LATEST ADDITIONS

Review: Mark Craven,  |  Jan 05, 2026  |  First Published: Jan 01, 2026
hfnoutstandingSucceeding the H120 as Hegel’s second-tier amplifier, ‘The Prodigy’ also includes the brand’s latest streaming platform and is the first to include support for external drives

There’s an easy way to understand the hierarchy of amps in the Hegel catalogue, be they pre, power or integrated. The higher the number, the ‘better’ the specification (you might think this would be the only way to go about it, but some rival companies – I’m looking at you, HiFi Rose – beg to differ). And so it is that the Norwegian manufacturer’s new H150 integrated, priced £2750, takes up a middle-of-the-range position, above the entry-level H95 [HFN Oct ’20], and below the H190v, H400 [HFN Oct ’24] and H600 [HFN Oct ’23].

Review: Adam Smith,  |  Jan 05, 2026  |  First Published: Jan 01, 2026
hfnoutstandingThe Vienna-based hub for all things vinyl, and more besides, now has a new champion deck complete with a two-motor drive system and 12in ‘three-point’ bearing tonearm

It can be difficult for a manufacturer to successfully span a wide price range. History reveals a handful that have come unstuck by either trying to move upmarket from affordable roots, or attempting to develop trickle-down versions of expensive designs. However, those companies that get it right across the board tend to find themselves very popular, and Pro-Ject’s new £10,599 Signature 12.2 is the latest offering from a brand that is a master of the art.

Review: Mark Craven,  |  Jan 05, 2026  |  First Published: Jan 01, 2026
hfnoutstandingSome 40 years after its debut standmount was conceived – but before the brand was officially launched – Acoustic Energy has reimagined an ’80s icon and produced a classic

If you’re looking at the legend on the tweeter surround of Acoustic Energy’s new loudspeaker and wondering how a brand that was established in 1987 can launch a 40th Anniversary Edition model in 2025, the answer is simple. When Acoustic Energy founder Phil Jones began work on his original AE1 design [HFN Jan ’89], seeking an ‘accurate monitor’ for his recording studio, he certainly wasn’t intending to launch a consumer audio company. But the speaker, a compact two-way that was groundbreaking in its use of metal diaphragms for both bass/mid and treble drive units, caught the eye and ear of audiophiles. And now it’s back...

Review: Adam Smith,  |  Jan 04, 2026  |  First Published: Jan 01, 2026
hfnvintageYamaha celebrated its 100-year anniversary in style with a special series of ‘Limited Centennial Edition’ separates of which the CX-10000 control amp was especially prized

Everyone loves celebrating a big birthday, and the hi-fi industry is no exception. That said, very few manufacturers make it to the big 100 and so, when they do, the results are usually quite special. At the time of writing [late-2025] we are days away from Bang & Olufsen’s centenary, and Luxman released a complete system earlier this year to celebrate a century in business.

Ken Kessler  |  Jan 04, 2026  |  First Published: Jan 01, 2026
hfnvintageIs this the end of the two-box era? Ken Kessler auditions an integrated CD player promising superior sonics to go with its stunning build

Sexy hardware – strange use of the term ‘sexy’. But Wadia’s new CD player is sleek in a catwalk model/Euro-chic way, the same reasons why a hot Italian V12 can be regarded as sexy. More accurately, the Wadia 6 is severe, a mere glance at its styling, finish and hewn-from-solid build quality telling you that it’s no toy. You don’t have to lift it to know that it’s chunky... like 35lb worth of chunk.

Review: Andrew Everard,  |  Dec 14, 2025  |  First Published: Jan 01, 2026

This month we review and test releases from: François Couturier & Dominique Pifarély, Yuval Cohen Quartet, Ute Lemper, Jo-Yu Chen, and Stanley Cowell

Peter Quantrill  |  Dec 14, 2025  |  First Published: Jan 01, 2026

Cantata and song-cycle, idyll and lament, scored for tenor and/or soprano... Peter Quantrill explores the tensions in the English composer’s pivotal work on record

Review: Jamie Biesemans,  |  Dec 12, 2025  |  First Published: Jan 01, 2026
hfnoutstandingThe pinnacle of Musical Fidelity’s solid-state range – the M8 series – now has a top-flight DAC in the driving seat, complete with volume control and headphone amplifier

Sentimental audiophiles might think Musical Fidelity’s M8 range is rather left out in the cold, stuck between the brand’s high-end Nu-Vista models [HFN Mar ’23 & Aug ’25] and thought-provoking remakes like the A1 [HFN Jan ’24] and B1xi amplifiers. Since Pro-Ject’s Heinz Lichtenegger took over the wheel of the brand, the series has received only piecemeal updates, starting with the M8xi ‘super’ integrated [HFN Jul ’20], then the M8xTT turntable [HFN Dec ’23] and M8x Vinyl phono stage [HFN Mar ’25], and now the ‘dual-mono’ M8x DAC.

Peter Quantrill  |  Dec 11, 2025  |  First Published: Jan 01, 2026

This month we review: Mahan Esfahani, Pierre-Laurent Aimard, Oslo Philharmonic/Petrenko, Fagioli, Lezhneva, Opéra Royal/Plewniak

Steve Harris  |  Dec 11, 2025  |  First Published: Jan 01, 2026

This month we review: Howl Quartet, Charles Lloyd, Snarky Puppy & Metropole Orkest, Emma Rawicz

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