What Hi-Fi?

What Hi-Fi?
source
Name	What Hi-Fi?
Type	Magazine and website
Foundation	1976
Owner	Future plc
Headquarters	London
Language	English

What Hi-Fi? is a British consumer electronics magazine and website specializing in audio and visual equipment, including hi‑fi, home cinema, headphones and TVs. It provides product reviews, buying guides and industry news aimed at both enthusiasts and general consumers. The title is associated with annual awards and trade coverage that connects manufacturers, retailers and consumers across the global audio‑visual market.

History

What Hi‑Fi? originated in the mid‑1970s amid a surge of interest in domestic audio and hi‑fi equipment, paralleling developments covered by Stereo Review, Hi‑Fi World, Gramophone (magazine), The Absolute Sound, and Sound & Vision. During the 1980s and 1990s the title expanded coverage alongside consumer electronics milestones such as the rise of Sony Corporation, Panasonic, Philips, Sennheiser, and Bose Corporation. Ownership and corporate changes connected it to publishing groups including Future plc, which also owns titles like TechRadar, T3 (magazine), PC Gamer, Total Film, and Edge (magazine). Editorial leadership and contributing reviewers have intersected with commentators from What Hi‑Fi?’s peer magazines and broadcasting outlets such as BBC Radio 4, Channel 4, and Sky News. The magazine’s timeline reflects shifts driven by product categories championed by manufacturers like Denon, Marantz, Yamaha Corporation, KEF, Bang & Olufsen, Naim Audio, Cambridge Audio, Bowers & Wilkins, and JBL.

Publication and Format

Published in print and online, the title’s format evolved from monthly newsstand issues to a robust digital presence integrated with social platforms and video channels comparable to YouTube hosts and specialist outlets such as What Hi‑Fi?’s contemporaries CNET, Trusted Reviews, The Verge, Wired (magazine), and Engadget. Print issues have featured in‑depth comparisons, interviews with designers from firms like Harman International Industries, Hercules (brand), and Audio-Technica, and coverage of events such as the Consumer Electronics Show and IFA (trade show). Online content includes product pages, buyer’s guides, and price trackers that interact with retailers and marketplaces including Amazon (company), Currys, and Best Buy. The title’s awards and recommended lists are distributed through special print supplements, web pages, and video reviews that follow formats seen in GQ (magazine), Esquire (magazine), and Rolling Stone features.

Reviews and Testing Methodology

The publication employs controlled listening sessions, measurements and comparative testing modeled on methodologies used by laboratories and magazines such as Audioholics, Stereophile, Hi‑Fi Choice, and SoundStage!. Test protocols often reference measurement equipment standards promulgated by manufacturers and institutions including RMS (root mean square), IEC (International Electrotechnical Commission), and lab techniques used by companies like Rohde & Schwarz and Tektronix. Reviewers evaluate products from brands such as Sony Corporation, Apple Inc., Bose Corporation, Samsung Electronics, LG Electronics, Sonos, Focal-JMlab, and MartinLogan on criteria including build quality, measured performance, value and user experience. Comparative group tests pit multiple models from competitors such as Denon, Marantz, Onkyo, Pioneer Corporation, Yamaha Corporation, and Arcam with blind listening panels and technical measurements to minimize bias, echoing practices in academic and industry testing in institutions like Imperial College London and University of Salford acoustic labs.

Influence and Industry Impact

The title’s reviews and annual awards have influenced consumer purchasing, retail stocking decisions and marketing strategies for companies including Sony Corporation, Samsung Electronics, LG Electronics, Bowers & Wilkins, KEF, Naim Audio, Denon, and Marantz. Its recommendations are cited by retailers, distributors and trade bodies at events such as CES and IFA (trade show). Manufacturers often leverage favorable coverage in promotional material alongside endorsements from other outlets like What Hi‑Fi?’s market peers CNET, TechRadar, Good Housekeeping, and Wired (magazine). The publication has contributed to product category growth for streaming audio (companies like Spotify and Apple Music), wireless speakers (brands such as Sonos), and headphone markets driven by firms like Sony, Bose Corporation, and Sennheiser. Its influence extends to litigation‑adjacent publicity, regulatory attention and standards discussions involving bodies like Ofcom and IEC (International Electrotechnical Commission).

Controversies and Criticism

The publication has faced criticism common to product review outlets: alleged conflicts of interest, perceived editorial bias, and debate over testing transparency—issues also raised in relation to outlets such as CNET, Trusted Reviews, TechRadar, The Verge, and Engadget. Specific disputes have involved reaction to award selections and review scores for manufacturers including Bowers & Wilkins, Bang & Olufsen, Sonos, Sonance, and Apple Inc.. Critics from independent reviewers and forums tied to communities around Reddit, specialist sites like Stereophile and Audioholics, and consumer groups have called for clearer disclosure of sample sourcing and ad relationships, mirroring wider media debates involving publishers such as Future plc and advertisers like Amazon (company). Responses from the magazine cite established procedures and editorial policies consistent with industry practices found at peer publications and media organizations including BBC, The Guardian, and The Times (London).

Category:British magazines