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Welcome to the June 2016 issue of Hi-Fi Choice – the essential guide to getting the best possible sound from your hi-fi, whether you're buying, tuning or tweaking...



At the risk of sounding like a broken record in mentioning yet again just how back on track vinyl playback really is, confirmation of its popularity arrived in mid-April – if ever it were needed – when news broke that pre-orders for Technics’ highly anticipated limited edition Grand Class  SL-1200GAE turntable had sold out in Japan in just  30 minutes. The rebirth of the world’s most popular turntable among hi-fi fans and DJs alike is due to officially go on sale worldwide in June. But with a production run of just 1,200 models available (natch), the order books for  the limited edition £2,800 deck that celebrates the Japanese hi-fi brand’s 50th anniversary already look full, and the chance to be able to get your hands on one looks like it’s been and gone before anyone realised.

Keeping with the vinyl theme, another rebirth has taken place recently in the shape of our cover star and the return of the iconic Planar name to Rega’s latest mid-priced model three turntable. The name may have been around before, but the new Planar 3 is anything but a rehash. Read the full In-Depth review in this month's issue.

Also in the June issue: Rega's revived Planar 3 turntable, Elac’s Debut F5 floorstanding speakers, plus legendary studio Abbey Road shares its remastering secrets and Dealer Visit heads to Oxford Audio

Group Test: six sub-£650 mini systems fight it out for best sound for small spaces with compact setups from Cambridge Audio, Marantz, Novafidelity, Revo, Ruark Audio and Sonoro...