are just as intuitive and a d simple to use. This is a case, it would seem, off “if it ain’t broke, don’t fix it” from B&W. The earpads are very comfortable and can n be worn all day, while their 17-hour lithium batttery y makes it very unlikely that you’ll run out off power. The ease with which you can switch h between wireless devices also ups their usability. The P7’s aptX Bluetooth connectiv y vity is controlled via the power button: slide it across a to turn on and off, and push it in to make th he headphones discoverable to new devices. Itt’s the ergonomic craftsmanship of these cans that makes them so satisfying to use.

Detail and clarity Sonically, these headphones are superbly detailed. They keep Pitbull and Ke$ha’s collaboration Timber upbeat and fun, with

“Timber is upbeat and fun n and has heaps of emotion n in both the artists’ vocals” s” 72 | What Hi Fi? | December 2016

No matter what the music, the P7s really get to the heart of it

heaps h ps of emotion in both the artists’ vocals.

T They also reveal the deep, harsh growl in P bull’s voice, making you believe he could be Pitbu ssingin ng this having just come out of a club.

The P7s have a good control of the dynamics ttoo, aable to build smoothly from the harmonica aat thee start of Timber to the crescendo of the lloud d cclub. The message is that these h phones can effectively recreate the headp aatmosphere of a range of music with ease.

D ep, generous but taut Dee Th deep The d bass beats are generous, yet managed p particcularly well in the way they keep the sound ttaut and a tuneful while sustaining plenty of aattack k. At the other end of the spectrum, the h have rich texture to them without high notes n eerring g on the thin side and, on the whole, the P a comfortably full-bodied sound.

P7s deliver d W h something more complicated, such as With Wherre Is My Mind by Pixies, the P7s keep the Wh ccontrrast between quiet background echoes and d distorrtion in the guitar balanced and organised. hese headphones will relish your chilled Th m ning-commute playlist, your atmospheric morn d daytime soundtracks and your powerful pop if fancy going to a silent disco in the evening. you fa Th They’re one habit we won’t be looking to break.

TEMPTATIONS AWARDS 2016

TEMPTATIONS The Temptations section features hi-fi kit with price tags that put them out of the reach of most. But what’s the harm in dreaming, right?

PRODUCT O F EAR E 1Y6 H0 T2

DAVE stands for ‘Digital to Analogue Veritas in Extremis’. Other than that, it’s brilliant

BEST TEMPTATION CHORD DAVE 8,95,000 Chord has the Midas touch when it comes to digital-toanalogue converters. Turn to this year’s DAC Awards and the company’s products dominate the category once again. The likes of the Hugo and 2Qute are quite brilliant for the money, but if your spending power stretches beyond these, consider DAVE. The heart of this unit, and every current Chord DAC for that matter, is a FPGA (Field Programmable Gate Array) loaded with highly developed proprietary software, and this marks Chord products out as something special. This digital engine does everything from the digital-to-analogue conversion to filtering, even processing a DSD signal when required.

Savage dynamics There’s the usual trio of digital inputs – USB (type B), coaxial and optical.

DAVE loves big numbers, with the single USB capable of accepting PCM signals with sampling rates up to an astonishing 768kHz. It handles DSD files up to a staggering DSD 512 too. The outputs are far more conventional, with single-ended and balanced analogue options.

It doesn’t take more than a few seconds of listening to realise DAVE is at the cutting edge of digital performance. It just sounds so right, even trying to deconstruct its performance genuinely takes an effort.

Orff’s Carmina Burana is one of the most demanding pieces of music we know. It has savage dynamics coupled to complex instrumentation, and varies from outright frenzy to angelic in the space of just a few seconds.

DAVE takes it all in stride. This DAC renders a convincing acoustic – a believable space populated by the choir and instruments.

Truly smitten It’s DAVE’s dynamic ability that impresses us most. Not only does this DAC thump out crescendos with conviction, but it also goes from loud to quiet and back again with a grace and fluidity we’ve never heard from digital files before. It paints music with class-leading naturalness that makes most rivals sound mechanical and restrained in comparison.

These qualities remain on Kendrick Lemar’s The Blacker the Berry, where the rhythm track comes through with unstoppable momentum.

There’s everything we want here – punch, attack and plenty of insight.

DAVE’s sound is superbly refined, but never uses that as an excuse to smooth things off to the extent where the music’s innate sparkle is reduced. It’s just transparent to the source. We can ask no more than that.

We’re truly smitten with this Chord. It’s expensive and has a daft name, but when it comes to performance, no DAC we’ve heard comes close.

December 2016 | What Hi Fi? | 73

AWARDS 2016 STEREO SPEAKERS

STEREO SPEAKERS The best things come in pairs, and whether it’s standmounter, floorstander or desktop, our stereo speakers category is proof of that

The Emit M20s are easily the best-value speakers on the market right now

PRODUCT O F EAR E 1Y6 H0 T2

BEST STANDMOUNT 50,000- 70,000 DYNAUDIO EMIT M20 60,000 Even if the support act is unexpectedly good, it’s a relief when the headliners come on stage and top their efforts.

That’s the feeling we had when we first listened to Dynaudio Emit M20s just weeks after the range’s smaller bookshelves, the M10s, triumphed over (last year’s Product of the Year) B&W 685 S2s.

Displaying both more authority and dynamic expression, the Emit 20s justify the extra outlay over their sibling. We think they are the most capable pound-for-pound stereo speakers on the market – quite something considering the highly talented competition from Wharfedale and KEF.

with attack and potency, and even in the most complex moments, still pick out the multiple strands of the music – rhythmic drums, ambient guitar lines, cutting cymbals – without sidelining any element.

They exhibit enthusiasm, but manage to stabilise it with a pleasant smoothness and refinement – and that winning algorithm makes them so listenable and versatile. They aren’t quite as flexible with poorer recordings – you won’t get the best from them playing compressed music – and they don’t care much for being shoved up against a wall. Instead they require a bit of room to hit the right tonal balance.

Game for everything

Passing the baton

The scale, dynamics and insight the 17cm magnesium silicate polymer mid/bass driver and 28mm soft dome tweeter achieve lays the M20’s ambitions bare. But none of it comes at the expense of musicality and agility. In Ludovico Einaudi’s Ancora, piano sequences enjoy nuance and texture, to the point where it sounds not so much as though he’s striking keys but giving you a personal lesson in advanced piano playing.

Dynamically, the Dynaudios are as capable with explosive changes as subtle ones. Each piano note is solid, exact and punctual – even if in absolute terms they sometimes trade outright analysis for fun.

Unlike some speakers that favour certain music genres, the Emit 20s are game for everything, including the glitchy synths and intensely heady electro-beats in 65daysofstatic’s Prisms. They whisk through the song

You won’t want to hide them away in a corner of your room anyway.

Sporting an uber-smooth satin lacquer (available in either white or black) and driver-dominated baffle, the Dynaudios deserve to be shown off. The smattering of screws bordering the drivers make the M20s look a little as though they have been used as target practice, but if this is a concern they can be covered with the grey cloth grilles. Personally we prefer their sound with the drivers on show. Build is excellent too, which only reiterates why these speakers are such a stellar buy.

We thought it would be some time before the multi Award-winning B&W 685 S2s handed over the baton, but it just goes to show how the speaker market continues to get better. And right now, the Dynaudio Emit M20s are easily the best around anywhere near this price.

74 | What Hi Fi? | December 2016

STEREO SPEAKERS AWARDS 2016

BEST STANDMOUNT UNDER 25,000 MISSION LX-2 The LX-2s signal a return to form for the Mission brand

Before we heard the Mission LX-2s earlier this year, the list of the best speakers below £200 comprised a single name: the 2015 Award-winning Q Acoustics 3020. That these Missions are good enough to join the Qs on that list is admittedly something of a pleasant surprise.

A decade ago, Mission dominated group tests and Awards, but in recent times has wavered.

The LX-2s represent a return to form.

Old magic touch To resurrect the old magic, Mission rehired some of the people who worked for them back then. Small, neatly finished and well-built, the LX-2s look like Missions of old, most obviously in the brand’s distinct driver configuration. A 25mm tweeter below the 13cm fibre composite mid/bass driver aids the time alignment between drivers for better integration.

Putting them on a bookshelf may be convenient, but to reach their potential, place them on dedicated stands, fairly close to a wall with a little room for the rear-firing port to work.

Whether driven by a micro-system or dedicated separates, the LX-2s get right to the heart of the music, getting straight into the groove of alt-J’s Left Hand Free. Fast, punchy

“Small, neatly finished and well built, the LX-2s look like Missions of old” and capable of deep, precise and authoritative bass, they charge through the rhythm track with skill, enthusiasm and top timing.

Fixed smiles Subtleties are embraced. Vocals are clear, articulate and packed with energy. Nuances are rendered with finesse. They don’t choke when handling large-scale dynamics of big orchestral

pieces either, their composure and organisation first-rate at this level. While tonally pretty well balanced, a slight edge through the upper mid/ lower treble area is the only thing worth considering when partnering.

Get it right, though, and the LX-2s are sure to fix a smile on your face. Well done, Mission.

BEST STANDMOUNT 25,000- 50,000 MONITOR AUDIO BRONZE 2 42,000 If the Bronze 2s give you a strong sense of déjà vu, that’s not only because they’re the latest (actually, the fifth) take on an entry-level standmount Monitor Audio first introduced back in 2000, but also because they sat in this very spot in 2015’s What Hi-Fi? Awards issue.

Time may well have stood still for these Bronze 2s, for they are still just as dominant in this price category.

Inspiring rendition

That’s credit to Monitor Audio, which improved its successful Bronze formula even further last year by introducing a raft of engineering changes, such as revised drive units, to make them arguably the most complete iteration yet.

The company is known for turning out aesthetically pleasing boxes, and the Bronze 2s are no exception.

The large MDF cabinets are available in four vinyl wrap finishes, and Monitor Audio’s Bronze have a distinct 2s defend the title they clutter-free won in 2015 – with ease baffle.

“Monitor Audio is known for aesthetically pleasing boxes and these are no exception”

Being front-ported should mean they’re less sensitive to placement, and they hit the best sonic balance around 30cm out into the room.

Toeing them in tightens the stereo image, and bi-wiring improves openness and finesse.

Once up and running, we’re once again taken aback by their balance and transparency, first and foremost in their inspiring rendition of ANOHNI’s Why Did You Separate Me From the Earth? There’s plenty of insight and dynamic attention into everything from the chiming melody to glitchy synth line, and that familiarly empyrean vocal delivery is open and explicit.

Carefully honed The rhythmic lines are held together in a way that not only communicates the momentum of the piece, but ensures it comes across as a cohesive, logical whole. Their low-end authority makes the most of the track’s electronic beat, and while attack is in abundance they’ve a delicate touch when required.

With an impressive sense of scale, the ability to stay composed even at high volumes, and pleasing refinement, they prove to be a carefully honed pair of speakers. Joining their previous Award-winning generations, these Bronze 2s defend their title with ease.

December 2016 | What Hi Fi? | 75

AWARDS 2016 STEREO SPEAKERS

BEST STANDMOUNT 80,000- 1,20,000 REVEL CONCERTA2 M16 97,800 Like its confectionary namesake, Revel seems to have all the ingredients for success: in this case, well made, solidly engineered and, in our experience, good-sounding products.

So we’re surprised the nearly twodecade-old speaker brand (owned by Harman) hasn’t made a bigger impact on the UK market. If it needed a kickstart, though, the M16s from the new Concerta2 series could provide it.

But most impressive of all is the enthusiastic way they deliver large-scale dynamics. The M16s pound out crescendos with relish, refusing to harden up or compress the music even at high volume levels.

Ruthless edge

Spicing it up At face value, they look pretty standard: single-wired, medium-sized wooden boxes packing a 25mm dome tweeter and ported 16cm mid/bass driver.

Explore further though, and it’s clear the company’s engineers have worked hard to spice things up. The unusual dished waveguide controls the directivity of the tweeter, making its dispersion closer to the mid/bass unit at crossover frequencies and enhances integration.

Furthermore, the aluminium cone in the mid/bass driver is coated on both sides with a ceramic composite for extra stiffness; both drive units have highly developed motor systems to

Could the Concerta2 M16s make an impact on the UK market minimise a range of distortions; the rear firing port is curved, rather than straight, to deliver high output without adding noise.

The pay-off is palpable upon first listen to Tchaikovsky’s demanding Marché Slave Op.31, the M16s rendering an impressively expansive, open stereo image, and populating it with precisely focused sounds.

The Revels may be 37cm tall, but you’d swear you were listening to decently sized floorstanders. Lows are not only powerful but agile and tuneful too.

Subtlety prevails as we play Dusty Springfield, that superbly integrated midrange communicating her vocal with all the finesse and passion it deserves.

A ruthless edge means they can be easily provoked by bright or aggressive partnering kit. But while they aren’t the last word in refinement, they entertain in a way few price rivals can. That’s why we think they’re worth £950 of anyone’s money.

“They’re not the most refined choice, but they entertain in a way few price rivals can”

BEST STANDMOUNT 1,20,000- 1,50,000 1,50,000 ATC SCM11 1,42,000 ,000 We don’t know which will come first: U2’s split or the What Hi-Fi? Awards issue where something other than ATC SCM11 takes a prize, but we’d hedge our bets at the former.

Over the multiple reviews we’ve written of the speakers’ incarnations in the past decade, they’ve faced more competition than budget airlines have, yet still manage to undermine any rival they go up against. Just when you think a new £1000-odd standmounter is really getting to the core of a piece of music, the ATCs come out of storage to prove they can peel away another layer and deliver even greater transparency.

Changing gears They aren’t the bubbliest speaker out there or capable of the deepest bass (partly due to the closed-box design), but their unrivalled levels of subtlety and resolution seal the deal.

They draw you into the ambient instrumentals that open Band of Horses’ Dull

“For the money, they seem to do everything right – and they look the part too” 76 | What Hi Fi? | December 2016

Times/The Moon from the first dragging synth note, their big, spacious presentation full of lush textures and sweeping dynamics. They’re capable of picking out each intertwining musical strand, and their 15cm mid/bass driver and 25mm soft-dome work to deliver in an integrated and coordinated manner.

The echo attached to the meandering vocal is captured, and there’s the weight, attack and agility across the frequency range to change gear as the track transitions from swooning orchestration to an energetic rock jam vibe.

Totally enamoured Frankly, the ATCs fit the mould of any track we feed it, from Atoms for Peace to Massive Attack, via Eminem: at every turn the ATCs demonstrate an extraordinary level of precision.

The whole frequency range is superbly controlled, yet it never gets too analytical. As easy as it is to pick out all the separate elements of a track, these speakers manage to knit

A th prize for the Another ATC SCM11s – but still no news on U2’s split

everything into a cohesive, musical whole.

It’s hard not to be totally enamoured by the ATC SCM11s. For the money, they seem to do everything right – and their solid curved cabinets look the part too. When it comes to speakers, or even hi-fi kit in general, there are few better ways to spend 1.5lacs.

STEREO SPEAKERS AWARDS 2016

BEST STANDMOUNT 2,00,000+ ATC SCM19 2,28,000 Despite the numerical leap, the SCM19s are the next step up from the SCM11s (the number refers to the internal volume, in litres, of the cabinets).

But size isn’t where the differences end. The mid/bass driver is the company’s highly developed 15cm unit, which has served in

its premium standmounts for decades. Sitting above it is a higher-spec version of the SCM11’s 25mm soft-dome tweeter, which was made in-house – quite an achievement for a small firm.

The upshot is quick to reveal itself as we put the SCM19s to work – they’re a significant step up in every sonic sense.

The dynamic SCM19s take an Award for a second consecutive year

Convincing Playing Johann Johannsson’s A Model of the Universe reminds us why these speakers are taking home their second consecutive Award.

The natural and nuanced way they render the varying intensity of piano keys and guitar strums justifies the extra outlay over their sibling.

Leading and trailing edges of notes are crisply

defined without sounding artificially hyped, and the airtight presentation is as tonally convincing as it is dynamically spellbinding.

Real clincher We also like the SCM19s’ ability to render a large-scale soundstage and remain stable even as the piece’s complexity increases.

Moving onto Prince’s Love shows these boxes like to party – and that’s the real clincher.

They deliver the song’s relentless rhythmic momentum with enthusiasm, kicking hard at the low end while delivering the drum machines with attack and determination.

Prince’s vocals are handled in a crisp and articulate manner too, and that’s balanced with a fine sense of body and natural warmth.

These ATCs are analytical yet never sound clinical or passionless. They remain transparent to the original recording and system electronics.

And when it comes to insight and honesty, we haven’t heard any better for the money.

“The airtight presentation is as tonally convincing as it is dynamically spellbinding”

BEST FLOORSTANDER UNDER 50,000 TANNOY ECLIPSE 3 44,000 Budget floorstanders have been absent as an Award category for some time. There just haven’t been any we could recommend without hesitation – most that enter our test rooms sound bloated and unwieldy next to their smaller standmount siblings, despite offering more bass.

So we’re pleased to report Tannoy’s Eclipse Three are anomalies, turning in a musically engaging performance that compares with the best standmount speakers at the price.

Delivering venom They’re solidly built and have a neat Black Oak veneer finish – but the relatively ordinary look offers no hint of the sonic excellence to come.

The baffle is top-heavy, with three drivers on show, but from an electrical point of view these are two-way speakers. The pair of 13cm coated-pulp mid/bass units cross over to the 28mm woven-polyester dome tweeter at 3.2kHz – a little higher than we normally see.

“The relatively ordinary appearance offers no hint about the sonic excellence”

Attaching the plinths gives the 96cm-tall towers greater stability. Giving them a little room to breathe (they don’t take kindly to sidewalls or corners) stabilises the bass, which comes through thick and fast in The Naked and Famous’s All of This. The Tannoys have the agility, articulacy and, importantly, the venom to deliver the upbeat rhythmic track with plenty of snap. There’s also enough refinement at the top end to prevent things turning overly harsh.

We switch to Holst’s Jupiter and the scale and handling of huge dynamic swings is just as impressive. Loosening your pursestrings to the Q Acoustics 3050 will get you more low-end reach, insight and authority, but at this price, we haven’t heard any rival do better.

We’re pleased by the Tannoys’ ability to organise detail, even when things get complex.

They hold onto instrumental strands and keep things composed even as volume levels rise.

Unfussy nature While not the most tonally pure, they’re at least well balanced and smooth enough to work well with a wide range of kit, and that unfussy nature is essential for budget speakers.

Enjoyable, informative and easy to accommodate. What more could you want?

At this price, we haven’t heard a rival better than the Tannoy Eclipse 3s

December 2016 | What Hi Fi? | 77

AWARDS 2016 STEREO SPEAKERS

BEST FLOORSTANDER 50,000- 1,00,000 Q ACOUSTICS USTICS 3050 75,400 75 400 The Q Acoustic 3020s may have beeen deposed from the top end of the podium this year by Mission, but th heir big brothers have still managed to claim an Award. They represent what remains a very strong speaker series from the British brand.

The fact there are now more affordable n’t floorstanders than them to recommend doesn make these lean, gorgeously finished towers less tempting for anyone prepared to splash out o a little more – on the contrary, in fact.

Predictable behaviour Anyone familiar with Q Acoustics’ signature sound – refined, subtle and suave, yet full of punch and attack – won’t be even slightly surprised at the 3050s, which dutifully follow w suit but prove more transparent, precise and authoritative than any of their predecessors, not n to mention the Tannoys they sit above.

A full, agile and dulcet bass, and crisp and controlled treble define their tonal balance, which in typical Q Acoustics fashion favours the rich side of neutral. That promises listeners a solid, robust full-bodied presentation.

Powerful and assertive, the 3050s deliver a huge sense of scale and are capable of enveloping our largest test room with ease. You

The 3050s amount to quite a pair of speakers – plus another Award

c place can p them quite far apart without losing a ttight g stereo image, while they strike the best nce pulled at least 20cm away from the wall. balan A musical, m measured stance and fine rrhyth hmic drive lie at the heart of their sonic m magiic, and they give decent speakers at double tthe price a run for their money. p hat’s all thanks to Q Acoustics’ decision to Th makee significant changes to the 3050s from m th their 2050i predecessors – Award winners tthem mselves in 2014. The cone material of the ttwin 16.5cm mid/bass drivers is now made of Aram A mid fibre – a paper/aramid composition which strengthens the cone and makes its behaaviour more predictable and tonally neutral.

No reservations

“A musical stance and crisp rhythmic drive lie at the heart of their sonic magic”

The 2 T 25mm tweeter, decoupled from the main c net by butyl rubber to isolate it from the cabin d mental vibrations of the cabinet, now uses detrim a diap d phragm that combines the design elements of thee ring radiator and dome to improve treble p formance. And lastly, the crossover uses perfo h higheer-grade components, supposedly to reduce ph phase problems at the crossover point.

It’ss quite the revision over the 2050is and one which whic amounts to quite a pair of speakers. At this price, we’ve no reservations whatsoever.

BEST FLOORSTANDER 1,00,000- 1,50,000 TANNOY REVOLUTION XT6F 1,41,000 When it came to Awards judging last year, the XT6Fs were impossible to ignore. And they’re no less worthy of our attention 12 months later.

Their aptitude is obvious. They waste no time in setting out their stall: what you get is an entertaining listen. There’s a tremendous immediacy to the Tannoys’ delivery that has no problem attracting your undivided attention.

Party time We put on a bit of Prince and party like it’s 1999.

Your feet will tap. Your fingers will snap. So infectious is the level of energy that you can’t escape, at the very least, dancing in your chair.

But these Tannoys are more than just a joyride. They are highly versatile speakers, which are equally content to bop along to Pharrell Williams as they are to kick back and chill out to Portishead. Timing and dynamics are key here, and these Tannoys are well endowed in both departments.

Whatever you throw at them will be handled with precision, while the wide dynamic range offers enough zest to ensure the performance never veers into the clinical. Despite their lively demeanour, the sound is balanced, no part of the frequency demanding extra attention.

78 | What Hi Fi? | December 2016

The midrange is lovely – it’s direct without being demanding. Vocals stand out without feeling isolated. There’s a good deal of bass, but it’s agile and nicely controlled. We move up to the treble and find it could be a little sweeter and more delicate, but now we’re just nitpicking.

We’re impressed by the level of integration – the various elements cooperate to perform as a unified whole. There’s also plenty of detail throughout the frequency range. The various textures are entirely convincing. It also helps that it’s a big sound, as tall and wide as you like.

Chillout zone The presentation is spacious and airy. There’s room enough whether you want to occupy that soundstage with brass bands or full orchestras – whichever you choose will be organised and fully ready to rock.

If it’s a party you want, the XT6Fs have you covered for both the frolics and the subsequent haze of the chillout zone.

“There’s an immediacy to the delivery that attracts your undivided attention”

Tannoy’s XT6Fs are an entertaining listen, but also remain balanced

STEREO SPEAKERS AWARDS 2016

BEST FLOORSTANDER 2,00,000+ PMC TWENTY5.23 Unless you’re counting in dog years, 25 years is a long time and a lot can happen in that period. Over the past quarter of a century, PMC has grown from a small concern focused on professional monitors into one of the mainstay of the premium domestic speaker market – something its Twenty5 range celebrates.

The Twenty 5.23 floorstanders from the series demonstrate just how much it’s learned over the years, from its distinctly domestically sensible build to its terrifically complete sound.

The Laminair vent on the Twenty5.23s helps control airflow and noise

Fancy fins

“In resolution, dynamics and punch, they set the sonic standard at this price”

They may resemble the admired Twenty 23s with their slanted cabinet, but, a few screws apart, these are all new units.

The most obvious change is the move from full-size plinths to metal stabiliser bars, though of more obvious audio benefit, perhaps, are the new drive units. The 27mm soft-dome tweeter uses a Sonolex dome designed to deliver a smooth, insightful sound with wide dispersion, while in the 14cm mid/bass driver’s cone promises improved rigidity.

It’s that interesting slot arrangement at the front, though, that is the big advance. The Laminair vent is a fancy finned structure clearly

visible at the mouth of the 23’s transmission line. It is designed to smooth the way air flows out to limit noise and create faster responses and better low-end definition.

Out in a room, the 5.23s render an expansive soundstage that extends well beyond the speakers themselves, though anyone looking to fill a particularly large space should consider one of the range’s bigger models.

No wobbles Whether fed Led Zeppelin or Wiz Khalifa, these speakers hammer home rhythmic tracks with a fine sense of energy and precision. They’re dynamic too, capable of delivering subtle and larger scale dynamic shifts with conviction, and punching satisfyingly hard in the low-end.

Up top, things remain well judged; vocals are strongly projected with every nuance intact, and the treble balances its biting nature with just the right amount of refinement.

Listening to these quickly diminishes any fears we initially had over their similar look to, and price increase over, the older Twentys. Miles better when it comes to resolution, dynamics and punch, they set the sonic standard at this price. We can’t find a fault, apart from their mouthful of a name, perhaps.

BEST DESKTOP SPEAKER KEF EGGS 39,000 It’s unusual for eggs to last more than a year, but KEF’s iconic speaker design, first seen in a 5.1 package, is still very much of the Class A variety. These new ones are a wireless and powered 2.0 offering – you can use them with computers, portable devices and TVs.

Agility and clarity The build quality is good. The enclosure is predominantly plastic but the speakers are reassuringly weighty – t will take considerable effort to knock them off your desk. Peel off the speaker grilles and you’ll find KEF’s trademark Uni-Q driver, which has a tweeter placed in the middle of the mid/bass driver and is intended to aid precision and dispersion.

The two KEF Eggs seem identical but this is actually a master-slave system, which means one does the heavy lifting and passes information to the other. All the processing takes place in the foot of the master unit, which features a mains input, mini USB input and output for connecting to the slave unit, plus a subwoofer output for the option of adding lower frequencies later.

The USB input can accept hi-res audio up to 24-bit/96kHz, and there’s also Bluetooth 4.0 with support for aptX devices.

Thankfully, sound quality is good whether you use them up close or from across the room.

The Uni-Q drivers disperse sound in a seamless and immersive way.

Integration is a particular forte: no matter where you stand in the room, it is hard to tell where midrange ends and treble begins.

The Eggs are alive with agility and clarity.

Voices are projected cleanly, with a convincing richness. Instruments are delivered with natural textures and taut rhythm.

and flexible connectivity make for a great start, and they follow that first impression through with stunning performance that is consistent across a variety of placements.

It will take an almighty thwack to break these Eggs.

The Eggs look identical, but the master’s base does the processing

Desktop offering It’s a balanced sound, too. The bass won’t shake your house’s foundations, but it goes sufficiently deep. The best thing about it is the control at the low end: there’s an eloquence here that even previous Award-winners like the Ruark MR1s, would struggle to muster.

We remain very impressed with KEF’s desktop offering. Their distinctive design

“We are impressed with KEF’s distinctive design and stunning performance” December 2016 | What Hi Fi? | 79

AWARDS 2016 STEREO SPEAKERS

BEST ACTIVE SPEAKER DYNAUDIO XEO 2 1,60,000 If Dynaudio ran a TV commercial for the Xeo 2s, we imagine ‘more than just speakers’ would be somewhere in the tagline. And, unlike the products that so oft ride the popular slogan, there’d be some truth behind the marketing hyperbole.

With digital amplifiers, DACs and Bluetooth receivers built-in they, like their five-star big brothers the Xeo 4s, are a near-complete system in speakers’ clothing. The idea is simple: just plug both speakers into the mains and add da source, via Bluetooth or the Xeo 2’s 3.5mm m, RCA or optical inputs. The last of those supports PCM files up to 24-bit/192kHz, so hi-res and network playback from a connected streamer like the Pioneer N-50A or Bluesound Node is possible.

Is wireless sound a compromise? Usually yes, although the Xeo 2s sound anything but compromised. One advantage of active speakers is that engineers can tune the various elements together to work in harmony – and it pays off here, as the frequencies are well integrated.

Tonality occupies neutral territory and detail spreads evenly in a soundstage you’d think would belong to boxes twice the size.

More than just speakers could be a tagline for a Xeo 2 ad campaign

Luxurious satin The Xeo 2s are more affordable, desktopfriendly versions of the Xeo 4s with an all-new 28mm soft dome tweeter and 14cm Magnesium Silicate Polymer cone driver, each driven by 65W of digital Class D amplification. While their satin (black or silver) finish isn’t as luxurious, their control panel – flush touch buttons on the top panel – is better integrated.

And, like the shortest player on a basketball court, the modest boxes have something to prove, affording music scale and authority in abundance.

Do-it-all speakers Bass power and depth also belie the physical proportions, and praise of the low-end can be extended to agility too.

Expressive mids hold the centre of the pressentation with focus and solidity aplenty, and meet a treble just as articulate. In fact, there’s a level of transparency you’d be hard-pressed to find from a similarly-priced system of hi-fi separates.

Their versatility and so-good-wecan’t-believe-it’s-wireless performance make for an impressive pair of do-it-all speakers in which compact dimensions and great sound happily co-exist.

“The Xeo 2s put in a sogood-we-can’t-believeit’s-wireless performance”

rs Jargon buster Speake 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. Now you can buy your next pair of speakers with confidence.

Biwire Speakers that are biwirable 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. This can improve the sound significantly.

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 to the tweeter and midrange/bass to the larger unit.

Dynamics A speaker’s dynamic ability is the way it goes from quiet to loud and back. The best speakers

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manage this quickly, in a smooth sweep. The difference between the quietest sounds the speaker produces and the loudest is called the dynamic range.

Sensitivity A measure of how loud a speaker will go for a given input power. Typical values are around 89dB/W/m. Every 3dB of sensitivity means you’ll need only half the amplifier power to go as loud.

Tweeter A drive unit, usually shaped like a small dome or cone, designed to reproduce high-frequency sounds. Typically this varies from 2000Hz to 20,000Hz, the upper limit of human hearing.

Woofer Usually the largest drive unit. It is designed to deliver low frequency sounds, typically from around 40Hz to 1000Hz. Can be used in multiples to increase output.

Relatively new to the world of hi-fi? Bamboozled by some of the jargon and lingo? Let What Hi-Fi? explain

EDITORS’ PICKS AWARDS 2016

Editors’ Picks

PRODUCT O F EAR E 1Y6 H0 T2

Year after year, there have always been a set of products that fall into a special crevice inside What Hi Fi? India. These are it for this year...

HIGH-END LOUDSPEAKER BOWERS & WILKINS 803 D3 17,95,000

An eight year long development process has given birth to the new D3 series

The Nautilus range has been a legend among loudspeakers for a few decades now. The D3 range came after eight long years of development, and eagerly awaiting loyalists, it didn’t disappoint. With a reshaped turbine midrange head and tube-loaded tweeter, the focus was on taking the build and craftsmanship to the next level and one look (and feel) of the 803 D3 proves that B&W have succeeded beyond their own estimations.

What’s gone is the signature yellow kevlar midrange unit, now replaced by the space-age Continuum cone and twin woofers with all-new materials too. The Matrix cabinet is now stiffer than ever and all the ingredients set the stage for mega performance and the 803 D3 is indeed monumental in what it can achieve given the right equipment, environment and music. Like

every high-end speaker, this is a very revealing monitor, true to its Abbey Road advertising. In your own living room, it can transport you into the moment the music was captured but beware, it can also bite back if you feed it anything less than stellar. It’s not a forgiving loudspeaker by any measure and the diamond tweeter, while sensationally smooth, can be

brutal in its resolution. But when you do achieve that perfect moment in a listening room and settle down with one of these, it is a special experience. The price tag has seen a substantial rise compared to the earlier generation but it’s more than justified!

December 2016 | What Hi Fi? | 81

AWARDS S 2016 6 EDITT O OR RS S’’ P ICKS C S

BEST HEADPHONES HIFI MAN HE400S 20,477 If we e have a e to sleep with headphones on, these would be th he cans that would be up on our heads. Theey’re uber comfortable and planar magnetic.

T slightly contoured pads fit g The perfectly o on your melon and you could forget you’ve had y d them for hours on end. Even the sleeved caable exudes quality and is worth every rupee. p .

Even the sleeved cable E exudes d quality and is w h every rupee worth

Stunning sounder Listen to something brilliantly detailed like Sigh No More by British rock band Mumford and Sons and you’ll find that the incredible guitar and resonating drums both are brilliantly delivered by the HE400S. The guitar intro on The Cave also has enough detail to give us an impression that we’ve put on something much more expensive.

The HiFiMan HE400S is a brilliant planar magnetic headphone that ticks a lot of boxes with uber quality rright g and its pairing g off comfort f ssound is the reason it wins this award..

BEST SOUNDBAR DEF TECH W STUDIO MICRO 85,000 Best known for its power towers, Definitive Technology in recent years has diversified its product portfolio to cater to more space-conscious consumers and the W Studio Micro is a prime example of how good the brand is getting at extracting big sound from smaller packages too!

The W Studio Micro stays true to its name and just disappears below your telly

Sleek sliver of sound Measuring less than 2in in height, the W Studio Micro stays true to its name and just disappears below your telly to provide stealth sound. It is obviously partnered by a more traditional yet smart looking wireless subwoofer that takes over where the soundbar leaves off. Overall, the package impresses with its control, dynamics and dialogue intelligibility, which is of paramount importance when you’re buying a soundbar to augment the weak TV sound.

It does have its chinks like no Bluetooth and HDMI support but the sound quality made up for the lack of it in our books and if you want great sound in a small package, look no more.

BEST BUDGET PROJECTOR EPSON TW-5300 79,726 Big screen experiences can seldom be replaced by a telly.

Especially when its such a sweet deal as the Epson TW-5300. It’s a no-nonsesne Full-HD resolution projector that boasts of 2200ANSI lumens of brightness, 35000:1 Contrast Ratio and 3D support over a pair of low-energy Bluetooth enabled glasses. What sets it apart from the other competitors in its price class is the smoothness of the 3D picture without any visible artefacts that plague other entry-level options.

A no-nonsesne Full-HD resolution projector that boasts of 2200ANSI lumens of brightness, 35000:1 Contrast Ratio and 3D support

Full-HD and full featured Although its bargain price hints at a bare bones feature set, the Epson is quite the opposite. It features a built-in speaker for those odd meetings where you would want to use it as a PPT presenter, a split screen mode to view two signals (presentations?) simultaneously and a comprehensive keystone adjustment feature to get the best picture geometry no matter

82 | What Hi Fi? | December 2016

what screen size or ratio you have. The 3LCD engine does a stellar job with colour rendition and motion smoothness while the Eco mode claims to extend the battery life to a massive 11 hours at the rate of one movie a day!

Epson doesn’t put a foot wrong when it comes to projectors and the TW-5300 just proves that they can smash it at any price.

EDITORS’ PICKS AWARDS 2016

BEST AMPLIFIER HEGEL H360 4,69,000 It’s not everyday that a product comes along and nd changes your perception about the entire category an what it can achieve. The unassuming Hegel is an integrated amplifier/DAC combo that takes the rule book and riips he it apart with its specs, performance and most of all, price. For th asking price of half that os serious amps, this one hits the ball d right out of the park with its clever implementation of patented n. technologies that make music listening a pleasure all over again

A mighty heart Although the chassis is small by the standards of heavyweight integrated amps, the H360 packs in a massive 250 watts per channel and more critically, a damping factor of 4000! That’s enough to control a rabid 18in woofer, let alone most domestic speakers. Where it impresses the most is in its musicality.

Although the chassis is small by the standards of heavyweight integrated amps, the H360 packs in a massive 250 watts per channel

BEST SUBWOOFER BES PO POWERSO SOUND AUDIO 15S 1,23,500 American brands in hi-fi are usually associated with a loud, brash sound that is more suited to home-theatre th But the engineers behind the than music. m P PowerrSound brand know a thing or two about sspeed d, agility and resolution. In subwoofers! The

The 15S can play loud without ever breaking a sweat and it adds a layer of involvement to any movie or piece of music

15S is the smallest vented sub in their range, but PowerSound has something for everyone in its vast portfolio.

Speed and extension Packing in a massive 15in downfiring driver that is stiffened by kevlar and powered by a 725watt ICEpower amplifier, the 15S can play loud without ever breaking a sweat and it adds a layer of involvement to any movie or piece of music that will have you hooked immediately. It offers plenty of fine tuning controls like delay and room size, besides the usual and allows you to seamlessly add it to any system without ever taking it out of the equation.

BEST PROJECTOR BENQ W8000 2,75,000 BenQ has been hitting home runs for awhile now with its consumer offering of projectors and this year saw the release of their Full-HD flagship, the W8000. Dressed in a smart black exterior, it boasts of some pretty fine specs around the REC709 colour space standard that hogged all the marketing limelight. But the good news was that it wasn’t just spiel. The out of the box performance of the W8000 was amongst the best we have ever seen on a projector!

Colour so good Fortified with ISF modes and the options of different lenses too, the W8000 not only scores high when it comes to picture quality, but it also wins when it comes to mounting flexibility in a variety of locations.

Horizontal and vertical lens shift allows for plenty of options. .

The out of the box performance of the W8000 was amongst the best we have ever seen on a projector

December 2016 | What Hi Fi? | 83

AWARDS S 2 01 0 1 6 ED E D IT I T ORS’ O S P IC ICK KS S

BEST SPEAKER PACKAGE KLIPSCH REFERENCE PREMIERE HD WIRELESS 6,03,000 It’s sound is tight, detailed and dynamically uncompromised for a wireless system

Who could say a few years ago that the one of the best 5.1 speaker packages would be a wireless system!

But yes, Klipsch has not only proved us wrong, but even the entire industry. A well sorted Wi-Fi mesh based on the WISA standard ensures that the signal is always stable, with no drop outs and a hi-fidelity, uncompressed stream at all

times. The timbre-matched speaker system has another advantage of sounding consistent across the soundstage.

Game-changing sound The control box of the Reference Premiere HD Wireless system is where most of the magic happens and it comes equipped with a DAC, 4

HDMI inputs, DTS and Dolby Digital decoders onboard and Bluetooth Apt-X for streaming directly from your smart device. It’s sound is tight, detailed and dynamically uncompromised for a wireless system and that’s what caught our attention. Sure, it may not be able to set the same kind of benchmarks when it comes to music, but for movies, this is aces.

BEST DESKTOP MONITOR GIBSON LES PAUL 8 REFERENCE 80,000 (APPROX) A name that is legendary even if you aren’t into audio, Gibson decided to treat the audiophiles this year. Available in different sizes, we were handed the version with the 8in woofer that absolutely rocks out with refined dynamism and all the charisma of a rock God at his peak. The Tobacco Burst finish with its deep gloss finish and various design details borrowed from Gibson’s revered Les Paul guitar series, makes heads turn even before you start playing music on them.

And when you power up the glowing Gibson logo, all hell breaks loose!

God of rock A total of 250watts powers the pair of these limited edition gems and they demolish virtually any kind of music you can find to play through them.

The 1in titanium dome tweeter offers bags of detail for near-field monitoring and although it does show its professional roots, there is no reason why they can grace your den on custom-made stands that match their gorgeous lacquer coating. An unusual speaker but definitely a worthy one and at less than a lac of Rupees, they are a keeper in your collection of the best looking hi-fi ever!.

A total of 250watts powers the pair of these limited edition gems and they demolish virtually any kind of music you can find to play 84 | What Hi Fi? | December 2016

EDITORS’ PICKS AWARDS 2016

WIFI SPEAKER OPPO SONICA 29,999 In so little time, Oppo has managed to do so many big things. From Blu-ray players to headphone amps, it has created star after star and the Sonica is yet another. Oppo’s first attempt at speaker design, the Sonica really impressed us, especially considering the fact that the drivers were also an in-house effort.

All about the sonics Sonically, the Oppo Sonica is a winner right off the bat. The soundstage here is unbelievably wide and large. Adele’s I Miss You is delivered with confidence and verve as the drums pan across with heft and real intent. Superbica!

The soundstage here is unbelievably wide and large. Adele’s I Miss You is delivered with confidence and verve

BEST MUSIC SERVER B ELAC DISCOVERY 1,10,000 E Taking everyone by surprise by diving head on into the electronics business, German loudspeaker brand Elac had a busy year debuting new product categories a the Discovery music server was the first in the wave of and t these next-generation products.

Attention-grabbing A

The Discovery’s biggest asset is how easy it is to browse through your entire collection via your iPad, Mac, PC, iOS or Android

W Working on the Roon database management system, the D Discovery’s biggest asset is how easy it is to browse through your entire collection via your iPad, Mac, PC, iOS or Android y d device! It sounds solid and unravels a whole new universe of iinformation which you never had access to before. A winner!

BEST MEDIA SERVER IBOX MEDIA CENTER 28,500 This elusive box is actually an Indian innovation and portrays the ‘want-it-all for as little money’ mentality we share. With a box that promises more content than you can imagine – you can play music, movies, TV shows, view your photos and videos, also read a few magazines and comic books (we aren’t joking) - it really gives you almost everything for the little money it demands.

Drawing a pretty picture The image quality is on the money for the price the iBox demands. Of course, we don’t expect Blu-ray player quality from something that only costs so much. We played an HD rip of Gravity and the star-studded night sky along with the flying parts of the damaged spaceship came through with impressive detail. At this price, there’s nothing in the market that comes close to what the iBox provides and that’s why it wins.

At this price, there’s nothing in the market that comes close to what the iBox provides and that’s why it wins

December 2016 | What Hi Fi? | 85

INSIDER

Syska cuts competition with a blade Priced at 4999, the Syska Blade is a speaker that packs in dual 5W drivers and external passive radiators. It also carries with it splash-resistant abilities so that you can enjoy it at a beach or next to a pool. Syska claims a six hour play time and a five hour talk time from the 2000mAh rechargeable battery. You get to choose from Blue, Green, Red, Yellow and Orange colour options.

Monster wants to have a blast Monster has been our favourite when it comes to good quality cables and rather impressive speakers like the beautifully red Monster Clarity HD Model One. However, that was a long time ago and things have changed – for the good.

Making its way to the fore is the new Monster Blaster – it looks like a tribute to the original BoomBox and shares similar DNA. The Monster Blaster celebrates the classic BoomBox with a modern design and has some of the

latest bits in wireless technology added.

The Blaster has a Bi-Directional Driver Design with full range drivers in an angled 360-degree orientation and here's also a downward firing powered subwoofer to handle the LF. It's got NFC on board for quick pairing and the water- and splash-proof design makes it great to have around the pool too. That's not all, the Blaster will keep blasting out tunes for 12 hours straight. All yours for a paltry 42,500.

Microsoft wants to turn any surface into a studio Sporting a 28in PixelSense Display, the Surface aims to get the utmost out of your creative mind. There's something called the 'Zero Gravity Hinge' that allows the screen to adjust to each stage of the creative process. When the screen transitions from Desktop Mode to Studio Mode, it sits at a 20-degree angle, the same angle as a standard drafting board, making it ideal for sketching, writing and designing.

It will only be available early 2017 though.

ViewSonic bets on SuperClear tech

Brainwavz Audio launches monitors While good quality and affordable are antonyms, Brainwavz wants to change all that. The latest from the Brainwavz Audio stable are the Alpha IEM. Noise isolating headphones by design, these cost just 1799 and come with three sets of silicone ear tips and one set of Comply tips. They promise a rich sound and deep bass with a comfortable fit.

86 | What Hi Fi?| December 2016

Monitor maker ViewSonic has brought over three new models from its premium SuperClear IPS range to India, targeting home users, design and multimedia professionals and gamers. The range starts with the VX2776, an ultraslim 27inch Full HD monitor with in-built stereo speakers and 178˚/ 178˚ viewing angles. For gamers, there's ViewSonic's XG2703GS. This 27in WQHD (2560x1440) monitor has a 165HZ refresh rate and features support for Nvidia G-Sync and Ultra-Low Motion Blur technology.

Meanwhile, the 24inch VP2468 monitor is targeted at photographers, design professionals and other content creators. This Full HD monitor features a narrow-bezel design with an edge-to-edge SuperClear IPS panel, factory calibration and a 14-bit Look Up Table, which allows it to generate 4.39 trillion colours. Viewsonic is also offering buyers an optional calibration kit containing an X-Rite CS-XRi1 calibrator. The new SuperClear IPS monitor range comes with a threeyear warranty.

INSIDER

RIVERA INTERNATIONAL BRINGS IN THE GERMANS Secures yet another commendable brand to add to an already exhaustive list of winners Rivera International is a big name in the Indian hi-fi industry, and is responsible for major-league brands such as Sonus Faber, McIntosh, Triad, Wadia and many others. Many of which a lot of you readers might have experienced first hand, or should we say first ear, at one of our many What Hi Fi? Shows that happen across the country. At the last What Hi Fi? Show, Rivera International had audiences in awe at the beauty of the Triad Atmos setup, and we guarantee the next show will be even more impressive. Why? Simply because Rivera International has secured German Physiks and have brought in three models from the high-end brand.

The models introduced by Rivera International are the German Physiks HRS-120, Unlimited MK-II and Borderline MK-IV. German Physiks speaks loudly of their unique DDD driver that is used on all the speakers that German Physiks produce. They also take painstaking measures to ensure all the drivers that feature on the speakers are of the same quality throughout from the entry level to the more prestigious Gaudi loudspeaker.

The unique driver gives the same very important advantages to all German Physiks designs and is what sets them apart from the competition.

Its extremely low moving mass enables it to operate linearly over an extremely wide frequency range. The titanium DDD driver used on the standard HRS-120 covers the entire range from 240Hz to 21.5kHz. In a conventional design, this range would be covered by two or even three different types of driver and most importantly there would be a cross over point in the mid range, the area where our hearing is most sensitive. We can't wait to give these a listen and put them through their paces.

BenQ launches the world's ďŹ rst 4K DLP projector BenQ has added two new models to its lineup: The W1090 and the W11000. The W1090 is a Full HD DLP unit aimed at home theatre usage and is capable of projecting a 100 inch image from 2.5 metres away. Other features include a 6X RGBRGB colour wheel, 10W audio, vertical keystone correction, and a special sports mode. Also new is the W11000, which lays claim to being the world's first 4K Ultra HD DLP projector. This THX and ISFccc certified projector features support for ultra-wide 2.35:1 Anamorphic video, Horizontal / Vertical lens shift and 1.5X zoom for easier placement, a 6X RGBRGB colour wheel, Rec.709 colour accuracy, a 14-element 6-group lens array, Dynamic Black technology with Active Iris Control for contrast optimisation, and CinemaMaster S video enhancement.

According to BenQ, the W11000 also meets the Consumer Technology Association's 4K UHD norms thanks to its DLP 4K UHD DMD chip. The W11000 will retail at 3,99,000.

Audio Technica launches its new E-Series in-ear monitors Audio Technica has unveiled its new E-Series range of in-ear monitors. Compatible with the A-T M2 and M3 IEM wireless systems, the new Audio Technica E-Series ranges comprises 3 models: The ATH-E40, which uses a proprietary dual phase push-pull driver design with the aim of boosting clarity, the ATH-E50, which features single balanced armature drivers for improved accuracy, and the flagship ATH-E70, which utlises three balanced armature drivers. All three models in the E-Series feature flexible memory cable loops for a more comfortable fit, housings designed to provide better isolation along with detachable cables.

December 2016 | What Hi Fi? | 87

INSIDER

1 INSIDER

TOP FIVE LAUNCHES

1 Sonodyne Sonomate 101 BT 25,000 Sonodyne wants to conquer the compact music system market now. And they just might with the Sonomate. It features a 50 watt biamplifier to drive two hand-picked woofers and two tweeters in a stereo configuration. Everything is enclosed in an aluminum-wood hybrid enclosure that's available in black or white colour options.

The best five launches this month 2 2 Epson EH-TW8300 2,41,339 Taking place of the older Epson EH-TW8200, the TW8300 has a lot more to offer the home cinema.

2500 lumens, 1,000,000:1 dynamic contrast ratio and the 4K Enhancement Tech allows you to upscale your Full HD videos to 4K too. It puts up a display size of 50in-300in and is pretty quiet too.

3 Fiio A5 8999 Fiio has been on a slew of launching new products. Last time it was the X1 2G, which we have reviewed in this issue, and now it is the A5. So, what's changed? High-precision metal film resistors are added and Fiio claims this reduces the total harmonic distortion and improves the signal-to-noise ratio.

3 4

4 BenQ Zowie XL2540 45,000 BenQ’s new gaming monitor is aimed at the competitive e-sports market and boasts of a 24.5 inch display coupled with a 240Hz native refresh rate, special game modes, easy access to saved settings, 20 levels of colour vibrance and Black eQualizer, which boosts visibility in dark scenes while avoiding overexposing any bright areas.

88| What Hi Fi?| December 2016

5 Denon SYS-2020 38,400 Aimed at home theatre starters, Denon’s compact 5.1 system combines 5 identical and wall-mountable satellites with a 100W down-firing subwoofer. The satellite units use an 8 cm cone full range driver each, and offer a 100Hz-20kHz response, while the subwoofer unit utilises a 16cm cone woofer with a 30Hz-600Hz response.

5

OFF THE SHELFREFERENCE SYSTEM We use only the best ingredients in the making of this magazine. This in-house system helps us to evaluate incoming products with more insight and accuracy, so you always get the best tests!

Arcam D33 DAC / UDP-411 BD/SACD Player

Denon AVR-X7200W

Capable of full high-resolution 24-bit/192kHz processing and SACD playback, this duo is state-of-art audio/video decoding

Dolby Atmos out of the box and an upgrade to Auro 3D on its way, this is the most future-proof AVR we could get our hands on, yet.

Hegel H360 BlueSound Vault All our CDs and music get stored and served by this elegant solution from the boys at NAD

An integrated amplifier with (almost) no equal, this 250 w/pc makes buying separates look stupid!

PMC Twenty Series speakers

AudioQuest cables Working truthfully between the various components, the DBSequipped line of cables and interconnects helps us see and hear without any anomalies

Using the Twenty.26 as mains, Twenty.C for centre, DB1 Gold and Wafer 1 for surrounds, this speaker suite is the ideal blend of neutrality and musicality

REL S5 Subwoofer The cleanest and fastest way to add real weight and dynamics to our system was to introduce the brilliant S5 to the music and multichannel mix. A true legend

Also part of the system: Samsung 75H6400 LED TV, Apple Mac Mini, Audirvana Music Player, JBL Synthesis S800 power amp, Definitive Trinity Signature subwoofer

OFF THE SHELF

Sonodyne Sonus 3165 | Speaker | 25,000 Each

Budget butt-kicker FOR Classic proportions; Smooth delivery; Extended low-end response As the crown jewel of the Indian hi-fi manufacturing industry, Sonodyne has been at the top of its game for a while now.

That while started a few years back when they decided to focus on the consumer side of the business as much as their already successful professional line of active speakers. But now that things are already in overdrive, they are adamant to replace every piece of the puzzle with shiny new examples of what their engineering team can achieve.

The Sonus 3615 is a new design that has more than its fascia revamped. The 3-way design consists of four (all-new) drivers, an all-new cabinet with improved bracing and even new crossovers. What catches your attention at first though are the fresh aesthetics that have been spruced up for domestic purposes and easier approval from other members of the family. A smart, screw less front baffle is finished in a dark shade of grey while the handsome cabinet itself is available as a black ash or rosewood veneer.

AGAINST Patchy build quality; Resolution could be better

one that can decide how involving the music listening experience will be with these.

Hooked up to our resident Hegel integrated amplifier and the Elac Discovery Music server, the Sonus’ were placed 2 ft from the side wall, slightly toed-in and 3ft from the front wall, giving them plenty of breathing space to impress us with their imaging and soundstaging skills. Starting with John Mayer’s lush new production, Love on the Weekend, the bass extension immediately grabs you by surprise and sounds more like a single 12in driver moving serious amounts of air instead of two quick 6.5 inchers. There is a slight hint of chestiness to the upper mid-bass which can be cleared to a certain extent if you set the toe-in angle just right. And when you do, the imaging and sound staging are quite a revelation for a speaker its price. The resolution from the HF drivers is satisfactory but it strikes a chord by exhibiting a smooth response with no listening fatigue even after extended

For a pair of speakers costing as much as a premium Bluetooth speaker, this is an achievement and a showcase of what Sonodyne can do Coming from the professional universe, like all Sonodyne speakers, even this passive design has hints of serious ability. The gentle waveguide surrounding the 1in dome tweeter is engineered to aid in wider dispersion and efficiency while the drivers are now designed for even greater extension (read abuse) and a wider frequency response. Even the supplied spikes are now higher quality with the cups made of polished chrome too. Build quality is generally good, but the front baffle does flex a little upon provocation. Around the back, a fancy metal name plate, bi-wirable binding posts and twin ports complete the package. While, this definitely helps with the bass extension, it means that the Sonus 3165 floorstander is definitely a loudspeaker that likes to be placed out into the room, away from the corners. The Sonus 2000, which was the predecessor to the 3000 series also had a similar driver complement, but the new 3165 has a slimmer and a much more smarter profile too. But that’s not all we’re interested in are we? With Sonodyne’s rich heritage, its sonic prowess is what we really cared for. First impressions don’t fail us. The 3165 is fairly easy to place around the room but the twin ports mean that the bass response can be uneven at times, depending on your preferred location. Experimentation, like with all loudspeakers is the key here, but a critical 90 | What Hi Fi? | December 2016

sessions. Moving on to Gospel by Alicia Keys, the drum-loop-laden track with a piano hook and her powerful vocals filled our room with energy that shows off the dynamic capability of the 3165 and that is its most endearing quality. It’s adept at keeping time and maintaining rhythm with whatever music you throw at them. The coherence from the drivers doesn’t give away the fact that this is a 3-way design and is proof that the driver selection has been obsessive to ensure that each of them work perfectly in tandem with each other and also the crossover. On the same album, She don’t really care is a great test for bass boom and things falling apart, but the Sonodyne keeps it together with agility and tautness that never ever calls for help from our resident REL subwoofer. The low-end is well weighted and shows off the obvious benefits of using smaller drivers by avoiding the usual pitfalls.

Moving on to more technical recordings like A time for love by Mellisa Walker shows a couple of chinks in the armour. While the 1in dome tweeter is high on smoothness and the 5in midrange allows for a seamless blend into the lower registers, the harmonics have a hard time leaving the confines of the cabinet, especially at lower volume levels. Shift to a more commercial recording like Jam from Michael Jackson and it places sounds around the room at remote locations, creating a holographic image that is super entertaining but it highlights the speakers’ selective behaviour towards the genre of music. It’s best suited to commercial music that is dynamic, electronic and it can certainly play loud without ever sounding strained.

For a pair of speakers costing as much as a premium portable Bluetooth speaker, this is truly an achievement and a showcase of what Sonodyne can do given its considerable experience and resources. If you’re in the market for a no-nonsense pair of speakers that are scalable to a full 7.1 system and beyond, this is the perfect starting point!

Says VERDICT Dynamic and entertaining, if not the most refined. The Sonus 3165 is nevertheless a revelation at its asking price with a big, effortless sound TECH SPECS Design 3-way vented Drivers 2 x 6in woofers, 1 x 5in midrange, 1 x 1in dome tweeter Sensitivity 92dB Nominal Impedance 8ohms Frequency Response 50Hz - 20kHz Dimensions (WHD) 210 x 981 x 292 Weight 19.2kgs

OFF THE SHELF

The rather plain jane looks of the Sonus are timeless in design and suit every kind of decor

December 2016 | What Hi Fi? | 91

OFF THE SHELF

Xt ea e mxV Stream Xtreamer S am amerr 6999

S

rs

FOR 4K support; Simple UI; SPDIF support Streamers are still the saviours of the ‘dumb’ TV and the devices that add the extra dose of smarts to smart TVs. Does that mean you should buy the Xtreamer mxV? Well, let’s find out.

Hold the Xtreamer mxV and the first impressions are not of the reinforcing kind.

The unit feels pretty light and doesn’t have enough heft. The entire thing is made of plastic and not the kind that can withstand a fall. You are bound to crack it if it falls, and the only strong bit on the entire unit is the wi-fi antenna and the charger. Even the power button has a plasticky click to it.

r AGAINST Laggy experience; Price; Build Have a look at the back and you find a host of connections. These include the power, optical, HDMI, LAN, CVBS/L/R and to add to the, there’s AirPlay, DLNA and Miracast

Switch it on and you are greeted by a simple and fresh UI that is idiot proof streaming protocols. It seems like it has a lot to offer, and it genuinely does. Switch it on and you are greeted by a simple and fresh UI that is idiot proof. Your apps are beautifully

laid out in tiles almost like the ones that were on the Windows 8 OS. However, the problem starts when the apps themselves lag and take ages to respond.

The only few apps that worked really well were YouTube, VLC player and KODI. The rest of the pre-loaded apps are more of a struggle to get started and actually making them function.

This obviously is no where close to the award-winning iBox in terms of price, but it could learn something from it.

The fact that you can download any app from Google Play seems to be the only solace and a saving grace for the Xtreamer. This means movies, books and games are also available for you to buy . The other impressive bit is the 4K support the Xtreamer provides.

Not a lot of streamers at this price offer those privileges. So, while the Xtreamer mxV loses in some key areas, it also holds its own in others.

It’s up to you and what your priorities are.

Says VERDICT Not the most well built and not the best at providing service, but other stand out features give it a slim chance TECH SPECS Processor Amlogic S905 ARM Cortex-A53 Quad-Core/2.0GHZ, GPU Penta Core Mali-450, RAM 1GB, ROM 8GB, OS Android/Linux, Video Output 4K HDMI 2.0, Connectivity USB2.0 x 4, TF Card x 1, Dimensions 110x130x30mm (LWH)

Fiio X1 2G High-Resolution Player 7499

Losing my generation FOR Great design; Price; Solid improvement on audio; Battery It’s been a long two years since Fiio flooded the market with what seemed to be an affordable way for hi-fi fans to enjoy their music on a portable device.

The players offered a solution without needing to save on space or lose out on audio quality. At the helm was the Fiio X1, a dream player for those on a budget. Has Fiio stirred up a worthy successor?

Based purely on looks, the Fiio X1 second-gen is a lot curvier. Gone are the hard edges that made it difficult in the pocket and in is a sleeker design. The curved edges make it a lot better to handle and give it a more premium feel. A touch-based wheel now takes the place of the mechanical wheel and a single volume rocker is added.

All that’s fine, but Fiio has upgraded the DAC too and plonked in the higher end TI PCM5242 DAC chip. And while the previous X1 was bass happy and sounded muddy, this one has a lot more control and is tighter as we learnt while we tapped our feet away to the opening riff of Dark

AGAINST Lag time while switching g songs lets the X1 down Necessities by RHCP. However, it does retain the richness and warmth, but presents it in a much more cohesive manner. The mids are decent too, although

It does retain the richness and warmth, but presents it in a much more cohesive manner not at the levels of the more expensive DAPs in the market. We played Hello by Adele and the X1 didn’t have that much of an impact and failed to capture the emotions that are otherwise apparent with more expensive units.

Fiio has also changed the software, which is now Linux based. The Fiio UI is probably the bast one we’ve seen on a player. However, it is a bit laggy when it comes to scanning media and switching songs. However, Bluetooth 4.0 will keep the streamers happy and the price will bring a smile to everyone.

Says VERDICT The Fiio X1 2G impresses by providing more value for less cash and improving on overall sonics TECH SPECS Screen 2in LCD (320x240) DAC Texas Instruments CM5242 Connectivity Bluetooth 4.0 Output impedance 1: Memory MicroSD (upto 256GB) Formats supported APE/FLAC/WAV/ WMA/ALAC @ up to 192kHz/32bit Dimensions 97x55.5x12(mm) Weight 102gm

December 2016 | What Hi Fi? | 93

December 2016 | What Hi Fi? | 1

BUYER’S GUIDE

BUYER’S GUIDE BEST BUYS

NOW WITH THE BEST BUYS IN EVERY CATEGORY

HI-FI INTEGRATED AMPLIFIERS

98

CD PLAYERS

100

DACS

101

MUSIC STREAMERS

102

STEREO SPEAKERS

103

MULTI-ROOM SYSTEMS

107

TURNTABLES

108

WIRELESS SPEAKERS

109

HOME CINEMA

This is the definitive guide to the best home entertainment kit you can buy. From 75in TVs to smartphones, from portable Bluetooth speakers to Dolby Atmos surround-sound packages, here’s where you’ll find the perfect product, fast.

BLU-RAY PLAYERS

111

HOME CINEMA AMPLIFIERS

111

PROJECTORS

112

SOUNDBARS

113

SOUNDBASES

113

SPEAKER PACKAGES

114

TELEVISIONS

115

PORTABLE HEADPHONES

117

INSIDE From wall-sized 4K TVs, class-topping CD playyers and transports, to speakers C aand aamplifiers of repute, we have it all, iin a whole new layout.

Shanth Swaroop, Buyer’s Guide Editor Sh

December 2016 | What Hi Fi? | 97

BUYER’S GUIDE

BEST BUYS

Stereo amps under 50,000

The only products worth considering

HI-FI AMPLIFIERS THE BEATING HEART OF YOUR HI-FI SYSTEM

Marantz PM6005 47,900 The PM6005 is a multiple Award-winner for good reason. Nicely made, well featured and with refinement and insight few rivals can match.

Power 45W Inputs 5 line-in, MM Outputs 2 x speaker, headphone

Onkyo A-9010 30,000 Best stereo amplifier under 30,000, Awards 2015

AWARD WINNER

Our favourite budget amplifier, this is arguably the most entertaining affordable amp around. It has agility and a wicked sense of rhythm.

Power 44W Inputs 5 line-in, MM Outputs speaker, headphone

Arcam FMJ A19 90,000

Stereo amps 50,000- 1,50,000

Arcam’s entry-level amplifier is a terrific combination of sensible features, fine build and entertaining sound.

Power 50W Inputs 6 line-in, MM Outputs Speaker, headphone, preamp

Cambridge Audio CXA60 63,400

PRODUCT OF THE YEAR

Best stereo amplifier 30,000- 70,000, Awards 2015

This is a lively performer with expressive dynamics and a surefooted sense of rhythm. Build quality is impressive.

Power 60W Inputs 4 line-in Outputs preamp, 2 x speaker, headphone

Naim Nait 5si 1,35,000 Naim’s starter amp is an exceptionally polished performer which combines drama with the insight and subtlety to match the very best.

Power 60W Inputs 3 line-in Outputs speaker, headphone

Rega Elex-R 1,20,500 Best stereo amplifier 70,000- 1,50,000, Awards 2015

AWARD WINNER

Stereo amps 1,50,000+

Arguably the best-value amp Rega makes, with insight and the precise handling of rhythms that’s hard to better even at double the price.

Power 72W Inputs 4 line-in, MM Outputs Speaker, preamp

Burmester 032 17,79,221 An expensive product but feels it too. Plug the 032 into a system and it sounds lovely: top-class levels of resolution, authority and dynamics.

Power 105W Inputs 5 line-in, MM, MC Outputs Speaker, ’phone, preamp

Mark Levinson No. 585 13,60,800 Get past the cost of the Mark Levinson No.585 Integrated and you’ll find a startlingly capable product – one of the finest amplifiers on the planet.

Power 200W Inputs 6 line-in Outputs Speaker, headphone

98 | What Hi Fi? | December 2016

AWARD WINNER

AMPLIFIERS CONTINUED Naim Supernait 2 4,27,985 A terrific integrated amplifier. It’s punchy, with a low-frequency performance that brims with authority. Dynamics are strong too.

Power 80W Inputs 5 line-in Outputs Speaker, headphone, preamp Stereo amps 1,50,000+

Rega Elicit-R 1,90,000

AWARD WINNER

Best stereo amplifier 1,50,000+, Awards 2015 Rega’s top integrated builds on the qualities of its smaller brother, the Elex-R. We haven’t heard a more precise amplifier for the money.

Power 105W Inputs 5 line-in, MM Outputs preamp, speaker

Roksan Caspian M2 2,44,000 A supremely rounded product with solid build, classy aesthetics and a brilliant all-round sound that works well with all types of music.

Power 85W Inputs 5 line-in Outputs Speaker, preamp

GamuT D3i 9,09,000 This GamuT D3i is a brilliant performer with excellent detail and superb transparency. It isn’t packed with inputs, but will cope with most set-ups.

Inputs 3 line-in Output Balanced, single-ended DAC No

Mark Levinson 326S 9,10,000 Power amps up to 35,00,000

This classy unit has a refined presentation and a spellbinding sense of control. Construction quality is deeply impressive.

Inputs 7 line-in Output Balanced, single-ended DAC No

Burmester 911 Mk3 24,65,077 The 911 is a real powerhouse, capable of delivering high power into difficult speakers without struggling. Refinement is top class, as is build.

Power output 535W Mono/Stereo Stereo Inputs XLR

Cyrus Mono X300 Signature 3,25,000 Don’t let the Cyrus’s compact casework fool you. This powerhouse delivers high volume levels with a pleasing dynamic punch.

Power output 225W Mono/Stereo Mono Inputs Phono, XLR

GamuT D200i 11,28,000 The D200i combines transparency, muscle and agility better than any alternative we’ve heard. Build and finish are excellent.

Power output 220W Mono/Stereo Stereo Inputs phono, XLR

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CD PLAYERS & TRANSPORTS

CD players under 1,50,000

CD transports under 1,00,000

GET THE RIGHT PLAYER AND CD CAN STILL SHINE Cambridge Audio CXC 39,800

AWARD WINNER

Best CD transport under 50,000, Awards 2015

If you already have a DAC – the CXC is useless without one – we wouldn’t hesitate in recommending this transport over a standalone CD player.

Type CD transport Outputs coaxial, optical

Cyrus CD t 1,28,000

AWARD WINNER

Best CD transport 50,000+, Awards 2015

An exceptionally talented transport, the CD t offers a level of insight, transparency and clarity you’d struggle to find elsewhere at this price.

Type CD transport Outputs coaxial, optical

Marantz CD6005 47,900

AWARD WINNER

Best CD player under 50,000, Awards 2015

Marantz’s CD6005 is rightly regarded as fantastic player, one that offers sprinkles of improvements on top of its superb predecessor.

Type CD player Outputs coaxial, optical, RCA, headphone

Naim CD5si 1,45,000 The CD5si boasts a full-bodied, winningly enthusiastic approach to music. The absence of digital outputs means there’s no upgrade path.

Type CD player Outputs RCA, DIN

CD players 1,50,000 and above

Burmester 069 51,54,435 If you can get past the massive price tag then you have a wonderful player that ranks among the best, if not the best, we’ve ever heard.

Type CD player Outputs 2 x coaxial, opt, XLR, RCA Inputs coax, opt

Burmester 089 22,04,752 A top-class player that requires a suitably talented system to shine, the 089 is one of the best digital sources money can buy.

Type CD player Outputs coaxial, optical, USB Inputs coax, opt

Cyrus CD i 1,59,000

PRODUCT OF THE YEAR

Best CD player 50,000+, Awards 2015

Cyrus says this player is its best-sounding yet, and after listening to how confident and entertaining it sounds, it’s tough to disagree.

Type CD player Outputs coaxial, optical, RCA

SUBSCRIBE NOW INDIA’S NO.1 HOME ENTERTAINMENT MAGAZINE

100 | What Hi Fi? | December 2016

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CD PLAYERS & TRANSPORTS CONTINUED Cyrus CD Xt Signature 2,24,000 Looking for a top-class transport? The Xt Signature provides a sound that’s cleaner, crisper and more dynamic than its predecessor.

Type CD transport Outputs coaxial, optical

Awards 2010

The Caspian M2 CD has been around the block, but it’s showing few signs of its age, showing skill with timing, dynamics and authority.

Type CD player Outputs coaxial, optical, XLR, RCA

Roksan K3 CD Di 1,69,400 Few players at this price are as musical as the K3 CD Di. It promotes the character of your music, so you’ll never tire of listening to it.

Type CD player Outputs coax, opt, XLR, RCA Inputs coax, opt

CD players 1,50,000 and above

Roksan Caspian M2 CD 2,21,800

Naim CD555/555PS 16,40,000 A CD player and a separate power supply, this might not look like much but there are few players better at revealing what’s on your discs.

Type CD player Outputs RCA

DACS A DIGITAL-TO-ANALOGUE CONVERTER IS A MODERN HI-FI MUST Arcam miniBlink 13,800

AWARD WINNER

Best Bluetooth receiver, Awards 15

This receiver has serious dynamic clout, with a zingy and fluid rhythm.

The 3.5mm analogue output means an adaptor is needed for trad hi-fi.

Inputs Bluetooth Size (hwd) 2.5 x 3 x 4cm

Audiolab M-DAC 69,000 A good desktop alternative to the Chord Mojo, with plenty more sockets and features. Smooth balance, fluid dynamics and subtle detail.

Inputs USB, opt, coax Size 6 x 25 x 25cm Res Up to 24-bit/192kHz

This tiny DAC/headphone amp remains one of our favourites for its USB-stick size and fine sonic talents. Clear, detailed with a fantastic sense of timing.

Inputs USB Size (hwd) 6 x 2 x 1cm Resolution Up to 24-bit/96kHz

Chord Mojo 39,990

DACS under 1,00,000

Audioquest DragonFly v1.2 14,700

PRODUCT OF THE YEAR

Best DAC 40,000- 80,000, Awards 2015

The majority of the Hugo’s performance for a fraction of the price. An enthusiastic performer that stays refined and superbly balanced.

Inputs USB, opt, coax Size 2 x 6 x 8cm Resolution 32-768kHz/DSD 512

Rega Aria 96,000

NEW ENTRY

A phono stage of rare quality under 1,00,000 the Rega Aria will perform superbly – as long as the rest of your system is suitably talented.

Type MM, MC Dimensions (hwd) 8 x 22 x 32cm

December 2016 | What Hi Fi? | 101

DACS CONTINUED Oppo HA-2 27,999

AWARD WINNER

The range of inputs makes this ideal to use with any laptop or smartphone.

The engaging performance and detail retrieval is remarkable at the price.

Inputs USB, optical Size 16 x 7 x1cm Res up to 384 kHz, 16/24/32-bit AWARD WINNER

Chord 2Qute 1,19,000

DACS 1,00,000 and above

The 2Qute’s insight, accuracy and dynamic punch outshine rivals with aplomb. The colourful display and the shiny chassis continue to wow us.

Inputs USB, opt, coax Size 7 x 16 x 4cm Resolution Up to 32-bit/384kHz

Bricasti Design M1 DAC 9,49,000 This high-end DAC is impeccably built. There’s power, rhythmic coherence and dynamic punch, but it majors in analysis of the music.

Inputs USB, opt, coax, AESB, HDMI Size 6x43x30cm Res to 352.8kHz AWARD WINNER

Chord Hugo 1,59,999 The Hugo benefits from the genius circuitry informing Chord’s latest products. It has superb timing, remarkable clarity and plenty of power.

Inputs 2x USB, opt, coax Size 2 x 13 x 10cm Resolution Up to 384kHz PCM

Chord Hugo TT 3,19,000 This ‘table-top’ version is the basic Hugo design, but supercharged.

The finish is gorgeous, and it sounds better than its cheaper siblings.

Inputs USB, opt, coax Size 5 x 24 x 23 Res Up to 32-bit/384kHz

Naim DAC-V1 1,95,000 Naim’s entry DAC is typical of the company’s sonic signature, combining a balanced tone with strong dynamics and fine organisation.

Inputs USB, 2x opt, 3 x coax Size 9 x 21 x 32cm Res 24-bit/384kHz

MUSIC STREAMERS

Streamers under 1,00,000

THE BEST WAY TO SHARE YOUR TUNES AROUND THE HOUSE Bluesound Node 2 50,000 Looking for a non-amplified streamer to hook up to your existing hi-fi?

The Node is back, and better, with improved design and connectivity.

DLNA Yes Inputs Toslink, 3.5mm Storage No

Cambridge Audio CXN 79,600

PRODUCT OF THE YEAR

Best streamer 50,000- 1,00,000, Awards 2015

Building on the success of Cambridge’s Award-winning Stream Magic 6 v2, the CXN features an all-new design and improved sound.

DLNA Yes Inputs optical, coaxial, 3 x USB Storage No

102 | What Hi Fi? | December 2016

MUSIC STREAMERS CONTINUED Burmester Musiccenter 151 17,90,235 This multi-talented machine is a streamer, server, CD player and ripper, all wrapped in one superbly made chrome-laden box.

DLNA Yes Inputs optical, coaxial, USB Storage 4TB

Cyrus Stream Xa 1,79,000 Best streamer 1,00,000- 2,00,000, Awards 2015

AWARD WINNER

Cyrus Stream XP2-Qx 2,69,000 An all-in-one music streamer that serves up an energetic, enthusiastic and immersive performance. Worthy of the sizeable asking price.

DLNA Yes Inputs 2 x optical, 3 x coaxial, USB Storage No

Naim ND5 XS 3,00,000

AWARD WINNER

Best streamer 2,00,000+, Awards 2015

Music streamers 1,00,000 and above

The two-time Award-winning Xa is a corker. Its half-width design won’t be everyone’s cup of tea, but its truly entrancing sound surely will.

DLNA Yes Inputs 2 x optical, 3 x coaxial, USB Storage No

A forward-thinking design from an established hi-fi company. A brilliant sonic performance and a must-have if you’re after a do-it-all streamer.

DLNA Yes Inputs USB, coaxial, optical Storage No

Naim NDS/555PS 11,80,000 Hear what this monster of a streaming machine can do and there will be no going back. Can afford the outlay? Lucky you DLNA Yes Inputs 2 x coaxial, optical Storage No

STEREO SPEAKERS THEY BRING THE MUSIC TO YOUR EARS – SO CHOOSE WITH CARE KEF Egg 39,000

AWARD WINNER

Best desktop speaker 20,000+, Awards 2015

Wharfedale DS-1 16,500

AWARD WINNER

Best desktop speaker under 200, Awards 2015

Smart and terrific-sounding; if you’re after small, articulate, affordable desktops with Bluetooth streaming, you can’t go wrong.

Size (hwd) 19 x 11 x 15cm Powered Yes Finishes 1

Sonodyne SRP 202 27,830/ea Designed for professionals, the SRP 202 refernce monitor sound great and defy size with their output, detail and sounstage. Simply outstanding.

Size (hwd) 34 x 25 x 24cm Powered Yes Finishes 4

Desktop Speakers up to 1,00,000

Our 2015 Best Desktop Speaker Over 20k have a distinctive design and flexible connectivity – and a stunning, consistent performance.

Size (hwd) 27 x 13 x 17cm Powered Yes Finishes 3

December 2016 | What Hi Fi? | 103

STEREO SPEAKERS CONTINUED Sonodyne Sonus 3165 25,000/ea

Floorstanders under 1,60,000

Housing a unique baffle and grill design and churning out great high fidelity output is what makes this charmer a powerhouse performer Size (hwd) 98 x 21 x 29cm Powered No Finishes 2

B&W 683 S2 1,69,000 Tremendously talented speakers. We’re impressed by their power, scale and delicacy – they’re wonderfully versatile performers.

Size (hwd) 99 x 19 x 36cm Powered No Finishes 2

Q Acoustics 3050 75,400

AWARD WINNER

Best floorstander under 80,000, Awards 2015

Another 2015 Award-winner, and no wonder. The powerful 3050s are so talented, they give speakers closer to a lakh a run for their money.

Size (hwd) 100 x 20 x 30cm Powered No Finishes 5

Q Acoustics Concept 40 1,27,000 If you want a talented set of speakers with an easy-going, welcoming sound, you must consider these.

Size (hwd) 97 x 17 x 29cm Powered No Finishes 2

Tannoy Revolution XT 6F 1,41,000

AWARD WINNER

Best floorstander 80,000- 1,50,000, Awards 2015

These Tannoys are something special – they fire out an infectious, entertaining sound that charms us. Superbly finished, too.

Size (hwd) 100 x 27 x 32cm Powered No Finishes 2

Tannoy Revolution XT 8F 1,89,500

Floorstanders 1,60,000 and above

Few rivals will be able to match this combination of muscle and subtlety. Most of all they make listening to music fun.

Size (hwd) 108 x 32 x 35cm Powered No Finishes 2

ATC SCM40A 6,99,000 The price looks steep but factor in built-in amplification and exceptional sound, and the SCM40As emerge as something of a high-end bargain.

Size (hwd) 98 x 37 x 34cm Powered Yes Finishes 2

Focal Electra 1038Be 8,99,999 A hefty slice of the performance of Focal’s high-end Utopia range, at a fraction of the cost. Impressive detail, dynamics, bass and timing.

Size (hwd) 125 x 30 x 40cm Powered No Finishes 2

PMC Twenty 23 3,12,200 These PMCs show real class, serving up sound that’s both refined and exciting. The 23s stand on their clean insight and unfussy nature.

Size (hwd) 92 x 15 x 33cm Powered No Finishes 4

PMC Twenty 26 7,72,686* This range of speakers hardly puts a foot wrong. Here, it’s the insightful yet refined balance and impressive levels of detail that win the day.

Size (hwd) 109 x 19 x 44cm Powered No Finishes 4

104 | What Hi Fi? | December 2016

STEREO SPEAKERS CONTINUED ProAc Response D40/R 6,33,000 As musical as they come, these are also as articulate, transparent and dynamic as any floorstander we’ve heard around this price.

Size (hwd) 120 x 21 x 34cm Powered No Finishes 6

Spendor A6R 2,25,000

AWARD WINNER

Best floorstander over 1,50,000, Awards 2015

Spendor D7 4,12,000 When it comes to insight and precision, these floorstanders set the standard at this price. Unfussy, and they deliver a huge sound for their size.

Size (hwd) 95 x 20 x 32cm Powered No Finishes 6

Tannoy Kensington GR 12,80,000

Floorsttanders 1,60,000 and above

Musical notes have dimension and depth, and vocals are conveyed with reality and emotion. Outstanding.

Size (hwd) 87.5 x 19 x 28cm Powered No Finishes 5

Along with that traditional appearance comes real substance. These are gentle giants, balancing finesse with force in a mighty appealing way.

Size (hwd) 110 x 41 x 34cm Powered No Finishes 2

Triangle Signature Delta 5,60,000 Terrific timing ability combines with strong dynamics and impressive resolution to produce speakers that can stand toe-to-toe with the best.

Size (hwd) 123 x 37 x 39cm Powered No Finishes 3

Dali Zensor 1 24,000 If you’re looking for a versatile, energetic pair of affordable speakers, give these a listen. They have a real feel for the the music. Good fun.

Size (hwd) 27 x 16 x 22cm Powered No Finishes 2

Dali Zensor 3 34,500

Monitor Audio Bronze 2 42,000

AWARD WINNER

Best standmounter 30,000- 45,000, Awards 2015

For their size, these Monitor Audio Bronze 2 dig deep in the bass.

They’re tonally balanced and impressively detailed too.

Size (hwd) 35 x 19 x 26cm Powered No Finishes 4

Q Acoustics 3020 28,900

AWARD WINNER

Standmounters under 50,000

If they’re made by Dali, they’re going to be fun to listen to. These classy-looking speakers have plenty of punch and winning dynamics.

Size (hwd) 35 x 21 x 29cm Powered No Finishes 3

Best stereo speaker under 30,000, Awards 2015

These lovingly constructed boxes deliver an exceptional combination of refinement, insight and dynamics. We can’t fault them.

Size (hwd) 26 x 17 x 23cm Powered No Finishes 5

Q Acoustic Concept 20 43,000 If you want a top-quality, sub- 50K standmounter you ignore this one at your peril. Clarity and refinement shine through in abundance.

Size (hwd) 26 x 17 x 28cm Powered No Finishes 2

December 2016 | What Hi Fi? | 105

STEREO SPEAKERS CONTINUED B&W 685 S2 69,000

PRODUCT OF THE YEAR

Product of the Year, Awards 2015

Standmounters 50,000 - 1,20,000

Put simply, the 685 S2s are superb. Hugely entertaining, with power, punch and excellent detail retrieval.

Size (hwd) 35 x 19 x 32cm Powered No Finishes 2

KEF LS50 1,10,000 These striking speakers are blindingly good. Get their partnering kit right and you’ll revel in the excellent bass, energy and fine articulation.

Size (hwd) 30 x 20 x 28cm Powered No Finishes 1

Martin Logan Motion 15 78,000 A talented and fun pair of speakers. We particularly like the lively, natural presentation, even if the low end could do with more punch.

Size (hwd) 29 x 13 x 24cm Powered No Finishes 2

Triangle Esprit Titus EZ 78,500 Your hunt to find a supplier for the Esprits might take a while, but it will be worth it for the articulate and agile presentation you’ll hear.

Size (hwd) 31 x 17 x 27cm Powered No Finishes 3

ATC SCM11 (2013) 1,42,000

AWARD WINNER

Best standmounter 80,000- 1,50,000, Awards 2015

These are the most talented standmounters anywhere near this price.

The transparency of their sound compares with far more expensive rivals.

Size (hwd) 38 x 21 x 25cm Powered No Finishes 2

Standmounters 1,20,000 - 2,50,000

Dynaudio Xeo 4 2,40,000 The active Xeo 4s (they have built-in amps) offer hassle-free set-up and an insightful, musical sound from almost any source. High-res support, too.

Size (hwd) 28 x 17 x 25cm Powered Yes Finishes 2

Neat Motive SX3 1,50,000 If you’re tight on space, or don’t need an overpowering sound, these articulate, fun-loving speakers should be a shoo-in for your shortlist.

Size (hwd) 33 x 16 x 20cm Powered No Finishes 4

ProAC Studio 118 1,25,000 Weighty, detailed bass, lively treble and a good natural balance overall.

The energy of the 118’s performance will provide hours of enjoyment.

Size (hwd) 38 x 19 x 24cm Powered No Finishes 4

ATC SCM19 2,28,000

AWARD WINNER

Best standmounter 1,50,000+, Awards 2015

2,50,000+

It’s quite a trick for a speaker to be highly analytical with music yet never sound clinical or passionless. And yet so it is with the SCM19s.

Size (hwd) 44 x 27 x 30cm Powered No Finishes 2

PMC Twenty 22 2,80,000 Solid build and a quality finish are just the start; it’s a big, authoritative sound, perfect for those who like a natural kind of presentation.

Size (hwd) 41 x 18 x 37cm Powered No Finishes 4

106 | What Hi Fi? | December 2016

SYSTEMS SIMPLE DOESN’T HAVE TO MEAN LOWER QUALITY Multi-room systems up to 1,00,000

Sonos System From 26,500

AWARD WINNER

Best multi-room system under 50,000, Awards 2015

If you don’t need high-res, Sonos is an obvious choice for multi-room.

A great user experience alongside a full-bodied, insightful sound.

Res 16-bit/44.1kHz App Mac, Android Formats MP3, iTunes Plus, WMA

Bluesound Generation 2 From 35,000

PRODUCT OF THE YEAR

Best multi-room system over 50,000, Awards 2015

Bluesound’s Generation 2 has a more streamlined design and sounds as good as ever, offering high-res support and good connectivity.

Res 24-bit/192kHz App iOS, Android Formats MP3, AAC, WMA, OGG

Best music system 50,000- 80,000, Awards 2015

AWARD WINNER

Stereo systems under 50,000

Cambridge Audio Minx Xi 51,300

This terrific system is a joy to use. It has a 24-bit/96kHz resolution limit, but that’s OK in light of its articulate and hugely likeable character.

Inputs Analogue & digital Sources Streaming, internet

Denon D-M40DAB 49,900

PRODUCT OF THE YEAR

Best music system under 50,000, Awards 2015

Denon continues to reign supreme on the micro-systems front. There are no Bluetooth or wireless features, but the sound makes up for it.

Inputs Analogue & digital Sources CD, streaming, DAB, FM

Stereo systems 50,000+

Cyrus Streamline 2 1,73,000 Cyrus expertly combines hi-fi credentials and streaming features with ease. The superb sound quality is second to none at this price.

Inputs Analogue & digital Sources Streaming, internet

Naim UnitiQute 2 1,60,000

AWARD WINNER

Best music system 80,000- 2,00,000, Awards 2015

The epitome of a modern streaming system. The insightful, rhythmically precise, spacious sound is tremendous – and worth the high-end price.

Inputs Analogue & digital Sources Streaming, internet, DAB+, FM

Systems jargon buster UPnP Universal Plug and Play (UPnP) is a series of protocols that allow devices easily to discover and communicate with each other over a network to share information.

DLNA DLNA focuses on media formats and management, allowing content (video, audio, pictures, etc) to be shared across devices, with the user able to manage said files. Most DLNA tagged devices are UPnP capable too.

CD-quality CD-quality refers to the resolution of an audio CD, which is 16-bit/44.1kHz. CD-quality should not be confused with high resolution audio.

High resolution High-resolution audio has a higher sampling frequency and bit rate than CD-quality audio.

Hi-res files tend to use a range of sampling rates, the most common being 96kHz and 192kHz at 24-bit.

NAS NAS – Network Attached Storage – is an intelligent storage device.

Content stored on a NAS can be accessed through a media streamer via a network.

December 2016 | What Hi Fi? | 107

TURNTABLES DECKS TO KEEP THE VINYL REVIVAL THRIVING

Turntables under 50,000

Pro-Ject Elemental 24,000 As plug-in-and-play as you’re likely to find, this is a quality entry-level record player for those taking their first steps in the world of vinyl.

Speed 33.3 & 45rpm Size (hwd) 9 x 43 x 30cm

Pro-Ject Essential II 33,000

AWARD WINNER

Best turntable under 40,000, Awards 2015

A frill-free, entry-level product that gets all the basics spot-on. Easy to set up and even easier to enjoy, it’s an obvious Award-winner.

Speed 33.3 & 45rpm Size (hwd) 14 x 46 x 36cm

Rega RP1 36,000 The unadorned RP1 is an impressive turntable in its own right, with a good sense of drive and pleasing transparency.

Speed 33.3 & 45rpm Size (hwd) 12 x 45 x 36cm

Clearaudio Concept 94,600

AWARD WINNER

Turntables 50,000- 1,00,000

Best turntable 80,000+, Awards 2015

A thoroughly sorted, easy-to-own package with tremendous sound, combining punch, extension and tonal variation in equal measure.

Speed 33.3, 45, 78rpm Size (hwd) 14 x 42 x 35cm

Pro–Ject 1 Xpression Carbon 75,000 The Pro-Ject 1 Xpression Carbon UKX is a terrific package for the price; it is balanced and insightful, rivalling the class-leaders in overall ability.

Speed 33.3, 45rpm Size (hwd) 13 x 42 x 34cm

Rega RP3/Elys2 72,000

PRODUCT OF THE YEAR

Best turntable 40,000- 80,000, Awards 2015

Turntables 1,00,000 and above

Few rivals are as fuss-free or sound so good, building on the balance, resolution and excitement of prior generations while adding more clarity.

Speed 33.3, 45rpm Size (hwd) 10 x 45 x 36cm

Rega RP6/Exact 1,35,000 The RP6’s simple styling belies its engaging, detailed sound. One of the most expressive and enthusiastic turntables you can buy for the money.

Speed 33.3, 45rpm Size (hwd) 12 x 45 x 36cm

Rega RP8/Apheta 2,97,000 A terrific turntable that sets standards at the price. A detailed sound delivered with superb agility, strong dynamics and exceptional precision.

Speed 33.3, 45rpm Size (hwd) 12 x 45 x 36cm

108 | What Hi Fi? | December 2016

WIRELESS SPEAKERS CONTINUED

WIRELESS SPEAKERS FREE YOUR MUSIC WITH ONE OF THESE STREAMING WONDERS Audio Pro Addon T3 29,999

PRODUCT OF THE YEAR

Best portable wireless speaker 20,000- 30,000, 2015

This classy boombox from Audio Pro ignores gimmicks and focuses on delivering the best sound possible for an extremely tempting price.

Size (hwd) 12 x 22 x 14 Battery Yes

Cambridge Audio Go 12,500 Awards 2014 Wireless speakers under 30,000

Few wireless speakers offer such a great combination of build quality, battery life and enjoyable performance as this former Award-winner.

Size (hwd) 24 x 12 x 6cm Battery Yes

JBL Xtreme 24,990 The Xtreme delivers all the power suggested by its brutish physique, but is also capable of great subtlety and insight. Powerful and portable.

Size (hwd) 13 x 28 x 12cm Battery Yes

Monitor Audio Airstream S150 15,500

AWARD WINNER

Best mains-powered wireless speaker under 20,000, Awards 2015

The Airstream S150 boasts impressive clarity and detail with solid, weighty bass and an agile and dynamic delivery.

Size (hwd) 27 x 12 x 14cm Battery No

Ultimate Ears Roll 8,495

AWARD WINNER

Best portable wireless speaker under 10,000, Awards 2015

Super-portable, waterproof and with great sound, the Roll is the ideal on-the-go companion. We haven’t heard better for less than a ton.

Size (hw) 4 x 14cm Battery Yes

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Wireless speakers 50,000+

Wireless speakers 30,000- 50,000

WIRELESS SPEAKERS CONTINUED KEF Muo 35,000

AWARD WINNER

Best portable wireless speaker 20,000, Awards 2015

The Muo brings a touch of luxury with its detailed musical performance and great looks. You won’t get better without going mains-powered.

Size (hwd) 8 x 21 x 6cm Battery Yes

Q Acoustics Q-BT3 43,000 Few products are as versatile as these for the price: wireless speakers, soundbar replacement, iPod dock or powered stereo speakers.

Size (hwd) 31 x 19 x 24cm Battery No

B&W Zeppellin Wireless 67,000 Eight years on, the Zeppelin speaker is still a must-have for the audiophile who wants fine sound in a convenient package.

Size (hwd) 18 x 66 x 18cm Battery No

Naim Mu-So 1,35,000

AWARD WINNER

Best mains-powered wireless speaker 80,000+, Awards 2015

The Mu-so has a rich, powerful sound, a huge sense of scale and soaring dynamics – and it’s now been updated to accommodate Tidal.

Size (hwd) 12 x 63 x 26cm Battery No

Getting the most out of your wireless speaker

Wireless tech explained The most used wireless transmission methods tend to be the following: aptX Bluetooth, regular Bluetooth, Apple AirPlay and Kleer (used

by Arcam).

AirPlay is Apple’s proprietary solution and works only with Apple devices.

Bluetooth, and its higherquality aptX variant, will work with any Bluetoothcompatible device, while Kleer requires a dongle.

If it were our money, we would opt for one of the Bluetooth variants – it’s versatile and the quality is fine, albeit lower than with a wired connection.

110 | What Hi Fi? | December 2016

How much should you spend?

This all depends on what you want your dock to do.

If you fancy something to take to the park for picnics, then you’d want to consider a unit that has a good battery life. If you’re replacing a micro or mini system, then something like the B&W Zeppelin Wireless will do a commendable job. As ever, try before you buy, especially if you’re heading towards the premium range.

A good tip is to take your library with you to the dealer/ retailer and play some of the greatest hits straight from your portable.

Choose the right file type Whichever one you go for, and especially if you’re connecting your device, it’s important to supply the dock with a high enough quality file.

We find that 320kbps is as low as we’d go with MP3 files, with Apple Lossless, FLAC or uncompressed WAV far more preferable.

If you use an Apple device, and use WAV files on your computer but don’t have space for them on your portable, iTunes has a handy option to sync slightly lower-quality versions of your tracks to your device.

Instant multi-room music If you’re looking to build a multi-room system, you’re in luck. Some docks won’t be able to play music on more than one device at a time (unless you have more than one which can stream to each other), but it does mean you can simply select each device on your portable as you move between rooms and have your music instantly switch between docks.

Alternatively, you could fork out for a Sonos system – but that isn’t really the point. Wireless docks mean minimal set-up – always a bonus.

BUYER’S GUIDE

BEST BUYS

HOME CINEMA

The only products worth considering

BLU-RAY PLAYERS ENJOY HIGH-DEF MOVIE THRILLS

AWARD WINNER

Marantz UD7007 72,900

Cambridge Audio CXU 1,25,600

AWARD WINNER

Best Blu-ray player 30,000+, Awards 2015

A universal disc-player, packed with features and connections, that pushes the boundaries with both picture and sound quality.

Compatibility Blu-ray, DVD, CD, SACD

Oppo BDP-105D 1,29,999

Blu-ray players 30,000 and above

A 2013 Awards winner, this is a solidly made machine that performs to a very high standard. If you have the right system, it’s a terrific buy.

Compatibility Blu-ray, DVD, CD, SACD

It might seem a lot for a disc player, but if you want a quality component that’s as adept with music as it is with movies, you’ll want this. Top class.

Compatibility Blu-ray, DVD, CD, SACD

HOME CINEMA AMPLIFIERS STUNNING SOUND THAT TRULY BRINGS MOVIES TO LIFE Denon AVR-X2200W 73,900

PRODUCT OF THE YEAR

Best home cinema amplifier 50K- 70K, Awards 2015

Our AV amp Product of the Year is an articulate and detailed amp, with stacks of functionality and future-proofing. Packed with features.

Power 7 x 95W Dolby Atmos Yes AWARD WINNER

Best home cinema amplifier 70K- 1Lac, Awards 2015

In the sweet spot of balancing price, features and performance, this has a hugely entertaining combination of power and precision.

Power 7 x 100W Dolby Atmos Yes

Yamaha RX-V679 59,990 No Dolby Atmos but Yamaha does offer a big, spacious sound with decent detail and balance, though some others are more nuanced.

Power 7 x 90W Dolby Atmos No

Marantz NR1606 81,900

AV amplifiers 50,000- 1,00,000

Yamaha RX-A850 93,990

NEW ENTRY

Equipped with multi-zone and multi-source capability, this AVR can power a home-theatre and stereo setup simultaneously.

Power 7 x 90W Dolby Atmos Yes

December 2016 | What Hi Fi? | 111

HOME CINEMA AMPLIFIERS CONTINUED

HOME CINEMA AMPLIFIERS AV amplifiers 1,00,00 and above

STUNNING SOUND THAT TRULY BRINGS MOVIES TO LIFE Onkyo TX-NR3030 1,90,000 Looking for high-end, high-quality surround audio? This amp delivers with a spacious, subtle sound, a plethora of features and Dolby Atmos.

Power 11 x 185W Atmos Yes

Pioneer SC-LX59 1,32,000

AWARD WINNER

Best home cinema amplifier 1,00,000+, Awards 2015

The SC-LX59 makes it six 1,00,000+ Awards in a row for Pioneer. This latest offering is better than ever, making it a class-leading receiver.

Power 9 x 140W Atmos Yes

PROJECTORS

Projectors 1,50,000 and above

Under 1.5lac

BECAUSE A MASSIVE PICTURE IS HOME CINEMA BenQ W1080ST+ 1,25,000 Best projector under 1,50,000, Awards 2015

AWARD WINNER

This short-throw projector can sit less than six feet from the screen at max zoom – and looks brilliant thanks to its crisp, eye-catching pic.

Throw ratio 0.69-0.83:1 Inputs 2 x HDMI, component Speakers Yes

Epson EH-TW7200 1,80,000

PRODUCT OF THE YEAR

Best projector 1,50,000- 2,50,000, Awards 2015

Versatile and easy to set up, this one raises the bar for picture quality in the sub- 2lacs arena with its realistic, subtle and punchy performance.

Throw ratio 1.34-2.87:1 Inputs 2 x HDMI, component Speakers No

Sony VPL-HW55ES 3,16,667

AWARD WINNER

Best projector 2,50,000+, Awards 2015

This well-specified Sony produces a very natural picture that’s precisely crisp and bright, and demonstrates exemplary contrast. Brilliant.

Throw ratio n/a Inputs 2 x HDMI, component Speakers No

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SOUNDBARS AN IMPRESSIVE WAY TO IMPROVE YOUR TV’S SOUND Under 50,000

Q Acoustics Media 4 45,000

PRODUCT OF THE YEAR

Best soundbar under 50,000, Awards 2015

Q Acoustics’ debut soundbar is remarkable value – even more so at its reduced price – and more than worthy of its two-time PoY status.

Size (hwd) 9 x 100 x 14cm Inputs Optical, RCA Subwoofer No AWARD WINNER

Soundbars 50,000 and above

Dali Kubik One 1,05,000 Best soundbar 50,000+, Awards 2015

A gorgeous and complete package, Dali’s debut soundbar impresses with its hugely engaging sound and smart, well-equipped exterior.

Size (hwd) 15 x 98 x 10cm Inputs Optical, 2 x RCA Subwoofer No

Philips Fidelio B5 54,990 Thanks to two detachable (wireless, battery-powered) speakers, it can add surround sound or be a multi-room system. Great sound, too.

Size 7 x 104 x 16cm Inputs 2 x HDMI, optical, coax, RCA Sub Yes

SOUNDBASES AN ALTERNATIVE SOURCE OF SUPERIOR TV SOUND Soundbases under 30,000- 70,000

Cambridge Audio TV5 37,100 The TV5 shares its TV2 sibling’s rich presentation, but with an extra driver and bigger chassis there’s better detail, clarity and dynamics.

Size (hwd) 10 x 73 x 34cm Inputs Optical

Canton DM55 69,000

AWARD WINNER

Best soundbase under 70,000, Awards 2015

Replacing the DM50, the cheaper DM55 is even more appealing – its meaty yet subtle sound is a huge audio upgrade for your TV. Size (hwd) 7 x 55 x 30cm Inputs Optical, coaxial

Select the right cable for your system

Speaker cable What is it?

Solid-core or stranded cable.

What’s it for?

Connecting multiple speakers.

Digital optical cable What is it?

Cable that transmits audio as light.

What’s it for?

Transmitting audio in the digital domain.

HDMI cable What is it?

A digital cable that transmits video and audio.

What’s it for?

To link HDMI sources.

Stereo interconnects What is it?

Analogue cable.

What’s it for?

To replace your kit’s freebie leads.

Mains cable What is it?

Heavy-duty cable upgrade.

What’s it for?

To replace your kit’s inferior mains cable.

December 2016 | What Hi Fi? | 113

SPEAKER PACKAGES

Style packages 1,10,000- 2,00,000

Style packages under 1,10,0000

GOOD SURROUND SOUND IS A MOVIE-MAGIC MUST

Q Acoustics Q7000i 1,06,000 Got a lac to spend on a sub/sat package? Spend it here. This compact set creates a cohesive and expansive soundfield, with strong bass.

Size (hwd) Centre speaker 12 x 20 x 16cm Finishes 2

Tannoy HTS-101 XP 72,900

AWARD WINNER

Best style package under 1,00,000, Awards 2015

The latest incarnation of a multiple winner has a sonic character that retains its fast, spacious quality, but with extra detail and solidity.

Size (hwd) Centre speaker 19 x 10 x 11cm Finishes 1

B&W MT-50 1,76,000

AWARD WINNER

Best style package 1,00,000+, Awards 2015

These speakers sound crisp, clear and insightful, and the sub and satellites integrate so well. Value and versatility combined.

Size (hwd) Centre speaker 25 x 11 x 16cm Finishes 2

B&W MT-60D 2,95,000 Compact and stylish (we love that sub), this package presents a dynamic, powerful sound that excels with surround sound and stereo music.

Size (hwd) Centre speaker 25 x 11 x 16cm Finishes 2

Before you buy: equipment racks sider…

Choosing an equipment rack can be tricky. Here are a few things to consider…

1) Equipment supports have a difficult job to do. Ideally, they should isolate your system from external vibrations, so that it can perform optimally, but also act as a ‘sink’ for any internally generated vibrations – say, the effects of a spinning disc or the low-level buzz of a mains transformer. Make sure there’s enough air space around your kit to avoid it overheating, though.

2) Racks come in different sizes and lengths. Do you need a full-width bench-style rack? If you have lots of hi-fi equipment, a wider rack might suit you better if you have the space for it. For those with only a CD player or amplifier to support, there are rack companies which sell half-width versions.

MODULAR RACK Ideal if you plan to grow your system, but check its ease of assembly

3) Plan for the future by choosing a rack with a modular design. It’s a good halfway house if you have one eye on later system expansion. How easy it is to assemble may be something to consider in this situation, too; a fussy design could bring frustration. However, while another shelf won’t be cheap, it’s likely to be less expensive than investing in a new rack altogether.

“Equipment supports should isolate your system from external vibrations, but also act as a ‘sink’ for internally generated vibrations”

114 | What Hi Fi? | December 2016

FULL-WIDTH RACK The solution for those with plenty of hi-fi equipment to support

SPEAKER PACKAGES CONTINUED Traditional packages under 1.5Lacs

Dali Zensor 1 5.1 1,14,300

AWARD WINNER

Best traditional package under 1,50,000, Awards 2015

Why did it win an Award? Because of the sound’s punchy dynamics, abundance of detail, expression, articulation and impressive integration.

Size (hwd) Centre speaker 16 x 44 x 29cm Finishes 3

Q Acoustics 3000 Series 5.1 99,500 A budget package that makes the sound from films come across as subtle, atmospheric and detailed. This is a fun listening experience.

Size (hwd) Centre speaker 15 x 43 x 20cm Finishes 5

Best traditional package 1Lac- 3Lacs, Awards 2015

PRODUCT OF THE YEAR

Traditional packages 1.5 Lacs+

Monitor Audio Bronze B5 AV 2,42,500

Our Speaker Package Product of the Year is beautifully designed, has ample punch, creates a spacious soundfield and is very musical.

Size (hwd) Centre speaker 17 x 46 x 19cm Finishes 4

KEF R100 5.1 3,13,000 Best traditional package 3,00,000+, Awards 2015

AWARD WINNER

Gorgeous looks and superior sound quality – the R100 5.1 has both.

There’s great scale, seamless integration, and an expressive midrange.

Size (hwd) Centre speaker 17 x 53 x 31cm Finishes 4

Klipsch Reference Premier HD Wireless 5.1 6,03,000

NEW ENTRY

This Klipsch system is the first true high-fidelity, full-range HT wireless system that can rock your floorboards with power and dynamics.

Size (hwd) Centre speaker 14 x 66 x 34cm Finishes 1

TELEVISIONS MAKE THE FOCUS OF YOUR ENTERTAINMENT HUB A GOOD ONE AWARD WINNER

Televisions 50,000- 1,10,000

Samsung UA40JU6470U 83,900 Best 40-46in TV 50,000+, Awards 2015

You don’t need a huge screen to appreciate the benefits of a 4K pic.

This sleek 40in set combines features, functionality and performance.

Type LCD/LED Screen size 40in Resolution 3840 x 2160

Samsung UA48J6300AK 1,04,900

PRODUCT OF THE YEAR

Best 47-52in TV under 1,10,000, Awards 2015

It has a pronounced curve, but the picture quality is a fantastic proposition at this price. Astonishingly good Full HD performance.

Type LCD/LED Screen size 48in Resolution 1920 x 1080

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Televisions 1,10,000- 2,00,000

TELEVISIONS CONTINUED Sony KDL-55W800C 1,24,900 Ultra HD 4K screens may be grabbing all the headlines, but Full HD screens are still in the majority. A Android TV with the flair to dazzle.

Type LCD/LED Screen size 55in Resolution 1920 x 1080

Samsung UA48JU6470U 1,31,900

AWARD WINNER

Best 47-52in TV 1,00,000+, Awards 2015

This Samsung is special: super-sharp 4K, realistic textures, a smart interface, and a slim, attractive physique. Impressive.

Type LCD/LED Screen size 48in Resolution 3840 x 2160

LG OLED65E6T 6,29,900

NEW ENTRY

Every cinephile's dream telly, the new generation LG E6 4K OLED is pretty much the best TV on sale currently.

Type OLED Screen size 65in Resolution 3840 x 2160

LG55EG960T 3,59,900

AWARD WINNER

Televisions 2,00,000 and above

Best 52-60in TV 2,50,000+, Awards 2015

Top-drawer 4K Ultra HD resolution meets OLED technology, and the results are simply stunning. The price seems to be slipping too…

Type OLED Screen size 55in Resolution 3840 x 2160

Samsung UA55JU7500K 2,41,900

AWARD WINNER

Best 52-60in TV under 2,50,000, Awards 2015

This 55in beauty produces not just excellent 4K content, but will make your HD TV channels and Blu-rays look awesome too.

Type LCD/LED Screen size 55in Resolution 3840 x 2160

Samsung UA65JS9000K 4,40,900

AWARD WINNER

Best 60in+ TV, Awards 2015

This curved set combines excellent smarts with a gorgeous, insightful picture. If a big screen and 4K are must-haves, your search is over.

Type LCD/LED Screen size 65in Resolution 3840 x 2160

Sony KD-65X9300C, 3,74,900 A great, and very big telly, its stunning picture (and brilliant sound) is everything you would expect from a flagship television.

Type LCD/LED Screen size 65in Resolution 3840 x 2160

Gaming TVs

Input lag Televisions come with their own built-in latency, and high latencies lead to less-responsive controls.

Manufacturers rarely mention these figures, but look online and you’ll find some useful sites that list television latencies.

116 | What Hi Fi? | December 2016

If you’re into gaming then a television that gives you an advantage is vital We’ve highlighted four areas to ensure you won’t be left on the losing side

Local dimming Local dimming works by dimming the backlight in the image’s darker areas, resulting in deeper blacks.

TVs with good dimming can have excellent contrast, making for more vivid, expressive colours but they can also add to a TV’s latency.

Don’t believe refresh rates Higher refresh rates update the image faster, which should reduce motion judder.

Console games run no faster than 60 frames per second, so refresh rates of 120Hz and more won’t hugely improve performance. A 60Hz set is more than capable.

Game mode Game mode disables processing modes thereby reducing input lag. That’s the good part. Less good is that contrast and image quality suffer, resulting in a drablooking image. A game mode can be useful, but it can also compromise the image.

BUYER’S GUIDE

BEST BUYS The only products worth considering

PORTABLE HEADPHONES BIN THE BUNDLED BUDS, AND INVEST IN BETTER SOUND

Sennheiser Momentum M2 IEi 6990

PRODUCT OF THE YEAR

Best in-ears 5000- 10,000, Awards 2015

You wouldn’t think anything so small could sound so good for the cost.

But good they sound, wonderfully smooth, expressive and balanced.

In-line controls Yes Cable length 1.3m In-ears under 10,000

FiiO EX1 4,999 These monitors are nicely judged tonally, with plenty of detail. Add an expansive soundstage and you’re looking at great value for money.

In-line controls No Cable length 1.2m

SoundMagic E10S 1999

AWARD WINNER

Best in-ears under 5000, Awards 2015

Paying 2000 for a pair of buds like these ranks as one of the simplest, most affordable and most satisfying upgrades available.

In-line controls Yes Cable length 1.2m

Shure SE425 23,220

AWARD WINNER

Best in-ears 10,000- 30000, Awards 2015

Sennheiser IE 800 54,990

In-ears 10,000 and above

If you’re serious about the quality of your in-ear headphones, we’d point you here. The energetic, immersive performance is irresistible.

In-line controls Yes Cable length 1.6m AWARD WINNER

Best in-ears 30,000+, Awards 2015

You might think it a waste to spend so much on buds, but don’t make up your mind till you’ve heard these – they’re astonishing performers.

In-line controls Yes Cable length 1.1m

Shure SE846 84,700 Stunning detail, supreme tonal balance and extraordinary dynamics.

You just need to ensure you use an equally talented source In-line controls Yes Cable length 1.2m & 1.6m

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Noise cancelling heaphones up to 30,000

HEADPHONES CONTINUED Bose QuietComfort 25 25,200 These cans are a real treat. Their noise-cancelling capabilities are extraordinary, their clear, balanced sound a joy to hear.

Quoted battery life 35 hours

PSB M4U2 23,900 As well as obliging with a powerful delivery the PSBs offer a choice of listening modes (passive, active and noise-cancelling), to suit.

Quoted battery life 55 hours

AKG K451 4999 Great agility and precision timing combined with excellent build and compact size, makes the K451s a must-audition pair of cans.

Type Closed Connection 3.5mm Weight 120g PRODUCT OF THE YEAR

On-ears under 15,000

AKG Y50 7990 Best portable on-ears under 10,000, Awards 2015

Our Product of the Year cans for 2015 are portable on-ears, and deliver a rhythmic, clear, detailed, dynamic sound. At this price they’re amazing.

Type Closed Connection 3.5mm Weight 190g

Philips Fidelio M1MkII 10,999

AWARD WINNER

The Fidelios offer an unusually smooth delivery and plenty of weighty, punchy bass. Clarity and precision are further strong points.

Type Closed Connection 3.5mm Weight 166g

On-ears 15,000- 30,000

Bang & Olufsen BeoPlay H2 15,990 Not only do these headphones look great, they also do a fine job of music reproduction – and offer great pride of ownership.

Type Closed Connection 3.5mm Weight 155g

Beyerdynamic T51i 19,999 Awards 2014

It’s satisfying when great design, premium build and top performance all come together. These on-ears really do sound as good as they look.

Type Closed Connection 3.5mm/6.3mm Weight 174g

B&W P5 Series 2 22,900 Clear, precise sound, bags of detail, punchy rhythm – these gorgeous ’phones have the lot. We can’t think of anything to say against them.

Type Closed Connection 3.5mm Weight 195g

System Killers

Mission Impossible Out now

118 | What Hi Fi? | December 2016

Inside out Out now

Mad Max: Fury Road Out now

Ex Machina Out now

Fast and Furious 7 Out now

HEADPHONES CONTINUED Grado SR125e 13,200 On-ears 15,000- 30,000

These might have looked at home on the ears of a wartime radio operator, but they sound great. Stay at home, though: they’re leaky.

Type Open Connection 3.5mm/6.5mm Weight 363g

Grado SR325e 25,900

AWARD WINNER

Best home on-ears 15,000- 30,000, Awards 2015

If you don’t mind the sound that leaks from them, you’re free to enjoy the fluid dynamics and wonderfully musical presentation.

Type Open Connection 3.5mm/6.5mm Weight 330g

AKG K812 99,052 On-ears 30,000 and above

For outright insight you’d have to spend thousands more than this on speakers before you get close to the resolution and agility on offer here.

Type Open Connection 3.5mm/6.3mm Weight 390g PRODUCT OF THE YEAR

B&W P7 32,900 Worth every penny. The solid build quality and comfy fit we expect, but the level of detail and dynamics swept us off our feet.

Type Closed Connection 3.5mm Weight 290g

Shure SRH1540 41,300

AWARD WINNER

Best home on-ears 30,000+, Awards 2015

Once the music starts you’ll focus on the expansive, beautifully balanced sound. There’s agility, enthusiasm and genuine musicality too.

Type Closed Connection 3.5mm Weight 286g

Best wireless headphones 25,000+, Awards 2015

AWARD WINNER

Wireless headphones up to 40K

B&W P5 Wireless 28,950

All the characteristics of the P5 Series 2 without the wire. The Bluetooth connection works well and the sound is nigh-on as good as the Series 2.

Folding Yes Quoted battery life 17hrs Wireless range n/a

Philips Fidelio M2BT 14,500 Bluetooth here is the superior aptX version. There’s also NFC connectivity and – most important – a rich, balanced, musical sound.

Folding No Quoted battery life 10hrs Wireless range 15m

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T H AT WA S T H E N

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WHA

The first of the firsts December 1983 – that was the first U.K. issue to feature our Awards. Thirteen pages are all it took to cover every part of the hi-fi market and there was a strictly enforced price limit of £250 ( 25,000) per product. We gave gongs for all the usual things – turntables, cassette decks, amplifiers, speakers – and a number of oddities, which we’re sure made sense at the time.

Looks and promise We had an Award for cosmetic design that was won by Meridian’s modular Component amplifier and a Judge’s award for the most promising

122 | What Hi Fi?| December 2016

product of 1984. The nominees of this particular category were made up of recently introduced products that had not necessarily been tested.

Quite. Acoustic Research’s Legend turntable won.

It turned out to be a fine product, but the category itself didn’t last long.

Looking through the list of winners throws up plenty of names that will be familiar to anyone who reads What Hi-Fi? now. The likes of Sony and Rotel are there, alongside more specialist manufacturers such as Naim. Just as interesting are the manufacturers that didn’t make it.

Long-term readers will remember the likes of

Nakamichi, Aiwa, Akai and Heybrook – all good brands that now have faded from view.

We had a bit of a chuckle when we read the turntable section though. The winner was an early version of the Rega Planar 3. Its direct descendant wins the category this year. Back then we noted that the original deck had been around for years and still represented the best option for mid-priced record players.

We think the same sentiments apply to the current Planar 3 too. The world may have changed beyond recognition in many ways since 1983 but it seems What Hi-Fi? hasn’t.

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