Hi-fi

Buyers looking for gadgets that deliver high fidelity audio might keep an eye out for the THX logo as a visual guide to quality assurance, and now the company behind the standard has launched its first consumer device, the Onyx USB DAC/amp.

Much of today's music consumption is digital, and most of that is streamed. Some folks still play CDs though, and McIntosh Labs has today launched a retro-cool player for those who want to rock the house with the help of spinning plastic discs.

The UK's Cambridge Audio has announced a new flagship digital-to-analog converter and headphone amplifier combo that promises a "thrilling performance that’s bigger than the box it comes in."

Harmon-owned JBL has its 75th anniversary this year, and is celebrating by dipping into its past to build a new retro-cool integrated amplifier that's based on models from the 1960s and 70s.

Many modern hi-fi amplifiers lack their own phono stage, so an external pre-amp will be needed to give a turntable's signal a boost. A new flagship device from Austria's Pro-Ject is due to go on sale from next month, and is designed for flexibility.

Cambridge Audio has launched the next model in its excellent Melomania true wireless earphone range. As the name suggests, the Melomania Touch offer touch control as well as the promise of "stunning sound performance and world-class battery life."

UK audio gear maker iFi has launched a new mains-powered hi-res digital-to-analog converter/headphone amp that's promised to deliver "scintillating sonics with every audio format in a home environment."

Reckoned to be the most powerful integrated amplifier to come out of McIntosh Labs, the MA12000 pushes out 350 watts per channel, that's 50 W more than the company's previous contender for power champion, 2017's solid-state MA9000.

When the Phantom wireless speaker dropped in 2015, it looked like nothing on the market and sounded as good as it looked. Devialet's Gemini true wireless earphones have a similar look and promise a "truly unmatched on-the-go listening experience."

Vinyl has been making a steady comeback recently. But if you find that your vintage deck is no longer up to the task of spinning records, Bang & Olufsen could help with the limited release of a bunch of restored classics. If you can afford one.

After three years in development, Marantz has dipped into its history for inspiration for a new line of high-end audio gear that starts with an integrated amplifier and a network audio streamer/SA-CD player.

When Panasonic rebooted its Technics brand after a six year hiatus in 2014, its focus was very much on the audiophile listener. The latest release from the luxury hi-fi company is also its first Reference Class integrated amplifier.