Independent reviews
From everyday tech and home products to lifestyle and specialist gear, each review focuses on practical use, strengths, limitations, and who the product suits.
Hi-Fi Audio
A practical guide to building a clean-sounding hi-fi system for a few hundred dollars, covering streaming sources, compact amplifiers, bookshelf speakers, and a budget DAC upgrade.
Budget Hi-Fi
A practical framework for buying affordable amplifiers and speakers with less risk, applied to six well-known budget models.
Hi-Fi Audio
A practical guide to external DACs and the converters already built into streamers and amplifiers, with six converters worth considering from around £700 to £4,600.
Cycling Components
A practical guide to the three main road saddle shapes, how each one changes the way you sit on the bike, and how to test saddles without wasting money.
Road Bikes
A practical guide to road bike categories, rider proportions, and two standout options: the custom-built Sarto Trireme and the all-rounder Basso Astra.
Home Audio
A clear framework for picking a soundbar, plus seven models that represent the main types, from passive bars to full surround packages.
Mobile Audio
A practical route into mobile hi-fi built around two budget in-ear monitors and two dongle DACs, with a complete starter setup that lands at around $40 or less.
Home Audio
A practical guide to soundbar categories, room placement, and connections, with the Sonos Ray and the Devialet Dione as two clear examples.
Hi-Fi Audio
Practical ways to pay less for hi-fi gear, plus six speakers and amplifiers worth tracking when the discounts land.
Home Audio
A close look at the HSU Research CCB8 coaxial bookshelf speaker, covering its strong midrange and bass, its high sensitivity, and the tonal balance issues to weigh before buying.
Subwoofers
A 12-inch subwoofer with a 16 Hz rated response, variable port tuning, and a deliberately stripped-down control set, priced at $689.
Subwoofers
A close look at the HSU Research VTF-TN1, a 15-inch ported subwoofer with flexible port tuning, a low-distortion analog amplifier, and a footprint that stays surprisingly small.
Subwoofers
A practical look at the new Hsu Research VTF-TN1 flagship subwoofer, how it compares with the VTF-15H Mark II it replaces, and which model makes sense for a given room.
Bookshelf Speakers
A front-ported two-way with a 6.5-inch woofer and a ribbon tweeter, the HTD Level Three Bookshelf brings a neutral, linear sound to a $480 to $550 price point.
Cycling Tires
The Hutchinson Fusion 5 Performance comes in black and tan wall finishes at the same 25 mm size, and the tan version weighs less. Here is what that difference means before you buy.
Music Streamers
A practical comparison of the iEAST AudioCast Pro and the WiiM Mini, covering ports, power, software, service support and who each streamer suits.
Headphone Amplifiers
A close look at the iFi Pro iCan Signature, a compact headphone amplifier and preamp with solid state, tube and tube+ modes, XBass, a 3D soundstage expander and a full set of analogue connections.
Desktop Audio
A compact desktop DAC and headphone amplifier that trades features for tonality. Here is what the iFi Zen DAC 3 does well, where it is limited, and who should buy it.
DACs
A close look at the iFi Zen One Signature, a $350 balanced desktop DAC that finally brings optical, coaxial, and Bluetooth inputs to the Zen line, plus how it stacks up against two close rivals.
Phono Preamps
A close look at the iFi Zen Phono 3, an affordable phono preamp with moving magnet and moving coil support, a balanced 4.4mm output, and a remarkably quiet noise floor.
Hi-Fi Streaming
A wireless streamer and a Roon core take two very different paths to the same goal. Here is how to decide which one belongs in your system.
Home Acoustics
A practical look at the IKEA GUNNLOG sound absorbing curtains, covering light control, privacy, price, and how much they really change the sound of a room.
Home Audio
A furniture-first look at the IKEA Symfonisk speaker lamp, covering how it sounds, how it connects through Sonos and AirPlay, what it costs, and who should buy it.
Studio Monitors
A close look at the iLoud MTM MK2: strong linearity, flexible rear-panel tuning, and bundled room calibration, plus the bass and output limits to plan around.
Indoor Cycling
A practical look at the turbo trainers, smartwatches, and bike computers that make up a home indoor cycling setup, and what each piece adds.
Home Audio Speakers
A discontinued three-way floorstander from around 2005 that still measures within about plus or minus 2 dB on axis. Here is what it does well, where it falls short, and what to check before buying a used pair.
Audio Gear
How to tell whether you actually need an inline preamp, plus four popular options and what each one does differently.
Music Streamers
The Innuos Stream 1 pairs a purist, display-free design with modular DAC, USB and storage options, and the optional LPS1 power supply lifts it further.
Cycling Gear
A roundup of high-end cycling gear, from race tires and carbon wheels to tool kits, storage and travel cases, with honest notes on where the money actually goes.
Action Cameras
A modular action camera that pairs a 4K lens module with a 360 lens module, with FlowState stabilization, improved wind-resistant audio, and a higher-capacity battery base.