The Arcam Solo is an alluring slice of British contemporary design with audiophile credentials. The Solo is actually a CD player, a potent stereo amplifier and a DAB/FM tuner in one stylish silver box. Despite its compact curves and icy elegance, it is solidly built and simple to use — though a volume knob would be better than two buttons. Miles Davis’s silky, soulful trumpet on Somethin’ Else leaves you breathless, yet the amp is effortlessly capable of driving the superb optional speakers (an extra £400). The DAB tuner makes the best of poor-quality digital radio broadcasts and offers FM, too. Second only to the Onkyo in sound quality, this is our overall champ. With decent speakers, cables and stands, the Solo will really fly.

SMALL WONDER
DENON D-M35DAB — £245 from www.empiredirect.co.uk
Big-hearted performance from a tiny prize fighter

There are cheaper micro systems than this new Denon, but, pound for pound, the D-M35DAB is unbeatable. This truly tiny (210mm x 95mm x 328mm) box is elegantly finished in cool brushed metal, and there is nothing small about the sound. The 22W power output will drive real hi-fi speakers, but the matching Denon designs (at £70 extra) are a perfect fit. Though not up to the standard of hi-fi separates, it is a world away from lesser rivals. The amp is crisp, the digital radio tuner (with FM) is clean and open, and the CD player is as good as it should be at the price. The crystal-clear dot-matrix display nicely illuminates the neat front-panel controls. Factor in a clock and timer facilities, and this dinky Denon is a budget titan.

SUPERB FLYWEIGHT
Onkyo C-733/A-933 — £900 from Onkyo; 01494 681515
Combo that punches way above its weight

In space-strapped Japan, where mini component systems are all the rage, Onkyo is the market leader. Despite a trim silhouette, this mini CD/amplifier combo is so good that even high-end hi-fi systems risk being KOd by its talents. It impresses with affordable stand-mounted speakers, and twinned with pricier floor-standing loudspeakers, it truly amazes. Even the thunderous drum’n’bass of 4hero cannot upset the Onkyo, and it catches every last inflection in Dido ’s dulcet tones. This model lacks a DAB tuner, the facilities are spartan and the styling is conventional, despite the understated aluminium front panel. That said, and in spite of its diminutive dimensions, this Onkyo duo feels rather grown-up.

BEAUTIFUL BEAST
B&O BeoSound 1 — £925 from www.bang-olufsen.com
Beguiling ‘plug and play’ perfection

The Bang & Olufsen brand is often derided by hi-fi purists because sonics come second to style. Well, the BeoSound 1 is a triumph of both form and function. This largish box is exquisite, the controls are neatly concealed yet easy to operate, and the finish is superb, with several colours to choose from. True, no sub-£1,000 box with speakers built in will go toe to toe with the pricier systems on test, but this baby has a go: the vocals of Norah Jones glide out seductively, while Primal Scream’s powerpop carries a surprising punch. There’s no DAB radio, and even the Beo4 remote control costs extra. Still, this is a superb “plug in and play” music system, and not just for style aficionados.

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