What HiFi Awards

[nopiano]

There's no secret about it. We held an Awards dinner in London on October 10th where we announced the winners to the industry (manufacturers, PRs and retailers). The Awards were then under strict embargo for one week until today, so retailers/manufacturers had time to get stock into the shops and prepare their marketing material. Then they can release their advertising/emails or whatever on the same day we unveil the winners publicly.

Anyone who has ever dealt with Press emabrgoes knows what a challenge they are to manage. I, for one, think you did a great job.

 

[Sabby]

Is the Rega RP6 really the best turntable?

Definitely NO!!

 

[Andy Clough]

Surprised the AKG 550 won best headphone at home, these can be bought for around £130 so not sure where you get your guide price of £200 from?

John Lewis (among others) sell them for £250:

http://www.johnlewis.com/akg-k550-closed-back-full-size-headphones-black/p231558674?kpid=231558674&s_kenid=761a9af0-8eb8-d4a8-6b61-000033cf2723&s_kwcid=ppc_pla&tmad=c&tmcampid=73

 

[BigH]

Surprised the AKG 550 won best headphone at home, these can be bought for around £130 so not sure where you get your guide price of £200 from?

John Lewis (among others) sell them for £250:

http://www.johnlewis.com/akg-k550-closed-back-full-size-headphones-black/p231558674?kpid=231558674&s_kenid=761a9af0-8eb8-d4a8-6b61-000033cf2723&s_kwcid=ppc_pla&tmad=c&tmcampid=73

They would

 

[simonlewis]

The pure radio that won product of the year, didn't that score badly on the gadget show, if i remember right they tested three internet radios and they weren't impressed with that pure radio.

 

[Cypher]

I was surprised that the NAD D3020 won an award. At the same time saying that the Rotel RA-10 sounds better.

 

[hammill]

The pure radio that won product of the year, didn't that score badly on the gadget show, if i remember right they tested three internet radios and they weren't impressed with that pure radio.

I don't completely trust What HiFi reviews, but they are considerably more reliable than the gadget show! As I recall, they had the singer from Fun Loving Criminals who did not like the Pure because he could not work out how to use it

 

[simonlewis]

Huey morgan.

 

[JoelSim]

Surprised the AKG 550 won best headphone at home, these can be bought for around £130 so not sure where you get your guide price of £200 from?

John Lewis (among others) sell them for £250:

http://www.johnlewis.com/akg-k550-closed-back-full-size-headphones-black/p231558674?kpid=231558674&s_kenid=761a9af0-8eb8-d4a8-6b61-000033cf2723&s_kwcid=ppc_pla&tmad=c&tmcampid=73

They would

Yup.

 

[RoadieRoger]

Why no mention of Tuners in the Awards these past years ? They aren`t mentioned in the Buyer`s Guide at the back of the Magazine which does claim to be the UK`s best guide for Hi-Fi as well . Portable Radio might have found a new lease of life somewhere , not in my house . I still listen to a Tuner and a Receiver .

 

[nopiano]

Why no mention of Tuners in the Awards these past years ?.

All the best ones are at least a decade old! The newer alternative is a streamer.

 

[bigboss]

I wished there were more contenders for the £300+ blu ray player award. I could see only 3 (Oppo 103 & CA are the others). Denon 3313UD & Oppo 105 would have made the competition interesting.

 

[BigH]

Im a bit confused by the Marantz 7007 review, it says £1,000 is a lot to pay for a BD palyer referring to the 7007 but it was tested at £700 and sells for around that still?

Also ? mark over universal, no wifi and only plays region 2.

I would have thought it would be better to have an upto £500 section and then above £500 section.

 

[the record spot]

Im a bit confused by the Marantz 7007 review, it says £1,000 is a lot to pay for a BD palyer referring to the 7007 but it was tested at £700 and sells for around that still?

Also ? mark over universal, no wifi and only plays region 2.

I would have thought it would be better to have an upto £500 section and then above £500 section.

Traditionally, a universal player is one that incorporates BR, DVD, CD, SACD, DVD-A and in the odd case (as with the Cambridge 752) HDCD as well. Not too many of those kicking around. So I think it refers more to disc based formats than the mass ranks of non-disc digital formats out there.

Seems an odd critique though - the Oppo at £900 is more expensive (try finding one at £700) - so I'd have thought the "sound per pound" thing works, or should work, enormously in Marantz's favour.

 

[BigH]

Im a bit confused by the Marantz 7007 review, it says £1,000 is a lot to pay for a BD palyer referring to the 7007 but it was tested at £700 and sells for around that still?

Also ? mark over universal, no wifi and only plays region 2.

I would have thought it would be better to have an upto £500 section and then above £500 section.

Traditionally, a universal player is one that incorporates BR, DVD, CD, SACD, DVD-A and in the odd case (as with the Cambridge 752) HDCD as well. Not too many of those kicking around. So I think it refers more to disc based formats than the mass ranks of non-disc digital formats out there.

Seems an odd critique though - the Oppo at £900 is more expensive (try finding one at £700) - so I'd have thought the "sound per pound" thing works, or should work, enormously in Marantz's favour.

It seems WHF have not reviewed the Oppo 105, after the Oppo 103 review, Im not surprised that they have not sent WHF one for review, the 103 seems out of line with all the other reviews I have seen but then I think there are better places than this for BD reviews. Maybe they should just stick to Hifi?

 

[bigboss]

Im a bit confused by the Marantz 7007 review, it says £1,000 is a lot to pay for a BD palyer referring to the 7007 but it was tested at £700 and sells for around that still?

Also ? mark over universal, no wifi and only plays region 2.

I would have thought it would be better to have an upto £500 section and then above £500 section.

Traditionally, a universal player is one that incorporates BR, DVD, CD, SACD, DVD-A and in the odd case (as with the Cambridge 752) HDCD as well. Not too many of those kicking around. So I think it refers more to disc based formats than the mass ranks of non-disc digital formats out there.

Seems an odd critique though - the Oppo at £900 is more expensive (try finding one at £700) - so I'd have thought the "sound per pound" thing works, or should work, enormously in Marantz's favour.

Well, the Oppo 105 has a lot more features than the Marantz UD7007, so it's not the price alone.

 

[alchemist 1]

I've not got a problem with any individual award.

But it's all pretty predictable.

KEF LS50 winning the Reader award was odds on. How many who voted actually own them.

Its also such such a commercial excercise. I've had emails from Superfi and Sevenoaks referencing the awards, I'm not ever so comfortable seeing a BUY link next to the winning items either.

I dont think even mr Spock would regard the AKG K550 as on ear headphones.

'' It's life Jim, but not as we know it'', Klingons on the starboard bow, starboard bow..............

 

[atishaysingh]

Arcam A 19 worth the hype??? Over Ra 10 or may be a Cyrus 6a...