Happy Monday and welcome to the latest entry to our weekly Rewind column, where we summarise all the latest developments in the world of hi-fi and home cinema over the past seven days.
Though many of the What Hi-Fi? team could have done with a chilled one after covering the Bristol Hi-Fi Show 2025 the weekend before, the hi-fi and home cinema gods didn’t give us any respite and it was another very busy week.
Not only did our reviewers have a few big ticket items to finish testing, a sea of awesome classics also turned 25, a milestone we couldn’t let slip without some form of celebration.
Here’s what you need to know.
Sony’s latest native 4K projector is pretty sharp
Last week our testers finished reviewing the Sony Bravia Projector 8 (VPL-XW6100ES), which is the little brother to the five-star Sony Bravia Projector 9 we gave five-stars to in January. Despite being a step-down model in Sony’s current line up, the unit retails for £15,999 / $15,999 / AU$21,999. Thankfully putting it through its paces in our viewing rooms it more than justified its price, offering wonderfully deep blacks, stellar contrast and oodles of detail, earning it a perfect five-star recommendation.
Read our full Sony Bravia Projector 8 (VPL-XW6100ES) review
Audio Research launched a new amp
Audio Research launched its new high-end Reference 330M monoblock power amp last week, and boy does it look interesting. The headline feature is that it offers 330W of power per amplifier – more than doubling the 160W seen on its predecessor, the Reference 160M MkII. That’s a lot of muscle no matter how you cut it! If that’s caught your interest, the unit is made, and priced, “on application” – though a spokesperson told us that in the UK customers will be looking at a bill of around £92,000 for a stereo pair.
Read the full story: Audio Research’s new flagship monoblock power amp is a serious high-end powerhouse
We celebrated 17 hi-fi classics set to hit a key milestone
For most of us 25 was a great age. Out of university / college, hopefully getting ready for our first promotion at work and blissfully just old enough to be considered a proper adult, but young enough to still have fun (and not be terribly hungover the next day) on a night out. Which is why we couldn’t resist the urge to find and celebrate 17 key pieces of hi-fi that are set to hit the milestone this year.
Read the full story: 17 memorable hi-fi and AV products turning 25 in 2025
We finished reviewing the ProAc D20R
Last week our reviewers delivered their final verdict on the ProAc D20R floorstanding speakers. These are currently pitched as the firm’s best selling speakers in our native UK, and based on our time with them we can see why. As well as featuring a swish wood finish, the speaker delivered excellent results and proved to be incredibly unfussy when it came to matching – making them a flexible set of floorstanders well worth considering and an easy five-star recommendation.
Read our full ProAc D20R review
WiiM strikes again
We know you, our bargain-hunting readers, have a soft spot for WiiM from the sea of positive messages on our forums and in the comments section of any article we write about the brand. Which is why we’re pleased to inform you that last week its latest Wiim Ultra streamer earned a five-star rating from our reviewers. Retailing for £349 / $329 / AU$599, the Ultra sits above the WiiM Pro Plus, but offers enough sonic, streaming and overall quality of life upgrades (including a colour touchscreen interface) to justify the added cost. If you want a great value streamer that can still deliver brilliant, clean, crisp audio, this is one to consider!
Read our full WiiM Ultra review
MORE:
These are the best music streamers we’ve reviewed
We rate the best floorstanding speakers
Our picks of the best stereo amplifiers
