Halloween is officially over, which means we have changed gears and are firmly in deal hunting season.
But, despite Black Friday now being clear and visible on the horizon, that hasn’t stopped hi-fi and home-cinema brands flooding our team with fresh news to cover and products to review.
Over the past week we’ve checked out everything from a new premium phono stage from an iconic British brand to an awesome Sony projector.
Here’s what you need to know.
Michell’s new two-box phono stage is a winner baby (yes that’s a Ru Paul reference)
Iconic British hi-fi brand Michell Audio had a busy October. Not only did it unveil its new Revolv and the Gyro turntables, it also delivered its fancy Apollo phono stage to our listening rooms for testing.
And once we got the clever two-box unit set up and connected to our reference Technics SL-1000R turntable, Burmester 088/911 MkIII amplifier and ATC SCM50 speakers, boy did it deliver the sonic goods!
Across every track we threw at it, the unit delivered sumptuous, insightful and fluid presentation. Hence our five-star rating and glowing conclusion:
“The competition is tough, but the Apollo’s formidable blend of talents is hard to resist. Its unfussy attitude, seductive sound and excellent build make it one of the standout options in this part of the market.”
Read our full Michell Apollo review
Technics sounded the death knell on a legend
If you’re a fan of Technics’ iconic SL-1200G turntable, we have good and bad news. Last week, the brand confirmed that, after 50 sweet years, its 'G' line is going out of production.
But, as a silver lining, it is sending the deck off with a bang, confirming it will do a limited run of new Grand Class SL-1200G/1210G Master Edition special production turntables.
Featuring a number of design and hardware tweaks, Technics described the new models as the final evolution of the iconic G-series.
Just be warned, Technics is making only a limited number of each, so you’ll have to act fast if you want either when they become available in January 2026.
Read the full story: Technics waves goodbye to the legendary SL-1200 turntable with super-exclusive Master Editions
The Sony Bravia Projector 7 continues the brand’s winning streak
Regular readers know we are big fans of Sony’s latest projectors. So much so that we gave its Sony VPL-XW5000ES and Sony Bravia Projector 8 What Hi-Fi? Awards this year.
And, while its awkward pricing puts it against some very strong competition, after putting it through its paces in our test rooms, we are pleased to report that the middle child, Bravia Projector 7, is an excellent performer.
For your money you’ll be treated to a flexible, “proper” projector capable of delivering a rich, balanced and detailed picture with a sense of three dimensionality missing on many rivals. As we say in our review:
“If you’re looking to step up to a projector that delivers an even more cinematic image with more balanced colours, even better contrast, and extra subtlety, then the Bravia Projector 7 is certainly worth the upgrade – providing your budget allows.”
Read our full Sony Bravia Projector 7 review
We ranked our favourite Bruce Springsteen songs
Last week the Bruce Springsteen bio-pic Springsteen: Deliver Me From Nowhere hit cinemas. To help celebrate, the What Hi-Fi? team has come up with a list of the top Springsteen tracks we love, and occasionally even use for testing, from the Boss’s rich and lengthy catalogue of work.
Read the full story: eight of the best Bruce Springsteen tracks to test your hi-fi system
Triangle upgraded its Capella speakers
Finishing off this week’s Rewind column is some news from Triangle – the launch of its new Capella 2 wireless active speakers. The units are a direct follow up to the firm’s previous-generation Triangle Capella standmounts, which we awarded four stars last year.
Key upgrades include the addition of Spotify Connect Lossless and Tidal Connect support, improved wi-fi connectivity, a more modern chipset and new subwoofer output. Will they help the new units nab that oh so elusive fifth star? We’re hoping to get them into our listening rooms to find out!
Read the full story: Triangle’s upgraded Capella 2 speakers land with Spotify and Tidal support
MORE:
We rank the best bookshelf speakers money can buy
Our picks of the best projectors
Check out our picks of the best phono preamps
