WHAT HIFI? Award Winners 2019

We’re thrilled to see so many of the products we love awarded best-in-class at the WHAT HIFI? Awards 2019.

Rega once again nearly got a clean sweep in the ‘Best Turntable’ category – with the Planar 8 claiming top spot!

Our 2019 highlights include: the Bowers & Wilkins 606 stand-mounted speakers; Naim’s Mu-so Qb 2nd Generation and Rega’s mid-level Planar 6 turntable with Aria MC.

Check the full list of our winners below:

Stereo Speakers ★★★★★

Bowers & Wilkins 606
Best standmount speaker £400-£750

The largest standmount/bookshelf in the new range, the 606 delivers refined, room-filling sound, perfect for those who want power from a smaller speaker.

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Bowers & Wilkins 606 S2 Anniversary Edition Speakers
£649.00 inc.VAT

Ruark Audio MR1 Mk2
Best desktop speakers

Award-winning MR1 Bluetooth speakers will provide remarkable sound in multiple applications. Flawless as computer speakers, ideal to use with a turntable and a fantastic way to improve the sound of your TV, MR1 Mk2 will fill any room with quality sound without dominating it, making them perfect for music lovers and the design conscious alike.

Turntables ★★★★★

Rega Planar 1
Best Turntable £200 – £500

The new Planar 1 is the most user friendly Rega turntable to date. Now with preset bias force on the brand new RB110 tonearm, the Planar 1 is set up in seconds after unpacking. Simply slide the balance weight onto the rear of the tonearm as far as it will go, remove the stylus guard and start spinning your favourite vinyl.

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Rega Planar 1 With Carbon MM Cartridge
£299.00 – £329.00 inc.VAT

Rega Planar 3/Elys 2
Best Turntable £500 – £750

Replacing the multi award winning and five times What Hi-Fi? Product of the Year (RP3) was never going to be an easy task. It took Rega’s team of designers, headed up by Roy Gandy, two years to develop the all new Planar 3 following the biggest re-design of the iconic Three model ever seen.

Rega Planar 3 Turntable
Rated 5.00 out of 5
£660.00 – £880.00 inc.VAT

Rega Planar 6/Ania
Best Turntable £1000 – £2000

The Planar 6 has one goal, to reproduce your vinyl as accurately as possible. Rega have engineered every aspect of this turntable to extract as much detail from the vinyl surface as possible. Advanced materials and engineering solutions have been used throughout the design to ensure the greatest level of performance.

Rega Planar 6 with MM or MC Cartridge
£1,155.00 – £1,870.00 inc.VAT

Rega Planar 8/Apheta 2
Best Turntable over £2000

The Planar 8 was inspired by the ultimate Rega turntable, the ‘Naiad’. Rega decided early on that instead of an evolution of the previous RP8, the new Planar 8 was to be developed and engineered to encapsulate the essence of ‘Naiad’ at an affordable price.

Rega Planar 8 Turntable
£1,870.00 – £2,860.00 inc.VAT

Wireless Speakers ★★★★★

Naim Mu-so Qb 2nd Generation
Best home wireless speaker over £500

Mu-so Qb 2nd Generation is the latest member of the award-winning Mu-so wireless music system family. Re-engineered from the ground up to create our best compact wireless music system yet.

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Naim Mu-So Qb 2nd Generation Wireless Music System
Rated 5.00 out of 5
£799.00 inc.VAT

Music Systems ★★★★★

Naim Uniti Atom
Best Hi-Fi System over £1000

Uniti Atom is a beautiful, compact multi-source music player that will seduce you with its amazing sound quality and outstanding feature-set. Its 40-watt integrated amplifier and high-resolution music streaming capabilities will fill your home with stunning high-fidelity sound.

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Naim Uniti Atom
Rated 5.00 out of 5
£2,499.00 inc.VAT

Accessories ★★★★★

Rega Fono MM MK3
Best Phono stage under £250

The new Fono MM phono stage has been designed to be effective, easy to use, and above all, to reproduce music. The Fono MM uses a fully discrete, cascaded, complementary amplifier input stage, a configuration designed to optimise the performance of your moving magnet cartridge.

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Rega Fono MM Mk5 Phono Stage
Out of stock
£220.00 inc.VAT

Chord Company C-line
Best analogue interconnect under £50

An original Chord Company design, high performance cable at an affordable price that still adheres to their exacting standards. What Hi-Fi? Award-winner 5 years running!

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The Chord Company C-Line Analogue RCA
£40.00 – £100.00 inc.VAT

Chord Clearway Analogue RCA
Best Analogue interconnect over £50

Chord have taken the design from the award winning C-line and upgraded all the materials to produce an outstanding value for money, high-performance analogue interconnect.

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The Chord Company Clearway Analogue RCA
£90.00 – £100.00 inc.VAT

Atacama Moseco 6
Best speaker stands

Moseco speaker stands combine all the aesthetic and sonic Benefits of Bamboo with the adaptability, strength and stability of twin carbon steel poles. These poles consist of a 50mm front column and a 28mm rear column which features cable management.

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Atacama Moseco 6 Speaker Stand (Pair)
£149.99 – £179.99 inc.VAT

Stereo Amplifiers ★★★★★

Naim Nait XS 3
Best Stereo amplifier £1500-£2500

Naim’s NAIT XS 3, delivers greater pace, intimacy and musical delivery thanks to its upgraded power amp sections – whether it’s driving a pair of loudspeakers or a pair of headphones.

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Naim Nait XS 3 Integrated Amplifier
£2,499.00 inc.VAT

Naim Supernait 3
Best Stereo amplifier over £2500

Naim SUPERNAIT 3 has received significant performance upgrades, including a built-in phono stage, making it a perfect partner for turntables, as well as for streamers, CD players, or any other music source.

Naim SUPERNAIT 3 Integrated Amplifier
£3,999.00 inc.VAT

Multi-Room Systems ★★★★★

Sonos
Best premium multi-room system

Speaker Packages ★★★★★

PMC Twenty5 23 5.1
Best speaker package over £5000

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PMC twenty5.Sub
£4,495.00 inc.VAT

DACs ★★★★★

Cyrus SoundKey
Best DAC under £100

SoundKey is an award-winning revolution in mobile music. Hi-Fi streaming services like TIDAL mean fantastic quality is available to subscribers, but phones lack the necessary hardware to get the best from this data. SoundKey unlocks that data, using our years of expertise in high-resolution DAC and amplifier design. Cyrus quality audio is now available to everyone.

AudioQuest DragonFly Cobalt
Best DAC £200 – £300

DragonFly Cobalt, their new flagship DAC, takes what music lovers around the world have come to expect from the multi-award-winning DragonFly family—naturally beautiful, seductive sound—and strips away fuzz and fog that weren’t even noticeable until Cobalt removed them.

Chord Mojo
Best DAC £300 – £500

Welcome Mojo, the world’s most advanced portable digital to analogue converter DAC/Headphone amplifier. Thanks to technology derived from the Hugo series units and Dave reference converter, the little powerhouse, that’s just the size of a pack of playing cards, will not only make your music sound better, but will effortlessly drive any pair of headphones wherever you are, no matter what.

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Chord Electronics Mojo 2
£495.00 inc.VAT

Chord Qutest
Best DAC £500 – £1200

Qutest is a standalone DAC whose performance belies its compact dimensions. With DAC architecture based on the award-winning Hugo 2, Qutest offers class-leading digital conversio

Chord Electronics Qutest DAC
£1,395.00 inc.VAT

Chord Hugo 2
Best DAC over £1200

Hugo 2 is a powerful DAC and headphone amp that builds on the ground-breaking original. Designed for both home and mobile use, Hugo 2 transforms headphones and audio systems sound quality with its cutting-edge proprietary DAC technology.

Chord Electronics Hugo 2 DAC
£2,100.00 inc.VAT

Soundsbars & Soundbases ★★★★★

Sonos Beam
Best Soundbar £300 – £500

The smart, compact soundbar for your TV.
Plays music, TV, movies, and more
Clear dialogue from speech enhancement
Easily pairs with your TV & remote
Amazon Alexa voice control
AirPlay compatible with iOS devices

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Melvyn Carter

16:17 08 Apr 19

Fantastic service from an enthusiastic and very knowledgable team. The fitting was carried out expertly, efficiently and the fitters cleaned up immaculately. Highly recommended. I am delighted in all respects.

Jeff Vincent

16:10 20 Mar 19

I ordered some speaker stands which turned out to be incompatible with my existing speakers so they were returned. The speedy turn around and service provided by Alex at Soundstage was faultless. I thoroughly recommend Soundstage Hi-Fi for their help and service.

Edward Rising

16:57 27 Dec 18

Brilliant shop with incredibly helpful and knowledgeable staff. Over the years they have fitted my home entertainment system and I have returned to buy smaller items too. They are always helpful and work with you to find the right equipment for your budget and space. Highly recommend!

Steve Clarke

14:55 08 Mar 19

Alex of Soundstage did a great job in fulfilling my order for a new Rega Brio Amp which was couriered to me within 48 hours. He offered very helpful advise before I decided to go ahead with the purchase as I was sceptical whether the Brio could bring out something a bit extra in the music compared with my existing Cyrus Amp. So far I am happy with the 'out of the box' sound of the Brio but anticipate that I will get that bit extra from it when the run-in period is complete. These guys at Soundstage know their stuff when it comes to Hi-Fi and stock a cracking range of gear . Highly Recommended.

Winsome Losesome

12:39 31 Dec 18

Superb service from this company. Communication, knowledge and and post sales service outstanding. Clearly these people care a lot about personal service which is a rare commodity theses days. Excellent!

Alexi Pittalis

11:42 02 May 19

The team were very efficient and have a true passion for Hi-Fi, assisting with advice and service. Very good at explaining how everything works to a non-techy person like myself. Thanks again Guys!

Adam Harland

10:28 22 May 19

What a refreshing experience......friendly staff, very knowledgeable and so enthusiastic about sound and vision, just what I needed. I didn't feel over sold, just well catered for and glad I found these guys after some previously bad experiences elsewhere

Pete Morrish

08:17 04 Jun 19

Great experience buying from Soundstage. Hadn't used them before, but was on the hunt for Chord gear (TT2 and M Scaler), so took the plunge with them. There was a wait for the units, as they were selling faster than the manufacturer could make them, but Alex at Soundstage kept me up to date the whole way through. He even sorted out a loaner Hugo 2 for me whilst waiting on the TT2 to turn up. Zero hassle, great service, very friendly, definitely recommended.

Steven Immelman

11:43 06 Jun 19

Exceptional knowledge and service; Alex in particular was fantastic. My B&W 803 D3's were shipped in double quick time - to Portugal. I cannot praise Soundstage enough.

Jimmy Campbell

15:04 21 Jun 19

I could not recommend Soundstage high enough. I have dealt with Soundstage on a few occasions now and will continue to go to them for advice of on hi-fi equipment and upgrades when I am able. The service is thorough, personable, and professional. Not being a tech head myself can leave you feeling a little lost in the world of Hi-fi, however Dean and boys convey there expertise and knowledge in such a manner as to put you at ease when exploring the vast intricacies of Hi-fi. All my questions were answered in a manner that was easily digestible and clear, making my decisions informed with clarity. There is no 'hard sale' but an eagerness to meet your individual needs and requirements, achieved by Soundstage truly listening to you as the customer. A personable service that will entice me back again and again. Thank you Soundstage! Could not be happier with my system and your guidance! Great experience from demo to instalment!

Robert Mann

15:32 17 Jul 19

This is a business which focuses on combining a brilliant customer service with excellent product knowledge. The atmosphere is very relaxed without any hint of overselling. You really get a feeling that the business is based on long term costumer enjoyment rather than short term profit margin. Whilst listening to the Linn LP12 turntable the conversation turned to a discussion on the therapeutic benefits of music. How can you better that?

Stephen Elston

12:39 25 Aug 19

I came, I heard, I concurred. This re-discovered jewel in Heddon Court Parade is more conspicuous of late with a slightly louder shop front and an enticing display of equipment within. It may be modest in size but it caters for the grandest ambition. And it is accessible; being within a short walk of Cockfosters underground station or, in my case, the occasional car journey from home with parking spaces alongside or, better still, permission to rest a bike on their wood laminate floor... it doesn’t look out of place: and these are accommodating hosts. Somehow, there is also room for the hardware, including my own vintage Linn Sondek connected to serious components for demonstration after restoration. It doesn’t sound 40 years old now… my ears tell me it was built today: and it shines in every way. An experience beyond expectation can only have been facilitated by a skilled and dedicated craftsman behind the scenes -- a turntable Surgeon who sat with me beforehand to discuss the forthcoming operation in tones of reassurance and with practical answers to every question. Meanwhile, the boss of the shop went out to fetch me a coffee. Everyone at Soundstage is like that. In fact their enthusiasm, knowledge and dedication are contagious. Customers become part of the event; pointing you in a certain direction or extending a welcome while you wait. Not that you are neglected or (on the other side of the record) that you feel under pressure. And, talking of music, don’t be surprised if you (or Soundstage) discover something new to enjoy!

Aditya Chakrabortty

20:36 14 Sep 19

A small family-run business, where everyone really cares about what they do. Even though I am far from Dean's biggest-spending customer, he took the time and trouble to think about what would work best for my family and me – and then put real care and attention into making everything look and sound as good as possible. The result is a system that works so well in a difficult room and which has given everyone a lot of pleasure. In short, highly recommended.

Simon Farrar

16:30 25 Sep 19

Very Happy. Great family run business with a very personable and friendly vibe. Extremely knowledgeable, helpful and accommodating. Also have a fantastic taste in music which helps! I've been to a lot of HiFi dealers and this is definitely my favourite for service, staff and conversation. On top of which always inviting to evenings of music showings with food and wine. The personal touch goes a long way. Look no further if you're into High Fidelity sound and an enjoyable experience! Awesome folks. Look forward to dealing with again in the future. Keep up the good work!! P.S Loving my Naim system!!! :)

claire underdown

22:58 27 Sep 19

I’ve recently purchased a Rega P1 from Dean at Soundstage ; my first turntable for many years. The delivery was prompt but some damage had occurred in transit, despite the excellent packaging. I contacted Dean by email and was immediately reassured he would help. Without hesitation, Dean told me a new turntable would be shipped to me the next day and we discussed the arrangement for returning the damaged item. Remarkably, although I’d bought a refurbished item, Dean immediately offered me a brand new replacement. I think this was above and beyond -done with great professionalism and Dean’s commitment to great customer service was evident with every word. I would whole heartedly recommend the company following this and would certainly look there first for any item I am considering. ?

Denise Tanner

09:48 13 Oct 19

Review by Dr Peter Tanner Soundstage is much more than a hi Fi store. I’ve just bought a Linn Sondek LP12 from Soundstage and was most impressed by the professional and personal service provided by Dean and Alex. The service includes sound advice and guidance and I was kindly invited to spend a day watching the turntable being expertly assembled by Alan. They provide a comprehensive after sales service which is a bit like being in a private club. I would recommend Soundstage without hesitation.

A C

21:35 30 Oct 19

Dean was incredibly helpful and honest with his advice in choosing a turntable (of which I knew nothing about them!) as a surprise gift. Delivery was quick and the item packaged perfectly. Dean offered at point of sale to give any help/advice once the gift was opened and also reiterated this in a handwritten note inside the package. Brilliant service. I wouldn't hesitate to recommend Soundstage.

Philip Schofield

15:29 12 Nov 19

I have just had my Linn LP12 turntable serviced and given a Cirkus upgrade, plus new stylus, by Alan. I have been really impressed by the result. The Turntable looks new and sounds absolutely terrific. Alan really cares about the Linn turntables, and was full of good advice. I followed his recommendations (within a budget, of course) and can now look forward to even better sounding music. Thanks also to Alex who co-ordinated things.

Jon Andrews

11:11 11 Jan 20

I recently bought a full replacement for my existing separates from Dean and Alex at Soundstage. I cannot remember the last time I had so much joy in buying something from such a caring, knowledgable friendly and customer oriented business. Although only a small family business Soundstage could branch out into giving lessons to many other organisations in customer service and professionalism.

Paul Thompson

20:52 17 Jan 20

Dean and his team are amazing. They really care about what they do and give great advice. The care they took installing my turntable was really impressive and as a result it sounds astonishing.

Rodney Stanford

21:31 03 Oct 19

I just bought a Michell Tecno Dec Turntable From Dean and his team @ Soundstage Fantastic from my first phone call to them right to my delivery and my set up the help they gave me was amazing i would buy from you again and again well done to all of you there for you care with me as a Customer .Rod Stanford

Esther Yap

10:31 06 Jul 18

We enjoyed overall experience buying our new hi-fi system from Soundstage. Dean has been really helpful, and knowledgeable in assisting us from the very beginning in selecting the systems, amplifier, cable, etc to coming and have our system set up by him and Eds. We really enjoy our Bowers & Wilkins hi-fi and couldn’t recommend highly enough, and hopefully one day when we need to have it upgrade, we come back again!

Howard Graff

17:41 01 Jun 20

Dean and Alex have improved my life. Their service in helping me to transition from a 20-year old hifi setup to my new stack has been exceptional. Okay, so I was completely taken in by their kind offer to lend me some amazing hifi equipment...but I enjoyed the whole process of getting hooked. I'm a hugely happy customer and can't recommend them strongly enough.

Joe Sture

17:39 28 May 20

Dean has provided a fantastic service, with fast delivery supplying over a long distance. The packaging was done professional and communication about delivery was an example to many larger organisations. What was particulary nice was Dean had hand written a note of thanks and inserted into the box. In summary please have no hesitation in asking Dean for help as you will get the best advice, best service and best price.

Paul Baker

11:42 27 May 20

I am really delighted to have discovered this purveyor of fine Hi-Fi and Home Cinema Equipment. An exceptionally dedicated team, providing sound advice and service of the very highest order - HIGHLY RECOMMENDED!

Studio EIGHT

12:28 20 Oct 21

Ordered a set of ATC wall-mount speakers from Soundstage as they were the first to respond and the best on price. I had gone out to 4 suppliers in general. They gave me a lead time and emailed two weeks before that to say they had received and mailed them out already. Couriers sent tracking number straight through, all on next day delivery. Comms were really good. I'm busy, and not a phone guy so appreciate straight-talking, concise email comms when purchasing such things. Very happy with the service. A perfectly simple transaction. Will use these guys again for sure. M LEWIS

Alan Osborn

08:48 06 Oct 21

I took a deck there for a repair but ended up buying a new Linn Deck as my one was very old! Alex was most helpful throughout the purchase and the demonstration of the decks in my price range, I would not hesitate in recommending Soundstage!

Ian Hutchin

11:37 24 Apr 21

Fantastic service from what was only a smalll purchase that other retail chains would not hardly bother with. From the first phone inquire to the shop visit Alex and Dean made every effort to help in a friendly and welcoming atmosphere

Harpal Matharoo

09:59 06 Aug 21

Excellent service. Ordered a new cartridge for Rega P9....arrived in less than 24hrs as described. No traumas! Well done Sounstage....

18:44 08 Jul 21

I rarely leave reviews but a company like Soundstage deserves to be recognised and recommended. From the moment I entered the store, I was greeted by very friendly, helpful and professional staff (Dean and Alex). Price is important but I believe that the service you receive both before and after sales, is just as important. Being able to see, hear and feel the product before you purchase, alongside the immediate help and advice you get from a physical person (staff) is an experience you just can’t get online. This is why I will be coming back to Soundstage for all my ATC (and other hifi) products.

Stereo Speakers ★★★★★

Bowers & Wilkins 606 S2 Anniversary Edition Speakers

Turntables ★★★★★

Rega Planar 1 With Carbon MM Cartridge

Rega Planar 3 Turntable

Rega Planar 6 with MM or MC Cartridge

Rega Planar 8 Turntable

Wireless Speakers ★★★★★

Naim Mu-So Qb 2nd Generation Wireless Music System

Music Systems ★★★★★

Naim Uniti Atom

Accessories ★★★★★

Rega Fono MM Mk5 Phono Stage

The Chord Company C-Line Analogue RCA

The Chord Company Clearway Analogue RCA

Atacama Moseco 6 Speaker Stand (Pair)

Stereo Amplifiers ★★★★★

Naim Nait XS 3 Integrated Amplifier

Naim SUPERNAIT 3 Integrated Amplifier

Multi-Room Systems ★★★★★

Speaker Packages ★★★★★

PMC twenty5.Sub

DACs ★★★★★

Chord Electronics Mojo 2

Chord Electronics Qutest DAC

Chord Electronics Hugo 2 DAC

Soundsbars & Soundbases ★★★★★

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