The hi-fi hobby is full of dogmas and unshakeable truths. One of them is that you need a lot of equipment to get good sound. System Audio challenges this mindset with its Silverback 40.2 DS, where the idea is so simple that it almost seems rude: two speakers, a hub and power. That’s all you …
JBL has the widest selection of portable and party speakers on the market. There is something for every taste and every need – but it is the PartyBox series that really gets the party started. PartyBox 520 is the latest and largest JBL model with battery operation and can play for up to 15 hours …
Samsung is a popular TV brand with a range of models in all shapes and sizes, but the common denominator for these is that – like most TV screens – they often have pretty poor sound quality. Thankfully, Samsung recognises this and offers a wide range of soundbars to suit the different series. And while …
Samsung has had great success with The Frame TV, which mimics a picture frame. So it’s no surprise that they’re now trying to replicate that same success in the audio world with the Music Frame. It was launched with great fanfare at CES in Las Vegas, and now we’ve finally got the chance to test …
The JBL PartyBox Club 120 is portable, but only to a point. Weighing in at over 14kg, it’s not the kind of speaker you’d throw on your shoulder and take to the park. But at least it’s portable. Which means it can easily be taken to a neighbour’s party or moved around the patio and …
Argon Audio Forte A4 WiFi is the third generation of the Forte series. We have tested different models in the previous two series and have been impressed with the sound every time. As before, these are compact, active two-way speakers with 4-inch midwoofer and 1-inch dome tweeter. The speakers can only be purchased as a …
In recent years, JBL has been getting back to its roots – and they’re still digging. Since the JBL L100 Classic really kicked off the nostalgia, JBL has launched dozens of new models in retro designs. Often with “Classic” or “Authentics” woven into the name to emphasise that we have returned to the original virtues. …
The classic JBL speakers of the 70s came with a distinctive front fabric, known as Quadrex because of the pattern of cut-out squares in the foam. The new Authentics series has the same pattern in the grille, but otherwise there are few similarities. The Authentics series consists of three wireless table speakers. They boast stereo …
Bang & Olufsen are faithful to their own recipe. Which should be seen as a good thing. Models don’t change with random fashion fads, but are continuously updated for years – or even decades. Beolab 8, however, is brand new. So new that we are one of the first media outlets globally to have had …
JBL wants to get nostalgia buffs tingling over their new Authentics wireless speaker series. With the largest Authentics 500 sitting at the top. It’s significantly larger than the second largest, portable Authentics 300, which is probably why they didn’t even bother to fit the 500 model with a battery. Granted, it’s not as huge as …
The huge JBL speaker can raise the dead and scare the Devil out of Hell. It is not for nothing that they call it Ultimate. The recipe is the same as for all JBL’s party boxes, but with even more yeast added to raise the sound level so the windows pop out of the walls. …
It looks like something a roadie dragged onto a stage, ready for an overenthusiastic vocalist to put a mark on with his Dr. Martens boots that never fade. I suspect it could withstand that, for Sharp’s SumoBox seems like it will survive a long life on stages around the world. But that would be a …
The Logitech-owned Ultimate Ears has had great success with its portable Bluetooth speakers under the name Boom. The latest addition is the UE Epicboom, which we review here. Calling a two-kilo portable speaker with a wrist strap epic is ambitious, bordering on hubris. But what to do when there’s almost no effect word in the …
When Sonos suddenly introduced a portable speaker in 2019, moving away from multi-room and indoor TV speakers, it opened up new possibilities. Not only could you take it from room to room, but you could also use it in the garden or, for that matter, in the bathroom when you took a shower because it …
If you’re finally going to treat yourself to a portable speaker for great sound on holiday, why not do it properly? The Bang & Olufsen Beosound A5 is unlike any other speaker. Be it in terms of sound, looks or functionality. It’s based on the beautiful Beolit 20, which is already a speaker that costs …