Simon Lucas

Simon Lucas

Simon Lucas is a freelance technology journalist and consultant, with particular emphasis on the audio/video aspects of home entertainment. If it's involved in the production of sound or visual images, Simon will have written about it during the course of what will soon be a 20-year career.


Before embracing the carefree life of the freelancer, Simon was editor of What Hi-Fi? magazine and whathifi.com – a stint that lasted nearly six years and coincided with the website becoming the planet's leading source of audio/visual buying advice for consumers. Since then, he's written for titles including (but not limited to) to Wired, Metro, the Guardian, HiFi+ and GQ, and has acted as an audio consultant for some of the world's most high-profile consumer electronics brands. All from what he likes to call 'The English Riviera' but what is more commonly known as 'Brighton'. 


Despite an invariably packed schedule, Simon likes to make time during the working week to publish (and invariably then hastily delete) tweets about the state of the nation (in general), the state of Aston Villa (in particular) and the state of his partner's cat via @OnlySimonLucas.

Articles by: Simon Lucas

iFi iDSD Valkyrie on gray table
iFi iDSD Valkyrie DAC review: a headphone amp capable of staggeringly complete, informative sound

By Simon Lucas Published

Recommended

Never knowingly understated, iFi has upped the ‘transportable DAC/headphone amp’ once again with another portentously named product. Is the iDSD Valkyrie ready to slay the opposition?

2 Comments
JBL Flip 7 portable Bluetooth speaker on a white surface
JBL Flip 7 review: meet the new portable Bluetooth speaker boss, even better than the class-leading old boss

By Simon Lucas Published

Editor's Choice

The JBL Flip 7 portable Bluetooth speaker bests its class-leading former self to make the most of music on-the-go

Bowers & Wilkins Px7 S3 over-ear headphones on a white surface
Bowers & Wilkins Px7 S3 review: gorgeous over-ear ANC headphones with near-perfect sound

By Simon Lucas Published

Editor's Choice

Considerably more than a simple refresh, the third version of Bowers & Wilkins’ Px7 wireless over-ear noise-cancellers is the best (and the priciest) so far

2 Comments
Vertere DG X turntable, in a hi-fi listening room, ready for testing
Vertere's DG X turntable is both sonically gifted and easy to use, and for 'serious' hi-fi, that's rare

By Simon Lucas Published

Recommended

In which Vertere delivers a complete, ready-to-go turntable package at what is, by its standards, a very affordable price indeed…

The Sennheiser HD 505 headphones held in a man's hand
I tested Sennheiser's HD 505 wired headphones, and they give you a taste of the high end at a real-world price

By Simon Lucas Published

Affordable Sennheiser open-backed headphones with rich sound and a comfortable fit.

FiiO JM21 portable music player on a white surface
I tested the FiiO JM21 portable music player and it's hard to believe an entry-level digital audio device can sound so good for so little outlay

By Simon Lucas Published

Editor's Choice

FiiO has come up with another intriguing product, and the JM21 is now making a play at the digital audio player entry level market...

4 Comments
The EAT C-Dur Concrete turntable on a wooden shelf
EAT C-Dur Concrete review: yes, it's real concrete, and it's amazingly detailed and insightful

By Simon Lucas Published

Big and heavy and intermittently clever, the C-Dur turntable (plus the C-Tone tonearm and the Jo No.8 moving magnet cartridge) create a strong visual, as well as sonic, impression.

2 Comments
Sonus Faber Lumina II on a stone surface
Sonus Faber Lumina II review: Italian-made stereo speakers that deliver an engaging sound and an indulgent finish (if that's your bag)

By Simon Lucas Published

Recommended

Sonus Faber has added an entry-level alternative to its wide-ranging catalog of balanced, rewarding stereo speakers that deliver a detailed and engaging sound.

Bose QuietComfort Ultra Earbuds on the left, Technics EAH-AZ100 on the right
I tested Technics' EAH-AZ100 against Bose's QuietComfort Ultra Earbuds, so here are all the key ways each of these buds beats the other

By Simon Lucas Published

Bose's best buds vs Technics' technical triumph – I've compared both directly

Sonos Ace on the left, and Bowers & Wilkins PX8 on the right
I tested the Sonos Ace against Bowers & Wilkins Px8, and which one to pick comes down to how much you focus on music or movies

By Simon Lucas Published

Two premium brands with rather different histories of headphone manufacture go head to head.

Bose QuietComfort Ultra Headphones on the left, held in a man's hand, Sonos Ace on the right, rest on their case
I tested Bose QuietComfort Ultra Headphones against the Sonos Ace, and it's a nuanced battle between these elite wireless headphones

By Simon Lucas Published

Looking for some premium headphones? Let's dig into all the little details that make the big differences.

The Bowers & Wilkins Zeppelin Pro Edition on a shelf with a pink light on next to a music player.
Bowers & Wilkins Zeppelin Pro Edition review: the best sound from a single wireless speaker at this price

By Simon Lucas Published

Big, expansive sound from a one-box speaker with an iconic design

Technics EAH-AZ100 on the left, Sony WF-1000XM5 on the right
I tested Technics' EAH-AZ100 against Sony's WF-1000XM5, and here's how the elite wireless earbuds compare

By Simon Lucas Published

Technics' new high-tech hotness versus Sony's flagship earbuds.

2 Comments
Meze Audio 105 AER headphones in a hi-fi testing room, on gray background
Meze Audio 105 AER review: open-backed wired headphones that sit beautifully in the consumer market – and feel like they shouldn't

By Simon Lucas Published

Editor's Choice

A tale in which Meze Audio, pace-setters where high-end headphones are concerned, decides to drop some of its talent on us mere mortals who exist in the mainstream...

Gadhouse Duke & Roy turntable and powered wireless speaker stereo system
Gadhouse Duke & Roy review: a turntable and powered speakers combo that sounds like warm milk... and not in a good way

By Simon Lucas Published

The Gadhouse Duke & Roy turntable and powered speakers sound system struggles sonically, to the extent that all the kit still isn't really worth the affordable price.

The KEF LSX II LT speaker against a pink background
KEF LSX II LT review: the best small hi-res wireless stereo speakers you can buy for the price

By Simon Lucas Published

Editor's Choice

KEF's mastery of the ‘all in two’ speaker system comes down to its keenest price so far.

Noble FoKus Rex5 earbuds in a green case on a metallic surface
Noble FoKus Rex5 review: well-built true wireless earbuds that err on the expensive and make you think – 'when is green too green?'

By Simon Lucas Published

The Noble FoKus Rex5 true wireless earbuds have detailed sound and great build quality but average noise-cancellation and low-end issues make them so expensive.

Technics EAH-AZ100 in-ear headphones on a white surface
Technics EAH-AZ100 review: premium true wireless earbuds that bridge gap between 'good' and 'great'

By Simon Lucas Published

Recommended

With its latest premium true wireless in-ear headphones, Technics is attempting to make the jump from ‘really good’ to ‘truly great’ – and the EAH-AZ100 achieves this.

Shanling HW600 wired headphones on a white surface
Shanling HW600 review: wired over-ear headphones that pack a sonic punch, if you've got a big head...

By Simon Lucas Published

Recommended

Shanling HW600 wired over-ear planar magnetic headphones look to be even more disruptive than usual in a competitive market, and succeed up to a point...

iFi Go Link Max on a wooden desk, plugged into Sennheiser iE900 in-ears and an Apple MacBook
iFi GO Link Max review: a USB-C DAC that's one of the best ways to get affordable hi-res audio from your smartphone we've ever found

By Simon Lucas Published

If there’s a more cost-effective way of turning your smartphone into a viable source of high-resolution audio content, it hasn’t come our way yet…

Q Acoustics 3020c speakers in a hi-fi listening room
Q Acoustics 3020c review: stereo speakers that make lightning strike for the umpteenth time

By Simon Lucas Published

Recommended

Q Acoustics' new entry-level 3020c passive loudspeakers deliver an assertive, detailed and properly organized performance.

Cambridge Audio EXA100 amplifier on a hi-fi rack, in a listening room, with TR's 'Money no Object' badge
Cambridge Audio's elite EXA100 amplifier covers the past, present and future

By Simon Lucas Published

Cambridge Audio's superb new integrated stereo amplifier covers a lot of bases, both old and new.

Austrian Audio Hi-X20 wired over-ear headphones on a white surface
Austrian Audio Hi-X20 review: wired over-ear headphones that sound so good, the price tag must be a misprint

By Simon Lucas Published

Editor's Choice

The Austrian Audio Hi-X20 continue the brand’s extraordinary strike-rate in the affordable wired over-ear headphone market

FiiO FH19 wired heaphones in a hexagonal carry case
FiiO FH19 review: wired earbuds that push the boat out so far, it's basically lost at sea

By Simon Lucas Published

The FiiO FH19 go all out in specification, engineering and materials to create wired earbuds that sound the right notes.

FiiO FT1 over-ear hedphones in their carry case
FiiO FT1 review: FiiO’s first closed-back over-ear headphones let down by hit-and-miss sound

By Simon Lucas Published

FiiO fills in one of the few remaining gaps in its product line-up with its first pair of closed-back over-ear headphones.

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