TOP FIVE LAUNCHES

Five products to look out for this month

1

Magnetar UDP900

€2500 (around £2210)

Magnetar’s second Blu-ray player is gloriously overkill, and we are loving the look of it. Weighing in at 15.5kg and constructed of solid metal, the UDP900 is a beast, with two 60W power supplies; one for analogue audio and the other for surround sound and hi-res music. This Blu-ray player takes audio performance deadly seriously, with the same Sabre ES9038PRO DAC that is found in the Award-winning JBL Synthesis SDR-35 AVR. When it comes to video, the UDP900 handles HDR10, HDR10+ and Dolby Vision at 4K. This is technically a universal disc player, meaning it can handle a host of optical disc formats including 4K Blu-ray and even Super Audio CD. whf.cm/magnetarudp900

2

Loewe Klang Bar3 MR

£999

Loewe’s latest Dolby Atmos soundbar is all about powerful sound in a compact body. Designed to fit with 43in TVS and upwards, the Klang Bar3 MR is small yet mighty, with a claimed 360 watts of power output delivered via seven front-facing speakers and two built-in subwoofers. You will also find 4K HDMI passthrough, and wireless connectivity via Airplay, Chromecast and DTS Play-fi. There is also the option to pair the soundbar with Loewe’s own multiroom speakers or any active speakers of your choosing to create a 5.1 arrangement via Loewe’s Wireless Digital Audio Link (WDAL 2.0) system. We could have a Sonos Beam Gen 2 competitor on our hands here. whf.cm/klangbar3_mr

3

Denon DNP-2000NE

£1399

Denon’s HEOS streaming platform has been an asset to its range of amplifiers and AVRS for some time, and now it’s the headlining feature of this new music streamer from the audio brand. The DNP-2000NE uses the HEOS platform (to which you can link Spotify, Tidal, Deezer, Amazon Music and more) and supports high-resolution audio up to 32-bit/384khz, which is even better than CD quality. Connections are plentiful too, with wi-fi, ethernet, Bluetooth and Apple Airplay 2, alongside HDMI ARC, optical, coaxial and USB Type B inputs. As for outputs, there are fixed and variable analogue outputs (one coaxial, one optical each) and a headphone socket on the front of the device. You will be able to order the Denon DNP-2000NE in three stylish finishes: black, premium silver or graphite silver. whf.cm/denon_heos

4

TCL C84 Series Mini LED

£TBC

TCL’S latest flagship TV for 2023 uses its latestgeneration Mini LED panel with a host of picture improvements and new features. This includes more precise contrast, reduced blooming and improved brightness and uniformity. TCL attributes these improvements to its increased number of local dimming zones, as well as its “high efficiency and wide luminous angle Mini LEDS”. The C84 includes the expected list of features for a flagship TV, including Dolby Atmos and Dolby Vision IQ support, HDMI 2.1 and VRR – although interestingly this TV has a 144Hz panel, and it can apparently reach 240Hz through TCL’S Game Accelerator picture setting; could this be in the running for the best gaming TV? The C84 comes in 55-, 65-. 75- and 85in screen sizes with pricing to be confirmed in the near future. whf.cm/tcl2023

5

Bang & Olufsen Beosound A5

£899 Bang & Olufsen’s trademark blend of luxury styling and precise audio engineering has once again delivered a Bluetooth speaker that should sound as good as it looks. The Beosound A5 was developed in collaboration with Danish-italian design duo Gamfratesi, although it’s more than just a pretty face, as it is touted as B&O’S most powerful portable speaker yet. With its four-way driver and four digital amplifiers outputting a claimed 240W across its 13cm woofer, dual 50mm midrange drivers and 20mm tweeter, the A5 is built for 360 degree sound. Despite its aesthetic, the Beosound A5 is also tough enough to be taken on the road, with an IP65 water and dust protection rating and 12-hour battery life. Connectivity includes Bluetooth 5.2, Airplay 2, Chromecast and Spotify Connect and it comes in two finishes, Nordic Wave (pictured) or Dark Oak for an extra £100. whf.cm/beosoundbluetooth