Articles by Becky Scarrott, Audio Editor

Becky became Audio Editor in 2024, but joined TechRadar in 2022 as Senior Staff Writer, focusing on all things audio and hi-fi. Before joining the team, she spent three years at What Hi-Fi? testing, reviewing and generally enjoying everything from wallet-friendly wireless earbuds to huge, multi-product high-end sound systems. Prior to gaining her MA in Journalism in 2018, Becky freelanced as an arts critic alongside a 22-year career as a professional dancer and aerialist – any love of dance is of course tethered to a love of music. Becky has previously contributed to Stuff, FourFourTwo and The Stage.

When not writing, she is usually throwing shapes in a dance studio, spinning in the air to improve the tolerance of her inner ear to dizziness, drinking coffee, watching football or trying to surf in Cornwall with her other half; an irritatingly good surfer and an even better football writer.

Articles by: Becky Scarrott

9 things we learned from Samsung’s big Galaxy Unpacked 2026 event — from the S26 Ultra to the Buds4 Pro

By Jacob Krol Published 25 February 26

Samsung has wrapped up it first big Galaxy Unpacked event of 2026 — here's everything it announced in one handy place.

Spotify icon app on a phone screen, surrounded by Apple Music, YouTube, WhatsApp and TikTok apps

Want to tell Spotify’s algorithm where to go? Soon, you may be able to do just that

By Becky Scarrott Published 24 February 26

Great recommendations, no notes? Thought not – and Spotify could actually be testing a way to change that

A Technics SL-1500CS turntable on a wooden table

Technics just added its famed ΔΣ direct drive tech to a turntable that won't cost thousands — and I want one

By Becky Scarrott Published 23 February 26

A unique gray finish, automatic tonearm, pre-fitted Ortofon cartridge and built in phono stage too? Where do I buy?!

2 Comments

Sony WF-1000XM6 earbuds next to the older-gen. WF-1000XM5 and WF-C710N, on colorful table

I reviewed Sony's flagship WF-1000XM6 earbuds and it's another case of 'great sound, impressive features, middling noise cancellation'

By Becky Scarrott Published 12 February 26

Sony's WF-1000XM6 are smaller again and the sound is admirable, but while there's an extra mic per bud, I'm not sure it's being perfectly utilised here

Ultrasonic Molecular Audio system on a white wall, showing multiple wall-mounted speakers connected to look like molecular structures

These speakers are what you’d find in the center of an art, molecular science and hi-fi Venn diagram and I want them

By Becky Scarrott Published 3 February 26

Love music, love interior design, want something that combines both on your wall? Meet Ultrasonic's Molecular Audio system

Victrola Stream Carbon turntable playing David Bowie, with the tonearm being operated

So you got a new turntable, now what? A step-by-step guide on how to get into the groove with your vinyl spinner

By Becky Scarrott Published 30 January 26

Getting started with stacks of wax: everything you need to know about setting up a turntable and playing records

FiiO EH11 worn by a woman wearing a gray beanie hat

FiiO's retro headphones will make me look like Julia Roberts singing in a bathtub bigger than the Blue Banana — and I must have them

By Becky Scarrott Published 23 January 26

Forget your AirPods, FiiO's mixing retro style with LDAC wireless audio and knobs on the earpieces – music to my ears.

Sony turntables in a split-screen configuration, one with a hand pressing one of the turntable's three buttons for automatic operation

Sony updates a cult-favorite cheap Bluetooth turntable with not one but two new models – but there's a catch

By Becky Scarrott Published 22 January 26

Sony's finally updated its fan-favorite PS-LX310BT deck – but the budget-friendly pricing hasn't carried over

A phone with the Qobuz app on it, with a sign showing Qobuz is a Digital100 winner from Similarweb

This hi-res music streaming app is rocketing up the charts – and Spotify’s AI ‘Slopify’ outrage could be supplying the fuel

By Becky Scarrott Published 21 January 26

AI slop is the scourge of music streaming sites, but French platform Qobuz does things differently – and it's being rewarded with huge growth.

3 Comments

Pro-Ject's Scorpions themed turntable on black background

Pro-Ject's Scorpions themed turntable is ready to rock you like a hurricane

By Becky Scarrott Published 20 January 26

Pro-Ject's new Scoprions turntable is out na-na-na-na-na-na-now

The formidable iFi iDSD Phantom in Tower Bridge, London, used with headphones and illuminating the front panel

I heard the new Rolls-Royce of DACs and let me tell you, iFi isn’t calling it Phantom for nothing

By Becky Scarrott Published 20 January 26

After listening to iFi’s elite new iDSD Phantom DAC, regular hi-res audio is nothing to me.

'Any use of AI tools to impersonate other artists or styles is strictly prohibited': Bandcamp just showed Spotify how easy it is to ban AI slop

By Becky Scarrott Published 15 January 26

Bandcamp just showed Spotify how it's done, banning 'any use of AI tools to impersonate other artists or styles'

4 Comments

FiiO's CP13 with Campfire Audio Clara IEMs, on top of several cassette tapes, all on a colorful carpet

Now that's what I call a digital detox 2026! Why finding my fiancé's stash of 90s cassettes is my key to analog happiness this year

By Becky Scarrott Published 14 January 26

Barely two weeks in, 2026 is already a bit much, so I'm taking one of the things I love most offline this year – my music

Two turntables separated by a divider, with TechRadar's CES 2026 badge

The best hi-fi kit we saw at CES 2026: an iconic turntable updated, Edifier's first eARC active speakers, and much more

By Becky Scarrott Published 7 January 26

CES 2026 Cambridge's first ever bookshelf stereo speakers, portable Fender Bluetooth options and Victrola's, er, soundbase (yes really).

JBL Soundgear Clips in purple, on TechRadar's CES 2026 poster background, with blue, purple and yellow splashes of color

The 7 best earbuds and headphones at CES 2026 — from shape-shifting open earbuds to cans that twist into a speaker (yes, really)

By Becky Scarrott Published 7 January 26

Open earbuds that cut noise and offer spatial audio profiles, cans that can read your mind, open earbuds than morph into, er, closed earbuds and on-ears that can become… on-tables?

Cambridge's L/R Series in various colors, at Cambridge Audio's Melomania HQ in London, UK

Cambridge has unveiled three active bookshelf speakers at CES and it’s not hard to see the KEF resemblance

By Becky Scarrott Published 6 January 26

CES 2025 I’ll take a set in orange: Cambridge’s new active bookshelf speakers are so thoroughly un-Cambridge – in the best way

3 Comments

Shokz Openfit Pro outside, outside held in a woman's hand, with green grass in the background

I’ve worn the all-new Shokz open earbuds for 4 days and the ‘noise reduction’ is so good, I forget they’re open-ear

By Becky Scarrott Published 6 January 26

Head-tracked spatial audio and ANC in open earbuds? Yes, you can, with the latest flagship offering from Shokz

CES 2025 live: all the latest news from the world's biggest tech show

By Mark Wilson Last updated 5 January 26

CES 2025 is now well underway and we're live at the show – here's all of the latest tech news.

JBL Trio of images featuring open-earbuds, worn by two women

JBL is going all-in on open earbuds at CES 2026: meet the firm’s 3 new open-fit options

By Becky Scarrott Published 5 January 26

JBL really wants to keep your ear canals free of intrusion in 2026 – and the Soundgear Clips, Sense Pro and Sense Lite prove it.

Apple AirPods Pro 3 held in a hand, with beige woollen background

The year in wireless hi-fi and headphones: 2025's top winners and losers — and what I want to see in 2026

By Becky Scarrott Published 30 December 25

A whole year of wireless headphones and we’re still using Li-ion batteries, but buds can take our heart-rate? 2025’s audio wins, losses and could-do-betters.

A split-screen image featuring posters for Drwoned in Sound and Qobuz

Qobuz teams up with indie music mag Drowned in Sound to produce 6 months of artist-first podcasts — and I can’t wait to tune in

By Becky Scarrott Published 9 December 25

Qobuz's Drowned in Sound collab will bring 6 months of artist-first podcasts to discerning music-lovers

These quintuple-driver wired earbuds just landed for only $80 – and I want to know how

By Becky Scarrott Published 8 December 25

Who says audiophile-grade listening gear is too expensive? Astell & Kern’s affordable Activo arm just launched five-driver IEMs for $80

FiiO DM15 with Fiio FT13 headphones plugged in, on a wooden table

Forget Spotify Wrapped, get back into CDs with FiiO’s gorgeous new portable player

By Becky Scarrott Published 4 December 25

CDs are so back, baby! FiiO’s new portable player is also a hi-res DAC, Bluetooth transmitter and wireless bridge for your music

A jewel-encrusted Walkman with a cassette tape on silver metallic table, with dark background

I’m hungry like the wolf for this Duran Duran-themed jewel-encrusted Walkman

By Becky Scarrott Published 3 December 25

Wild boys (wild boys!) never lose it – and by 'it', I do mean this super-sparkly Duran Duran Walkman

CMF Headphone Pro in pistachio green held in a hand or hung on a barbell, being pushed up by a carved frog

CMF Headphone Pro could easily cost twice as much – and even if the sound is fun and fierce (rather than fully fledged fantastic) they're still a great buy

By Becky Scarrott Published 12 November 25

Recommended

The detailed listening tests, circumaural sound and on-ear extras make for an ideal set of cans for this level – a resounding win for CMF

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