Garfield’s least favourite day of the week is back, and as a silver lining we’ve published the latest entry into our weekly Rewind column.
In it our team of experts once again detail all the top stories in the world of hi-fi and home cinema to break in the past seven days.
It was another busy one with our experts delivering their final verdict on Rotel’s latest amp, and fresh news from British hi-fi legend Cyrus, which turned 40.
Here what you need to know.
Rotel’s latest amp is great
Last week we finished testing the Rotel A8 and are happy to confirm the no frills integrated amplifier is a stellar option for hi-fi fans on a budget. Retailing for £399 / $449 / AU$649, while it may have a utilitarian, barebones look and be lacking in modern features such as digital inputs and Bluetooth connectivity, it delivers the goods where it counts. Paired with appropriately priced partners, including the Rega Planar 1 record player, Cambridge Audio MXN10 music streamer or Marantz’s CD6007 CD player, it delivered excellent audio in our checks, making it an easy five-star recommendation.
Read our full Rotel A8 review
Cyrus celebrated its 40th
British hi-fi legend Cyrus celebrated its 40th birthday last week. And while normally it’d be the one expecting gifts, it turned the tradition on its head, treating hi-fi fans to its new Cyrus 40 Series. The range currently includes four new products: an integrated amplifier, an integrated CD player, a network streamer and an external power supply. But the company has confirmed a phono preamp will arrive at an unspecified point in 2025. We’re yet to get any in for testing, but Cyrus is making a lot of noise about them, claiming they mark a “new beginning” for the brand.
Read the full story: The Cyrus 40 Series promises a new beginning for the British hi-fi brand
We rated the best headphones for globetrotting hi-fi fans
A pair of decent headphones is a must have item for any regular traveller. As well as letting you listen to music, they can help block out the noise of the screaming child further down the train, or deliver excellent immersive audio that’s a cut above the horrible on-ear freebies most airlines offer when watching movies on a long haul. Which is why this week we published a fresh buying guide detailing the top headphones for globetrotting music and movie fans.
Read the full story: Best headphones for travel
Sony’s latest launch raised a few eyebrows
Last week Sony launched its new open-design Linkbuds. As one of the growing number of open/tipless earbuds on the market, while they look cool, they caused a few concerns among the What Hi-Fi? team. Specifically, leading us to question what the release means for Sony’s hotly anticipated flagship WF-1000XM6 wireless earbuds.
Read the full story: I think Sony’s latest launch raises some big questions about the WF-1000XM6 wireless earbuds
Kore-blimey, Dali’s new speakers look nice
Last week Danish audio brand Dali unveiled three new speakers in its Kore-era line of speakers. These include the Epikore 3 standmounter (£9999 / $15,000), the thinner Epikore 7 floorstanders (£19.999 / $25,000) and the larger Epikore 9 towers (£29,999 / $40,000). We’re yet to listen to any of them, but considering how much we liked the Dali Rubikore 2, which were the first Kore-era speakers to pass through our listening rooms, we have high hopes for the new entries to the line.
Read the full story: Dali expands its high-end Epikore speaker range with three new models
CRT TVs are coming back
Everyone may be talking about CDs making a comeback. But alongside them, another retro bit of hardware is quietly enjoying a resurgence. Specifically, CRT TVs. Last week our team took a deep-dive look into why – and as you would expect, the answer has nothing to do with picture quality.
Read the full story: Why retro gamers and nostalgic movie lovers want old, bulky, back-breaking CRT TVs
MORE:
These are the best bookshelf speakers we’ve tested
We rate the best wireless earbuds
Our picks of the best stereo amps
