CATEGORIES
Taste buds
Cliff Joseph applauds the budget brilliance shown by his new buddies
Paint it black
T+A’s more affordable take on its flagship is still a very serious piece of kit
Think inside the box
All-in-one systems might be an old idea, but today’s cutting edge is breathing new life into the concept, as David Vivian discovers
Spendor - Classic 3/1 £2,730
The aesthetics might be a little ‘pipe and slippers’ for some. The performance is anything but
JBL - HDI-1600 £1,500
It might be comfortably the most affordable speaker, but it more than holds its own in impressive company
Q Acoustics - Concept 300 £2,500
When is a standmount not a standmount? Q Acoustics pushes the concept to its limits with the Concept 300
Table's turning
PRICE: £400 AVAILABLE: NOW WEB: TALKELECTRONICS.COM
Fyne Audio - F1.5 £3,000
The Fyne is small in stature, but much bigger in terms of charm and capability
Bowers & Wilkins - 705 Signature £2,700
The Signature updates to B&W’s 705 have created a very compelling standmount indeed
Frequent flier
PRICE: £130 AVAILABLE: NOW WEB: AUSOUNDS.COM
Dutch master
Philips has thrown everything at this wireless ANC headphone, but does it actually sound any good?
Astell&Kern - AK USB-C Dual DAC Cable
IF YOU’RE LOOKING to use headphones to listen to music on your PC or laptop, bear in mind that the socket only uses the internal sound card and so is unlikely to offer decent quality.
Rotel's X Appeal
The up-market Michi series makes a welcome return with two new integrated amplifiers overflowing with power, but can they match up to their EISA-award winning predecessors?
True nobility
Texan range comes to the UK
Edwards Audio IA5 £500
Here’s an amp that ditches fancy features in favour of quality electronics and high performance
Marantz PM6007 £500
Can the latest take on one of recent history’s most praised amps stay ahead of the pack?
Cambridge Audio AXA35 £300
This is textbook budget integrated fare, but Cambridge makes it look and feel so much more special than that
Sixth sense
It might not be supernatural, but David Vivian can’t help but wonder just how B&W has managed to finesse the original 606 quite so effectively
Pro-Ject MaiA S2 £450
The updated MaiA has several refinements but, as before, size is the real surprise
Rega io £380
Though Rega’s amplification starting point is analogue only, its sonic talent is no surprise
Direct action
Audio-Technica has updated its hugely successful affordable direct-drive turntable, so Ed Selley gives it the shake down
NAD D 3020 V2 £400
The original 3020 rewrote the budget amp playbook, can its digital take do the same?
Disc, man
B&O’s sturdy portable speaker gets a makeover just in time for summer. CliffJoseph fires up the barbecue
Allez les Bleus!
As Focal beefs up its closed-back headphone offering Ed Selley works out if blue really is the warmest colour
The second coming
Mark Levinson’s sophomore turntable matches refreshing simplicity with supreme sound. So much for that difficult follow up
Northern lights
This new entry-level integrated promises more fans for the iconic Norwegian brand. David Vivian counts himself among them
The MM vs MC debate
Both moving-magnet and moving-coil phono cartridges have their pros and cons, but which is best for your budget? Neville Roberts weighs up the relative issues
Fix streaming now!
The major music corporations are making a killing from streaming while the artists themselves starve. Nigel Williamson thinks it’s high time for a change
Do as I sing, not as I do...
Steve Sutherland finds himself struggling with mixed feelings as another one of his favourite artists turns out to have some decidedly unsavoury views
Cambridge Audio- SX-80 £400
Can this cheerful new floorstander from an old British brand live up to its reputation?