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

Austrian Audio The Composer cose-up with TR's Money No Object badge

Austrian Audio's The Composer headphones are crashing the high-end audio party

By Simon Lucas published

Money no object: wired, over-ear open-backed headphones that comprehensively crash the high-end party

Technics SL-G700M2 on a table, with TR's franchise 'money no object' badge in the top right corner

Technics SL-G700M2: a high-achieving network streamer that's also a high-end CD player

By Simon Lucas published

Technics' CD-player come network streamer proves the past and presetn can get along just fine, thanks very much.

Grado Hemp headphones in closeup, to show the wooden driver housing

Grado Hemp review: sonically spot on open-back headphones – if not the last word in comfort

By Simon Lucas published

Editor's Choice

Grado originally released its Reference Series Hemp headphones as a limited edition – but obviously the lure of the Hemp was too great for people to resist…

Q Acoustics M40 HD either side of a hi-fi rack in a sitting room

Q Acoustics M40 HD review: a splendid all-in-one speaker system, down to the ground

By Simon Lucas published

Editor's Choice

Q Acoustics takes the proven concept of its excellent little M20 HD streaming system and makes it bigger. Not by much, mind you...

The Sennheiser Accentum Plus

Sennheiser Accentum Plus review: A mid-range over-ear headphone that packs a punch

By Simon Lucas published

Recommended

With the addition of one or two premium features, Sennheiser turns its ‘entry-level’ wireless over-ear into a ‘mid-market’ proposition.

turntable

Pro-ject Debut Carbon Evo review

By Simon Lucas last updated

Editor's Choice

The Pro-Ject Debut continues its relentless journey up-market – but is still cracking value for money.

Cambridge Audio Alva TT V2 on sideboard, with man placing a record on the turntable

Cambridge Audio Alva TT V2 review

By Simon Lucas last updated

Recommended

The Cambridge Audio Alva TT V2 continues the company's attempts to make vinyl and modern format, and it's a smash hit.

Rega Planar 1 turntable close up of the tonearm

Rega Planar PL1 review: the best affordable turntable you can get

By Simon Lucas last updated

Editor's Choice

Further proof, in case it wasn’t blindingly obvious already, that money spent with Rega on a record player is money very well spent indeed.

the lenco ls-410 record player

Lenco LS-410 review

By Simon Lucas last updated

The Lenco LS-410 is a better Bluetooth speaker than a record player.

The Technics SL-1200GR2 playing a vinyl

Technics SL-1200GR2 review: an iconic DJ deck design and sound for audiophiles

By Simon Lucas published

Recommended

‘Icon’ has become a devalued word lately – but here’s the latest in an absolutely, positively iconic range…

Astell & Kern A&norma SR35 on a table, showing a collection of albums

Astell & Kern A&norma SR35 review: hardly an entry-level Hi-Res music player, but so, so worth it

By Simon Lucas published

Editor's Choice

Recalibrate your understanding of what ‘entry level’ means and there’s just so much to love about the A&norma SR35.

The BE@RBRICK Audio stood on top of a vinyl player

I tried the expensive yet eccentric Bearbrick Bluetooth speaker, and I didn't hate it

By Simon Lucas published

I tried the wacky Bearbrick Audio Bluetooth speaker and although it doesn't justify its high price to me, it has my curiosity piqued.

Bose QuietComfort Earbuds 2 lying outside their case near an iPhone

Bose QuietComfort Earbuds 2 review: fantastic noise cancellation and sound

By Sharmishta Sarkar last updated

Editor's Choice

Bose’s second-generation QuietComfort Earbuds feature a bunch of clever tech with some very impressive results.

sony wf-1000xm4

Sony WF-1000XM4 Wireless Earbuds review

By Simon Lucas last updated

Editor's Choice

The Sony WF-1000XM4 swipe the title of the best true wireless earbuds you can buy today from their predecessors.

The Samsung HW-Q600C in front of a TV

Samsung HW-Q600C review: a soundbar and sub combo with underwhelming Dolby Atmos

By Simon Lucas published

Recommended

Combining convenience with impressive specification, the Samsung HW-Q600C is a Dolby Atmos (and DTS:X)-enabled soundbar that travels with a wireless subwoofer.

The Fiio FT5 headphones in their case, opened, outside on a warm day

Fiio FT5 review: Fiio’s first ever planar magnetic headphones are frankly fantastic

By Simon Lucas published

Editor's Choice

With the FT5, Fiio wants to democratise the esoteric (and generally quite pricey) planar magnetic driver technology to a real-world price-point.

Close-up of woman using AirPods Pro 2

As a music fan, AirPods just aren't relevant to me any more – here's why

By Simon Lucas published

Just because you see them everywhere, that’s no reason to spend your hard-earned cash on some completely unremarkable headphones…

Astell & Kern A&ultima SP3000

Astell & Kern A&ultima SP3000 review: a high-end hi-res digital audio player

By Simon Lucas published

Editor's Choice

At what point does a digital audio player become more than just a digital audio player? Astell & Kern thinks it knows – hence the A&ultima SP3000…

The B&O Beolab 8 on a table

Bang & Olufsen Beolab 8 review: a luxury high-end speaker with a premium price to match

By Simon Lucas published

Recommended

Bang & Olufsen has never been shy when it comes to setting prices for its products – but is there some overreach where the new Beolab 8 wireless speaker is concerned?

A close up of the iFi Uno

iFi Uno review: a small, but big way to boost your audio

By Simon Lucas published

Editor's Choice

A teeny tiny way of making a big difference to your desktop's or smartphone's audio quality.

The Helm Audio Bolt plugged into a phone

Helm Audio Bolt review: punchy high-quality audio that's ultra portable

By Simon Lucas published

Recommended

Supercharge your smartphone's or laptop's sound as discreetly as possible with the Helm Audio Bolt USB DAC/headphone amp.

The iFi xDSD Gryphon on a stool next to a pair of headphones and phone

iFi xDSD Gryphon review: a stylish DAC and headphone amp that's as portable as a hip flask

By Simon Lucas published

Editor's Choice

iFi works its magic on a DAC-and-headphone-amp that’s just as much use indoors as out, and just as capable with wired and wireless sources.

SoundMAGIC P60BT

SoundMAGIC P60BT review: broad features and great value but lacks bass

By Simon Lucas published

SoundMAGIC brings its established entry-level expertise to bear on what is a new product type for the company – and so picks a fight with a whole new selection of rivals…

Bose Smart Ultra Soundbar in front of a TV on a wooden surface

Bose Smart Ultra Soundbar review: a more compact Sonos Arc alternative

By Simon Lucas published

Bose fancies a slice of the ‘premium but not too premium’ soundbar market - is the Smart Ultra Soundbar the product to secure it?

The Bose QuietComfort Ultra Earbuds

Bose launches three new QuietComfort headphones and now I can’t decide which one I want

By Simon Lucas published

Bose finally launches three new QuietComfort headphones with next-gen spatial audio modes.

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