Marantz Melody X M-CR612 & Wharfedale Diamond 220 (Black)

”A thoroughly modern take on a classic category.” ’AV Forums’ – Best Buy.

All your music in one place
Featuring wi-fi, Bluetooth, Internet radio, HEOS and a huge range of built-in music services, the Melody X has you covered for streaming music. It goes much further, though. A CD player lets you keep on spinning your favourite discs. DAB and FM tuners let you listen off air. Finally, a wide collection of digital and analogue inputs make connecting up your other music sources a cinch.

Huge range of streaming options – including Apple AirPlay 2
When it comes to streaming music your way, the Melody X is ahead of the game. Apple AirPlay 2 is now standard and Amazon Prime Music, Spotify (Premium account required for full features), TIDAL, Napster and Deezer are all on board. There’s also TuneIn for Internet radio and Bluetooth music streaming.

Works with Apple AirPlay and Bluetooth
AirPlay 2 takes this popular wireless streaming format and makes it better. Controllable by simply asking Siri or using your Apple device, AirPlay 2 lets you effortlessly stream music and podcasts around your home – and all in perfect sync. Alternatively, use the Bluetooth connection for a direct stream from your smartphone or other device.

HEOS – multi-room magic
HEOS multi-room music systems connect together by dual-band Wi-Fi, making them easy to set up with your existing home network. Up to 32 HEOS units can be set up at one time, ensuring even the largest of homes are covered for multi-room music. With HEOS already built-in, the Melody X is ready to go as a single ‘zone’ without any further adaptors.

For music, just ask
With support for Amazon Alexa, Google Assistant and Apple Siri, the Melody X has your request covered. Simply add an Alexa or Google Home device or use Apple AirPlay for effortless voice control of the basic functions.

Plays CDs
As a further bonus, the Melody X MCR612 features a built-in CD player. Marantz make some of the best CD players on the market, so it's little surprise to find this one plays CDs to a very high standard. For added flexibility, it will also play MP3 and WMA music files stored on disc.

DAB FM radio
Another very handy feature is the built in DAB/FM tuner radio. A choice of DAB and FM gives you access to a wide range of local and national stations. For ease of use, RDS (Radio Data System) is included on the FM tuner.

Connect your TV and games console - with two digital inputs
At the back of this versatile system you'll find two optical digital inputs and one RCA phono analogue pair. Perfect for connecting sources such as your TV, games console or set-top box, the Melody X improves the sound of much more than just your music. As a further bonus, it even works with your TV’s remote control – perfect for adjusting the volume or mute without having to use two remotes.

Twin speaker outputs with individual volume
For music in more than one room, the Melody X comes with speaker A/B outputs. With individual volume control for the second set of speakers, you can pump up the volume in your main room while keeping it at a lower level in the other - or vice versa.

Stylish simplicity
Compact and curvaceous, the Melody X is stylish yet not intrusive. For a sleek appearance, Marantz have limited the button count to a minimum. You can control the Melody X via the supplied remote control or by an app for your Smartphone (Apple or Android).

Hear all your music, at its best, with the Marantz Melody X MCR612.

"Want to know what the best sounding budget speakers on the market are? Easy, its Wharfedales brand-new Diamond 220s." What Hi-Fi Sound & Vision magazine, 5-star review.

The legend continues
It was back in 1981 when the Wharfedale Diamond first redefined expectations of small speakers. The original model proved that a small speaker didn't necessarily need to sound 'small', that a budget speaker could sound full-bodied without being intrusive. The latest Diamond 220 follows on from the highly successful 121 model and has already received an excited response.

New cabinet for improved sound
New to the Wharfedale Diamond 220 is a sandwich cabinet design. Rather than the simple chipboard and MDF used by the previous Diamond 121, the new 220 uses particle board sandwiched by MDF on either side. This gives superb rigidity and damping properties, helping to further reduce the already low levels of distortion. A further benefit is the smooth MDF construction provides a cleaner surface for the veneer; meaning a smoother finish all round.

Ported design
Also new is the gloss finished baffle, making the speakers far more pleasing to the eye. As before, the 220 ports the bass via an integral plinth, rather than the more usual front or rear holes. This not only provides a more efficient and even bass output but also makes the speaker easier to place: you don't have to take wall positioning into account.

New drive units, class-leading sound
The bass driver is formed from woven Kevlar with ribs for added rigidity, but has a revised magnet system for tighter control of the sound. Vocals still sound incredibly realistic, and the bass is upbeat and never lags. At the other end of the scale the treble unit is surrounded by a deeply dished waveguide. This helps to improve the imaging and 'width' of sound, making it easier to pick out individual instruments, as well as providing loads of detail. Put together, the overall sound quality is still fantastically well-balanced.

With its latest upgrades the Wharfedale Diamond 220 has truly come of age. If ever there was an argument for evolution over revolution in speaker design, a listen to the Diamond 220 proves the case for the former - and then some!