MATCH FIT

Our ten recommended hi-fi systems are guaranteed to play together beautifully

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As any football fan (or really, of any team sport) knows, no matter the quality of individual star players signed on a mega-bucks deal from a top-tier club, a team is only as good as the sum of its parts. Without the right support, service into the six-yard box from the midfield etc, even a star player can be left floundering and the team stuck firmly in the doldrums of so-so mid-table placing. Equally, having the team made up of your Haalands, Yamals, Fodens etc doesn’t guarantee wins unless those players work together brilliantly.

It’s a similar story with hi-fi set-ups. As we have said many times, it’s simply not enough to put cherished What Hi-Fi? Award winners and five-star products together and expect that team-up to be as good as the sum of its parts.

But, that’s where our many years of testing hi-fi comes in. We have carefully curated 10 systems this issue that will all work perfectly together. There are a range of systems here for different use-cases, budgets, economy of space and just sheer sonic brilliance – and hopefully, whatever your needs, you will find something on the following pages to steer you right when it comes to creating the best hi-fi system for you.

From simply great-sounding turntable-based set-ups to fully modern streaming marvels; from compact convenience to lavish, high-end hi-fi, we have got you covered in our systems special. And you can be assured that each component we have recommended here, from source to speaker, will work together to bring you years of listening joy.

So, turn the page, and let’s kick off.

MICRO MAGIC

A compact system that ticks the boxes with fewer boxes

THE SYSTEM O MICROSYSTEM DENON D-M41DAB £349 O PHONO STAGE REGA FONO MINI A2D MK2 £110 O PRO-JECT PRIMARY E TURNTABLE £199 O TOTAL PRICE £658

TOTAL: £658