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THIS MONTH CONTENTS>04 >12 First Tests First Tests 12 pages of new reviews p6 Including our first look at a 2012 TV from Samsung, Atacama’s Eris rack andJVC’s DLA-X-70 projector Tests iPod speaker docks p32 p6 Superslim smart TV action from Samsung p15 Sony’s AirPlay system is put to the test p15 Arcam’s FMJ D33 ‘super DAC’ is here p10 Stylish floorstanders from Q Acoustics Supertest iPod speaker docks p32 Docks are available in all shapes and sizes – and for all budgets, too. We look at what’s on the shelves from under £150 to £500 and above Noise-cancelling headphones p46 Sometimes it’s nice to be able to block out the outside world with a good pair of noisecancelling cans. Here’s six of the best on-ears Blu-ray players p48 £500 will buy you a lot of Blu-ray player, but which to choose? Five big names want the keys to your wallet, yet only one will triumph Budget projectors p60 Is there such a thing as an affordable projector? The answer is ‘yes’, and you can get 3D too Home cinema amplifiers p68 Three big-name AV amps for around £2000 go head to head in this exciting Group Test Temptations Five pages of high-end kit p76 A mouth-wateringly good pre/power amplifier combo from Burmester, and the best pair of in-ear headphones we’ve ever heard Home cinema amps p68 Headphones p46 4 www.whathifi.com
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CONTENTS First Test p6 The vocabulary of the voice recognition software is remarkably sophisticated Temptations p76 Every bit as good as you’d hope – and it’s one case where you really do get what you pay for Playlist p86 Intelligent and unsettling, this is a quality thriller we wouldn’t hesitate to recommend A-Z of kit tested Televisions Finlux 42F701 £550 p10 Samsung UE55S8000 £2500 p6 Home cinema Blu-ray players Cambridge Audio Azur 651BD £500 p50 Denon DBP 2012UD £500 p51 Marantz UD7006 £550 p52 Onkyo BD-SP809 £500 p55 Oppo BDP-93EU £500 p56 Home cinema amplifiers Harmon Kardon AVR365 £800 p32 Onkyo TX-NR3009 £2000 p70 Pioneer SC-LX85 £1700 p71 Yamaha RX-A3010 £1800 p72 Projectors BenQ W1200 £1050 p61 Epson EH-TW5900 £950 p62 JVC DLA-X70 £7000 p20 Optoma HD-23 £800 p62 Style speaker packages B&W MT-60D £1950 p16 Subwoofers Velodyne EQ-MAX £495 p12 Hi-Fi DACs Arcam FMJ D33 £2000 p15 iPod docks Arcam rCube £350 p36 Bayan Audio Bayan 7 £299 p37 Gear4 AirZone Series 1 £200 p38 Geneva Sound Model M £550 p40 Geneva Sound Model XS £180 p22 iLuv IMM289 £130 p34 JBL OnBeat Xtreme £500 p42 Klipsch iGroove HG WWI £110 p34 Logitech S715i £100 p35 Monitor Audio iDeck 200 £250 p36 NAD Viso 1 £500 p43 Pure Contour 100Di £100 p35 STK SMC Stereo Boombox £100 p34 Preamps Burmester 077 £19900 p76 Power amplifiers Burmester 911 Mk III £19900 p76 Stereo speakers Dali Ikon 5 Mk 2 £900 p22 Neat IOTA £650 p20 Q Acoustics 2050i £420 p10 All-in-one systems Blu-ray systems Harman-Kardon BDS570 p18 Micro systems Sony CMT-G2B-NiP £500 p15 Accessories Analogue interconnects Atlas Element Integra £45 p23 HDMI cables HD Anywhere Slimwire £20 p23 Headphones AKG K3003i £1000 p80 Blackbox M10-RB £99 p47 Blue Ant Embrace £170 p12 Bose QuietComfort 15 £279 p46 Focal Spirit One £200 p12 JVC HA-NC120 £70 p46 Panasonic RP-HC101 £82 p46 Sennheiser iE60 £140 p23 Sennheiser PXC-250 II £140 p47 Sony MDR-NC200D £199 p47 Racks Atacama Eris £460 p23 Speaker cables Fisual Havana FX £3.99/m p23 Our ratings explained We always test products as a team, and always compare them with their peers – which is why our ratings are the most authoritative in the industry Stunning all-rounder Well worth considering Decent Disappointing Awful ★★★★★ ★★★★ ★★★ ★★ ★ If it’s one of our winners, you know it’s top quality Features ONLINE VISUAL APPS & STREAMING Top 10 TV and movie apps p58 Apps don’t just offer music, they’re just as good with visuals too and cost next to nothing. We take a look at the 10 best streaming services and apps out there that let you make the most of your smart TV or internet enabled device. Every month Insider - the death of discs? p24 The words Blu-ray are no longer the selling point that they were. Does this mean the death of the disc in the face of streaming and smart TV? Get the facts and figures here Subscriptions p28 Every new subscriber will receive a One For All remote control – and never miss an issue! Best Buys What to buy and what to partner it with. We’ve assembled our favourite products into some fantastic complete systems p31 Playlist p86 We look at this month’s latest music and media releases including The Shins’ long-awaited Port of Morrow long-player and big-screen doomsday virus shocker Contagion Sound Advice p88 Our team of experts dive onto the forums and into the postbag to answer your queries Buyer’s Guide The ultimate AV bible p93 Over 1200 products tested and rated For a full list of specifications and other useful info visit whathifi.com www.whathifi.com 5

CONTENTS

First Test p6 The vocabulary of the voice recognition software is remarkably sophisticated

Temptations p76 Every bit as good as you’d hope – and it’s one case where you really do get what you pay for

Playlist p86 Intelligent and unsettling, this is a quality thriller we wouldn’t hesitate to recommend

A-Z of kit tested Televisions Finlux 42F701 £550 p10 Samsung UE55S8000 £2500 p6

Home cinema Blu-ray players Cambridge Audio Azur 651BD £500 p50 Denon DBP 2012UD £500 p51 Marantz UD7006 £550 p52 Onkyo BD-SP809 £500 p55 Oppo BDP-93EU £500 p56

Home cinema amplifiers Harmon Kardon AVR365 £800 p32 Onkyo TX-NR3009 £2000 p70 Pioneer SC-LX85 £1700 p71 Yamaha RX-A3010 £1800 p72

Projectors BenQ W1200 £1050 p61 Epson EH-TW5900 £950 p62 JVC DLA-X70 £7000 p20 Optoma HD-23 £800 p62

Style speaker packages B&W MT-60D £1950 p16

Subwoofers Velodyne EQ-MAX £495 p12

Hi-Fi DACs Arcam FMJ D33 £2000 p15

iPod docks Arcam rCube £350 p36 Bayan Audio Bayan 7 £299 p37 Gear4 AirZone Series 1 £200 p38 Geneva Sound Model M £550 p40 Geneva Sound Model XS £180 p22 iLuv IMM289 £130 p34 JBL OnBeat Xtreme £500 p42 Klipsch iGroove HG WWI £110 p34 Logitech S715i £100 p35

Monitor Audio iDeck 200 £250 p36 NAD Viso 1 £500 p43 Pure Contour 100Di £100 p35 STK SMC Stereo Boombox £100 p34

Preamps Burmester 077 £19900 p76

Power amplifiers Burmester 911 Mk III £19900 p76

Stereo speakers Dali Ikon 5 Mk 2 £900 p22 Neat IOTA £650 p20 Q Acoustics 2050i £420 p10

All-in-one systems Blu-ray systems Harman-Kardon BDS570 p18

Micro systems Sony CMT-G2B-NiP £500 p15

Accessories Analogue interconnects Atlas Element Integra £45 p23

HDMI cables HD Anywhere Slimwire £20 p23

Headphones AKG K3003i £1000 p80 Blackbox M10-RB £99 p47 Blue Ant Embrace £170 p12 Bose QuietComfort 15 £279 p46 Focal Spirit One £200 p12 JVC HA-NC120 £70 p46 Panasonic RP-HC101 £82 p46 Sennheiser iE60 £140 p23 Sennheiser PXC-250 II £140 p47 Sony MDR-NC200D £199 p47

Racks Atacama Eris £460 p23

Speaker cables Fisual Havana FX £3.99/m p23

Our ratings explained

We always test products as a team, and always compare them with their peers – which is why our ratings are the most authoritative in the industry

Stunning all-rounder Well worth considering Decent Disappointing Awful

★★★★★ ★★★★ ★★★ ★★ ★

If it’s one of our winners, you know it’s top quality

Features

ONLINE VISUAL APPS & STREAMING

Top 10 TV and movie apps p58 Apps don’t just offer music, they’re just as good with visuals too and cost next to nothing. We take a look at the 10 best streaming services and apps out there that let you make the most of your smart TV or internet enabled device.

Every month

Insider - the death of discs? p24 The words Blu-ray are no longer the selling point that they were. Does this mean the death of the disc in the face of streaming and smart TV? Get the facts and figures here

Subscriptions p28

Every new subscriber will receive a One For All remote control – and never miss an issue!

Best Buys

What to buy and what to partner it with. We’ve assembled our favourite products into some fantastic complete systems p31

Playlist p86

We look at this month’s latest music and media releases including The Shins’ long-awaited Port of Morrow long-player and big-screen doomsday virus shocker Contagion

Sound Advice p88

Our team of experts dive onto the forums and into the postbag to answer your queries

Buyer’s Guide

The ultimate AV bible p93 Over 1200 products tested and rated

For a full list of specifications and other useful info visit whathifi.com www.whathifi.com 5

My Bookmarks


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