A hi-fi system relies on its amplification for much of its success. No matter how talented a turntable or pair of speakers, without a great integrated stereo amplifier doing the hard work and delivering the power, those more ‘obvious’ entertainers can’t do justice to your music.
Fortunately, there are some excellent integrated stereo amplifiers for under £750 that can really make the rest of your hi-fi system sing.
At a slightly higher price point, there’s a new challenger to the award-winning Cambridge Audio CXA81 amplifier, in the form of Rega’s Elex Mk4. Our amp at around £1100 shows directly that the competition is fierce – and we’re all winners.
We’ll also pit two premium AV amps against each other and highlight our favorite headphone amp/DACs to get the most out of your music.
And as usual, we also have reviews of the very latest hi-fi and AV products in our First tests section.
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Power to the people
Your stereo amplifier is the beating heart of any separate hi-fi system and which one you choose will have a huge impact on the sound quality and character of your whole system. It is therefore vital that you put as much love and care into choosing your amplifier as possible.
Integrated amplifiers, like all hi-fi components, can reach dizzying heights in terms of price, with a range of qualities to justify the price tag – but for most of us there are plenty of affordable integrated amplifiers that will make your system proud. These six Which Hi-Fi? favorites are all five-star beauties that perform great on our performance-per-pound metric.
Specifically, we’re looking at amps selling under £750 here. Most amps at this level still have a good range of connectivity and a fair amount of features, but what makes the performance in this test so special is their performance. The best of this group will have enough insight, dynamism and rhythmic drive to get the best out of your sources.
We’ve got great amps from Cambridge, Rega, NAD and Marantz in our list, and we’re sure you’ll find something to love in one of these five-star models.
AVR against each other
And let’s not forget about AV amps. In this month’s magazine, we pit two of our favorite home theater amps against each other, the JBL Synthesis SDR-35 and Arcam AVR31. These two amps are at the forefront of their price range – but as you’ll see, each has a certain advantage over the other, making it a close-run contest for sure. Find out which AVR comes out on top in May Which Hi-Fi?
Take DAC where your music belongs
Did you know that for a relatively modest outlay you can transform the sound quality of the music you listen to on your smartphone, laptop or desktop from passable but unremarkable to something akin to the home hi-fi standard – just by adding a digital-to-analog converter (DAC) in the mix?
The hardware used by most smartphones and PCs to convert the digital fingerprint of a piece of music into an analog signal is quite simple, while a dedicated DAC typically uses more sophisticated circuitry for the task. So a DAC can significantly improve the sound quality.
We’re rounding up half a dozen affordable DACs from just £79. For more information see the May issue of Which Hi-Fi?
High-quality hi-fi secrets
We are big fans of Mark Levinson products and those of In May Which Hi-Fi? we talk to Danial Shimiaei, the technical director of the high-end hi-fi brand. Regular readers will know some of their products, such as the No.5105 turntable and the impressive No.5909 headphones, the latter of which received a five-star review. During our recent visit to the impressive Harman Luxury Audio site in Northridge, California, we had the chance to talk to Danial about his journey in audio, his personal taste in music and what makes the Mark Levinson brand so special.
First with reviews
Us First tests In this section you will find our renowned in-depth, unbiased and expert reviews of the very latest AV and hi-fi kit.
We kick off with the fantastic Philips 55OLED907, which our reviewers say is an irresistible combination of spectacular visuals, powerful audio and Ambilight design. All this adds up to a five-star performance in our book!
We also have in-depth expert reviews of a new projector from Xgimi, the Horizon Pro, over-ear headphones in the form of KEF’s Mu7 and the AKG K371, the premium Samsung Galaxy S23 Ultra, and the rival phone from Nothing. (1) smartphones, and last but not least a five-star review of JBL’s Live Pro 2 TWS in-ears.
Find out what we thought of all these products in the May 2023 issue of Which Hi-Fi?
Chips are cheap, these products are not
Our Temptations section of Which Hi-Fi? here you will find high-end hi-fi and AV products with a suitable price tag.
The Linn Selekt DSM: Edition Hub is a pricey network streamer that has all the bells and whistles needed for such a product, justifying the hefty price tag with a five-star performance. Find out what makes it so special in this month’s magazine!
We’re also looking at the TAD DA1000TX, a digital-to-analog converter that we believe brings a sound to your recordings that’s “balanced, neutral, and revealing.” If you value those qualities in your setup, and you have the preparations, this should be on your wish list.
Finally, don’t forget to check out our Buyer’s Guidewith a definitive list of the best home entertainment kits money can buy, including the 2022 winners Which Hi-Fi? Awards. If you’re looking to buy anything from a pair of wireless headphones to a home theater speaker system, find out where to spend your money wisely in this section.
Whatever you do, don’t miss the May 2023 issue of Which hi-fi?. Grab a copy today or simply download it on your tablet or smartphone. To enjoy!
You can subscribe or buy the latest issue here (opens in new tab)or buy the digital edition iPhone, iPad (opens in new tab), Android devices or Kindle Edition (opens in new tab)