In October 1976, the first issue of What Hi-Fi? magazine hit the shelves, costing just 35p. It launched alongside the already established Hi-Fi Answers, also published by our parent company, Haymarket Publishing.
Back then, What Hi-Fi? claimed to be the "only magazine to list and price every available hi-fi unit”, something that still rings true today with our superb buyer’s guide.
Over the past 40 years, we’ve seen many products and technological ideas come and go. Turn to page 82, and find out what we consider to be the best 40 products of the past 40 years.
Many of them have gone on to become hi-fi icons, influencing a new generation of products for the modern-day audiophile. We pay tribute to these all-time classics.
On page 114, we take a look at some of the audio and video technologies that didn't stand the test of time. Through bad design, poor timing or costly format wars (or all three), many much-heralded products simply didn't make it... Video 2000 anyone?
And there's even more reason to celebrate our 40th anniversary with us. Our friends in the industry have kindly come up with around £20,000 worth of fantastic prizes to be won, including three bespoke limited edition What Hi-Fi? Rega Planar 1 turntables.
For your chance to win, head to our competition page and answer a simple question. What's the catch? You’ll need to read the issue to find out the answer. Good luck!
Elsewhere in the magazine, it’s business as usual and that brings us to the stereo speaker group test. We’ve pitted three pairs of standmounts from Dynaudio, Dali and Wharfedale, with prices ranging from £600 to £650, against each other.
In the July issue, Dynaudio’s Emit M10 model dethroned the B&W 685 S2s, so can the Emit M20s on test here prove just as good?
The second group test in the 40th Anniversary issue is equally as impressive, with three flagship 4K HDR TVs vying for top-spot.
We’ve taken our current favourite TV, the LG OLED65E6V, and sent it into battle with Samsung’s UE65KS9000 and Sony’s KD-65ZD9BU. All three are claimed to be among the best of their respective company’s range of TVs, but which is the best of the best?
The October issue of What Hi-Fi? also features a radio round-up, with four very different models on test from Sony, Philips, The+Radio and Roberts.
All four can be used for listening to FM and DAB radio, but they also double up as multimedia streamers - and each one has its own USP.
Of course, no issue of What Hi-Fi? would be complete without the regular array of Temptations and First Tests.
The money-no-object products on test this month include the Rogue Audio Cronus Magnum II stereo valve amplifier, which we consider to be a genuine contender to take on the Naim SuperNait 2. There's also a review of Focal’s striking Sopra No.1 standmounters, which deliver an “astonishing amount of detail”.
And finally, read our verdict on Sky Q, Sky’s new TV platform. Ultra HD content wasn’t available at the time of testing, so you’ll have to wait to find out what we think about that, but what we were able to test we were mightily impressed with.
Elsewhere, you’ll find reviews on Yamaha’s latest flagship Aventage AV receiver and YSP-2700 soundbar, Moon’s Neo Ace all-in-one streaming system and AKG’s affordable K92 over-ear headphones.
And don’t forget, you can download the digital edition of the magazine to your smartphone or tablet. Happy reading!
