Audio
Our audio coverage stretches from cheap earbuds to throw in your bag, up to hi-res DACs that can add extra dimensions of sound to your favorite music. The world of audio has changed a lot with the rise of higher-quality wireless and digital sound – streaming services offer better-than-CD quality, and you can beam it to speakers all over the house over Wi-Fi or next-gen Bluetooth options.
That’s unlocked a world of new devices where hi-fi meets modern conveniences, and we’re always looking to find the best new ideas in the audio world.
Our audio experts love products from the top to the bottom of the budget range – we love a cheap Bluetooth speaker that sounds great at the beach just as much as we love expensive wired headphones driven from a beautiful valve amplifier.
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Latest about Audio

This beautiful hand-made floor-standing speaker ain't cheap, but I can't take my eyes off it and I haven't even heard it yet
By Tom Bedford published
The R 5 Arreté from Audiovector looks incredible, and should sound it too, even though it's far from cheap.

Apple Music is my audio streaming service of choice — and now you can get 3 months for just AU$2 for a limited time
By Max Langridge published
Gain instant access to over 100 million songs, Dolby Atmos music and a plethora of exclusive albums and playlists for less than AU$2.

Vocana President Neil Sheehan discusses the platform's independent-only streaming model
By Rowan Davies published
Vocana is a US indie streaming platform ready to challenge Spotify's payment system and algorithm.

5 Dolby Atmos albums to listen to on Apple Music
By Rowan Davies published
Just got Apple Music? I think you should stream these Dolby Atmos-supported albums to kick-start your membership.

I gave this Bluetooth speaker the ultimate rain test, and now I'm even more impressed with it
By Tom Bedford published
I took the Tribit Stormbox Micro 3 on a rainy trip, and its features and design ensured it was just as useful outdoors as on the dining table

“The more experienced listeners are, the less bass-heavy they want the sound”: JBL is changing the way its flagship headphones sound, and I've heard the difference — here’s how I rate it
By Harry Padoan published
The JBL Tour One M3 just got a major update with a new sound at the fore — I spoke with JBL about the changes, and heard them for myself.

Sick of AI slop on Spotify? The streamer finally starts a counteroffensive
By Tom Bedford published
The Verified By Spotify badge lets you find out if an artist is real on the streaming giant, but you still can't filter out AI slop in playlists

Be careful, vinyl heads: 'counterfeit' records are big business
By Carrie Marshall published
Fake vinyl is big business: the latest UK raid seized over £250,000 of counterfeit records. Be careful out there!
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