Have you ever wanted to play a sound effect when someone enters the door? Using a Raspberry Pi, some speakers, and some ingenuity you can make your life closer to one of my favourite shows – Seinfeld. This Raspberry Pi project is great for beginners and introduces you to the concept of using the GPIO (general purpose input-output) pins.
If you’re not a Seinfeld fan, you can always replace the audio with another sound of your choosing. Here’s how to build a Raspberry Pi machine that plays a custom sound effect when a door is opened.
What You’ll Need For This Project
Raspberry Pi 4 or Raspberry Pi 3 with power adapter
8 GB (or larger) microSD card with Raspberry Pi OS. See our list of best microSD cards for Raspberry Pi.
Desktop speakers or a megaphone with a 3.5mm input and 3.55mm cable
Speaker wire, any gauge, at least a few feet in length
Aluminum foil
Electrical tape
Male to female jumper cables (2)
Wire strippers or scissors
Monitor or Projector with HDMI and power cables. (Optional)
How to Turn Raspberry Pi into an Electronic Door Chime
Before you get started, get your Raspberry Pi set up. If you haven’t done this before see our article on how to set up a Raspberry Pi for the first time or how to do a headless Raspberry Pi install (without the keyboard and screen). For this project, we recommend a headless Raspberry Pi install.
1. Install the lower-level dependencies we need to play audio files and make our code run by entering the following commands in a terminal window.
2. Set the 3.5mm audio output to be the default audio output in raspi-config. You do this by launching raspi-config (entering sudo raspi-config at the command prompt) and navigating to System Options -> Audio -> Headphones 1. The pi allows for audio to be outputted to either the 3.5mm analog output, or over the HDMI port. If you do not have a monitor attached, Headphones may be the only option.
(Image credit: Tom’s Hardware)
3. Enable auto-login in raspi-config by navigating to System Options > Boot / Auto Login > Console Autologin. When the raspberry pi restarts, it will automatically log in (which we’ll need to run our scripts).
4. Click finish to exit the raspi-config menu, and reboot your raspberry pi (either through the prompt, or the console).
sudo reboot
5. From your home directory, clone the sample code using git.
6. Plug your speakers into your Raspberry Pi, and test them by playing your audio file. You should hear sound from your speakers.
mpg321 /home/pi/doorbell/audio/audio_0.mp3
(Image credit: Tom’s Hardware)
7. Adjust your pi’s volume with the alsamixer command, or if your external speakers have a volume knob, on there too. Use the arrow keys to adjust the volume, and Ctrl + C to exit.
alsamixer
(Image credit: Tom’s Hardware)
8. Test the script. Connect one jumper wire to board pin 12 (GPIO pin 18), and a second to ground. Then run the python command below. Once it’s running, touch (short) the two jumper wires together for a second or two, then release them. If all goes successfully, the console will output “playing audio_0.mp3” and you should hear the sound over your speakers.
(Image credit: Tom’s Hardware)
python3 /home/pi/doorbell/app.py
(Image credit: Tom’s Hardware)
9. Download or copy a few short mp3 files you’re looking to play. In my case, I took a few recordings from YouTube and copied them over to the Raspberry Pi into the audio directory using SCP. However, I could have also used Chromium on the Pi to download or copied files over using VNC or FTP. Any mp3 files placed in /home/pi/doorbell/audio directory will be randomly selected when the door opens or closes.
10. Tape a small, rectangular piece of aluminum foil to the door.
(Image credit: Tom’s Hardware)
11. Cut a piece of speaker wire long enough to stretch from your Raspberry Pi to the door.
12. Strip the wire on both ends
(Image credit: Tom’s Hardware)
13. Tape one end to the door frame so that when closed, the piece of aluminum foil closes the circuit. It is also possible to use a reed switch instead of aluminum foil.
(Image credit: Tom’s Hardware)
14. Connect the other ends of the speaker wire to the jumper cables using solder or electrical tape.
(Image credit: Tom’s Hardware)
15. Add the script to /etc/rc.local so it runs automatically when the Raspberry Pi restarts.
sudo nano /etc/rc.local
# Add the following line before the last line (exit 0)
python3 /home/pi/doorbell/app.py &
16. Restart the Raspberry Pi
17. Test your project by opening or closing the door.
If all goes well, you should hear a random sound from the audio directory.
KEF’s first noise-cancelling wireless earbuds make a positive impression, even if they fall short of being best-in-class
For
Refined, mature balance
Weighty bass
Good battery life
Against
Beaten for dynamics and expression
Call quality could be better
KEF has dabbled in the headphone market since 2013, experimenting with both over-ear and in-ear models over the years, however it’s fair to say the hi-fi giant hasn’t set the headphone market alight. But could all that be about to change with the ambitious Mu3?
The Mu3 are KEF’s first-ever wireless noise-cancelling earbuds and, in terms of price, slot somewhere in between the big-hitting Sony WF-1000XM3 and the Bose QuietComfort Earbuds.
Build
(Image credit: KEF)
If you haven’t heard of Ross Lovegrove before you buy the KEFs, you will have by the time you have unboxed them. His name is emblazoned on the packaging, the instructions and even on the inside of the Mu3 case.
Lovegrove has helped design several KEF products in the past, most notably the KEF Muon – an impressive-looking pair of limited-edition, aluminium, floorstanding speakers that cost an impressive £140,000 ($198,000) per pair. He also played a major part in designing the Award-winning KEF Muo wireless speaker, and now he has turned his hand to a pair of true wireless earbuds.
KEF Mu3 tech specs
(Image credit: KEF)
Type True wireless in-ears
Bluetooth Yes
Noise-cancelling Yes
Battery life 9 hours (+15 hours from case)
Weight 5.8g (each)
From the moment you take the headphones from their packaging, you can see Lovegrove’s involvement. The case looks like a large blob of liquid metal but has a nice subtle shape. It feels robust, too, while the smooth glossy plastic helps to give a more premium first impression. It’s a similar story when you open the case up. The Lovegrove name on the inside might be one nod to the designer too many, but the sheen from the small silver earbuds also gets your attention.
The buds look and feel in keeping with the case, from the smooth glossy exteriors to the KEF logo imprinted on the surface of each bud. They’re surprisingly small, which makes them a little slippery when placed between finger and thumb, but getting them in place with a good seal isn’t too tricky. Pick your eartips (there are four different sizes to choose from), drop them in and twist the buds slightly to lock them into place.
Comfort
(Image credit: KEF)
Provided you achieve a good seal, the level of passive noise isolation on offer is decent. While finding them pretty comfortable for a brief stroll, we are a little less convinced of their comfort during longer listening sessions. The Sony WF-1000XM3 are a slightly bulkier design but feel much less intrusive, as do the Bose QuietComfort Earbuds.
The first time you open the case, the headphones automatically start the pairing process. Once partnered to your headphones, they connect almost as soon as the lid is lifted.
On the outer surface of each earbud, you’ll find a small KEF logo that sits on a circular control button. There are no touch controls here, but the physical ones work perfectly well – and also means you won’t accidentally hit play or skip a track when putting them in place.
On the left earbud, a long press turns the volume down, while a short press switches the noise-cancelling on or off and engages the ambient mode (which lets you hear your surroundings without having to take the buds out of your ears). On the right earbud, a short press answers calls and plays or pauses music and a long press increases volume. Pressing twice stops your phone call or skips forward a track.
Battery life comes in at an excellent nine hours, with the case giving a claimed extra 15 hours of additional juice to keep the buds going. By comparison, the class-leading Sony WF-1000XM3 offer around six hours. If you’re caught short, a quick five-minute blast from the charging case (which uses USB-C) should give you an hour of playtime.
There’s a small LED on the case which blinks when the battery is low, but it’s not that obvious against the glossy plastics and it also doesn’t give any real indication of just how much charge is left. We were caught out when our buds needed charging, only to find the case was also running on empty.
Unlike many wireless earbuds around this price, there’s no app to accompany the KEF Mu3. This means there’s no EQ adjustment for you to play with, but that’s only an issue if you aren’t happy with the balance of the KEFs. And we can’t see why you wouldn’t be.
Sound
(Image credit: KEF)
The KEFs produce a wonderfully balanced sound that’s smooth and refined. They’re quite effortless in their delivery and present the music in a mature and sophisticated fashion, making them easy to listen to over prolonged periods. You can push them to the limits of their battery life and emerge on the other side not feeling drained or tired of their sound.
We play Shout by Tears For Fears and notice fullness and finesse to the percussion, plus a good amount of space around the instruments. There is no hint of harshness as chimes cut through the song’s rich vocal and solid, yet relatively mild-mannered bass. However, the Sony WF-1000XM3 deliver the song with a greater sense of sparkle, proving capable of finding an extra gear when it comes to drama and drive.
Switch to Hayden Thorpe’s Diviner and the smooth, soulful delivery of the track plays to the KEF’s strengths. His vocal is rich and full-bodied with a good sense of expression, while the individual strokes of the piano keys come across well. Again, the Sonys take this level of dynamics and expression up a notch, forming a tighter emotional bond with the listener.
Moving on to Massive Attack’s Angel, the KEFs cope well with the track’s powerful and relentless bassline. There’s a richness to each bass pulse and they sound solid, even if rivals can paint them with greater texture.
The Mu3 do a good job of keeping outside interference to a minimum. Their noise-cancelling tech doesn’t produce such stark results as the Bose QuietComfort Earbuds, but it’s effective and, anyway, not everyone is comfortable with the vacuum-like feeling that more aggressive noise-cancelling technology can have.
The call quality could be better, though. While the best pairs of true wireless earbuds lend your voice a more natural-sounding quality, the KEFs have a slightly coarse edge and introduce more compression.
Verdict
KEF has put its head above the parapet and produced a pair of true wireless earbuds that can be considered worthy rivals to the Apple AirPods Pro. However, we have some reservations about the call quality, and while nothing about the performance stands out as being a negative, the Mu3 can’t quite match the sonic ability of the class-leading rivals at this level from the likes of Bose and Sony.
However, if you’re a fan of the KEF brand – or Ross Lovegrove in particular – and have the funds at your disposal, it’s well worth giving them a chance.
Here’s the situation: you’re typing a report for work, and you suddenly have to write the phrase “Jones née Berkowitz.” Or you are adding a phrase in Spanish and need to use the word “años.” How do you add the special characters to the letters?
Special characters (also known as diacritical marks) may be more common in certain languages, but there are plenty of circumstances in which English speakers may need to use them. But because they are so rare in English, native English speakers may not have learned how to add those marks to documents, emails, or other writings. It’s not difficult to add them to your Windows document, although it’s not quite as smooth an operation as on a Mac, where all you have to do is hold the appropriate key down. (In fact, once upon a time, you would have had to look up the symbol character codes…)
Use the touch keyboard
The easiest way to add diacritical marks to a document is to enable the Windows touch keyboard. (Thanks to Ed Bott from ZDNet for first leading me to this method.) The touch keyboard automatically appears if you’re using a Windows tablet or if you’re using a PC in tablet mode. If you don’t have a touchscreen, you can use the keyboard icon that appears in the taskbar, on the right side near the date. Don’t see it? This is how you get it:
Right click on the taskbar.
Click on “Show touch keyboard button.”
Click on “Show touch keyboard button”
Now, when you want to use a special character:
Click on the touch keyboard icon.
The touch keyboard will appear. Long press (with your mouse button or, if you have a touchscreen, your finger) on the letter you want to use.
You’ll now see several extra keys showing the ways you can type that letter with different symbols. Select the one you want, and it will appear on your document.
If you want to enter an emoji, click on the emoji key (on the left of the “space bar”).
Select the special character you want, and it will appear on your document.
Use the character map
If you’d like to try a more old-fashioned method of adding special characters to Windows, you can use the character map, which is a less polished and more complicated version of the touch keyboard but offers a similar service.
To access it on your Windows 10 system:
Type “character” in your search field and then select the Character Map app.
You’ll get a pop-up map showing a bunch of special characters for a specific font. You can change the font by clicking on the drop-down font menu at the top.
The character map lets you access a wide variety of special characters.
Click on the letter(s) or special characters that you want to use in your document and then click on the “Select” button. They’ll appear in the “Characters to copy” field.
Once you’ve selected all the characters you want, click on the “Copy” button and then paste the character(s) into your document.
Motorola has added support for two new indigenous languages spoken in the Amazon as part of a larger effort to make technology more accessible. Beginning today, Kaingang and Nheengatu will be among the language options available on Motorola Android devices. Any Motorola phone updated to Android 11 will be able to access the new language options, not just its most expensive models.
“We believe that this initiative will raise awareness towards language revitalization, not only will impact the communities that we’re working directly with, but right now we’re in the process of open sourcing all that language data from Android into Unicode,” Janine Oliveira, Motorola’s executive director for globalization software, said in an interview with The Verge. “And by doing that we believe that we’re going to pave the way for more endangered indigenous languages to be added, not only on Android, but also on other smartphones.”
The Kaingang language comes from an agricultural community of people in southeastern Brazil, and only about half of the community still speaks it, Motorola found. The United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) has designated Kaingang “definitely endangered.” This means that children no longer learn it as their first language at home.
The Nheengatu community of about 20,000 people lives mostly in the Amazon, but only about 6,000 people in the region still speak that language, so UNESCO considers Nheengatu “severely endangered.” That’s the second-most serious category before a language is considered “extinct.” UNESCO classifies a language as severely endangered if it’s spoken by grandparents and older generations, who may not speak it among themselves or to children.
Both of the indigenous communities rely heavily on mobile technology, even though they may not always have reliable internet access, said Juliana Rebelatto, globalization manager and head linguist at Motorola’s mobile business group. “Teachers use their mobile phones in their classroom to teach their curriculum, so now that the phones will be in Kaingang and Nheengatu this will really help with the learning process,” she said.
The Kaingang welcome screen on Motorola.Image: Motorola
The Nheengatu welcome screen.Image: Motorola
It makes sense that Motorola has a focus on Brazil: as of February, it had 21 percent of the market share in the country among smartphone manufacturers, ahead of Apple and second only to Samsung. Rebelatto acknowledged there isn’t necessarily a big return on investment for Motorola by incorporating the indigenous languages into its system; the move isn’t likely to add a huge number of new users for its products.
“We know that for most people it will be just another language in a drop down menu but for the people who speak that language, it’s a big innovation. It is part of the bigger mindset we have about digital inclusion,” she said.
Rebelatto said it was their colleague Robert Melo, Motorola’s internationalization lead, who first realized that there were no Latin American indigenous languages represented in any form of digitalized technology. “We started researching ways that Motorola could change that story,” she said.
The company partnered with the University of Campinas in São Paulo, Brazil, and worked with Professor Wilmar D’Angelis, a researcher in cultural anthropology and indigenous languages. “He has dedicated his life, 40 plus years, into researching languages,” Rebelatto noted, and he proved vital in helping the company narrow down which indigenous languages it would choose.
Motorola’s linguistics team worked with native language speakers of both languages throughout the project, which meant training them on the company’s tools and practices while on a multinational schedule. “We had to ship Lenovo PCs to communities where the mail barely got into,” Oliveira said, all during a pandemic.
But the native speakers were eager to help, Rebelatto added. One of the women who was a translator on the project told them she couldn’t wait for the languages to be available on phones: “She now has all the argument she needs to convince her child to learn their ancestral language, because it will be on the phones they use every day.”
Ozias Yaguarê Yamã Glória de Oliveira Aripunãguá with his daughter.Image: Motorola
Nheengatu speaker Ozias Yaguarê Yamã Glória de Oliveira Aripunãguá worked with Motorola on the project and emphasized the cultural importance of the language. “You must understand that over time, Nheengatu has been weakening more and more, and today, many times, due to discrimination against the language, people are ashamed to use it,” he said in an email to The Verge.
“But you can’t talk about the Amazon without talking about Nheengatu because the two are linked … it’s part of the essence, it’s the core. The soul of the Amazon is Nheengatu,” he said. Seventy percent of fish names are Nheengatu names, and 50 to 60 percent of the city and river names are Nheengatu names as well, Yaguarê added. “There is no way to talk about one without talking about the other.”
The team plans to open source all of the data it collected as part of the project, hundreds of thousands of UI strings, for anyone to use or research the Amazon languages, not only on Android, but other platforms as well. They had to customize a keyboard and are working with Google on the process of including the languages in G-board.
“We don’t intend to stop here,” said Renata Altenfelder, Motorola executive director for brand. “We are putting this as an open source because we truly believe this should be something for everyone to join.” More endangered languages will be added to the project, she added, they just haven’t decided which ones yet.
Rebelatto added that by digitizing endangered languages, the company hoped it would draw more attention to them and motivate other tech companies to consider similar initiatives. The Motorola project, she added, “will allow technology to have its rightful place in the preservation of not only the language but in their traditions, in their culture and their story.”
(Pocket-lint) – The Oculus Quest 2 is an updated version of Oculus’ wireless virtual reality headset, but what makes it different to the original?
Buy the Oculus Quest 2
Well, there are a number of both aesthetic and technical changes that make the Quest 2 worth considering. It might well be a brilliant purchase for those looking to get into VR or a potential upgrade option for current Quest owners. Read on to find on what’s different.
The best VR headsets to buy: Top virtual reality gear
Best Oculus Quest and Quest 2 games: Top experiences worth owning for these wireless VR headsets
Oculus Quest 2 – new white finish, cloth/material straps with updated tightening system, flip-up visor, three IPD levels
The original Oculus Quest was one of our favourite VR headsets, with an excellent lightweight design and surprisingly capable hardware making it a viable alternative to much more expensive PC VR headsets. Without the need for an accompanying gaming PC or laptop, it made a lot of sense to buy and now has been improved upon in the Quest 2.
Quest 2 stands out from the original thanks to a bold white design versus the original black and grey theme. It features much more than a colour change though.
The Quest 2 has a new head strap design which makes it easier to adjust and offers a more comfortable fit. It’s also designed to be more accessible and easier to use too.
Where the original Quest had a manual IPD slider, the Quest 2 now has a system which lets you move the lenses into three different preset positions – 58mm (setting 1), 63mm (setting 2) and 68mm (setting 3). Oculus says this design is intended to be simplified and that most users will find one of the three settings is perfect for them, removing the hassle of measuring your IPD and adjusting the levels in a granular manner.
Pocket-lint
Quest 2 has changed in other ways too. It’s 10 per cent lighter than the Quest (just 503g) and features a new and improved faceplate design that appears to let less light in while you’re gaming, resulting in a much more immersive experience. The visor also now has the ability to be flipped up slightly out of the way if you need to look at the world around you without taking the headset off.
Both the Quest and Quest 2 sport some impressive integrated, rear-firing speakers built into the strap and deliver the sound right into your ears without the fuss of extra wires from the headphones. The Quest 2 offers nifty positional audio and both headsets also have microphones to capture your voice for multiplayer experiences.
These speakers do lead to a little bit of sound bleed though, so if you need a more private experience then you’ll be pleased to hear there’s the option to use a 3.5mm headset or headphones instead.
Alongside the various aesthetic and comfort changes, the Oculus Quest 2 has been given a boost in power and specs versus the original VR headset.
Quest 2 uses the latest and greatest Qualcomm system, with 50 per cent more RAM designed to help power the improved visuals and give game developers more power to play with.
The entry-level version of each headset has 64GB of internal storage for your games, but now Oculus has added significantly more storage with the Quest 2 also available with a 256GB option. The price has come down too, with that more storage-rich version costing the same as the smallest version of the original Quest.
squirrel_widget_352353
The extra power in the Quest 2 will hopefully give developers more freedom when developing games, while also enabling users to get even more enjoyment out of Oculus Link as well.
Both Oculus Quest and Quest 2 offer hand-tracking capabilities. This has been an experimental option with the Quest for some time, but is shipping as standard in the Quest 2.
Oculus Link has also come out of beta and is more readily available with Quest 2. Meaning it’s much much easier to connect it to your PC and play PC VR games from the Oculus store or via Steam if you so wish.
What is Oculus Link and how do you use it to play even more VR games?
The Quest 2 also supports a 90Hz refresh rate (and 120Hz in some cases), as well as other clever things like calorie tracking too.
Pocket-lint
Visuals
Oculus Quest – OLED display with 72Hz refresh rate and 1600 x 1440 pixels per eye
Oculus Quest 2 – Fast-switch LCD panel with 1832 x 1920 per eye 72Hz at launch; 90Hz support to come
Alongside the extra power under the hood, the Oculus Quest 2 has also been improved in the display department. The headset now offers 50 per cent more pixels than Quest. That’s close to 2K resolution per eye and it also comes with the promise of a faster refresh rate, which leads to a smoother and more enjoyable experience.
Where the Oculus Quest managed 72Hz refresh rate, the Oculus Quest 2 is apparently capable of 120Hz.
The 90Hz refresh rate option was rolled out a while back and needs developers to unlock it for their games in order to work, but it does mean the promise of better experiences alongside improved visuals thanks to the extra pixel count.
The Quest 2 continues to offer the Passthrough+ view which allows you to see the world around you using the inside-out tracking cameras and the intelligent guardian boundary play space system. This was available on the first Quest and is just as good on the newer device, making it easy to re-orient yourself or see the real-world without having to take the headset off.
This is nicely designed so you can simply double-tap on the side of the headset to activate it. This means you can quickly and fairly clearly see the world around you in an instant without needing to take the headset off.
As you’d expect, when it comes to games, the Quest 2 supports the same games as the original Quest, meaning you now have access to well over 200 games. Thanks to Oculus Link you can also play many more PC virtual reality games too if you have the right equipment.
Pocket-lint
Controllers and battery life
Improved battery life
The controllers for Quest 2 have had some slight design changes. The new design is inspired by a mix of the original controllers and those on the Oculus Rift S. You’ll note a familiar shape and style, but the Quest 2 controllers have a slightly larger space at the top with more room for your thumb to move about and access the buttons and thumbstick.
Both controllers use a single AA battery, but the Quest 2 controllers have been redesigned with less internal tracking LEDs to improve battery life. Oculus claims this means the Quest 2 controllers work four times longer than the original Quest controllers, without compromise of tracking capabilities.
The Quest 2 also has numerous intelligent battery management systems in place to maximise battery life both in the headset and the controllers. This includes settings to send the Quest 2 to sleep when it’s not in use and a nifty system which automatically turns controllers on when you put the headset on and pick them up.
Still, like the Quest, the Quest 2 can only manage between two and three hours of use before it needs charging. Both headsets are charged via a USB-C cable and the Quest 2 can reach full charge in around 2.5 hours.
Conclusion
We thought a lot of the Oculus Quest when we first reviewed it and we have a lot of good things to say about the Oculus Quest 2 for similar reasons. Both headsets are surprisingly capable considering they don’t need a PC to run, with impressive tracking, excellent visuals and a great line-up of games to play too.
Quest 2 features some nice enhancements in terms of visuals, power under the hood and a stylish design too. If you already own a Quest, you might find the changes aren’t quite enough to warrant the upgrade.
If you’re new to VR then the Quest 2 is a no-brainer though. It’s more affordable than the Quest was when it launched and offers a fantastic experience complete with hand tracking, wire-free VR gaming, superb visuals and much more besides. With recent software updates it’s just got better and better.
In the early 1960s, before it became known as ‘Silicon Fen’, the small university city of Cambridge, long a magnet for scientists and engineers, started to attract a new breed of technologically minded entrepreneurs.
It was in this stimulating environment, with networks of like-minded people, that a group of young graduates decided to establish an R&D prototyping business at the old Enderby’s Mill in St. Ives, Cambridge: Cambridge Consultants.
By 1968, the company had grown to include a sub-division, Cambridge Audio. The small team led by Gordon Edge, a scientist with a head for a business who would go on to become a key figure in the Cambridge technology sector, was tasked with addressing a particular problem – how to create a hi-fi that could deliver the ‘Great British Sound’ into people’s homes.
British bands and recording studios had become a dominating force in music, and Cambridge Audio wanted to deliver a ‘neutrally British’, uncoloured and balanced sound that let the original recordings shine. And that ethos continues today. The company’s designs have always been minimalist and necessity driven: from the upside-down labels on the back panels for easy reading when setting up, to a rule limiting one switch per function, the customer at home is always considered.
Cambridge Audio has a policy of continuous improvement, whether it’s for high-end or budget equipment, and being relatively small has allowed it to adapt and innovate quickly. The company has a history of upgrading its hardware far more frequently than other UK brands (sometimes to its customers’ frustration). Many of the products featured on this list are the results of this culture of research, refinement and frankly borderline obsessive ‘Great British’ tinkering.
Read all our British Hi-Fi Week reviews and features
Cambridge Audio P40 Amplifier (1968)
(Image credit: Cambridge)
Like many long-established audio firms, Cambridge made its name by releasing the most crucial piece of any hi-fi system: a quality stereo amplifier.
The P40 integrated amp was the company’s first-ever product, developed by Gordon Edge and Peter Lee, who took a simple approach with just a few transistor stages. But they were also willing to take chances, and the P40 became the first-ever amplifier to use toroidal transformers, a nascent technology that just happened to be being manufactured by another local company at the time.
The risk paid off, and these days, toroidal transformers are a standard component inside high-end amplifiers.
While the P50 and P60 amps that followed quickly on its heels offered greater reliability and efficiency (as well as sales), it’s the P40 with its elegant low-contour case from Woodhuysen Design, boldness and longstanding influence that makes it the first of six Cambridge amps on this list.
Old amplifier vs new amplifier: which is better?
Cambridge Audio C75 preamp and A75 power amp (1984)
(Image credit: Cambridge)
The C75 pre-amplifier and A75 power amplifier were the first of a new generation of Cambridge amps split into two units that could be combined using end panels. The idea was to shield the sensitive input circuitry from the electrically noisy power amplifier, improving the sound and giving better performance.
And the separation didn’t stop there. The C75 implemented a phono stage that used a new technique called ‘segmented equalisation’ whereby the signal current would pass through discrete stages of passive EQ and amplification.
Passive EQ was preferable to an active circuit, as it kept negative feedback consistent across all frequencies and tracked the required RIAA equalisation to very high frequencies. However, it was also prone to increased noise interference and degradation of the dynamic range. By alternating EQ and amplification circuits, Curtis overcame this issue and produced a superb sound in the process.
The A75, for its part, kept Cambridge’s trademark toroidal transformer, but added a power supply for each channel, resulting in an impressively high output current capability.
While the C75/A75 combination was costly to build, the level of detail taken in developing the circuitry and careful choice of components ensure its status as one of the best Cambridge products of all time.
9 debut stereo amplifiers from iconic hi-fi brands
Cambridge Audio CD1 (1985)
(Image credit: Cambridge)
When Cambridge released the CD1, it was the first player to be split into 2 boxes; the upper deck carried the power supply and disc tray while the lower housed the DAC circuitry. A third box was soon added with a quality assurance module that corrected for inaccuracies on the disc.
The DAC section cleverly used three matched 14-bit DACs per channel to cancel out errors; this resulted in a linear performance to -120 dB, an incredible feat at the time. The transport mechanism was mounted on a lead beam to increase isolation, and there were separate power supplies for the digital and analogue circuits.
Another novel feature of the CD1 was the inclusion of playback filters. Different studios were using different pre-conversion filters at the time as there wasn’t yet a standardisation for digitising analogue master tapes to CD. Cambridge recognised that to get true fidelity to the original recording, the digital to analogue conversion performed by a CD player needed to have an accurate mirror image of whichever filter process had occurred to begin with. The company came up with nine filter options for the CD1 meaning that almost every CD could be played back faithfully.
Unfortunately, this idea increased the manufacturing cost, which in turn meant that the CD1 cost a small fortune – at £1500 – double the cost of most other players at the time. Still, despite the price, its ability to read the fine detail on discs accurately made it hugely popular with music lovers and CD manufacturers alike.
12 of the best British CD players of all time
Cambridge Audio A1 Amplifier (1995)
(Image credit: Richer sounds)
The A1 was the company’s first product after being bought in 1994 by James Johnson-Flint and Julian Richer. Keen to make their mark, they hired the prodigious designer Mike Creek and tasked him with delivering the A1 in only one month.
A true classic budget design, costing £80, the Cambridge Audio A1 integrated amplifier brought low-priced high performance to the masses. Even a more premium upgraded version with improved circuitry and toroidal transformers cost a mere £20 more.
The A1 maintained Cambridge’s principle of simplicity while bringing a new definition of quality to an affordable price range. It went on to become one of their best selling products ever.
Best stereo amplifiers 2021
Cambridge Audio DacMagic (1996)
(Image credit: Future)
The DacMagic was one of the last of the original generation of DACs. Unassuming to look at it had a lot to show for its £150 price point, raising the standard for the amount of functionality that could be packed into a stand-alone DAC.
By the mid-90s, manufacturing for Cambridge took place primarily in China, which designer John Westlake described as an electronics “candy store”, offering him the flexibility to upgrade to high-end components without the cost becoming prohibitive. As a result, the DacMagic boasted three separate transformers feeding 19 independent power supplies, BNC inputs and outputs, as well as balanced outputs on two gold-plated XLR connections.
Sonically superb, direct and detailed, the DacMagic earned comparisons to much more expensive equipment, coming out at a time when a CD player with balanced outputs could cost you in the region of £1000. And it gave Cambridge its first outright What Hi-Fi? Award win.
DACs – everything you need to know
Cambridge Audio CD4SE CD player (1998)
(Image credit: Future)
Sometimes an upgrade can feel as though a few stripes have simply been drawn on; on other occasions it takes a good product and elevates it way beyond its original brief.
The latter was the case for the CD4SE. Originally intended to be a special edition of the CD4, it instead became a total revamp. Circuitry was simplified, and the transport functions sharpened up, while the engineers casually deployed a few innovations at the same time.
Cambridge became the first manufacturer to use dual Crystal DACs, which oversampled, offering 20-bit performance. This enhanced the player’s dynamic range while reducing distortion and giving a truly musical performance.
Refinement at this level for the low price of £200 bags the CD4SE a place on our list.
Best CD players 2021: CD players for every budget
Cambridge Audio Azur 640A Amplifier (2003)
(Image credit: Future)
The Azur range epitomised Cambridge’s commitment to high-quality budget equipment, and the formidable 640A integrated amplifier was no exception. When we gave it five stars back in 2003, we described it as “good enough to strike fear in the heart of the establishment”; and it did just that.
Dynamically vivid, the 640A delivered a polished sound, full of fluidity and precision, lacking any hint of the gentle compression that other amps at this price level were prone to employ.
With a pretty muscular 65 Watts per channel, high-quality circuit enhancements and impressive quality of build, the 640A displayed a level of detail that made it a great all-rounder and set it apart from its rivals.
10 of the world’s most expensive stereo amplifiers
Cambridge Audio Aero 5.1 speakers (2013)
(Image credit: Future)
With the introduction of the Aero 5.1 range, Cambridge shifted its focus from making excellent value electronics and sought to become a force in speakers, establishing itself as a serious alternative to the likes of B&W, KEF and Monitor Audio. Going up against such established rivals, the company’s solution was to offer something a bit different – BMR (Balanced Mode Radiator) technology.
BMR drivers work like a traditional piston driver for low frequencies, while higher frequencies are produced using a vibration motion across the surface of the speaker diaphragm. This technology allowed the Aero range to reproduce a wide frequency range using just a single small driver, without the need for a separate tweeter. It also meant it could achieve a near 180-degree dispersion, making the sizable boxes flexible to position within the home.
The result was a cohesive sound field with an articulate, detailed and punchy presentation. It’s no surprise that the Aero 5.1 speaker range went on to win What Hi-Fi? Awards in both 2013 and 2014.
Read our Cambridge Audio Aero 5.1 review
Cambridge Audio CXN Music Streamer (2015)
(Image credit: Cambridge Audio)
Cambridge was one of the first of the ‘traditional’ hi-fi brands to embrace digital music wholeheartedly by including streamers as part of its core hi-fi ranges. And 2010s NP30, 2013s Audio Stream Magic 6 and 2014s Audio Stream Magic 6 V2 all won What Hi-Fi? Awards.
By 2016, streaming had most definitely gone mainstream with faster connection speeds and wide adoption of subscription services, and Cambridge’s response to this trend was sonically game-changing. At £700 when we first reviewed it, the CXN was mid-range only in price, with a fantastic, incisive sound and excellent low-end impact.
Offering a full-colour screen for artwork, third party app support and digital inputs capable of playing high-resolution files of up to 24-bit/192kHz (upsampled to 384kHz), the CXN was packed with future-proofed features to keep it relevant in rapidly changing times. So much so that when the updated CXN V2 (yet another award winner) was released, we were relieved to find that the sound we had come to know and love was still intact.
Read our Cambridge Audio CXN review
Cambridge Audio Melomania 1 (2019)
(Image credit: Cambridge Audio)
After tentatively dipping a toe into headphone production with a pair of wired earbuds in 2017, Cambridge made a splash with their inaugural true wireless offering, 2019’s Melomania 1.
Literally meaning ‘crazy about music’, these minimalist designed in-ears punched well above their weight, offering an expansive listening experience that few other brands achieve at this price.
Forgoing the bells and whistles of many big brands, Cambridge focused on the basics: battery life, connection stability and above all else, the sonic experience. Melomania 1 delivered on all fronts receiving five stars and best wireless in-ears £75-£150 at the What Hi-Fi? Awards. A great win for a headphones newbie and proof that sonic expertise can still prevail even in the smartfeature-centric world of portable audio.
Read our Cambridge Audio Melomania 1 review
Cambridge Audio CXA81 amplifier (2019)
(Image credit: Future)
Like other products on this list, the CXA81 started as a mere refurb and turned into a renovation. Cambridge engineers took the four-star CX81 amp and upgraded the op-amps, capacitors and DAC, and in doing so made progress in almost every sonic regard.
Adding to that a USB input supporting audio of up to 32-bit/384kHz, an aptX HD Bluetooth receiver and a pair of Toslink optical inputs, the CXA81 set a new baseline for thousand-pound integrated amplifiers bagging a What Hi-Fi? Award in 2020 in the process.
One thing that the CXA81 was missing, however, was the tone controls that Cambridge had continued to include on their amplifiers long after most manufacturers had dismissed them. The company often cited the consumer’s need to adjust the sound to suit their taste, space and playback; but with the CXA81, a new, more purist standard began.
Dominic Baker, technical director at the time, explained the reasoning to the FT saying: “Tone controls came into existence in the days of cassettes, and the very poor sound quality they gave. There’s good reason today to let the music sound how it left the recording studio, which CD and digital allows.”
The CXA81 had a seismic impact on the market, disposing of its rivals with its powerful, dynamic, and astonishingly detailed sound.
Read our Cambridge Audio CXA81 review
Cambridge Audio Edge A amplifier (2019)
(Image credit: Cambridge Audio)
Timed to coincide with the 50th anniversary of Cambridge Audio, the Edge series (named after founder Gordon Edge, not Bono’s mate) was the culmination of a three-year process that started with a blank sheet of paper and no time constraints.
Harking back to the P40’s original innovation, the engineers designing the Edge A took toroidal technology one step further by using two opposing transformers to cancel out electromagnetic interference, offering outstanding power and maintaining consistent tonality.
Elsewhere the signal path was shortened as much as possible to reduce significantly the chance of colour or distortion being added to the sound. Capacitors were removed from the signal path, and a DC-coupled topology was introduced to the circuit board.
The result was an impressive sound that won five stars from us. At £4500, the Edge A amplifier is a premium product with a premium price, signalling that, despite its long-term commitment to excellent-quality budget products, Cambridge Audio can still compete at higher price point too.
MORE
Read our Cambridge Audio Edge A review
6 of the best British hi-fi innovations and technologies
A history of KEF speakers, from the K1 to the Concept Blades
Qobuz has beaten Tidal to become the first music service to bring 24-bit hi-res audio streaming to Sonos speakers. It’s quite a coup for Qobuz – and welcome news for Sonos owners who have been waiting patiently for the chance to stream higher quality audio.
You’ll need a subscription to either of Qobuz’s tiers, Studio Premier or Studio Sublime, plus the Sonos S2 app, which supports 24-bit 44.1/48kHz for FLAC and is compatible with most Sonos speakers including the new Sonos Roam.
“For many years hi-res audio was only available to a select few with the knowledge of where to get it and how to play it”, noted Dan Mackta, MD of Qobuz USA. “Now, millions of people have the hardware in their homes already – and the source has never been easier to access than through hi-res streaming with Qobuz on Sonos.”
The Sonos S2 app already lets users play 24-bit files from a local drive, but this is the first time that users have been able to stream hi-res tracks from a music service.
Quboz launched in 2007 and quickly became the first music service to offer CD-quality streaming in the UK. A subscription costs from £12.49 a month but new users can try it out for free here. In 2013, it became the first service to offer 16-bit streaming on Sonos, which may go some why to explaining how it got the jump on its biggest rivals – Tidal and Amazon Music HD – in this instance.
Qobuz 24-bit hi-res streaming is available now on Sonos in Austria, Belgium, France, Germany, Ireland, Italy, Luxembourg, Netherlands, Spain, Switzerland, United Kingdom, and the United States.
Meanwhile, Spotify has announced plans to launch Spotify HiFi later this year. The new subscription tier will offer “lossless audio” streams, but not, it seems, 24-bit high-res tracks. But will that matter?
MORE:
Deep dive: read our in-depth review of Quboz
Here’s our pick of the best music streaming services
Naim Mu-so 2nd Gen wireless speakers get Qobuz support
Here’s the situation: you’re typing a report for work, and you suddenly have to write the phrase “Jones née Berkowitz.” Or you are adding a phrase in Spanish and need to use the word “años.” How do you add the special characters to the letters?
Special characters (also known as diacritical marks) may be more common in certain languages, but there are plenty of circumstances in which English speakers may need to use them. But because they are so rare in English, native English speakers may not have learned how to add those marks to documents, emails, or other writings on their Macs.
Here’s how:
For access to more common diacritical marks, you just need to hold down the key for the letter you want to use until a small numbered menu appears on-screen. The menu that pops up will show all of the diacritical marks available for that letter; just type the correct number, and the letter with the mark will appear on your screen.
If you hold down the “e” key, all of the available diacritical marks will appear with numbers.
Use the Keyboard Viewer
There are a number of other special characters that you may want to use, which you can access by pressing down the Option key on your Mac’s keyboard and then pressing the appropriate key. Not sure which key is the appropriate one? There is a Keyboard Viewer that will let you see all of the variations that you can use.
It’s simple to find the Keyboard Viewer — if you’ve got the icon for the Input Menu in your menu bar.
The icon for the Input Menu appears in the upper right menu bar.
Don’t see it? Here’s how to get it into your menu bar:
Go to Apple menu > System Preferences > Keyboard. Click on the Input Sources tab and look for the checkbox labeled “Show Input menu in menu bar.” If it’s not checked, then check it.
To get the Input Menu icon, you need to enable it in your Keyboard preferences.
Click on the Input Menu icon (which will now be on the right side of your menu bar). Select “Show Keyboard Viewer.”
A visual of your keyboard will appear on your screen. If you press on the Option key on your keyboard, the Keyboard Viewer will show you what special characters are available if you press those keys in combination with the Option key.
Note: some of the keys will be outlined in orange. These are the keys we mentioned earlier, the ones that have several special characters and can be held down to see the various characters that can be used with them.
(Pocket-lint) – The DS 3 Crossback E-Tense name might be something of a mouthful, but hidden behind the nomenclature is a nice compact hatchback, boosted to give it crossover appeal, while retaining the charms of the regular DS 3.
The E-Tense is the first fully electric car from DS Automobiles, arriving in full DS style, with options for lavish design and something that’s just a bit different to everything else on the road. But it’s a bit expensive considering, so does it offer true appeal?
A unique design
Being different is often enough to make you stand out when you’re a car. If it wasn’t for the super Honda e – which is even more different – the DS 3 Crossback E-Tense might be the most distinctive EV on the road, from the interior at least.
From the outside there are some quirks – such as that shark fin behind the B pillar – but you can feel the DS 3 heritage getting inflated, riding a little higher, slightly more accentuated. Otherwise the general positioning of the car as a practical hatchback remains the same.
Pocket-lint
But this is a unique DS model. While it sits on the same platform as some rivals – the Peugeot e-2008, Vauxhall Corsa e, Citroën eC4 – nothing carries these looks. There’s no old Citroën model that looks the same, and no petrol version that’s just been converted – so there is something special about this model.
There’s a huge grille on the front, while areas that look like they might have been somewhere to put other vents on a combustion car sport the same look, resulting in a car that isn’t a hugely electric-looking EV.
But that does lend some sporty charm to things, while the recessed doorhandles – which pop out as you approach the car – bring a premium sense of occasion.
Pocket-lint
The stance on the road is pretty good, but some of those styling points do start to get in the way. The fins on the side reduce the window space for the rear passengers, while the rear window looks smaller from the inside than it needs to be – a chunk of the rearview is eaten up by plastic bodywork across the bottom of the window, which we don’t really think needs to be there.
A distinctively designed interior
Since the separation of DS Automobiles from Citroën, DS has pursued a design line based around offering something inspired by French fashion. It wants to be unique and it wants to give you a higher quality experience. That’s seen heavily in the interior design, with the use of textures you might associate more with prestige watchmaking than in a car.
Up at the top level, on the Prestige Ultra model (as reviewed), that results in a sumptuous finish. It’s not just leather, it’s hand stitched in places, using special pearl stitching and – importantly – uniquely different to the premium German marques that DS Automobiles wants to compete with.
At the same time, that commitment to design can see impracticalities. We know why DS chose to put the dash buttons into diamond shapes, but they are larger than they need to be – and the couple of blank spaces are what you notice the most.
But there are choices to be made, with the DS 3 Crossback E-Tense available in five different trims, affecting the wheel size, paint colours and interior options.
To give the E-Tense its due, though, it is comfortable. We like the finish on the seats and it’s nice to be in a cabin that isn’t just the same as a whole family of cars elsewhere. Front passenger and driver get plenty of room, but the rear is a little short on knee space, just like many other hatchbacks.
Pocket-lint
The boot offers 350 litres of space, which is typical for this size of car, meaning you can stuff in a large family shop or enough baggage for a weekend away.
Interior tech
When it comes to the interior tech offering, the DS 3 Crossback E-Tense again suffers from that heavy design ethic. We’ve commented on this before – especially on the DS 7 Crossback – that some of that styling in the graphical interface isn’t especially helpful.
The DS 3 is clearer, however, with a smaller digital driver display having the benefit of not giving the software designers too much space to fiddle around. There are several views you can scroll through to customise the information – and on our review model, a heads-up display (HUD) to provide pertinent information while on the road.
In the centre of the car is a larger display, 7-inches on lower trims and a 10.3-inch on higher trims. The expansion to the larger models seems to result in empty space at the edges, or once you’ve made your selection, permanently visible cabin temperature, so it’s not a huge gain.
The infotainment system is easy enough to use, offering touchscreen interaction, working with those big buttons on the dash to work through the mainstays of music, climate control, navigation, car settings, and phone.
We found the navigation and mapping to be pretty good, although you can’t zoom and manipulate the maps to the same sort of extent that you can a smartphone, so it does have some limitations – likely to be addressed in the new system being introduced in the DS 4.
Pocket-lint
Perhaps the thing that’s the most irksome is having to dig to find charging stations through the points of interest options. Again, as this is an EV, that sort of option should be front and centre.
Where things get a bit questionable are diving into the details of power consumption. As this is an electric car, efficiency and performance is ever more important, and getting access to that information is useful for a driver. There’s a dedicated button which is good, but the information you get could be better.
The E-Tense will present stats for your journey, giving you a sensible miles per kWh which is useful, but it also presents a graph. The Y axis on this graph has a scale that runs up to 120miles per kWh, which is utterly useless, seeing as the average is going to be around 4 – so it’s literally wasted space, unless you’re just rolling down hills.
Pocket-lint
On the Prestige Ultra there’s a Qi charging pad for your phone, but it also supports Android Auto and Apple CarPlay, so you can use a phone-based system if you want.
We found the sound quality to be good from the speakers within the car, although it’s always a pleasure listening to music in an electric car when you’re not fighting with any engine noise.
Equipped with cameras, there’s fancy parking assistance, able to view the car’s surroundings on the screen, making it really easy to put yourself into a tight parking space – especially useful for reversing into awkward EV charging locations.
Driving, battery size and range
The DS 3 Crossback E-Tense is a nice car to drive. It rides pretty high, so there’s a sense of road domination which is great from a smaller car. The ride is pretty quiet, too, so you don’t hear too much noise coming into the cabin – extending the feeling that this is just a little better than average.
The suspension is perhaps a little on the hard side – while we didn’t have a problem with it on broken suburban roads, it could just be a little softer. The steering is a little light, probably designed to suit the urban driver that’s likely to buy this car, rather than the B-road racer who might want something a little heavier.
Pocket-lint
One of the advantages of electric cars is that they offer instant torque for a spritely drive and the E-Tense is no different in that regard. There’s a D and B position on the gear selector, with the B (battery) option giving you a stronger regeneration when lifting off the pedal. This goes some way to offering one-pedal driving, although the car won’t come to a complete standstill in this mode, it will just slow down and then creep along the road.
The best electric cars 2021: Top battery-powered vehicles available on UK roads
By Chris Hall
·
There are also driving modes which have a bigger impact on the setup of the car – eco, normal, sport – with the names very much revealing what they do. Eco cuts the throttle response so you don’t expend so much energy in acceleration. It works well, we just wish you could have the car startup in these modes, rather than having to select it every time.
Turning to the important range, and the DS 3 Crossback E-Tense is equipped with a 50kWh battery and a 100kW motor. That gives you a larger battery than the Mini Electric, a smaller battery than the Kia e-Niro – and that’s generally reflected in the resulting range.
Pocket-lint
The range, on paper, is 191-206 miles. In our driving we found we could, with a little effort (aircon off, eco mode, infotainment off), get averages of around 4.7 miles per kWh around town, which would bring it in at 235 miles. Casually nipping to the supermarket sat closer to 3.2 m/kWh, which would give you 160 miles. We couldn’t find long-term averages for the car during our review.
It also supports up to 100kW charging, which will take it to 80 per cent in 30 minutes. Home charging on a 7.2kW will take about seven-and-a-half hours to completely charge it.
That sits the E-Tense in a reasonable position, although the Kia e-Niro gives you more range for your money in a similar size car, while the Peugeot e-2008 is a healthy chunk cheaper for much the same setup. There is a premium to pay for all that prestige, it seems.
Verdict
There are some elements of the DS 3 Crossback E-Tense that we really like. It’s a nice car to drive and the performance is pretty good, making it a practical electric car, sizeable enough to seat a small family, so great for everyday use.
The range sits in the middle of the pack and you can get a little more range for around the same price elsewhere – it’s hard to ignore the offerings from Peugeot which are also more affordable.
Ultimately, the DS 3 Crossback E-Tense again delivers something a little different. Stylistically that interior is like nothing else on the road. That could make the E-Tense stand apart – but at the same time, there are things that could be done to make it a more attractive buy too.
Also consider
Pocket-lint
Kia e-Niro
It’s one of the top rated electric cars and that comes down to value for money, efficiency of the drive, and the option for a pretty big battery.
Read our review
Pocket-lint
Nissan Leaf
Nissan has been in this game a long time and that shows in the Leaf. There’s efficiency and the option for bigger batteries to provide a useful range.
The brains and brawn behind your hi-fi. Underestimate the stereo amplifier’s importance in how your system sounds at your peril.
This list of the best stereo amplifiers from the pages of What Hi-Fi? showcases the power providers that have helped to get the most out of our set-ups over the years.
Big or small, budget or high-end, functional or stylish, these amplifiers have left an indelible impression.
Welcome to What Hi-Fi?‘s British Hi-Fi Week!
A&R Cambridge A60 (1979)
Arcam got off to a flier with its first product, the A60. It was a well-equipped amp, with a decent array of line-level inputs and a capable moving-magnet phono stage, and we were very much taken by its sound quality back in 1979. To this day, it’s still able to showcase the smooth presentation and expressive midrange that made it such a fun and entertaining listen. And that wood finish was, indeed still is, rather lovely.
MORE: That Was Then… A&R Cambridge A60 (1976) vs. Arcam A19 (2013)
Audiolab 8000A (1983)
Audiolab’s 8000A caused a stir thanks to its “superb finish and styling”, although today it looks like a grey tinged box with lots of dials. Still, distinctive looks aside, it offered excellent sound and features including bass and treble controls, a stereo balance control and a separate record selector, so you could “listen to one source while taping another”. The sound was smooth with “plenty of presence and detail”. Add its fine build and features and the 8000A was great value for money.
MORE: Audiolab 8300A review
Mission Cyrus One (1984)
The Mission Cyrus One – back when Cyrus was a part of Mission – was very much a product for audiophiles, despite its budget price. It had no tone or balance controls and carried plenty of inputs for sources. The One communicated a precise soundstage, but it was also capable of handling low-level details that other amplifiers “repressed or simply rendered messy”. Combine that sound with a superb build quality, and you had an amp whose performance could rival pricier options.
MORE: Cyrus One review
Naim 32/Snaps/250 power amp (1984)
This Naim came in three parts, with the 32 pre-amp, its accompanying power supply and the now legendary 250 stereo power amplifier. It was a popular combination that made up many hi-fi users’ systems in the 80s, and was capable of delivering drive, dynamic punch and powers of organisation that few could match. It was an impressive combination and the 250 has proved to be so popular that it’s received several makeovers since, getting better with each iteration.
MORE: Naim NAP 250 review
Arcam DiVA A85 (2001)
The A85 was different from its forebears. Where previous Arcam efforts veered towards warm and safe, the A85 had the ferocity of a sledgehammer smashing through glass. It worked well with all genres of music, with no trace of boom or bloom, and a clarity that extended throughout the frequency range. We noted its “immaculately clean” midrange that had a resolution its rivals couldn’t match. The A85 was a sonic leader in its class, a fully featured amp that blew away the competition.
MORE: Arcam FMJ A39 review
Roksan Caspian M2 (2010)
The Caspian amp had been around the block a few times, as Roksan improved the design and performance. The fruit of that labour was the Caspian M2. With a revised circuit layout and upgraded components, it had a bigger, more powerful presentation than before. It had a sense of authority, along with a dynamic sound that was full of detail, finesse and a rich tonality, making for an immensely capable effort. The build and finish were excellent, it was easy to partner with and, while its distinctive look caused some consternation, there was no doubting its status as an exceptional performer.
MORE: Roksan Caspian M2 review
Naim Supernait 2 (2014)
We weren’t fully convinced by the original Supernait, which sounded less dynamic than we liked. This issue was not a problem for its successor, a “supremely stable, confident-sounding” amplifier that boasted excellent bass performance and surefooted rhythms. Throw in the potential for upgrades and a terrific build, and the Supernait 2 was a superb amplifier that delivered Naim’s “addictive sound” for a reasonable price.
MORE: Naim Supernait 3 review
Rega Elex-R (2014)
(Image credit: Future)
The Rega Elex-R spent five years as our favourite stereo amplifier costing less than a grand – that’s longer than the time spent in office by certain US Presidents. Its last What Hi-Fi? Award was collected in 2018, but even since then it has remained a reference component here thanks to its articulate and inherently musical performance. The Elex-R is sure to be an amp searched for by hi-fi enthusiasts for decades to come.
MORE: Rega Elex-R review
Leema Tucana II Anniversary Edition (2017)
Established in 1998 by two ex-BBC engineers, Leema Acoustics quickly established itself as one of our favourite specialist hi-fi brands. This anniversary model of the amplifier that helped launch Leema encapsulated everything we love about the company’s products. It looks superb and feels built to last – and the individual passport signed by the engineer who approved the product is a lovely touch. Leema keeps it analogue on the inside, preferring to suggest you add external digital components should you need them, helping no doubt to deliver that clean, punchy, powerful sound. Rich and smooth without lacking attack, the performance is precisely as impressive as you’d expect from a £5000 amplifier.
MORE:Leema Tucana II Anniversary Edition
Cambridge Audio CXA81 (2018)
(Image credit: Cambridge Audio)
If you’ve heard the mighty Rega Elex-R (above), you’ll understand just how big a feat it was for another sub-grand integrated to knock it off its perch. The Cambridge Audio CXA81 didn’t just do so in 2018, it left more feathers strewn than after a Sandringham pheasant hunt. It proved sharper and more detailed, and stamps its authority with that supremely confident Cambridge presentation.
MORE: Cambridge Audio CXA81
PMC Cor (2018)
We all know PMC’s excellent speakers, but don’t be thinking the Cor, the company’s first dedicated consumer amplifier, is entirely new territory for the company. Since 1991 PMC has been making the amps for active speakers such as the BB5s, the reference monitors found in the BBC’s Maida Vale Studios. And that experience shows. Like so many engineer side projects, this one’s a doozy, so we hope PMC sticks with it. Transparency is the name of the game here, the Cor delivering a faithful, balanced, neutral sound. The Cor comes “highly recommended”.
MORE: PMC Cor review
Got one of these but don’t know what to pair it with? Check out the best British speakers of all time
Record collectors rejoice! Vinyl revenues in the UK are expected to overtake those of CDs in 2021, according to the British Phonographic Industry (BPI)’s response to a new Official Charts report.
Working from this Official Charts Company data, the BPI has revealed that UK music industry revenues rose 3.8 per cent in 2020, reaching nearly £1.12 billion – the highest total in 14 years.
The UK trend echoes the RIAA’s year-end report on the state of the US music industry – which showed that US revenue from vinyl sales have overtaken that of CDs for the first time in 35 years.
Sales of the classic record format in the US have increased consistently since 2006, but last year it saw its biggest single week since electronic sales tracking began (in 1991), with 1.841 million vinyl albums sold in the week ending 24th December, according to the MRC data.
Back to Blighty then – it is British Hi-Fi Week after all – and despite (or perhaps owing to) the nationwide UK lockdown resulting in the nixing of all live gigs, vinyl revenues increased 30.5 per cent year-on-year to £86.5 million (the highest total since 1989) which helped the music industry offset an 18.5 per cent decline in CD sales – although said sales still amounted to an imposing £115 million.
And the headline grabber now is that BPI chief executive Geoff Taylor predicts industry income from vinyl will outperform CD for the whole of 2021 in the UK.
“Vinyl’s exceptional performance despite retail lockdowns confirms its role as a long-term complement to music streaming. 2021 is likely to be the year in which revenues from LPs overtake those from CDs for the first time in well over three decades – since 1987,” he said, adding, “In addition to the immediacy and convenience of streaming, fans want to get closer to the artists they love by owning a tangible creation”.
UK sales of vinyl jumped by 11.5 per cent year-on-year to 4.8 million in 2020, marking the 13th consecutive year of growth – all of this despite physical retail store closures across the country in line with coronavirus restrictions. And it’s the fifth consecutive year of growth for the British recorded music industry – the healthiest number since £1.166 billion was generated in 2006.
Want to start collecting vinyl? Congratulations, there’s never been a better time wherever you are. Have a gander at our feature entitled where to buy vinyl: affordable ways to start a record collection, our advice on how to build the perfect sound system and most of all, enjoy the process.
MORE:
In a nostalgic mood? See 10 of the best British record players of all time
Read to buy a turntable? Consult best record players 2021: best turntables for every budget
See also best turntable speakers 2021: top speakers for your record player
With cinemas closed, many of us are looking for ways to create a big-screen cinema experience at home. Step forward the Hisense L5F Laser Cinema, a new ultra-short throw projector that can throw a 120-inch 4K image when placed just 14-inches from a vertical surface.
The H5F – the latest addition to the Chinese tech firm’s L5 series of 4K projectors – launched in the US this week and carries an MSRP of $5000 (around £3700, AU$6600). Built-in Android TV brings support for a plethora of popular streaming apps such as Netflix and Hulu, and there’s a voice remote for using Google Assistant.
The DLP projector uses a single X-Fusion blue laser light source and phosphor colour filter for a claimed brightness of almost 2700 lumens and more than a billion colours. Indeed, Hisense claims the the L5F “delivers up to 83% of the DCI-P3 color gamut” – not bad for a projector that can be stowed away neatly between uses.
According to Hisense, the L5F delivers “true-to-life picture quality” with HDR support coming in the form of HDR10 and HLG. The company’s MEMC smooth motion technology should help deliver on the promise of crisp images during fast-moving scenes.
The projector has two 15-watt built-in speakers, so it’s technically an all-in-one entertainment solution. That said, you’d do well to upgrade to a separate soundbar or surround sound speakers if you want an audio experience worthy of the silver screen.
Those with a next-gen gaming console (here’s where to buy a PS5 and Xbox Series X, if you’re struggling to find one) will be pleased to note that you can connect a gaming system via the L5F’s four HDMI ports.
There’s no word on when the L5F will be available in the UK, but last year’s 100-inch L5F launched at AO.com for £5000 (it’s now dropped to £3000).
Looking for a more affordable way to get a big picture without a huge TV cluttering up your living room? Take a spin around our guide to the best projectors.
MORE:
Our pick of the best projectors: Full HD, 4K, portable, short throw
Hisense launches new TriChroma laser TVs at CES 2021
Expert advice: How to set up your projector and get the best picture
Deezer has revealed a new subscription tier combining the benefits of its ad-free Family and Hi-Fi packages called, unsurprisingly, Family HiFi.
If you’re already a Deezer HiFi user, you can upgrade to Family HiFi immediately and get up to six individual, password-protected profiles for £19.99/$19.99 a month (the service isn’t rolling out to Australia just yet) – that’s an increase of £5/$5 over a regular HiFi subscription. New subscribers will get the opportunity to open a Family HiFi account for the same price later in the year.
A single Deezer HiFi account currently costs £14.99/$14.99 per month for which users can listen to 70 million tracks in 16-bit, 1411kbps CD-quality across several devices, including iOS, Android, desktop, plus various other audio products, from multi-room speakers to AV receivers. The top-level service also allows access to the 360 by Deezerapp that allows you to experience tracks encoded in 360 Reality Audio, Sony’s immersive audio format.
Those who upgrade to FamilyHiFi will also get the benefit of parental controls, dedicated customer service for HiFi users, and a specially curated Family Mix, so you might want to vet the tastes of your relatives before sharing.
The announcement brings Deezer in line with its streaming rivals in offering a multi-user CD-quality tier with Amazon Music HD (£19.99/$19.99), Tidal (£29.99/$29.99), and Qobuz (£24.99/$24.99) already offering the option to add up to 6 users to their top tiers, although Deezer still doesn’t have the option of hi-res audio.
With streaming giant Spotify set to join the party later this year with its CD-quality Spotify HiFi tier, and no word on the pricing or if it includes a family subscription, Deezer appears to be attempting to strengthen its offering in an increasingly crowded marketplace.
Xiaomi’s Black Shark brand has announced its fourth series of gaming phones, the Black Shark 4 and 4 Pro. They improve on the previous series in most of the ways you’d expect them to. There’s a faster processor, moving up to the Snapdragon 870 in the standard Black Shark 4 and the Snapdragon 888 in the 4 Pro. Both phones also come with fast LPDDR5 RAM and UFS 3.1 storage, though each will come in different configurations.
The Black Shark 4 starts with 6GB of RAM and 128GB of storage for 2,499 Chinese yuan (roughly $383), while the 4 Pro starts at 3,999 yuan (about $613) and has 8GB of RAM with 256GB of storage. These will debut in China on Friday, March 26th, while the company says an overseas launch will happen “in the near future.”
Image: Xiaomi
As is almost a given in the realm of gaming phones, Black Shark has leap-frogged Asus and RedMagic — some of its biggest competition in the niche gaming phone space — when it comes to touch sampling rate or how many times the display can register a touch. Both the Black Shark 4 and 4 Pro have a 720Hz touch sampling rate with a 8.3ms touch delay, which it claims to be an industry best. This spec likely won’t make a difference in most people’s day-to-day usage of these phones, but some hardcore gamers might care.
Both phones have the mechanical shoulder buttons introduced in the previous Black Shark phones, though the company claims it has improved their look and feel with “magnetic power lift” tech, making them feel more tactile to click, as well as fitting more seamlessly into the phone’s design. Speaking on the look of these new phones, they’re decidedly more attractive than the previous models.
Here’s the Black Shark 2, which introduced the pressure-sensitive display that lets you map two functions to one spot on the screen.Photo by James Bareham / The Verge
In addition to the shoulder buttons, these phones still have a pressure-sensitive display that I really liked in the Black Shark 2. With the shoulder buttons and a screen like this, you can re-map the controls of a mobile game to be a little more comfortable.
Unlike last year’s model, the Black Shark 4 and 4 Pro have displays that are the same size. They both have 6.67-inch OLED screens with a 144Hz refresh rate. Like the Asus ROG Phone 5 Ultimate that I recently reviewed, these phones have dual front-facing speakers with claims that they have good spatial audio separation. Also like that Asus phone, Black Shark announced that a fan accessory called the FunCooler 2 Pro can be attached to keep it cooler. The price for that is 199 yuan (about $30).
It’s taken years, but OnePlus is finally getting in the smartwatch game with the newly announced OnePlus Watch, starting at $159. The new watch (as was revealed last week) has a round design that looks similar to a regular wristwatch, instead of the oblong rectangle popularized by the Apple Watch and its imitators, like the Oppo Watch.
The case itself is stainless steel, measures 46mm, and features two buttons on the side (one of which features the OnePlus logo). It’ll be available in two colors: silver and black. The display is a 1.39-inch OLED panel at 326ppi, with sapphire glass.
The watch will also feature a version of OnePlus’ Warp Charge system (promising a week of battery life off a 20-minute charge). OnePlus promises that the watch should last up to two weeks on a single charge or up to one week for heavier users.
Specs-wise, the OnePlus Watch features 1GB of RAM, 4GB of internal storage, and integrated speakers. Wi-Fi, Bluetooth, and GPS are all built in, but there’s no cellular option. If you want connectivity on the watch, you’ll have to be connected to a nearby phone.
Image: OnePlus
Fitness is also a big part of the OnePlus Watch. It’ll offer over 110 workout modes, offer built-in GPS, and feature IP68 water and dust resistance. Additionally, the OnePlus Watch features internal storage for music, which allows users to store up to 500 songs to listen to over their Bluetooth headphones when out on a run, even if they don’t have their phone with them. The OnePlus Watch can also automatically detect and track workouts as well as monitor sleep, stress, blood oxygen saturation, and heart rate.
OnePlus isn’t using Wear OS for the OnePlus Watch, though. As the company had announced before the event, it’ll use RTOS-style software setup (similar to companies like Fitbit), with a companion app that will allow it to connect to your phone to receive calls and notifications. (An iOS app for Apple users is promised for the future, too.)
That means things like app selection and custom watchfaces will be largely limited to whatever OnePlus can build in-house — so no third-party apps, at least for now. That said, to start, there’ll be dozens of watchface options to choose from (with additional customization choices to add more style options), so users will have some flexibility.
The OnePlus Watch can also be connected to a OnePlus TV (where available), allowing it to be used as a remote. And if you happen to fall asleep when you’re watching TV on OnePlus’ set, the watch can automatically turn off the TV after it detects that you’ve fallen asleep.
Image: OnePlus
The company also announced a limited edition model made out of a cobalt alloy, which it says is twice as hard as stainless steel. OnePlus says that the Cobalt Limited Edition will be “coming soon,” but the company isn’t providing a price yet.
The OnePlus Watch will start at $159 and will be available starting on April 14th from OnePlus’ website.
Related:
We use cookies on our website to give you the most relevant experience. By clicking “Accept”, you consent to the use of ALL the cookies.
This website uses cookies to improve your experience while you navigate through the website. Out of these, the cookies that are categorized as necessary are stored on your browser as they are essential for the working of basic functionalities of the website. We also use third-party cookies that help us analyze and understand how you use this website. These cookies will be stored in your browser only with your consent. You also have the option to opt-out of these cookies. But opting out of some of these cookies may affect your browsing experience.
Necessary cookies are absolutely essential for the website to function properly. This category only includes cookies that ensures basic functionalities and security features of the website. These cookies do not store any personal information.
Any cookies that may not be particularly necessary for the website to function and is used specifically to collect user personal data via analytics, ads, other embedded contents are termed as non-necessary cookies. It is mandatory to procure user consent prior to running these cookies on your website.
