It's April and finally spring time, which in the UK means wildly inconsistent weather where you'll be met with rain and even snow for one half of the day, switching to blinding sunshine and warm temperatures without any warning. It certainly keeps us on our toes.
What remains consistent through it all is a steady of stream of hi-fi and home cinema products entering our test rooms, and we have a few highly-anticipated products to get started on this month.
This includes the first of Cambridge's new range of active wireless speaker systems; brand-new Onkyo hi-fi in many, many years; a sequel to Samsung's Award-winning Dolby Atmos system; and LG's flagship 4K OLED. We are also curious to find out how a high-end Optoma projector fares, and whether Acoustic Energy can repeat its sublime sonic success with a floorstanding model.
As ever, please do get in touch in the comments below or ping us an email at whathifi@futurenet.com if you have any questions about the products we're testing, and we'll do our best to get back to you with an answer. Enjoy the sunshine when it arrives!
Cambridge Audio L/R S
Cambridge Audio made a splash with the launch of its first-ever active wireless speaker systems earlier this year, and we have the smallest and cheapest of the trio – the L/R S (in the middle, above) – in for testing.
The active speakers feature Bluetooth aptX HD streaming, a USB-C input for easy desktop use, and 50 watts per channel of built-in amplification. Costing £399 / $549, these compact speakers are available in six finishes (including some colourful green and orange ones) and are in direct competition with the Award-winning Ruark MR1 Mk3. Exciting.
LG G6
Hot on the heels of the five-star C6, LG’s flagship 4K OLED is in our test room to establish whether it’s worth the extra outlay.
We’re expecting a more polished and refined version of the Primary RGB Tandem OLED performance of last year’s G5 – but will it deliver that? And will that be enough for the G6 to topple the Sony Bravia 8 II from the flagship OLED top spot? We can't wait to find out.
Onkyo Icon A-50
It has been many years since we had any Onkyo hi-fi in our test rooms, and the Icon A-50 streaming amplifier has plenty going on to make up for the wait. Combining 140 watts of Class A/B amplification with excellent network streaming features, the A-50 is a thoroughly modern hi-fi component that includes HDMI ARC connectivity, a moving magnet and moving coil phono stage, and is encased in a sleek, minimal design.
Will Onkyo's comeback to the world of hi-fi be a success? Let's find out.
Acoustic Energy AE309 Mk2
Acoustic Energy's AE300 Mk2 standmounters wowed us with their understated but incredibly accomplished performance for the price, nabbing a Product of the Year Award and earning a spot at the top of our best stereo speakers list.
Can this sonic goodness be replicated in a floorstanding model? We have the AE309 Mk2 towers in our test rooms, which feature the same cabinet construction and new drivers as their illustrious standmount sibling. At £1199, the AE floorstanders will be going up against the hugely enjoyable Fyne Audio F501E (another Award winner), and we're excited to hear how they fare.
Samsung HW-Q990H
The sequel to Samsung’s Award-winning Q990F Dolby Atmos soundbar system, the Q990H looks very similar to its predecessor, but it features enhanced processing for an apparently more immersive performance. As before, the new system includes a 'bar, a pair of wireless surround speakers and a subwoofer in the package.
We’ll be testing the new model directly against the old one to find out if the upgrades are worthwhile.
Optoma UHZ78LV
Priced at £6000, Optoma’s new flagship home cinema projector has rivals such as the Sony VPL-XW5000ES, Epson EH-QB1000 and BenQ W5850 in its sights. Its secret weapons? A massive claimed peak brightness of 5000 lumens and support for Dolby Vision and HDR10+ (as well as standard HDR10).
That could make the UHZ78LV an excellent choice for mixed-use rooms as well as dedicated home cinemas – if the performance is up to scratch. We'll find out this month!
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