Long-time readers of What Hi-Fi? will know that we are all about finding the best sound for your money. We have also, for the best part of half a century, extolled the virtues of separate components over jack-of-all-trades alternatives. Time and technology move on, though – and we are living in the real world; plenty of us want – need, even – a practical solution to getting quality sound at home. And there is now a serious argument for the convenience of a one-box hi-fi option that won’t require many unfortunate compromises.
Also in this issue, we have an excellent Group Test of floorstanding speakers where five heavy-hitters, costing between about £800 and £1000, are pitted one against the other.
And, if you ever wondered what our review team listen to when they are putting a new piece of equipment through our rigorous testing precedure, you will want to take a look at our favourite test albums. From Hans Zimmer to Nirvana – via Taylor Swift – there is something for everyone.
Best floorstanders £800-£1000
The five floorstanders we have gathered together here are all major players in the sub-£1000 price bracket. All are five-star products and several are multiple What Hi-Fi? Award winners. That means factors such as style and the particular requirements of your listening room are likely to carry more weight than usual.
As is often the case, there is a new kid in town. And this one is from a very good family. Fyne Audio hit the ground running when it was formed eight years ago by experienced personnel previously from veteran loudspeaker maker Tannoy; it has been picking up Awards left, right and centre ever since. Its latest offering is the F501E and, to prove it means business, the company has gifted its newborn technology from more expensive models in its range, yet kept the F501E’s price under £1000.
Bringing their formidable weapons of serious price advantage to fight off the challenge from Fyne are the Q Acoustics 5040 and the Dali Oberon 5. As well as being the least expensive models in this test, both are also well suited to smaller listening rooms, not least because of their modest (for a floorstander) dimensions.
Those with bigger listening rooms might find the Wharfedale Evo 4.4 or Triangle Borea BR08, both of which prioritise weight and scale, more worthy of close examination. So, can the newcomer from Fyne Audio topple the might of the established order or will the old guard hold the fort?
Premium hi-fi in a single box
It isn’t always easy to build a ‘separates’ hi-fi system, where every component (amplifier, speakers and at least one source) is housed in a separate box. You need space, a fair budget and the time to research what components go well together and how to best set them up. Understandably, then, the sort of time, cost and living space required for separates building means that it certainly isn’t for everyone! And that’s where all-in one hi-fi systems come in.
An all-in-one system, such as those we feature this month, offers network streaming, amplification and speakers, all in just the one box. Most offer physical connectivity, some offer wireless network multi-room, some have good old fashioned radio functionality. Crucially, of course, we wouldn’t recommend any of them unless they have great sound too.
The systems we have here are intended to take pride of place in your listening room. They feature designs that impress visually and mean they will happily serve as aesthetically pleasing pieces of furniture too.
We have seven such systems for your perusal this month, each one thoroughly tested by What Hi-Fi?’s experts, from Revo, Bowers & Wilkins, Naim, JBL, Ruark and Cambridge Audio. These marry lifestyle, convenience and sonic capabilities, meaning that you can be sure all boxes are ticked with these single box systems.
Technics vs Sony premium wireless earbuds
Sony’s WF-1000XM5 have been our favourite wireless earbuds since they launched in 2023, with their stunning sound quality standing head and shoulders above the competition. They are our current Award-winners and Best Buys in the £150-£300 bracket which, considering the volume of earbuds available in that price range, is no mean feat.
Many earbuds have tried to beat Sony’s blend of features, design and outright sound performance since then, and while some have come close (Bose’s ANC earbuds, for instance), none have dethroned them in our estimation. Technics might be about to change that. The brand has launched its flagship wireless earbuds for 2025, the EAH-AZ100, and their stellar performance across fit, features and sound has impressed us.
So, of course, we couldn't resist pitting them head-to-head. Find out how they fare against each other in this month's What Hi-Fi?
First with reviews
Once more, our First Tests section is filled to the brim with in-depth, impartial and expert verdicts on the very latest hi-fi and AV gear.
The launch of a new C-series OLED TV range from LG is big news. These popular OLEDs have won many Awards and five-star reviews from us, for their picture quality, features and gaming-friendly specs. So, it was exciting times in the What Hi-Fi? testing rooms this month as our experts got the 55-inch version of the brand new LG C5 in for review. Find out what we thought of it in May's What Hi-Fi?
Looking for a soundbar to go with your new (possibly C5) TV? We were interested to see how Sony's new Bravia Theatre Bar 8 would perform, as a much-needed replacement for a TV's usually inadequate built-in sound. See how it fared this month!
But that's not all. There was another TV in for review this month in the form of the Amazon Fire TV Omni Mini-LED TV. With different panel tech to the LG C5, and a lower price-tag, could this be the TV option for you?
Elsewhere, our experts formed in-depth opinions on the Beyerdynamic Aventho over-ear headphones, Lumin U2 Mini network transport (just add DAC), LG Xboom Go XG8T portable speaker, Sony LinkBuds Open earbuds and the Google TV Streamer.
See what our review team thought of all these products in May's What Hi-Fi?
Well, yes, it's expensive but...
Our Temptations section of the magazine is where you'll find the highest of the high-end of hi-fi and AV products.
This month's high-end treats include the Goldmund Telos 690 integrated amplifier. It's a mighty product with a price tag (£32,500) to match, but our review team found that "dynamic expression of both the large and low-level variety is superbly handled", and that "it can dance, too, delivering rhythm tracks with enthusiasm". Read more in the May issue of What Hi-Fi?
Then we come to a superb pair of floorstanding speakers in the form of ProAc's D20R. Our reviewers found that "large-scale dynamic shifts are delivered with a surprising degree of heft given the D20Rs' modest size". Find out more in this months' mag!
Finally, don't forget to check out our Buyer’s Guide, featuring a definitive and freshly updated list of all the best home entertainment kit you can buy – including winners of 2024's What Hi-Fi? Awards. If you’re looking to purchase anything from a pair of wireless headphones to a home cinema speaker system, this section will tell you where to spend your money wisely.
Whatever you do, don't miss the May 2025 issue of What Hi-Fi?. Grab a copy today, or simply download it onto your tablet or smartphone. Enjoy!
You can subscribe or buy the latest issue here, or buy the digital edition on iPhone, iPad, Android devices or Kindle edition
You must confirm your public display name before commenting
Please logout and then login again, you will then be prompted to enter your display name.
