If you already own a Sonos system, the new Zone Players offer no compelling reason to upgrade, unless you have significant range problems. But for new buyers, the updated hardware should make the system even more reliable, especially in large homes.

As a basic CD, MP3 and radio player the XL-UH25H does its job admirably. If you’re looking for thrilling sound quality or advanced functionality, though, you’d best look elsewhere.

If you’ve got an extensive home theatre setup, the STRDA2400ES is more than capable of connecting it all together and powering all but the hungriest speaker systems.

If you’ve got a wide selection of CDs or SACDs, you’ll notice a difference stepping up to a dedicated CD player like the CD-S2000. Of course, just like with other high-end components you need the appropriate system to take advantage of that jump in sound quality.

Olin’s OBDP-100 is a capable Blu-ray player with a reasonable price tag. It’s not the cheapest player available, but it is more capable than similarly priced competitors.

Exacting build quality and retro styling make the A-S2000 feel like a vintage model from the 1970s. Everything internal is nice and modern, however, resulting in a clean analytical sound that's able to be pushed to incredibly (and we mean incredibly) loud volumes without the slightest hint of distortion. Just don't try to move it around without a pal.

AAD’s M Series surround sound home theatre offers great sound quality for movies at an affordable price. The speakers are quite light and easy to set up, although their styling is more conservative than impressive.

Sharp’s CD-MPX880H is a sound system that has legacy format support in the form of two cassette trays, as well as a five-CD stacker. It fulfils its tasks admirably but we would have liked to see some more advanced features like USB support.

Philips’ newest sound-bar works well as an unobtrusive addition to your home theatre, fitting in well with the most recent LCD and plasma panels. The addition of a subwoofer means it isn't as streamlined as other sound-bars, but it does provide a welcome boost to bass response.

KingRex's UD-01 digital audio converter replaces your PC's sound card for transporting audio to an amplifier. By cutting out the PC's noisy internal circuitry the UD-01 offers a significant boost in sound quality with a warm yet clear signature.

As a storage device, the ScreenPlay HD excels — it’s fast and has plenty of storage space. Its media playback abilities leave plenty to be desired, however, with limited format support and an uninspiring interface.

LG’s XA63 is a solid mini Hi-Fi system. Its advanced features are more novel than useful, but it handles most tasks easily.