Marantz, Focal, Audio-Technica…The best reviews of December 2025!

I’d been looking for a projector to replace my 58″ Philips LED 4K TV for years. I did use an Acer H5360BD (720p) from time to time, but the rainbow effects and everyday impracticality of a back-of-room projector didn’t satisfy me. This one ticks all the boxes: 4K, triple laser, small and portable on vacation. In the dark, what a visual feast: a 2-meter screen, contrast, color, sharpness—truly fantastic for such a small device.

⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ 5/5
Review by ChrisMars75, December 12, 2025

After a month of use, I’ve been completely won over by the SDA300. Frankly, it’s an INCREDIBLE amp! It has a Dante-esque musicality that I have long sought after, even fantasized about, and I never thought I’d be able to reach this level at this price. It’s beautiful, it’s alive, and it just makes you want to listen to music. The finish is really top-notch. You can feel it right away when you turn the knobs or look behind at the terminals. It’s very, very serious. The screen is superbly legible, with large characters, so it’s a pleasure to use on a daily basis. In short, I’m really impressed with this purchase. A big bravo to Atoll and thanks to the Bordeaux team, who were very attentive to my needs and provided me with a great listening experience!

⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ 5/5
Review by bougi, December 17, 2025

The build and design are simply wonderful. The Px8 S2 exude premium quality. The fit is good, as is the isolation. They’re comfortable to wear, and despite their weight, you can forget you’re wearing them. Soundwise, they have an analytical profile that’s not lacking in bass. The ANC mode is quite convincing. The reviews suggested that the noise cancelling might be disappointing, but I didn’t get that impression.

⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ 5/5
Review by JujuC, December 27, 2025

I was looking for a portable player to replace my Cayin N8ii, which is excellent musically (tube preamplifier, class A, etc…), but very difficult to use for streaming. As I have headphones that need a lot of power to express themselves: the Focal Utopia 2022, Focal Celestee, Sendy Audio Peacock and Sennheiser IE 600, I was looking for a powerful but above all musical player.[…] We plugged in our headphones, opened Tidal, and it was pure bliss! The music felt natural, with a fluidity in the instruments and vocals. There was substance, texture, depth, and weight in the notes! I rediscovered the smoothness and warmth of a tube system in my living room, or of a pure class A Pass Lab preamp and amp system connected to a pair of speakers like the Focal Scala Utopia. But with a certain finesse and greater precision.

⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ 5/5
Review by Philippe C, December 30, 2025

The CD 60 is paired with a Marantz Model 50 analog amp. The advantages: a wider soundstage with remarkable amplitude and aeration. The sound has gained in precision. The various instruments are more widely spaced. Greater immersion in the ambience. More depth in the different planes. The space between instruments is grandiose. More treble and bass / better extension of the extremities of the sound spectrum. More transparency and a silence that opens up the extreme notes. More micro-detail, much improved dynamics: flawlessly clear midrange, revealing incredibly fine texture; highs with a sometimes startling sharpness; bass with great solidity and exemplary precision.

⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ 5/5
Review by Carqu67, December 31, 2025

I’ve just upgraded from my old 165cm Philips 60Hz 4K Oled TV to this gorgeous 195cm Sony 144Hz 4K. It’s like night and day. I’ve never seen such a smooth picture. And in terms of image quality, the 8k upscaling works like a charm. YouTube’s 8K test videos are marvelous. What’s more, Sony’s special HDR streaming is available, and once again, it’s amazing. On PS5, the TV switches to game mode, and that’s even better. In short, I recommend this TV to anyone who wants Sony quality and picture quality that’s almost spellbinding.

⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ 5/5
Review by lol4k, December 30, 2025

Going from 1999 Triangle speakers to Focal ARIAX3s is quite a jump! They’re real beauties weighing 30kg each, offering an impeccable presentation and a meticulous finish. These speakers are very precise and fine in their sound without being too sharp. Perfect for a large space and not too difficult to drive with a fairly reasonable amp (Marantz C60), a very nice evolution. I rediscovered certain instruments and backing vocals in the midrange. They’re excellent with blues, rock and classical music that’s not too demanding.

⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ 5/5
Review by Amo7237, December 31, 2025

I bought this turntable for a friend who was getting back into hi-fi and wanted to rediscover the pleasure of listening to analog records. Knowing Audio-technica cartridges well, I knew that the result would be a dynamic, lively sound, in tune with her musical tastes – reggae, rock, electronic music. The choice of a direct-drive model brings many advantages: instant start-up, no belts to replace, ease of use. The quality of finish and design of this LP5 is very satisfactory for its price, and the sound is very lively. The basic cartridge is already a pleasure to listen to, and it’s always possible to change the stylus or upgrade to the VMx series after a few months.

⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ 5/5
Review by Mr Fab, December 29, 2025

As a fan of Cambridge products, I opted for this beautiful, simple and efficient network player to replace an Octavio version 1. The connectors are very comprehensive and the excellent Sabre DAC can be used by another device as an external DAC. RCA output but also XLR output possible: it’s very complete! The device is elegant and well-built, with a pleasant display that provides a wealth of information on current playback, including the fun VU meter. Wi-Fi reception is stable and the device is very easy to set up. The big highlight is the StreamMagic app that controls the device: it’s very stable, easy to use and comprehensive, especially in terms of the radio stations on offer. A real pleasure. I use it with Qobuz Connect in most cases, and the 32-bit Sabre DAC is perfect for high-resolution files: no clipping, no latency. The sound is excellent for all my uses: clear, airy and defined. Overall, I’m delighted with this purchase.

⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ 5/5
Review by Arnaud T, December 30, 2025