Hi-fi

Danish luxury audio brand Bang & Olufsen has announced that its high-style Beosound A9 has moved into its fifth generation, and the shapely 360-degree-sound Beosound 2 grows into its third iteration. The company is also aiming for usage longevity thanks to a future-proofing module installed in each wireless home speaker.

Back in 2017, Sennheiser launched a successor to its open-back mid-range audiophile champions, the mighty HD 650 headphones. The company has now responded to user feedback and injected more low-end goodness into the updated HD 660S2 cans.

There's no denying that streaming rules the roost for the way we consume our music these days. But if your perfectly good living room hi-fi is feeling very unloved, a little black box from NAD could help bring your aging setup into the 21st century.

There's often quite a price premium for folks who opt for hi-res portable audio. Indeed, the company who kicked off personal groove machines has been known to charge a small fortune – which makes the latest Walkman something of a pleasant surprise.

Astell&Kern has launched a combined a digital audio player and desktop headphone amplifier that's built around a dual-tube Triple Amp System and is the first product to feature the latest flagship DAC from ESS.

Rotel has launched an integrated hi-fi amplifier that allows direct access to popular streaming services from the unit itself, in addition to offering wireless playback and analog connection to other hi-fi components. Just add speakers.

Many of Pro-Ject Audio's turntables are textbook examples of minimalist design, but the latest addition to its Debut line takes things even further thanks a a lack of visible switches or labels and everything in view treated to a matte black finish.

Sales of music on vinyl have been steadily rising for the past few years, which has also meant the return of turntables to the living room hi-fi setup. Now Pro-Ject has launched the X2 B disc spinner, which is aimed at folks looking for true balance.

Austrian hi-fi gear maker Pro-Ject has announced the X8 turntable, its first model to feature "True Balanced Connection" technology for improved signal purity and the promise of more detailed playback.

Korean mobile audiophile brand Astell&Kern has entered the crowded true wireless earphone space with the angular UW100 earbuds, which rock a 32-bit DAC, balanced armature drivers, Bluetooth 5.2 and aptX Adaptive.

Music lovers hoping to enjoy high-resolution audio from a smartphone may well find that the conversion circuitry inside is simply not up to the task. The Zen One Signature DAC from Brit audio specialist iFi has been designed to rectify that.

UK hi-fi specialist Audiolab has leveraged its award-winning know-how to create a "just add speakers" music system called the Omnia, which features a Class AB amp, rocks a CD player, caters to streaming needs, and can even be cabled to a turntable.