{"id":633974,"date":"2026-10-02T07:10:21","date_gmt":"2026-10-02T07:10:21","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/il\/633974\/"},"modified":"2026-10-02T07:10:21","modified_gmt":"2026-10-02T07:10:21","slug":"the-five-star-return-of-portable-hi-fi-classic-sonos-strikes-dolby-atmos-gold-fresh-turntable-treats-from-technics-and-pro-ject-and-more","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/il\/633974\/","title":{"rendered":"The five-star return of portable hi-fi classic, Sonos strikes Dolby Atmos gold, fresh turntable treats from Technics and Pro-Ject and more"},"content":{"rendered":"

October is here, and while many of us may be battening down the hatches, preparing for the flood of costume-clad, demonic children on their yearly hunt for free sweets, our experts remain (safely) locked in our test rooms.<\/p>\n

Thankfully, their efforts over the past month have not been in vain, as we\u2019ve found eight hi-fi and home cinema products worthy of our hallowed five-star rating. Here\u2019s what you need to know about them.<\/p>\n

AudioQuest DragonFly Copper<\/p>\n

Multiple team members have chronicled their fondness for the AudioQuest DragonFly <\/a>over the past year. A tiny DAC designed to elevate any phone, tablet or laptop\u2019s audio, the original DragonFly was a breakout success when it first launched over a decade ago. And, having fully tested the new DragonFly Copper, we\u2019re pleased to confirm the tiny DAC lives up to the line\u2019s strong legacy in nearly every way. As we said in our full review:<\/p>\n

Latest Videos FromWhat Hi-Fi?<\/p>\n

\u201cWe were briefly worried that AudioQuest<\/a> wouldn\u2019t be making any more DragonFlys once the Cobalt DAC\u2019s stock started winding down. We are very glad that it has, as the new DragonFly Copper is a terrific, tiny, simple device that is incredibly effective at making your desktop-bound music sound a hundred times better. For its size and price, it\u2019s quite astonishing just how good it is. Highly recommend.\u201d<\/p>\n

Five stars <\/p>\n

You may like<\/p>\n

Read our full AudioQuest DragonFly Copper review<\/a><\/p>\n

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Today’s best AudioQuest DragonFly Copper deals<\/p>\n

Sennheiser Momentum True Wireless 5<\/p>\n

Sennheiser<\/a> has been on something of a hot streak with its recent wireless offerings, with the Sennheiser Momentum 5 Wireless<\/a> and \u201cbenchmark-setting\u201d Sennheiser HDB 630 <\/a>both earning five-star ratings from our reviewers.<\/p>\n

The latest hi-fi, home cinema and tech news, reviews, buying advice and deals, direct to your inbox.<\/p>\n

Last month, we found a sprinkling of the magic that made those sets great has landed on the firm\u2019s latest earbuds, the Sennheiser Momentum True Wireless 5. Featuring a new design, completely reworked internals and the firm\u2019s bespoke 7mm TrueResponse dynamic drivers, the buds are a sonic treat capable of giving the best in the business a run for their money. As we said in our review:<\/p>\n

\u201cSennheiser\u2019s recent success in the over-ear headphones category has translated seamlessly to its latest pair of flagship wireless earbuds. If spaciousness, detail and precision are at the top of your sonic wishlist, the Momentum True Wireless 5 are a Christmas gift come early.\u201d<\/p>\n

Five stars<\/p>\n

What to read next<\/p>\n

Read our full Sennheiser Momentum True Wireless 5 review<\/a><\/p>\n

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Today’s best Sennheiser Momentum True Wireless 5 deals<\/p>\n

Sonos Beam Ultra<\/p>\n

Our reviewers have long wished for a new affordable Sonos<\/a> soundbar to replace the still-great but long in the tooth Beam (Gen 2). So on the one hand, we were initially a bit disappointed when the Beam Ultra, which sits above the Beam (Gen 2), launched and didn\u2019t deliver what we asked for. But, having put it through its paces, we can confirm it\u2019s still a fantastic performer \u2013 one of the best you\u2019ll find at its price.<\/p>\n

The addition of up-firing Dolby Atmos<\/a> drivers, refinements to its low end and minor quality of life improvements make it feel like a suitable step up and one of the best mid-range options for home cinema fans. As we said in our review: \u201cThe Beam Ultra is an exceptional soundbar in its own right. Sonos has struck Dolby Atmos gold yet again.”<\/p>\n

Five stars <\/p>\n

Read our full Sonos Beam Ultra review<\/a><\/p>\n

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Today’s best Sonos Beam Ultra deals<\/p>\n

Hisense PX4 Pro<\/p>\n

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\"Hisense<\/p>\n

(Image credit: What Hi-Fi?)<\/p>\n

Hisense is one of the power players in the world of ultra short throw (UST) projectors, being responsible for multiple Award winners, including the soon-to-be-retired PX3-Pro<\/a> and PL2<\/a> from two years ago. This is why our reviewers were excited when its new mid-tier PX4-Pro appeared in our viewing rooms last month. <\/p>\n

Featuring the latest generation of the firm\u2019s RGB laser cinema technology, which promises improvements to everything from its colour accuracy to peak brightness and black level, we had high hopes for the unit. And thankfully, having run it head-to-head with its main rivals and predecessor, we are pleased to report it\u2019s a solid upgrade and great option for UST fans. <\/p>\n

Hence our verdict: \u201cThe PX4 Pro is a worthy improvement to Hisense\u2019s line of mid-tier UST projectors, offering deeper blacks, more colour volume and a holistically improved, more three-dimensional-looking image.\u201d<\/p>\n

Our only word of warning is to gamers: while it can do high frame rates at 1080p, if you play in 4K it\u2019s limited to 60Hz.<\/p>\n

Five stars <\/p>\n

Read our full Hisense PX4 Pro review<\/a><\/p>\n

\"Hisense<\/p>\n

(Image credit: What Hi-Fi?)<\/p>\n

\"Hisense<\/p>\n

(Image credit: What Hi-Fi?)<\/p>\n

\"Hisense<\/p>\n

(Image credit: What Hi-Fi?)<\/p>\n

\"Hisense<\/p>\n

(Image credit: What Hi-Fi?)<\/p>\n

\"Hisense<\/p>\n

(Image credit: What Hi-Fi?)<\/p>\n

\"Hisense<\/p>\n

(Image credit: What Hi-Fi?)<\/p>\n

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Today’s best Hisense PX4 Pro deals<\/p>\n

Rotel Michi Prestige X430<\/p>\n

Rotel\u2019s Michi line continued its five-star streak last month with the new Prestige X430 integrated amplifier.<\/p>\n

Packed with all the connectivity you can think of, including a built-in phono stage, digital inputs, HDMI ARC connectivity, Bluetooth and two sets of switchable speaker outputs, the unit is a Swiss Army knife product designed for premium buyers looking to take their first proper step into the world of high-end separates.<\/p>\n

It\u2019s still far from \u201ccheap\u201d, but competitive \u00a34499 \/ $4999 \/ AU$6499 pricing places it a good few grand lower than its main rivals, making it an alluring proposition for its target market, especially given its unfussy nature and generally stellar audio.<\/p>\n

During testing, while we weren\u2019t wholly convinced by its headphone output, it otherwise put in a five-star performance. Matched with our reference Naim<\/a> ND 555\/555 PS DR music streamer and the Technics<\/a> SL-1000R record player and a variety of price-appropriate speakers, including our reference ATC SCM50, the X430 delivered an insightful, clean and controlled presentation that will delight music fans.<\/p>\n

As we said in our review: \u201cThis Rotel Michi Prestige X430 amplifier is, in most ways, a superb all-rounder. We can\u2019t think of a rival that is as uniformly capable across its inputs as this one. It will drive any price-compatible speaker with ease and has a wonderfully unfussy nature.\u201d<\/p>\n

Five stars<\/p>\n

Read our full Rotel Michi Prestige X430 review<\/a><\/p>\n

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Today’s best Rotel Michi Prestige X430 deals<\/p>\n

Pro-Ject Debut Reference 10<\/p>\n

Ask any hi-fi fan to name a stellar, affordable turntable, and there\u2019s a strong chance it\u2019ll be a Pro-Ject they mention \u2013 and for good reason. Since the original Pro-Ject Debut launched in the 1990s, it\u2019s delivered a long line of stellar-value record spinners. But recently, its products have started creeping up in price, a trend that continued with the \u00a3999 \/ $1499 \/ AU$2349 Debut Reference 10, which landed in our listening rooms last month.<\/p>\n

The unit features a lot of common DNA with the Debut Pro, but comes with a new tonearm, player and sub-platter designed to help it compete with the accomplished rivals it faces in its more premium target market. Putting it through its paces, while it\u2019s not the most musically expressive turntable you\u2019ll find for the money, it\u2019s still a great option for any vinyl fan. Paired with our trusty Naim Nait XS 3 stereo amplifier and a pair of five-star Epos ES-7N standmounts, the Debut Reference 10 delivered a nicely detailed, easy-going performance that will delight many a music fan.<\/p>\n

As we said in our review: \u201cNot only is it handsomely made and easy to set up, but the Debut Reference 10 serves up a clear, stable and authoritative sound.\u201d<\/p>\n

Five stars<\/p>\n

Read our full Pro-Ject Debut Reference 10 review<\/a><\/p>\n

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Today’s best Pro-Ject Debut Reference 10 deals<\/p>\n

\"View<\/a>\"Amazon\"<\/a>Technics SL-1500CS<\/p>\n

Technics is the brand synonymous with direct-drive turntables. So we were excited to see the Technics SL-1500CS, a step-up sibling to the long-recommended, five-star SL-1500C<\/a>, land in our review rooms last month.<\/p>\n

Though at first glance the two look very similar, there is one key difference, justifying the 1500CS\u2019s increased \u00a31099 \/ $1799 \/ AU$2499 cost: its use of Technic\u2019s Delta-Sigma Drive technology. Normally seen on Technics\u2019 digital amplifiers, the tech has been tweaked and repurposed to fit the turntable\u2019s direct-drive circuit in a bid to deliver a purer signal feed.<\/p>\n

Feeding an Arcam A15+ amplifier and KEF<\/a> LS50 Meta speakers, the unit proved a clear step up on its sibling, delivering a holistically well-rounded, but slightly short of best-in-class, performance. Hence our verdict: \u201cThe SL-1500CS represents a solid sonic upgrade over the standard version and is one of the best options at this level.\u201d<\/p>\n

Five stars<\/p>\n

Read our full Technics SL-1500CS review<\/a><\/p>\n

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Today’s best Technics SL-1500CS deals<\/p>\n

\"View<\/a>\"Amazon\"<\/a>Marten Parker Duo Diamond Edition<\/p>\n

If you\u2019re one of the lucky few able to invest over \u00a320k in a pair of speakers, then we\u2019d recommend taking a look at the Marten Parker Duo Diamond Edition standmounts, which we finished reviewing last month. Undeniably premium, and requiring careful system matching, they won\u2019t be for everyone. But for the lucky few able to buy from the top end of the market, the speakers are a delight.<\/p>\n

Swapping the high-end Swedish speaker firm\u2019s standard ceramic diaphragms for, as the name suggests, an even more premium diamond dome and more premium crossover design, the pair delivered a wonderful performance when matched with our reference set-up \u2013 which included a Naim ND555 \/ 555 PS DR music streamer and the Technics SL-1000R\/Kiseki Purpleheart record player feeding a Burmester 088\/911 MkIII pre\/power amplifier combination.<\/p>\n

As we said in our review: \u201cThe real shame of a product like this is that very few people will actually be able to hear and enjoy it, given its price and restricted exposure. However, if you are one of the lucky few with the budget and system to do a speaker like this justice, we recommend a serious audition; the Marten Parker Duo Diamond Edition is a true endgame speaker.\u201d<\/p>\n

Five stars<\/p>\n

Read our full Marten Parker Duo Diamond Edition<\/a><\/p>\n

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Today’s best Marten Parker Duo Diamond Edition deals<\/p>\n

MORE:<\/p>\n

These are the best stereo amplifiers<\/a> we\u2019ve tested<\/p>\n

Our experts rank the best projectors<\/a><\/p>\n

We rank the best Dolby Atmos soundbars<\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"October is here, and while many of us may be battening down the hatches, preparing for the flood…\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":633975,"comment_status":"","ping_status":"","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[6],"tags":[85,46,125],"class_list":["post-633974","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","category-technology","tag-il","tag-israel","tag-technology"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/il\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/633974","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/il\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/il\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/il\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/2"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/il\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=633974"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/il\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/633974\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/il\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/633975"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/il\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=633974"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/il\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=633974"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/il\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=633974"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}