Rewind: High End hi-fi highlights from Sonus Faber, Q Acoustics, Astell & Kern and more
Last week was the High End Munich show in Germany where numerous big-name brands unveiled a wealth of cool looking hi-fi. Thankfully our team was on the ground reporting live from the event making it quick and easy for us to create this week’s Rewind news summary!
But pay careful attention: while most of the headlines may have focused on hi-fi, there were also a few big developments in the world of home cinema over the past seven days.
Here’s what you need to know.
Q Acoustics resurrects its 3000 series
Q Acoustics has a strong track record creating top value home cinema and hi-fi speaker packages. This was showcased a mere week ago when we awarded the Q Acoustics 5050 floorstanders five stars and specifically highlighted their stellar value for money as a reason. We were happy to see Q Acoustics unveil its step down new 3000c series of speakers, which are even cheaper, at Munich as a result.
Read the full story: Q Acoustics 3000c is the entry-level speaker range we've been waiting six years for
TCL proves itself to be a performance-per-pound champ
Last week we delivered our definitive verdict on the TCL 85C805K. While it’s hard to describe it as “cheap”, our testing showed the giant 85-inch, Mini LED set is stellar value and actually outperforms many of the more expensive sets this size we have reviewed recently. Highlights include great contrast and an incredibly high maximum brightness. This, plus its strong HDR performance and wealth of gaming features, make it an easy recommendation.
Read our full TCL 85C805K review
WiiM levels up its hardware
Last week one of our readers' favourite affordable hi-fi brands, WiiM, lifted the lid on two new products. Specifically, it showed off new upgraded versions of its WiiM Ultra streamer and WiiM Amp Pro at Munich High End. The new streamer is interesting as it a colour touchscreen input alongside new hardware upgrades, including a new DAC. Meanwhile, the WiiM Ultra is a tweaked version of the original we reviewed last year with minor cosmetic and hardware changes, which were apparently based on customer feedback.
Read the full story: WiiM Ultra and WiiM Amp Pro are updated, versatile, multi-tasking streaming units
Tannoy brings back a 1950s hi-fi classic
Iconic, and newly resurrected, hi-fi brand Tannoy showed of a new line of Autograph 12 speakers. This is a classic product line which the firm originally launched in 1954. The speakers have a retro look but include new internal hardware headlined by an updated version of the 12-inch drive unit used on the original. We haven’t had a chance to listen to the speakers yet, but they certainly piqued our team’s interest at the High End show based on looks and pedigree alone.
Read the full story: Tannoy Autograph 12 speakers pay tribute to iconic driver 70 years after the originals
Fyne Audio launches a new tweeter
Fyne launched its new SuperTrax tweeter alongside a dedicated new cable at Munich. The tweeter is set to make its debut on the Scottish audio powerhouse’s new Vintage Classic Gold SP floorstanding speakers. It is being billed by Fyne as a revolutionary step in its ongoing quest to deliver audio “exactly as the artist intended”.
Read more: Fyne's Special Production speakers promise class-leading technologies in a more affordable package
Astell & Kern’s latest portable player looks set to take the fight to Sony
On top of all the speaker reveals, Astell & Kern used Munich as the launch pad for its new Activo P1 player. The new unit is part of Astell and Kern’s subsidiary brand, Activo, and a direct successor to the CT10 portable music player. We didn’t get a chance to try it at the show, but, based on its specification, it looks set to take on the equally affordable Sony NW-A306 which we reviewed last year.
Read the full story: Astell & Kern takes on the Sony Walkman with all-new Activo brand and P1 player
Sonus Faber launches some “entry level” speakers
Rounding out the speaker news for this week’s Rewind column, Sonus Faber launched its Sonetto G2 speakers at Munich. It is pitching them as entry level, but we have put that statement in quotation marks – for us, the new speakers’ £1150 starting price means they are still a little premium to justify that label. That aside, the speakers look very interesting, with the line-up including two standmount speakers, three floorstanders, a centre channel and a wall-mounted speaker. Each will include the brand's flagship driver technology which makes them a pretty enticing proposition, and one that we would love to check out in our test rooms when they come out later this year.
Read the full story: Sonus Faber brings flagship driver technology to stylish Sonetto G2 speakers
Did we mention High End Munich?
If you have made it this far and still haven’t quenched your thirst for knowledge, you can get a longer breakdown of all the news from High End Munich in our show guide!
Read more: High End Munich 2024 news and highlights: Focal, Pro-Ject, Chord and more
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