Becky Scarrott

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

A selection of headphones on a fabric tablecloth

The best headphones for all budgets, real-world tested by our experts

By Becky Scarrott last updated

Updated Here’s our pick of the best headphones you can buy today with top cans to suit your style and your budget.

A selection of earbuds (Nothing, Bose, JBL, Technics, Bowers & wilkins and Cambridge) in a wicker basket

The best wireless earbuds, all real-world tested: I've covered wireless buds for 10 years, and these are the best for all budgets

By Matt Bolton last updated

Our reviewers spent over 600 hours testing these earbuds, so here’s my verdict on the best wireless earbuds for iPhone, Android or anything else.

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

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

Sonos Era 300 speaker

The best wireless speakers, all tested by us — from Apple, JBL, Sonos and more

By Becky Scarrott last updated

Updated Looking for the best wireless speaker? These are the top TechRadar-reviewed and approved buys to hear music throughout your home.

An array of Bluetooth speakers on table

What are the best Bluetooth speakers money can buy? I’ve tested more than 30 models, and these are my top picks for every budget

By Harry Padoan last updated

Updated Looking for the best Bluetooth speaker money can buy? Here are the top portable speakers on the market right now, all TechRadar tested.

Q Acoustics M40 HD on blue TR buying guide background

The best stereo speakers: top speaker systems for all budgets, tested by our experts

By Becky Scarrott last updated

Buying Guide The best stereo speakers to deck out your home audio system.

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

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

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

Sennheiser wired headphones on a colorful background showing the techradar logo

The best wired headphones, all tested by TechRadar's audio experts

By Becky Scarrott last updated

We pick out the best wired headphones for big audio upgrades, no matter how much you want to spend.

A selection of earbuds (JBL, Bose, Beats, Bowers & Wilkins, Technics and Apple AirPods) held in two hands, in front of a flower bed

The best noise-cancelling earbuds for all budgets, chosen by a TechRadar expert based on real-world testing

By Becky Scarrott last updated

Updated The best noise-cancelling earbuds block out the world without the bulk of over-ear headphones – here are our top recommendations based on in-house testing

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

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

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

A man holding eight pairs of headphones in his hands, with models from Bose, Sony, Amazon, Soundcore, and Sonos, among others

I've picked the best noise cancelling headphones for all budgets, based on real-world testing of nearly 20 models

By Matt Bolton last updated

We've tested and selected the best noise cancelling headphones to keep the world out and your music in.

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

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

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

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

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

A selection of wireless earbuds, in their cases, held in a woman's hands on a sunny day

The best earbuds I recommend for every budget, all TechRadar tested

By Becky Scarrott last updated

My carefully considered pick of the best earbuds in the business – including one or two new models you might not be familiar with.

Bandcamp's logo on a black circle to suggest vinyl, along with the words 'AI & the Bandcamp community) on blue background

'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

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

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

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

Pro-ject's debut carbon evo on a yellow background

The best turntables for all budgets, tested and selected by TechRadar's audio experts

By Becky Scarrott last updated

The best record player is just a few clicks away, whether you're a vinyl veteran or a turntable newbie – and every one is TechRadar tested and approved.

FiiO M11S digital audio player

Best MP3 player: top portable hi-res music players for any budget, all tested by our experts

By Becky Scarrott last updated

Updated Looking for the best portable hi-res music player? Here's our pick of digital audio players from Astell & Kern, Sony and more.

A selection of earbuds held in two hands, above a Persian carpet

The best budget earbuds, all real-world tested by our expert audio team

By Becky Scarrott last updated

Updated The best budget wireless and wired earbuds you can buy today, with options from Sony, Nothing, EarFun, JLab and more.

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

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

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

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

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