The arrival on the market of one new turntable is something of a turn-up for the books, even in these days when the vinyl revival is relatively old news; so when three turn up in quick succession it feels as though it ought to herald something of a celebration for a magazine that is, when all is said and done, all about the enjoyment of listening to music.
This issue of What Hi-Fi?, then, is a vinyl special, with those three new decks taking pride of place. They are joined by our favourite turntables from £1000-£2000 and a round-up of the phono stages that will help connect a new record player to your hi-fi system.
We also bring you features concentrating on getting the best from your records, including hints and tips on setting up your turntable. And you won’t want to miss our fascinating insight into the test tracks from top engineers, where the designers of much of our favourite equipment reveal the music they use to ensure their designs perform as they should.
You can subscribe or buy the latest issue here, or buy the digital edition on iPhone, iPad, Android devices or Kindle edition.
New decks on the block
Much like experienced surfers looking to ride a peachy wave for as long as possible, hi-fi manufacturers are finding new ways to make the most of the continuing vinyl revival and the obligingly buoyant market that goes with it.
That’s not only good news for them, it is also good news for the buyer, as more and more vinyl-related products become available. It’s a double-win for consumers, in fact, because not only is there more kit to choose from, there is also more variety.
Take the three turntables we look at in this round-up, the JBL Spinner BT Bluetooth-equipped deck, Rekkord Audio's F110 and the Dual CS 618Q. The first makes use of wireless technology in a way that has only recently become available in record players; the second is from a brand-new name in hi-fi; and the third is from a revitalised turntable specialist looking to banish the old axiom that says premium sound quality means skimping on features.
Mad about vinyl? Watch these
Our vinyl special is packed full of record-related goodness. Here we round up the best documentaries you can watch on everything from legendary record shops to personal treasure hunts for rare records, to the vinyl revival itself, and more.
System of the Month
As you'd expect, this month's set-up which we've lovingly put together from top-notch products features a turntable at its heart – we've built it around Rekkord's new F110. But, because this is after all 2024, we've included a music streamer too – so you're covered for all your music listening.
Got vinyl? You need a good phono stage...
You're not going to be able to play your precious vinyl without a phono stage. A phono preamp as it's also known, not only does the heavy lifting in amplifying your turntable cartridge’s tiny signal, but also performs the delicate equalisation necessary for a flat frequency response, without adding too much
noise or distortion.
Put simply, if you play records, you need a good phono stage to hear the best from your vinyl. Some amplifiers and record players have built-in phono stages, but they can be quite limited in performance terms, so an external model will almost certainly upgrade your sound, giving you that extra performance kick to give your vinyl another layer of sonic depth.
All of the phono stages rounded up this issue have been thoroughly tested in our reference set-up, as well as more price-appropriate systems, so you can be sure you’re buying the very best quality for your money (and for your record player). Take a bow then, our pick of the best phono stages.
First with reviews
This month, as always, our First Tests section is packed to the gills with in-depth, impartial and expert verdicts on the very latest hi-fi and AV gear.
Denon is well known for its brilliant AV amps, and we kick off this month with a new flagship model from the company, the Denon AVC-X6800H. As you'd expect, it's feature-rich and powerful sounding, and it does enough to earn the full five stars this month.
We follow up with the Authentics 300 – a cool-looking new wireless speaker from JBL. It pretty much 'goes up to 11', so if you're after a speaker that packs a portable punch, this one could be for you.
Samsung's QN900D is a new flagship TV that suggests 8K is far from dead; even without much actual 8K content, this is a superb TV with 4K too. Find out more in this month's mag.
And that's not all. We also have in-depth, expert reviews of the Sennheiser Momentum Sport and Cambridge Audio Melomania M100 earbuds, bass-biased Sony ULT Wear over-ears, Q Acoustics' latest 5050 floorstanders, and the Yamaha True X soundbar system.
Find out what our review team thought of all these products in July's What Hi-Fi?
Dig deep into those pockets…
Our Temptations section of the magazine is all about the best. And, sometimes, the best doesn't come cheap.
What's this? We hear you ask. A new CD player? Someone should have told Esoteric about the vinyl revival we're celebrating elsewhere this issue. Still, for those (many) lovers of the compact digital disc, Esoteric's K-05XD CD/SACD player will certainly cock a snook at vinyl. It's pricey, but superb – read all about it in July's What Hi-Fi?
Also aiming to tempt you into remortgaging your home are the Meze Audio Empyrean II. These open-back headphones are truly quality performers, and they look great too. Again, pricey, but worth it.
If both of those products aren't making you lick your lips, you're obviously hard to please. Read more about them in this month's What Hi-Fi?
Finally, don't forget to check out our Buyer’s Guide, featuring a definitive list of all the best home entertainment kit you can buy – including winners of 2023's What Hi-Fi? Awards. If you’re looking to purchase anything from a pair of wireless headphones to a home cinema speaker system, this section will tell you where to spend your money wisely.
Whatever you do, don't miss the July 2024 issue of What Hi-Fi?. Grab a copy today, or simply download it onto your tablet or smartphone. Enjoy!
You can subscribe or buy the latest issue here, or buy the digital edition on iPhone, iPad, Android devices or Kindle edition
