March is in 2024’s review mirror which means it's time for the latest entry into our Pick of the Month column.
Here once again we detail the top-performing products that have passed through our test rooms over the past month. Every product on the list needs to have been thoroughly tested by our team of hi-fi and home cinema reviewers and impressed enough to earn a perfect five-star rating.
This month was a busy one with nine products managing the achievement. Highlights included top-end headphones, affordable soundbars, next-generation TVs and more.
Without further ado, here are the best products we tried and tested in March 2024.
Austrian Audio The Composer
Austrian Audio’s The Composer are the latest set of open-back headphones we’ve had the pleasure to test. This plus the fact they’re from Austrian Audio, a young brand in hi-fi terms founded by an all-star team of ex-AKG staffers, makes them automatically interesting. But the reason they’re on this list is simple: they sound excellent.
The utilitarian design houses some impressive hardware and managed to compete with some big-name rivals during our tests, including the Grado RS1x, Focal Utopia (2022) and Yamaha’s YH-5000SE.
Testing them with various set-ups ranging from a MacBook Pro with Audirvana software to our listening room’s reference system, they delivered impressive, controlled results that prioritised composure, neutrality and insight above all else. This led our reviewers to conclude:
“There is no denying that The Composer are excellent headphones for the money. They manage to deliver a combination of naturalness and resolution that is deeply impressive.”
The only slight issue we had was that some of the test team with smaller heads struggled to get a decent fit due to the headband’s limited adjustment range.
Score: 5/5
Read our Austrian Audio The Composer review
Samsung S95D
The S95D is the third generation QD-OLED from Samsung and a direct rival to the incoming tide of MLA sets from LG, Panasonic and Philips. It made quite an impression on our testers not just by delivering fantastic results, but also by being one of the biggest generational improvements we’ve seen on an OLED TV in quite some time.
Running it against the older Samsung S95C our reviewers couldn’t believe quite how much Samsung has managed to improve. For starters, its gaming offering is excellent, with it featuring four full-fat HDMI 2.1 sockets – great news for people with more than one next-gen’ console and a Dolby Atmos system or soundbar. Then there’s its new processor which radically improved its upscaling and motion handling during our checks. But third, and most importantly, the noticeable improvements to its colour accuracy and max brightness levels are what clinched the deal. Our testers’ conclusion says it all:
“Samsung’s latest QD-OLED hero isn’t just better than its already technically impressive predecessor – it’s so much better that it might just be one of those genuine ‘moments’ in TV development that alters traditional thinking about the roles different types of TV technology have in today’s AV world.”
Score: 5/5
Read our Samsung S95D review
Samsung QN900D
The only other TV in this month's list is another Samsung set – the 8K resolution QN900D. 8K has always been a Marmite feature in the What Hi-Fi? test rooms, with our reviewers remaining divided on whether it’s worth investing in the tech when there’s next to no native content mastered at the resolution. While that debate’s still raging there’s no denying the QN900D is a fantastic TV.
The key thing that sold our testers on the TV is its impressive upscaling smarts. Once we delved into the TV’s settings and switched from Standard to its Movie preset and raised its sharpness, the results were excellent. 4K content looked fantastic, holding wonderful detail levels without ever looking overprocessed or artificial. The native 8K samples we were provided with also looked breathtaking, leaving us yearning to see some actual movies mastered at the resolution.
Add to this its excellent gaming feature set, which largely mirrors the S95D’s and solid black level, which is surprising given its use of a Mini LED panel, and it easily earned five stars. This combination of factors led our testers to report: ”Samsung’s new flagship TV suggests 8K is far from dead.”
Score: 5/5
Read our Samsung QN900D review
Cambridge Audio CXN100
The Cambridge Audio CXN100 is a music streamer with big shoes to fill. It’s the successor to the CXN (V2), which won a What Hi-Fi? Award six years in a row and entered our hallowed Hall of Fame in 2023.
Thankfully it delivers on the brand’s pedigree in the world of music streamers by offering buyers a wealth of new features, improved specs and solid audio performance. Highlights include a new larger screen on the front and a completely reworked internal design that adds a new streaming module and 32-bit DAC.
Putting it through its paces with our test set-ups – which included systems built of a Burmester 088/911 MkIII / ATC SCM50 and PMC Cor / Epos ES14N – against its predecessor, the results were great. Playing a variety of genres it delivered clean, precise and articulate sound. This plus its wonderfully intuitive set-up and controls make it an easy recommendation, and led our reviewers to conclude:
“Improvements in clarity, precision and spaciousness mean the amply-featured and user-friendly CXN100 streamer remains the one to beat at this price.”
Score: 5/5
Read our Cambridge Audio CXN100 review
LG B3
The LG B3 may be about to be superseded by the new LG B4 as the TV heavyweight’s affordable OLED, but we only just managed to get a sample in for testing in March. We expect it to get a price cut as stores look to clear stocks for new models, and it’s also one to keep an eye on during Prime Day.
Running it through its paces in our viewing rooms we found it to be a fantastic entry-level OLED, especially for those still on older LCD sets. The only big compromises you get compared to the more expensive LG C3 are its lower max brightness and the fact it only has two HDMI 2.1 inputs – most LG OLEDs have four.
But these quibbles aside, our checks showed it delivers all the basics you’d expect from its picture performance. Fantastic black levels? Check. Nicely authentic, balanced picture quality? Check. Accurate motion handling? Check. This makes it one of the best OLED TVs around at this price and led our testers to report:
“The LG B3 does most of what makes the C3 great, and that makes it an excellent TV.”
Score: 5/5
Read our LG B3 review
Naim NSS 333
The Naim NSS 333 is the second music streamer to appear in this month’s list. While it’s significantly more expensive than many rival options, based on our testing it more than justifies its premium price tag.
The streamer is part of the company’s new 300-series of separates and sits above the Naim NSC 222 streaming preamp, which we also gave five stars to last year. Inside it's very different to most modern streamers in its use of an older Burr Brown PCM1791A DAC. The clever part is that the older DAC’s digital filters are bypassed in favour of custom Naim-designed circuits, in a bid to improve audio quality.
Running it with our reference Burmester 088/911 MkIII amplifier and ATC SCM50 speakers set-up, the NSS 333 delivered wonderfully engaging and emotionally charged performance across a variety of genres. This plus its ease of use made it an easy recommendation and led our review team to conclude:
“The Naim NSS 333 is one of the most musically satisfying music streamers we have heard.”
Our reviewers don’t often give such high praise, so if you have the money, this streamer is definitely one to consider.
Score: 5/5
Read our Naim NSS 333 review
Sony HT-S2000
The HT-S2000 is a budget Dolby Atmos soundbar from Sony. It sits below the company’s flagship HT-A7000, which has won multiple What Hi-Fi? Awards and replaces the older HT-G700, which has been a staple entry on our best budget soundbar guide for many months.
Despite these big shoes to fill, we found the unit is fantastic value for money and a solid option for any buyer looking for a cost-effective way to improve their home cinema set-up’s audio quality.
Featuring a 3.1-channel arrangement that pairs a built-in subwoofer with three X Balance speaker units, the S2000 delivered great results during our checks. Whether it was the gritty warehouse fight scene in Batman Vs Superman: Dawn Of Justice or the slow, plodding conversations in Oppenheimer, the bar delivered crisp and clear dialogue full of nuance and detail. This plus its solid dynamics make it a great option for buyers on a budget and led our testers to report:
“The Sony HT-S2000 offers useful sonic enhancements in a compact and affordable package, and while it’s not the perfect soundbar, it's hard to find flaws at this price.”
Score: 5/5
Read our Sony HT-S2000 review
Neat Petite Classic
The Neat Petite Classic are a descriptively named set of speakers that have a singular aim – to deliver premium audio without taking up too much space. Having thoroughly put them through their paces in our listening rooms we can confirm they have achieved this goal.
Despite being the same size as the previous generation Neat Petite speakers, inside they have had several key upgrades. These include a reworked two-way design, with a new AMT ribbon tweeter and 15cm mid/bass driver with a cone made of mineral-loaded polypropylene. The new package delivered excellent results during our listening sessions, with every test track we played through it, be it rocking Led Zepplin classics or soundtracks from John Williams, sounding great.
Our testers’ verdict says it all:
“They may look unassuming and the fairly high price tag will raise eyebrows, but pair them with high-quality tracks and a good partnering amp, and their inherent musicality will keep you entertained for many, many years.”
Score: 5/5
Read our Neat Petite Classic review
Sennheiser Momentum True Wireless 4
The Sennheiser Momentum True Wireless 4 are the wireless earbuds aiming to dethrone Apple, Bose and top-dog Sony at the top end of the market. Putting them through their paces, our reviewers found there are plenty of reasons to consider them if you have cash to spare.
The key selling point is their improved audio, which is a massive refinement on the company’s previous offerings. During our listening checks, they uniformly delivered a rich, detailed, dynamic sound that made everything from jazz to rumbling 12-bar blues a delight to listen to.
This, plus their comfortable fit and responsive touch controls easily earned them a five-star recommendation and led our testers to report:
“We’re talking about the Sennheisers in the same breath as our favourite Sonys and Bose, which shows you just how competitive the Momentum True Wireless 4 are.”
The only slight downside is that they’re still not the best option when it comes to ANC performance and mic quality. So make sure to factor that in if you plan to use them during your morning commute or in the office.
Score: 5/5
Read our Sennheiser Momentum True Wireless 4 review
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