July issue on sale now!

In the shops and online now is the July issue of What Hi-Fi? Sound and Vision, packed with all the latest technology to make the most of your music and movies, whether you're at home or enjoying the glorious British summer (for now, at least).

And there's a new way to buy the magazine online, giving you the opportunity to buy single issues or subscribe, wherever you are in the world.

We kick off this month with our comprehensive test of Onkyo's TX-NR626 AV receiver, the £500 latest iteration of the company's core home cinema offering. But how does it shape up against its rivals in a sector of the market the company has dominated for several years?

Also fast out of the blocks are Samsung's PS51F8500 and Panasonic's TX-P42GT60, two TVs determined to demonstrate that rumours of plasma's demise may be just a little exaggerated.

And from one of the past masters of plasma comes a slick little all-in-one system in the form of Pioneer's £500 P1DAB, aiming to bring you serious hi-fi performance in a very compact package.

We've two massive test specials in this month's issue, starting with a smartphone supertest covering every smartphone we reckon you should check out. We've the old favourite, Apple's iPhone 5, up against the likes of the Samsung Galaxy S4, Google Nexus 4 and Sony Xperia Z, plus contenders from BlackBerry, LG, and Nokia, in a battle to the death for terribly clever telephone supremacy.

Our other major feature this month is a 16-page special – our Ultimate Guide to DACs, with stacks of products from pocket-sized USB devices to heavyweight high-end converters, plus tips on how to use them, explanations of the technology they pack and even three systems you can build around them.

Whether you want more from your computer's sound or a complete digital makeover, it's one not to miss.

Bigger is the new big in terms of TVs, and we have a six-way group test of 55in TVs to tempt you, covering LED-lit LCD and plasma models, and brands including LG, Panasonic, Philips, Samsung and Sony. With great picture quality and mass of smart features, are these going to be the hot TVs this year?

And what better to serve up great movies to one of those TVs than the latest bargain Blu-ray players, packed with smart features and picture-optimising technology? The latest offerings from Panasonic and Sony square up to contenders from LG and Samsung.

Back to stereo, and Wharfedale's Diamond 155 speakers take on rivals from JBL, Q Acoustics and Monitor Audio. From smooth curves to angular madness, there's a design to suit all tastes here – but how do they sound?

Finally, proving there's no substitute for a lot of bottle, our Temptations section features an amplifier with a V12 at its heart. Yes, the EAR Yoshino V12 has six EL84 valves for each channel, and if you think it looks stunning, you should hear it in action!

Plus advice, tips and a look at the most significant launches – and the maddest – at the 2013 High End Show.

There's all that and more in our July issue, on sale now in store, online and available to download from iTunes directly to your iPad, or for non-Apple users via Zinio.

And you can save 25% if you subscribe – choose from the print magazine alone, or pay just £5.50 extra for our iPad/iPhone edition as well. Or head to the What Hi-Fi? Sound and Vision Newsstand page to buy a single copy of the new magazine...

Enjoy!

Written by Andrew Everard

Follow whathifi.com on Twitter

Join us on Facebook

Find us on Google+

Andrew has written about audio and video products for the past 20+ years, and been a consumer journalist for more than 30 years, starting his career on camera magazines. Andrew has contributed to titles including What Hi-Fi?, GramophoneJazzwise and Hi-Fi CriticHi-Fi News & Record Review and Hi-Fi Choice. I’ve also written for a number of non-specialist and overseas magazines.

Latest in AV
Google TV Streamer on a white background
Google TV's latest update adds a secret feature that could hint towards new hardware
iPhone 16e in black and white on a white background
Apple Event 2025: the new iPhone 16e (not SE 4), but no new HomePod or AirPods
LG QNED91 65-inch LCD TV
HDMI 2.2: everything you need to know about the new TV connection
Sky Glass Gen 2 on stand with Rewind logo
Rewind: hi-fi treats from McIntosh and TEAC, Sky Glass TV Gen 2, Apple launch announcement and more
Apple HomePod 2
3 Apple audio and home cinema products we want, but probably won't see, at the iPhone SE 4's anticipated launch
Samsung HW-Q990F soundbar package on a grey backdrop sitting below a TV
Google and Samsung’s Dolby Atmos rival should be coming to Android TVs, too
Latest in News
Q Acoustics 3050i
Save £650 on this five-star Q Acoustics 5.1 home cinema setup
Optoma Photon Go on white background
Optoma's new on-the-go projector is set to be one of the cheaper USTs on the market
Marantz Cinema 30 AVR
Our Award-winning reference Marantz AVR is still selling at its best price ever
Meze Audio Poet
Meze's open-back Poet cans arrive, and they want to bring your music alive
Side view of Marantz CD6007 on wooden rack with magazines in background
This Award-winning Marantz CD player is back at its Black Friday price
Sonos Arc standing on a wooden unit beneath a TV screen
Stock of the Sonos Arc is starting to dry up – but there are still savings to be found on this Dolby Atmos soundbar