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.
Integrated Amplifiers
A classic class A integrated amplifier reborn: 25 watts per channel, a current mode moving coil phono stage, and a warm, muscular sound built for vinyl listeners.
Hi-Fi Amplifiers
Three integrated amplifiers, three very different philosophies: a 25 watt Class A remake, a streaming Class AB all-rounder, and a modern Class D design with room correction.
Integrated Amplifiers
A practical look at the Musical Fidelity B1 XI and the Emotiva BasX TA1, covering power delivery, connectivity, phono and digital inputs, and the speakers that suit each one.
Hi-Fi Amplifiers
The Musical Fidelity B1XI brings HDMI ARC, a built-in ESS DAC, a moving magnet phono stage, and 60W of stable power for £699. Here is what it does well and where it needs care.
Integrated Amplifiers
A neutral, powerful integrated amplifier with a built-in DAC, HDMI eARC, and a capable phono stage, priced under $4,000.
Hi-Fi Amplifiers
A close look at Musical Fidelity's fully balanced pre/power pairing, from the M8s Pre's dual mono build and onboard phono stages to the M8s-500s's 500 watts per channel.
Hi-Fi Audio
An all-analog stereo integrated amplifier with a dual-mono power stage and a Class A tube stage, priced around $10,000 and aimed at listeners who already own their digital and vinyl front ends.
Hi-Fi Accessories
The Musical Fidelity X Tube is a two-valve buffer built to sit between a source and an amplifier. Here is what it does, how it connects, and the hum issue that has kept it from release in its current form.
Integrated Amplifiers
A compact integrated amplifier that pairs 1970s-inspired design and tactile controls with hybrid digital UCD amplification, a moving magnet phono stage, and HDMI eARC.
Hi-Fi Amplifiers
A classic-styled integrated amplifier with streaming and automatic room correction, tested for noise, power delivery, and real-world low-frequency behaviour.
Integrated Amplifiers
The NAD C399 pairs 180 watts per channel with HDMI eARC and optional BluOS and Dirac modules, delivering the same neutral, quiet character as far costlier NAD amplifiers.
Hi-Fi Amplifiers
A close look at the $900 NAD D 3045, plus four compact amplifier alternatives that solve the same small-space problem in different ways.
Streaming Amplifiers
A practical comparison of three compact streaming amplifiers, covering room correction, bass management, connectivity and the listening traits that separate them.
Power Amplifiers
A two-channel Class D power amplifier that pairs a Purifi Eigentakt module with a NAD-designed switch-mode supply, delivering high power, very low noise, and load-invariant behaviour.
Hi-Fi Audio
The NAD M66 combines BluOS streaming, a flagship ESS DAC, Dirac Live room correction and four independent subwoofer outputs in one Master Series chassis.
Power Amplifiers
A close look at the NAD Master Series M23 power amplifier, from its Class D clarity and bass control to the trade-offs worth weighing before buying.
Streaming Amplifiers
A compact streaming amplifier that keeps the Uniti Atom's ease of use, adds far more power and setup control, and lands under $2,000.
Hi-Fi Amplifiers
The Naim Nait 50 revives the original Nait formula with a machined aluminium volume control, a headphone jack and a phono stage that most analog listeners will not need to upgrade.
Hi-Fi Audio
A paired review of the Naim Nait 5si amplifier and CD5si CD player, covering build quality, sound, speaker matching and who should buy the pair.
Hi-Fi Systems
A close look at the Naim New Classic 200 Series, covering the NSC 222 streaming preamp, the NAP 250 power amplifier, and the optional NPX 300 power supply.
Hi-Fi Amplifiers
A practical comparison of two super integrated streaming amplifiers, covering sound character, inputs, controls, and who each one suits.
Home Audio
The Nakamichi Dragon delivers enormous scale and dynamics, but manual setup, limited low-frequency extension, and a thin feature set shape who should buy it.
Hi-Fi Amplifiers
A long-term look at the NAT Transmitter monoblock, a 120W single-ended Class A tube amplifier built around radio transmitter tubes, and what it asks of your system.
Hi-Fi Speakers
A compact floorstanding speaker pairing an air motion transformer tweeter with a flagship-derived midwoofer, tuned to work close to a wall in small and medium rooms.
Hi-Fi Speakers
A British two-way standmount with an AMT tweeter and a twin-port cabinet, the Neat Petite Classic delivers remarkable detail, timing and imaging for its size.
Speaker Kits
A close look at the Neil Blanchard Designs WB4, a do-it-yourself single-driver speaker kit with a transmission line cabinet, no crossover, and a sound that does not behave like a conventional two-way.
Audio Streamers
A practical comparison of six network streamers and DACs, covering streaming support, upgrade paths, connection options, and where each unit fits.
Studio Monitors
A compact powered two-way monitor with a very linear on-axis response, generous vertical coverage, and clear low-end limits worth understanding before you buy.
Bookshelf Speakers
A practical comparison of two budget passive bookshelf speakers, covering bass extension, linearity, sensitivity, and placement before you buy.
Bookshelf Speakers
A compact $180 bookshelf speaker with a genuinely neutral voice, strong build quality, and bass that stays honest about its size.