A soundbar is often the easiest way to improve television audio without filling a room with speakers and cable. JBL’s new Cinema SB MK2 range starts with a compact 3.1-channel model and moves up to a Dolby Atmos system with upward-firing drivers. All four models include a dedicated centre channel for dialogue and can work […]
Bose is returning to wired earphones with a new pair that connects directly to USB-C phones, tablets and computers. The Bose Noise Cancelling Wired Earbuds combine the simplicity and low delay of a cable with active noise cancelling normally associated with wireless models. They cost £99 and do not contain a rechargeable battery. Instead, the […]
TRIBIT has launched the StormBox Max, a portable Bluetooth speaker designed to produce a bigger sound without becoming awkward to carry. It combines 60 W of claimed output with adjustable bass, outdoor protection and a battery rated for up to 20 hours. At £99.99 in the UK, the StormBox Max could suit someone who wants […]
Building a digital HiFi system can become confusing when a streamer, DAC and music server are all separate products. The Silent Angel H1 Pure Music Hub brings those jobs together in one compact component, giving a starter system a single home for streaming services and locally stored music. At $849, the H1 sits towards the […]
It is becoming harder to tell whether a track was made by musicians, generated by software or created using a mixture of both. Qobuz has added a label to its app that identifies releases its system has recognised as AI-generated. The change does not block all AI music from the service. Instead, it gives listeners […]
A good first HiFi system does not need to fill a room with boxes. Audioengine’s A2 Plus Gen 3 is a compact pair of powered speakers designed to sit on a desk, shelf or small table, with the amplifier and digital-to-analogue converter already built in. The latest version keeps the familiar small-speaker format but adds […]
Wireless headphones can support better Bluetooth formats than the phone or computer sending the music. The iFi UP Play Max is a tiny USB-C transmitter designed to close that gap by adding a wider range of codecs to a compatible source device. It costs £89 and works with more than music. Low-latency audio, a built-in […]
Touchscreens are convenient until a phone is locked, a music player is across the room or you simply want to change the volume without looking down. The ACTIVO BR01 is a pocket-sized Bluetooth remote that brings physical buttons and a proper rotary volume wheel back to digital listening. It can control compatible music players, phones, […]
This is likely to be a bit of a rambling Sunday Thoughts because it’s about a few different things that all come together at the end…I hope…but who knows? It’s a Sunday Thoughts piece and, by their very nature – mostly being written on a Sunday morning – they can be a bit free-form. A […]
NAGRA PREAMP II-S REVIEW Janine takes a listen to the iconic Swiss brand’s Preamp II-S, costing £21,998 with the Compact PSU and £18,348 without a PSU. About the same size as my legendary Nagra IV reel-to-reel (at least sideways) and with its iconic “Modulometer” meter on the left, now comes the Nagra Series II Preamp […]
Onix is a name some music lovers of a certain age will be well aware of. In this review, Michael Fairbairn takes a listen to their £2399 XDA20 Digital-to-Analogue Converter. The XDA20 DAC (Digital-to-Analogue Converter) belongs to the modern era of the British ONIX brand, which is a partnership with Shanling. The Taiwanese/Chinese manufacturer of […]
FiiO has launched the FT15, a pair of open-back planar magnetic headphones with large 101mm drivers, natural walnut earcups and a price of £499, €499.99 or $499.99. The FT15 sits at the more ambitious end of Starting Out, but its 24-ohm impedance and relatively high sensitivity mean it is designed to work with portable players […]
FiiO has introduced the DP11, a compact desktop CD player and transport with an internal DAC, analogue and digital outputs, and a current price of $169.99 in the US. It is aimed at listeners who want to bring a CD collection into a modern HiFi system without buying a full-width player. The DP11 can connect […]
No, not the picket-line crossing ones, the other ones. You must have had this happen to you when you were younger, or maybe it still happens to you. You had a slip or grazed yourself, you bled, the scrape healed over, and an impossible-to-ignore scab knitted over the wound. As a child and as an […]
A DAC converts the digital data from a computer, streamer or CD transport into an analogue signal that an amplifier or pair of active speakers can use. Most modern DACs rely on highly integrated converter chips. The R100 instead uses two Analog Devices AD1861-J chips in an R2R, or resistor-ladder, arrangement. In simple terms, a […]
Yamaha’s B200A is a compact, all-in-one soundbar for a bedroom TV, gaming screen or small living space, with Dolby Atmos processing and a built-in subwoofer. Quick Reference Product: Yamaha B200A compact soundbar Price: $249.95 in the United States Availability: Due in November 2026 Connections: HDMI eARC/ARC, optical digital, 3.5mm analogue and Bluetooth 5.3 Best For: […]