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This big Sony headphone deal has us torn apart…
Decisions, decisions. Sony’s five-star WF-C710N is back at their best price (£79 at Amazon), making it a five-star deal in every sense of the word. So why are we so conflicted?
The deal is only on the black model, not the awesome transparent blue finish you see above. Which is a real shame. We loved our review unit, whose cool blue casing allowed us to look at the electronics work inside and marvel at the amount of technology Sony managed to cram into. In comparison, the black finish looks a bit dull.
Of course, the C710Ns are impressive performers, and you won’t notice what color they are when they’re in your ears. But £20 doesn’t seem like too crazy a premium to pay for a completely unique finish.
Or are all these offers making us lose our minds?
Looking for a great system with streaming and CD intelligence? Our editor has you covered
Getting your first Hi-Fi system, especially if you want a CD player as well as smart streaming but are afraid of fat separations, is tricky. Hi-Fi matching is an art as well as a science for a reason, after all.
That’s why if you’re looking for a simple setup that keeps your box count to a minimum but still meets the criteria above, we have good news. We’ve spotted two fantastic deals on richer sounds that let you get the exact same system our editor uses every day, down to £240 right now.
Specifically, if you jump to richer sounds and can Grab the five-star, multi-star award-winning SA-C600 Techniques System for £759 (Save £140) and Five-Star Q Acoustics 3030i Standmount Speakers for £229.
This is a stellar combo of two five-star products that will deliver lively, yet engaging sound with excellent dynamics – hence why he still uses it.
Looking for a five-star Bluetooth deck? Pro-project has you covered…
The pro-project T1 EVO BT is a sparkling choice if you’re looking for convenience and performance at a tasty price. Designed to be an accessible option for spinning your vinyl as part of Pro-Offering’s EVO T1 line of wallet-friendly decks, it’s a user-friendly Bluetooth deck that’s easy to set up and a pleasure to use.
Sound-wise, it’s something of a smoothie. As we wrote in our review, he’s a “smooth and undemanding” performer who handles vocals expertly, giving the central performance on Portishead Dummy “A natural and full-bodied authenticity”.
Detail levels are strong, with instruments carefully sketched with a deft sonic hand, while the pro-project’s bass reproduction is deep, bold and impressively controlled. Whether you’re blasting it through a wireless speaker or using it in a traditional Hi-Fi setup, we have no trouble recommending the T1 EVO BT five stars at Amazon’s Big Days event.
And there is a pretty good level option on sale
If you’re looking for a streaming amp with a bit more muscle and personality than the Wiim Pro amp mentioned above, we highly recommend looking at the Roksan Attessa Streaming Amplifier, which is available for £1099 from Riche Sound (except £200).
The amp isn’t a sonic all-rounder, but for the right type of music fan who values explosive sound full of personality and a lively, easy-going presentation, it’s a good fit. It also has full streaming intelligence and enough power to drive more demanding speakers than the WIIM, which will be important for buyers who plan to upgrade their system.
As we said in our review:
“It may not be an all-rounder but, despite the binks in its sonic armor, we find the Roksan Attessa streaming amplifier to be very likeable and enjoyable. You can foot-tap to music and, if so, sing along in your playlists, which isn’t always the case with the products we test.”
The Wiim Amp Pro is a great price and an ideal choice for hi-fi beginners
Simply adding speaker systems is a great entry point to Hi-Fi that we often direct beginners towards. In effect, they offer an all-in-one solution, with the added flexibility of being able to choose the speakers you want.
This means you can upgrade or change your setup as you go and is a gentle entry point to the world of splits where matching is much more intimidating and complex.
And if that sounds appealing, then we’ve got good news: the affordable option recommended in our best hi-fi systems guide, the Wiim AMP Pro is down to £320 at Amazon (£80 off its regular price).
Although we’ve given it four stars, trust us when we say it’s the best option you’ll find for under £500. We know, because we have tried and failed to find anything better.
Just make sure you match them with some suitable speakers. We recommend something similar to the Wharfedale Diamond 12.1 or recently reviewed five-star Dali Kupid, if you’re short on space.
A pair of headphones from a British hi-fi legend
Headphone deals are coming in quickly, but so far we haven’t spotted any truly incredible ones from a big name, five-star brand. Instead, the best savings we’ve spotted are on the four-star Cambridge Audio Melomania M100.
While they’re still not in class, for the money they’re a very solid option right now. This is especially true if you want a balanced package that can deliver balanced, clean and spacious sound, but don’t want to spend more than £100.
As we said in our review: “The Melomania M100s are well-designed wireless earbuds with fun, flagship features that are worth considering at this price.”
Meet the team update this page
Kashfir Kabir
Audio expert Kash is our hi-fi head-honcho. With a decade and a half of experience, she’s looked at everything from affordable DACs to ultra-tuned floor speakers and has a holistic knowledge of all things Hi-Fi as a result. She’ll be on hand throughout this year’s Big Days event using that knowledge to find the best deals on headphones, turntables, speaker amps and more. Make sure you get the best Hi-Fi at your price.
Andy Madden is What hi-fi?is on second order and one of our resident helmet experts. This year alone, he’s reviewed or listened to second, almost every big name you’ll find in our best wireless earbud and best wireless earbuds guide. He will work throughout the Big Day Days event looking for the best deals on these attendees.
Harry McKerrell
“Golden Child”. What hi-fi? Review Team, Harry McKerrell is our senior Hi-Fi editor. Delusions of grandeur aside, he’s one of our best audio reviewers having started with headphones before graduating to standmount speakers, amps and more this year. He’s got his ear to the ground for all the latest and greatest deals on the best products we recommend and will help update this page as he spots them.
A quick tip
The truth is that Amazon shopping events always bring a lot of fake deals. Why fake? There are two main reasons.
Firstly, because the price is not always the best it has ever been. This is why we check the recent price history of any “deal” before recommending it. Second, and more relevant for the purposes of this tip, because there are some audio products that aren’t worth your money, no matter how heavily discounted they are.
That’s why we always recommend going into any shopping event with a clear product list of products you’ve already selected and done your research. The best way to do this is to start with one of our buying guides. These are pages that we constantly update with our up-to-date buying advice on all the products we’ve tested in a given category.
So looking over there, you’ll find a nice quick list of options that we’ve fully reviewed and recommend even when they don’t agree. To make it easier, we’ve included a link to some of the big ones that we think you’ll find useful.
