8 most exciting British hi-fi products launching in 2023

It’s been a thrilling year so far in hi-fi, and there’s more still to come

Hard to believe we’re already half way through the year, and 2023’s already been a massive year in British hi-fi. Big-name UK brands have unveiled some truly awesome-looking products that have left the team of audio experts at What Hi-Fi? outright squealing with excitement.

And we know you’ll be excited too, as we run down our most wanted British hi-fi kit set to arrive this year.

Mission 778X stereo amplifier

The Mission 778X is the company’s first stereo amp in over 40 years – for reference that means it hit the scene when Return Of The Jedi was doing its first run in cinemas. It’s a modernised version of the iconic Mission 778. Key specs include a hi-res DAC, which is based around the ES9018K2M chipset seen in the Sabre32 Reference family.

The use of ESS Technology’s 32-bit HyperStream architecture and Time Domain Jitter Eliminator also means it should deliver dynamic range and low distortion – though we’ll need to test it to confirm this. Hi-res PCM files are supported up to 32-bit/384kHz, and DSD to 11.2MHz (DSD256). This plus its modern connectivity, and Bluetooth support, make it a very enticing bit of kit, especially considering its £549 price tag.

Rega Naia turntable

Rega unveiled the Naia at the Bristol Hi-Fi Show in February, and since we saw it at the show we’ve struggled to contain our excitement. Rega is releasing this turntable to celebrate its 50th anniversary this year.