Despite all the wonderful advances in TV technology, it seems audio performance remains shackled by the placement, size and type of speakers within the set itself – particularly with modern, super-slim TV designs limiting the size and quality of components that can be used.
Enter the soundbar – delivering a combination of detail, dynamics and punch few TVs, regardless of price, can approach.
Dolby Atmos, meanwhile, can make watching an appropriately encoded film or TV programme so much more immersive an experience. Atmos allows sound mixers to create a far more expansive and atmospheric soundfield that simply pulls the viewer in – and all of the soundbars featured in the January issue of What Hi-Fi? have impressed us mightily with their Atmos delivery.
Of course, that's not all. There's plenty of hi-fi action as usual, and as ever there are reviews of the latest kit in our First Tests section, while a pair of high-end standmounters and a pricey but excellent streamer feature in our regular Temptations slot.
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Sweet streams are made of this
Hi-fi streaming systems combine the separate roles of a music streamer and
amplifier into a single unit. Equipped with one of these tidy boxes, today’s music lover need only add a pair of passive speakers and a network connection to enjoy pretty much all the music they could ever want to listen to.
Find out if a streaming system could be right for you, by picking up a copy of January's What Hi-Fi?, wherein we’ve picked out six of our favourite such units for your consideration.
The best Dolby Vision movies to test your TV
There’s plenty of excellent Dolby Vision content available; many 4K Ultra HD discs support it, as do streaming services such as Apple TV and Disney Plus. From The Joker to Roma, here are some of our favourite Dolby Vision movies that demonstrate the technology at its best.
First with reviews
As ever in our First Tests section you’ll find reviews of all the latest hi-fi and AV kit. In January's What Hi-Fi? we take a look at Sky's first non-satellite offering, only available through its Sky Glass TV. What do we make of the company's "glass to glass" offering and the new set itself? Find out in this month's mag! We also take a look at the latest iteration of Bowers & Wilkins’ iconic Zeppelin wireless speaker, Dali's Opticon 6 Mk2 floorstanders and Katch G2 portable speaker, Sony's HTA9 Dolby Atmos home cinema speaker system and Triangle's Borea BR08 5.1 speaker package. Finally, for your personal listening pleasure, we test the Bose QuietComfort 45, and new Apple Airpods 3.
How do these latest products measure up against the best kit around? Find out in the January issue of What Hi-Fi?.
Inside Sonus Faber
We take an inside look at high-end Italian speaker brand Sonus Faber's uniquely domestic production with a tour of the company's HQ in Arcugnano, Vicenza, and find homegrown hi-fi manufacture at its most artisanal.
High-end hi-fi you'll want to own
In our regular Temptations slot, we have a couple more luxurious products this month. First up is the Linn Klimax DSM AV – a suitably sophisticated streamer from the lauded Scots hi-fi brand. Then we have a pair of entertaining standmounters from Fyne Audio, the F701. If you have the not-inconsiderable outlay for these beautiful hi-fi speakers (or even if you don't), we recommend you read all about them in January's What Hi-Fi?
Also, check out our Buyer’s Guide, featuring a definitive list of all the best home entertainment kit you can buy. If you’re looking to purchase anything from a pair of wireless headphones to a speaker package, this section will tell you where to spend your money wisely.
The January 2022 issue is on sale today, and it really is unmissable. Grab a copy of the new What Hi-Fi? today, or simply download it onto your tablet or smartphone instead. Enjoy!
You can subscribe or buy the latest issue here, or buy the digital edition on iPhone, iPad, Android devices or Kindle edition