News

Welcome to the January 2017 issue!

It may seem a little early to be welcoming in the new year with the first Hi-Fi Choice issue of 2017, but we’re already bursting into next year with exclusive reviews and the hottest news. Speaking of which, breaking news as we go to press with this issue is that Samsung is to acquire Harman International for a cash sum of $18bn. As one of the biggest names in the business, the US firm has its fingers in almost every sector of the audio market through a roll call of big-name brands that includes Harman Kardon, AKG and JBL, along with specialist premium audio brands Infinity and Mark Levinson et al. There had already been rumors circulating that Samsung was looking to buy a specialist audio brand, but it’s understood that Harman’s automotive connections are what ultimately secured the landmark deal as the smart-tech giant looks to move into these sectors. How this combined expertise will impact the audio markets remains to be seen, but with a major player like Samsung on board, 2017 looks to be shaping up to be a positive year for audio indeed. We’ll bring you more news on this story as it unfolds along with the most desirable audio kit unveiled for 2017 in our show report from CES Las Vegas next month.

This month’s reviews
Technics’ iconic SL-1200G direct-drive turntable, German Physiks HRS-130 floorstander, Copland DAC215 DAC/headphone amp, Pro-Ject Primary Phono USB turntable, plus Beautiful System from Pro-Ject, Unison Research and Opera

Group Test
Six superb headphones that master the art of noise-cancelling from: AKG, Audio-Technica, Bose, PSB, Sennheiser and Sony