December 2017 issue on sale now!

Smash the piggy-bank. Remortgage the house. Call the Bank of England and ask them to open up the vaults... for this is some of the greatest - and the most expensive - hi-fi that money can buy.

And it's all packed into the gold-leafed December issue of What Hi-Fi? magazine.

Arriving in plenty of time to help with your Christmas wishlist, the December issue focuses on truly brilliant turntables, amplifiers, speakers, digital-to-analogue converters, digital sources, projectors and much more.

So indulge yourself for a moment with money-no-object kit from big name high-end hi-fi brands, including VPI, Naim, JVC and Burmester.

Yes, it may come with a huge price tag - but this kit is a sight to behold. And there's no harm in dreaming, is there?

Two mags in one!

SPECIAL OFFER: This issue only, at Tesco, Waitrose and Sainsbury's, What Hi-Fi? comes with a copy of Long Live Vinyl. That's two great magazines for just £5.99 (usual combined price £12.98) - what more could you want?

Alternatively you can subscribe or buy the latest issue here, or buy the digital edition on iPhone, iPad, Android devices or Kindle edition.

Head-turning turntables

Testaments to the durability of vinyl, turntables from Clearaudio, Linn and SME all appear in this issue.

Two of these decks are under the £10,000 mark and two above it, but each is worth the full five stars - with some even making our list of the best players of this magazine's lifetime.

Going big on superb sound and beautiful build quality, these pages examine just what makes a player so successful. To our minds (and ears), there are simply none better.

Two becomes one

When it comes to speakers, two is usually much better than one. In this issue, we feature a pair from Bowers & Wilkins that are something of a juggernaut and, without doubt, some of the most capable speakers we've ever heard.

There are also entries from Wilson Audio, JBL and Quad - each providing nothing less than a jaw-dropping audio experience. The most expensive pair here clocks in at £44,000, but it's worth every penny. If someone offers you the chance of a listen, you should snap their hand off.

There's high-end kit and then there's high-end kit - this sound system will set you back around £150,000.

Okay, so that price does include an Aston Martin DB11, but we focus on the custom-built £5,500 Bang & Olufsen sound system contained within.

Featuring 13 speakers and a subwoofer between the back seats, this in-car system is good enough to keep James Bond entertained on his way down the Autostrada.

High-flier amplifiers

For stereo amplifiers, we have a shining example from Burmester at £22,300. It accommodates seven line-level inputs and three fully balanced alternatives, each of which is connected to interchangable modules you can fiddle with to your heart's content.

Alongside it is a mouth-watering amp from Dan D'Agostino, with what we've called the "best volume control in the world". It's these little details that highlight the dedication the company takes in producing spectacular sound. And it can be yours for just £52,000.

And there's more!

As well as the mind-bogglingly expensive tech, we also have reviews of all the latest (and more affordable) kit that's out right now.

An impressive stereo amplifier from Moon, a new soundbar from Polk, Astell & Kern's latest portable music player and a budget USB DAC from Cyrus have all passed through our testing rooms. But are they any good? Grab the latest issue to find out.

You can subscribe or buy the latest issue here, or buy the digital edition on iPhone, iPad, Android devices or Kindle edition.

SPECIAL OFFER: This issue only, at Tesco, Waitrose and Sainsbury's, What Hi-Fi? comes with a copy of Long Live Vinyl. That's two great magazines for just £5.99 (usual combined price £12.98) - what more could you want?

Adam was a staff writer for What Hi-Fi?, reviewing consumer gadgets for online and print publication, as well as researching and producing features and advice pieces on new technology in the hi-fi industry. He has since worked for PC Mag as a contributing editor and is now a science and technology reporter for The Independent.

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