The Ultimate Guide To Hi-Fi

[admin_exported]

The latest Ultimate Guide is on sale from today. It's been completely redesigned from stem to stern, and features a mighty 120 pages of hardware reviews covering over 300 of Britain's best hi-fi buys. You'll find something to suit every budget inside, from £30 upgrade cables to £33,000 CD players, and the magazine's new format means we can give you even more information on our suggested Best Buy products in each category.
Aside from an in-depth review, you'll also find suggestions about suitable partnering equipment and ideal demo music to make the most of each product, plus details of its engineering highlights and our hands-on insights into what makes it so special in its class.

With our hints and tips on better system building and smarter shopping to ice the cake, we think it's our tastiest Guide yet – but I'd love to know what you think. Let me know your thoughts (and any future requests) right here.

 

[Clare Newsome]

And for a sneak peek inside the issue, see here...

 

[Simon Lucas]

[quote user="Andy Kerr"] It's been completely redesigned from stem to stern[/quote]

It was crying out for a new stem and stern - but then aren't we all?

 

[huddo]

Hi all, is this availble only from WHS or can it be bought at any "good newsagent" ???

 

[Simon Lucas]

[quote user="huddo"]can it be bought at any "good newsagent" ???[/quote]

Only good newsagents stock it. Any newsagent who doesn't stock it isn't a good newsagent.

 

[huddo]

Thanks Simon

 

[Thaiman]

No....they are not the local shop yet! but I can wait.

I kinna collect them date back many years ago

 

[Diamond Joe]

Got mine from the very reputable (!) Asda, only had a chance for a quick thumb through so far, looks good though.

Homing in on 2000 posts I see, Mr Thaiman sir.

 

[Anonymous]

yes and what an issue it is too! not a single mention of any product i own, except atacama equinox!
is my system not up to scratch? i don't think so, sure sounds ok to me - and not cheap!! what will the wife say?
for the record what hi don't rate;
arcam fmj a32
arcam diva cd 192
arcam diva p85
pmc gb1 - not the new and improved 'i' which 'sadly' i don't own.
merlin power cords
brilliance interconnects
linn bi-wire cable.
all not worthy of even also ran status. it's so depressing, what should i do? .......i know, ignore much of what you read and, to be fair to the mag! listen long and hard before you buy.
ps cyrus doesn't do it for me.
please excuse grammar etc, written in haste on wii.

 

[Alec]

[quote user="nandjg"]yes and what an issue it is too! not a single mention of any product i own, except atacama equinox!
is my system not up to scratch? i don't think so, sure sounds ok to me - and not cheap!! what will the wife say?
for the record what hi don't rate;
arcam fmj a32
arcam diva cd 192
arcam diva p85
pmc gb1 - not the new and improved 'i' which 'sadly' i don't own.
merlin power cords
brilliance interconnects
linn bi-wire cable.
all not worthy of even also ran status. it's so depressing, what should i do? .......i know, ignore much of what you read and, to be fair to the mag! listen long and hard before you buy.
ps cyrus doesn't do it for me.
please excuse grammar etc, written in haste on wii.[/quote]

Funny that, there are two components of "mine" in there... 😉

 

[Anonymous]

I'm sure your system is up to scratch - it certainly seems to be to me. To allay your concerns, and those of others out there with products that don't feature in the magazine: the Ultimate Guide, like every issue of What Hi-Fi? Sound and Vision, reflects components that are available to buy in the high street today.
In this particular instance, Arcam informed us that the products you list above would no longer be available once the magazine had gone on sale (or would, at best, be faced with a limited lifespan). So we decided not to include them in the magazine, a decision that was arrived at in consultation with the product manager from Arcam. Let's be absolutely clear: this isn't any sort of an agenda against Arcam, or indeed against people who like the sound that Arcam hi-fi creates. Far from it, in fact: for example, the CD192 earned five stars when reviewed in March 2007.
As for the PMC GB1s, well, as you've pointed out, they're not available any more, but the GB1is are. And we include a review of them, on p104. But surely we're not implying that we don't 'rate' the older GB1s simply by printing a review of the newer model, are we? I do hope not. Anyway, to return to the point I started with: I'm sure you've a great hi-fi, and you enjoy listening to it - so please, don't be depressed!

 

[Anonymous]

andy, i realise that sarcasm is the lowest form of wit..... but i was being sarcastic! to be fair though arcam separates do seem to a get a bit of a rough deal with your mag! i have auditioned in an array of hi-fi separates including (extensively) cyrus which your mag appears to favour - and it really is not the sound for me. u don't think i'm alobe in that, and to be fair the a32 has had extremely good reviews in other magazines - i think you gave it an average 3 star review
if the new 'i' series pmc's are significantly better than the ones i bought 3 years ago - then frankly i'm jealous, but the ones i have are still damned good.

 

[Thaiman]

[quote user="nandjg"]arcam fmj a32 arcam diva cd 192 arcam diva p85 [/quote]

Arcam's family!? I thought the MAG is call ultimate guide to HIFI!

Seriously though I like the way it wriiten more than some of the kits tested. If we all have the same taste then it would be very boring old world.

 

[Anonymous]

Got your copy yet, Thaiman?

 

[Andrew Everard]

Don't encourage him, Andy - you'll make Simon jealous...

 

[Andy Clough]

[quote user="Andrew Everard"]Don't encourage him, Andy - you'll make Simon jealous...[/quote]

We wouldn't want that now, would we?!

 

[Thaiman]

Simon and I....we have a good understanding

 

[Anonymous]

I'm enjoying reading the Ultimate guide to Hi-Fi, it's a bit like the HiFi Bible. Shame Cyrus' new CD players missed the boat... Plinius certainly gets a high end teachers pet award!jules.

 

[Thaiman]

[quote user="jules153"]
Plinius certainly gets a high end teachers pet award!

[/quote]

LOL I think I know who repondsible for that one

Ms N, why don't you do away with company car and get the Plinius combo instead.

 

[Thaiman]

Our newsagent sold out the whole 3 copies! I still haven't got ultimate guide yet, a trip to city it is then.....will have to pop in for a nice cuppa in Richersound too.

 

[the record spot]

Great to see the turntable section doing justice to just some of the innovative designs in the marketplace right now, but a little surprised to see, or not more accurately, the upgraded Linn Sondek? Any reason, or just not had deck to review? Obviously, I appreciate it's difficult to take all models in the market (Audio Note's TT1 or TT2 would be another example slightly further down the scale - assuming they're still producing those two).

Good magazine overall though - enjoyed the read on the way to work on the train this past week!

 

[Anonymous]

I must admit i was very surprised not to see any Arcam (particularly the CD192)gracing the pages of the Guide - except of course for the Solo. However, Andy has provided an adequate explanation for this.
Was rather surprised at your choice for the best speaker over 5000 though. Though maybe value-for-money might have had something to do with it... Also, no Chord Red Reference mentioned in the CDP's? You guys have heard this machine havent you - considering the price range of the other CDPs in the Guide i would of thought it worthy of a mention in the Best Of The Rest...

 

[Thaiman]

Well done on your first Ultimate guide Mr. K

You have carry on where Mr. E left off....shame about 4 stars SuperNait of course (should be 6 stars gold

)

I will have a relaxing afternoon now sir.